AUSTIN News Thread

[KevinFromTexas]

The theory behind global climate change is that everything in nature is connected. Just think about the food chain and how one negative thing happening to one species has a domino effect to the others. It is a hard thing to imagine at first, but then when you realize how interwoven nature is with the natural environment, habitats and the species that live there, it becomes easier to understand how everything can be affected by a single event.

The wildfire that happened in Bastrop for example burned all the trees to the ground in September, and then later they received 5 to 7 inches of rain. Because the fire burned all the brush and trees to the ground there was no live vegetation to take in the water, and it ran off and carried away a lot of soil. it washed out the asphalt roads in the park, and it dumped tons of ash and plant debris into the lake. That is an environment that will never be the same again. Even if humans replant the pine trees, it'll never be what it was again during our lifetime. Other invasive species of plants will probably swoop in to fill the void, and that's going to change the eco-system. It really sucks, because I grew up going there as a kid. We haven't been back since the fire, and honestly I'm not sure I want to see it that way.

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The theory behind global climate change is that everything in nature is connected. Just think about the food chain and how one negative thing happening to one species has a domino effect to the others. It is a hard thing to imagine at first, but then when you realize how interwoven nature is with the natural environment, habitats and the species that live there, it becomes easier to understand how everything can be affected by a single event.

The wildfire that happened in Bastrop for example burned all the trees to the ground in September, and then later they received 5 to 7 inches of rain. Because the fire burned all the brush and trees to the ground there was no live vegetation to take in the water, and it ran off and carried away a lot of soil. it washed out the asphalt roads in the park, and it dumped tons of ash and plant debris into the lake. That is an environment that will never be the same again. Even if humans replant the pine trees, it'll never be what it was again during our lifetime. Other invasive species of plants will probably swoop in to fill the void, and that's going to change the eco-system. It really sucks, because I grew up going there as a kid. We haven't been back since the fire, and honestly I'm not sure I want to see it that way.

As you know, Kevin, I was greatly impacted by that fire. I have always assumed that the absolutely extreme conditions of the summer of 2011 (three months of record heat and months and months of drought) were the result of global warming conditions. I also believe that the warming is at least in part caused by changes made in the ecosystem and atmosphere due to human activities.

[LoneStarMike]

Austin improves ranking among world's best metro economies
Michael Theis
Austin Business Journal
January 22, 2015

Austin is not just one of the fastest-growing economies in the United States. It also ranks among the top global cities, according to a report by the Brookings Institution.

The report, the 2014 edition of Brookings' Global MetroMonitor, ranks the economic performance of the world's 300 largest metropolitan economies. Released Thursday, the report said Austin had the 38th fastest growing economy in the world in 2013 and 2014

The article said in the 2007-2011 study Austin ranked 208th in rate of growth and in the 2011-2012 Austin ranked 65th in rate of growth.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...e-regions.html

Austin's high-tech industries leading the region's economy
Feb 3, 2015, 7:59am CST

Michael Theis
Digital Editor-
Austin Business Journal

Austin's high-tech industries continue to expand at a breakneck pace, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution. And as that sector expands, more and more workers in other, non-tech fields are feeling the benefits, too.

"America's advanced industries are not national," reads the report. "They are local, and in regions like Austin, Boston, San Diego, Seattle, and Silicon Valley they are world-class hubs of prosperity."

Here in the Austin area, advanced industries – a broad category of 50 industries ranging from aerospace engineering to oil and gas extraction to wireless telecoms – account for 106,280 jobs – or 12.1 percent of all Austin-area jobs. That's the 23rd-largest-share that advanced industries have in any metro area in the U.S. And those 106,000-plus jobs produced $24.1 billion in economic output in the Austin area, equal to nearly 25 percent of Austin's economy.

[The ATX]

Washington DC is spending half a million on a venue during SXSW to promote their city. They're even renting a restaurant and renaming it "WeDC".

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/c...ion-though.php

[DougRockstead]

http://www.answers.com/article/12274...s-de-lifestyle

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by DougRockstead

http://www.answers.com/article/12274...s-de-lifestyle

And it looks like Austin made this list twice:
http://www.answers.com/article/12320...ets-in-america

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news...ly-repa/nkNK8/

Bel Air condo owners won’t have to make costly repairs — for now
Posted: 10:11 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2015

By Lilly Rockwell - American-Statesman Staff

The owners of the Bel Air condos, located on South Congress, scored a minor victory on Tuesday night when they persuaded a city commission to hold off on forcing them to pay for expensive repairs to the walls of their units.

It was just the latest chapter in a multi-year legal battle over alleged shoddy construction work at Bel Air condos.

The 83-unit complex finished construction in 2006, with the final condos selling at auction in 2009.

But by 2010 the condo owners — many of them first-time homebuyers — had discovered so many problems with the building’s construction that the homeowner’s association filed a lawsuit against the condo builders.

[jngreenlee]

Originally Posted by paul78701

And it looks like Austin made this list twice:
http://www.answers.com/article/12320...ets-in-america

Oh no, another formerly-marginally-useful site turned into a "listicle" factory.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...s.html?ana=twt

Cheers! Downtown Austin tops nation for most bars per person
Mar 19, 2015, 9:38am CDT UPDATED: Mar 19, 2015, 1:17pm CDT

Jan Buchholz
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

Casual downtown Austin observers might have guessed there has been a whole lot of drinking going on here for South By Southwest and St. Patrick's Day earlier this week. A deep data dive drives that point home.

Downtown Austin ZIP code 78701 has the most bars per capita than any other ZIP code in the country. That's the assessment of RealtyTrac, which partnered with another research firm Axciom to help consumers figure out if they want to live close to a pub. Here's a link to the data.

That survey determined there are 88 bars in 78701, equating to one bar for every 67 people. The findings add a bit of heft to the Austin Business Journal's recent exploration of the ins and outs of the region's booze business. In that cover story, which you can read here, the 78701 ZIP code outstripped all others in the Austin area for liquor sales in 2014.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...s-to-au/nkjRm/

Freebirds relocating California headquarters to Austin
11:38 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2015 | Filed in: Business

One of region’s popular eateries, Freebirds World Burrito, which has more than 100 restaurants, will now permanently call Austin home.

The chain, which previously had its national headquarters in Emeryville, Ca., says the move was a “natural fit” as the company has half of its locations in Texas.

The company will call its offices at the Great Hills Corporate Center in Northwest Austin its new headquarters.

[airwx]

It's a bit amusing that the Statesman article says their first location in Texas was "near Houston" instead of admitting that it was in College Station.

[The ATX]

We all know how much hotel construction is happening in Austin. But this article highlights the cities with the most development. Here's a quote from the article:

While New York City has the most construction going on today by a very wide margin, it’s actually number two in terms of rooms being built per existing inventory. J.P. Ford, a senior vice president of business development with the Portsmouth, N.H.-based Lodging Econometrics, says Austin, Texas has the most development per existing inventory at 29.1 percent, with 61 projects and 9,057 rooms. New York City is at 28.5 percent, with 188 hotels in the construction pipeline. Miami is at 23.9 percent, with 64 projects and 12,036 rooms underway.

The article: http://nreionline.com/hotel/demograp...owth-us-cities

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...over-past.html

Forbes: Austin was a tech-job juggernaut over past 10 years
Apr 16, 2015, 8:06am CDT

Michael Theis
Digital Editor-
Austin Business Journal

Fueled by an explosion in high-tech job growth, Austin is the No. 1 city in America for overall tech job creation over the past decade, according to the latest Forbes ranking.

Nationwide, the high-tech employment sector grew by 31 percent between 2004 and 2014, according to Forbes. STEM employment expanded by 11.4 percent in that time frame.
Austin is far outstripping that, with whopping tech industry growth of 74 percent between 2004 and 2014. As of 2014, the number of tech jobs in the Austin region stood at 53,118, according to Forbes. STEM occupation growth in the Austin region surged 36 percent during that time, with the overall number of STEM jobs as of 2014 standing at 86,189.

[AusTxDevelopment]

Maybe now we'll get a municipal stadium? Wishful thinking.

Austin Business Journal
Statesman to shutter Austin printing operation; workers face layoffs
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...operation.html

Austin Business Journal
What's next: Statesman printing shift sparks speculation on prime plot
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...eculation.html

[the Genral]

I wonder how many more newspapers around the country are going to consolidate or shut down? The reasons are obvious. I still get the AAS in print but my subscription also entitles me to read the entire 'paper' online. They even e-mail every day to tell me the online 'paper' is ready for me to read. Its almost like they are encouraging me to use the online 'paper' over the print.
That being said, for the last dozen years or so, that piece of land the AAS sits on is totally under utilized. Maybe when they first took that spot it didn't matter, but who today would build a factory / warehouse that big in the heart of a thriving city in the midst of a building boom? A structure like that belongs in the outskirts like out by the airport. So I say, hasta la vista, its about time you vacate that lot, sorry about the loss of jobs, but woo hoo, I bet developers are already chomping at the bit. Unless the COA owns the land and rented the space to the AAS, I don't know, then the sale would go to the highest bidder and we can probably say goodbye to a municipal stadium. One slight chance may be an MLS stadium if they are the highest bidder and can lure an expansion team here. Frankly I think the AAS should vacate and donate the land to the city. They did have a good go of it here, and a million dollar view of the city for many years.
What I don't want to see there is a cluster f#!k of 5 story stick frame apartments. I would like to see some sort of public use for there...stadium, museum, planetarium, aquarium, park, observation tower, farmer's market, food trailer mega mecca, drive in theater, zoo, artist village, amphitheater, grand plaza with a water fountain garden, maybe a 400' ferris wheel or an urban HEB or mini mall....just joking about the last two.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by the Genral

I wonder how many more newspapers around the country are going to consolidate or shut down? The reasons are obvious. I still get the AAS in print but my subscription also entitles me to read the entire 'paper' online. They even e-mail every day to tell me the online 'paper' is ready for me to read. Its almost like they are encouraging me to use the online 'paper' over the print.
That being said, for the last dozen years or so, that piece of land the AAS sits on is totally under utilized. Maybe when they first took that spot it didn't matter, but who today would build a factory / warehouse that big in the heart of a thriving city in the midst of a building boom? A structure like that belongs in the outskirts like out by the airport. So I say, hasta la vista, its about time you vacate that lot, sorry about the loss of jobs, but woo hoo, I bet developers are already chomping at the bit. Unless the COA owns the land and rented the space to the AAS, I don't know, then the sale would go to the highest bidder and we can probably say goodbye to a municipal stadium. One slight chance may be an MLS stadium if they are the highest bidder and can lure an expansion team here. Frankly I think the AAS should vacate and donate the land to the city. They did have a good go of it here, and a million dollar view of the city for many years.
What I don't want to see there is a cluster f#!k of 5 story stick frame apartments. I would like to see some sort of public use for there...stadium, museum, planetarium, aquarium, park, observation tower, farmer's market, food trailer mega mecca, drive in theater, zoo, artist village, amphitheater, grand plaza with a water fountain garden, maybe a 400' ferris wheel or an urban HEB or mini mall....just joking about the last two.

Got to make it at least a 500' ferris wheel. We don't need yet another structure that is stuck in the 400 range lol.

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by the Genral

I would like to see some sort of public use for there...stadium, museum, planetarium, aquarium, park, observation tower, farmer's market, food trailer mega mecca, drive in theater, zoo, artist village, amphitheater, grand plaza with a water fountain garden, maybe a 400' ferris wheel or an urban HEB or mini mall....just joking about the last two.

If they ever raise the money to actually build it, I would much rather see that Mexic-Arte Museum that they want to build at 419 Congress all smashed up next to Frost Tower - be built on the Statesman site instead.

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Fernando Romero EnterprisE's website:
http://fr-ee.org/projects/austin-museum-usa/


FREE - http://fr-ee.org/projects/austin-museum-usa/


FREE - http://fr-ee.org/projects/austin-museum-usa/


FREE - http://fr-ee.org/projects/austin-museum-usa/


FREE - http://fr-ee.org/projects/austin-museum-usa/


FREE - http://fr-ee.org/projects/austin-museum-usa/

I always thought Congress Avenue was a horrible place for that museum to be built because it just doesn't fit in with the other architecture up and down Congress.

But I think it would look totally kick-ass awesome if they were to put it on the other side of the lake where the AAS is now. Think of those colored lights reflecting off the lake at night. Plus, if it's small enough to be built on a partial block of Congress, it obviously wouldn't be taking up much space and there would be plenty of room for other things like retail, green space, etc.

The only problem with that idea is mentioned in the Austin Business Journal article.

Pulling off an ambitious project on that site would not be easy. The current planned unit development zoning allows only a few uses without a conditional use permit and limits the amount of additional space that could be built. It also prohibits residential uses, and a height restriction of 96 feet — about nine stories — also could be an issue.

The Mexic-Arte Museum is 140 feet.

However, the article goes on to say:

Additional structures could rise as high as the free market allows if zoning were drastically altered because there are no height restrictions related to the Capitol View Corridor, which thwarts many sites downtown from going vertical.

If that were to happen, the Mexic-Arte Museum's height wouldn't be a problem and since there would still be a lot of land left over, maybe they could bring over that 47-story-condo-on-top-of-the-planetarium design they were planning north of the Capitol.

I'd much rather see stuff like this on the South Shore than some sports facility - and I don't care if it had mixed-use or not. If they ever do announce a sports facility for the AAS site, I'm liable to go off like that old geezer who got all pissed off when they tore down the old Alamo Hotel at Sixth & Guadalupe (where that Extended Stay America hotel is now) and you'll see me over at the AAS parcel sprinkling animal blood everywhere and putting a curse on the site.

[the Genral]

Cox Media Group owns the AAS and the 18.9 acres it sits on. They have contractual obligations to print for the New York Times, and the Waco Tribune-Herald and will continue to roll the 4 large presses in Austin at least through 2017 according to a report in the AAS today. They have continued to turn down offers from developers, and the demo and removal of the giant presses would eventually be an obstacle for any possible future developers. The Travis Central Appraisal District has the 18.9 acre site appraised at 48.6 million for 2015. Cox's executive vice president, Alex Taylor says they have no plans to sell it and is not involved in any negotiations and they know how valuable that property is, so I guess we can kiss goodbye any dreams for it eventually becoming public use. With their main revenue stream of printed advertising fading into the burnt orange sunset of dwindling printed readership, (I made up this quote), they'll satisfy their contracts then sell for a shit ton of money to a developer with deep pockets who won't give a shit about wasting any of this parcel on public use, instead, gather revenue from businesses and tenants. The price tag will be waaaay out of the COA's league, not to mention low revenue generators like museums.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Cox Media Group owns the AAS and the 18.9 acres it sits on. They have contractual obligations to print for the New York Times, and the Waco Tribune-Herald and will continue to roll the 4 large presses in Austin at least through 2017 according to a report in the AAS today. They have continued to turn down offers from developers, and the demo and removal of the giant presses would eventually be an obstacle for any possible future developers. The Travis Central Appraisal District has the 18.9 acre site appraised at 48.6 million for 2015. Cox's executive vice president, Alex Taylor says they have no plans to sell it and is not involved in any negotiations and they know how valuable that property is, so I guess we can kiss goodbye any dreams for it eventually becoming public use. With their main revenue stream of printed advertising fading into the burnt orange sunset of dwindling printed readership, (I made up this quote), they'll satisfy their contracts then sell for a shit ton of money to a developer with deep pockets who won't give a shit about wasting any of this parcel on public use, instead, gather revenue from businesses and tenants. The price tag will be waaaay out of the COA's league, not to mention low revenue generators like museums.

Amen to all of this. I would much prefer this to be parceled out VMUs anyway.