Austin | ATX Tower (321 West 6th) | 675 Feet | 58 Floors | Complete

[chundercracker]

That building looks like somebody Frankensteined Hanover and Third+Shoal together...

[Syndic]

Yeah I don't know what everyone else is seeing. It got better at least. I had the same initial thought of "Is that all parking?" but now that I know it's offices, I'm good with it.

I just wish they had the guts to finish what they started with it tapering as it goes upward. Just make the top pointy! It's begging to have a pointy top.

[valhalla]

this thing is butt ugly

[drummer]

Originally Posted by the Genral

I agree, but isn't this what we wished for? The shiny towers?

Haha, I'm not supporting the design of this tower. I think it could be better. I was making a joke in line with random pop up restaurants and clubs that folks want to call historic despite them only being there for a short time.

This tower could be much, much better, in my opinion. I support the criticism. If only the developer would listen to us...

[kingkirbythe....]

321 West Tower Breaks Ground With a New Look at Sixth and Guadalupe

https://austin.towers.net/321-west-t...and-guadalupe/

The 58-floor office and apartment tower plan known as 321 West celebrated its official groundbreaking on Wednesday this week at the southeast corner of West Sixth and Guadalupe Streets in downtown Austin, even though its crackerjack development team of Ryan Companies and Tishman Speyer haven’t actually mentioned it yet — there’s been no media blitz, no hashtag, nothing. We actually respect the hell out of this, since a groundbreaking is nothing more than a symbolic ritual you do after weeks of real work prepping the site and/or demolishing what was there before, meaning the ground is pretty well “broken” by the time anyone starts swinging golden shovels around for a photo-op — but the developer assures us a press release is forthcoming.

[The ATX]

From Towers:

[myBrain]

The parking cladding is the only problem I see here. They should wrap it in glass to match the rest of the office portion.

Otherwise it's boring but high-quality filler, a taller 44 East. The way the residential portion surfs on top of the office pedestal is actually the most interesting thing about it, and I predict that as more renders come out and/or we see this thing built the criticism will die down.

Still, it's a downgrade from the original proposal IMO and won't mirror 6XG's setbacks as the original did.

[AusTex]

Okay....Its an official rendering we have been commenting on!

General consensus: Residential and Office floors are okay. Some really liking the narrowing of the top floors. The Street level is a big unknown. And the covering on the parking floors is very much disliked. Giving the overall building a mix of opinions; generally unfavorable. The original renderings were generally liked. The building will add nicely to the skyline, but detract while in the city core while looking at it. And maybe add to the streetscape, but that is not really known yet.

[ATX2030]

The only remarkable characteristic about this project all along was the height. Once it was chopped 100' it became just another generic Vancouver style filler tower. In 10-20 years this building will be one of many unremarkable filler towers that dot the skyline. Price of progress as Austin morphs into one of the top 10 largest and densest skylines in the US.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

The only remarkable characteristic about this project all along was the height. Once it was chopped 100' it became just another generic Vancouver style filler tower. In 10-20 years this building will be one of many unremarkable filler towers that dot the skyline. Price of progress as Austin morphs into one of the top 10 largest and densest skylines in the US.

Damn, 100% accurate. 'Nuff said.

[StoOgE]

Its weird but not in a molar building kill it with fire way.

I kind of like it and don't like it in equal measure.

It absolutely reminds me of some weird building in midtown manhattan that you just don't really notice exists but has like a flagship store for a clothing company you've never heard of taking up the first two floors.

[The ATX]

Parking podiums aren't going away anytime soon, so podiums don't bother me unless the cladding is subpar like this one. I agree with MyBrain that the parking cladding should have blended better with the office levels. Otherwise I like it. But I did like the original version better not just because it was over 100 feet taller.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Parking podiums aren't going away anytime soon, so podiums don't bother me unless the cladding is subpar like this one. I agree with MyBrain that the parking cladding should have blended better with the office levels. Otherwise I like it. But I did like the original version better not just because it was over 100 feet taller.

Once buildings go up on the east and west (post office block) sides of this, the podium will be mostly unnoticeable as the views of it will largely be blocked.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by paul78701

Once buildings go up on the east and west (post office block) sides of this, the podium will be mostly unnoticeable as the views of it will largely be blocked.

...From the vantage point if this rendering. However, from street level, there will be a highly noticeable and disturbing 13+ story blank wall.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

...From the vantage point if this rendering. However, from street level, there will be a highly noticeable and disturbing 13+ story blank wall.

Even from the street level it mostly won't be all that noticeable. Most people on the street aren't going to be looking up at those garage levels. In what will be tight urban canyon, it would be hard to view the whole thing.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by paul78701

Even from the street level it mostly won't be all that noticeable. Most people on the street aren't going to be looking up at those garage levels. In what will be tight urban canyon, it would be hard to view the whole thing.

I respectfully and completely disagree. It will be quite noticeable.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

It absolutely reminds me of some weird building in midtown manhattan that you just don't really notice exists but has like a flagship store for a clothing company you've never heard of taking up the first two floors.

This made me laugh. Niche, but 100% on the mark.

My problem is that middle space, where the top half is bolted on to the bottom half. Towers calls it a "double height outdoor amenity space" -- but it just looks like the top half hasn't been screwed down tightly enough.

But everyone's right -- in the end it will fade into the rest of the skyline and essentially be rendered powerless to offend. Just another slightly weird building you wouldn't notice unless you were an obsessive skyscraper aficionado.

[Lobotomizer]

Yep, this is across the street from a building which will be 200' taller, and is or will be surrounded on all sides by other highrises. It is indeed "filler", and there's nothing wrong with that.

[ILUVSAT]

^^^So, in the name of infill, this type of cladding is okay with some of you?

If that is the case, how many more parking structures like this need to be constructed before it's too much for those who are okay with this type of aesthetic? For me, it should have stopped with 3rd & Shoal!

[kingkirbythe....]

So much rationalizing.



After seeing this building, I don't feel as bad about the 98 Red River design in comparison.