Tallest Building in Texas? (Houston, Dallas: extended stay, apartments, rent)

[Austinite101]

Austin is (once again) slated to get yet another new tallest; If the developer follows through with possibly upsizing it from it's current 62-story design to the cited mid-70s range, it will likely end up being the tallest building in Texas.

Austin-American Statesman: Austin's Tallest Tower Planned for West Sixth and Guadalupe

[10scoachrick]

Big ole giant yawn to me, except it assures us of even more long-lasting hullaballoo and closed streets and sidewalks.

[verybadgnome]

This will be the tallest in Austin if built, not Texas which has five that are higher.

Still a great addition to our skyline and more activation of downtown since it will have residential and not become a dead zone after 5pm. The renderings are promising and the design is helped by having an entire city block. Nice that they have made the parking garage, probably the least flattering element of any high rise, less prominent. Definitely an upgrade over Extended Stay America (who thinks of these names?) which will generate a ton of tax revenue that will be used outside of downtown.

[Austinite101]

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

This will be the tallest in Austin if built, not Texas which has five that are higher.

Still a great addition to our skyline and more activation of downtown since it will have residential and not become a dead zone after 5pm. The renderings are promising and the design is helped by having an entire city block. Nice that they have made the parking garage, probably the least flattering element of any high rise, less prominent. Definitely an upgrade over Extended Stay America (who thinks of these names?) which will generate a ton of tax revenue that will be used outside of downtown.

It will be taller than those 5 if the developer chooses to upsize it to the mid-70s range, which is mentioned in the article. Someone on the skyscraper forum page rumored months ago that there was a 72-story building in the works. This could end up being that building. But if not, top five in the state isn't anything to scoff at.

Tremendous upgrade from the Extended Stay/surface lot that is currently there. I do shudder at the potential traffic nightmare on Guadalupe during construction, however. It takes nearly 30 or so minutes to move 10 blocks on Guadalupe during rush hour as it is. And if the courthouse block gets developed with whatever massive building is slated for there at the same time, Guadalupe will be as bad as I-35.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Big ole giant yawn to me

As an architect and skyscraper enthusiast, I couldn't disagree more...

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Kinda surprised Houston isn't getting in on that, because Dallas has a supertall planned for Uptown. Would love to see this come to life.

[JohnKneedep]

That building looks cool af. Can we pre-order apartments there at a discount?

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Big ole giant yawn to me, except it assures us of even more long-lasting hullaballoo and closed streets and sidewalks.

Have to agree. Will someone please tell these people (even though they've never listened to women on this subject before) that bigger isn't better? I look at these skyscrapers, each one trying desperately to be taller than the next, and all I can think (beyond "Why don't you just move to NYC, why pee on Austin to try to make it NYC?") is "compensation".

[JJG]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Have to agree. Will someone please tell these people (even though they've never listened to women on this subject before) that bigger isn't better? I look at these skyscrapers, each one trying desperately to be taller than the next, and all I can think (beyond "Why don't you just move to NYC, why pee on Austin to try to make it NYC?") is "compensation".

No... it's business and demand. That's how it's been ever since highrises were created and that's typically how major cities (especially fast growing ones with a large population) work.

NYC isn't the only city in the world with skyscrapers, so I don't get the last comment. It's like when I hear people say "stop trying to be like Dallas" when Ft. Worth builds urban neighborhoods or better transportation options... like ALL major cities.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by JJG

No... it's business and demand. That's how it's been ever since highrises were created and that's typically how major cities (especially fast growing ones with a large population) work.

NYC isn't the only city in the world with skyscrapers, so I don't get the last comment. It's like when I hear people say "stop trying to be like Dallas" when Ft. Worth builds urban neighborhoods or better transportation options... like ALL major cities.

Okay, how about stop trying to make everywhere just like everywhere else? How about THINKING about what you're doing to whatever city you've decided needs to be made over rather than insisting on turning it into Anywhere, USA? Any decent architect knows that where a house is to be located is the first and primary consideration for doing a decent job of design. Apparently all the designers of these skyscrapers know is that phallic is better and that obviously bigger is better as far as phallic is concerned.

I love it when people say "but you can stuff more people into Austin if you do that!" as if that were desirable (treat people like cattle in stockyards, in other words) - yep, create the problem by moving here/encouraging lots and lots and lots of people to move here, then destroy the very things that made you want to move here in order to solve the problem you created. Though I see that you live in Fort Worth - sure hope you're not advocating the same Anywhere, USA solution for that lovely city.

[JohnKneedep]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Apparently all the designers of these skyscrapers know is that phallic is better and that obviously bigger is better as far as phallic is concerned.

Usually, it's just common sense - you build up to save space, which is how skyscrapers came to be in the first place. But I'm sure you'll find some irrational feminist argument against this logic as well.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I love it when people say "but you can stuff more people into Austin if you do that!" as if that were desirable (treat people like cattle in stockyards, in other words)

Do you? Do you really love it?

This is logical fallacy. People are already moving here, and will move regardless if you build skyscrapers or not. So you build skyscrapers because it's easier than building fifty buildings that will host 4 families each. Not building anything will make the rent prices in Austin go up faster than they already do, which is what's happening in Los Angeles now. Again, it's common sense.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Okay, how about stop trying to make everywhere just like everywhere else?

Architecturally, Austin is already more like every other small town in the US. There's nothing special about it. Just your average town that happened to become a popular location. Building huge skyscrapers will make it more unique, something like a "small big city." So if you want it NOT to be like everywhere else, then you should support this.

Now watching you switch to yet another argument in 3, 2, 1...