AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by ahealy

Yes. I mean living there. I have so many transplant clients who live dt that have moved from the Bay Area. Top levels are apartments, not condo last I checked??

All of the residential is apartments, yes.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by paul78701

Anecdotally, I had coworkers in town from the UK and France a couple of months ago. They were pretty intent on finding an observation deck to see the city and watch the sunset. I had to break it to them that we don't have anything like that. They seemed a bit surprised.

So while people might not come here for our skyline, once here, some do seem to want to see it and the hill country from up high.

Tell them to hike up to Mount Bonnell.

But yeah, I don't see the problem with an observation tower in Austin. I don't think we need several of them, but something somewhere could be good. I don't know that it would need to be a standalone thing like a needle or something though.

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by drummer

Tell them to hike up to Mount Bonnell.

But yeah, I don't see the problem with an observation tower in Austin. I don't think we need several of them, but something somewhere could be good. I don't know that it would need to be a standalone thing like a needle or something though.

Y'all want the Tower of the Americas for a discount? I-35 movement incentive.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by jake.robs

I think it's a combination of skyscrapers becoming more ubiquitous in cities across the continent, and also a shift in urban living where instead of huge hotels or offices, there are many more residential skyscrapers. The top floors are prime real estate and bring in the $$$ that developers are looking for.

New York and Chicago still get them because their skylines are big and attract tourists on that point alone. Austin, not so much.

Explains why observation decks were included in the recently constructed 30 Hudson Yards and One Vanderbilt in addition to the ones already at One World Trade Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and the Empire State Building. Three more supertall skyscrapers proposed in New York City have observation decks planned. The Aon Center in Chicago built in 1972 is getting an observation deck added despite observation decks at the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center, along with the ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

[jake.robs]

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

Explains why observation decks were included in the recently constructed 30 Hudson Yards and One Vanderbilt in addition to the ones already at One World Trade Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and the Empire State Building. Three more supertall skyscrapers proposed in New York City have observation decks planned. The Aon Center in Chicago built in 1972 is getting an observation deck added despite observation decks at the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center, along with the ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

Yep, all of those are office towers. You don't see Central Park Tower or 432 Park Ave with an observation deck.

I'm hoping the hobby block gets something big and non-residential. I could see an observation deck going into a block like that.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by jake.robs

Yep, all of those are office towers. You don't see Central Park Tower or 432 Park Ave with an observation deck.

I'm hoping the hobby block gets something big and non-residential. I could see an observation deck going into a block like that.

The John Hancock Center in Chicago has an observation deck and was originally built with one despite being a mixed use office and residential skyscraper. Also, the Sapphire Tower in Istanbul, Palm Tower in Dubai, Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and the Q1 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia have observation decks open to the public on their top floors despite being residential otherwise. Shows you why Austin should mandate an observation deck at the top of the Wilson Tower as part of the redesign.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

The John Hancock Center in Chicago has an observation deck and was originally built with one despite being a mixed use office and residential skyscraper. Also, the Sapphire Tower in Istanbul, Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and the Q1 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia have observation decks open to the public on their top floors despite being residential otherwise. Shows you why Austin should mandate an observation deck at the top of the Wilson Tower as part of the redesign.

Yeah, they're not gonna mandate something like that. They'll make broad suggestions and let the developer figure it out.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

The John Hancock Center in Chicago has an observation deck and was originally built with one despite being a mixed use office and residential skyscraper. Also, the Sapphire Tower in Istanbul, Palm Tower in Dubai, Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and the Q1 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia have observation decks open to the public on their top floors despite being residential otherwise. Shows you why Austin should mandate an observation deck at the top of the Wilson Tower as part of the redesign.

Mandating observation decks will never be thing. But it could be a Public Realm option just like ground floor retail and public art displays are for getting density bonuses.
This tower is not getting a redesign. The ground floor retail and lobby areas will probably be adjusted as well as some changes related to landscaping, benches, etc.

[StoOgE]

I mean, how many of these towers had mandated observation towers? I'm not a massive fan of the city making massive economic demands on a developer. Saying "hey, your first floor needs street level interaction" is an extremely different conversation than "someone needs to operate this very specific business and an entire floorplate at the top of your building needs to be publicly accessible" especially when then city is not spending any money on this building.

[StoOgE]

Wait, this guys entire post history is about opening observations decks in tall buildings globally, lol.

Time to move on.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

I mean, how many of these towers had mandated observation towers? I'm not a massive fan of the city making massive economic demands on a developer. Saying "hey, your first floor needs street level interaction" is an extremely different conversation than "someone needs to operate this very specific business and an entire floorplate at the top of your building needs to be publicly accessible" especially when then city is not spending any money on this building.

The Crown Sydney is an example I can think of where an observation deck was required as a condition of approval.
https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney...roo-free-visit
https://www.smh.com.au/business/comp...29-gnt7th.html
In the case of the Columbia Center in Seattle, a public space was required and that was fulfilled with an observation deck open to the public.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...tallest-tower/

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Wait, this guys entire post history is about opening observations decks in tall buildings globally, lol.

Time to move on.

Observation deck AI.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Wait, this guys entire post history is about opening observations decks in tall buildings globally, lol.

Time to move on.

Agreed. That's also his post history on SSC. I like observation decks too, but there's a limit to my appreciation for them.

[the Genral]

Never seen anything like this. I just drove through my neighborhood and will describe the tree damage as just short of devastating. Limbs and branches on cars, including mine, on roofs, in the streets. So widespread. Tree trimming services will no doubt be busy for weeks if not months. I've already put my chainsaw to use. This truly is a cash cow for the professional tree trimmers. I know they are going to be getting some of my money. What a mess.

[KevinFromTexas]

Our power has been out since about 7 am. I went to bed late and started seeing flashes and hearing the transformers hum. Then the tree limb cracking started. Even the oaks are cracking,and that has never happened in the 40 years we've been here. Mostly small limbs, but larger one broke off about 20 min ago and landed on the roof. Our neighbor has a bunch of big broken elm and oak limbs way up. They cracked and broke but are still hanging. Someone up the street lost a whole oak when it up rooted and fell.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by drummer

Tell them to hike up to Mount Bonnell.

But yeah, I don't see the problem with an observation tower in Austin. I don't think we need several of them, but something somewhere could be good. I don't know that it would need to be a standalone thing like a needle or something though.

This is why someone proposed the stand alone Signature Tower back in 2018.
https://austin.towers.net/downtown-a...-designed-one/

[wwmiv]

• The current location of Austin Parks & Rec HQ is the ideal site for any observation tower, with an already protected view of the capitol building. Observation towers are usually on city owned property with private contractor operators, although exceptions do exist. The purpose of an observation tower is essentially a park in the sky, with tremendous viewsheds, and if sold correctly could add to the city’s parks amenities.

• All that said, a tasteful and classic design that would age well is necessary. Something sleek, modern, and minimalistic that doesn’t overpower the skyline and complements it. Having it set aside from the bulk of urban density to the southwest also allows it to be shorter (~800’) and still capture impressive city views with unobstructed views of the hill country. I’ve actually fiddled with heights at this location, and it takes about ~1700’ to have a view of Lake Travis, the Pennybacker, and the Dam.

• Reunion and Americas are awful towers, and so is the above proposal even if some nod to a star would he nice—the shape of the deck itself, two dimensionally from below, for instance. Would love to see materials nods to the Texas Capitol itself.

• Paris’s Eiffel Tower, Seattle’s Space Needle, and Canton’s Canton Tower are the preeminent examples of well-aged designs.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by jake.robs

Yep, all of those are office towers. You don't see Central Park Tower or 432 Park Ave with an observation deck.

I'm hoping the hobby block gets something big and non-residential. I could see an observation deck going into a block like that.

Seattle currently has four observation deck type attractions open to the public, the Space Needle, Smith Tower, Seattle Great Wheel, and the Columbia Center. Boston has the Customs House Tower, Bunker Hill Monument, and the Prudential Tower. However, the Prudential Tower deck has been closed since Spring 2020 for renovations and is due to reopen this year. So, what warrants Seattle and Boston having three or more observation decks that Austin does not have for warranting a deck at any of the tall skyscrapers proposed or under construction.

[enragedcamel]

Austin Energy says there are so many downed power lines that it might take some people until Friday afternoon to get their power restored, particularly because the crews are prioritizing critical infrastructure like hospitals and fire stations.There's 80+ crews from AE working, plus 30 or so from neighboring utilities. Sounds like an all-hands-on-deck situation.

[H2O]

We do have the Zilker Clubhouse. The building itself is not an observation tower, but the terrace has a pretty sweet view of the skyline, if a little more distant than a downtown tower.