AUSTIN | JW Marriott Convention Center Hotel | 408 FT | 34 FLOORS | T.O. - Page 4

The ATX · #61 Posted **Aug 9, 2012, 6:04 AM**

Austin's skyline change took place 2006-2010. The next boom has started and by 2015 the skyline should look even better.

KevinFromTexas · #62 Posted **Aug 16, 2012, 9:53 AM**

I updated the height since I was able to view the site plans. They've released them. The 404 foot height they sent me was measuring it from a different corner of the building. The lowest street elevation is the southeast corner of the building. That added almost 4 feet to its height. Oh, and it is 34 floors instead of 33.

Permit/case number: 2012-110061 SP
https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...s.jsp?myWhere=

KevinFromTexas · #63 Posted **Aug 18, 2012, 4:42 PM**

This article quotes 33 stories, but I've seen the site plans that were just approved and released this week, and it'll be 34 floors and 408 feet.

This also says it will be the largest JW Marriott hotel in the world with 1,012 rooms. That will also make it the largest hotel in Austin.

This will be Austin's 7th tallest building.

http://www.statesman.com/business/wo...e=rss_business

Quote:

Work starts next week on JW Marriott downtown convention hotel

By Shonda Novak
Published: 6:58 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, 2012

Construction is set to start next week on the downtown JW Marriott convention hotel, after the developer recently received final approval of the project's building plans from the city of Austin.

The $300 million hotel will rise 33 stories on the east side of Congress Avenue and Second Street. It will have 1,012 keys, making it the world's largest JW Marriott in room count when it opens in early 2015. Crews have been working on the site, relocating underground utilities. Late next week, construction is expected to begin on the project itself, with the first phase being a three-story underground parking garage with 458 spaces. The garage will take nine to 10 months to build, followed by construction of the hotel.

More than 40,000 room reservations have already been sold, said the hotel's developer, Indiana-based White Lodging Services Corp.

"We are incredibly excited about delivering this signature project for Austin," Deno Yiankes, White Lodging's president and CEO of investments and development, said in a statement to the American-Statesman. "This hotel will be a game-changer for the city's tourism industry, and I believe that is already being confirmed by the number of rooms we have pre-sold. A convention hotel of this size and quality will take Austin to the next level in recruiting national conventions and events."

priller · #64 Posted **Aug 25, 2012, 9:57 PM**

Made a quickie model of the hotel in SketchUp and took a few views of it in Google Earth. Unfortunately, I don't think it will have much of an impact on the overall skyline, being nestled among various other building. Still, a major addition to downtown.

Again, many thanks to Kevin for all the links to building info, especially the COA case number. Wealth of information there!

From the Chase Bank garage:

From S. First bridge:

From the Hilton pool deck (I'm sure I'll be taking many pics from here):

From Cesar Chavez and I-35:

KevinFromTexas · #65 Posted **Aug 25, 2012, 10:14 PM**

Nice. Yeah, the biggest impact this will make will be from the east. There will be some decent views from the southwest, and some west views, but it'll mostly be boxed in. The main thing is, I hope it livens up the southern end of Congress. It can be rather dead at times.

JoninATX · #66 Posted **Aug 27, 2012, 1:43 AM**

It's going to have a good impact from IH 35. Especially with it being all glass on that one side.

colemonkee · #67 Posted **Aug 27, 2012, 9:14 PM**

What this will add, though, is density in the skyline view. For that alone, it's a great project for Austin (not to mention the other benefits it clearly brings).

migol24 · #68 Posted **Aug 27, 2012, 11:01 PM**

BTW, shouldn't this thread be in the Highrise Construction board?

wwmiv · #69 Posted **Aug 27, 2012, 11:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migol24

BTW, shouldn't this thread be in the Highrise Construction board?

Not until actually building materials begin to be fitted together.

migol24 · #70 Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 1:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Not until actually building materials begin to be fitted together.

oh... cool.

photoLith · #71 Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 5:23 AM**

So they are preserving the two historic structures that are on that lot that line Congress Ave?

BevoLJ · #72 Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 5:40 AM**

Yep. There are three little old buildings there that they are leaving. All the rest was just a parking lot. It will be kinda like how Silicon Labs built that one building around Lambert's BBQ on 2nd across from City Hall.

migol24 · #73 Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 6:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

It will be kinda like how Silicon Labs built that one building around Lambert's BBQ on 2nd across from City Hall.

Which is pretty awesome, imo... and one of my favorite little buildings!

KevinFromTexas · #74 Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 6:18 PM**

The blocks in downtown that have big buildings like the hotel and small ones like those are the most fun to do in my LEGO model. They are definitely the most interesting. I really like that they're keeping them.

photoLith · #75 Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Yep. There are three little old buildings there that they are leaving. All the rest was just a parking lot. It will be kinda like how Silicon Labs built that one building around Lambert's BBQ on 2nd across from City Hall.

Thats great because I love those little buildings, very cool architecture, looks like they date from at least the 1880s.

LoneStarMike · #76 Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 3:50 PM**

The one that's on the corner was built in 1883 and was called The Pearl House Saloon. Back then, you could buy tickets for your train here in Hermann Schmidt's saloon and relax until your coach departed from the station four blocks east. Touted as the most convenient hotel to the railroad, the upstairs area provided rooms. Only the northern half of the building survived a 1950's fire that consumed the southern half. Here's a photo I took in 2009.

And now - 129 years later - another hotel goes up in the same block.

corvairkeith · #77 Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 10:16 PM**

Excavation is moving along at this site.

One less surface parking lot along Congress.

KevinFromTexas · #78 Posted **Sep 24, 2012, 8:20 PM**

They were pouring concrete around those beams.

And they had more of them piled up on the east side of the block here:

JoninATX · #79 Posted **Sep 24, 2012, 8:28 PM**

Thanks for the update Kevin, but I'm wondering which side will be the underground parking garage?

KevinFromTexas · #80 Posted **Oct 4, 2012, 10:46 AM**

Still not sure what side the garage will be on. My guess would be the Brazos side.

Anyway, they've dug deeper. Also those steel beams I saw them pouring concrete around on the perimeter of the site look like they're for the support walls around the site to keep the dirt in place.