AUSTIN Metro Update Thread

[JoninATX]

Sorry for the late response, I wasn't sure if elevators are required on a certain amount of floors in apartments. Back in '06 I used to live in a 4 story apartments in Round Rock that had no elevators.

[the Genral]

I went out of my way home from work today to check out the progress at the Kalahari site and found the view from my car blocked by a passing freight train, a long one. You city dwellers probably saw, or heard it passing through downtown between 4:30 and 5 pm.
Anyway, I was able to get a glimpse of the work site and there is heavy equipment turning dirt, quite a distance off hwy 79. This heavily used track runs along 79 right in front of the location and all points of entry will have to cross the tracks. The train blasts its horn at least twice before it gets there and also right after for other crossings. Guests and employees will have to contend with this inconvenience and noise throughout the day and night. I managed to get ahead of the train as I was getting ready to turn on to Red Bud, but the crossing arms came down and I had to sit there for at least 5 minutes until the train passed. Not exactly an ideal situation for Kalahari.

[KevinFromTexas]

I miss the sound of the train horns. The UP crossing that is about 1,500 feet away from us is a "no horn crossing". I miss the sound of the horn.

The biggest trouble I can see there are the trains holding traffic back on 79. We were up there about 2 months ago, and got turned around a bit and went the wrong way looking for an address. We had to turn around and head back to 79 to cross it, and there was a train, so we had to wait.

[the Genral]

Yep, and 79 can get pretty congested especially during RR Express home games, plus, there are a plethora of traffic signals. There's going to be a need for some expansion of 79 before too long. One bonus for the resort guests, they're going to get a decent firework show on Friday nights if the Express is playing at home.

[drummer]

Has there ever been any talk of making 79, or at least portions of it, controlled access?

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

You can actually see the Omni Resort from a few places around South Austin. I can see it from the parking garage at the South Austin Medical Center, and there's also a spot along 360 just before you get to Lamar where it shows up for a very short while.

Last week I was along that stretch of 360, and I noticed a crane poking up above the hotel. So it looks like they've started work on the new tower. I haven't been by there to see it in person, but I was able to snap a photo from 360. I won't bother with posting the pic since it blurred, but I can say for sure it was the hotel and the crane was right next to it.

According to this, construction is underway and will be complete in the middle of 2019.


https://bigreddog.com/construction-u...-creek-resort/

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The site plan has been approved and released, but unfortunately, I'm not seeing any elevation files.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/perm...rtyrsn=3135794

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It looks like they're working on another site plan for it, so hopefully that one will have the elevations.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/perm...rtyrsn=3135794

[sammyk]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I miss the sound of the train horns. The UP crossing that is about 1,500 feet away from us is a "no horn crossing". I miss the sound of the horn.

I believe they are working on making Round Rock a quiet zone as well.

[the Genral]

Kalahari update: I know most, if not all of you are on the edge of your seats waiting for some news on the progress, even if I could get a photo of the work site, it wouldn't do justice to the absolute enormity of the amount of dirt they have already moved. There were 15 - 20 large earth movers lined up. The total acreage of land being turned for this resort is jaw dropping. At the speed of progress I've seen so far, they could be going vertical by this fall.

[The ATX]

Leander City Council votes on a 115 acre mixed use TOD tonight called "Northline".

https://communityimpact.com/austin/l...onight-june-7/

[KevinFromTexas]

I'm having trouble visualizing exactly what they're planning there.

https://www.statesman.com/business/o...Ssl2QDlPpbOtI/

Owner’s plan for Lake Austin site: elevator tower, restaurant, marina

21 hours ago
By Shonda Novak, American-Statesman Staff

Entrepreneur Jonathan Coon and his wife, Kirsten, last year bought what is known as the Camelback tract — a 145-acre property on a cliff near Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway) and Courtyard Drive just west of the Pennybacker Bridge.

The Coons are proposing an array of development on the site, which would include an elevator ascending 180 feet from the lake to an upscale, 200-seat, ridge-top restaurant, plus a casual bar and grill; a 24-slip marina below; and homes and condominiums alongside mixed-use commercial development that could include office space and/or a boutique hotel.

[The ATX]

Boaters using the marina would take the elevator up to the restaurant. It's not quite as much of an eyesore as I first imagined.


https://www.mystatesman.com/business...GnS9gBM9vyiwK/

[drummer]

I don't like it. I know some folks throughout the Highland Lakes have an angled pulley system to get stuff up and down to/from their boats. That seems like a better option here if they must have any sort of automated method of getting folks to their restaurant. The current design may be simpler than what some would have envisioned, but it's still an eyesore. Granted, if there's nothing prohibiting that from happening, I don't like creating more rules...but I still don't like it, personally.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by drummer

I don't like it. I know some folks throughout the Highland Lakes have an angled pulley system to get stuff up and down to/from their boats. That seems like a better option here if they must have any sort of automated method of getting folks to their restaurant. The current design may be simpler than what some would have envisioned, but it's still an eyesore. Granted, if there's nothing prohibiting that from happening, I don't like creating more rules...but I still don't like it, personally.

Yeah, a tram. That is much more typical for access like this.

The rendering seems impossible; there would have to be support structure for something like that. It could be wires I suppose, but they'd be visible and should be depicted in the render.

[the Genral]

That pretty much looks like a crane tower photo shopped to give some sort of idea what the developer is proposing. That seems over kill for the amount of boat traffic they can expect especially in the off season.

[lzppjb]

A tram up the hillside would actually be cool. What's pictured looks stupid.

[KevinFromTexas]

The visual impact isn't that obvious, but I'd rather see something like a gondola system that would lessen the impact on the views.

Anyway, at least it's not this:

More here:
https://www.google.com/search?safe=o....0.7A_FweGQEl8


TripAdvisor - https://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationP..._New_York.html

[drummer]

Originally Posted by hookem

Yeah, a tram. That is much more typical for access like this.

The rendering seems impossible; there would have to be support structure for something like that. It could be wires I suppose, but they'd be visible and should be depicted in the render.

Yes - tram. I couldn't think of the word for it. Lake LBJ has a couple of ritzy homes with the same setup, as does Lake Travis and others. Same purpose, less ugliness.

[starboy92]

I think the word is funicular

[drummer]

Originally Posted by starboy92

I think the word is funicular

Had to look that one up. Yeah, that works!

[AusTxDevelopment]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Sounds pretty ambitious. It mentions high rise condos, though, I'm not sure what they consider to be a high rise.

https://www.statesman.com/news/local...PLNUI9EJfjRmJ/

Below are some screen captures of a marketing brochure from Avison Young showing the renderings for Indigo Ridge, aka "Cedar Park's version of the Domain."







https://www.avisonyoung.us/en_US/web/austin