AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

i'm not wholly unconvinced that archguy1 isn't a long running gag perpetrated by another longtime user. it's one of my favorite bits on here

Originally Posted by drummer

It's KevinFromTexas, isn't it?!

No.

[IluvATX]

[Riverranchdrone]

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/1...on-towers.html
This has a lot of unique observation towers. Even includes the one at COTA

[ILUVSAT]

Ferris wheels have been around for 130 years. They are nothing new. They are a gimmick. Nobody says: "I'm going to Vegas for the high roller" or "I'm planning my family vacation to Orlando for the Eye."

And, a gimmicky ferris wheel will never be built in Austin. Period. There are a myriad of reasons why - including:

-Size of land. A 400' tall ferris wheel would require at least one full city block. Most of downtown Austin blocks are roughly 300' x 300' with a diagonal of approximately 400'. I don't have any current sales figures - but, based on sales over the past few years made public, a full city block would be around $100 million just for the land. Oh, and if more than a city block is required, good luck at getting an okay to perminantly close a roadway and/or allyway to complete the project.

-City would do everything in its power not to "ok" a ferris wheel on an unencumbered piece of prime, downtown, taxable land. They should be looking out for the highest and best use of the land. And, a very good argument could be made that affordable housing on an entire block is a better use of urban core property than a ferris wheel.

-CVC issues

-Forget trying this south of the river. Period. I'd love to see a developer fight Bill Bunch and his cronies over a 400'-500'+ ferris wheel in their back yard.

-No local developer I know would even entertain the idea. Austin, luckily, does not rely on tourism to bolster its economy (unlike Vegas, Orlando, etc...).

-Placing this thing in a rural setting (i.e., Long Park), is just ignorant. And, again, good luck with battling Bill Bunch and SOS with any idea of placing a tourist attraction in a city park.

-etc., etc., etc...

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Ferris wheels have been around for 130 years. They are nothing new. They are a gimmick. Nobody says: "I'm going to Vegas for the high roller" or "I'm planning my family vacation to Orlando for the Eye."

And, a gimmicky ferris wheel will never be built in Austin. Period. There are a myriad of reasons why - including:

-Size of land. A 400' tall ferris wheel would require at least one full city block. Most of downtown Austin blocks are roughly 300' x 300' with a diagonal of approximately 400'. I don't have any current sales figures - but, based on sales over the past few years made public, a full city block would be around $100 million just for the land. Oh, and if more than a city block is required, good luck at getting an okay to perminantly close a roadway and/or allyway to complete the project.

-City would do everything in its power not to "ok" a ferris wheel on an unencumbered piece of prime, downtown, taxable land. They should be looking out for the highest and best use of the land. And, a very good argument could be made that affordable housing on an entire block is a better use of urban core property than a ferris wheel.

-CVC issues

-Forget trying this south of the river. Period. I'd love to see a developer fight Bill Bunch and his cronies over a 400'-500'+ ferris wheel in their back yard.

-No local developer I know would even entertain the idea. Austin, luckily, does not rely on tourism to bolster its economy (unlike Vegas, Orlando, etc...).

-Placing this thing in a rural setting (i.e., Long Park), is just ignorant. And, again, good luck with battling Bill Bunch and SOS with any idea of placing a tourist attraction in a city park.

-etc., etc., etc...

A SkySpire observation tower 1,000 feet tall similar to this might be a good option for Downtown Austin. If this tower was placed in Walter E. Long Park, it could be about 500 feet tall. No tower similar to this has been built anywhere yet.
https://www.martin-vleminckx.com/por...tems/skyspire/

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

A SkySpire observation tower 1,000 feet tall similar to this might be a good option for Downtown Austin. If this tower was placed in Walter E. Long Park, it could be about 500 feet tall. No tower similar to this has been built anywhere yet.
https://www.martin-vleminckx.com/por...tems/skyspire/

There are no "options" for downtown Austin! These types of tourist traps will never be built in downtown Austin (or any city-run park).

Go pester the DFW folks. If these gimmicks would be built anywhere in Texas - it would be in the Metroplex.

[Jdawgboy]

Personally I like what we already have now. Would be cool to have a restaurant on top of one of the tall skyscrapers (cough Waterline cough), however we already have several awesome rooftop lounges with excellent views of the cityscape. We also have the Observation Hill with an excellent view of the skyline. We have the boardwalk as well. I'm not saying I don't think we need more options, I'm just saying we don't need some fancy observation tower or a giant ferris wheel to make us cool.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Personally I like what we already have now. Would be cool to have a restaurant on top of one of the tall skyscrapers (cough Waterline cough), however we already have several awesome rooftop lounges with excellent views of the cityscape. We also have the Observation Hill with an excellent view of the skyline. We have the boardwalk as well. I'm not saying I don't think we need more options, I'm just saying we don't need some fancy observation tower or a giant ferris wheel to make us cool.

Idk...I certainly don't want to walk on the boardwalk in 109 degree weather to look at the skyline. Austin needs something that people from all over the city and state can visit without breaking a sweat or doing something "outdoorsy". We should have a giant ferris wheel like London or at the very least a skyscraper with a bar/cafe up top.

It's time we get big city amenities.

[sewaneetigers]

Big TX win over Bama - Tower around midnight

• Video Link

[drummer]

No, no, no....that one seems legit. In fact, I think it should be built on top of the State Capitol dome. Or the UT Tower.

[OU812]

Yikes! I didn't even know about this at Bouldin Creek.. WTAF!

Shocking videos show Austin park littered with liquor bottles, needles and junk 'as far as the eye can see' as illegal homeless encampment grows

"The videos of the West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt were posted by on Monday"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ment-park.html

[Riverranchdrone]

Originally Posted by OU812

Yikes! I didn't even know about this at Bouldin Creek.. WTAF!

Shocking videos show Austin park littered with liquor bottles, needles and junk 'as far as the eye can see' as illegal homeless encampment grows

"The videos of the West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt were posted by on Monday"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ment-park.html

Thanks in part to the SAVE AUSTIN NOW ballot and Abbotts laws. Kicked many of the homeless into the parks. It did not fi the problem just hid it in the trees. While those pictures are bad. They are just slightly worse than the creek by my house and that trash is all from people that have homes. People in general are trashy. I wish the homeless were better taken care of and had help for their drug problems. I remember living on North Lamar and pushing a baby stroller over the runburg librarys parking lot covered in needles.

[zrx299]

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

Thanks in part to the SAVE AUSTIN NOW ballot and Abbotts laws. Kicked many of the homeless into the parks. It did not fi the problem just hid it in the trees. While those pictures are bad. They are just slightly worse than the creek by my house and that trash is all from people that have homes. People in general are trashy. I wish the homeless were better taken care of and had help for their drug problems. I remember living on North Lamar and pushing a baby stroller over the runburg librarys parking lot covered in needles.

You can't fix people that don't want to be fixed.

This is also what happens when there is absolutely NO DETERRENT to crime or being a public nuisance.

Let's get the people who actually want help, the help they need to return to being a self sufficient member of society. Anyone else who refuses, gets rounded up and taken to a real campground where they can be babysat and continue their self-inflicted spiral down, and their trash and bs can be controlled.

Public spaces belong to the taxpaying PUBLIC, not these zombies! So tired of this s**t and the useless idiots in public office who enable it!!!

[Maximusx1]

Originally Posted by zrx299

You can't fix people that don't want to be fixed.

This is also what happens when there is absolutely NO DETERRENT to crime or being a public nuisance.

Let's get the people who actually want help, the help they need to return to being a self sufficient member of society. Anyone else who refuses, gets rounded up and taken to a real campground where they can be babysat and continue their self-inflicted spiral down, and their trash and bs can be controlled.

Public spaces belong to the taxpaying PUBLIC, not these zombies! So tired of this s**t and the useless idiots in public office who enable it!!!

Agreed

[Riverranchdrone]

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...Zhh_J6fYWS_juM

[KevinFromTexas]

I'm amazed we haven't had a wildfire flare up because of them. Granted, it's not exactly been "camp fire weather" lately, but any fire, even roasting a pack of hotdogs could start one up. That's what started that Oak Hill fire in 2011 that burned a couple of homes. I've seen them with a fire near our neighborhood, and I didn't hesitate to call the fire department right after we drove past.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm amazed we haven't had a wildfire flare up because of them. Granted, it's not exactly been "camp fire weather" lately, but any fire, even roasting a pack of hotdogs could start one up. That's what started that Oak Hill fire in 2011 that burned a couple of homes. I've seen them with a fire near our neighborhood, and I didn't hesitate to call the fire department right after we drove past.

Absolutely. I call 911 anytime someone shacks up near Walnut Creek hopped up on heroin or who knows what. It's become super scary at times with some of the crap you'll see + cigarette butts thrown all over dried up bamboo / brush.

I know it's a process, be really need new leadership locally and statewide. This crap won't fly here.

[Werdman89]

This is just a theme park thread now lol

Aventuur outlines possible Austin surf park

Aventuur Inc. announced in late August it secured the exclusive rights to develop an Austin park using the wave-generating technology of Spain-based Wavegarden SL. Executives with Aventuur recently spoke with Austin Business Journal about their goals, project diameters and why they were interested in this region.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...k-project.html

[GoldenBoot]

Wow. What's that - like four planned and zero anywhere near construction?!?

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Wow. What's that - like four planned and zero anywhere near construction?!?

Maybe one of them could also have a 1,000' observation tower or Ferris Wheel.