AUSTIN | Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue | 346 FEET | 31 FLOORS | Complete - Page 10

427MM · #1 Posted **May 14, 2019, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

8th at Congress has two lanes blocked off; fencing is up; and there’s a digger onsite. Demolition imminent!

This is amazing news! Such a game-changer for the area!! Now if we can just get Congress to not be a six-lane auto monster....

KevinFromTexas · #2 Posted **May 14, 2019, 5:49 PM**

Assuming it really happens, this will easily be our skinniest high rise. There really is no other building like it in Austin.

The ATX · #3 Posted **May 14, 2019, 8:21 PM**

This work may be just to tear up the street for the utility work permitted in my last post. Their demo permit expired in December, and I didn't see a new one filed - at least not one using the 721 Congress address.

We vs us · #4 Posted **May 14, 2019, 8:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

This work may be just to tear up the street for the utility work permitted in my last post. Their demo permit expired in December, and I didn't see a new one filed - at least not one using the 721 Congress address.

That's definitely possible. And I meant to correct my post a bit: they haven't put up actual fencing per se, but have two lanes blocked off with those low orange and white barriers.

Now that I think about it, it's almost certainly for the utility work. Still: progress!

The ATX · #5 Posted **May 17, 2019, 2:40 PM**

September groundbreaking per this unusually long ABJ article about The Avenue:

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n..._news_headline

urbancore · #6 Posted **May 17, 2019, 3:24 PM**

this is truly the most exciting time to watch downtown Austin grow.

the pace and breadth of construction cannot be over hyped.

Given the fact that the Austonian and Four Seasons both started in spite of and in the middle of a HUGE economic downturn....when the inevitable correction hits.....I wouldn't be surprised if we only lost a few projects.

can't wait to see the skyline in 5 years.

austlar1 · #7 Posted **May 17, 2019, 9:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbancore

this is truly the most exciting time to watch downtown Austin grow.

the pace and breadth of construction cannot be over hyped.

Given the fact that the Austonian and Four Seasons both started in spite of and in the middle of a HUGE economic downturn....when the inevitable correction hits.....I wouldn't be surprised if we only lost a few projects.

can't wait to see the skyline in 5 years.

Took a close look around downtown and near east side yesterday. I was slack-jawed to see so many highrise projects underway at the same time. There are at least 8 big buildings going up right now in every corner of downtown, and this doesn't include the new state office buildings or the new courthouse. There may be two or three more getting underway by the end of the year. Simply amazing to see the transformation of our once sleepy downtown into a genuine bustling 24 hour environment. Maybe there was something going on downtown, but yesterday (Thursday) evening at approximately 7 PM the place was thronged with people walking (and zooming around on those damn scooters) in every corner of downtown. The place was jumping.

The ATX · #8 Posted **May 19, 2019, 11:12 PM**

We vs us was telling the truth. An excavator did show up about a week ago.

Some guy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/digital_SaaS?lan...l_SaaS?lang=en

the Genral · #9 Posted **May 20, 2019, 12:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

We vs us was telling the truth. An excavator did show up about a week ago.

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Thank goodness. I was about to smite we vs us with liar liar pants on fire.

The ATX · #10 Posted **May 20, 2019, 1:56 AM**

I haven't yet been able to find any renderings of this project since it switched to a Hyatt Centric Hotel. But outside of curb cuts for guess dropoffs/valet parking, I don't expect any major changes.

And just because this project is so awesome and a rendering hasn't been posted in a while:

https://nelsenpartners.com/nb-portfolio/the-avenue/

We vs us · #11 Posted **May 20, 2019, 1:50 PM**

Trust your downtown dude on the streets, people. Ain't gonna lie to my forum homies.

Gotta say -- I'm very not a fan of the 3rd-5th floors. They jut out weirdly. And they might not actually truly "jut out," but sitting over those first few floors of glass, it looks like it kind of looms over the State marquee sign. There's something about it that's out of proportion to me.

Otherwise the whole project gets a thumbs up from your humble narrator.

urbancore · #12 Posted **May 20, 2019, 3:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

Trust your downtown dude on the streets, people. Ain't gonna lie to my forum homies.

Gotta say -- I'm very not a fan of the 3rd-5th floors. They jut out weirdly. And they might not actually truly "jut out," but sitting over those first few floors of glass, it looks like it kind of looms over the State marquee sign. There's something about it that's out of proportion to me.

Otherwise the whole project gets a thumbs up from your humble narrator.

the renderings in the ABJ article look better. I don't mind it.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n..._news_headline

The ATX · #13 Posted **Aug 3, 2019, 12:54 AM**

Has anyone noticed if the excavation around the site is still going on? There are two active permits for excavation for utility connections for this project that expire at the end of the month. The groundbreaking was scheduled for August or September, and I'm guessing the official groundbreaking (demo in this case) will start shortly after the utility work is done.

Geckos_Rule · #14 Posted **Aug 3, 2019, 1:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

Has anyone noticed if the excavation around the site is still going on? There are two active permits for excavation for utility connections for this project that expire at the end of the month. The groundbreaking was scheduled for August or September, and I'm guessing the official groundbreaking (demo in this case) will start shortly after the utility work is done.

I walked by yesterday, and it didn't look like much has happened. Certainly not any prep for demo.

The ATX · #15 Posted **Aug 3, 2019, 2:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geckos_Rule

I walked by yesterday, and it didn't look like much has happened. Certainly not any prep for demo.

That could be a good thing because it indicates that the utility work started in May is done (as it should be three months later), and that the August/September groundbreaking is on schedule. It's fully owned by the Hyatt Corporation, so financing shouldn't delay the start. Demo is approved, but I suspect that they need to file a right of way closure permit for the demo, which hasn't been done yet. But right of way closure permits for approved projects get approved pretty quickly, so once that is filed we'll get a start date.

austlar1 · #16 Posted **Dec 11, 2019, 7:42 PM**

Any updates on this one?

The ATX · #17 Posted **Dec 11, 2019, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austlar1

Any updates on this one?

That promised groundbreaking has been imminent for over a month already. But I noticed that three permits related to underground utilities were filed in the past week or so. Utility issues seem to be the hold up over the past several months.

Jdawgboy · #18 Posted **Dec 12, 2019, 2:30 AM**

They are definitely doing something at that corner. Trying to think of how long that it's been since they closed that area of road and dug down. It seems like it's been over a year but I don't know.

We vs us · #19 Posted **Dec 26, 2019, 8:21 PM**

Walked past today. The utility work is still ongoing. There were workers onsite today doing some jackhammering with their backhoe. No change to the building itself.

The ATX · #20 Posted **Jan 7, 2020, 7:24 PM**

Finally. A right of way closure permit for demo was filed today. The dates haven't been added to it yet, but they will be shortly. We will then know when it's starting.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/public-s...ertyrsn=201278