Austin | 416 Congress Hotel | 332 FT | 26 FLOORS | Cancelled

[KevinFromTexas]

This would be located across Congress from the Frost Bank Tower.

http://www.statesman.com/business/re...Trk=RTR_554183

Upscale boutique hotel planned for Congress Avenue

By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATEMAN STAFF

Published: 9:26 p.m. Thursday, May 20, 2010

A Houston investor is considering building a 15-story upscale boutique hotel at the site of one of Congress Avenue's oldest buildings.

If built, it would be the first new hotel along Congress north of Lady Bird Lake in 44 years , since the Wilbur Clark Crest Hotel — now the Radisson Hotel and Suites — opened in 1966 on a former lumber site at Congress and East Cesar Chavez Street, said Molly Alexander, associate director of the Downtown Austin Alliance, a group representing downtown property and business owners.

Under the current vision, the facade of the existing 21,000-square-foot building would be preserved and enhanced, said Dick Clark, owner of Dick Clark Architecture. Clark's firm is designing the proposed 52,000-square-foot hotel, which would include 60 to 70 guest rooms and a bar, restaurant and private dining rooms.

The target opening date is 2012.

...

Rendering:


Dick Clark Architecture
A preliminary rendering of the project shows a metal and glass tower of rooms rising behind the vintage facade.

[nixcity]

That is just plain weird. Would it really just keep the facade? And really, opening in 2012 when they are still just considering it. They would really have to get moving then.

[Sulley]

I hope there's an American Bandstand location on the ground floor. Har.

[wwmiv]

I love it. Wish it were taller, but I love it.

[Austinite]

"A world-class hip hotel is what it's going to be," Clark said. "People have been crying out for a boutique hotel in Austin for years."

Wherever and whenever they actually live, some people think it is 2004 and that they are in South Beach: everyone is fabulous; debt is free. Fascinating.

[paulsjv]

Originally Posted by Austinite

debt is free. Fascinating.

Well for big banks debt is free!

[KevinFromTexas]

One thing is for sure, if this gets built, it'll probably be our smallest and skinniest skyscraper. According to GoogleEarth, the space it would occupy would probably be no more than 40x100 feet. Basically the tower's width would be that of the length of a city bus. The article says 15-stories, but it looks like there's 12 actual floors, including 3 in the original old building. That 15-story number is probably referring to the height of somewhere around 150 feet.

They might not be off on that opening date. This building would probably take a very short time to build. They would only have to build 9 actual floors. At a floor a week, that would be 9 weeks just to do the shell. It could be topped out in 2 months from the time they actually start to do the framing.

[MichaelB]

Could be cool. I hope they keep more that just the facade. Granted there is not much of the original detail left in that building. There was an "attack of the 80s" in that lobby space. The floors that have been used for clubs are like that parish if you have been in there. Cool open old space... but that really it. Part of the article sounds like they will keep more because it mentions "... a slender glass tower that would be supported by steel structure added within the existing building". That's how they build "6" on top of the building the Spaghetti Warehouse is in.

I think if that is the case, it could be a really interesting project.

[bluedogok]

Originally Posted by Austinite

"A world-class hip hotel is what it's going to be," Clark said. "People have been crying out for a boutique hotel in Austin for years."

Wherever and whenever they actually live, some people think it is 2004 and that they are in South Beach: everyone is fabulous; debt is free. Fascinating.

There are still plenty of people out there willing to pay for that type of place, the Hotel San Jose doesn't seem to have a shortage of visitors.

This has become a popular way of adding space in urban areas of larger cities, I know it has been done some in Boston. As long as the new portion is not right on the faced of the existing space and has some step back it looks pretty nice. We added a floor to the JDM Place building in OKC's Bricktown area, it was a cast-in-place concrete structure built in 1930 and all we could add was one floor, the owner wanted two floors. As far as building a tower on it, more than likely they will gut the back portion and build it out all new.

[austlar1]

Never mind.

[kingkirbythe....]

Hotel Zaza is looking in Austin along with a few other cities. Their Houston location is fabulous.

[Greggklar]

LOVE the ZaZa, hope they make it into Austin, it would be a great fit!

[TXAlex]

26 Stories!

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

Downtown Commission endorses boutique hotel on Congress

By American-Statesman staff
Thursday, January 20, 2011, 02:49 PM

The City of Austin Downtown Commission has recommended approval of a proposed 26-story boutique hotel at 416 Congress Ave. that incorporates the facade of an historic building.

Last year, the owners said they wanted to build a 15-story hotel on the site, adding new construction above the 118-year-old building. The plan now has grown to 130 rooms in 26 stories, according to a presentation Wednesday night to the commission. The new construction would be set further back from the street than the historic building.

The commission on Wednesday night endorsed all three requests from the owners: To provide historic zoning for the property; to allow the project to have more square footage than standard Central Business District zoning permits, and to approve a curb cut on Congress for valet parking, according to Michael Knox, of the city’s Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office.

The project must also go before the city’s Historic and Planning Commissions, which will make their own recommendations to the City Council, which has final say.

The Downtown Commission gave unanimous approval to the project, with member Mandy Dealey abstaining because she also is a member of the Planning Commission, Knox said.

Mike McHone, the agent for the owners who made the presentation, wasn’t immediately available for comment.

[Armybrat]

Wonder where they'll put parking for this place?

[KevinFromTexas]

^It's funny they haven't mentioned that. I would imagine the parking lot facing 3rd Street between Congress & Colorado would be their best option for some form of parking. Still though, that parking lot will some day have a tower on it, too, and the western half of it will probably be for parking for that tower.

[KevinFromTexas]

Here is the rendering and model.


http://downtownaustinblog.org/


http://downtownaustinblog.org/

[KevinFromTexas]

Judging by the rendering and model provided in comparison to the surrounding buildings, I would estimate the height is about 285 feet tall. This would be Austin's tallest "all hotel" building. The W and Hilton are are each 200 and 100 feet taller, but they both have condominiums included within.

[KevinFromTexas]

Once construction starts and they start framing it, it'll go up quick. I had estimated the building's footprint to be about 50 by 100 feet. This article says it is "about 46 feet wide". That is insanely skinny! It's not much wider than the length of a city bus.

http://impactnews.com/northwest-aust...ongress-avenue

26-story boutique hotel planned for Congress Avenue

By Bobby Longoria
Thursday, 20 January 2011

AUSTIN — The call for a new hotel downtown may soon be answered with the construction of a 26-story boutique hotel at 416 Congress Ave.

Despite its height, the building will reflect a modern sensibility respecting the site's history, developers say.

The site is currently the home of a red-brick-lined building leased by Sky Lounge, a nightclub and bar. Mike McHone, the project consultant for the boutique hotel, said he, architect Jeff Krolicki and civil engineer Bradley Lingvai all share a vision to restore the building's original historical façade and create a hotel that will serve Congress Avenue both functionally and aesthetically.

With a width of only about 46 feet, McHone said seven rooms will be on each floor. The hotel's humble size though will be fitting for downtown, which lacks a boutique hotel, and has not had a new Congress Avenue hotel for over 44 years. The Wilbur Clark Crest Hotel, now the Radisson Hotel and Suites, was the last to open along Congress Avenue in 1966.

[TXAlex]

Someone I spoke with in-the-know said don't count on it till 2014... Too many variables right now. Where did you find that rendering?

[KevinFromTexas]

I should have mentioned that. It was posted on Downtown Austin Blog.

http://downtownaustinblog.org/