AUSTIN News Thread

[LoneStarMike]

Austin officials ponder taller, slimmer buildings to help affordability
Robert Grattan
Austin Business Journal
April 22, 2014

Austin's latest plan for some downtown affordability relief has City Council thinking taller and slimmer.

A draft resolution headed to Council on May 1 would have the city manager look at ways to help developers build tall, slender buildings known as "point towers."

[SNIP]

"Affordability is a top concern, and this is affordability through design," said Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole, who is sponsoring the resolution. "Many buildings have seen the value of slender building design."

Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Councilman Chris Riley are expected to be co-sponsors.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

Austin officials ponder taller, slimmer buildings to help affordability
Robert Grattan
Austin Business Journal
April 22, 2014

I saw this too...

Better late than never. Back when Spring was going through its entitlement process I argued with a city staffer and former council member that the city need to look into point towers. As the article stated, Toronto has been using the concept for years. So has Vancouver, Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast, Chicago, New York, Miami, several cities in Asia, etc. It's nothing new...

Man, if only the City had been forward-thinking and implemented this years ago, the Downtown Austin we view today may look drastically different. Think about all the residential towers constructed since Spring. I'm confident there would have been at least two-three towers which exceeded 700' in height.

I'm hoping Austin obtains more forward-thinkers on the new council. I also hope that those on the dais are (or will educate themselves) on modern urban design and techniques. Austin is not a sleepy little town anymore and its leaders need to recognize that and act accordingly.

[Jdawgboy]

I was a bit confused when I read the article. I thought that the Downtown Austin Plan had addressed denser taller development including point towers.

I wouldn't bank on the new council doing much for DT in the future and I think the fact that alot of developers are trying to get there projects through the city before the end of the year shows the concern for Downtown with a 10-1 system. Lets not forget that Kathie Tovo is running in the Downtown district. So is Chris Riley which I think will win given the support for urban density in Downtown but she is the least of our concerns. Also for those celebrating Laura Morrison announcing she will not run for mayor should consider the amount of NIMBY's that have jumped into the district races including the notorious Jeff Jack.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...unched-to.html

Apr 29, 2014, 7:38am CDT
UT's famed high-rise dorm where Dell launched to get $4 million makeover

Jan Buchholz
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

The 27-story Dobie Center near the University of Texas campus is getting a $4 million makeover soon.

Enhancements will be made to the individual rooms, kitchen, dining hall, fitness center, multimedia room, lobby and basketball and volleyball courts. The technology infrastructure also will be improved.

[KevinFromTexas]

Austin has 8 restaurants on the list which is the most of any city.

46) Juan in a Million, Austin: Carne Guisada

38) Tacodeli, Austin: El Conquistador

33) Joe's Bakery, Austin, Texas: Carne Guisada Taco

27) Papalote Taco House, Austin, Texas: Cecina Taco

21) Taquería Arandas, Austin, Texas: Al Pastor Taco

20) La Condesa, Austin, Texas: Arábicos Tacos

18) Matt's Famous El Rancho, Austin, Texas: Al Carbón Taco

4) Torchy’s Tacos, Various Texas Locations: Trailer Park Taco


50 Best Tacos in America (Slideshow)

http://www.thedailymeal.com/50-best-...deshow?slide=3

[Jdawgboy]

What! I'm shocked that Maria's Toco Express is not on the list. One of the most famous and iconic establishments and I love their breakfast Tacos.

[lzppjb]

Doesn't look like they're talking about breakfast tacos.

[Nickelplate]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-YUwNlb-tY

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl....html?page=all

May 2, 2014, 10:57pm CDT
National planning expert visiting Austin likes proposal to bury I-35 underground

Jan Buchholz
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

Peter Park, a nationally renowned urban planner whose specialties are land development code reform and removing freeways from the inner city, will be one of the participants at the 14th Annual Power Luncheon May 6 at the Hyatt Regency Austin.

The event is sponsored by a host of Austin real estate-related organizations and companies.

The program, “What’s Next?,” will take a close a look at the massive undertaking of rewriting Austin’s land development codes. Other participants are Gregory Strmiska, a code expert with Austin-based engineering and design firm Bury, and Daniel Parolek of Opticos Design, the Berkeley, California-based urban planning firm that was chosen to lead the revision process.

[migol24]

I grew up in Houston. Traveled to South Texas and Mexican border virtually since I was born. I've visited San Antonio a godawful amount of times. I lived in New Mexico and DFW in other times when I was younger. I've eaten mexican food in all of those places and I honestly cannot think of any place here in Austin that has tacos as good as I've had in all of those places other than San Francisco. (San Francisco mexican food is terribly poor.)

I love Austin, it's my favorite city obviously, but the mexican food here is highly overrated. If I have to choose where to eat tacos I would give an emphatic recommendation to eat at El Taquito on E Riverside. The place is an actual chain from Tamaulipas and the tacos I've had there are the same as I remember eating them growing up in Houston and my visits to Piedras Negras, Coahuila to visit family.

None of the places I've ever recommended to eat tacos has ever ever made any top ten lists and that is why I don't take any taco lists seriously. Oh and also... a big LOL on Taqueria Arandas. I actually grew up down the street to where they have their headquarters on Airline Blvd in Houston. The only legit thing Arandas has is their bakery... but they only have that in Houston. My brother always brings us mexican pastries from there every time he comes down to Austin.

People are just truly uninformed these days when it comes to tacos... and I find it odd that Austin gets so much attention. Not that the food is terrible, because it isn't, it's just not as good as people make it out to be.

Other places in Austin I recommend for tacos is Rosita's Al Pastor on E Riverside. Taco More on E Riverside. Los Pepes on Manor/Springdale. Porfirio's Tacos on Holly St.

[KevinFromTexas]

My brother and sister were talking about how some of the restaurants are so-so. Juan in a Million came up. There are always a lot of people going there during the big festivals - people from outside of Austin. I think the real good stuff is actually the food trucks.

[wwmiv]

Taquitos West Avenue in San Antonio is amazing. Also, the fact that nothing from the Valley was on this list was... incriminating.

We have to keep in mind that this list was quite clearly catered to white hipsters rather than actually measuring what a "good taco" is.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl....html?page=all

DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

My brother and sister were talking about how some of the restaurants are so-so. Juan in a Million came up. There are always a lot of people going there during the big festivals - people from outside of Austin. I think the real good stuff is actually the food trucks.

Veracruz All Natural! That's another great place. If you hadn't mentioned food truck I wouldn't have remembered but this place is legit.

There is also a food truck on Colorado and 4th (?) located on the parking lot where there is that one tower about to get built. The dudes serve Baja style tacos. They have this pork and octopus taco! The dudes are cool too. I met them a week ago and they are all from Mexico. They look like Mexican surfer/hippy dudes. Real nice guys.

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Taquitos West Avenue in San Antonio is amazing. Also, the fact that nothing from the Valley was on this list was... incriminating.

We have to keep in mind that this list was quite clearly catered to white hipsters rather than actually measuring what a "good taco" is.

San Antonio is responsible for my snooty attitude about mexican or tex-mex food. haha

And yes... anything from South Texas or anywhere near the border that doesn't get any mention on a list is definitely suspect.

[KevinFromTexas]

I can't stand the show, but apparently ABC's "Nashville" is considering moving to Austin.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...abc-mulls.html

Apr 28, 2014, 8:05am CDT
Could Austin stand in for Nashville? ABC mulls moving show, report says

Michael Theis
Digital Editor-
Austin Business Journal

Could Austin make a suitable fill-in for Nashville? Executives at the ABC-TV network might think so, as T he Tennessean newspaper reports that the producers of the prime-time country-music-themed drama "Nashville" are considering moving production of the show outside of its title city.

The Tennessean reports, citing unnamed sources, that producers have eyed locations in Texas and Georgia.

The reason is simple: the economic incentives for the show, up for a third-season renewal, are likely to dry up, according to the paper.

[the Genral]

Wife and I went to the Austin Zoo and Austin Aquarium today.
I didn't mind the Zoo so much or the $24 bucks to get in. The traffic in Oak Hill and Mopac near dt is ridiculous for a Saturday afternoon between 1 and 3 o'clock. Its a nice walk around, but its a sanctuary, not a zoo, and its not in Austin. Spent about an hour and a half there. It was...ok.
curiosity got the best of us so we went to the aquarium next. That's $30 and 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Aside from the stingray and shark petting tanks...its get in, get out, and say goodbye to $15 per adult. I've seen more tanks in a pet store. This place lacks anything that's awe- inspiring or leaves you with any "wow" factor. Honestly, I've been more impressed with some of the upscale fish pet stores I've been to. Funny thing...after the very friendly girl took our admission money, she asked us if we wanted to buy any fish, then immediately corrected herself and asked if we wanted to buy any food to feed the stingrays. The staff is very well trained in the art of upselling. A guy tried pestering us into taking a picture of us for $8! Which is laughable because I'm still trying to forget the dollar per minute I spent on that place...I don't want a physical reminder. I brought my own camera which never left my pocket.
If Austin ever decides to build a REAL aquarium, I wonder what they would call it, seeing how the name, "Austin Aquarium" is already wasted on this place. I'd be embarrassed if visitors from out of town ventured there. I'm not worried about the "Zoo", they probably won't even find it.

[texastarkus]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I can't stand the show, but apparently ABC's "Nashville" is considering moving to Austin.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...abc-mulls.html

...well since Revolution just got the AXE we have all of this television production equipment just laying around gathering dust. Why not give 'em a couple million and move here.

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Wife and I went to the Austin Zoo and Austin Aquarium today.
I didn't mind the Zoo so much or the $24 bucks to get in. The traffic in Oak Hill and Mopac near dt is ridiculous for a Saturday afternoon between 1 and 3 o'clock. Its a nice walk around, but its a sanctuary, not a zoo, and its not in Austin. Spent about an hour and a half there. It was...ok.
curiosity got the best of us so we went to the aquarium next. That's $30 and 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Aside from the stingray and shark petting tanks...its get in, get out, and say goodbye to $15 per adult. I've seen more tanks in a pet store. This place lacks anything that's awe- inspiring or leaves you with any "wow" factor. Honestly, I've been more impressed with some of the upscale fish pet stores I've been to. Funny thing...after the very friendly girl took our admission money, she asked us if we wanted to buy any fish, then immediately corrected herself and asked if we wanted to buy any food to feed the stingrays. The staff is very well trained in the art of upselling. A guy tried pestering us into taking a picture of us for $8! Which is laughable because I'm still trying to forget the dollar per minute I spent on that place...I don't want a physical reminder. I brought my own camera which never left my pocket.
If Austin ever decides to build a REAL aquarium, I wonder what they would call it, seeing how the name, "Austin Aquarium" is already wasted on this place. I'd be embarrassed if visitors from out of town ventured there. I'm not worried about the "Zoo", they probably won't even find it.

Here is a link to a real zoo in a similar sized Texas city. The reason Fort Worth has such an excellent zoo (and other cultural amenities) is the fact that there is real patronage from heavy hitters in the community to make these places happen. Austin is so behind the curve when it comes to this sort of thing.

http://www.fortworthzoo.org/plan-a-visit/zoo-map/

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Here is a link to a real zoo in a similar sized Texas city. The reason Fort Worth has such an excellent zoo (and other cultural amenities) is the fact that there is real patronage from heavy hitters in the community to make these places happen. Austin is so behind the curve when it comes to this sort of thing.

http://www.fortworthzoo.org/plan-a-visit/zoo-map/

I would love to see something like that here, but good or bad, Austin seems to attract and harbor people with negative feelings toward zoos, circuses with animal acts, even pet stores that sell puppies, case in point, Petland in South Austin of which was effectively shut down by constant harassment by protesters and help from the City of Austin. I'll qualify my last point by saying I managed the Petland in Georgetown a few years ago and knew the owners at the Southpark location.
I'm not sure this is interferring with any plans for Austin to get a decent zoo, but I do know our current zoo is getting a muligan due to the fact that they only take in injured, orphanned, or abandoned animals. Most of the support they get is in the form of food donations, fans and heat lamps, and vet care, necessities to to keep the animals healthy and alive and reasonably comfortable, not so much for human enemities.
With all the 'riches' rolling into Austin, none of it ever seems to make it to the things I think we deserve, world class museums, aquarium, planetarium, zoo, amusement park, ect...
but we do have COTA...

[hookem]

I think if a city doesn't already have a zoo built, they will probably never have one. I mean do they actually build them these days? When was the last "real" zoo opened in the US?

Aquariums are a different story, I think a real one could still happen these days, maybe connected with a "real" natural history museum. Same thing with a planetarium, if a real natural history museum ever gets built here, that is the best chance...

[migol24]

I never went, but apparently San Francisco's zoo also sucked from what friends of mine told me.