Texas Capitol Complex & North Austin Complex Projects Update Thread
 

http://www.statesman.com/business/ne...inglePage=true

This Is very great news
:cheers:

I agree that it's good news, but it seems half-baked. It sounds like TFC has not had any discussions with DPS, THC or others.

http://downtownaustinblog.org/2010/0...ontent=Twitter

Nice write up on the effort... don't forget we can all participate in vision development next week - see blog post for details.

I'm encouraged and hoping we're not being paid lip-service by the Texas Facilities Comish. Housing civic-employees (at least) makes so much sense. The Capitol Complex holds vast potential for bringing affordable housing into downtown Austin. It's one thing to tell a private land owner how they need to develop their residential tower, it's another to have a surplus of underutilized publically owned land sitting in the middle of the Urban Core.

Love the fact that the state may get smarter bout the land use around the Capitol. We need more housing in the area.

One of the good things about the possibility of this actually happening at some point is that one of the people steering this effort, Terry Keel lives in the area..... Cambridge Tower. That is not an endorsement of his politics.... but he not only live downtown, but in the Cap Complex area... so he may better understand the potential and needs of the area. Lets hope.

I am really happy to see the discussion of Affordable housing in the uptown area. Is it perfect for it. There are truly sooo many state and University employees that would live in the area. (Many Profs, lobbyist and other state folks live in Cambridge.)

I have to do a big, potentially unpopular, however.

As far as students go... a fair # of students live in many downtown buildings as it is.... but, I would not want to see a higher concentration. Sorry,I am sure his will not set well with all, but i live in a downtown building with a small student population. A few is fine, but when an area turns predominately student it pushes up the transient factor ( as in mobility of resident, not street people) and makes for a higher percentage of less conscience neighbors. .... at least in the undergrad population. Both make for a less stable neighborhood. AND what we are wanting is a neighborhood.! And, the more a building is perceived as student housing, the less likely professionals and families ( including the ones with children) will move in.... affecting value. Gotta be aware of that.

carried out over several decades

WTF?

I'm 26.... I might get to see 80-90 percent of these projects pull through. :D

Update. It sounds like a good idea. They're trying to get ahead of rental rate hikes in 6 years when 70 percent of the contracts for the state's leased space is up.

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-..._comments_list
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3...mplexplan2.jpg

At least one, maybe two of these model buildings seem to be about 500 feet tall. The white building with the barrel vaulted roof to the right is 242 feet tall, and the model next to it is at least twice as tall. By the way, the 2nd tall model across the street from the Bullock Museum is the same block that the planetarium is planned for. So maybe they're considering pairing the tower with the museum to help get the museum built. The other tall model to the left seems to be around 325 feet or so.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6822/...mplexplan3.jpg

Wow, thats pretty impressive, lets see if any of it comes to fruition though. It looks like in front of the capitol a building will be blocking the view of it from Congress, Im sure that wouldnt happen.

Those are very conceptual. The building on the right (east side) as seen in the first image is right next to 1005 Congress. That wouldn't block the view. 1005 Congress is itself around 130 feet tall. The site for the new building next to it was originally occupied by the old Travis County Courthouse that was demolished in 1964. Right now it's just a parking lot. As for the building across Congress with the odd shape, I'm not sure what they're showing with that. But I'm doubtful that any project would take that shape. I think these models are only to show the lots that are currently undeveloped and are only meant to show what size envelop of a building we could possibly see there. Still, I doubt anything would look like that.

While it's okay for privately ran service companies to do their business, providing services, in state owned buildings, I'm against private companies leasing office space in state owned buildings that pay no property taxes.
There's just no way the City of Austin or Travis County could tax them either.

Private interests, I'm suggesting lobbyists, already have too easy access to state officials and legislatures. Having them within one building is making it far too easy for shady deals to occur. Let's, at least, make them have to cross city streets to make them.

Well, they darn sure better not mess with Scholz's.

http://www.statesman.com/business/st...inglePage=true

If this happens, it could mean 6 to 7 million square feet of development/redevelopment in the Capitol Complex. The plan is to develop the empty parking lots and redevelop the hulking parking garages. Some of the space would be state offices, while other space would be the private sector with everything from commercial office space to residential, hotel and retail. There's even a planetarium planned with a 655 foot 47-story tower attached.

http://www.statesman.com/business/re...l-2399766.html

http://www.statesman.com/business/re...d-2439529.html

Its obvious she wants to protect HER view and I really can't blame her for that. But she's seems a bit arrogant and snooty to me in the way she makes her point. Her Walmart analogy is one example, and the way she appears to be rallying others to share her opinion. Yes Riddle, your main objection IS because you live next door. And the view you wish to protect IS mostly your view and that of a select few. But like so many other Liberals in this town, just keep telling the rest of us what's best for us and thinly disguise it as a sincere gesture to get what you want. I have to wonder if she would be this vocal if she lived somewhere else. Oh well, maybe I'm way off...but she's annoying the shit out of me.

Well you are off base on two key things. A: Her view is not affected. THat was a misquote.She lives on the other side of the building. B: She is an Arch Conservative Republican. I live in the same building. There were many more offensive issues with the project that you can do your homework and search for in earlier posts.

I did your homework for you, General.

Why was student housing right across the street from a massive university a bad thing? Sorry I must of missed it in the discussion. You said it was suburban. Was that because it was only 5 stories? Or did you guys see a rendering?