AUSTIN | U.T. & West Campus Development Thread

[The ATX]

This one is probably worthy of its own thread since it will be around 17-stories. I posted about it in the update thread, but it'll get lost in there.

Capstone is the developer, and Rhode Partners is the architect. So hopefully it'll be more architecturally pleasing than most West Campus student storage centers.

Here's a project massing rendering from the link to the Planning Commission presentation under the photo. Aspen West Campus which will be about the same height is going up just south of 21 Rio in the photo.


http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=252248

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West Campus High Rise Development Threads:

Skyloft - 507 West 23rd Street - 190 FEET | 18 FLOORS | COMPLETE
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=220906]

Aspen West Campus - 1909 Rio Grande Street | 182 FEET | 17 FLOORS | COMPLETE
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=220072

Muze - 2100 Nueces Street - 192 FEET | 18 FLOORS | UNDER CONSTRUCTION
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=227137

Inspire on 22nd - 2200 Nueces Street - 186 FEET | 18 FLOORS | UNDER CONSTRUCTION
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=226820

Autograph Collection & AC Hotel - 1901 San Antonio Street - 143 FEET | 11 FLOORS | UNDER CONSTRUCTION
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=224412

2204 San Antonio - 2204 San Antonio Street - 186 FEET | 18 FLOORS | SITE PREP
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=232507

The Standard at Austin - 715 West 23rd Street - 188 FEET | 17 FLOORS | PLANNED
http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show....php?p=8012550

Villas on Rio Grande - 611 West 22nd Street - ? FEET | 19 FLOORS | PLANNED
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=235408

[Jdawgboy]

By this stage in the game you would think the city may want to amend the West Campus Overlay. At the time it seemed fair and I figured it would take awhile for the area to transform, but it didn't. I think now is the time to increase height because we are getting some huge bulky blocks and that massing just shows my point. Lets get some thinner towers over there.

In terms of student housing, I would also think that there is only so much more they can add unless it's built as affordable housing.

I can see West Campus as more than just student residential. It may appeal to other young people who want to live close to Downtown. It could evolve to where professors and others who work at UT as a good place to live due to proximity. It has potential to be something more than just student residential.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I can see West Campus as more than just student residential. It may appeal to other young people who want to live close to Downtown. It could evolve to where professors and others who work at UT as a good place to live due to proximity. It has potential to be something more than just student residential.

I know of a couple people who live there who are not in school. I lived there briefly when my unit at Milago was 3 months behind the anticipated closing date back in 2006. Trust me, if you are over the age of 24, they think you are 100 years old....and think it is creepy that you live there among them. I was single, and quickly learned not to divulge my age to anyone. Fun summer, but I wouldn't do it again.....i think.

I have worked with many staff/grad students/professors over my years (I used to own a campus area real estate brokerage), and NONE of them wanted to live in W Campus.....even if was a screaming good deal.

I am thrilled with what UNO has done for WCampus. I lived on Riverside in my days, and shuttled in everyday.....it sucked. Whoever pushed UNO through, deserves a medal in my book.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

By this stage in the game you would think the city may want to amend the West Campus Overlay. At the time it seemed fair and I figured it would take awhile for the area to transform, but it didn't. I think now is the time to increase height because we are getting some huge bulky blocks and that massing just shows my point. Lets get some thinner towers over there.

In terms of student housing, I would also think that there is only so much more they can add unless it's built as affordable housing.

I can see West Campus as more than just student residential. It may appeal to other young people who want to live close to Downtown. It could evolve to where professors and others who work at UT as a good place to live due to proximity. It has potential to be something more than just student residential.

Yeah. If we want to make a dent in affordable housing, here is where to do it. Incentivize non-student leasing style (e.g. by the bed and often pre-furnished) developments in similar overall designs and finish levels by offering disproportionate tax benefits in the overlay to developers who don't build for students. What, essentially, we need is a district where we aren't displacing previous homeowners (all those are basically gone in this area at this point), but where there hasn't yet been a catalyst for high income towers. The student developments are gonna happen anyway simply because of the proximity to the university and the current overlay, so giving better tax benefits to non-student development isn't gonna stop them from continuing apace. What we need is office buildings, and apartment and condo buildings of similar style to the student apartments going up. That way we're creating a truly mixed used district where people can live, work, go to school, and play, without the attendant political issues associated with previous resident displacement (because that's basically already happened entirely). And yes, allowing more height here would help accomplish this as well. Eliminating parking requirements for certain developments would also help e.g. this is the perfect locale for microtowers on very small floorplates -- if a developer wants to build high here on a small lot, they should be able to do it without parking requirements. Of course, getting rail through west campus is instrumental in that kind of parking policy being effective.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Yeah. If we want to make a dent in affordable housing, here is where to do it. Incentivize non-student leasing style (e.g. by the bed and often pre-furnished) developments in similar overall designs and finish levels by offering disproportionate tax benefits in the overlay to developers who don't build for students. What, essentially, we need is a district where we aren't displacing previous homeowners (all those are basically gone in this area at this point), but where there hasn't yet been a catalyst for high income towers. The student developments are gonna happen anyway simply because of the proximity to the university and the current overlay, so giving better tax benefits to non-student development isn't gonna stop them from continuing apace. What we need is office buildings, and apartment and condo buildings of similar style to the student apartments going up. That way we're creating a truly mixed used district where people can live, work, go to school, and play, without the attendant political issues associated with previous resident displacement (because that's basically already happened entirely). And yes, allowing more height here would help accomplish this as well. Eliminating parking requirements for certain developments would also help e.g. this is the perfect locale for microtowers on very small floorplates -- if a developer wants to build high here on a small lot, they should be able to do it without parking requirements. Of course, getting rail through west campus is instrumental in that kind of parking policy being effective.

You have some great ideas. I didn't consider adding office but that would be great if they did and most definitely it would be the best spot outside of DT for thin footprint skinny towers similar to the Avenue or Aloft. It's another area that you could do without a vehicle. I also agree about getting a rail line through there.

[drummer]

We'd talked previously about mixed-use atmospheres to help catalyze the start-up nature of a student and post-student/professional area. I think affordable housing is key to that concept working. Throw in a *few* regular housing (i.e., not "luxury" but not tiny) and you'd have a pretty well-rounded and unique neighborhood.

And yes, let's get a street car circulator that connects this area to UT and any line that they get going up Lamar/Guadelupe at some point.

[The ATX]

The site plan for this one was filed today. No building info has been added to it yet. There should be three 17/18-stories apartment towers U/C by early next year in West Campus: 2100 Rio Grande, Skyloft and Aspen West Campus (1900 Rio Grande).

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11601143

[The ATX]

The site plan was updated with some project info. They are not seeking additional height to build up to 175'. They are sticking with the current 90' height limitation, and this will only be seven stories with one additional underground level.

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11601143

[The ATX]

Here' the site plan. The elevations are on page 21.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...0Rio_PLANS.pdf

[Urbannizer]

[Urbannizer]

2100 Rio Grande by Darius Fontenette, on Flickr

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

I know of a couple people who live there who are not in school. I lived there briefly when my unit at Milago was 3 months behind the anticipated closing date back in 2006. Trust me, if you are over the age of 24, they think you are 100 years old....and think it is creepy that you live there among them. I was single, and quickly learned not to divulge my age to anyone. Fun summer, but I wouldn't do it again.....i think.

I have a couple of friends in their 30s that still live in some off-campus co-op housing and they all *hate* it. They like living in co-ops because they are weird.. but then are surprised when people are throwing up outside their window at 3AM or stumbling home drunk singing our shouting really loudly. Most of the "stuff to do" is student specials. Cheap, plentiful fast and bad. Bars all cater to the fake-ID crowd. I *loved* campus when I went to Texas. You could not pay me to hang out anywhere near campus after a game anymore. I promptly go South of MLK and hang out with the old farts.

I don't think you are going to get young professional to want to live there beyond the age of 24-25 at the most.

I remember when I was a student there were all-night ravers above my best friends house. We went up there at like 3AM one night to tell them to turn it down and there were 3 naked dudes all huddled in the corner on all of the drugs looking terrified. And my friends landlord did *nothing* about it. Couches being burned at giant ragers from co-ops, etc. West Campus is what it is :p

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

I remember when I was a student there were all-night ravers above my best friends house. We went up there at like 3AM one night to tell them to turn it down and there were 3 naked dudes all huddled in the corner on all of the drugs looking terrified. And my friends landlord did *nothing* about it. Couches being burned at giant ragers from co-ops, etc. West Campus is what it is :p

Sounds quite fun actually...

Lol

[the Genral]

I lived close to Vassar College and I'm pretty sure the students who lived in student housing just off campus next to me and my friends regretted moving there. Rite of Passage didn't just belong to students, we burned a few couches and puked in the streets and made a racket at 3 in the morning. Can't say I ever got naked and terrified...well there was this one biker chick.......

[Urbannizer]

2100 Rio Grande by Darius Fontenette, on Flickr


2100 Rio Grande by Darius Fontenette, on Flickr

[Urbannizer]

Nine at Rio by Darius Fontenette, on Flickr


Nine at Rio by Darius Fontenette, on Flickr

[Urbannizer]

https://lincoln-ventures.com/properties/the-nine

The Nine is a 7 story, 109 unit (347 bed) luxury student housing building located in the West Campus submarket at the University of Texas, Austin. Located prominently within an eclectic mix of student housing and student oriented retail sites, the site’s location provides unparalleled access to campus and non-campus activities. The Nine is scheduled to open August 2019.

[KevinFromTexas]

It was suggested that we should create a dedicated thread for West Campus development. I think it's a good idea and this seemed like a good time to do it with this proposal popping up. All of the previous West Campus related posts (but not the individual building threads) could be moved to this thread eventually.

https://www.statesman.com/business/a...QIJCKFY9ggBeN/

St. Austin Catholic Parish seeks redevelopment proposals

Shonda Novak American-Statesman Staff
5:14 p.m Thursday, March 15, 2018

St. Austin Catholic Parish — a landmark for decades on Guadalupe Street — is seeking proposals for “a prime Central Austin redevelopment opportunity” to add commercial uses on part of its land across from the University of Texas campus.

The parish has hired commercial real estate firm CBRE to solicit proposals from developers interested in leasing about two acres of its property at 2026 Guadalupe St. for new uses that could coexist with the parish’s existing uses, which include a church and rectory built in 1953.

St. Austin will retain the church and related improvements, while making the rest of the campus available for redevelopment for both market uses and other parish ministries, parish officials said. Proposals are due to CBRE by May 15, with the selection of a development team expected by the end of the summer.

Buildings on the site could be as tall as 175 feet, he said.

[The ATX]

This is a good idea. I think the 17/18-story projects deserve their own threads just because it's easier to track them that way. But all the mid-rises and other random development including the Marriotts should be posted about here instead of their own threads or the update thread.

[The ATX]

The St. Austin Catholic Parish is working with CBRE to develop two acres of their campus on Guadalupe south of 21st St. The entire site is zone for the maximum 175' height allowed in West Campus. From the ABJ:

The church wants to partner with a real estate developer to consider commercial uses for 2 acres of the property it owns at 2026 Guadalupe St., adjacent to the University of Texas at Austin on a strip known as The Drag.

ABJ:
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...796&j=80542611