Downtown Projects

[Ghost of LL 15531]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:14 PM, Pasken said:

I don’t have the flight paths in front of me but looking at the directions of the DAL runways and downtown Dallas, I don’t think it’s similar enough to compare to austin. 
 

Are you sure it blocks the approach? I guess it’s wb traffic going to 31R?

It doesn't exactly block the approach.  But both runways at DAL point directly at downtown.  In contrast, whether taking off to the north or to the south, downtown Austin is at a 90* angle to the approach on short final.

Yeah, planes departing to the west take a right turn when taking off to the south to go out over downtown.  But they're at higher altitude when they go over downtown Austin than what every single departure on 31R is at when going over downtown Dallas.

So I really don't understand the FAA restriction (insofar as its rumored existence is even real).  It must be the result of some recent regulatory changes.

[Pasken 1309]

4 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

It doesn't exactly block the approach.  But both runways at DAL point directly at downtown.  In contrast, whether taking off to the north or to the south, downtown Austin is at a 90* angle to the approach on short final.

Yeah, planes departing to the west take a right turn when taking off to the south to go out over downtown.  But they're at higher altitude when they go over downtown Austin than what every single departure on 31R is at when going over downtown Dallas.

So I really don't understand the FAA restriction (insofar as its rumored existence is even real).  It must be the result of some recent regulatory changes.

The issue at ABIA I believe is planes on approach from the north west that pass east over pflugerville to line up with 37L. A tall enough building in downtown would block line of sight of the plane to the port. Maybe one of the pilots on Surly can weigh in. 

[Ghost of LL 15531]

16 hours ago, Pasken said:

The issue at ABIA I believe is planes on approach from the north west that pass east over pflugerville to line up with 37L. A tall enough building in downtown would block line of sight of the plane to the port. Maybe one of the pilots on Surly can weigh in. 

That doesn't make sense.  First, there is no such thing as a Runway 37L.  Runways are numbered based on the direction they point (i.e., a runway pointing northwest at 300* will be numbered Runway 30).  

But second, and more importantly, downtown isn't between Pflugerville and the airport.  And having worked downtown for awhile, I've seen plenty of planes departing out over downtown, but I've never seen one approach over downtown.

I think it has something to do with some emergency protocol, like if a plane loses both engines on takeoff.  The FAA may have revised their requirements after the USAirways flight that landed in the Hudson.

[Armybrat 40820]

Yeah, a plane in distress could always land on Town Lake.

[Pasken 1309]

1 hour ago, Ghost of LL said:

That doesn't make sense.  First, there is no such thing as a Runway 37L.  Runways are numbered based on the direction they point (i.e., a runway pointing northwest at 300* will be numbered Runway 30).  

But second, and more importantly, downtown isn't between Pflugerville and the airport.  And having worked downtown for awhile, I've seen plenty of planes departing out over downtown, but I've never seen one approach over downtown.

I think it has something to do with some emergency protocol, like if a plane loses both engines on takeoff.  The FAA may have revised their requirements after the USAirways flight that landed in the Hudson.

Sorry, I meant 35L but I should have used the other side 17R in the example. I looked at the trajectory again and you're right. Planes on approach would be too high up when downtown is between them and the airport for a 1000' tower to matter.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

16 minutes ago, Pasken said:

Sorry, I meant 35L but I should have used the other side 17R in the example. I looked at the trajectory again and you're right. Planes on approach would be too high up when downtown is between them and the airport for a 1000' tower to matter.

And I don't know if this FAA thing even exists.  I've seen rumors of it, but that's only been linked to tower cranes (which may have different rules than permanent structures).  So I don't know what the deal is.

[KaiserSoze 998]

They've been pouring a lot of concrete for the Google building. For reference, the hole is/was 7 levels deep.

Edited January 27, 2020 by KaiserSoze

[KaiserSoze 998]

...duplicate

Edited January 27, 2020 by KaiserSoze

[Somnio 751]

Caught them dropping this massive rebar column into a hole they drilled in the ground at Hanover Republic Square.

 

[Somnio 751]

I also got a video, but it's not much better than the photo because it was a slow process, and I didn't have the patience to wait any longer.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Somnio

[blacklab 11926]

So are they going to stick the rebar down the hole, fill with concrete and then pull it out and present to South Austin's mom so she can have a new dildo?

[BottleRocket 644]

It’s called a drilled pier. As in it a piers to be a giant dildo for drilling South Austin’s mom.

[Guest Lobo]

Also, she loves cock 

[Somnio 751]

Anyone got South Austin's mom contact info?

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

Gonna have to check truck stop bathroom stall walls for info like that.

[Longhorn Al 440]

From The ATX on ssp re: Railyard towers:

Quote

Filed for AULCC. These are going to be big.

ATX East Tower = 500 Apts. + 300 Condos + 15K Sq. Ft. Retail

ATX West Tower = 884K Sq. Ft. office + 15K Sq. Ft. Retail

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/AULCC_2020/200213/PLANS/

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Longhorn Al

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

Railyard Towers gonna be big:

https://austin.towers.net/two-towers-at-the-railyard-could-redefine-austins-skyline-twice/?fbclid=IwAR0iOQiB-HsO0RjmqIMQ9y57d795i4lmIQZfBAvTtVeVHOr1By0WrRWfjZE&agent=caitlyn@towers.net

[Deej 76751]

Going to be able to get these downtown condos cheap once the coronavirus takes hold.

[Somnio 751]

On 2/1/2020 at 1:29 PM, DalTxHornFan said:

Railyard Towers gonna be big:

https://austin.towers.net/two-towers-at-the-railyard-could-redefine-austins-skyline-twice/?fbclid=IwAR0iOQiB-HsO0RjmqIMQ9y57d795i4lmIQZfBAvTtVeVHOr1By0WrRWfjZE&agent=caitlyn@towers.net

It looks like this project may be the one to give Austin a 1,000 footer.  The one on the east block has to be close.

[Somnio 751]

Also, the crane base is installed at Hanover Republic Square.

 

[The University 851]

any photos of the newly lighted crown on the independent? preferably violet!

[bolverk 29650]

5 hours ago, The University said:

any photos of the newly lighted crown on the independent? preferably violet!

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by bolverk

[bolverk 29650]

This is going to be a shit show.

Spoiler

 

Two Permanent Public Toilets are Fully Armed and Operational Downtown

After several years of planning, two of the three permanent “Portland Loo” public restroom facilities previously announced by the City of Austin are officially installed and “open for business,” you might say, in the downtown area.

The restrooms, one on the east side of Trinity Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets and the other on the east side of Brazos Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets, are a project between the city’s Public Works, Transportation, and Economic Development Departments, in partnership with the Downtown Austin Alliance. Though they were installed in January, the facilities didn’t open to the public until February 7 last week.

https://austin.towers.net/two-permanent-public-toilets-are-fully-armed-and-operational-downtown/?agent=caitlyn@towers.net

 

 

[Armybrat 40820]

There’s one of those on the sidewalk just above Casa Rio on the San Antonio Riverwalk. It’s been there several years, and I’ll bet it has seen a lot of various usages. 

[Guest Lobo]

You've gotta give the designer credit...it's Art Moderne meets original Total Recall.

It answers the question, can a public space capture "AIDS by Heroin Needle" in a functionally self-contained design?  

[bolverk 29650]

Found this on Skyscraper Pages.

A new office tower by the name of 5C is going up at the southeast corner of 5th and Colorado, replacing several small buildings. Apparently, the developer is keeping the facade of the old Frank Hot Dog restaurant as part of the building. You can spot it at the bottom of the West elevation below.

[Pasken 1309]

2 hours ago, bolverk said:

Found this on Skyscraper Pages.

A new office tower by the name of 5C is going up at the southeast corner of 5th and Colorado, replacing several small buildings. Apparently, the developer is keeping the facade of the old Frank Hot Dog restaurant as part of the building. You can spot it at the bottom of the West elevation below.

 

I got you.

 

 

About 656' tall. 

[Longhorn Al 440]

That's actually not the Frank building.  That building stays.  The one in the picture is next door to Frank.

[Biff Tannen 45661]

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

The tall towers just keep coming:

The Brazos Hall event venue at the northeast corner of East Fourth and Brazos Streets, an early-1900s warehouse that could potentially be demolished for a tower project depending on the results of a historic preservation review by the city. The 1999 office structure seen on the right side of the image will not require review, and will also be demolished for the new tower’s construction. On the left side of the image, you’ll notice a crane for the Fifth & Brazos hotel and apartment project. Image: GarzaEMC

https://austin.towers.net/theres-a-tower-in-the-works-at-fourth-and-brazos-in-downtown-austin/?agent=caitlyn@towers.net

[Pasken 1309]

Capital Mall:

 

 

[Pasken 1309]

The demo permit for the entire old Brackenridge hospital complex was approved today.  Also, the site plan to re-align Red River from 12th to 15th is in city review. This would straighten out Red River in the new medical complex.

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Pasken

[bolverk 29650]

Came across this on SSP where a poster made this rendering of Austin's future skyline.

https://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=167841&page=115

 

[yoladu 4090]

What's not shown on that rendering is four 50+ towers in the works. The proposed BBVA tower catty corner to the ^X Guadalupe which will be 60 stories | 770 feet.

Three towers in the Rainey District,  Travis 1 (50 stories | 594 feet) and Travis II (60 stories | 704 feet) and 44 East (50 stories | 573 feet)

BBVA Tower

 

Travis I on the left, Travis II on the right

 

44 East 

[Armybrat 40820]

Hope I live long enough to see all those completed. Amazing changes from 60 years ago.

[Pasken 1309]

11 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Hope I live long enough to see all those completed. Amazing changes from 60 years ago.

Does your family know you post here?

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

19 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Hope I live long enough to see all those completed. Amazing changes from 60 years ago.

Ditto.  Amazing changes from just 35 years ago. That was when I first had a high-rise office in the First City Bank building at 9th & Congress.  Unobstructed view of the Capitol from there back then.

[Neonmoon 38129]

Why does Indeed need so much office space?

[Guest Lobo]

Irony?

[Armybrat 40820]

8 hours ago, Pasken said:

Does your family know you post here?

Yes they do.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

19 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Ditto.  Amazing changes from just 35 years ago. That was when I first had a high-rise office in the First City Bank building at 9th & Congress.  Unobstructed view of the Capitol from there back then.

I still have an unobstructed view of the Capitol from there.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

18 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

I still have an unobstructed view of the Capitol from there.

Capitol Center knocked out a lot of the views from that building.  I didn't start my career in the corner office!

[bolverk 29650]

43 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

I still have an unobstructed view of the Capitol from there.

You must be on the upper half since the TPPF built their sleazy lair.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

Is 6 X Guadalupe on the site of the old Alamo Hotel?  If so, I feel old. If no, I’m just old and confused. 

[royiv 9244]

5 minutes ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

Is 6 X Guadalupe on the site of the old Alamo Hotel?  If so, I feel old. If no, I’m just old and confused. 

Yes, it is.

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

5 minutes ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

Is 6 X Guadalupe on the site of the old Alamo Hotel?  If so, I feel old. If no, I’m just old and confused. 

Same spot.  Was an Extended Stay Hotel prior to recent demolition.

[Biff Tannen 45661]

On 2/20/2020 at 1:56 PM, bolverk said:

Came across this on SSP where a poster made this rendering of Austin's future skyline.

https://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=167841&page=115

 

 

On 2/20/2020 at 4:28 PM, yoladu said:

What's not shown on that rendering is four 50+ towers in the works. The proposed BBVA tower catty corner to the ^X Guadalupe which will be 60 stories | 770 feet.

Three towers in the Rainey District,  Travis 1 (50 stories | 594 feet) and Travis II (60 stories | 704 feet) and 44 East (50 stories | 573 feet)

BBVA Tower

 

Travis I on the left, Travis II on the right

 

44 East 

Wild.  I've been in Austin since 1986, but wasn't old enough to remember downtown til the 90s.  Crazy what's happened just since then.

[Deej 76751]

Downtown needs some real projects.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

1 hour ago, Spaulding Smails said:

Same spot.  Was an Extended Stay Hotel prior to recent demolition.

Go to 2:02

 

[Somnio 751]