AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 434

wwmiv · #**8661** Posted **Apr 6, 2011, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Let's talk about ducks.

Ducks are the most adorable animals.

KevinFromTexas · #**8662** Posted **Apr 6, 2011, 9:54 PM**

Too bad this is in suburban space. 136,075 square feet is a lot - about a 1/5 of the space in the Frost Bank Tower.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...4/06/arthrocare_signs_136075_square.html

Quote:

ArthroCare signs 136,075 square-foot office lease

By American-Statesman staff | Wednesday, April 6, 2011, 03:30 PM

Medical device maker ArthroCare Corp. is moving some operations from California to Austin and has signed an office lease for 136,075 square feet in Southwest Austin — by far the biggest new lease in Austin in some time.

CFO Todd Newton said the company will probably completely move into the new space in two freestanding buildings behind Advanced Micro Devices on William Cannon Drive. Currently, the company is headquartered in about 41,000 square feet on nearby 7500 Rialto Blvd.

KevinFromTexas · #**8663** Posted **Apr 6, 2011, 9:56 PM**

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...4/06/freescale_closes_earthquakedam.html

Quote:

Freescale closes earthquake-damaged plant in Japan

By Kirk Ladendorf | Wednesday, April 6, 2011, 09:56 AM

Freescale Semiconductor has decided not to reopen its aging chip factory in northeastern Japan that was closed following the area’s recent earthquake and tidal wave.

The 24-year-old factory in Sendai, which employed about 600 people, already had been scheduled to be closed this December. Freescale had been in the process of transferring much of the production to other plants in the United States, including its plants in Austin and Chandler, Ariz.

Freescale said it would take a $102 million charge for the closing in the first quarter.

KevinFromTexas · #**8664** Posted **Apr 6, 2011, 10:41 PM**

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/print-edition/2011/04/01/apple-retailer-targets-downtown-biz.html

Quote:

Apple retailer targets downtown biz

Austin Business Journal - by Sandra Zaragoza , ABJ Staff
Date: Friday, April 1, 2011, 5:00am CDT

Apple Inc. aficionados who were happy to see the company’s temporary store — well-stocked with iPad2s — come to Congress Avenue and Sixth Street during South by Southwest won’t have to wait long for a permanent Apple retailer downtown.

Austin MacWorks, an authorized retailer and reseller of Apple products, services and consulting, is coming to the Second Street District. The new store will be near the How Do You Roll sushi and Malaga restaurants.

BevoLJ · #**8665** Posted **Apr 7, 2011, 1:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

<snip>apple downtown<snip>

And what a great location! Right on second street near city hall!

ROCrot · #**8666** Posted **Apr 7, 2011, 3:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Too bad this is in suburban space. 136,075 square feet is a lot - about a 1/5 of the space in the Frost Bank Tower.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...4/06/arthrocare_signs_136075_square.html

What is most important is that it is absorbing vacant space, and not building something new. Plus, if they're primarily a manufacturing operation, it makes sense. An assembly plant isn't going to move into a point tower, you know...

jowens · #**8667** Posted **Apr 7, 2011, 3:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Too bad this is in suburban space. 136,075 square feet is a lot - about a 1/5 of the space in the Frost Bank Tower.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...4/06/arthrocare_signs_136075_square.html

This is in my area; I believe the space they're leasing has been vacant since the new AMD Lone Star Campus went online. I think AMD used to be in that space.

Samwill89 · #**8668** Posted **Apr 8, 2011, 6:49 AM**

Interesting pair of maps showing Austin's explosive growth within the core and suburbs along with racial data. If you go to the source and look at the maps in quick succession, you will really see how phenomenal development has been. Nothing you didn't know, but a visual graphic always puts things into perspective.

Austin 2000

Austin 2010

The changes in East Austin is very interesting.

JoninATX · #**8669** Posted **Apr 8, 2011, 10:26 AM**

That is amazing, anyways here an update of the stalled Pease Place Condos.

Quote:

Published: 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Post a Comment E-mail Print ShareLarger Type Small Type
What: Pease Place, a 25-unit condominium development

Where:1603 Enfield Road

Who:Fortis Realty Services, an Austin-based real estate development and investment firm, Eddie Butler and the Butler Family Interests and Architecture 365 Inc.

When:Initial construction began in December; completion anticipated by this fall

Details:Located in the Old West Austin neighborhood, the development will contain 500-square-foot to 1,300-square-foot units that will range in price from $150,000 for studios to $395,000 for two bedroom, two bathroom units. Pease Place is being designed with energy efficient systems and sustainable design elements including LED lighting, tankless water heaters, commercial-grade windows, spray-foam insulation and environmentally progressive finishes. The site's shell stood unfinished from 2007 until December, when a private investment group led by Eddie Butler and the Butler Family Interests acquired the property from First State Bank. Fortis is using the existing steel and concrete frame and working within existing permits and entitlements.

http://www.statesman.com/business/real-estate/whats-going-up-1381704.html

KevinFromTexas · #**8670** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 1:44 AM**

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/04/08/bartonplace-condo-gives-500k-for.html

Quote:

BartonPlace gives $500K for low-income housing

Austin Business Journal
Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 2:03pm CDT

BartonPlace Condominium donated $500,000 to The Legacy low-income housing project.

The Mary Lee Community in the Zilker neighborhood is developing the affordable housing project at 1340/1342 Lamar Square Drive. The group hopes to break ground by Jan. 1, 2012 once all funding is received.

LiveattheOasis · #**8671** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 6:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoninATX

That is amazing, anyways here an update of the stalled Pease Place Condos.

http://www.statesman.com/business/real-estate/whats-going-up-1381704.html

As an Old West Austin resident, this is awesome. So great to get that eyesore finished and turned into something, even if it looks nothing like the neighborhood.

NYC_Longhorn · #**8672** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 9:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

I've seen photos and video of the inside. The inside is awesome... Despite that fact, the outside is awful.

Tired of reading comments who knock the austin city hall or seattle library as ugly.... gimmie a break... A person sees "pictures" of the inside and has no idea....

Go experience the space... it's freaking amazing.... like Grand Central Station.... sometimes you have to go there to understand.... Seattle library is a game changer, its what we need... That library is amazing, and not just the inside, which is actually just very cool, instead of BLAGOW COOLIO COOL which is the Seattle library as a whole.... ... just go there, have a seizure of joy, then come back on the forum so you can take back your hasty comments... otherwise..... just move back to houston or san antonio.... because we would be beyond hope... arrrrgggghhhhh,

Thank God Lake Flato is building this thing or Austin would have ended up being filled with crap buildings... Mark my words, new library will be genius...

wwmiv · #**8673** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 5:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC_Longhorn

Tired of reading comments who knock the austin city hall or seattle library as ugly.... gimmie a break... A person sees "pictures" of the inside and has no idea....

Go experience the space... it's freaking amazing.... like Grand Central Station.... sometimes you have to go there to understand.... Seattle library is a game changer, its what we need... That library is amazing, and not just the inside, which is actually just very cool, instead of BLAGOW COOLIO COOL which is the Seattle library as a whole.... ... just go there, have a seizure of joy, then come back on the forum so you can take back your hasty comments... otherwise..... just move back to houston or san antonio.... because we would be beyond hope... arrrrgggghhhhh,

Thank God Lake Flato is building this thing or Austin would have ended up being filled with crap buildings... Mark my words, new library will be genius...

Excuse me? That is your opinion. Don't bash me for mine. I simply do not like the shape. The textures and glass are awesome, but the shape is awful. I don't need to go there in person to see it to judge the shape.

Move back to San Antonio or Houston? Why don't I move back to where I'm from: Austin. I live in San Antonio right now, thank you very much.

I'm GLAD Lake Flato is designing (they aren't building it, fyi...) the library, and agree that it likely will be visually extraordinary due to their record.

NYC_Longhorn · #**8674** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 7:09 PM**

Sorry, I didn't mean to be insulting... I was trying to be light-hearted and funny... (I should have known I don't post enough on this forum or use enough emoticons to insinuate that I was just joking and enthusiastic... sorry about that)

I just have a serious serious soft spot for the Seattle library... I hated it when I saw it online, but in person it was totally different.... I really hope you give it a try when you are in Seattle in the future... I can only compare it to Austin's city hall... if you can get past the security guard and see the space from the inside hall, the catwalk suspended above you, and the changing of Austin artwork in the building... it is amazing and brings so much to the outside of the building.... I guess I'm just trying to say that I think it's interesting how seeing it in person can change how we feel about the structure, its materials and the surrounding

Geary is a good example... love his buildings... if you notice... they all look awesome from ACROSS WATER!!!! ha! but when I go inside of them, it feels like an awesome shell wrapped around a so-so space... still awesome, but compare it to the new york times building, which to many, may look fairly simple, and pretty cool... but go inside the lobby... see the news ticker exhibits on the wall, and the birch garden in the lobby, or stand at it's base and look up at the bars and how it blends into the sky, and I see how awesome it is...

I think someone knocked the city hall on this forum once and I just made me sad! So I want to defend any possibilities of cool and unique buildings in Austin, not just taller buildings... Didn't mean to insult a fellow Flato fan... Please move back to Austin, away from San Antonio or Houston :-) We need people in Austin keeping it funky

wwmiv · #**8675** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC_Longhorn

Geary is a good example...

I think someone knocked the city hall on this forum once and I just made me sad!

I love Austin city hall.

His name is Frank Gehry. Anyway, his buildings are notoriously difficult to build. Those contracted to build them routinely make major mistakes that cost the building both its longterm structural integrity and general functionality of the space. In short: he's an awful architect.

the Genral · #**8676** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 7:42 PM**

Well, I got the jest of your message NYC Longhorn, not harm was intended. Got to admit I am surprised how angry some people get over comments made on this forum. You'd think we were talking about animal or people's rights here or debates about sensitive subjects such as noise ordinances or height restrictions. We're talking about buildings and tranportation systems and such here. Nothing to get angry about unless its something I say like I still don't like the Ashon, and I'm not crazy about the W or the graffitti on the train bridge, or how they tore down a famous eatery and other businesses across from the Austonian before they were ready to break ground on the Convention Hotel that was supposed to be built. By the way, the Hilton Garden Inn is a crappy looking building right against 35 as is the police station. They took the brick off of Dobie and made it 100% better. No need to get angry, just my opinion. Maybe I should just stay in RR where I belong...
PS: I'm not a fan of the City Hall structure at all. JMO.

migol24 · #**8677** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 8:34 PM**

Overall though, i think this Austin forum is pretty much one of the most civil forums on any forum I've ever been. and I've been to many of them and argued a lot on them!

this one by far has one of the most sensible and rational people and one of the few where I can honestly say I wouldn't be able to argue with anyone even if I tried. haha

I personally like the design of the Seattle Library. I like weird architecture like that. Hope to visit very soon!

BevoLJ · #**8678** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 9:08 PM**

I really don't care to much for the Seattle Library. I love the Austin City Hall though. And I really dig building like it. Having a building that is oddly shaped whether is is sharp like the Royal Ontario or rounded like the Guggenheim never really bothered me. I love those two. The Seattle Library however just seems so square and serious.

KevinFromTexas · #**8679** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 9:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC_Longhorn

otherwise..... just move back to houston or san antonio....

Kinda funny considering Lake Flato is based in San Antonio.

And yeah, I've been inside Austin's City Hall a few times. I toured it shortly after it was finished and was there again when the City invited the public to view the designs for the Green redevelopment.

I had a real fun time building a model of it out of LEGO pieces for my downtown model. haha

And I don't mind the Seattle Public Library. The interior is definitely better, but since it's a library I would argue that's more important than what the outside looks like.

arbeiter · #**8680** Posted **Apr 9, 2011, 11:08 PM**

Austin's city hall is alright, but what I don't understand is why they built it so small. Essentially, it is a boutique municipal palace, and not a serious office building. I suppose most of the other functions of a normal city hall is simply contained in annex buildings. The public space around it is kind of sterile, too. I think the court house will be a much more inviting place to be once it's completed.