Texas Capitol Complex & North Austin Complex Projects Update Thread - Page 17

The ATX · #**321** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 2:53 PM**

Some of you may have noticed that the original Texas Mall/1601 Congress/1801 Congress construction webcams went off line. But there are three new Earthcams showing the construction progress! I added the link to the sticky thread.

https://public.earthcam.net/tJ90CoLm...apitol_complex

Here's a video showing what Phase I will look like when completed. Phase one is the Texas Mall, 1601 & 1801 Congress.

Video Link

EDIT: Check out the Block 164 progress on the 1601 Congress webcam.

urbancore · #**322** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 3:54 PM**

I forget. Is there restaurant/retail associated with this phase? If not, I think it’s a huge mistake.

Echostatic · #**323** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 4:04 PM**

There's one restaurant space towards the north end of the mall. Pretty sure that's it for the whole thing.

Novacek · #**324** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 4:29 PM**

I'd expect food trucks, but I forget if the plan specifically called that out.

urbancore · #**325** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 4:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

I'd expect food trucks, but I forget if the plan specifically called that out.

That could be really cool actually, if they do it right......proper bathrooms, tables, etc.

My kids love to ride bikes around the capitol. This could make our ride even longer and with a food stop, it would make it perfect.

StoOgE · #**326** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 6:11 PM**

Food trucks that can serve liquor would be great. Shut down liquor sales late at night (say 10PM) to stop it from becoming a bar district but let it be a nice beer garden like space would be fantastic.

I suspect we will get a lunch-hours only deli and a complete dead zone from the state that bifurcates downtown from campus in horrible pedestrian-unfriendly city-texture killing way.

Tyrone Shoes · #**327** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 6:24 PM**

I really think it would be great if the first couple of floors of each office building would be some sort of museum...science, art etc. The Bullock and Blanton as anchors on MLK

paul78701 · #**328** Posted **Jan 23, 2020, 3:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

I really think it would be great if the first couple of floors of each office building would be some sort of museum...science, art etc. The Bullock and Blanton as anchors on MLK

There were plans to have a museum on the first floor of one of the buildings. Initially, the talk was that it would be a Texas Music History Museum or something similar. I don't remember the exact details. I'm not sure how far they got with those museum plans or what became of them.

The ATX · #**329** Posted **Jan 23, 2020, 3:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul78701

There were plans to have a museum on the first floor of one of the buildings. Initially, the talk was that it would be a Texas Music History Museum or something similar. I don't remember the exact details. I'm not sure how far they got with those museum plans or what became of them.

Reps from Houston and Fort Worth killed it. The Houston Rep wanted a State Music Museum to be in Houston, not Austin. A Forth Worth Rep was trying to protect a private music museum in FW.

the Genral · #**330** Posted **Jan 23, 2020, 4:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

I really think it would be great if the first couple of floors of each office building would be some sort of museum...science, art etc. The Bullock and Blanton as anchors on MLK

That's certainly better than nothing, but I'd rather see each individual museum inside of its own unique and preferably iconic building.

Sigaven · #**331** Posted **Jan 23, 2020, 8:35 AM**

Those big lawns need some public art/sculptures. Otherwise, it's just a big pedestrian promenade that's rather uninteresting, given that it's just office buildings surrounding it and there's just two museum spaces at the very edge of the mall.

13th_and_Guad · #**332** Posted **Jan 26, 2020, 6:15 AM**

That mall should get some decent tailgating on UT gamedays I would guess.

Armybrat · #**333** Posted **Jan 29, 2020, 12:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 13th_and_Guad

That mall should get some decent tailgating on UT gamedays I would guess.

I should hope so.

The ATX · #**334** Posted **Jan 29, 2020, 8:54 PM**

Does anyone recall what building is going up at the site of the excavation at left-center in this Texas Mall webcam view?

https://public.earthcam.net/tJ90CoLm...ongress/view_1

It was the site of a parking lot behind the Texas Historical Commission. I don't think the THC building was demo'ed, but that can't be determined for sure from the webcam.

MichaelB · #**335** Posted **Jan 29, 2020, 10:34 PM**

The THC building was not demo'ed.

I believe you are talking about the land south of 17th between Colorado and Congress North of the THC.
If you look really carefully at the fly over video ( earlier post ) there seems to be a plaza...
Yet the back part of the lot is fully excavated at this point.

NOTE: Video you posted on Jan 22: at the top of video you can see the back of the plaza on Colorado.
At 1;14 you can see the plaza on the right.

My "GUESS" is this is where the entrance/exit plaza for underground is going to be. I've looked extensively at plans to figure it out. But can't find docs.

ON the flyover you can see that the plaza does not extend all the way to Colorado.

And if that wasn't your question... happy to try again!

The ATX · #**336** Posted **Jan 30, 2020, 8:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

My "GUESS" is this is where the entrance/exit plaza for underground is going to be. I've looked extensively at plans to figure it out. But can't find docs.

That sounds like what's happening as it has to be connected to the Phase I projects.

Tyrone Shoes · #**337** Posted **Feb 13, 2020, 1:15 PM**

Not really part of the Texas Capitol complex but since it's on MLK at Congress it's the North End of Congress Ave North I kinda figured it'd be an anchor....

UT to put $10 million donation toward Blanton upgrade, more outdoor art

By Amanda O’Donnell
Posted Feb 12, 2020 at 5:31 PM

With the help of a recent $10 million donation, a few more of the University of Texas at Austin’s Forty Acres could soon be adorned with outdoor art.....Half of the money will go toward the Blanton Museum of Art’s plans to update the museum’s grounds.....The Blanton updates will create a new “Texas mall” that will “form a vital connection between the university, the city of Austin and the Texas State Capitol Complex,” according to the press release..... “People have a little bit of trouble finding the museum sometimes; there’s not any exterior branding that is very apparent. Sometimes it can be difficult to get to the museum entrance ... so we’re redesigning the grounds and how people enter the museum and how the find their way to the parking garage.”

https://www.austin360.com/news/20200...re-outdoor-art

MichaelB · #**338** Posted **Feb 13, 2020, 7:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

Not really part of the Texas Capitol complex but since it's on MLK at Congress it's the North End of Congress Ave North I kinda figured it'd be an anchor....

UT to put $10 million donation toward Blanton upgrade, more outdoor art

By Amanda O’Donnell
Posted Feb 12, 2020 at 5:31 PM

With the help of a recent $10 million donation, a few more of the University of Texas at Austin’s Forty Acres could soon be adorned with outdoor art.....Half of the money will go toward the Blanton Museum of Art’s plans to update the museum’s grounds.....The Blanton updates will create a new “Texas mall” that will “form a vital connection between the university, the city of Austin and the Texas State Capitol Complex,” according to the press release..... “People have a little bit of trouble finding the museum sometimes; there’s not any exterior branding that is very apparent. Sometimes it can be difficult to get to the museum entrance ... so we’re redesigning the grounds and how people enter the museum and how the find their way to the parking garage.”

https://www.austin360.com/news/20200...re-outdoor-art

There was also " talk " this would include a crosswalk over MLK.! That would be really useful..... and another design opportunity.

DanielG425 · #**339** Posted **Feb 14, 2020, 4:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

Some of you may have noticed that the original Texas Mall/1601 Congress/1801 Congress construction webcams went off line. But there are three new Earthcams showing the construction progress! I added the link to the sticky thread.

https://public.earthcam.net/tJ90CoLm...apitol_complex

Here's a video showing what Phase I will look like when completed. Phase one is the Texas Mall, 1601 & 1801 Congress.

Video Link

EDIT: Check out the Block 164 progress on the 1601 Congress webcam.

Man, I really hope they turn that Texas print/feature around 180 degrees so that you can see Texas correctly with the capital in the background.

H2O · #**340** Posted **Feb 14, 2020, 2:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielG425

Man, I really hope they turn that Texas print/feature around 180 degrees so that you can see Texas correctly with the capital in the background.

That is Texas correctly from the Capitol (or Canada). Turning it around would actually make it backwards.