Domain/North Austin Development Updates

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Good for them -- Braker Pointe is in dire need of additional development. On the other hand -- who'd want to live in an office park, hemmed in by a rail line, Braker, and Mopac? Pretty dang depressing, unless it somehow can connect to the Domain proper.

That specific plot seems to be pretty well separated from all of those save Braker (at least 200 foot buffer from access road or RR, and it fronts to the office parking lots not the office building).

And since it fronts to Braker, it's not too bad of a bike/walk into the Domain along Braker. A little jog down and then up again, but only a few hundred feet more than if it connected over directly to the East (to Feathergrass).

I think that'll be more of a constraint for any eventually redevelopment of the more northern stuff at Braker Pointe (for instance, coming from the Fairfield Inn the detour adds a mile or more).

[drummer]

If the rest of Braker Pointe is redeveloped in the future, I could imagine some sort of pedestrian connection to the Domain proper over the tracks as well.

[The ATX]

The case info was added to Brandywine's preliminary Broadmoor plans filing. After glancing through it, the only actual project info I noticed was 200 multi-family units.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/permit/p...n=12210853&t_selected_propertyrsn=760258

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by freerover

I don't get why people say that but I find walking around the domain much easier than downtown with the exception of 2nd street and other select parts that were recently upgraded. Cars are yield to pedestrians and the walkways are very wide you don't have an intersection to cross every 50 steps.


Here is a Jpeg of the corridor improvements from the MLS stadium to the domain for anyone that didn't want to deal with the huge PDF. Spoilered for size.

My last experiences at the Domain were nightmares walking there. Cars yielding to pedestrians??? In what universe??? The great thing about a street grid is that traffic can be managed along with pedestrian traffic. I find the pedestrian experience at the Domain to be haphazard. Driving through there is just as bad because sometimes you can't go anywhere when there is a constant flow of pedestrians and no pedestrian signals at intersections (because there are no stoplights) or dedicated crosswalks with signals. Nobody bothers to stop to let cars go and in many cases they don't even bother to look around as they approach intersections. While I do come across drivers that don't yield when I'm crossing a street Downtown, I am seeing a shift in traffic/pedestrian etiquette due to the high amount of pedestrian traffic DT. People are more aware and greater numbers are following the law.

[smith_atx]

I have no issues when walking in the Domain, but like everywhere else you need to keep your awareness just in case someone flies thru.

Esperanza at Domain Dr can be pretty hectic though. If they were to try some control measures, I'd vote for there.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

My last experiences at the Domain were nightmares walking there. Cars yielding to pedestrians??? In what universe??? The great thing about a street grid is that traffic can be managed along with pedestrian traffic. I find the pedestrian experience at the Domain to be haphazard. Driving through there is just as bad because sometimes you can't go anywhere when there is a constant flow of pedestrians and no pedestrian signals at intersections (because there are no stoplights) or dedicated crosswalks with signals. Nobody bothers to stop to let cars go and in many cases they don't even bother to look around as they approach intersections. While I do come across drivers that don't yield when I'm crossing a street Downtown, I am seeing a shift in traffic/pedestrian etiquette due to the high amount of pedestrian traffic DT. People are more aware and greater numbers are following the law.

I think the Domain is *fine* when you are in a cluster. So like Rockrose/Northside is ok as long as you are within the boundries of that little area. The spot near the movie theater is pedestrian friendly. The "original" part of the domain from Macy's to Neiman's is pedestrian friendly.

The problem with the Domain is Domain Drive is horrible. Sidewalks dissapear, difficult to cross, very little connectivity between the sections.

Esperanza crossing is a nightmare for pedestrians. Palm Way at Domain Drive is filled with cars that run stop signs and sidewalks are non-existant on the North side of the intersection (parking garage).

The Domain has 3 walkable "pockets" but it's very clearly a place you are supposed to drive to, park and then walk around. There is no cohesive ability to treat the whole of the Domain as walkable. No thought was given to pedestrians easily being able to get from say Brass Tap to Rock Rose. There are massive multi-block parking structures that make you go far out of your way as a pedestrian.

Then there is the reality that the Domain is bounded by 3 pretty un-pedestrian and un-bike friendly arteries. Mopac, Burnet and Braker all need massive amounts of work to be truly pedestrian friendly.

I'm hopeful that with the stadium and increased density around the Domain that we can make some real improvements to this area.

[The ATX]

Whoa. I re-read the Broadmoor case info, and it's not 200 multi-family units. It's 3,000 - (2,996 to be exact)! There must be some residential high-rises planned in order to have this many units along with all the other planned uses.

[Syndic]

I have a difficult time gauging how many units fit into a building. Do we not think that 3,000 could fit into these buildings? Would the buildings need to be taller?

[The ATX]

I'm not an expert on subdividing, but the reason for the permit filing was to create six lots. So I assume that could mean five apartment buildings in the initial phase. I thought the IBM buildings were staying as is for now with IBM stating put. So five apartment buildings could go up where the parking lots are on Burnet and Gault Ln. where your five arrows are placed. That would be 600 units per building. For comparison, Camden Rainey (formerly Millenium Rainey) is eight-stories with 326 units. The Kenzie at the Domain is six-stories with 274 units.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Syndic

I have a difficult time gauging how many units fit into a building. Do we not think that 3,000 could fit into these buildings? Would the buildings need to be taller?

Where'd that image come from? That doesn't seem to match the latest brochure (linked back in the thread)

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/11501-Burnet-Rd-Austin-TX/16433637/


I'm also amused by the forest in that picture that's on top of the drainage pool along Burnet in the Domain.

[Jdawgboy]

Looks too spread out, too suburban. They are taking quite a lot of groundcover for such sprawling lowrise buildings. They could open up a lot of space if they even just did half of that number of housing in taller residential buildings. I'm sure cost is the main reason but the idea of that much sprawling lowrise VMU in an area that should see 300-400 footers instead is sad.

[The ATX]

In case anyone didn't click on Novacek's link which Urbannizer also posted previously, it's for an actual 19-story office building proposal with 550K sq. ft. of office space available for rent. It's not one of the hoped for 360' towers, but it should be ~275'.

[H2O]

I think the renders in the brochure focus mostly on the office core of the development. The residential mid-rise are located more along the periphery. They appear to be 5 or 6 stories, which is comparable to most of the residential in the Domain. I do think that there must be some high-rise residential planned as well to get to 3,000 units. My guess is that the mid-rise will mostly be rental and high-rise might be condominium. Their zoning probably has a lot of flexibility built-in ie. up to 3,000 units and up to 3.2 M SF of office. This gives them ability to adjust to market as time goes by.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

My last experiences at the Domain were nightmares walking there. Cars yielding to pedestrians??? In what universe???

I went to the Apple Store yesterday and again saw a constant barrage of pedestrians walking across the street and cars yielding. I have no idea what Domain you go to.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by The ATX

In case anyone didn't click on Novacek's link which Urbannizer also posted previously, it's for an actual 19-story office building proposal with 550K sq. ft. of office space available for rent. It's not one of the hoped for 360' towers, but it should be ~275'.

How long do buildings this size take? 1.5 years? Maybe we're looking at breaking ground in 2021. Gives them a little more time to look for some more money to fund the train station which I think has to be funded before they can start building.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by Syndic

I have a difficult time gauging how many units fit into a building. Do we not think that 3,000 could fit into these buildings? Would the buildings need to be taller?

Quite clear from this rendering that the North Burnet cluster is very much NOT Austin's second downtown.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Quite clear from this rendering that the North Burnet cluster is very much NOT Austin's second downtown.

Leslie Pool got the proposal thinned out from the initial numbers they were proposing before the rezone.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Quite clear from this rendering that the North Burnet cluster is very much NOT Austin's second downtown.

That rendering also doesn't include any of the new Domain height.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by Novacek

That rendering also doesn't include any of the new Domain height.

True. But look at that Burnet corridor, plus building setbacks. That's no Congress Avenue, know what I'm saying?

[drummer]

Originally Posted by freerover

I went to the Apple Store yesterday and again saw a constant barrage of pedestrians walking across the street and cars yielding. I have no idea what Domain you go to.

I had the same experience when I went to the same store a while back. I was actually pretty impressed with the amount of pedestrians, especially since it's been several years since I'd been in the Domain area in person.

Originally Posted by Novacek

That rendering also doesn't include any of the new Domain height.

Originally Posted by We vs us

True. But look at that Burnet corridor, plus building setbacks. That's no Congress Avenue, know what I'm saying?

You know, we've been going to the North Austin Medical Center area lately for some appointments for my wife (we have more kids on the way), and I've been really impressed with the height of the new construction in the Domain. I was looking today at the IBM buildings as I was coming down on Mopac (southbound). It's really cool to imagine what it will look like in 10+ years. It's not true urban, but it's certainly leaps, not steps, in the right direction. The original construction of the Domain was very obviously a shopping mall, despite their claims of a second downtown at that time. However, things have changed and are moving in the right direction, in my opinion. Eager to see what it looks like in 20 years as well!