AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 320

KevinFromTexas · #**6381** Posted **Aug 30, 2009, 5:01 AM**

^I think it was a single warehouse? My biggest gripe I believe was that it had a loading dock that was almost 5 feet above street level. Not exactly pedestrian friendly. When they built the new hotel they leveled the lot of course. Much better imo.

@ Priller and Mopacs, great pictures guys! Now I feel like a couch potato. haha

By the way, kudos, Mopacs, always glad to hear someone mention Stevie. Are you a fan? I know I am. I actually saw his brother Jimmie earlier this summer at Waterloo Park at the Blues on the Green concert. And my brother and his wife and I also took a trip up to Dallas several years ago to visit Stevie's grave. We also saw his old high school and even went in thinking there would be some mention of him, there wasn't. And maybe coolest of all, we saw his childhood home. If you live in Austin, or grew up here, you can appreciate his music. He contributed a lot to the music scene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie_Ray_Vaughan

• Video Link

By the way, the photo below that was taken from that shopping center. Stevie Ray Vaughan bought one of his first guitars in his professional career at Ray Henning's Heart of Texas Music store in that shopping center. He was known to frequent the place often and pretty much put the store on the map. He bought his famous "Number 1" guitar, which he also called his "first wife". He bought the guitar there in 1973. In the video I posted above, the guitar he's playing is the one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_guitars_used_by_Stevie_Ray_Vaughan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Mopacs · #**6382** Posted **Aug 30, 2009, 2:24 PM**

Thanks guys!

Here are a few more taken last week, from the eastside...

Just south of Freescale

From the Montopolis Bridge (183)

From Tx71 east at ABIA

Kev... definitely a fan. Took me awhile to really appreciate his music.

KevinFromTexas · #**6383** Posted **Aug 30, 2009, 2:36 PM**

Wow. That last one looks like some city in California with the hills in the background!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Kev... definitely a fan. Took me awhile to really appreciate his music.

Glad to hear. Me too. I had seen him on Austin City Limits years ago when I was younger, but didn't really get it. I got into his music in high school, so about 10 years now "officially". His music is good for the soul!

priller · #**6384** Posted **Aug 30, 2009, 3:21 PM**

Really nice photos, Mopacs! Those east side shots are amazing. It really is starting to look like a different city.

I've been looking at the W the last few days and wondering if they're about done with the hotel floors. Looking at your photo of the W it's clear they're currently working on the transition floor between the hotel and condos:

I then superimposed your photo on one of the renderings from the W web site.

Still have a ways to go on this one.

gardensoul · #**6385** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 12:03 AM**

I've been lurking / enjoying these posts for years. Thought I'd share another type of image - I have a big collection of these old postcards. Hope you enjoy.

Tom

gardensoul · #**6386** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 12:16 AM**

StoOgE · #**6387** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 12:25 AM**

wow, keep em coming if you have more. Those are great postcards.

gardensoul · #**6388** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 12:29 AM**

I guess I should create a postcard page?

arbeiter · #**6389** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 1:36 AM**

A historical photos/postcards page is a great idea, I think it's been bandied about before.

MichaelB · #**6390** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 1:45 AM**

I agree, that would be a great page..... welcome and thanks for posting.

gardensoul · #**6391** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 2:45 AM**

New thread begun here...
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=173080

Mopacs · #**6392** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 4:40 AM**

Agreed, good idea. I have quite a collection of my own, which I've posted here and there on this forum. This will be good place to gather and post.

Priller... like the rendering. Some exterior cladding is going up on the first tower floor of the W.

MichaelB · #**6393** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 4:59 AM**

Re: post cards: I like that you see the history of the Littlefield building. The first postcard above shows the original. The third card shows the Littlefield Building after the remodel in which Mr. Littlefield added a floor because he was "annoyed" that his building was shorter than Mr. Scarborough's building!

migol24 · #**6394** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 5:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

If you like that one from Chicago "Aqua" with the curved balconies, here are two more new favorites of mine.

Beekman Place in New York. It's an 867 foot tower with 76 floors.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=53610

And The Bow in Calgary. This one will be their new tallest at 774 feet with 58 floors.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=131013

it would be nice to have a building with that kind of eccentric archictecture. hopefully t. stacy will do just that.

priller · #**6395** Posted **Aug 31, 2009, 6:52 PM**

Is that an arbor on the roof? If so, it's too bad they lost that. "Green roofs" way back then!

MichaelB · #**6396** Posted **Sep 1, 2009, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by priller

Is that an arbor on the roof? If so, it's too bad they lost that. "Green roofs" way back then!

Yes , there originally an arbor on the roof, before Littlefield added onto it so as to not be outdone by Scarborough.

KevinFromTexas · #**6397** Posted **Sep 1, 2009, 2:10 AM**

8/31

Mopacs · #**6398** Posted **Sep 1, 2009, 4:07 PM**

Thanks for the pics Kevin... especially the closeups. So it would appear that the last/top structural section is underway? The 'rings' of the crown are taking shape as well. The ceremonial tree and glass should be soon to follow. Am I mistaken in thinking this is a 60th 'floor', or is this simply a structural component of the crown?

KevinFromTexas · #**6399** Posted **Sep 1, 2009, 4:38 PM**

I'm not sure. Yeah, that would make 60 levels if they enclose that. Unless it's just a support wall or something for the glass crown? I'm thinking the crown will probably be open to the sky above, so this might just be some support structure for the glass crown.

The rendering for the crown does show a sort of angled piece of glass on the end of the mechanical penthouse/crown. Still, the number of levels up there in the rendering appear different than on the building now.

MichaelB · #**6400** Posted **Sep 1, 2009, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm not sure. Yeah, that would make 60 levels if they enclose that. Unless it's just a support wall or something for the glass crown? I'm thinking the crown will probably be open to the sky above, so this might just be some support structure for the glass crown.

The rendering for the crown does show a sort of angled piece of glass on the end of the mechanical penthouse/crown. Still, the number of levels up there in the rendering appear different than on the building now.

Well, people will just have to excuse my inaccuracy, but for the sake of visiting friends and tourists... I will be calling it a 60 story building!

But, hell, it's Texas.... what's a little exaggeration????

HEY... we need to have a tree toping party!!!!!!!!