downtown austin

Gables Park Plaza

Jude Galligan | October 7, 2009 |

Gables Park Plaza – located just south of Spring Condos and wedged between Lamar and Cesar Chavez – has begun pre-leasing. With it’s completion, this is the last of the downtown Austin apartment complexes resulting from real estate boom of 2007. This location will appeal to many of the same people who are attracted to Bridges On The Park: families with dogs, those who regularly utilize the trails, and want to live near downtown but not IN downtown.

Gables Park Plaza - the windows shown here face south over the lake

The exterior design is predictably Gables and intended for a wide audience. It’s just fine, if a bit antiseptic. I’ll have an opportunity to preview the interior finishes within a couple of weeks. Amenities will include a roof-top pool, iPod docking stations, solar shades on all windows, and bamboo floors. Expect retail on the ground floor.

Below is a schedule of completion dates (a close proxy for move-in readiness).

1st floor: Phase A ready on November 8, 2009, Phase B ready on November 22, 2009.
2nd floor: Phase A ready on December 8, 2009, Phase B ready on December 22, 2009
3rd floor: Phase A ready on January 8, 2010, Phase B ready on January 22, 2010
etc, up to the 8th floor.

1bd/1ba units range from $1,395-3,000. 2bd/2ba units range from $2,275-3,600. The B5 2bd/2.5ba – the 1859sf unit with the rounded windows and faces south (shown above) – starts at $3,575. Gables Park Plaza is offering two months free (upfront) for leases entered into during construction. Their website is www.gables.com/parkplaza.

A complete brochure of floor plans and current pricing can be downloaded here (pdf). Feel free to contact me with questions.

-Jude

UPDATE 10/09/09 – MORE PHOTOS after the jump

[Read more…] about Gables Park Plaza

Welcome To The NEW Downtown Austin Blog!

Jude Galligan | October 6, 2009 |

Many of you have no doubt noticed that DAB received a major overhaul in design. Gone is the drab header and narrow layout. The new look should be easier to read and navigate. From the admin side it is more flexible in presenting content, which will translate to newer features over the next couple of weeks. If you spot any bugs please let me know and we’ll try to get it fixed. More improvements are in the works!

Lady Bird Lake Boat Ramps

Jude Galligan | October 5, 2009 |

I found this site that documents where you can pull your canoe or jon boat into Lady Bird Lake. While normal motor boats are banned from use on the LBL, you are permitted to use small trolling motors. Having kayaked the lake on several occasions I can appreciate the utility in these little buggers. You can also try sailing.

If you don’t have a canoe or boat of your own, it’s easy to head down to the Texas Rowing Center (our favorite city concessionaire) and rent a canoe for the day.

Who remembers AquaFest (wiki) – Austin’s regatta? In the ’70s you could find drag boats racing on Town Lake. Before there was ACL, AquaFest was the biggest annual concert in Austin, Texas.

-Jude

Downtown Austin Open Houses

Jude Galligan | October 2, 2009 |

The great thing about downtown Austin open houses is that you can generally walk from building to building. Take a stroll downtown now that summer is over and the temperature is cooler. On this weekend’s calendar you’ll find the Austin City Lofts and Cambridge Tower. Also, a good reason to head downtown this weekend is the opening of West Elm furniture at 5th and Lamar (which happens to be across the street from the Spring Condos sales center)

Saturday
1) 800 W. 5th Street #908, 2bd, 2ba, $995,000, 1-3pm [TateProperty]

Sunday
1) 800 W. 5th Street #908, 2bd, 2ba, $995,000, 1-3pm [TateProperty]
2) 1801 Lavaca Street #13A, 1bd, 2ba, $369,000, 2-4pm [UptownCondos]
3) 1801 Lavaca Street #7E, 2bd, 2ba, $365,000, 2-4pm [UptownCondos]
4) 1801 Lavaca Street #7D, 1bd, 1ba, $325,000, 2-4pm [UptownCondos]

Norwood House Restoration Benefit

Jude Galligan | October 2, 2009 |

The Norwood Posse - www.restorenorwood.org

I rediscovered the Norwood House this past May, and learned of a group – the Norwood Posse – acting as stewards for its restoration and preservation. Wolf Sittler, leader of the posse, contacted me this week to let me know about a fund raiser for the restoration. Please take a few minutes to browse their website and familiarize yourself with the history of this amazing property.

The Chronicle has a recent write up about the challenges facing the Norwood House. Perhaps the most frustrating fact is that the house was purchased by the City in 1985, only to be neglected into near ruin.

-Jude