AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

Comedy Club Linked to Joe Rogan Planned for Austin’s Ritz Theater

https://austin.towers.net/comedy-club-linked-to-joe-rogan-planned-for-austins-ritz-theater/

The historic Ritz Theater at 320 East Sixth Street will soon host a comedy club linked to recently controversial podcast host and new Austin resident Joe Rogan, according to a number of local property filings and an application to the city’s Historic Landmark Commission. An application to install new signage at the front of the building is listed on the consent agenda of the commission’s upcoming February 28 meeting, with backup documents for the renovation item using the name Comedy Mothership.

...

Previous reports indicated that Rogan planned to open a comedy club in West Austin, but his acquisition of the One World Theatre fell through for unknown reasons, with East Sixth Street mentioned last year as a new potential location for the club.



I'm glad the space is going to be used. Yay.

I mean, I have a lot of thoughts on this.

1) I wish the Ritz survived as a movie theater.

2) I don't know that we need another comedy club capable venue downtown, we actually have a lot.

3) This is pretty big space - I assume this will just canabalize Paramount tours since few comedians can sell out a space that large.

4) I;m glad its not turning back into a crappy dance club.

5) I'm not a massive fan of Rogan's attitude about our local comedy scene. Feels very much like bro from Cali moved here during the pandemic and decided we don't have a local comedy scene so he's going to fix it for us.

We've got a healthy amount of local comedy troupes and venues already and were already get big and regional touring acts.

6) I hate everything about the name/branding of this thing. But that's not really a reason to hold something up.

[mercury6]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

I mean, I have a lot of thoughts on this.

1) I wish the Ritz survived as a movie theater.

2) I don't know that we need another comedy club capable venue downtown, we actually have a lot.

3) This is pretty big space - I assume this will just canabalize Paramount tours since few comedians can sell out a space that large.

4) I;m glad its not turning back into a crappy dance club.

5) I'm not a massive fan of Rogan's attitude about our local comedy scene. Feels very much like bro from Cali moved here during the pandemic and decided we don't have a local comedy scene so he's going to fix it for us.

We've got a healthy amount of local comedy troupes and venues already and were already get big and regional touring acts.

6) I hate everything about the name/branding of this thing. But that's not really a reason to hold something up.

relax amigo, sounds like you're taking this too personal, it's a great use of space. Everything else you mentioned is just your sour feelings

[We vs us]

Rogan's gifted the same problem to Austin that he gifted to Spotify -- massive new media clout with no accountability and a lot of baggage. So -- it'll be interesting to see what this venture turns out to actually be. Is it a 100% JRE brand? Maybe it's not publicly affiliated with him at all? Could be a lot of things. I think the one thing it could do -- bro or not so bro -- is help push Dirty 6th in the direction it needs to go: away from shot bars and 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 vomitoriums and into more upscale fare.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by mercury6

relax amigo, sounds like you're taking this too personal, it's a great use of space. Everything else you mentioned is just your sour feelings

Comes to message board. Is surprised to encounter opinions.

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Comes to message board. Is surprised to encounter opinions.

Yuuup!

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

I mean, I have a lot of thoughts on this.

1) I wish the Ritz survived as a movie theater.

2) I don't know that we need another comedy club capable venue downtown, we actually have a lot.

3) This is pretty big space - I assume this will just canabalize Paramount tours since few comedians can sell out a space that large.

4) I;m glad its not turning back into a crappy dance club.

5) I'm not a massive fan of Rogan's attitude about our local comedy scene. Feels very much like bro from Cali moved here during the pandemic and decided we don't have a local comedy scene so he's going to fix it for us.

We've got a healthy amount of local comedy troupes and venues already and were already get big and regional touring acts.

6) I hate everything about the name/branding of this thing. But that's not really a reason to hold something up.

[AusTex]

Originally Posted by We vs us

....I think the one thing it could do... is help push Dirty 6th in the direction it needs to go: away from shot bars and 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 vomitoriums and into more upscale fare.

I support just about anything on or adjacent to 6th that will upscale it. Those several blocks of 6th have been an embarrassment to Austin night life for decades. Much has been said about "cleaning up" the area, however as long as the area continues to cater to the very young drinking age person, I see it staying unappealing to those much over 30. Those younger folk must turn a good profit for the owners, or perhaps Dirty 6th is just what the younger crowd needs as an entertainment area. Or, Maybe this venue will nudge it toward the adult crowd.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by AusTex

I support just about anything on or adjacent to 6th that will upscale it. Those several blocks of 6th have been an embarrassment to Austin night life for decades. Much has been said about "cleaning up" the area, however as long as the area continues to cater to the very young drinking age person, I see it staying unappealing to those much over 30. Those younger folk must turn a good profit for the owners, or perhaps Dirty 6th is just what the younger crowd needs as an entertainment area. Or, Maybe this venue will nudge it toward the adult crowd.

I think the problem is those shot bars are extremely profitable and young people and tourists love them.

Like, I would love for 6th to become a lot less pukey shot bar grindfest than it is, but I think 40 years on its become *more* that and not less that.

It used to be half live music with a mix of country bars/rockabilly bars/punk bars and over time has slowly just turned into nothing but Dizzy Rooster clones all the way down.

I'm just not sure other than some sort of regulatory nudge that this area is likely to change because I think it is *extremely* profitable. These bars pack in 1000s of people on a Friday/Saturday who are happily running up multi-hundred dollar tabs. Upscale places just dont pack in as many folks.

It's not an Austin specific issue - I mean NYC has Kipp's Bay and Hells Kitchen which are nearly identical to dirty 6th. L.A. has plenty of similar areas as well.

[Urbannizer]

Springdale Condos

400 condos with retail along Springdale

Located in Windsor Park, 5800-6000 Springdale Road is a multi-family community currently in pre-development by Heartwood. The stacked condominium community will include retail space on the first floor in addition to housing. Windsor Park is a family-oriented neighborhood around 15 minutes from downtown, and this community is ideally located near the Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt.

[austin242]

love.

[austin242]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Springdale Condos

400 condos with retail along Springdale

Love it! Wish we had more developments like this sprinkled around the city.

[The ATX]

For Monday's HLC meeting, staff recommends demo of Brazos Lofts, and initiating historic zoning for the Iron Bear at 301 W. 6th. If the commissioners don't want to initiate historic zoning, demo is recommended. I would have guessed the reverse.

[We vs us]

Omg, I'm behind on my agenda-stalking. Didn't know Brazos Lofts was on the docket, too!

[kingkirbythe....]

Ugh.


Roy Creek Canyon has been untouched for 80 years. Its owners want it to stay that way.

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/loc...ngs-development-hill-country/6722940001/

When Lew Adams’ father bought half of Roy Creek Canyon in the early 1940s, he entered into a handshake agreement with the friend who had purchased the other half. Both men promised to preserve the land and change as little as possible.

“There's been no cattle, no grazing, no cutting, no burning,” Adams said. “There's no septic. There's no sewage. It is totally raw and wild, as it was back before the turn of the century (1900).”

The canyon lies on about 50 acres of private land that borders Travis and Hays counties and is still owned by two families, each with a small cabin on its side. As the Texas Hill Country bloomed with housing developments and new infrastructure, Roy Creek Canyon remained relatively untouched. With a nearby development on the horizon, the canyon’s owners worry that is about to change.

[StoOgE]

I feel like as someone who grew up with family owning a lot of ranchland out near Drip and Henly

I hate that the hill country is being eroded and "55 conservation" homesites are being built in currently undeveloped land.

The point of urbanism and density is stopping suburban and exurban sprawl into unique landscapes.

I guess its all inevitable but man I wish we could save more of the hill country from the sprawl and move more people closer in.

[migol24]

Why is it that the NIMBYs that "care so much" about Austin are rarely ever vocal about developing out into our natural environment?

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by migol24

Why is it that the NIMBYs that "care so much" about Austin are rarely ever vocal about developing out into our natural environment?

I know. But I think they like it because it keeps new comers to Austin away from them. After all, it's not in their backyard.

[Lobotomizer]

Originally Posted by migol24

Why is it that the NIMBYs that "care so much" about Austin are rarely ever vocal about developing out into our natural environment?

Hypocrisy. Where have Austin's environmentalist leaders been in Austin's land use battles?

Silent, if not actively in opposition to increased density.

The head of SOS actively fights against density in the core of this city. I've never heard them support transit in this city.

Many of Austin's "environmentalists" are simply NIMBYs.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by Lobotomizer

Hypocrisy. Where have Austin's environmentalist leaders been in Austin's land use battles?

Silent, if not actively in opposition to increased density.

The head of SOS actively fights against density in the core of this city. I've never heard them support transit in this city.

Many of Austin's "environmentalists" are simply NIMBYs.

Totally. They're usually all wannabe hippies that talk about the "good old days", but know nothing of real sustainable infrastructure/environmentalism.

Oh, and they are part of Crestview/Brentwood neighborhood association.

[zrx299]

Originally Posted by AusTex

I support just about anything on or adjacent to 6th that will upscale it. Those several blocks of 6th have been an embarrassment to Austin night life for decades. Much has been said about "cleaning up" the area, however as long as the area continues to cater to the very young drinking age person, I see it staying unappealing to those much over 30. Those younger folk must turn a good profit for the owners, or perhaps Dirty 6th is just what the younger crowd needs as an entertainment area. Or, Maybe this venue will nudge it toward the adult crowd.

There's absolutely ZERO reason Dirty 6th cannot become more upscale and tourist oriented just like Lower Broadway in Nashville. ZERO.

Complete lack of vision by city and downtown leaders.