Downtown Projects

[Longhorn Al 440]

Starting the thread. This is the place for news of construction, plans, renderings, insider information, rumors, hearsay, scuttlebutt, and complaining about how old Austin was better.

I'll compile something for current projects in the coming days.

 

Under Construction

The Independent

58 fl - 690 ft

Construction Cam: https://www.workzonecam.com/projects/balfourbeatty7/theindependent/workzonecam

from Urbannizer (SSP)

from AusTexDevelopment (SSP)

 

Block 71

36 fl - 542 ft

 

 

Marriott Hotel at Cesar Chavez

31 fl - 386 ft

 

Fifth & West

39 fl - 459 ft

 

70 Rainey

33 fl - 419 ft

 

 

 

Austin Proper

32 fl - 397 ft

from AusTexDevelopment (SSP)

from Urbannizer (SSP)

 

Third+Shoal

29 fl - 389 ft

Construction Cam: https://app.oxblue.com/open/DPR/cielo

 

 

Hotel ZaZa & Apartments

24 fl - 305 ft

 

from CovairKeith (SSP)

 

Homewood Suites at East Avenue

17 fl - 184 ft

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Rollo Tomassi 80]

Excellent Al. 

[Armybrat 40814]

Old Austin skyline (Summer of 1959) at I-35 & Elmhurst. Doesn't look like that any more, and neither does Cousin Joann.

[Biff Tannen 45660]

That curve is my daily nemesis.  And damn Cousin Joann...

[bolverk 29644]

This awesome Blade Runner style photo of Austin's skyline was posted on a subreddit called city porn last night. 

Link to the photogs instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/joshuaraichur/

[Chet Steadman 940]

2 minutes ago, bolverk said:

This awesome Blade Runner style photo of Austin's skyline was posted on a subreddit called city porn last night. 

 

  Hide contents

 

 

Link to the photogs instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/joshuaraichur/

 

Looks like something from The Dark Knight.

[Armybrat 40814]

Downtown parking utilization study:

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=291336

[Celery Man 20929]

Its crazy how east/west the skyline has become.

[Armybrat 40814]

Following the waterfront is pretty common.

The view of downtown from the MoPac bridge over LB Lake is kind of startling, da or night - packing the high rises all together from that angle.

Same from the East:

Edited April 5, 2018 by Armybrat

[Longhorn Al 440]

I need to get around to making some sort of all-encompassing post, but thought I'd share this for now.  https://austin.towers.net/fun-facts-on-downtowns-upcoming-alexan-capitol-apartment-tower/

Alexan Capitol (350')

Rooftop Pool Lounge

 

[Longhorn Al 440]

https://austin.towers.net/30-story-tower-concept-could-rise-at-fifth-and-red-river-in-downtown-austin/

5th & Red River (30 floors)

Edited May 3, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

Updated the original post to include many of the towers under construction.  I'll add proposed ones later.

[Fico 1778]

5th and Red River is just a concept drawing from the OM on the site, which is currently on the market.

[Longhorn Al 440]

The courthouse lot tower looks like a worse version of Block 71. Ugh.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2018/05/18/first-look-new-downtown-office-tower-could-rise-37.html?ana=e_mc_prem&s=newsletter&ed=2018-05-18&u=0GFzdSSEAa%2FFqoatuXZXIg07c0bb75&t=1526651938&j=81663831

 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

Stupid pics aren't showing in the OP. I'll fix it later.

[bolverk 29644]

We need to get one of the Bobs to combine the two threads. Brat started one in late April that I recently posted about block 71 in.

@hayden_horn

 

Edited May 19, 2018 by bolverk

[Longhorn Al 440]

44 minutes ago, bolverk said:

We need to get one of the Bobs to combine the two threads. Brat started one in late April that I recently posted about block 71 in.

@hayden_horn

 

Brat should have known better. He even posted in this one. 

[Armybrat 40814]

Brat forgets where his pants are.

Anyway, the Independent topped out last week. Time to repeat that cool animated video...

 

[Longhorn Al 440]

The G logo is up on 500 W 2nd.  You can see it on the Independent's web cam. Click on the skyline tab and zoom in. Hopefully it'll be lit up soon.

 

https://www.workzonecam.com/projects/balfourbeatty7/theindependent/workzonecam

[Longhorn Al 440]

300 Colorado (Sullivan's block) - Parsley Energy HQ

446' - 32 fl

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

More renderings of The Republic (block south of Republic Square) - 586'

 

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

I'll move them to another hose when I get home.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

Ok. They should be visible.

Updated the Parsley Energy photos from July 4, too.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

Some discussion on Block 185 - the last lot of the Green Water Treatment Plant development on the riverfront.

Quote

Some info was added to the site plan this morning. It's 35-stories, 463' to "finished floor elevation" and 592' "building height". It must have a substantial crown/spire.

711K+ sq ft office
8K+ retail

 

 

427MM on SSP:

 

Quote

It's a starchitect and from what I hear we're all going to love it!

 

[Longhorn Al 440]

Hanover 5th & Lavaca - ~40fl ~480'

 

[Longhorn Al 440]

Another rendering of Alexan Capitol.

[Longhorn Al 440]

SXSW HQ (1400 Lavaca) - 179'

from Urbannizer (SSP)

[Celery Man 20929]

They’ve really started making progress on the sxsw tower over the past few months

[Guest Lobo]

It would certainly seem that downtown Austin is moving from Congress 1st-8th to the SW corner of the grid, with even some more spillover beyond that.  Where the hell are we gonna put the tourist traps?  

[Longhorn Al 440]

Are there any rumblings about the BBVA Compass 1/4 block at 6th & Guadalupe?  321 W 6th.  Just wondering. Perfect spot for a point tower and it's unencumbered by a CVC.

Also, anything new on the half block north of IBC Bank along 6th across from Little Woodrow's?  When IBC was built, I remember reading that something would eventually get built there.  It also does not have a CVC.

6th & Guadalupe could be an amazing intersection.  600 Guadalupe (848'), something very big on the post office block, the potential point tower I just mentioned.  The other corner of the intersection is the 300 W 6th tower (328').

[Longhorn Al 440]

Travis County Courthouse - 17th & Guadalupe

 

[Horn_Spanker 524]

Is the construction I see at the Northwest corner of I35 and Slaughter, the HEB that had a sign up for so long it rotted and fell over?  If so, about god damn time!

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

The Word on the Street at 600 Guadalupe, Austin’s Tallest Tower Plan

https://austin.towers.net/the-word-on-the-street-at-600-guadalupe-austins-tallest-tower-plan/

Edited July 30, 2018 by DalTxHornFan

[Longhorn Al 440]

15 minutes ago, Horn_Spanker said:

Is the construction I see at the Northwest corner of I35 and Slaughter, the HEB that had a sign up for so long it rotted and fell over?  If so, about god damn time!

Yes, it is.

[clapclapclap 9000]

29 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

The Word on the Street at 600 Guadalupe, Austin’s Tallest Tower Plan

https://austin.towers.net/the-word-on-the-street-at-600-guadalupe-austins-tallest-tower-plan/

Quote

But one structure in the district, the 1858 James T. Brown House, actually sits on the northeast corner of the Sixth and Guadalupe Street block — so the new building’s got to play nice, and in this case that means taking a bite out of its parking podium to make room:

That is where they'll put the hot tub.

 

 

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

15 minutes ago, clapclapclap said:

That is where they'll put the hot tub.

 

 

Solid post!

[Celery Man 20929]

On 7/22/2018 at 6:11 PM, Longhorn Al said:

Travis County Courthouse - 17th & Guadalupe

 

rip dog and duck

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

15 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

rip dog and duck

It was called St. Michaels when I was a Longhorn "scholar".  Great pitchers of margaritas!

 

[Dbeasy 15039]

Can this city really support all these tower projects? There is no mass transit system.

[Longhorn Al 440]

10 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Can this city really support all these tower projects? There is no mass transit system.

I still think they could develop a very good bus system if they really wanted to. 

[skipperj 377]

31 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

It was called St. Michaels when I was a Longhorn "scholar".  Great pitchers of margaritas!

 

Interested in hearing more about this. I started at UT in 91, knew it was always Dog and Duck. Finally found that it opened in 1990. Google isn’t finding anything about St Michaels. Or they are way deep in search results.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

10 minutes ago, skipperj said:

Interested in hearing more about this. I started at UT in 91, knew it was always Dog and Duck. Finally found that it opened in 1990. Google isn’t finding anything about St Michaels. Or they are way deep in search results.

Late 70's.  Popular place.  Blue Parrot and Casablanca were just around the corner.  Good times.

Edited July 31, 2018 by DalTxHornFan

[Longhorn Al 440]

Finally some movement on the intake facility.

https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2018/08/seaholm-waterfront-study-produces-a-plan-that-pard-recommends/

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=302332

 

[Biff Tannen 45660]

Actually looks pretty good.

[Pasken 1309]

On 7/30/2018 at 6:43 PM, Dbeasy said:

Can this city really support all these tower projects? There is no mass transit system.

I think the condo market is slowing down a lot but there is a huge demand for office space. I think that's going to dominate the towers in the next 5 years.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

Wherein the boring actual vs. interesting planned Fairmount Austin tower is bemoaned.

https://austin.towers.net/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-signature-towers-in-austin/

 

 

Edited August 1, 2018 by DalTxHornFan

[TheYoungHorn 58]

19 hours ago, Pasken said:

I think the condo market is slowing down a lot but there is a huge demand for office space. I think that's going to dominate the towers in the next 5 years.

And the job growth downtown, of high paying jobs in those offices, will continue to support the condos and apartments because...as you mentioned the lack of transport options. 

That becomes a moot point when you can walk, bike or ride a scooter/uber/autonomous dillo to your office, grocery store, bars and restaurants in under 10 minutes. 

The office towers are a bigger problem as they bring in more drivers to put more strain on the infrastructure, as most won't live downtown. 

[Longhorn Al 440]

loonytoony on SSP re: Block 185

Quote

Sooooo I may or may not have seen a render on this recently. There is a starchitect involved... That's all that can be shared for now. Let's just say though that if the render turns out accurate, IMO everyone will be well pleased with the result.

 

Any of our insiders care to share with me via PM?

[Deej 76748]

^^^^

[Longhorn Al 440]

The next big project on the horizon?

Railyard Condos for sale: https://www.mystatesman.com/business/railyard-condo-project-downtown-austin-hits-the-market/2xIiKFpIcoW4h5oal2t09J/

No CVC. Butts up to the planned convention center expansion.  Two half-blocks.

Perry Lorenz is quoted as saying he's heard they received offers over $1000/sq ft for the land.