[rjlevins]

They know they will be able to sell the units. The prices are lower than many of the other towers coming into the market. Out of all the condo towers coming into town, I am most interested in this one.

[KevinFromTexas]

Looky here, the roof of Spring. Nice huh?

See them here.
http://www.springaustin.com/seeforyourself.html

Very cool. By the way, I counted 41 floors. The floor below where the trees are is the 41st floor. Above that there appears to be 3 more floors. 44 floors?
http://www.springaustin.com/IMAGES/Penthouse-6.8.06.jpg

The base.
http://www.springaustin.com/IMAGES/Streetscape-6.8.06.jpg

South elevation, so that notch will actually face to the southwest. The view coming across Mopac on the bridge is going to be sweet!
http://www.springaustin.com/IMAGES/South-Elevation-6.8.06.jpg

East elevation.
http://www.springaustin.com/IMAGES/East-Elevation-6.8.06.jpg

http://www.springaustin.com/IMAGES/Corner-Elevation-6.8.06.jpg

[21bl0wed]

As far as I can remember, this is the way Novare has always done it. They are pre-selling the Atlantic, in Atlanta, but I think that has to do with the announcement of so many competing towers, including Trump Atlanta.

Is it more common for a developer to presale? From all the condos i've
been informed about/tracking most seem to always have some sort of presale. I just thought it was also risky seeing as Austin hadn't had a project that big before (condo wise) so there was no real way to gauge the need/demand for the condos, or was there? Someone fill me in lol And does anyone know of they will be preselling for the T. Stacy, and 200 Congress buildings?

Btw kevin those renderings of Spring make it look like a 750 footer! :haha: I like it should be nice at night.

[bluedogok]

I would think the floor with the patio would be the "top" level, but the penthouse level would actually be 2 floors. The other "floor" with the glass would be a mechanical floor and the solid structure one more level would be the elevator penthouse.

Just a theory.

[SecretAgentMan]

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/4508/2ndpan1ln4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

April 2006

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6725/2pan820ae7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

August 20, 2006

[427MM]

Secret Agent, thank you for breaking into City Hall and getting the before and after.

So, I'm thinking a forum meet in early December should be pretty exciting. We should get a pool together where we try to predict the heights of the towers presently under construction and whoever is closest in combined totals wins. For example I could say all four buildings presently UC are to total 41 stories. Not that that is really my guess but you get the idea.

In 4-5 hours I should be heading back to the roof of Frost. So look for a mini update sometime tonight.

[427MM]

Biomedical Building
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1118/img4651nm1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9231/img4654et8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Building going up next to Blanton
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5024/img4655og5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/7504/img4653lb9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8425/img4656iv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/76/img4657vm1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/577/img4658hi9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

360
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/8389/img4659dw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

AMLI
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4213/img4661hk7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7641/img4664xv7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

MetLife
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3459/img4665vo7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/178/img4667rh3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9116/img4668mk2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3761/img4669ti4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8793/img4670lo6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3219/img4671ss6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I Love Austin!
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/745/img4673sm8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[KevinFromTexas]

December sounds good to me. Things should be looking up by then.

Nice pics 427MM. It's good to see that they've ripped up the parking lot at Metlife.

[Mopacs]

Great shots 427! The frost tower is the center of the construction universe these days... what a great vantage point to watch all the action around it.

Be sure to post these shots in the city and building compilation threads too.

[Boris]

From 427MM
I Love Austin!

I love it to. The pictures look great.

[MichaelB]

Great Shots! I particularly like the shot of the Capitol from UT.... how that lanscape was designed was so well thought out in terms of the connection to the Capitol!

Also, FYI, the building next to the Blanton is the rest of the Blanton! It will house the cafe/shop and lecture spaces.

[Jdawgboy]

Great pics 427MM!
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8793/img4670lo6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I love this picture because it just shows how dense that area just east of 35 is becomming. Just think, not too long ago it was just a grassy hill with a few trees.

[LoneStarMike]

^ I was over in East Austin yesterday (on foot in the sweltering heat) and passed that construction site. It's very near the French Legation and that development is going to have some really awesome views of the skyline. I wound up on the hillside just to the south of there - where there's still nothing but grass and trees (and a bunch of beer bottles and other trash) and the views were stunning.

[427MM]

Thanks for the kind words guys, but I must admit that it is pretty hard to take bad pictures from up there.

MoPacs, feel free to post these pics wherever.
MB, thanks for the info.

[MichaelB]

Thanks for the kind words guys, but I must admit that it is pretty hard to take bad pictures from up there.

MoPacs, feel free to post these pics wherever.
MB, thanks for the info.
NO Problem...... keep up the good work!

[Mopacs]

Great Shots! I particularly like the shot of the Capitol from UT.... how that lanscape was designed was so well thought out in terms of the connection to the Capitol!

Also, FYI, the building next to the Blanton is the rest of the Blanton! It will house the cafe/shop and lecture spaces.

Love this view... Did they close off speedway just north of congress? Been a long time since I"ve been in this immediate area

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9231/img4654et8.jpg

[MichaelB]

Love this view... Did they close off speedway just north of congress? Been a long time since I"ve been in this immediate area

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9231/img4654et8.jpg

Yes indeed, That is what they did. Now the only entrance in that area is at the garage behind the Museum. It made a great plaza and walking gateway to the campus.....especially for those walkling over from the Bullock. The landscape design is simple and elegant. ( Sorry to say more than I can say for the Blanton! Sorry, didn't mean to stir that pot again!!!!!LOL!!!!!)

[Nitsua0491]

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/4508/2ndpan1ln4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

April 2006

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6725/2pan820ae7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

August 20, 2006

I really like the second photo. do you have a bigger one that I could use as the background to my computer?

[Mopacs]

More downtown construction pics... I took these yesterday (8/27) while wandering around

Looking east down 5th St... Construction site for 29-story monarch in the foreground, and AMLI/360 in distance:

http://images18.fotki.com/v345/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9524-vi.jpg

http://images15.fotki.com/v343/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9526-vi.jpg

http://images15.fotki.com/v343/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9525-vi.jpg

Monarch site:

http://images15.fotki.com/v343/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9531-vi.jpg

AMLI foreground, 360, distance

http://images18.fotki.com/v345/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9475-vi.jpg

http://images15.fotki.com/v344/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9491-vi.jpg

NOT a crane... looks like a grackle that was about to drop dead from the heat (yes, another 100 degree day)

http://images14.fotki.com/v192/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9486-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v347/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9500-vi.jpg

AMLI and 360:

http://images18.fotki.com/v341/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9497-vi.jpg

360 Foreground, AMLI beyond:

http://images9.fotki.com/v183/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9528-vi.jpg

From across the river

http://images18.fotki.com/v346/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9546-vi.jpg

Residence Inn/Courtyard Inn combo tower, almost complete:

http://images15.fotki.com/v344/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9521-vi.jpg

Down to the "Waterfront District" here is the construction site for The Shore:

http://images18.fotki.com/v346/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9506-vi.jpg

The structure going up in the distance is the Mexican American cultural center

http://images18.fotki.com/v342/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9507-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v270/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9512-vi.jpg

A block south, the Mexican-American cultural center up close.

http://images18.fotki.com/v341/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9514-vi.jpg

Recently-completed Milago tower, along Rainey St:

http://images18.fotki.com/v346/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9515-vi.jpg

Long Performing Arts center

http://images18.fotki.com/v342/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9542-vi.jpg

[427MM]

Very nice, thanks. I've heard that the cranes for the Monarch are to go up in mid September. With these, this area of the city is going to look so wild.

[Jdawgboy]

Whats up with the Shore, I know they had a goundbreaking ceremony and they do have 80 percent of the building pre-claimed or whatever, why is it that they have not really got the ground work going by now? Its still just an empty lot...:(

[Mopacs]

Whats up with the Shore, I know they had a goundbreaking ceremony and they do have 80 percent of the building pre-claimed or whatever, why is it that they have not really got the ground work going by now? Its still just an empty lot...:(

Well actually they've made quite a bit of progress with the ground-clearing. I think right now they are doing primarily excavation work. Here is a wider perspective of the construction site. The cultural center is well over a block away in the distance

http://images18.fotki.com/v345/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9508-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v342/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9513-vi.jpg

here's the same site from June... there was still demolition work in progress.

http://images16.fotki.com/v288/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN4892-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v12/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN4890-vi.jpg

[Jdawgboy]

Yea they have cleared alot out its just I figured Id see the same ammount of activity with construction workers and machines working like I do at the other construction sites wich also broke ground generally around the same time as Shore

[427MM]

A couple of weeks ago, I think it was Kevin that showed us the blimps taking pictures from different heights for prospective buildings. Well, today I saw that blimp on the site for our possible 700’ condo tower at 2nd and Congress. The first time I saw them was around 8:15 this morning, then I saw them again at 5:30. Now, for all I know they were there, left, and then came back. Either way, this bodes well for this project. Strange times are upon us. I can hardly imagine a 700 footer gracing our maturing skyline. Crikies!

[KevinFromTexas]

101 Colorado/Metlife Tower now has an official name: "Altavida".

From the Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/09/01/1austininc.html

Austin Inc.

Altivida to join Austin lexicon.

MetLife Inc. and partner the Hanover Co. have a name for the luxury apartment tower they're building in downtown Austin: Altavida, or high life, which seems appropriate for the 36-story building.

Cynthia Birdwell, a University of Texas alum and Hanover's director of marketing, oversaw the naming of the apartment high-rise at 101 Colorado St.

"We went through several rounds of intensive brainstorming sessions, but Altavida seemed like just the right fit," Birdwell said. "Not only does the name speak to the scale of the building but its Latin origins also give a nod to the city's fusion of cultures. Additionally, we wanted to make a literal reference to the good life that residents can expect, including the prime location, fit and finish of a luxury home or condo plus services and amenities evocative of a boutique hotel."

The building will have 258 units, and the first residents could move in by fall 2008. Other residential high-rises under construction or planned for the downtown area bear names including Spring, Aquaterra, the Shore, the Monarch, the Magnolia and Bridges on the Park.

Shonda Novak and Lilly Rockwell contributed to this report.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the way, part of the article has a spelling error. They spelled the name of the building "Altavida" in one line, and "Altivida" in another. I'm guessing it's probably Altavida though.

[Mopacs]

101 Colorado/Metlife Tower now has an official name: "Altavida".

From the Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/09/01/1austininc.html

Austin Inc.

Altivida to join Austin lexicon.

MetLife Inc. and partner the Hanover Co. have a name for the luxury apartment tower they're building in downtown Austin: Altavida, or high life, which seems appropriate for the 36-story building.

Cynthia Birdwell, a University of Texas alum and Hanover's director of marketing, oversaw the naming of the apartment high-rise at 101 Colorado St.

"We went through several rounds of intensive brainstorming sessions, but Altavida seemed like just the right fit," Birdwell said. "Not only does the name speak to the scale of the building but its Latin origins also give a nod to the city's fusion of cultures. Additionally, we wanted to make a literal reference to the good life that residents can expect, including the prime location, fit and finish of a luxury home or condo plus services and amenities evocative of a boutique hotel."

The building will have 258 units, and the first residents could move in by fall 2008. Other residential high-rises under construction or planned for the downtown area bear names including Spring, Aquaterra, the Shore, the Monarch, the Magnolia and Bridges on the Park.

Shonda Novak and Lilly Rockwell contributed to this report.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the way, part of the article has a spelling error. They spelled the name of the building "Altavida" in one line, and "Altivida" in another. I'm guessing it's probably Altavida though.

And it has a name! The project seems more 'official' now. And i think you're right, its probably Altavida.

EDIT: I think there is already a website: http://www.altavidaaustin.com This directs you to the Hannover comany's website, but i'm sure it'll be updated as a dedicated site for Altavida.

[KevinFromTexas]

Great, thanks for that link. I had tried Googling it, but it pulled up some Latin-American website about dance or something.

[MichaelB]

FYI: La Vista on Lavaca had their groundbreaking ceremony today!

[427MM]

FYI: La Vista on Lavaca had their groundbreaking ceremony today!
I can't believe it! They have always had one excuse or another for as long as I can remember as to why the project was perennially delayed. This is great news.

[427MM]

Thanks everyone, we are good now.

[Mopacs]

Here are a few 'drive-by' downtown construction pics I took on Thursday (9/14):

AMLI2
http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110163-vi.jpg

360:
http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110164-vi.jpg

Both:
http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110161-vi.jpg

New construction crane is up for Bridges on the Park, on S Lamar at Riverside Drive:

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110167-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110166-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110156-vi.jpg

Office construction on Loop 360 at Mopac Expressway (south):
http://images18.fotki.com/v348/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110168-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110174-vi.jpg

[427MM]

MoPacs, thanks a load. I drove down Cesar Chavez, heading toward MoPac, a couple of hours ago and saw a crane in my rearview mirror that didn’t seem to make any sense. Now I know.

[tildahat]

Story on La Vista on Lavaca:

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2006/09/18/story4.html?t=printable

[KevinFromTexas]

Here are my pics from last Wednesday, (the 13th).

360 Condominiums ~ Rendering (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/Austin360renderingwithspire.jpg) - 581 feet - 44 floors - 2008 - 433 units.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010335EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010329EDIT.jpg

They're starting the piers for the first floor!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010328EDIT.jpg

And, a vertical panoramic of the tower crane.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/Austinpano1.jpg

The skyline from the James D. Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge with 360's crane, the two cranes on the right are for AMLI II.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010352EDIT.jpg

Altavida ~ Rendering (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/Austin101Coloradorenderingupdated.jpg) - 36 floors, 258 units, completion: 2008.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010304EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010191EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010239EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010294EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010293EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010292EDIT.jpg

It'll rise just to the right of that building.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010240EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010190EDIT.jpg

The Monarch ~ Rendering (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsTheMonarch96.jpg) - 314 feet - 29 floors - 2008 - 305 units.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010336EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010338EDIT.jpg

AMLI II ~ Rendering[/b] (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsAMLIIIpic2.png[b) - 224 feet - 18 floors - 2008 - 231 units.Rendering (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsAMLIIIpic2.png)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010351EDIT.jpg

Cranes!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010350EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010344EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010342EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010321EDIT.jpg

That is going to be one skinny building.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010320EDIT.jpg

The crane on the left is for 360, the two on the right are for AMLI II.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010352EDIT.jpg

[DanE008]

wow those Amli people mean business, they seem to be working really fast.

[427MM]

Thanks for the update Kevin.

I just went by La Vista and the site is dead. They have a cheap wire fence up but there is little evidence that anything has happened.

[austintilIdie]

I think the Goodwill redevelopment site over at Lamar and 3rd/4th street has been a-go for some time now. I could be wrong. I was over at Waterloo records yesterday then hopped over to Whole Foods for a bite to eat. As I was sitting outside I saw what I thought to be construction at the old Goodwill site, but I didn't make time afterwards to go a take a closer look.

Anymore information on this project?,... because I haven't seen anything recently. On Thursday I'll try drop by and a take a few photos.

Another thing, that lot directly behind Whole Foods, (just a block east) bound by 5th and 6th streets is nothing but a temporary parking area...any word on this tract.

Yesterday was a beautiful day.

[Mopacs]

I think the Goodwill redevelopment site over at Lamar and 3rd/4th street has been a-go for some time now. I could be wrong. I was over at Waterloo records yesterday then hopped over to Whole Foods for a bite to eat. As I was sitting outside I saw what I thought to be construction at the old Goodwill site, but I didn't make time afterwards to go a take a closer look.

Anymore information on this project?,... because I haven't seen anything recently. On Thursday I'll try drop by and a take a few photos.

Another thing, that lot directly behind Whole Foods, (just a block east) bound by 5th and 6th streets is nothing but a temporary parking area...any word on this tract.

Yesterday was a beautiful day.

I haven't been up close in a few months, but I did see at least 3-4 floors of structure above ground toward the back of the property. At the front (facing Lamar), they have retained the historic front wall of the old Goodwill building, presumably to integrate into the new building. So its definitely a go, and then some.

And you're right, yesterday was stunning (as is today)!

[rad707]

The goodwill facade may be a loophole where if they keep it they can call it a revovation rather than a rebuild. the structure in back is a parking garage that is almost complete.

the lost behind whole foods was designed as 5-8 stories of MU a while back, but recently they paved it for a proper parking deck. the owners of the land also own the old whole foods building which will be REI in November. On that same lot is an old radio station building and retaining pond. I believe they want to convert both the building and the retaining pond footprint into MU buildings before moving onto the lot behind Whole foods.

My concern is that they are taking their sweet-ass time. the lot behind whole foods is primed and ready for a tower. perhaps this is the works to replace the 5-8 story structure currently in the plans.

also, there is some work going on at the northwest corner of 6th and West Ave. they seem to be getting ready to gut and demolish the place. Plans are to tear down the existing building and build a mid-rise residential building.

its strange how the density seems to be polarized in Downtown Austin's plans. Rainey Street on the East and Lamar on the West will have heavy residential while Congress will be lacking...at least for now.

speaking of whole foods, I wish HEB would cowboy up and put a store downtown. if they were to put even a smaller store in on the East side of downtown to compliment the whole foods they could make a killing. it would also be one of the few major things missing downtown - a place to buy cheap toilet paper.

[MichaelB]

it would also be one of the few major things missing downtown - a place to buy cheap toilet paper.

best quote I've heard in a long time. And sooooo true. I vote for a "Fresh Plus" anywear in the CBD! I live on the unexplored north end of downtown.... plenty of room here..... and it would clean up with the residents in this area + the college students!

Speaking of which. Lavista has had thier groundbraking (9.6) and have their financing now. (At one point they had planned a small grocery in there....)

[Mopacs]

Updated Spring renderings
http://updates.springaustin.com/

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/2949615/Lamar_bridge-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/2949615/springskyline-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/2949615/Skyline-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/2949615/spring_aerial-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/2949615/l-vi.jpg

[rad707]

best quote I've heard in a long time. And sooooo true. I vote for a "Fresh Plus" anywear in the CBD! I live on the unexplored north end of downtown.... plenty of room here..... and it would clean up with the residents in this area + the college students!

Speaking of which. Lavista has had thier groundbraking (9.6) and have their financing now. (At one point they had planned a small grocery in there....)


unfortunately Fresh Plus is not interested in expansion. south austin begged them to move in when Fiesta on Lamar closed down (now the Alamo Drafhouse South). small grocery stores seem to be going upscale - the one at south 5th and mary comes to mind, as does the one being built next to gueros.

same goes for wheatsville. their members voted down the fiesta tract opting to stay with just one location.

heb might be our only hope - opening up an inner-city footprint may be an option...they better do it before wal-mart does (like they did in Dallas' uptown).

[Jdawgboy]

Wow the Spring definatly looks a bit taller than what ealier renderings show. How tall do you think that might be 450'?

[rad707]

$25M mixed-use tower gels
Austin Business Journal - September 15, 2006by A.J. MistrettaABJ Staff


It's been six years since Guerrero-McDonald & Associates Inc. announced plans for an eight-story, mixed-use project in downtown dubbed La Vista on Lavaca.

Guerrero-McDonald bought the property at 1701 Lavaca St. in June 2000 and laid out a plan that included ground-floor retail, office space and residential condos.

Then the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 happened and, like many planned developments, La Vista on Lavaca was put on the shelf. But instead of allowing the project to go dormant while waiting for the market to pick back up, developer Mary Guerrero-McDonald continued to work on the particulars, moving it through the matrix of the city's Smart Growth Initiative.

The result is a $25 million tower breaking ground this month that will be innovative on a number of fronts, bringing a new dimension to the downtown condo craze. La Vista's design helped it accumulate enough points for a 10-year tax exemption through the city's Smart Growth program.

The building will have two underground floors of parking and eight floors above ground. The ground floor will have space for a lobby and restaurant, with a second-floor bar accessed by a grand staircase. Thirty-two office condos of about 600 square feet each will occupy the third floor, and the fourth floor will feature 15 one-bedroom corporate residential condos ranging from $275,000 to $475,000.

Floors five through eight will have a smaller footprint to allow views of the Capitol building. Each of those floors will have four condos, with floor plans of up to 1,800 square feet and a price range from $1.2 million to $1.4 million.

Guerrero-McDonald says she's marketing the corporate residential condos to lobbying organizations and legislators who want to reside close to the Capitol during session. Meanwhile, lawmakers who are prohibited from conducting their non-legislative business from Capitol offices are showing interest in the office condos.

Guerrero-McDonald says the project will be the first in Austin to incorporate retail, residential condos and office condos in the same structure. The tower will include operable windows throughout and fans in all the bedrooms.

A unique trash/recycling chute with access on each floor allows residents to electronically select recycling bins for their refuse. Those kinds of features, along with power outlets in the parking garage to encourage residents to buy electric vehicles, should help La Vista achieve its goal of a four-star rating in the city's Green Building Program.

Austin-based Morales & Associates Architects Inc. designed the building and Skanska USA Building Inc. is the general contractor.

Architect Ponciano Morales III says his firm was charged with creating an Old World look for the project.

"This is going to be very different than most of the buildings we have seen downtown that are more contemporary in nature," he says.

[KevinFromTexas]

Wow the Spring definatly looks a bit taller than what ealier renderings show. How tall do you think that might be 450'?

The American-Statesman article notes that the tower will be "41-stories". I wonder if they mean 410 feet? Then again, we all counted atleast 41 floors a while back, and wasn't the tower given permission to be 450 feet tall?

Anyway, I really love the design. It's pretty simple, yet it'll be one of our best looking buildings. And the location is going to be awesome.

[GoldenBoot]

The American-Statesman article notes that the tower will be "41-stories". I wonder if they mean 410 feet? Then again, we all counted atleast 41 floors a while back, and wasn't the tower given permission to be 450 feet tall?

Anyway, I really love the design. It's pretty simple, yet it'll be one of our best looking buildings. And the location is going to be awesome.


As of several months ago, the City okayed the construction of a building not to exceed 400' in height at this site. And, that was when the developers were promoting a 36-story structure. At 41 stories, the building (using the same dimensions and ratios) should be in the neighborhood of 455' tall. Unless something has changed, I have a hard time thinking that Spring would be able to sell all 260 units with individual unit ceiling heights of less than 8'...

[Mopacs]

Article from News8Austin.com:

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=170974

Video: http://www.news8austin.com/shared/video/video_pop.asp?destlist=38714

Downtown still booming


9/19/2006 4:14 PM
By: Jennifer Bordelon

"In the early 1990s Austin's downtown was as bad as it can be and we actually led the nation in downtown office vacancy," Austin Mayor Will Wynn said.

That's not the case anymore.

Walking down Third Street, Austin looks like a small piece of San Francisco or New York City with sidewalk flowers and magazines. Scooters are the mode of transportation and residents sit on sidewalks enjoying midday meals.

Downtown living, like everything else, is all about supply and demand. Businesses follow people and their money. And right now people are moving downtown.
The Royal Blue Grocery recently opened its doors as the only small grocer in the area.

"We think our timing is pretty good. The density for what the city has planned for people moving down here is really ramping up," owner George Scariano said.

For residents here, it's about a lifestyle of convenience: live, work and play all within walking distance.
"A lot of these shops are very convenient for the residents who live around here," Austin resident Sarah Presser said.

Roughly 5,300 people live in the downtown Austin area; that number is expected to double in the next few years.

Development is seen in the number of cranes over the downtown skyline. About 3,800 units are under construction, which means about 5,000 more people.

"Downtown is this economic engine that pumps money into our
general fund so that we then can go subsidize frankly and spend those general fund dollars out in the neighborhoods with policing and fire protection and ambulance service," Wynn said.

The real estate bubble is bursting in other cities across the country but that doesn't seem to be the case in the Live Music Capital of the World.
"What's the natural growth rate of Austin in the next 10 to 15 years?

They are talking about this town doubling. Yes, this is going to more than double the population of downtown but it's such a small percentage of what's going to be the total population of Austin that I see no problem," Realtor "Condo" Joe Bryson said.

Construction crews can't seem to work fast enough because most of the high rise condos are sold out before the doors are even open.

[rad707]

I noticed something walking downtown yestereday. Right behind the Scarborough building is the State Tax Collection office. The facade around the door is Pop 60s, but the rest is just a hideous shell.

Anyways, the place was empty. Cleaned out. Almost as if the state had decided to leave.

I wonder if this is going to be the next big announcement in town. I couldn't plot it perfectly (the arrow shows up on top of Scarborough, so just look to the West of the arrow to see what I'm talking about.) Killer location.

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=111+West+6th+Street,+78701&ie=UTF8&z=19&ll=30.267984,-97.743081&spn=0.001508,0.002674&t=h&om=1&iwloc=A

Also, just playing out my interest in the block, it is not too late to redevelop Scarborough as the department store that it once was. The floor plans and elaborate hallway systems are still in tact. There are no major tenants there, although the building is mostly filled with small businesses. BIG retail here cold complement what Stacey is thinking about across the street where the BofA lobby currently sits.

Fun to think about even if nothing happens...

[Mopacs]

I noticed something walking downtown yestereday. Right behind the Scarborough building is the State Tax Collection office. The facade around the door is Pop 60s, but the rest is just a hideous shell.

Anyways, the place was empty. Cleaned out. Almost as if the state had decided to leave.

I wonder if this is going to be the next big announcement in town. I couldn't plot it perfectly (the arrow shows up on top of Scarborough, so just look to the West of the arrow to see what I'm talking about.) Killer location.

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=111+West+6th+Street,+78701&ie=UTF8&z=19&ll=30.267984,-97.743081&spn=0.001508,0.002674&t=h&om=1&iwloc=A

Also, just playing out my interest in the block, it is not too late to redevelop Scarborough as the department store that it once was. The floor plans and elaborate hallway systems are still in tact. There are no major tenants there, although the building is mostly filled with small businesses. BIG retail here cold complement what Stacey is thinking about across the street where the BofA lobby currently sits.

Fun to think about even if nothing happens...

I know exactly which building you are speaking of... I believe it is/was home to one of the Texas Comptroller's offices. The building shell is indeed less than pleasing to look at. You can't find a better location in Austin.

[KevinFromTexas]

Yep, that drab orange monster from the 60s? The Shore actually has their sales office along 5th Street next to the building. I would love to see that building demolished and redeveloped with a tower.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010237EDIT.jpg

[Talon]

Nice pics as always Mopacs and Kevin. Next time one of you guys are up in North Austin you should snap a pictures or two of the Samsung site on Parmer. They have quite an array of cranes setup (12+ on my last drive by) including what i've been told is one of the largest mobile cranes in the US. They look to be starting to put up the roof trusses.

[Mopacs]

I had some time to kill yesterday afternoon (9/22), so I took yet another 'self-guided' tour of west and southwest downtown.... Here are some construction updates:

Lets start with the AMLI2 Tower, which is now up to 4 floors:

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9901-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9897-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9904-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9903-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v315/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9883-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9872-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9971-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN0055-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN0071-vi.jpg

Now on to the Altavida tower at 2nd and Colorado:

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN0014-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN0017-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN0019-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN0020-vi.jpg

Here's the residential project at the old Goodwill site (Lamar at 3rd St):

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9815-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9811-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9794-vi.jpg

The future site of the Spring condo tower (across Lamar from Goodwill):

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9812-vi.jpg


360 Construction Progress:

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9867-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v315/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9871-vi.jpg

The crane...

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9859-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9829-vi.jpg

West 3rd St

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9830-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9847-vi.jpg

Block 21

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9962-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9964-vi.jpg


Bridges on the Park

http://images19.fotki.com/v315/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9997-vi.jpg

The Monarch site prep work well underway

http://images19.fotki.com/v315/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9791-vi.jpg





Pano-view of downtown from Groves Blvd in SE Austin

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110578-vi.jpg

Going outside downtown a bit... here's the new Samsung Plant in NE Austin... this sucker is going to be HUGE

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110488-vi.jpg

Dell Children's Medical Center at Mueller

http://images18.fotki.com/v86/photos/5/54967/4065809/P1110376-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/4065809/P1110375-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v332/photos/5/54967/4065809/P1110332-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/4065809/P1110458-vi.jpg

The old Mueller control tower, all by its lonesome

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/5/54967/4065809/P1110390-vi.jpg

And a few miscellaneous...

http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9916-vi.jpg


http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/5/54967/3625547/DSCN9926-vi.jpg

[Mopacs]

Nice pics as always Mopacs and Kevin. Next time one of you guys are up in North Austin you should snap a pictures or two of the Samsung site on Parmer. They have quite an array of cranes setup (12+ on my last drive by) including what i've been told is one of the largest mobile cranes in the US. They look to be starting to put up the roof trusses.

YEP, that is something else! You can see the cranes for miles around. I took this shot from the top of the Embassy Suites hotel in N austin:

http://images19.fotki.com/v18/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110488-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v315/photos/5/54967/3625547/P1110487-vi.jpg

[sammyk]

Nice pics.

That Samsung site seems to run a 24 hour shift. I was coming home late the other day and could see the "glow" of construction in that area.

[KevinFromTexas]

That one big blue crane looks like it's over 300 feet tall. You can see these from US 290 also. I count atleast 16 cranes in that last shot, 5 tower cranes.

[Mopacs]

That one big blue crane looks like it's over 300 feet tall. You can see these from US 290 also. I count atleast 16 cranes in that last shot, 5 tower cranes.

The size of that plant is going to be insane... roughly the size of 9 football fields. Here's an article from about 3 months back in the statesman:

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/technology/06/Samsung_jwj_Samsung_004.html

Samsung begins gearing up for new plant
Chip maker starts to hire and train some workers as construction moves ahead.

By Kirk Ladendorf (kladendorf@statesman.com)
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, June 29, 2006

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/03/20/45/image_4145203.jpg

Samsung Electronics Co. is moving full-speed ahead on the construction of its second Austin semiconductor factory, which will be known as Austin Fab 2, or A².

The building shell of the massive project is expected to be completed in June 2007, with the installation of equipment coming sometime after that. The start of memory-chip production in the factory is estimated to happen in late 2007 or 2008.

Samsung acknowledges that the Austin project is big, but the company has been reluctant to say exactly how big.
"It is going to be one of the largest fabs in the United States," company spokesman Bill Cryer said.

The company has said the new building's footprint will cover an area the size of nine football fields.

The new factory, which will process silicon wafers that are 300 millimeters (roughly 12 inches) in diameter, is expected to be about three times the size of the company's existing factory in Northeast Austin.

The new fab will be the first new chip factory in Central Texas in a decade. Only Samsung, Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Spansion Inc. and Cypress Semiconductor Corp. still make chips here.
Five fabs have been closed since 2001. Samsung built the most recent fab with its original plant in 1997.

The original projections for the cost of the new factory were $3.5 billion, and some industry analysts expect the project will cost more.
Samsung isn't giving a price tag for the project yet.

The new factory is expected to employ about 900 people including Samsung employees and workers from supplier companies.
Samsung already has begun hiring workers for the project.
"We are recruiting aggressively," Cryer said.

A recent help-wanted advertisement said the company is hiring to fill a variety of engineering and technician positions, as well has human resources and training jobs.

More than 100 engineers hired for the new factory are in training in South Korea this summer at Samsung's existing factories for 300-millimeter silicon wafers.

The complexity of the new technology requires extensive training, said Cryer, who said he expects virtually all the new factory's engineers to receive some training in South Korea. They will spend months setting up the equipment and assembly lines within the building.

Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is the local contractor for the project, and Samsung Engineering and Construction is the general contractor. The architect for the project is Page Southerland Page LLC.

kladendorf@statesman.com; 445-3622

[austintilIdie]

looking northeast from 183 just west of lamar, i see those cranes nearly everyday from a distance

drove by the site in June taking a backway to Dell Diamond...definitely much progress since then

[Mopacs]

looking northeast from 183 just west of lamar, i see those cranes nearly everyday from a distance

drove by the site in June taking a backway to Dell Diamond...definitely much progress since then

Yep! I see it from the elevated portions of 183 too...very hard to miss. I will have to stop by this area after work one afternoon.

[Jdawgboy]

:slob: alittle sliver of Dubai in northeast Austin. We havn't seen anything like that here ever before.

[JAM]

The Monarch is starting to erect its crane. Its about 3 stories high today. Those cranes in post #253 are crazy! I think those guys over at AMLI II are adding a story every 2 weeks. I guess having two cranes helps speed things up.

[Complex01]

WOW, seeing all those cranes in crazy. I love it, if i had the time i would just drive over there to see all of them. I love seeing cranes.


:crazy:

[arbeiter]

great pics. can someone remind me of the size and scale of the goodwill project?

[GoldenBoot]

great pics. can someone remind me of the size and scale of the goodwill project?


Location: West End (300 N. Lamar Blvd.; SW corner of N. Lamar Blvd. & 5th St.)
Stories: 5
Height: ~61’/~18.5m
Units: 126 apartments
Start: May 2006 (Demolition of existing building commenced in February 2006)
Finish: Mid-2007
Developer: Phoenix Property Company
Website: www.phoenixpropertyco.com
More Info: Phoenix Property Company’s Filed Site Plan: SP-05-1503C (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/gis/reviewcases/rcase_table_detail.cfm?hid=282516&CASE=SP-05-1503C)

[427MM]

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/9475/img4902dg9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2252/img4865yj2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

360
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7622/img4866jy1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The crane starting to come up at the Monarch
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8448/img4867am5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

AMLI
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1807/img4868pa0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Shore and Mexican American Museum
http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/9783/img4872xn6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2213/img4874mt1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/3199/img4879tx7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4250/img4893pc8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2015/img4895cq0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Mopacs]

Great pics 427! What a fantastic vantage point to observe the plethora of developments downtown.

and this pic is amazing

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4250/img4893pc8.jpg

as is this (love the "Nix Hospital" effect)

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/9475/img4902dg9.jpg

[KevinFromTexas]

Oh my god, dude, that one shot looking up into the crown. :eek: Awesome!

AMLI II is looking good. Good post!

[427MM]

Thanks guys, these projects are almost to the point where they will be considered exciting. When I started taking pics from the top of Frost the only tower UC was the Marriott.

Good news, the team building 360 hired the blimp guys and the site will become interactive very soon. You will be able to see the views from certain floors one of which will be the 44th. They should be very nice. Is anyone going to the 360 cocktails, hors d'oeuvres party on Thursday at La Zona Rosa? I’m definitely going to be there so please let me know if anyone else is planning to show up.

[427MM]

Did anyone here go to the 360 party tonight?

If not, you missed out.

[Mopacs]

Did anyone here go to the 360 party tonight?

If not, you missed out.

Nope..couldnt make it. Do discuss...

[austlar]

Could somebody post the link to the site devoted to new developments in Austin? I think it might be sponsored by downtown boosters or the city, but I can't locate it. There is a link buried somwhere in these pages, or there was at one time. Thanks.

[southsideatx04]

Could somebody post the link to the site devoted to new developments in Austin? I think it might be sponsored by downtown boosters or the city, but I can't locate it. There is a link buried somwhere in these pages, or there was at one time. Thanks.

Here is an austin forum on development.
http://austinforum.8.forumer.com/

[tildahat]

Could somebody post the link to the site devoted to new developments in Austin? I think it might be sponsored by downtown boosters or the city, but I can't locate it. There is a link buried somwhere in these pages, or there was at one time. Thanks.

Are you thinking of this:

http://urbanaustin.org/index.php/Main_Page

[78705]

Anyone noticed that the crane for the Monarch is going up? Looked like they had about 6 sections in place as of last night.... Sweet!

[KevinFromTexas]

Could somebody post the link to the site devoted to new developments in Austin? I think it might be sponsored by downtown boosters or the city, but I can't locate it. There is a link buried somwhere in these pages, or there was at one time. Thanks.

Perhaps you were thinking of this...Austin City Connection's "Downtown Austin Emerging Projects" list. They last updated July 31st, they're actually due a new update. They typically update the list every 3 months. They should have one by the end of this month.
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/default.htm

^ Click that link, scroll down to the 3rd segment of contents. There you can click on the map of projects and the list. They also have a compilation of projects. It'll take it a second or two to open, (PDF file).

[JAM]

Anyone noticed that the crane for the Monarch is going up? Looked like they had about 6 sections in place as of last night.... Sweet!

The crane is in place, arm and all. Is it me, or do those guys at Monarch seem to be working extra slow?

[427MM]

Yea, it took almost a week to simply assemble the crane.

MoPacs, it was great. They had a turnout of over 800 people, live music, tons of food and free drinks (2). Andrews Urban had all of their team there as well as a man from Atlanta with Novare. Anyone see that article in the paper today? It's getting hotter and hotter around here.

[JAM]

Yea, it took almost a week to simply assemble the crane.

It really seems like the Monarch is deliberately moving slow. Their crew seems small, they don't work on Saturday like 360, they leave pretty early, unlike 360, etc. The crane sat at 2 or 3 stories for a few weeks.

[JAM]

Here is the crane and construction progress on the Monarch. You can see the Gables to the left, and Austin Fitness in the back. Whole foods is just peaking out in the crane photo on far right. You can also see the apartments going up at the old Goodwill site just behind Austin Fitness.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/TEXASJAM/Picture040.jpg


http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/TEXASJAM/Picture041.jpg

[KevinFromTexas]

Check it out guys, I've done a huge update on page 1 of the City Compilation thread. It includes a list of everything completed so far since 1999, everything under construction, approved and proposed. There's also articles and renderings and links to other skyscraper threads about Austin on the forum. Link below.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=70078

You can also always click on my signature below to see it. ::Austin's Boom:: (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=70078)

Enjoy, it took me 3 days to do it! If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them also.

[Mopacs]

Check it out guys, I've done a huge update on page 1 of the City Compilation thread. It includes a list of everything completed so far since 1999, everything under construction, approved and proposed. There's also articles and renderings and links to other skyscraper threads about Austin on the forum. Link below.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=70078

You can also always click on my signature below to see it. ::Austin's Boom:: (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=70078)

Enjoy, it took me 3 days to do it! If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them also.

Kevin, you did a FANTASTIC job with that compilation..Thanks! VERY comprehensive, and it provides a great template to build on from this point forward. Thanks for taking the time to put this together, this is very much appreciated by all.

[Mopacs]

BTW... Stay tuned for some GREAT aerial photos I got of downtown Austin this weekend from a flight to Los Angeles.

[Mopacs]

BTW... Stay tuned for some GREAT aerial photos I got of downtown Austin this weekend from a flight to Los Angeles.

...and here's a preview. In this shot you can see the construction sites and cranes for three of our high rise condo projects... from left-to-right: Monarch, 360 and AMLI 2:

http://images16.fotki.com/v352/photos/5/54967/300796/P1120369a-vi.jpg

Closeup crop of AMLI (right) and 360 (left):

http://images16.fotki.com/v351/photos/5/54967/300796/P1120369c-vi.jpg

[KevinFromTexas]

I have a few updates here for some of Austin's highrises. I found a few heights.

Update on The Shore. I emailed the sales office and got all the heights. It's actually 257 feet tall, not 251 feet tall as we all thought. I saw the building elevations and diagram.

Here are the heights for The Shore:

257 feet to the top of the mechanical penthouse, (highest point on building).
236 feet 6 inches to the mainroof.
223 feet 6 inches is the highest occupied floor, (22nd floor).

The building connects with the future Hotel Van Zandt, which will sit adjacent to The Shore to the north. The two buildings will be connected up to the 6th level. I'm working on getting the heights for the Hotel Van Zandt also, (26 to 29-story hotel tower). The guy said the Hotel Van Zandt will actually be 26 floors above ground, and I saw 3 more floors in the diagram below ground. So it may only be 26 floors. It was originally announced as a 304 foot building with 26 floors. So we'll see.

Here are the diagrams showing both The Shore, and the Hotel Van Zandt, and how they'll be arranged. I also have the building elevations saved which told me which way The Shore faces, it's in PDF format, if you'd like it, I'll email it to you.

View from west. You can see that the Hotel Van Zandt, (left), and The Shore, (right), are infact connected. Also note that there are 3 levels below grade beneath the Hotel Van Zandt for parking.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsTheShoreandHotel-1.jpg

View from above.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsTheShoreandHotelVan.jpg

So, going by the info gathered by the building elevation for The Shore, and the diagrams above, this rendering of the Hotel Van Zandt shows the building as it would appear from the northwest.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsHotelVanZandt.jpg

And so, that would make this view of The Shore, be from the southwest.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsTheShore.jpg

[KevinFromTexas]

I also tried to get the height of Altavida today from the Hanover Company, the company developing the building. But the height the guy gave me has got to be wrong. He told me it's 332 feet to the mechancial penthouse, and 312 feet to the mainroof. At 36 floors, and easily 100 feet taller than 100 Congress to the east, (which is 320 feet tall), there's no way it's only 332 feet tall. At the very least it's 380 feet. But I think it's atleast 410 to 420 feet. I sent another email to HKS, Inc., one of the architects designing the tower, and I'm still waiting on that email back. I'll let everyone know what I hear back, of course.

I also emailed Perry Lorenz and Robert Barnstone, who are part of the development team for Spring. I wanted to find out why Spring has been listed as a 41-story tower and a 36-story tower on different occasions. Perry told me that Spring will infact be 41 floors tall. 36 levels of residential units, over 5 levels of parking. 41 floors over ground. I asked him about the height and he told me for now, it'll be 400 feet tall to the highest occupied level. But he said they have clearance for a %15 increase for mechanical purposes like air conditioning and elevators. So he estimated that it might wind up being as tall as 450 feet tall. I told him I'd like to stay in touch, and get back with them on it once Spring breaks ground.

And, a bit more good news. I contacted the folks at AnderssonWise who are designing the Block 21 Tower. She told me that they have not come up with an official name for it yet. I asked for the heights for the building. The Block 21 Tower will be 432 feet 6 inches tall with 35 floors. There will be no mechanical penthouse. She said the air conditioning will be in a city owned facility nearby. I may still check to see if that height is only talking about the mainroof "floor". Surely they would have to be able to access the roof for maintainence, lights, cleaning, etc. So, there may infact be something up there for that possibly a "shed" that leads the stairs to the roof. If that's the case it could be about 6 feet taller. So I'll ask again. I hadn't gotten an email back since that first one with the height, so I'll keep pressing for it.

And I'm proud to say it, many of these developers have been visiting their building's pages at Emporis which Mopacs and I have been setting up. The guy at The Shore even knew about my forum and commented about my Lego model of downtown saying he and his friend have checked the thread about it. I even had an offer from the guy at Altavida, saying that it would be cool to have my model in the building's lobby. Oh yes it would!

Anyway, speaking of models. The guy at The Shore said that I should come down to the sales office on West 5th, which I will. He said they have a model of The Shore there. So that might be worth checking out.

[427MM]

www.lifesurroundsyou.com we have a webcam up everyone. It is on the top of the Chase tower. Anyone here go to the ULI Show last night? It was great; all the towers going on downtown either had a booth or representatives walking around. I talked to some people from Aquaterra and they let me know that their sales office opens in less than a week and they plan to break ground in January, 20 stories, not bad. Also, Spring and Skyline plan to break ground in January as well. The Shore is looking to erect their tower crane during the first week of November. The Van Zandt is on schedule and is moving about 6 months behind the Shore. There is more very exciting news; however, I have sworn myself to secrecy. Thus far, it really doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Austin Rocks!

[southsideatx04]

When exactly is the Stacey Tower going to break ground also what about the 200 Congress high rise? Any new news about those towers?

[Mopacs]

www.lifesurroundsyou.com (http://www.lifesurroundsyou.com) we have a webcam up everyone. It is on the top of the Chase tower. Anyone here go to the ULI Show last night? It was great; all the towers going on downtown either had a booth or representatives walking around. I talked to some people from Aquaterra and they let me know that their sales office opens in less than a week and they plan to break ground in January, 20 stories, not bad. Also, Spring and Skyline plan to break ground in January as well. The Shore is looking to erect their tower crane during the first week of November. The Van Zandt is on schedule and is moving about 6 months behind the Shore. There is more very exciting news; however, I have sworn myself to secrecy. Thus far, it really doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Austin Rocks!

Thanks for the update! The 360 webcam is awesome! I was hoping they would set something like this up (I believe they have similar setups for their other projects in Atlanta/Nashville). BTW, how many floors is AMLI2 up to now?

[Mopacs]

When exactly is the Stacey Tower going to break ground also what about the 200 Congress high rise? Any new news about those towers?

The developers for both projects have been conspicuously silent thus far, which is somewhat worrysome...so no news as of now. On the other hand, the momentum in this city continues, so I would think at least one of the aformentioned projects will eventually push forward. Whether dirt will turn is still up in the air.

[austintilIdie]

prospective dirt-turnings were at one time said to be in 2007...2Q?...I'd think we'd see another spread on one or both (Stacy tower and 200 Congress) of these projects in the Statesman between now and then...until then, no one wants to let the cat out of the bag and if both of the projects commence, i'd think things would still be held close to the chest if the height competition gets fierce.

i'll believe it when i see it

[atx001]

Also, Spring and Skyline plan to break ground in January as well.

Can someone remind me what Skyline is, as I seemed to have missed this one.

[KevinFromTexas]

Can someone remind me what Skyline is, as I seemed to have missed this one.

http://www.skylineaustin.com/

http://urbanaustin.org/index.php/Skyline_Lofts = The building will have 6 floors. Urbanaustin.org says it'll be 70 feet tall.
http://urbanaustin.org/images/6/69/Skyline.jpg

[427MM]

Guess who was in town this afternoon?
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/963/img5222kz2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Representative LD
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8536/img5232up8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Play the detective, and figure out where we are.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7540/img5251sw8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I had to get my pic taken with him. Never in all my life have I been in the presence of such a strong personality. He single handedly commanded the whole atmosphere and better yet, was as approachable a man as I have ever met. My vote surly wasn’t wasted.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/2306/kerry1027ma8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[KevinFromTexas]

Haha, that's awesome! I voted for the guy, too. I see a few other notable Democrats there also, Chris Bell and Loyd Doggett.

Dude, you should totally post this in the Skybar.

[JACKinBeantown]

I proudly voted for him too.

[OfCourse]

Me, three.

[KevinFromTexas]

More drama between White Lodging and Las Manitas.

From the Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/realestate/11/01/1lasmanitas.html

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN
Las Manitas talks are back to the drawing board
Hotel developer says restaurant owners have rejected compromise offers

By Claudia Grisales, Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

It's back to the drawing board on efforts to reach a compromise between owners of a popular Congress Avenue restaurant and a developer who wants to replace it with a convention hotel, with less than two months before the restaurant's lease expires.

White Lodging Services Corp. said in a letter to Austin City Council members that the Perez sisters who have owned Las Manitas for 25 years have rejected all of their offers "and have not offered any viable solutions."

The company said its latest proposal included helping Las Manitas move into a building the sisters own at Congress Avenue and Third Street and possibly incorporating La Peña Gallery, now in that building, into the hotel project.

"These offers also have been rejected," said the Oct. 27 letter from Bruce White, CEO of the development company.

Neither Lidia or Cynthia Perez nor their representatives could be reached for comment.

White Lodging's July announcement that it would build a $185 million, 1,000-room Marriott hotel project has stirred up a rancorous debate about whether the city should take steps to help so-called iconic businesses that are threatened by development.

It also has brought out critics who say landowners should be able to do what they want with their property and who note that the hotel project will create 600 jobs and tax revenue.

Last month, three City Council members sent a letter to Marriott International Inc. noting that the project will require zoning variances and asking the hotel chain to revise its plans so Las Manitas doesn't have to move.

White's letter was the reply. In the letter, White said his company met with the owners of Las Manitas and the Escuelita del Alma before the project was announced to discuss how it "could assist them in the transition once their leases expired in December."

The owners rejected offers of lease extensions and free rent to August 2007 and relocation grants, White said. "Both . . . stated that their position was 'to remain at our current location on a permanent basis.' "

The offer included Tesoros Trading Co., south of Las Manitas, White said.

At another meeting after the City Council letter, White raised the idea of helping Las Manitas move into a century-old building the sisters own at Congress Avenue and Third Street. It's now home to La Peña, a community arts organization and gallery.

The letter doesn't spell out the details.

In the letter to Council Members Brewster McCracken, Mike Martinez and Lee Leffingwell, White asked for their help to find a solution that would allow the hotel project to go forward and find new locations for the businesses.

Martinez said he's hopeful that discussions will get on the right track, adding that he was encouraged that some conditions attached to the original lease-extension offer were off the table.

"If we are going to say we do want this hotel, and I am acknowledging that we do, . . . (then) we need to keep working towards a solution that everybody can agree with," he said.

"I am not here to inject myself into a property rights discussion," Martinez said. "We are exploring every possible option. It's not about these three businesses. These are about issues and struggles we are going to face for a long time to come as we continue to grow at this pace."

But McCracken said White Lodging should have to play by the same rules as other developers who ask for "lucrative development bonuses" from the city, such as zoning variances, and provide a public benefit in exchange, such as affordable housing units or protecting longstanding local businesses.

As an example, he cited Walgreens Co., which donated land for a new Maria's Taco Xpress when it wanted to build a drugstore on the restaurant's South Lamar Boulevard site.

White Lodging has not "laid out anything they're willing to do and don't believe they have any responsibility at all to do so," McCracken said.

Richard Suttle, White Lodging's lawyer, says discussions will continue.

"We are committed to staying at the table . . . and find ways to allow for the redevelopment of downtown Austin without losing that which makes our city special," he said.

[KevinFromTexas]

A few updates here.

Rendering for AquaTerra: This looks nice, from what I can see. They're also saying it'll be "20-stories" tall.
http://www.liveaquaterra.com/
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsAquaTerra20floors.jpg

And the Downtown Austin Emerging Projects Descriptions list and map has now been updated for October 2006.
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/default.htm

[Jdawgboy]

By the way the Crane for the Shore is now up woohoo!!!!:cheers:

[427MM]

Yea, it looks huge from 35.

[KevinFromTexas]

Awesome. When I asked for the heights for it, they told me it would be up shortly.

Come on Altavida, get with it!

*EDIT*

My sister emailed me a surprise today. She took a picture of The Shore crane with her phone this morning. She's the best. :)

Photo by Melissa Lehnhardt.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20pics/AustinTheShorecrane.jpg

And here's a larger rendering of AquaTerra showing more detail that udan posted on the Austin Skyscraper Forum.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsAquaTerra2.jpg