Waller Creek Flood Tunnel & Trail Update Thread - Page 4

the Genral · #61 Posted **Aug 30, 2012, 8:13 PM**

Wow, what an opportunity DAB. I was kind of expecting one of those big tunnel boring rigs like they used on the English Channel Tunnel.

Downtown_Austin · #62 Posted **Aug 30, 2012, 8:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Wow, what an opportunity DAB. I was kind of expecting one of those big tunnel boring rigs like they used on the English Channel Tunnel.

I was hoping to see that, too. It's amazing how much they've mined with the boring machine they were using. It goes back and forth like a dot matrix printer, chipping away limestone with each pass.

priller · #63 Posted **Aug 30, 2012, 8:54 PM**

Very cool! Thanks for posting that.

BevoLJ · #64 Posted **Aug 30, 2012, 9:31 PM**

Awesome! Thank you DAB.

KevinFromTexas · #65 Posted **Aug 30, 2012, 10:31 PM**

That's awesome. This is kind of the project that everyone forgets is happening, but it's probably the most important one really.

migol24 · #66 Posted **Aug 31, 2012, 8:06 AM**

How long will this take till its completely finished?

KevinFromTexas · #67 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 7:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migol24

How long will this take till its completely finished?

http://www.austintexas.gov/wallercreek

That link says 2014.

Quote:

The Waller Creek Flood Control Tunnel Project will construct a stormwater bypass tunnel to address problems of flooding and erosion along lower Waller Creek. The mile-long tunnel will capture and redirect flood waters south of 12th Street and safely carry them to an outlet lagoon on the shores of Lady Bird Lake. In doing so, the tunnel will take nearly 28 acres of downtown land out of the 100-year floodplain and create an environment suitable for redevelopment. The project will also include amenities such as a new public boathouse and stream bank restoration. The project is scheduled for completion in 2014.

migol24 · #68 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 10:43 PM**

Oh, snap! A lot earlier than I would have guessed. I was thinking maybe another 3 years or so.

Jdawgboy · #69 Posted **Sep 17, 2012, 10:18 PM**

Just saw on KXAN the Waller Creek finalists have been announced.

BevoLJ · #70 Posted **Sep 17, 2012, 11:50 PM**

Here are the Final Four: http://wallercreek.org/finalfour/

Just go to the page that has the four teams and click on one to see its idea

The displays should be up tomorrow!

Edit: When looking at the ideas for those teams on the above link, try moving the bottom image. There is a spot at the bottom of each teams idea where there are images that look small. It is below the "Team Concepts" and below that it says "Drag the images below to left/right to view all design concepts." Do that and you can see it better.

Jdawgboy · #71 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 1:37 AM**

I cant zoom in at all, I wanted to see close up the one where it has a bunch of bubble pictures its the team that did the poppy flower, I like that one but would like to read the script.

BevoLJ · #72 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 2:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I cant zoom in at all, I wanted to see close up the one where it has a bunch of bubble pictures its the team that did the poppy flower, I like that one but would like to read the script.

I can't zoom in that much on those either. I can only zoom in enough to see the pictures better, but reading those parts are blurry. There is a think you can download for each design that goes into a bit more info on each of their parks/parts. Try that?

BevoLJ · #73 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 2:35 AM**

My opinions from another post...

I love that they are all so different. It is hard to decide which I like the most. What I like about each the most is easier though.

CMG/Public- Amazing mix a modern urban design with great Texas Hill Country feel. Defiantly the best urban design, and I think does the best job giving a feel for Central Texas and the Hill Country. Although Flato design also gives a Hill Country feel almost as well.

Michael Van/Thomas Phifer- Stunning! Just absolutely beautiful. The best use of nature for the designs. And by far! Amazing, beautiful use of nature, I love the parks they have planned, the idea of preserving history, and providing music and nature in abundance. I don't know what to think of the Confluence idea. It is something new and totally radical to me. The idea of having the large lawn supported by the concrete used in the flood tunnel going out over the new lake @ Waterloo Park is a wild idea. Hard for me to see in my mind.

The Turenscape/Flato design, I love the use it has. It really puts us in the middle of it. It is very beautiful, but I think it has by far the best interaction between us, nature, the water and the design. While it isn't as beautiful as the two above, is is more beautiful than the Workshops IMO. BUT this is one that while not as stunning, I think I would enjoy the most. The pools where the kids can tube, and the walkways and paths that really seem to make it so natural and like you just belong among the nature right in the heart of the city. It is not a design of parks you look at. It is more of a design of parks you through off your flip flops and jump into and splash around!

Workshop- The most Austin design. It isn't nearly as big a change as any of the above ones. I think what I like most about it, is its simplicity. Also that while the others are stunningly beautiful designs, the Workshop design while still very pretty it just sort of feels more like it belongs there. Much more of a natural fit into the mess of Austin blending the wilds of Lady Bird and Waterloo with the harsh urbanity of the downtown that connects them. All while actually feeling like it has always been there. The other design I don't know would have that same feeling of having always been there, that this would.

My final opinion? (which will probably change in 15 mins, lol!) Austin is a super active city. We take every last little bit of what we have and always enjoy making use out of it in weird completely unpredictable ways. For that reason, I'm going to have to go with the Turenscape/Lake Flato design. It really seem like something Austinites would enjoy the most with their absurd ADD and endless energy. The weird unpredictable possibilities of what the creative minds of Austinites would do with a park like the Flato design just makes me want it more. Just to see what sort of crazy things we would do with it.

East7thStreet · #74 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 3:22 AM**

I couldn't get it to zoom in at all so the site was pretty worthless in my opinion. Pretty frustrating because it looked like there were a lot of details to examine.

KevinFromTexas · #75 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 3:51 AM**

If you look on the project's website up at the top under the "Exhibits" tab, apparently they're planning to have a "mobile display" at various locations such as city hall, and Republic Square Park. So it looks like I'll be headed back to downtown in a few days for some photos of it at city hall.

Jdawgboy · #76 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 2:20 PM**

I definitely need to go and view the concepts in person to really get an idea.

For the moment I prefer the one that is the most ambitious one with the poppy flower. As they stated this project is too grand to just have simplicity or just to remake into its natural past. It is an international in design which Austin is sorely lacking as we are transitioning more than ever as an international destination.

While none of them are bad, two of the designs IMO are basically glorified versions of the hike and bike trails. Kinda want to have something different than what we already have in abundance.

Again to make my full judgment I would have to look at each design in person which is what I plan to do.

texastarkus · #77 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 4:05 PM**

After looking at the video....is anyone thinking subway for Austin????

DIG...lay track...run electrical lines....buy some cars.....

electricron · #78 Posted **Sep 18, 2012, 11:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by texastarkus

After looking at the video....is anyone thinking subway for Austin????
DIG...lay track...run electrical lines....buy some cars.....

At grade streetcars and commuter rail > Yes ; Subway > No

JoninATX · #79 Posted **Oct 7, 2012, 5:51 AM**

They did a massive clean up several days ago at Waller Creek.

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/a...p-waller-creek

JoninATX · #80 Posted **Oct 18, 2012, 4:48 PM**

Winner announced to redesign Waller Creek: MVVA and Thomas Phifer & Partners

Quote:

BY CAITLIN M. RYAN

10.18.12 | 10:30

On Thursday morning, City Hall saw a packed house as architects, designers, city officials and reporters waited for the announcement of which talented team would be selected to implement its designs for Waller Creek and thereby reshape the future of Austin.

Post-announcement, Lee Leffingwell kicked off the press conference with, "This is significant milestone in the history of Austin, Texas, that we will go ahead in the development of Waller Creek here in Austin."

The area that will be impacted by MVVA and Thomas Phifer & Associates' design concept represents 11 percent of downtown. The design concept features a chain of parks that aim to heal and reconnect the east and west of Austin: The Lattice, The Grove, The Refuge, The Confluence.

"It was a difficult and rigorous process that we went through with the jury" said Stastny, and he revealed that the decision was unanimous upon final analysis.

This team stood out as a front runner many months ago when on Meet the Designers Night on May 15, we noted MVVA and Thomas Phifer & Associates recieved "a noticeably different introduction from Stastny, who lauded the group for its 'mature approach' to design."

The Waller Creek Conservancy has not yet had a chance to sit down with the winning team to discuss timing or finances as Thursday morning's announcement was the first made. However, development is already underway according to executive director of the Conservancy, Stephanie Lee McDonald, who says the Conservancy is working in conjunction with the city's Tunnel Project, which is already 65 percent complete. "When they come up to ground, we want to be able to make sure that our design can be a part of what their design is so we don't have to go back and redo anything."

http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdet...-waller-creek/