Thanks to DANA’s Greg Anderson for these great photos of the the falling water tower at GWTP. SkyscaperPage’s KevinFromTexas has some great pics, too.
Green Water Treatment Plan: Pics Of Water Tower
Austin photos, images
Not So Great Streets
The phrase “great streets” gets a lot of lip service in downtown stakeholder circles. This has been going on since 2000. We’re all familiar with 2nd Street District, and I think we can generally agree that the City/AMLI knocked it out of the park with this one. It’s a terrific pedestrian experience.
With the Great Streets Program available since 2000, not all buildings constructed since then have fully adopted the notion. Two examples:
1) Hampton Inn
Sure, the New Orleans style terrace is charming, but if you’ve ever walked by the hotel you were almost certainly dodging valet podiums, bellhops, guests, and tiny bistro tables that are so crowded that nobody uses them.
2) Champions @ Courtyard Marriot
If you know this corner, you know there is a string of cabs parked along 4th street. Here we see a hard fence forcing pedestrians towards the street, and creating an uninviting al-fresco experience for bar patrons. The far end of this fence terminates into a round-a-bout entrance into the Courtyard. A better alternative to activate this corner would be planters like we see at Annies, which would also provide an entrance to the the restaurant along 4th street.
photos courtesy of Mike McGill
Austonian Interior Photos
Downtown Austin Blog was provided with early access to the still-under-construction Austonian in order to snap a few photos of the luxury building’s interior finishes. The unit you are looking at above is the northeastern corner, “D” floor plan, on the 11th floor. This will become a staged model unit within the next few weeks. Beginning at the unit’s front door – made from Italian walnut – the standard finish packages are the highest quality we’ve seen in a downtown Austin residential tower, thus far.
We were impressed with the kitchen features: Scavolini cabinets, white carrera marble counters and back splash, built in Sub Zero refrigerator, Wolf gas-range, Miele coffee maker, Dornbracht fixtures. American walnut floors through out. All units outfitted with solar shades. From the 11th floor you have a clear view of the Capitol.
Link to DAB’s coverage of the Austonian
Downtown Austin Photo Gallery
With a wide-angle lens, unmerited photographic hubris, and perfect weather including a moon dancing above downtown Austin’s skyline, the photos below were taken yesterday evening.
The Austonian: Views From 54th Floor
Yesterday, the marketing team at the Austonian invited us to tour the building. This was my third time [near] to the top, and this time I remembered my camera! The 54th floor is the top residential floor. Floors 55 & 56 will be common area for the building. Construction elevators to the highest floor in the tallest residential tower west of the Mississippi are fun. 🙂
