downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog
News and stories about Rainey Street’s neighborhood growth is often scattered and disparate, so we thought it would be helpful for the casual development-watcher to see everything on one map.
The image below shows what is coming down the pike. You can click on the map to get a full size version. DAB will continue to update the map as we get new intel.
Downtown News & Rumor Roundup: New skyscraper planned?
As a sign of things to come, a zoning change was filed on the block surrounding the 56-story Austonian skyscraper last week seeking a change to allow for more density (read: taller).
According to the zoning request, the surface parking lot along with the land and building that house the Austin Children’s Museum, will be redeveloped as office/retail according to the ABJ.
You may recall, Austin-based World Class Capital Group bought the land in March. It’s too soon to tell whether there are any actual plans for the site, or if they are just seeking to make it sexier to resell. Or they could just be getting a last minute upzoning before the rules of the game change (see below). Stay tuned.
[Read more…] about Downtown News & Rumor Roundup: More Height, Less Crime, Better Wayfinding
It’s for real this time. Planned in 2006 as a sister development to the Shore Condos, which shares the southern part of the site, the Hotel Van Zandt was originally going to be a $100 million, 29-story hotel and condo tower. The scope of the development was reduced to 16 stories and will include just the hotel.
JMI, the developer of the hotel, told the ABJ in March that June was their target month to break ground. Bulldozers began clearing the site this morning.
Here are target dates for the construction:
Bike Share: Not Until End Of Year
Bike share is late, but better late than never. After KUT News and the Statesman both did spotlights on the fact that Bike Share had all but dropped off the map in Austin, City Council approved approved a contract last week with B-Cycle to purchase the equipment needed to operate the Austin bike share system.
Included in this purchase will be approximately 400 bicycles, 600 docks, 40 kiosks, and other miscellaneous accessories including the hardware and software to operate the system.
The Public Works Department promises that next month it will release an online location-suggesting tool that will enable citizens to choose where they would like a kiosk to be located, and vote for already chosen locations. Stations will be on average two or three blocks apart. The stations will be located in close proximity to local attractions, transit stations and other popular destinations.
The City aims to have the bike share program operable by late 2013.
Fairmont ground breaking imminent?
The 10,000 square foot surface level parking lot across from the convention center will soon be gone. Though not an official “groundbreaking,” crews will never the less break ground soon at 101 Red River St, the site of the planned Fairmont Hotel, which will anchor the lower Waller Creek District (btw, the design plan was approved by council).
Permits were just granted for the crews to begin to tear up the concrete there, so don’t be surprised if you see activity out there. (But also don’t confuse it with general construction, which is slated for October)
Seaholm Central Library Construction Started
This was covered to death around town, thanks to a pretty aggressive PR push from city hall. Construction has started, and will go through Fall 2015. I’m not going to belabor you with the details. They are all in this PDF presentation.
Instead, I’m just going to show you this little comparison photo of development along the north shore, west of City Hall…
The video below shows off some incredible camera work capturing Austin’s beautiful scenery.
Still, I can’t help but wonder when, in the wrong hands, drone tech will cross adversely into the private lives of city residents.
Until then, this is awesome.
(h/t to Robert Youens for the link)
