AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[jgouger]

Mopacs,

What kind of camera and lens do you use to take your photos? Your photos are excellent as always!

Speaking of good vantage points.... the other day I was looking at some recently renovated houses near Kinney St. and came across a house that had a private 3rd floor balcony that had an incredible view of the skyline. That balcony would be a perfect place to put a jacuzzi and watch the construction while drinking a margarita!

[jgouger]

Link to Monarch's floor plans:

http://www.urbanspacerealtors.com/monarch/art_work/floorplans/floorplans_monarch.pdf

The floor plans look very nice. All of the units have good sized rooms and WICs with full size w/d connections.

[tildahat]

Originally Posted by jgouger

Link to Monarch's floor plans:

http://www.urbanspacerealtors.com/monarch/art_work/floorplans/floorplans_monarch.pdf

The floor plans look very nice. All of the units have good sized rooms and WICs with full size w/d connections.

I'm glad to see they have at least one sub 800sf 1-1 floorplan, but I don't understand why we never see 700-1000sf 2bdrms or 900-1300sf 3bdrms, or for that matter 400-500 sf studios. You know, like you might find in a real city. That would greatly diversify the people who could live downtown, without any subsidies, affordable housing programs, etc.

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by jgouger

Mopacs,

What kind of camera and lens do you use to take your photos? Your photos are excellent as always!

Speaking of good vantage points.... the other day I was looking at some recently renovated houses near Kinney St. and came across a house that had a private 3rd floor balcony that had an incredible view of the skyline. That balcony would be a perfect place to put a jacuzzi and watch the construction while drinking a margarita!

Thanks! I am using Nikon's D40 "entry-level" SLR camera, with the included 18-55mm lens. Its an excellent camera, especially for those new to the SLR realm.

[Mopacs]

There are rumors floating around about a massive redevelopment/expansion of Highland Mall. It could include a dense, mixed-use westward extention of the mall, connecting to the proposed commuter rail station across Airport Blvd (accessible by a pedestrian bridge). Possibly comprised of high-rise office/hotel/residences. There's even talk of a Bass Pro Outdoors store. Can anyone confirm? Sounds extremely ambitious, but you never know.

[tildahat]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

There are rumors floating around about a massive redevelopment/expansion of Highland Mall. It could include a dense, mixed-use westward extention of the mall, connecting to the proposed commuter rail station across Airport Blvd (accessible by a pedestrian bridge). Possibly comprised of high-rise office/hotel/residences. There's even talk of a Bass Pro Outdoors store. Can anyone confirm? Sounds extremely ambitious, but you never know.

While M1EK will be quick to point out that the commuter rail line there would be of limited (at best) use to residents, and he'd be correct, I'd love to see movement on this. The Highland neighborhood is the only one that adopted smart growth infill across entire sections of the neighborhood.

[arbeiter]

Originally Posted by tildahat

While M1EK will be quick to point out that the commuter rail line there would be of limited (at best) use to residents, and he'd be correct, I'd love to see movement on this. The Highland neighborhood is the only one that adopted smart growth infill across entire sections of the neighborhood.

What infill has exactly been built thus far?

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by arbeiter

What infill has exactly been built thus far?

Specs jumbo liquor store?

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

There are rumors floating around about a massive redevelopment/expansion of Highland Mall. It could include a dense, mixed-use westward extention of the mall, connecting to the proposed commuter rail station across Airport Blvd (accessible by a pedestrian bridge). Possibly comprised of high-rise office/hotel/residences. There's even talk of a Bass Pro Outdoors store. Can anyone confirm? Sounds extremely ambitious, but you never know.

That would be smart. That is such a hugh piece of property. With forsight, I think that area will be in demand again before long......Hope so...

Where did you hear this??

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

That would be smart. That is such a hugh piece of property. With forsight, I think that area will be in demand again before long......Hope so...

Where did you hear this??

Nothing concrete...I've heard 'rumblings' from multiple sources. I think some form of redevelopment within the next 3-4 years is inevitable. The mall is in a fantastic location overall, and any reinvestment by co-owners General Growth Properties and/or Simon could go a long way. Both have a history of pumping money into redevelopment of their older properties, so this is not out of the question. Perhaps the co-ownership has been a hindrance?

[tildahat]

Originally Posted by arbeiter

What infill has exactly been built thus far?

Not much that I'm aware of - but there are two large sections where all the lots have a smart growth overlay. One is cottage lot option, the other urban homes or something like that. Plus all of St. Johns is MF-6. (EDIT: On second thought I think it's sf-6, townhouse option.) (This is all from memory, so don't quote me on it.) In other words, you could buy up 2 or 3 SF-3 lots and subdivide and actually have the NP on your side. Just need to get the ball rolling...

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Nothing concrete...I've heard 'rumblings' from multiple sources. I think some form of redevelopment within the next 3-4 years is inevitable. The mall is in a fantastic location overall, and any reinvestment by co-owners General Growth Properties and/or Simon could go a long way. Both have a history of pumping money into redevelopment of their older properties, so this is not out of the question. Perhaps the co-ownership has been a hindrance?

If you're looking for a major new investment, Highland is just an awful, awful location for the foreseeable future. Crime is high; nearby demographics are poor; and, no, the commuter rail line provides no major access to the property (the station, if built in the first round, is still just an every-30-minutes-during-rush-hour-only service with poor characteristics on the residential and office ends of the line).

This isn't anything remotely like the properties along DART's rail line which have redeveloped. The transit-dependent population which will serve as most of the ridership of this rail service is already over-represented at the mall due to the superior bus access provided by the transfer center.

Oh, and, driving access is poor too - compared to Northcross, for instance, because of the barrier the rail line and I-35 present to east-west circulation.

All in all, about the worst site in Austin (except maybe the 183/Braker strip malls currently being abandoned) for redevelopment. Don't hold your breath.

[Strayone]

I never heard of the high crime, can you explain? Good reason for change I'd say. How about the demographics what is wrong with that, do you suppose those are the only people that shop at highland. Wow it sure looks buzy at times. And how about that access to Highland - 290 Koenig, I35 frontage, Airport, just horrible, horrible access.

[KevinFromTexas]

I have heard of some crime there. I have to say it, the area around 183 and I-35 and 290 and I-35 has had a rash of crime over the last year and a half. These include car burglaries, muggings, some shootings. A guy was mugged and shot to death in the parking lot at Target in Capital Plaza. Of course that happened at 1 in the morning and I think they were beside the store, or slightly behind it. Typically this stuff seems to be happening right around I-35, from US 290 to around Rundberg.

This area does however have some good things going for it. Highland Mall is already one of the nicest in the city, I'd put it up against Barton Creek just about any day. I haven't been to Lakeline Mall, so I can't say for that one. As for the neighborhood, I haven't exactly explored it much, but I wouldn't really call the area poor. We ate at an Italian restaurant in that shopping center just west of I-35 at 290, and it was quite nice. Very nice menu, I had a gourmet pizza and the place had a wine list. Not exactly a "poor" establishment.

As for transportation, again, the place has huge potential, the city and Capital Metro just needs to recognize that and utilize the location. It has a rail line running right along it on Airport Boulevard. Plus, it's central.

[OfCourse]

Lakeline is nice. It's being renovated. Or was. I don't know if they've finished yet.

Last time I was in Highland Mall (2yrs ago), a huge fight broke out near the food court and the swarm moved through half the mall, through JCPenney, and out into the parking lot. Cops were all over the place. Not really unexpected from the types of people that hung out there at the time. Anyway, it always used to smell like marijuana in there. I haven't been there since.

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

As for transportation, again, the place has huge potential, the city and Capital Metro just needs to recognize that and utilize the location. It has a rail line running right along it on Airport Boulevard. Plus, it's central.

The rail line is on the other side of Airport, and no commuter rail line remotely like this one anywhere in the country has ever spurred TOD in any way, shape, or form. Rail service every 30 minutes during rush hours only isn't going to bring in any shoppers - and CM says they'll only expand duration/frequency of service due to customer demand - which, once shuttle buses hit the vernacular, isn't going to be a factor. Broken record time: it does not pay to be naively optimistic about this thing; it's following precisely Tri-Rail's path to failure rather than the successful one blazed by LRT all over the country.

"It's central" in this case is a drawback, too, since access from the areas with favorable retail demographics is poor (from the west, for instance), although Mueller could help this.

[RobDSM]

That area around and in Highland Mall is a dump. I have only been to Highland Mall once since Lakeline opened, and that was about a year ago. I have no desire to go back. I rarely visit shopping malls anymore, but if I do it will be at Lakeline or the Domain (which I have yet to visit).

Any redevelopment of that area would be great, as it seems to be quickly becoming a dirty and dangerous area.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by M1EK

"It's central" in this case is a drawback, too, since access from the areas with favorable retail demographics is poor (from the west, for instance), although Mueller could help this.

I lived in NW Hills up until last year, and I can tell you access from the west (at least along 2222, places like NW Hills, Cat Mountain, etc) was very easy. From Allandale even better. 2222/Allandale/290 is the closest thing in Austin has to an E/W central thoroughfare. It took about 10-15 mins from 2222/Mesa to Highland, even with traffic, making it the most convenient mall for me. Barton Creek and Lakeline are nicer, but with any traffic on Mopac or 183, they were easily 25+ minutes away.

I agree that the Highland mall area is pretty sketchy, and there already is tons of bus access so the rail isn't going to add anything. But the road access, IMO, is very good.

[Jdawgboy]

Barton Creek by far is the best indoor mall we have in Austin. It is the largest as well. Highland has not had any renovations as far back as I can remember while Barton Creek has had about three major renovations and additions since it was built. Lakeline mall is the sister mall of Barton Creek so it too is being renovated.

[M1EK]

Originally Posted by hookem

I lived in NW Hills up until last year, and I can tell you access from the west (at least along 2222, places like NW Hills, Cat Mountain, etc) was very easy. From Allandale even better. 2222/Allandale/290 is the closest thing in Austin has to an E/W central thoroughfare. It took about 10-15 mins from 2222/Mesa to Highland, even with traffic, making it the most convenient mall for me. Barton Creek and Lakeline are nicer, but with any traffic on Mopac or 183, they were easily 25+ minutes away.

I agree that the Highland mall area is pretty sketchy, and there already is tons of bus access so the rail isn't going to add anything. But the road access, IMO, is very good.

Now that 183 is done, the typical person in NW Hills is going to go to Lakeline long before they'd go to Highland. I was referring to west-central Austin (Hyde Park in particular - i.e. close enough in that Lakeline is a pain, and where there's enough money to make retailers interested). Try crossing Airport on 51st or North Loop someday (or heading over on 45th). Very different story - very unattractive way in.