AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

YNN did a story on the downtown hotel proposals:

http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/279711/7-000-hotel-rooms-planned-for-downtown-austin

The Hyatt Place hotel will be the first to start construction - later this month.

Holy crap! I knew it was a lot of hotel room, but 7,000 is just crazy. I had no idea the number of rooms was that high. I was thinking maybe half that. lol

Houston has just 4,400.

http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/279711/7-000-hotel-rooms-planned-for-downtown-austin

7,000 hotel rooms planned for Downtown Austin
By: Alana Rocha
YNN

In the coming months, expect to see a lot more construction in Downtown Austin.
Five hotels are planned for the downtown entertainment district. Three hotels will be built along Congress Avenue - two boutique style hotels at Eighth and Fourth Streets and a 1,000-room hotel at Second Street.

A fourth boutique hotel is planned at San Jacinto and Third Street. Another 1,000-room hotel will go in at Red River and Cesar Chavez Streets.

When they're all complete, Downtown Austin will have 7,000 hotel rooms, most within walking distance of the convention center and entertainment district.

City leaders say the developments will help make Austin more competitive when bidding for larger conventions, significantly boosting its tourism industry.



...

[KevinFromTexas]

The article is kind of getting it mixed up. I don't think there's 7,000 rooms planned for downtown. I think what they mean to say is that once all of these hotels are finished there will be 7,000 rooms in downtown. I wouldn't think the number of planned rooms is higher than 4,000, and is probably 3,500 or so.

From the article:

When they're all complete, Downtown Austin will have 7,000 hotel rooms, most within walking distance of the convention center and entertainment district.

They should include a list with that article with the number of rooms tallied to clear up any confusion.

[Downtown_Austin]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The article is kind of getting it mixed up. I don't think there's 7,000 rooms planned for downtown. I think what they mean to say is that once all of these hotels are finished there will be 7,000 rooms in downtown. I wouldn't think the number of planned rooms is higher than 4,000, and is probably 3,500 or so.

From the article:


They should include a list with that article with the number of rooms tallied to clear up any confusion.

I noticed that, too. Boo on the headline writer for over-sensationalising

[The ATX]

It is YNN.

[BevoLJ]

2015. So now we kinda have a date.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2...izj_austin+%28Austin+Business+Journal%29

Marriott Marquis to open downtown in 2015
Austin Business Journal - by Cody Lyon , Staff Writer
Date: Thursday, August 4, 2011, 5:25pm CDT - Last Modified: Thursday, August 4, 2011, 6:04pm CDT

Marriott Hotels and Resorts will open a 1,003-room Marriott Marquis hotel in downtown Austin in 2015 as scheduled, the company announced Thursday.

The Austin Marriott Marquis, which will be owned and operated by White Lodging Services Corp. , is scheduled to break ground mid-2012 and will offer 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

The hotel’s construction should generate more than 545 full-time construction jobs, and the hotel will employ 750 when it opens, Marriott said.

The hotel, at Congress Avenue and Second Street, will be two blocks from the Austin Convention Center. Plans call for multiple food and beverage venues, 374 underground parking spaces and a 4,500-square-foot fitness center. The hotel will be part of Marriott International’s signature Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand.

...

[ahealy]

New angle. I found this on http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article...n_Marriott_Marquis_to_Open_in______.html

[Syndic]

Ugh, that's so hideous. I really could do without the brown. It just looks like a normal hotel. I don't see why they can't sexy it up a bit.

[Illithid Dude]

If they made the material something other then stucco, it would actually look pretty nice.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

If they made the material something other then stucco, it would actually look pretty nice.

Yeah, that's not the best color. They should do some metal sheets like the Long Center has. That could look really nice.... Perhaps more eco friendly too.

[eburress]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

If they made the material something other then stucco, it would actually look pretty nice.

That's stucco? If so, what a disaster this would be for Austin! Wow.

[KevinFromTexas]

I don't mind the lighter color. It almost has a modern look to it that suits the design, but I'm not a fan of that darker section. Two tone buildings done like this seem odd, too. It's like a way of concealing the fact that the facade has no detail, so they try to gussy it up with different colors instead of giving it texture. I think it would look fine with the single lighter color anyway. Instead of trying to add texture and "more" to it, they should be embracing a more minimalist modern look.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by eburress

That's stucco? If so, what a disaster this would be for Austin! Wow.

I hardly think it would be a disaster. Thankfully renders can change...hopefully they switch the color for that portion.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I don't mind the lighter color. It almost has a modern look to it that suits the design, but I'm not a fan of that darker section. Two tone buildings done like this seem odd, too. It's like a way of concealing the fact that the facade has no detail, so they try to gussy it up with different colors instead of giving it texture. I think it would look fine with the single lighter color anyway. Instead of trying to add texture and "more" to it, they should be embracing a more minimalist modern look.

I personally think this building would be awesome if all that dark section was nothing but glass.

[crewer]

Originally Posted by migol24

I personally think this building would be awesome if all that dark section was nothing but glass.

I'm not fond of the color. I was hoping Austin was migrating away from the depressing browns and granite pinks. The design is questionable, depending on the angle. It looks okay from the angle of the drawing, but I'm not impressed with the east side. The building looms upward from the sidewalk with a wide footprint taking up an entire city block. I would like to see renderings from all angles before coming to conclusions on this one.

[StoOgE]

I like the design a lot.

Were it limestone like the CSC building or even the new courthosue I think it would be a real winner of a design. The stucto will be awful, but not as awful as the Hilton. So that's a thing.

[AlecfromTexas]

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/business/austin-hotel-boom-on-horizon

[BevoLJ]

DAB is now a TV star!

Do we really have 30k rooms in Austin? I thought it was closer to 20 or 25k?

[Cloud92]

Bold colors would be great like some reds or blues some buildings look great in a crimson color

[hookem]

Dark grey. Like the W. Grey is the new beige!

Although there are a HUGE number of beige hotel buildings... it's one of those things where the architect would never lose his job for Marriott by proposing a beige building..

[The ATX]

At least beige blends in with the landscape during our constant droughts.