AUSTIN Update Thread

[hookem]

Originally Posted by austintilIdie

I really hope the RunTex re-development finds more height flexibility, I'd like to see a cluster just as tall as the Hyatt . I think it is a no brainer to have residential/hotel fare that provides walkable access to so many areas... Zilker/B Springs, S 1st, South Lamar, Auditorium Shores, Downtown and South Congress.

I agree. That is a prime lot, and 6 story residential sounds very underwhelming for it. At least it sounds like there will be plenty of street level retail, which really is not maximized right now for that lot. The current config wastes a lot of space for only a single 3K sq ft store. Would be nice to have a building with underground parking (or at least above-ground parking garage before the apartment floors).. that could be of great benefit during those events where the Long Center and One Texas center parking garages fill up. Like during the Cap 10K, Auditorium shores events, etc.

[Jdawgboy]

Unfortunately they are catering to the Bouldin Creek NA, because they are hell bent on keeping anything tall away from their precious neighborhood. As it is there are still grumblings about traffic and congestion ect... Same old NIMBY talking points.

I guess the bright side is it would act as a buffer and may promote taller buildings closer to the Hyatt.

[KevinFromTexas]

Ideally, I'd like to see something twice that height there, at least. I like the idea that was presented about stepping down the skyline in the South Shore area. I think that building is far enough north that it could be up to 100 feet taller and still not be too overbearing.

[Hill Country]

I'd like a solid wall of super talls on both sides of Lady Bird Lake from I35 to Lake Austin to shade everyone who ventures into the entire length of the lake during our steaming hot springs, summers and falls.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

I'd like a solid wall of super talls on both sides of Lady Bird Lake from I35 to Lake Austin to shade everyone who ventures into the entire length of the lake during our steaming hot springs, summers and falls.

that would be awesome. i don't think there is a US skyline that is anything similar to that like having conjoining skylines from one side of a river to the other.

[sammyk]

Originally Posted by migol24

that would be awesome. i don't think there is a US skyline that is anything similar to that like having conjoining skylines from one side of a river to the other.

Well, there's Chicago...

[BevoLJ]

Oh, ya there is Chicago. Can't think of any others off the top of my head.

Though the Chicago river is a lot different than Town Lake. It is only like 150-200 feet wide. It makes me think more of a channel in that part, and the part that does look riverish is more like Barton Springs than Town Lake. Town Lake is more like 600-1000 feet wide, and I'd guess over 800 feet at the part downtown we are talking about.

What I'd like to see is something like London. The Thames and Colorado are about the same size. And that part of London is probably about 800 feet much like the part in downtown Austin. We just need to build a great big Shard in Austin. Right on the south side of the Barton Springs / Riverside intersection. Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association would LOVE it! And an Eye next to the Statesman.

Then we could build our own Tube. =) If only......

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Oh, ya there is Chicago. Can't think of any others off the top of my head.

Though the Chicago river is a lot different than Town Lake. It is only like 150-200 feet wide. It makes me think more of a channel in that part, and the part that does look riverish is more like Barton Springs than Town Lake. Town Lake is more like 600-1000 feet wide, and I'd guess over 800 feet at the part downtown we are talking about.

What I'd like to see is something like London. The Thames and Colorado are about the same size. And that part of London is probably about 800 feet much like the part in downtown Austin. We just need to build a great big Shard in Austin. Right on the south side of the Barton Springs / Riverside intersection. Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association would LOVE it! And an Eye next to the Statesman.

Then we could build our own Tube. =) If only......

That would be cool but only in our dreams.

By the way it seems we may have celebrated a bit too soon over Imagine Austin passing and Laura Morrison softening up. She placed a few additions to the plan in which neighborhood NAs could opt out completely and create their own separate plans. Which means we are going to have to attend neighborhood planning meetings if we want a denser, vibrant, more connected city.

Kevin get ready to join me at Southwood NA's meetings. You may not be in Southwood but ur close and Stassney, South First, and Manchaca are subject to the Southwood NA plan since those are its border streets and whatever they plan for Stasseny will directly affect your neighborhood.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by sammyk

Well, there's Chicago...

well yeah i guess there is then.

[KevinFromTexas]

I love waterfront skylines.

Jacksonville, Florida spans its river. It actually has three separate skylines that front the St. John's River. It's 3rd tallest building is on the other side of the river from downtown. It's over 400 feet tall.

And then there's Miami which is forming a canyon along the Miami River, although, not as intense as Chicago has.

There are other skylines, too, although they're split between two cities, and sometimes between two states and even two countries. Off the top of my head there's Cincinnati which shares a riverfront skyline with Covington, Kentucky just over the river. And of course Detroit's downtown fronts the Detroit River facing Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The funny thing is Detroit is actually north of its Canadian counterpart.

Philadelphia is a unique situation. It's downtown is bordered by two rivers. The central core actually spans that space. Philly will likely have a skyline on the other side of the Schuylkill River eventually. There's already a 400+ foot building across the river from downtown, and the 2nd tower in that project is supposed to be over 600 feet tall. And then on the other side of downtown across the Deleware River is Camden, New Jersey, which doesn't really have a waterfront skyline, but it's downtown is located on the river. And of course there's New York with Brooklyn and Jersey City's skylines facing Manhattan.

I'm sure there's more, too. I know that Portland has a few buildings on both sides of its river. Portland's a beautiful city and has some of the most urban and environmentally city planning guidelines in the world.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/business/re...w-2403286.html

Lots of new Austin towers planned -- but how many will become reality?

Shonda Novak, The Real Estate Beat

Updated: 7:44 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2012
Published: 7:19 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2012

Through the years, when my sage sister Lisa wanted to dismiss one of my stupendous (OK, implausible) ideas, she'd say dryly: "Let's talk about something that's really going to happen."

Her quip comes to mind as local real estate observers debate which of the numerous proposed downtown high-rise projects will actually get built, in this or coming real estate cycles.

Will it be Cousins Properties' proposed office tower at Third and Colorado streets, across from Sullivan's? Or maybe Endeavor Real Estate Group's 13-story office tower for IBC Bank's headquarters? Will both new convention hotels get built — a JW Marriott at Second Street and Congress Avenue and a Fairmont hotel at Red River and Cesar Chavez streets? And what about Endeavor's planned 36-story apartment/office tower on Bowie Street, Novare/Andrews Urban's 23-story SkyHouse apartment tower for Rainey Street and the two 50ish-story residential high-rises that the Sutton Co. plans in the Rainey Street area?

[Spaceman]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

That would be cool but only in our dreams.

By the way it seems we may have celebrated a bit too soon over Imagine Austin passing and Laura Morrison softening up. She placed a few additions to the plan in which neighborhood NAs could opt out completely and create their own separate plans. Which means we are going to have to attend neighborhood planning meetings if we want a denser, vibrant, more connected city.

Kevin get ready to join me at Southwood NA's meetings. You may not be in Southwood but ur close and Stassney, South First, and Manchaca are subject to the Southwood NA plan since those are its border streets and whatever they plan for Stasseny will directly affect your neighborhood.

morrison will never soften...This women is angry about something that probably has nothing to do with politics or city issues. She has $$$$ but still is P/O 'ed...

[JoninATX]

Originally Posted by Spaceman

morrison will never soften...This women is angry about something that probably has nothing to do with politics or city issues. She has $$$$ but still is P/O 'ed...

Well some women are that way pmsing or missing something in life, but thats another story.

[JoninATX]

I was in West Campus today just crusing by when I notice a large hole in the ground at W. 26 & San Padro. There was no sign or anything.

[Spaceman]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

I was in West Campus today just crusing by when I notice a large hole in the ground at W. 26 & San Padro. There was no sign or anything.

This hole is being dug to bury the UT sports programs...has anyone noticed that the more Brown and Augie Dogie are paid, the worse their teams perform

[the Genral]

At least your men's golf team is doing pretty good. Until the golf coach gets a raise...

[the Genral]

Kevin, BevoLJ, belated thanks for the replies on my apartment post...Friday thru Sunday in retail means little time for play. I am working with 3 potential customers who are moving here next month from California, one from San Diego who said we are still less than a third the cost of a home there and twice the size. I'm also seeing more people moving to Austin from the NYC, Long Island area where they are also "blown away" by how much more house they can by here for a 1/3 to half of what they were paying. So even at $215K avg, we are still very affordable, to transplants from CA and NY... but not so much for us locals. You know after my post on how I thought the numbers were way too skewed renters VS property owners, I started taking notice on credit apps I ran as to whether they were renters or owners....I ran 17 apps sat and sun, 11 were renting and 6 owned their homes.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I love waterfront skylines.

Jacksonville, Florida spans its river. It actually has three separate skylines that front the St. John's River. It's 3rd tallest building is on the other side of the river from downtown. It's over 400 feet tall.

And then there's Miami which is forming a canyon along the Miami River, although, not as intense as Chicago has.

There are other skylines, too, although they're split between two cities, and sometimes between two states and even two countries. Off the top of my head there's Cincinnati which shares a riverfront skyline with Covington, Kentucky just over the river. And of course Detroit's downtown fronts the Detroit River facing Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The funny thing is Detroit is actually north of its Canadian counterpart.

Philadelphia is a unique situation. It's downtown is bordered by two rivers. The central core actually spans that space. Philly will likely have a skyline on the other side of the Schuylkill River eventually. There's already a 400+ foot building across the river from downtown, and the 2nd tower in that project is supposed to be over 600 feet tall. And then on the other side of downtown across the Deleware River is Camden, New Jersey, which doesn't really have a waterfront skyline, but it's downtown is located on the river. And of course there's New York with Brooklyn and Jersey City's skylines facing Manhattan.

I'm sure there's more, too. I know that Portland has a few buildings on both sides of its river. Portland's a beautiful city and has some of the most urban and environmentally city planning guidelines in the world.

I've been to many of the cities you mentioned including London, Boston has a lot of waterfront Highrises, but I think the key differences between most of those cities and ours is that their water ways and rivers support industries and ours parks and wildlife. I'm all for enhancing the area on Congress Ave from Riverside south and around the Hyatt, but I'd hate to see a wall of towers along the south side of the lake. But of course I know you were all kidding about that...right

[KevinFromTexas]

The point isn't to wall off the river, and that's not what that comment/phrase was about. What it is about is taking advantage of the wonderful natural environment we have here that everyone enjoys. New development/redevelopment will actually make it more accessible to the general public. Right now the lake front is bordered by some parking lots, private low density apartments that sit right on the river and offer no public access. How can that be beneficial to the community? Thankfully Austin was never a major industrial city, so our river retained much of its natural character. It can still do that even with more highrise/midrise development that is low impact on the environment.

Riverside Drive will become a major corridor for development whether we like it or not. It's the main artery from downtown to our airport and skirts our most major body of water. Riverside and the major streets branching from it should have more dense development. I would like to see Riverside turn into a major highrise/midrise street in Austin. We could have a waterfront similar to Chicago's with respect to residential development facing it with a hike and bike trail and urban parks along its route.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by migol24

that would be awesome. i don't think there is a US skyline that is anything similar to that like having conjoining skylines from one side of a river to the other.

sorry Kevin, I know that wasn't your point, but previous posts...