AUSTIN | Block 16 | 590 Feet | 41 Floors | Approved - Page 4

The ATX · #61 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 9:37 PM**

Here are some at street with the link to the DC presentation. The height is now 723'.

http://austintexas.gov/cityclerk/boa...tings/22_1.htm

freerover · #62 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 9:44 PM**

Crap. I didn't think they were serious about developing. I thought it was just a way to squeeze the city on the convention center land. This isn't good.

The ATX · #63 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 9:45 PM**

One of the new 723' elevations. The elevations are on the last two pages.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=345558

ILUVSAT · #64 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 9:56 PM**

I don't like how boxy it is. However, I like the slate grey color and the interesting design of the façades/curtain wall.

GoldenBoot · #65 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 10:39 PM**

Tom Stacy commissioned Pelli-Clarke-Pelli to design his 47-story, 700-foot tower...and we all know what happened there. Oh...anyone else notice the similarity in design between the two?!?

Basically, an increase in height in no way makes this project more likely to come to fruition.

We vs us · #66 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 11:19 PM**

Yeah, bad news for the CC expansion. This is an escalation for sure. The city better get its act together . . . though who knows if it's even possible at this point, HOT collections being what they currently are.

But generally speaking -- going big on an office tower during a pandemic just seems so amazingly risky, knowing what else is out there in the pipeline, ahead of this one. I know everyone is playing the long game in Austin, but for some reason this one seems speculative and risky in ways the others we've seen don't. But you know, maybe I'm just oversensitive because I want this to be a convention center.

EDIT: That said, I'm not above feeling a little lust in my heart for all the east side parcels to go big. It could be such an amazing cluster -- imagine this one, Railyard, Hanover, and 4th and Brazos. Not to mention the stuff further out, like Waller Creek and the WeWork project. Kinda crazy, actually.

The ATX · #67 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 11:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

Yeah, bad news for the CC expansion. This is an escalation for sure. The city better get its act together . . . though who knows if it's even possible at this point, HOT collections being what they currently are.

But generally speaking -- going big on an office tower during a pandemic just seems so amazingly risky, knowing what else is out there in the pipeline, ahead of this one. I know everyone is playing the long game in Austin, but for some reason this one seems speculative and risky in ways the others we've seen don't. But you know, maybe I'm just oversensitive because I want this to be a convention center.

EDIT: That said, I'm not above feeling a little lust in my heart for all the east side parcels to go big. It could be such an amazing cluster -- imagine this one, Railyard, Hanover, and 4th and Brazos. Not to mention the stuff further out, like Waller Creek and the WeWork project. Kinda crazy, actually.

The ABJ posted an article this afternoon about the City reaffirming the CC plans despite the virus.

We vs us · #68 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 11:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

The ABJ posted an article this afternoon about the City reaffirming the CC plans despite the virus.

Good catch. It's actually an affiliate link from KXAN.

I'll cross post it to the Convention Center thread, too.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...nter-expansion

EDIT: in the actual memo, which KXAN links to, the ACC staff will have an update on financing for the Sept 15 City Council work session, and an update on an "exclusive negotiating agreement" as an agenda item for the city council meeting on Sept 17.

https://www.kxan.com/wp-content/uplo...nsion-memo.pdf

KevinFromTexas · #69 Posted **Aug 20, 2020, 11:53 PM**

Yeah, I think I'd be alright with that tower catching Covid and going away. I'm really kind of horrified at the thought of such a prominent height and location being given to such a lackluster design. Dig a hole and put it underground, please.

the Genral · #70 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 1:24 AM**

Well, well, well, I don't like it. I don't like it at all. Seems a bit boxy, dark, and foreboding. I would prefer an Enron type high rise there. Something silvery and curvy for a change. The step back is worse than a shit ton of notches. And everyone probably knows I don't like notches. And oh...this one is going to have both. Seems like lost opportunity for a sig 700 footer. But the height is cool though.

Echostatic · #71 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 1:29 AM**

It's a building, it's tall, people will work there. I say build it.

Syndic · #72 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 1:39 AM**

I know I've been a hater lately but I once again have to express my dissatisfaction with another variation of a fat glass box, even if it is tall.

We vs us · #73 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 1:48 AM**

Well holy shit, y'all -- i've been reading through the convention center pdf linked in the KXAN article and wow -- lots of changes to what we know! One of which is that this building CAN co-exist with both of the new scenarios Gensler is going to present to the city. From the pdf:

Quote:

Block 16’s ownership has been exploring the
potential for assembling the remainder of parcels between
2nd and 4th Streets [excluding the other half of the Marriott block, but INCLUDING the easternmost Railyard block] to partner with the City to co-develop
a vertically integrated tower/convention center expansion.

As this master plan update nears completion, a partnership
has been struck with all land owners between Second Street,
Trinity Street, Fourth Street and San Jacinto. This is an
important step in moving forward with the West expansion.

I really suggest reading the pdf, starting on pg 130 -- which is an update to the ACC master plan. The council has a couple of choices but in each one, everything we know about that corner of the city is up for grabs.

myBrain · #74 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 2:48 AM**

I'm gonna have to diverge from the pack. I think this tower is dope. This is a big city building, not a spindly condo or a midrise office stacked on a parking garage. The overhang will create a cool N-S profile and it will look relatively slim from E-W. The shingled facade is a cool texture and the dark glass color will provide a good backdrop for the surrounding buildings. It would complement 4th&Brazos fantastically.

KevinFromTexas · #75 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 3:18 AM**

My take on it.

I mean, it looks like a prototype for Kylo Ren's helmet. I actually like the sloped window panes. It reminds me of the taller (never built) design of the Fairmont in that respect. And I don't mind the color. The height is great, of course, but the form just looks like Gumby or something. I think we're getting too many of these raised boxes with another raised box stacked on top. And that overhang on the west side...I'm just not a fan. You have to remember both the ATX East and West Towers will look this way along with the 4th & Brazos Tower. All four big and tall towers with very similar designs. It's a race to monotony.

Anyway, with this tower now, we'll have 7 towers either under construction (6 X Guadalupe) or proposed that are over 700 feet. Um, Dallas currently has 5 towers over 700 feet. Houston has 11 in that height category.

Nickelplate · #76 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 4:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

I don't like how boxy it is. However, I like the slate grey color and the interesting design of the façades/curtain wall.

I am chiming in as a fan of the curtain wall design and color. But the shape, boxy top is redundant and uninspired. Rather have an expanded CC in this spot. Can we get an imaginative crown? 5C yes Indeed ok where else...?

Syndic · #77 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 3:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

Well holy shit, y'all -- i've been reading through the convention center pdf linked in the KXAN article and wow -- lots of changes to what we know! One of which is that this building CAN co-exist with both of the new scenarios Gensler is going to present to the city. From the pdf:

I really suggest reading the pdf, starting on pg 130 -- which is an update to the ACC master plan. The council has a couple of choices but in each one, everything we know about that corner of the city is up for grabs.

Oooookay, so I took your advice and gave it a (admittedly cursory) look but my impression is that they seem pretty dedicated to the idea of connecting 2nd St to Red River (which I LOVE. Yay, connectivity!) and adding a "paseo" through the convention center connecting 2nd to 4th via Neches (which I LOVE. Yay, connectivity!).

Ultimately, this would result in a lot more ability for pedestrians/visitors to mill about and enjoy themselves here. Right now, it's admittedly clunky/inconvenient.

Oh! Also, this is amazing and shows that they are really thinking hard about the problem of SXSW's much-needed empty downtown lots disappearing:

Ultimately, it seems like they're wanting to redevelop the convention center to be more compatible with SXSW as opposed to generic automotive conventions or whatever.

lonewolf · #78 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 3:45 PM**

the rendering looks extremely rough so i'm not too worried about it. looks like it has another couple drafts to go.

i worry wayyyyy more about street level interaction than how it looks from 3-4 angles available to blimps, postcards and birds. people are going to walk past this everyday people are going to walk in an out of it every day.

will the street level interaction be local handcrafted material? stone, wood and ironwork?

will it be brutalist oversized monochrome panels from china? i think about these things more these days. i used to only care about how it would look in our skyline. i think that thought process has destroyed many urban centers

AusTxDevelopment · #79 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 4:28 PM**

The convention center is going to need more room post-Covid just to keep up with distancing guidelines. As well as more furniture. These pictures were posted on LinkedIn of a conference held in Dallas. Everybody gets their own 6-foot table.

Source, and more photos: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...7000032522240/

We vs us · #80 Posted **Aug 21, 2020, 5:31 PM**

I saw that on LinkedIn, too -- it's the Omni Dallas Downtown. Crazy what meetings have to look like these days!

I don't think this kind of socially distant meeting will last longer than it absolutely has to. It's not the new normal. The value in meetings is proximity to other humans -- NOT the content of the presentation -- and this is kind of directly opposed to that. Hoteliers will do this as long as they have to but will downshift back to the way it was, or a reasonable facsimilie thereof -- ASAP.

That said, the CC still needs to be expanded. When meetings begin to come back again, we need to be able to take advantage of them, and do more of them than we currently do. So, I'm still on Team Expansion for sure.