AUSTIN | Hotel ZaZa & Apartments | 305 FEET | 24 FLOORS | Complete

[KevinFromTexas]

The only drawback to having greenery like that on a parking garage, especially near an alley with dumpsters, is rats. Rats LOVE vegetation like that for cover, and with a dumpster nearby in the alley, they would never go hungry, or away.

[KevinFromTexas]

Site plan review. No building elevations yet, though.

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=10874636

[KevinFromTexas]

They could go higher. That block is not affected by a CVC.

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...lanned-/nWM24/

Posted: 5:51 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013
Downtown residents, developer at odds over planned tower

By Gary Dinges

Residents of a downtown Austin high-rise say a 24-story tower slated to be built immediately adjacent to their homes is too close for comfort.

Plans call for the tower to be 16 feet from balconies on the south side of the Plaza Lofts, at 311 W. Fifth St., homeowners say.

Taylor and her neighbors are asking for 25 additional feet of space between the tower and the Plaza Lofts building. That, she says, will give residents some room to breathe and allow more light to enter their homes.

“We don’t care if they make the building 100 stories tall,” she said. “All we’re asking for is 25 extra feet.”

[The ATX]

I still can't feel sorry for anyone who buys a downtown condo with a view overlooking a surface parking lot. Any rational person would foresee something being built there eventually and take that into consideration when making a purchase. The same goes for people buying homes at the edge of new housing developments in the suburbs. Something will be built behind your fence in the future. When it's a large apartment complex the homeowners get mad. Too bad.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

I still can't feel sorry for anyone who buys a downtown condo with a view overlooking a surface parking lot. Any rational person would foresee something being built there eventually and take that into consideration when making a purchase. The same goes for people buying homes at the edge of new housing developments in the suburbs. Something will be built behind your fence in the future. When it's a large apartment complex the homeowners get mad. Too bad.

Yup, that's life in the big city. Get over it.

Cities are not museum....

[LoneStarMike]

There was a story on KVUE tonight (with video) about the people in the Plaza Lofts complaining about their new next door neighbors.

New downtown Austin tower sparks concerns
by SHANNON MURRAY / KVUE NEWS and photojournalist DAVID GARDENER
February 13, 2013

The video shows Cindy Taylor's view now and what her view will look like if the proposed tower is built.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

There was a story on KVUE tonight (with video) about the people in the Plaza Lofts complaining about their new next door neighbors.

New downtown Austin tower sparks concerns
by SHANNON MURRAY / KVUE NEWS and photojournalist DAVID GARDENER
February 13, 2013

The video shows Cindy Taylor's view now and what her view will look like if the proposed tower is built.

Living with a cement wall for a view sucks. But I still can't feel sorry for their lack of foresight. At least their view of the wall is high enough off the ground so they won't be looking at graffiti.

[JoninATX]

After deal struck, Council gives initial nod to apartment-hotel project

By Gary Dinges and Shonda Novak

Thursday, Feb. 14,2013

Heading into Thursday’s Austin City Council meeting, it appeared developers of a planned 24-story downtown tower that includes a luxury hotel would be squaring off with residents of a nearby condo tower who opposed some aspects of the project.

But after a last-minute deal hit the “reset button” on the dialogue between the opposing parties, the City Council gave initial approval for a zoning change that will allow the project — which will include 226 apartments and a 160-room Hotel ZaZa — to move forward.

The council’s 7-0 vote came after Richard Suttle Jr., attorney for developer Gables Residential, and John Joseph, attorney for the residents, reached an 11th-hour agreement on several items outside the Council chambers.

Gables made several concessions to the group of homeowners at Plaza Lofts, at 311 W. Fifth St., who said that the new building — as previously planned — would block sunlight and fresh air on their balconies, would would be just 16 feet from the proposed tower.

Under the agreement, Gables will consult with Plaza Lofts residents on the design of the new building’s north façade that faces the Plaza Lofts and work with them on sound-buffering measures on the project’s planned pool deck.

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...-to-apa/nWPwD/

[The ATX]

It sounds like the Plaza Loft residents flat out lost, and their lawyer was tossed a bone to save face.

[KevinFromTexas]

It says they're planning a ground breaking late this year.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

It sounds like the Plaza Loft residents flat out lost, and their lawyer was tossed a bone to save face.

It was the right result. It would have set a terrible precedent in the CBD to start allowing for unilateral unpaid ex-post facto sun/air easements.

Work with the residents to establish as friendly a facade as possible and provide for sound buffering for the proposed bar makes sense. Glad this project is going forward - Republic Square is still a complete disaster - this can help.

[gmsalpha]

Gables will consult with residents? Somehow, that is funny to me.

Gables: Here are three designs that we think are pretty good.
Residents: We don't like any of them.
Gables: Too bad. Pick one.

Not to mention, I don't really see residents who aren't actually impacted wanting to put up a fight for something that doesn't affect them at all.

Can't wait to see this one break ground and rise.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by gmsalpha

Not to mention, I don't really see residents who aren't actually impacted wanting to put up a fight for something that doesn't affect them at all.

I can imagine lots of hurt feelings within the complex itself if others don't help them in this fight.

In fact, I foresee many people moving out and selling at a huge loss.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

I can imagine lots of hurt feelings within the complex itself if others don't help them in this fight.

In fact, I foresee many people moving out and selling at a huge loss.

There's nothing left to fight about. ZaZa got what it needed. Residents of Plaza Lofts get a bone. It's the right outcome and the only rational result in the CBD.

As for selling at a loss - I'd really be interested in knowing what people paid for condos on the alley side as opposed to condos on the Guadalupe Side or the 5th St. side. The Plaza set the building right on the alley - the condo's actually come out to be over the alley - if realtors and buyers were not considering the possibility of the same on the other side of the alley and pricing accordingly I would be shocked.

In any case - all real estate in the area has climbed substantially since Plaza Lofts were completed in 2002 and I doubt anyone would actually lose money - they probably have lost some of their appreciation however.

[rayfes]

You're right that the Plaza lost. I live there.

Fair points about expecting development on that side of the building and people here welcome the development in general but were hoping for minor concessions (lower / reduce the parking garage and set the tower back a little further) to make the design more compatible with the Plaza.

They have a ton parking planned (more than the W) for a much a smaller building and 4th and Guadalupe will probably be the best served corner in the city for public transportation with MetroRapid and possibly rail. They said they couldn't go lower because of cost. Why have so much parking?

The current design doesn't meet the (admittedly non-codified) Downtown Austin Plan for setbacks between buildings.

The residents here acted together and didn't look it at this as just a problem for the owners directly affected. We realize in such a small building that are our property values are tied together.

I'm very much in favor of downtown density but it needs to be done with some foresight. This project could have easily gone forward with minor changes that would not have negatively impacted some of the first residents to take a chance on downtown.

I certainly learned a lot about dealing with developers and their hired guns like Richard Suttle during this process. They know this game well.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by rayfes

You're right that the Plaza lost. I live there.

Fair points about expecting development on that side of the building and people here welcome the development in general but were hoping for minor concessions (lower / reduce the parking garage and set the tower back a little further) to make the design more compatible with the Plaza.

They have a ton parking planned (more than the W) for a much a smaller building and 4th and Guadalupe will probably be the best served corner in the city for public transportation with MetroRapid and possibly rail. They said they couldn't go lower because of cost. Why have so much parking?

The current design doesn't meet the (admittedly non-codified) Downtown Austin Plan for setbacks between buildings.

The residents here acted together and didn't look it at this as just a problem for the owners directly affected. We realize in such a small building that are our property values are tied together.

I'm very much in favor of downtown density but it needs to be done with some foresight. This project could have easily gone forward with minor changes that would not have negatively impacted some of the first residents to take a chance on downtown.

I certainly learned a lot about dealing with developers and their hired guns like Richard Suttle during this process. They know this game well.

Those are all reasonable disucssions to be had. It is unfortunate that there was not better discorse. It is what causes folks on both sides to become more hard edged and less likey to negotiate.

I also see that you found it expected to have deveopment on that side of the building. It's is only reasonable. Unfotnaltey it is way easier for a reporter to jump on the one person who is just complaining that they will loose their view. It's more base and sensational. Then it's way to easy for opposing parties to discredit all other conerns by focusing on that single issue. Frustrating, I'm sure.

Were other interested parties ( i.e, other downtown residents) involved in this process? Was DANA involved at all?

[LoneStarMike]

I know the rendering on the right we've seen, but I'm not sure about the one on the left. (It's not in this thread, but it may be in one of the others.) It's the side that faces east, I think.



This came from a document from one of the Planning Commission meetings back in January.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=181870

The document also has some floor plans. The pool and a restaurant would be on the 7th floor.

[KevinFromTexas]

No, I haven't seen that. That diagram above the rendering lists the height as 295 feet 1 inch. I had estimated the height was around 300 feet, so that seems about right. Also that diagram is showing a pool deck on the roof of the building above the 23rd floor. I guess it'll have two pool decks, one for the hotel and one for the residential.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

I know the rendering on the right we've seen, but I'm not sure about the one on the left. (It's not in this thread, but it may be in one of the others.) It's the side that faces east, I think.



This came from a document from one of the Planning Commission meetings back in January.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=181870

The document also has some floor plans. The pool and a restaurant would be on the 7th floor.

If you look at page 10 , you can see where the hotel bar will be located. Just specualtion, but at one point they were going to incorporate the old "Gingerman" building facade into the building. It looks like the bar is where that facade would be. It was be fun if they indeed used that facade as the entrance for the bar!

[JAM]

Originally Posted by rayfes

You're right that the Plaza lost. I live there.

The residents here acted together and didn't look it at this as just a problem for the owners directly affected. We realize in such a small building that are our property values are tied together.

IMHO that is smart. Obviously it brings down the value of the entire building in the process. Besides a bone, I'm sure you all have a shot at getting property taxes and HOA taxes reduced as a result of your outcome.