AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II - Page 46

andrew.A..T..X · #**901** Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 8:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Isn;t that amazing. We have seen other developers do that as well. Makes the impact of their building look more impressive on the syline..... and suggests better views.

thats right. If you look at the same picture with all of the buildings, the four seasons would be bigger than the frost bank because they blew it out of proportion. Mabye thats why they took it out.

crewer · #**902** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 11:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

I don't know why the signs were taken down. I assume it's temporary. In fact, the Four Seasons Residences Town Lake, Austin website has been updated and includes the following rendering, depicting a tower which definitely exceeds the 400’ mark (probably in the 420’-480’ range)...

Is that rendering showing the true positioning of the building? I thought the wider sides would face east/west with the narrower sides facing north/south. Is there even room on the lot for it to face this direction?

StoOgE · #**903** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 1:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Actually, according to the article, it says that the funds are generated by not using tax payer's money. But through a fee developers pay for certain things.

Yeah, but Kevin, who payed for those streets? Anything the city "owns" really belongs to the tax payer. The fact that they shut down meters that should be free after 6 oclock and let businesses make money off of them irks me enough. Now they are taking the money made on that and instead of reinvesting it into something for the public good, are giving it to yet another business.

GoldenBoot · #**904** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 1:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by crewer

Is that rendering showing the true positioning of the building? I thought the wider sides would face east/west with the narrower sides facing north/south. Is there even room on the lot for it to face this direction?

Yes, that is the true placement of the building - the wide sides are facing north & south. However, the corner units will get views in two directions – north & west, north & east, south & west, or south & east.

In the rendering above (showing Four Seasons Residences' north and west façades) you may notice the eastern edge of the Four Seasons Hotel in the lower right-hand corner...

priller · #**905** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 2:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

In the rendering above (showing Four Seasons Residences' north and west façades) you may notice the eastern edge of the Four Seasons Hotel in the lower right-hand corner...

Doesn't that mean, then, that the wide sides are facing east/west?

andrew.A..T..X · #**906** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 2:05 PM**

Is there an offcial height for it? That picture looks 450+ feet tall.

Saddle Man · #**907** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 3:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by priller

Doesn't that mean, then, that the wide sides are facing east/west?

Nope. The north face (wide side) goes right up to chavez.

MichaelB · #**908** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 3:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

Nope. The north face (wide side) goes right up to chavez.

Yep. Walked past there this AM to see if there are was any action going on. Nope. However, the sign is indeed gone....

priller · #**909** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 4:55 PM**

Okay, I think I have a better handle on it now. Here's their rendering:

And here I've tried to match it in Google Earth, with my very rough models of the hotel and the residence buildings:

I think my Google shot is at a slightly higher angle, but they're pretty close. I have the residence model at 480' here.

This shot shows where I have it placed, right on Caesar Chavez, roughly where the current parking lot is now:

From Soco:

From the Long center:

Saddle Man · #**910** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 5:19 PM**

neato

GoldenBoot · #**911** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 5:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by priller

Doesn't that mean, then, that the wide sides are facing east/west?

Yes, I suppose you may be correct. However, I believe it's simply semantics.

One could say that the north & south façades of the building are “wider” than the east & west sides. True. Or one may consider the north & south façades as the “length” of the building. Also true. In any case, I believe most people may understand the impression.

By the way, OUTSTANDING job on the Google Earth models! I can't wait to see more...

MichaelB · #**912** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 6:45 PM**

Priller..... you are kicking some mean ass with your Google models!

KevinFromTexas · #**913** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 7:23 PM**

lol, well, I was going to post a picture of my Lego model to show the placement of Four Seasons, but priller beat me to it with his drawings!

Here it is, the yellow rectangular box, lower right. Just a "mock model" of course. I believe I modeled it at 400 feet here. I think it'll actually be closer to 500 feet according to that transparentish rendering they put out with the old skyline picture. Man, the view of that puppy from San Jacinto as you head south is going to be sweet.

Strayone · #**914** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 7:58 PM**

It's interesting that ..

Spring is 43 story's and listed at 432'

Block 21 is 35 story's and is listed at 433' it has a Hotel element, which could push it's height.

Four Seasons is 38 story's and by the rendering and Prillers above analysis it might be 480' high. I suspect it will be somewhat shorter.

If the design is in place why would they not list the height?

KevinFromTexas · #**915** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 8:11 PM**

The thing is even until a building is topped out heights can change. I've been trying to get the height for the Grand Hyatt down in San Antonio, and even though the building has already started construction and is actually halfway up, there's a chance the penthouse may be shorter if it's deterimined they don't need a parapet wall for the mechanical stuff.

I also usually wait until a building has begun construction to even ask for the heights since plans are usually a little bit more finalized by then. Even so, I'll check back with them later on to see if they're the same. Floors can be added, or removed, and the little things like an extra couple of feet from a barrier wall, parapet, can add or take away height.

As for the heights being so close to each other, yet the buildings have different floor numbers, it all depends on what the use is. Again, this is why I always wait until they're started and then check back again later. It takes 2 years to finish a building. A lot can happen in 2 years as far as the economy goes and even just normal tweaking of the design. Skyscraper developers are creatures of survival.

If one thing isn't working for them with one set of plans, then they switch to make it work. Just look at Tom Stacy's planned tower at 5th & Congress. Other examples would be the Four Seasons Residences and Altavida, which have existed in one form or another for nearly a decade or more.

Texas Tuff · #**916** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 11:37 PM**

Looking at the new renderings of the Four Seasons Residences above I think it will have a much bigger impact on the skyline than I originally thought (maybe because it's so wide). With Altavida and the Austonian nearby, that part of downtown is going to be really dense! (at least in terms of tall buidlings) BTW, great looking Google Earth models Priller, thanks for showing us new updated models when new projects start to come on board, that really helps to give additional perspective to the various projects and their placement.

Strayone · #**917** Posted **Jun 7, 2007, 12:59 AM**

[QUOTE= Just look at Tom Stacy's planned tower at 5th & Congress. Other examples would be the Four Seasons Residences and Altavida, which have existed in one form or another for nearly a decade or more.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I remember going to look at the model at the 4 seasons many yrs ago, and later it never took off, simple economics got in the way. I didn't realise so many factors can change a building even after construction has begun and I didn't realise Altvida was planned that far back.

Just me being impatient and getting amped up about another possible project in the works.

ivanwolf · #**918** Posted **Jun 7, 2007, 3:05 AM**

I noticed another crane go up over the weekend looking out of the window at work when I got there on Monday. A crane for Precidio at Judges Hill has been raised.

http://www.presidioatjudgeshill.com/

KevinFromTexas · #**919** Posted **Jun 7, 2007, 4:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strayone

I didn't realise so many factors can change a building even after construction has begun and I didn't realise Altvida was planned that far back.

There has been a plan for either an office building or a residential building proposed for the Altavida site since the late 80s. The building was first planned by Met Life as a 22-story office tower and as a "companion" to 100 Congress nextdoor. Later it was slimmed down to just 13 floors. Then there was another proposal for a 20-story office tower. Then most recently the 28-story Altavida. Then it was increased in height, and we have the tower today.

Strayone · #**920** Posted **Jun 7, 2007, 5:31 AM**

^ I'm always thrilled when the actual construction...cranes,subfloors, pilings, etc. are in place, as far as I can remember every project of notable size except the Intel FU has gone on to be completed after they have gotten into those areas of the process. Altavida is still a mystery to me since it has been quite a bit of time that they have spent below street level. I hope it grows very rapidly once they finally get above ground, it has never been one of the buidings that grabbed my attention ,not like 360 or even The Monarch. When I start to see progress then I'll more than likely start to pay even more attention to it. From what you have said that site has quite a history, so it actually is cool that this is what finally was the outcome. Good info as usual thanks.