AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[drummer]

I read about that - I think it's a great idea. The middle of any college campus should absolutely be utilized for pedestrians.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by The ATX

They can't rent them for cheap unless the land they build them on is cheap, and there ain't no cheap land Downtown. But the renderings show how nice a small space can be. Here are three of the renderings from the ABJ article.

Here's some more on that. It shows how each modular home could be removed to be taken with you when you move - even across the country.

https://www.facebook.com/techinsider...2626244602404/

[JoninATX]

Wanted to let you guys know that dirt is turning over at the future Plaza Saltillo site. My guess is that they are moving the commuter rail track futher south in order to develop the entire site.

Sorry no pictures

In case if someone forgot, this is the plan for Plaza Saltillo.


http://buildingatx.com/2014/05/the-b...laza-saltillo/

[JoninATX]

Also the outside facade for the new Library is going up on the back side. Looks great.

[corvairkeith]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

Wanted to let you guys know that dirt is turning over at the future Plaza Saltillo site. My guess is that they are moving the commuter rail track futher south in order to develop the entire site.

Sorry no pictures

In case if someone forgot, this is the plan for Plaza Saltillo.


http://buildingatx.com/2014/05/the-b...laza-saltillo/

And the NIMBLYs are fighting it, trying to get THIS designated as a historic landmark.



https://www.change.org/p/city-of-aus...fb_ref=Default

[JoninATX]

Nimbies, I'm all for saving Austin past, but that doesn't even look worth saving. But if it's really worth saving, then they should talk with the developer to see if they can work out a deal. From the current state of the building it's not an eye pleaser.

[JoninATX]

Construction fence up in front of One Congress. Getting ready to make way for this.



http://www.mystatesman.com/news/busi...aza-int/nnZ7F/

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

Nimbies, I'm all for saving Austin past, but that doesn't even look worth saving. But if it's really worth saving, then they should talk with the developer to see if they can work out a deal. From the current state of the building it's not an eye pleaser.

I strongly suspect that historical status is only being sought to stop the development. The recent East Austin Hotel denial made it pretty clear that the NIMBYs in that area just don't want development.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

Nimbies, I'm all for saving Austin past, but that doesn't even look worth saving. But if it's really worth saving, then they should talk with the developer to see if they can work out a deal. From the current state of the building it's not an eye pleaser.

I agree. If it's worth saving, it's worth cleaning up the site some to work well with the development (which can also add culture and spaces for creativity). I agree that there are gems hidden throughout Austin as well as every other city. However, not everything is a gem - and true gems should not be left to rot.

One thing with the website for this petition, however. One of the comments called the building a "vortex of creativity." My opinion is that true artistic creativity is not limited to a single building as if it were sacred or somehow endowed with some creative metaphysical energy for artists...truly, it's just a metal building...and while some cool stuff may have come from there, it's still just a metal building. Don't save a building only because it can produce creativity - that's a silly argument. Save a building because of the historical value (and then keep it up so it doesn't look like it's been left and forgotten).

Fortunately, saving this, should it come to that, doesn't seem to alter the replacement of the rail line, so everything else could seemingly go as planned...unless those dirt parking lots have some historic value or something.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by The ATX

I strongly suspect that historical status is only being sought to stop the development. The recent East Austin Hotel denial made it pretty clear that the NIMBYs in that area just don't want development.

If this is the case, then all the more reason to look at what is historical and what is simply old junk. If historical, consider it and see what are the possibilities for preservation (but not at the cost of preventing the city from progressing - in a healthy way). If junk, tear the crap down and put something efficient and helpful to the entire community up.

[MichaelB]

Hate all the "Nimby" BS.
A: you are all Nimbys. If you think you are not.. stop and reflect. And if you still think you are not, you are probably not a property owner. So until you are, careful what you preach.
B: Have you ever been to events in those warehouses??? I will bet that it's the newer gen of East Austin who are tired of seeing the few cool spaces that started the fun on the east side being torn down. I hate those are going. They are falling down and that was the fun and the atmosphere that drew people.
C: It's redic to think this is happening just to stop deveolpment. Nice conspiracy theory. BUT what is true is that you have to play hardball with most developers who have no respect for an area they will profit from.
So seriously stop with the NIMBY crap lest I come build a monster zero property line ugly ass building next to your bedroom window...... and tear down any cool place in your neigborhood and see if you like it!
.... all in good spirit of course.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

So seriously stop with the NIMBY crap lest I come build a monster zero property line ugly ass building next to your bedroom window

So who's bedroom window is getting a building next to it, you know, since CapMetro owns the whole block?

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Novacek

So who's bedroom window is getting a building next to it, you know, since CapMetro owns the whole block?

Not the point.
That was a broad general statement about the lack of empathy from "Nimby Nimby;s".( no Nimby's in my back yard!LOL!). Point being , if I did that what I suggested to anyone on here ..... threaten their personal space, etc .... most, if not all, would become instant NIMBY's...... there has been a long wilful lack on thought or understanding on this board aobut this. And a approching humorous willingness to scream NIMBY...much like the little old ladies people think they are mocking.
An unfortunate reminder of a lack of empathy abounds.

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

B: Have you ever been to events in those warehouses??? I will bet that it's the newer gen of East Austin who are tired of seeing the few cool spaces that started the fun on the east side being torn down. I hate those are going. They are falling down and that was the fun and the atmosphere that drew people.

I've been to events there, and that's the location of SXSW's Fader Fort. I'm all for saving it, and anything else that is old and unsightly on the east side. I love what you've said about NIMBY-bashing, of which I've partaken on several occasions. I don't mind that people are annoyed by NIMBYism and it's fun to ridicule the "don't change anything" mindset, but I agree with you in principle that we need to have compassion for each situation and the people who are affected.

Regarding the east side, if corporate profit-maximizing development is allowed to demolish history and put up a lot of sterile generic mixed-use pabulum, it absolutely WILL drive artists, musicians, and other creative types out of the area. Do we value the contributions of eccentric creatives who enrich our lives in non-monetary ways? Or is Austin all about the almighty dollar now? We need to discern the funk from the junk, save the former and get rid of the latter. Fader Fort is not junk, and to me it's a thing of beauty with its rusty exterior. We've lost Jennifer Gale and Leslie Cochran, but we can still save some of the other oddities that make Austin slightly more cool than Plano.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Tech House

I've been to events there, and that's the location of SXSW's Fader Fort. I'm all for saving it, and anything else that is old and unsightly on the east side. I love what you've said about NIMBY-bashing, of which I've partaken on several occasions. I don't mind that people are annoyed by NIMBYism and it's fun to ridicule the "don't change anything" mindset, but I agree with you in principle that we need to have compassion for each situation and the people who are affected.

Regarding the east side, if corporate profit-maximizing development is allowed to demolish history and put up a lot of sterile generic mixed-use pabulum, it absolutely WILL drive artists, musicians, and other creative types out of the area. Do we value the contributions of eccentric creatives who enrich our lives in non-monetary ways? Or is Austin all about the almighty dollar now? We need to discern the funk from the junk, save the former and get rid of the latter. Fader Fort is not junk, and to me it's a thing of beauty with its rusty exterior. We've lost Jennifer Gale and Leslie Cochran, but we can still save some of the other oddities that make Austin slightly more cool than Plano.

PREACH!!!!!!!

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Tech House

I've been to events there, and that's the location of SXSW's Fader Fort. I'm all for saving it, and anything else that is old and unsightly on the east side. I love what you've said about NIMBY-bashing, of which I've partaken on several occasions. I don't mind that people are annoyed by NIMBYism and it's fun to ridicule the "don't change anything" mindset, but I agree with you in principle that we need to have compassion for each situation and the people who are affected.

Regarding the east side, if corporate profit-maximizing development is allowed to demolish history and put up a lot of sterile generic mixed-use pabulum, it absolutely WILL drive artists, musicians, and other creative types out of the area. Do we value the contributions of eccentric creatives who enrich our lives in non-monetary ways? Or is Austin all about the almighty dollar now? We need to discern the funk from the junk, save the former and get rid of the latter. Fader Fort is not junk, and to me it's a thing of beauty with its rusty exterior. We've lost Jennifer Gale and Leslie Cochran, but we can still save some of the other oddities that make Austin slightly more cool than Plano.

I take the middle ground perspective that maybe these spaces need to be renovated and reactivated as not-for-profit open community spaces and allow for development around them with stringent affordable housing components to provide for a diverse and cultural crowd to affirm the already existing cultural crowd in that area as well as activating the economic potential of the area for that area's artistic outfits by bringing in a moderate number of well-offs and well-off creatives? There's a lot of benefit here in a moderate approach.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Tech House

I've been to events there, and that's the location of SXSW's Fader Fort. I'm all for saving it,

Regarding the east side, if corporate profit-maximizing development is allowed to demolish history and put up a lot of sterile generic mixed-use pabulum, it absolutely WILL drive artists, musicians, and other creative types out of the area. We've lost Jennifer Gale and Leslie Cochran, but we can still save some of the other oddities that make Austin slightly more cool than Plano.

I agree. Our love for Austin can only go so far if there's no food on the table, if we can't afford a table and a home to put it in, and if we can't find an affordable place to play or display our stuff. When starving artists find a "new" Austin to call home, and once the word gets out and there's a mass exodus of home grown talent, all we'll be left with is what we all dreamed of, a
downtown of lovely highrises, sterilized of the dives we call treasures, and we will basically be the outsiders looking in from a distance. Its ironic that for us to get the skyline we all wanted, the sacrifice would be this high. I don't think we can stop the momentum. At best we should hang on to these little treasures as long as possible

[urbancore]

It is hard to believe that out of one side of our mouths we complain about not enough housing, then when we turn a "once a year" venue and an artist studio into those much needed housing units, we complain about that too. I've been to Fader Fort, seen huge shows there.....it is not worth saving when it can be converted into a housing for a few hundred people. I just bought a painting ($1000) from a local artist (Elisa Gomez), who works out of her apartment on Far West. You don't NEED to have a bohemian setting to make fine art, especially at the expense of much needed urban housing/market/rail. Elisa does quite well for herself in a 1980's apartment.

[SkyPie]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

It is hard to believe that out of one side of our mouths we complain about not enough housing, then when we turn a "once a year" venue and an artist studio into those much needed housing units, we complain about that too. I've been to Fader Fort, seen huge shows there.....it is not worth saving when it can be converted into a housing for a few hundred people. I just bought a painting ($1000) from a local artist (Elisa Gomez), who works out of her apartment on Far West. You don't NEED to have a bohemian setting to make fine art, especially at the expense of much needed urban housing/market/rail. Elisa does quite well for herself in a 1980's apartment.

Yep, agreed.

[Urbannizer]

The Village on Triangle Avenue

206-unit senior housing project coming to The Triangle. Construction begins Spirng 2016.

http://w2rep.com/portfolio_page/thev...riangleavenue/