AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III

[KevinFromTexas]

While we're on the subject of Nimbys...

By the way, I do not feel bad about calling them Nimbys. You can stop something from getting built if you complain enough, but no one can stop people from moving here. Calling them "no-growthers" would suggest they have the ability to stop growth. No one can do that.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...inglePage=true

Austin City Council approaches vote on overarching growth plan

By Marty Toohey
Published: 8:44 p.m. Sunday, June 10, 2012

The City Council could adopt the plan Thursday. The vote follows a cantankerous two-year drafting process freighted with the hopes, dreams, fears and mistrust of the citizens who were involved in its creation.

"It's an elitist plan," neighborhood activist Jeff Jack said.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

While we're on the subject of Nimbys...

By the way, I do not feel bad about calling them Nimbys. You can stop something from getting built if you complain enough, but no one can stop people from moving here. Calling them "no-growthers" would suggest they have the ability to stop growth. No one can do that.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...inglePage=true

"Central Austin activists successfully pressured the city to reduce the population-density targets in their neighborhoods. This led some East Austin neighborhood leaders to view Imagine Austin as a continuation of social forces that have historically worked in the favor of the neighborhoods west of Interstate 35 to the detriment of East Austin...

"Austin is to be a compact and connected city, yet the ... goals largely excuse the wealthiest and most stable West Austin neighborhood..."

Yeah, this is why I loathe NIMBYs so much. It's always the established, well-to-do folks who are complaining and getting their way. I mean, I'm against NIMBYism in East Austin, too, because really their property values are only going up, so it's not like they're not benefiting from new development. But I just tend to sympathize/empathize with those who are more helpless and it's true that property taxes have the effect of pushing them out.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/pr...s-for-49m.html

Austin's Capitol Tower sells for $49M

One of CBD’s biggest sales of late signals a coming wave of activity
Austin Business Journal by Jan Buchholz, Staff Writer
Date: Friday, June 8, 2012, 5:00am CDT - Last Modified: Thursday, June 7, 2012, 2:21pm CDT

A Massachusetts-based real estate investment firm paid $49 million for a 20-story office building in downtown Austin — Capitol Tower at 206 E. Ninth St.

[Urbannizer]

Green Water Treatment Plant Redevelopment











Link

More Renderings

[Complex01]

Love that building. Looks amazing...

[KevinFromTexas]

Tons of renderings included with this article.

http://www.statesman.com/business/re...inglePage=true

Downtown's skyline poised for a remake

By Shonda Novak
Updated: 12:07 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Published: 10:45 p.m. Monday, June 11, 2012

Downtown Austin's high-rise building boom is back.

After a hiatus during the recession, the development pipeline is swelling with tower projects; some are under construction, some are set to start soon, and others are due to begin next year or later.

If built as planned over the next several years — and even developers say it's unlikely all will become reality — the projects would reshape downtown Austin's skyline.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Tons of renderings included with this article.

http://www.statesman.com/business/re...inglePage=true

What's impressive about the current boom is that the buildings mentioned in the article are only the ones that are either under construction or expected to start soon. And it doesn't even include the high rises already under construction around West Campus! There are so many other proposals as well as the Green site and the future Waller Creek River Walk that we are looking at a major amount cranes over the next few years. We already have quite a few (Dozen?) around central Austin.

[BevoLJ]

Made a bunch of updates to the op. Kevin could you please take a look and make sure I didn't miss or screw up anything? lol.

From that article you posted I changed a few things. A name change for Rainey Center. The floor count of the Gables II and Whitley, as well as added some of the renderings into appropriate spoilers. And I moved the Skyhouse up to approved and made a guesstimate of 270 feet for its height.

Anyone know the approximate completion or opening date for the new Federal Courthouse and Cirrus HQ?

Edit: Also got some new updated pictures from Cirrus that I will add.

[KevinFromTexas]

Compilation from that article. If all this stuff happens, we'll probably end up having the biggest decade for skyscraper construction ever in Austin. And this is just the stuff we know about, and actually, this article missed some of the smaller projects in the 10 to 12 floor range. And this is only for downtown. This isn't even including West Campus projects and what might be built at University Park and the South Shore, plus other projects around town such as at Mueller or the Domain.

Projected Start dates:

18 high rises total in this list that might be starting construction in the next year or two. Most of them will be starting this year or next. And again, this only for downtown!

Gables Park Plaza II - 18 floors (Under construction)
3rd & Brazos - 16 floors (under construction)
SkyHouse - 23 floors (Start July 2012)
Colorado & 3rd - 30 floors (Start late 2012)
The Fairmont Austin - 48 floors (Start Spring 2013)
JW Marriott - 33 floors - (Start June 2012 "summer" by article's quote)
Rainey Center - 50 floors (two buildings) - (Start Undetermined)
Seaholm Plaza Apartments - 28 floors - (Start Late July)
Austin Energy Control Center Site - 30-40 floors (two towers) - (Start 2014 - 2015)
Green Water Site - Two 30 floor towers, 28 floor tower and 17 floor tower - (Start early 2013)
Future Whole Foods Headquarters - 20 floors - (Start late 2013)
3 eleven Bowie - 36 floors - (Start third quarter this year)
IBC Bank Plaza - 13 floors - (Start December 2012)

EDIT - Looks good, Bevo. Thanks.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Compilation from that article. If all this stuff happens, we'll probably end up having the biggest decade for skyscraper construction ever in Austin. And this is just the stuff we know about. And this is only for downtown. This isn't even including West Campus projects and what might be built at University Park and the South Shore, plus other projects around town such as at Mueller or the Domain.

Projected Start dates:

18 high rises total in this list that might be starting construction in the next year or two. Most of them will be starting this year or next. And again, this only for downtown.

Gables Park Plaza II - 18 floors (Under construction)
3rd & Brazos - 16 floors (under construction)
SkyHouse - 23 floors (Start July 2012)
Colorado & 3rd - 30 floors (Start late 2012)
The Fairmont Austin - 48 floors (Start Spring 2013)
JW Marriott - 33 floors - (Start June 2012 "summer" by article's quote)
Rainey Center - 50 floors (two buildings) - (Start Undetermined)
Seaholm Plaza Apartments - 28 floors - (Start Late July)
Austin Energy Control Center Site - 30-40 floors (two towers) - (Start 2014 - 2015)
Green Water Site - Two 30 floor towers, 28 floor tower and 17 floor tower - (Start early 2013)
Future Whole Foods Headquarters - 20 floors - (Start late 2013)
3 eleven Bowie - 36 floors - (Start third quarter this year)
IBC Bank Plaza - 13 floors - (Start December 2012)

Obviously none of this includes things that will be announced later in the decade. We should assume that we'll get a few more condo towers and a fair amount of office space later in the decade after the apartment sector cools down and the economic recovery accelerates.

[BevoLJ]

What is the IBC Bank Plaza?

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

What is the IBC Bank Plaza?

500 W. Fifth St. (5th and San Antonio).

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

What is the IBC Bank Plaza?

Originally Posted by JoninATX

It's being designed by Gensler, who is also doing the Fairmont Austin.

It was listed on their website, but now I can't find it.

Novare was originally going to develop two towers. One on the post office site, which is still planned I assume as a 40-story tower. They said it would be around 550 feet tall. The 2nd tower would have been 480 feet tall I believe with 35 floors. I think the taller tower is still planned. Novare, by the way, also did 360 and is developing SkyHouse.

[BevoLJ]

At the post office? If a 13 story bank is what is going to replace the post office on that lot by Republic Sq Park I would be very disappointed. I had a lot of hopes for that lot.

Edit: NVM. That is the 400 block. The next one to the west is the 500 block. I'm guess where that parking lot is across from the Federal Courthouse?

[BevoLJ]

Wow that is a pretty dense cluster of buildings. lol.

[Jdawgboy]

Nice but TOO SHORT lol. Hopefully as maket dictates we will see taller but if they stay the same height it will continue to make our skyline fairly flat looking.

[AusTex]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Nice but TOO SHORT lol. Hopefully as maket dictates we will see taller but if they stay the same height it will continue to make our skyline fairly flat looking.

I agree! I like the density, however two hulking buildings that look the same on the waterfront is a colossal mistake. It will flatten our terrific skyline PERMANENTLY. The location absolutely demands that the two towers on the water front be varied by height at minimum and preferably by style as well. Twin towers at this location is a bad choice IMO. Keep Austin Weird! Don't homogenize our waterfront!

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by austex

I agree! I like the density, however two hulking buildings that look the same on the waterfront is a colossal mistake. It will flatten our terrific skyline PERMANENTLY. The location absolutely demands that the two towers on the water front be varied by height at minimum and preferably by style as well. Twin towers at this location is a bad choice IMO. Keep Austin Weird! Don't homogenize our waterfront!

I love the designs, but I do agree with you.

Edit: Something to note, though, is that the two residential buildings are not going to be the same height. The tower on block 1 (eastern tower) is a few floors taller than the tower on block 185. That's probably a good 40 feet.

[JGFrisco]

F1 has a long history of failure in the United States. LA couldn't make it work...Phoenix couldn't...Indy couldn't. If Austin can, great, but call me skeptical.

WRT pro sports teams, I'm talking about the big 3 in general, MLB, NBA, and the NFL. The NFL simply won't happen, because of the Cowboys and Texans not allowing it and because of competition with the Horns.

WRT the NBA, there's already a team within 75 miles. The Spurs will never allow Austin to get a team. They are inside the blackout zone. The only way Austin gets a team is if they build a free stadium for the Spurs and give them a billion dollars, and get the Spurs to move up I-35. If you are using the Kings as an example, you might want to realize that they are losing money in Sacramento, and are threatening to bail out.

And baseball isn't going to happen either. Austin is far too small for today's MLB.

This is just reality. There are three larger markets within 3 hours of Austin. Austin's a great place, a special place, but there are enormous hurdles for major sports teams. I wouldn't be surprised if Austin tried to get an MLS team, or even maybe tried to lure an NHL team, but it's going to take big public bucks, something Austin generally hasn't been interested in doing.

[AusTxDevelopment]

Originally Posted by austex

I agree! I like the density, however two hulking buildings that look the same on the waterfront is a colossal mistake. It will flatten our terrific skyline PERMANENTLY. The location absolutely demands that the two towers on the water front be varied by height at minimum and preferably by style as well. Twin towers at this location is a bad choice IMO. Keep Austin Weird! Don't homogenize our waterfront!

I wouldn't worry about the skyline being too flat. According to the City, below is a rendering of what Austin's CBD will look like if all the proposed buildings get built (image is from the Downtown Austin Plan Summary, page 2). You can read all about it at http://www.austintexas.gov/department/downtown-plan Scroll down the page to access all the links. If you have the time and patience, there's some very interesting development information, including renderings, in those materials.