AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II - Page 393

drummer · #**7841** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 7:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

Nice!

Yeah, I think it's pretty snazzy for a new hospital wing. Will be a nice addition, aesthetically, and an important one, medically. I also know that St. David's North is adding a couple floors on top of the Women's Center, which I saw the other day. All of my kids were born at that hospital.

We vs us · #**7842** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 7:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by myBrain

Look, tech is fueled by young talent and young people are generally going to prefer downtown, but people forget that Austin tech has been booming since at least the .com era and that was 30 years ago -- there are plenty of people in their 50s in tech here.

To me, a non techy, this is most important thing to remember about "tech" -- it's a secretly mature sector of the economy and my fellow Gen Xers are still very much in the mix with the Millenials and Zers. Our Tech Overlords have to cater to a pretty broad section of the working public and that includes us older suburban parents as well as the hip downtown kids with their tattoo sleeves and skinny jeans and their TikToks.

drummer · #**7843** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 7:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

To me, a non techy, this is most important thing to remember about "tech" -- it's a secretly mature sector of the economy and my fellow Gen Xers are still very much in the mix with the Millenials and Zers. Our Tech Overlords have to cater to a pretty broad section of the working public and that includes us older suburban parents as well as the hip downtown kids with their tattoo sleeves and skinny jeans and their TikToks.

Those punk hip downtown kids with their tattoo sleeves and skinny jeans and their TikToks!

But yes, everything you said is spot on.

kingkirbythe.... · #**7844** Posted **Jan 28, 2022, 2:46 PM**

Former State Pension Office Could Host Tower in Downtown’s ‘Innovation District’

https://austin.towers.net/former-sta...tion-district/

The one-acre former headquarters of the Texas Municipal Retirement System, a state pension program providing retirement and disability benefits to municipal employees in hundreds of Texas cities, could soon be up for grabs. The program relocated its operations to a new office building at the recently-opened Grove development in Central Austin late last year, leaving the future of its old office space near the corner of East 12th Street and the I-35 Frontage Road in question — though it’s pretty clear the pension isn’t trying to hang on for too long.

The ATX · #**7845** Posted **Jan 28, 2022, 4:27 PM**

Here's the ZC request for CBD for 12th & I-35 from a couple days ago.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/public-s...rtyrsn=1114392

enragedcamel · #**7846** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 2:32 AM**

Would love to have another supertall announced this year...

Altoic · #**7847** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 5:37 AM**

I would love for CTBUH to update their Austin U/C count

We vs us · #**7848** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 3:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enragedcamel

Would love to have another supertall announced this year...

Where would it go? I hate to say stilly things like "we're running out of space," but . . . we're running out of space (that isn't already committed, isn't under a CVC, or isn't squatted on for eternity by Nate Paul).

The post office block is the only one I can think of.

Echostatic · #**7849** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 3:16 PM**

I believe that eventually, the post office block will be a supertall. But who knows when. The owners certainly aren't in a rush to develop that site, and why would they be? It'll only keep appreciating.

MichaelB · #**7850** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 3:58 PM**

Oh, I don't know... what if we slowed down the "size needs' and let demand for quality of design catch up? For the most part, all we're getting in the race to build are generic boxes. Is getting tall at all costs really worth it? While I am looking froward to the Republic and 98 Red River.....and love "The Sail". The rest can kinda go away for me. Especially the new version of 415 Colorado.
It's not a game , it's a neighborhood.

StoOgE · #**7851** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 4:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Oh, I don't know... what if we slowed down the "size needs' and let demand for quality of design catch up? For the most part, all we're getting in the race to build are generic boxes. Is getting tall at all costs really worth it? While I am looking froward to the Republic and 98 Red River.....and love "The Sail". The rest can kinda go away for me. Especially the new version of 415 Colorado.
It's not a game , it's a neighborhood.

We do not have corporate headquarters in Austin to speak of. This is our issue.

Premium build quality, engineering and often less efficient use of vertical space cost money which means the price per square foot needs to go up to offset those costs.

You can't just tell a developer "spend your money on a nicer looking shorter building" when it costs them profit. A box is the most efficient use of money and space which is why thats what mostly gets built.

Also, our real estate market is expensive - we need to bring volume of residences on board as quickly as we can.

myBrain · #**7852** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 4:56 PM**

I too am hoping that Downtown slows down a bit so that there are still some significant developable / re-developable lots in the later 2020s, mostly because I want to see what impact the new rail lines will have on new development. Are we still going to need massive parking podiums like 6xG? Maybe, maybe not. If we do lose parking podiums that could reduce the height of some projects, but I'm more than OK with that given the opportunities for better urbanism transit-oriented towers could present.

Honestly at this point I think it's more important for high-rise development to start moving outside of the traditional barriers of Downtown. I would easily choose expanding CBD zoning over getting another supertall. Virtually all of core Austin should have height restrictions relaxed or removed, as well as Mueller, Highland, the Domain, and more. Long term, developing another set of urban nodes is going to be far more important to the city's future than a few more point towers Downtown.

The ATX · #**7853** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 5:23 PM**

Per a design Intake filing today, a 260 key hotel and restaurant are planned for this site.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

This is probably going to be another big one with no CVCs on the site. 311 & 307 E. 5th at Trinity are up for total demolition at the 1/24 HLC meeting. This includes Russia House.

StoOgE · #**7854** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by myBrain

I too am hoping that Downtown slows down a bit so that there are still some significant developable / re-developable lots in the later 2020s, mostly because I want to see what impact the new rail lines will have on new development. Are we still going to need massive parking podiums like 6xG? Maybe, maybe not. If we do lose parking podiums that could reduce the height of some projects, but I'm more than OK with that given the opportunities for better urbanism transit-oriented towers could present.

Honestly at this point I think it's more important for high-rise development to start moving outside of the traditional barriers of Downtown. I would easily choose expanding CBD zoning over getting another supertall. Virtually all of core Austin should have height restrictions relaxed or removed, as well as Mueller, Highland, the Domain, and more. Long term, developing another set of urban nodes is going to be far more important to the city's future than a few more point towers Downtown.

I think we'll get some of both - Austin is turning into a hot enough market that some of our early 2000's (and earlier) builds will likely be on the chopping block for tear-downs at some point.

Plus our buddy Nate is very helpfully camping on a bunch of really valuable properties that will eventually be sold.

We vs us · #**7855** Posted **Feb 1, 2022, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Plus our buddy Nate is very helpfully camping on a bunch of really valuable properties that will eventually be sold.

TBH, I do think there will be something of a Nate-aissance when he finally lets go of (or is separated from) his properties. I've always assumed they will all come available more or less all at once . . . and consequently will start down the development pipeline more or less together, as well.