Hating on the Highrises (Houston, Dallas: real estate, home, taxes)

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by twange

You know, I get where you're coming from but I don't have that connection with Austin back then. Talk to me in 20 years and I may be complaining about all of the damn flying cars obscuring my view of the hills

It's funny, but I'm in Ohio right now spending some time in the house I grew up in, and the office park behind my parent's property bums me out. It was miles of woods when I was a kid. And those woods were my playground, the place where I could be independent with my friends. But I suppose when some new, young family moves into this house, they'll find something awesome and meaningful that I never noticed and a new nostalgic waypoint will be set. Sometimes the world seems to change faster than we do.

Maybe it's just a function of getting older. And I agree with the post above, change IS inevitable, and it happens everywhere. Off to enjoy a gorgeous day...

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Any links to the plans for those? I'd like to see an artist's rendition of what they're looking for.

There used to be a pretty important ordinance that precluded blocking the line of site to the Capitol. Clearly, someone got it either overturned or got a lot of variances done, and I think that's a shame.

No, the capital view corridor ordinance still exists, some of it is state law and some is local ordinance, but a lot of people never understood what it was. It protects the view only from certain designated land mark locations, not from anywhere and everywhere in town.

This recent study http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/...port_Final.pdf shows you where each of the view corridors are, including photographs from the landmark location. It also makes recommendations on modifications for some of those corridors.

[pbnj07]

What's truly interesting is people who think that because they've lived here for a long time, that somehow their opinions carry more weight than someone who's recently relocated. When I bought my house here, I didn't think I was moving into someone else's house and trying to redecorate. I work and pay taxes just like someone who's been here for 50+ years. This is my hometown now just as much as anyone else's. To suggest otherwise is egomaniacal and pompous.

[austin-steve]

Really? I LOVE the Frost Building! I think it's really cool looking. I like to picture Bruce Wayne living up there....

My 16 year old daughter has informed me that the people on the 33rd floor of the Frost Building are "mean".

She and a gaggle of her friends (8 or 10 of them) met up at Whole Foods last Friday to hang out. Then they killed time at Book People. Then they walked to the Capital to hang out and watch the legislature (I found that a curious choice for a bunch of 16 year olds - some of her friends are kind of nerdy though).

Then they walked from the Capital down Congress to the Starbucks but at some point decided randomly to see if they could get to the top of the Frost building to check out the view.

They went up the elevator to the highest floor only to learn that it wasn't the highest floor and that they needed to go back to the bottom and go back up a different elevator, which they did.

Upon exiting the other elevator on the 33rd floor, they stepped into an office of some kind, where they were greeted unkindly. They were told immediately "you can't be up here. You need to leave". They asked, "can we just look out the windows real quick, is that ok?"

It was not, and they were again told to leave immediately. They left and headed for the town lake foot bridge and on to Barton Springs.

So, hate them or not, the tall buildings did at least offer an interesting detour in the day of some rambling Austin teens.

Steve

[AustinGuy]

Originally Posted by jobert

and then next to that is the old Power and Light building - a prime example of Art Deco architecture (think Hollywood circa 1930) that will be infilled with condos. You think Austonian was expensive? This last project will be one-of-a-kind and can't be reproduced... Exciting times indeed.

That would be pretty cool, but unfortunately the condos are being built in a separate tower (along with a hotel) next to the old power plant. The plant itself looks like it is going to be used for retail and office space. The details of the project are on this website:

Seaholm Power, LLC : Austin : Texas : Seaholm Plaza Condominiums - Buyer Information Request

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

My 16 year old daughter has informed me that the people on the 33rd floor of the Frost Building are "mean".

She and a gaggle of her friends (8 or 10 of them) met up at Whole Foods last Friday to hang out. Then they killed time at Book People. Then they walked to the Capital to hang out and watch the legislature (I found that a curious choice for a bunch of 16 year olds - some of her friends are kind of nerdy though).

Then they walked from the Capital down Congress to the Starbucks but at some point decided randomly to see if they could get to the top of the Frost building to check out the view.

They went up the elevator to the highest floor only to learn that it wasn't the highest floor and that they needed to go back to the bottom and go back up a different elevator, which they did.

Upon exiting the other elevator on the 33rd floor, they stepped into an office of some kind, where they were greeted unkindly. They were told immediately "you can't be up here. You need to leave". They asked, "can we just look out the windows real quick, is that ok?"

It was not, and they were again told to leave immediately. They left and headed for the town lake foot bridge and on to Barton Springs.

So, hate them or not, the tall buildings did at least offer an interesting detour in the day of some rambling Austin teens.

Steve

Cool kids. I think every high rise should be required to have a public observation deck.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Any links to the plans for those? I'd like to see an artist's rendition of what they're looking for.

Here's the project at the old Tom Green Plant location - NOT named for that guy who had that tv show I'm sure..

[nomore07]

Originally Posted by ATX Homeboy

Oh yeah, that Frost Bank is wretched. The architecture looks like a bad joke stolen from a Superman movie.

It looks like a giant nose trimmer

[readymade]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

My 16 year old daughter has informed me that the people on the 33rd floor of the Frost Building are "mean".

She and a gaggle of her friends (8 or 10 of them) met up at Whole Foods last Friday to hang out. Then they killed time at Book People. Then they walked to the Capital to hang out and watch the legislature (I found that a curious choice for a bunch of 16 year olds - some of her friends are kind of nerdy though).

Then they walked from the Capital down Congress to the Starbucks but at some point decided randomly to see if they could get to the top of the Frost building to check out the view.

They went up the elevator to the highest floor only to learn that it wasn't the highest floor and that they needed to go back to the bottom and go back up a different elevator, which they did.

Upon exiting the other elevator on the 33rd floor, they stepped into an office of some kind, where they were greeted unkindly. They were told immediately "you can't be up here. You need to leave". They asked, "can we just look out the windows real quick, is that ok?"

It was not, and they were again told to leave immediately. They left and headed for the town lake foot bridge and on to Barton Springs.

So, hate them or not, the tall buildings did at least offer an interesting detour in the day of some rambling Austin teens.

Steve

See? This just proves my point!! Batman is totally living up there, and no one must learn his dark secret....

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by readymade

see? This just proves my point!! Batman is totally living up there, and no one must learn his dark secret....

lol