AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 460

actham · #**9181** Posted **Aug 10, 2011, 12:45 AM**

This truck has been drilling at 6 or 7 places around the Green site over the last couple of weeks. Are they doing soil samples? At first I thought it had something to do with the waste water line relocation but now I'm really wondering if they are doing samples. That would be good news!

ROCrot · #**9182** Posted **Aug 10, 2011, 5:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by actham

This truck has been drilling at 6 or 7 places around the Green site over the last couple of weeks. Are they doing soil samples? At first I thought it had something to do with the waste water line relocation but now I'm really wondering if they are doing samples. That would be good news!

Why would it be good news? Maybe they're looking for pollution in the soil to see how much remediation it needs. How do you know what it is they're doing?

The ATX · #**9183** Posted **Aug 10, 2011, 2:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROCrot

Why would it be good news? Maybe they're looking for pollution in the soil to see how much remediation it needs. How do you know what it is they're doing?

It's obvious that he meant it was good news because there is activity at the site which in turn means possible construction activity in the near future. Do you have any more obvious questions that you need answered?

NYC_Longhorn · #**9184** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 1:50 AM**

Not sure if you want to include this hotel.... but a hotel or hotel/condo is planned on the Taco Cabana site on Lamar next to Paggi House

Quote:

Originally Posted by P3FE

I count 11 hotels that have been proposed for downtown! If someone can think of any that I'm missing please point it out.

1. Marriott Convention Hotel
2. Manchester Convention Hotel
3. Hotel Van Zandt
4. Bosche-Hogg Hotel
5. 416 Congress
6. Hotel at Seaholm
7. Starwood Hotel 1
8. Westin
9. Hyatt Place
10. 21c Residences and Hotel
11. T. Stacey Tower

wwmiv · #**9185** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 1:51 AM**

Do you have a link to that hotel?

ROCrot · #**9186** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 2:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

It's obvious that he meant it was good news because there is activity at the site which in turn means possible construction activity in the near future. Do you have any more obvious questions that you need answered?

Yes, I do, but if you're so much smarter than I am, then why did you not answer my other question, instead of just putting me down? I suppose the answer to THAT question is obvious: you're not so smart after all, Hill Country.

As I said before, maybe they're looking for pollution in the soil to see how much remediation the site needs. It could be the next Love Canal for all we know. A water treatment plant uses a lot of chlorine, and chlorine and its byproducts are not only poisonous, but they can cause cancer. Now you REALLY don't look smart at all, now do you, Hill Country? Thanks for playing, though.

KevinFromTexas · #**9187** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 2:41 AM**

Come on guys, chill.

JoninATX · #**9188** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 3:35 AM**

There are now 2 cranes up for the Riverview apartments, and notice yesterday there is a new crane on W. 26th street & Nuecus behind the 7-11 in west campus not sure what there building but they have cleared a 20ft hole in the ground.

ahealy · #**9189** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 4:27 AM**

dang...me thinks we need a love canal on this forum

JoninATX · #**9190** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 7:01 AM**

They demolished Wooldridge Hall to make way for a 16 story project called
2400 Nueces

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/image/2011/07/28/ut-international-office

KevinFromTexas · #**9191** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 7:31 AM**

2400 Nueces - that would suggest it's at 24th & Nueces, not 26th & Nueces.

Here's the map. And also, Wooldridge Hall was a UT building. Is this new project going to be owned by UT, or is it a private development?

http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/woh.html

wwmiv · #**9192** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 7:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

2400 Nueces - that would suggest it's at 24th & Nueces, not 26th & Nueces.

Here's the map. And also, Wooldridge Hall was a UT building. Is this new project going to be owned by UT, or is it a private development?

http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/woh.html

http://www.edrtrust.com/documents/University%20of%20Texas%20at%20Austin.pdf

JoninATX · #**9193** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 8:06 AM**

There are 2 projects, 2400 Nueces and the other is on 26th & Nueces. The apartments behind 7-11 were boarded up for about 6 months or so, the crane caught my eye while driving on guadalupe so decided to check it out but only saw a permit, then after I saw they were turning dirt at W. 24st. & Longview St.

LoneStarMike · #**9194** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 11:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC_Longhorn

Not sure if you want to include this hotel.... but a hotel or hotel/condo is planned on the Taco Cabana site on Lamar next to Paggi House

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Do you have a link to that hotel?

Here's a link to the Austin American-Statesman article from a few months ago.

Developers eyeing boutique hotel, apartments just south of downtown
Shonda Novak
May 6, 2011

The article mentions around 150 hotel rooms and 12 condos, in a six-story building, and says that Taco Cabana's lease is up in February.

Mopacs · #**9195** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 4:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

http://www.edrtrust.com/documents/University%20of%20Texas%20at%20Austin.pdf

Whoa! Did not expect a project of that size and height. Approaching 200ft @ 16 floors?

mars-man · #**9196** Posted **Aug 12, 2011, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROCrot

Yes, I do, but if you're so much smarter than I am, then why did you not answer my other question, instead of just putting me down? I suppose the answer to THAT question is obvious: you're not so smart after all, Hill Country.

As I said before, maybe they're looking for pollution in the soil to see how much remediation the site needs. It could be the next Love Canal for all we know. A water treatment plant uses a lot of chlorine, and chlorine and its byproducts are not only poisonous, but they can cause cancer. Now you REALLY don't look smart at all, now do you, Hill Country? Thanks for playing, though.

My understanding is that remediation was completed months ago, and that this site is shovel-ready as soon as the capital starts flowing. I can't wait to see 2nd and Nueces Streets extended and new life brought to this corner of downtown.

As for what exactly that crew is doing, I'm curious too. They've been doing the same thing across the creek at the new library site from time to time. It's hard to tell whether they're pumping something in, out, or both. Any engineers out there who can enlighten us?

Austin1971 · #**9197** Posted **Aug 13, 2011, 5:49 AM**

With rents at an all-time high and occupancies rising, the Austin-area apartment market is among the healthiest in the nation right now and it could stay that way for a while, national and local real estate experts say.

http://www.statesman.com/business/austin...g-hottest-in-nation-soaring-1735648.html

Hopefully this may spur some high-rise construction.....

KevinFromTexas · #**9198** Posted **Aug 13, 2011, 6:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoninATX

They demolished Wooldridge Hall to make way for a 16 story project called
2400 Nueces

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/image/2011/07/28/ut-international-office

Interesting. So they doubled the height on that. The original proposal was only 8 floors. Here is the developer's website. Go to Development>Current Projects.

That should be a neat project. I even liked the shorter design. It had a nice look to it. Note that when you click on the "fact sheet" it shows the updated taller version.

http://www.edrtrust.com/projects.php

KevinFromTexas · #**9199** Posted **Aug 13, 2011, 10:25 AM**

KVUE article on the Frost Bank Tower. And they also have a link to SkyscraperPage comparing it to other Texas buildings.

The Austonian's blog also did an article on the Frost Bank Tower.

http://www.kvue.com/entertainment/i-wonder/I-Wonder-Frost-Bank-Tower-123765844.html

Quote:

I Wonder: Frost Bank Tower

by REBEKAH HOOD / KVUE.com

kvue.com
Posted on June 13, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Updated Thursday, Aug 4 at 1:02 AM

What was the Frost Bank Tower modeled after?

So to lay the rumors to rest, I went straight to the source of the design and contacted the office of Turan Duda AIA, design partner of Duda/Paine Architects in Durham, North Carolina. He is the man credited with designing the Frost Bank Tower.

According to Duda, the 515-foot building peaks with a "pyramidal translucent crown." Anything beyond that, and you will not get an answer from Duda. He wishes the building to take on its own identity based on each interpretor's imagination. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all, right?

Duda explained his vision for the building several years ago to KVUE's news partner, the Austin American-Statesman. He said he wanted to “create a tower with a focal point similar to New York’s Chrysler and Empire State buildings."

"We wanted a building that comes to a singular statement at the top, a clear, memorable symbol," he told the Statesman. "That was a missing piece in the skyline.”

SecretAgentMan · #**9200** Posted **Aug 13, 2011, 12:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mars-man

My understanding is that remediation was completed months ago, and that this site is shovel-ready as soon as the capital starts flowing. I can't wait to see 2nd and Nueces Streets extended and new life brought to this corner of downtown.

As for what exactly that crew is doing, I'm curious too. They've been doing the same thing across the creek at the new library site from time to time. It's hard to tell whether they're pumping something in, out, or both. Any engineers out there who can enlighten us?

The drill rigs are taking core samples for geotechnical analysis that will determine the structural requirements of the buildings on the Green site and the 2nd Street bridge over Shoal Creek.