Austin | The Republic | 710 Feet | 47 Floors | U/C - Page 37

Jdawgboy · #**721** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 2:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinGoesVertical

These are all significant towers. All are pretty sleek glass ones too, so Austin is going to have a very professional and financial vibe pretty soon. Not a sleepy daytime city anymore.

Downtown Austin is far from sleepy during the day. With well over 100K people on any given weekday. It is quite vibrant. There's always people out on the sidewalks. It litterally turns into a mad rush during lunch with people waiting in long lines at food trucks on Congress and workers heading to lunch. If your waiting at a light you can see crosswalks for several blocks with masses of people crossing. I haven't considered DT Austin to be quiet during the day in about 10+ years.

AustinGoesVertical · #**722** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 3:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Downtown Austin is far from sleepy during the day. With well over 100K people on any given weekday. It is quite vibrant. There's always people out on the sidewalks. It litterally turns into a mad rush during lunch with people waiting in long lines at food trucks on Congress and workers heading to lunch. If your waiting at a light you can see crosswalks for several blocks with masses of people crossing. I haven't considered DT Austin to be quiet during the day in about 10+ years.

I know, that’s what I’m saying. Congress was always pretty busy but my observation six years ago was that the day was pretty dead around the market district, save for some activity on 2nd street. I mean Greenwater was just a dirt field. I remember walking from the Monarch to the Violet Crown and feeling like I was in two totally separate nodes. Now, it’s very connected with the whole Seaholm District, library, bridge, and Greenwater. I’ve noticed a big difference with Google Tower and all the workers coming down to the French place, Italian joints, and Flowerchild. I’m just saying, I think that daytime atmosphere is going to start to feel a lot more prevalent, especially when it extends down Lavaca and Guadalupe (The Republic, Block 71, and 600 Guad).

N90 · #**723** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 4:19 PM**

What are the chances of this one getting built? Are they waiting for tenants?

paul78701 · #**724** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 5:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinGoesVertical

I know, that’s what I’m saying. Congress was always pretty busy but my observation six years ago was that the day was pretty dead around the market district, save for some activity on 2nd street. I mean Greenwater was just a dirt field. I remember walking from the Monarch to the Violet Crown and feeling like I was in two totally separate nodes. Now, it’s very connected with the whole Seaholm District, library, bridge, and Greenwater. I’ve noticed a big difference with Google Tower and all the workers coming down to the French place, Italian joints, and Flowerchild. I’m just saying, I think that daytime atmosphere is going to start to feel a lot more prevalent, especially when it extends down Lavaca and Guadalupe (The Republic, Block 71, and 600 Guad).

Downtown has great momentum at this point. As things have gotten built, it has become more desirable to be downtown. As it becomes more desirable downtown, the more things are getting built. It's all just feeding on itself and hastening development.

austlar1 · #**725** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 6:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul78701

Downtown has great momentum at this point. As things have gotten built, it has become more desirable to be downtown. As it becomes more desirable downtown, the more things are getting built. It's all just feeding on itself and hastening development.

Has the food festival marketplace planned for the submerged plaza in the 100 block of Congress opened yet? It was getting all kinds of publicity a year of so ago, but lately I have heard nothing about it. I drive past sometimes and can't really tell what might be happening there.

paul78701 · #**726** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austlar1

Has the food festival marketplace planned for the submerged plaza in the 100 block of Congress opened yet? It was getting all kinds of publicity a year of so ago, but lately I have heard nothing about it. I drive past sometimes and can't really tell what might be happening there.

Yep. It has been open for quite a while now. It's called Fareground.

The ATX · #**727** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 9:37 PM**

Some closeups. This is one of my favorite not started yet projects.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=302372

gabetx · #**728** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 9:59 PM**

This tower is gorgeous. 200 ft. taller and it would be the signature tower of the city. Either way, it's beautiful and although it seems highly likely to become reality, I would be pretty upset to see the plans fall through.

corvairkeith · #**729** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 10:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

Here's a screen capture of the courthouse from that KXAN video:

We really dodged a bullet when the courthouse got voted down a few years back.

starboy92 · #**730** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 10:29 PM**

Sorry guys unpopular opinion I guess but at this point I expect more from our towers. Something more inviting to the public something more cosmopolitan. So I give this a #basic

The ATX · #**731** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 10:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by starboy92

Sorry guys unpopular opinion I guess but at this point I expect more from our towers. Something more inviting to the public something more cosmopolitan. So I give this a #basic

Architecture is art, so we always have to agree to disagree about that. But the public space in this project is exceptional. It has retail on all sides and a nicely landscaped plaza open to the public.

lzppjb · #**732** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 10:38 PM**

Yeah, I think this will interact with the public nicely. That plaza is basically an extension of Republic Park. And it's sure to have some good restaurants on the ground floor.

I like that crown. I see it's kind of a screen like the Independent, just angled up. Has a chance to be lit interestingly.

clubtokyo · #**733** Posted **Jul 21, 2018, 10:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by corvairkeith

We really dodged a bullet when the courthouse got voted down a few years back.

Holy crap that would have been an ugly building in a prime spot.

Jdawgboy · #**734** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 1:24 AM**

My main criticism at the moment is I wish the crown would be covered from above or at least have a better job at concealing the flat roof from above. The rendering of the building from south of the river is my favorite since you can't see into the crown. Either that or have it to where the renderings don't show an above view.

The ATX · #**735** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 1:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

My main criticism at the moment is I wish the crown would be covered from above or at least have a better job at concealing the flat roof from above.

Huh? You don't like it because all those future drone flybys will expose it for the flat roof that it is? At lease the flatness will be hidden from all other views.

starboy92 · #**736** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 2:26 AM**

I guess I should clarify to my original comment. When I mean something more inviting to the public I mean indoor shopping mall, an Imax theater, a grocery store, an observation restaurant available to all maybe with an observation deck? I know that a lot for one building but guys its over 100 degrees and I'm not hanging out in front of a building exposed to the elements. When it comes down to it something like The Time Warner Towers in Manhattan is my gold standard. Unfortunately I don't think that will ever be the case here. I just kind of thought a building with no restrictions could do more is all.

clubtokyo · #**737** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 3:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by starboy92

I guess I should clarify to my original comment. When I mean something more inviting to the public I mean indoor shopping mall, an Imax theater, a grocery store, an observation restaurant available to all maybe with an observation deck? I know that a lot for one building but guys its over 100 degrees and I'm not hanging out in front of a building exposed to the elements. When it comes down to it something like The Time Warner Towers in Manhattan is my gold standard. Unfortunately I don't think that will ever be the case here. I just kind of thought a building with no restrictions could do more is all.

Reminds me of Tokyo. Those are some big demands for any American city building, besides NYC.

The ATX · #**738** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 3:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by starboy92

I guess I should clarify to my original comment. When I mean something more inviting to the public I mean indoor shopping mall, an Imax theater, a grocery store, an observation restaurant available to all maybe with an observation deck? I know that a lot for one building but guys its over 100 degrees and I'm not hanging out in front of a building exposed to the elements. When it comes down to it something like The Time Warner Towers in Manhattan is my gold standard. Unfortunately I don't think that will ever be the case here. I just kind of thought a building with no restrictions could do more is all.

Thanks for the clarification. Some of that might work, some may not IMO.

IMAX - We already have one downtown, but one at this location might work since it's relatively distant from the existing one.

Grocery Store - A case for another downtown grocery store can easilly be made. But one at this location would be close to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. So I don't think it would work at this location.

Shopping Mall - The '80s are over and no developer is going to tie up that much space for such a thing.

Observation deck - Yes! We need one downtown, and it could be a money maker for the developer.

Rotating Restaurant - Cheesy by today's standards, but one could work in lieu of an observation deck.

N90 · #**739** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 3:21 AM**

When DT ATX approaches 80k-100k residents then a building with 2-3 floors with an indoor shopping mall, on top of 1-2 floors of an IMAX theater, grocery store, a pharmacy, dental office, a few bank branches, a few restaurants could make sense. Right now it's not feasible and would bankrupt the developer. You need the neighborhood to have the population and income levels of a well off TX suburb like a Sugar Land, TX or Frisco, TX, etc to support all those things like that in one place.

I think DT ATX has ~15k residents right now. So we have a long way to go until its ready to meet your standards.

NYC, CHI, and SF are the only DTs in the US that can support stuff like that. Not even DT SEA which is 20-30 years ahead of ATX can support the things you described in one building like that.

starboy92 · #**740** Posted **Jul 22, 2018, 3:36 AM**

When I was in New york I had to go into the Time Warner Center to use the restroom. The place was busy. There was a Whole Foods underground and the whole lobby atrium Was a shopping center. also when I mean mall I mean the basic shops Cosmetics, a bookstore, H&M, just a few stores but it was enough since its what people need on the go i think. It was awesome. And I'm not saying everything I listed should go in one building just ideas that could give more dimension to urban life in downtown that I don't think exist yet. Oh and I meant a Restaurant just high up does not have to be rotating I actually dislike those.