Austin, what if...

the Genral · #1 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 12:48 AM**

Out of boredom I grabbed some photos from this forum and changed some of the buildings to resemble what they would have looked like if I was on the developement board. Actually, some of the buildings I raised look better left alone, but here's my take on it anyway. There is absolutely no relevance to these pics other than to entertain. If anyone objects to the use and modifications of their original photos, just let me know and they will be removed. I have quite a few and will post a few pics a week. Hopefully I'm doing this right. Here goes number 1...

Original pic by Downtown Austin from this forum modified by the Genral

KevinFromTexas · #2 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 2:01 AM**

That's cool. That probably more than double's the height of the RBJ Tower and Towers of Town Lake, and of the Milago.

the Genral · #3 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 2:27 AM**

RBJ needs to be bigger, our population is aging.

the Genral · #4 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 2:33 AM**

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/...1848b1f6_b.jpg sheffield fam pic
modified by the Genral

[url]http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h366/thegenral1/mod5332.jpg[/url

oh yea.

BevoLJ · #5 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 3:16 AM**

Frost looks great in that last one!

the Genral · #6 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Frost looks great in that last one!

if only....

KevinFromTexas · #7 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 3:30 AM**

Ha, that's awesome. You should make the hills taller to make them look more like mountains. They're already pretty impressive the way they are, but that would make a cool mountain skyline pic.

The ATX · #8 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 4:10 AM**

Too continue with the only (BIG) iffing...that airport should be the edge of an ocean with a big beach behind it...

the Genral · #9 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 5:28 AM**

#3
original photo by Priller from this forum modified by the Genral killercorn on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92039026@N00/2264376332/

the Genral · #10 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 5:41 AM**

#4
original photo by Texdaniel from this forum modified by the Genral
Ok, this one is ridiculous, but I couldn't help myself.

#5
original photo by Mopacs from this forum modified by the Genral
Just so ya'll know, not even the suburbs are safe from me.

#6
original photo by kevinfromtexas from this forum modified by the Genral
I remember the sign at the Frost construction site saying Austin deserved a world class building, and then they came up short IMO. This is what they should have done.

#7
original photo by kevinfromtexas modified by the Genral
One American Center, juuuuuuuust a tad taller.

#8
original photo by LoneStarMike from this forum modified by the Genral

alright, the semi is a bit much. More to come....

Armybrat · #11 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 3:20 PM**

The Zilker tree?

KevinFromTexas · #12 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 2:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

#8
original photo by LoneStarMike from this forum modified by the Genral

alright, the semi is a bit much. More to come....

lol That truck might have trouble getting under the next bridge!

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

#9
original photo by Kevinfromtexas modified by the Genral

http://s1106.photobucket.com/albums/...modifyasap.jpg

I'm pretty sure that's not my photo. I don't think I've ever taken a photo of those lights.

And yeah, the Hyatt looks alright taller. It was originally supposed to be 25 floors. I think they couldn't get zoning or something for that height. So it ended up being just 17 floors and 185 feet. So at 25 floors it probably would have been around 272 feet tall.

Downtown_Austin · #13 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 2:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

#3
original photo by Priller from this forum modified by the Genral killercorn on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92039026@N00/2264376332/

OUTSTANDING. This is a great visualization of dreaming big. Something I'd like to see more of from Austin developers, architects, and city council.

wwmiv · #14 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 6:55 PM**

If the Frost is* going to be made taller, the tapering needs to be made much more gradual. The crown especially needs to be be more elongated (unfortunately, that means that photoshop can't really help in a decent way).

I'm actually glad that most of our buildings are the height that they are. Many above simply aren't aesthetically pleasing with the extra height.

Jdawgboy · #15 Posted **Jul 18, 2011, 8:19 PM**

I really wish the Frost Bank Tower was taller, these pics give you a good idea of how it would have been if it was though wwmiv has a point about the tapering and crown.

I've always liked the San Jacinto Tower. Its very 80's but it looks nice and I always thought it would have looked so much better with more height to it. It kinda gets left in the shadows now in the skyline. I also wish they left the red outline lighting on its crown, especially now with the new neon lighting in the skyline.

the Genral · #16 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 12:11 AM**

#9
original photo by Downtown Austin modified by the Genral

There are many buildings in Austin I think are stunted, but there are 3 inexcusable abominations in particular, the Hilton Garden Inn shown here,
300 West Sixth, (ok this one is not that bad, but I included it because it had so much potential to be a factor in the skyline and its basically tucked away on the west side virtually out of view from the east) and probably the worst and has the audacity to be called Capitol Tower, at 206 E. 9th. All 3 of these buildings owe half or more of their height to the not that well disguised parking garage levels. I don't mind 1/3 of the tower for parking levels, at the most, but not half. Excuse the quality of this modification, but you can see the improvement. I'll be posting 300 West Sixth soon, and I'm trying to find a decent pic of the "Capitol Tower" so I can "fix" that one too.

Thanks for commenting. I'll keep em coming.

#10 original photo from www.flickr.com/photos/ejmc/34...7600650582521/ modified by the Genral

Yikes!! Frost looks like shit, but I wanted to emphasize 300 West and San Jacinto so don't sweat Frost on this pic. Also raised 360, Monarch, Chase, Spring.

the Genral · #17 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 12:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

If the Frost is* going to be made taller, the tapering needs to be made much more gradual. The crown especially needs to be be more elongated (unfortunately, that means that photoshop can't really help in a decent way).

I'm actually glad that most of our buildings are the height that they are. Many above simply aren't aesthetically pleasing with the extra height.

But this "what if " thread wouldn't be as much fun if I didn't stretch the limits.
Hopefully, there will be some aesthetic improvements mixed in with the ridiculous to both entertain and provoke some imagination. As far as quality, I am limited to what I can do and night shots are proving to be challenging because light from the windows tend to form patterns that don't look right, but I do have night mods on the way.

#11 original photo from LoneStarMike from this forum modified by the Genral.
I was under the impression that the Hyatt was originally planned to be taller by at least a few floors. I don't think I got too carried away with this but I know zoning would never allow this much height on this side of the lake. I do think it looks pretty cool at 30 + floors though. Raised the residential building to the left, got rid of the power plant, and made the Cap Met bus on the bridge a double decker.

BevoLJ · #18 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 3:19 AM**

lol, I didn't even notice the truck at first look.

You should make the capitol taller. If the Capitol dome was taller then maybe we could get rid of the CVC!

the Genral · #19 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 4:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

lol, I didn't even notice the truck at first look.

You should make the capitol taller. If the Capitol dome was taller then maybe we could get rid of the CVC!

In my world there is no CVC!
Just in case its suggested, there are some Austin structures I guess I wouldn't mess with. The Capitol and the UT Tower. But just to show you almost everything else is subject to my madness...
photo by priller on this forum, modified by the Genral

This duck, had it been engineered with my redesigned bill would have no trouble catching fish, and babes

#12 photo by kevinB from this forum modified by the Genral

I did NOT get carried away on this one. All mods are realistic IMO. My objective here was to show 300 West as a dominant player in the skyline which would be easily seen from all parts of the city. I think it looks more elegant taller. I again added a few floors to Chase. I was also able to mod the newly aquired State building to the left of 300 W. And fix another pet peeve of mine and improve the Wells Fargo building. Everytime I look at it I keep thinking its shorter than it should be. It has the framework to be a more substantial building. Here's how tall I think it should be. Notice I didn't touch the condo near the Capitol. I think that one is fine the way it is and shouldn't loom over the dome.

the Genral · #20 Posted **Jul 19, 2011, 6:29 AM**

#13
original photo by LoneStarMike from this forum Modified by the Genral

I really like the way this one came out. I don't always have to add 50 floors to my mods. I kept this conservative. Wells Fargo has the bones to make this height mod very reasonable and quite nice. I was hoping to raise the roof on Fargo's stubby neighbor and I'm amazed I was able to pull it off with so little to work with in the original pic. I took some liberties on this one and raised the bow glass feature to near the top. I really like the sun's reflection. This is a much better look for this building.

#14
original photo by lextx97
modified by the Genral

I'm doing a before and after on this one because I wanted everyone to see how much improvement Capitol Tower would be with added floors. Watch it go from a ridiculous blight on our skyline to something less horrible. This is the building they wanted to put this hidious wing on top. I really hate this piece of crap. From this angle it looks like a topless Dalek from Doctor Who. There's no real architectural form to this POS, its dominated by parking levels. I remember they added reflective glass to the parking space to improved the already dreadful overall appearance. How does something like this get approved in the designing stages and then get built? btw, I added some floors to the bldg on congress not because it needed it, but for SAG's.