AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[KevinFromTexas]

I have no problem at all with the T. Stacy proposal for that site. 6th Street and Congress have been historically the center of Austin's commerce and entertainment. Main and Main is what they used to call it, just shy of it printing that on the street signs of course. I don't even understand how and why there would be a historical designation for that block. Nothing on that block is older than 50 years old. The oldest structure on the block is from 1959 I believe, it's the banking hall next to Bank of America Center along Congress which is now vacant and will eventually be demolished for the new office tower. The Littlefield Quarters are nothing to marvel at, and the parking garages on that block are nasty 60s and 70s boxes. The only thing on that whole block I want to see kept is of course the Bank of America Center.

As for music joints, there aren't any for really the first two blocks east of Congress on both sides of the street.

As for the rest of 6th Street, anything that is old I want to see left alone. Restore it and reuse it. 6th Street is one of our gem streets when it comes to great architecture, even if the buildings aren't very big. Where else in the city can you find block after block of buildings from the 1880s? Even Congress doesn't have that anymore.

[Northcrossed]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2008/06/02/daily48.html?jst=b_ln_hl

Thursday, June 5, 2008 - 10:45 PM CDT
City staff say Trammell Crow should be allowed to redevelop Green site
Austin Business Journal - by Jean Kwon ABJ Staff

In the largest redevelopment opportunity ever for downtown Austin, Austin City Manager Marc Ott and city staff have recommended that Trammell Crow Co. be allowed to redevelop the Green Water Treatment Plant and the adjoining Austin Energy Control Center site.

The City Council is expected to make its selection on June 18.

According to a memo sent by Ott to City Council members on June 5, the redevelopment proposal led by Dallas-based Trammell Crow with partners Austin-based Constructive Ventures and San Antonio-based USAA Real Estate Co. ranks the highest of five submitting developers using an evaluation matrix contained in the original request for proposals. However, the staff recommendation is not binding and the City Council is free to choose another of the four developers.

The proposal by Trammell Crow, city staff concluded, offers significant attention to public open space, mobility and connectivity enhancement, affordable housing--including contribution to the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, access to extensive capital and strong revenue generation to the city with limited public financing requested.

Trammell Crow Co. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CB Richard Ellis Inc. (NYSE:CBG)

Of the five proposals submitted, Trammell Crow's offers the largest and tallest buildings with the most parking and diversity of uses. Their plan calls for a 350,000-square-foot hotel and a 250-unit senior assisted living facility in addition to condos, apartments, offices and retail space. Five public squares could accommodate as many as 2,700 people.

The proposal by Austin-based Stratus Properties Inc. (Nasdaq:STRS) came in second, offering, according to city staff, good design, creativity and local experience but lagging in affordable housing and public benefits.

Trammell Crow offered to make 25 percent of its rental units affordable--defined at 80 percent of the city's median family income--and offered to make a donation to the city's affordable housing fund for every condo it sells, estimating that total donations could reach $2.5 million.

Stratus offered to make 15 percent of its rental units affordable, reserving 5 percent for families making up to $82,900 and allowing the city to buy up to 5 percent of its condos at cost.

Stratus, which is developing the $295 million W Hotel and condo project on Second Street, proposed a two-story HEB grocery store with H.E. Butt Grocery Co. acting as a limited partner, medical office space not currently found downtown, and the largest number of rental units with AMLI Residential as a partner.

Cleveland, Ohio-based Forest City (NYSE:FCE); Denver, CO.-based Catellus Development Corp.; and Austin-based Simmons Vedder Partners ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively.

According to Ott, city staff met on nine separate occasions to assess the proposals.

The actual offer amounts for the sites have not been disclosed. City officials say they will release the sales price of the winning bid after the City Council chooses a developer. The appraised value of the land is $55.5 million.

The decommissioning and demolition of the Green Water Treatment Plant is expected to be finished by February 2010, with construction beginning shortly after.

[Jdawgboy]

Sounds good to me I like both of the top two projects.

I don't have a problem at all with the T.Stacy project having the tallest buiding placed at the corner of 6th and Brazos. I also would like to see 6th street fixed up a bit more. What is the deal with that lot where that building burned down years ago but nothing has been put back in its place. Its just fenced off with medal bars criss crossing. I would like to see that developed. It really is like a scar on the whole 6th street entertainment district.

[priller]

Trammel Crow was my #2 pick. There's a lot to like about it. But I really do like the Stratus proposal a lot more, just from a design standpoint.

Keep in mind the staff's recommendation is not binding.

[priller]

Monday night I was walking along 6th street around 9:00 pm and I heard at least 6 live bands playing. Seems like a lot to me, for a Monday night.

[zx14]

As Stacy is concerned I will believe it when I see it. He has waffled back and forth changing things and such by the time it is time to build who knows what the market will be like. And the Green will not even start until the Austonian and the w are finished. I love the whole Idea of the green and hope it does get built. Just a shame we have to wait 4 years to see it complete. But that is not as long as we will wait on Stacys. I just dont see it ever being built. What is going on with 21c.

[StoOgE]

I was at the convention center yesterday for the dem convention (Obama delegate).. I hadn't ever been there before, its pretty nice for a convention center. I've only ever been to the one at Mandalay Bay in Vegas prior to this and San Antonio's, but I was impressed.

Anyway, what shocked me most is how nice that area of downtown is just west of the convention center. A few years ago, that whole area was kinda sketchy, now there are tons of resteraunts and that section of downtown has its own vibe to it.

I think the new Waller Creek project will really spruce things up, but I really think the city made a mistake by making a "back" side to the convention center. Its really going to make that whole new area less accessable to people at the convention center. I dont know what the hurdles would be (or how much it would cost) but I would like to see them redo that back side of the convention center so its not a giant grey wall, especially once development on Austin's "River Walk" begins in earnest.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by zx14

the mayor and city council of Lexington was impressed with what is going on in Austin. Austin is becoming a model and becon of light for all America. Also a tid bit of info Steven F Austin graduated from Transy here in Lexington in 1810.

Good to hear that

A) Austin is thought so highly of for its development and

B) Sounds like another mid-major U.S. city might be taking its urban core seriously. Maybe we can set an example for some of the big guys and their sprawl.

and SFA lived *everywhere* with some sort of failed mining venture.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by priller

Trammel Crow was my #2 pick. There's a lot to like about it. But I really do like the Stratus proposal a lot more, just from a design standpoint.

Keep in mind the staff's recommendation is not binding.

I'm with you.. for me these two were really 1A) and 1B) though, so I'm really happy to see them 1 and 2. It may not be binding, but the reasons given make it seem like Trammel Crow really sat down and figured out what the city was looking for moreso than Stratus.

[priller]

Altavida almost as high as 100 Congress now:




Spring is up to the 13th floor now:






New roads in the Gables area shaping up:




Nice puffy clouds:




On Monday night I walked down to the Monarch to take pictures of its lighting, but they never turned them on that night.




This was taken using a trash can as a tripod.

[Displaced_Austinite]

Originally Posted by priller

This was taken using a trash can as a tripod.

Ingenuity at its finest. Great job.

[hismasterplan]

[QUOTE=priller;3599127]Altavida almost as high as 100 Congress now:


93b9a_o.jpg[/IMG]

That's a classic Austin picture. Construction everywhere...

Thanks for the pictures!

[priller]

Originally Posted by hismasterplan

That's a classic Austin picture. Construction everywhere...

And traffic.

[bigdogc]

has altavida topped out? i could have sworn i saw a tree ~350ft in the air yesterday.

[hismasterplan]

Originally Posted by priller

And traffic.

Caused by construction...

[JGFrisco]

Can't have topped out yet. 100 Congress is 320' tall...Alta Vida is supposed to be about 100' taller. Their website shows the top being about 8-9 stories above the top of 100 Congress. So it's not there yet.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by bigdogc

has altavida topped out? i could have sworn i saw a tree ~350ft in the air yesterday.

Nope. 100 Congress is 320 feet tall, Atlavida will be 412 feet tall.

[Northcrossed]

Governor's Mansion Destroyed by Arson Fire

Maybe that block can be redeveloped as condos.

Oh, come on, you're all thinking it!

[hismasterplan]

Somehow I wouldn't be too surprised.

[KevinFromTexas]

Oh, my god. I didn't watch any tv yesterday or catch the paper, so I hadn't heard about this. That really sucks. Damn!

EDIT: Here's some good news though. I went downtown this evening to check out The Monarch, hoping to catch it lit and to run a few errands. Anyway, the lights were on.

I did a little video of the building's lights showing how they fade in and out. It's a little dark, but, I hope this helps. Feel free to go to Youtube and comment on it also. Just click on the video and it'll open a new window where you can add a comment.

• Video Link

And some pictures.





The smaller lights were on, but if you weren't at least within a block of the building, you couldn't really tell.


Garage detail.


Plaza/entry area.