AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III

[wwmiv]

It will be 15 years before the power station lot is developed, at least.

It requires city budgetary funding of a replacement station elsewhere, which is time added.
It requires then the planning, building, and integration of that new station, which is time added.
It requires a bidding process for selling that land, which is time added.
It requires the permit process, which is time added.
It requires then waiting for market fundamentals to necessitate building whatever was proposed and permitted (and to get the funding necessary), which is time added.
And then it requires actually building, which is another few years.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

It will be 15 years before the power station lot is developed, at least.

It requires city budgetary funding of a replacement station elsewhere, which is time added.
It requires then the planning, building, and integration of that new station, which is time added.
It requires a bidding process for selling that land, which is time added.
It requires the permit process, which is time added.
It requires then waiting for market fundamentals to necessitate building whatever was proposed and permitted (and to get the funding necessary), which is time added.
And then it requires actually building, which is another few years.

It also requires finding another block Downtown to build a new substation, and at least $20 M to build the substation and all of the underground electrical ductbanks connecting it. The further the new location is from the existing substation, the higher the cost for the underground infrastructure to tie into the existing network.

[KevinFromTexas]

I think the Capitol complex would be the best place in downtown for a new substation. That area already has a quasi-industrial feel anyway, and there are plenty of parking lots to do it on. Of course they're all state owned.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I think the Capitol complex would be the best place in downtown for a new substation. That area already has a quasi-industrial feel anyway, and there are plenty of parking lots to do it on. Of course they're all state owned.

I'm pretty sure that will never happen.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by H2O

It also requires finding another block Downtown to build a new substation, and at least $20 M to build the substation and all of the underground electrical ductbanks connecting it. The further the new location is from the existing substation, the higher the cost for the underground infrastructure to tie into the existing network.

Did you notice I said that?

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Did you notice I said that?

Apparently not. But who cares other than someone who incessantly likes to point out typos and argue with other posters.

[priller]

From today. 5th and Colorado:





My son will be happy to see this:




501 Congress Ave. They've cleared off the front sidewalk:








Hotel ZaZa. Not much happening yet, but at least the pylon drills are there.




Seaholm Residences:






Hotel Indigo:

[Clev]

Thanks for all the pictures, priller.

[KevinFromTexas]

Nice photos. I gotta say, 501 Congress isn't bad at all.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Nice photos. I gotta say, 501 Congress isn't bad at all.

It's beautiful... we all just wish it was the exact same design for about 40 or 50 more floors topped by a beautiful crown.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Did you notice I said that?

My apologies. You were focusing on time, I was focusing on money. My point being, unless a new location can be found that is substantially less valuable than the current site, and the value of the current site goes up to at least $20 M + that differential, it is not going to happen.

[Clev]

I took these today. 8 cranes in total for the new UT Medical school.

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

It will be 15 years before the power station lot is developed, at least.

It requires city budgetary funding of a replacement station elsewhere, which is time added.
It requires then the planning, building, and integration of that new station, which is time added.
It requires a bidding process for selling that land, which is time added.
It requires the permit process, which is time added.
It requires then waiting for market fundamentals to necessitate building whatever was proposed and permitted (and to get the funding necessary), which is time added.
And then it requires actually building, which is another few years.

Just curious, is there any reason why someone (the city, a contracted developer, etc) cannot simply build some sort of wall around the plant to hide it? Maybe a wall that is designed to "look" like an actual building? Or possibly an interactive electronic "art wall" or something? That way it not only hides the equipment, but also creates a human-friendly space along the sidewalk that enhances the skyline.

[JoninATX]

Originally Posted by Link N. Parker

Just curious, is there any reason why someone (the city, a contracted developer, etc) cannot simply build some sort of wall around the plant to hide it? Maybe a wall that is designed to "look" like an actual building? Or possibly an interactive electronic "art wall" or something? That way it not only hides the equipment, but also creates a human-friendly space along the sidewalk that enhances the skyline.

They already plan to build a wall around the substation.


http://buildingatx.com/2014/04/publi...al-substation/

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

They already plan to build a wall around the substation.


http://buildingatx.com/2014/04/publi...al-substation/

Sweet! Thanks for posting that!

[JoninATX]

Not a problem.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

They already plan to build a wall around the substation.


http://buildingatx.com/2014/04/publi...al-substation/

curious when we'll see this "art wall" start to take shape. I expected it to be done by now....

[Syndic]

I doubt it will take very long to complete. They're probably waiting for some of the construction in the area to wrap up. I'm willing to bet we'll see them start on it when the bridge/trail is complete and they're putting the finishing touches on the library and the Seaholm tower.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by Clev

I took these today. 8 cranes in total for the new UT Medical school.

Gotta love the crane porn. Down to the bare metal.

Any renderings of this development which can be posted?

[KevinFromTexas]

Yes, there are two threads going on now in the Austin section covering the project. 3 of those cranes are working on the new 10-story teaching hospital. That building will eventually be expanded to 14 floors according to the site plan. That hospital will replace Brackenridge Hospital (it'll be demolished). Part of the redevelopment of that area is also going to include demolishing the Erwin Center. The rest of the area will be redeveloped with more medical related buildings. Some of them look to be over 200 feet tall from their stacking plans on the map. There's also plans for commercial office space, hotel and residential space. There's a 22-story hotel and residential building planned at 12th & Red River at the site of the old Brick Oven restaurant.

Here is the main thread covering the whole medical campus.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=194368

Here's the thread on the new teaching hospital with all the renderings.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=213131

I grabbed the renderings from this video. This shows most of the campus pretty well.
• Video Link

The video also shows the other buildings that are under construction now. One of them is a 6-story administration and education building with 85,000 square feet. The other is a 493,000 square foot building with an 8-story wing and a 10-story wing that will be for medical research and medical office space.



This is the 6-story administration and education building.


This is the 10-story teaching hospital that will replace Brackenridge.