Texas Capitol Complex & North Austin Complex Projects Update Thread - Page 24

Urbannizer · #**461** Posted **Nov 8, 2022, 12:15 AM**

Texas Facilities Commission Capitol Complex Phase II

Quote:

HOK is designing the second phase of the new Texas Facilities Commission Capitol Complex in downtown Austin. The project is reimagining the Capitol Complex while improving operational efficiencies for state agencies and consolidating leased space.

HOK’s design includes two new state office buildings (a 360,000-sq.-ft., 10-story building and a 165,000-sq.-ft. five-story building) as well as an extension of the pedestrian mall and surface and underground parking for 2,550 vehicles.

The workspace in the new office buildings will be modern, efficient and flexible. Floor-to-ceiling windows will flood the space with daylight, supporting the health and wellness of occupants while embodying the welcoming spirit of Texans.

The buildings will incorporate the latest security and protective measures while prioritizing interaction with the extended pedestrian mall.

As the gateway into the Capitol Complex, the pedestrian mall will include lush landscaping and green space for public gatherings, tourists, community festivals and events.

The design of the buildings and pedestrian mall will complement the neighboring historically significant buildings and civic spaces.

The project will be complete in 2025.

Echostatic · #**462** Posted **Nov 8, 2022, 2:01 AM**

I'm glad this phase has no new above-ground parking, but the height is a bit disappointing and 2.5k underground spots seems like serious overkill (unless the state wants to replace its garages on Trinity...) At least the new buildings look quite nice, and more pedestrian space is good news.

Sigaven · #**463** Posted **Nov 8, 2022, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Floor-to-ceiling windows will flood the space with daylight, supporting the health and wellness of occupants while embodying the welcoming spirit of Texans.

God there is nothing more annoying than architect BS speak lol.

drummer · #**464** Posted **Nov 8, 2022, 7:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

God there is nothing more annoying than architect BS speak lol.

The only thing working for them in this is that since they're building for the State, they didn't include anything about keeping Austin weird.

austlar1 · #**465** Posted **Nov 8, 2022, 9:56 PM**

Almost every state employee I know here in Austin (admittedly I only know a few) is WFH almost every work day. I wonder whether the state really needs all the new square footage that is about to come on line.

Atom_Mirny · #**466** Posted **Nov 8, 2022, 10:11 PM**

My wife has had 3 different state jobs since 2020. Of those groups today; one is 100% WFH, one goes in to the office once a week and the last goes in twice a week.

wwmiv · #**467** Posted **Nov 9, 2022, 4:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austlar1

Almost every state employee I know here in Austin (admittedly I only know a few) is WFH almost every work day. I wonder whether the state really needs all the new square footage that is about to come on line.

Upgraded modern space that consolidates in-person services and accommodates co-working space and work-from-home infrastructure so that they can, for instance, take offline some of the crappy architecture both in the CC and throughout the city and multiple of their parking garages is a big plus. I hope the state continues with the current master plan.

Maximusx1 · #**468** Posted **Nov 10, 2022, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Texas Facilities Commission Capitol Complex Phase II

Been awhile since I was in Kindergarten, but I do not count 10 stories on this one.

austlar1 · #**469** Posted **Nov 10, 2022, 11:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Upgraded modern space that consolidates in-person services and accommodates co-working space and work-from-home infrastructure so that they can, for instance, take offline some of the crappy architecture both in the CC and throughout the city and multiple of their parking garages is a big plus. I hope the state continues with the current master plan.

Part of the vision for these new buildings was that they should replace leased office space around the city, but, as for the rest, I'm not so sure that's exactly what the state planners had in mind. They expected these buildings (and the massive new garage space) to be fully occupied with state workers. I don't have a horse in this race. I am simply pointing out that because of WFH, even with office consolidation, there will soon be an oversupply of state offices in Austin, one that will likely mirror the oversupply in the pipeline for commercial office space in the city.

Atom_Mirny · #**470** Posted **Nov 11, 2022, 1:08 AM**

The state is being more generous with WFH as a way to compete with private sector employers. Most people who work with my wife work there because of the WFH policy.

myBrain · #**471** Posted **Dec 15, 2022, 7:47 PM**

https://austin.towers.net/downtown-a...dbOqc8XUcd7aSk

Syndic · #**472** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 5:36 AM**

I'm blown away by how well this turned out. We have a state mall now; a place to peaceably assemble. I'm impressed.

courtesy of ecafsub on reddit

MichaelB · #**473** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 7:00 AM**

Minor FYI.... 16th-17th street is still closed off. 17- MLK is open.

IluvATX · #**474** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 1:52 PM**

Is it just my OCD, or does the mall slant in relation to the capitol?

H2O · #**475** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 2:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IluvATX

Is it just my OCD, or does the mall slant in relation to the capitol?

The whole city slants in relation to the capitol. It sits on top of a hill. Think how much MLK slopes from Lavaca to Trinity. The only way it could have been perfectly level would be to eliminate all cross streets and have stairs either side.

IluvATX · #**476** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 2:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2O

The whole city slants in relation to the capitol. It sits on top of a hill. Think how much MLK slopes from Lavaca to Trinity. The only way it could have been perfectly level would be to eliminate all cross streets and have stairs either side.

I think I would’ve preferred that scenario.

Syndic · #**477** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 7:43 PM**

Something something joke about Austin leaning left.

valhalla · #**478** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 9:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IluvATX

I think I would’ve preferred that scenario.

whats weird is they dug everything up when building the underground parking garage so they intentionally put the slant back lol. A level mall with a slight retaining wall on one side or the other would have made more sense

wwmiv · #**479** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by valhalla

whats weird is they dug everything up when building the underground parking garage so they intentionally put the slant back lol. A level mall with a slight retaining wall on one side or the other would have made more sense

I think the guiding principle here was to keep ground level entry for all buildings as best as possible. Although there would be a certain visual appeal of a perfect vantage, that would be undercut by the buildings on one side of this vantage being cut off from the sidewalks adjacent to the green by a retaining wall, and it would thus not be symmetrical either because of differing sidewalk geometries on either side.

wwmiv · #**480** Posted **Dec 16, 2022, 11:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

I'm blown away by how well this turned out. We have a state mall now; a place to peaceably assemble. I'm impressed.

courtesy of ecafsub on reddit

What this view needs is a wall of skyscrapers with colorful lights behind the capitol.