AUSTIN | The Independent | 690 FEET | 58 FLOORS | Complete - Page 40

kwinkles · #**781** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 12:35 AM**

Pedestrian bridge going across shoal creek that people were talking about a few pages back. That's the Austin Energy building parking lot on the right, where the new bridge will end. The left side of the photo out of view is 4th and West Ave, you can see the orange string connecting the two bridge anchor points across shoal creek.

I happened to be out taking a few pictures of this last weekend because it's always interesting to see how much Shoal Creek floods. Last weekend it was completely over the new peninsula island, but the new trail holds up a lot better since they put the limestone blocks down and rebuilt the peninsula.

the Genral · #**782** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 2:14 AM**

It sure looks like the water is a bit too close for comfort to the new library.

drummer · #**783** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 2:16 AM**

You know, with as dense as that area will become with Proper and its neighbor at 3rd and Shoal, along with the mystery tower on Cesar Chavez and, of course, The Independent, it makes it that much more of a shame that the substation has such a prominent location along the creek.

drummer · #**784** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 2:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

It sure looks like the water is a bit too close for comfort to the new library.

Yeah, I can't recall the schematics exactly, but don't they have some sort of step-down retaining wall?

lzppjb · #**785** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 7:30 AM**

I'm hoping the next big project is a tunnel for Shoal Creek.

wwmiv · #**786** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 8:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

I'm hoping the next big project is a tunnel for Shoal Creek.

That's a lot harder to accomplish and would cost significantly more, but I am in favor of finding a good partial solution if not necessarily a tunnel. A tunnel could never capture the percentage amount of water needed from what the Shoal Creek basin captures (which is many many times more than Waller Creek) due to size constraints and would have to be sufficiently upstream to do any good for the areas that need it most (downtown).

I think a smarter idea might be developing a series of catchment basins and a series of unique damn designs in tandem with those new catchment basins along with a series of strategic city buybacks and eminent domain of property that would be adversely affected by the catchment basins in the event of a severe flood. That's what we're doing here in Columbia to deal with redeveloping the areas along the creeks that heavily flooded (inc. my neighborhood) and it is actually a very smart idea. What's interesting, I think, is that Columbia and Austin share a great deal geographically: they're both along the edge of a major fault (the Balcones and the eastern fall line) in the terrain, they've both got damned major rivers that are prone to heavy flooding even in light rain, and the creeks that feed them are also prone to heavy flooding. Shoal Creek, in particular, is in almost identical terrain to the creeks that suffered the worst flooding here in Columbia and where these plans city leaders think will lead to a better flood control.

lzppjb · #**787** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 10:44 AM**

I am intrigued by your basins and dams idea, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

wwmiv · #**788** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

I am intrigued by your basins and dams idea, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

... newsletter?

NYC2ATX · #**789** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 9:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Aside: are you gay? I'm gay, too, and thought I was probably the only one on here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tie_guy

LOL there are quite of few of us on here. A while back, I forget which thread, a whole lot of us were like "i'm gay too"

wwmiv and tie_guy, I missed that convo but me makes three, and I know of a few others as well. We should all get a drink sometime haha

I literally logged in on my work computer just to post this

Digatisdi · #**790** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 9:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC2ATX

wwmiv and tie_guy, I missed that convo but me makes three, and I know of a few others as well. We should all get a drink sometime haha

I'll buy the first round

ivanwolf · #**791** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 10:09 PM**

Go back through the Off Topic Thread, first post is super gay, lots of us came out there and there are lots of us, post 9 started the outing by wwmiv.

NYC2ATX · #**792** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 10:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivanwolf

Go back through the Off Topic Thread, first post is super gay, lots of us came out there and there are lots of us, post 9 started the outing by wwmiv.

Damn how did I miss that.. oh well. Hi y'all

easily the gayest subforum on SSP, but I'll stop going off-topic now, promise.

KevinFromTexas · #**793** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 10:45 PM**

The Austin section isn't the only one. There's definitely a disproportionate number of gays on the forum, so many in fact, that I was surprised by the poll a while back that said "only" 5 percent of the population is thought to be gay. I always assumed it was higher.

Anyway, glad to hear this one's moving forward. I cannot wait to see this thing happen. That area of the skyline is going to be amazing in a few years time.

lzppjb · #**794** Posted **Nov 5, 2015, 11:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The Austin section isn't the only one. There's definitely a disproportionate number of gays on the forum, so many in fact, that I was surprised by the poll a while back that said "only" 5 percent of the population is thought to be gay. I always assumed it was higher.

Anyway, glad to hear this one's moving forward. I cannot wait to see this thing happen. That area of the skyline is going to be amazing in a few years time.

I think 5% is about right. But for whatever reason, more of the gay population are drawn to this skyscraper site.

ahealy · #**795** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 4:35 PM**

Did someone say gay? HomoHealy here, present!

Ps. Does anyone have a render photo of the pedestrian bridge u/c ?
Lawrd I can't wait for something that'll distract views from the Austonian.

Spaceman · #**796** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 5:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

Did someone say gay? HomoHealy here, present!

Ps. Does anyone have a render photo of the pedestrian bridge u/c ?
Lawrd I can't wait for something that'll distract views from the Austonian.

I'm not gay but I do enjoy this forum

migol24 · #**797** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 5:52 PM**

I'm not gay, but I do like big and long structures. Wait.....

what did I just.....?

Can somebody point out when groundbreaking is scheduled? I'm either too lazy or too incompetent to find that out on this thread.

smith_atx · #**798** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 7:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migol24

Can somebody point out when groundbreaking is scheduled? I'm either too lazy or too incompetent to find that out on this thread.

I believe in another thread I saw it is supposed to be this month. I don't have proof though.

AustinGoesVertical · #**799** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithlua

I believe in another thread I saw it is supposed to be this month. I don't have proof though.

It was supposed to be November. Demo is scheduled for December 16th apparently, but there's no activity in the way of signage, more fencing or the arrival of equipment. I'd expect these things to happen soon though.

_Matt · #**800** Posted **Nov 6, 2015, 9:54 PM**

Several of the Seaholm construction trailers were removed from the lot this week. The ped bridge construction activities are still occupying some of the space and that is going to be present for another few weeks to month, thought they could reorganize.