AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 395

StoOgE · #**7881** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 4:30 PM**

We have an F1 track!

Turn 2 should be flat out.. the complex through 3-5 should be touch off the gas without break. And the complex at T16-18 looks like a flat out 3-4 apex turn.

Some fans have found some real similarity to existing corners at other tracks which is certainly a fair comparison, but they picked some of the best corners from some of the best tracks.

StoOgE · #**7882** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

Not that this helps in its favor, but here's the other side (facing 6th) from DAB. "Downtown Grille"....

Is this that green hotel concept thing?

priller · #**7883** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 4:57 PM**

Well, almost all parking garages are hideous, so not expected much else. At least there appears to be ground floor retail. And hopefully some good new photo vantage points.

priller · #**7884** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 5:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Is this that green hotel concept thing?

No, this is the Starr building, one block away at 6th and Colorado.

KevinFromTexas · #**7885** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 5:11 PM**

^No, it's the base of an addition to the Starr Building (orange building) at 5th & Colorado. That building was used for office. The rendering below shows part of the original building redesigned/renovated and also a 12-story parking garage added to the south side and to the roof. Honestly, with that much change taking place to the building, I don't see why they don't just demolish it and start new giving them more room to build a bigger and taller tower. I remember one Statesman article mentioning that the site could support a 40-story tower. Some people were debating whether or not the 55 year old building should be kept as it is, or torn down. I would have been fine with leaving it. I actually like it. But if they're going to change the facade that much, they might as well just tear it down.

KevinFromTexas · #**7886** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 5:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by priller

And hopefully some good new photo vantage points.

The Starr Building is 94 feet to the top of the mechanical penthouse right now. This new addition looks to be maybe 20 feet taller than that. It will sit caddy corner to that new green hotel.

P3FE · #**7887** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 7:44 PM**

These figures are confusing me Kevin. That new addition has to be at least twice as tall as the Starr building. What is 94 feet and what is 20 feet taller than that?

MichaelB · #**7888** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 8:22 PM**

Glad the Starr building was kept. We need the texture... besides.. wouldn't want to risk another parking lot! Grin!

ahealy · #**7889** Posted **Sep 1, 2010, 10:39 PM**

Yeah. I am so glad it's staying as well. Some older structures need a full and heavy face lift (like arthouse) in order to keep the "texture" downtown, while adding a more contemporary touch. I can't see how anyone would want to tear it down.

Syndic · #**7890** Posted **Sep 2, 2010, 6:22 PM**

Are you kidding? The Starr building is hideous. I'd love to see it torn down. I'd rather not preserve the "texture" of blight, because that's what it is.

You can preserve Austin's feel with good design. You can do new without betraying the old. This isn't like Old Montreal or something. It's the Starr building in Austin, Texas. It's a modernist, retro disaster.

That's just my 2 cents, anyway.

KevinFromTexas · #**7891** Posted **Sep 2, 2010, 8:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by P3FE

These figures are confusing me Kevin. That new addition has to be at least twice as tall as the Starr building. What is 94 feet and what is 20 feet taller than that?

The point on the building that reaches 94 feet is the mechanical penthouse, seen here on the back side of the building. It's that rectangular skinny part that juts up from the main roof. The lower part of the roof is probably somewhere around 60 or 70 feet tall. The new parking garage "tower" will be on the right side of the building occupying part of the parking lot where those two trailers are, and also partially on top of the original structure. I'm thinking the new addition will rise about 20 feet higher than that mechanical penthouse does. So yes, the new tower will be about twice as tall as the lower roof. I'm thinking it'll be somewhere around 120 to 140 feet tall. The fact that it has retail on the ground floor boosted its height by about 15 feet.

Bing Maps - http://www.bing.com/maps/

To give you an idea of relative height, the Scarborough Building on the same block facing Congress is 124 feet tall. Also the Littlefield Building at 6th & Congress seen above, is 139 feet tall.

http://downtownaustinblog.org/

KevinFromTexas · #**7892** Posted **Sep 2, 2010, 9:25 PM**

Oh. My. God.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/phot...id=10150241497550654&id=504905653&ref=nf

priller · #**7893** Posted **Sep 2, 2010, 9:41 PM**

That's a fantastic photo. Amazing how detailed the hand is, considering that almost no one will ever see it up close.

OU812 · #**7894** Posted **Sep 3, 2010, 7:43 AM**

wow 12 story parking garage. makes me dizzy just thinking about navigating those turns lol. wouldn't you like to be the one that parks @ the 12th floor. makes me wonder- what is the tallest parking garage in the world? anyone anyone?

KevinFromTexas · #**7895** Posted **Sep 3, 2010, 4:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OU812

wow 12 story parking garage. makes me dizzy just thinking about navigating those turns lol. wouldn't you like to be the one that parks @ the 12th floor. makes me wonder- what is the tallest parking garage in the world? anyone anyone?

The tallest one in Chicago is 21 floors. There was an even taller one that had 25 floors, but it was demolished.

There was also another one in Cincinnati that was 27 floors, but it was demolished. That one was 342 feet tall. It was taller than Legacy on the Lake in Austin.

The tallest one in Texas I know of is the Carter+Burgess parking garage in Fort Worth. It has 15 levels and is about 200 feet tall.

Here's the 21-story one in Chicago.
http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=...rrisonhotelelectricgarage-chicago-il-usa

There is a thread on it at the link below.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=143026&highlight=parking+garage

kingkirbythe.... · #**7896** Posted **Sep 3, 2010, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

Are you kidding? The Starr building is hideous. I'd love to see it torn down. I'd rather not preserve the "texture" of blight, because that's what it is.

You can preserve Austin's feel with good design. You can do new without betraying the old. This isn't like Old Montreal or something. It's the Starr building in Austin, Texas. It's a modernist, retro disaster.

That's just my 2 cents, anyway.

You are correct sir.

OU812 · #**7897** Posted **Sep 3, 2010, 6:48 PM**

WOW thats nuts- turning around in circles 20+ times yikes! than doing it all over again to get out! make sure you don't forget something lol

KevinFromTexas · #**7898** Posted **Sep 3, 2010, 7:01 PM**

Traffic jams in one of those would 🞵🞵🞵🞵. I think the biggest parking garages we have is the one at Brackenridge. It's only 7 levels, but it's twice as large as our two tallest ones. So really it's like driving up and down a 14-story one. And then there's the giant one at the airport.

jowens · #**7899** Posted **Sep 4, 2010, 7:52 PM**

I thought the garage on E. 2nd between San Jacinto & Brazos are larger than Brakenridge. The public garage at the airport is large but only 3 decks with the top deck for rental cars.

KevinFromTexas · #**7900** Posted **Sep 4, 2010, 8:55 PM**

No, the Brackenridge garage is almost twice as big as those. It occupies a whole block. Some of the state garages north of the Capitol are big too, occupying a whole block, but they aren't as tall. There's some big ones in West Campus too.