AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III - Page 109

MichaelB · #**2161** Posted **May 9, 2013, 1:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

A) Red River is not a major thru route anyway, so it isn't that big of a deal.
B) I second Syndic completely.

It is if you live downtown! Besides now it means that there will be tons more traffic dumped onto 15th. It will also KILL traffic on 15th... which is a major east/west corridor to get in and out of downtown.

MichaelB · #**2162** Posted **May 9, 2013, 1:17 AM**

Look closer folks. It's truly "Campus" thinking. It all turns "in" away from streets and the city. It is suburban thinking in an Urban setting.

Please don't get me wrong, I am very happy about the Med Center. I'm just once again frustrated that UT is not connecting to an Urban landscape. This feels like "The Woodlands" in the middle of downtown.

cvillehorn · #**2163** Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Look closer folks. It's truly "Campus" thinking. It all turns "in" away from streets and the city. It is suburban thinking in an Urban setting.

Please don't get me wrong, I am very happy about the Med Center. I'm just once again frustrated that UT is not connecting to an Urban landscape. This feels like "The Woodlands" in the middle of downtown.

Not connecting to an urban landscape? UT has about the most urban-centric campus this side of NYU. I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding, but I for one appreciate the priority on 'academic boundries' being valued given the space constraints.

cvillehorn · #**2164** Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:13 AM**

Love that they're making the buildings orange as well. This will really elevate school pride.

wwmiv · #**2165** Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvillehorn

Love that they're making the buildings orange as well. This will really elevate school pride.

The orange color in these renderings is only to highlight which buildings are relevant. They won't end up that color at all.

cvillehorn · #**2166** Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

The orange color in these renderings is only to highlight which buildings are relevant. They won't end up that color at all.

Damnit. No sarcasm emoticon. Oh well.

Syndic · #**2167** Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:43 AM**

Come on, wwmiv. That sarcasm was kinda obvious, dude.

wwmiv · #**2168** Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:58 AM**

Oh. Oops.

KevinFromTexas · #**2169** Posted **May 9, 2013, 3:29 AM**

Orange you glad they aren't maroon?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Jdawgboy · #**2170** Posted **May 9, 2013, 3:46 AM**

Good! Glad to see that the football stadium has the southern end completed in the plan. I was not happy when I heard A&M was building up their stadium with more capacity than ours. Once our stadium's south end is complete, ours will once again be bigger which is how it should always be.

They should keep the arena by DT. The last article about a future location mentioned it could be near the Convention Center. I could see it built just east of 35 on the south side of the commuter rail line. The location would be perfect and close to the Fairmont and other hotels. Heck if I-35 is put underground, the arena could sit above it.

ROCrot · #**2171** Posted **May 9, 2013, 5:01 AM**

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_D...l-drawings.php

BevoLJ · #**2172** Posted **May 9, 2013, 8:05 PM**

I love the plans so far of the new Med School, but I am a bit conflicted regarding the Erwinn Center. On the one hand I would love for Austin to have something closer to the Convention Center or Auditorium Shores like next to the Long/Palmer. On the other hand I hate when schools don't keep their stuff on campus. Having gone to UCLA believe me when I say playing in the Rose Bowl rather than on campus is horrible and something I very much dislike. And we are talking about UT and basketball, not football.

TLDR: as an Austinite I'd like to see it by the Convention Center, as a Longhorn I'd like is to see Gregory Gym fixed up.

lzppjb · #**2173** Posted **May 9, 2013, 8:33 PM**

What about an arena where the police department is? Could use that entire block east of Waller Creek for the arena and the block north of there for parking structures.

KevinFromTexas · #**2174** Posted **May 9, 2013, 8:52 PM**

The problem with relocating a basketball arena in downtown is it would need 4 blocks. The Erwin Center is huge. It's the 2nd largest building in downtown footprint wise. Only the convention center is larger, which covers 6 blocks.

I would put a new basketball arena on the land just south of the DKR Stadium. It would move it closer to campus and would centralize the sports complex. Of course they would need to move the School of Social Work, the Recreational Sports Center and maybe the swim center. Plus it would be nice to get rid of those parking lots.

lzppjb · #**2175** Posted **May 9, 2013, 9:22 PM**

It doesn't have to be quite as big a footprint as FEC. Those 4 blocks include all the concrete around the arena. They don't have to build another round arena that has all of that area around it. It could be rectangle and have a smaller footprint.

The AT&T Center in San Antonio is roughly the same footprint as the actual FEC (not the surrounding area), and that includes the superfluous awnings and whatnot on either side of the AT&T Center. Not to mention it holds over 18,000, almost 2k more than FEC.

lzppjb · #**2176** Posted **May 9, 2013, 9:24 PM**

But you are right that it may be too big for that APD location. I'm just not sure we couldn't fit it in less than a 4 block area.

This is all with the thought in mind that the city builds its own arena and UT builds their own. If they're going to share, I'd much rather the arena be on campus.

hookem · #**2177** Posted **May 9, 2013, 10:28 PM**

They could put it farther north off Red River, where the "bubble" football practice facility is. That place looks like crap anyway. The new arena could be configured to be used as an indoor practice field for football when needed.

cvillehorn · #**2178** Posted **May 9, 2013, 11:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

They could put it farther north off Red River, where the "bubble" football practice facility is. That place looks like crap anyway. The new arena could be configured to be used as an indoor practice field for football when needed.

I want to see if possible, an on-campus venue preferably where Gregory or the PCL currently sit. A massive renovation of Gregory, incorporating the space of the rec facilities attached, redone into a 10,000-12000 seat arena, with an intimate, classic field house atmosphere. There's likely enough room in there, and given there are 2 rec sports facilities on campus (a replacement for Gregory wouldn't be hard to do) this proximity for the arena would be excellent. Same for the PCL, which is an out-dated, fallout shelter-designed library from the '70's; lots of wasted space in that place, and its a bit of an eyesore to boot. (I spent quality nights in there over 4 (5) years so it won't be without a bittersweet farewell.)

I know Texas Football is King, but when you're basketball program is one of 3 or 4 in the country to turn a legitimate profit ($8-10 MM/yr), all the while doing it w/ that cavernous circus arena that is currently the Erwin Center, it makes sense to think about investing in something appropriately sized in the heart and spirit of campus. Basketball programs take the next step based on homecourt advantages and student body experiences; it helps recruiting, morale, donations, everything. It makes sense to invest in this way. Especially when your current venue is going to be demolished anyway

lzppjb · #**2179** Posted **May 10, 2013, 12:08 AM**

I am completely in favor of your ideas.

Austin1971 · #**2180** Posted **May 10, 2013, 5:50 AM**

They should knock down the Sally and ARCH and build it between 7th and 8th and Trinity and Red River. Eliminate Neches that bisects the site to create a large parcel of land. It needs to be close to restaurants and bars and within walking distance of all the new hotels being built. You could build out some of the surface plots nearby with multi-level garages incorporating street level bars, restaurants and shops.