AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[kingkirbythe....]

Fixing Up Downtown Austin’s Secret Porch at 301 Congress

https://austin.towers.net/fixing-up-...-301-congress/

Downtown Austin’s most overlooked outdoor space is located on Fourth Street, at the halfway point of the block between Congress Avenue and Brazos Street — it’s sort of like a backyard to the 301 Congress office tower, containing a couple of trees and a bit too much pavement tucked away next to the building’s parking garage and sitting right across the street from the Frost Bank Tower.

We’ve always been fond of this weird little nook, essentially a spruced-up loading dock, but it’s the kind of place you genuinely won’t notice until you’re walking past — that’s why we’re excited to learn that the folks at the Downtown Austin Alliance have recently partnered with the 301 Congress tower’s owner HPI to spruce up this space as a more inviting public amenity. They’re calling it the 301 Congress Porch, and the centerpiece of the project is a five-story, 60-foot wildflower mural currently being installed by Austin artist DAAS.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by DougRockstead

I am not sure if this the right thread to address this but...

the spreadsheet by ATX inspired me (and gave me a lot of data to start) to create my own spreadsheet. I am trying to get back on here regularly like I used years ago.. I remember when the Spring, Monarch and 360 were a big dream and wathcing it go up on the skyline, and playing catch-up and trying to figure out which site is which can get confusing when you are also trying to stay on top of many many other things... anyway.

Here are some things I noticed in our forum.

1) the following threads are for buildings long completed and when you look at the status in the head it shows topped out, instead of complete. I am assuming that is because back in teh day topped out and complete were the same thing.

Last Forum Activity Building Name Address Type Floors Total Height - feet Total Height - meters
03/04/13 Hyatt Place 17 207 63
07/19/13 Callaway House 17 205 63
08/23/13 2400 Nueces 2400 Nueces 16 181 55
04/14/14 Skyhouse Austin 23 264 80
05/01/14 Gables at Park Plaza 18 223 68

The next batch of bldgs show under construction and haven't been updated in over a year.

07/16/21 Travis County Courthouse & Office Tower (1) Government 13 239 73
07/16/21 Travis County Courthouse & Office Tower (2) Government 12 235 72

The next batch shows proposed and they are proposed but haven't had any activity in well over a year, some date back to 2015 since we last discussed them.

Last Forum Activity Building Name Address Type Floors Total Height - feet Total Height - meters
12/11/15 Mexic-Arte Mueum 8 140 43
12/29/15 6th & Nueces 32 0
03/08/18 916 Congress 6 133 41
09/25/19 82 Rainey 3 0
10/29/19 311 West 7th 40 0
01/22/20 614 South 1st 120 37
03/14/20 1301 Lavaca 8 120 37
07/08/20 IBC Bank 18 250 76
10/09/20 Ikon Austin 30 353 108
08/26/20 Motto Hotel by Hilton 12 149 45.42682927
04/13/21 504 W 24th 30 300 91

the next batch shows are threads and I can't determine the status of any of these projects:

Last Forum Activity Building Name Address Type Floors Total Height - feet Total Height - meters

02/08/18 Block 35 Tower 0
05/18/16 Seaholm Residences Residential 30 341 104
10/15/19 410 Uptown 16 0
03/05/22 ATX TOWERS 0
04/05/22 Loren Hotel & Condos 211 South Lamar Hotel/Residential 8 104 32

I am not sure how we change the status on these threads or, if it's restricted to admins, or if we even have a set rules for the stages of the building. There appears to be defined stages on these threads so I am assuming there are.

Thanks everyone, I hope this post doesn't seem to intrusive.

There is no forum rule for including a building status in the thread title for a building. But most sections of the forum have adopted a convention for using various statuses when a thread is created for an individual project. Some of the projects you listed are in limbo because there hasn't been any updates.

On my list, I highlight projects in red if there hasn't been an update for two years. But usually I just delete them if they never had much permitting activity or a presentation to a city board or commission.

[The ATX]

I updated the tallest lists again. I fixed some typos and added the 12th & I35 tower since we have a height for it.


EDIT 9/9. Less than a week later it is already way out of date.

[The ATX]

The next Design Commission meeting is Monday 9/26. Hopefully we'll start seeing some renderings for the new tall boys. The meeting files are usually posted online the Friday before the meeting. So 9/23 will be the day to look for that.

[LiveattheOasis]

https://austin.towers.net/heres-our-...wntown-austin/

Am I missing where we've got these?

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by LiveattheOasis

https://austin.towers.net/heres-our-...wntown-austin/

Am I missing where we've got these?

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=248742

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by The ATX

The next Design Commission meeting is Monday 9/26. Hopefully we'll start seeing some renderings for the new tall boys. The meeting files are usually posted online the Friday before the meeting. So 9/23 will be the day to look for that.

My bday is gunna be lit.

[kingkirbythe....]

I remember back in the Aughts when this was first being discussed.



City of Austin election, politics to likely play a role in Lions Municipal's fate

https://www.statesman.com/story/spor...e/69494127007/

Area golf fans who skip past the American-Statesman’s local section to focus all their attention on the sports page might want to rethink that approach as local elections get closer. Austin politics will likely play a sizable role in any decision on Lions Municipal, a beloved local course that's still on precarious footing.

Last Friday, a large group gathered at the course for the annual Forever Green fundraiser, which benefits the Muny Conservancy. This nonprofit is hoping to partner with the city and the University of Texas to maintain the historic course.

The land on which Muny sits is part of the 500 acres known as the Brackenridge Tract, all owned by the university. The course is considered the first fully desegregated municipal course south of the Mason-Dixon line and the city has leased 140 acres for Muny since 1936, paying UT about $500,000 a year. If the parties don’t come to an understanding, the university could be free to lease the property to another entity, develop it or sell it.

Scotty Sayers, a boyhood friend and agent for two-time Masters champ Ben Crenshaw as well as one of the founders of the conservancy, said he assumes the timeline will speed up after the upcoming elections.

“I don't think anything's going to happen in the next couple of months because we have a mayoral race and on the city council there are a number of seats up,” Sayers said. “There's a lot going on with our city government and that needs to be determined and then that group can help negotiate with the University of Texas to find out what's going to happen to these different pieces of land in the city.

“And quite frankly, this one happens to be on a place where the traffic grid is pretty full. So we think that Lions has a really good chance of surviving as a green space.”

Sayers said he hopes anyone in office will understand how golf fits into the city’s composition.

“City politics are interesting. We don't have a council right now where a lot of the council members are golfers, but they may not be swimmers or tennis players either,” Sayers said. “And all of that is part of the fabric of a city. You want things for people to do, whether it's your parks, whether it's your tennis courts or swimming pools and your golf courses, and what we have to do is make them recognize that there's a boom in golf since COVID and people realize that it's a game you can play in the outdoors, you can social distance if you want to or you can play with your best friend.“

Among those on hand at the annual fundraiser were Crenshaw, 1996 PGA Championship winner Mark Brooks, movie star Luke Wilson and local radio personality Ed Clements.

[chinchaaa]

Build build build! Go golf somewhere else.

[J78704]

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

Build build build! Go golf somewhere else.

Agreed! Redevelop that whole area including the UT student housing across the street. So much development potential that is WAY under used given proximity to downtown. If the city were serious about affordable housing it would open more development opportunity West of MOPAC rather than East of I35 alone.

[lonewolf]

zero point zero zero chance lions goes away

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

Build build build! Go golf somewhere else.

no. make a park? maybe? Fill in.
Just no.

[drummer]

I'd be okay with the Brackenridge Apartments getting redeveloped to better utilize the space. Golf course or not, I'd like the Lions portion to remain a green spot. Large plots of green like that in the middle of the city are precious and few, despite Austin actually doing pretty well in that area compared to many other cities.

[ahealy]

We need as much housing as humanly possible, anywhere, anyhow. I don't care what it looks like, or if it has retail of any kind. Build it! Build it! Build it!

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

no. make a park? maybe? Fill in.
Just no.

.. what?

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by drummer

I'd be okay with the Brackenridge Apartments getting redeveloped to better utilize the space. Golf course or not, I'd like the Lions portion to remain a green spot. Large plots of green like that in the middle of the city are precious and few, despite Austin actually doing pretty well in that area compared to many other cities.

i've been scratching my head over how the breckenridge apartments have stuck around for 10 years now. i imagine as the clarksville development and lake austin heb finish in the near future a lot of attention is going to be on that land as well as the gateway apartments tract

t won't be going away as a green space i wouldn't bother worrying about it

[Sigaven]

I've always thought if Austin were to host a World's Fair this could be a good fairgrounds, lol.

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

i've been scratching my head over how the breckenridge apartments have stuck around for 10 years now. i imagine as the clarksville development and lake austin heb finish in the near future a lot of attention is going to be on that land as well as the gateway apartments tract

t won't be going away as a green space i wouldn't bother worrying about it

I wish the city would open up everything from the south end of West 6th to Red Trail/Lions for redevelopment w/o height caps. One idea for the University-owned area is to create a RFP for all the land they own and sell to a developer while requiring them to maintain/add additional student housing and a park along the River. I’ll keep dreaming 😴

[hookem]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

zero point zero zero chance lions goes away

Word was that Elon was looking for a “signature property”

He could afford it… and could afford putting his name on every building at UT if he needed to grease the wheels.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by hookem

Word was that Elon was looking for a “signature property”

He could afford it… and could afford putting his name on every building at UT if he needed to grease the wheels.