Texas Capitol Complex & North Austin Complex Projects Update Thread

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by ToTheSky

I wonder what happened here? I checked the cam on Sunday and didn't see the crawler nor were either of the two cranes erected. At first I thought the cam must have locked up and was stuck on a past point in time, but then I checked out the site on my way to and from work Monday and nada. No crane pieces, no crawler, no erected cranes. Anyone have any idea what could have happened? Maybe they brought the wrong crane segments? That would be a serious faux pas.

I was wondering that too. The crane was assembled on Friday and left fully erect Friday night; then disassembled and trucked off on Saturday. The crane pieces were moved out of view to the right of the webcam. So the pieces may be for 1836 San Jacinto like Jon said.

[ToTheSky]

Originally Posted by The ATX

I was wondering that too. The crane was assembled on Friday and left fully erect Friday night; then disassembled and trucked off on Saturday. The crane pieces were moved out of view to the right of the webcam. So the pieces may be for 1836 San Jacinto like Jon said.

That's exactly what they were for. I could see the crane being erected yesterday evening around 6:30 as I was driving home. That's really odd that they erected one of the 1801 Congress cranes, then dismantled it. It's kind of cool that it could be that there are so many cranes coming to this part of town that it's confusing where they're supposed to set up and when! If you think about the two or three square miles around 1801 Congress, there are a lot of cranes that will dotting the landscape. Will look like a midrise version of downtown Miami circa 2005/2006.

[The ATX]

Crane nerd alert...I noticed that the view from the new Texas Mall webcam shows the three cranes up at the North Austin Complex.


https://public.workzonecam.com/proje...archiveId=Home

[KevinFromTexas]

Wow. That building is sticking up pretty nicely there, too.

[Mopacs]

Interesting.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...expansion.html

Mike Novak holds the keys to the state of Texas’ major office project, the expansion of the Capitol Complex. Brokers, landlords and anyone interested in downtown real estate needs to hear his plan.

If anyone has access to the full article, I'd like to know more.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Interesting.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...expansion.html



If anyone has access to the full article, I'd like to know more.

Control+U let's you read the article in the page source code. It was a long article but did not have much info that we didn't know already.

Some tidbits:

The state is also the biggest employer in the Austin area with about 63,000 workers, according to the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

The Texas Lottery Commission's plan to vacate its large lease at Grant Plaza at 601 E. Sixth Street, just west of I-35, will create an opportunity for property owner Empire Square Group LLC.

Novak said the 19 agencies and 1,379 full-time employees that fill the Hobby Building in downtown will be moved to the Capitol Complex in 2022. However, if any of those agencies receive federal funding, they could lease elsewhere and subsidize the cost."

The new owners won’t take possession of the Hobby Building, though, until the first phase of buildings open at the Capitol in 2022.

A potential third phase of the Capitol Complex expansion could add at least two more buildings, if it receives funding from the Texas Legislature.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Interesting.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...expansion.html



If anyone has access to the full article, I'd like to know more.

In a related article, https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...-building.html we get some (disappointing) info on the future of a state garage and chiller downtown.

The Hobby Building could hit the market by 2021 after the state’s General Land Office receives an appraisal on the building and determines the best way to maximize the value of the property, said Mike Novak, executive director of the Texas Facilities Commission, which manages the building.

The new owners won’t be able to take possession of the property until state employees can move into new offices at the Capitol Complex in 2022.

A chilling system on the block won’t be sold, according to TFC. The state also won’t sell a parking garage at 300 San Antonio St.

Also, anyone with an Austin Public Library account should have access to Bizjournals.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

Also, anyone with an Austin Public Library account should have access to Bizjournals.

Sweet. Thanks for that tip. I re-logged into my account with that linked info. It worked. It only works for Austin articles though.

[The ATX]

Five cranes clustered in this view. A sixth one is just out of view to the left.


https://public.workzonecam.com/proje...archiveId=Home

[Austin1971]

[

[KevinFromTexas]

FAA permit for the 1601 Congress tower crane - 297 feet.

Work Schedule: 12/01/2019 to 08/31/2021

https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external...17308616&row=6

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

FAA permit for the 1601 Congress tower crane - 297 feet.

Work Schedule: 12/01/2019 to 08/31/2021

https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external...17308616&row=6

Tower crane plan for 1601 Congress.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...er%20Crane.pdf

[KevinFromTexas]

Yep. And that's without considering the lower part of downtown that will be adding some more next year with 6 X Guadalupe, 44 East, Naiitvo, Hanover Republic Square, Avenue Hotel/Hyatt Centric, 5th & Brazos, Block 164, and at least one of the Travis Towers. That's probably another 12 cranes at least on top of what is already in the lower part of downtown located at Block 185, 300 Colorado, 305 Colorado, Indeed Tower, The Quincy, Alexan Capitol, which is 8 I believe. Plus, RiverSouth will have 2 just across the river from downtown.

It's possible we could end up seeing 30 cranes or more on the skyline over the next year. I'm not even counting the ones that haven't begun demo/construction yet.

[The ATX]

Six cranes up in this view with a seventh just out of view to the left.


https://public.workzonecam.com/proje...archiveId=Home

[The ATX]

Some of you may have noticed that the original Texas Mall/1601 Congress/1801 Congress construction webcams went off line. But there are three new Earthcams showing the construction progress! I added the link to the sticky thread.

https://public.earthcam.net/tJ90CoLm...apitol_complex


Here's a video showing what Phase I will look like when completed. Phase one is the Texas Mall, 1601 & 1801 Congress.

Video Link

EDIT: Check out the Block 164 progress on the 1601 Congress webcam.

[Tyrone Shoes]

I really think it would be great if the first couple of floors of each office building would be some sort of museum...science, art etc. The Bullock and Blanton as anchors on MLK

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

I really think it would be great if the first couple of floors of each office building would be some sort of museum...science, art etc. The Bullock and Blanton as anchors on MLK

There were plans to have a museum on the first floor of one of the buildings. Initially, the talk was that it would be a Texas Music History Museum or something similar. I don't remember the exact details. I'm not sure how far they got with those museum plans or what became of them.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

I really think it would be great if the first couple of floors of each office building would be some sort of museum...science, art etc. The Bullock and Blanton as anchors on MLK

That's certainly better than nothing, but I'd rather see each individual museum inside of its own unique and preferably iconic building.

[Tyrone Shoes]

Not really part of the Texas Capitol complex but since it's on MLK at Congress it's the North End of Congress Ave North I kinda figured it'd be an anchor....

UT to put $10 million donation toward Blanton upgrade, more outdoor art

By Amanda O’Donnell
Posted Feb 12, 2020 at 5:31 PM

With the help of a recent $10 million donation, a few more of the University of Texas at Austin’s Forty Acres could soon be adorned with outdoor art.....Half of the money will go toward the Blanton Museum of Art’s plans to update the museum’s grounds.....The Blanton updates will create a new “Texas mall” that will “form a vital connection between the university, the city of Austin and the Texas State Capitol Complex,” according to the press release..... “People have a little bit of trouble finding the museum sometimes; there’s not any exterior branding that is very apparent. Sometimes it can be difficult to get to the museum entrance ... so we’re redesigning the grounds and how people enter the museum and how the find their way to the parking garage.”

https://www.austin360.com/news/20200...re-outdoor-art

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

Not really part of the Texas Capitol complex but since it's on MLK at Congress it's the North End of Congress Ave North I kinda figured it'd be an anchor....

UT to put $10 million donation toward Blanton upgrade, more outdoor art

By Amanda O’Donnell
Posted Feb 12, 2020 at 5:31 PM

With the help of a recent $10 million donation, a few more of the University of Texas at Austin’s Forty Acres could soon be adorned with outdoor art.....Half of the money will go toward the Blanton Museum of Art’s plans to update the museum’s grounds.....The Blanton updates will create a new “Texas mall” that will “form a vital connection between the university, the city of Austin and the Texas State Capitol Complex,” according to the press release..... “People have a little bit of trouble finding the museum sometimes; there’s not any exterior branding that is very apparent. Sometimes it can be difficult to get to the museum entrance ... so we’re redesigning the grounds and how people enter the museum and how the find their way to the parking garage.”

https://www.austin360.com/news/20200...re-outdoor-art

There was also " talk " this would include a crosswalk over MLK.! That would be really useful..... and another design opportunity.