AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

guys, relax. butler park isn't going anywhere. butler shores is the "parkland" in question. and i doubt very many of you have a particularly strong feeling about some forgotten baseball/softball fields in a park you've never heard of.

There were some folks on here talking about butler park next to Palmer being a good location for the stadium.

I'm all for the Butler Shores consideration though.

Man this is confusing! lol

[Urbannizer]

Colony Park Master Developer Sought

The city of Austin on Monday issued a Request for Qualifications for a master developer for a 208-acre mixed-use development in Colony Park.

There will be a "pre-offer" conference and site tour on November 16 that will start at 9:30 a.m. from the Turner Roberts Recreation Center, 7201 Colony Loop Drive.

The Colony Park Sustainable Community site is located between Johnny Morris Road and Decker Lane.

A joint statement in the RFQ by Mayor Steve Adler, District 1 Councilmember Ora Houston and Interim City Manager Elaine Hart, states, "The beauty of this location is the opportunity to create a holistic community anchored by major transit corridors, amazing recreational facilities, educational oportunities, employment, amenities and cultural enrichment. The thoughtfullness and design of this community will set the tone for future development in District 1 for decades."

This project had its genesis in 2011 with the Colony Park Neighborhood Association Inc., according to Babara Scott, the association's president.

The association approached the City Council and this led to a 2014-2015 initiative wherein the city hired the services of a design team and collaborated with the community through workshops and other public engagement. This culminated with the creation of a master plan with design guidelines that were adopted by City Council on Dec. 11, 2015.

The RFQs are due Dec. 21 and responses will be short-listed in January. The Request for Proposals to those developers on the short list will be ussued in February and will be due by May 2018. RFP presentations are expected in June and the recommended master developer will go before City Council for approval in late summer.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

There were some folks on here talking about butler park next to Palmer being a good location for the stadium.

I'm all for the Butler Shores consideration though.

Man this is confusing! lol

Agreed! Butler Shores, Butler Pitch & Putt, Butler Park....I didn't realize that until this all started!

Having a butler could be nice though.

[lzppjb]

Butler University basketball is a good bet for a Cinderella during March Madness.

[corvairkeith]

The Hilton is getting a face-lift. I'm holding out judgement until They have at least one side done, but it almost seems like it will be even more boring than before.



The sky-bridge is coming along in the lot across Red River. It looks like it will be put into place in several pieces, that should be fun to watch.

[The ATX]

It looks like the Red River Hotel Gang inspired the Hilton update.

[myBrain]

[QUOTE=corvairkeith;7966652]The Hilton is getting a face-lift. I'm holding out judgement until They have at least one side done, but it almost seems like it will be even more boring than before.



Have they stopped work on the paint job though? I walk by every day and saw them painting it, but haven't seen anyone up there for the past two weeks at least.

What they have done looks better, IMO, even if its still lipstick on a pig.

[the Genral]

I never really minded this building. I think it will look pretty cool all white. I only hate one building dt... 8-..., you know...

[lzppjb]

It'll look better white with black/gray features. I think that's the way they're going from the photo.

[KevinFromTexas]

When the Hilton was under construction they had some kind of white coating on it. I don't know what it was, but from what I remember it was pretty icky. I can't believe they picked white.

[MichaelB]

Sooooo glad to see the Hilton is getting an update. I hated that original color combo from day 1! The design was .... as we've seen so many times....better than the outcome.
This will help.

[We vs us]

It's officially two different gray tones, though the contrast is so strong it looks almost black and white. There was much discussion between the Hilton ownership group and the condo association about best colors, and this was the result of the compromise. IMHO, at least it's not that adobe color from 2006 any more. ANYTHING'S better than that.

The skybridge is actually going to be the most interesting thing about the building when it's finished. I'll try to find some newer renderings to post . . . it's going to be pretty remarkable.

[Sigaven]

I'm all for the color update....I think white is clean and modern looking, way better than tacky orange trying to be Tuscany or something.

IIRC it's going to be mostly white with gray accents. A nice contrast to the blue and beige everywhere else.

[MichaelB]

Anyone found a rendering of the color update for the Hilton? I did a quick search and came up empty.

[resansom]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Anyone found a rendering of the color update for the Hilton? I did a quick search and came up empty.

No, but I found this - a rendering of the original design:



So the building actually used to be even uglier?

I like the new white/gray/black look, myself.

[the Genral]

I watched this getting built. It actually looked pretty imposing from the north on 35. An 800 room hotel for Austin was a big deal. I agree, its no architectural gem, but not much in the pike was back then. It just seems really dated today so I'm hoping a color face lift will make it visually more appealing. Its hard for me to cast stones at it while things like the Hilton Garden Inn were allowed to be built in that same era.

[KevinFromTexas]

Paul Nate landed that piece of property overlooking Barton Springs Road.

If the soccer stadium happens at the Toomey Road site that property will have a sweet view of it.

http://www.statesman.com/business/invest...roperty-with-bid/nb8tUEb6WCqpL7dmUzThRI/

[The ATX]

Nate Paul was the winner in the auction for this prime piece of property. It will now be turned into a storage facility or nothing.

Edit: I see Kevin beat me by 5 hours.

http://www.statesman.com/business/invest...roperty-with-bid/nb8tUEb6WCqpL7dmUzThRI/

[Slyfox]

http://www.mystatesman.com/business/inve...roperty-with-bid/9k6oGzQmHYvMaiNAxnoDSP/

"Peter Kehle with River City Capital Partners attended the auction....."After studying multiple development concepts we came up with a high-end boutique hotel, which would have allowed us to build upon the site’s main strengths: it’s downtown skyline views, gorgeous ancient oaks and proximity to the best of Austin,” Kehle told the Statesman........But after what Kehle said “turned out to be a spirited auction” that came down to a contest between two local real estate players over a prized local property, Paul prevailed."

That is a shame.

[austin242]

If you haven't gone to the New Central Library I'd highly suggest you go. It's Awesome.