AUSTIN | Fairmont Hotel | 595 FEET SPIRE/456 FT ROOF | 37 FLRS | Complete

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by the Genral

From pic 1 and 5, it resembles the JW.

When you put the two side by side, the similarity is uncanny. I really think both White Lodging and Manchester were working from the same Butterick pattern for this one -- a six or so story podium for public space and a flat rectangular obelisk for 1000ish rooms. Though to be honest, understanding that a hotel of that size needs certain things -- a parking garage, a certain amount of meeting space, a certain number of food outlets -- and given that both had about a city block to fill, the podium/obelisk setup just might be the best use of space.

I still think it's an important linchpin project for that strip of the city. I guarantee you'll see more development start to fill in there within the next few years.

[tie_guy]

Originally Posted by We vs us

When you put the two side by side, the similarity is uncanny.

To me, they're basically twin towers. Fairmont being the male tower

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by tie_guy

To me, they're basically twin towers. Fairmont being the male tower

[KevinFromTexas]

I think the size of it sort of distorts the height a bit and makes it seem shorter than it is. I was taking pictures of the skyline from the South Austin Hospital garage (I still need to get them up) - anyway, from that garage + the ground elevation, you're nearly even with some of the tallest buildings in downtown. I noticed it's still somewhat shorter than the Four Seasons right now. The Four Seasons Residences is 401 feet to the mechanical penthouse boxes. The Fairmont will be 456 feet to the mechanical screen and 420 feet to the main roof. So it'll be a little taller. It'll still have the 2nd highest roof east of Congress, and it'll have the 5th highest roof until the Independent and 5th & West are finished.

Design-wise, I can take it or leave it. Every time I look at this building I try to envision what the original design would have looked like, and I gotta say, it sucks that's the reaction I have every time I see it. As for the JW Marriott, I think it's better building actually. The glass accents on that one makes it one of the most interesting facades we've seen so far.

Anyway, what I'm looking forward to most now is the lighting, the views from it, and watching the spire go up and how it'll affect the skyline.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I think the size of it sort of distorts the height a bit and makes it seem shorter than it is.

That always happens with plain glass buildings. All the glass blends together to form one "solid" rectangular shape, so there's nothing to relate it to human scale to give it any sense of actual height. With buildings in which you can clearly delineate the windows (art deco or neo-gothic for example) you get a sense of scale and the buildings in those architectural styles always appear taller than all glass buildings of a similar shape.

[clubtokyo]

The base is going to look really nice in my opinion.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

The base is going to look really nice in my opinion.

I respect your opinion. But does it add anything to what makes Austin great? I think it would fit right in near the Houston airport.

[clubtokyo]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I respect your opinion. But does it add anything to what makes Austin great? I think it would fit right in near the Houston airport.

I am not native to Austin, and everyone seems to have a different idea of what makes Austin great. What makes Austin great to you?

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I respect your opinion. But does it add anything to what makes Austin great? I think it would fit right in near the Houston airport.

This would not fit in near the Houston airport. Not sure how you can say that at all...

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I respect your opinion. But does it add anything to what makes Austin great? I think it would fit right in near the Houston airport.

It adds jobs...that's great.
It adds hotel rooms, that's REALLY great.
It replaces a parking lot, that's super.
It adds tax revenue to our (inexplicably) stretched budget.
It adds another tower to our ever growing skyline, if you are into that sorta thing. Even buildings I hate are cool to me because they fill in the skyline.
GREAT!
Fairmont's I've visited are typically high design, taking cues from the surrounding city. Austin has plenty of "make it work" design, and could stand to use some more high design. Do we have to all were jeans all day everyday? I'm building my house in Zilker now, and my wife and I toured dozens of very nice homes in very nice neighborhoods for design inspiration, and found the most exciting design inspiration came from new well designed homes in The freaking Woodlands of all places. I'm ashamed to say that, but the "old rusted" Austin look is tiring.

sorry for the tangent. Basically, I'm pumped to see this property.

[clubtokyo]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

It adds jobs...that's great.
It adds hotel rooms, that's REALLY great.
It replaces a parking lot, that's super.
It adds tax revenue to our (inexplicably) stretched budget.
It adds another tower to our ever growing skyline, if you are into that sorta thing. Even buildings I hate are cool to me because they fill in the skyline.
GREAT!
Fairmont's I've visited are typically high design, taking cues from the surrounding city. Austin has plenty of "make it work" design, and could stand to use some more high design. Do we have to all were jeans all day everyday? I'm building my house in Zilker now, and my wife and I toured dozens of very nice homes in very nice neighborhoods for design inspiration, and found the most exciting design inspiration came from new well designed homes in The freaking Woodlands of all places. I'm ashamed to say that, but the "old rusted" Austin look is tiring.

sorry for the tangent. Basically, I'm pumped to see this property.

I love the style of some of the homes in The Woodlands, I personally really like the woodlands, but it is crazy how far it is from Houston.

[Sigaven]

I'm not sure whether this is one of those "Plinth towers" or not (where you have a 5-6 floor parking garage base with a tower on top), but it does remind me...hopefully one day we will have a public transportation system comprehensive enough to where we can eliminate the "plinth" from the plinth towers! They create such dead streetscapes.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I respect your opinion. But does it add anything to what makes Austin great? I think it would fit right in near the Houston airport.

I get it. I don't think it's an airport property but when you drive by there's something out of scale about it -- especially surrounded as it is by 1) a single story convention center 2) a single story raised highway and 3) open lots on all sides. That podium looks like it belongs in the middle of a fully developed block. It kind of looms.

In time stuff will fill in around it, but I agree, for now it sticks out in a weird way.

[Speculator]

Dominates the skyline when driving north on I 35.

[The ATX]

This one is awesome.

[drummer]

^ I agree.

[the Genral]

And once its completed what a fantastically romantic view of I35 the guests will have!

[corvairkeith]

The guests in the North facing rooms will have a wonderful up close and personal view of the Hilton.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by corvairkeith

The guests in the North facing rooms will have a wonderful up close and personal view of the Hilton.

I guess it's kind of a toss up. I would just go with the cheapest rate.

[drummer]

I think I-35 would be more interesting. At least the cars move and change, albeit slowly.