downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog
Elliot at Austin On Two Wheels shares with us that construction has begun on the Pfluger Bridge Extension. This might not sound like “big” news, but we’re very excited by the potential for an improved pedestrian experience on the north side of Cesar Chavez. The retail space under Gables Park Plaza should complement the foot traffic nicely.
More info at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/publicworks/pflugerbridge_design.htm
What’s it like to be a single mom, or a married couple in downtown Austin? Take a listen…
The audio links above represent the latest radio spots from DowntownAustinFacts.com (link). I still feel compelled to qualify their proclamation that there are only 400 condos remaining. From one perspective, that number is insufficient to describe the number of units available for purchase. From another perspective, that number paints an overly rosy picture of what’s available to the average buyer. To elaborate further:
First, this number (400) represents new construction and doesn’t include the approximately 175 resales that are on the market.
Second, this number represents the inventory at four buildings: the Austonian, Block 21 Residences (aka W Hotel Residences), Residences on Town Lake (aka Four Seasons Residences), and Spring condos.
Third, how many new “attainably” priced units are available? Nearly ZERO – ok, there are five units at Sabine and two units at the Shore condos.
Let’s get this out of the way for the trolling skeptics… DowntownAustinFacts.com is a website sponsored by a consortium of builders. That fact doesn’t change the reality that downtown Austin is facing a shortage of condos for sale over the next 5-10 years, especially priced in the 200-400k range. THE INVENTORY IS LOCKED IN. You will not see any new projects come out of the ground until at least 2013, perhaps longer.
-Jude
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I don’t really cook, and I don’t own a car, so if I want something good to eat and want said something good to eat in short order – I’m pretty dependent upon restaurants/eateries/deli’s (whatever you want to call them) that are within walking distance. I’m particularly partial to those establishments where I can get something tasty, satisfying, and simple at a reasonable price.
Which is why I was pumped when three new restaurants recently popped up in my Downtown Austin neighborhood: Thundercloud Subs, El Naranjo, and Nacho Creations.
Thundercloud Subs is more than a catchy jingle (btw, I’m a Veggie Delight and Jude is a New York Italian), they are “your neighborhood sub shop.” And now they are MY neighborhood sub shop, too! They’ve been open at their 360 Condos location for a about a month, and I’m delighted to say that the vibe AND the food is what we’ve all come to expect from Thundercloud. Quick, delicious, and fresh food at a reasonable price (I got the regular Tuna Sandwich combo – sandwich, chips, and drink for $5.99) with a simple and clean (but with more character than Subway) vibe. Service was friendly – but my sandwich artists looked a bit bored – only because apparently business hasn’t been quite as good as expected. I was the only person there at noon on a Saturday, which seems weird. I want to keep the likes of Thundercloud in Downtown Austin, so please go out and support – buy a sandwich (and get a cookie, too – you deserve a treat)!
For your convenience – click here for a downloadable menu.
4/2/2010: UPDATE – I ran into Chef Ileana after this was originally written – she informed me that the portion sizes are now larger. I have not re-visited el naranjo yet, but will take some pics next time I’m there and report my findings!
I will say this – the food was delicious. Chef Ileana de la Vega knows the cuisine, and knows flavor – I readily exclaim this to the masses. For me, the main problem (nay, really the only problem) with el naranjo was that I didn’t feel like I got nearly enough of that delicious food for the amount of money I paid. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the quality in relation to the portion size at G’Raj Mahal, where I can get a very tasty, high quality $9.00 plate that takes me two sittings to eat (even though I did initially have some pricing concerns here, as well), but I left el naranjo feeling like I got a $12.00 snack (albeit a flavorful one). I’m kicking myself for not taking some snapshots of the food – as I think a picture would be worth a thousand words in this particular case.
However, other than portion size (of which I do not want to minimize the importance), I was pleased. Right now, as an intermediate step toward opening a full blown indoor restaurant, el naranjo has taken up in what seems to be all-the-rage in Austin eateries these days: a trailer (fun!)! They’ve also put out picnic tables for outdoor seating, adding to the patio-scape that is the Rainey Street bar and restaurant scene:
Click here for a downloadable menu of El Naranjo’s opening selections.
I actually have not been here yet, but heard second-hand about this casual Tex-Mex concept’s opening. Apparently, Nacho Creations rents the Texas Picnic Company location during the evenings and weekends. Different owners, entirely different concept, same space. A great idea to maximize the use of an otherwise only day-time and weekday business space. Nacho Creations’ hours are as follows:
Wed – Thurs: 5:00 pm – 1:00 am
Fri: 5:00 pm – 3:00 am
Sat: 12:00 pm – 3:00 am
Sun: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Planning on trying it after the SXSW rush, and will hopefully add some commentary then. If any of our readers have tried it – would love to hear your thoughts!
I’m excited that new, casual style restaurants are continuing to open here in Downtown Austin. I like the “everyday people” focus these establishments are taking, and believe they are well-suited to the residents and visitors of Downtown Austin.
….
Now, I gotta go, because it’s time to eat!
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Over the weekend we were able to take a guided tour of downtown Austin’s Four Seasons Residences. What we have are raw snap shots of views, as captured in the middle of a construction area. Anytime a building provides access prior to completion I am especially grateful, and it speaks to their confidence in the project. Like our tour of the Austonian last week, it was requested that we not photograph the interiors until construction is complete, which we respected. You can get a sense for what the interiors of Austin’s Four Seasons Residences will look like here.
As we see it, the Four Seasons is betting that true luxury buyers are seeking something warmer, more rooted in tradition and familiar with the Four Seasons brand, as opposed to the sleek monolithic aesthetic of the W, or the high profile of the Austonian. I’ve always been excited about this project, and the building did not disappoint. Smart layouts, impressive views, and most evident was the level of amenities that would come with home ownership. Being connected to the Four Seasons has its perks.
The terraces are incredible in every unit. Unlike many buildings that provide terraces which do no more than defy you furnish one of them, these are large and airy spaces that could be used as outside rooms. The west facing terraces (above) were my favorites and are available with the Austin and Upper Combo West floor plans.
Like Austin’s W Hotel Residences, the Four Seasons is oriented length wise along Lady Bird Lake. This orientation maximizes the desirable southern sunlight. Half way up the building, the views shift from living “in the city” to “above the city”. In my experience, there are buyers that seek out the former and the latter. In general, the lower floors will provide better value and a sense of living in the mix of city life.
We’ve confirmed that the 11,000 ft penthouse (31st floor) of the building has been purchased for an undisclosed amount. We estimate ~$8-9MM [for the shell space] based on pricing released last year. Interestingly, it is rumored that as part of the deal the Four Seasons agreed to increase the height of the top floor, and perhaps the building, by two feet.
In our office we discuss how the personalities of the “luxury bunch” are different. Using comical generalizations, W buyers might tell you that “Our family splits time between Austin and Zermatt”. Austonian buyers might tell you that “Our company just raised $20MM in VC and is planning its IPO next year.” The Four Seasons buyer might tell you “I’m a fifth generation Texan, fourth generation Longhorn, and my roots run deep. Hook’em!”
Thanks to Ian Stonington for setting this up. Ian is a consummate professional that knows everything about his building, including the answers to the most esoteric questions, like “who makes the light switch?”.
-Jude
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