AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II - Page 65

KevinFromTexas · #**1281** Posted **Dec 14, 2014, 5:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

If you want to get on a ferris wheel and have some nice views of downtown, just go to the Trail of Lights this year. Apparently there's a 90-foot ferris wheel close to the Zilker Tree.

From the Austin American Statesman:

Critics, organizers put their spin on Ferris wheel near Zilker Tree

The story is behind the paywall, but there's a video that non-subscribers can watch.

There's a nice drone aerial of it here:
https://www.facebook.com/overaustin/...type=1&theater

MichaelB · #**1282** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 12:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

For some reason, I'm in "detective mode" tonight.

Anyway, I went over to the Travis County Appraisal Districts website and did a property search by owner name for "Headington."

Headington Armory Partners LP is listed as the owner for

406 W 17 ST - Dog & Duck Pub
412 W 17 ST - parking lot
407 W 18 ST - Ambassador Apartments
1708 GUADALUPE ST - 3-story building with the black mansard roof to the right of the vacant Travis House lot in that night photo above.

The lot where the Travis House used to be (405 W 18 ST) shows the owner as Travis Hotel Group LLC.

Headington Armory Parters and Travis Hotel Group both have the same parent company - Headington Oil of Dallas. They all have the same address on Haskell Ave. in Dallas.

It looks like they're putting all these parcels together, and if so, I guess there could be a 38-story building go up.

Maybe the homeless guy was right.

Yes! Good snooping.
I also found that Timothy Headington also owns two high end hotels in Dallas: The Joule and Lumen!
Back when they were looking to tear down the Travis House our building ( Cambridge) supportd it becuase the structure had been extrememly compromised by the Fire deparment doing drills there. AND it was becoming an issue with homeless and fires. At that time, the "Travis Hotel Group" told us it was to be a VMU with Hotel, apartments and Retail. BUT that information has not resurfaced anywhere.
And a little history... the Ambassador apartments were originally built as a hotel.! So It would be a nice "full circle" if that land became a hotel again!

LoneStarMike · #**1283** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 3:19 AM**

^^One other thing about that block - it looks like the only two parcels that are NOT owned by subsidiaries of Headington is that building at 408 W 17th. It's got offices on the first floor for Lawyer's Aid Service, and the second floor is student housing called Abbey House.

The building itself is one parcel and that thin parking area (enough for one row of cars) between it and the old Dog and Duck Pub is a separate parcel. The Dog & Duck Pub's parking lot on the southeast corner and the other parking lot on the southwest corner (412 W 17th) is owned by Headington Armory Partners.

408 W 17 (the actual building and the thin parking area) are owned by someone named Stephen McNally. What's weird is that if you go to the Travis County Appraisal District's website and type in that address (408 W 17th St) nothing comes up. But if you search by owner name, it does. The only reason I was able to find out the name of the owner was that he also protested the designation of the old Travis House as historical back in 2009 and I found the documents on the City's website.

Anyway, thanks for posting about your conversation with the homeless guy. It gave me something to do (research) on an otherwise boring Friday night.

MichaelB · #**1284** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 4:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

^^One other thing about that block - it looks like the only two parcels that are NOT owned by subsidiaries of Headington is that building at 408 W 17th. It's got offices on the first floor for Lawyer's Aid Service, and the second floor is student housing called Abbey House.

The building itself is one parcel and that thin parking area (enough for one row of cars) between it and the old Dog and Duck Pub is a separate parcel. The Dog & Duck Pub's parking lot on the southeast corner and the other parking lot on the southwest corner (412 W 17th) is owned by Headington Armory Partners.

408 W 17 (the actual building and the thin parking area) are owned by someone named Stephen McNally. What's weird is that if you go to the Travis County Appraisal District's website and type in that address (408 W 17th St) nothing comes up. But if you search by owner name, it does. The only reason I was able to find out the name of the owner was that he also protested the designation of the old Travis House as historical back in 2009 and I found the documents on the City's website.

Anyway, thanks for posting about your conversation with the homeless guy. It gave me something to do (research) on an otherwise boring Friday night.

Happy to help! LOL!
Now.... to keep an eye on this and see what happens! Thats a really big company with many arms in real estate and hotels. Fingers crossed they do something with it!

Mopacs · #**1285** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 5:16 AM**

Here are a few from yesterday...

Seaholm, Bowie and Northshore on the far left

Hotel Van Zandt, Millenium Rainey and Westin Hotel all visible

Bowie and Seaholm

Northshore

Westin

And a bonus, some fall foliage along the boardwalk

The ATX · #**1286** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 12:50 PM**

Great shots from lesser seen locations.

paul78701 · #**1287** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 2:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

If you want to get on a ferris wheel and have some nice views of downtown, just go to the Trail of Lights this year. Apparently there's a 90-foot ferris wheel close to the Zilker Tree.

From the Austin American Statesman:

Critics, organizers put their spin on Ferris wheel near Zilker Tree

The story is behind the paywall, but there's a video that non-subscribers can watch.

Yea.. I know about this, but it's temporary and not downtown.

KevinFromTexas · #**1288** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 4:17 PM**

Nice photos, Mopacs. I should be going downtown today/tonight, but I think I'm stuck on Christmas light duty.

Anyway, I think Northshore is going to be an impressive looking tower looking down San Antonio Street.

Mopacs · #**1289** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 5:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Nice photos, Mopacs. I should be going downtown today/tonight, but I think I'm stuck on Christmas light duty.

Anyway, I think Northshore is going to be an impressive looking tower looking down San Antonio Street.

Thanks Kevin! I'm impressed thus far with Northshore. Can't wait to see how it interacts with the 2nd street extension.

Have you been on the Boardwalk yet? We walked the entire length on both sides of 35. What an amazing asset to our city. Definitely a place to take out of town visitors on a nice day.

lzppjb · #**1290** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 6:28 PM**

Where do you park to access the boardwalk?

The ATX · #**1291** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 6:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Where do you park to access the boardwalk?

Joe's Crab Shack.

KevinFromTexas · #**1292** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 7:07 PM**

Yeah, Joe's Crab Shack is the best spot to park to get to it. From there you head east on the sidewalk, it's probably about a block east, and there's an entrance to it. It's definitely a neat place to go. I've enjoyed going at all hours of the day to see the skyline at different times of the day. The change of light is really something. I would imagine going when it's foggy would be really cool.

corvairkeith · #**1293** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 7:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Where do you park to access the boardwalk?

I usually park under the I35 bridge and then ride over to Riverside and access the trail by the Riverview Apartments.

Mopacs · #**1294** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 7:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by corvairkeith

I usually park under the I35 bridge and then ride over to Riverside and access the trail by the Riverview Apartments.

That's where we parked too. The first time we visited, I parked in the Joe's Crab Shack lot. It wasn't clear if parking there was allowed, so I erred on the side of caution and did not venture too far out along the boardwalk.

lzppjb · #**1295** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 8:49 PM**

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

I saw on yelp that some people park at the Statesman after working hours.

KevinFromTexas · #**1296** Posted **Dec 15, 2014, 10:06 PM**

I ride my bike there all the way from South Austin, then way over to East Austin and then all the way back. Sometimes I even ride over to Zilker Park before heading home. lol One day I did 40 miles round trip. It's amazing how much easier of a trip it is into East Austin thanks to the boardwalk. You don't have to brave the speeding traffic along Riverside on that skinny bumpy sidewalk, or worry about crossing I-35. Not to mention there are no hills along the trail. You can ride from Zilker Park on the trail all the way to South Pleasant Valley Drive, and then into Roy G. Guerrero Park east of there. From there you can then take another trail in the park all the way to US 183. By the way, the Montopolis Bridge crossing the river is scary. Cars zoom by pretty close, and that bridge wiggles quite a bit. haha I like going into Roy G. Guerrero Park. It's nice and quiet, and the trail is paved with concrete.

Urbannizer · #**1297** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 2:04 AM**

Speaking of the boardwalk, does anyone know what's planned to go up here? There was a lot of activity today with excavators moving around. I know this site has been fenced off for quite some time now.

IluvATX · #**1298** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 2:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Speaking of the boardwalk, does anyone know what's planned to go up here? There was a lot of activity today with excavators moving around. I know this site has been fenced off for quite some time now.

Last i heard was 7 story apartments.

austin242 · #**1299** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 2:20 AM**

Last I heard it is a 6story building 2 story underground 8 in all , and it is designed by the same people who did the crescent across the street.

The ATX · #**1300** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 2:28 AM**

It's R58 on the new Emerging Projects list, but renderings are scarce. There is an elevation drawing posted in one of the Austin threads. But that was a while back so it may not be easy to find.

R58 300 E. Riverside
Demolition has been completed for this proposed project
consisting of the replacement of a 145-unit apartment complex
with a new 260-unit apartment project.
Start Construction: Early 2015
Contact:
Mary Ellen Barlow
CWS Capital Partners LLC.