AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by futures

A pedestrian/bike bridge is exactly what's needed. Rainey is already a dense area with a lot of foot traffic. Encouraging more cars in the area would be a bad idea. Plus, when The Statesman lot gets redeveloped it will almost certainly be a popular mixed-use attraction. Connecting the two areas via foot would be great. Ideally, The Statesman redevelopment could have underground parking that could service people visiting both areas.

Agreed, let's push for pedestrian/mass transit if we are doing a wishlist for a new bridge.


On another topic, this would be a good time for a forum meet tour of DT. How about April? It be nice if we can set one up before it gets into the 90s.

[corvairkeith]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Here's the site of the proposed Marriott Moxy hotel from Streetview:

That abandoned Jack in the Box has its own blog.

http://jackwatchatx.tumblr.com/

[Maximusx1]

Originally Posted by corvairkeith

That abandoned Jack in the Box has its own blog.

http://jackwatchatx.tumblr.com/

Thank you for this gift #jackwatch

[AustinGoesVertical]

Originally Posted by Maximusx1

Thank you for this gift #jackwatch

I love blogging, particularly write a lot about baseball myself, but someone really has a lot of time on their hands. This is gold lol. I must say I was wondering what would ever happen with this lot. It's an eyesore as is.

[JoninATX]

Originally Posted by AustinGoesVertical

I love blogging, particularly write a lot about baseball myself, but someone really has a lot of time on their hands. This is gold lol. I must say I was wondering what would ever happen with this lot. It's an eyesore as is.

I believe it's going to be a Marriott Moxy from what ATX posted. Also I hope 7-11 gets redevelopment as well.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Another Marriott hotel is coming to the West Campus area. This one will be their Moxy brand, and it will be at 26th & Guadalupe. The site at 2552 Guadalupe (next to the Hole in the Wall) is currently an abandoned fast food restaurant. The hotel will have 154 rooms, so it may be have decent height considering the small footprint. The info can be found here:

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/AULCC_2017/170330/

The UNO height limit for this parcel is 60'. They'll need a variance to go above ~4-5 stories.

Originally Posted by JoninATX

I believe it's going to be a Marriott Moxy from what ATX posted. Also I hope 7-11 gets redevelopment as well.

The UNO height limit there is '75, so whatever goes there could be ~6-7 stories.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I think the issue with extending a bridge through Rainey is the encouragement for cut-through traffic (either real or imagined by the neighborhood).

There's a very, very limited number river crossings, so putting one at the end of a 1x1 street is going to get some pushback.

Now, if you make it bike/pedestrian/(potentially)transit only, that's less of an issue.

There probably does need to be another bridge across the lake. That said, extending Trinity (where the light rail bridge was to be) is probably the only realistic place that a bridge could happen.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Corrected that for you.

Haha, classy.

Originally Posted by paul78701

There probably does need to be another bridge across the lake. That said, extending Trinity (where the light rail bridge was to be) is probably the only realistic place that a bridge could happen.

I agree, and I think it needs to be multi-modal (street-car, vehicular, pedestrian/bike). Having a bridge go into Rainey probably wouldn't gain enough steam for support but would have plenty of opposition, I'm sure. Trinity would face similar things, but it seems to be a more logical choice. The only other (relatively) easy location would be Brazos, but how effective would that truly be given that's it's literally the next block over from Congress?

Trinity is more appealing to me also given that it's a longer through street, though since it's connected to the greater grid it doesn't make that much of a difference, perhaps...some of you folks who understand how to analyze traffic patterns could probably clear that up for me.

Trinity would certainly better fit the multi-modal concept given that it would follow right next to the Downtown Station, making good a common sense location for a transfer point.

[wwmiv]

Speaking of West Campus redevelopment: there's probably only a good ~15 large projects left in the pipeline given how much space is left to redevelop after the current spate of announced and under construction projects is finished.

[wwmiv]

As to bridges: Red River connecting across to Barton Springs makes the most sense. It would help solve Rainey's connectivity problem, giving it an ACTUAL N-S artery, and provide Barton Springs real connectivity across the river. It's also more integrated than Trinity.

[lzppjb]

My problem I've had when trying to think of places for a bridge has been the south side of the river. Nothing is an obvious artery that could connect to Trinity or Red River.

Barton Springs is an interesting idea, but again, it's not perfect. Having to go through that light at Riverside before getting on the bridge could be a traffic nightmare. And I have huge doubts that the MACC will allow anything near it to connect to Red River.

Barton Springs to Trinity may be the only feasible option.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

My problem I've had when trying to think of places for a bridge has been the south side of the river. Nothing is an obvious artery that could connect to Trinity or Red River.

Barton Springs is an interesting idea, but again, it's not perfect. Having to go through that light at Riverside before getting on the bridge could be a traffic nightmare. And I have huge doubts that the MACC will allow anything near it to connect to Red River.

Barton Springs to Trinity may be the only feasible option.

So, IF this were to ever happen, the connectivity issue with the Rainey district could be somewhat resolved if the following things also happened (in addition to the Trinity/Barton Springs bridge):

1. Rainey Street is extended all the way to Cesar Chavez

2. Davis Street is extended west from Red River to Trinity

3. Red River is extended south to the traffic circle by the MACC, connecting there with Holly St.

4. East Ave. is expanded to the south and goes under I-35 to connect to the East Austin grid, and rather than ending at a T at Nash Hernandez Senior Rd., it flows straight into it and travels East to Comal St. and Chicon St.

All of these being ideal, of course. This would provide a new bridge to a significant artery on both sides of the river and would provide five decent connection points for the Rainey district (these being Red River, Trinity/Barton Springs, Cesar Chavez, Holly, and East/Nash Hernandez Senior).

[AusTxDevelopment]

Here is one I don't think I've seen before. 17th & Lavaca (1620-1624 Lavaca) Flyer says max height is 120' for this site.

MK Development: http://mkdevelopments.com/property/17th-lavaca-street/

[lzppjb]

I think that's just a mock-up of a 120' building to market the lot.

[The ATX]

Banger's is expanding, and it'll eliminate a small surface lot on Rainey St.


http://spirits.blog.austin360.com/20...rainey-street/

[Urbannizer]

W 5th Getting More Affordable Housing, Market Rate Multifamily

In the first co-development by CWS Capital Partners and Austin-based Oden Hughes, 1301 West Fifth St. in Austin will soon become a mixed-use project. The partnership broke ground on the development that will deliver in late 2018. The six-story project west of Downtown will have 226 units of Class-A multifamily with one, two and three bedrooms, 10% of which will be rented below market rates to qualified households.

The ground floor will have just over 2K SF of retail. Oden Hughes Construction served as general contractor on three previous CWS projects, and will serve in that capacity for this project. Kelly Grossman Architects designed the development. Amenities include a lounge and deck with skyline and lake views, a pool, sundeck, game room, dog park and indoor dog washing room, bike workshop and bike storage.

[wwmiv]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/b...stin.html?_r=0

In the past five to six years, hotels have also had the highest occupancy rates the industry has ever experienced, according to STR.

The number of new hotels in Texas is notable. In 2017, Marriott plans to open eight hotels in Austin, seven in Houston and 23 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to the company. Ninety-two other Marriott hotels are in the planning stages for the three metro areas. Hilton says it is planning for 75 new hotels there. InterContinental Hotels Group has more than 100 hotel projects in the Austin, Dallas and Houston metro areas, including the Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza, Even Hotels, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts and Staybridge Suites brands.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/b...stin.html?_r=0

Wow. Keep your eyes peeled for projects.

If that ratio for this year for Austin (8 out of 38 Marriotts in Austin, DFW, Houston) is applied to the other totals mentioned...

16 more Hiltons
19 more Marriotts
21 more ICHGs


Obviously, not accurate, but fun nonetheless.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Wow. Keep your eyes peeled for projects.

If that ratio for this year for Austin (8 out of 38 Marriotts in Austin, DFW, Houston) is applied to the other totals mentioned...

16 more Hiltons
19 more Marriotts
21 more ICHGs


Obviously, not accurate, but fun nonetheless.

Note that this probably includes a bunch of suburban projects.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Note that this probably includes a bunch of suburban projects.

tru dat