Austin | Austin Marriott Downtown | 386 FEET | 31 FLOORS | Complete

[wwmiv]

Both of the designs are beautiful, as depicted by those renderings. Can we get a standalone thread for the San Jacinto project? These look to be around 380' and '90 feet.

[lzppjb]

Very cool update.

[lzppjb]

Yeah, the tower portion juts out a bit on the bottom. Up top, it looks to me like that additional glass portion is making it appear concave. Not sure how that's supposed to look. Really interested in seeing an angle from the opposite direction now.

[drummer]

I don't see them going with Option 3a in any scenario. Even the strongest rail opponent wouldn't want to lose the grid there to vehicular traffic. Option 3b is the most likely, in my opinion (though I admittedly have zero connection to those who are making decisions).

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by drummer

I don't see them going with Option 3a in any scenario. Even the strongest rail opponent wouldn't want to lose the grid there to vehicular traffic. Option 3b is the most likely, in my opinion (though I admittedly have zero connection to those who are making decisions).

At this point the hospitality community + ACC + ACVB are all focused on 3b. No other options are currently being discussed to my knowledge.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by We vs us

At this point the hospitality community + ACC + ACVB are all focused on 3b. No other options are currently being discussed to my knowledge.

Really? Then I'm out of the loop. I thought that they were talking about a building on those three blocks with two pedestrian bridges crossing the street to connect to the existing convention center...thus keeping that street. Did that change or was I simply mistaken before?

[GoldenBoot]

Anyone else notice the generic "Marriott" name on the building. I would imagine that there is a chance that this hotel could end up being branded any hotel under the Marriott International (which, I guess, now includes Starwood Hotels & Resorts).

The JW started out being a "Marriott," then a "Marriott Marquis," before finally being branded as a JW.

So this hotel could end up being a simple Marriott branded hotel or possibly anything from a Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, or Austin's second Autograph Collection hotel to possibly a Sheraton, another Westin, St. Regis, Le Meridien, or Austin's second W hotel. Guess we'll see...

[clubtokyo]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Anyone else notice the generic "Marriott" name on the building. I would imagine that there is a chance that this hotel could end up being branded any hotel under the Marriott International (which, I guess, now includes Starwood Hotels & Resorts).

The JW started out being a "Marriott," then a "Marriott Marquis," before finally being branded as a JW.

So this hotel could end up being a simple Marriott branded hotel or possibly anything from a Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, or Austin's second Autograph Collection hotel to possibly a Sheraton, another Westin, St. Regis, Le Meridien, or Austin's second W hotel. Guess we'll see...

Is Austin grown up enough to get a Ritz? Dallas has one, maybe Austin is next.

[jbssfelix]

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

Is Austin grown up enough to get a Ritz? Dallas has one, maybe Austin is next.

I could easily see (not necessarily this project) an Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Ritz, Conrad, etc coming soon.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by jbssfelix

I could easily see (not necessarily this project) an Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Ritz, Conrad, etc coming soon.

Andaz was attached to a project at one point, wasn't it?

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Andaz was attached to a project at one point, wasn't it?

Yes, the project off 35 just north of St David's main hospital. Andaz was a done deal at one point and I heard Ritz was sniffing around back then.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by jbssfelix

I could easily see (not necessarily this project) an Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Ritz, Conrad, etc coming soon.

Actually, an Andaz was announced for the old Concordia University site before the original project died and it's developer was jailed.

I can do without a Grand Hyatt and/or a Conrad. A Park Hyatt would be cool, however.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

Is Austin grown up enough to get a Ritz? Dallas has one, maybe Austin is next.

Yes, I believe so. In fact, Ritz-Carlton proposed a hotel where the apartment complex is just to the north of Barton Creek Square Mall back in the '80s.

Can you imagine those views from a window in the Ritz?!?

[clubtokyo]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Yes, I believe so. In fact, Ritz-Carlton proposed a hotel where the apartment complex is just to the north of Barton Creek Square Mall back in the '80s.

Can you imagine those views from a window in the Ritz?!?

That would have been awesome!

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Anyone else notice the generic "Marriott" name on the building. I would imagine that there is a chance that this hotel could end up being branded any hotel under the Marriott International (which, I guess, now includes Starwood Hotels & Resorts).

The JW started out being a "Marriott," then a "Marriott Marquis," before finally being branded as a JW.

So this hotel could end up being a simple Marriott branded hotel or possibly anything from a Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, or Austin's second Autograph Collection hotel to possibly a Sheraton, another Westin, St. Regis, Le Meridien, or Austin's second W hotel. Guess we'll see...

There's a good chance that it stays a Marriott, IMO, for two reasons. 1) White Lodging likes this setup, and looks like it's replicating its Indianapolis package (1000+ room JW with 600+ rooms nearby at a standard Marriott) and 2) that setup allows a JW/Marriott combined sell with multiple price points. As someone upthread said, the Austin convention market is soon to be very top heavy with luxury product, and we badly need to come up with mid-range full service options (vs Hyatt Places or Hampton Inns or Courtyards -- basically your free breakfast options).

FWIW, the Four Seasons does offer smaller blocks for the biggest conventions, but usually keeps to itself. The Driskill does the same.

[austlar1]

Since Ritz Carlton is nowadays a Marriott subsidiary, it seems quite possible that White Lodging would be interested in developing a property for that brand. White and Marriott have a long relationship both here in Austin and elsewhere. Still, Ritz Carlton does not strike me as being particularly suited to the role of a convention center hotel. I would have said the same thing about Fairmont not too long ago, so who knows.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Since Ritz Carlton is nowadays a Marriott subsidiary, it seems quite possible that White Lodging would be interested in developing a property for that brand. White and Marriott have a long relationship both here in Austin and elsewhere. Still, Ritz Carlton does not strike me as being particularly suited to the role of a convention center hotel. I would have said the same thing about Fairmont not too long ago, so who knows.

Austin's convention center hospitality market is looking very on the upscale side. JW, Fairmont, Four Seasons, and whatever this ends up being (the tower design is way too nice to be a non-upscale brand) are all super nice with only the Marriott being relatively pedestrian.

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Austin's convention center hospitality market is looking very on the upscale side. JW, Fairmont, Four Seasons, and whatever this ends up being (the tower design is way too nice to be a non-upscale brand) are all super nice with only the Marriott being relatively pedestrian.

You forgot the Hilton, unless you were referring to it rather than the Marriott as being relatively pedestrian. I don't think the Four Seasons can be considered a convention center hotel except for the fact that it is located quite nearby. Convention center hotels are usually very large (at least 600 rooms), have substantial meeting and exhibit space, and are either adjacent to or directly connected to the convention center. The JW barely meets that criteria due to the fact that it is a few blocks away, but obviously it was built with the convention center hotel concept uppermost in mind. Just read that Ritz Carlton is looking to expand product line in different ways, so a convention center property might be just the ticket for them.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by austlar1

You forgot the Hilton, unless you were referring to it rather than the Marriott as being relatively pedestrian. I don't think the Four Seasons can be considered a convention center hotel except for the fact that it is located quite nearby. Convention center hotels are usually very large (at least 600 rooms), have substantial meeting and exhibit space, and are either adjacent to or directly connected to the convention center. The JW barely meets that criteria due to the fact that it is a few blocks away, but obviously it was built with the convention center hotel concept uppermost in mind. Just read that Ritz Carlton is looking to expand product line in different ways, so a convention center property might be just the ticket for them.

I meant the Hilton, don't know why I said Marriott. I suppose you're right about Seasons as well, but the general point I made still stands.

[The ATX]

My, how time flies. It's been three months since the last post. There was an update to the site plan filing two weeks ago. This is real close to getting approved.

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11557319