AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[BevoLJ]

That rail bridge is ugly as can be. The murals that have been put up on it are the only things that keep it bearable. They take those off and I would hope they would do something else to make that ugly bridge not so ugly.

[the Genral]

Is anyone out there talented enough to take a photo of the rail bridge and edit the pic to show what the bridge could look like modified to be more attractive?

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by the Genral

How is it that the bridge graffiti is even considered part of the keeping it weird theme or public art anyway? I've never been to any other big city and seen a city landmark with graffiti on it and thought anything more than what a shame.

Because it's more than just some distorted/misspelled chicken scratch on a public object. What we have on that bridge currently is beautiful IMO. They already covered up the giant koi fish, and the HOOOOOORRRRRIBLE DISGUSTING PHRASE: "life is change, be flexible" *gasp*

[KevinFromTexas]

I think if the city was really concerned about the paint and thought of it as a negative, that they'd be cracking down on it more. They don't even clean it, although, it is Union Pacific's property, so I suppose it would be their responsibility. And let's face it, spray paint on the side of a train or a bridge isn't exactly going to affect it's usefulness or ability to operate. The only way they would ever crack down on it is if it cut into their operation somehow.

Anyway, I would much rather look at the graffiti murals on the bridge than the ugly dull brown color of the barriers. Whenever I'm on the pedestrian bridge taking photos, the rail bridge always gets in the way of the view. I really dislike it, but the graffiti at least makes it a little more interesting.

Originally Posted by the Genral

I've never been to any other big city and seen a city landmark with graffiti on it and thought anything more than what a shame.

The bridge is hardly a city landmark. It's not historical, has no real architectural or engineering merits. I wouldn't be surprised if it's eventually replaced.

Originally Posted by the Genral

My solution, unless the sides of that bridge are rigid for structural reasons, cut them off and put up a railing instead.

My guess is the sides do add to the bridge's structural stability. I was looking on Flickr the other day for images of the graffiti on the bridge, and there's not much under the bridge, structurally, that could hold it up. Also from a few photos I've seen of the tracks and from biking under the bridge on Riverside, there's nothing under the tracks. I think the sides do add to its structural stability.

Here's my photo from Saturday from the pedestrian bridge. You can say this is illegal, but you can't say it's ugly.

[hookem]

I think that railroad bridge is actually pretty old. I run by it all the time, and those pillars look really old. Also, it does remain elevated quite far to the south and north of the river banks -- indicating it was built before the modern dams.

Here is about all I could find, see the pic from 1930 of auditorium shores:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/auditoriumshorespictures.htm

Here is one of the pillars, again looks older to me than much of what you see in Austin:
http://herronstock.photoshelter.com/gall...-Texas/G0000zqOTBdzRAdg/I0000.n8aXdtXSfs

Anyone have the scoop on how old that bridge actually is? Compared to the other bridges across the Colorado in Austin, isn't it one of the oldest spans?

Edited to add: Is this same RR bridge on the 1885 map of Austin: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/maps/images/map2283.jpg
(from http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/historic_tex_cities.html -- most of the early maps don't go that far west, though)

[KevinFromTexas]

I think it probably is from at least the 30s.

If you check the 1887 map, it shows a drawing of a trestle bridge all the way to the left.

This one shows it. Scroll all the way to the left. Notice there was no South First Street bridge at that time.
http://www.birdseyeviews.org/zoom.php?city=Austin&year=1887&extra_info=

And check out the drawings of the trains and tracks along 3rd Street. Also check out the small bridge at Shoal Creek on 3rd Street. That bridge is still there just across from the Austin Music Hall.

[gardensoul]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

That rail bridge is ugly as can be. The murals that have been put up on it are the only things that keep it bearable. They take those off and I would hope they would do something else to make that ugly bridge not so ugly.

I know this graffiti discussion has gone on too long but I had to respond to this... I am a fan of the rail bridge . It has beautiful solid stone supports and the rest of it is what it is. Utilitarian - but not ugly. It simply fades into the background unless there is graffiti on it - then it pops into view as an eyesore. Public caning for graffiti jerks.

[kingkirbythe....]

The City and UP will 'crack down' on this when someone falls from the bridge into Town Lake, drowns, and their family sues the City and UP.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by gardensoul

I know this graffiti discussion has gone on too long but I had to respond to this... I am a fan of the rail bridge . It has beautiful solid stone supports and the rest of it is what it is. Utilitarian - but not ugly. It simply fades into the background unless there is graffiti on it - then it pops into view as an eyesore. Public caning for graffiti jerks.

Well, there you have it folks. As twisted as twisted can be. One side thinks the graffiti is beautiful but the bridge is ugly, while the other thinks the bridge is beautiful but the graffiti is ugly. Go figure.

I guess, for myself, I really don't care. I don't think the graffiti is that great, but it's not at all that bad as some folks are putting it. I neither think the bridge is that ugly... it is a little, but not unbearable.

[ahealy]

It was such a beautiful day, it didn't matter what was painted on what

PS. I don't think cover-up patches of poop brown paint looks more attractive on the bridge. Just sayin

[wwmiv]

Everyone who doesn't already know who he is should Google Banksy. The work on this bridge is more akin to him than it is to tagging or trash.

[Mdlx]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Everyone who doesn't already know who he is should Google Banksy. The work on this bridge is more akin to him than it is to tagging or trash.

Did you watch Exit Through the Gift Shop too? That's where I first heard about Banksy. After watching, I have a much more positive view of this underground "art".

I enjoy the ever changing look of that bridge.

[jowens]

The rr bridge graffiti, is what it is. Everytime it gets repainted new "art" appears. I say let the graffiti artist have their bridge as long as they leave Pflueger, and S.1st alone.

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Everyone who doesn't already know who he is should Google Banksy. The work on this bridge is more akin to him than it is to tagging or trash.

God don't say Banksy. He has taken over Los Angeles.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by jowens

The rr bridge graffiti, is what it is. Everytime it gets repainted new "art" appears. I say let the graffiti artist have their bridge as long as they leave Pflueger, and S.1st alone.

That's the thing. They have left everything else alone. Just like with any other art form, graffiti has a style that you can recognize as belonging to the artist from painting to painting. So it's easy to recognize that these people aren't painting anywhere else. I did see some tagging this summer on the pedestrian walkway on the South First bridge, but tagging is very different from graffiti and really is a negative since it hints at other illegal activity.

And then there's people who just spray paint something non-legible and random just to do damage. I remember earlier this summer there was some spray paint found on the plaza atop Doug Sahm Hill in Butler Park. And then a few years ago someone spray painted the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue on the hike & bike trail.

You have to realize graffiti is totally different from tagging or just random spray painting for the purpose of damaging property.

[llamaorama]

Right. The most egregious of course being glass scratching and paint pens on signs, windows of transit vehicles, etc. Graffiti is truly a problem when it is damaging something to the point it ceases to be useful. Sucks when you can't see out of a bus window, and the maps at a terminal are completely covered by scribbles. Or when a sign is covered in sharpie, there are those fucking skater stickers covering everything, when some douche puts something weird in the slot of a vending machine, etc. Now the assault is on anyone with a bike where you get gum or glue in your lock.


Compare this to the challenge of cost and safely dealing with what is really more like guerrila artwork than vandalism on the side of some narrow bridge over water and its worth it to just blow off this non-problem.

I bet UP's real concern is the issues of having tresspassers on their bridge. When it comes to the bottom line, I would be willing to bet they'd rather not spend any money to regularly sandblast it if they didn't have to.

[jg6544]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I think it probably is from at least the 30s.

If you check the 1887 map, it shows a drawing of a trestle bridge all the way to the left.

This one shows it. Scroll all the way to the left. Notice there was no South First Street bridge at that time.
http://www.birdseyeviews.org/zoom.php?city=Austin&year=1887&extra_info=

And check out the drawings of the trains and tracks along 3rd Street. Also check out the small bridge at Shoal Creek on 3rd Street. That bridge is still there just across from the Austin Music Hall.

That's the old Missouri Pacific rr bridge and the present structure dates from the 30s at least. I remember those rapids in the river before it was dammed to make Town Lake, too. The Missouri Pacific depot was on the sw corner of 3rd & Congress until the "new" depot was built after WWII (it is now the Amtrak depot). On the ne corner was the old Katy Depot and, yes, the tracks ran right down third street and trains just stopped in the middle of the street.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by llamaorama

Right. The most egregious of course being glass scratching and paint pens on signs, windows of transit vehicles, etc. Graffiti is truly a problem when it is damaging something to the point it ceases to be useful. Sucks when you can't see out of a bus window, and the maps at a terminal are completely covered by scribbles. Or when a sign is covered in sharpie, there are those fucking skater stickers covering everything, when some douche puts something weird in the slot of a vending machine, etc. Now the assault is on anyone with a bike where you get gum or glue in your lock.o.

None of what you describe is graffiti... it is tagging and/or vandalism.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/business/stalled-west-austin-condo-project-gets-new-investors-1266214.html

Stalled West Austin condo project gets new investors, new developer

By Lisa Carter and Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Published: 9:21 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, 2011

An abandoned condominium project on Enfield Road will no longer be a neighborhood blight , thanks to its acquisition by heirs of former Austin Mayor Roy Butler.

Formerly known as the Pleiades condos, the unfinished steel-and-concrete shell at 1603 Enfield Road was purchased in December by 1603 Enfield Ltd., a private investment group led by the Butler Family Interests. The price wasn't disclosed.

First State Bank foreclosed on the project in 2008. The buyers include Roy and Ann Butler's three children, Eddie Butler, Roy Butler Jr. and Beth Granger.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/print-...wsuits-fly-over-half-finished-tower.html

Lawsuits fly over half-finished Fondren condo tower

Blame game begins among stakeholders
Austin Business Journal - by Jacob Dirr, ABJ Staff
Date: Friday, February 18, 2011, 5:00am CST - Last Modified: Thursday, February 17, 2011, 2:59pm CST

A litigious blame game is playing out over the failed eight-story Fondren condo tower, which remains a concrete skeleton at Lavaca and 17th streets.

Mary Guerrero-McDonald, one of the original project masterminds, is suing local real estate players Mac Pike and Jimmy Nassour for alleged fraud in connection to the project. The group — called LaVista Partners ­— also included deceased politician Jim Mattox, whose involvement had been kept quiet until the October lawsuit.