Austin has sold itself-Dale Watson says (Tyler, Howe: place to live, professionals, zoning)

[capcat]

Originally Posted by RoamingTX

And unfortunately those simply just are crazy hard to adequately update to apeal to the same buyer that will snap up that ultra-modern quasi-industrial new build that is 10x more efficient, spacious and flexible.

I’ve done a lot of research on buying one of those crafstman-ish homes doennin that area and looking into remodeling. In every case it’s come out cheaper to scrape and start over.

If they didn’t sell - they wouldn’t be built. I’m sorry you don’t like the look of them.

Originally Posted by RoamingTX

I could just never get the floor plans to work for me. I hate closed off kitchens and how choppy the layouts are in most of those. Most of the scrape and rebuilds are usually pretty far gone when it comes to remodeling too. Seems that foundation damage was prevalent in many.

Some of those moderns are kinda fugly - but I’ve seen a few that are very well done.

You know, I'm sure I'd like them inside. I just wish the outsides were better done. I've heard the open floor plan will be dated before long, who knows. Probably a variation of that will come into being.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by IC_deLight

About the only thing accurate about the statement above is that individual homeowners are disenfranchised with respect to their own property.

Yeah, that was my point - THL wants to disenfranchise people from their property.

[verybadgnome]

There are protections for older homes as demolitions have to go through the historic land commission first. Here is a synopsis of the criteria that would make them historic and thus protected; they have to meet two out of the five. Once they get historic designation they get a massive tax break, 100% structure and 50% land so there is a huge incentive to go this route. The fact that more don't probably speaks to the exorbitant costs of doing period-correct remodels.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=240736

As for paying companies to come to Austin in the original Dale Watson comment, for the most part it is not needed as the city sells itself.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by RoamingTX

Highly unlikely, and those remodels - in all honesty - are ridiculously cumbersome. Most of those post-war houses simply weren’t built to last.

NOW you make me laugh, not only owning one but having been in remodels and restorations in progress and having seen the insides as opposed to the new builds of today.

An example - the cast iron sink in a bathroom in the house we own finally, after 50+ years, rusted through. We thought it would be a simple matter of removing the tile around the sink, taking the sink out, putting in a new one, then restoring the tile around it. WRONG! That tile was concreted in - we ended up having to replace the sink with a new one (that won't last anywhere NEAR as long) and replaced the tile with a different tile that coordinated with the tile in the rest of the bathroom. And that was just the bathroom sink/cabinet. Were all built that well? No, but most of the ones I've seen personally have and there are many across this country that are still housing families quite well.

Also, remodels that don't turn the inside of a mid-century home into a replica of a modern home demand a premium from people who like the style and are tired of having to undo bad updating that makes you think you've walked into a new tract home when you walk in the door in order to restore such houses to their original glory.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by RoamingTX

Since when can one person change a whole neighborhood?

Easy. Imagine a neighborhood that has been a quiet family neighborhood with a particular feel for a long, long time. Now come in and plop down a huge modern house of a style that is entirely incongruent with the feel of the neighborhood or, worse, in the quest for Almighty Density, an apartment building that is likewise. You have, with one property, changed the feel of the entire neighborhood (and in the case of the apartment building, traffic patterns and safety issues related to that).

I have seen new additions to neighborhoods where the builder actually looked at the neighborhood and, as I described a good architect doing above, took the surroundings the house would be in into consideration when designing the new build house or even duplex, and I quite like those as they accomplish the goal of a new house without just plopping down, usually in service to a builder or architect's ego or from simply not caring or having the ability to see the damage, something that looks like it belongs elsewhere (and, as I said above, that does a disservice to BOTH house and neighborhood). It's not new builds in established neighborhoods I have a problem with, but new builds where it is clear that no real thought went into the decision beyond "I CAN MAKE MONEY! To hell with the people who already live here!"

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Yeah, that was my point - THL wants to disenfranchise people from their property.

No, I do not. But I do think it is ridiculous to say that people whose property is impacted negatively by someone plopping down a house that does not fit the neighborhood and that impacts their lives and their property values negatively going so far as to complain about that are the greedy ones.

Might as well say that someone who objects to a pig farm or a quarry being plopped down next to or in their neighborhood is being greedy when they complain. After all, it's not THEIR property.

[RoamingTX]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

NOW you make me laugh, not only owning one but having been in remodels and restorations in progress and having seen the insides as opposed to the new builds of today.

An example - the cast iron sink in a bathroom in the house we own finally, after 50+ years, rusted through. We thought it would be a simple matter of removing the tile around the sink, taking the sink out, putting in a new one, then restoring the tile around it. WRONG! That tile was concreted in - we ended up having to replace the sink with a new one (that won't last anywhere NEAR as long) and replaced the tile with a different tile that coordinated with the tile in the rest of the bathroom. And that was just the bathroom sink/cabinet. Were all built that well? No, but most of the ones I've seen personally have and there are many across this country that are still housing families quite well.

Also, remodels that don't turn the inside of a mid-century home into a replica of a modern home demand a premium from people who like the style and are tired of having to undo bad updating that makes you think you've walked into a new tract home when you walk in the door in order to restore such houses to their original glory.

Glad I could provide some humor... odd that the highlighted EXACTLY reiterates my statement.

I get that you want to hold onto a specific time period and keep that in a time capsule. It doesn't happen that way.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

No, I do not. But I do think it is ridiculous to say that people whose property is impacted negatively by someone plopping down a house that does not fit the neighborhood

You mean, does not 'fit' what you want in the neighborhood. You have chosen parameters (age, size, whatever) to establish what belongs there. Those are your opinions, but not someone else's (obviously). Everyone has one (an opinion), but only theirs doesn't stink.... There are building codes, which are the basis for building essentially anywhere in the city. If it meets the codes, it can be built and I see no problem with that.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

and that impacts their lives and their property values negatively going so far as to complain about that are the greedy ones.

Here you are worried about your property value - you have no guarantee of property value, up or down. A large or 'different' house in the 'hood does not actually 'impact your life'. It does not affect your air, your water, your shelter, your safety. It is a mental thing only. If it truly is affecting your life (you can't sleep or are having nightmares, whatever), there are professionals out there to help.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Might as well say that someone who objects to a pig farm or a quarry being plopped down next to or in their neighborhood is being greedy when they complain. After all, it's not THEIR property.

Similar to building codes, there are environmental rules - and for a reason. Those places CAN affect your life. Odor is a recognized air pollutant, as is particulate matter. I can quote you the rules, if you want. But there is a reason that those don't often get built in a populated area. Of course, if you live in the county (no zoning), then you could have your neighbor put in a pig farm or a quarry. The pig farm is unlikely (hard to keep them from stinking at least a little), but quarries happen all the time. You have no constitutional or legal right to maintain or increase your property value based on what your neighbors do, and if they control emissions or are far enough away (i.e. big property and they are in the middle), then your air quality will not be impacted.

Btw, I am not calling anyone 'greedy', just saying that everyone is 'self-centered' more or less, and the laws define who 'wins'.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by cBach

Speaking of development...

My sources say that a large tract of 73 acres along Spicewood Springs basically bounded by Hart and Wood Hollow and backing to Executive Center Drive will be bulldozed and redeveloped into a giant mixed use new urbanism development.

It is unknown what is going to happen. The group that got the PUD designation is selling the property.

I would love a giant mixed use new urbanism development over completely under utilized office space.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by DMChicago

Pretty sure the OP's head has exploded by now.

OP is a troll just trying to generate controversy. OP is very satisfied that the thread is going on and on and on...