AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III - Page 181

Syndic · #**3601** Posted **Jul 6, 2014, 2:14 PM**

x-posting from the Westin thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

White Lodging has some updated renderings:

http://www.whitelodging.com/about/developments/westin-austin-downtown

ATXboom · #**3602** Posted **Jul 6, 2014, 2:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Expensive by Texas standards but we really are still pretty cheap when compared to other cities especially on the east and west coasts.

Austin will be unique among the Texas cities with regards to density and ultimately height because we are growing in a different way now. We have to because we don't have multiple interstates and 2 or 3 loops encircling the city nor do we have the room to ever build anything like that. None of the other big 3 will end up being compact and dense the way Austin will eventually be because they are already spread out and they have highrise clusters outside of their DTs. As Austin continues build up the core over the next 20 years, there will be a huge difference in how Austin looks compared to the other cities.

An urban developer colleague of mine mentioned this. Horrible traffic and no highway expansion (multiple downtowns along beltways) has a positive effect. It drives up property cost and more importantly density in the central city. He mentioned similar dynamics in Vancouver. I'll take that.

Jdawgboy · #**3603** Posted **Jul 6, 2014, 11:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATXboom

An urban developer colleague of mine mentioned this. Horrible traffic and no highway expansion (multiple downtowns along beltways) has a positive effect. It drives up property cost and more importantly density in the central city. He mentioned similar dynamics in Vancouver. I'll take that.

Yea Vancouver is great example. I don't know how the planned future transit density hubs will ultimately be here although I hope if we can actually update our outdated zoning codes, we could have some nice height in areas like the Domain, south where a hub is planned around 35 and SH45. And a couple of other areas. I personally wouldn't mind seeing more density and height around the 290/71 and I-35 interchange. There's already 3 significant buildings there and they've been there as long as I can remember though the white curved building on the northwest side was built last. They do need to fix the bottle neck especially on the southbound flyovers because it's gotten ridiculous.

Mopacs · #**3604** Posted **Jul 7, 2014, 1:06 AM**

Here are a few shots I took around downtown yesterday (7/5).

From Barton Creek Mall

KevinFromTexas · #**3605** Posted **Jul 7, 2014, 5:50 AM**

Nice pics. The Colorado Tower is showing some nice height there in those skyline pics. And I wasn't expecting the Green towers to be that far to the right. That's good. The office tower should fill in that gap between the Bank of America Center and the W Hotel & Residences. The ECC tower(s) will likely fill the gap between 300 West Sixth and One American Center.

NYC2ATX · #**3606** Posted **Jul 7, 2014, 6:18 AM**

That second picture is especially awesome because of the closeup crane in the foreground that frames the skyline. The greatest metaphor for this city right now is a giant crane literally building the whole city before our eyes

The ATX · #**3607** Posted **Jul 7, 2014, 1:23 PM**

Excellent

photos.

ATXboom · #**3608** Posted **Jul 7, 2014, 6:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Yea Vancouver is great example. I don't know how the planned future transit density hubs will ultimately be here although I hope if we can actually update our outdated zoning codes, we could have some nice height in areas like the Domain, south where a hub is planned around 35 and SH45. And a couple of other areas. I personally wouldn't mind seeing more density and height around the 290/71 and I-35 interchange. There's already 3 significant buildings there and they've been there as long as I can remember though the white curved building on the northwest side was built last. They do need to fix the bottle neck especially on the southbound flyovers because it's gotten ridiculous.

Austin never seems to build out all flyovers on interchange projects. As a result they create some of the worst traffic snarls in the area. #crazy #shittyplanning

Jdawgboy · #**3609** Posted **Jul 7, 2014, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATXboom

Austin never seems to build out all flyovers on interchange projects. As a result they create some of the worst traffic snarls in the area. #crazy #shittyplanning

No kidding. I used to think whoever was in charge of TxDot for the Austin area was stupid, now I just think the state does it on purpose lol.

The ATX · #**3610** Posted **Jul 12, 2014, 3:06 AM**

Here's a top 25 list of Austin's tallest proposed projects. The U/C projects are not listed here:

SkyPie · #**3611** Posted **Jul 12, 2014, 4:34 PM**

Great job on the list! Thanks.

GoldenBoot · #**3612** Posted **Jul 12, 2014, 4:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

Here's a top 25 list of Austin's tallest proposed projects. The U/C projects are not listed here:

Great list, thanks!

Two questions: how can you estimate the height of the proposed ECC towers when nothing is really known about them? Also, who has officially indicated a 2015 start for these towers? I'd list everything regarding that project as "N/A" at this time.

I'm hoping they will be new iconic towers! Something we will all be very excited about.

Oh, you're missing Robert Lee's 35-story Rainey District project. It became public last week.

KevinFromTexas · #**3613** Posted **Jul 12, 2014, 5:34 PM**

No, the "Robert Lee" project is there. It's being called 48 East. And from the rendering it looks to be only 28 floors and about 300 feet.

GoldenBoot · #**3614** Posted **Jul 13, 2014, 6:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

No, the "Robert Lee" project is there. It's being called 48 East. And from the rendering it looks to be only 28 floors and about 300 feet.

Oops...I see it now. Sorry.

I haven't spoken to Mr. Lee in some time; but, as far as I know it will be 35 levels (possibly, as the rendering depicts, 28 levels of living space above 6 levels of parking and 1 level of retail). This is as of the original plan for the building. Things may change between now and groundbreaking.

SkyPie · #**3615** Posted **Jul 13, 2014, 6:55 PM**

Just noticed today that the glass has started to be installed at the building being redone at 5th and Congress

7/13/14

MichaelB · #**3616** Posted **Jul 13, 2014, 11:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPie

Just noticed today that the glass has started to be installed at the building being redone at 5th and Congress

7/13/14

You know,.... that's been there a few weeks now. I think it might have been a test? I been wondering why they put that one window in .... and in the middle of the building! LOL!

SkyPie · #**3617** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 5:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

You know,.... that's been there a few weeks now. I think it might have been a test? I been wondering why they put that one window in .... and in the middle of the building! LOL!

You might be right. I thought it seemed kind of awkwardly placed when I saw it.

MichaelB · #**3618** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 7:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPie

You might be right. I thought it seemed kind of awkwardly placed when I saw it.

agreed..... still that way today.

KevinFromTexas · #**3619** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 8:42 PM**

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/a...plans-bring-curious-issues.html?page=all

Quote:

Jul 11, 2014, 2:28pm CDT
Whole Foods expansion plans bring curious issues into play

Jan Buchholz
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

The expansion plans for Whole Foods Market Inc. (Nasdaq: WFM) in downtown Austin sparks some interesting questions about the company’s real estate strategy and what companies benefited — or not — as a result.

The Austin American-Statesman reported that the natural foods grocer purchased 524 Lamar Blvd, a retail property across the street from Whole Foods’ flagship store and corporate headquarters. Evidently, the company will operate the retail center with the existing tenants but has long-range plans for razing that property along with the adjacent 1009 W. Sixth St., which it purchased in October 2013.

The global company is growing rapidly and its current roster of 800 headquarters employees could grow to 2,000 in the foreseeable future. The headquarters at 550 Bowie St., which is integrated into the flagship store, is not large enough to handle that growth.

The ATX · #**3620** Posted **Jul 15, 2014, 1:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Great list, thanks!

Two questions: how can you estimate the height of the proposed ECC towers when nothing is really known about them? Also, who has officially indicated a 2015 start for these towers? I'd list everything regarding that project as "N/A" at this time.

I'm hoping they will be new iconic towers! Something we will all be very excited about.

Oh, you're missing Robert Lee's 35-story Rainey District project. It became public last week.

The developers were quoted in an ABJ article a couple weeks ago about the 2015 start. I'm too lazy to look for it now, but the link is posted in the Austin sub-forum in the Green/Seaholm thread I think. Try to keep up.