Austin | Railyard | Two Towers | Proposed - Page 5

Andrew_2001 · #1 Posted **Jan 29, 2022, 12:30 PM**

Is there anything known about this?

The ATX · #2 Posted **Jan 29, 2022, 11:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_2001

Is there anything known about this?

No. If there was any update you can bet that it will be posted rather quickly.

We vs us · #3 Posted **Mar 5, 2022, 5:37 AM**

A little Railyard rumor. Supposedly the developer (still Karlin, right?) is hell bent on adding a significant hotel component to the tower closest to the convention center. In this case, significant means 1000ish rooms. Which is actually kind of blockbuster, not merely significant. It's close enough that it could be connected by a skybridge, and connect to whatever the new taller center eventually looks like.

If true, that might explain why we haven't heard anything from the developer in awhile. They're recalibrating to add a major hotel to the mix.

ahealy · #4 Posted **Mar 5, 2022, 1:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

A little Railyard rumor. Supposedly the developer (still Karlin, right?) is hell bent on adding a significant hotel component to the tower closest to the convention center. In this case, significant means 1000ish rooms. Which is actually kind of blockbuster, not merely significant. It's close enough that it could be connected by a skybridge, and connect to whatever the new taller center eventually looks like.

If true, that might explain why we haven't heard anything from the developer in awhile. They're recalibrating to add a major hotel to the mix.

I keep forgetting about railyard. I have a gut feeling it will be a massive project. If only we could get something like those renders. JESUS

Maximusx1 · #5 Posted **Mar 5, 2022, 7:23 PM**

Stating the obvious, but 1000 room hotel plus convention level conference rooms on a half block would have to be very tall.
Add on any type of residential component and we're talking about a monster.

However, if I were them, I'd want to start construction the same day the CC starts re-construction.

Urbannizer · #6 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 5:35 AM**

The latest concept, more images at the link.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/dpxl/oyzb/

JACKinBeantown · #7 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

The latest concept, more images at the link.

The overall design is OK, but those walls on either side of the south facing windows of the taller tower will really block the peripheral views. Jeeze, they stick out about 20 feet! If I were a tenant, I'd be really unhappy about that.

I also predict kids (or drunk adults) in the pool intentionally splashing the party-goers below.

AJB · #8 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 4:57 PM**

I absolutely love this proposed project! Great job, hopefully it comes to fruition. Its a game changer.

JACKinBeantown · #9 Posted **Oct 14, 2022, 2:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

The overall design is OK, but those walls on either side of the south facing windows of the taller tower will really block the peripheral views. Jeeze, they stick out about 20 feet! If I were a tenant, I'd be really unhappy about that.

I also predict kids (or drunk adults) in the pool intentionally splashing the party-goers below.

They should do the reverse... have the window portion stick out past the concrete walls. They'd still get a version of their intended design scheme, but it would make for a much better interior experience with good views instead of blocked ones.

ahealy · #10 Posted **Oct 14, 2022, 1:08 PM**

Those renders are gorgeous!!! Crossing fingers we actually get something very similar irl.

wwmiv · #11 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 5:44 AM**

Roughly 580’ and 880’

I really love the warm hues in the cladding, almost wooden in appearance, and I hope this is the next skybridge domino to fall. It’d be the first between two skyscrapers (the previous two connecting to the convention center proper), and I imagine that it will be needed because of the conference room spaces. I imagine that they aren’t shelling out for a skybridge connection to the existing convention center because the expansion plans are in flux, but wouldn’t be surprised to see this end up eventually connected via skybridge to whatever is built.

At this point, Austin is dense enough and headed in a direction where we will never lack for pedestrian activity on the ground level (the primary reason why the city had banned them), but the summer heat is going to do nothing but get worse and there does reach a tipping point where the number of pedestrians unnecessarily impacts other modes of travel. Shifting some movement of people to skybridges makes sense at this point in Austin’s development.

Apparently the developers think the land they bought is across the street from Brush Square.

Novacek · #12 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 1:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

but the summer heat is going to do nothing but get worse

I think the solution for that is more shade at ground level (trees, canopies, arcades, etc.). And getting rid of stupid setback/stepback rules intentionally trying to prevent shade.

migol24 · #13 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 7:02 AM**

These are great.

bobbywest87 · #14 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 11:01 AM**

Isn’t that smaller tower where Block 16 is supposed to go?

H2O · #15 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 11:52 AM**

This proposal is for two full blocks, 16 and 32, extending from 4th Street to 2nd Street. The second half block of the Railyard Condominiums extending west to Brazos is not included. Since we already know of 2 or 3 active proposals on those blocks, I am wondering if this was an earlier concept when the Convention Center was looking to partner with the owners of those blocks.

They label JW Marriot and the Roosevelt Room as new and the transit map does not mention Project Connect.

IluvATX · #16 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 1:35 PM**

Looks like a combination of these:

In all honesty I like the new renderings though.

We vs us · #17 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 1:52 PM**

What a wild change. Completely realigns everything we've been assuming. If Karlin really does have two full city blocks under control, I'd say the 1000 room hotel rumor suddenly is a lot more feasible than with the previous footprint. Even the podium seems built up enough to suggest meeting space/ballrooms.

And if this is a new concept (not from a year or so ago, as H2O guessed), then it's also suggesting the shape of the new CC. Check the pic below from the flipbook. They're not only showing the Railyard, they're also showing a completely flipped and reconfigured CC alignment. In this pic, the CC goes east-west, not north-south between Trinity and Red River, and 3rd and 4th; there are ghost renderings on the current CC land along Cesar Chavez; there's a re-established street grid, and a paseo under the Railyard (rather than the CC) at 3rd; there's an expansion of Palm Park on two city blocks going east; and that park view is NOT from Brush Square, but from that new portion of Palm Park. And there's even a separate ghost tower attached to that new CC building, across from the Hilton.

I think I'm actually talking myself into the idea that Karlin is partnering with the CC to be part of its expansion.

paul78701 · #18 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 2:54 PM**

My guess is that this is an old concept. As this rendering suggests that projects we already know about aren't happening.

kingkirbythe.... · #19 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 6:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

I'd love this tall gray building on the left. It reminds me of that pyramid tower from back in the Aughts for the MACC site.

bobbywest87 · #20 Posted **Oct 13, 2022, 2:52 PM**

If both this and waterline get built we'll have two giant boots in our skyline. Nothin' more Texas than that.