AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[KevinFromTexas]

Yeah, that colored lighting on the Long Center is pretty new. And yeah, Capitol Tower/Commodore Plaza II does have purple lighting. The lights change color. I haven't noticed if they change rapidly like The Monarch, or if they alternate every night. I've seen it red, blue and green. It looks pretty good actually. I'm liking the revamped look of all the buildings, even the older smaller ones. It's like all the new towers inspired them to do something new with their buildings. I think the skyline is better off for it. The Holiday Inn looks surprisingly classy, and I also like the "new" lighting on the Hyatt.

[AustinSkyscrapers]

I have to agree with StoOge. I really want something new going on here. It IS getting a bit boring, and the Boom is coming to a stop...
We need some $$$ or a $ guy to do the job.

Now,


I never noticed the blue lights on the Austonian! I thought they were blue, it looks cool. Gotta love it.


Joe's Crab Shack. Was, is, and will be the best place to view the Austin skyline.

[JGFrisco]

According to the USGS topo map, both W and Ashton are situated between the 470' contour and the 480' contour, and the 360 site is between the 460' and 470' contours, not the 450' to 460' contours.

Assuming you are correct about W and Ashton...the tops of these buildings are:

Ashton 416 plus 472 equals 888'.

360 464' plus 460 to 470' equals 924' to 934'

W 474' plus 476' equals 950'

Now look at the photos...does the top of W look 25 to 35 feet higher than the main roof of 360? Or 62' higher than Ashton?

[Strayone]

I may be in the minority but I would like to see the SL finally without cranes as a finished product for the first time in years. Yeah another boom would be cool but I would like a desktop picture without gangly cranes in it. We are very close to that ...once W tops out and takes it down. Been a nice ride and we may be the only city in the country that had this large of transformation so I'm quite pleased with our DT. Have a nice wkend and happy SXSW week!

[KevinFromTexas]

Yep. We've had at least a few cranes on the skyline since 1999. I remember in 1999 to 2001 it was especially strange looking with the two CSC buildings, AMLI, the Radisson expansion, and the Intel building's crane. I have a photo somewhere that I took a block south of Barton Springs one day when Greg and I first met up and went downtown. I don't mind the cranes way up high, it's the ones that are down low, say under 200 feet, that get in the way of nice views.

Originally Posted by JGFrisco

According to the USGS topo map, both W and Ashton are situated between the 470' contour and the 480' contour, and the 360 site is between the 460' and 470' contours, not the 450' to 460' contours.

I actually have my doubts about the height for 360. I believe it may be a bit taller. We were told that it is 567 feet to the spire, 462 feet to the main roof (slab) and 474 feet to the top of the roof. The thing is, the newspapers originally quoted 581 feet to the spire. One height for the building also said 520 feet. Now, obviously it isn't only 520 feet tall since it's visibly taller than Frost to the spire. But I am wondering if that 520 foot height is to the roof immediately below the spire. The south side of the building has two walls that rise up below the spire and are capped with two red aircraft warning lights. That point always looks higher to me than 474 feet, and certainly higher than the W. Is that what you're talking about? I never had a chance to view the blueprints for 360, so I can't be certain. I tried through emails to contact someone who might have some more solid information, or maybe allow me to view the blueprints to check.

Anyway, I have a "unique" photo that I'll post later, maybe in a few days, to help with the discussion on 360's height.

[StoOgE]

Well, we'll still have some cranes going for smaller projects. Courthouse, that Green hotel on 5th. Potentially a few other hotel projects may still get off the ground in the next year... maybe the smaller form of the 21c building.

We just won't have any more giant buildings for a while. Stacey and Greene are obviously going to be years away from even being a possibility if they ever get off the ground. I would really love for one of these two projects to take off.. I guess that is kind of obvious, but those projects I think would firmly plant Austin in the "big city" status where we would at least be in the ballpark of cities like Philly, Boston, Dallas and others even if we are on the small side of it. Kind of that "big, but not New York or Chicago crazy" status.

[austin4life]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Well, we'll still have some cranes going for smaller projects. Courthouse, that Green hotel on 5th. Potentially a few other hotel projects may still get off the ground in the next year... maybe the smaller form of the 21c building.

We just won't have any more giant buildings for a while. Stacey and Greene are obviously going to be years away from even being a possibility if they ever get off the ground. I would really love for one of these two projects to take off.. I guess that is kind of obvious, but those projects I think would firmly plant Austin in the "big city" status where we would at least be in the ballpark of cities like Philly, Boston, Dallas and others even if we are on the small side of it. Kind of that "big, but not New York or Chicago crazy" status.

Couldn't of said it better myself

[Double L]

Originally Posted by AustinSkyscrapers

I'm gonna have to visit Austin again sometime soon to see that new skyline.

[wwmiv]

Seeing as how this is the end of this major downtown boom, and because this thread has become extremely long in comparison with many others, perhaps it is time to begin an "Austin | Projects & Construction III" with a summary of currently proposed, approved, and on-hold projects.

[KevinFromTexas]

I can edit the first post with the updated info. Threads are allowed to go to 10,000 posts now. So it'll probably be a while before we hit that number.

[wwmiv]

Then by all means! Its been two years, so I think a full update is in order.

[AustinSkyscrapers]

I think we should wait for the 10,000 mark. Who knows? 21c or a biggie might just pop up in the next 2 years. We'll stick with the 10,000 posts. Since were at 7,252 posts and there's 2,748 left, that should take us about err-67 weeks and 3 days to get to the new forum

[WAustinResident]

or at least wait until the end of the year. By then the W, four seasons and Austonian will all have been opened and the boom is officially over. Since I'd say 1/3 of the comments are on these 3 buildings, lets just wait until they are done.

[KevinFromTexas]

Ironically, this thread started with the discussion on the announcement of The Austonian. It's definitely been one of the main topics for the past 3 years in this thread.

[hismasterplan]

When does Austin Projects & Construction III kick in?

[WAustinResident]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Ironically, this thread started with the discussion on the announcement of The Austonian. It's definitely been one of the main topics for the past 3 years in this thread.

makes it a fitting end.

[zx14]

wow second round texas kentucky matchup. A dream come true for me. I will lose my girlfriend if texas wins though. So then go big blue! Back to topic. The top of the Austonian looks at night much like our smaller 5/3 bank building here in Lexington.

[KevinFromTexas]

I didn't go. Did anyone else go?


(Deborah Cannon AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
Photos from the Zilker Kite Fest, 03.14.2010.
More here: http://galleries.austin360.com/gallery/zilker-kite-fest/?srcTrk=RTR_240839#66123

[wwmiv]

I didn't go, but I got stuck in the traffic on Cesar Chavez.

[Strayone]

I didn't go but looking at the picture I really wish I had at least driven nearby. It almost looks like pollution in the air with that amount of kites...I suspect it was a nice site with the DT backdrop.