AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 282

crewer · #**5621** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 3:56 AM**

Was back home in Austin this past weekend for the first time in eight months. Blown away by the extensive amount of tagging all over the place. I'm very attune to detail, and I can guarantee you there's a substantial increase since my last visit. Even the Austin Power and Light building is now a mess above the deco signs in the front of the building. How sad.

Any updates on the railroad bridge from the last discussion?

AustinSkyscrapers · #**5622** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 3:59 AM**

Today I saw one of those electric signs that tell you to walk or stop had the letters "HD" on it. Nothing high definition about it.

the Genral · #**5623** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 4:52 AM**

!

the Genral · #**5624** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 5:05 AM**

Finally got around to changing my e-mail from hotmail so I can start posting after lurking for over 2 years. Love this entire forum. Been 'looking up' since I was a kid in NYC. Big fan of Priller's contributions as well as everyone else's.
Been in Austin area since '82 when it was known more for its attitude than its architecture which always got snubbed by reviewers for its stubbiness thanks to Austin politics and trying to protect every inch of the view of the Capitol Building. Yet they allowed some very uninspired designs to be built and will probably forever blight our now decent skyline. At least there has been some improvements made like removing the awful facade on the 20 story office building just south of the Cap. Building on the west side of congress ave. It looked like they used highway barriers for the exterior. Dobie got rid of the brick. But I miss the brass on the Chase building. Use to get blinded driving I35 when the sun was coming up. If only they allowed 10 more floors on most of the stubbies...
Did anyone catch the pic of DT from the Austin American Statesman May 16th in the sports page? It was a helicopter shot of DRK stadium. Awesome pic.

KevinFromTexas · #**5625** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 5:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivanwolf

Had to post this about a building tipping over. CRAZY!!!

http://gizmodo.com/5304233/entire-new-13+story-building-tips-over-in-shanghai/gallery/

That is nuts. I've seen some pretty wild stuff with buildings collapsing, but that takes the cake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OU812

What's really annoying is when I get in my car and can't touch the friggin steering wheel because it's scolding hot. Hmm, I think I'm going to stick a themometer on the dash and see what it hits. Man I sure wish we would have another summer like 2007 when it rained for like 3 months straight. The highs stayed mostly in the 70s. Very nice!

Ah yes. That was a good year for rain. I didn't have to water our yard once for 8 months straight. It was great. As for the thermometer thing, one of the forum's members from Phoenix famously used a digital thermometer to test different situations. The outside air temp in direct sun in the parking lot, air temp in the shade, inside the air conditioned car, inside the car with the air off in the shade. and finally inside the car in direct sunlight without the air. I think I remember the thermometer said 180F or something inside the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Yeah, except the lakes and rivers were closed off and on for most of the summer :/

I had two tubing trips and one lake trip cancelled due to flooding.

That and 50 people drowned statewide from all the flooding.

KevinFromTexas · #**5626** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 5:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Finally got around to changing my e-mail from hotmail so I can start posting after lurking for over 2 years. Love this entire forum. Been 'looking up' since I was a kid in NYC. Big fan of Priller's contributions as well as everyone else's.
Been in Austin area since '82 when it was known more for its attitude than its architecture which always got snubbed by reviewers for its stubbiness thanks to Austin politics and trying to protect every inch of the view of the Capitol Building. Yet they allowed some very uninspired designs to be built and will probably forever blight our now decent skyline. At least there has been some improvements made like removing the awful facade on the 20 story office building just south of the Cap. Building on the west side of congress ave. It looked like they used highway barriers for the exterior. Dobie got rid of the brick. But I miss the brass on the Chase building. Use to get blinded driving I35 when the sun was coming up. If only they allowed 10 more floors on most of the stubbies...
Did anyone catch the pic of DT from the Austin American Statesman May 16th in the sports page? It was a helicopter shot of DRK stadium. Awesome pic.

Welcome to the forum. Good to have you. Yes, I did see that photo in the paper over the stadium. I keep all the clippings of skyline photos and laminate them.

the Genral · #**5627** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 6:14 AM**

Keven, what I really like about that photo is how it represents the size of this city. While many cities the size of Austin have a cluster of buildings in a relatively small portion of there dt's, Austin is stretched out, north to south
and relatively narrow like NYC, on a much smaller scale. But the photo also shows a 7 or 8 block width, east to west that shows decent density you can't see from mopac or I35. Had the photo been taken at the same angle to include more of UT, it would have been more impressive. Sorry to the folks who haven't seen this photo. The Statesman archives didn't include it, and I don't know how to scan it to this forum.

KevinFromTexas · #**5628** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 6:32 AM**

I found who the photographer is, Alberto Martinez, but I couldn't find the photo. I did find a photoblog of his, but it didn't include that one.

I remember hearing someone from the forum years ago who lived in the Valley in South Texas upon visiting Austin for the first time say that there were quote "buildings everywhere". The view of downtown, the capitol and UT campus while heading south on I-35 on the upper deck is getting more impressive. Basically you have buildings surrounding you on two sides, to your west (right) and straight ahead. The Hyatt sits smack dab in the middle of the highway from that view and the Four Seasons and Legacy are helping to intensify that.

zx14 · #**5629** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 1:17 PM**

we are close the countdown is on to reach 600 feet for the Austionian. With the elevator housing popping up first to that level.

AustinSkyscrapers · #**5630** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 5:05 PM**

Yes I too welcome to the forum the Genral. We are glad to have another member here around the Austin area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zx14

we are close the countdown is on to reach 600 feet for the Austionian. With the elevator housing popping up first to that level.

Yes. We have 30 feet to go, 29 feet 2 inches to be exact. The 600th feet would be first be reached by the elevator shaft and then the 54th floor, the "penthouse floor" at 607 feet 5 inches.

the Genral · #**5631** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 7:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinSkyscrapers

Yes I too welcome to the forum the Genral. We are glad to have another member here around the Austin area.

Yes. We have 30 feet to go, 29 feet 2 inches to be exact. The 600th feet would be first be reached by the elevator shaft and then the 54th floor, the "penthouse floor" at 607 feet 5 inches.

thank you sir, glad to be here.
The numbers, 50+ floors, 600+feet, unheard of not that long ago. To know how unlikely this once was makes this amazing to me. I just hope we can get at least 2 or 3 more tallies in my lifetime.

AustinSkyscrapers · #**5632** Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 8:17 PM**

Austonian is looking nice from the gates of the Capitol.

Austin Rises · #**5633** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 3:22 AM**

I just got on KVUE's website and it has a great article on our TALLEST
building; The Austonian. It includes a video tour.

Check it out

KVUE:

http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/070109kvue_tall_Austonian-cb.26f61027.html

MichaelB · #**5634** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 4:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin Rises

I just got on KVUE's website and it has a great article on our TALLEST
building; The Austonian. It includes a video tour.

Check it out

KVUE:

http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/070109kvue_tall_Austonian-cb.26f61027.html

Good find! Whooo Hoooo!!!!!

zx14 · #**5635** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 4:23 AM**

In the news story there are buildings off to the south. What are they? The guy says judging by the size and shape that it is not sanmarcos or buda. Is he refering to sanantonio? No way not even in an airplane could you see that far. They are about 15 miles away by the look of It. Wonder what they are.

Scottolini · #**5636** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 4:28 AM**

It's some sort of factory, or mining operation between Kyle and San Marcos I believe.

I definitely got the impression he was implying very subtly that it was the San Antonio skyline. I would assume he knows it is not, and just left it up in the air so some naive individual would think you're seeing downtown S.A. some 80 miles away.

Raining Inside · #**5637** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zx14

In the news story there are buildings off to the south. What are they? The guy says judging by the size and shape that it is not sanmarcos or buda. Is he refering to sanantonio? No way not even in an airplane could you see that far. They are about 15 miles away by the look of It. Wonder what they are.

That is a mining operation (i.e. cement & gravel) along the Kyle and Buda city limits. I can't believe that guy implied anything else. There is no way you can see San Antonio from there.

zx14 · #**5638** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 4:52 AM**

If i was up there I would say to him. Hey off to the east what is that? Oh my God it is Burj Dubai.

Austin Rises · #**5639** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 4:54 AM**

Agreed; it is a mining operations, I see it every time I am heading towards
San Antonio you can actually start to see them from the Onion Creek
area on I-35 heading southbound.

Scottolini · #**5640** Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 5:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zx14

If i was up there I would say to him. Hey off to the east what is that? Oh my God it is Burj Dubai.