Downtown Projects

[Longhorn Al 440]

7 hours ago, CleverNickname said:

Republic Park is going to feel strange when its nestled between 848 and 708 buildings. I don't think I see a render that has both the 6x and the Republic. 

And there's going to be a 480' tower on that empty corner of the ZaZa block.

[J.R. Juniors Junior Jr. 1084]

On 9/19/2018 at 12:07 PM, 40acredropout said:

They are only taking top 3 floors.  It's 12 floors total... not sure how many of them are parking.

 

On 9/13/2018 at 7:27 PM, LonghornSean said:

Here's my view of SXSW HQ.  Certainly nicer than looking at the Doubletree, although they cut into my view of DKR.

 

 

So, does SXSW have real employees, or will it be three floors of people volunteering for badges?

[bolverk 29644]

New apartment tower going up in West Campus which, more or less, is becoming part of the urban core (i.e., downtown):

https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/housing-real-estate/2018/09/26/700-bedroom-student-housing-project-planned-to-wrap-around-historic-central-austin-home/

Quote

A massive student housing project planned for West Campus will tightly wrap around a two-story historic home should Austin City Council green light the development next month.

The 17-story, roughly 700-bedroom high-rise is proposed for 611 W. 22nd Street at the corner of Rio Grande and W. 22nd streets. The project will abut the 21 Rio high-rise apartment complex at 2101 Rio Grande Street and overtake much of the space currently occupied by the old Star of Texas Inn bed and breakfast and a small eight-unit student housing apartment.

 

Edited September 28, 2018 by bolverk

[Bigpoppapump 529]

On 9/23/2018 at 7:44 PM, J.R. Juniors Junior Jr. said:

 

So, does SXSW have real employees, or will it be three floors of people volunteering for badges?

My best friend works for them, they have quite a few employees.  I wanna say there were split between the place by tiniest and whole foods and another near texas chili parlour for years.  Now they possibly need the extra room.

[J.R. Juniors Junior Jr. 1084]

2 hours ago, bolverk said:

New apartment tower going up in West Campus which, more or less, is becoming part of the urban core (i.e., downtown):

https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/housing-real-estate/2018/09/26/700-bedroom-student-housing-project-planned-to-wrap-around-historic-central-austin-home/

 

[Guest Lobo]

Can we call that building "Clockwork Burnt Orange"?  

[Longhorn Al 440]

44 East Ave - 51 fl 545 ft

http://www.44eastavenue.com/

https://www.statesman.com/news/20181003/exclusive-51-story-condo-tower-planned-for-rainey-district

Edited October 3, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Longhorn Al 440]

[Deej 76748]

Too many gaps.

[Longhorn Al 440]

8 minutes ago, Deej said:

Too many gaps.

For now...

[yoladu 4090]

8 minutes ago, Deej said:

Too many gaps.

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[Longhorn Al 440]

A link to a presentation with this project on it was found and posted on SSP, then quickly removed from the source.  This was captured, though:

http://i64.tinypic.com/ok9x6a.jpg

The thinking is that it's the half block parking lot at 7th & San Jacinto.

[Longhorn Al 440]

I have no idea if that link up there works. My phone is freaking out with poor LTE reception.  And the timeout to edit a post is stupidly short.

Trying again:

 

Edited October 16, 2018 by Longhorn Al

[Deej 76748]

That Tetris tower should compliment the Jenga tower.

[Guest Lobo]

So that street level unit at 5th & Guadalupe that has been a graveyard for interesting retail opportunities.  Private men's salon, office, et. al.  

And now it's a fucking Domino's cafe?  Not just a delivery jump-off point, but an actual eat inside Domino's pizza cafe.

 

Da Fuh?  

[J.R. Juniors Junior Jr. 1084]

2 hours ago, Lobo said:

So that street level unit at 5th & Guadalupe that has been a graveyard for interesting retail opportunities.  Private men's salon, office, et. al.  

And now it's a fucking Domino's cafe?  Not just a delivery jump-off point, but an actual eat inside Domino's pizza cafe.

 

Da Fuh?  

That screams pop-up use for marketing in an area that perceived to be a tastemaker.  Watch for the ad showing hip young people shocked by the great pizza they're getting at the cafe.

[Rollo Tomassi 80]

I'm sure I'm late to the party, but is the top of the Independent finished?  I can't imagine they're leaving it that rough.

[KaiserSoze 998]

Yes, it's finished- confirmed by someone involved with the project. I asked about it last weekend specifically because I couldn't believe they were going to leave it like that and I was told "yep, that's it". I'm guessing that top portion of it looked a lot better on paper. 

Edited December 6, 2018 by KaiserSoze

[Rollo Tomassi 80]

Thanks Kaiser.  They built a very unique building and then fucked it up by half-assing the very part that people focus on.  Crazy.

[Guest Lobo]

it looks like the top of a cheap pepper shaker from Sur Le Tab

[Biff Tannen 45660]

2 hours ago, Rollo Tomassi said:

I'm sure I'm late to the party, but is the top of the Independent finished?  I can't imagine they're leaving it that rough.

 

1 hour ago, KaiserSoze said:

Yes, it's finished- confirmed by someone involved with the project. I asked about it last weekend specifically because I couldn't believe they were going to leave it like that and I was told "yep, that's it". I'm guessing that top portion of it looked a lot better on paper. 

 

1 hour ago, Rollo Tomassi said:

Thanks Kaiser.  They built a very unique building and then fucked it up by half-assing the very part that people focus on.  Crazy.

Thank you and yes is horrible, this idea.  I asked my wife the exact same question the other day.  The bottom 9/10ths came out so much better than I thought and then they just completely fucked the ending.

[KaiserSoze 998]

They may as well turn the top into an abortion clinic.

Edited December 6, 2018 by KaiserSoze

[bolverk 29644]

A crown of glory rendered into a crown of thorns.

[Biff Tannen 45660]

How badass would this be?  Too late?

[Guest Lobo]

Is that Ann Kitchen's vagina?  

[mop 18]

this is my new favorite thread! I am obsessed with buildings.

[BottleRocket 644]

19 hours ago, Rollo Tomassi said:

I'm sure I'm late to the party, but is the top of the Independent finished?  I can't imagine they're leaving it that rough.

The funny thing is that the screen wall on top is meant to hide the rooftop HVAC equipment and it doesn't even do that.  Total fail.

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, that's what I figured.  But it's kinda like when you close your mini-blinds the clockwise way.  All the way down here, we look straight up into the equipment.  It only hides it completely if you're standing adjacent to the top.  Which is rare, I'm told.  

[KaiserSoze 998]

As reference/context for those not in Austin... taken today on my walk back to the office from Wu Chow.

[Guest Lobo]

They should at least light it up for Christmas.  

[clapclapclap 9000]

One-upped a penthouse with a penitentiaryhouse.

Edited December 7, 2018 by clapclapclap
Perfect for Affluenza perps

[Rollo Tomassi 80]

God, it looks even worse in the photo.  What a shit show.

[KaiserSoze 998]

I saw a couple of worse angles on the rest of my walk back.

[Deej 76748]

That shot reminds me of the top of the control tower at the old Mueller airport, but off kilter.

[gecko 1104]

Thought I’d put this here as well...is this the worse kept secret in Austin?

[gecko 1104]

Another version....up to 15k employees...

[bolverk 29644]

Details from official press release:

Apple’s newest Austin campus will be located less than a mile from its existing facilities. The 133-acre campus will initially accommodate 5,000 additional employees, with the capacity to grow to 15,000, and is expected to make Apple the largest private employer in Austin.

“Apple is among the world’s most innovative companies and an avid creator of jobs in Texas and across the country,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. “Their decision to expand operations in our state is a testament to the high-quality workforce and unmatched economic environment that Texas offers. I thank Apple for this tremendous investment in Texas, and I look forward to building upon our strong partnership to create an even brighter future for the Lone Star State.”

Jobs created at the new campus will include a broad range of functions including engineering, R&D, operations, finance, sales and customer support. At 6,200 people, Austin already represents the largest population of Apple employees outside Cupertino.

“Apple has been a vital part of the Austin community for a quarter century, and we are thrilled that they are deepening their investment in our people and the city we love,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “Apple and Austin share a creative spark and a commitment to getting big things done. We share their commitment to diversity and inclusion. We’re excited they are bringing more middle-skilled jobs to the area. And we’re particularly gratified by their commitment to providing a great place to work for a large and growing number of America's veterans.”

“Apple is truly a part of our Texas family,” said Williamson County Director of Administration Rebecca Clemons. “Apple’s vision on innovation, quality and simplicity align with the values here in Williamson County. We are both committed to continued job creation and outstanding quality of life. This new expansion is a perfect example of the astounding growth and opportunity that are possible when a company and a community work together.”

The new campus will include 50 acres of preserved open space and, like all Apple facilities worldwide, its workspaces will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

[gecko 1104]

who needs Amazon?

[clapclapclap 9000]

44 minutes ago, gecko said:

who needs Amazon?

Porch pirates?

[Guest Lobo]

If you add up the latest big 3 announcements for Austin---Apple expansion, Residio Inc., and Army Futures Command...in aggregate---they will easily (over time obviously) surpass the 25,000 jobs Amazon HQ1.5 promised.  Be more spread out, cover more paygrades/backgrounds, and probably make a bigger difference to quality of life overall (in a good way).  

 

Getting back to downtown projects.  The Fifth & West condo tower should be wrapping up street level activity any day now and move to finish outs up above.  Welcome news for that cockblocked lane of West 5th Street.  However, can we talk aesthetics?  Looking from the east or north...it's attractive.  Not terribly original, but pleasant.  But from the south, and particularly the west...it's ugly and monolithic and some bastardized Bauhaus bullshit.   Da fuh?  And those should have been the views (for the owners) that were capitalized on.  I realize there's a structual need for some of what they did, but it's beyond "meh" from two prominent angles.  

And Dominos pizza at the Plaza rages on!  Can you imagine the horrible fucking smell now wafting into some of the tennants above on the NW corner who have a $1.5 condo that answers the question, "What if the bus stop across the street blended with cheap cardboard pizza ovens?"  

[LonghornSean 3989]

Tower crane at SXSW HQ came down last week.

[bolverk 29644]

UT Dell Medical School reveals master plan details for $283 million replacement of Austin State Hospital

[bolverk 29644]

Here’s a Fresh Look at Block 71, an Austin Tower Worth Remembering

The link is worth a view. Lots of new renderings and details on this one.

 

 

[bolverk 29644]

Riverside & South First Hooters is set for demolition February 4th. After construction, they need to put up a historical plaque to mark the time that Shaggy Surly met Demi.

Here's a reminder on its replacement. The image posted earlier in this thread is no more. A couple of new renderings at the link.

[Deej 76748]

They can fit a lot of Jawas on that thing. 

[Celery Man 20929]

Are they razing that shitty brown building next door? I thought I remembered that that was going away.

[Armybrat 40814]

Plz don’t ever touch Pitch & Putt.

[Pasken 1309]

The new Downtown Metro Train station begins construction in March after SXSW. The new station will increase the capacity at the end of the line to 3 trains instead of 1 allowing the frequency of the line to shoot up to 15 minutes in rush hour.

[bolverk 29644]

55 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

Are they razing that shitty brown building next door? I thought I remembered that that was going away.

Which project are you talking about? The Hooters triangle is all surface parking except for the actual restaurant.

[Deej 76748]

38 minutes ago, Pasken said:

The new Downtown Metro Train station begins construction in March after SXSW. The new station will increase the capacity at the end of the line to 3 trains instead of 1 allowing the frequency of the line to shoot up to 15 minutes in rush hour.

That will completely fuck up traffic at Lamar and Airport during rush hour.