AUSTIN | The Independent | 690 FEET | 58 FLOORS

[KevinFromTexas]

Construction cam link:
https://www.workzonecam.com/projects...nt/workzonecam

360 Pano with rendering
https://kuula.co/post/7lcbk/collection/7fWCl

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This tower is being planned for the former site of the Austin Energy Control Center on the block that is west of 360 Condominiums.

360 Condos is Austin's current 2nd tallest at 581 feet to the spire with 44 floors. The Austonian is 683 feet with 56 floors. The 50th floor of the Austonian is at 558 feet 11 inches. 360 only has 44 floors and is 480 feet to the roof. Calculating from the building elevations I have for 360, if it were to have 50 floors its roof would be at 543 feet. Considering this tower will have 120,000 square feet of office space, those office floors will be higher than the condo floors which will push its height closer to 600 feet and might even exceed that height depending on what the roof looks like.

We've known about this site having a major development planned there for years, but this is the first time anything specific has been published.

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...-second/ngx4Q/

HOME > BUSINESS
Posted: 11:44 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, 2014
New planned downtown tower could be Austin’s second-tallest building

By Shonda Novak
American-Statesman Staff

The building, which could soar 50 stories and possibly higher, is planned for a 1.7-acre site at Third Street and West Avenue, just east of the former Seaholm Power Plant that is undergoing a major transformation. The new tower is expected to have 400 condominium units, up to 120,000 square feet of office space and 15,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, said the developers, Perry Lorenz and Larry Warshaw with Austin-based Constructive Ventures.

Construction is due to start in the fourth quarter of 2015, and will take 2 1/2 years to build. Construction costs are likely to top $200 million.

Lorenz said the planned tower, which would be on the banks of Shoal Creek and in the heart of the downtown’s revitalized west end, “has the potential to become an iconic addition to both the culture and the skyline of downtown Austin.”

The tower is being designed by the Austin-based architecture firm of Rhode: Partners. The firm’s Brett Rhode said the tower will be a mostly glass, with landscaped areas on different levels that will break down the scale of the building and enhance its visual appeal.

[TowerSpotter]

Wow this is great! Looking forward for more details and renderings.

[KevinFromTexas]

By the way, previously they had planned two towers for the site, but the article states that because of issues with the site that it became necessary to have only one tower.

This rendering below was issued 4 years ago along with the renderings that were put out with the adjacent GreenWater development.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

By the way, previously they had planned two towers for the site, but the article states that because of issues with the site that it became necessary to have only one tower.

This rendering below was issued 4 years ago along with the renderings that were put out with the adjacent GreenWater development.

It's crazy how different that area looks now and will look in a few years.

[chris08876]

Austin keeps getting taller and taller. Great times for Texan cities. Almost every major city is experiencing a construction boom.

[KevinFromTexas]

Rhode Partners is designing this - http://rhodepartners.com/

If you go to their website, under "news" they have this listed on their website back in May:

Preliminary design has begun on Block 24, located at 3rd Street & West streets in downtown Austin, Tx. The program includes a 50-60 story tower with below grade parking, retail, office and 400 to 500 residential apartments. RHODE PARTNERS will lead a team of designers with extensive experience in innovative high rise design. The project is required to achieve LEED Gold certification, providing an opportunity to raise the standard for high rise residential towers. The $140M project is anticipated to begin construction in 3Q 2015.

[KevinFromTexas]

A massing model has popped up on RHODE PARTNERS' website.

This is the view of it looking north from the river. That's Shoal Creek on the right (east) side of it.


http://www.rhodepartners.com/#profile

The building also now has a name. It's being called "The Independent".

It has a website and Facebook page now, too.

http://www.independentaustin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/independentaustin

A few more massing models from the website.


http://www.independentaustin.com/


http://www.independentaustin.com/

Aerial drone photos showing what the views will be like from the 60th floor.


http://www.independentaustin.com/


http://www.independentaustin.com/


http://www.independentaustin.com/

[KevinFromTexas]

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

Redevelopment of former Austin Energy downtown site into condos adds partner, moves ahead
Dec 20, 2014, 2:08pm CST

Jan Buchholz
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

Constructive Ventures, which plans to redevelop the former Austin Energy Control Center at Third Street and West Avenue, has a new partner — Austin-based Aspen Heights — and formally named the residential condo tower project "The Independent."

The specifics of the redeveloped Austin Energy Center have changed over the years. Constructive Ventures now says the main element will be a for-sale residential condo high-rise — perhaps in excess of 50 stories — with 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level. That retail element is dictated by the MDA, a 122-page document that includes numerous benchmarks and timelines that must be met before the city will convey the property.

"We intend to build a tower that's truly reflective — in its name, architecture, finishes, views, location and amenities — of Austin," Henry said.

[BuzzBuzzEva]

You can follow updates on the development and view the video (from the developer) at http://www.buzzbuzzhome.com/the-independent1

[Deepstar]

Looks good

[chris08876]

360 Panorama of the views: http://www.independentaustin.com/views/ (Recommend, can adjust by floors)



=========================
https://www.facebook.com/independentaustin (Pic and Panorama)
http://austintowers.net/will-the-ind...tallest-tower/

[KevinFromTexas]

There's a rumor (from two different people) that the office component has been dropped and that the height will be 694 feet with 58 floors. That would make it 11 feet taller than The Austonian, which would make it the tallest in Austin. It would also mean Austin would have the two tallest all residential buildings in the US west of the Mississippi River. No new renderings/models yet.

[KevinFromTexas]

So this article reveals a rendering, and two additional ones have been released on the building's website.

This also quotes the developers as saying it'll be 685 feet tall. That height would be two feet taller than The Austonian's height, but we've also heard two other rumored heights of 675 and 694 feet, and some are speculating the heights released so far don't include the mechanical penthouse and screen.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/busi....257284.735700

Seaholm area’s rebirth to include Austin’s tallest tower

Posted: 6:16 p.m. Sunday, April 12, 2015

By Lori Hawkins and Shonda Novak - American-Statesman Staff

A dramatic change is in store for Austin’s skyline, as plans move forward on what now has become a 58-story tower that would be the city’s tallest building and the largest residential tower west of the Mississippi River.

The tower, named the Independent, would rise 685 feet on downtown’s southwestern edge, eclipsing the Austonian condominium high-rise in downtown Austin by two feet and two stories.

The Independent would bring 370 new luxury condominiums to market, priced from the mid-$300,000s to more than $3 million, the developer told the American-Statesman. The project features a contemporary, tiered design by its architect, Austin-based Rhodeartners.

The developers planning the project — Austin-based firms Constructive Ventures and Aspen Heights — said they expect to announce a groundbreaking date and construction timeline within a few months, once financing is lined up.

http://www.independentaustin.com/

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...r-will-be.html

Skyline scraper: New high-rise condo tower will be Austin's tallest building
Apr 13, 2015, 8:12am CDT

Michael Theis
Digital Editor-
Austin Business Journal

The tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River may soon rise above Austin's skyline, as developers have laid out the specifics for a 685-foot, 58-story condominium tower downtown.

Developers envision the $300 million project, dubbed the Independent, as a gleaming, white Jenga-like tower at the northeast corner of West Third Street and West Avenue. Renderings show the building with offset floor sections that make it look something like an uneven stack of books.

The building will have a total of 950,000 square feet, including 491,000 square feet that is sellable. Developers plan to have 13,500 square feet of retail on the ground floor. Residents will have 370 units to choose from, ranging from 675 square-foot one-bedroom units to 3,485 square-foot three bedroom floor plans.

[KevinFromTexas]

The site plan including the elevations were posted today.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...enue_PLANS.pdf

The heights are:

688 feet to the top of the mechanical penthouse/screen.
638 feet to the main roof.
626 feet to the 58th floor (highest occupied floor).
84 feet 8 inches to the podium roof.

[Zapatan]

excellent!

[KevinFromTexas]

The Independent Austin - https://www.facebook.com/independent...type=1&theater

The team is giddy with the arrival of our full The Independent Austin model! With reservations around the corner, it's the perfect complement to your residence selection, so come see it in person today!

https://www.facebook.com/independent...type=1&theater

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by ivanwolf

I use a program PDF-XChanger Viewer that will take the scale of a drawing and accurately allow for measure on items not having dimensions.

I find that its 50' higher totaling 687'6"

The building's elevations didn't show the heights all the way to the top of the mechanical screen, so ivanwolf used a program that automatically measures it. Anyway, the mechanical penthouse is 50 feet tall, which means the building is 687 feet 6 inches. If you choose to round up then it makes it 688 feet.

[KevinFromTexas]

Sneak peek at the #Owner's #Lounge on the 34th floor - only The Independent Austin! #DeclareYourselfHome #ATX

https://www.facebook.com/independent...type=1&theater

[Zapatan]

I like, I like a lot!