[NThomas]

Originally Posted by SecretAgentMan

This would be the 1/4 block parking lot at 3rd & San Jacinto. It is next to the Hampton Inn and across the street from the original 21 C site. I believe the 21C developers bought it from Whitley along with the printing plant. The applicant on the zoning case is White Lodging, and the owner is listed as Hywhite, LLC (ie. Hyatt - White Lodging).

The first link is the Marriot Convention Center Hotel at 2nd & Congress (or 3rd and Brazos if you wish - just down the block from the Hyatt). Read the article.

The 3rd & Colorado hotel is being developed by Hixon and Hines and is designed by Lake Flato. It is definitely in another class from these design wise. It was originally branded as a Westin, but the developers hinted that they were still negotiating on the brand around the same time that Hilton announced a new boutique line and Austin as a target market.

On the other hand, the 5th and Colorado site could the Hilton boutique site. (Mere speculation on my part)

Calm down. There's no way that this



is a redesign of the Marriott complex on 2nd & Congress. With the red tape White Lodging (WL) has gone through, it wouldn't be scaled down into such a small building and a reduction in rooms. Besides, WL would have had to go back before the P&Z dept and get reissued building and other permits and the press be all over a new design of the complex. I'm not saying the last released design is final (considering the current one is in its forth revision, it could always change) but the lack of information about a redesign and the fact that the above rendering fits more with the physical info I've found, about the hotel on NEC of 3rd & Colorado, doesn't add up that the rendering from the article is the 2nd & Congress hotel.

Also, the article says:

In downtown Austin, Texas, White Lodging is developing a multi-use Marriott project that includes a SpringHill Suites, a Fairfield Inn and a TownePlaces Suites, comprising about 800 rooms.

If the above rendering is of this project mentioned in the article that'd make sense.


Back on subject to the Hyatt Place hotel...

Any clue about the architect? While it may not be as iconic as the Frost Bank Tower or The Austonian, who ever it was did a great of blending the current "suburban" model for new construction Hyatt Place hotels and its next door neighbor, the Hampton.

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

...I mean why not build tall? I don't see the point of something that short and stubby and take up that much space especially at 2nd and Congress.

Money. It's not cost effective to build up when you don't have to. Just the hard costs alone increase for every couple floors a building rises. If Benchmark development acquired the entire block The Austonian sits on, we'd see another ALMI Downtown and not the tallest residential high-rise in the state.

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

...What is the difference between Hyatt Place and an actual Hyatt hotel which we already have a nice one across the river?

The Hyatt Regency across Lady Bird Lake is a full service hotel (like Doubletree, Hilton, & Raddison), while the Hyatt Place brand focuses on the upper mid-market (like Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express & Courtyard by Marriott). A new Hyatt Place in DT wouldn't be competing with the Hyatt Regency across the lake, it'd be competing with the Courtyard by Marriott and Hampton Inn & Suites.