AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

It looks like what happens when someone shaves their eyebrows off. They look completely different, and not for the better.

Have you been shaving your eyebrows agian KingK?

[Dale]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Have you been shaving your eyebrows agian KingK?

Maybe he's just keeping Austin wierd.

[jgouger]

Hey everyone here are the pics of the tree removal from the block 21 site on Friday. These were taken from my office and The Armadillo's tail @ City Hall.

Originally Posted by jgouger

Big news from the block 21 site. The site prep work is well under way today. The large tree was moved earlier this morning (I have some really good pics of it, but don't have a card reader at my office ) They are building the temporary sidewalk around the construction site now too.

[Texas Tuff]

Originally Posted by Strayone

Wow this is first I've seen or heard of the halo being removed, what a shame! Why would they omit what possibly could have made it iconic, I was very excited to see the lighting scheme with the crown arranged with the ringed edge. Is this a money issue? I am looking at their site and the building feels unfinished. It pains me knowing what could have been!

If it is a money issue that is a real shame. From what I can tell from the Austonian's website, this thing is going to be really nice (very elegant, etc. with lots of high dollar goodies on the inside) So why get cheap now? Like someone said earlier, this could be an iconic building. It would almost be like Walter Chrysler telling his architect (Van Allen I think was his name) to remove the unique triangular shaped accent windows on the Chrysler buidling's crown and just make it a plain, smooth metallic pyramid crown instead to save money. Crazy!!!

[Saddle Man]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Have you been shaving your eyebrows agian KingK?

No, just my pubes.


The Austonian looks like Whoopi Goldberg.

[Mopacs]

Does anyone have a closeup of the revamped design? The rendering features are somewhat indistinguishable on their website.

[Jdawgboy]

it almost looks as if they just took an eraser and took out the ring. It litterally looks like somebody went in there and just erased it. I would think they should give an explanation for it. Just one of the many mysteries of Austin's new buildings. Add this to the other mystery of why 360 shaved off alittle more than 20 feet off their antinna causing the origional height of 580 to shrink 563 feet.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

No, just my pubes.

Ha! Manscaping!



The Austonian looks like Whoopi Goldberg.

OK.... I'lll bite.... how does the Austonian look like Whoopi?

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Does anyone have a closeup of the revamped design? The rendering features are somewhat indistinguishable on their website.

Go by their sales office and check out the model! I was really disapointed in the base.


Also.... does anyone know where they moved the tree (from Block 21) to?

[Saddle Man]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

OK.... I'lll bite.... how does the Austonian look like Whoopi?

It's not a joke, but I guess I wasn't clear. She has no eyebrows. With the ring gone from the Austonian, it looks like it has no eyebrows. She looks weird without them, and so does the Austonian. That's all.

[Mopacs]

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

It's not a joke, but I guess I wasn't clear. She has no eyebrows. With the ring gone from the Austonian, it looks like it has no eyebrows. She looks weird without them, and so does the Austonian. That's all.

S**T, I hate it when I miss crap like that.

[arbeiter]

Originally Posted by Strayone

Off subject here, I spent the night with friends on Lake Travis and while driving out and coming back today I was nearly shocked at all the construction going on while driving on 2222. Jeez I had not been out there for a year and now there is businesses and homes covering the roadway where possible, especially near 620. I think I saw a Target attached to a HEB on the north side near 620. I inquired of my buddy what will this look like in 20 yrs? That road will need to be expanded to the point of being similar to an expressway. My friend who lives near Hudson Bend says after 7 yrs he still isn't used to the daily work commute into town. He misses living in alandale, but his beautiful 3k sqft house must make it bearable.

I find it disgusting, a good example of why Austin's losing its way.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by arbeiter

I find it disgusting, a good example of why Austin's losing its way.

Isn't is what always happens when the masses discover paradise? Everyone wants in. I lived in Florida as a kid and I remeber folks in Ft Lauderdale trying to have "stop growth" laws. Can't do it.

Austin hasn't lost it's way. It's got too many fans that don't know how to treat it "right" (or at least how I would see it, 'cause I don't like how the growth is happening either).

It's the plus/minus of growth and popularity. Every star has it's fans. And then you hire body guards to keep away the bad ones!!!!. More folks just need to be better body guards.

I have to ask myself this week what I have done to walk the talk.

[KevinFromTexas]

^ Agreed. That crap disgusts me.

HAHAHAHA. No eyebrows.

You know who else doesn't have eyebrows? Kris Kristofferson. lol.

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Isn't is what always happens when the masses discover paradise?

No, not really. Austin's much better than other Texas cities in land-use regulation, but that's like being the top turd on the dungpile. Florida's miles ahead, and other areas farther still - there ARE ways to direct growth into smarter places, but the state legislature here stands in the way every time Austin tries.

Still, compare Loop 360 here to Loop 1604 around San Antonio sometime. It could be much worse.

[crewer]

Originally Posted by M1EK

No, not really. Austin's much better than other Texas cities in land-use regulation, but that's like being the top turd on the dungpile. Florida's miles ahead, and other areas farther still - there ARE ways to direct growth into smarter places, but the state legislature here stands in the way every time Austin tries.

Still, compare Loop 360 here to Loop 1604 around San Antonio sometime. It could be much worse.

I agree. Austin has done a very poor job with land management, and it's only getting worse. I'm in Austin four times a year, and each time I return, I see the affects of more "Anytown, USA" type of urban sprawl.

I was always appalled as to what managed to get build directly over the Edwards Recharge Zones. When I saw all of that crap going on, I knew Austin was giving in to big developers.

Oh, and regarding Austin as "paradise"? That's a long stretch. It's a nice place, but hardly paradise. Austin is, and always has been, plagued with the same crap that other cities face. I lived there for 20 years and worked in every neighborhood in every corner of the city... and it wasn't pretty.

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by crewer

I agree. Austin has done a very poor job with land management, and it's only getting worse. I'm in Austin four times a year, and each time I return, I see the affects of more "Anytown, USA" type of urban sprawl.

I was always appalled as to what managed to get build directly over the Edwards Recharge Zones. When I saw all of that crap going on, I knew Austin was giving in to big developers.

"I agree"? I said exactly the opposite (well, close). Austin has implemented ten times the growth management and anti-sprawl measures that the state let them actually keep (and most of the stuff the state overturned was later reinstated by the courts, albeit too late to save some nice parts of the Hill Country).

Also, a lot of the crappiest crap you see out there in the hills is outside Austin's jurisdiction. Other towns in our area pretty much want sprawl, and the unincorporated areas have no land-use regulations at all (counties don't have that power in Texas).

Remember: the city can only do what the state lets them, and the state is very very hostile to anti-sprawl and environmental measures in general, and to Austin specifically.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by M1EK

"I agree"? I said exactly the opposite (well, close). Austin has implemented ten times the growth management and anti-sprawl measures that the state let them actually keep (and most of the stuff the state overturned was later reinstated by the courts, albeit too late to save some nice parts of the Hill Country).

Also, a lot of the crappiest crap you see out there in the hills is outside Austin's jurisdiction. Other towns in our area pretty much want sprawl, and the unincorporated areas have no land-use regulations at all (counties don't have that power in Texas).

Remember: the city can only do what the state lets them, and the state is very very hostile to anti-sprawl and environmental measures in general, and to Austin specifically.

Thank you..... just where I was going. How the state mentality has not only stopped, but reversed many a position Austin has tried to take.

And Crewer you need to be more respectful of what might be a "paradise" to those of us who still choose to live here. If you want to have a real discussion about what makes ones chosen home town a good fit, lets do it. If you want to sling quick and disparaging comments about Austin from afar in an anonymous setting . I will politely decline. Let's not.

And in general. Gosh guys. Um, let;s re-read a statement shall we.

"Isn;t it what happens when the masses discover paradise? Everyone wants in".

This is a semi-metaphorical statement refering to the basis trickle down market concept..... as masses discover any popular product, more people want to buy it. Keeps Walmart in business. Paradise, in this case is truly a poetic way of, only slightly, ironically, refering to Austin. (Um, there is no paradise! It's a fantasy, get it). The real point of the statement being an understanding (though not happy one) that the by product of Austin, or any place, getting popular is that you have tons of people moveing here who actually had no real desire to be here for what Austin is. They therefore have no real interest in contribuitng to any unique environment and get quite dissapointed when there is no target attached to an HEB in their neighborhood . It is the plus/minus of being popular. Yes, that's America! That is the uphill battle we fight. Even as Austin trys to fight it, we are faced with a state full of folks who don't get it, and don;t get Austin and would prefer us to be just like them.

Now, personally I would prefer the lighthearted, demi metaphorical statment that makes the assumption that most folks in here have more in common than not...... and less of the quick bile spitting that too often occurs in annonomous situations. (ooos, did I just spit back? There goes that bitch card!)

[ashlynn]

Hello to all,

I have officially been introduced to this forum and I'm over joyed at the buzz The Austonian is receiving. What an incredible project to be attached to. It appears that "Austin Heights" message looked like my message, but rather he was just passing information onto you about our groundbreaking date.

As for the eyebrow...we were sad to see it go, too. There were two issues: 1) it casted a shadow 2) it blocked the view from the skylounge and fitness center.

The skylounge is now on floor 55 and the fitness center is on floor 56. We have four penthouses that are 8,391 sq. ft.

Feel free to contact me with questions.