Though we stick to the written word for the most part, sometimes nothing beats a video for getting your point across — so here’s one of the best we’ve seen in a while. It’s from construction firm PERI Formwork Systems, working with DPR Construction, describing some of the specific challenges of building the Block 71 / Indeed Tower office project…
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The Forgotten History of Normandie Arms, Austin’s First Apartment Tower
What was the first high-rise apartment building in Austin? This is obviously a trick question, but the people who keep track of this stuff will generally tell you it’s the 15-story Cambridge Tower, which opened in 1965. Using the modern (and not entirely agreed-upon) definition of a high-rise, they’re absolutely correct — especially because we’re not counting the single penthouse atop…
Micro-Apartments Head for West 12th Street’s Unofficial ‘Skateboard District’
You and I will likely never understand exactly how it feels to bomb down Castle Hill on a skateboard, which is nearly as sad for our collective joie de vivre as it is deeply comforting to our insurance providers. All you really need to know is that despite its character ranging from million-dollar homes to…
In 1937, Austin’s Growing Skyline Saw Towers ‘Shooting Up’
On July 29, 1937, the Austin Statesman printed a special edition of its daily paper commemorating the end of construction on the Buchanan Dam project. One page, as seen above, celebrated the steady growth of Austin’s skyline and the economic prosperity it represented — with its centerpiece, the 307-foot tower of the University of Texas’ Main Building,…
Here’s Our First Look at Concepts for an Upgraded John Treviño Jr. Metro Park
The forgotten 330 acres of parkland in Far East Austin near the intersection of FM 969 and Decker Lane is finally getting its due, as the city’s master planning process for John Treviño Metropolitan Park hits the concept stage. We’re just happy this enormous tract won’t remain padlocked forever — any upgrades for additional recreation at such a naturally…
A Better Trailhead’s on the Way for Rainey Street’s Hikers and Bikers
Though downtown Austin condo and apartment projects tend to spring up everywhere around the urban core, the sheer volume of current and expected residential development in the Rainey Street District sets it apart in several ways — not all of them necessarily positive, but ideally those growing pains should make it easier to see what needs fixing….