AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...onus-fees.html

Could someone who is on-the-ground there explain to those who don't know...what is the city doing with these millions of dollars in "affordable housing" fees? I don't hear anything of the city developing housing. Where is this money going? Why don't we hear about citizens suing the city for collecting these fees and sitting on the money (or mis-appropriating it)?

In the last couple of years the city has spent tens of millions on housing, including spending (or at least appropriating) 20M or so on hotels.

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Didn't I read recently that the city owns hundreds of acres of unused land? If so, why do they seem to continue to opine about housing affordability while sitting on millions and hundreds of acres of land?

Yes, in a shitty article that didn't even do the first step of research, or they would have quickly discovered that 99% of that land is restricted water quality lands (much of it federally restricted) or flood plain lands the city just got done moving housing _off_ of.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

No matter what city they go to, they need to do something about that name. The Athletics? You mean they aren't couch potatoes posing as a baseball team?

Hey now, the Athletics name dates back a solid 140 years when they were the Philadelphia Athletics club. Loads of old baseball names are often kind of stupid (sock colors, geographic location of the city) but I stand by them.

[StoOgE]

The city (or someone) should look into purchase of the Mt. Carmel apartments to turn into a nice VMU for affordable housing. These were privately owned Section 8 housing (across from Nixta Taqueria) that were permanently damaged in the ice storm and no one lives in now. The developer moved everyone out and is nebulously claiming they are making repairs.. but.. :side eye:

[drummer]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

The city (or someone) should look into purchase of the Mt. Carmel apartments to turn into a nice VMU for affordable housing. These were privately owned Section 8 housing (across from Nixta Taqueria) that were permanently damaged in the ice storm and no one lives in now. The developer moved everyone out and is nebulously claiming they are making repairs.. but.. :side eye:

That's not a bad idea. Sorry to hear everyone had to move out.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Novacek

In the last couple of years the city has spent tens of millions on housing, including spending (or at least appropriating) 20M or so on hotels.



Yes, in a shitty article that didn't even do the first step of research, or they would have quickly discovered that 99% of that land is restricted water quality lands (much of it federally restricted) or flood plain lands the city just got done moving housing _off_ of.

Awesome! Thank you, Novacek!

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by ahealy

Updated Poll:

When do we think Austin will no longer go by "Austin, TX" as it's mentioned name in pop culture?

For me, that phenomenon is less about people drawing a blank when they hear Austin and not knowing where it is or to which Austin they're referring, and more that Austin sounds quite a lot like Boston. The two are almost undistinguishable sometimes depending on who is saying it or how good the audio quality is.

-

There was a small fire today at the Driskill Hotel Annex on the 10th floor.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...riskill-hotel/

‘Smoke Buster’ deployed by Austin FD to pull smoke out of historic Driskill hotel

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Awesome! Thank you, Novacek!

To add more details, you may be thinking about this recent article.

https://austin.towers.net/[email protected]

They even break it down by zip code, but then never actually do any critical analysis. For instance, the largest acreage by far is in 78744. Which just happens to be the vicinity of the Onion Creek buyouts.

Second is 78730.

Which just happens to overlap with huge tracts of city owned, but Federally protected Balcones preserve

https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/de...ps/All_BCP.pdf

Now, is there city land that would work? Probably, maybe. The city is looking at it.

https://www.kut.org/austin/2021-05-1...less-memo-says

But it won't be hundreds/thousands of acres.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

For me, that phenomenon is less about people drawing a blank when they hear Austin and not knowing where it is or to which Austin they're referring, and more that Austin sounds quite a lot like Boston. The two are almost undistinguishable sometimes depending on who is saying it or how good the audio quality is.

I believe the "Austin, TX" conversation was in reference to print only. It's currently requires when writing using AP formatting (as previously mentioned).

Depending on ones accent - I can see your Austin/Boston point.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

I believe the "Austin, TX" conversation was in reference to print only. It's currently requires when writing using AP formatting (as previously mentioned).

Depending on ones accent - I can see your Austin/Boston point.

Haha, fair point. Context is everything, accent included.

[Echostatic]

A bit of scale.

[ahealy]

^^^That is fucking wild! I so wanna see 98 bust out the rebar tomorrow! I know it's controversial, but I'd take the current design as final--maybe just a slight crown tweak

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by Novacek

In the last couple of years the city has spent tens of millions on housing, including spending (or at least appropriating) 20M or so on hotels.



Yes, in a shitty article that didn't even do the first step of research, or they would have quickly discovered that 99% of that land is restricted water quality lands (much of it federally restricted) or flood plain lands the city just got done moving housing _off_ of.

Well, the homeless camps that have dumped tons & tons of garbage, feces, & needles into the park creeks & Town Lake hasn’t bothered the city any over the past two years.

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by Echostatic

A bit of scale.

If that is really to scale, it appears the floors on 98 are taller than those on the Independent.

[Echostatic]

In this comparison the floors on the Independent are 10 pixels from line to line and the residential floors on 98 Red River are 11 pixels. The office floors aren't a fair comparison.

[ahealy]

I've been obsessing over american amphitheatres lately, mainly due to the era of covid and wonder....

Could Austin handle another large capacity (seated) amphitheatre? Perhaps one dug out into the hill country for acoustics? I realize we already have 360 & Moody, but the latter seems a bit more limited. There's also a part of me that wishes west Austin was more mixed-use and accessible to everyone. I'm basically on an arts kick and will probably post about planetariums, museums and observation towers until we get one

Think Band Shell/Fair Park Dallas & of course, The Bowl.

Band Shell


Hollywood Bowl


https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/...od-bowl-works/

https://www.trekearth.com/gallery/No...hoto251818.htm

[JollyvilleJ-Rad]

Originally Posted by ahealy

I've been obsessing over american amphitheatres lately, mainly due to the era of covid and wonder....

Could Austin handle another large capacity (seated) amphitheatre? Perhaps one dug out into the hill country for acoustics? I realize we already have 360 & Moody, but the latter seems a bit more limited. There's also a part of me that wishes west Austin was more mixed-use and accessible to everyone. I'm basically on an arts kick and will probably post about planetariums, museums and observation towers until we get one

Don't forget the small but charming Symphony Square!

Couldn't agree more on the need for more of them and other cultural institutions though. Feel sometimes like the city relies too much on the university (Ransom, LBJ and Blanton are great, don't get my wrong). A real performance hall rather than the value-engineered Long Center stage would be amazing... (but as a composer/musician I'm biased). I do have to admit the Long Center is more accessible and mixed-use for other types of performances, but it's no symphonic hall.

[The ATX]

We have the Symphony Square and Waterloo Park amphitheaters just a couple blocks apart. This may be one of the best areas of downtown once the Brack Campus, Health South, and other area projects get developed.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by The ATX

We have the Symphony Square and Waterloo Park amphitheaters just a couple blocks apart. This may be one of the best areas of downtown once the Brack Campus, Health South, and other area projects get developed.

Agreed on that part of downtown being stellar in about 10 years (or maybe less), but I’m talking something with permanent seating and 18-20k capacity. So, something in a more rural area .... pref in the hills somewhere west. Basically Hollywood bowl of Austin.

Jollyville: totes agree on the reliance of UT. Time for Austin to grow up a little in those areas

[enragedcamel]

The thing we need the most right now is a world-class aquarium, IMO. It would be a great mix of environmental education and family-friendly entertainment.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by enragedcamel

The thing we need the most right now is a world-class aquarium, IMO. It would be a great mix of environmental education and family-friendly entertainment.

Yes.