Domain/North Austin Development Updates

[H2O]

Originally Posted by drummer

I was in the Domain today for a bit. I had to get my Macbook repaired at the Apple store there. The growth in the area is really cool to see in person! I was there just after the lunch hour and was impressed by the number of folks walking around the area as well. Lots of activity, and the new towers are pretty impressive despite not being hugely interesting - they do their jobs. Excited to see more growth in the area as IBM's old buildings get replaced.

Welcome home, Drummer Boy!

[The ATX]

This may be a new marketing brochure for Broadmoor:

http://digital.brandywinerealty.com/bdnpublic/media/0801-0809-CB001.pdf



From the brochure:

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by H2O

Welcome home, Drummer Boy!

Ditto, parum pum pum pum.

[zrx299]

Ugh... I just do not understand the fascination with leaning towers. OCD triggered, lol.

Looks like a watered down version of the Veer Towers in Vegas at MGM's City Center.



pic from Wikipedia

[Jdawgboy]

Not trying to be negative, but recently over the last week I've taken the time to focus on looking at the Domain from locations here on the southside. The notion that it is labeled as Austin's second downtown is very far fetched. Even when the new towers are built (not talking about the Broadmoor) it will still look like a small suburban office park cluster outpost from a distance. Maybe Broadmoor will make it more like a midsize office cluster but honestly it looks pretty insignificant from South Austin. Even the buildings in north Central Austin look more impressive than the Domain area. Granted I'm only talking about how it looks from a distance which has nothing to do with its overall impact for that area of the city which is significant, but when looking at other cities with dense clusters outside their respective DTs, the Domain is pretty unimpressive.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Not trying to be negative, but recently over the last week I've taken the time to focus on looking at the Domain from locations here on the southside. The notion that it is labeled as Austin's second downtown is very far fetched. Even when the new towers are built (not talking about the Broadmoor) it will still look like a small suburban office park cluster outpost from a distance. Maybe Broadmoor will make it more like a midsize office cluster but honestly it looks pretty insignificant from South Austin. Even the buildings in north Central Austin look more impressive than the Domain area. Granted I'm only talking about how it looks from a distance which has nothing to do with its overall impact for that area of the city which is significant, but when looking at other cities with dense clusters outside their respective DTs, the Domain is pretty unimpressive.

The Domain is 12 miles North of the river, and you are judging it from a few miles South of the river? Downtown doesn't even look impressive from the Domain and it's on the same side of the river as Downtown. But I agree that at this point the Domain is just a suburban office park (with a lot of multi-family and retail.)

[KevinFromTexas]

Domain 11 is the farthest north of the Domain buildings, and it's 10 miles north of the river. The view of the Domain from South Austin that I think Jdawgboy is talking about is 13 miles from Domain 11.

My reasons for not thinking of the Domain as Austin's 2nd downtown has less to do with height and more to do with the built form and layout of it and its seeming disconnection from its surroundings. I mean, at this point there are buildings proposed for the Domain that are seeking permits for 330 feet. Prior to the year 2002, 330 feet would have been the 4th tallest in downtown. Only the One American Center, One Congress Plaza, and the Bank of America Center would have been taller. And there are sure to be more to come that will be taller than that.

To be fair, I'm not sure any Texas city has a truly walkable high rise neighborhood outside of their downtown. I guess the closest ones would be Uptown/Turtle Creek in Dallas, and maybe the Texas Medical Center and Uptown in Houston, otherwise, I don't think there really is another one.

Still, 13 miles is a long way to be able to see what is becoming another skyline in Austin. That's particularly impressive when you realize that 13 miles is about the limit of how far away you can see downtown without being on some big hill. I know that you can see downtown from across Cabelas in Buda, and that's a little over 13 miles. 13 miles in the other direction from the Domain would be somewhere in Georgetown.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Not trying to be negative, but recently over the last week I've taken the time to focus on looking at the Domain from locations here on the southside. The notion that it is labeled as Austin's second downtown is very far fetched. Even when the new towers are built (not talking about the Broadmoor) it will still look like a small suburban office park cluster outpost from a distance. Maybe Broadmoor will make it more like a midsize office cluster but honestly it looks pretty insignificant from South Austin. Even the buildings in north Central Austin look more impressive than the Domain area. Granted I'm only talking about how it looks from a distance which has nothing to do with its overall impact for that area of the city which is significant, but when looking at other cities with dense clusters outside their respective DTs, the Domain is pretty unimpressive.

That is a very strange and seemingly superficial criterion. From your posts on a variety of topics, it seems like you feel more of a connection to south austin and developments or positive attention or improvement in north Austin threatens that. I could be wrong but that’s what it reads like.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by freerover

That is a very strange and seemingly superficial criterion. From your posts on a variety of topics, it seems like you feel more of a connection to south austin and developments or positive attention or development in north Austin threatens that. I could be wrong but that’s what it reads like.

This is exactly the case. So much so that I didn't even read his whole comment because I knew what it was already.

I think the appropriate response is: "Weird flex but okay."

[KevinFromTexas]

Well, to be fair, South Austin has long been the part of the city that has been forgotten, probably even more so than East Austin in some respects, especially nowadays with commuter rail reaching into it.

[Echostatic]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Well, to be fair, South Austin has long been the part of the city that has been forgotten, probably even more so than East Austin in some respects, especially nowadays with commuter rail reaching into it.

Totally agree. Outside of South Congress and Riverside, nobody cares about South Austin.

[smith_atx]

Originally Posted by Echostatic

Totally agree. Outside of South Congress and Riverside, nobody cares about South Austin.

South Lamar raises its hand

[zrx299]

Originally Posted by smith_atx

South Lamar raises its hand

** Barton Springs Road and South 1st have entered the chat



I saw a view of the Domain from Parmer & 35 the other day that was quite striking to me personally. I don't normally travel those roads, but heading west on Parmer at that spot you get a full face view of Domain Northside and it's rather imposing when given its surroundings now that D10, 11, 12 are nearing completion.

I'd say for sanity's sake, to table the whole "second downtown" thing for another 5-10 years. Let North Burnet, Domain South, Broadmoor, and others come online... then view the area as a collective whole, because at this point it's just splitting hairs and pointing out the Domain's design flaws.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Not trying to be negative, but recently over the last week I've taken the time to focus on looking at the Domain from locations here on the southside. The notion that it is labeled as Austin's second downtown is very far fetched. Even when the new towers are built (not talking about the Broadmoor) it will still look like a small suburban office park cluster outpost from a distance. Maybe Broadmoor will make it more like a midsize office cluster but honestly it looks pretty insignificant from South Austin. Even the buildings in north Central Austin look more impressive than the Domain area. Granted I'm only talking about how it looks from a distance which has nothing to do with its overall impact for that area of the city which is significant, but when looking at other cities with dense clusters outside their respective DTs, the Domain is pretty unimpressive.

I get what you are saying. I've been doing the same thing from the northern outposts of the city. I see it mostly from I35 and Parmer a few times a week. Agree with the office park comparisons. Second downtown statements were not necessarily coined here but opened up reasonable debate, of which I believe is up to one's personal opinion on the matter. In the beginning I thought it had the potential to be. If I compare it to the 2 separate skylines in Houston, it falls totally flat, pun intended. For me, its the Domain filled with Domainions. not a second DT. It doesn't have a skyline from any angle, at least not yet. Its unimpressive to the eyes of those who were hoping for a more distinctive skyline like I was, especially from a distance.
I like the Domain. I like that collectively it is a landmark you can see from a distance and find your way to. I like how dense it is getting and how immense yet condensed it is at the same time. I like how it looks close up from Burnet Rd and from within. I like the concept of it and how the land was repurposed. I think perhaps we can all agree it is a significant section of Austin that can garner a plethora of notions that hopefully can be respected whether we agree or not.

[Syndic]

The whole topic is stupid because there are height restrictions. And no one is seriously implying that it's comparable to downtown. It's not in a grid pattern. It's privately owned. No one cares how it looks from a distance. That's not important in the slightest.

There's no point in coming into this thread just to complain or criticize. The Domain exists. Deal with it.

[freerover]

Also, “Austin’s 2nd downtown” is a marketing slogan. No one ever seriously debated if the astrodome was really the 8th wonder of the world comparing it to the pyramid of Giza.

[AusTex]

A dozen years or so ago when the discussion was about rezoning much of the area around N. Burnet for more density and taller buildings the statement of "creating a second downtown" was born. Now the Domain has taken on that title since it has developed first. As mentioned, it is also not a grid of public streets, however the office buildings are on a quasi grid.

It may take IBM, Pickle, and other parts of the area to develop with real high rise towers for the "Second Downtown" skyline to emerge. However, a walking district may never emerge from the jumble of roadways and large private land tracts that exist. One day a 300' tower will be built and a true skyline will be created....(maybe even, from the south.)

[Riverranchdrone]

Travelling south on Mopac just south of Parmer lane these towers are already pretty impressive looking as far as height. You really have to be in the area to appreciate the 2nd downtown slogan. Once the rest of the towers get built, it will look really dense from that view.

[freerover]

I think it’s a lot easier walking around at the domain than downtown. Our dt is really behind with pedestrian friendly avenues with the exception of 2nd street. The Congress Ave rebuild will help a ton but there is no money for it.

I hope they can find it and keep increasing pedestrian facilities because I’m dt way more than at the domain.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by freerover

Also, “Austin’s 2nd downtown” is a marketing slogan. No one ever seriously debated if the astrodome was really the 8th wonder of the world comparing it to the pyramid of Giza.

Can we give this a sticky please? Also if the r/Austin subreddit could understand this as well, local online discourse would be much improved.

If downtown had been completely owned, designed, and developed by two companies it would probably look pretty similar anyway. It's not a useful (or fair) comparison. Surely the Domain is preferable to stuff like Riata or parts of the Woodlands which are the suburban/highway focused alternatives.