AUSTIN | Economic Development

[llamaorama]

Originally Posted by undergroundman

That's interesting that they'd build a distribution center vertically. I don't know what the yearly cost is to maintain a freight elevator, but seems like an unnecessary expense if you have 92 acres to build on. Granted they'd have to get a variance for impervious cover to get all 3.8M sqft on one level. Like 100% impervious cover. lol

Could it be they’ve run the numbers and found that it’s better than a person or robot having to travel a quarter mile to pick a item?

It seems logically that the most efficient shape of a warehouse is a cube as that would minimize average travel. Warehouses of the future may be less like a dank shed for heavy pallets and more like a dark mall full of robots going between floors to pick items off shelves???

Just a thought. This is not a topic I could pretend to have any knowledge of.

[the Genral]

Or....they are obligated to operate out of the minimum agreed upon 820k square foot building and employ 1000 employees for at least 10 years to get any incentives with the ability to expand up to 3+ million square feet should the need arise. I believe this is phase one. I am confused about the number of floors. But this all points to they are doing the minimum required now instead of building out too soon which may not be warranted at this time.

[sammyk]

This seems rather odd. Originally it was said to be a distribution center with only larger trucks and no local delivery. Now it's a fulfillment center which does do local delivery. The 800K is also similar in size to the San Marcos fulfillment center.

I wonder if these are two separate things or they have changed course.

The original plans showed the building stretching to the new section of Pfennig Lane they are building but current construction is only half way to that. I guess it could still happen.

[clubtokyo]

I think this might be separate projects. I also noticed a lot of land clearing going on near this fulfillment center on the north-side. So maybe more to come?

[urbancore]

"Jerry Rusthoven with Austin's Planning and Zoning Department said there's still an existing planned unit development application for Austin Green, a mixed-use proposal for the 2,100-acre site that Tesla is now eyeing. The PUD rezoning was approved on first reading by Council on March 12.

Since the site is in Austin's extraterritorial jurisdiction, planned unit development is the only zoning category that the city can apply to the property, Rusthoven said.

Rusthoven said staff anticipates that Tesla could file an amended PUD application to allow uses and site regulations for the Tesla factory.

"Upon our review of that, we would then bring it back to the City Council for final approval," Rusthoven said. "I don't have a date for that yet, because we have not had a chance to receive the submittal from Tesla and for the staff to review it."

A planned unit development rezoning would need to be approved on second and third readings by early next March — within 360 days of the first reading vote this March — under city code, Rusthoven said."

From the ABJ
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/...actory.html?iana=hpmvp_aus_news_headline


I can't even imagine the lengths our council would go to — this up if Tesla decided to amend the pud and or/go for another pud. Hopefully they do everything in their power to stay far away from our City Hall, like don't even cross i-35. Poole works overtime thinking of ways to — over poor people while appearing to "protect them" from mean ole employers, uggg......she makes me sick.

I watched the presentation yesterday and I would be proud as hell to have Tesla in Austin. These people are doing good things. All good? That's impossible of course, but damn....I was impressed.

The biggest thing people love to — about is how much Elon is worth. Who gives a —? Dude is making a BIG difference in the world, I'm not.

[undergroundman]

Originally Posted by llamaorama

Could it be they’ve run the numbers and found that it’s better than a person or robot having to travel a quarter mile to pick a item?

It seems logically that the most efficient shape of a warehouse is a cube as that would minimize average travel. Warehouses of the future may be less like a dank shed for heavy pallets and more like a dark mall full of robots going between floors to pick items off shelves???

Just a thought. This is not a topic I could pretend to have any knowledge of.

Yea I'm no industrial engineer either. But I guess can see how the multi level can work using chutes and conveyor belts. Bulk incoming inventory is sorted on the bottom floor into bins which are then scanned and routed using conveyor belts to the appropriate floors for storage.

Bottom floor is for incoming unloading/sorting as well as outgoing packaging/loading. Fulfillment is done on the top floors using chutes and conveyors between the floors. No expensive freight elevator needed.

By going vertical you're able to utilize chutes and harness a free resource, gravity. Though the free resource is offset by the additional energy needed to move inventory up vertically on a conveyor belt, compared to energy need for horizontal belt. I suppose product moves faster on chutes than a conveyor belt, so I guess in that sense it's more efficient using a cube over a single story.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by llamaorama

It seems logically that the most efficient shape of a warehouse is a cube as that would minimize average travel.

Amazon warehouses of the future:

[We vs us]

One other question I haven't been able to find the answer to: the 1000 new jobs promised for this project seems high for a standard fulfillment center . . . but I can't actually prove that. It seems high, maybe even double what you'd need. But Google isn't helping me find anything to corroborate.

[undergroundman]

Originally Posted by urbancore

"Jerry Rusthoven with Austin's Planning and Zoning Department said there's still an existing planned unit development application for Austin Green, a mixed-use proposal for the 2,100-acre site that Tesla is now eyeing. The PUD rezoning was approved on first reading by Council on March 12.

Since the site is in Austin's extraterritorial jurisdiction, planned unit development is the only zoning category that the city can apply to the property, Rusthoven said.

Rusthoven said staff anticipates that Tesla could file an amended PUD application to allow uses and site regulations for the Tesla factory.

"Upon our review of that, we would then bring it back to the City Council for final approval," Rusthoven said. "I don't have a date for that yet, because we have not had a chance to receive the submittal from Tesla and for the staff to review it."

A planned unit development rezoning would need to be approved on second and third readings by early next March — within 360 days of the first reading vote this March — under city code, Rusthoven said."

From the ABJ
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/...actory.html?iana=hpmvp_aus_news_headline


I can't even imagine the lengths our council would go to — this up if Tesla decided to amend the pud and or/go for another pud. Hopefully they do everything in their power to stay far away from our City Hall, like don't even cross i-35. Poole works overtime thinking of ways to — over poor people while appearing to "protect them" from mean ole employers, uggg......she makes me sick.

I watched the presentation yesterday and I would be proud as hell to have Tesla in Austin. These people are doing good things. All good? That's impossible of course, but damn....I was impressed.

The biggest thing people love to — about is how much Elon is worth. Who gives a —? Dude is making a BIG difference in the world, I'm not.

Why would they need a PUD? They're just building standard manufacturing buildings. They've pretty much ruled out an affordable housing residential component. Honestly, I'm not at all familiar with these districts and their purpose.

I agree with staying away from this toxic council. I admire Renteria the most. Everybody else is full of self importance. Honestly surprised Tesla even chose this location over the Manor site (outside the ETJ), just for the reason that they may have to potentially deal with this city council sometime in the future.

[freerover]

You can donate to Leslie Pool's opponent here: https://morganforaustin.com

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by undergroundman

Why would they need a PUD? They're just building standard manufacturing buildings. They've pretty much ruled out an affordable housing residential component. Honestly, I'm not at all familiar with these districts and their purpose.

I agree with staying away from this toxic council. I admire Renteria the most. Everybody else is full of self importance. Honestly surprised Tesla even chose this location over the Manor site (outside the ETJ), just for the reason that they may have to potentially deal with this city council sometime in the future.

from what I understand, Tesla can build without the PUD. God I hope that is true.

We have support companies bringing jobs (all jobs) to Austin.

Austinites are arrogant to think we are immune to the coming recession, sure we will do better than some....but there is NO way Austin's economy is = or better a year from now. Recessions affect poor the most. Manufacturing jobs are PERFECT for Austin.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by freerover

You can donate to Leslie Pool's opponent here: https://morganforaustin.com

think she has a chance? Anyone but Leslie Poole, well not anyone...you get the point.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by urbancore

think she has a chance? Anyone but Leslie Poole, well not anyone...you get the point.

Honestly, no. I think both Alter and Pool have too much old neighborhood money behind them but you never know.

Also, check out Alter's opponent, Pooja. I really like her.

https://poojaforaustin.com

[undergroundman]

Originally Posted by freerover

Honestly, no. I think both Alter and Pool have too much old neighborhood money behind them but you never know.

Also, check out Alter's opponent, Pooja. I really like her.

https://poojaforaustin.com

Thanks for the info! I'll check both of them out and see if they're worth donating to.

[AusTxDevelopment]

Originally Posted by We vs us

This is sort of puzzling. Amazon just formally announced a fulfillment center for Pflugerville -- 1000 new jobs, seemingly run of the mill stuff in a 800k sq ft warehouse.

But it doesn't sound like this is the Project Charm facility, which is supposed to be 3.8M sq ft . . . though this article seems to think it's the same thing. That's a big change if true, negative 3M sq ft of space.

https://austin.culturemap.com/news/city-...ew-distribution-hub-austin-pflugerville/

As mentioned earlier this is a multi-story project. Also, corporate politics...announcing something you've already started construction on. Source: https://www.pfdevelopment.com/news/p/ite...vest-250mm-and-create-1000-fulltime-jobs

[undergroundman]

I'm guessing no one here has any insider information on the any potential forthcoming State incentives from the Enterprise Fund? It has to be a component of the deal. Both Reno and Buffalo practically paid for their Gigafactories. So far the incentives in Austin amount to ~74M of the $1B to build the factory.

I loved watching the Price Is Right as a kid. I'll say that $250M will come out of the Enterprise Fund for this deal. What ever the number, it's going to send the anti incentive crowd into a tizzy.

[psychlotron]

Originally Posted by AusTxDevelopment

As mentioned earlier this is a multi-story project. Also, corporate politics...announcing something you've already started construction on. Source: https://www.pfdevelopment.com/news/p/ite...vest-250mm-and-create-1000-fulltime-jobs

This great news but...Willmommen? Seriously?? I lived in P'Ville for six years and saw basically zero German heritage or culture. New Braunfels and Fredericksburg have German restaurants and something resembling a mini-Oktoberfest.

For "German culture", Pflugerville has a bar called Hanover's, so I guess the name (assuming it's still open) is plausibly German, but it's a regular old American bar.

I suppose there's no harm in it. But if I were an Amazon executive, sent to Pflugerville and expecting the cultural vibe that might normally accompany "Willkommen", I would, upon arrival, be deeply disappointed.

PS, and no offense to anyone who loves Pflugerville - I was really bored there, and I'm really glad we moved to central Austin. YMMV.

....end of rant...

[the Genral]

As I study the last photo, its looks, as I suspected, that there are perhaps offices along the perimeter of the structure and the vast majority of the interior is going to be warehouse space from floor to ceiling. Just guessing. I'm going to ask my daughter's boyfriend who works for Amazon when I see him next week.

[We vs us]

I mean, look at that thing. Does it actually look like a warehouse? Those floors look . . . kinda normal. They're not supersized or tall, not a lot of room for stacking. It really looks like an office building.

[zrx299]

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