AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by crewer

I was thinking the same thing when I read about this. It makes little sense to be eliminating office space for more condos. That won't last long, though.

So, any thoughts on the deterioration of the subprime mortgage sector and the domino effect resulting from it? Think it will have an impact on the demand for downtown condos?

I agree, regarding the elimination of office space. I understand this has become an issue and concern for the 'model' city of Vancouver, BC. So much residential has been built (or converted) in their downtown core, that there is now a significant imbalance and shortage of office space. You definitely want to maintain a good mix of land uses for downtown Austin to function optimally.

As for the developing subprime mortgage sector crisis (and growing loan defaults), it will almost certainly have some (delayed) effect on our market. I guess its just a matter of time. Hopefully our demand will buck this trend.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

I'm curious...with the added floors, do you think its possible they may scrap the crown design?

I'm not sure. Design-wise it would be nice to still add the crown. I mean if they expand the 20th floor, and add a 21st floor, unless they do some kind of interesting roof design, then it'll just have a flat roof. And that buildng is already bulky enough as it is. I think the crown could atleast soften the impact a bit in that it would add more style and detail to it.

As for if it could be done, it all depends on the structural make-up of the building. But I'm not the guy to ask about that. Kelvin, who is a forum member here is the perfect guy to ask about that. He usually hangs out in the Engineering section of the forum.

I would imagine it is possible. I think most buildings come ready made with a little wiggle room in that area, otherwise they wouldn't have proposed adding the crown or the additional floor.

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by crewer

But the thing is, The Domain is still suburban shopping but in the context of new urbanism. It's not downtown and would look pretty goofy there. Keep in mind, though, that much of what's being built downtown will include a substantial amount of retail. So in essence, you'll have the same thing as the Domain in terms of shopping below housing; you just won't have the cutesy new streetscapes, which is okay. Plus, we're still looking at plenty of prime property on Congress Avenue that is empty and ready for development as the demand rises. If all goes as planned, we should see a nice healthy balance of offices, shopping and housing downtown.

Agreed... the Domain's retail mix essentially mimics a smaller scale, new urbanist version of Houston's Galleria. Variety of retail uses and developers makes for a more ecclectic mix of architecture and 'districts', more in line with an organically developed urban core.

[Mopacs]

Here's a few more drive-by's from the past week:





Monarch:





SoCo Lofts, near St Edwards University, and a couple blocks north of Ben White Fwy.



Congress

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm not sure. Design-wise it would be nice to still add the crown. I mean if they expand the 20th floor, and add a 21st floor, unless they do some kind of interesting roof design, then it'll just have a flat roof. And that buildng is already bulky enough as it is. I think the crown could atleast soften the impact a bit in that it would add more style and detail to it.

As for if it could be done, it all depends on the structural make-up of the building. But I'm not the guy to ask about that. Kelvin, who is a forum member here is the perfect guy to ask about that. He usually hangs out in the Engineering section of the forum.

I would imagine it is possible. I think most buildings come ready made with a little wiggle room in that area, otherwise they wouldn't have proposed adding the crown or the additional floor.

I do hope they will keep a crown..... Anything to help the building be more interesting!

[MichaelB]

Question: This is about "Bridges on the Park" at South Lamar and Riverside. Does anyone know if they plan to eventually expand onto the land where Taco Cabanna is? I thought I remember reading that at some point. The point here really being, I have noticed that the part of the building that faces the river is a blank wall! Not that I would want a view of the Taco Cabanna! But..... it looks like they are set up to expand. Any insight?

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Question: This is about "Bridges on the Park" at South Lamar and Riverside. Does anyone know if they plan to eventually expand onto the land where Taco Cabanna is? I thought I remember reading that at some point. The point here really being, I have noticed that the part of the building that faces the river is a blank wall! Not that I would want a view of the Taco Cabanna! But..... it looks like they are set up to expand. Any insight?

Yes, phase II will expand to occupy the Taco Cabana space. In fact, they already own the land. However, I'm not sure when CLB plans on breaking ground.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Yes, phase II will expand to occupy the Taco Cabana space. In fact, they already own the land. However, I'm not sure when CLB plans on breaking ground.

Ah! Thanks! I thought I remembered something about a lease needing to run it's course. It all makes sense now!

[Boris]

Nice drive bys Mopacs. I need to check out the city compilations more often.

[Mopacs]

The massive Domain mixed-use 'city' on the city's northside just keeps getting bigger. Nordstrom (Austin's 2nd) is confirmed as an anchor for a future development phase, adjacent to the existing high-end center (see pictures above). Article from today's Austin American-Statesman:

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/realestate/03/15/15domain.html

Nordstrom plans 2nd store in Austin

Retailer would join Endeavor's mixed-use project at Domain.



By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, March 15, 2007

Austin is in line to get a second Nordstrom, and this one will anchor a 176-acre mixed-use development that will help transform part of North Austin.
The upscale Seattle retailer is set to announce today that it has signed a letter of intent to plan for a two-story, 149,000-square-foot store on land where Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group LLC envisions creating a "second downtown."

The development will have 800,000 square feet of retail, more than 3 million square feet of office space, two hotels, thousands of apartments and condos, a park and 7,000-seat outdoor amphitheater.
The site is just east of the high-end Domain shopping center that opened last week near MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) and Burnet Road.

Endeavor and partner Simon Property Group Inc. developed that center, which is anchored by Macy's and Austin's first Neiman Marcus store.
Nordstrom says it expects to open its new store by fall of 2011, co-anchoring Endeavor's planned project adjacent to the new shopping center. But Endeavor hopes that the opening will happen sooner, possibly as early as the fall of 2010, Endeavor principal Chad Marsh said.

Nordstrom opened its first store in August 2003 in Barton Creek Square, which Simon also owns.

"We're hoping that this new store will allow us to better serve the growing Central Texas region," Erik Nordstrom, president of stores for Nordstrom, said in a statement. "Austin is a dynamic community and one we're proud to be a part of."
Kirk Rudy, a principal with Endeavor, said Nordstrom is "a first-in-class specialty department store, and we are absolutely thrilled to have them anchor what is shaping up to be Austin's second downtown."

The store will be the retailer's eighth full-line location in Texas.
Several years ago, Endeavor principals courted Nordstrom for the Domain shopping center. But in 2001, the retailer said it would make its Austin debut at Barton Creek Square.

Nordstrom spokeswoman Deniz Anders said the good performance of that store helped convince the company that Austin could support a second one.
She said Nordstrom executives found Endeavor's planned development, with its mix of shops, housing and hotels, a "compelling project."

Rudy said he and partner Chad Marsh have been talking with Nordstrom for about 18 months about the second store.

"We really had to demonstrate that the population growth and the demographics for their customers was going to be there. . . . And in the end, they agreed with us," Rudy said.

Rudy said Endeavor is in talks with "quite a few" other retailers but wouldn't name any. He said the project will have a broader mix of retailers than there is in the luxury lineup at the Domain shopping center.
Some of the apartments and offices in the project will be built above shops and restaurants. The retail portion is expected to open along with the Nordstrom store, Rudy said.

Endeavor already has started demolishing buildings on the site and constructing roads, some of which will link to roads in the Domain shopping center. Endeavor owns the land with RREEF America LLC, part of Deutsche Bank's real estate investment arm.
Endeavor plans to start construction on the first office building, with 185,000 square feet, in July. Work on the first apartment building, eight stories with 238 units, is set to start in September.

Work also will start in September or October to transform parking lots into 11 acres of parkland, including a lake.
When the project is completed in 10 to 12 years, 6,000 people could be living there, and 12,000 to 15,000 employees could be working in its offices, Rudy said.
"We're going to build a community there that is very pedestrian and vehicular friendly," Rudy said.

The project dovetails with regional planning goals for Central Texas, Rudy said.
It is in an area where the city is encouraging development, close to several major highways and new toll roads, and near a future commuter rail line.
With the population of the Austin area historically doubling every 20 years, Rudy said a project such as the Domain will help accommodate the anticipated growth.

[Strayone]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but it looks like Metlife has their crane up, its only about 100 ft tall from the street level , but it was nice to see that crater is going to start climbing.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Strayone

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but it looks like Metlife has their crane up, its only about 100 ft tall from the street level , but it was nice to see that crater is going to start climbing.

Yep, Greg took a picture of the construction of the crane, it's in the Austin update thread in the Texas section of the forum.

[brackenridge]

where is the picture of the metlife crane ? Can somebody post a link please ?
Thanks in advance.

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by brackenridge

where is the picture of the metlife crane ? Can somebody post a link please ?
Thanks in advance.

Here is the photo taken and posted by forum member Greg:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=2694182#post2694182

[brackenridge]

Thanks Mopacs.

[Jdawgboy]

That is an interesting looking crane different than the others. I remember back in the 80s I think that 301 Congress was constructed with two cranes like that or I could be wrong I was only a kid but I think those were the types that they used.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

That is an interesting looking crane different than the others. I remember back in the 80s I think that 301 Congress was constructed with two cranes like that or I could be wrong I was only a kid but I think those were the types that they used.

No. The two cranes used at 301 Congress, (which were white), were the same as much of what we see today. I saw them in an old music video of a concert at Auditorium Shores on Austin's music station, (I forget the name of it).

This one for Altavida/Metlife is definitely different than what we're used to. I suspect the reason for the different type is that the site is pinched for space with 100 Congress being right nextdoor. This crane is able to extend its boom to place objects, unlike the other cranes which have a fixed boom. It can also point the boom upwards which in effect makes it shorter so they can swing it around to the east without crashing into 100 Congress. The two buildings should only be about 20 feet apart. That's very close, especially in Austin where most of our buildings are atleast 40 to 50 feet apart. This is really the first time that we've had two highrises of this height this close together.

[Jdawgboy]

Yea your right, I looked at some old pictures my dad took when that building was under construction and they were the regular kind.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Yea your right, I looked at some old pictures my dad took when that building was under construction and they were the regular kind.

Can you post those?

My dad and his friends used to dig for antique bottles, pottery and coins. When they demolished some of the buildings along Congress for 301 Congresss and broke ground there, my dad and them got permission to go digging at the site. I have a picture of them at the lot with the Chase Bank Tower in the background still having its gold glass facade. They used to go on trips to New Orleans and get permission to dig under people's houses there. Some of those houses date back to the 1850s, so they found all kinds of neat stuff. Most of the houses have wooden floors and foundations, so stuff would fall through the cracks. Families also had dump sites on their property and disgarded everything including old bottles and dishes which they'd dig down to that layer and excavate. Probably one of the most notable items they found was a Civil War era button from a Union soldier's uniform. My dad stupidly sold it for $500 I believe. Today that button would probably be worth thousands.

[427MM]

Now there are two cranes on the Altavida site. They are both a bit stubby looking.