AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by brianpm14

Drove Vista on Lavaca yesterday around 5pm, the two concrete forms on the southwest corner were set with black ribbons/bows around them, sort of like someone died? That building is going so slow, is that deliberate?

RE: LaVista. I live in Cambridge... and as I have joked on here, my view is now a 10 story weather vein! We can't find out what is going on. All the folks are very tight lipped. The sales office is open. We have tried to talk to crew when someone is around..... they won't say anything. Funny you should ask about the ribbons..... someone was indeed killed on the site last year. We have actually wondered if the stopage somehow was related.... just don't know. We still have hopes that they will cont. becasue the crane is still up. Will let you know if we find out anything.

[shanny]

[hismasterplan]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

Here's an article about Green.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/07/0507green.html

There goes the 360 resident's view of the hill country.

[CHAPINM1]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

No, at this point the W would be the 4th tallest.

Here's how the list would look once these three are finished with the Frost Bank Tower in the mix.

The Austonian - 683 feet - 56 floors
360 Condominiums - 563 feet - 44 floors
Frost Bank Tower - 515 feet - 33 floors
W Hotel Austin & Residences - 478 feet - 37 floors

However, the W Hotel & Residences will have a higher roof than 360 Condominiums' roof (6 feet taller). And if you don't include Frost Bank Tower's crown as the roof (technically the mechanical penthouse is the "roof" at 442 feet), then the W would have the 2nd highest roof in the city, with The Austonian having the highest of course.

I was forgetting all about 360, anyway I'm glad it's there. I guess I was right in the middle though seeing as that it will be the 4th tallest in the city, yet will be the 2nd tallest roof height.

[KevinFromTexas]

Are you kidding me??!! The two tallest ones look to be about 600 feet. Several others above 400 feet tall. Some of those look like Sim City buildings.

[CHAPINM1]

For some reason I was, I guess I was thinking about Frost Bank seeing as how that broke the 423 foot peak which stood for 20 years AND the Astonian. I remember when 360 broke ground in the summer of 2006, I was pretty excited about that, and it's finally done with just a few nitches here and there, but I'd say it's done overall.

Anyway, I'm also very anxious to hear what's next for the T. Stacy & Associates Hotel & Condo Tower. At 830 feet, once that project gets built, Austin's tallest building will surpass the tallest here in Minneapolis/St. Paul by 38 feet... Not to mention, Austin's tallest will also be less than 100 feet shorter than the tallest building in Dallas and less than 200 feet shorter than the tallest building in Houston.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by CHAPINM1

For some reason I was, I guess I was thinking about Frost Bank seeing as how that broke the 423 foot peak which stood for 20 years AND the Astonian. I remember when 360 broke ground in the summer of 2006, I was pretty excited about that, and it's finally done with just a few nitches here and there, but I'd say it's done overall.

Anyway, I'm also very anxious to hear what's next for the T. Stacy & Associates Hotel & Condo Tower. At 830 feet, once that project gets built, Austin's tallest building will surpass the tallest here in Minneapolis/St. Paul by 38 feet... Not to mention, Austin's tallest will also be less than 100 feet shorter than the tallest building in Dallas and less than 200 feet shorter than the tallest building in Houston.

That post above wasn't directed at you. I was just drooling over the new proposal at the Green Plant. But yep, Austin is well on its way to being #3 in Texas in the skyline department. Quite amazing. 10 years ago we didn't even register on the meter.

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

Here's an article about Green.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/05/07/0507green.html

Wow! Hope this comes to fruition

Notice the 2-story HEB at 2nd and San Antonio (Stratus' proposal):
http://www.statesman.com/ap/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=107130

[Saddle Man]

[QUOTE=Mopacs;3535632]Wow! Hope this comes to fruition

Notice the 2-story HEB at 2nd and San Antonio (Stratus' proposal):
http://www.statesman.com/ap/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=107130




What's that white building where the Hobby Building is supposed to be?

[GoldenBoot]

I like visions proposed by Trammel Crow (#1) and Stratus Properties (#2) the best! However, knowing this city, we'll end up with something very bland, like Simmons Vedder's proposal (my least favorite).

My second least favorite is Forest City/Novare's proposal. Even though I like the height of the 41-story tower on the Austin Energy site, I'm not so sure about the architectural aesthetics as well as what seems to be a 10-story "wall" they are proposing along Cesar Chavez.

Architecturally, I believe the Trammel Crow proposal seems to be the most progressive and makes more of a statement than the rest. Then again, Stratus’ proposal leaves a whole lot to the imagination due to the lack of renderings of the sites from the air.

[jgouger]

Wow! I really like that proposal by Stratus! Having a two story HEB in downtown would be huge! That alone may be enough of a catalyst to drive people that were having doubts about living downtown to go ahead and move downtown. Yes, Whole Paycheck is very nice, but for the people that are out of that league a HEB would be a lot better for the masses. One thing that may be another major driving factor for their proposal is that if it also includes a movie theater and either a Golds Gym or 24 Hour Fitness. There is a project under construction in Miami called Met 3 which incorporates a Whole Paycheck, 24 Hour Fitness, movie theater, shopping mall and an 860' condo tower too! A proposal with these elements would be huge for downtown!

[Nightfeed]

Originally Posted by jgouger

Wow! I really like that proposal by Stratus! Having a two story HEB in downtown would be huge! That alone may be enough of a catalyst to drive people that were having doubts about living downtown to go ahead and move downtown. Yes, Whole Paycheck is very nice, but for the people that are out of that league a HEB would be a lot better for the masses. One thing that may be another major driving factor for their proposal is that if it also includes a movie theater and either a Golds Gym or 24 Hour Fitness. There is a project under construction in Miami called Met 3 which incorporates a Whole Paycheck, 24 Hour Fitness, movie theater, shopping mall and an 860' condo tower too! A proposal with these elements would be huge for downtown!

I completely agree! A nice, clean, modern HEB downtown would be fantastic.

[austin242]

Go stratus most retail, by far #1 , next would be #2 tramell cro , after that #3forest city , next #4 cattelus , and last and the least likable #5 simmons vedder and did anyone else notice what looks to be a bunch of solar panels on the tramell crows project it looks like they are going for a platinum or gold L.E.E.D. design.

[austin242]

go to http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/seaholm/green.htm to see stats press on the pdf.

[Saddle Man]

[/QUOTE] did anyone else notice what looks to be a bunch of solar panels on the tramell crows project it looks like they are going for a platinum or gold L.E.E.D. design.[/QUOTE]

That's why I like it the best. Lots of buildings, variety in design, tons of solar, and finally some GREEN ROOFS! Austin should require green roofs on all new buildings, get already built ones retrofitted. Developers should always put them in even if they're not required.

[Aiphanes]

Yes they do need a movie theatre, mall and a HEB Plus somewhere in Downtown Austin.

[KevinFromTexas]

[QUOTE=kingkirbythegreat;3535664]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Wow! Hope this comes to fruition

Notice the 2-story HEB at 2nd and San Antonio (Stratus' proposal):
http://www.statesman.com/ap/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=107130




What's that white building where the Hobby Building is supposed to be?

There are two mock models shown there. The one farther to the right is the W Austin Hotel & Residences. The one to the left that appears to be where the Hobby Building is is actually the Museum Tower (Cesar Pelli tower). That building would be just across the street from AMLI on 2nd to the north.

I believe they included those two projects in the rendering because they were trying to show that the Green and Seaholm sites aren't really that far out from the existing or planned projects. Thanks to Laura Morrison there's probably some grumbling going on about this

Thanks for taking those renderings and placing them on your photos, Mopacs. Helps everyone understand where this is in downtown. Very cool.

I'm loving this. 2nd Street has become one of my favorite areas of downtown. So I'm loving that they are extending and expanding it. I'd like to see the street pushed as far west as possible. There's not enough through traffic on the southern end of downtown because of the creek. I would like to see 2nd Street connected as best as possible with Lamar and West Avenue.

[worldcreator]

Originally Posted by jgouger

Wow! I really like that proposal by Stratus! Having a two story HEB in downtown would be huge! That alone may be enough of a catalyst to drive people that were having doubts about living downtown to go ahead and move downtown. Yes, Whole Paycheck is very nice, but for the people that are out of that league a HEB would be a lot better for the masses. One thing that may be another major driving factor for their proposal is that if it also includes a movie theater and either a Golds Gym or 24 Hour Fitness. There is a project under construction in Miami called Met 3 which incorporates a Whole Paycheck, 24 Hour Fitness, movie theater, shopping mall and an 860' condo tower too! A proposal with these elements would be huge for downtown!

Whole "Paycheck" is right LOL. Their prices are unbelievable. Especially for the ready-made foods up front. An HEB is definately needed to balance things out downtown. I assume that it's just a matter of when, not if.

I visited Miami last year- talk about a condo boom. There's like 10 times more high rise condo projects going on there, or least there was. Miami is one of the major cities effected by the current real estate bust. Coastal Florida has had ridiculous appreciation over the past several years...upwards of 30, 40, 50% year over year. I guess it's time for a correction. I'm amazed they are actually planning an 860' tower at this point.

[zx14]

Bet all this will be decided and completed before stacys project breaks ground. Also how does Austin compare with other major cities in the distance between the outermost skyscrapers. For instance From Spring to Legacy to the UT Tower. Compare that to say Houston. Please dont count multiple down towns like in L.A. It Just seems our down town is more spread out and maybe has the area of Chicagos downtown. Also the Galerea in Houston or the Hospital in Tulsa does not count. Thanks everyone for all the info.

[KevinFromTexas]

Would you say Dallas' Uptown area should be included as downtown? Officially it's not.

In Austin the UT Campus and West Campus are officially outside the boundary lines of downtown.

The distance from the Cambridge Tower in downtown (19th & Lavaca) to the Holiday Inn Town Lake (East Avenue at I-35) is 1.86 miles. This is diagonally (across downtown).

The farthest distance I could find between two buildings in the central part of the city (downtown, UT, and West Campus) was 2.43 miles from the Holiday Inn Town Lake to the Robert Lee More Hall (26th & Speedway) on the UT Campus.

In Dallas, the farthest I could find was 2.65 between a building in Uptown, and one in downtown. Uptown borders downtown.

Dallas: 2.65 miles
Austin: 2.43 miles
Houston: 1.81 miles
San Antonio: 176 miles
Fort Worth: 1.01 miles