36 replies to this topic

[eastsider]

Developers have announced plans for a $60M project called Spring, which will rise 36-stories in the southwest corner of downtown. It will feature 220 condominium units in a range of prices from $200,000 - $400,000. Spring will also have ground level retail and parking above and below grade. The current zoning will have to be changed, as the site has a height limit of 120 feet. The planned height of this project is 400 feet. The Spring could begin construction in about one year.

Story at:
Austin American-Statesman: New downtown condo tower will rise 36 stories

*This is not an actual rendering of the Spring. It is actually a building with a similar design that is under construction in Vancouver used to show what it could look like. Spring will be designed by the same architect, Rafii Architects Inc.

Edited by eastsider, 01 August 2005 - 10:26 AM.

[eastsider]

Austin Business Journal: 36-story condo project to rise in downtown Austin

Quote

"The unique design of this building -- tall and thing, on a small footprint -- is the key to making the units very affordable," Lorenz says. "For the first time, living in downtown Austin will be a real option for teachers, firefighters, young professionals, and middle-income families -- not just the very wealthy."

Most units in Spring will be priced around $250,000, with some units under $200,000, according to Lorenz.

The article also states the mayor is supportive of the project, saying it will add tax revenue without any public investment.

Edited by eastsider, 30 July 2005 - 12:41 PM.

[eastsider]

Some objections are starting to come up about the possible zoning change that would allow the 400 foot Spring to be built on the western perimeter of downtown which currently has height limits of 120 feet. The Old West Austin Neighborhood Association wants a moratorium on high-rise construction until a comprehensive downtown plan can be completed by the city.

Quote

Colburn said his group wants the city to take a breather before it signs off on any more high-rises. The group doesn't oppose high-rises per se, he said, but Spring's location,near the already congested intersection of Lamar and Sixth, and timing, before an overall plan is ready, are wrong.

"If you spot-zone outside that plan, and the pressures are intense to do so, there won't be much space left to be planned," Colburn said.

Quote

The Zoning and Platting Commission has postponed a vote on Spring and appointed a five-member subcommittee to take a look at what's happening downtown. The recommendations, due by Nov. 1, could have ramifications for some other downtown high-rises, including how many get built, where and how high they are allowed to be.

The city council will make the final decision about the zoning for the Spring, and several members have already said that they support it.

Austin American-Statesman: Fight brewing over downtown high-rise

[eastsider]

The Austin zoning commission is scheduled to vote tonight to vote on the zoning variance requested by the developers of the Spring that would allow them to build a 400 ft. tower on a site that has a 120 ft. height restriction. Members of a subcommittee that reviewed the Spring supported everything from 175 ft. to 400 ft.

Quote

The developers want to put their tower atop several floors of parking, shops and restaurants. Jackson said the committee will recommend that that "podium level" be no more than 45 feet, compared to the 60 feet developers are seeking, and that the project generate no more than 1,500 car trips a day.

The Austin City Council is scheduled to vote on the zoning for Spring on November 3rd.

Austin American-Statesman: Downtown towers face zoning commission verdict

[eastsider]

At last nights meeting, the City of Austin's Zoning Commission recommended that a zoning change be approved, allowing the Spring to be built higher that the 120' limit on the site. The Commission did however recommend that it's final height to be between 275'-350', instead of the 400' the developer was seeking. The Austin City Council will vote on the zoning change on November 3rd.

Austin American-Statesman: Zoning panel OKs tower, with changes

News 8 Austin: Zoning committee approves condo building

Edited by eastsider, 19 October 2005 - 08:09 PM.

[eastsider]

An article about the decision that the Austin City Coucil will have to make regarding how tall the Spring should be allowed to rise.

Quote

The Third and Bowie parcel is zoned DMU ("downtown mixed-use"), a category created in the 1990s to define the "buffers" between wide-open central business district zoning and the garden-variety residential and commercial zoning in the low-rise, often historic, near-Downtown neighborhoods. The Spring team is seeking to add a CURE – "central/urban redevelopment" – overlay, another artifact of the early days of downtown renewal that aims to make it easier for perceived-as-worthy projects to alter the code's site standards.

There is some question about if the site for the Spring is actually in downtown or in a "transition zone".

The Austin Chronicle: Will Towering Condos Spring to City Approval?

This is what a building the size of Spring will look on its proposed site.

[eastsider]

The City Council's vote for the zoning change for Spring has been postponed for two weeks and will now take place on Nov. 17

[eastsider]

A rendering of Spring at 36-stories & 400' tall.

[mcheiss]

eastsider, on Nov 15 2005, 03:43 PM, said:

A rendering of Spring at 36-stories & 400' tall.

It looks pretty nice.

Is this project near 6th Street?

Edited by mcheiss, 15 November 2005 - 03:53 PM.

[eastsider]

Quote

A coalition of downtown Austin business owners is urging the City Council to support a 36-story condominium high-rise slated for Third and Bowie streets on downtown's western edge.

The council is scheduled to vote Thursday on a zoning change that would allow developers of the Spring building to build a 400-foot tower, 120 feet higher than city rules allow at the site, which is near the closed Seaholm power plant.

Some neighborhood groups have objected, saying the project is too high for its location and would worsen traffic congestion at Sixth Street and Lamar Boulevard.

But on Monday, a group of nearly two dozen business owners sent council members a letter asking them to grant the zoning change.

The business owners say that the project will bring new customers (nearly 220 units) without haveing to worry about additional parking, since they will be within walking distance.

Austin American-Statesman: Business coalition supports high-rise

[eastsider]

Spring now has a website (not much to it yet).

http://www.springaustin.com/

_ __ ___ ____ _____ ______ _____ ____ ___ __ _

Also, the Austin City Council was scheduled to vote on the zoning change for Spring. An article in todays Statesman says it was discussed at the meeting but doesn't say what the outcome was. Anyone heard what decision was made?

Austin American-Statesman: City debates the look of Spring

[eastsider]

Spring was approved to be built at the full height proposed by the developers by a 6-1 vote of the Austin City Council.

Austin American-Statesman: Council approves downtown high-rises

[mcheiss]

eastsider, on Nov 18 2005, 01:59 PM, said:

Spring was approved to be built at the full height proposed by the developers by a 6-1 vote of the Austin City Council.

Austin American-Statesman: Council approves downtown high-rises

Looks like quite a few high-rises were approved for Austin.

This and the Novare Group's Tower, Way to go Austin!!!

[eastsider]

The developers of Spring are scouting locations in downtown Austin for more residential projects. One site they are interested in is east of Whole Foods Market at W. 6th St. and N. Lamar Blvd. This is what the developer said about trying to get two towers on the Spring site:

Quote

"We tried mightily to get two point towers on the site," Barnstone said. "There just wasn't enough space to do it gracefully."

Austin American-Statesman: Spring has sprung; Summer might follow

[eastsider]

According to the developer, more than 200 units at the Spring have already been reserved.

The Daily Texan: Austinites anticipate new high-rise life

[eastsider]

According to the project website, constuction is expected to begin in the first quarter 2007 and take about 14 to 18 months to complete. Floor plans for Spring should be released in the middle of this year.

[eastsider]

There is an article in todays sataesman about projects going up in downtown Austin and says that groundbreaking for Spring will take place in January.



Austin American-Statesman: Downtown apartments, condos are on the rise

[cheeriokid61]

Wow, I like the new design better, and I love the color. Also, I counted 42 stories. I wonder what the new height is. It could be up to around 475 now.

[eastsider]

hmmm....thats interesting, after the fight that took place to get the zoning variance to build up to 400' I'm not sure if they would be allowed to go higher. I guess it would be possible to squeeze 42 floors in 400', but it would seem to be very tight. Anybody heard anything new about this?

[JDawgboy]

eastsider, on Jun 17 2006, 05:25 PM, said:

hmmm....thats interesting, after the fight that took place to get the zoning variance to build up to 400' I'm not sure if they would be allowed to go higher. I guess it would be possible to squeeze 42 floors in 400', but it would seem to be very tight. Anybody heard anything new about this?

The building will only be 36 stories and as far as I know, they are not planning to add anymore.  If you are counting the garage part, don't.  They are not adding that in with the overall residential floors of the building.  with the garage added it does seem as if its 42 stories.  The city has listed this building at 36 stories and will probably be no more than 400' feet high.

Edited by JDawgboy, 19 June 2006 - 01:44 PM.