AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics - Page 167

ArchGuy1 · #**3321** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 6:34 AM**

EDIT: The Austin Observation Deck post were moved here from the Sixth & Guadalupe thread.

Does anyone here know if Sixth and Guadalupe will have an observation deck open to the public at or near the top of the building, similar to the Empire State Building in New York or the Sears Tower in Chicago. It would make sense to have one as this is the tallest building in Austin and Austin has no mass market and high capacity observation deck open to the public currently. The John Hancock Center in Chicago has such an observation deck despite being a mixed use office and residential skyscraper like Sixth and Guadeloupe.

ArchGuy1 · #**3322** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 7:01 AM**

EDIT: The Austin Observation Deck posts were moved here from the Wilson Tower thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Sounds like the large plaza is going to need to have some kind of public use. The issue seems to be 100% with public benefit - i.e. not enough retail and too much hardscape that doesn't benefit the public.

I want towers built but I am 100% ok with this sort of pushback - it helps us keep a more vibrant activated downtown.

Want the city to mandate an observation deck open to the public as well on one of the topmost floors. This was done with the Columbia Center in Seattle, which was built in 1985.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...tallest-tower/

the Genral · #**3323** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 7:34 AM**

I believe the top floors are amenities so nope.

bobbywest87 · #**3324** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 11:56 AM**

Chase Tower in Dallas used to have a great observation deck, but I believe they closed it to the public several years ago. I used to go there multiple times a year to check out the view.

ahealy · #**3325** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 1:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

Does anyone here know if Sixth and Guadalupe will have an observation deck open to the public at or near the top of the building, similar to the Empire State Building in New York or the Sears Tower in Chicago. It would make sense to have one as this is the tallest building in Austin and Austin has no mass market and high capacity observation deck open to the public currently. The John Hancock Center in Chicago has such an observation deck despite being a mixed use office and residential skyscraper like Sixth and Guadeloupe.

No... let's be real, just tech worker transplants will enjoy these views.

Riverranchdrone · #**3326** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 1:43 PM**

Is the observation deck on the UT tower still open to the public? This was asked on the Dazed and confused austin facebook page and could not get a recent answer.

chinchaaa · #**3327** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 1:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

No... let's be real, just tech worker transplants will enjoy these views.

… uh. You know the top levels are condos, right?

StoOgE · #**3328** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 4:01 PM**

I don't think the city should be mandating the most valuable expensive floor be open to the public. Thats an economic decision that I think should be left to developers.

Making sure the street level interaction is good makes sense to me.

myBrain · #**3329** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 4:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

Want the city to mandate an observation deck open to the public as well on one of the topmost floors. This was done with the Columbia Center in Seattle, which was built in 1985.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...tallest-tower/

As great as an observation deck would be, that's just not going to happen / is not feasible for a residential tower, especially one as skinny as this. It would require at the very least dedicating an entire elevator shaft to the deck, and elevator space comes at a premium for skinny towers.

I think if we're going to see an observation deck it's going to be as part of a hotel or office development. Waterline could actually be a great candidate.

MichaelB · #**3330** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

Is the observation deck on the UT tower still open to the public? This was asked on the Dazed and confused austin facebook page and could not get a recent answer.

Nope. BUT it is due for a restoration. I hope they open is again!

ArchGuy1 · #**3331** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 6:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by myBrain

As great as an observation deck would be, that's just not going to happen / is not feasible for a residential tower, especially one as skinny as this. It would require at the very least dedicating an entire elevator shaft to the deck, and elevator space comes at a premium for skinny towers.

I think if we're going to see an observation deck it's going to be as part of a hotel or office development. Waterline could actually be a great candidate.

Do you personally know if the Waterline mixed use project will have an observation deck.

The ATX · #**3332** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

Do you personally know if the Waterline mixed use project will have an observation deck.

None of the many U/C and approved towers will have an observation deck because the site plan/uses/drawings/Etc. are public info. Unapproved projects like the Wilson also have enough public project info that we know there are no plans for a public observation deck.

The best chance for anything like that appears to be the proposed 802' Ritz-Carlton because early info suggested a restaurant on top. But that project is still not a sure thing at this point.

StoOgE · #**3333** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 7:06 PM**

The top floor is such a valuable space for either a penthouse or amenities. Our best case scenario is a bar/restaurant on a higher floor on some of these projects which is fairly typical in other cities - especially if a hotel component is sitting on top of an office component.

ArchGuy1 · #**3334** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 9:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

The top floor is such a valuable space for either a penthouse or amenities. Our best case scenario is a bar/restaurant on a higher floor on some of these projects which is fairly typical in other cities - especially if a hotel component is sitting on top of an office component.

From the late 19th century or early 20th century up to the 1970's or 1980's, virtually every high rise building in the United States and Canada built during this time that was the tallest in that particular city had an observation deck on their top floors. This was particularly true during the late 1920's and early 1930's, where observation decks were found on many skyscrapers built during this time period. The UT Tower in Austin built in 1937 was no exception. So, how were things different then compared to now.

ArchGuy1 · #**3335** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 10:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbywest87

Chase Tower in Dallas used to have a great observation deck, but I believe they closed it to the public several years ago. I used to go there multiple times a year to check out the view.

Chase Tower in Dallas closed it's observation deck in 2018 and Chase Tower in Houston closed it's deck in 2016. The deck at the Wells Fargo Center in Houston wad closed in 2015.

Armybrat · #**3336** Posted **Jan 31, 2023, 11:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

Is the observation deck on the UT tower still open to the public? This was asked on the Dazed and confused austin facebook page and could not get a recent answer.

Last time I was on the UT Tower observation deck was with my girlfriend in early July, 1966.
Haven’t been up there since and have no desire to go back.

ArchGuy1 · #**3337** Posted **Feb 1, 2023, 1:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armybrat

Last time I was on the UT Tower observation deck was with my girlfriend in early July, 1966.
Haven’t been up there since and have no desire to go back.

The tower is open to the public, but only for guided tours on certain days throught the year.

jake.robs · #**3338** Posted **Feb 1, 2023, 6:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

From the late 19th century or early 20th century up to the 1970's or 1980's, virtually every high rise building in the United States and Canada built during this time that was the tallest in that particular city had an observation deck on their top floors. This was particularly true during the late 1920's and early 1930's, where observation decks were found on many skyscrapers built during this time period. The UT Tower in Austin built in 1937 was no exception. So, how were things different then compared to now.

I think it's a combination of skyscrapers becoming more ubiquitous in cities across the continent, and also a shift in urban living where instead of huge hotels or offices, there are many more residential skyscrapers. The top floors are prime real estate and bring in the $$$ that developers are looking for.

New York and Chicago still get them because their skylines are big and attract tourists on that point alone. Austin, not so much.

ahealy · #**3339** Posted **Feb 1, 2023, 2:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

… uh. You know the top levels are condos, right?

Yes. I mean living there. I have so many transplant clients who live dt that have moved from the Bay Area. Top levels are apartments, not condo last I checked??

paul78701 · #**3340** Posted **Feb 1, 2023, 2:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jake.robs

I think it's a combination of skyscrapers becoming more ubiquitous in cities across the continent, and also a shift in urban living where instead of huge hotels or offices, there are many more residential skyscrapers. The top floors are prime real estate and bring in the $$$ that developers are looking for.

New York and Chicago still get them because their skylines are big and attract tourists on that point alone. Austin, not so much.

Anecdotally, I had coworkers in town from the UK and France a couple of months ago. They were pretty intent on finding an observation deck to see the city and watch the sunset. I had to break it to them that we don't have anything like that. They seemed a bit surprised.

So while people might not come here for our skyline, once here, some do seem to want to see it and the hill country from up high.