AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 493

ahealy · #**9841** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 9:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Where did you find that?

I counted 42 floors in the rendering. I remember them saying in one article that it would be 45 floors. I hope they haven't revised the height to make it shorter. I am glad they brought the spire back, but I'd rather have the roof height instead.

When I had gotten the heights from the architect, they told me that the spire being left on the building would depend on whether or not the client decided they wanted the helipad. So I'm assuming they were planning to have it on the highest roof at that point. They may have changed it, but I'm not sure where they could have it. Putting it on that 2nd level might work, but that rendering makes that 2nd level look small. And having it on the podium level near the creek might interfere with a pool deck. Not to mention the noise from helicopters being a nuisance along the creek. Maybe they did away with the helipad afterall.

The height they told me originally without the spire was 600 feet to the roof with 50 floors. Now it looks like there's fewer floors and they had mentioned there might be 45 floors. The spire looks to me like it's around 150 feet tall. So if it's 600 to the roof, then it should be around 750 feet to the spire. That would make it as tall as the Tower of the Americas down in San Antonio. The Tower of the Americas is 622 feet to the roof and the antenna is 128 feet tall.

Wowza. I thought The Austonian was as tall as the ToA? Perhaps without the antenna.
From what I remember, they have financing for this entire project... correct? I REALLY can't wait for this to be built....hopefully it isn't a T. Stacy case.

SecretAgentMan · #**9842** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 11:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Where did you find that?

I counted 42 floors in the rendering. I remember them saying in one article that it would be 45 floors. I hope they haven't revised the height to make it shorter. I am glad they brought the spire back, but I'd rather have the roof height instead.

When I had gotten the heights from the architect, they told me that the spire being left on the building would depend on whether or not the client decided they wanted the helipad. So I'm assuming they were planning to have it on the highest roof at that point. They may have changed it, but I'm not sure where they could have it. Putting it on that 2nd level might work, but that rendering makes that 2nd level look small. And having it on the podium level near the creek might interfere with a pool deck. Not to mention the noise from helicopters being a nuisance along the creek. Maybe they did away with the helipad afterall.

The height they told me originally without the spire was 600 feet to the roof with 50 floors. Now it looks like there's fewer floors and they had mentioned there might be 45 floors. The spire looks to me like it's around 150 feet tall. So if it's 600 to the roof, then it should be around 750 feet to the spire. That would make it as tall as the Tower of the Americas down in San Antonio. The Tower of the Americas is 622 feet to the roof and the antenna is 128 feet tall.

I'll have to email them again to see if anything's changed. I haven't been able to visit the forum as often as I'd like. Our computer is pretty much dead. I've been checking in on the forum at the library. But, we should be getting another computer soon. My brother's working on refurbing one that his mother-in-law gave them. He's going to give that one to us.

These are the latest renderings. They were presented at CCIM yesterday. Both the developer and architect presented. They said: it is a $320 M project. There are 435 parking spaces in 4 levels underground. 47 stories / 580 feet.1033 keys, 95,000 sf meeting space. The skybridge is two levels, enclosed above directly between the hotel and convention center, and an open walkway below for the general public. The property tax the project generates will cover 25% of the Waller Creek TIF. They project ground breaking at the end of July, with an opening in April 2015.

BevoLJ · #**9843** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 1:02 PM**

Wow that is great news! Thank you.

Although someone should tell them to open a month earlier for a guaranteed sell out their first month.

The ATX · #**9844** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 4:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretAgentMan

These are the latest renderings. They were presented at CCIM yesterday. Both the developer and architect presented. They said: it is a $320 M project. There are 435 parking spaces in 4 levels underground. 47 stories / 580 feet.1033 keys, 95,000 sf meeting space. The skybridge is two levels, enclosed above directly between the hotel and convention center, and an open walkway below for the general public. The property tax the project generates will cover 25% of the Waller Creek TIF. They project ground breaking at the end of July, with an opening in April 2015.

Did they say anything about the spire or helipad?

The ATX · #**9845** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 4:38 PM**

Here's the link to the CCIM presentation:

http://www.ccimtexas.com/images/website243/waller_creek_development_12012.pdf

StoOgE · #**9846** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 4:50 PM**

So, a clear second tallest in the city.

I noticed some of the renders include a spire, some dont, so I'm guessing that 580 feet it so the top of the glass crown at the top of the building. Maybe up to 680-730 feet to the top of the spire if it is built, which would be a real plus and get us into Tower of the Americas range, but with an actual highrise and not a tower, so that's good.

Wouldn't mind a restaurant up top on this, but I'm sure that won't happen.. maybe putting one on the highest floor on the podium could happen? The way they handle the TWC in NYC with Per Se/Masa.

Jdawgboy · #**9847** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 7:17 PM**

The Austonian is taller than the Tower of Americas only its spire pushes it up to 722 feet. The actual saucer part is lower than the roof of the Austonian.

Nickelplate · #**9848** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 9:47 PM**

Watching both of the large convention center hotels start this summer and rise together will be a pleasant sight indeed.

wwmiv · #**9849** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickelplate

Watching both of the large convention center hotels start this summer and rise together will be a pleasant sight indeed.

Yes, it is. I'm very excited. For the Grand, the new renderings of the base from that .pdf linked to in the other thread really show off the way the building is going to interact with the street. It's very nice.

Edit: the .pdf is in this thread as well...

priller · #**9850** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 11:00 PM**

Very exciting! Thanks Hill Country for the PDF. Makes me want to break out the old Google Earth tools and make another model! Haven't had the urge to do that in a few years. Excited! And just down the road from my place.

priller · #**9851** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 11:24 PM**

Some photos from a little over a week ago. Sorry to be so late in posting.

Former Whitley Printing site:

Hyatt Place Hotel

Federal Courthouse

Office building across from Huts (suddenly can't remember the name!)

photoLith · #**9852** Posted **Feb 1, 2012, 11:34 PM**

Wow, the new courthouse is quite ugly, yuck. Its just a random assemblage of rectangles that make no sense.

MichaelB · #**9853** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 1:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickelplate

Watching both of the large convention center hotels start this summer and rise together will be a pleasant sight indeed.

BevoLJ · #**9854** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 1:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by priller

Some photos from a little over a week ago. Sorry to be so late in posting.

Don't let it happen again!

Thank you for all the great pictures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by priller

Office building across from Huts (suddenly can't remember the name!)

The new HQ for Cirrus Logic Inc. Also supposed to have some good restaurants lined up to go in there on the bottom floor.

BevoLJ · #**9855** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 1:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

Wow, the new courthouse is quite ugly, yuck. Its just a random assemblage of rectangles that make no sense.

Well I like it. lol.

BevoLJ · #**9856** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 1:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Wouldn't mind a restaurant up top on this, but I'm sure that won't happen.. maybe putting one on the highest floor on the podium could happen? The way they handle the TWC in NYC with Per Se/Masa.

That just made me think of something. With it being where it is and with the Convention Center being so huge and having such a huge footprint on the west side of it, this hotel will always have great views. Always. That is pretty cool.

MichaelB · #**9857** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 1:49 AM**

Marriot design Vs Austin Grand design? debate!

( and thanks for the pics Priller! Good to see you around!)

Illithid Dude · #**9858** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 2:05 AM**

I like the office building, but not the courthouse. The office buildings looks like something you would see in Denmark. Very nice. Good stuff happening on Austin.

Jdawgboy · #**9859** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 2:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

Wow, the new courthouse is quite ugly, yuck. Its just a random assemblage of rectangles that make no sense.

I guess it depends on your perspective but to be honest this courthouse is pretty nice looking. The whole point of the design is the assemblage of rectangles that make no sense. There's no point in doing a design like that at all if there is no randomness but at the same time the randomness is actually not that random once you look at the whole building at an angle from side to side you can clearly see it matching in the whole.

AviationGuy · #**9860** Posted **Feb 2, 2012, 2:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

I like the office building, but not the courthouse. The office buildings looks like something you would see in Denmark. Very nice. Good stuff happening on Austin.

Agree on the courthouse. Doesn't have much of an Austin ambiance. But when it's finished, perhaps it will look a little better.