AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[C.Lan]

I was just reading about that one again earlier...your article leaves out anything a White Lodging franchise. Another one mentioned it:

CHICAGO, May 2, 2011

CHICAGO, May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate formed a joint venture with White Lodging Services Corporation to construct and own a Hyatt Place hotel in Austin, Texas. A Hyatt affiliate and a White Lodging affiliate will each own 50% of the joint venture and White Lodging will operate the property under a franchise agreement with a Hyatt affiliate.

"We are thrilled to be working with White Lodging on this property," said Chris Ivy, senior vice president, real estate and development for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. "This is a great opportunity to expand our relationship with White Lodging." The number of Hyatt Place locations continues to grow, with more than 160 hotels open in the U.S. and more than 30 under development throughout the U.S., India, the Netherlands, Panama and Costa Rica.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/294656

Terms are a bit unclear though from the Austin News side about whether that part's even relevant at this stage though, since ground hasn't broken.

[KevinFromTexas]

The American-Statesman has picked it up.

http://www.statesman.com/business/business-digest-hyatt-teaming-up-with-white-lodging-1449875.html

Business Digest: Hyatt teaming up with White Lodging on new downtown hotel

COMPILED FROM STAFF REPORTS
Updated: 9:00 p.m. Monday, May 2, 2011
Published: 8:48 p.m. Monday, May 2, 2011

DEVELOPMENT

Hyatt, White Lodging
to team up on hotel

The companies will be 50-50 partners in the joint venture. White Lodging will operate the hotel under a franchise agreement with a Hyatt affiliate. The site is at Third Street and San Jacinto Boulevard.

The hotel — the sixth Hyatt property in Central Texas — will break ground in the third quarter and is expected to open in 2013.

[N90]

Tom Stacy's back, how exciting for us. The skyline will look dramatically different when 2020 rolls in, mark my words.

[WAustinResident]

I know its a little late, but I finally got a quality picture taken of my kitchen. My cat Darwin decided to steal the spotlight, I've been told that thing is sturdy enough to hold him. There are some with the shades up and down.







I should have more of the rest of the place next week once the photographer comes back.

[AusHou]

Very nice! And Darwin is a handsome kitty.

[KevinFromTexas]

Were you using a tripod for those shots? It looks like the camera didn't move an inch, but I noticed the lights around the counter tops are on/off in two shots.

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

It looks like the camera didn't move an inch, but I noticed the lights around the counter tops are on/off in two shots.

There is also a teleporting cat.

[cvalkan]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

There is also a teleporting cat.

Should have named him Schrödinger.

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

There's a major difference between the neighborhoods abutting campus and the neighborhoods elsewhere: those in the former group have a natural base of population to draw their residents from (the University as a revolving door), those in the latter do not. In fact, those in the latter almost certainly have other areas competing (and beating) them for our prospective urban population (Downtown). You also have the problem of neighborhood opposition... It is, politically, much easier (though still not easy by any reasonable metric) to compromise with the NIMBYs than to simply override them. Those NIMBYs only exist in the neighborhoods away from UT. There really isn't much opposition to development in West Campus and North Campus (primarily because of that revolving door phenomenon).

There are also a litany of problems associated with allowing high density development within the interior of cohesive neighborhoods: desirable incoming transplants choose to locate elsewhere due to curb appeal issues, desirable current residents move away for similar reasons, density is spread too thin to be effective from a walkability/bikeability standpoint and hence loses its desirability from the standpoint of those who prefer urban living, and the fact that the density is only moderate also impairs the cost effectiveness of mass transit which then precludes expansions of the system.

Allowing high density only along predetermined corridors fixes all these problems: development is centered and focused so that walkability/bikeability/mass transit is maximized, the interior cohesiveness is largely maintained and hence stays similarly vibrant as it is today. The main problem with our interior neighborhoods is not that they aren't desirable (cities like San Antonio, St. Louis, Kansas City, etc. have those problems, we thankfully do not), it is that the schools are not attended at the rates for which they were built. Allowing development along the corridors fixes the problem in the same way that allowing it within the neighborhoods does, except without the negative effects.

Perhaps, in 25-50 years down the line when we are nearing the point at which VMU development along the major corridors is no longer possible because of build-out, it might be worth considering allowing denser development within some nodes inside the neighborhoods themselves. At that point, though, there will still be more desirable places to locate density: Brackenridge, historic downtowns of Round Rock and Elgin, Domain, Camp Mabry (if, at some point, it is shut down through realignment), etc.

Several problems with this:

1. North Campus DOES oppose development. West Campus got the OK as a compromise to avoid any densification to the north, even on Guadalupe itself.

2. Healthy cities have a mix of housing types away from the big roads - rather than having all rental and/or multifamily housing relegated to the busy streets. The condo I own over in Clarksville is off West Lynn, not on Enfield; and that was a great thing because it meant I could sleep with the windows open just like the people in the houses could; my 8-year-old stepson could walk to Fresh Plus; etc.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by M1EK

Several problems with this:

1. North Campus DOES oppose development. West Campus got the OK as a compromise to avoid any densification to the north, even on Guadalupe itself.

2. Healthy cities have a mix of housing types away from the big roads - rather than having all rental and/or multifamily housing relegated to the busy streets. The condo I own over in Clarksville is off West Lynn, not on Enfield; and that was a great thing because it meant I could sleep with the windows open just like the people in the houses could; my 8-year-old stepson could walk to Fresh Plus; etc.

On the first point: I didn't know that.

On the second point: I agree. Healthy cities do have a mix of housing types off of major corridors. However, my point was not that some forms on a small scale can't be done inside the neighborhoods, but that the densest and more radical development should be kept on those corridors.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by cvalkan

Should have named him Schrödinger.

Nice! With the ümlaut too.

But on second thought...

[Complex01]

Originally Posted by WAustinResident

I know its a little late, but I finally got a quality picture taken of my kitchen. My cat Darwin decided to steal the spotlight, I've been told that thing is sturdy enough to hold him. There are some with the shades up and down.

I should have more of the rest of the place next week once the photographer comes back.

Ohh that is one lucky cat. He gets a good view every day, LOL. Very Kewl and very nice kitchen...

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by cvalkan

Should have named him Schrödinger.

10char

[WAustinResident]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Were you using a tripod for those shots? It looks like the camera didn't move an inch, but I noticed the lights around the counter tops are on/off in two shots.

Yah it was set up on a tripod. good eye.

[KevinFromTexas]

That's what I figured. I usually take several shots of the same scene and pick the best one, critiquing them by even the most minor details.

[JoninATX]

Aircraft maker may land in Austin

Icon’s two-seater plane will sell for about $139,000, and can take off from land — including grass — and water.

A startup that markets its planes as “Jet Skis for the sky” is investigating Austin and Dallas, along with states such as Georgia and California, for a large manufacturing facility that could create hundreds of jobs.

Los Angeles-based Icon Aircraft Inc., unveiled in 2008, is not in production yet, but it has 460 deposits for its two-seat, single-propeller airplanes classified as light-sport aircraft — a relatively new Federal Aviation Administration designation.

Read more: Aircraft maker may land in Austin | Austin Business Journal

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/print-edition/2011/04/15/aircraft-maker-may-land-here.html

[JoninATX]

California social media startup moving to Austin

Austin Business Journal - by Christopher Calnan, Staff Writer
Date: Friday, May 6, 2011, 8:02am CDT - Last Modified: Friday, May 6, 2011, 8:36am CDT

Read more: California social media startup moving to Austin | Austin Business Journal

A young San Francisco company plans to be the latest in a series of social media companies to set up operations in Austin.

Main Street Hub Inc. provides a service that helps small and midsize businesses manage their online reputations. The company, founded in late 2009, is now looking to move its headquarters to downtown Austin. It plans to open an office in June with 29 workers and subsequently employ hundreds of workers, CEO Andrew Allison said.

The company is looking for a 4,000- to 6,000-square-foot office; Aquila Commercial LLC is its local real estate broker, he said.

Social media is growing quickly because businesses are realizing they can reach customers, partners, employees and future employees directly using such online tools rather than indirectly through advertising and marketing campaigns.

Read more: California social media startup moving to Austin | Austin Business Journal

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/a...ifornia-social-media-startup-moving.html

[BevoLJ]

http://www.statesman.com/business/develo...outh-of-1460114.html?cxtype=rss_business

Developers eyeing boutique hotel, apartments just south of downtown
By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Published: 9:41 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2011

A failed downtown-area condominium project could be revived as apartments, and a fast-food restaurant could give way to a boutique hotel-condominium project, as developers move to take advantage of Austin's strengthening economy and an improved climate for construction financing.

Crescent Resources is evaluating whether to revive its former Aquaterra condominium project at 210 Barton Springs Road, as apartments, albeit under a different name, said Scott Makee, regional director for Texas and Tennessee for Crescent.

Makee said Friday that it was too early to speculate about the future of the site but noted, "Crescent is excited about the Austin multifamily market, which is experiencing rising rents, limited supply and shrinking vacancies."

At Lamar Boulevard and Riverside Drive, California-based Post Investment Group is looking at the possibility of building a six-story boutique hotel with about 150 rooms. The 1.15-acre site is now occupied by a Taco Cabana, whose lease expires in February 2012, Post said.

Preliminary plans for the $40 million project also call for 12 condominiums on the hotel's top floors, with units priced in the $600,000 to $700,000 range, said Jason Post, president of Post, which acquires and develops multifamily properties around the country.

Post said his company is in discussions with several hotel brands about the project, which would have a rooftop pool, a restaurant and bar and other amenities.

If Post can't get financing for a hotel, the company would build an apartment building with 120 units or a condo building with 110 units.


....

Several developers also are looking at a site at West Seventh and Rio Grande streets, where CLB Partners once planned the 34-story 7Rio condominium tower.

Dallas-based CLB shelved the project in 2007, and Will Cureton, a CLB founder and partner, said his firm dropped its long-term option on the land in December.

However, he said, the company is scouting sites for apartment projects in the downtown area and "absolutely" would consider the site again.

....

In the case of Aquaterra, Crescent already has entitlements for the site and would not need to go through a new zoning process.

Aquaterra, announced in 2006, was designed to be 19 stories high, with 173 units. But Crescent shelved the project during the recession.

....

1. Seventh and Rio Grande streets: Several developers are looking at the site; project possibilities include apartments.

2. Riverside Drive and Lamar Boulevard: Post Investment Group's project would be either a boutique hotel with condominiums, or a purely residential project.

3. 208 Barton Springs Road: Crescent Resources is considering apartments on site of failed condo project.

....

[KevinFromTexas]

Normally I hate chains, but Taco Cabana is some good eatin'.

It makes sense that we're seeing more apartments being considered. They're more affordable and it won't lock people into a huge commitment when that lifestyle may be totally new to them.

If you go to Rhode Partners' website they have the rendering of 7 Rio, the tower that was planned at 7th & Rio Grande. They also have the rendering for Aquaterra, as well as the master plans for the East Avenue development and the area around Aquaterra and the Hyatt. The rendering shows 4 new highrises to the south of the Hyatt.

It also shows a 12-story "museum tower proposal" for Austin that I'm not familiar with.

http://rhodepartners.com/

[ahealy]

I liked the render for 7rio. It needed some fine tweaking and less parking.... but I thought it was an alright residential tower for that area.