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  #81  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2014, 8:19 AM
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Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas View Post
Nice. I saw that crane truck driving south on I-35 today. I'm surprised it wasn't sticking around to put up the library cranes.
Those library cranes seem way over due. I don't recall any other project that took this long to erect the cranes after the bases were in place.
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  #82  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2014, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Hill Country View Post
Those library cranes seem way over due. I don't recall any other project that took this long to erect the cranes after the bases were in place.
Don't worry, there won't be any late fees - they go up this weekend.
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  #83  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2014, 3:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Hill Country View Post
Those library cranes seem way over due. I don't recall any other project that took this long to erect the cranes after the bases were in place.
I have been thinking the same thing! GreenWater already has their crane up, so what about the library?

Then I wake up to this today:

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  #84  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2014, 3:59 PM
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Is that hideous power station going away? What an eye sore......
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  #85  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2014, 4:44 PM
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Not anytime soon, unfortunately. They're going to put an "art wall" around it. So, it will still be an eyesore from above but at least at ground level it won't be so terrible. It's a bit like putting lipstick on a pig, though.

Thanks for the pics, OtherKevin. You have an awesome view of all this construction.
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  #86  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2014, 7:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Syndic View Post
Not anytime soon, unfortunately. They're going to put an "art wall" around it. So, it will still be an eyesore from above but at least at ground level it won't be so terrible. It's a bit like putting lipstick on a pig, though.

Thanks for the pics, OtherKevin. You have an awesome view of all this construction.
What Syndic said. I remember the redevelopment has plans for it to be removed, but no current time table. I imagine after Block 1 is fully built out, there will start to be info about the fate of that power station.
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  #87  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2014, 4:16 AM
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Originally Posted by cvalkan View Post
Love that last pic, OK
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Originally Posted by Syndic View Post
Thanks for the pics, OtherKevin. You have an awesome view of all this construction.
I'm glad y'all are enjoying my photographs. I have been waiting on these projects to start for years, so it is very exciting to see it all happen. Feel free to take anything I post here and reuse it if you want.
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  #88  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2014, 4:53 AM
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Originally Posted by H2O View Post
Don't worry, there won't be any late fees - they go up this weekend.
Somebody got it.
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  #89  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2014, 2:06 PM
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Originally Posted by MightyYoda View Post
What Syndic said. I remember the redevelopment has plans for it to be removed, but no current time table. I imagine after Block 1 is fully built out, there will start to be info about the fate of that power station.
Sorry, Sir. You are mistaken. The substation is not going anywhere. The footprint was shrunk by about 1/3 to provide a site for the New Central Library, but the rest has nowhere to go. The substation provides power to most of Downtown, and can't just go away. The infrastructure (above and below ground) has greater value than the land at this time. Even if it were relocated, a site of similar size in the same general vicinity would have to be found.
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  #90  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2014, 3:30 PM
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Originally Posted by MightyYoda View Post
What Syndic said. I remember the redevelopment has plans for it to be removed, but no current time table. I imagine after Block 1 is fully built out, there will start to be info about the fate of that power station.
I think you might be confusing the power substation (center left) with the Energy Control Center (center right with the empty parking lot on two sides) in the below photo by OtherKevin.



The Energy Control Center will be torn down at some point.
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  #91  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 12:47 AM
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By me:

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  #92  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 1:22 AM
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I know this is the Block 1 thread but The Bowie looks huge in that picture.
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  #93  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 6:44 AM
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Originally Posted by LoneStarMike View Post
I think you might be confusing the power substation (center left) with the Energy Control Center (center right with the empty parking lot on two sides) in the below photo by OtherKevin.



The Energy Control Center will be torn down at some point.
You are correct, I was mixing up the two.
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  #94  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 6:31 PM
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Originally Posted by H2O View Post
Sorry, Sir. You are mistaken. The substation is not going anywhere. The footprint was shrunk by about 1/3 to provide a site for the New Central Library, but the rest has nowhere to go. The substation provides power to most of Downtown, and can't just go away. The infrastructure (above and below ground) has greater value than the land at this time. Even if it were relocated, a site of similar size in the same general vicinity would have to be found.
I'm okay with the substation staying where it is but I'm definitely irritated that they've decided to just put up an art wall instead of completely hiding the facility. I guess I'm not sure just how much the art wall will hide and it's definitely not going to hide enough from ariel views, which I mean if substations can be disguised as houses it shouldn't be too hard to cover the top. Frankly, if the current art wall proposal had something as simple as a green roof over it I'd be much happier with it.

Regardless I'll be happy when the frumpy ECC building goes.
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  #95  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 6:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Digatisdi View Post
I'm okay with the substation staying where it is but I'm definitely irritated that they've decided to just put up an art wall instead of completely hiding the facility. I guess I'm not sure just how much the art wall will hide and it's definitely not going to hide enough from ariel views, which I mean if substations can be disguised as houses it shouldn't be too hard to cover the top. Frankly, if the current art wall proposal had something as simple as a green roof over it I'd be much happier with it.

Regardless I'll be happy when the frumpy ECC building goes.
I think the other benefit of a wall instead of a large building surrounding the substation is that it's much more of a temporary structure. I don't know if the substation will be relocated in the next couple of decades, but regardless, this is probably the better option. The wall will be designed to interact with the street, if that helps.
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  #96  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 11:04 PM
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I'm just shooting from the hip here but I think an unconventional and very Austin idea for how to remedy the substation issue would be to make the station itself into a sculptural landmark of the city. By which I mean, what if an artist could come in and create a redesign of the substation utilizing sculptural elements that doubled as the actual functioning parts of the substation? Instead of form following function or vice versa, both could go hand in hand. I'm picturing something out of, say, Meet the Robinsons or Robots. It could be rebuilt in phases so as to never actually cut the power to the city but you end up with one of the world's most unusual pieces of public sculpture...artwork that doubles as a power station. I feel like why hide the station with art when the station could BE the art.

A less expensive solution could also be to drench the thing in LEDs, or have it shoot fireworks or fire like that praying mantis in Vegas.

Just food for thought.
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  #97  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 11:38 PM
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I believe these weren't posted yet, from the architects website.











http://www.scb.com/apartments/green-water
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  #98  
Old Posted Apr 20, 2014, 11:41 PM
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Thanks Urbannizer. I'm loving the back side of this tower, just glad it's not a bland wall.
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  #99  
Old Posted Apr 21, 2014, 12:22 AM
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Thanks for posting those. I'm really liking this tower.
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  #100  
Old Posted Apr 21, 2014, 1:07 AM
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Originally Posted by NYC2ATX View Post
I'm just shooting from the hip here but I think an unconventional and very Austin idea for how to remedy the substation issue would be to make the station itself into a sculptural landmark of the city. By which I mean, what if an artist could come in and create a redesign of the substation utilizing sculptural elements that doubled as the actual functioning parts of the substation? Instead of form following function or vice versa, both could go hand in hand. I'm picturing something out of, say, Meet the Robinsons or Robots. It could be rebuilt in phases so as to never actually cut the power to the city but you end up with one of the world's most unusual pieces of public sculpture...artwork that doubles as a power station. I feel like why hide the station with art when the station could BE the art.

A less expensive solution could also be to drench the thing in LEDs, or have it shoot fireworks or fire like that praying mantis in Vegas.

Just food for thought.
I think the best way to deal with the substation is to surround it with brand new shiny skyscrapers.
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