AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[kingkirbythe....]

The New Adventures of Old Red River, Austin’s Next Great Pedestrian Space

https://austin.towers.net/the-new-adventures-of-old-red-river-austins-next-great-pedestrian-space/

There’s a real laundry list of development currently taking place in downtown Austin’s so-called “Innovation District” east of the Capitol. You’ve got Central Health’s massive reimagining of the former Brackenridge Hospital site, with the “Innovation Tower” itself now up for lease at the center of the action overlooking the new Waterloo Park, and right across the intersection of East 12th and Red River Streets the Symphony Square office and residential tower project is also sailing along. A bit further north along Red River we’ve just seen the impressive grand opening of the Moody Center, which through its sheer existence implies the coming demolition and redevelopment of the Frank Erwin Center — and that’s just the stuff that’s already broken ground, with a number of other properties in the district poised for growth in the years to come.

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

The New Adventures of Old Red River, Austin’s Next Great Pedestrian Space

https://austin.towers.net/the-new-adventures-of-old-red-river-austins-next-great-pedestrian-space/

so much potential in this area. I'm really excited to see what this area can become over the next 10 years. I just hope we respect the bars, music venues, restaurants, etc. of the area that made it cool to begin with.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

so much potential in this area. I'm really excited to see what this area can become over the next 10 years. I just hope we respect the bars, music venues, restaurants, etc. of the area that made it cool to begin with.

Man -- I hope they EXPAND the area of cool restaurants/music venues/etc. The Red River corridor really peters out at about 10th. If they do it right, the Inno district could add a whole second node near MLK and the new park.

But yeah, the 3-7 year window of potential for this area is really staggering.

[obemearg]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Agreed. I think the only big architects we have represented in this town are Pelli/Clarke/Pelli (Google Sail), Paul Cret (UT campus), and Predock (city hall). We could've got a Herzog & DeMeuron if they hadn't shot down the original plans for the Blanton.

I'd also include Tom Kundig (of Olson Kundig) who did the Comedor restaurant on 5th and Colorado. Much smaller scale project than those though. Snøhetta who's doing the Blanton musuem courtyard I'd also say is a notable firm, but that's a small project too.

[We vs us]

On May 10, the Planning Commission will consider a rezoning case for 708 E. 12th, right on the corner of 12th and I-35, at the periphery of the Brackenridge/Innovation zone.

The PC case indicates that "the Applicant is requesting a zoning change . . . in order to construct a mixed use development comprised of approximately 35,000 sq ft of retail uses and 350 multifamily units."

I think someone (ATX?) might have mentioned this property at least once before, but it's the first time I've seen any indication of what's being planned for that corner. 350 multifamily units seems pretty significant.

EDIT: in a completely unscientific comparison, the Alexan across the street has 210 apartment units. So I'm guessing this has the potential to be significantly taller.



https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=382537

[kingkirbythe....]

What’s the Deal With Republic Square?

https://austin.towers.net/whats-the-deal-with-republic-square/

If you’re spending any quality time downtown these days, you might have noticed Republic Square is looking a little out of the ordinary — fences now surround the perimeter of the park’s central “great lawn,” which now looks more like a great big field of dirt, with folks in hard hats mucking around in skid steers and whatnot.

So what’s the deal with Republic Square? You could figure this out very easily by checking the park’s social media, but just in case you missed it we thought we’d let you know the great lawn is closed through August 5 for a major replanting and restoration project, great timing since the grass has recently looked a little patchy — people downtown really like using this park, who could have guessed?

But if you piece through the latest social media posts of landscape architecture firm Nudge Design, working on the project alongside Clean Scapes Landscaping, you’ll see there’s a bit more to this work than just new grass — it appears the refresh of the lawn also includes a few landscaping additions to the grove of oaks at the northeast corner of the square, providing a new shaded space opposite the site’s more prominent grove of “Auction Oaks.”

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Cady Lofts

https://www.hancockna.org/www/taxonomy/term/15




https://www.crexi.com/properties/438449/texas-residential-lot

Of course the Hancock Neighborhood Association is opposing this.

https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=382530

[kingkirbythe....]

Of course they are.

Traffic?

Neighborhood 'character'?

Parking in some form?

Dirty renters?

All of the above?

— them!

[Echostatic]

Quite interesting news on 6th street redevelopment.
https://communityimpact.com/austin/centr...ins-sixth-street-entertainment-district/

Stream Realty Partners, which owns several of the historic structures lining East Sixth between Brazos Street and I-35, is planning for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of some of those properties... Stream's plans involve the addition of new office and restaurant space—including new vertical development above existing buildings—and local infrastructure improvements... "If we can’t lift that height, I think we’re condemning Sixth Street to another long time of more of the same," Suttle said... Suttle said Stream is also eyeing the addition of new office space above the existing buildings to make the targeted blocks more lively during the day.

[StoOgE]

Yeah - thats not historic preservation. I hate it and I hope CC rejects the hell out of it.

Dirty 6th is awful but its some of the only preserved architecture from the time period in Austin and much of that street is worth preserving. I wish they weren't crappy shot bars but it is what it is.

[Echostatic]

I think these are positive and necessary changes to try and claw dirty 6th back from the brink. It's a shame the vertical developments are so harshly limited by CVCs, but it's probably for the better as 70-130' buildings will face much less opposition than skyscrapers (whether they should or not.) I also think reopening 6th to traffic on weekend nights is a good idea and Stream supports this.

[chinchaaa]

Does anyone know what's going on with the Hummingbird (1608 S Congress)? It looks to be done, and has been boarded up for like a year with no movement. When are we going to start seeing stuff open?

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Echostatic

I think these are positive and necessary changes to try and claw dirty 6th back from the brink. It's a shame the vertical developments are so harshly limited by CVCs, but it's probably for the better as 70-130' buildings will face much less opposition than skyscrapers (whether they should or not.) I also think reopening 6th to traffic on weekend nights is a good idea and Stream supports this.

East 6th is one of the few true historic districts in the city of Austin - stacking new construction onto the top of all of them is going to absolutely destroy one of the few areas of downtown that looks unique.

This is some prime 1960s new urbanism where nothing old is worth preserving.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

Does anyone know what's going on with the Hummingbird (1608 S Congress)? It looks to be done, and has been boarded up for like a year with no movement. When are we going to start seeing stuff open?

I have no inside knowledge on this - but I think something must be going on with unpaid loans or something because the building is 80% finished, is prime prime real estate and is just boarded up with no movement since the pandemic started.

Originally Posted by smallfrie

"When the HLC started eating out of Richard Suttle's hand I had to check out, but it looks like us citizens will be expected to dip into our pocketbook again for his client and also to kiss historic 6th Street goodbye."

Hopefully someone who saw the entire meeting can tell me I was mistaken in my assumption." May 4th, 2022.


It looks like I'm going to have quote and repost myself from time to time because people don't seem to get it. The only game in town is how much money can be extracted from the taxpayers and placed into the pockets of billionaire private equity operators.

At least giveaways to, for example, Samsung, COTA and Musk create something - an ongoing new business or business activity. Giving away free prime real estate to the very rich or giving them hundred's of millions of dollars to improve their property is corrupt.

And please don't come back with "increased property taxes," and "affordable housing,"; save that for someone else.

FYI, I've always loved skyscrapers and tall buildings and have worked on dozens of them.

[Sigaven]

I like the rendering roof deck, I think a lot of these venues could benefit by adding a covered rooftop deck or even a couple more stories. But tearing everything down except for the facades and building generic office on top is the wrong way to go. The only part of this block that needs some TLC is the area just east of red river.

Honestly, can someone enlighten me as to what 6th street is on the"brink" of? It seems to be a fairly successful entertainment district as far as i can tell. Maaybe it needs more activation during the day but I Can't think fo anything else.

[lonewolf]

I've been invited to that stretch of 6th street once or twice in the past 5 years. I think literally just about anything would be an improvement.

I think a nice way to upscale it while somewhat paying tribute would be to incentivize storefronts for the many breweries/wineries/cideries around the area. Dripping doesn't have a district that lends itself to this and many people aren't going to make the 90 minute drive to fredericksburg.

shot bars have worked as a stopgap but half the part of "preserving" is allowing people to experience and enjoy it. not a stretch to say 80% of austin actively avoids dirty sixth.

[MichaelB]

[QUOTE=Echostatic;9621930]Quite interesting news on 6th street redevelopment.
https://communityimpact.com/austin/centr...ins-sixth-street-entertainment-district/

Rant warning.
And here you have it. Where do you stop? NOW?
THis is all total BS. These folks don't give an F about 6th or Austin.
Yes, 6th needs work. This does not solve it. How? Buy bringing in boring chains that bring in middle age white people ( oh, wait that's me...well the other type.) and displacing more local businesses that are just trying to rethink past Covid?
BS. Notice the rendering with some HUGE on spec generic "East 6th Dance Hall"... Cause thats not gonna take corporate $$.

This was a pure investment waiting for the right time to drop the bomb. All all the momentum of erasing the warehouse area is perfect timing.
So to alll you .... "it's not so bad" types.
This is what you get.
Generic. Anywhere. No heart. no depth.
Erasing everything that made people want to be here in the first place.
Get it now?

[clubtokyo]

Bringing back cars on the weekend is so stupid. Sure 6th needs some work, but the whole thing that made 6th unique in my opinion was no cars on weekend. You bring cars back and it’s just another street in a midsize city. Boring.

[migol24]

I agree with MichaelB and clubtokyo 100%. I honestly don't take anyone's opinion seriously who is ok with changing 6th st to anything else then what it is now. I say this as a non 6th st fan. Literally everything that made Austin unique is getting tossed.

Generic corporate trash is sleazier than the sleazy stuff going on right now. God, Austin is becoming a huge disappointment.