AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[Maximusx1]

Originally Posted by jkconno

If it is he sticks with the bit in every thread.

No kidding. I wonder if he ever goes back and reads his posts. The commitment to negativity would be impressive if it wasn't so sad

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by ahealy

Also, I think what Michael might be saying is that his neighborhood's smaller-older-grittier (maybe historic) structures are going fast for the bulldozer. While I don't fully agree with the sentiment, I hope whatever replaces it isn't a blue box....and if it is make it pretty!

Yep. And it doesn’t need to about Dallas. My bad. Any soulless area where all texture has been bulldozed will do! ;-/.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by migol24

Yeah, I don't get it. So is San Francisco also becoming like Dallas everytime they build something new? I get that it sucks seeing local staples being turned over into new development. But calling it Dallas is an exaggeration.

Point missed. Broad comparison as bad as me using Dallas I guess.
Noted.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by jkconno

If it is he sticks with the bit in every thread.

Yeah. I,m here and hear you.
It’s not a bit.
It’s not a game.
It’s my hood. And if you take time you’ll know I support growth and good architecture. I do not support wholesale bulldozing of the texture of a city. Especially one that was so small so recently and has little left in terms of depth of style.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Yep. And it doesn’t need to about Dallas. My bad. Any soulless area where all texture has been bulldozed will do! ;-/.

I personally don't have a problem with that. I agree in preserving the texture.

But the Dallas comparisons aren't entirely accurate. Those Dallas comparisons came about like 15 years ago when any development in downtown was a "Dallas" of Austin. And it was a term mostly coined by NIMBYs, who had it all backwards to begin with because their apathy for suburban sprawl and highway constructions were the real cause of "Dallasization", if you will.

But I'm not against your true sentiments about preserving some of our old architectural culture. We should have done that since way back in the early 1900s. I expressed that in that photo KevinfromTexas posted in the other thread. Austin would have been more charming and beautiful than it already is, the same way that New Orleans or San Francisco is, or at least in that notion of it. That's why I still think San Antonio is the most beautiful Texas city in terms of its architectural preservation.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

It's been mentioned before, but I can't imagine Burnet County not joining the metro area by 2030. Spicewood and especially Marble Falls are set to grow significantly with large residential developments in the works. Also Liberty Hill is creeping closer to the Burnet County line along highway 29.

Yeah, definitely agree.


......

And yes, Austin is a major city. I just know it is because I feel like it is, dadgummit. And my feelings matter, goshdarnit.

Beyond that, the fact that we've had billions of investment from companies coming here to either build up shop or increase their current foot print is significantly less important than a sports team. I mean...we should go for all the weird sports. Soccer is fun and all, I guess people around the world kinda like it. F1 is moderately appreciated outside of our area as well.

That said, I'm a Cowboys fan (painful), a Rangers fan (also painful), and a Spurs fan (was awesome for a long time). Not really into hockey but I appreciate it.

I'm also a fan of 98 Red River. I feel like that team is really gonna get off the ground this year.

[ILUVSAT]

Please take this conversation to the MISC thread. I keep seeing new posts - hoping it's actually new news on this tower. But, it isn't.

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by Maximusx1

No kidding. I wonder if he ever goes back and reads his posts. The commitment to negativity would be impressive if it wasn't so sad

Don't be rude.

Criticism and negativity are not the same things.

[Lobotomizer]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Yeah. I,m here and hear you.
It’s not a bit.
It’s not a game.
It’s my hood. And if you take time you’ll know I support growth and good architecture. I do not support wholesale bulldozing of the texture of a city. Especially one that was so small so recently and has little left in terms of depth of style.

Do surface parking lots add "texture" to your hood? Do you believe surface parking lots are more important than adding much needed housing in your hood?

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by drummer

Yeah, definitely agree.


......

And yes, Austin is a major city. I just know it is because I feel like it is, dadgummit. And my feelings matter, goshdarnit.

Beyond that, the fact that we've had billions of investment from companies coming here to either build up shop or increase their current foot print is significantly less important than a sports team. I mean...we should go for all the weird sports. Soccer is fun and all, I guess people around the world kinda like it. F1 is moderately appreciated outside of our area as well.

That said, I'm a Cowboys fan (painful), a Rangers fan (also painful), and a Spurs fan (was awesome for a long time). Not really into hockey but I appreciate it.

I'm also a fan of 98 Red River. I feel like that team is really gonna get off the ground this year.

Cowboys, Rangers, Spurs and Stars fan here, too.

[ahealy]

Y'all need to chill. This ain't reddit and we're allowed to have varying degrees of opinions on growth without receiving personal jabs about them.

Originally Posted by Lobotomizer

Do surface parking lots add "texture" to your hood? Do you believe surface parking lots are more important than adding much needed housing in your hood?

Read past comments, Michael explained his stance.

[MichaelB]

edit.
Almost took the bait.

[AustinYIMBY]

Everybody is not required to be 100% for every development/redevelopment or 100% against each one. There are a lot of factors that make for a strong neighborhood/city/region and bulldozing the existing and build a bigger in its place is not always the answer. In this specific case, I am torn because, while this is a downtown lot currently being, what can be seen as underutilized, it does have character vs the sterile new buildings that are being built all over. It is also one of the few places to eat a normal meal close to the capitol. It is really easy for people to say "well they can occupy the new retail space in the new building...", but that rarely ever happens. The rent will almost certainly be more expensive, all of the character of the old restaurant is lost and what is the restaurant supposed to do in the 2-3 years of construction? Instead of a reasonably priced local tex-mex restaurant, the new building (if it has ground floor retail) will most likely have some boutique shops owned by people who are rich and bored, a spa or an expensive bougie restaurant.
I know that turned negative pretty quickly, but it seems that so many posters on this site think that what is most important is how a building looks in the skyline or how it looks as you are driving by. It is important for things to look nice, so that we aren't living in a strictly functional monoculture, but a gas station convenience store benefits the neighborhood much more than a majority of the boutique shops that end up being able to afford rent in many of these mixed use buildings.
To continue on the devil's advocate/unpopular opinion train...in some cases I think the point can be made that a surface parking lot is more beneficial to a neighborhood than a luxury condo building would be. For instance, parking lots can be used for farmer's markets, tailgates and other events on the weekends/evenings that draw in people from all over the city and serve as important community building events. But a luxury condo building will usually be half empty most of time, and will never be accessible to the people that have made Austin the "cool", "weird", and desirable place it has been.
As my username suggests, I am generally in favor of development especially when it comes to multi-family housing in existing residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, and understand that this city desperately needs more housing options. But if that is all the city needs, nobody would be talking about the aesthetics of these buildings at all, and everybody would be happy to see the 50's era massive residential projects make a come-back.
Sorry for the rambling. I am sure that several of you will have good counterpoints to my opinions, and they are welcomed!

[Lobotomizer]

Originally Posted by ahealy

Y'all need to chill. This ain't reddit and we're allowed to have varying degrees of opinions on growth without receiving personal jabs about them.



Read past comments, Michael explained his stance.

Correct, but people are allowed to think some people's opinions are terrible as well.

[drummer]

So, Austin Project Updates, yeah? How are those projects going? Let's quit arguing about stuff and move on now.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by Lobotomizer

Supposing you are a fan of another city's sports teams, Austin having a team in the same league would still be a plus for you.

The Rangers, or Cowboys, or Spurs, or whatever would ome and play games in Austin if it had a team in those leagues.

The Spurs are already one of the smallest market NBA teams. That combined with the Mavericks and Rockets leaves no chance for an NBA team in Austin.

On a hockey note, when the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas, they blew the perfect opportunity to become the Texas Lone Stars. The Dallas Stars sounds about as impressive as the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by AustinYIMBY

Everybody is not required to be 100% for every development/redevelopment or 100% against each one. There are a lot of factors that make for a strong neighborhood/city/region and bulldozing the existing and build a bigger in its place is not always the answer. In this specific case, I am torn because, while this is a downtown lot currently being, what can be seen as underutilized, it does have character vs the sterile new buildings that are being built all over. It is also one of the few places to eat a normal meal close to the capitol. It is really easy for people to say "well they can occupy the new retail space in the new building...", but that rarely ever happens. The rent will almost certainly be more expensive, all of the character of the old restaurant is lost and what is the restaurant supposed to do in the 2-3 years of construction? Instead of a reasonably priced local tex-mex restaurant, the new building (if it has ground floor retail) will most likely have some boutique shops owned by people who are rich and bored, a spa or an expensive bougie restaurant.
I know that turned negative pretty quickly, but it seems that so many posters on this site think that what is most important is how a building looks in the skyline or how it looks as you are driving by. It is important for things to look nice, so that we aren't living in a strictly functional monoculture, but a gas station convenience store benefits the neighborhood much more than a majority of the boutique shops that end up being able to afford rent in many of these mixed use buildings.
To continue on the devil's advocate/unpopular opinion train...in some cases I think the point can be made that a surface parking lot is more beneficial to a neighborhood than a luxury condo building would be. For instance, parking lots can be used for farmer's markets, tailgates and other events on the weekends/evenings that draw in people from all over the city and serve as important community building events. But a luxury condo building will usually be half empty most of time, and will never be accessible to the people that have made Austin the "cool", "weird", and desirable place it has been.
As my username suggests, I am generally in favor of development especially when it comes to multi-family housing in existing residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, and understand that this city desperately needs more housing options. But if that is all the city needs, nobody would be talking about the aesthetics of these buildings at all, and everybody would be happy to see the 50's era massive residential projects make a come-back.
Sorry for the rambling. I am sure that several of you will have good counterpoints to my opinions, and they are welcomed!

[AustinYIMBY]

Originally Posted by drummer

So, Austin Project Updates, yeah? How are those projects going? Let's quit arguing about stuff and move on now.

I'm all for that. Mods are welcome to move my post to Misc Discussion.

[urbancore]

saw my first Austin FC match last Saturday. WOW!

10/10....def will be back.

if you haven't been, treat yourself.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by urbancore

saw my first Austin FC match last Saturday. WOW!

10/10....def will be back.

if you haven't been, treat yourself.

It does look amazing from a TV POV. I'm happy for its success, but I'm not into
MLS or related... However, I did get tickets to the Eagles at the Moody Ctr in May. I'm stoked about seeing the new arena, and the Eagles.