New courthouse bond (Austin: neighborhoods, square footage, taxes)

[cBach]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I voted against for the reasons offered in this thread. It's time to get back to basics in government. Wasting money on a palatial trophy property in the heart of downtown is stupid. I was especially offended by one news account where lawyers were complaining about it being inconvenient for them if moved out of dt. Really, so part of the argument was to subsidize transportation costs for attorneys? Let them take Uber.

I don't disagree that the current one is inadequate. But this would be like someone driving an old 15 year old Buick saying the only good replacement is a new Lexus, loaded. It's a false choice. Put it out by 130 and MLK and have lots of free parking.

Steve

Yes, this boondoggle would have only benefited lawyers and judges. They could have done a much bigger courthouse for a fraction of the price with surface lots near Highland Mall and the mall parking lots could be used for clients/lawyers/judges.

I also want to see the full plan for what happens to the Travis County Courthouse. It's on the National Register of Historical Buildings and there needs to be a plan for its full revitalization prior to me voting yes on any new bond election. It's overcrowded yes but it has good bones.

[pop251808]

Originally Posted by cBach

Yes, this boondoggle would have only benefited lawyers and judges. They could have done a much bigger courthouse for a fraction of the price with surface lots near Highland Mall and the mall parking lots could be used for clients/lawyers/judges.

I also want to see the full plan for what happens to the Travis County Courthouse. It's on the National Register of Historical Buildings and there needs to be a plan for its full revitalization prior to me voting yes on any new bond election. It's overcrowded yes but it has good bones.

Prediction: new courthouse at Decker Lake (or whatever out of the way corner is ultimately chosen), plus parking lots and road improvements to said corner, plus old courthouse restoration, none of which is on the docket at this time, will cost more than what was narrowly defeated yesterday, if and when we ever DO get a new courthouse.
Meanwhile, Austin rolls on, miraculously, considering the lack of planning and leadership (OR followship) it has characteristically exhibited. It's a comfy town, but most definitely second rate.

[Trainwreck20]

Funny, I heard several of the supporters of the bond mention that "it didn't fail because of its location". Well, I definitely think that played into it, how do they know why it failed? They exit poll with reasons?

And some judge (I think?) was claiming this was some sort of prejudice against the poor/minority people that would 'use' the courthouse the most? Really?

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by pop251808

Prediction: new courthouse at Decker Lake (or whatever out of the way corner is ultimately chosen), plus parking lots and road improvements to said corner, plus old courthouse restoration, none of which is on the docket at this time, will cost more than what was narrowly defeated yesterday, if and when we ever DO get a new courthouse.
Meanwhile, Austin rolls on, miraculously, considering the lack of planning and leadership (OR followship) it has characteristically exhibited. It's a comfy town, but most definitely second rate.

The 'cost more' is including the sale of the proposed site to the public and the differential increase in tax revenues that are gathered by allowing that valuable property to be developed?

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by pop251808

plus old courthouse restoration,

Come on, compare apples to apples.

Restoring the old courthouse is a given, in any plan (including this failed one).

1. They're not going to knock it down.
AND
2. They're not going to leave it empty and abandoned for the next 100 years.

So we're going to pay that price.

Originally Posted by pop251808

plus ... road improvements to said corner

Why would you need road improvements? That's one of the biggest problems with that downtown location. A courthouse simply isn't a high-intensity usage. 12 floors and half a block. Much of which isn't even going to be used until the 2030s. That just isn't a very big building and isn't a whole lot of people.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Austinite101

I voted for it, so I did want it to pass. Regardless, I thought it wouldn't be under such a small margin, pass or fail. Hopefully the county and city can find another location Downtown that lowers the price tag. That as well as selling the current block to developers.

the location isnt what makes it expensive. It is expensive because they were building an opulent building.

The super fancy condo towers were less than 300/sq ft.

The proposed courthouse was $550/sq ft. Roughly double what other courthouses around the country cost.

I personally dont mind the downtown location, I do mind the county not being good stewards of my money.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by pop251808

Prediction: new courthouse at Decker Lake (or whatever out of the way corner is ultimately chosen), plus parking lots and road improvements to said corner, plus old courthouse restoration, none of which is on the docket at this time, will cost more than what was narrowly defeated yesterday, if and when we ever DO get a new courthouse.
Meanwhile, Austin rolls on, miraculously, considering the lack of planning and leadership (OR followship) it has characteristically exhibited. It's a comfy town, but most definitely second rate.

You really are being nonsensical.

No one is saying decker lake. Everyone is saying east austin, highland mall area or airport blvd.

all of which have plenty of infrastructure, have major roads in and out and would have plenty of free parking.

[pop251808]

Originally Posted by Austin97

You really are being nonsensical.

No one is saying decker lake...

I believe that Tea-Party MO-ron on city council was suggesting it, although I admit, I don't take much he says seriously. But he represents some of us, apparently, because he's there.
Highland Mall works for me. I wouldn't mind if they put everything I ever needed there. Tres convenient. But have you checked with ACC and all the other stakeholders in the area? Does the county own enough land there? What about "East Austin," (as if IT didn't have enough crappy institutional buildings dumped onto it already...)

The point is, no one has planned squat. This was all another "drown government in the bathtub" ploy disguised by the "there's a BETTER place" argument, and we're...nowhere on the path to an adequate courthouse. Seen there, saw that.

[sojourner77]

Bulldoze Rundberg/Lamar - build a government campus in it's place. Condense the public housing in the area, so that our elected officials can witness the fruits of their labor on a daily basis.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by pop251808

The point is, no one has planned squat.

"no one has planned squat" because the fix was in on the design process. They never seriously looked at alternative locations. Why would they, they bought the block 5 years ago.

I'm not going to reward the county for an attempt to "run out the clock" and make it fait accompli.