AUSTIN Metro Update Thread

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by freerover

There is the Mokan line which has been talked about for rail/road for decades.



Here are some articles about Mokan:
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/tran...dfMihyYqQ0KeJ/
https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...s-mokan-study/
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...3yTkqJqGRsv1M/
https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...s-mokan-donts/

I don't mean to be rude or argumentative, but it's kind of annoying to read the media's misnomer "MoKan" for that long defunct Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad line. Up until about 40 years ago NOBODY ever called it "MoKan". It was called the "Katy". "MoKan" is a fictitious term that never was a part of that venerable railroad's history. Ben Wear should know better, IMO.

Some ignorant newspaper/media person - undoubtedly a non-Texan latecomer who obviously didn't know any better - put that erroneous term in an AAS article back in the 1970s without doing his/her diligence. And unfortunately the rest of the media have kept its usage going all these years - just like the "Manshack" controversy.

I wish somebody would get it right, but evidently very few locals remember or have said anything about it. I'm a late-comer here myself (got here in 1959) and am a bit embarrassed that some "Old Austin" natives haven't made a fuss about this historical error - "fake name", to put it in today's nomenclature.

Sorry, rant over.

[the Genral]

Just saw a tv commercial, forget exactly what it was about, but one scene showed backed up traffic on I35 looking north from around Riverside and the commentator said something to the effect of being tired of traffic jams on Mopac. who proofs these things?? This just adds to the argument that accuracy fails in many ways and goes unchecked.

[the Genral]

The Living Spaces store appears to be ready to open. It is huge but it appears they are doing an excellent job making the exterior and parking areas reasonably attractive. They planted a ton of trees and are using only non sky light polluting lights. The only thing I don't care for are the large block lettering 'LIVING SPACES' on the front of the building, but I guess its their signature style. Some of you might want to come check this thing out when it opens in May.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Here are some more Kalahari renderings.

The reason I don't like this is not because of the tacky theme, but because they decided to build as boring-looking of a building as possible with a very light layer of "theme" on top (the colorful patterns). Take that stuff off, and you have a building as boring as a Holiday Inn in bumfuck anytown Texas.

[KevinFromTexas]

I think it looks like 1/8th of a Las Vegas casino.

[JoninATX]

It looks more like a casino. Should put in slots machines and card tables make it an all kid/ adult playground.

[Jdawgboy]

Yea it looks pretty tacky but perfect for Round Rock...


I'm more interested in the future plans for all that land that COTA owns. Whatever ends up happening, I can't see it being as blah as Kalahari. When it comes down to it, we have no clue what they plan to do or when they plan to do it. The origional future phases are no longer valid.

[The ATX]

Good news for Hutto. They are getting a 10K seat amphitheater. Hutto residents won't have to drive all the way the P'ville and Round Rock for entertainment.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...d-seat-10.html

[We vs us]

Boy. Kalahari is just as awful as I thought it'd be. It's the almost exact inverse of my preferred lodging style.

That said . . . it's an undeniable win for RR. It makes me wonder what else they can do on that stretch of 79 -- there would seem to be plenty of space for other attractions.

[JoninATX]

Even though the design is pretty basic, it's going to bring some serious revenue to Round Rock.

[the Genral]

The whole stretch of 79 east of I35 to Hutto is pretty meh with maybe the exception of a few areas like the Dell Diamond. As non glam as the design is for Kalahari Round Rock, it will still be 100 times better than anything else along this highway. Plus it will bring more development on undeveloped farmland and pastures. Any fancier and a project of this scope would have stuck out like a sore thumb. This design is actually perfect for the area because its almost as bland as this neck of the woods so to speak but will still seem out of place whether you approach from the east or west. Its in the middle of nowhere just as the Dell Diamond is.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by the Genral

The whole stretch of 79 east of I35 to Hutto is pretty meh with maybe the exception of a few areas like the Dell Diamond. As non glam as the design is for Kalahari Round Rock, it will still be 100 times better than anything else along this highway. Plus it will bring more development on undeveloped farmland and pastures. Any fancier and a project of this scope would have stuck out like a sore thumb. This design is actually perfect for the area because its almost as bland as this neck of the woods so to speak but will still seem out of place whether you approach from the east or west. Its in the middle of nowhere just as the Dell Diamond is.

Yea plus I'm not too happy about them developing the Blackland Prairie farmland. The the only area in the Metro that has great soil for producing large crops. Would be a shame to cover all that up.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Yea plus I'm not too happy about them developing the Blackland Prairie farmland. The the only area in the Metro that has great soil for producing large crops. Would be a shame to cover all that up.

I feel that way too. There are (or were) a lot of cotton fields on the east side of I-35 in the Kyle/San Marcos/Lockhart areas that are quickly disappearing - especially around Kyle. They rotate corn and cotton crops every other year. This year seems to be mostly corn.

[JoninATX]

StreetLights Residential breaks ground on new Northwest Austin apartment project

By Amy Denney
May 4, 2018

Construction is underway at The Elizabeth at Presidio located near SH 45 N and Lake Creek Parkway.

StreetLights Residential, the developer behind several apartment communities in Northwest Austin, has started building a new project near Cedar Park.

The developer announced May 1 that construction is underway on the 373-unit The Elizabeth at Presidio, which will have one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 504-1,938 square feet.

The project is one of at least eight apartment complexes that are under construction in the Northwest Austin area.

The Elizabeth will be located at the northeast corner of SH 45 N and Lake Creek Parkway.

The first units will be available to residents in 2019.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/n...tment-project/

[Armybrat]

Do these 4 story apartment complex developments built in recent years have elevators, or are they just walk-ups?

[the Genral]

Grey fox alert in my neighborhood on the eastern edge of Round Rock near 45 and 130. Seems they have a taste for cats and the ability to jump over a 6 foot fence. If the hawks and owls weren't enough of an airborne threat, now I have to keep an eye out for my Chihuahuas and my pigeons and chickens for incoming land attackers. Add to that coyotes and rattlers and you have another good reason to avoid the burbs of Austin.
Living Spaces is just about completed and should be opening soon. They are almost done with the exterior and all the signage is up and the long driveway and huge parking lot has been connected to Heatherwilde. I'm going to the grand opening. This place looks so huge, I just want to get inside and look around and hopefully meet some celebs. I imagine the upcoming fan fare will be justified.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Grey fox alert in my neighborhood on the eastern edge of Round Rock near 45 and 130. Seems they have a taste for cats and the ability to jump over a 6 foot fence. If the hawks and owls weren't enough of an airborne threat, now I have to keep an eye out for my Chihuahuas and my pigeons and chickens for incoming land attackers. Add to that coyotes and rattlers and you have another good reason to avoid the burbs of Austin.
Living Spaces is just about completed and should be opening soon. They are almost done with the exterior and all the signage is up and the long driveway and huge parking lot has been connected to Heatherwilde. I'm going to the grand opening. This place looks so huge, I just want to get inside and look around and hopefully meet some celebs. I imagine the upcoming fan fare will be justified.

We’ve got some awful hawks up near Parmer/McNeil. Total assholes. They’ve skipped the chihuahuas and have moved on to divebombing humans.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Armybrat

Do these 4 story apartment complex developments built in recent years have elevators, or are they just walk-ups?

Unless they are explicitly designed as a senior living facility, I serious doubt you can take an elevator all the way up to floor #4. Furniture movers would probably appreciate a freight elevator though.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

City Council approves Kalahari Resorts zoning





https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/news/...esorts-zoning/

This broke ground.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...ound-rock.html

Kalahari resort, convention center breaks ground in Round Rock
Water slides, mammoth meeting space in the works

By Daniel Salazar – Staff Writer, Austin Business Journal
13 hours ago

Kalahari Resort and Convention Center broke ground Tuesday in Round Rock, a project that will likely make a big splash in Williamson County's convention and tourism business.

The 350-acre development across from the Dell Diamond and Old Settlers Park will include a 975-room hotel and features ranging from water slides and restaurants to a 200,000-square-foot convention center, according to an announcement that called it a $550 million project.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by Armybrat

Do these 4 story apartment complex developments built in recent years have elevators, or are they just walk-ups?

Yes, residential bldgs above 3 floors are required to have elevators.