AUSTIN | Waterloo Park Central (HealthSouth site) | 37 Floors x2 | Cancelled - Page 13

We vs us · #**241** Posted **Jul 2, 2019, 10:08 PM**

So, only sort of a Brackenridge story, but . . .

Merck walks away from $7M in incentives for Austin tech hub

Quote:

Merck & Co. is walking away from nearly $7 million in taxpayer-funded state and local incentives aimed at luring to Austin a major technology innovation center operated by the pharmaceutical giant, a project once heralded as the private-sector anchor of a developing medical district around the University of Texas Dell Medical School.

Merck spokeswoman Pamela Eisele on Tuesday attributed the move to “internal priorities and events” that have slowed the New Jersey-based company’s hiring in Austin since the incentive deals were announced in July 2017. Eisele said Merck intends to maintain a presence in Austin but declined to say if the company has permanently scaled back plans for its operations here.

The city of Austin had agreed to provide Merck with an $856,000 incentive package, on top of a $6 million grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund pledged by Gov. Greg Abbott. But neither the city nor the state have paid any money to Merck under the deals, because the company hasn’t hit its investment and hiring targets.

The original agreement with the city required Merck to ramp up its spending and hiring in stages, for a total $28.7 million investment and 600 full-time employees by the end of 2023. By the close of this year, the deal called for Merck to have invested $7.2 million and have 290 employees.

Last summer, however, Merck amended the city deal to push out its various investment and hiring targets by two years. Recently, it quietly moved to terminate the incentive agreements altogether with both the city and the state.

https://www.statesman.com/news/20190...ustin-tech-hub

Mysterious!

urbancore · #**242** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 3:31 PM**

Here we go!

"University of Texas at Austin is about to start construction on a 17-story office tower on the Brackenridge tract, directly east of Waterloo Park."

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...ing-up-in.html

KevinFromTexas · #**243** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 4:07 PM**

KXAN has an article on it, too, with a couple of renderings.

This 2nd rendering is hinting at some vertical lighting on the building's edge. I think all those little points of light could look neat.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...waterloo-park/

We vs us · #**244** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 4:19 PM**

Is this the building that requires Red River to realign? Didn't see mention in the KXAN story . . .

The ATX · #**245** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 6:28 PM**

That has nice interaction with the park thanks to the Red River realignment. That area will be much improved. I hope the rest of the site gets more significant towers with mixed uses.

austlar1 · #**246** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 6:35 PM**

I thought the hospital demo was supposed to happen this month. Does anybody have an update on that?

The ATX · #**247** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 6:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austlar1

I thought the hospital demo was supposed to happen this month. Does anybody have an update on that?

The demo permit hasn't been approved yet. Central Health also filed a site plan for demo about a week ago. I don't understand the reason or timing for that. But this is a county and state project, so it doesn't follow the normal city permitting process.

freerover · #**248** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

Is this the building that requires Red River to realign? Didn't see mention in the KXAN story . . .

The only building that requires RR realignment is the new UT arena.

We vs us · #**249** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 8:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freerover

This is what I was getting at. But it doesn't look like there's a definitive answer yet.

austlar1 · #**250** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 9:22 PM**

The renderings posted suggests that the park will more or less come up to the front of part of the building that faces what is now Red River. I guess the same would apply to the garage, assuming it remains. It will be a whole new look to the area. I think I like it.

freerover · #**251** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 10:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

This is what I was getting at. But it doesn't look like there's a definitive answer yet.

It fits between both.

austlar1 · #**252** Posted **Aug 8, 2019, 10:52 PM**

The site for this new building is actually quite compact. I don't think I've ever noticed the three or four story building that is there now.

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2734...!3m1!1e3?hl=en

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2746...!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Syndic · #**253** Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 4:05 AM**

Gah damn, that will be such a huge improvement.

It will be funny when all of the work is done, the fence comes down, Waterloo Park becomes a destination again and all of the transplants who have been here for ~10 years finally discover what Waterloo Park is.

Syndic · #**254** Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 4:19 AM**

Speaking of which... something I've been waiting for: a recent-ish picture of the Waterloo Park project is now on the official website, which says it will re-open in 2020.

Should be a great scene once it's all finished and events are going on there.

Jdawgboy · #**255** Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

Speaking of which... something I've been waiting for: a recent-ish picture of the Waterloo Park project is now on the official website, which says it will re-open in 2020.

Should be a great scene once it's all finished and events are going on there.

There are views of DT that are super impressive, then there's views like this. In terms of how the skyline looks, it's pretty bleh and unimpressive. What a difference elevation and angle make from one view to the next.

Mopacs · #**256** Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 5:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

There are views of DT that are super impressive, then there's views like this. In terms of how the skyline looks, it's pretty bleh and unimpressive. What a difference elevation and angle make from one view to the next.

I think the Indeed and Republic towers alone will make an enormous difference in the appearance of our skyline from those northern angles. Not to mention 6 x Guadalupe and even Block 185. All will be more substantial in size and appearance than the relatively slender Austonian and Independent (at least from those angles).

The ATX · #**257** Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 11:30 PM**

A site plan was filed today for "Red River Realignment". The address for the project is the same one used for the Brackenridge site: 601 E 15TH ST.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/perm...ertyrsn=328450

paul78701 · #**258** Posted **Aug 9, 2019, 11:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

There are views of DT that are super impressive, then there's views like this. In terms of how the skyline looks, it's pretty bleh and unimpressive. What a difference elevation and angle make from one view to the next.

Replacing those damn state parking garages with some decent developments would do a lot for that area. I know that's probably wishful thinking in the short run though.

H2O · #**259** Posted **Aug 10, 2019, 12:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul78701

Replacing those damn state parking garages with some decent developments would do a lot for that area. I know that's probably wishful thinking in the short run though.

It is part of the Capitol Complex Master Plan: http://www.tfc.state.tx.us/divisions...an_ADOPTED.pdf

Evidence shows when the state decides to do something, they go big. I believe all the underground parking currently under construction is key to unlocking the development potential of those parking garage blocks.

The ATX · #**260** Posted **Aug 22, 2019, 7:20 PM**

A permit for two tower cranes for Block 164 was filed.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/perm...rtyrsn=5712294