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Longhorn Al

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On 11/7/2022 at 10:04 PM, YGIFS said:

So Guadalupe Street will be one lane plus a bus lane in a few months, between 6th & 2nd?  This should be fun.  

 

Good thing the city took away two lanes on Congress too and the remaining lanes get backed up from cars making left and right turns. Crossing the river is going to be a breeze for the foreseeable future.

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13 hours ago, drewlaws said:

Good thing the city took away two lanes on Congress too and the remaining lanes get backed up from cars making left and right turns. Crossing the river is going to be a breeze for the foreseeable future.

The good news is that the light rail system is on budget and on schedule! Oh, wait.

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Hey, light rail system is gonna be just fine.  It's #1 in the nation.  In that, it's already 15% over budget (before taking into account the increase in debt service given the three recent interest rate hikes) and it's not even through the design phase yet.  That's never been done.  

The City has got to fucking temporarily do away with the bus-only lanes throughout the CBD that are the same blocks as street closures due to construction.  I get for safety, you gotta block off a lane for a tower raise.  And I get that busses gotta get where they're going.  But we are about to have several blocks where there'll just be one thru lane for traffic due to that combination.  For safety, you can't re-open the construction lane.  So the only other option is to allow passenger vehicles to use bus lanes (just on those blocks) for thru traffic, not just turning.  I know this will be a disruption for scheduling CapMetro and the 9 people on each bus...but we spent all that money on those modernized downtown bus stops that give real time updates to bus arrivals/departures.  Let's finally put that to some fucking use.  

 

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On 4/13/2022 at 8:48 AM, MAUFRAIS said:

It’s a day of reckoning. La Bare really isn’t ever coming back.

No, but that building/site is finally going to be used again: https://www.superstitionatx.com/

 

 Superstition is an elite multi-room nightclub in Austin, Texas. Channeling the energy of the 1970s, Superstition combines world class entertainment including DJs and live performances with elevated bottle service and exclusive VIP spaces in the largest dance club in downtown Austin. 

 

With over 12,000 sqft of elevated space, Superstition also hosts the Gold Room, a cocktail lounge and patio featuring reimagined classic cocktails for a more intimate experience. 

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56 minutes ago, Mittens said:

No, but that building/site is finally going to be used again: https://www.superstitionatx.com/

 

 Superstition is an elite multi-room nightclub in Austin, Texas. Channeling the energy of the 1970s, Superstition combines world class entertainment including DJs and live performances with elevated bottle service and exclusive VIP spaces in the largest dance club in downtown Austin. 

 

With over 12,000 sqft of elevated space, Superstition also hosts the Gold Room, a cocktail lounge and patio featuring reimagined classic cocktails for a more intimate experience. 

So is there "No Sex in the Gold Room"?  Asking for a friend.  

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Yeah, I like the way it looks and it'll have to maintain that type of footprint, but i doubt it goes that high.  then again, one full floor dedicated to pet amenities?  What the fuck?  they're gonna have to make up for those lost sales through higher Condo Assoc. Fees.  And if I don't register my pet with the board, I ain't paying the delta in dues.  I mean, I see little rooftop dog areas and even an on-site groomer...but a whole fucking floor?  

Did I read the State just finally sold that tract to this building's East?  Behind the lottery offices? and then the Carmelo's tract could both mess up views to the east but no big deal.... good news for potential buyers is due to CVC, not much can rise up to the north on Dirty Sixth and Heritage Square to your south means nothing can do up there.  So not a big risk of shelling out $3mm to settle for a $1mm view.  And it appears as if Bob Woody wants to die still owning the Copper Tank building.

 

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On 11/18/2022 at 10:36 AM, Mittens said:

The Goldman tower in Dallas is spec'd pretty much to the same height, but a little farther behind in development, so I'd bet anything it gets tweaked to be taller once this one is done.

That’s funny….. a dick measuring competition between Dallas & Austin. 
Houston haz the sads.

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  • 3 weeks later...

https://305southcongress.com/

Created by a partnership between Endeavor Real Estate Group and the Cox family, 305 South Congress will enhance connections to and along the waterfront while expanding public open space. This new neighborhood will offer an exciting pedestrian environment by leveraging multi-modal transit access—enhancing mobility within the urban core. As the city continues to evolve, 305 South Congress will complement Austin's waterfront, as well as the overall vision for the South Central Waterfront District.

The 18.9-acre 305 South Congress site will include:

  • Over 7 acres of urban living with 3.5 million square feet of office, hotel, residential and retail space
  • Over 8 acres of dedicated parkland and plaza space
  • Over 3.5 acres of public realm streets including protected bike lanes
  • 5 new ADA access points to the Butler Hike and Bike Trail

image.png.762a175b4ec057c1e3d616af1546aba1.png

image.png.edb093f3ba3f0f6e583291dfdb8c0b27.png

 

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20 minutes ago, Mittens said:

https://305southcongress.com/

Created by a partnership between Endeavor Real Estate Group and the Cox family, 305 South Congress will enhance connections to and along the waterfront while expanding public open space. This new neighborhood will offer an exciting pedestrian environment by leveraging multi-modal transit access—enhancing mobility within the urban core. As the city continues to evolve, 305 South Congress will complement Austin's waterfront, as well as the overall vision for the South Central Waterfront District.

The 18.9-acre 305 South Congress site will include:

  • Over 7 acres of urban living with 3.5 million square feet of office, hotel, residential and retail space
  • Over 8 acres of dedicated parkland and plaza space
  • Over 3.5 acres of public realm streets including protected bike lanes
  • 5 new ADA access points to the Butler Hike and Bike Trail

image.png.762a175b4ec057c1e3d616af1546aba1.png

image.png.edb093f3ba3f0f6e583291dfdb8c0b27.png

 

This is the Statesman lot, correct?

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On 11/9/2022 at 12:53 PM, YGIFS said:

Hey, light rail system is gonna be just fine.  It's #1 in the nation.  In that, it's already 15% over budget (before taking into account the increase in debt service given the three recent interest rate hikes) and it's not even through the design phase yet.  That's never been done.  

The City has got to fucking temporarily do away with the bus-only lanes throughout the CBD that are the same blocks as street closures due to construction.  I get for safety, you gotta block off a lane for a tower raise.  And I get that busses gotta get where they're going.  But we are about to have several blocks where there'll just be one thru lane for traffic due to that combination.  For safety, you can't re-open the construction lane.  So the only other option is to allow passenger vehicles to use bus lanes (just on those blocks) for thru traffic, not just turning.  I know this will be a disruption for scheduling CapMetro and the 9 people on each bus...but we spent all that money on those modernized downtown bus stops that give real time updates to bus arrivals/departures.  Let's finally put that to some fucking use.  

 

 

7 hours ago, YGIFS said:

they make the Riverside/South Congress intersection at Rush Hour look so fucking quaint.  Oh wait, the light rail through one of those lanes should alleviate that. 

 

I thought you had a hard-on for the choo choo train? I find you very confusing sometimes.

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4 hours ago, YGIFS said:

My incessant criticism of the light rail projects leads you to believe I have a hard on for them?  I berate them across multiple threads and that’s somehow confusing?  

Was being sarcastic. You and I are on the same page about the waste of light rail. I was (poorly) making a joke about you saying it's 15% over budget when in reality is much more than that and the system Austin will get will look nothing like the system Austin was sold.

happy season 4 GIF

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  • 2 weeks later...
29 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Michael Dell didn't graduate from UT, but he's busy changing the area around there:

Demolition Approved for 18th and Guadalupe Corner in Downtown Austin

https://austin.towers.net/demolition-approved-for-18th-and-guadalupe-corner-in-downtown-austin/?pro=caitlyn@towers.net

That's kind of a funny post. My very first thought looking at the picture was "oh, that's kind of a neat looking old building, surprised they're tearing it down". But then it quickly turned into "oh it was (mostly) built in 1984? yeah who cares, bulldoze that shit".

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Great!  More prime land not on the tax rolls!  Because, you know...all those times we have to have to physically visit state administrative offices for reasons.  

That shit shoulda been tossed out to SH-130 and opened that up for proper commercial development.  But nope.  Limited government!  

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7 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

I just think it was not the best use of that central land is all.

You can't develop that land anyway. I'm sure if you think hard enough you can realize why. Basically the only thing you can do with that space is:

1. What it was before (a street). 

2. What is is now (a pedestrian mall).

Since that wasn't a particularly useful thoroughfare I think what they've decided to do with it is a nice aesthetic enhancement for the Bullock and Blanton. 

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Yeah, I just wanted the state to sell it for mixed-use development, which I know was a massive longshot.  Instead, the state of limited government is gonna have to fill all those new buildings with lots and lots of new personnel.  

The walkway itself though, that will adjoin (kinda)  to the Blanton plaza will be really nice.  Although, it'll be a shitshow of a crosswalk.  Eventually that Blanton promenade will flow into a really cool co-working space on campus near PCL/UTC/McCombs.  Hopefully they can work out the parking.  

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2 hours ago, YGIFS said:

Yeah, I just wanted the state to sell it for mixed-use development, which I know was a massive longshot.  Instead, the state of limited government is gonna have to fill all those new buildings with lots and lots of new personnel.  

The walkway itself though, that will adjoin (kinda)  to the Blanton plaza will be really nice.  Although, it'll be a shitshow of a crosswalk.  Eventually that Blanton promenade will flow into a really cool co-working space on campus near PCL/UTC/McCombs.  Hopefully they can work out the parking.  

The State of Texas rents out a shitload of space all over town. Part of the intent here is to consolidate its scattered workforce and put them in the capitol complex, freeing up space elsewhere for the private sector and (eventually) money by not renewing all those leases.

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  • 3 weeks later...

^Pos rep.

That was one of the better encapsulations of what's actually going on in Austin with our taller builds.  A Bloomberg writer/critic is gonna do a better job than an Austin CRE lackey, I suppose.  I need to follow that guy.  

Walked the new Capitol Plaza yesterday from MLK to the Capitol.  Southern half is still fenced off but you don't need a hard hat (just politely tell them you're on state business and need to get thru and they'll slide the fence over for you).  Turned out really nice, especially the green spaces.  It's weird to see the Capitol from that afar angle after all these years.  

Hyatt Centric (8th & Congress) on final punch-list.  Slated to open just in time for SXSW.  First tower of its size to have no on-site parking below or above ground.  Just valet and an uber stand.  Lifted F-250's need not apply.  

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26 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

^Pos rep.

That was one of the better encapsulations of what's actually going on in Austin with our taller builds.  A Bloomberg writer/critic is gonna do a better job than an Austin CRE lackey, I suppose.  I need to follow that guy.  

Walked the new Capitol Plaza yesterday from MLK to the Capitol.  Southern half is still fenced off but you don't need a hard hat (just politely tell them you're on state business and need to get thru and they'll slide the fence over for you).  Turned out really nice, especially the green spaces.  It's weird to see the Capitol from that afar angle after all these years.  

Hyatt Centric (8th & Congress) on final punch-list.  Slated to open just in time for SXSW.  First tower of its size to have no on-site parking below or above ground.  Just valet and an uber stand.  Lifted F-250's need not apply.  

How is that different from the Aloft just a block away? No snark -- serious question.

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"First tower of its size"......I should have typed "Tallest so far with no on-site parking above/below..."  My bad, Aloft/Element product does not have parking either but I think is a few stories shorter now.  Wasn't trying to be cute, but you know how there's all these modifiers/qualifiers for all of our new tall builds.  "tallest livable floor west of the mississippi", "highest spire, but not cap, in Texas", "tallest mixed-use project outside of NY & LA", that kinda shit.  As far as I know, Centric will be the tallest in Austin with no parking.  Maybe even in Texas, but don't quote me on that.  

Also, from that Bloomberg article.  I was today years old when I learned a group of skyscrapers is called "A Stampede"  

Any rumors abound on who is gonna lease some of the google and facebook square footage that they are no longer gonna be using?  

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21 hours ago, YGIFS said:

Any rumors abound on who is gonna lease some of the google and facebook square footage that they are no longer gonna be using?  

I'm sure the City will try to pay above market for a place to house the homeless. 

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Not sure where to post, but rather random...anybody know what's filming at Barton Springs & MoPac?  Looks like a pretty fair size production given all the trailers and crew.  Looks like B-roll from just driving by.  Or MAUFRAIS' mom having a train run on her, but either way---just curious.  

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She's a handsome woman ;)   Anyway, bigger than usual film production.

In other news, site owner of former Shady Grove (really do miss that place sometimes) is closer than ever to getting height variance before he sells/groundleases.  He does have that (I don't know if this is technically the word in this case) that thru-easement on the backside to Toomey.  But could very well look like the other two MF condo projects on the strip, probably more mid-market.  But expect some news on that before summer.  

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