Waller Creek Flood Tunnel & Trail Update Thread

[JAM]

Originally Posted by Myomi

One final note: because of what I just said, I honestly don't think the TIF district would of ever fully paid for this project. Already we are seeing a new tax on water bills to pay for it. Let me make this clear...I AM PERFECTLY OK WITH THAT. The Waller Creek tunnel project will more than pay for itself in the long run in both economic and social benefits. But I think that the fact that TIF would pay for all of this project was just used as a political maneuver.

Myomi, I would venture a guess that your right on the TIF not paying for it all, but that could also be dependent on development that occurs. If it is high density development that has big property values, it seems quite a bit more dollars could be collected via the TIF. (Milago, Legacy, Shore, 2 upcoming hotels) I don't know why the 4 Seasons didn't get grouped in, it's as close to Waller Creek as Milago. If it is low density, old shacks being converted into bars, then they probably won't contribute nearly as much. So the trade off city officials have to decide is do they want TIF $ to fund this development or sales tax dollars. My loose theory is if you let too many bars start piling up in any given area and it may deter investors who may otherwise want to develop the land for high density condo use because the investors are worried it would kill their best potential client base, which is older, higher net worth individuals - they make a property far more lucrative to investors. But these older, higher net worth people may not want to put up with the drunks and the development will never get off the ground. If this theory comes to fruition then it would be hotels and apartments that contribute the most to this TIF zone. I'm assuming sales tax dollars don't get TIF'd but don't know that as a fact. Regardless, property tax is much easier to collect and forecast.

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by JAM

Myomi, I would venture a guess that your right on the TIF not paying for it all, but that could also be dependent on development that occurs. If it is high density development that has big property values, it seems quite a bit more dollars could be collected via the TIF. (Milago, Legacy, Shore, 2 upcoming hotels) I don't know why the 4 Seasons didn't get grouped in, it's as close to Waller Creek as Milago. If it is low density, old shacks being converted into bars, then they probably won't contribute nearly as much. So the trade off city officials have to decide is do they want TIF $ to fund this development or sales tax dollars. My loose theory is if you let too many bars start piling up in any given area and it may deter investors who may otherwise want to develop the land for high density condo use because the investors are worried it would kill their best potential client base, which is older, higher net worth individuals - they make a property far more lucrative to investors. But these older, higher net worth people may not want to put up with the drunks and the development will never get off the ground. If this theory comes to fruition then it would be hotels and apartments that contribute the most to this TIF zone. I'm assuming sales tax dollars don't get TIF'd but don't know that as a fact. Regardless, property tax is much easier to collect and forecast.

You're not looking at the TIF the right way. Existing and short-term planned developments are irrelevant; the TIF is supposed to collect extra value from developments that were not possible without the project (i.e. future development in what is now floodplain). Milago, Shore, 4Seasons, etc. all are outside that floodplan (not even close to it for the most part).

[JAM]

Originally Posted by M1EK

You're not looking at the TIF the right way. Existing and short-term planned developments are irrelevant; the TIF is supposed to collect extra value from developments that were not possible without the project (i.e. future development in what is now floodplain). Milago, Shore, 4Seasons, etc. all are outside that floodplan (not even close to it for the most part).

I'm pretty sure they are in the TIF zone and contributing to the construction of the project. (Except 4 Seasons) I see it on the tax appraisal roll.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/business/pr...inglePage=true

Private conservancy outlines plan to rescue, revive Waller Creek

By Shonda Novak and Marty Toohey
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Published: 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Three prominent Austin residents are mounting an effort to rescue long-neglected Waller Creek with plans to transform a stretch of the creek on downtown's eastern edge into an urban greenbelt, in what would be the first project of its kind for the city.

A public-private approach would be used, modeled after similar partnerships that created Millennium Park in Chicago and Discovery Green in Houston.

The effort ties into the construction of a tunnel to divert flood waters from the creek, which will take 28 acres out of the city's flood plain — in effect, adding 1 million square feet of land that could be used for parks, public spaces and private development.

[BevoLJ]

^ Wonderful news!

[JAM]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

http://www.statesman.com/business/pr...inglePage=true

Not to take away from improvement plans - that is great news! But I think Waller Creek right now is pretty cool. If it was cleaned up just a bit and made safe to walk around its already a neat place to go. We've rode our bikes down there a few times, but my wife refuses to go anymore, too scary for her. With some police patrol, and less than a million bucks, it could be a nice place for the entire city to enjoy today.

[KevinFromTexas]

Yeah, my brother and I used to go down there with our dad and his friends, or sometimes just our dad and us. We used to find change (coins) sometimes silver coins, jewelery every once in a while and other metal pieces. We called it "creeking". We would build these screens to sift the stuff on the bottom of the creek. We would take 2x4s and build a box frame and stretch metal mesh over it. Then we'd go down to the creek after a good rain. You'd find a spot where rocks and metal debris had piled up. You wouldn't believe it, but the creek is FULL of metal. Nails, coins, nuts and bolts pieces of pipe and just about everything you can think of. We'd get into those spots where there was a small drop off or a hole and then shovel it into the screen. You'd sift it to get out the small rocks and sand and throw out the bigger stuff. We went down there one day and my brother found an old pocket watch. I found a Clubhouse Saloon token from the 1800s that my dad's friend immediately offered to buy from me for $200. I didn't sell it, and still have it. Most of the time we just found tons of change.

The creek is also full of old brick that used to pave the streets in downtown Austin. There's also brick in there from old buildings that had been demolished years ago and the material either washed in there during floods or was simply dumped there. My dad collected a lot of the brick and used it for landscaping around the yard, and we even repaved our driveway with it 20 years ago. It's kind of sad now. I'm glad that the creek will be a useful piece of Austin's urban core now, but I will miss being able to go down there to kneel in the creek and find those goodies.

The creek always flooded. Back in 1981 there was that big Memorial Day flood where 13 people died in Austin. Waller Creek overflowed its banks and even flooded out a car dealership along its banks. Some of those cars actually washed into the creek and were covered up. Believe it or not, some of those cars are still there. I can remember a few times walking the dry creek bed near the police station and walking right over the roof of a 1980s car. Pretty crazy. There's also spots where the containment walls along the creek have been washed out. I'm talking 10 foot high sections of thick concrete barrier wall that had been washed out from the floods.

And yeah, we saw plenty of nastiness in the creek like homeless people bathing in the creek. We saw a lot of them sleeping and every once in while would come across their uh, droppings. Pretty gross.

But I have a lot of good memories of wandering through the creek. I've walked every foot of it from Cesar Chavez to at least 15th Street.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

We saw a lot of them sleeping and every once in while would come across their uh, droppings. Pretty gross.

Pretty, uh, illuminating.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/opinion/cho...n-1438755.html

Choreographing Waller Creek's reclamation

Editorial Board

Published: 7:33 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, 2011

If all goes as expected, the Austin City Council will vote today to start the long and long-overdue rehabilitation of Waller Creek, a waterway that suffers the twin indignities of neglect and abuse.

The council is scheduled to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the newly formed Waller Creek Conservancy on soliciting designs that would transform the land that follows the creek into an urban greenbelt.

The council should approve $400,000 to help fund a design competition. The conservancy put up another $400,000 toward the competition.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/business/ho...inglePage=true

Houston's downtown park success a model for new Waller Creek vision in Austin

By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 10:37 p.m. Sunday, June 12, 2011
Published: 8:44 p.m. Sunday, June 12, 2011

HOUSTON — It seems an oxymoron: downtown Houston and green space. Yet in just three years, a partnership between the city and a nonprofit conservancy turned an underdeveloped area on the eastern edge of downtown Houston into a vibrant 12-acre urban park.

How Houston created Discovery Green park is a template for how a newly formed Austin conservancy hopes to transform land along downtown's neglected Waller Creek, as it winds from 15th Street to Lady Bird Lake.

By April, its third birthday, the $125 million Houston park had drawn more than 3 million visitors and hosted more than 800 events, most of them free .

The city's first major downtown park also has helped attract $500 million in nearby private development.

[migol24]

Anybody have any other info on the proposed designs?

http://www.kvue.com/video/yahoo-vide...133572428.html

[BevoLJ]

I really can't wait for them to finish this. This might be the one project I am most excited about. Even more-so than the Seaholm area.

I used to enjoy going to the creek by campus a lot and usually before football or basketball games we will walk along the creek by campus. But I had not been down to the creek near downtown in a long time. The other day I had a friend in from out of town and we walked around taking pictures and we walked this creek and what a mess. I had forgotten what a disgusting horrible area it is downtown. Oh, and the whole area is littered with condoms! That surprised me the most. It is disgusting down there. How can such a gross creek cause anyone to want to spread their legs?

When they clean up this creek and make it nice for people it will be amazing. Such a huge addition to downtown.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

How can such a gross creek cause anyone to want to spread their legs?

Bored and horny I guess...

[LoneStarMike]

9 semifinalists named in Waller Creek design competition
Jeanne Claire van Ryzin
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

Nine teams were chosen Monday as semifinalists for the Waller Creek Conservancy design competition, from a pool of 31 entries.

The competition calls for a redesign of a 1.5-mile stretch of city parkland and urban space along Waller Creek in downtown Austin.

The four final teams will be announced in April and conceptual designs will be presented to the public and to city officials in September.

The winning design will be selected in October.

[BevoLJ]

So here are the competing partnerships.

1. Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos and Miró Rivera Architects
   
2. Civitas and BIG New York City
   
3. CMG and Public Architecture
   
4. James Corner Field Operations and SHoP
   
5. Melk and PageSoutherlandPage
   
6. Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and Thomas Phifer & Partners
   
7. Stoss Landscape Urbanism and Saucier & Perrotte
   
8. Turenscape and Lake/Flato Architects
   
9. Workshop: Ken Smith Landscape Architect, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects and Rogers Marvel Architects

Thank God I don't have to chose between them!

[migol24]

Why can't they just show the conceptual designs right now?

[BevoLJ]

On Tuesday we can all go visit with the 4 groups hoping to get to design the new Waller Creek. The meet and greet will be Tuesday, May 15th, @ 5:30 @ the Blanton Museum.


Meet the Waller Creek Project designers
15 hours ago - KVUE-TV Austin 3:17 | 130 views

When the Waller Creek Project is complete it will be one of the biggest small creek renovations in the nation. Four designers will soon submit their ideas for this downtown project, and next week the public has a chance to meet them. Stephanie McDonald is the executive director of the Waller Creek Conservancy. She spoke to KVUE about the project. The Waller Creek Conservancy hosts Meet Your Designers Night next Tuesday, May 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Blanton Museum of Art.

...

Watch Video: http://finance.yahoo.com/video/austi...-29270249.html

[LoneStarMike]

From KXAN:

Next step of Waller Creek tunnel begins
Will direct water into Lady Bird Lake
July 9, 2012

New construction on the Waller Creek Tunnel Project gets underway Monday.

This new phase called the Waller Creek Tunnel Outlet will allow flood water to end up in Lady Bird Lake.

[SNIP]

When it's complete there will be a 50-foot deep lagoon that's adjacent to the mouth of Waller Creek.

City officials said it will look like a natural wetland with native plants.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...inglePage=true

With tunnel under way, talk turns to expensive Waller Creek facelift

By Marty Toohey
Published: 9:14 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012

It took nearly three decades for work to start on the huge Waller Creek tunnel and eliminate the flood risk the waterway poses to the eastern edge of downtown Austin.

Now, talk at City Hall has turned to completing the vision for Waller Creek: turning a neglected gulch with long sections that are overgrown and trash-strewn into Austin's next great attraction.

The City Council decided last week to ask voters to approve $13 million for Waller Creek in a November bond referendum. Municipal staffers say another $8 million is now available in the city coffers and promise another $9 million can be scraped together amid tight budgets by the time the tunnel is finished in 2014. That $30 million will cover much of the cost of rebuilding the creek bed and adding functional trails that can be tied into neighboring amenities such as the Austin Convention Center. Ultimately, the city expects to spend $60 million on refurbishing the creek.

The conservancy is now holding an international urban design competition for 15 blocks along the creek, from Waterloo Park to Lady Bird Lake. The winning submission, to be chosen as soon as mid-October, will serve as a blueprint for reimagining the creek, according to an agreement between the city and conservancy.

[Downtown_Austin]

I had an amazing opportunity to tour the Waller Creek tunnel yesterday. Captured some pretty good video, which you can see below (via DAB). It's truly cavernous. We entered between 4th and 5th Streets and walked south to a point just below Iron Works BBQ.

• Video Link