AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 445

KevinFromTexas · #**8881** Posted **Jun 11, 2011, 2:22 AM**

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...6/10/lamar_square_under_contract_fo.html

Quote:

South Lamar shopping center could become mixed use project

By Shonda Novak | Friday, June 10, 2011, 11:40 AM

The shopping center on South Lamar Boulevard that includes the Alamo Drafthouse is under contract to Greystar Real Estate Partners and Stream Realty Partners, which plan to develop a mixed-use project with apartments, retail and possibly office space.

Lamar Plaza, at the southwest corner of South Lamar and Treadwell, also is home to the Highball bowling alley and lounge, as well as a Thundercloud Subs, a pharmacy, a bookstore, and the Casa Garcia’s restaurant, among other tenants.

Comment from the comments section:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chi O

I hope they tear down that stupid Alamo. Those a-holes kicked me out for using my cell phone to find my seat cause it was so dark in that the-a-ter.

The ATX · #**8882** Posted **Jun 11, 2011, 9:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...6/10/lamar_square_under_contract_fo.html

Comment from the comments section:

..in USA Magnited States of America!

StoOgE · #**8883** Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 6:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

Yeah, I think it would. Congress already has Brooks Brothers coming, then Urban Outfitters on Willie...why not H&M, BARNEY'S, & UNIQLO?!?!?! I may (or may not) be getting carried away now.

And yes, we could totally use a general goods store!!!! I could see that on the edge of DT somewhere... if the GWTP EVER wakes up.

Uniqlo has like 2 retail stores in the US. I think you might be getting ahead of yourself a bit

Edit: make that one. I knew about the one in NoHo I just assumed L.A. would have one.

ahealy · #**8884** Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Uniqlo has like 2 retail stores in the US. I think you might be getting ahead of yourself a bit

Edit: make that one. I knew about the one in NoHo I just assumed L.A. would have one.

A boy can dream... CAN'T HE?!?!

ahealy · #**8885** Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 10:08 PM**

Everyone: What kind of retail shop/brand would you like to see open up downtown?

nixcity · #**8886** Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 10:35 PM**

Maybe it's just because I live on a measly teacher's salary but I never go dt to shop. That said I think the Rainey St. area needs an HEB with offices and/or residential above the ground floor.

KevinFromTexas · #**8887** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 6:53 AM**

The link has two aerial images showing the site and an "envelope" of the 375 foot height.

http://downtownaustinblog.org/2011/06/16/upzoning-sought-and-supported-on-w-7th-street/

Quote:

Upzoning Sought And Supported On W 7th Street

2011 JUNE 16
by Jude Galligan

Looks like an upzoning request for a half-block of W 7th Street wedged between West 6th Street and Original Austin was semi-successful.

701 and 711 W 7th Street in downtown Austin were seeking an upzoning to CBD. 701 W 7th is zoned “GR – general retail” and 711 W 7th is zoned “GO – general office”. Both zoning definitions cap building height at 60 feet.

According to InFactDaily, the City of Austin Planning Commission denied the applicant’s request for CBD zoning, and went with OANA’s recommendation for DMU-CURE, including: 1) capping the height oat 375ft, 2) the requirement that any project is mixed-use, and 3) 50% of the use to be residential.

cvillehorn · #**8888** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 7:12 PM**

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/06/17/plans-back-on-for-1000-room-downtown.html

Quote:

Plans back on for 1,000-room downtown Marriott
Austin Business Journal
Date: Friday, June 17, 2011, 1:47pm CDT - Last Modified: Friday, June 17, 2011, 2:03pm CDT
Related: Commercial Real Estate
Enlarge Image

Further Reading
With Austin Marriott’s big plans in doubt, owner moves on
Austin Marriott, Hilton, Fairfield hotels sold
Related News

Emerson buys office in Round Rock, will have 875 workers
Four Austin apartment buildings for sale
Workplace Resource largest office furniture dealer in Austin
Ward North American largest commercial mover in Austin
Four Austin apartment buildings for sale
Plans to build Austin's largest downtown hotel are apparently back on the table, according to reports on Friday.
White Lodging Corp. said last year it would shelve plans for a 1,000-room, $185-million Marriott hotel on Congress Avenue and Second Street. But an Austin American-Statesman report quoted officials saying construction will begin in about nine months.

wwmiv · #**8889** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 7:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvillehorn

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/06/17/plans-back-on-for-1000-room-downtown.html

Ugh. Yuck. No.

BevoLJ · #**8890** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 7:39 PM**

Great news about the hotel! This is something we need really bad. I have been very much hoping that spot on 2nd and Congress would turn out to be a huge hotel like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Ugh. Yuck. No.

What is it you don't like about this hotel?

wwmiv · #**8891** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 7:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Great news about the hotel! This is something we need really bad. I have been very much hoping that spot on 2nd and Congress would turn out to be a huge hotel like this.

What is it you don't like about this hotel?

1. Bad design. It looks like is belongs in the suburbs a la the Hilton (which is also fucking hideous).
2. Bad usage of the lack of height restrictions on that lot (it was somewhere between 350 and 450 feet).

BevoLJ · #**8892** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 7:45 PM**

Where can I find a picture of the design they are planning?

wwmiv · #**8893** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Where can I find a picture of the design they are planning?

Keep in mind that this was the old design. The new design will probably be different, but I'm not holding any hope for something better.

ahealy · #**8894** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 10:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvillehorn

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/06/17/plans-back-on-for-1000-room-downtown.html

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! IT BUUUUUUUURRRRRRNNNNSSSS!!!

The ATX · #**8895** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 11:42 PM**

That is the orignal rendering when the project was going to be three separate Marriot brand hotels connected with a common lobby. The new hotel is a different brand (Marquis), so that rendering is (hopefully) irrelevant.
A quick Google search of Marriot Marquis shows decent ones (by hotel standards, anyway) in New York and San Francisco, but a god awful one in Atlanta.

BevoLJ · #**8896** Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 11:47 PM**

Eww WW. That thing is horrible. Is that even legal on Congress Ave? I can think of a number of rules that have been put in place on each 2nd and Congress that seem to be ignored in that god awful plan.

KevinFromTexas · #**8897** Posted **Jun 18, 2011, 12:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

1. Bad design. It looks like is belongs in the suburbs a la the Hilton (which is also fucking hideous).
2. Bad usage of the lack of height restrictions on that lot (it was somewhere between 350 and 450 feet).

The design has likely changed from the original. Also, I can't imagine them needing the entire block for even a 1,000 room hotel. My guess is the tower will occupy only part of it, leaving the rest of it for a podium with retail and parking garage, or even enough space for another tower/development. Remember, the Hilton has 800 rooms, but the tower portion of the hotel itself only occupies a small amount of the block. Also, the block where this hotel is going is larger than the Hilton's block. This block on Congress is about 130 feet wider.

Also, the original plan for the hotel called for up to 1,200 rooms and three towers. So it would be smaller than the original proposal. So looking at the original rendering, imagine the project without the two smaller towers.

I'm also doubtful that they'd let them build right up to Congress since it would block the view of the Capitol dome down Congress. There is a protected CVC there.

KevinFromTexas · #**8898** Posted **Jun 18, 2011, 12:15 AM**

From the article:

Quote:

Yiankes said that, pending approval of the fee waivers White Lodging has requested, “we will go full-speed ahead on our architectural and engineering drawings,” a process he said will take about eight to 10 months.

So it sounds to me like they'll redesign it at least somewhat.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...6/17/city_to_consider_fee_waivers_f.html

Quote:

Developer revives Congress Avenue convention hotel

By Shonda Novak | Friday, June 17, 2011, 12:51 PM

White Lodging Services Corp. intends to start construction in about nine months on a 1,003-room Marriott Marquis convention hotel on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin, and the city will consider waiving up to $4.3 million in development-related fees for the project, which had been shelved during the recession.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Deno Yiankes, president and CEO of investment and development for Indiana-based White Lodging. “To be this close and hopefully be in a position to start this is very exciting, not only for us but for the city.” The hotel would be the city’s largest.

Yiankes said the building’s height is still to be determined, but it could rise between 27 and 30 stories. The hotel would have about 103,000 feet of banquet and meeting space, and would take about 32 months to build, he said.

austin242 · #**8899** Posted **Jun 18, 2011, 1:16 AM**

Its gonna be a fatty fatty two by 4 can't even fit on a city block. Considering its 1000 rooms and 31-34 stories or at least they say. That would mean its going to be fatter than the 31 story 800 room hilton and I don't like that.

gardensoul · #**8900** Posted **Jun 18, 2011, 1:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! IT BUUUUUUUURRRRRRNNNNSSSS!!!

My eyes are bleeding. Ugh. Fingers won't work... must redirect my browser to the non-brutalist section of this site... gasp... ugh!