AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 248

TXLove · #**4941** Posted **Apr 12, 2009, 2:19 AM**

Great shots! Nice to see the bluebonnets!

JGFrisco · #**4942** Posted **Apr 12, 2009, 2:45 AM**

If you visualize the height of Austonian when the next floor is in, that'll be about the height of the W.

Scottolini · #**4943** Posted **Apr 12, 2009, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Also, the "used car lots" are very likely not going anywhere. Some of them may or may not be linked to illicit activity.

What type of illicit activity? Chop shops? Good information to know, as I've been looking for new money making ventures in which to become involved.

KevinFromTexas · #**4944** Posted **Apr 14, 2009, 2:43 AM**

A few shots from around my neighborhood in South Austin this afternoon.

2 minutes from my house.

From the train bridge at William Cannon.

The Four Seasons Residences has finally popped up here.

From Cooper Lane near William Cannon. There are some apartments across William Cannon on Cooper with views of downtown.

I took this one from behind Crockett High School at the back of Garrison Park next to the baseball fields. You can see 360 too, though it's hard to see it and Frost since they don't stick up much. But the crane for The Austonian was easily visible. The building should stick up here and be quite noticeable.

M1EK · #**4945** Posted **Apr 14, 2009, 9:38 PM**

I really like the train shots. Makes it look much greener than it really is.

KevinFromTexas · #**4946** Posted **Apr 14, 2009, 10:43 PM**

It is really green there though. You're mostly just looking over single family neighborhoods until you get to Ben White. My neighborhood (which would be just to the right of the tracks) is heavily wooded. Our yard is covered with 5 oaks, an elm and two pecans. You can only see a sliver of our roof on GoogleEarth, and my aunt's house nextdoor is completely covered by a canopy from one giant oak tree in the backyard, and 2 elms in the front.

shanny · #**4947** Posted **Apr 15, 2009, 1:27 AM**

took this on the way out of town yesterday:

TXLove · #**4948** Posted **Apr 15, 2009, 1:57 AM**

^^^ Nice aerial. Good to see the city green again!

Dan Denson · #**4949** Posted **Apr 15, 2009, 4:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by M1EK

I really like the train shots. Makes it look much greener than it really is.

Not sure what you mean. We've had pretty good springs rains (more on the way) so things look great around here.

zx14 · #**4950** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 12:27 AM**

The top of the elevator housing appears to be 455 feet and the floor of the 41st floor about 445 feet. About the same as the five feet above the 42nd floor of 360. The 43rd floor will be higher than any occupied floor on 360. Just a few short days to go. When the 47th floor is complete it will pass up frost bank. That is judging the logo on frost is 420 above the street. But is that the bottom or top of the logo? Should be the tallest building in Austin by the end of july.

KevinFromTexas · #**4951** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 1:55 AM**

360's highest occupied floor is 462 feet, but the building sits at a lower elevation than The Austonian does. 360 sits between 460 and 466 feet above sea level, while The Austonian is at 474 to 475 feet above sea level.

By the way, I just caught a glimpse of Spring tonight from Woodhue Drive just north of William Cannon in South Austin. That is the first time I've ever seen anything in downtown from that spot. It's one more place in my neighborhood where I can see a building in downtown.

Strayone · #**4952** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 5:11 AM**

Yeah what a classic um ...wink,wink. I should have a better fix on my area of town. But maybe I'm not as perceptive as I imagined. Stooge...Do Tell!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottolini

What type of illicit activity? Chop shops? Good information to know, as I've been looking for new money making ventures in which to become involved.

crewer · #**4953** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 12:32 PM**

Hill Country Galleria posted for foreclosure
Austin Business Journal

Just two years after the massive outdoor mall opened with great fanfare in Bee Cave, the Hill Country Galleria has been posted for foreclosure.

The $192 million property anchored by Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods and others has been unable to refinance its construction loan and went into default on the loan earlier this year, said Winston Hewett, director of corporate communications for the mall’s developer, Opus West Corp.

“In the many years that Opus West has been in business, we have not ever seen such a sharp decline in the real estate market and availability of refinancing capital,” said Hewett.

More than 10 lenders are part of the project’s single construction loan, which has made negotiations tenuous and complicated, said Hewett. “Opus West is continuing its discussions with lenders and exploring all of our options. Our goal continues to be to hold the asset until the market improves and maximize the value of the project for everyone involved.”

Hewett said about 70 percent of the retail in the 1.3 million-square-foot mixed-use project is leased. She said no tenant has pulled out of the project since its debut in 2007 and adds that Opus is in negotiations with a number of additional retailers.

The Hill Country Galleria is located 16 miles west of Austin at the intersection of RM 620 and State Highway 71 in Bee Cave. In addition to retail and residential units, the development also includes the Bee Cave City Hall.

StoOgE · #**4954** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 3:13 PM**

A couple of cop buddies told me one of the car lots is suspected of being one of the largest chop shops in town. I've seen cars coming and going there at all hours of the night so it really wouldn't shock me, but who knows if it's true. It does go a ways towards explaining why those car lots have persisted even as the neighborhood became much nicer.

I don't honestly know how you get away with running a chop shop given the proliferation of carfax reports. but I guess they still exist somewhere.

Also, not surprised at the galleria. Build a giant shopping mall on the outskirts of town so that only people in the immediate area will ever go there. Great planning.

Scottolini · #**4955** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 5:45 PM**

You do realize that the developer having trouble paying off construction loans has nothing to with the retailers performance, right? Hell, maybe the stores are struggling, but this is certainly not evidence of it. It also doesn't mean the mall itself, or any stores would close. Just saying...

M1EK · #**4956** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 9:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Denson

Not sure what you mean. We've had pretty good springs rains (more on the way) so things look great around here.

I mean a lot more green than it looks from ground-level when driving around.

StoOgE · #**4957** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 2:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottolini

You do realize that the developer having trouble paying off construction loans has nothing to with the retailers performance, right? Hell, maybe the stores are struggling, but this is certainly not evidence of it. It also doesn't mean the mall itself, or any stores would close. Just saying...

The article I read mentioned that office space at the galleria is pretty well vacant though.

Either

1) They were counting on the ability to pay off a loan when it came due with revenue.

2) They were counting on the ability to refinance the debt when the loan came due.

So revenue could play some role in this as well.

StoOgE · #**4958** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 2:17 AM**

So, looks like a billboard went out just outside of someone window at the Bridges on Lamar. The guys balcony is close enough so he can reach out and touch it.

I feel bad for him, but honestly you need to check on that kind of shit before you buy property that is zoned commercial.

zx14 · #**4959** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 11:50 AM**

or have enough money to live more than 20 feet off the ground.

StoOgE · #**4960** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 12:14 PM**

well, that too.

But even then it's only a matter of time before some construction goes up and blocks someones view downtown and they start bitching. People need to understand when you buy a property in an area zoned commercial and for height that the view you had when you bought the property and the view you have in the future will be dramatically different.