Last Week Around the -ISTs
Schieffer's Out of Gov Race
St. Croix Capital has announced plans for "Austin Commons," a mixed office/retail project at Braker and Kramer, near IBM and JJ Pickle. It's also developing The Lakes @ TechRidge, a larger mixed-use project that includes residential and commercial space at I-35 and Howard Lane.
On the one hand, this looks a lot like a strip mall with an office park behind it. There's a parking lot between the buildings and the street, and there's an internal road that accesses only office space. On the other hand, it's a mix of retail and office space, it adds some much-needed diversity to an area that is predominantly residential, and gives workers at IBM and JJ Pickle a nearby place to go for lunch. Plus, it looks like the Burnet stop of the MetroRail will be nearby.
It would be better if the edges of the development were pushed up to the street, the parking put entirely behind the buildings, and every effort made to encourage people to walk from the future rail stop. The location, with train tracks at the back, makes it difficult to accommodate any kind of through traffic, but entrances on both Kramer and Burnet would open things up at least a little. This appears to be the plan, judging by the picture. Two floors of residential condos above the office space would keep the place from being totally dead at night, but that seems unlikely. Overall, not great, but an improvement over the pure office park style of its immediate neighbors.
Image from St. Croix Capital Corp.
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Yes! Why do they love putting the parking lots in front? It's the same amount of distance for people to walk across the gigantor parking lot no matter where you put it. Does my car care if I have to drive around the back of a building to park? No! Do my legs car if I have to hike 1/4 of a mile across a parking lot to walk to a store? Well no, actually they don't, but it's still stupid. If they put the parking lot on the back they could even advertise more effectively. Pummel you with seductive ads as you sit waiting at a stop light. What a waste of commercialism. I mean I'd understand if they were painting big ass ads on the parking lot, but they're not. What a waste of good potential profits. Communists.
Hmm, I don't think Burnet/Kramer is residential at all. It's pretty much industrial nastiness. However with the new Domain center going in, this area looks like it is on the up. Those site plans look 100 times better than what is currently in this area so bring it on even it isn't New Urban.
Here's the map link for Carter's comment:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=kramer+%26+burnet+rd,+austin,+tx&ie=UTF8&z=16&t=h&om=1
We say we support html, but that is just a lie.
The area immediately surrounding Burnet/Kramer isn't residential, but if you go out to a 2-3 mile radius, you pick up a lot of residential. Not ideal (not walkable), but I was trying to be positive because I think this seems like a good development on the whole.
Thanks for adding the link, Shilli. Yeah, the further environs are definitely residential. The residential to the east of Mopac could definitley use any sort of new development they can get. I remember an article in the Chronicle a few years back saying the area north of 183, east of Mopac, west of IH35, and south of Parmer was APD's number one focus for reducing crime in the city. New businesses & buildings can only make it better. Further, this can be new development close to major employers (IBM, Pickle, and Nat'l Instruments) without your typical gentrification/Las Maitas-being-replaced concerns.
I remember when UT was trying to decide where to nominate putting the Bush the Lesser Presidential Library, someone was quoted as saying that this part of town was going to be like Houston's Galleria area. I remember choking on my Cheerios when I read that. Now after seeing the density at the Domain and these plans, I'll still laugh out loud but I'll put my spoon down first.
One final comment. This area is on probably the best bus route in Austin: the 3. Passing by the South Lamar/Drafthouse South/Zach Scott, Downtown, West Campus, Lower Burnet/Central Market (and 2 Taco Shacks!), and the Arboretum.