[zx14]

Yes dec 22nd 1989 the low was 11 and windy and temps stayed in the teens all day exept for around 4 when the sun came out and it hit 21. That night it hit 4 at the airport but many areas of north austin hit 0 or colder. Amazing with no snowcover. Here in lexington it was 19 below. We had this same conversation last year about the crazy weather. Kind of unrelated to what this post is about. So back on course is the spring really topped out and also look at the Austonian at 30 stories and compare in the pics to 1 congress at 30 floors. IF that does not tell the difference between condo 10 foot floors and buisiness 14 footers i dont know what will.

[Mopacs]

Las Manitas and the Escuelita are all gone now:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/3155626988_4a953b1c74_o.jpg


This is an interesting view... What's the story with that advertisement painted on the side of the building, adjacent to the former Las Manitas and the Escuelita structures? Looks like the remnant of an old Spearmint gum ad. Was that obscured by the now-demolished building(s)? I'm guessing it was there long before...

[priller]

So back on course is the spring really topped out and also look at the Austonian at 30 stories and compare in the pics to 1 congress at 30 floors. IF that does not tell the difference between condo 10 foot floors and buisiness 14 footers i dont know what will.

Spring isn't topped out. They still have the crown portion to do. I think they're at the red line:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3177721370_e984524aa8.jpg

[Jdawgboy]

Question: Is the very top portion of Spring a club area or a gym? Since they will have trees up there Im assuming its will be a balcony area. Also will the higher glass sections at the top be lit up?

[JoMo]

Question did someone say that 30th floor of the austonian was a mech. floor. I was just wondering because I can see that it is alot taller than the floor below and it is taking them alot longer to move the forms than normal.

[JGFrisco]

December 23, 1989 was the coldest day in Texas in the entire 20th Century...and in fact, is the second coldest on record (Feb 8, 1899 was colder).

Low temps that day...

Austin (Mueller) 6
Austin (Mabry) 4
San Antonio 6
Kerrville 0
Houston (Int'l) 7
Houston (Hobby) 9
Brownsville 16
Waco -3
Dallas -4
Fort Worth -5
Amarillo -10

[KevinFromTexas]

Question: Is the very top portion of Spring a club area or a gym? Since they will have trees up there Im assuming its will be a balcony area. Also will the higher glass sections at the top be lit up?

Here's what I have from companies involved.

From the construction company:

We have 41 floors of condos / parking. Level 42 is the penthouse. Level 43 is mostly for services. L44 is the mechanical area.

From the architects:

The building has 44 main floors. 42 and 43 are the Penthouse floors. Level 44 is the Mechanical Yard/Main roof.

[priller]

Thanks, Kevin, I couldn't tell what was going on up there.

[priller]

Does anyone know what the new crane is for at 12th? I saw a sign that said it was for ACC, but beyond that I know nothing.

[Northcrossed]

Does anyone know what the new crane is for at 12th? I saw a sign that said it was for ACC, but beyond that I know nothing.

^^^ the new parking structure for ACC Rio Grande.

[brianpm14]

The columns they are pouring now are much taller, looks like they are at or above street level, so the last of the underground parking garage is about done. If weather stays good, they could be well above ground by March. The beginning of the end of my view beyond the wall of another building.

I am guessing that the grey tower crane will be taken apart and erected on the other base, which is empty now, once the lower floors of the project, that consume most of the block, are done. Never seen that done before, but that is my guess at this point. The hotel tower in the model covers about 2/3 of the north side of the block, so the crane would be on the outside of the east end.

[hookem]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/3155626988_4a953b1c74_o.jpgThis is an interesting view... What's the story with that advertisement painted on the side of the building, adjacent to the former Las Manitas and the Escuelita structures? Looks like the remnant of an old Spearmint gum ad. Was that obscured by the now-demolished building(s)? I'm guessing it was there long before...

I noticed that too. I couldn't remember if there was a little space between the bulidings beforehand or not. But it sure looks like the ad was partially obscured by the former building.. you can see it might have spanned the entire side of that building, but much of it is faded. Then I thought, Street View!

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=211+congress+austin,+tx&fb=1&split=1&ll=30.26481,-97.744023&spn=0.001112,0.002414&z=19&layer=c&cbll=30.2649,-97.743995&panoid=yXa5s0ScwhI3RPbjdZGQCw&cbp=12,99.46449916268128,,0,-0.34782040348602583

Thank you street view. So that part of the ad was obscured for all these years. Now, how old is the ad? It had to have been painted prior to the construction of the adjacent property... I can't see the building number in street view, but I think it's 213 N. Congress. There are 3 adjacent properties listed under "Finley Company" which I believe are the Marriott site. Although one of them looks like it had an update, the construction date according to traviscad.org is 1900. I think some of those older building dates are sometimes just approximate, though. Still, if that's right, the spearmint gum ad is from 1900 or so? The other ad on top is I'm guessing is recent or at least preserved/repainted along the way.

[Northcrossed]

Developer gets new financing for future Congress Avenue project

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/01/08/0108cbriefs.html

Stacy team secures $44M to redevelop Congress block

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2009/01/05/daily39.html

[LoneStarMike]

This is an interesting view... What's the story with that advertisement painted on the side of the building, adjacent to the former Las Manitas and the Escuelita structures? Looks like the remnant of an old Spearmint gum ad.

It's an old Wrigley's Spearmint Gum ad. Not sure how old it is, but "Look for the Spear" was a Wrigley's slogan, as seen in this 1913 ad from Magazineart.org. (http://www.magazineart.org)

http://www.magazineart.org/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13858&g2_serialNumber=2

[hookem]

It's an old Wrigley's Spearmint Gum ad. Not sure how old it is, but "Look for the Spear" was a Wrigley's slogan, as seen in this 1913 ad from

That kid looks pretty angry. :haha:

Here is another similar wall ad, I think you can see remnants in the Austin one of all three slogans "The Flavor Lasts," "Buy it by the Box," and "Look for the Spear."

pic from Beau B on flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2940293882_4fda28c2c3.jpg?v=0

[Mopacs]

Wow, thanks for the investigative work Hookem! That is really interesting.. I'd love to see them preserve that ad in some form or another.

On another note, here are a few drive-bys I took this past weekend. It looks like we've got a little canyon going on now, looking down 4th St from I-35 (unfortunately the street doesnt go all the way through to Spring and Monarch, in the distance):

http://images48.fotki.com/v1410/photos/5/54967/5804014/DSC_24342-vi.jpg

And here are a few freeway shots from I-35 (looking south from the foot of the upper deck):

http://images42.fotki.com/v1372/photos/5/54967/5804014/DSC_2457-vi.jpg

http://images48.fotki.com/v1405/photos/5/54967/5804014/DSC_2460-vi.jpg

[HOUSTONIAN57]

That kid looks pretty angry. :haha:

Here is another similar wall ad, I think you can see remnants in the Austin one of all three slogans "The Flavor Lasts," "Buy it by the Box," and "Look for the Spear."

pic from Beau B on flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2940293882_4fda28c2c3.jpg?v=0

^^^^
That is on a wall of a building near the strand in Galveston.

There also a Coca Cola ad similar to this here in Galveston as well...

[KevinFromTexas]

Interesting photos, Mopacs. That first one is really neat. And those other two really show how downtown sits lower than the surrounding area. Some of the highrises on the west side of downtown aren't even visible from my neighborhood. I have yet to see The Monarch, and I think I've only caught a glimpse of Spring. There may be a place or three here in South Austin where they'll be visible, but so far I haven't "noticed" them like some of the other towers.

[Dan Denson]

Interesting photos, Mopacs. That first one is really neat. And those other two really show how downtown sits lower than the surrounding area. Some of the highrises on the west side of downtown aren't even visible from my neighborhood. I have yet to see The Monarch, and I think I've only caught a glimpse of Spring. There may be a place or three here in South Austin where they'll be visible, but so far I haven't "noticed" them like some of the other towers.

It's interesting that both 360 and Spring are visible from southbound Mopac starting somewhere around 38th or Westover (not sure exactly where). Also, 360 is visible along Burnet Rd. southbound, somewhere around 2222 or North Loop. It's a really good view along that corridor.

[Myomi]

Hey, does anyone here know what is happening at the southwest corner of 8th and Brazos. There is an old reddish orange brick building on that lot, and over the last few weeks they seem to be have been doing a major renovation on that building. They are even covering up the new brick and creating a new silver exterior. I was wondering, are they just renovating a old office building, turning into condos, or something else. Any one have any idea?

[NThomas]

I believe I remember it is going to be lit on the inside.

I wonder if it could be lit orange...

[arbeiter]

I remember the other cold Christmas that page referenced - December 1983. I was working at a two-story Lamar Savings in that shopping center at Spicewood Springs & 183. Christmas Day, the alarms went off and when the manager went to check on things she found that the pipes in a second floor restroom had burst and there was a lovely waterfall cascading down onto my (brass) teller counter. Thank God I didn't have to clean up that mess!

At the time, the Austin Public Library had a branch in our building. They were the only other tenant. They occupied all of the second floor (all books) and about a third of our lobby on the ground floor (more books and the checkout desk.) Luckily, no books were damaged. Just the restroom upstairs, my teller station and all the carpet in the lobby.

I grew up right off Spicewood Springs and 183, just a little bit past the shopping, about where it drops into the canyon. That bank had the same exact design as one at Northcross Mall and I think one down near Manchaca. I remember Tom Thumb Page! Page!

That shopping center that bank was in was always so weird and spooky to me as a kid - the little courtyardish area was my hide and go seek area while my mother paid for Little Caesars. LOL

[Dan Denson]

I grew up right off Spicewood Springs and 183, just a little bit past the shopping, about where it drops into the canyon. That bank had the same exact design as one at Northcross Mall and I think one down near Manchaca. I remember Tom Thumb Page! Page!

That shopping center that bank was in was always so weird and spooky to me as a kid - the little courtyardish area was my hide and go seek area while my mother paid for Little Caesars. LOL

Interesting coincidence...a friend of mine and I owned a rent house on Wexford for a while, right in the area you grew up in. Do you remember that street? We sold it pretty quickly...being a landlord was no fun and the renters wanted to buy it.

[austin242]

The Building is being renevated to become condos
Website: http://www.brazosplacecondos.com/#1

[Mopacs]

I grew up right off Spicewood Springs and 183, just a little bit past the shopping, about where it drops into the canyon. That bank had the same exact design as one at Northcross Mall and I think one down near Manchaca. I remember Tom Thumb Page! Page!

That shopping center that bank was in was always so weird and spooky to me as a kid - the little courtyardish area was my hide and go seek area while my mother paid for Little Caesars. LOL

Oh yes, I spent many of days at the Spicewood/183 shopping center. I can say for certain that it has never been remodeled in its 34 year existence (built in '75). A mess of a center, but strangely appealing. A hodge podge of tenants, including Asian markets and used book stores.

Back in the day, the shopping center featured a Weiner's department store, Revco Drug store, Winn's five&dime and a Safeway, among many others. Chances are, I ran into you a few times waiting to pick up a Little Caesars Pizza too. Either that or we'd be scooting down to Oak Knoll for some Dunkin Donuts or Schlotzky's.

[Myomi]

The Building is being renevated to become condos
Website: http://www.brazosplacecondos.com/#1

Actually, I know about brazos place. That is on the Northwest corner of 8th and Brazos. It is pretty much done actually and people already live there. The building i'm actually talking about is on the Southwest corner of 8th and Brazos. It is a reddish building that they have already done a lot of work on. I haven't been able to find any information about it. Is it condos? Office? Any one know? :shrug:

[KevinFromTexas]

The reddish, orange tower at the southwest corner of 8th and Brazos is the Perry Brooks Building. 12-story tower? It's an office building. It was renovated a few years back for several high tech companies who occupy it. They also added a few office floors atop the adjacent parking garage along Brazos.

By the way, the building is owned and managed by Tom Stacy's company actually. Here's their page on it at their website. Greg and I had actually met with someone there one day asking about the future of Tom Stacy's 501 Congress project.
http://www.tstacy.com/portfolio_detail.php?building_id=21

[Myomi]

Hey thanks a lot Kevin. Well, it might have been renovated a few years ago, but it looks like they are doing some major work to it now. They are redoing the exterior and im pretty sure they are doing some major work inside too. They link you gave me says they sold they building in Feb. 2008, so maybe they are doing something to it. But from the outside, you can clearly see they are doing a lot of work to it. I'm surprised no one else has seen this happening downtown. I am still wondering what exactly they are doing.

[Aiphanes]

My parents saw Dune in the theatre as it came out that year. My mom said that the snow storm hit while they were inside. She said it was funny to be watching a movie that took place in the desert and then to come outside and find the biggest snow storm in years. I believe we got about 4 or 5 inches.


I remember seeing this on TV, Austin\San Antonio getting pounded by Snow. I use to live in Clovis, New Mexico back then...we got no snow from that storm.

[Aiphanes]

I remember that! Crazy. Friends were living at the RailYard.... their pipes burst! Disaster!


I use to live in Austin from 1986 to 1993...I remember December 1989! Brutal. I remember I bought some gold fish and they died before I could get home because it was so cold. I remember walking to class on UT campus and the wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold, i just went home.

It has not been that cold since then in both Austin and San Antonio. Heck where i live now (up in the high 1100 feet plus parts of Stone Oak) I have yet to see a hard freeze in the last two winters. So far 33 degrees for a low this winter. I still got bougainvillea growing. Stone Oak is like a big heat island now since there are so many houses, hospitals, offices and retail.

[Dan Denson]

I use to live in Austin from 1986 to 1993...I remember December 1989! Brutal. I remember I bought some gold fish and they died before I could get home because it was so cold. I remember walking to class on UT campus and the wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold, i just went home.

It has not been that cold since then in both Austin and San Antonio. Heck where i live now (up in the high 1100 feet plus parts of Stone Oak) I have yet to see a hard freeze in the last two winters. So far 33 degrees for a low this winter. I still got bougainvillea growing. Stone Oak is like a big heat island now since there are so many houses, hospitals, offices and retail.

Yeah...there are a lot of microclimates in the Austin area because of the topography. Not sure where Stone Oak is (west Austin?).

The valleys in the Austin area have been in the low 20s several times this winter. Bergstrom is usually pretty much representative of the low spots (they were 21 yesterday morning). I live in Allandale, right below the escarpment, and I usually track real well with the airport. I used to live up on the bluff above Far West Blvd, and the morning temperatures on clear, calm mornings were much warmer than in the low areas across Mopac.

[shanny]

Since my vacation is over and I'm going back to Nebraska tomorrow...I thought I would take some photos before I leave. I had never been to the zilker clubhouse before...great view.

Austonian and Ashton
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3192689751_ae377773e4_b.jpg

360 Condominiums
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3085/3192671199_bf7f1d8114_b.jpg

Frost Tower
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3192671741_294f0009d6_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/3192673215_c801401174_b.jpg

The Four Season's Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3193517916_9e14e2bac4_b.jpg

View from the zilker clubhouse
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3193519078_06e89f3aac_b.jpg

Frost is gone...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3409/3192674249_e8cbd0038e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3192674747_2918641bb6_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3193520612_a7b1fc263c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3192675645_ed1b3020f2_b.jpg

how awesome is the Austonian going to look when its done? Wow!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3337/3192676187_c797bf0da5_b.jpg

[KevinFromTexas]

Nice pictures. What day did you take those? Are they really still on the 30th floor on the Austonian?

The view from the Zilker Clubhouse is unrecognizable.

[shanny]

they were taken this afternoon. the austonian is at 31 now.

[KevinFromTexas]

I thought this was neat. A cover from the Austin Chronicle.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2693507145_ae9b364b39_o.jpg
Nick Derington on flickr - http://flickr.com/photos/nickderington/2693507145/sizes/o/

[arbeiter]

Interesting coincidence...a friend of mine and I owned a rent house on Wexford for a while, right in the area you grew up in. Do you remember that street? We sold it pretty quickly...being a landlord was no fun and the renters wanted to buy it.

Wexford was near where I lived, that is Barrington Oaks. I lived just past that, probably 7 blocks further in.

[charlie.enders]

what is the circled building??
http://www.picamatic.com/view/1735312_building/

[charlie.enders]

http://www.picamatic.com/view/1735312_building/

I can't get pic to show up for some reason so click link here :)
this reply is related to the one above.

[Raining Inside]

That's the Austonian. It's the building pictured up close in the first picture of Shanny's post.

[KevinFromTexas]

Yes, it's the Austonian. It will be Austin's new tallest once its finished. It'll be 683 feet tall with 56 floors. It's all residential, and will be the tallest residential building in Texas.

[OU812]

umm, not sure if someone already posted this, but just in case:
http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/interactive_sm/12/sky.html

[charlie.enders]

Yes, it's the Austonian. It will be Austin's new tallest once its finished. It'll be 683 feet tall with 56 floors. It's all residential, and will be the tallest residential building in Texas.

Wow I'm dumb, didn't recognize it from that far away I guess, I couldn't see any of the glass on the building.

[priller]

The Austonian looks pretty big from the East/West direction. When riding back on bus from the airport yesterday, I noticed it's starting to look very prominent on the skyline. Another unexpected surprise -- I could see the Texas Monthly building while going north on 183, from the airport.

[priller]

Thanks for the photos, Shanny!

[NThomas]

Thanks for the photos, Shanny!

Ditto. Always great to see just how much the shores of Lady Bird Lake have changed.

[priller]

The columns they are pouring now are much taller, looks like they are at or above street level, so the last of the underground parking garage is about done. If weather stays good, they could be well above ground by March. The beginning of the end of my view beyond the wall of another building.

Hey, thanks for the update. I finally went by the W yesterday -- first time in a few weeks -- and noticed the tall columns, too. I think they're part of the concert hall where ACL will move to, on the SW corner. There's still another level of parking garage to do, I believe.

It will be good to see this one finally come out of the ground.

[GoldenBoot]

Yes, it's the Austonian. It will be Austin's new tallest once its finished. It'll be 683 feet tall with 56 floors. It's all residential, and will be the tallest residential building in Texas.

To take that one step further, I believe it will be the tallest part or all-residential building in North America, west of the Mississippi River, if the following are not built:

-T. Stacey’s 6th & Brazos Tower - Austin (proposed at 830’)
-Park Fifth - Los Angeles (proposed at 820’)
-Club Renaissance - Las Vegas (proposed at 705’)
-Palace Hotel Residential Tower - San Francisco (proposed at 669’).

As of today, none of the aforementioned towers have broken ground and, each has either been postponed, in the process of being redesigned, or on the verge of cancellation.

[Aiphanes]

To take that one step further, I believe it will be the tallest part or all-residential building in North America, west of the Mississippi River, if the following are not built:

-T. Stacey’s 6th & Brazos Tower - Austin (proposed at 830’)
-Park Fifth - Los Angeles (proposed at 820’)
-Club Renaissance - Las Vegas (proposed at 705’)
-Palace Hotel Residential Tower - San Francisco (proposed at 669’).

As of today, none of the aforementioned towers have broken ground and, each has either been postponed, in the process of being redesigned, or on the verge of cancellation.

Now that is awesome. That makes we want to live in the Austonian...maybe not on the 56th floor but around the 40 to 50th floors would be cool. As long as I can overlook the city. Its too bad you can't see San Antonio from Austin.

[OU812]

-Palace Hotel Residential Tower - San Francisco (proposed at 669’).


Yikes! not sure if I would ever want to live in a residential high rise in San Fran... But I guess they attempt to build things earthquake proof over there now eh?

[priller]

There's already One Rincon Tower 1 that's nearing completion, and it's 641'. Here's a photo I took of it last weekend:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3192410661_1b2d317def_o.jpg

[priller]

And, of course, there are very tall high-rises in many Asian cities that are also subject to frequent seismic activity. I think the technology to withstand these shocks is pretty good now.

[KevinFromTexas]

To take that one step further, I believe it will be the tallest part or all-residential building in North America, west of the Mississippi River, if the following are not built:

-T. Stacey’s 6th & Brazos Tower - Austin (proposed at 830’)
-Park Fifth - Los Angeles (proposed at 820’)
-Club Renaissance - Las Vegas (proposed at 705’)
-Palace Hotel Residential Tower - San Francisco (proposed at 669’).

As of today, none of the aforementioned towers have broken ground and, each has either been postponed, in the process of being redesigned, or on the verge of cancellation.

Thanks. I haven't kept up with the progress of those others and hadn't kept the list handy. If that one in San Francisco is shorter than The Austonian, why did you include it in the list?

[pscajunguy]

Rincon Hill 2 has broken ground and will be 736 feet and 60 floors with your typical SF Victorian high ceilings. Across the Bay in Oakland, they are planning a 63 floor condo. Next to the proposed and approved 1325 foot Transbay Terminal in San Francisco (man, LOOK AT THIS MASTERPIECE in EMPORIS!) they have appoved a 90 floor mixed use office with condos on top which will rise to 1088 feet. The San Francisco City Hall earthquake retrofit cost 1.2 BILLION under Willie Brown, of course. I have heard reports that in a 8.2 earthquake that many highrises in LA would collapse, but that NONE in SF would. The City that everyone loves to hate takes care of itself!!

[OU812]

The City that everyone loves to hate takes care of itself!!

I think alot of people that hate SF and the rest of Caddyfoeneeya tend to be people that have never set foot there. I always say CA is the most populous state for a reason. It's a fricken beautiful place. Everything is so damn scenic. But also, ridiculously expensive (real estate wise). If I could afford a 2nd home there I'd have it! Especially one up in the mountains.

[OU812]

There's already One Rincon Tower 1 that's nearing completion, and it's 641'. Here's a photo I took of it last weekend:


Umm, r u a pilot or friends w/a pilot? :)

[pscajunguy]

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2007/08/12/ba_transbay_skidmore.jpg/

[priller]

Umm, r u a pilot or friends w/a pilot? :)

No, I took that from the bar on the top floor of the Marriott hotel.

[pscajunguy]

Ah, the giant jukebox! SFMOMA looks good in that pic. What a GREAT museum!

[StoOgE]

Been a while since I've posted, but I see downtown every day, and I'm not expecting any new projects anytime soon.

Anyway, Ceasar Chavez is fucking awesome to drive now, good job city!

And, Austin is requesting over a billion dollars from the new 850 billion dollar bailout package. I would say most of them are pretty good projects. A ton of green projects and infrastructure upgrades.

I wish they would have tried to do more with the airport, but they are making some needed upgrades.

http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery/stimulussurveyparticipantsdata.asp?City=Austin&State=TX

[Dan Denson]

Now that is awesome. That makes we want to live in the Austonian...maybe not on the 56th floor but around the 40 to 50th floors would be cool. As long as I can overlook the city. Its too bad you can't see San Antonio from Austin.

I can see San Antonio from Austin. No...that's Russia...no....

I've actually had numerous dreams where I could see the skylines of Dallas and Houston from my rooftop in Austin. Not sure what that means!

[hookem]

Been a while since I've posted, but I see downtown every day, and I'm not expecting any new projects anytime soon.

Anyway, Ceasar Chavez is fucking awesome to drive now, good job city!

And, Austin is requesting over a billion dollars from the new 850 billion dollar bailout package. I would say most of them are pretty good projects. A ton of green projects and infrastructure upgrades.

I wish they would have tried to do more with the airport, but they are making some needed upgrades.

http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery/stimulussurveyparticipantsdata.asp?City=Austin&State=TX

Great link. Several requests for rail project money, that's good. The boardwalk for the town lake trail by riverside is included. Several bike projects are listed under "water" for some reason. But not much for streets -- not even the timed/sensor traffic signals that are so desperately needed! Also, what's this all about --

Austin TX Streets/Roads Purchase and install vehicle detection stations using toll-tag registration tags 6,000,000 25
Asking for bailout money to use for toll roads???

[OU812]

Asking for bailout money to use for toll roads???


That wouldn't surprise me one bit. That's something Rick Perry would do in a heartbeat if he knew he could get away with it. What a sorry excuse for a governor he is. And to think that clown is going to try and run for a 3rd term. What a shame that Texas doesn't have a 2 term limit.

[priller]

Here are a few photos I took about 2 weeks ago that I forgot to post. I'll try to get out tomorrow and take some more, now that it will be sunny and not so dang cold.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3484/3204922153_030b8550c9_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3484/3204922441_394d25b967_o.jpg


This is the Hilton pool, with the Four Seasons in the background:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3205769620_334477c246_o.jpg


These are what the crazy window washers hang from:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/3204922781_4648801732_o.jpg

[JACKinNYC]

Here are a few photos I took about 2 weeks ago that I forgot to post. I'll try to get out tomorrow and take some more, now that it will be sunny and not so dang cold.

It was 3 degrees in New York this morning. Go take the pictures. :tup:

Here's one I took the other day.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/JACKinNYC/USAirwaysHudson01.jpg

[pyropius]

Big deal, the water is still in liquid form.

[JACKinNYC]

Big deal, the water is still in liquid form.

Um... did you notice the airplane, genius?

[tgbAustinite]

Um... did you notice the airplane, genius?

AMAZING no one died!

[tgbAustinite]

thanks for the pix priller!

[priller]

Photos from earlier today. A very lovely day to be outside, after so much cold weather.

And, on a personal note, my personal training and knee rehab is coming along nicely. A few months ago, I wouldn't have been able to walk for hours without it killing my knee. Now, while it still hurts somewhat, it's nothing like it used to be. I probably walked around for almost 4 hours today (with a lunch break). Would not have dreamed of doing that just 2 months ago.

Okay, lots of Spring and Gables photos. As you can tell, they're working on the crown. Close to topping out.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3207659055_8dca2d615c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/3207659771_90956b8e21_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3208506822_0c260eab8b_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3207658361_65b819cfd4_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3207657221_4e250b9153_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3208502328_a0da3fcacd_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3440/3208509120_fa2c7bb398_o.jpg


After that I walked along the railroad tracks (really!) down towards Mopac, to take photos of the commons and Compass office building.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3427/3207660115_87b6aa31d5_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/3208507706_24f5a84e06_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3208508180_9a783efc58_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3331/3207661401_0e6392fb26_o.jpg


Austonian. Been working on floor 31 for about 2 weeks now, but I noticed some column rebar sprouting up, so it looks like they'll continue going up soon.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/3207655363_043a997a89_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3207653007_a4117274fb_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/3208503796_663b2fe83a_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/3208506158_08aba89673_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/3207654049_38423f3619_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3207658049_d4aabcec69_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3388/3207655085_744809422a_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3359/3208505174_56515ff289_o.jpg

[shanny]

hows the W coming along? great pics by the way!

[priller]

Oh yeah, I do have W photos from today. It looks like the 3rd garage level is about half poured. The next level will be the ground floor.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/3207656487_e76df05bd1_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/3208504516_43db0694ed_o.jpg

[JGFrisco]

Couple of thoughts.

1) I see pix of 360, and I always think the thing looks like an artist's rendering. It's truly a beautiful building, and in the picture with the blue sky and wispus cirrus, it really looks impressive.

2) Austonian gets a couple more floors, and it will start to dominate the skyline.

3) Are they EVER going to dry in the Ashton?

4) The Spring is a nice building, but it's a little wasted out there all by itself. I suppose when (if) they do the Green project it will become more a part of the whole, but not now.

[zx14]

great pics and looks like the Austonian will pick up speed now. Wish our centrepointe project would start at 560 feet it will look really cool. But for now it is a snow covered vacant lot in the middle of downtown Lexington.

[LoneStarMike]

I probably walked around for almost 4 hours today (with a lunch break).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3208508180_9a783efc58_o.jpg

Was that a liquid lunch, priller? :D

Great set of photos. :cheers:

[LoneStarMike]

Hey, does anyone here know what is happening at the southwest corner of 8th and Brazos. There is an old reddish orange brick building on that lot, and over the last few weeks they seem to be have been doing a major renovation on that building. They are even covering up the new brick and creating a new silver exterior.

I saw what you were talking about yesterday. As Kevin mentioned, it's the Perry Brooks Building. One thing I noticed was that they were re-doing the windows - leaving the vertical stripes, but getting rid of the horizontal ones. Here's a side view of the Perry Brooks Building from the J P Morgan Garage.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/JPMorgan001.jpg

I noticed a crane near the Travis County Jail. What's that for?

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/JPMorgan002.jpg

[Northcrossed]

I noticed a crane near the Travis County Jail. What's that for?


Probably the ACC parking structure on 12th.

[JACKinNYC]

I didn't know about your knee, Priller. Glad you're recovering. Thanks for taking those photos. Nicely done. You too, LoneStarMike.

[Strayone]

I agree many photo's of 360 remind me of the original renderings, it turned out pretty nice! Some day soon a client will have me up to her 1 bed room on the 41st and I will do my best to get some decent shots of every part of the building and the view. I may have some issues going out on the balcony...Yep I seemed to have developed some fear of heights.

[QUOTE=JGFrisco;4034345]Couple of thoughts.

1) I see pix of 360, and I always think the thing looks like an artist's rendering. It's truly a beautiful building, and in the picture with the blue sky and wispus cirrus, it really looks impressive.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3208508180_9a783efc58_o.jpg

That place used to be a lawn equipment shop up until just a few years ago. It was the "Cut Rite Shop". They sold and worked on lawn mowers and weed whackers and other equipment. My dad and I would go there to have the chain on his chainsaw sharpened. The only reason the building was left in tact among all the large residential projects around there, is because there is a HUGE Live Oak right next to the building. Since there was no way the tree would be removed, the old building was left there. The owner of the store died of a cancer a few years ago.

Great pics by the way priller, I always enjoy your photos.


I saw what you were talking about yesterday. As Kevin mentioned, it's the Perry Brooks Building. One thing I noticed was that they were re-doing the windows - leaving the vertical stripes, but getting rid of the horizontal ones. Here's a side view of the Perry Brooks Building from the J P Morgan Garage.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/JPMorgan001.jpg


Interesting. I wonder if it's vacant? Surely they wouldn't be able to have tenants without windows. I mean it's not exactly a necessity I suppose, but it would be really strange. Plus the entrance seems to be blocked.

[LoneStarMike]

Couple of thoughts.

1) I see pix of 360, and I always think the thing looks like an artist's rendering. It's truly a beautiful building, and in the picture with the blue sky and wispus cirrus, it really looks impressive.

Here's another shot of 360 I took at dusk from the J P Morgan garage on Sunday.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/360nite.jpg

I had hoped to stay longer and get some night shots, but the security guard said management doesn't like folks up there unless they actually parked there.

[Northcrossed]

Interesting. I wonder if it's vacant? Surely they wouldn't be able to have tenants without windows.

Maybe Apple could lease it. (no Windows, get it? Eh....)

[LoneStarMike]

Interesting. I wonder if it's vacant? Surely they wouldn't be able to have tenants without windows.

Apparently, it's vacant. I found an article in the Austin Business Journal from last summer

Downtown's Perry Brooks building getting a $5M facelift (http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2008/07/14/daily26.html)
July 23, 2008

A team led by Capital Commercial Investments is bringing a 1950s downtown office building into the 21st Century.

The 12-story Perry Brooks building at 720 Brazos St. is undergoing a $5.5 million renovation that will give it a modern, sleek external appearance as well as a completely new lobby and other upgrades.

Capital Commercial Investments of Austin purchased the 80,000-square-foot building in January for an undisclosed price. The new owner then set about striking agreements with existing tenants, including Grande Communications, to relocate temporarily to facilitate the renovation. The entire project should be complete by April 2009.

Commercial building firm Structura Inc. along with L.M. Holder and Associates round out the project team.

Kevin Jones, project executive and vice president of operations for Structura, says about 50 percent of the building was occupied at the time of purchase. He says the owner will focus on high-tech companies and governmental and lobbying groups with business at the Capitol when the time comes to re-tenant the building.

The team is adding a number of energy-efficient features to the building that should help the Perry Brooks building acquire a green rating from the Austin Energy program.

The Austin office of Stream Realty is handling property management on the building.

[LoneStarMike]

A few enhaced photos from January 20 from South Lamar Blvd. I was in an artsy mood. :)


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/SLamar001.jpg
UT Tower, Dobie Tower, Spring, Wells Fargo & Monarch from third floor balcony at Spaces 2525 behind Walgreens and Maria's Taco Express


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/MagnoliaSite02.jpg
Skyline view from the site of the cancelled Magnolia Condominiums on South Lamar near Genie Car Wash.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/MagnoliaSite03.jpg
Damn wires


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/LamarSquare04.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/Monarch4.jpg
Monarch from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/LamarSquare01.jpg
One Congress Plaza, Hilton Convention Center Hotel, San Jacinto Tower and Four Seasons Residences from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/LamarSquare02.jpg
Spring & Monarch from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/LamarSquare03.jpg
San Jacinto Tower & Four Seasons Residences from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/LamarSquare05.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square (if I had rose-colored glasses)


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/LamarSquare04.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/LamarSquare03.jpg
Spring & Monarch from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/LamarSquare01.jpg
Frost Tower from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyline012.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/LamarSquare02.jpg
Spring & Monarch from Lamar Square


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyline013.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square

[nixcity]

Beautifual set of photos, Lamar square is one of the best vantage points to see dtown, however, that large surface parking lot bothers me there. Also, the cancelled project Magnolia would have been great for that area.

[priller]

Fantastic photos, Mike! That is an excellent vantage point there at Lamar Square. Too bad you can't get just a tad higher to get the street light out of the way; it would be almost perfect then.

[priller]

The 12-story Perry Brooks building at 720 Brazos St. is undergoing a $5.5 million renovation that will give it a modern, sleek external appearance as well as a completely new lobby and other upgrades.

Drove by there today. The new exterior is the same metallic stuff they have on the AMLI II building. I think I like the plain old red brick better.

[KevinFromTexas]

Great pics, Mike! I especially like the shots from that shopping center at night.

[LoneStarMike]

Thanks everyone! I had a chance to get out on Friday evening, so here's a few more

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/PerryBrooks001.jpg
Closer view of the Perry Brooks Building renovations


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/Nite4SeasinsRes002.jpg
Four Seasons Residences


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/Nite4SeasinsRes001.jpg
Four Seasons Residences


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteLegacy001.jpg
Legacy from Convention Center Parking Garage


Last five are the Austonian

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/CongressAve05.jpg
from the Capitol


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteAustonian001.jpg
From Third Street


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteAustonian002.jpg
From Convention Center Parking Garage


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteAustonian003.jpg
From Convention Center Parking Garage


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyscrapers002.jpg
From Convention Center Parking Garage

[KevinFromTexas]

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/PerryBrooks001.jpg

I just noticed something with the Perry Brooks Building. There are windows running up this end of the building. Before the renovation they weren't there. I wonder if they cut the windows out of the wall, or if they had been covered up all these years? I would think that they probably cut them out since the orange brick on the building was original.

See here. Notice the wall on the end doesn't have windows.
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=perrybrooksbuilding-austin-tx-usa

[migol24]

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyscrapers002.jpg
From Convention Center Parking Garage
this has to be my newest favorite austin picture. thanks mike.

[shanny]

:previous: yea i agree that is awesome!

finally....they are working on the 32nd floor. that took way too long.

[tgbAustinite]

thanks for the pix LSM!

[Strayone]

Nice photo's Mike, all of those shots are very cool but I have to say these photo's have post card quality's! The views from the South always look nice as well as the Western angles. I'm looking forward to The Austonian peeking over the Ashton. How much longer will it take until it is the 3rd tallest in town?


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/LamarSquare05.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square (if I had rose-colored glasses)


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/LamarSquare04.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square



http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyline012.jpg
Skyline from Lamar Square

[KevinFromTexas]

It's up to about 370 feet or so now. So another 64 feet would put it above Spring. Figure about 4 or 5 more floors would do it. So if they do a floor a week, it could be the 3rd tallest in a little over a month. Maybe a month and a half.

[corvairkeith]

I just noticed something with the Perry Brooks Building. There are windows running up this end of the building. Before the renovation they weren't there. I wonder if they cut the windows out of the wall, or if they had been covered up all these years? I would think that they probably cut them out since the orange brick on the building was original.

See here. Notice the wall on the end doesn't have windows.
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=perrybrooksbuilding-austin-tx-usa

It does seem weird that it is that far north on congress and there are no windows with a view of the capitol.

[KevinFromTexas]

Hi corvairkeith, welcome to the forum.

Well, the north side of the building had windows. The side I was pointing out actually faces west, and that's the one that didn't. That side for sure doesn't have a view of the Capitol anymore, not since the early 70s when 823 Congress was built. The north side of the building might have a small view of the dome. That area is actually one of the densest spots in downtown. Very few parking lots and a lot of high rises close together in a relatively small area. I counted 10 high rises in 9 square blocks.

[JGFrisco]

We can figure this. Let's say 50' a month on average. It's at 370 now (1/25).

2/25 420...by 3/1 taller than Spring

3/25 470

4/25 520...passing Front just before first of May

5/25 570...tallest in city by June 1

6/25 620

8/1 working on crown

9/1 topped out.

7/2

[Wheelingman04]

It is amazing how much Austin's skyline has grown since I was there.

[KevinFromTexas]

They've updated the website for Legacy on the Lake. And there are some beautiful photos of the building and its views.

Look under 'gallery' - and click on each of the four photos. There are about 50 photos there.
http://www.legacyonthelake.com/

[KevinFromTexas]

Guys, I've moved a few of those transportation posts to the Austin Transportation Thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137150&page=57)