AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics - Page 174

EagerTurnip · #**3461** Posted **Mar 6, 2023, 9:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by obemearg

A short video from the WSJ about property taxes and undeveloped lots in cities across the US. It focuses on Austin as an example so I thought I'd share it here:

https://youtu.be/gJqCaklMv6M

Luckily Austin's downtown surface lots are disappearing with projects like the Republic Tower and 80 Rainey. The empty lot in the video might not last much longer now that the Salvation Army homeless shelter is closing. Even the parking lot at 502 East 8th Street on the north side of the homeless shelter is getting a small hotel. I'm glad that we don't have nearly the amount of surface level parking that Houston and Dallas have surrounding their downtowns.

I think our biggest problem is the stand alone parking garages downtown

randalls · #**3462** Posted **Mar 6, 2023, 10:23 PM**

That WSJ video was eye opening in general though. Curious to see if the tax plan works in Detroit and if more cities use it.

And @EagerTurnip - yeah, I'd love to see more of those stand alone garages downtown get turned into more towers as well. I imagine we'll see more of that if demand continues at it's current pace in the coming years.

H2O · #**3463** Posted **Mar 7, 2023, 12:47 PM**

Boy, I'd like to know where all of those 17,000 vacant lots are. I think they must be counting platted but undeveloped lots out by 130 or something.

lonewolf · #**3464** Posted **Mar 7, 2023, 2:07 PM**

we just crossed 1m in the city limits and still under 2.5m in the metro. we're the newest "city" in america. of course we have a bunch of undeveloped lots. odd to see us compared to houston, atlanta, nyc.

Novacek · #**3465** Posted **Mar 7, 2023, 2:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2O

Boy, I'd like to know where all of those 17,000 vacant lots are. I think they must be counting platted but undeveloped lots out by 130 or something.

There's also a few hundred flood buyout lots.

Also just environmental dedication in general. Hard to tell what they count as "vacant". Is dedicated parkland vacant? Water quality dedicated land in the aquifer.

There's Robinson Ranch of course.

I've also slight suspicion that they're actually referring to the metro, not just the city limits. It's common to conflate them. Otherwise why is Atlanta one of their examples? The actual city of Atlanta isn't all that big.

ILUVSAT · #**3466** Posted **Mar 7, 2023, 7:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

The actual city of Atlanta isn't all that big.

I believe the City of Atlanta is about 2-2.5 times smaller the the City of Austin in land area and about 1/2 of Austin's city population - if I am correct. However, and obviously, Atlanta's metro area is much larger the Austin's in both land and population.

Riverranchdrone · #**3467** Posted **Mar 7, 2023, 7:17 PM**

17000 vancant lots in Austin? Man that would take care of our Homeless problem and a percentage of people waiting on section 8 housing. But then again that could be applied to the entire U.S. where there are more empty houses than there are homeless people.

Novacek · #**3468** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 1:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

17000 vancant lots in Austin? Man that would take care of our Homeless problem and a percentage of people waiting on section 8 housing. But then again that could be applied to the entire U.S. where there are more empty houses than there are homeless people.

Not really. It’s a bullshit statistic.

It’s really “some people have vacation houses far away from any social services, and some houses have completed construction waiting for people to move in, and others are empty as people move from one house to another”

Echostatic · #**3469** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 5:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

Not really. It’s a bullshit statistic.

It’s really “some people have vacation houses far away from any social services, and some houses have completed construction waiting for people to move in, and others are empty as people move from one house to another”

That, and many of the sources I've seen are including long-abandoned homes in the middle of nowhere - the sort of place you'd have to pay someone to live in.

Lobotomizer · #**3470** Posted **Mar 17, 2023, 2:37 AM**

Can anyone comment on why the dynamic between the city of Austin and Travis County seems so different than some of the other large urban counties and their major city, notably Harris/Houston and Bexar/San Antonio?

It seems that although the majority of Travis County residents live in Austin the county is never involved in any project in the city. In other counties it seems to be a very different dynamic.

Travis County does not seem to provide any services whatsoever to Austin residents. Travis County does not seem to partner with the city of Austin on any transportation projects, parks, or other projects these governments undertake.

I believe it is not uncommon in other counties for county infrastructure projects to occur within the city limits of it's municipalities, and for the county and cities to partner on major projects.

Why does there not seem to be the same level of cooperation between Austin and Travis County?

the Genral · #**3471** Posted **Mar 17, 2023, 4:28 AM**

There's Austin - Travis County EMS Services

drummer · #**3472** Posted **Mar 20, 2023, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Austin City Council could explore burying power lines after February storm

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After the February ice storm led to millions of damaged trees and hundreds of thousands of Austinites without power, city officials could pursue burying power lines.

Austin City Council will consider the measure at its March 23 council meeting. If approved, the city will conduct a feasibility study and develop a long-term plan to prioritize the conversions “for high-priority uses and areas without new construction opportunities.”

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...ebruary-storm/

ahealy · #**3473** Posted **Mar 26, 2023, 8:47 PM**

I can't seem to find the observation tower thread. The link on the last page of Wilson doesn't go anywhere?

Anywho, since I'm hellbent on Austin getting some kind of observation deck, I figured I'd post this idea. I'm going to London in a few weeks and booking a little visit at Sky Garden in 20 Fenchurch.

THIS seems like something we absolutely will get in the very near future. 20 Fenchurch also totally seems like a sister to Pelli Sail. Is it too late to add a small bar/bistro on Sail

SKY GARDEN

AusTex · #**3474** Posted **Mar 27, 2023, 5:33 PM**

I bet that building is commercial/office. Much better chance at getting a public amenity like that; bar, restaurant, observation in commercial/office than residential primary use buildings which is what gets built in Austin. The Republic would have been an excellent location for a public use on an upper floor.

One will come along. S o m e d a y.

clubtokyo · #**3475** Posted **Mar 29, 2023, 7:45 PM**

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...te-awards-2023

Nominate your favorite new building in Austin!

IluvATX · #**3476** Posted **Apr 1, 2023, 7:10 PM**

“Onlookers watch as city officials officially dedicate the Austin sign on Mt. Bonnell…”

https://twitter.com/cvsherman/status...911553?lang=en

The ATX · #**3477** Posted **Apr 1, 2023, 7:38 PM**

My first thought was that can't be real because the skyline is circa 2013.

H2O · #**3478** Posted **Apr 2, 2023, 12:03 PM**

What was the date yesterday?

lzppjb · #**3479** Posted **Apr 3, 2023, 8:45 PM**

Where would I park if I'm going to a show at Scoot Inn on East 4th? It'll be a Friday night in May. Thanks.

chinchaaa · #**3480** Posted **Apr 3, 2023, 8:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Where would I park if I'm going to a show at Scoot Inn on East 4th? It'll be a Friday night in May. Thanks.

there's plenty of street parking in that area. you should be fine. you can also pay to park at most garages in that area, which there are also plenty.