Austin | 700 River | 500 Feet | 42 Floors | T/O - Page 6

We vs us · #**101** Posted **Oct 23, 2020, 11:42 PM**

Love the height, love the fact that its flat side faces I 35, meh on the overall design, definitely over the patchwork approach to everything above the parking podium. Looks like someone blended The Alexan and 70 Rainey.

Oh and wish they could've added more first floor retail on River Street, or even on East. A missed opportunity, IMO, to expand the Rainey experience past the street itself.

StoOgE · #**102** Posted **Oct 24, 2020, 1:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Wow! I am in agreement with you. I don't hate the tower, but again, I suppose we are in the minority. I guess the skinny to wide ratio is what's holding me back from loving it.

It also just has too much going on. Horizontal lines, vertical lines, a curved glass facade, a giant fan on top. A cut-out on said curved glass facade.

I think it's very hard to make a tower with lots of units per floor + balconies very attractive in general as it tends to cause clutter - especially when mixed with floor to ceiling windows.

But, the market here is for the view from the inside not the view from the outside.

Syndic · #**103** Posted **Oct 24, 2020, 3:49 AM**

It has a nice warmth to it in that it uses more materials than just glass and steel. I like the thinness of it too.

H2O · #**104** Posted **Oct 24, 2020, 5:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Wow! I am in agreement with you. I don't hate the tower, but again, I suppose we are in the minority. I guess the skinny to wide ratio is what's holding me back from loving it.

But it's pretty skinny east-west! Too bad the trees on East Avenue will have to go. Austin Energy will never allow them in front of the transformer vault.

The ATX · #**105** Posted **Nov 20, 2020, 1:28 PM**

The Planning Commission takes up the alley vacation request at the 11/24 meeting. It's an aerial right of way vacation since the alley will remain open. Staff recommends approval. It's good to see one of the big projects making steady progress.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=350572

The ATX · #**106** Posted **Nov 20, 2020, 10:48 PM**

The DC approved the Density Bonus at last month's meeting. But it looks like the developers are giving the Commissioners a courtesy update at the November meeting based on what they needed to tweak to get the PC staff to recommend approval for the Planning Commission meeting next week. The change seems to be a tweak in the right of way space around the alley "tunnel".

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=350632

Geographer · #**107** Posted **Nov 22, 2020, 11:37 PM**

What can we expect from the basement?

Do modern buildings even have a basement? How large are they?

The ATX · #**108** Posted **Nov 22, 2020, 11:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geographer

What can we expect from the basement?

Do modern buildings even have a basement? How large are they?

What? Do you mean underground parking levels?

Geographer · #**109** Posted **Nov 23, 2020, 1:51 AM**

I mean any open space underground. Sometimes basements have parking levels, emergency generators, or amenities.

The ATX · #**110** Posted **Nov 25, 2020, 3:00 PM**

The Planning Commission approved the alley vacation Tuesday night on consent. I believe this now goes to the City Council since it is a ROW vacation.

The ATX · #**111** Posted **Dec 9, 2020, 3:23 PM**

I thought this project only needed approval for the alley vacation from the PC which they got. But projects on the frontage road also need a FAR increase to go tall. The East Tower got approved, but the neighborhood requested a postponement on any zoning change for this project. So it was postponed until the 12/22 meeting. I suspect it was the Tower of Town Lake HOA again. But I can't verify that.

The ATX · #**112** Posted **Dec 24, 2020, 10:53 PM**

This got unanimous support from the PC for the increased 22:1 FAR that is needed. Now it goes to the CC.
There was one speaker against the project speaking for the Rainey NA. He wants the FAR limited to 15:1 in the Rainey District and was not happy about the number of multifamily units and hotel rooms proposed for Rainey. He was pretty much against densification of the area.

the Genral · #**113** Posted **Dec 24, 2020, 11:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

This got unanimous support from the PC for the increased 22:1 FAR that is needed. Now it goes to the CC.
There was one speaker against the project speaking for the Rainey NA. He wants the FAR limited to 15:1 in the Rainey District and was not happy about the number of multifamily units and hotel rooms proposed for Rainey. He was pretty much against densification of the area.

How timely. I've seen at least 6 versions of 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' in the last few days. Someone needs to suggest the 'burbs to him. The ball is rolling downhill in the Rainey District and it will be hard to stop. And with very limited space available, the only choice will be to build 'UP'. My only concern is how narrow the streets are in regards to handling the traffic. There doesn't seem to be a good street grid, and with all the parking podiums, its obvious Rainey is car centric. Without a food market of some type, they're going to need to drive to get groceries and stuff. Also, there does need to be an adequate number of bars and restaurants to cater to all those current and future residents, and they need to be in short walking distance. The market square that was proposed a while back is essential to the area more than ever imo, and a permanent spot for the food trailers. This building added to the Rainey highrise collection will make it an amazing section of downtown to stroll around, that is if all the elements I mentioned come together.

The ATX · #**114** Posted **Dec 25, 2020, 12:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

How timely. I've seen at least 6 versions of 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' in the last few days. Someone needs to suggest the 'burbs to him. The ball is rolling downhill in the Rainey District and it will be hard to stop. And with very limited space available, the only choice will be to build 'UP'. My only concern is how narrow the streets are in regards to handling the traffic. With all the parking podiums, its obvious Rainey is car centric. Without a food market of some type, they're going to need to drive to get groceries and stuff. Also, there does need to be an adequate number of bars and restaurants to cater to all those current and future residents, and they need to be in short walking distance. The market square that was proposed a while back is essential to the area more than ever imo, and a permanent spot for the food trailers.

The new Whole Foods on the I-35 frontage road in the Plaza Saltillo project is not too far away. But I believe Whole Foods has delayed the public opening due to Covid and is using it as a fulfillment center for online orders.

urbancore · #**115** Posted **Dec 25, 2020, 4:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

How timely. I've seen at least 6 versions of 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' in the last few days. Someone needs to suggest the 'burbs to him. The ball is rolling downhill in the Rainey District and it will be hard to stop. And with very limited space available, the only choice will be to build 'UP'. My only concern is how narrow the streets are in regards to handling the traffic. There doesn't seem to be a good street grid, and with all the parking podiums, its obvious Rainey is car centric. Without a food market of some type, they're going to need to drive to get groceries and stuff. Also, there does need to be an adequate number of bars and restaurants to cater to all those current and future residents, and they need to be in short walking distance. The market square that was proposed a while back is essential to the area more than ever imo, and a permanent spot for the food trailers. This building added to the Rainey highrise collection will make it an amazing section of downtown to stroll around, that is if all the elements I mentioned come together.

It will be fine.

papertowelroll · #**116** Posted **Dec 25, 2020, 5:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

The new Whole Foods on the I-35 frontage road in the Plaza Saltillo project is not too far away. But I believe Whole Foods has delayed the public opening due to Covid and is using it as a fulfillment center for online orders.

No, that's been open for months. It's quite nice

The ATX · #**117** Posted **Dec 25, 2020, 5:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by papertowelroll

No, that's been open for months. It's quite nice

Good to see it open to the public now. It opened in May as an online only store due to the pandemic.

Quote:

A long-awaited Whole Foods in East Austin has opened, but amid the coronavirus pandemic it is operating only as a fulfillment center for now.

The store in the Saltillo mixed-use project at I-35 and East Fifth Street had not yet opened to the public and is being temporarily converted to an online-only store, Austin-based Whole Foods said.

https://www.statesman.com/business/2...e-only-for-now

The ATX · #**118** Posted **Dec 29, 2020, 7:50 PM**

The FAR increase goes to City Council on 02/04/2021.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/attachme...hNpV%2Fg%3D%3D

The ATX · #**119** Posted **Feb 1, 2021, 10:45 PM**

The rezoning request scheduled for the 02/04 CC meeting will be pushed out and a public hearing is scheduled for 02/18.

JoninATX · #**120** Posted **Apr 9, 2021, 6:29 PM**

We should see this project start soon.