AUSTIN | JW Marriott Convention Center Hotel | 408 FT | 34 Floors | Complete - Page 22

KevinFromTexas · #**421** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 10:02 AM**

I need to get downtown for some photos soon. I would do it tomorrow, but the rain. I'd rather wait for the front on Wednesday and go after it clears out. We should have some nice clear weather then. I wanna go garage hoppin'.

KevinFromTexas · #**422** Posted **Nov 10, 2013, 6:26 AM**

I think the tallest crane is around 450 feet or so.

It looks to be close to 300 feet tall now.

KevinFromTexas · #**423** Posted **Nov 11, 2013, 5:08 AM**

The facade on the east side is really interesting in the afternoon the way it reflects the sunlight.

Syndic · #**424** Posted **Nov 11, 2013, 2:48 PM**

These two are great. They really give you perspective on the whole building and its place in the urban landscape. You can kind of get an idea of what it's going to look like when it's done. I don't know how much is left to go, but I hope it just keeps getting taller. I just want it to be as visible in our skyline as possible. Also, I can't wait for something to be build on that U-Ship lot.

priller · #**425** Posted **Nov 11, 2013, 6:32 PM**

Nice group of photos, Kevin. I'll post a few more I took yesterday, from some different angles, when it kinda gloomy outside.

KevinFromTexas · #**426** Posted **Nov 11, 2013, 10:45 PM**

Nice views. That last one is especially going to be impressive with the hotel and Colorado Tower.

Syndic · #**427** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 5:05 PM**

Can we all agree that those weird little house things need to go? Why are they even there? What are they?

MichaelB · #**428** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 5:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

Can we all agree that those weird little house things need to go? Why are they even there? What are they?

Are you talking about the "Railyard" condos?
Question: How often do you walk that area?

Syndic · #**429** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 5:34 PM**

Yeah, those. Not often. I don't live downtown. Why do you ask? When I do walk in that area, I don't like the way they interact with the street. No retail and they're not much to look at.

MichaelB · #**430** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

Yeah, those. Not often. I don't live downtown. Why do you ask? When I do walk in that area, I don't like the way they interact with the street. No retail and they're not much to look at.

They are "The Railyard" condos. Orginally apartments that stretched to the east where the convention center is now. Those blocks were purchased while they were still aparments and torn down for the conventions center. . When they were built that area of town was very sketch. And cool and fun....There were still many small houses like Rainey street that were bars! 10-15 years ago they were one of only a very few options to live in the CBD.

While I am not a fan of the architecture, they were built to keep homeless, etc out. So they certianly were not built very interactivly. The recent updating of them at least took them out of thier 80s coloration.

I agree that I would not like to see the same built today. But I am happy to have the texture/relief in the neighbohood..... and that they are low rise condos in the middle of town. They work well with the low rise buildng on the western block.( not so well with the Marriott) I do like having that living option in the middle of what is becoming a very tall area.
I was just walking past them yesterday and thought I was happy they were still there.
It's all perspective I guess. And that's cool.

A side note: Almost purchased in there 10 years ago, was advised against because of construction quality. It will be interesting to see what happens to them over time and how that condo association deals.!

jngreenlee · #**431** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

They are "The Railyard" condos.

We looked at renting one a few years back. It took a long time to get up to the top floor via stairs, and I can't recall what the elevator situation was. It was also very hot in the exposed inside of the compound. Interesting, but just a little too questionable about carrying out day-to-day life activities.

hookem · #**432** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 7:47 PM**

One of my friends rented in the Railyard just after we graduated UT. It was a blast, big party place. We never in our wildest dreams would have expected that someday it would be surrounded by what it is now. Back then it was basically in a wasteland downtown, but you could walk to sixth street. That was their 1 amenity...

Personally, I like the way it looks surrounded by the buildings now. Looks a little like row houses or something you'd find in one of the tiny height-restricted areas of Manhattan. Back in the day it just looked like a regular 80s apartment complex.

jngreenlee · #**433** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

One of my friends rented in the Railyard just after we graduated UT. It was a blast, big party place. We never in our wildest dreams would have expected that someday it would be surrounded by what it is now. Back then it was basically in a wasteland downtown, but you could walk to sixth street. That was their 1 amenity...

How many of those bars have changed hands/names but basically stayed exactly the same? More of a rhetorical question I suppose, but I bet there are some historical surprises still around there.

hookem · #**434** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 7:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jngreenlee

How many of those bars have changed hands/names but basically stayed exactly the same? More of a rhetorical question I suppose, but I bet there are some historical surprises still around there.

Lots of them. Whenever I'm in one of those 6th street bars now, I can't help but recall the bars that occupied those same buildings in the early 90s (when I used to go a lot). They are indeed very similar on the inside despite being different bars now. I'll be like "Oh, I remember this place, this was Hondo's..." (or something)

Except places like Maggie Maes and Esters Follie's, which are still exactly the same...

lzppjb · #**435** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 12:46 AM**

Roof of the podium going on, looks like. Can't wait to see that copper-colored siding go on it.

MichaelB · #**436** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 2:25 AM**

There is a cool detail on the south east side of the building I had not noticed. It's very subtle.... but there is a long slender angle that goes up mulitple stories on a corner you would expect to the square. Check it out.... SE corner.

AusTex · #**437** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 3:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

They are "The Railyard" condos. Orginally apartments that stretched to the east where the convention center is now. Those blocks were purchased while they were still aparments and torn down for the conventions center. . When they were built that area of town was very sketch. And cool and fun....There were still many small houses like Rainey street that were bars! 10-15 years ago they were one of only a very few options to live in the CBD.

Those who did buy ARE the ORIGINAL downtown pioneers. They desire credit for doing what others did not do; they believed in DT Austin!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

There is a cool detail on the south east side of the building I had not noticed. It's very subtle.... but there is a long slender angle that goes up mulitple stories on a corner you would expect to the square. Check it out.... SE corner.

Great eye MB. Keep that eye roving.

KevinFromTexas · #**438** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 3:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

There is a cool detail on the south east side of the building I had not noticed. It's very subtle.... but there is a long slender angle that goes up mulitple stories on a corner you would expect to the square. Check it out.... SE corner.

Go check it out in person in the afternoon with the sun starting to set. It's very reflective and sets up a really interesting look. I even saw another guy taking a photo of it as he was walking by.

The photo below sort of gives you an idea of what it looks like.

phillyb526 · #**439** Posted **Nov 22, 2013, 5:25 PM**

Saw this in the Downtown Austin Alliance weekly update

Congress Avenue Street Closure: Friday Nov. 22 - Sunday Nov. 24
All northbound lanes of Congress Avenue, between Cesar Chavez and 3rd Street, will close this weekend to accommodate the disassembly of a construction crane at the building site of the J.W. Marriott Hotel at East 2nd Street and Congress Avenue.
• The closure will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 22.
• Lane reductions will begin on the Congress Avenue bridge.
• Cesar Chavez, 2nd Street, and 3rd Street will remain open.
• Lanes are scheduled to re-open by 9 pm on Sunday.

austlar1 · #**440** Posted **Nov 22, 2013, 7:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

Can we all agree that those weird little house things need to go? Why are they even there? What are they?

Nope. I like the texture they provide in the area. A little low-rise is nice in a dense area. It brings things down a notch and lets in a little bit of sky.