AUSTIN | Saltillo | U/C
 

The link includes renderings. One of the proposals shows a stacking plan of a 14-story building.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne....html?page=all

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl....html?page=all

I can't wait for this redevelopment. Plaza Saltillo is really a gem that although improved recently, is still pretty underutilized. Adding the kind of density proposed will not only bring more people to the plaza but will tie the plaza with DT. This is a great opportunity to create an East Central gateway similar to what was planned along 11th Street but on a grander scale.

There is an open house for the public, showcasing the 4 finalist's visions for Plaza Saltillo at the Terrazas Branch Library on 1105 E. Cesar Chavez from 5:30 to 7:30 PM tonight, if anyone is interested. Details are in the Austin Business Journal article, below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...f-central.html

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news....257263.735372

Upon selection of the developer for Plaza Saltillo, can we expect design and planning to begin immediately or in the short term? Or is this just a formality I'll soon forget about?

I'm betting it'll go through design changes just like we saw with Seaholm and Green.

A 60k sq ft grocery store would serve that area well. I think Endeavor also planned an H.E.B. with their Green Water proposal if I'm not mistaken.

I would like to see more renderings of the buildings from Endeavor before I can compare the two because right now, grocery store or not, im not really impressed compared to the Satillo Collaborative proposal.

This project is just boring, donut hole apartment buildings will look so similar to ever other one in this city. Its just to fill in the empty blocks. Nothing in those proposals is exciting. I think this proposal is like a I35 barrier where you can't see through it like you can with smaller buildings. Having block long 4-6 story buildings will be like a huge wall North to South and ugly.

They're fairly efficient in terms of density, plus they hide the parking structure. The fancier it looks, the more expensive it will be.

I wish they would have made it Austin's "Little Mexico" and have made like a Colonial Mexican style still using the same heights just make it look kind of like what 4th street looks like where El Milagro is.

I wish the Riverside proposal made it through, I really liked the rendering with the spotlights.

Having said that, the Plaza Saltillo Collaborative looks to be the best option. I think Endeavor's proposal will be the most bland.

I would chain myself to the building at El Milagro if anyone tried to redevelop it. lol They and El Lago have the best tortilla chips on the planet. Living in that neighborhood must be nice. The smell of the factory is intoxicating.

El Lago is moving to Pflugerville.

Tortilla chip maker to leave East Austin site for new digs in Pflugerville
Jan Buchholz
Austin Business Journal
May 14, 2014

I agree Jdawgboy, the Saltillo Collaborative proposal is the best one out of the 2.

:cheers:

On a side note, the city really needs to do what it can to keep long time businesses within the city limits. It's one thing to bring in new companies which we are doing well, but it's equally important to keep our home grown companies from leaving even if it is to the suburbs. A part of the eastside's cultural heart is dissappearing. It's a shame they didn't choose another location nearby.

The reason all these manufacturing companies are moving to Pflugerville and out of the Austin city limits is because Pflugerville has designated their industrial complex as triple freeport exempt. That means goods are exempt from city, county and school district property & inventory taxes if they are held for less than 175 days at your warehouse. This is a HUGE tax break for companies that manufacture goods (like tortilla chips) and ship them around the country. Pflugerville has developed a pretty impressive industrial complex with lots of large newly constructed buildings, anchored by Pecan 130 Business Park, so they are luring a lot of big manufacturing companies to their city. Here's the flyer for Pecan 130: http://marketing.cbre.com/Austin/lis...ess%20Park.pdf As far as I know, the only triple freeport areas within the Austin city limits are some smaller, older areas in the northeast and by ABIA.

Good point. I wish some of the local media outlets mentioned this fact when reporting the El Lago story. One of them even mentioned the possibility of Austin losing "thousands in tax dollars" as if that prime site would not be redeveloped. Almost seemed like an anti-Austin bent.

I'm trying to recall, does the train honk its horn when going through this area? If so these new residents might object to any expanded hours or frequency of commuter trains which would be a shame since ironically it is TOD.

Speaking of which Saltillo Plaza is one of the least used stations. Hopefully this will help a little in that regard as I could see commuting to north Austin from here.

I ride the train everyday, there is no horn in the area. Only once when construction workers were near the track.