AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[deerhoof]

http://www.weissarchitecture.com/pla...os-skyscraper/

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

It's funny, because all the people complaining about the development in downtown - one of the big things they complain about is fewer trees, but it's really the opposite. There's more trees in downtown now than I think there's ever been.

We have the Great Streets initiative to thank. (Although, I've seen folks inexplicably complain about GS too.) I'm sure most people on this site know that most (every?) new downtown development is required to implement GS and put in wide sidewalks, benches, and trees. It seems that the general public does not know that though.

[N90]

Originally Posted by deerhoof

http://www.weissarchitecture.com/pla...os-skyscraper/

Is this a proposal?

The link to the project home page says new entry to the ATX skyline. No other details.

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by N90

Is this a proposal?

The link to the project home page says new entry to the ATX skyline. No other details.

No... this is nothing serious. I know the owner of the property - he is having trouble leasing the space and doesn't want to put the $ into renovating it - in fact it has quite a few structural limitations. Based on quality of thought and rendering this was probably an exercise he threw to a friend. He may be trying to drum up interest to sell the property.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by SkyPie

Rooftop addition at The Contemporary

Seems like every five years or so they are doing something to this building.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Yeah, not a lot of trees in whole blocks paved as parking lots.

Well, Austin's heritage tree program is kind of to blame for that. Property owners would probably be more lax about letting trees grow on their downtown properties, but with the heritage tree ordinance they prohibit trees being cut down that are bigger than a certain diameter. So it's in the best interest of property owners to cut anything that starts growing before it reaches that size. Most of those, however, are "trash trees" - ones that grow fast and die fast anyway. They get big and brittle and tend to fall, smashing whatever is beneath them. My neighbor's house was almost clobbered a few years ago by their 70 foot sycamore. It was probably hollow at that point and close to 100 years old.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by deerhoof

http://www.weissarchitecture.com/pla...os-skyscraper/

So does the pool act as the damper?

[The ATX]

I don't understand why an a legit architectural firm would put such an amateur crap rendering for a fantasy project on their website. The rest of that firm's projects featured on the site look pretty cool.

[The ATX]

These are the updated elevations for the Kimber Modern/Rainey St. Hotel. They are pages 32 and 33 of the site plan.



Site Plan: https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=10989602

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Does anyone know if this broke ground yet? It was supposed to this month.

Here's the site plan permit. It hasn't been released yet.

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11442358

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/busi...ngle-pr/nrZLp/

This is listed as an agenda item for next week's Planning Commission meeting. So I guess they didn't get all of their approvals as soon as they expected.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by The ATX

I don't understand why an a legit architectural firm would put such an amateur crap rendering for a fantasy project on their website. The rest of that firm's projects featured on the site look pretty cool.

Kinda looks like someone sketched that thing up on MS Paint. Or Word.

That's a tight block -- the map screen grab doesn't include the Aloft/Element, which is right on the other side of the Driskill tower, which is there in brown/white. Similarly, the Driskill itself is on the south side (to the left) of that proposed tower. Not a lot of space for this one.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Kinda looks like someone sketched that thing up on MS Paint. Or Word.

That's a tight block -- the map screen grab doesn't include the Aloft/Element, which is right on the other side of the Driskill tower, which is there in brown/white. Similarly, the Driskill itself is on the south side (to the left) of that proposed tower. Not a lot of space for this one.

It looks like SketchUp, which virtually every architecture firm in the world uses for quick initial studies before moving into a full CAD or BIM system for design development and construction drawings. Most of the more polished renderings that get posted here start as SketchUp or BIM models.

[clubtokyo]

Originally Posted by The ATX

These are the updated elevations for the Kimber Modern/Rainey St. Hotel. They are pages 32 and 33 of the site plan.



Site Plan: https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=10989602

Me like.

[The ATX]

Here's a drawing of the Hilton/Convention Center Skybridge. More drawings can be found in the link below:


https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11553551


It will connect to the CC from the corner of the Hilton at 4th & Neches.

[drummer]

That has the potential to look kinda cool. I'd love to see a color rendering, but I'll just use my imagination for the moment. All in all, it's utilitarian, but could add some pop with a neat design.

[drummer]

Austin State Hospital could be relocated from its 4110 Guadalupe St. campus near Hyde Park, a move that could clear the way for the sale and redevelopment of the site—depending on which option state lawmakers proceed with...

https://communityimpact.com/austin/c...te-evaluation/

[the Genral]

This is probably not new information, but there was an interesting read in today's AAS titled "Downtown hotel bonanza helps bolster Austin boom". I took a screen shot of some stats from my E-paper that I thought were interesting. The article went on to quote the GM of the Four Seasons Austin that the convention center was underutilized because there weren't enough hotel rooms, now we are getting to the point where it is undersized. I think its time to expand it and also start using some of that mega tax revenue (9% -over $80 million off hotel revenue minus exemptions) to add some more tourist attractions like we all suggested before...museums, aquarium, ect...to keep things interesting.
Over $1 billion in hotel revenue...I find that amazing. No wonder they keep building here. And no one's talking or predicting saturation point...yet.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by the Genral

...museums, aquarium, ect...to keep things interesting.

Yes, yes. I know we've all discussed the need for a museum district that would potentially be located in the blocks around the Blanton and Texas State History museums that could potentially include a planetarium, an aquarium, and whatever else -- I'd love a technology museum that cooperates with local technology businesses and start-ups, for instance.

But keep in mind that this is coming, the master plan of which I dont ever recall being posted here -- just the news coverage.

http://www.tfc.state.tx.us/divisions...an_ADOPTED.pdf

I do love this, btw:

Paving and Hardscape

The mall paving shall be installed over an underground parking structure.
The paving shall be suspended on a structural support system to provide
air circulation to the tree roots and reduce soil compaction over the root
systems, enabling the trees to attain a larger mature size.

The mall paving shall be predominately Texas pink granite to match
the Capitol building. No curbs and gutters shall be used on the mall,
but 16th, 17th, and 18th Streets shall transition approximately six
inches in grade up to the mall to create one continuous horizontal
plane. Decorative lane markers, such as bollards or delineation in the
paving, shall be integrated into the paving to identify a travel lane for
local, emergency, and service access. Secondary mall paving shall be a
material compatible with the color range of Texas pink granite, such as
an exposed aggregate.

Retaining walls, steps, and ramps, as needed, shall be Texas pink
granite. Retaining walls shall be of an adequate width and height to allow
for seating at the lower level. This may require a series of stepped walls
in some locations.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Yes, yes. I know we've all discussed the need for a museum district that would potentially be located in the blocks around the Blanton and Texas State History museums that could potentially include a planetarium, an aquarium, and whatever else -- I'd love a technology museum that cooperates with local technology businesses and start-ups, for instance.

But keep in mind that this is coming, the master plan of which I dont ever recall being posted here -- just the news coverage.

http://www.tfc.state.tx.us/divisions...an_ADOPTED.pdf

See page 36. This is becoming a museum district already, in a way, by the preservation of a historic precinct, anchors by the existing museums, and the capitol, all completely pedestrian.

That's fantastic on so many levels, one of which being that it would tie in with the Speedway pedestrian mall that they're working on at UT...


Edit: Also interesting to note: the plan shows a huge amount of below-grade parking added below the pedestrian area - essentially along the whole of Congress from MLK to the Capitol Building (p44).

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by drummer

That's fantastic on so many levels, one of which being that it would tie in with the Speedway pedestrian mall that they're working on at UT...

For those who aren't aware, the Speedway pedestrian mall is a major feature of both the 2012 UT Austin Master Plan:

https://campusplanning.utexas.edu/ma...an20130509.pdf

the 2014 Landscape Master Plan & Design Guidelines:

http://campusplanning.utexas.edu/mas...P_20150106.pdf