Downtown Austin's first supertall! (mortgage, home equity, home)

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by brock2010

So all of these businesses will be displaced by the construction of these new buildings?

My main point is the changing landscape of Austin and the fact that it changes why many people moved to Austin. There will come a point where we run out of land in “Austin” and established businesses will be forced to sell their land and be replaced by these monsters. In particular for this building I’m thinking of Ironworks BBQ. I can also cite the Hooters on Barton Springs (while not local it was here before I moved here) that was bulldozed for a new office building. There was also a museum on congress that is now condos.

I also get the feeling that you’re pro change and urbanization. I’m pro-Keep Austin weird.

[Need4Camaro]

Are they really being forced to sell or are they choosing to sell?

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Are they really being forced to sell or are they choosing to sell?

Depends on the situation. I think someone who has been in Austin longer then me might have more insight into places that have come and gone for these reasons.

Here’s a statesman article on the museum area I was thinking of. I’m surprised it was so long ago now, but it makes sense. I remember running by this area pre-construction my first full year here. https://www.statesman.com/business/2...businesses-out

[Need4Camaro]

Can’t help but wonder if it’s possible to keep the best of both worlds or if it really has to be one or the other...

[brock2010]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

My main point is the changing landscape of Austin and the fact that it changes why many people moved to Austin. There will come a point where we run out of land in “Austin” and established businesses will be forced to sell their land and be replaced by these monsters. In particular for this building I’m thinking of Ironworks BBQ. I can also cite the Hooters on Barton Springs (while not local it was here before I moved here) that was bulldozed for a new office building. There was also a museum on congress that is now condos.

I also get the feeling that you’re pro change and urbanization. I’m pro-Keep Austin weird.

I think you took my question the wrong way. I was legitimately asking were these businesses being forced out?

[Bo]

You have to wonder about the wisdom of the timing, building a big office building just as employers are discovering that office workers can be just as productive when working from home. Plus they'll be doing it in the Texas county that has some of the state's worst traffic gridlock at rush hour.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by Bo

You have to wonder about the wisdom of the timing, building a big office building just as employers are discovering that office workers can be just as productive when working from home. Plus they'll be doing it in the Texas county that has some of the state's worst traffic gridlock at rush hour.

Possibly, and I hope that stays a reality but gauging from my interviews with employers, its very temporary. As soon as there's a vaccine, many of them intend to be back in the office. I expect that it will be 2022 or 2023 that traffic will be back to normal, or worse than normal.

[CosmicAries]

Originally Posted by Bo

You have to wonder about the wisdom of the timing, building a big office building just as employers are discovering that office workers can be just as productive when working from home. Plus they'll be doing it in the Texas county that has some of the state's worst traffic gridlock at rush hour.

This project will be a mixed use development meaning it will have both residential and office. People can still work from home if needed. As far is traffic concern, Austin just recently passed a $7 Billion masterplan that will change it's infrastructure as we know it.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by brock2010

I think you took my question the wrong way. I was legitimately asking were these businesses being forced out?

And I said I didn’t know and someone with more Austin experience may be able to provide more insight.

And let’s use the personal story for example, someone built a home in the 1930s on chichón and 7th. They paid it off in the 50s. It’s been in the family for generations. But now, property taxes are ridiculous and they can’t pay them. They get letters from developers weekly asking them to sell. Then one year, the property taxes are tooooo much and they just pick a postcard from their stack and call a developer and sell their house and move to Pflugerville. We’re they “forced” to sell it was that a choice? Because this is happening to businesses too. And in this case, in particular, as I said before, Ironworks is at 100 Red River and the building address you’re citing is at 98 Red River.

[Need4Camaro]

In that case specifically, it’s a combination of things, not specifically just the mega corporate center, although they may (or may not) be a contributing factor. The real catalyst in that scenario were the property taxes, although I particularly am not sure if they are rising in direct correlation to the corporate relocations here. Infact I particularly am not sure why they’re rising at all given the increase of population offsets the tax-base.

Either way though they would have been in deep water whether the corporate center obtained their property or not if the taxes were too high.