Austin | 416 Congress Hotel | 332 FT | 26 FLOORS | Cancelled - Page 2

Armybrat · #21 Posted **Jan 22, 2011, 4:03 AM**

Hope they don't mess up this hotel like the Harmon Hotel on the Vegas Strip - it was reduced from a 49 story building to 27 floors due to a rebar installation imperfection during construction on the 15th floor. They cut out building the upper floor condos entirely.

The empty structure will be demolished in 2012:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/...8df67f33a4.jpg

KevinFromTexas · #22 Posted **Jan 24, 2011, 7:40 PM**

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte..._consider.html

Quote:

Design Commission to consider 26-story hotel on Congress Ave.

By American-Statesman staff | Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:04 PM

The City of Austin Design Commission is scheduled tonight to discuss and take action on a proposed 26-story boutique hotel at 416 Congress Ave.

Last week, the Downtown Commission recommended approval of all three requests from the developer — to change the zoning to allow for a larger building; to modify the curb to allow for valet instead of angled parking, and to grant historic landmark status.

The hotel would be built above a 118-year-old building, preserving the facade but adding a modern tower set back from Congress.

Armybrat · #23 Posted **Jan 24, 2011, 10:06 PM**

I wonder where the front lobby will be - accessed through the old facade?

I like these new ways of preserving much of the old architecture.

KevinFromTexas · #24 Posted **Jan 24, 2011, 11:48 PM**

Not sure. It could be at the front or in back, but the article says they want to cut the curb and make changes to have valet parking rather than angled parking. So I would imagine the lobby would face Congress.

KevinFromTexas · #25 Posted **Feb 25, 2011, 8:43 PM**

There's another rendering image at the link. The article mentions the tower is only 46 feet wide and 100 feet long. This is one skinny tower! Congress Avenue is 120 feet wide and most streets in downtown are 80 feet wide.

http://impactnews.com/central-austin...downtown-hotel

Quote:

Developers seek city approval for 26-story downtown hotel
Boutique hotel set to replace Sky Lounge on Congress Avenue

By Bobby Longoria
Friday, 25 February 2011

CENTRAL AUSTIN — The call for new lodging downtown may soon be answered with the construction of a 26-story boutique hotel near the intersection of Congress Avenue and Fifth Street.

Mike McHone, the project consultant for the hotel, said he, architect Jeff Krolicki and civil engineer Bradley Lingvai seek to change the building’s zoning from Central Business District use to CBD Central Urban Redevelopment zoning, also known as CBD-CURE zoning, which will allow the project to build to its intended height of 26 stories with up to 130 hotel rooms. They will also seek historic zoning for the building.

The site at 416 Congress Ave. is currently the home of a red brick–lined building leased by Sky Lounge, a nightclub and bar. By using historical photos, McHone and developers said they hope to restore the building to its original appearance.

KevinFromTexas · #26 Posted **Mar 2, 2011, 1:31 AM**

PDF file from the architect, Dick Clark Architecture, stating the building will have 94,000 total square feet.

http://www.dcarch.com/portfolio/feas...oject-info.pdf

Armybrat · #27 Posted **Mar 2, 2011, 1:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

PDF file from the architect, Dick Clark Architecture, stating the building will have 94,000 total square feet.

http://www.dcarch.com/portfolio/feas...oject-info.pdf

Excellent plan.

Hope they have covered off site valet parking.

That would be a sweet venue for a weekend getaway.

KevinFromTexas · #28 Posted **Mar 2, 2011, 2:15 AM**

Just to give you an idea of how skinny this tower is, if every square foot (94,000 square feet) was laid out so it was a single floor building, it would cover slightly more than 2 acres. Instead, it's covering only 4,600 square feet, or about the area of a typical suburban single family yard.

H2O · #29 Posted **Mar 4, 2011, 2:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Just to give you an idea of how skinny this tower is, if every square foot (94,000 square feet) was laid out so it was a single floor building, it would cover slightly more than 2 acres. Instead, it's covering only 4,600 square feet, or about the area of a typical suburban single family yard.

Actually, that is less than a single family lot. The standard single family lot size in Austin is 5750 square feet. You couldn't even build a house on that lot in most neighborhoods.

Jdawgboy · #30 Posted **Mar 5, 2011, 10:01 PM**

Yay so as mentioned on the City Compilations thread, this tower will be 336 feet. Going to be nice.

KevinFromTexas · #31 Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 1:49 AM**

336 feet seems high, but I'll go with it since that's what the architect said.

BUT, this isn't a 336 foot building in this image. The Chase Bank Tower a few blocks away is 325 feet tall, and the new hotel appears shorter in this image than that building.

Bank of America Center is supposedly 329 feet, although I found one height that suggests it's 336 feet tall. And I know 301 Congress is 306 feet tall. I had guessed the height would be 290 to 310 feet tall for the new hotel. It's great hearing it'll be 336 feet. It'll be our tallest "all hotel" hotel by well over 100 feet.

Jdawgboy · #32 Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

336 feet seems high, but I'll go with it since that's what the architect said.

BUT, this isn't a 336 foot building in this image. The Chase Bank Tower a few blocks away is 325 feet tall, and the new hotel appears shorter in this image than that building.

Bank of America Center is supposedly 329 feet, although I found one height that suggests it's 336 feet tall. And I know 301 Congress is 306 feet tall. I had guessed the height would be 290 to 310 feet tall for the new hotel. It's great hearing it'll be 336 feet. It'll be our tallest "all hotel" hotel by well over 100 feet.

Its also about time that we had a tower on that side of Congress in that area since it will be within the Warehouse District, there are no towers at all as you can see from that map on the lower left side, so it will be nice to have a tower on the west side of Congress in that area.

KevinFromTexas · #33 Posted **Mar 7, 2011, 11:01 PM**

Yep. It should be visible in my neighborhood. It'll probably block the view of One American Center, though, and I'm doubtful that it'll be lit up very much. It might have a ring of lights around the top, but that's about it. I hope it doesn't follow in the W's footsteps of being dark at night. Sometimes it's good to have those dark sleek towers on the skyline at night, but are real stunners in the daytime. One building that comes to mind here is Dallas' Fountain Place. It's completely dark at night except for office lights and (2?) aircraft warning lights on top, but in the daytime it owns the skyline.

KevinFromTexas · #34 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 12:08 AM**

The article says they're planning to have it open late next year. Man, construction on this thing is going to be fast! Don't blink or you'll miss it.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...ning_chan.html

Quote:

Congress Ave. hotel project headed for City Council vote

By Shonda Novak | Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 01:01 PM

The Austin City Council is expected Thursday to approve a zoning change for a 26-story boutique hotel proposed for Congress Avenue — a project that would be the first new hotel on Congress in 45 years.

Mike McHone, a consultant helping the owner to get the city entitlements for the project, said the hotel could open in late 2012.

MichaelB · #35 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 12:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The article says they're planning to have it open late next year. Man, construction on this thing is going to be fast! Don't blink or you'll miss it.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...ning_chan.html

so... now that this is 26 stories tall.... would you still call it "Boutique"?? This seems like a new marketing invasion. The San Jose is a " Boutique" hotel. THis is 26 stories tall!

I really love this project BTW!

wwmiv · #36 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 12:56 AM**

Construction would have to start within the next few months for a late 2012 opening to be feasible, wouldn't it?

KevinFromTexas · #37 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 1:55 AM**

This building is going to be tiny, though. Only 94,000 square feet. With 26 floors it'll have about 3,615 usable square feet per floor. It's planned to be 46 feet wide by 100 feet long, so it's footprint will be around 4,600 square feet. Construction won't last long. Digging won't take nearly as long as it does for bigger skyscrapers we've seen. That's always the longest part of the construction process. This building will likely be topped out inside of 6 months.

KevinFromTexas · #38 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 5:09 AM**

http://www.statesman.com/business/co...s-1343960.html

Quote:

Council OK expected for hotel planned for Congress Avenue
26-story building would add 130 rooms, restaurant to downtown

By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Published: 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The project would be the first new hotel on the stretch of Congress Avenue between Lady Bird Lake and the Capitol since the Wilbur Clark Crest Hotel (now the Radisson Hotel and Suites ) opened in 1966, said Molly Alexander, associate director of the Downtown Austin Alliance.

McHone said having more hotel rooms downtown will be an economic boost for the city, bringing in additional tax revenue along with tourists who spend their money here.

Since year-end 2007, 752 hotel rooms have been added downtown, a 10.8 percent increase, compared with 3,681 additional guest rooms citywide, a 14.3 percent increase, according to Smith Travel Research, an industry consulting firm.

JoninATX · #39 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 7:21 AM**

WOW 6 months to top out,

must be the small footprint...

427MM · #40 Posted **Mar 24, 2011, 8:50 PM**

The rezoning just passed at Council. Maybe we'll get a crane soon enough...