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W Hotel Residences Sneak Peek

Jude Galligan | April 12, 2010 |

from the vantage point of the pool deck

Members of the DANA were provided with a backstage pass to downtown Austin’s W Hotel Residences. We’ve always admired the sleek monolithic design of the building, and even through the construction dust you can envision the interior will make a similar impact.

DANA members on the 37th floor of W Hotel Residences

The contractor is expected to hand the keys over to the hotel portion in September/October. The doors won’t be open, but that should be the time when the hotel can begin to furnish everything. The Austin City Limits venue and residential condos will be ready in Q1 of 2011.

The most significant milestone will be the removal of the street barriers mid-summer! This is great news for any resident or retailer in the 2nd Street District.

Flickr Slideshow

mezzanine level seating for the Austin City Limits venue

Filed Under: 2nd Street District, Austin photos, images, austin towers and high rises Tagged With: w hotel, w hotel austin

Waller Creek Wow

Jude Galligan | April 8, 2010 |

We had a great turn out at last night’s Waller Creek District Town Hall. A packed house of ~150 people were in attendance to learn about McCann Adams Studio’s (formerly ROMA Austin) final draft of the Waller Creek District Master Plan (“the plan”). The plan consists of recommendations on infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle use, and appropriate development standards. These recommendations will guide the design of surface level improvements for the nearly 25 acres of downtown land that runs adjacent to Waller Creek.

This was the third town hall for the WCD Master Plan, and the audience had the opportunity to solicit questions of the members of the Waller Creek Citizens Advisory Committee. The comments will be attached to the final draft as it begins to make the rounds through boards and commissions.

It’s unclear how the recommended improvements will be funded. One or two of the sub-projects could be included in the upcoming $100MM mobility bond package. Most likely we will see improvements paid for on an ad-hoc basis by private development, once the tunnel is complete.

In June, the WCD Master Plan is expected to reach city council for adoption and be incorporated into the much larger Downtown Austin Plan.

Upcoming Review Process

April 12th – Waterfront Planning & Parks Board: Land & Facilities Committee
April 21st – Downtown Commission & Planning Commission’s Neighborhood Planning Subcommittee
April 26th – Design Commission
April 27th – Parks Board
May 4th – City Council’s Comprehensive Planning & Transportation Cmte.
May 5th – Environmental Board
May 11th – Planning Commission
June 10th – City Council briefing
June 24th – City Council action

[nggallery id=1]

Filed Under: downtown austin, urban planning, waller creek

The Shore Condos Battle Developer AND Villas On Town Lake

Jude Galligan | February 24, 2010 |

The rumble on Rainey Street… it’s a clash of the condos!

Like most condominiums, The Shore Condos are controlled by its home owners association (HOA).  Like several condominiums in downtown Austin, The Shore Condos are actually a sub-association of a more senior association.  In this case, The Shore Condos are the “residential unit” and one half of a master association called the Waterfront Master Condominium Association, Inc.   The other half is a “hotel unit” – ostensibly setup as the place holder for the Hotel Van Zandt (and may still be).

In 2005 High Street Rainey, LP purchased Lot 1, Red River Addition, from Sack Family Holding, Ltd (the “Waterfront Property”).  In 2006 High Street Rainey, LP created the Waterfront Master Condominium Association, Inc.  Prior to that, when the Villas On Town Lake’s land was originally deeded, the seller withheld a 50 x 50 right-of-way easement where Red River meets Davis St in order to provide access to the south of Davis Street in perpetuity.

In 2007 High Street Rainey LP + JMIR-Austin Hotel, LP + The Waterfront Master Condominium Association, Inc. sued the Villas On Town Lake Owners Association, Inc for encroaching on that easement.  Note that at this point in the story, the “residential unit”, aka the Shore Condominium HOA is not named in the lawsuit.  In fact, the “residential unit” wouldn’t learn about this lawsuit until recently.

As best as we can figure out, the Villas decided this easement could be used to locate a dumpster.  The developer of The Shore, who by right also has use of the 50 x 50 easement, removed the dumpster and the parties sued each other.  In 2008 the parties reach a written settlement agreement, but for reasons unknown this agreement wasn’t actually executed.  Earlier this month, the Villas filed a motion to enforce that settlement agreement.

Not so fast.

[youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZPRf8qL8h0]

The Shore Condominium HOA (“residential unit”) legally intervened by filing an objection to the Villas motion to enforce the settlement agreement, on the grounds that any settlement agreement would bind The Shore Condominium HOA to something they weren’t a party to.  So, the Shore HOA wants to put the kibosh on a settlement agreement that could adversely affect their interests.

B-b-b-but wait it gets worse!

The Shore Condos seem to be unclear about how, or if, they are would be bound by the settlement agreement.  The Shore Condominium HOA asserts in a legal filing that:

The Shore Association is not clear on how such terms [re: the settlement agreement] would impact its’ members regarding the easement contemplated.

To the best of our knowledge this is a Mexican standoff.  Since the original parties sued each other, it’s unlikely they will both simultaneously drop all of their claims.  The judge is unlikely to enforce a settlement agreement that would bind a party that was not originally part of that agreement.

Friggin’ dumpsters.

Filed Under: downtown austin, Downtown Austin lofts, condos, apartments, exclude, Rainey Street District, Real Estate Tagged With: The Shore Condos, Villas On Town Lake

SPECIAL OFFER FOR DAB READERS: THE Book About Urbanism In Austin

Jude Galligan | January 15, 2010 |

The Congress for the New Urbanism, CNU, is on the front lines of saving the planet from suburban sprawl.  At the 2008 CNU annual conference, hosted in Austin, attending members received an amazing book titled Emergent Urbanism: Evolution in Urban Form, Texas.  Simply put, this is one of the best books about Austin, Texas.

The book is a publication of the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, Placemaking Studio, and Black + Vernooy.  Inside you will find 150 pages of incredible stories about, and history of, urbanism in Austin.  Contributors include Sinclair Black, former Austin Mayor Will Wynn, Katherine Gregor, Larry Warshaw, Cid Galindo, Senator Kirk Watson, amongst others.

One of my favorite articles is by Kent Butler and Frederick Steiner, The Green Heart of Texas.  They provide us with a history of the Edwards Plateau and geological uniqueness of Central Texas’s Balcones Fault Zone that separates the Hill Country from the Blackland Prairie.

This is a must have book for anyone that is interested in pedestrian friendly sustainable growth in Austin, Texas.  It would make a great gift for friend, family, or client.

The book can be purchased on Amazon for $30.00.  OR, drumroll … … … I’m excited to announce that Downtown Austin Blog has been given 15 30 50 100 books to disseminate to DAB readers for $9.99 + shipping!

Proceeds go directly to CNU Austin (Central Texas).  Use the button below to order yours now!

Filed Under: Austin photos, images, downtown austin, urban planning Tagged With: cnu

Veterans Day Parade

Jude Galligan | November 10, 2009 |

From Travis County Press Release:

Veterans Day Parade, memorial service to pay tribute to military families

The Travis County/City of Austin Veterans Day Parade will march along Congress Avenue beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, culminating with a memorial services at the State Capitol. The parade will start from the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and continue to the Capitol. Spectators can observe the parade at any point along Congress Avenue. A reviewing stand will be at the Inter-Continental Stephen F. Austin Hotel at Seventh Street and Congress. A special ceremony honoring the families of veterans and active duty military will be conducted at 11 a.m. at the south steps of the Capitol. The Commemorative Air Force from San Marcos will also be performing a flyover during the ceremony.

The parade will have some effect on streets in the downtown area. The Ann W. Richards bridge will cause closure of Congress Avenue from Riverside Drive to Cesar Chavez Street from 6:30 a.m. to noon. Also, Congress from Cesar Chavez to West 11th Street will be closed from 9 a.m. to noon.

The parade will celebrate our nation’s veterans and those service men and women currently serving at home and abroad. The City of Austin employs more than 1,200 military veterans and Guard and Reserve members.

City of Austin News Release_Veterans Day Parade.doc

Filed Under: downtown austin

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