AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[NOLAmike]

Originally Posted by austlar1

The existing units have no real architectural merit and are barely of any historical significance. There are similar projects of a similar age to be found in most southern US cities, projects that were built with federal money and intended as racially segregated public housing. New Orleans happily got rid of most of their older projects after Katrina and replaced them with something much better. What a waste of money! Just raze the place and build something nice that harmonizes with the neighborhood.

Although several housing projects have been razed in New Orleans it wasn't without significant controversy and in most of the cases to my knowledge there's been replacement units and/or right of return for several former residents. The idea in theory is to provide mixed income developments that provide a better environment for the poor & over time reduce income inequality. I guess over time we'll see how that turns out.

[Texas Jeff]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opi...facebook_2014_sfp#dfb4b0d5.257273.735685

Here's a presentation that shows what's planned for the site:

https://rosewoodchoice.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/cni-community-mtg-6-presentation.pdf

It looks like the cost includes more than $4 million in proposed "Strategic Investments" like school support, job training, park development. The site will have 225 units as proposed.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

When my dad was in Seoul in 1964, he'd get something like 250 won for every $1 US. He said it was hilarious to change out $10 and be stuffing won in every pocket available.


Speaking of my dad, he knows what it's like to be poor. He grew up with a drunk dad who was AWOL a lot. Always moving. Multiple times a school year (whenever rent was due). For a year while his dad was in jail, he and his siblings and mother were forced to find food in garbage. He only finished 9th grade. Lots of hardships that he went through that can be related to today's poor.

Luckily, instead of losing hope and relying on help, he joined the Army at 17. Did that for 3 years, got his GED, and hired on at IBM at some low end position. He worked there 30+ years working his way up to a decent wage, making ends meet paycheck to paycheck. After forced retirement, did he rest? No, he got other jobs, ultimately one at the State. He worked there for 7 years, bought his 3 years of military service and retired again.

Being poor, with limited food, school opportunities and basically a one-parent family does not have to be a lifelong sentence.

Well said. I'm encouraged by your dad's story - it sounds similar to my grandfather who grew up in the Depression with a very rough and poor childhood. He taught us hard work and perseverance, for sure, along with appreciating the things you have.

[austlar1]

This link has some pretty neat before and after shots of the Austin skyline. I may have already been posted. http://www.statesman.com/interactive/news/local/austin-skyline/then-and-now/

[kwinkles]

Originally Posted by IluvATX

Seaholm district rising with Market district in back.

Another view:

[KevinFromTexas]

Cool. I see a crane base in the construction pit for 500 West 2nd Street.

[kwinkles]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Cool. I see a crane base in the construction pit for 500 West 2nd Street.

And the darker area in the pit is just a sea of rebar. They're going to do a 24-hour concrete pour with 1100 truckfulls there in a few weeks so that'll be interesting to see.

[AusTxDevelopment]

Awesome shot kwinkles!

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by AusTxDevelopment

Awesome shot kwinkles!

Yes, please keep posting shots like this! Really nice.

[IluvATX]

Very nice photo.

[Tech House]

Stunning indeed! Beautiful light.

This shows how extremely non-dense South Austin is. (what's the word for non-dense when it isn't sprawl?) Eventually there's going to be a lot of pressure to start building up in other areas besides the miniscule fraction of the city where density is currently permitted.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by Tech House

Stunning indeed! Beautiful light.

This shows how extremely non-dense South Austin is. (what's the word for non-dense when it isn't sprawl?) Eventually there's going to be a lot of pressure to start building up in other areas besides the miniscule fraction of the city where density is currently permitted.

Sparse?

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Sparse?

By jove, that's IT!!

[Tech House]

To anyone with a Statesman subscription, could you please post whatever this article is hinting at? It's such a tease! http://www.mystatesman.com/news/business/two-ut-projects-hint-at-a-future-for-austins-devel/nkkwt/

[KevinFromTexas]

I moved the political discussion to the politics thread.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=160826&page=28

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by Tech House

To anyone with a Statesman subscription, could you please post whatever this article is hinting at? It's such a tease! http://www.mystatesman.com/news/business/two-ut-projects-hint-at-a-future-for-austins-devel/nkkwt/

I don't have a subscription, but I think one of the projects is NexusHaus

Austin is currently one of the fastest growing cities in the country. At the same time, suburban poverty is increasing along with the need for affordable housing. Therefore, affordability is a key goal of the proposed UT and TUM Solar Decathlon 2015 House. Our team will demonstrate the potential of combining energy and water to design a prototype affordable Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) this is a unit of production rather than only of consumption and can easily be plugged into the existing neighborhood’s infrastructure. The design will be developed for central Texas and responsive to its physical and cultural climate.

• Video Link

[AusTxDevelopment]

Originally Posted by Tech House

To anyone with a Statesman subscription, could you please post whatever this article is hinting at? It's such a tease! http://www.mystatesman.com/news/business/two-ut-projects-hint-at-a-future-for-austins-devel/nkkwt/

The 2 projects are indeed NexusHaus (see LoneStarMike's post above) as well as Digital Austin/City Engine, which is...

...an effort to create a 3D map of the city that details everything from natural topography, to infrastructure, to neighborhood air pollution.

The effort stems in part from work led by Bob Paterson, a UT professor who focuses on land use and planning issues. As part of the Sustainable Places Project, Paterson and his team employed a new 3D mapping program called City Engine to model and simulate the development that would arise along a proposed rail corridor in Austin.

[Tech House]

The Nexushaus looks great, I'd gladly live in something like that. I can see where it would be good for government-subsidized housing. You could place them fairly close to each other in little clusters and have some density along with open/play space between clusters.

[wwmiv]

They've used concepts like that in Europe, and they don't work very well from social/political standpoint.

[LoneStarMike]

I can't remember if this was posted or not, but here's the Facebook page for the Hotel Eleven - a small 14 room boutique hotel & cafe under construction on E. 11th St.

Hotel Eleven Facebook

Hotel Eleven Website

Big rendering

Their Facebook page has some construction photos.