The Transformation of South Lamar - Page 18

LoneStarMike · #**341** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 10:13 AM**

This post is from the 3000 block of S. Lamar down to the 2100 block.

Since the City has had such great success with Smart Cars, they've rolled out a new form of public transportation as seen in the shopping center north of The 704 where Kerbey Lane is. The Smart Horse.

Just kidding. As I was taking the photo, a couple came out, and they were the owners. I mentioned I had gotten a photo of a guy on horseback on the Congress Avenue Bridge awhile back and they said it was probably their friend. They were nice. You just never know who you're going to run into in this town.

The Cielo at Manchaca & Lamar:

I'm not "getting" the design of this parking garage. Are those holes supposed to be clouds? To me, it just looks like someone shot cannonballs at it.

A view from the back. It looks like they're still working on the town homes.

Fine shopping right across the street at 7-11, Goodwill & Speedy Cash Loans.

The part of the development that fronts Lamar Blvd.

I love the artwork. I wish they would paint huge cool murals like this on some of the blank walls downtown - like the Plaza Lofts.

This lot is at 2300 S. Lamar & Bluebonnet - directly across Bluebonnet from Walgreen's/Spaces 2525 & Maria's Taco Express.

It used to have two portable houses being used for businesses and an automotive shop. You can see the old automotive shop behind the tents. The two little houses were hauled off a couple of years ago, This photo is from 2010:

The lot's for sale. SoLa@Bluebonnet

Until then, it's flea market.

Cool orange car at the Black Sheep Lodge - 2108 S. Lamar.

LoneStarMike · #**342** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 10:41 AM**

This post is from 1500 S. Lamar (The Post South Lamar Apartments) to Lamar Union.

They've cleared the land for Post South Lamar Phase II. Looking towards S. Lamar:

Looking towards the back of the lot.

Lamar Union:

The view as you walk by:

View from Lamar looking back towards Alamo Draft House:

Alamo Draft House & Highball:

Apartments directly across from the Alamo Draft House:

Looking towards Lamar:

Lamar Union - far left and Gibson Flats - far right.

LoneStarMike · #**343** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 11:29 AM**

This post is from The Hanover at 809 S. Lamar all the way down to Lamar & Barton Springs Rd.

The Hanover:

Even though it doesn't have ground floor retail, I still like it. It's got shady trees and it's nicely landscaped, so it's pleasant to walk past.

It's almost like a little pocket park.

Entrance to the leasing office:

They did a nice job on the sidewalk in front of the leasing office.

The couple I saw earlier at the shopping center at 3001 S. Lamar where Kerbey Lane is riding their horses in the 700 block of S. Lamar.

I always like this view of what I call the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge Grouping as you come down S. Lamar. If you look close in the photo, on the extreme right hand side, there's a building that has a sign for ARC Printing. I think the address is 613 S. Lamar because "613" was painted on their building.
Anyway it's closed and fenced off. It's shown as "sold" on Knight Real Estate's website.

There was an article in the Austin Business Journal in October 2013 that the owners of Stubb's had bought the building and were going to make it into a bar.

Stubb's owner buys South Lamar site for new bar
Oct 24, 2013

It said the work was supposed to start last January and be completed by Fall 2014, so I don't know if it's still on or not. They list the address as 615 S. Lamar.

1210 Barton Springs Rd. This used to be a KFC, then Jack & Adam's bicycles, now a pet store. It was slated to become 80 hotel rooms, 30 residences and an art gallery, but it's no longer on the emerging projects website.

LoneStarMike · #**344** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 12:02 PM**

This last post is Barton Springs Rd. From S. Lamar to Robert E. Lee.

Barton Place. It's not new, but it was on the way to two other new developments followed in this thread - Coldwater Creek and Zilkr on the Park

Hey Cupcake, Kebabalicious, Mighty Cone and some other food trucks moved over to Coldwater Creek.

Coldwater Creek:

Chuy's (Coldwater Creek in the background.)

Zilkr on the Park and yes, that's how they spell Zilker - Z-I-L-K-R. I suppose that's the "chic" way to spell it.

I think that in an effort to appeal more to the affluent hipster demographic, I'll change my username from LoneStarMike to just L

M. At least I can be "chic" and "trendy" online. Never mind the fact that I'm really "cheap" and "tacky."

And that's it from me for the South Lamar update February 2015.

smith_atx · #**345** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 2:19 PM**

Great job Mike. I felt like I was on a tour

The ATX · #**346** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 2:23 PM**

Nice photos. I seem to only end up on S. Lamar at night, so I don't notice all the new stuff.

lzppjb · #**347** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 5:47 PM**

I like South Lamar at night. Some decent neon signs. Need more of them!

KevinFromTexas · #**348** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 9:15 PM**

^I definitely enjoy spotting the signs. Lamar, and South First also.

Nice Job, Mike. I really like this one. That wall of highrises downtown is impressive, especially when you realize almost none of them predate 2004.

hookem · #**349** Posted **Feb 12, 2015, 9:34 PM**

Very cool pics. I really love what is going on with S Lamar.

I miss seeing motor homes on Barton Creek, though. The changes there have always felt a little uncomfortable to me.

Tech House · #**350** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 12:12 AM**

Mike!!! Thanks, that was awesome! I had a couple laugh-out-loud moments thanks to your captions, such as the "fine shopping options" and your comment that the "clouds" adorning the parking garage look like cannonball holes. I concur, it's a very weird look. Why these corporate developers don't do something more creative and appealing with garage veneers...

The times when you posted these suggest you may be an extreme early-riser or you pulled an all-nighter.

Certain camera angles say you use a drone. If so, do you ever run into any objections from anyone?

LoneStarMike · #**351** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 12:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tech House

Certain camera angles say you use a drone. If so, do you ever run into any objections from anyone?

I actually don't use a drone. The ones where I'm above street level are usually on a stairway landing or on top of a parking garage.

LoneStarMike · #**352** Posted **Feb 16, 2015, 6:18 AM**

Update on the Horseshoe Lounge. Tonight is their last night to be open and they announced where their new location will be. 153 E. Riverside between The Crescent and Thundercloud Subs.

Horseshoe Lounge Announces New Location

Quote:

Though they leave many memories behind, the Horseshoe will reopen this summer at 153 E. Riverside Dr., moments away from downtown, Auditorium Shores and the new boardwalk. By a stroke of luck, the new location looks very much like the current location, and Brown says it will be “bigger and better”, offering over 100 parking spots, liquor, a stage for live music and the option to use credit cards.

Google Street View of new location.

KevinFromTexas · #**353** Posted **Feb 20, 2015, 9:03 AM**

Lamar Flats site plans. The address is 3607 South Lamar at Panther Trail. This is the Golden Coral lot.

It's showing two 5-story buildings and two 4-story buildings.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...lats_PLANS.pdf

MTM-ATX · #**354** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 11:54 AM**

I'm all for growth but this project really disturbs me. Plans call for the removal of 40+ trees or 458.5 Caliper Inches. Some of which are very large and protected old Live Oaks. Replacement plans only calls for 46" onsite and 223.75" "by other methods" for a total replacement of only 269.75" or about 40%. The replacements are 4"-6" and will take hundreds of years to reach the size of the ones to be removed. So next time you drive by, enjoy that little forest because it wont be there for long. RIP.

LoneStarMike · #**355** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 3:19 PM**

^^ I said the same thing back in December when this project first came to light.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

I have mixed feelings about this. I won't mind seeing the Golden Corral torn down, but I suspect if those apartments are built, a large number of trees will need to be removed. That's the one thing I always liked about that lot - the number of trees. It's like a miniature forest.

MightyYoda · #**356** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 5:19 PM**

Ok that makes me sad, I would rather something small built to replace the golden corral, but keep those trees, south lamar needs it.

KevinFromTexas · #**357** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 8:43 PM**

That's a case where going vertical would make sense. Of course parking would still be an issue without several levels of parking with residential stacked on top.

wwmiv · #**358** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 9:10 PM**

Let's be realistic: how many large trees would be lost if a project with the same number of units were built in the suburbs to keep up with growth? Many, many, many more. Let's not lose sight of the relevant counterfactual.

KevinFromTexas · #**359** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 9:19 PM**

^Definitely. I look at our street often and wonder how many trees were bulldozed to make way for it. And even though the developers did a good job of building the houses between the trees, I'm sure some were cut down to make room.

IluvATX · #**360** Posted **Feb 21, 2015, 9:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Let's be realistic: how many large trees would be lost if a project with the same number of units were built in the suburbs to keep up with growth? Many, many, many more. Let's not lose sight of the relevant counterfactual.

Suburban development doesn't seem to be as considerate to the environment. I'd expect more within city limits.