Austin | 318 Colorado | ~450 Feet | 40 Floors | Proposed

[The ATX]

I'll start one. It'll take a bit to collect all the posts.

Originally Posted by Echostatic

Perhaps time to start a thread for this project specifically?

https://austin.towers.net/west-fourt...oldest-gay-bar

I'm glad to see they're keeping a spot for Oilcan Harry's on the ground floor and bringing the facades closer to their original warehouse state. The relative lack of height is disappointing, but 400 units is nothing to sneeze at.

[The ATX]

Oil Can Harry's is onboard with this. I wonder if that will sway opinions on this project?

[clubtokyo]

First time to see a development render with rainbow crosswalk and pride flags. If it’s really a 25 year lease this might be ok?

[migol24]

If what is already there is being preserved without affecting its function then that's all that's really being asked. It should come with a stiff stipulation that people who move there cannot in any shape or form demand that they close earlier than 2 am. Honestly, this is how I feel about every project in downtown. One bar on 6th had to close down when the Westin complained about the noise. This should be staunchly and stingily fought. No tower should in any shape or form negatively affect what is already there.

[chinchaaa]

I still don’t like this

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by AusTex

In my opinion any demo on this block, from alley to alley, is unacceptable.

This is the heart and soul of the Warehouse District which is quickly disappearing for Austin. This is Iconic, Quintessential and Historic Austin. It also happens to be the area the LGBQ... has visibly and peacefully mixed with all other groups in the city for decades. This is last intact block of the Warehouse District. Just preserving the facades is not enough. Alley to alley preservation of 4th Street between Colorado and Lavaca is essential.

I have been a skyscraper fan since 1973 when the 792' IDS Tower was built in my hometown of Minneapolis. For Austin I say build them and build them tall, however the Down Town of The City of Austin is at a critical point right now. Where do we preserve low rise buildings as entertainment venues which drive Austin's burgeoning nightlife scene. Certainly East 6th Street and this one block of 4th Street deserve preservation. Perhaps several blocks of West 6th Street need to be and Entertainment District as well. CC needs to act now before it is too late to secure a lasting nightlife scene in Austin. Highrise zoning will never allow it, but will surely kill it!

This.

But also: (insert epithet here) the Austin gay community. In many many ways the community has had this coming and the karma is hilarious.

Just desserts are delicious.

[H2O]

Well at least we will be getting some Great Streets improvements (street trees!) in advance of the transit mall.

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

But also: (insert epithet here) the Austin gay community. In many many ways the community has had this coming and the karma is hilarious.

Just desserts are delicious.

Is this supposed to be funny? I don’t understand why you’re saying this.

[lonewolf]

glad to see my posts calling for separation of nightlife oriented bars as "cornerstones" of the queer community were removed. God knows what damage that message could have caused.

"An estimated 20 to 30% of the LGBTQ community abuses substances, compared to about 9% the population as a whole."

source - https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/lgbtq/

I could list a bunch of other sad statistics dealing with substance abuse/reliance in the queer community but i'm sure y'all are capable of doing your own legwork (well, some of y'all)

The queer community was reduced to nightlife clubs and bars as they were not accepted in many parts of society. This was not healthy. They were not better off because of this. They suffered because of this and are still suffering. We are in decade 2 of mass acceptance. It's time to stop thinking gay culture=bars (sorry, i know how close minded and regressive this must sound to y'all)

this forum is turning into such a joke it's unreal. Y'all turned into a pack of rabid jackals at the thought that bars are not cornerstones of queer community. BARS ARE NOT A HEALTHY CORNERSTONE OF ANY COMMUNITY. PERIOD. We've all been to them, they are degenerate and foster an environment of abuse.

Remember when Austin was known for sixth street? Are you glad we are now known for other things? Like tech hub, EV capital of world, "Boomtown, USA" etc etc. And yes, I am 100% for the redevelopment of sixth street.

Why can't we have perhaps queer oriented cafes, museums, restaurants, in lieu of nightlife oriented gay bars in our city center? you know, literally anything healthy.

So disappointed with this forum. There are some legit sadists on here. Thank you to the mods for removing most of the insulting language directed at me.

I made three predictions
1- at least one bar would stay in new development (correct)
2 - the bars displaced will pop up in a cluster somewhere else (will be proven correct)
3 - the redevelopment will pay homage to the gay history of 4th street (correct)

This is maybe the third time I've said this but I cannot believe what a joke this forum has become. Perhaps a thread is needed to discuss how to pivot our own community on here towards some healthier conversations.

[We vs us]

I haven't agreed with much you've said the last few days but have to agree that I've been surprised by the amount of aggro we all seem to have about this one particular building.

IMO the lesson is, crazy Austin growth tests everyone. Even skyscraper fanatics have their limits.

[lonewolf]

There's a lot going on nationally with inflation and internationally with russia and I get some people can be on edge. I haven't even been on since friday I think since I was getting absolutely cooked and namecalled for my wrongthink. The sad part is the sane people just sit this stuff out on the sidelines since there is just about zero upside to trying to argue with the mob on here. But this needs to change or people are just going to bail and people drawn to conflict/being a part of a mob are going to replace them.

[We vs us]

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but you pretty much went right at the soft heart of the issue with hammer and tongs. It's been pretty well established that that part of 4th is 1) important to the LGBTQ community at large and 2) important to the folks who are on this forum. Jumping in to question why that might be, especially if you're not part of that community . . . maybe not the best choice to engender civil discussion. Maybe just accept the obvious, that people feel strongly (legitimately) about it and choose another hill to die on.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but you pretty much went right at the soft heart of the issue with hammer and tongs. It's been pretty well established that that part of 4th is 1) important to the LGBTQ community at large and 2) important to the folks who are on this forum. Jumping in to question why that might be, especially if you're not part of that community . . . maybe not the best choice to engender civil discussion. Maybe just accept the obvious, that people feel strongly (legitimately) about it and choose another hill to die on.

Yeah, I could respond with a lot of emotion on why that post shit the bed...but I find that just fuels the fire AND singles people out into their own rabbit hole even more.

I'd like to think we're all good at heart here and would get along famously in person, instead of in front of a keyboard.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but you pretty much went right at the soft heart of the issue with hammer and tongs. It's been pretty well established that that part of 4th is 1) important to the LGBTQ community at large and 2) important to the folks who are on this forum. Jumping in to question why that might be, especially if you're not part of that community . . . maybe not the best choice to engender civil discussion. Maybe just accept the obvious, that people feel strongly (legitimately) about it and choose another hill to die on.

A. I reject your framing of me dying on any hill.
B. I'm not isolating the queer community and biting my tongue when it comes to redevelopment in the literal core of our downtown (4th+colorado) I am a part of this city which is made up of multiple communities. None of us exist in a vacuum here and none of us should be told to stay silent on developments
C. I said in my posts that the bars would at the worst be displaced and more likely than not a couple would be kept and the development would almost for sure be queer themed in other ways.

[shoreditch]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

A. I reject your framing of me dying on any hill.
B. I'm not isolating the queer community and biting my tongue when it comes to redevelopment in the literal core of our downtown (4th+colorado) I am a part of this city which is made up of multiple communities. None of us exist in a vacuum here and none of us should be told to stay silent on developments
C. I said in my posts that the bars would at the worst be displaced and more likely than not a couple would be kept and the development would almost for sure be queer themed in other ways.

I think every argument you've won has been by attrition.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by shoreditch

I think every argument you've won has been by attrition.

care to address the points made in any of my posts ITT or would you just like to hurl low grade insults?

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

care to address the points made in any of my posts ITT or would you just like to hurl low grade insults?

You’ve been addressed several times. No one agrees or cares what you have to say on this.

[AusTex]

If this tower is built, I strongly feel a big piece of Austin's history will be lost.

The history of the Wearhouse District, the music, restaurants, and general vibrant nightlife scene Austin is known for will be irrevocably splintered. Eventually it will be dispersed into small pieces between high-rises and skyscrapers. Nothing will be left to recall what once was! Especially if West 6th Street sees the wrecking ball as well. This whole block, alley to alley needs to be preserved whole. I love tall buildings, however, history and vibrancy need to be encouraged and protected by the city. The market will destroy it.

Yes I have contacted my city council member about this issue.

[We vs us]

I will say that I think this is largely a done deal. Hanover's been very savvy about how to approach this, IMO, and is leading with the OCH solution. It knows how sensitive this topic is. But it's also smart because it defuses the situation enough so that opposition might be . . . not nullified completely, but blunted, or splintered. "Well, at least they're saving OCH" is what they're counting on.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by We vs us

I will say that I think this is largely a done deal. Hanover's been very savvy about how to approach this, IMO, and is leading with the OCH solution. It knows how sensitive this topic is. But it's also smart because it defuses the situation enough so that opposition might be . . . not nullified completely, but blunted, or splintered. "Well, at least they're saving OCH" is what they're counting on.

As I mentioned before, these buildings likely aren't going to be considered historic or architecturally significant. They've been modified too much. That makes it awfully difficult to tell the owner that they must remain as is and miss out on the millions of dollars their property is worth. Also, the facades are going to be restored to their original, unmodified versions. Some may argue that is an improvement and more historic than what is there now.

Most of the businesses on this corner have never lasted very long. OCH is the only one that has operated here for decades and the developer appears to be sensitive to that. In reality, with all of the development pressure that exists these days, what is proposed is probably the best possible way to preserve OCH (and the nightlife here) for the future. It remains to be seen how it all pans out, but I don't think anyone could have really asked for a better outcome.

Also, this appears to be what OCH wants! It's their business operation, they shouldn't be told what deal(s) they can or can't be a part of.