Jump to content

Alexan Downtown: Multifamily At 1414 Texas Ave.


downtownian

Recommended Posts

Fence is up, digging continues. They have removed all of the parking lot pavement and have uncovered at least a couple of foundations. I tried to talk to some guys there on the site when I walked by, but they weren’t particularly chatty.

dvkZDmw.jpg

r3eeB5K.jpg

Awesome! This is starting to look legitimate

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice catch also on the Hampton Inn

 

Oh yeah. Wasn't even trying to get it in frame, but there you go.

 

It seems to be in the stage where all of the various exterior coverings and coatings go on, so not a lot has changed on it apart from whatever color it has on it at any given day. Who knows what it will look like when they stop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^^ great job as always nate99!  i'm loving just how you managed to incorporate a wonderful illustration of the le_meridien_thumb.pnginto the first photo.  

 

Where there once was just parking lots and abandoned buildings, there will be now hotels, schools, and nice apartments.

 

It would have been hard to imagine a plausible outcome that would be as good as things appear to be turning out for downtown. Whether it is worth the cost is going to be a matter of opinion, but the end result sure is looking nice.  Can't wait for everything currently moving forward to be completed.  

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Anymore progress here?

 

Visibly, not much.  Excavators will be out there some days, some not. Specific markers for something have been planted and the port-a-potties are on-site, but nothing too substantial going on at the moment.  They will have to remove the old foundations, and they haven't started doing that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Visibly, not much. Excavators will be out there some days, some not. Specific markers for something have been planted and the port-a-potties are on-site, but nothing too substantial going on at the moment. They will have to remove the old foundations, and they haven't started doing that.

Thanks. I guess if they were truly doing soil samples a few weeks back it could take awhile before they get a green light. I am hopeful that we see this go forward.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Excavators digging out a deep hole on site now. Looks to be toward the edge of the block, so I'd guess utilities.

 

It occurs to me that running the water supply and sewer for the new higher density residential (and hotel) stuff downtown would have to be quite a shift in infrastructure needs, though perhaps it's like the parking it replaced in that it is only used half of the time. Perhaps the whole system can absorb that expansion without an overall increase in capacity because the same capacity is already in place to serve the offices during the day.

 

Not a bad use of resources if it works out that way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even before design has begun or the first shovel is dug, developers must make requests for water and sanitary sewer services to the mud or district the project is located in. If there is not enough capacity, the project doesn't move forward.

*Edit; unless the developer and MUD/District can work out a deal to increase those services, then the developer will pay for the infrastructure improvements up front, and will be reimbursed later on by the districts

Edited by BigFootsSocks
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excavators digging out a deep hole on site now. Looks to be toward the edge of the block, so I'd guess utilities.

 

It occurs to me that running the water supply and sewer for the new higher density residential (and hotel) stuff downtown would have to be quite a shift in infrastructure needs, though perhaps it's like the parking it replaced in that it is only used half of the time. Perhaps the whole system can absorb that expansion without an overall increase in capacity because the same capacity is already in place to serve the offices during the day.

 

Not a bad use of resources if it works out that way.

 

Luckily there was a massive overhaul of utilities on all north/south streets downtown about a dozen or so years ago. All sewers rebuilt to enormous capacity, considered a 50-100 year job at the time. I'm sure they planned on future waves of construction.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even before design has begun or the first shovel is dug, developers must make requests for water and sanitary sewer services to the mud or district the project is located in. If there is not enough capacity, the project doesn't move forward.

*Edit; unless the developer and MUD/District can work out a deal to increase those services, then the developer will pay for the infrastructure improvements up front, and will be reimbursed later on by the districts

 

Not to go crazy off topic, but it looks like that's what they have been doing for Regent Square. Ripping up elecrical utility boxes, redoing piping alongside Dunlavy...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Luckily there was a massive overhaul of utilities on all north/south streets downtown about a dozen or so years ago. All sewers rebuilt to enormous capacity, considered a 50-100 year job at the time. I'm sure they planned on future waves of construction.

 

That's good news.  I'm encouraged by the foresight there that is routinely absent in other infrastructure planning.

 

Not knowing the design particulars there, I wonder what the peak demand looks like on all of those systems in a more residential heavy CBD versus a peak mid-day work week load today. Seems like the residential a/c units would be spooling up about the time that the office systems throttle back, similarly water/sewer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's good news.  I'm encouraged by the foresight there that is routinely absent in other infrastructure planning.

 

Not knowing the design particulars there, I wonder what the peak demand looks like on all of those systems in a more residential heavy CBD versus a peak mid-day work week load today. Seems like the residential a/c units would be spooling up about the time that the office systems throttle back, similarly water/sewer.

 

It was a massive nightmare that dragged on for years, made people hate downtown, and caused at least one director of public works for the city to be fired. But hopefully we don't have to worry about it again soon.

 

I think the bulk of the sewer capacity was built for extreme rain/flood events. This happened in the wake of Tropical Storm Allison.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a massive nightmare that dragged on for years, made people hate downtown, and caused at least one director of public works for the city to be fired. But hopefully we don't have to worry about it again soon.

 

I think the bulk of the sewer capacity was built for extreme rain/flood events. This happened in the wake of Tropical Storm Allison.

 

I remember Travis St being torn up for what felt like most of the 90's.

 

Anywho, in Alexan news...

 

ib4b4o2.jpg

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...