AUSTIN | Waterline | 1,034 Feet | 73 Floors | T/O

[bigdogc]

All the buildings currently on the land for this project are getting ready to move out. One of the houses had a garage sale all weekend. Now there are lots of items out "for free". There is a small business that posted a sign saying they have moved to a new location. etc etc.

I expect demo to start soon.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by bigdogc

One of the houses had a garage sale all weekend.

Oh I saw that, but I didn't put 2-and-2 together. In true Austin style, they had live music there. I didn't realize that house was part of the construction area.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I was looking at the permits page on the city's website and shows that the master plan was due today July 1st. Hope we hear something soon about when construction could start.

They were approved for a 180 day extension on June 18th. They have until December 20th now.

This info is in the "180 day extension memo" attachment:

https://www.austintexas.gov/devreview/b_showpublicpermitfolderdetails.jsp?FolderRSN=11055030

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

They were approved for a 180 day extension on June 18th. They have until December 20th now.

This info is in the "180 day extension memo" attachment:

https://www.austintexas.gov/devreview/b_showpublicpermitfolderdetails.jsp?FolderRSN=11055030

Does that mean that construction can't start until the plan is submitted and approved? Looks like they might intend to clear the property of existing structures in the meantime. I really would like to see this project get built, hopefully all at once because so many times multi-phase developments fail to be completed as planned.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Does that mean that construction can't start until the plan is submitted and approved? Looks like they might intend to clear the property of existing structures in the meantime. I really would like to see this project get built, hopefully all at once because so many times multi-phase developments fail to be completed as planned.

The "180 day extension" is a standard time frame request. It doesn't mean they are waiting 6 months before starting. It just means that they need more time to deal with Austin's California style bureaucracy. If they only requested 30 or 90 days and ended up needing more days due to red tape, they would have to request another extension.

[GoldenBoot]

That's true. Always ask for the maximum.

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Looks like The Chain Drive may or may not have closed. The owner says the bar has to move.

Last night (July 5) was definitely the last night for the Chain Drive at that location. They're moving to 84 East Avenue. I also didn't realize that Willow Street from Red River to where it dead ends at the Chain Drive is a privately owned street. Starting July 5, if you want to park on Willow Street, you have to call a phone number and pay in advance. I was told last night that that was the landowners decision.

I know this city (and the developers) is all about money, but I thought it was pretty lame to start charging for parking on the last night for the Chain Drive in that location. They couldn't have waited one more day?

[The ATX]

The white house to the right in this picture was demoed already:

Streetview Before:


Streetview after:

[austlar1]

What is happening with the garage like structure at the corner that used to house some pedicab operation and before that was used to store horse drawn carriages for the downtown horse and buggy operation? Is it vacant now?

[LoneStarMike]

I don't know what's going to happen to it, but it didn't look like it was vacant yet.

[austlar1]

Yes, I just drove by there. The corner building is still occupied, and the little house to the north of it is still standing. The only thing torn down is the two story house or apartments on the north corner just up from Cesar Chavez..

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

Last night (July 5) was definitely the last night for the Chain Drive at that location. They're moving to 84 East Avenue. I also didn't realize that Willow Street from Red River to where it dead ends at the Chain Drive is a privately owned street. Starting July 5, if you want to park on Willow Street, you have to call a phone number and pay in advance. I was told last night that that was the landowners decision.

I know this city (and the developers) is all about money, but I thought it was pretty lame to start charging for parking on the last night for the Chain Drive in that location. They couldn't have waited one more day?

Are you sure that part of Willow St is private? I has no controlled access, but has city street and no parking signs. Also there are signs just south of there saying the access to the hike and bike trail is from Willow St.

[LoneStarMike]

^^That's what I was told. Also, if you stand at the corner of Red River & Willow, the street sign for Red River is green, but the street sign for Willow is blue. Someone told me a blue street sign designates a private street.

[Digatisdi]

Generally yes, in CoA and most of Texas blue signs designate private streets, but a private street doesn't generally have to have a blue sign to legally be a private street if I'm not mistaken. In this case I'm almost 100% certain Willow is private.

[KevinFromTexas]

A good test of a street being public or not is if it's on Google Streetview or not. If it's not, then it's a private street. It's the reason why some of the inner streets on the UT Campus aren't on Streetview.

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by Digatisdi

Generally yes, in CoA and most of Texas blue signs designate private streets, but a private street doesn't generally have to have a blue sign to legally be a private street if I'm not mistaken. In this case I'm almost 100% certain Willow is private.

Years ago I watched a private tow truck attempt to remove a car parked on that block. The driver of the tow truck maintained that the street was private and he had a contract to remove vehicles parked on the street along the side of the one story building just east of the Chain Drive. The owner of the car and the Chain Drive door person called APD. APD came to the scene and made a very angry tow truck driver release the vehicle and return it to the owner who was allowed to remain parked there. I don't know what that might imply about the status of that block, but it was fun to watch this pumped up a-hole driving the tow truck get taken down a notch or two.

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

A good test of a street being public or not is if it's on Google Streetview or not. If it's not, then it's a private street. It's the reason why some of the inner streets on the UT Campus aren't on Streetview.

Yeah I was able to use google streetview up to the end where you can see the beginning of the trail.

So is there a public process the city/land owners have to go through when converting a public street to private?

[Wagnel]

http://m.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/rea...r-to-back-new-skyscrapers-in.html?r=full

[Syndic]

Link for those not on mobile: http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/r...r-to-back-new-skyscrapers-in.html?r=full

That's awesome news. Let's get this show on the road, McCourt and Sutton!

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Syndic

Link for those not on mobile: http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/r...r-to-back-new-skyscrapers-in.html?r=full

That's awesome news. Let's get this show on the road, McCourt and Sutton!

It appears we're only waiting for some site plan issues to be cleared.