AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

I read that a young lady didn't stop when she should have and got hit by a cement truck the other day and had to have her leg amputated. It was an interesting article about how some guy saved her life.

I saw that same article. The guy who saved her life is the husband of one of my former co-workers.

A couple of months ago, my neighbor who lived in the next building across from me (Andrew Runciman) was on a bike ride with his girlfriend and was killed in a hit & run by an SUV near Red's Porch on S. Lamar. (There's a ghost bike there now) He wasn't wearing a helmet, but his injuries were so bad that a helmet wouldn't have made a difference. I don't think the hit & run driver was ever caught, either.

BTW, does anyone know whatever became of this project on Congress Avenue? Is it on hold indefinitely or has it been cancelled all together?

[nixcity]

I've seen too many close calls with bikers not stopping at stop signs or red lights, sorry it had to be you but the message has got to get out that this is illegal and dangerous.

[AusHou]

Originally Posted by photolitherland

Of course they were cracking down on it the first time I ride my bike in the city.

They've been cracking down on cyclists running lights and stop signs for a while. It's a terrible problem in Austin. Car/truck drivers are almost as bad. Makes for a lethal combination of circumstances.

[photoLith]

This is just my opinion but if cities like Austin and Portland want to be cities known for biking etc than stop signs should be treated as yield signs for bikers. When you are on a bike, it takes a lot of energy to get going again once you stop. If you are having to fully stop every block it gets to be quite a lot of work. Also, on a bike you have no blind spots and can see everything around you if you are being observant. If there is a car already stopped at a stop sign then you should of course stop as I always do, but otherwise I think they should be treated as yield signs. I think they have already tried to change this in Portland.

[oberthewhat]

cyclists running stop signs and lights is a serious problem here in Portland. I don't believe they have tried to change it. They have very much tried to crack down on it because it is this that is getting many cyclist hurt. It has almost become a daily thing to witness someone on a bike cut into traffic, resulting in cars having to slam on their brakes for the bikers safety. It's too bad to hear its becoming a problem in Austin. Hope the crack down in Austin will make cyclist realize the laws are there for their own safety, and should be followed. No matter how much extra effort is involved in slowing down to stop at a stop sign. Braking in my car for stop sign also adds wear and tear to my car, maybe I shouldn't.

[wwmiv]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/07/01/austin-one-of-10-worst-housing-markets.html

Report: Austin among 10 worst housing markets next five years

Austin Business Journal
Date: Friday, July 1, 2011, 12:04pm CDT

A new housing forecast said Austin will have one of the worst markets in the U.S. during the next five years.

Business Insider ranked Austin ninth worst based on cumulative price growth in the last six years, expected annualized growth in the next five years and expected trough period. The report analyzed Fiserv Case Shiller Index data.

Austin's housing prices have increased just 2.63 percent since 2005, compared with the national 3.7 percent average, the report said. The average is expected to grow even less during the next five years at about 1.2 percent. The market is expected to hit a trough in the forth quarter next year.

[The ATX]

It's only one of the worst in terms of increased home values. One reason Austin and Texas have faired better than other states during the recession is that we didn't have a housing bubble. It looks like that trend will continue.

[nixcity]

This seems odd considering how many people continue to move here.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by nixcity

This seems odd considering how many people continue to move here.

I know. I've always wondered why home prices stay as low as they do in Texas when there are so many people moving here year after year.

[migol24]

And why is it considered a bad thing when home prices are low? Wouldn't that make it the appropriate time to buy?

[KevinFromTexas]

It's because there's a ton of stuff getting built. It's crazy how even in my own neighborhood vacant fields that have been that way for YEARS are being built on. There's one right across Stassney from us that has been filling in for the last year or so with a new housing development with prices around 180K. There's a house under construction over there now. These are vacant lots where I used to ride my bike as a teen, and now they're turning into residential streets. With so much development it's keeping prices down. If there wasn't as much new development, but we still had the demand, prices would soar.

[The ATX]

I don't know if this has been posted yet, but it looks like the Hyatt Place Hotel will be the first of all the announced downtown hotel projects to break ground.

White Lodging issued a press release on 07/01 about the Marriott Marquis hotel that also said that construction on Hyatt Place should start in August.

http://www.whitelodging.com/news/070111-2.asp

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

I don't know if this has been posted yet, but it looks like the Hyatt Place Hotel will be the first of all the announed downtown hotel projects to break ground.

White Lodging issued a press release on 07/01 about the Marriott Marquis hotel that also said that construction on Hyatt Place should start in August.

http://www.whitelodging.com/news/070111-2.asp

Woo hoo! Gonna see cranes pop up soon. Anyone have any info regarding 416 Congress hotel height change?

[chaust]

Originally Posted by crewer

Are there any recent shots of the courthouse worth sharing right now? I live 1100 miles east of Austin, so I have to experience Austin's expansion through all of you.

Here here. 5 years since I stepped foot there but I feel like I know the transformation just by visiting this thread.

Btw Crewer 1100 miles places you squarely in North Carolina...Charlotte?

[Samwill89]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

BTW, does anyone know whatever became of this project on Congress Avenue? Is it on hold indefinitely or has it been cancelled all together?

The developer recently gave me a personal tour of this site. He is waiting for more financing.

[AusHou]

Originally Posted by nixcity

This seems odd considering how many people continue to move here.

I think inner city prices are increasing more rapidly due to a shortage of supply and desirability of the inner city neighborhoods. I talking about places like Bouldin, Barton Hills, Travis Heights, Allandale, Brykerwoods, etc.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://impactnews.com/central-austin/283...in-plan-stirs-concern-over-urban-housing

Downtown Austin Plan stirs concern over urban housing
Stakeholders unite against downtown supportive residences

By Andrea Leptinsky
Friday, 24 June 2011

CENTRAL AUSTIN — As the Downtown Austin Plan nears its scheduled City Council vote in August, one group of stakeholders is making known its opposition to one of the plan’s called-for improvements—more permanent supportive housing downtown.

The plan is a list of recommendations advising the future development and growth of the downtown district.

According to the proposed plan, the City of Austin “should to commit to the creation of approximately 225 single-room occupancy units of permanent supportive housing in downtown, in conjunction with nonprofit partners that can provide needed services.”

Permanent supportive housing is a term used for units inhabited by residents who are in the low end of the median family income spectrum—they are either homeless or in danger of becoming so.

[The ATX]

The Travis county courthouse could turn into a a pretty nice mixed use development.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/21-firms-respond-to-countys-call-for-courthouse-1587710.html

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

The Travis county courthouse could turn into a a pretty nice mixed use development.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/21-firms-respond-to-countys-call-for-courthouse-1587710.html

Hopefully they choose a firm that won't build a brutalist structure with zero ground floor retail. 4th street should flow west with retail/restaurants/bars. It kinda dies after Lavaca, until you hit Nueces.

[Cloud92]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

The Erwin Center seats 16,500 and was built in 1977 and it's had a great run. However, I think a new state of the art 23,000 seat arena would enable Austin to take that next step and compete for events that we currently cannot host due to the lack of a suitable venue. Just about every major city in the US has such a facility. I'd like to think if cities like San Antonio, Columbus, Memphis, Nashville, OKC and Kansas City can have state of the art arenas then why shouldn't Austin. If one or both of the convention center hotels get built it will open the door for Austin to compete with other cities like never before. The future looks very promising! Can't wait to see what happens.

i have to agree with you there. the Erwin center is fun but it is time for something new, bigger, better.
a multi use structure like the O2 arena in London would be grand...well maybe that's a little to big for Austin but it would be awesome. I've grown quite tired of going to Houston or Dallas to see shows