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Downtown Austin Recycling Frustrations

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I’m the first to proudly hang my green living badge on my downtown Austin condo door.  But, something that has always nagged at me is that there is no comprehensive recycling plan in downtown Austin.

Compared to most Austin neighborhoods, where there is single stream recycling, downtown Austin has a long way to go.  Single stream recycling is a consumer’s preferred method of recycling.  One bin for everything. Single stream recycling requires little more effort than throwing stuff away.  The aggregated refuse is hauled to San Antonio for processing.  This might change.

These bins do not work as well in dense environments.  Many single family homes will keep the recycling bin in the garage.  This is what my parents do, and they easily leave the smelly bin at the sidewalk [outside] to be picked up.  This model doesn’t work well in dense buildings, especially in high rises.

Most downtown buildings have a trash chute (not a recycling chute) on each floor, or provide nightly door-side trash pick up.  THIS is the motivational inflection point – living in a high rise, it’s simply easier to throw everything down the chute.  The obvious solution is to enable recycling at the users most convenient point – the point where many users (specifically, this author’s) motivation breaks down – the chute.

At the Sabine we have a trash chute, and no clear recycling program.  There is a garbage bin in the Hilton Garden Inn’s loading dock that can be accessed by winding through the basement, or outside via a 500lb door.  There we can dispose of cardboard, only.  The next best alternative: we would make the weekly effort of gathering our recycle-ables, and driving them over to Ecology Action on 9th Street @ I-35 Frontage Road.

At the Shore we have dedicated bins for various materials.  It’s a cumbersome process, but an available option, which is nice.

What buildings do it right?  That is, who is using dedicated single stream recycling chutes on each floor?  Gables Pressler and the Austonian.  Kudos.

OK, what happens to the thousands of beer cans and bottles consumed at downtown bars?

Jennifer Herber with City of Austin Solid Waste Services (SWS) helped me by explaining the ordinances in existence that would affect downtown Austin.  SWS provides recycling pickup for anything up to four-plexes, anything more than four-plexes are serviced by private sector companies like EFI and Waste Management, for example.  Dumpster service is most popular type of service available downtown.

The Commercial and Multi-family Recycling Ordinance became effective in April 1999.  This law requires any business with 100 employees to have recycling for at least four materials, and multifamily complexes over 100 dwellings to provide recycling service for at least two materials.  For example this could be one bin for cardboard, one for plastic bottles, one for newspaper, and another for glass.  Problem is, SWS has only two people code enforcers they rely on to confirm compliance.

Lacy Laborde with the Downtown Austin Alliance informed us that last year, City Council directed the City’s Solid Waste Advisory Commission (SWAC) and Solid Waste Services Department to make recommendations to amend the Commercial and Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance.  SWAC continues to hold meetings with stakeholders, includes subcommittees for restaurants and retailers, to understand how to best amend the ordinance.

All buildings within the Downtown Refuse Contract District (6th Street, Warehouse District and Congress Ave) can currently recycle paper and cardboard products.  There is a voluntary program that bars can opt-in to for glass recycling.  This includes several dumpsters placed throughout the alleys of East Sixth Street.  Only 10 bars participate in this program.

I want to emphasize this point:  The vast majority of beer bottles and cans in downtown Austin bars are NOT recycled. They’re just thrown away.  Take a moment an envision how many beers are consumed during a given week.  Now, imagine those beer cans and bottles piling up at the dump.  Next, imagine that they’ve been doing this for decades.

Frustrating, isn’t it?

SWAC should receive all subcommittee recommendations by April.  Hopefully, council will review them soon after and push for improvements.

-Jude

p.s. Thanks to Lacy Laborde with the DAA, and Jennifer Herber with SWS for helping me navigate the various recycling rules and programs available.

Chilled Water

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Something like an '80s album cover - DANA Chill Water Crew. From left to right: Jude Galligan, Mitch McGovern, Dale Glover, Greg Anderson, Darron Ross

At your single family home, you likely have a big 3 x 3 ft. HVAC compressor resting along the side of your property.  Now, imagine you’re building 440 residences in the 360 condos each requiring its own compressor.  Where do you put them?  You don’t put them anywhere, usually.  Most large buildings use chillers and cooling towers that take up valuable downtown Austin real estate and incur significant capital cost and maintenance expenditures.  So, what’s a builder to do?

downtown chill water district connections

You tap into the City of Austin chilled water system designed to cool high rises efficiently.  An underground network of pipes that provide chilled water to meet the cooling needs of multiple buildings.  There are two chill water plants serving the downtown Austin district.  The first is located in the state parking garage at 3rd and Nueces.

Basement of downtown chill water plant #2

No doubt, you’ll recognize the second plant and its blue tile facade on the northeast corner of the City’s Harry Whittington’s(?) convention center parking garage at 5th @ Sabine.  Inside those walls is a 1,000,000 gallon tank filled with water and ice.  Glycol infused water runs through a winding system of tubes chilling the water that passes over it.  Below are photos from a tour provided to DANA last week.  We couldn’t get a photo of the ice room as there is no light, and what you can see looks like murky water.  My camera’s battery ran out before we got to the roof, hopefully someone else from the tour has a photo.  Thanks to Greg Anderson for organizing, and Austin Energy’s Darron Ross for guiding the tour.

Pfluger Bridge Extension

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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

Latest From Downtown Austin Facts

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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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Yum! New Eateries in Downtown Austin: Thundercloud Subs, El Naranjo, and Nacho Creations!

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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, 360 Nueces, 512 472 7827

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.

El Naranjo, 85 Rainey Street, 512 474 2776
This is me being excited to try some new food at the conveniently located el naranjo.

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:

Chef Ileana

Click here for a downloadable menu of El Naranjo’s opening selections.

Nacho Creations, 605 Sabine Street (next to Texas Picnic Company), 512 473 2518

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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Sneak Peek: Austin's Four Seasons Residences

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On the trail: a beautiful spring day on the Four Seasons lawn

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.

west facing terrace with views of the city and lake
west facing terrace with views of the city and lake

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.

Austin penthouse at the Four Seasons
Entire penthouse (31st floor) purchased. Estimated purchase price between $8-9MM for the shell space.

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?”.

Full Slideshow @ Flickr

-Jude

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The Saga of a Downtown Austin Parking Garage Coming To A Close?

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[UPDATE  09/01/2012: Whittington loses in the end @ Austin Contrarian]

Back in 2008, we made a best efforts attempt to wade through quagmire of litigation between Harry Whittington and City of Austin regarding the unlawful condemnation of Harry’s land at 5th and Red River.  At the time the City urgently needed the land to build a parking garage to service the convention center.  This lawsuit impacted the urban fabric of the entertainment district for the past few years as thousands of feet of retail space has been left vacant.

The Saga of Parking Garage:

Part One
Part Two

The ABJ’s Jacob Dirr reports that Harry has been vindicated in the eyes of the court.

Barring an accepted application for another hearing, Block 38 now reverts back to its original owner, Harry Whittington, while the city must pay him about $3 million in damages and about $700,000 in legal costs, Whittington said.

Downtown Austin Open Houses

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downtown-austin-open-house

Open houses in downtown Austin for Sunday, March 14th

The great thing about downtown Austin open houses is that you can generally walk from building to building.  If you’re into adaptive reuses of older buildings, checkout DAB’s list of downtown Austin lofts.  Looking for downtown Austin FHA approved condos in order to qualify for 3.5% down? We’ve got the info.

This weekend you can browse at your own pace at the Milago condos (btw, have you visited Rainey Street recently?), Towers of Town Lake, 360 condos, Spring, and the Austonian sales center.

Sunday
1) 54 Rainey St, #501, 2bd, 2ba, $369,900, 12-3pm [Pacesetter] map
2) 40 N Interstate-35, #11A3, 2bd, 2ba, $584,000, 2-4pm [Turnquist] map
3) 360 Nueces St, #2508, 1bd, 1ba, $287,500 11-2pm [Platinum Realty] map
4) 360 Nueces St, #1810, 1bd, 1ba, $279,800 2-4pm [Urbanspace] map
5) 300 Bowie St, Spring sales center, model units, 1-5pm map website
6) 200 Congress Ave, Austonian sales center located at 300 W 6th, 12-5pm map website

Don’t see the properties you’re interested in? Ask a Realtor who lives and works in downtown Austin.

2nd Street District Art Installations

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This week and next, downtown Austin patrons will begin seeing sneak peaks of what’s to come for Art Week Austin.  Local artist Carlos Rosales-Silvas is creating three storefront installations in the 2nd Street District.  The first two have been completely installed and the third will go up early next week.

Rosales-Silvas’ installations are the first chapter in “One swallow doesn’t make a summer,” an exhibition curated by the team Cook&Ruud, that presents new and site-specific work in available storefronts and public spaces throughout the 2ND Street District and in Republic Square Park.  The second phase, a group exhibition that explores the dynamics of the neighborhood, including its past, present, and future, opens April 21st as part of Art Week Austin and continues through May 28th.

Thanks to Jordan at Giant Media for the heads up!