Since suprisingly nobody has created a thread for the Austin Area, I will start one. Especially since there is so much going on. Here are just some of the few projects either proposed or are now under construction.

5th at Congress Tower

When built, this will be the tallest building in Austin or at least the developers hope it will. Another building has recently been announced that will be Challenging its height.

705' or possibly more...
47 stories.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/image_3660123.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/image_3660125.jpg

Congress Condominiums

This building is proposed for the 200 block of Congress Avenue at 2nd street. The developers are claming this building will be the tallest in Austin.
height 700' at least, it could go higher.
48 stories.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/renderingwtower02-vi.jpg

360 tower
This building is currently under construction and will be the tallest building in Austin once built until the two mentioned buildings above get built.
height 581'
44 stories

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/360rendering22_5x-vi.jpg

101 Metlife

This building will hopefully start construction within the next month or two. It was recently re-designed from 28 stories to 36 stories.
height at least 400'

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/MetLife-vi.jpg


Ill get some more projects up ASAP. If anybody els has info for the Austin area please feel free to post. Would like to see as much info on the projects in the Austin area as we can get.

:cucumber: :carrot: :pepper: :banana2:

That is one Hell of a list of truly large projects. I had no idea there were so many towers that compete for the next tallest in Austin. Great job!!! Keep us posted.

:cucumber: :carrot: :pepper: :banana2:

That is one Hell of a list of truly large projects. I had no idea there were so many towers that compete for the next tallest in Austin. Great job!!! Keep us posted.

Yes there is a skyscraper war going on here, and Austin is undergoing a huge transformation in downtown. In just the past 2 years 30 projects have been announced, almost half of them are 20 stories or higher with announcments for new proposals happening at a rate of just under 2 months. Infact just yesterday another announcment came out about two 30 story twin towers for the southeast section of downtown. Here is the artical...

From the Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/business/co...2townlake.html

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

Developer plans hotel, condominium towers on Town Lake

Developer planning 30-story skyscraper project by Town Lake

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/image_4060824.jpg

By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, June 22, 2006

An Australian developer plans to build two skyscrapers, one a luxury condominium tower and one a hotel, anchoring a $250 million project that would transform the skyline along Town Lake downtown.

The project is slated for the southwest corner of Red River and East Cesar Chavez streets. Constellation Property Group has a contract to buy the three-acre site, across the street from the Austin Convention Center, from local developers Perry Lorenz and Robert Knight.

Constellation's condo and hotel towers each would be about 30 stories. The project also would include ground-floor retail and an office building of about eight stories.

Part of the land was once envisioned as the site of a headquarters for software maker Vignette Corp., but that project evaporated with the tech bust. In the past year, however, rising demand for downtown living has spurred new interest in property east of Congress Avenue.

The 13-story Milago condominiums on Rainey Street opened in May. Ardent Residential plans an apartment and condominium high-rise adjacent to the Four Seasons Hotel. High Street Residential is developing a 22-story condominium/hotel project at Red River and Davis streets.

Constellation President Eugene Marchese said he expects the land sale to close in September.

With the necessary zoning in place, construction could start in mid-2007 and take about three years to complete, said Chris White, senior associate for Marchese + Partners International Pty Ltd., which designs Constellation's condo projects.

White said the designs would involve slender towers built above a several-story podium level. The so-called point tower approach allows for high density without blocky, view-obliterating structures.

"They'll be pretty special buildings to anchor that end of downtown," Marchese said.

Marchese said Constellation is negotiating with two hotel operators but declined to identify them, citing confidentiality agreements.

Constellation has another ambitious project in the works, at the northeast corner of Interstate 35 and Riverside Drive. If the City Council approves a needed zoning change today, the company plans to start work soon on the complex, which will have four condominium buildings of descending heights, with an 18-story tower on Riverside and four-story buildings along the shore.

The new downtown project, tentatively named Red River, is bounded on the west by Waller Creek, where city officials are trying to revive plans for a flood control project. The goal is to open the door to development that could result in an Austin version of San Antonio's popular River Walk district of cafes, shops, hotels and other attractions.

Constellation plans to meet with the city next month to discuss Waller Creek upgrades, Marchese said.

"We're excited about what they're doing, and they're certainly going to be excited about what we're doing," Marchese said.

The site's proximity to Waller Creek was one of its selling points, White said.

"Certainly the activation of Waller Creek is a critical element to the success of (our) project and will really open that area up to the public," White said.

Mac Pike, chairman of the Sutton Co., an Austin-based real estate development company, agreed.

"It's a great site that our company has looked at over the years, and we think that a project such as Constellation's could transform that area into a very viable retail/mixed-use destination in downtown."

A collection of small buildings on the site would be razed for the project.

Constellation's project is one of more than a dozen residential projects planned or under construction downtown as the city works toward a goal of having 25,000 people living there in the next 10 years.

As with other downtown residential projects, it costs to live in a vertical neighborhood. Marchese said one-bedroom units could start at about $350,000; two-bedroom units could start between $400,000 and $500,000; and units on the upper floors could range from $1.5 million to $2 million.

Austin is one of four U.S. cities in which Constellation has acquired land for condominium developments. The others are Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego.

Marchese founded Constellation 12 years ago in Sydney and has developed about 10,000 condominium units in Australia, he said.

snovak@statesman.com; 445-3856

This was recently posted on the City Of Austin website showing some of the projects going up in part of downtown.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/EmergingProjects_SW_2006-vi.jpg

Here is the link to take a closer look.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/downloads/emerging_southwest_may06.pdf


Honestly some of the info that they have put in there is old/outdated. Whoever made it didnt update the info on it. But the 101 Colorado will be 36 stories and the Spring will not start untill Jan 2007.

Not that I ever underestimated Austin, but I am truly surprised that so many great proposals appeared at the same time. I am truly happy for you guys. That list with the projects is also a great source of information. Hopefully we can count on you for some construction updates ;)

Great to see. Austin is really on the move, and one of the truly best up and coming cities. Like Austin, the Raleigh-Durham area is beginning to grow upward--after long being considered a quality of life college area. Congrats to you guys, and I'd love to see some things like that in the Triangle.

Not that I ever underestimated Austin, but I am truly surprised that so many great proposals appeared at the same time. I am truly happy for you guys. That list with the projects is also a great source of information. Hopefully we can count on you for some construction updates ;)


I will definatly do my best at keeping up to date with the projects. Austin right now is going through a huge downtown renassance. Downtown is hot for residential development and with the city pushing for 25,000 residents in downtown in the next 10 years. We have had a flood of huge residential highrise proposals. on the first of every month Ill actually be going downtown to take pictures of the progress of construction and I will post them up.

Here is another project that has started initial construction called the Shore. It will be 22 stories and will actually be two towers very close together. One side will be hotel. the other side will be Condos. And of course the picture will not come up give me a bit and Ill post it up... Sorry.

Here's a larger picture of the building at 5th and Congress. Note that the existing Bank of America building (on the left) will be renovated along with the construction of the new tower. In the end it will be one single complex.
http://images16.fotki.com/v301/photos/5/54967/2949615/Tstacy1-vi.jpg

This building will be block 22 (see link below) of the 2nd street retail district.
http://images17.fotki.com/v8/photos/5/54967/2949615/AMLI2-vi.jpg
Block 21 is the only one left to start construction...
http://www.2ndstreetdistrict.com/retail.html

What is shown here and by JDawg is only a handful of the many projects. I will try later to get more information on the other projects and post it.

Thanks for your help atx001 that would be a huge help. Also in a few days I will be in Downtown to take pictures of the progress of some of the construction sites.

Update on the Shore Condos/ Kimpton Hotel Towers. The official groundbreaking ceremony was held today and full construction has now begun.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/theshore24zc.jpg

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/04/04/78/image_4178044.jpg
SAMSUNG

Samsung begins gearing up for new plant
Chip maker starts to hire and train some workers as construction moves ahead.
By Kirk Ladendorf

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Thursday, June 29, 2006

Samsung Electronics Co. is moving full-speed ahead on the construction of its second Austin semiconductor factory, which will be known as Austin Fab 2, or A².

The building shell of the massive project is expected to be completed in June 2007, with the installation of equipment coming sometime after that. The start of memory-chip production in the factory is estimated to happen in late 2007 or 2008.


Jay Janner
AMERICAN-STATESMAN


Samsung acknowledges that the Austin project is big, but the company has been reluctant to say exactly how big.

"It is going to be one of the largest fabs in the United States," company spokesman Bill Cryer said.

The company has said the new building's footprint will cover an area the size of nine football fields.

The new factory, which will process silicon wafers that are 300 millimeters (roughly 12 inches) in diameter, is expected to be about three times the size of the company's existing factory in Northeast Austin.

The new fab will be the first new chip factory in Central Texas in a decade. Only Samsung, Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Spansion Inc. and Cypress Semiconductor Corp. still make chips here.

Five fabs have been closed since 2001. Samsung built the most recent fab with its original plant in 1997.

The original projections for the cost of the new factory were $3.5 billion, and some industry analysts expect the project will cost more.

Samsung isn't giving a price tag for the project yet.

The new factory is expected to employ about 900 people including Samsung employees and workers from supplier companies.

Samsung already has begun hiring workers for the project.

"We are recruiting aggressively," Cryer said.

A recent help-wanted advertisement said the company is hiring to fill a variety of engineering and technician positions, as well has human resources and training jobs.

More than 100 engineers hired for the new factory are in training in South Korea this summer at Samsung's existing factories for 300-millimeter silicon wafers.

The complexity of the new technology requires extensive training, said Cryer, who said he expects virtually all the new factory's engineers to receive some training in South Korea. They will spend months setting up the equipment and assembly lines within the building.

Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is the local contractor for the project, and Samsung Engineering and Construction is the general contractor. The architect for the project is Page Southerland Page LLC.

kladendorf@statesman.com; 445-3622


It is also worth noting Samsung recently completed a $500 million upgrade to the existing plant built in 1997. Austin is Samsung's only chip manufacturing site outside of S. Korea.

Condos fit for a champion break ground
Tour de France champ Armstrong will be one of the investors.
By Shonda Novak

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Thursday, June 29, 2006

Developers broke ground Wednesday on the Shore, a condominium tower on downtown Austin's southeastern edge. When completed, the 22-story building may house one of the city's luminaries: seven-time Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong, 34, confirmed he is an investor in the $55 million project being developed by High Street Residential, a subsidiary of Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co.

About half of the units at the Shore, a $55 million project being developed by High Street Residential, are already under contract, a sales manager says.

Armstrong also has reserved a unit on an upper floor of the lavish high-rise now under construction at the corner of Red River and Davis streets.

The biking champion also has a house in Central Austin and a ranch in Dripping Springs, which he said he will keep.

The tower will have 192 units, with many (including Armstrong's) offering expansive views of Town Lake and downtown and easy access to the hike-and-bike trail, said Jamil Alam, principal with Trammell Crow in Austin.

Those were selling points for Armstrong.

"I think it is the coolest project in downtown," Armstrong said in a statement issued by his publicist. "Too many projects get announced and too few actually get built; this building is already under construction."

With about half of the units already under contract and another 70 units reserved with a $3,000 refundable deposit, the building is 80 percent committed, said Ian Stonington, the project's sales manager with Dallas-based Al Coker & Associates. The remaining 25 units range in price from $270,000 to $1.35 million.

Twelve units were set aside for buyers earning 80 percent of the area's median-family income, said Russell McDowell, a sales associate with Al Coker & Associates; all were sold to individuals making less than $39,850 a year.

The Shore's residents will enjoy concierge services and other amenities of an adjacent $100 million, 29-story hotel being developed by San Diego, Calif.-based JMI Realty and managed by San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels. The hotel will have 290 rooms and 55 condominium units on the upper floors with prices ranging from about $500,000 to more than $2 million, said Gregory Clay, senior vice president with JMI.

The Shore is one of more than a dozen condominium and apartment projects either under construction or planned for downtown, where Mayor Will Wynn has said he would like to see 25,000 people living in the next 10 years. About 5,500 people now live downtown.

Other projects near the Shore include the new 13-story Milago condominiums and a $250 million mixed-use project planned by Constellation Property Group.

The first residents are expected to move into the Shore in January 2008, Alam said.

Units in the Shore will include high-end appliances and finishes. The building also will have a 60-foot lap pool on a sixth-floor terrace.

Developers say the Shore also will be the first downtown residential high-rise constructed using the city's green-building standards incorporating energy-efficient technologies.

The number of units already reserved are evidence of the demand for high-rise urban living in Austin, Alam said.

Stonington said the Shore's buyers are a mix of baby boomers, retirees and young professionals. "In general, we're seeing that people desire an amenity-filled lifestyle in an urban environment and that they are tired of driving to the suburbs," he said.

"They want a simple, streamlined existence, and that is how you sell this building," he said.

The Shore is Al Coker & Associates' first project in downtown Austin but probably won't be its last.

"This is our big splash in Austin," Stonington said. "With this resounding success, we're looking forward to continuing to light up Austin's skyline."

Thanks guys..definitely would like to see more from Austin in here. If anyone wants to catch some of the Horns-Buckeyes this fall and it's attendant craziness, I'd love to see it.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/02/16/35/image_4235162.jpg
Pomeroy Investment Corp. plans to convert part of the One Commodore building, shown in this artist's rendering, into condominiums in downtown Austin's first condo conversion since the late 1990s.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/05/16/35/image_4235165.jpg
The top of the 20-story Capitol Tower will get a new, curved crown. The building has been empty since state and city workers left last year.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/03/17/35/image_4235173.jpg

2 downtown towers poised for makeovers
Pomeroy Investment Corp. will add condos to one, keep other as office tower.
By Shonda Novak

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Saturday, July 01, 2006

A Michigan-based firm plans to pump more than $20 million into floor-to-ceiling makeovers of two downtown office buildings, including transforming one into a mixed-use tower with about 80 condominiums.

Pomeroy Investment Corp. paid $24.4 million this week for 14-story One Commodore at 800 Brazos St. and the 20-story Capitol Tower, formerly Two Commodore, at 206 E. Ninth St.


One Commodore will be renamed Brazos Place and will be converted into a tower with condos, offices, shops and possibly a restaurant and bar, said Jerry Reinhart, Pomeroy's president and chief executive.

The project will be the first condominium conversion of a downtown building since the Brazos Lofts, Avenue Lofts and the Railyard condominiums were converted in the late 1990s.

One Commodore was once the Commodore Perry Hotel. It was converted to an office building in 1985 and is now 35 percent occupied.

Capitol Tower has been empty since state and city workers moved out in 2005.

Pomeroy, which bought the buildings from the Shidler Group of San Diego, Calif., plans to start the makeover this summer. The work, which will include a skyline-altering crown for Capitol Tower, is expected to be finished in mid-2007, Reinhart said.

"Austin looks like a very strong market for us for the foreseeable future," Reinhart said. "And we would expect these assets to be our entry into a market that we intend to participate in for the next several years."

Pomeroy's investment underscores Austin's appeal to real estate investors as the market continues its upward trajectory from the tech bust in 2001, which squelched demand for office space and drove down rents and occupancy levels.

For the past year, investment money has been pouring into downtown.

The 23-story 300 West Sixth office tower sold in October for $131.7 million — a record $295 a square foot.

And in May, Cousins Properties Inc. put Austin's newest office building, Frost Bank Tower, up for sale with company executives citing "a very strong market" for first-class office buildings.

Reinhart said they have been contacted by companies expressing interest in leasing space in Capitol Tower, including technology firms and financial institutions.

"Although we recognize that the Austin market has strong demand presently, we have even been surprised at how quickly we have had activity on this building," Reinhart said.

With a tightening office market, Pomeroy now will have one of the largest contiguous blocks of available space in downtown in its Capitol Tower. The building's 736 parking spaces — a ratio of more than four spaces per 1,000 square feet — represents the highest parking ratio among downtown buildings, Reinhart said.

With unobstructed views of the Capitol and the University of Texas, Capitol Tower will be the first of the two office buildings to be remodeled, with renovations to its facade, lobby, garage and mechanical systems. The tower also will be topped with a new, curved crown.

"It will make Capitol Tower a piece of the city skyline," said Kim Burgess, project manager for Pomeroy. The building will keep its name and remain an office building, with existing tenants including Comerica Bank and GTE Mobilnet.

Brazos Place, meanwhile, will be renovated inside and out. Private balconies will be added, and the facade and lobby will get a face-lift.

Condominiums will be added on eight floors; they will be priced between $200,000 and $400,000, Reinhart said. The building also will have up to four floors of office and retail space.

Reinhart said the company's plans don't call for adding on to either building, though he didn't rule it out.

"It's part of our strategy to bring an asset to its highest and best use, and if there's an opportunity to add square footage, we would consider that," he said.



A changing downtown

Development in downtown Austin is heating up as the Central Texas economy continues its upward trajectory.

Sold

Chase Tower, 221 W. Sixth St., between $66 million and $68 million. Buyers were Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group and California-based Triple Net Properties LLC.

300 West Sixth, a 23-story office tower at West Sixth and Lavaca streets, for $131.7 million. The buyer was Chicago-based Equity Office Properties Trust.

On the market

Frost Bank Tower, a 33-story office building at Congress Avenue and Fourth Street.

Under construction

AMLI Residential Properties Trust, an 18-story, 232-unit luxury apartment complex on Second Street between Guadalupe and San Antonio streets.

360, a 44-story condominium tower at Third and Nueces streets.

The Shore, a 22-story, 192-unit condominium project at Red River and Davis streets.

Courtyard by Marriott and a Residence Inn by Marriott on East Fourth Street near the Austin Convention Center.

Impressive list!!!

The capital Tower is going to look strange Im still contimplating if I like that arched top. Well it would probably be better than what the building looks like now.

I think I'll need to see what it looks like in person, not just a rendering. That is an akward angle that is shown anyway. I wonder if it will be lit up at night.

The Capitol Tower's redesign is a bit strange but it will have a huge impact on the skyline because nothing really tall in that area....Coming south on IH 35 into downtown should offer great views

Apartment tower starts its rise into Austin's sky

The rumble of construction equipment is growing on West Fifth Street, where work has begun on Zom USA's 29-story apartment tower that will have a distinctive curved facade.

The Monarch, which will take about two years to complete, is going up at 805 W. Fifth St., the site of the former Miguel's Imports store and across the street from the Austin City Lofts.

It will have 305 apartments ranging from 890 to 2,400 square feet, and street-level shops.


East Facade
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/01/24/72/image_4472241.jpg


For more info., visit the following webpage: http://zomusa.com/pdf/NewsMonarch.pdf

Some more renderings...
This is the W hotel on block 21 in the Second street district. At 36 stories, it will be 402 feet tall. Construction is expected to start either the end of this year or very beginning of next.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings/AustinBlock21towerrendering.jpg

A clearer rendering of the tower.
http://texas.construction.com/images/0607_bldg1.jpg

And AMILI on Block 22 in the Second Street District. It is currently under construction and will be 18 stories.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings/AustinrenderingsAMLIIIpic2.png

For the record, as of July 7, 2006, there are five highrise buildings under construction in downtown Austin.

They include, :

AMLI II - 18 stories, 225 feet, 231 unit apartment tower

The Shore - 22 stories, 251 feet, 192 unit condo tower

The Monarch - 29 stories, 314 feet, 305 unit apartment tower

Marriott Residence Inn/Courtyard - 12 stories, 141 feet, 449 guest room hotel

360- 44 stories, 581 feet, 432 unit condo tower

Also, I'm getting excited at the number of midrise projects breaking ground in and around downtown.

I don't have as much info. on them, but include Robinson Hill Condos (Apartments?), 6th @ Brushy condos, the former Goodwill site, the banks on W. 5th, all over U.T. and West Campus, the former Reddy Ice site, on the south shore (I believe it's called Bridges on the Park), and really all over central Austin. I can never remember this amount of urban development being built all at once in Austin.

It's even starting to spread well outside the urban core along the commuter rail line. The former Huntsman tract (on N. Lamar @ Airport Blvd,) comes to mind, and of course how could I leave out what's happening at the Mueller redevelopment.

Definitely exciting times in Austin for those who are into urban development.

I continue to be impressed at the large numbers of high-rise projects going up in DT Austin. The skyline will most definitely look AMAZING after a few years!!!

I was in Austin couple months back on the way to San Antonio from Dallas and really liked it. Except for the traffic. Is the city planning on taking care of the I-35 traffic? It was absolutely horrendous when I went through it.

I was in Austin couple months back on the way to San Antonio from Dallas and really liked it. Except for the traffic. Is the city planning on taking care of the I-35 traffic? It was absolutely horrendous when I went through it.

Yes, this system of toll roads that will open by the end of 2007 should help.

http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/texas%5Fturnpike/images/CTTP-1.jpg

Also, TX DOT is in the planning stages of upgrading I-35 through Travis County (basically Round Rock to Buda). This is probably at a bare minimum 5 years from starting construction, however.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/06/89/03/image_4503896.jpg
Skyline will comprise 118 upscale lofts in a six-story project just off I-35 between East Eighth and Ninth streets

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/00/91/03/image_4503910.jpg
Also just east of Interstate 35 are the Robertson Hill Apartments, scheduled to open in the spring of 2007. Rents are expected to start at $1,175 a month.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/04/91/03/image_4503914.jpg

CENTRAL TEXAS HOMES

More condos on way to East Austin
Skyline lofts are expected to open by spring 2008.
By Shonda Novak

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Saturday, July 08, 2006

More condominiums are on the way for East Austin as demand for housing close to downtown continues to spill east of Interstate 35.

Austin-based Interurban Development LLC plans to start construction this fall on 118 upscale lofts in a six-story project overlooking I-35 between East Eighth and Ninth streets.


The $46 million project, called Skyline, will be just south of another residential project, by Houston-based Martin Fein Interests Ltd. currently under construction.

When it is finished, the Robertson Hill Apartments will feature 290 upscale units on San Marcos Street between Ninth and Eleventh streets.

The projects are among nearly a dozen under construction or being planned in East Austin, where land is less expensive than it is downtown, allowing developers to build more moderately priced alternatives to downtown's pricey condos and apartments.

Interurban's principals, Gary Krieg and Matt Mathias, expect Skyline to open in spring 2008, pending approval of a building permit from the city by mid-September.

Prices at Skyline will start in the low $200,000s.

Rents haven't been established yet for the Robertson Hill Apartments but are expected to range from $1,175 for a one-bedroom unit to $2,600 for a two bedroom unit, said Timm Wooten, executive vice president with Martin Fein. The first units should be ready by spring, Wooten said.

Krieg, Interurban's founder, said the Skyline project will offer residents a chance to be in a well-established neighborhood close to downtown.

"Austin's skyline is poised for an impressive range of changes over the next decade," Krieg said. "And our residents will not only get to enjoy a front-row seat, but also won't have to worry about their views being obstructed."

Interurban will start taking reservations Monday, requiring $1,000 refundable deposits.

Houston-based Jackson & Ryan Architects is designing the project, Krieg said.

The firm designed the student commons and conference center in the Houston Medical Center, the Children's Museum in Houston and the renovation and restoration efforts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

With 29 floor plans, Skyline's units will feature floor-to-ceiling windows and European-imported kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Interurban says it intends to use environmentally friendly building features in the project.

Amenities will include a 20,000-square-foot rooftop deck with a large pool, outdoor fire pit and cabana.

Adjacent to the pool will be an outdoor viewing area with a sloped amphitheater designed for film screenings.

Like many of a growing list of residential projects in and around downtown, Interurban expects Skyline to attract a wide range of buyers, from young professionals to baby boomers, empty-nesters and retirees.

A block away from Skyline, along I-35 and East 12th Street, the Texas General Land Office in March sold a 25,510-square-foot warehouse and two acres for $4.6 million to HSD Lakeway Holdings Ltd.

Haythem Dawlett, HSD's general partner, said he may build a 12- to 13-story "first-class, five-star" medical center on the site to meet the demand for medical facilities and services near the downtown area.

Architects are working on a conceptual design for the center, which could include outpatient surgery and cancer-treatment facilities and street-level retail.

Plans also may include residential and medical condominiums and conventional office space, Dawlett said.

Interurban's other projects include the Bel-Air Lofts on South Congress Avenue, where all but one of the 48 units in the first phase have sold.

Construction is scheduled to begin next month on the second phase — 35 units with prices ranging from about $200,000 to the mid-$300,000s. Prospective buyers have reserved 22 units with $500 deposits.

snovak@statesman.com; 445-3856


East Austin on the rise

Other residential projects in East Austin that are planned or under way:



Project / Location / Stories / Units



Constellation Properties / Riverside at I-35 / 4-11 / 250




Lakeside / Riverside Drive and Lakeshore Drive / Varies / 2,500




Mac Pike/Wally Scott / Lakeshore Drive / Varies / 1,000




Saltillo Lofts / 1601 E. Fifth St. / 3 / 38




Twentyone24 / 2124 E. Sixth St. / 4 / 60




Villas on Sixth / 2011 E. Sixth St. / 2 / 160




Sixth + Brushy / Sixth and Brushy streets / 4 / 18




Waterstreet Lofts / E. Cesar Chavez and Comal streets / 3 / 22




1305 / 1305 E. Sixth St. / 2 / 14

The Marriot hotel is pretty much finished other than interior work, the building itself is complete...

Also as far as the Central Texas turnpike, its a sham. While it might help the short term traffic problems that we have, it will not last for long. Not only is it a toll road, it is being portrayed as a eastern bypass of Austin. Thats kinda what they wanted Mopac/Loop 1 to be when they first built it in the 70's now its just another clogged north-south artery through the city. The state, particularly the "Perry government" Has wasted time and effort building a Texas transportation corridor network when all they needed to do was update the freeway network we already have. Though it is not fully the states fault. The city, and our representatives have not done enough to push for more federal freeway money for local use. I-35 will not change anytime soon, though the distant plan is to have it upgraded with more lanes and High occupancy lanes and to trench the freeway through the downtown area and reconnecting all the east/west arteries into downtown from the eastside.

Whether the Marriott is almost complete or not, it is still under construction. I drove by a few days ago, and there is still scaffolding on the exterior, fencing and the covered walkways, and lots of workers around.

As far as TX 130, being that it begins north of Georgetown in Jarrell, and will soon begin phase II southward to I-10 in Seguin, and is much farther east of I-35, than Loop 1 is west. I don't believe that is a good comparison. Also, with 45 North, and 45 South, as well as roads like TX 29 in Georgetown, U.S. 79 in Round Rock, Parmer Ln. (734), U.S. 290 East. M.L.K. Blvd. (969), TX 71 East, the connectivity between I-35 and TX 130 will be a huge improvement than that between I-35 and Loop 1.

As far as being built up over time, well if Austin metro continues to grow, then common sense says yes it will. But, I fail to see why that makes it a bad deal. We can continue stretching up and down I-35 or U.S. 183, or any of our existing highways, or we can begin developing our eastern part of the metro, away from the Edwards Aquifer.

As far as tolls, give me a break. I am not a Perry supporter (I'll be voting Chris Bell), but the fact is any of the roads we are discussing would not have even started construction yet if we did not issue bonds (thus the need for tolls). Tx 130 has been discussed for decades (remember MoKan?) without anything being done. Common sense says Austin needs a north/south alternative to I-35 (whether Loop 1 was intended as such, fact is because of lack of adequate connections it does not function as such).

Lastly, I think you are incorrect in assuming that the upgrade to I-35 is in the "distant" future. Like I said in my previous post, the needed public hearings, studies have been going on now for some time. I think it is feasible to believe that construction could begin on the first phase (I am sure they are not going to rip up the entire stretch through Travis County all at once) within 5 to 7 years. In highway constuction, that is no time at all. The reason for my optimism, is it has been said that the financing of this project will be similiar to that of I-10 in west Houston and out to Katy. In other words, there will be a tolling aspect to the new I-35. There would still be free upgraded frontage roads, free upgraded "freeway" lanes, and then 2 or 3 new toll lanes (these will probably be HOT, high- occupancy toll, lanes) in each direction. These HOT lanes may be free for those with 3 or more people in the car, but for less there would be a toll. Also, the toll charge may fluctuate between peak, and non-peak travel times.

Whatever you have heard from certain sources, there would never be a time on any Central Texas road where anyone would be forced into using a toll road. All existing freeways will still have just as many free travel lanes; only new lanes will be tolled.

This method allows huge highway projects to proceed at unprecedented speed (just look at 183-A, Loop 1 extension, 45 North, and 130).

I too wish that Austin leaders in previous generations would not have been so irresponsible to not build our necessary infrastructure. However, if we miss this oppurtunity to finally build a decent highway system in a reasonable timeframe, I fear what that means to Austin's future. If you think traffic is bad now, wait another 20 years, with about a million more people in our metro (that is not an unreasonble projection, just look at the population we've added the last 20). If we keep building our roads at the same pace we have until now (minus the turnpikes), we are in big trouble.

HOT lanes, i like that.

I too wish that Austin leaders in previous generations would not have been so irresponsible to not build our necessary infrastructure. However, if we miss this oppurtunity to finally build a decent highway system in a reasonable timeframe, I fear what that means to Austin's future. If you think traffic is bad now, wait another 20 years, with about a million more people in our metro (that is not an unreasonble projection, just look at the population we've added the last 20). If we keep building our roads at the same pace we have untill now (minus the turnpikes), we are in big trouble.

^at least it will make people more open to the idea of public transit.

Absolutely! I voted for light rail in 2000, and commuter rail in 2004. I'll vote "yes" for any mass-transit proposal put forward in the future as well.

However, I am a strong believer in a multi-modal transit system. We need good roads, busses, trains, bikeways, and sidewalks.

I believe that regardless of how high gas prices get, cars are going to be a major part of the U.S.'s mobility for decades into the future. Just look at European gas prices, and cars are still used in great numbers. The result of this is that there will still be a need to upgrade our roads.

Of course, I hope that a higher, and higher percentage of Americans begin to repopulate the urban cores of cities, and begin utilizing mass-transit in much higher numbers.

In my opinion, both a continuation of sprawl, and a continued rebirth of our inner cities, is not only possible to occur simutaneously, but likely will.

So, let's plan for that, and not assume that cars will not exist in great numbers into the future.

Actually Tolls will be built on existing freeways, you can check with TxDot. Example, they just opened the stretch of 183 from east of I-35 down to just past 290 E. Right now it is free but when the entire stretch from I-35 to the airport is complete, they plan to toll the full freeway, not certain lanes. I-35 will be done in pieces and I guess you can say the first two noticeable changes to I-35 are the interchange on the southside at Ben White 290/71 and now they are working on the new Yager lane bridge and they are upgrading that section of I-35 through there. And unfortunatly as this article from the Austin Chronical points out it will be more than 5 years before we really see major changes to I-35

I-35: TxDot Makes (or Breaks) History?

The expected haggling has begun between the Texas Dept. of Transportation and city officials over which East Austin properties are historic enough to survive the coming I-35 expansion. This corner of the bureaucratic swamp is called the historic property review -- a key component of the I-35 project's federally required environmental impact analysis -- in which city, state, and TxDOT officials determine if the controversial I-35 expansion would "negatively impact" any potentially historic buildings or properties. "Impact" would be a polite term for "envelop" or "destroy." If it wants to use federal funds -- which, of course, it must on a project this size -- TxDOT must adjust its plans to minimize those impacts on historic areas.

The massive I-35 project would revamp a 45-mile stretch of highway from Georgetown to Buda, adding two main lanes and elevated HOV lanes through Downtown, and require $2 billion and 10 years of construction. Critics of the plan say that it won't ease traffic congestion enough given the price, and that it will damage many East Austin neighborhoods. Opponents see the historic review as a way to possibly alter the design and minimize the project's injuries to their neighborhoods.

The I-35 expansion project has been in the works for nearly 15 years already, and TxDOT hopes to finish the historic review, along with the rest of the EIS, by this spring so it can move forward with finalizing schematics and applying for federal highway funds. They don't expect to start construction until 2010. Thus far, TxDOT officials have surveyed potentially historic properties along I-35's eastern lip from Town Lake to Seventh Street and presented their findings to city Historic Preservation Officer Barbara Stocklin, who said this week she has numerous objections to TxDOT appraisals. She said TxDOT schematics called for consuming several properties in the four-block area between Holly and Flores streets along I-35, an area Stocklin said she believes could qualify for historic district designation. "It's not just historic housing they're taking, but low- to middle-income housing [in the area]," she said. "If it is a potential historic district, they have to have a mitigation plan." The Texas Historical Commission has the final say on which areas could qualify as historic districts and thus cannot be "impacted."

Stocklin indicated she will respond to TxDOT this week with official comments on its survey, and must conduct further discussions with the agency. She also noted that TxDOT is in an awkward position during the historic review. Obviously, the agency would benefit from fewer historic properties (and fewer potentially expensive changes to the highway design), but it's given the responsibility to help identify which properties are historic and eligible for protection. "They have a vested interest in not having these properties labeled historic," she said.

Daniel Harris, TxDOT's historic preservation planner, said TxDOT officials were still in discussions with the city regarding properties south of Seventh Street. The agency hopes to complete its historic surveys of properties between Seventh and 53rd in the next several weeks, and submit those recommendations to Stocklin for city review. "I'm in limbo right now, trying to move forward but realizing the city has vital interests in these discussions," he said.

So do several Eastside neighborhood associations, and TxDOT is planning two sure-to-be-combative public meetings in January to take citizen input, one for areas south of Martin Luther King Boulevard and one for areas north. Harris said notices for the meetings will be mailed once the list of more than 300 stakeholders is finalized and meetings dates set. He noted that TxDOT hopes to complete reports documenting which properties will be affected in time for those meetings, so citizens will know if their property will be "impacted," but federal law doesn't require it.

(This is not a new artical but I also have looked at the TXDot website and the I-35 stretch and it really dosnt say anything about upgrading I-35 in the near future. Really, they are stuck in study after study)


As far as 130 goes, it will continue to be a controversial road for awhile. I agree that we need to move development east but also at the same time we don't need sprawl and that is exactly whats going to be built along this new road.

Like I said, the studies have been going on for years, and we should see major construction on I-35 in 5 to 7 years. Also, I recently read TxDot will soon begin rebuilding frontage roads through Travis County, setting them farther from the main lanes, to allow more room for the expansion. The point is, I do not believe this project to be in the "distant" future.

Also, you are correct about that new stretch of 183 east of I-35. Originally that would have been tolled from the start, but through some compromise, they agreed to delay those tolls until the expressway lanes were completed all the way to 71. I think the idea was it would seem silly to have that stretch of only about 2 miles be tolled.

Also, I wasn't aware that 130 was controversial. I am aware that the phase II plan was, but only the fanatically anti-toll people (or just anti-car/road period) find roads such as 130, 183-A, or 45 N. controversial.

As far as sprawl in the area, like I said before, we can continue sprawling farther into the north and south, all the way to Temple and San Antonio, continue sprawling into the Hill Country, or we can direct growth eastward. Although it seems to be way out, 130 in most places is less than 10 miles east of I-35. Why wouldn't we want this area more developed?

AUSTIN MUSIC HALL MAKEOVER
Music Hall makeover
Popular venue Austin Music Hall to add restaurant, increase capacity
By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, July 10, 2006

Planned renovations for the hall include a modernist exterior, a late-night restaurant, an increase in overall admission capacity from 3,000 to 4,000, and a new sound and light system, with LED screens throughout the venue. The overall square footage will increase from 22,000 to 42,000. The hall's seating capacity will increase from 1,800 to 2,800, and a new mezzanine will overlook the stage.

Direct Events owner Tim O'Connor estimates the project's cost at $5 million, which will be split among the two development companies and Direct Events.

"My best estimate is that it will probably be completed by June 1," O'Connor said Monday.

Andrews Urban president Taylor Andrews said he approached O'Connor about refurbishing the hall last summer.

"We realized the importance of music and entertainment around this block pretty early on in the development process," Andrews said. "This region is home to La Zona Rosa and soon to be the home of Ballet Austin. Tim welcomed the opportunity to work together to help with noise and aesthetic issues."

Noise is often a sore point between club owners and downtown businesses. Early on, the Hilton Austin Hotel on Fourth Street lodged a number of noise complaints regarding clubs on Sixth Street, and clubs are already rumbling about potential condos at the former Reddy Ice plant on Red River Street, located mere feet from Stubb's outdoor venue.

O'Connor says the redesign will incorporate sound-dampening material, and Andrews added that the proximity of live music is a crucial part of the area's attraction.

"Having the music venues this close is a huge draw for potential residents," Andrews said. "But we also want to be good neighbors. There will probably be residential development to the south and across the creek, so it's not just about the 360 Condos. We want residents of any of those buildings to realize the benefit of Austin Music Hall."

Andrews said the building will be designed in accordance with the "Great Streets" objective of wide sidewalks, ground-level retail and other neighborhood-building features.

"Upgrading the Music Hall to make it more pedestrian-friendly is directly in line with the Downtown Design Guidelines," said Eleanor McKinney, chairwoman of the City of Austin Design Commission.

The 360 Condominiums at West Third and Nueces streets will house 432 units. One-bedroom units start at less than $200,000, and two-bedroom units start at less than $300,000. The building is scheduled to open in late 2007.

The Austin Music Hall opened in 1995 as one of the city's largest venues. Over the years, it has hosted acts such Bruce Springsteen, rapper Paul Wall, heavy metal band Slayer, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. It plays a key role in South by Southwest Music Festival and Conference, often showcasing the conference's biggest names in addition to the Austin Music Awards.

In January 2005, the hall hosted Willie Nelson's "Songs for Tsunami Relief: Austin to South Asia" show, benefiting victims of the tsunami that hit South Asia the day after Christmas in 2004. The venue also hosts private events as well as the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, an annual offering of arts and crafts, along with live music.

Project publicist Ryan Orendorf said the permitting process has already begun and the construction would be staged so that the facility could remain in operation.

Music fans have long complained about the Music Hall's unforgiving acoustics and the resulting mediocre sound. O'Connor said Austin acoustic designer Ken Dickensheets will design a house sound system, one that could be configured to accommodate anything from heavy metal to symphony orchestras.

"The acoustics are part of the design rather than an afterthought," Dickensheets said Monday. "Right now, there's a lot of sound energy coming out of the facility. You can hear the concerts as well outside as in. The new facility is going to somewhat control the sound coming out of the building so it doesn't bother the neighbors."

Dickensheets added that touring bands that bring their own sound equipment will be able plug in easily to the state-of-the-art house system. "This will give the audience good sound while keeping it under control," he said.

O'Connor hopes the hall's new size and look will improve Austin's chances to host big name touring acts that might otherwise play San Antonio. During the winter, it will enable Direct Events to book acts that might play the Glenn — the company's 5,000-capacity outdoor venue — during the summer months. The hall's new seating capacity will bring it in line with the 3,000-seat Bass Concert Hall, potentially making it attractive to touring theater groups as well.

How about the load-bearing pylons that sometimes obstruct clear views of the stage?

Andrews said: "Well, we're getting rid of those columns."

"This room has great potential," Dickensheets said. "It's the right venue at the right time."
Heres the article sorry for the delay, didn't see it on the site earlier.

I am hearing that Metlife 101 Colorado's 36 story building will start constuction within the next few weeks. :cheer:

Awesome news about MetLife. Imagine what a 415' tower will look like at that location. Also, it further helps 2nd Street...now we need Block 21, 200 Congress, and the Green Water redevelopment, and that truly will be a "Great Street"!

Details emerging on commuter rail project
Station locations and car designs are set, and agency has decided to build a new railroad bridge.
By Ben Wear

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/02/75/28/image_4628752.jpg
Capital Metro has unveiled plans about its rail project, including renderings (above). Stadler, a Swiss company, is building six train cars for Capital Metro at a cost of about $38 million. The cars each will be 138 feet long and have 108 seats.


Monday, July 17, 2006

Capital Metro's commuter rail project, just lines on a map 20 months ago when voters approved it, soon will take tangible form with dirt moving in Central Texas and metal molded in Switzerland.

Officials with the transit agency, which will host six informational forums on the $90 million-plus project beginning this week, have released new details about what's coming. They include a 2,000-foot railroad overpass that wasn't originally contemplated, specific locations for all but one of the stations on the 32-mile Leander-to-downtown Austin line, and the restoration of one station that had been cut from the plan.

Officials say that project is still on track to begin service sometime in 2008. Among the newly released details:

•The brand: The service will be called Metrorail. Red will be the primary color associated with the trains and the service. The train cars will be gray with red stripes and doors, along with black and white accents.

•The train cars: Stadler, a Swiss company, is building six train cars for Capital Metro at a cost of about $38 million. The cars each will be 138 feet long and have 108 seats.

Each car will have two diesel engines in the center section (though passengers will still be able to move from one end of the car to the other using an aisle between the engine compartments) and will be capable of continuing its run even if one engine goes down. The Cummins engines will be manufactured in Europe, but will have part and repair facilities in San Antonio. There will also be backup power systems for the lights and air conditioning, meaning the cars (with windows that can't be opened) will have a cooling system if one of those auxiliary systems breaks down.

The station platforms will be at the same level as the floor of the car, with no more than a three-inch gap from the platform to the lip of the car floor to ease wheelchair boarding.

Stadler should begin construction on the first car this summer, project director John Almond said, with delivery in September 2007. The last car will be delivered in April or May of 2008, Almond said. Service, at least in theory, could begin before all the cars are here, but that decision has not been made.

Stadler has access to a 50-mile stretch of track in Switzerland, officials said, allowing extensive testing of all the cars before they are broken down into three pieces and shipped to Houston. They will be trucked to Austin from there and reassembled at the agency's North Austin Operations Center.

There would then be a testing period on the ground here, Almond said, albeit shorter than would have been necessary if Stadler didn't have the test track in Europe.

•A new bridge: Capital Metro has decided to build a 2,000-foot-long overpass over the Union Pacific railroad where the two lines intersect in Northwest Austin. The bridge, expected to cost $6 million to $10 million, will have earthen runups of about 540 feet on each side, and a 927-foot span that will have 25 feet of clearance as it passes over the UP track.

The project originally did not include that bridge. But given the heavy freight traffic on the UP line, and the priority that freight takes over passenger traffic in such situations, Capital Metro decided that the bridge was necessary to avoid repeated delays for passenger trains waiting for freight trains to pass.

Almond said that the agency, by cutting expenditures on other elements, will still be able to meet the project budget of about $90 million (which includes the cost of the train cars).

•Highland Mall back in: The agency last year decided not to build the Highland Mall station, but has reversed course. That station is likely to be the simplest and cheapest of the nine.

•Station sites and design: The agency has decided on precise locations for eight of the nine stations, but is still negotiating for land on the Burnet Road/Braker Lane station near the University of Texas' J.J. Pickle Research Campus.

The three outlying stations, in Leander, near Lakeline Mall and near the intersection of Howard Lane and Merrilltown Drive, will have park-and-ride lots. The other stations will have little or no parking.

The stations will have certain standard qualities and components, but individual accents in the paving features and perhaps the awnings. The agency would like to use glass awnings in a wing-shaped design, but is withholding a decision on that and other station amenities until earlier contracts are signed on the station platforms, ramps and sidings. That will determine how much money is available for awnings and paving.

bwear@statesman.com; 445-3698

Large mixed-use development planned for northwest
Up to 3,000 homes coming to area where rail line, toll roads will converge.
By Kate Miller Morton

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Monday, July 17, 2006

An empty field in the far northwest corner of Austin would become one of the densest mixed-use suburban developments in Central Texas under plans proposed by Pacific Summit Partners, which has 335 acres under contract near U.S. 183 and RM 620.

The group plans to build up to 3,000 homes along with 150,000 square feet of neighborhood retail. The $400 million project, called Lakeline Station, would take up to eight years to complete.

The residential portion will include as many as 12 different types of town houses, condos and single-family homes grouped near a coming train station.

"The nature of a transit-oriented development is diversity," said Steven Levenson, a California-based principal of Pacific Summit. "It's having homes of all shapes and sizes and people of varied income levels living in the same environment."

Retail in the development will be geared toward neighborhood services such as coffee shops and dry cleaners, as opposed to the "big box" retailers along the busy intersections nearby.

Located just west of Parmer Lane and south of Avery Ranch Road, the Lakeline Station project is the second major mixed-use development of the same name proposed in the area in the last two months.

Texas-based Simmons Vedder & Co. recently announced that it would build 1.5 million square feet of apartments, offices and shops on 63 acres that lie mostly to the southwest of Pacific Summit's land on the opposite side of the Capital Metro commuter rail line, which runs along both properties.

Originally called Lakeline Station, the project will be renamed because Pacific Summit Partners owns the trademark.

Simmons Vedder plans to break ground early next year on the office portion, which would open in early 2008; the apartments would open later that year.

Both companies are trying to capitalize on major transportation projects nearby.

Texas 45, an east-west toll road that will run alongside RM 620, is expected to open in early to mid-2007 linking U.S. 183, MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1), Interstate 35 and the new Texas 130 turnpike.

"We haven't built a road like that in Austin in many years, if ever," Simmons Vedder partner John McKinnerney said of Texas 45. "That road will allow a multitude of workers and shoppers and whomever to access the northern parts of Austin."

A second toll road, U.S. 183-A, is also expected to open next year offering express lanes to Cedar Park and, eventually, Leander.

The Capital Metro commuter rail line is scheduled to begin carrying passengers in 2008.

All of these projects have significantly raised the profile and desirability of the area to developers, said Charles Heimsath, president of Capitol Market Research, an Austin real estate analysis firm.

"That whole area is about to change pretty dramatically," Heimsath said. "Some major tracts of land that have been in investment ownership are now moving into the hands of developers, so I think you'll see a lot of change in that area over the next 12 months."

Lakeline Station will be the first project for Pacific Summit Partners, a local company recently started by experienced California real estate investors including Levenson, but it probably won't be the last.

Pacific Summit hired local Pulte Homes executive Todd Janssen to open a local office.

"We're there to stay, and we have other projects in the works," Levenson said.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/04/77/26/image_4626774.jpg

kmorton@statesman.com; 445-3641

Here is a map of the commuter rail under construction. The red line is the one currently being worked on and the grey lines are existing rail lines for future expansion.

http://allsystemsgo.capmetro.org/images/large_map_2.png

Hotel complex planned for downtown Austin
Developer promises to seek accord with site's current tenants, including Las Manitas.
By Shonda Novak

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Thursday, July 20, 2006

The largest hotel development in Austin's history may be headed to Congress Avenue downtown — a $185 million project with three Marriott hotels that may replace several treasured businesses, including a bilingual day care center and local favorite Las Manitas Avenue Cafe.

The hotels, which would be developed by White Lodging Services Corp., based in Merrillville, Ind., are slated for much of the block on the east side of Congress Avenue between Second and Third streets.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/02/29/35/image_4635292.jpg
HELLMUTH, OBATA + KASSABAUM

The tallest hotel will be a 26-story Marriott convention center hotel with 650 rooms. There also will be a 200-room upscale Renaissance Hotel and a 150-room Springhill Suites by Marriott on the site. The hotels are scheduled to open in summer 2009.

White Lodging has signed a long-term lease with Finley Co. for the land, said Deno Yiankes, president and chief operating officer of White Lodging's development and asset management group.

Under the developer's current plans, the main hotel will have 50,000 square feet of meeting space in two ballrooms and 18 additional meeting rooms. The development also will include street-level retail on Second Street, including up to five food and beverage outlets, plus three levels of underground parking.

White Lodging will operate the hotels under a franchise agreement with Marriott. White Lodging is building two other hotels in downtown Austin: a 270-room Courtyard by Marriott and a 179-room Residence Inn by Marriott, both scheduled to open this fall on East Fourth Street.

The company's latest proposed development is a sign of White Lodging's "ongoing commitment to the city and our intent to be here well into the future," Yiankes said.

"We believe that adding 1,000 upscale hotel rooms to the downtown market will help attract additional convention business to Austin, enabling the city to compete more effectively with other convention destinations," he said.

White Lodging and Finley plan to work with existing tenants, including Las Manitas, "to reach a mutually satisfying arrangement," he added.

"We will directly benefit by successfully working with these longstanding and important institutions of downtown Austin as they are a significant part of Austin's unique flair that keeps so many visitors and conventioneers coming back year after year," Yiankes said.

At full staff, the three hotels will add 600 full-time jobs, doubling the number of people White Lodging employs in Austin, where it currently operates 13 hotels. The three new ones are expected to generate more than $2 million a year in property tax and more than $4 million a year in bed tax for the city.

Several other hotel deals are in the works downtown. They include a W hotel set to be built on a block just north of City Hall, a luxury hotel planned by San Antonio-based Hixon Properties Inc. for Third and Colorado streets and a proposed hotel tower that Australian-based Constellation Property Group plans to build at Red River and East Cesar Chavez streets, across from the Austin Convention Center. In addition, local developer Tom Stacy said he may include a hotel in a 47-story mixed-use tower he plans to build at Fifth Street and Congress Avenue.

That is a very ambitious project and it is going to be at a great location right across from the 47 story 200 Congress Condo tower. Finally after long years of waiting alot of the empty parking lots and low density buildings are being replaced by towers on that part of Congress. I am sure they will work to keep Las Manitas and the other businesses in the area.

I recently came across renderings for the "SoCo" lofts on South Congress, which can be found at this website...

http://www.socoloftsaustin.com/

One of the cool features of these lofts is that the sidwalk retail portion will be elevated much like the warehouse district is downtown.

I wasn't really sure where they were located at (their locator map link didn't work) so I used mapquest and put in the street address and found that it will be in the space on South Congress between Penn Field and the post office.

By the way, if someone has the ability to extract the images from the website that would be nice so the renderings can be more viewable.

Another interesting new loft is the 303 Urban Village. These will at 303 E. 11th street, obviously. It has a very cool design. The link I have provided will take you to the website with the renderings.

The link...
http://www.olivegrovepartners.com/archdescrip.html

These types of projects are going to be more numerous as the central part of the city continues to be developed with more density involved. I really like SoCo though it should be really nice. There is another development that looks like its about to get started up further south on Congress near 290/71 I fogot the name of that one but it will be on that hill near the post office. Anybody have details on that???

^I think you might still be refering to the "SoCo" lofts. I did provide a link, it's the last post on the second page.

Isn't SoCo going to be closer to downtown?? I didn't think it was going to be as far out as near Ben White 290/71. It makes it sound as if its going to be in the center of things and it wont be if its near the 290/71 intersection. Actually it will be on that site I was talking about. Well I feel sheepish now :runaway:

It makes it sound as if its going to be in the center of things and it wont be if its near the 290/71 intersection.

I think it will be in its own little world. But then again Penn Field is right next door...

Some possible big news, hope to hear more about this in the comming weeks...

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Museum negotiating on museum-condo project

Famous architectural firm would design new home for museum.

By Shonda Novak, Jeanne Claire van Ryzin
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, August 01, 2006



Austin could get a second downtown building designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, an internationally known architectural firm.

The Austin Museum of Art is negotiating with local developer Tom Stacy to develop a museum and adjoining condominium project to be designed by the architectural firm founded by Cesar Pelli.

The firm also is designing a 47-story, mixed-use high-rise that Stacy plans to build at Fifth Street and Congress Avenue.

In October, the museum invited more than 40 developers to become potential partners on a mixed-use development that would give the museum a permanent home downtown.

The museum narrowed the list to three. A spokesman declined to name the other top contenders because there's not yet a final agreement with Stacy.

Museum officials, however, are optimistic.
"We have total confidence in Tom," said David Wyatt, the museum's director of marketing and public relations.
Executive Director Dana Friis-Hansen said the museum is "excited about the prospect" of a deal with Stacy.

"This is just a small step forward in our strategic plan," Friis-Hansen said. "Right now we're doing our due diligence to see if a relationship is possible."

The museum has been housed since 1995 at 823 Congress Ave., which Stacy owns. Friis-Hansen said Stacy has been "a very good landlord, especially during the difficult times we had during the economic downturn."

The new project would be built on museum-owned land bounded by Third, Fourth, Guadalupe and San Antonio streets. Pelli Clarke Pelli has done some preliminary conceptual drawings, but the museum is not yet ready to release them. Wyatt said the proposed development "is going to be a unified project on the whole block."

"It's not going to be generic condos adjacent to our (museum) building," he said. "It will be a connected structure, all integrated on the ground level."

The condo building would occupy about half of the lot, Wyatt said.
The financial terms of the deal, the size of the condo part and other details have yet to be worked out.

Stacy declined to comment, saying through a spokeswoman that he preferred any comment to come from museum officials at this stage.
The project would realize a longstanding dream for the museum, which has had to cancel two previous projects — both involving top-flight architects — because of financial hurdles.

The museum has an annual budget of $3.2 million and four full-time employees. In 2005, attendance at its two locations — downtown and Laguna Gloria on Lake Austin — totaled more than 297,000.
In its initial solicitation, the museum said it was seeking space for a 75,000-square-foot facility, including gallery, educational, meeting and public spaces, Wyatt said.

For Stacy's Congress Avenue project, Pelli Clarke Pelli plans a striking glass tower, flared at the top, that could be up to 700 feet high. Stacy hopes to break ground next year.

Pelli Clarke Pelli's high-profile projects include the Petronas Towers in Malaysia; Manhattan's World Financial Center and Carnegie Hall Tower; and Reagan Washington National Airport.

I was curious to see what affect the new buildings would have on our skyline, so I drew in the buildings attempting to place them correctly and with the right height. If all of the buildings are built, this is what Austin's skyline could look like in 5 years...

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3308/thenewcitiscapeam8.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/9742/austinskylinefg1.jpg

...by the way, I used different colors on each building to differentiate between them, those will not be the colors of the real buildings. (unless we prefer the psychedelic skyline)

The City of Austin website has released an updated projects summary.

The map of all emerging projects...
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/downloads/ep_map_0706.pdf

The listing of all emerging projects...
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/downloads/ep_data_0706.pdf

Some info on the Legacy Tower going up in the Waterfront District.

http://www.legacypartners.com/Legacy.asp?loc=r_dev5&div=R

Heres the Rendering.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/res_dev_town_lake_elevation.jpg

Has alot of info in the brochure section of the site including floorplans.

Downtown high-rise will soar even higher
MetLife project, more than two years in the making, is ready to get under way.
By Shonda Novak

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Wednesday, August 09, 2006

A downtown residential high-rise more than two years in the making is finally ready to start construction — with eight more floors than the original plans envisioned.

MetLife and partner the Hanover Co. are building the 36-story apartment tower at 101 Colorado St., next door to MetLife's 22-story office tower at 100 Congress Ave.


Jay Janner
AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Construction barriers are in place at Second and Colorado streets for the 101 Colorado St. apartment high-rise. In 2004, plans called for 202 units in a 28-story tower, but the revised design is 36 stories, with 258 units.

Spring, a 36-story condominium tower at Third and Bowie streets, is set to begin construction in February and will hold 220 units.

"I think New York City just arrived in Austin!" said David Armbrust, a well-known real estate lawyer who works on the 13th floor of the office building.

In 2004, when the project was announced, the plans called for 202 units in a 28-story tower, with townhouses facing Congress and a curved roof.

The revised design is 36 stories, with 258 units, including three live-work units facing Cesar Chavez Street and nearly 1,000 square feet of street-level retail.

Construction barriers already are in place and demolition of the drive-in bank that now occupies the site could begin this week. The first residents could move in by fall 2008.

"Obviously, to add eight stories, that speaks volumes about their belief in the strength of the downtown Austin residential market," Armbrust said.

Cynthia Birdwell, Hanover's director of marketing, said Austin "has been interested in bringing additional residents into downtown, and this was an opportunity to support that goal."

The company did not need a variance from the city for the additional height, she said.

HKS Architects, which designed the Whole Foods Market headquarters and flagship store on North Lamar Boulevard at West Sixth Street, designed the apartment project. The development has a tower rising on the north side of the site, with a lower-profile structure facing Town Lake.

Mayor Will Wynn has said his vision for a lively downtown includes 25,000 residents by 2015 — a fivefold increase — and there is no shortage of developers ready to meet the demand.

Projects under construction or planned for downtown would add more than 3,000 living units, with more slated to be built south of downtown. Work has started on six projects, and several more are expected to break ground in early 2007.

Work should start Feb. 1 on Spring, a 36-story condominium tower at Third and Bowie streets, said Robert Barnstone, one of the project's developers.

Rafii Architects of Vancouver, British Columbia, is designing the slender tower. Austin-based Dick Clark Architects will design the interiors of the 220 units.

Just south of downtown, Crescent Resources LLC, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, plans to start work in early 2007 on Aquaterra, a 19-story, 173-unit condominium tower at 210 Barton Springs Road.

Crescent is advertising the project aggressively, and the campaign has generated a high level of interest, said Steven Brandt, vice president of Crescent's Texas operations.

The project will cost almost $50 million and should be finished in late 2008, Brandt said.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/08/01/79/image_4679018.jpg
Jay Janner
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Construction barriers are in place at Second and Colorado streets for the 101 Colorado St. apartment high-rise. In 2004, plans called for 202 units in a 28-story tower, but the revised design is 36 stories, with 258 units.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/04/00/79/image_4679004.jpg
RAFII ARCHITECTS
Spring, a 36-story condominium tower at Third and Bowie streets, is set to begin construction in February and will hold 220 units.



http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/00/02/79/image_4679020.jpg

Also, the UT Hotel and Conference Center now has a crane up at it's site.

Just for anybody that is interested there is a new Austin Forum site up and running now. Feel free to register and join up...

Austin Skyscraper Forum (http://austinforum.8.forumer.com/index.php)

Heres the rendering of 101 Colorado. wich was posted on this thread ealier.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/MetLife-vi.jpg



On another subject, The shore has started full construction as of the 4th with the main ground breakinig ceremony. They had a groundbreaking ceremony already ealier this summer but i think that was just for clearing the lot. Heres the artical.

An article from the Austin Business Journal.
From the Austin Business Journal
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2006/06/26/daily20.html?surround=lfn

22-story downtown condo breaks ground

Austin Business Journal - 1:50 PM CDT Wednesday

More than 80 percent of the units in a new high-rise condominium tower on Town Lake are committed -- and the project only officially broke ground Wednesday.

High Street Residential, a Trammell Crow company, celebrated the start of construction on The Shore, a 22-story 192-unit residential complex, at the development's leasing center downtown. The project is slated for completion in January 2008.

Jamil Alam, principal with the Trammell Crow Co. in Austin, says while many developers have lauded plans to build in downtown, fewer have followed through.

"We've actually made the investment," he says. "The fact that we are 80 percent leased speaks highly to the 24/7 environment downtown Austin offers."

The Shore's location on the edge of downtown in a neighborhood known as the Rainey Street District will help improve an area that has been underdeveloped in recent years, says Downtown Austin Alliance Executive Director Charlie Betts. As the development's pre-sales figures illustrate, prime access to both downtown and Town Lake are amenities people are willing to pay, and wait, for. Now with the nearby Milago Condominiums project close to completion and construction underway on the Mexican-American Cultural Center, Betts says he expects to see more high-density residential developments in the district.

"There is definite interest here," he says.

Meanwhile, in keeping with High Street's commitment to make The Shore an Austin 'green building,' and to honor its location on Town Lake, the firm presented the Austin Parks Foundation with a check for $10,000 to improve access to the nearby hike-bike trail on the lake. The improvements will make it easier for residents of The Shore -- along with those at the Mexican-American Cultural Center and other pedestrians -- to gain access to the main trail.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

Hotel/condo project has an Austin attitude
Moniker of upscale Hotel Van Zandt reflects the names and notes of Texas.
By Shonda Novak

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Saturday, September 09, 2006

Developers plan to start work by the end of the year on the Hotel Van Zandt, a 29-story boutique hotel with 55 luxury condominiums at Red River and Davis streets, part of an emerging wave of high-rise residential and hotel projects on downtown's eastern edge.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, based in San Francisco, will manage the hotel, a $100 million project being developed by JMI Realty LLC of San Diego.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/03/79/57/image_4757793.jpg
HORNBERGER+WORSTELL INC., ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS

The Hotel Van Zandt will stretch 29 stories and include 55 luxury condominiums and 290 rooms.
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/09/76/57/image_4757769.jpg

The hotel will have 290 rooms, a 5,000-square-foot outdoor deck, a ballroom and a 100-seat restaurant, said Greg Clay, senior vice president of JMI. The condominiums will range in price from $500,000 for the smallest units, 1,450 square feet, to more than $2 million for 5,000-square-foot units. They'll have a separate entrance and a private pool.

Kimpton manages 40 hotels across the country, each with a local flavor.

Clay said the Austin hotel will be "more like the Four Seasons in feel and style, with the comfortable Austin vibe of the (Hotel) San José," a popular locally owned boutique hotel on South Congress Avenue.

He said the Van Zandt name reflects both Texas history and Austin's musical roots.

Isaac Van Zandt was the first ambassador to the United States from the Republic of Texas. Generations later, his great-great-great grandson, Townes Van Zandt, became a legendary singer and songwriter whose career was cut short when he died in 1997.

"The name does exactly what we want," Clay said. "It simply implies Texas — Texas history and Texas soul."

The Van Zandt will be adjacent to the Shore, a 22-story condominium project already under construction by High Street Residential, an arm of Trammell Crow Co.

Nearby, Constellation Properties plans to build a $250 million luxury condominium and hotel project on three acres at Red River and East Cesar Chavez streets.

"Downtown Austin is really heating up," said Clay, the JMI executive. "The residential market downtown is really strong, as is the hotel market. Because our project includes both of these uses, we feel really good about it."

In Dallas, Philadelphia and a few other cities, some condo projects have been shelved or postponed because of steeply rising construction costs or lackluster sales.

So far, developers of downtown Austin projects report that sales are going well, with buyers including empty-nesters and out-of-towners, as well as Austinites who like the idea of living in the center of the city. Developers of the Shore said 70 percent of the 192 units are under contract, and buyers have reserved the rest.

JMI, which is privately held, is a large company that has developed major projects such as hotels, offices and a baseball stadium in its hometown of San Diego.

"While construction costs will surely prevent many of the projects from moving forward, we are better capitalized than most developers," Clay said. "We own the land and are well into the construction documents. So, while no project is done until the grand opening event, we are driving to start construction at the end of the year."

The Van Zandt will add to downtown's supply of rooms, where two new Marriotts have added 449 rooms, and a half-dozen other projects in the pipeline are expected to add more than 2,300 rooms.


snovak@statesman.com; 445-3856

Nothing huge, but considering it's been a few years since downtown Austin has seen any office construction, I believe it's worth noting.


Razing the standard

Larger, taller tower to go next to Capitol

Austin Business Journal - September 8, 2006
by A.J. Mistretta
ABJ Staff

EDIT: This rendering comes from the Development 2000 website. It appears to be outdated, since this depicts a 7-8 story building.
http://www.development2000.com/admin/content/images/TADA-big.jpg

Construction will begin next month on a $20 million office building near the Capitol that will serve as the headquarters for two statewide associations.
Development 2000 Inc. is developing the nine-story building at the southwest corner of 12th and Lavaca streets with two tenant partners: the Texas Automobile Dealers Association and the Texas Hospital Association.

The building will include 68,000 square feet of office space, with the two associations together occupying roughly 48,000 square feet. The remaining space will be marketed to groups that need to be close to the Capitol, such as lawyers and lobbyists, says Jerry Reed, president of Development 2000.

The four-story office building currently on the site, which has been the home of the automobile dealers' association, will be demolished next month. Construction on the new building is expected to take 14 months.
Parking and ground-level retail space will comprise the first four floors. The next three floors will have about 20,000 square feet of space, and the top two floors will be significantly smaller so that views of the Capitol are not obstructed.

A rooftop garden is planned to make use of the extra space.
The architectural design was a joint effort between Graeber Simmons and Cowan Inc. of Austin and Bundy Young Sims and Potter Inc. of Wichita Falls, Texas. Austin-based White Construction Co. is the general contractor.

Reed says the finished building will be a premier property in downtown Austin.

"This is one block from the Capitol with fabulous views of the Capitol building," he says. "To do anything less than a Class A project would be sinful."

The vacancy rate across the Central Business District currently hovers around 20 percent, but the area immediately surrounding the Capitol is a different story, says Reed.

"If you drew an eighth-of-a-mile circle around the Capitol, you'd find that office space is 95 percent occupied. There are no vacancies around the Capitol itself, and that's the niche market that we're after," he says.

The Texas Automobile Dealers Association has temporarily relocated its offices to the 816 Congress building. The Texas Hospital Association currently works out of 35,000 square feet at 6225 U.S. Hwy. 290 and has a small amount of space in the Texas Trial Lawyers Association building at 1220 Colorado St., which it uses during legislative sessions.

"It's very appropriate and overdue for our association, being one of the largest in Austin, to have a permanent and complete Capitol presence," says Joe DeSilva, senior vice president of the hospital association, which will occupy about 40,000 square feet of the new building.

DeSilva says running two separate offices during legislative sessions is taxing on the association's resources. The new digs will consolidate operations and provide an additional 5,000 square feet for growth.
DeSilva says the retail component will add to an area of downtown that doesn't have many shops.

"We're hoping that the retail we're putting into the project will help bring more people into the Capitol area," he says. "Because of its location, this is going to be a landmark-looking building," DeSilva says.

This isn't Development 2000's first Capitol-area office project. In 2004, the company completed the four-story, 29,000-square-foot Trinity Center building at the corner of 12th and Trinity streets.

Development 2000 is also spearheading the ABC Bank headquarters project at the corner of Fifth Street and Rio Grande Avenue. That project, which includes about 40,000 square feet of office space, is nearing completion.

amistretta@bizjournals.com | (512) 494-2519

Here's a better rendering for the Hotel Van Zandt
http://www.hotelvanzandt.com/images/exterior_lg.jpg
http://www.hotelvanzandt.com/

These projects all seem pretty nice. Good for Austin.

Article from the Austin American-Statesman about the development of Block 21:

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/11/11block21.html

New "Austin City Limits" home will have 1,000 seats, year-round performances
Famous music program will be star tenant in downtown development

By Shonda Novak (snovak@statesman.com), Michael Corcoran (mcorcoran@statesman.com)
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, October 11, 2006

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/00/24/24/image_4824240.jpg
ANDERSSON-WISE ARCHITECTS, AUSTIN
The new 'Austin City Limits' venue, slated for Second and Lavaca streets in a rendering of the Stratus Properties Inc. mixed-use development, will include seating for 1,000, a store and VIP suites.


http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/01/24/24/image_4824241.jpg

When the 35th season of "Austin City Limits" debuts in 2009, the acclaimed music show plans to be in new downtown quarters, with room for an audience of 1,000 people. The new venue, part of a major development on the block north of City Hall, will have other live performances year-round, not just when the famous public television show is being taped.

Many things won't change when "ACL" moves from the University of Texas to downtown: Admission and beer will be free, at least for now, and the backdrop will still show the Austin skyline.

But instead of riding a creaking elevator up to the studio, fans will enter off Second Street, beneath an electronic billboard promoting shows, and they'll be able to buy show-related products at a new store. VIP suites overlooking the studio will help KLRU raise money.

"We'll do our best to maintain the elements people have come to associate with 'Austin City Limits,' like the Austin skyline and backdrops, but the idea is to make this an 'ACL' experience, just like it has been here (at UT) for 32 years," said Bill Stotesbery, station manager for KLRU-TV, which produces the show with Capital Sports & Entertainment.

The music show will be a star tenant in a mixed-used development Stratus Properties Inc. plans for the block, bounded by Second and Third streets, Lavaca and Guadalupe. The project will include an upscale W hotel with 235 rooms, 155 condominiums, offices, shops and a new home for the Austin Children's Museum.

Stratus hopes to break ground early next year. The company has hired Andersson-Wise Architects of Austin to design a building, with a four-story element on Second Street and a tower of about 30 stories on the north side of the block. Stratus will own the music venue and will pay "ACL" for the rights to use the name on the theater.

"Austin City Limits" has been housed in the same small studio on the UT campus since it started in 1975. With just 320 seats, the studio can't begin to accommodate the number of people who want to attend tapings. The show can't even hang a sign on the building, and parking is a problem.
KLRU offices and production facilities will remain at the University of Texas. KLRU plans a formal announcement Friday at a fundraising gala on the site. The event includes a performance by Los Lonely Boys.
Only a few $500 tickets remain.

"The project is in its early stages, but we've gotten far enough to make a public announcement Friday," Stotesbery said. "We are happy that we're going to be more central to the entertainment district of the city."
In addition to the "ACL" tapings, the venue will be used for other KLRU-related activities, possibly a speaker's series, and other productions, music and otherwise, Stotesbery said.

He said details of booking and financial arrangements still are being worked out. Stratus will build the facility at no cost to KLRU, Stotesbery said. KLRU will buy equipment to create a state-of-the-art digital production facility. He said the cost is not yet known, but KLRU might raise money from a capital campaign and look for private-sector partners to donate equipment.

The "Austin City Limits" stage and children's museum would join an area of downtown already undergoing an arts revival.
A couple of blocks away, the Austin Music Hall is being revamped into a 2,800-seat venue. Direct Events, the music production company that also runs the nearby La Zona Rosa and the Backyard on Texas 71, is renovating the 11-year-old hall with help from the Novare Group and Andrews Urban, developers of the neighboring 360 Condominiums.
At San Antonio and Third streets, Ballet Austin is building its headquarters, which will have a small performance space.

Directly across Town Lake, the Long Center for the Performing Arts is rising on the old Palmer Auditorium site, with symphony, ballet and opera performances expected to begin in 2008.

snovak@statesman.com, 445-3856;
mcorcoran@statesman.com, 445-3652

Here is another rendering of the Block 21 tower...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsBlock21Tower2.jpg

More renderings can be found at this link. Click on portfolio, then go to mixed use/hotel and find block 21.
http://www.bokapowell.com/swf/index2.html

32-story condo may spring up downtown

From the Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/business/co...0downtown.html

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN
Condo high-rise could be Katz's Deli neighbor
CLB Partners plans 32-story project downtown at West Seventh and Rio Grande.

By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Thursday, October 19, 2006

CLB Partners plans to build a 32-story condominium high-rise at West Seventh and Rio Grande streets, extending the downtown residential development boom.

Pending approvals from the city, the project could get underway next spring, with its 160 units ready for residents in late 2008, said Bobby Nail, a partner in CLB's Austin office.

The building will be designed by the Austin-based architectural firm of Rhode:Hurt. The firm also is designing CLB's six-story Bridges on the Park project, under construction at Lamar Boulevard and Riverside Drive. Brett Rhode, one of Rhode:Hurt's founding principals, also was involved in the design of CLB's Austin City Lofts on West Fifth Street.

The new project would be built at the southeast corner of West Seventh and Rio Grande, behind Katz's Deli. A one-story building with several short-term office tenants would be razed to make way for the high-rise. The project would be built around the Ranch 616 restaurant.

"I always build around my favorite restaurants," Nail said.

Bridges on the Park wraps around the former Paggi House, which is being renovated and will reopen early next year as a new high-end restaurant and wine bar.

Prices are expected to start in the low $300,000s, with the largest units topping $4 million.

Nail said the parking garage will be built in the part of the site where height is limited to protect views of the state Capitol.



http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsCLB7thRioGradetower.jpg

This isn't fair. How come Austin gets everything and not Greenville. What? You think your better than everybody else or something because you got your little real world show from MTV.

Here is a rendering for the proposed Four Seasons Residences. It will be 38 stories high and it is designed by Michael Graves & Associates

http://www.urbanaustin.org/images/2/22/FourSeasonsResidences_(2).jpg

Update on the Shore Condos/ Kimpton Hotel Towers. The official groundbreaking ceremony was held today and full construction has now begun.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/theshore24zc.jpg

The construction crane is up for this building!!!!

Speaking of The Shore, here is a west elevation of Hotel Van Zandt (on the left) and The Shore (on the right).

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsTheShoreandHotel-1.jpg

Here is the site plan...
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20renderings%20highrises/AustinrenderingsTheShoreandHotelVan.jpg

Construction on Hotel Van Zandt should begin in a couple months.

Both of these images are from Kevin From Texas on SkyscraperPage.

I lived in Austin from 1974 through 1984

In the latter part of 1982 dozens of major downtown office towers were announced as well as other developments further out. Land prices and recently constructed houses doubled in price in 2 to 3 years.

As 1984 summer dawned -- it dawned on a few of us that there was a lot of building being done on a speculative basis. Also, just to the west there were thousands of acres of available land and a lot of houses being bought as rental properties by ordinary homeowners -- 2nd and even 3rd homes were common.

Suffice to say -- I got out at the right time -- my house nearly doubled in value in 3 years.

3 years later on a visit to Austin -- I went out to my ol homestead -- It was for sale by HUD for $100 down and assume the payments. -- I should have bought it back – today it’s probably worth 5X what I would have paid for it the second time

Oh and all the towers that the developers raced to finish in the frenzied summer of 1984 -- most were completely vacant. – it was a ghost city to drive down Congress Avenue at night

Austin is growing and has a dynamic economy -- still it seems there is a lot of building all at once – already nationally we are seeing softening real estate prices

Is history ready to repeat?

:cheers:

westy

http://www.theaustonian.com/
There is now a website with new renderings of the 500 congress building, now called the Austonian. If built this will be the tallest building in Austin, as it is 55 stories and 700ft tall.

http://www.theaustonian.com/pic01.jpg

http://www.theaustonian.com/pic03.jpg

http://www.theaustonian.com/pic02.jpg
http://images19.fotki.com/v381/photos/5/54967/2949615/Austonian1-vi.jpg

The Legacy on Town Lake has new renderings...

http://www.ediarchitecture.com/multifamily/images/legacy_townlake_1.jpg

http://www.ediarchitecture.com/multifamily/images/legacy_townlake_3.jpg

http://www.ediarchitecture.com/multifamily/images/legacy_townlake_2.jpg

http://www.ediarchitecture.com/multifamily/legacy_townlake.html

More details released today about Novare Groups planned redevelopment of the downtown Post Office. There are two planned towers that will have a combined 900 condos.

Tower 1 on Block 51 will be 35 stories tall with 400 condos. Construction will begin this fall with with a fall 2009 completion. This will also have the relocated Post Office which will open in spring 2008.

Tower 2 on Block 52 will be 40 stories tall with 500 condos, 100 hotel rooms, and 25,000 sf ground level retail. Construction is set to begin in summer 2008.

Statesman article:
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/realestate/02/06/6novare.html
Business Journal article:
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/02/05/daily8.html?jst=b_ln_hl

I really like that design on the Austonian. Very nice for a new tallest.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/realestate/commercial/14austin.html

February 14, 2007
Square Feet
It’s Also the Texas Capital of Construction
By KRISTINA SHEVORY

AUSTIN, Tex., Feb. 12 — Construction cranes are dotting the skyline here after a six-year hiatus. Large swaths of downtown, once largely parking lots, low-slung buildings and warehouses, are being demolished to put up glass skyscrapers, and land that had been vacant for years is being cleared for new offices and homes all over town.

Yet while the new jobs tied to the growth have been welcome in a town where the economy is largely tied to state government and technology, critics say the building boom runs the risk of altering the character of the city, a place often prized by residents for its offbeat small-town vibe.

“All the capital is getting sucked into Austin,” said Brewster McCracken, an Austin City Council member. “That not only brings more redevelopment, but it also brings the tensions that come along with them. As we redevelop, we want to make sure we don’t lose the great things that make Austin unique.”

Austin has clearly become the next Texas boomtown.

Lured by a low cost of living, strong job growth and seven universities and colleges, new companies, most of them from California, are opening offices or expanding existing ones. Samsung Electronics is putting billions into a new semiconductor plant, its second in town, and Advanced Micro Devices is building a new 60-acre campus.

In the process, they are bringing 70,000 new jobs, pushing office vacancies to a five-year low and keeping the local housing market strong. Over a million square feet of office space is being built, and 22,000 apartments and condominiums are either being planned or are under construction, the highest number since 2000.

“Austin is on everyone’s radar,” said Brett Arabie, senior vice president at Oxford Commercial, a real estate firm in Austin. “You really don’t have to a do a sales job.”

Real estate investors are banking that the growth will not be short-lived. In the last three years, Equity Office Properties Trust more than doubled its office space here, to 3.3 million square feet, becoming the city’s biggest private landlord.

When the Blackstone Group bought Equity for $39 billion last week, it assumed control of all of the trust’s properties in Austin. Although the private equity firm has already sold some Equity buildings in New York and Seattle, it is unclear what it will do with the ones in Austin.

In September, Equity paid $188 million, or $354 a square foot, for the Frost Bank Tower, making it the most expensive office tower in the state. The race for office space has made Austin the most expensive commercial market in Texas. Sale prices have risen 50 percent since 2002 and now average $181 a square foot here, according to Real Capital Analytics. Prices in Dallas and Houston average $130 and $129, respectively.

Still, some Austin residents say they are worried that their city will become like any other American metropolis. They have been battling large-scale developments in environmentally sensitive areas, zoning changes for high-rise condo towers and the loss of local stores, music clubs and restaurants. The threatened demolition of Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, a beloved Tex-Mex restaurant downtown here, has become a rallying cry in their fight to “Keep Austin Weird.”

Since opening a quarter-century ago, Las Manitas has become a local institution, attracting musicians, politicians and celebrities, like Quentin Tarantino. In its place, White Lodging Services wants to put up three Marriott hotels, with 1,000 rooms, by the summer of 2009. A child care center and a folk arts and crafts store would also be displaced. The restaurant’s owners, however, have refused to leave unless something can be done to save it. The two sides are still negotiating.

The development battles have focused attention on the city’s lack of a downtown master plan and a program to preserve small local businesses there. A fund to help keep the small businesses is being hammered together, and a portion of the money will probably come from development fees. A development plan should be completed by the middle of 2008, according to city officials.

Downtown development has had its booms and busts. In the late 1990s, the city wanted to turn the area into a “digital downtown” and offered more than $45 million in incentives to lure tech companies. It expanded the convention center, built a new City Hall and persuaded Computer Sciences, Vignette and Intel to move there.

But after the technology industry went into decline six years ago, office vacancies hit a high of 23 percent. Vignette pulled out of a proposed $350 million office complex. Computer Sciences delayed the completion of a three-building campus, and Intel scuttled its 10-story chip design building, leaving a five-story skeleton. After six years, the skeleton is expected to come down later in February to make way for a new federal courthouse.

This time around, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce was determined to make sure that the good times lasted. In 2004, the group started a five-year plan to make the economy more diverse.

“There was an outpouring of support from the city, regional government and businesses to get Austin moving,” said Dave Porter, the chamber’s senior vice president for economic development. “They said, ‘We’re sick and tired of going through these cycles. Let’s do something.’ ”

The chamber persuaded local companies to stay, and it wooed out-of-state companies. One such business was CompassLearning. Last March, the company left San Diego to make its educational software here with lower expenses and more high-tech employees. Executives had grown tired of battling for the few programmers in town while trying to persuade others to move to San Diego.

“Recruiting people from Nevada and Texas to move to Southern California is a real problem because of the cost of living and quality-of-life issues,” said Eric Loeffel, president of CompassLearning, which consolidated three offices in Austin. “I don’t have that problem now. Austin is an attraction.”

Low housing prices have also persuaded others to relocate. Sales of single-family homes climbed 10 percent in 2006, versus 2005, according to the Austin Board of Realtors. The median home price was $174,500, up 6 percent. The median price nationally was $222,000.The housing market has attracted residential developers, and many are pouring into downtown. There are 4,200 apartments and condominiums being planned or under construction there, leading some to wonder if there is enough demand for them. Charles Heimsath, president of Capitol Market Research, estimates there is enough demand to absorb 300 to 400 units a year.

“If all those units are built at the same time, I think we would have a glut,” Mr. Heimsath said. “But it’s extremely unlikely all of these projects will come online at the same time.”

The Novare Group, an Atlanta builder that specializes in high-rise condominiums, is betting at least $145 million that the housing market will remain strong. It chose Austin for its first project outside of the Southeast and eventually plans to put up several mixed-use projects here.

Last summer, the developer broke ground on a 44-story downtown tower with 432 condos. Prices will probably range from $190,000 for a one-bedroom to $300,000 for a two-bedroom. Novare is also building two towers with ground-floor stores, 100 hotel rooms and more than 900 condominiums. Several other mixed-use projects are also in the works.

“You see a lot of patents, good population growth and perfect demographics,” said Judd L. Bobilin, Novare’s chief development officer. “Those are all strong indicators things are going to take off.”

austin is impressive, i may want to job transfer there

I, too, have been impressed with the amount of construction and new projects in Austin. Amazing!!!

Huntsville looks to Austin and Raleigh as cities they would like to emulate in many ways. Our economies are similar. Both cities are doing wonderful things.

Kinda wish I stayed up there to follow up on the recent building success of Austin. However only 70 miles away I can manage. I was up there recently and noticed that a parking garage was half destoryed and wondered, was that on purposed or a horrible accident? Can someone fill me in?

^Could it have been the old Intel shell that was recently imploded?

http://www.theaustonian.com/
There is now a website with new renderings of the 500 congress building, now called the Austonian. If built this will be the tallest building in Austin, as it is 55 stories and 700ft tall.

http://www.theaustonian.com/pic01.jpg



I really love this building. What's the likehood of getting built?

Courtesy of mopacs(he takes some good photos):


I had the pleasure of exploring downtown this weekend. Here are some updated construction pics from yesterday (5/20):

Monarch...

http://images114.fotki.com/v659/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0803-vi.jpg

http://images105.fotki.com/v441/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0799-vi.jpg

http://images104.fotki.com/v474/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0927-vi.jpg

360...

http://images105.fotki.com/v441/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0813-vi.jpg

http://images105.fotki.com/v440/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0821-vi.jpg

Windows going in...

http://images21.fotki.com/v849/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0832-vi.jpg

http://images104.fotki.com/v474/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0831q-vi.jpg

http://images104.fotki.com/v474/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0840-vi.jpg

From across the river @ Town Lake Park

http://images21.fotki.com/v832/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0864-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v834/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0866-vi.jpg

From South Austin

http://images108.fotki.com/v607/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310083-vi.jpg

http://images23.fotki.com/v868/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310084-vi.jpg

From Zilker Park...
http://images24.fotki.com/v854/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310074a-vi.jpg

http://images7.fotki.com/v130/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310070-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v836/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310071-vi.jpg

The Shore...

http://images21.fotki.com/v833/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_0898-vi.jpg

The Shore from the Frank Erwin Center (looking down Red River @ 19th/MLK):

http://images21.fotki.com/v849/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310119-vi.jpg

UT's Hotel and Executive Center (looking W down 19th/MLK)

http://images21.fotki.com/v759/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310117-vi.jpg

From Frank Erwin Center

http://images21.fotki.com/v832/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310147-vi.jpg

Monarch...from the Erwin Center, behind the east wing of the Capitol

http://images24.fotki.com/v767/photos/5/54967/4687436/P1310128-vi.jpg



I may try to catch the bus downtown in the next few weeks and get some pictures myself. We will see.

Update: I drove by The Legacy on Town Lake They made about a 10 foot hole in the ground and saw workers at it:banana: sorry no pix I left my camera at home... more pixs later:)

By the end of fall, perhaps Austin will be a mini Dubai, if ya know what I mean.:shocked:

Yea they have started construction on Legacy. Also it wont be long before Spring really gets going too.:cheers:

From what I have heard, the Austonian is official. At 683', it will break ground this summer. Week old news I think.

New proposal: http://www.statesman.com/search/content/business/stories/realestate/06/11/11hotel.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild38a=SMblGzrJ2MTFJGdz8dyL2vTxThDPtlJQLRZwJfQVjndYnvzGS1zS!-1898927305&UrAuth=%60N_NUObNZUbTTUWUXUVUZT


http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/7172/image5486912oe1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

This tower is being spearheaded by the two Louisvillians who are building Museum Plaza here.

They're putting in their 21C hotel concept - and it is very very cool. Austin will be lucky to have it. I just wish they would've made the original 21C in Louisville this big!

This tower is being spearheaded by the two Louisvillians who are building Museum Plaza here.

They're putting in their 21C hotel concept - and it is very very cool. Austin will be lucky to have it. I just wish they would've made the original 21C in Louisville this big!

Yeah, the one in Austin isn't quite the "beast"

The sad thing is that this proposal was posted in the Louisville thread first.

^^
Louisville's main group of development junkies I would say are here on SSC, while Austin has few SSC forumers. But Austin has tons of forumers on SSP. There are like, 5 different threads just on this project alone. (each in different sub-forums)

^^
Louisville's main group of development junkies I would say are here on SSC, while Austin has few SSC forumers. But Austin has tons of forumers on SSP. There are like, 5 different threads just on this project alone. (each in different sub-forums)

O I check at SSP often because they usually have weekly photos of the progression, although I do not have an account.

Spring condo breaks ground Tuesday: http://www.statesman.com/search/content/business/stories/realestate/07/19/0719condos.html

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/6835/image5614042cc1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Shot at 2007-07-20

Update of 360, taken on Friday from the web cam, and yes, Austin has been getting alot of rain(hence the greenness during the middle of July):

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9853/360condominiums20070720dk4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Shot with SP500UZ (http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=SP500UZ&make=OLYMPUS+IMAGING+CORP) at 2007-07-20

The Spring Tower has officially broken ground today It was at 10a.m today drove by there. sorry no pics yet but soon ...:banana: :banana:

Right now, the developers for the 21c Hotel and Museum are trying to get the right to build the building at 580'. Beginning construction is planned to start in early 2008.

anything new

We have a Austin Development news thread? :eek:

Here is an update of the highrises going up in Austin.

Under Construction:

The Austonian - 683 feet - 56 floors - 2009


360 Condominiums - 563 feet - 44 floors - 2008


W Austin Hotel & Residences - 433 feet - 35 floors - 2008


Spring - 432 feet - 43 floors - 2009



Altavida - 412 feet - 37 floors - 2008


Legacy @ Town Lake - 339 feet - 31 floors - ????


The Monarch - 323 feet - 29 floors - 2008


The Shore - 257 feet - 22 floors - 2008


AMLI 2 - 224 feet - 18 floors - 2008


21 Rio - 220 feet - 21 floors - ????


Brazos Place (office to condo conversion) - 14 floors - 2008


1108 Lavaca - 126 feet - 9 floors


La Vista on Lavaca - 119 feet - 8 floors - 2008


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Approved:

501 Congress - 705 feet - 47 floors - 2009


601-699 West 7th Street - 400 feet - 33 floors - 2008


Four Seasons Residences - 38 floors - 2009


Capitol Tower (renovation) - 246 feet - 20 floors - 1986 - Rooftop structure will increase the height to 259 feet.


Gables Park Plaza I - 195 feet - 15 floors - 2008


Federal Courthouse - 135 feet - 7 floors - 2009


St. David's Medical Center - 120 feet - 8 floors





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Proposed:

21C Austin - 44 floors - 2010


Marriott Convention Center Hotel - 31 floors


Hotel Van Zandt - 29 floors - 2009


Seaholm Plaza Hotel - 22 floors - 2009


AquaTerra - 199 feet - 19 floors - 2008


East Avenue Andaz Hotel & Residences - 182 feet - 17 floors - 2010


The Park at Aspen Lake - 15 floors


The Park - 14 floors - 2009


Capitol Commons - 10 floors

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20pics/P1130931EDIT.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Austin%20pics/P1130934EDIT.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1090/1465464519_9abf1c0bc6_o.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/I35Riverside1.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/LegacyCrane.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/783/p1140356edithk9.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2079/1850180560_90dbd2b89a_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2138/1849234545_93693e06d6_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2351/1849358471_8853b8d0fb_o.jpg

^^^^

Great photos. Austin skyline looking pretty impressive.
Any news on 501 Congress? Is that project still alive? It has been approved for awhile now.

I am moving to Austin with my family after the first of the year. While I am going to miss Nashville, I think that Austin looks great and has many exciting things happening. Anyway I look forward to following the post and new developments. By the way do you guys ever have forum meetings? We did once a month in Nashville and it was great to get some private tours of new projects. Scott

wow , Austin is doing very well for itself . Whats the pop. ?

At the 2000 census, Austin had a little more than 650k, but I think by now it's around 750k with how much growth is going on.

In the 2000 census the city had 656,562, and the metro had 1,249,763. The 2006 estimates had the city at 709,893, and the metro at 1,513,565.

Below is a cool link showing the metro's growth year by year from 1970 to 2006.
http://recenter.tamu.edu/data/popm00/pcbsa12420.html

Here's a few recent photos of Austin.

http://images33.fotki.com/v1072/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_9783-vi.jpg

http://images32.fotki.com/v1063/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_9499-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v281/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_9705-vi.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1070/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_9702-vi.jpg

http://images31.fotki.com/v1053/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_9607-vi.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y172/Lextx97/Dec2207075.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y172/Lextx97/Dec2207073.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y172/Lextx97/Dec2207071.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1071/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_8739-vi.jpg

http://images32.fotki.com/v1047/photos/5/54967/4687436/DSC_8821-vi.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/IMG_3032.jpg

....was driving down Research Blvd (183) yesterday towards north Seaton Medical centre towards Lakeline Mall.....on the right of the highway, saw a
brand new LIGHT RAIL packed at a station not far from the highway!!!!....i know that a LIGHT RAIL proposal for Austin was defeated sometime in 2000, so, does anyone know anything about this train/monorail/light rail??????.....

...NEVER MIND EVERYBODY.....got the answer at

http://allsystemsgo.capmetro.org/capital-metrorail.shtml

Major progress :okay: Thanks for the photos.

I live just few blocks from the track it will be running on. They have been testing one of the trains at night.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FQuRYiQ-OoQ

there are so many cranes in the austin skyline now!!!

That video is simply FANTASTIC!!!

Austin to get 800ft+?

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_Downtown/index.html

Old renderings of the 700ft design:
http://img176.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austin501congress4qe0.jpg
http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austin501congress2kd3.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v381/photos/5/54967/2949615/Austonian1-vi.jpg[/QUOTE]

^^^^:eek2:

......The Best kept secret in Texas right outside Austin keeps growing......for a weekend or for a life time!......Marble Falls/LBJ community.....

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/1.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/2.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/3.jpg

.....LaVentana and the new La Quinta overlooking Lake Marble Falls

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/4.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/5.jpg

.....Horseshoe Bay resort....

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/6.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190001.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190002.jpg


......The Living Waters of Horseshoe Bay.....

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190004.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190005.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190007.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190008.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190009.jpg


.....the Marriott Resort at Horseshoe Bay......

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190010.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/P4190006.jpg

^^^^^^:okay:

I wish HSB can be more closer to town.

Here is an update of a few highrise projects happening in Austin.

Spring|434 feet|43 floors
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/2538854765_1c868fc29f_o.jpg

Four Seasons Residences|394 feet|32 floors
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2027/2535099194_cbcc021316_o.jpg

Altavida|412 feet|36 floors
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/2453620919_65ff005757_o.jpg

Legacy|339 feet|31 floors
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2498495983_f02aa9dcaa_o.jpg

Monarch|323 feet|29 floors
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/TrestleMonarch.jpg

Shore|257 feet|22 floors
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Best%20Of%20Austin/DSC_0059.jpg

Austonian|683 feet|56 floors
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2234/2534284689_34a14335f5_o.jpg

360|563 feet|44 floors
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/April%202008/TownLakeWest1.jpg

W Hotel & Residences|478 feet|37 floors
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2174/2499358650_3afc5182c7_o.jpg

^^
Are they going to finish all those towers in current economic condition?
Or did they already stop construction?

I'm sure those projects secured funding well before the economic downturn.

It's too bad that apparently, the Frost Bank Tower will be eclipsed in height by a few of the new developments that don't really appear to have the grace and charm of Frost. Such is the evolution of a skyline though.

I'm sure those projects secured funding well before the economic downturn.

It's too bad that apparently, the Frost Bank Tower will be eclipsed in height by a few of the new developments that don't really appear to have the grace and charm of Frost. Such is the evolution of a skyline though.

I'm not so sure. Even if they had funding but know that no one wants to buy these apartments construction can be stopped.
Could anyone from Austin confirm status of these projects?

I'm not so sure. Even if they had funding but know that no one wants to buy these apartments construction can be stopped.
Could anyone from Austin confirm status of these projects?

I assume you have primary reference to the one that's just getting started - W Hotel - and it's mostly sold and fully funded.

Yes, I see these projects progressing daily. All are still under construction. I'll post some newer pics of a few of the projects shortly.

Austonian
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2691477364_868eecdde4_o.jpg

Spring, and Gables cranes
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/2691476804_cc187e9124_o.jpg

The Ashton in the background, and Austonian in the foreground
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/2682338365_f2f1e284e4_o.jpg

Four Seasons Residences in foreground, and Legacy in background
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3085/2682340041_1f79ccc1cf_o.jpg

W Hotel & Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3186/2676036230_1951106fb6_o.jpg

I hear this is about as deep as they're digging down, so the actual structure should begin relatively soon.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/2676036636_753ef2b2f9_o.jpg

For a more thorough listing of urban development in Austin, I would recommend checking out another site. I say this because I am one of the few Austin posters on SSC, and I am too lazy to post the info. on the literally dozens of urban projects happening all over town. These are just a few of the taller, more notable projects I have updated.

Here's a photo showing several of Austin's recently completed buildings, and their lighting schemes.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2571049887_231f223217_b_d.jpg

Eye candy
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2638824151_a18a8dc6be_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2638586043_591201df3e_b_d.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3003/2639483322_0dff3e276f_b_d.jpg

The Monarch's lighting is a cycle of different colors, a first for Austin
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyline003-Jun2008.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyline005-Jun2008.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/NiteSkyline006-Jun2008.jpg

This is a repeat of a photo, but if you look you can see Monarch's red, white, and blue lighting scheme reflecting off the 360 tower.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2638586043_591201df3e_b_d.jpg

Here is a new rendering of Austin's new tallest under construction. It's called the Austonian, and will be 683' (208 meters) with 56 floors.

http://www.urbanaustin.org/images/thumb/f/f5/Austonian_July_2008_Rendering.jpg/336px-Austonian_July_2008_Rendering.jpg

Here's a recent update of it's construction. The 10 floor podium is complete, and the eleventh floor under construction is the start of the tower section. Only 45 more floors to go!

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2015/p1220352edituo1.jpg

GREAT pics. Whenever I see pics of Austin the topography reminds me of a cross between LA and Minneapolis. :)

Austonian update

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2743518124_29d002398e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/2746595107_62f508de84_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2747430204_4d6daa71d5_o.jpg

The photos and report can be found here:
http://www.theaustonian.com/pics/2008-08-08_Austonian%20Report_44.pdf

And here are the details:

Work activities completed thru August 8, 2008:

• August starts our 11th month of construction activity
• Level 11 poured on August 2, 2008
• Level 12 vertical structural members 100% complete
• Level 12 decking and rebar 75% complete
• Level 12 deck to pour August 11, 2008
• Podium “Top-Out” Appreciation Luncheon held for the workers on August 2, 2008
• Man/material hoist extended to level 10 for operation starting August 15, 2008
• Masonry work 80% complete at all areas
• Steel stair towers in podium to be 100% complete by August 15, 2008
• MEP rough-in continues at podium and tower
• New subcontractors recently added to the team; painting, counter tops and millwork

Austin Is lighting up like Dallas, Great to see Austin's Skyline growing.

Austin is lighting up a beautiful candle. Dallas has lit the candle and now the wax is melting down and spreading out on the table... too spread out.

Not to be a downer, because Dallas is a great city for what it is. But lets hope Austin is nothing like Dallas. I like Austin for it, a very professional and compact city, rapidly growing, it is much different than any other Texan city. Its much more progressive in its people's ways of jobs, living, and thinking. I really don't like Texas cities, but not because I'm from Oklahoma! Haha;] I just don't like the mentality of "Everything is bigger in TX"...because apparently, so is the sprawl, congestion, amount of illegals, and the poverty rate. Austin is very contradictory to Houston and Dallas and I like that about it. Its a great young professional city, young and vibrant, Love it.

Austin is lighting up a beautiful candle. Dallas has lit the candle and now the wax is melting down and spreading out on the table... too spread out.

whats wrong with a city spreading out?

Does anyone know the prospective opening date for Metrorail?

Austin is booming, and dwdwone I don't know anything about a metrorail, but I dont observe Austin, TX.

Austin is looking GREAT!

Does anyone know the prospective opening date for Metrorail?

November 2008. Although two of the nine stations will unfortunately be delayed until March 2009 because of changes in station location, and thus construction began later than the rest.

W Hotel and Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/2870529930_ba0b814246_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/2871693006_9756d0f3d3_o.jpg

Four Seasons Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/2871647132_a86f401902_o.jpg

Austonian
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2870816767_4ce1f38532_o.jpg

Spring, with Gables in the foreground
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2868362105_6106b7f0f9_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2868362339_21b4845c40_o.jpg

View of downtown from Zilker Park, where preparations are being made for the Austin City Limits Music Fest
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2869195102_eb981ee948_o.jpg

Legacy wrapping up construction
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/5475/p1230162editqy5.jpg

The Ashton topped out
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9927/p1230289edityo2.jpg

21 Rio in the distance
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7114/p1230295editso7.jpg

Here's a few pics of the newly expanded DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2814066186_7e77d4c50c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2814065068_16c5bab9d3_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/2813214207_8227784e65_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/2814067164_5b89f0412e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2813216425_17d90e1531_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2813216703_c5015c370d_o.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c333/marv41/100_0581.jpg

You guy's are getting a four season's too, WOW Good. Hold on you guy's already have one wtf, and a W that's great, keep up the goood work. Also has almost all of Austin's skyline has been built recently?

Yes, we already have a Four Seasons Hotel. Now they're building the 32 story Four Seasons Residences condo tower next to the hotel, on what was once a surface parking lot for the hotel. The new tower will have parking for both the condos and the hotel.

Undoubtedly, Austin has added a lot of buildings since 2000. But, we also had a huge office tower boom in the eighties. I believe our first "modern" highrise was built in the seventies, but we have several highrises much older than that, such as the Capitol building and the UT tower dating to the 1800s. There are also a few towers from the 20s or 30s.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards23AustinPublicLibrar.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcard29copyrightAustinPubl.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards27CopyrightEdwJSchra.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards26CopyrightAustinNew.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards16CopyrightSonrayDis.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards25CopyrightDennisEIv.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards13CopyrightJohnHinde.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards17CopyrightRichardSt.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards1CopyrightRYoung.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards24CopyrightDennisEIv.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards3CopyrightRichardSto.jpg

[QUOTE=Nic;25608600]W Hotel and Residences
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9927/p1230289edityo2.jpg


^^Somebody have rendered the Westin residence?.....please!!!!!

The building you showed above is the Ashton, and that's not a rendering. The building is almost complete.

Here is the W Hotel & Residences rendering

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/01/55/09/image_7009551.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2515488284_32eba4ecae_o.jpg

Here's an Austin update.

The Ashton
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Summer%202008/SCongress01.jpg

The Austonian
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3209/2978520138_c10854d340_o.jpg

Four Seasons Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2952538084_71a8ec6196_o.jpg

W Hotel & Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2952539596_95434a1d50_o.jpg

Spring
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2213/2952542678_c4e2f28a27_o.jpg

Skyline at a distance
http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/jowens4420/Austin%20from%20PLW%20Office/IMG_0131.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/jowens4420/Austin%20from%20PLW%20Office/IMG_0133.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/jowens4420/Austin%20from%20PLW%20Office/IMG_0140.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/jowens4420/Austin%20from%20PLW%20Office/IMG_0132.jpg

^^^^^Wow .......eye tingling.

if gambling ever gets legalized in Texas, i could see Austin being a Key Casino city.

I love the Austonian! Keep the updates coming!

Which one of these will be the new tallest?
http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/jowens4420/Austin%20from%20PLW%20Office/IMG_0140.jpg

The building on the far right of that picture.

Austonian

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/3013079057_79000502d4_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/3013905438_ca65a8e5be_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/3013906128_8ec3053321_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/3013905770_0195f4a168_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/3013906424_80d90ca09f_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/3013073357_9bb43db304_o.jpg


W Hotel & Residences

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/3013072587_da6f1f2a50_o.jpg


Spring

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/3013912742_1ccca2e737_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/3013076819_d689c3e73f_o.jpg


Four Seasons Residences

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/3013074523_91d3f749f5_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/3013911184_0cd04e9a26_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/3013911566_7c5a5b0e0b_o.jpg

Here's a few more pics...

http://images115.fotki.com/v692/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080677-vi.jpg

http://images115.fotki.com/v687/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080670-vi.jpg

http://images43.fotki.com/v1388/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080807-vi.jpg

http://images42.fotki.com/v1374/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080843-vi.jpg

http://images115.fotki.com/v661/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080594-vi.jpg

http://images45.fotki.com/v1359/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080648-vi.jpg

http://images43.fotki.com/v1388/photos/5/54967/5804014/P10806291-vi.jpg

http://images43.fotki.com/v1384/photos/5/54967/5804014/P1080786-vi.jpg

^^^^
^^^^ :applause::applause:
^^^^

Nice pics of development in Austin, last time I drove through was May of this year, 6 months and everything has changed.

Very impressive Austin! Texas has some nice development going on right now. Props to Dallas and Houston as well!

Austin is amazing!

it can certainly rival Dallas and Houston in 10 years time at this rate.

I love seeing Downtown shots of Austin from The Football Stadium during Ut Games.

Here's some old pics of Austin

1965
http://texashistory.unt.edu/data/SUM2007/ASPL/box_03/upl-meta-pth-33308/ND-65-297-01.jpg

1969
http://texashistory.unt.edu/data/SUM2007/ASPL/box_03/upl-meta-pth-33281/ND-69-A002-02.jpg

Can someone fill me in on the mass transit situation in Austin? good service, extensive, reliable, only buses...? etc. thanks.

you know, a burnt orange light rail system or street rail circuit running through downtown Austin would not hurt.

Can someone fill me in on the mass transit situation in Austin? good service, extensive, reliable, only buses...? etc. thanks.
Very good bus service. New commuter rail line to NW suburbs. Already own another line to the NE that will become commuter rail at some point. Light rail election for central city being pushed hard. Unfortunately, an amazing light rail system lost in an election in 2000 by less than 1% of the votes cast.

Very good bus service. New commuter rail line to NW suburbs. Already own another line to the NE that will become commuter rail at some point. Light rail election for central city being pushed hard. Unfortunately, an amazing light rail system lost in an election in 2000 by less than 1% of the votes cast.

Thanks for the info, Nic!

Here are some updates...

W Hotel & Residences (36 floors, 476') is now above ground level
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/3275264393_e09c15499c_b.jpg

Four Seasons Residence (32 floors, 394') only has about 5 or 6 more floors to go.
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/CCNiteSkyline001.jpg

Austonian (56 floors, 683') still has a little more than 20 floors left to go.
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/CCNiteSkyline002.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/SecondStreet05.jpg

Spring (43 floors, 434') is almost topped out.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5914/p1250768editdv8.jpg

Austin is TAKING OFF!!!!!

Cool photo thread you may want to check out. Street level, a little grit, lots of close encounters of the weird kind.:)
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=165090

I love the Austonian

These are incredible pics of Austin.

Check out these pics from the 41st floor of 360.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2886/dsc0143xf1.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8273/dsc0147bw3.jpg

I want to live there:cry:

It's very impressive how quickly the Austin skyline has grown.

Awesome Austin!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/TEXASJAM/AustinDowntownUpdates/Feb2009/IMG_2969.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3303155030_564b2a4b5f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3433/3386695190_a0c3000ab0_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3385911295_3686d61220_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/3386694898_1b8c651efd_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3385882691_fef85dffce_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3385883823_6afea36fce_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/3385884081_265357482b_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3386696392_4315a7bd6e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3385884641_fdaa0e52fd_o.jpg

Photos courtesy of Priller of SSP.

Nice shots of Austin! You have some nice towers going up right now!

How compact is downtown Austin? Is it as spread-out as the pictures imply?

Downtown Austin is quite large in area. There are areas where it is structurally dense, and others where it is not so much.

That said, it is relevant to know that between the highrises there is still development. Downtown Austin still has many lowrises scattered about. Luckily for us, these buildings contribute to the vibrancy of downtown, as they're filled with restaurants, bars, and the like.

Example:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/SecondStreet05.jpg

From a distance you don't notice the eight-story apartment building with ground floor retail, or the two-story children's museum. Much of the areas between the skyscrapers are filled with this type of development.

Another even better example:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/3013079057_79000502d4_o.jpg

Austonian now at 40 stories; only 16 to go!
http://images47.fotki.com/v1484/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0588-vi.jpg

Four Seasons Residences very close to topping out.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3416254249_bc2efdc6f6_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3416255911_270e4466e3_o.jpg

Showing how the two fit into the skyline. The W Hotel & Residences ( the two cranes on the left of the picture) will add to this cluster.

http://images44.fotki.com/v1469/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0578-vi.jpg

The Spring crane should be coming down soon.

http://images44.fotki.com/v1468/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0457-vi.jpg

Spring towering over the Gables apartments under construction.

http://images47.fotki.com/v1484/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0503-vi.jpg

Are these guys playing lacrosse, or just enjoying the view?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/3416255091_30a6fda547_o.jpg

Yes, there are approved projects that will fill in the west side of downtown. Hopefully it won't take too long before they are started! :fingerscrossed:

http://images47.fotki.com/v1484/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0566-vi.jpg

http://images47.fotki.com/v1485/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0606-vi.jpg

A couple more pictures from Mopac.

http://images49.fotki.com/v1457/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_9845-vi.jpg

http://images44.fotki.com/v1471/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_9954-vi.jpg

And a few old pictures of Austin from 1985.

http://images47.fotki.com/v1472/photos/5/54967/234517/TxArchitect85pano1-vi.jpg

http://images47.fotki.com/v1479/photos/5/54967/234517/TxArchitect85panoN-vi.jpg

http://images46.fotki.com/v1483/photos/5/54967/234517/TxArchitect85panoS-vi.jpg

Great Pics :) Austonian is gonna look stunning when completed.

The W should go along way to filling in West end of Austin's Skyline.

Nice, Austin's getting a W too? Just great! I just hope the Mandarin gets through in Dallas.

^^ Im not holding my breath.

Just came back from Austin yesterday. Great lovely city. The skyline and life has completely changed from last time I visited (5 years ago) I love the city life in Austin, I just hope Dallas' city life can compare too Austin's.

Also not official yet, but I may move too Austin.

Austin Star???? I dont like it.

Quick update...

W Hotel & Residences
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7764/dsc01548f.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/8928/dsc01549w.jpg

Austonian
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7085/dsc01561t.jpg

Four Seasons Residences
http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/9945/dsc01592z.jpg

Austonian and Four Seasons Residences in the skyline.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2625/dsc01555p.jpg

All photos courtesy of NThomas76207 from Skyscraperpage.com

Another nice photo from Shanny on SSP.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3546843823_2b61f12d74_b.jpg

Austonian now at 47 floors, the most of any building in Austin. The building has surpassed Frost Bank Tower in height, and is now the second tallest in the city. When completed the Austonian will stand at 56 floors and 683 feet, making it the tallest in the city.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/3571493205_13dec2dcfb_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3571494127_eddc2383a8_o.jpg

Rendering of the top of the building.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/JDawgboy/Austonian_Final.jpg

Adding crane sections to the Austonian crane.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3579473830_275b6fccdc_o.jpg

W Hotel & Residences progress.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3579475532_e681de9624_o.jpg

The yellow outline is where construction is at presently.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2439/3578885153_59625727bc_o.jpg

Here is a rendering of the podium, including an Austin City Limits music venue.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2515488284_32eba4ecae_o.jpg

The tower rendering.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/2239848128_cd291986c3.jpg

Four Seasons Residences had it's topping out ceremony.
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/00/54/80/image_8580540.jpg

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/03/54/80/image_8580543.jpg

Austonian at 50 floors!
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/31/p1290855edit.jpg

Four Seasons Residences
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2291/p1290854edit.jpg

W Hotel & Residences
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/3609180185_c17db81a80_o.jpg

The angled steel pieces are forming the seating for the ACL studios and music venue.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3609177985_efd461e183_o.jpg

At nearly 100 feet tall, the building is beginning to show up behind City Hall.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3625/3630185919_972543b374_o.jpg

Spring's crane was taken down. The Gables apartments in front are looking good.
http://images105.fotki.com/v458/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_4118-vi.jpg

Texas Capitol just doesn't show up in enough photos anymore.
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8302/p1290863edit.jpg

Skyline from the south.
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/2143/p1290926edit.jpg

Some cool thunderstorm shots.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3618041677_c3f0d4a2a2_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/3617819109_64f5eeef53_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3617817955_efdd17d67e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3618641692_362d1f54fb_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3618041677_c3f0d4a2a2_b.jpg

WOW...... drooooooool..... Austin just moved up in my book

Four Seasons starting to look really nice.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3665273235_4f15990429_o.jpg

Here's a rendering of how the finished product will look.
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2556/austinfourseasonsresideno3.jpg

The W Hotel & Residences up to floor number eight. Now that they've topped out the podium, and are working on the tower portion this building is starting to rise more quickly.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3665270693_0155392915_o.jpg

Austonian continues to rise. I think they're on floor 52 now. I can't wait to see it topped-out.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2607/3666068588_30f3a0e483_o.jpg

W Hotel and Residences and the Austonian under construction
http://images49.fotki.com/v1496/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1120963-vi.jpg

You can see that on the 41st floor and above there is a change to the design of the Austonian
http://images50.fotki.com/v1514/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1120964-vi.jpg

More Austonian and W construction
http://images49.fotki.com/v1511/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1130012-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v1542/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1130010-vi.jpg

http://images50.fotki.com/v1528/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1120967-vi.jpg

http://images50.fotki.com/v1513/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1120979-vi.jpg

More of the same, but with Four seasons thrown in for good measure
http://images51.fotki.com/v1543/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1120857-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v1541/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1130176-vi.jpg

http://images50.fotki.com/v1525/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1130180-vi.jpg

http://images50.fotki.com/v1523/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1120800-vi.jpg

http://images50.fotki.com/v1523/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_3740-vi.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3733516856_5fc21d55d8_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3505/3732716083_ce6a71f183_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3503/3733513932_95a31ed6ab_o.jpg

You have to scroll to see all of this one...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/3737155387_5a1f39e911_o.jpg

Austin is great nice skyline and street life!

Love Austin.

W
http://images49.fotki.com/v1555/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1140573-vi.jpg

http://images49.fotki.com/v1556/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1140508-vi.jpg

Austonian
http://images49.fotki.com/v1556/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1140525-vi.jpg

http://images52.fotki.com/v1552/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1140471-vi.jpg

W and Austonian
http://images52.fotki.com/v1551/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1140512-vi.jpg

http://images52.fotki.com/v1551/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1140497-vi.jpg

And a distance shot.
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Mopac04.jpg

Austinis looking amazing! The Austonian looks great. I can see so many good things happening for this city and not just skyline-wise!

Does Austin have a site like Dallas Metropolis where I can look at all the development proposals and such?

Does Austin have a site like Dallas Metropolis where I can look at all the development proposals and such?
Your in luck! Check out the Austin Urban Forum (http://www.austinurbanforum.com). It's just getting started so see what's new and join in on the discussion over there too!

Look at this beauty.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/3830391698_b4174fe8a8_o.jpg

^ Nice shot! Looks like the W is 2 maybe 3 weeks away from passing the AMLI on 2nd :yes:

^^Amazing photo

Awesome Austin!

Found a website by the City of Austin about redevelopment and TOD in East Riverside.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8652/1aaatgx.jpg

Tons of information about the City of Austin's vision for Riverside Drive as a truly mixed-use walkable TOD centered around the light-rail/streetcar proposal (the same kind of development Grayco is proposing in East Riverside).

www.eastriversidecorridor.com (http://www.eastriversidecorridor.com/)

I've only made it to page 90 but skipping around there's a ton on information that's really interesting about what polling and what is "appealing" to people in terms of development and the streetscape (pg 116-136).

Here's the link to the master plan pdf (ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/ERiversideCorridor/erc_aug2009_draft.pdf)

Some views of the Austonian from last week:
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4267.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4267.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4271.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4271.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4311.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4311.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4327.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4327.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4329.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4329.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4330.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4330.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4331.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4331.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4377.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4377.jpg)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4379.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4379.jpg)

Four seasons:
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/th_IMG_4350.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/viktor986/?action=view&current=IMG_4350.jpg)

The Austonian is officially topped-out!
http://images44.fotki.com/v1581/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0280-vi.jpg

http://images53.fotki.com/v1575/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0285-vi.jpg

http://images110.fotki.com/v1582/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_1327l-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v1586/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0089-vi.jpg

W Hotel & Residences
http://images30.fotki.com/v38/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0563-vi.jpg

http://images53.fotki.com/v1578/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0310-vi.jpg

http://images41.fotki.com/v1580/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0286-vi.jpg

Four Seasons Residences
http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0027-vi.jpg

http://images44.fotki.com/v1581/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_1332-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v27/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0117-vi.jpg

http://images53.fotki.com/v1579/photos/7/54967/7192871/DSC_0198-vi.jpg

Any shots of the development in the foreground of this pic?:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3618641692_362d1f54fb_b.jpg

Can i get a rendering of the Austin W on here???

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5960/austinblock21towerrendenr0.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/1613/waustinhotelresidencesbmb5.jpg

http://block21residences.com/

ok... Cool.

That looks REALLY nice.

Here's a quick update on the Austonian and the W.

Working on the crown of the Austonian.
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/6686/dsc0249sz.jpg

The W is up to the 25th floor.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7343/dsc0252x.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2800/4040624944_548c917be8_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/4039875161_443dc217b3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4040626274_32b6903cbb_o.jpg

The Austonian looks marvelous, thx for the updates Nic. :okay:

The Austonian has to be my favorite residential project currently U/C

http://images51.fotki.com/v750/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1180087-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v731/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1180086-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v748/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1180075-vi.jpg

http://images52.fotki.com/v640/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1180093-vi.jpg

Last level of the W before the building's facade becomes much more glassy.
http://images51.fotki.com/v747/photos/7/54967/7192871/P1180117-vi.jpg

I thought that when they did away with the halo it would ruin it for me. But I think I'm still going to like the top.

Some recent photos by photolitherland:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2537/4210247266_88e503f681_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/4209495733_8fae59856e_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2712/4209536211_9d33841471_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4210295682_8bdc4a273d_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4209536641_2b863b9546_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4210239414_f6756c66eb_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4209564131_c8fd66e5bf_o.jpg

Looking good.

Here is a rendering of the W I hadn't seen, yet. It's showing the transition area from the lower hotel levels, to the upper condominium levels.

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/38/image3vi.jpg

This is a fantastic project in so many ways, and I don't think it looks bad at all, but I'm not totally sold on the facade. I'll withhold my final judgment until it's completed, though.

Found a website by the City of Austin about redevelopment and TOD in East Riverside.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8652/1aaatgx.jpg

Tons of information about the City of Austin's vision for Riverside Drive as a truly mixed-use walkable TOD centered around the light-rail/streetcar proposal (the same kind of development Grayco is proposing in East Riverside).

www.eastriversidecorridor.com (http://www.eastriversidecorridor.com/)

I've only made it to page 90 but skipping around there's a ton on information that's really interesting about what polling and what is "appealing" to people in terms of development and the streetscape (pg 116-136).

Here's the link to the master plan pdf (ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/ERiversideCorridor/erc_aug2009_draft.pdf)

Thanks again NThomas! I really appreciate it.

Here's an interesting article regarding this decade's building boom in downtown Austin. What's most impressive is that this doesn't even include the massive urban development that happened all around downtown, yet outside it's boundaries. There was so much mid-rise development, and some high-rise, particularly just north of downtown in the University of Texas area.


Downtown's decade
City's center gained grand towers for living and working as a new skyline took shape.

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009
Published: 5:17 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009

Talk about an extreme makeover.

Downtown Austin boomed in the past decade, gaining everything from a new county courthouse to condominium and apartment high-rises with lofty prices, a signature Whole Foods Market grocery store and headquarters, a new City Hall, museums and dozens of ritzy shops.

The city's center grew up — literally — its skyline transformed with new residential skyscrapers both east and west, led by the 56-story Austonian condo tower at Second Street and Congress Avenue.

In all, downtown gained 1 million square feet of top-flight office space, nearly 2,300 apartments and about 2,000 condo units. Dozens of shops and restaurants enliven the Second Street district; movie fans can catch a film at the Alamo Ritz on East Sixth Street, and work has started on a long-delayed new federal courthouse.

As is the case in many places , however, several large projects are on hold, including a Marriott hotel on Congress Avenue. But construction cranes still tower over downtown, and there are signs of more projects to come. Developers have obtained a zoning change for a 276-room Hyatt Place hotel at Third Street and San Jacinto Boulevard. Two others have started the zoning approval process, hoping to be in position when financing flows again.

And the next decade could bring a transformation almost as dramatic as the one that is ending, with the redevelopment of the Seaholm Power Plant and Green Water Treatment sites into a mix of housing, shops, offices, hotels and restaurants.

http://www.statesman.com/business/real-estate/downtown-s-decade-149465.html

Check out this interactive map...

http://www.statesman.com/business/interactive-a-decade-of-downtown-development-145773.html

Here's a screen shot, but it's not interactive like in the link...

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/2311/downtowndevelopment.jpg

Cool interactive map, except it doesn't show the official heights of all the developments.

Thanks again NThomas! I really appreciate it.

Wow, that's a mighty ambitious project. There's a LOT of cleanup and "extradition" that needs to be done before that plan can even get started. I'm all in favor of it though. Riverside SHOULD be attractive.

Priller Photos

W Hotel & Residences
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4237930401_8cff3379c0_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4238702760_8d8f8008c2_o.jpg

Austonian
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4237929409_6145339d28_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2515/4237926749_d82cc66cca_o.jpg

LoneStarMike Photos

University of Texas from the air, flying into Austin
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December33.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December34.jpg

Texas State Capitol
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December35.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December36.jpg

Downtown
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December37.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December39.jpg

I can't believe Frost Bank Tower doesn't even show up in these next two.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-10.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-11.jpg

Hairysun Photos
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4237506513_98af7d6584_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4237505913_58112877aa_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2765/4167672917_2a3e045241_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/4217285445_143d051e22_o.jpg
Photos by atmtx on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atmtx/4217285445/

LoneStarMike over on SSP has been on a photography binge, apparently! Not that I'm complaining...

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December41.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%202009/December42.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-18.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-19.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-20.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-21.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-22.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-23.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-24.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-26.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff158/LoneStarMike/Austin%20Night/December2009-28.jpg

Loving those pics!

Hows ur First Rail line coming? Any exact opening date?

Hows ur First Rail line coming? Any exact opening date?

It is supposed to open very soon. Then again, it was supposed to have opened last year. Here is the latest.


Passenger rail line

Project: Passenger line (primarily on existing track) between downtown Austin and Leander, with nine stations, new siding tracks and an upgraded signal system.

Length: 32 miles

Projected cost: More than $105 million

Start: Early 2005

Estimated completion: First quarter of 2010

Progress update: Scheduled opening on March 30, 2009, was indefinitely delayed because of problems with signal system and crossing gates. Completed final two stations, siding tracks and crossing gate installations; installed ticket machines; debugged signal system and began fixing problems identified with it and with crossing gates.

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/on-tap-for-2010-flyovers-more-183-a-161035.html

what other inland city (or not on water) has a tallest that is residential? Or, for that matter, has a skyline nearly dominated by residential as opposed to commercial towers?

I would love to see a shot(s) of Austin from around 1999 etc, before all the towers in that diagram were around. Austin has done fantastic work!

I'm not sure of the exact date of this photo, but it's sometime in the early to mid-90s.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/My%20postcard%20collection/Austinpostcards3CopyrightRichardSto.jpg

News from SSP
The group, which officially formed in 2004, visualizes a 115,000 sq. ft. world-class planetarium, science museum and technology center on the currently unoccupied lot on MLK Blvd., across from the Bob Bullock State History Museum and the Blanton Museum of Art. The biggest challenge for the Austin Planetarium group is securing this piece of land from the state, an unofficial meeting spot for UT tailgaters and parking space for state employees.
http://impactnews.com/central-austin/recent-news/7049-plan-for-austin-science-museum-planetarium-evolves

AustinPlanetarium.org

http://impactnews.com/images/stories/CTA/2010/01/anight.jpg
Nonprofit organization, the Austin Planetarium group hope to bring a three-part science museum, technology center and planetarium to the currently unoccupied parking lot at MLK Blvd. and Congress Ave. This is a pre-conceptual design of what could be built.
Courtesy of Davis Architects

Where is everyone?

this would be a fabulous project, as well as gloriously beautiful to the eye. to answer your question, i think most austin forumers are on ssp.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4326787702_f97ea72e32_b_d.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaeltuuk/

What is that tall building in the middle of that photo? It is one of my favorites in Austin.

What is that tall building in the middle of that photo? It is one of my favorites in Austin.

That would be the recently completed Austonian. The tallest residential skyscraper west of the Mississippi and the tallest building in Texas outside of Dallas and Houston at 683ft.

News (http://www.statesman.com/business/future-f1-site-revealed-825045.html) on F1
Future F1 site revealed
Plot southeast of Austin no longer set for housing.

Organizers of the proposed Austin Formula One auto race plan to build the track on about 900 acres near Elroy in southeastern Travis County, according to one of the major land owners involved.

Wandering Creek has about 650 acres, and organizers have recently secured adjacent acreage, including land with more frontage on FM 812 and small parcels with additional access to Elroy Road, according to a source close to the event who could not be identified because he was not authorized to speak ahead of today's press conference.

http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00501/WEB0727wanderingcre_501948c.jpg
http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00502/jwj-F1-Racetrack-09_502021c.jpg

Red McCombs named investor in Austin Formula One project
By John Maher | Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 09:48 AM

Red McCombs’ investment group is the main backer to Tavo Hellmund’s U.S. Grand Prix project in Southeast Austin. McCombs Partners’ involvement was announced Tuesday morning at the AT&T Conference Center, not far from the McCombs School of Business on the University of Texas campus.
McCombs, a wealthy San Antonio car dealer, previously was an owner of the San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team and the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. Hellmund’s group, Full Throttle Productions, is slated to stage an F1 race for 10 years, beginning in 2012. The state of Texas has pledged $25 million annually in support for the event.
“Nothing happens until somebody does something,” McCombs said during the announcement. “And people are what made this happen.”
Oganizers of the proposed Austin Formula One auto race announced that the track will be on about 900 acres near Elroy in southeastern Travis County.

http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/shared-blogs/austin/investigative/upload/2010/07/red_mccombs_named_investor_in/webf1site-thumb.jpg


http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/investigative/entries/2010/07/27/red_mccombs_named_investor_in.html

Seems like that site would work as there is very little development around there.

Here is the U.S. Formula 1 website.

http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4326787702_f97ea72e32_b_d.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaeltuuk/

Great angle!

From Dec. 31:

Construction Begins On Austin F1 Track (http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/construction-begins-on-austins-f1-track)

http://f1newsaustin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/photo.jpeg

Commercial Real Estate: What's going up
http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00687/cirrus_rendering_687680c.jpg
Austin-based semiconductor company Cirrus Logic began construction on its new six-story, 135,000-square-foot headquarters on the western edge of downtown.


From the http://www.statesman.com/business/real-estate/commercial-real-estate-whats-going-up-1166151.html

The Bremond
http://downtownaustinblog.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/the-bremond-downtown-austin-600x378.jpg
A new site plan has been submitted to the city by developers Mike McGinnis and Rick Hardin for a new 70 unit downtown Austin apartment building. Called the “Bremond,” the name is clear a nod to its unique proximity to the Bremond Block Historic District. The 0.41 acre site, if built, would use the address 807 Nueces St.
From http://downtownaustinblog.org/page/2/

Travis. Co. commissioners approve $21 million deal for courthouse

Travis County now owns a piece of prime real estate in downtown Austin.
The land sits between third and fourth and Guadalupe and San Antonio Streets. County commissioners want to build a new 17-story civil and family courthouse. They say it will be an asset to the growing downtown area.


http://www.kvue.com/home/Travis-Co-commissioners-approve-21-million-deal-for-courthouse-112628954.html

TXI plans 2,000-acre development straddling Texas 130
http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00620/WEB1116bigmap_riode_620594c.jpg
More than 2,000 acres straddling Texas 130 where Texas Industries Inc. operated a sand and gravel mine for 40 years could one day be home to 8,000 houses, office space, shops and restaurants, and more than 1,100 acres of parks and open space

Link:http://www.statesman.com/business/txi-plans-2-000-acre-development-straddling-texas-1050466.html

This will be close to the Formula 1 track and ABIA, should be built out in phases.

Developer planning 2011 start for downtown Austin hotel
http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00622/Hyatt-Place_622974c.jpg
White Lodging Services Corp. hopes to start construction by midsummer on a 17-story Hyatt Place hotel at Third Street and San Jacinto Boulevard in downtown Austin.

http://www.statesman.com/business/developer-planning-2011-start-for-downtown-austin-hotel-1055593.html

This hotel will be a block east of the new Austin Convention Hotel which is still in the planning stages.

$16 million boardwalk leads Austin bond proposal
http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00465/BOARDWALK--TRAIL-AT_465425c.jpg
Austin voters would be asked to approve $16 million for a boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake's south shore, closing a gap in the hike-and-bike trail, under the draft version of an $84.8 million transportation bond proposal for the November election
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/16-million-boardwalk-leads-austin-bond-proposal-747738.html

Other projects around the Austin Metro
1. Aloft in far NW Austin by Lakeline Mall "proposed"

http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/1327411-600-0-1.jpg

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin...3/daily23.html

2. Lakeway Regional Medical Center "U/C"

http://www.lakewayregionalmedicalcenter.com/images/Exterior_back_logo.jpg

http://www.lakewayregionalmedicalcenter.com/images/Exterior_upwards_logo.jpg

http://www.lakewayregionalmedicalcenter.com/project.html

3.Unversity Park "Phase 1 built"

http://universityparkaustin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/shopping_streets1.jpg

http://universityparkaustin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/universitypark_street_950.jpg

http://universityparkaustin.com/

4.Project name"unknown" "In Planning stages"

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/4262/estanciarendering.jpg

http://www.statesman.com/business/pr...Trk=RTR_504016

5.Trammell Crow proposal "Approved"

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_Downtown/files/page1_blog_entry195_1.png

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_Downtown/files/page1_blog_entry199_1.png

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_Downtown/files/page1_blog_entry195_4.png

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_Downtown/files/trammell_crow_to_develop_austin_green_site.html

6. Seaholm Power Plant Redevelopment "Approved"

http://www.seaholm.info/graphics/aerialnew.jpg

http://www.seaholm.info/

(note that the Seaholm Redevelopment & Trammell Crow Project are right beside each other., Seaholm hotel which will be 22st. will be to the west of the solar panels "open field" on Trammell Crow rendering.)

:)

I had a feeling that there was plenty afoot in Austin!

desertpunk

I had a feeling that there was plenty afoot in Austin!

This is just a few that I posted here and will be updating.
btw... desertpunk congrats new moderator.:)

Construction begin on Plugerville Solar Farm.
http://impactnews.com/images/stories/RPF/2010/12/Daven_Mehta_small.jpg
RRE Austin Solar broke ground Dec. 15 in Pflugerville on what has been called the state's largest solar farm—a facility city officials say will attract renewable energy companies from across the nation.

The planned $200 million solar farm, located on 720 acres in Pflugerville's extraterritorial jurisdiction, will use more than 400,000 solar panels to generate 60 megawatts of solar energy—enough to power more than 40,000 homes.


Link to the site.http://impactnews.com/round-rock-pflugerville/254-recent-news/10984-solar-farm-breaks-ground-in-pflugerville

This is just a few that I posted here and will be updating.
btw... desertpunk congrats new moderator.:)

Thank you sir! :cheers:

Samsung plans $3.6 billion Austin plant upgrade, 500 new jobs
Samsung Electronics Co. is making a historic new investment in Austin, spending $3.6 billion to expand its largest Austin plant and create 500 jobs by next year.

The world's second-largest chipmaker said Wednesday that it is in a rush to get started on the project, which is the largest private investment in Austin's history, surpassing the $3.5 billion Fab 2 project that was completed in 2007 in Northeast Austin


http://www.statesman.com/business/technology/samsung-plans-3-6-billion-austin-plant-upgrade-738297.html