AUSTIN, TX—The developer of the Fairmont Austin has unveiled a novel design that will be built between the major hotel and Austin Convention Center–and continue to spur revitalization along the adjoining Waller Creek. Officially called the Red River Street Canopy Walk, a 33-foot elevated connection will enable Fairmont Austin hotel guests and the public alike to experience a unique aerial perspective of Waller Creek while traveling to and from the second level of the Austin Convention Center. It will also be publically accessible from the Waller Creek Trail and streets below.
With all necessary permits from the city of Austin secured, construction on necessary underground infrastructure recently began. Work on the more visible, above-ground connection is slated to start in early 2017 and anticipated to be fully complete in mid-May. The hotel's developer, Manchester Texas Financial Group, worked closely with the Waller Creek Conservancy during a two-year period to create a concept that would engage and support the surrounding environment.
“This project (the conservancy's undertaking) is going to succeed because of these types of collaborations,” Peter Mullan with the Waller Creek Conservancy tells GlobeSt.com.
The conceptual design features an open-air, winding approach unlike any other connection of its kind.
Manchester Texas Financial Group agreed to increase the budget for the connection from its initial $2.8 million to $6 million to ensure an authentic architectural feature would be created while simultaneously revitalizing the landscape and creek ecology along Waller Creek.
The walkway was designed by New York-based Thomas Phifer and Partners, which, in conjunction with Michael Van Valkenburgh & Associates, formed the team of the Waller Creek Conservancy's international design competition. Austin-based dwg. is serving as the local landscape architect and Big Red Dog is the project's civil engineer.
“This bridge over Austin's Waller Creek gives us all the unique experience of walking within the branches of these remarkable heritage trees–weaving through the trees at every turn and marking a journey that is as poetic as the trees themselves,” Phifer said.
Doug Manchester, president of Manchester Texas Financial Group, said a direct connection was a must for the Fairmont Austin hotel project to be built to ensure guests' safe passage. This coincided with the Waller Creek Conservancy's initiative to create a comprehensive masterplan for more than 37 acres along a 1.5-mile stretch of Waller Creek running through downtown Austin. The two organizations worked collaboratively to create the unique concept that extends the “hotel in a park and a park in a hotel” theme.
“As a result of our collaboration, we're able to provide not only our hotel patrons but the community at large something to enjoy, admire and embrace,” Manchester said. “And we certainly hope this sets a positive tone for future development all throughout Waller Creek.”
The Canopy Walk marks the first collaborative design effort along the creek between a private developer and the Conservancy. The creek restoration plan for the immediate Waller Creek area in and around the Canopy Walk includes stream bank restoration, implementation of bioengineering techniques, and incorporating the use of native and adaptive plants. All involved also stress the public's ability to access the Canopy Walk, which not only serves the functional purpose of crossing Red River Street, but also an ability to experience Waller Creek from multiple, elevated vantage points. The public will connect from the Waller Creek Trail and streets below by accessing the ramp or stairs located at the street level of the northeast corner of Cesar Chavez and Red River Streets.
“This Canopy Walk reinforces the role and importance of landscape as infrastructure and as art, and this bridge will be an integral part of the vision of the Waller Creek masterplan,” said Daniele Woodroffe, president and founder of dwg. “The ultimate goal is to celebrate what's unique about a critical ecosystem that runs through the heart of downtown Austin.”
The $370 million 1,048-room Fairmont Austin will be the largest hotel in Austin upon its anticipated completion in the summer of 2017. It is expected to help Austin attract additional convention center business and meet pent-up demand. It will feature more than 130,000 square feet of meeting, convention and outdoor space equipped with audio, visual and lighting. The project will generate upwards of $20 million in state and local taxes annually.
“As a result of our collaboration, we're able to provide not only our hotel patrons but the community at large something to enjoy, admire and embrace,” Manchester tells GlobeSt.com. “And we certainly hope this sets a positive tone for future development throughout Waller Creek. We want to create an atmosphere with seamless integration between the park and hotel.”
AUSTIN, TX—The developer of the Fairmont Austin has unveiled a novel design that will be built between the major hotel and Austin Convention Center–and continue to spur revitalization along the adjoining Waller Creek. Officially called the Red River Street Canopy Walk, a 33-foot elevated connection will enable Fairmont Austin hotel guests and the public alike to experience a unique aerial perspective of Waller Creek while traveling to and from the second level of the Austin Convention Center. It will also be publically accessible from the Waller Creek Trail and streets below.
With all necessary permits from the city of Austin secured, construction on necessary underground infrastructure recently began. Work on the more visible, above-ground connection is slated to start in early 2017 and anticipated to be fully complete in mid-May. The hotel's developer, Manchester Texas Financial Group, worked closely with the Waller Creek Conservancy during a two-year period to create a concept that would engage and support the surrounding environment.
“This project (the conservancy's undertaking) is going to succeed because of these types of collaborations,” Peter Mullan with the Waller Creek Conservancy tells GlobeSt.com.
The conceptual design features an open-air, winding approach unlike any other connection of its kind.
Manchester Texas Financial Group agreed to increase the budget for the connection from its initial $2.8 million to $6 million to ensure an authentic architectural feature would be created while simultaneously revitalizing the landscape and creek ecology along Waller Creek.
The walkway was designed by New York-based Thomas Phifer and Partners, which, in conjunction with Michael Van Valkenburgh & Associates, formed the team of the Waller Creek Conservancy's international design competition. Austin-based dwg. is serving as the local landscape architect and Big Red Dog is the project's civil engineer.
“This bridge over Austin's Waller Creek gives us all the unique experience of walking within the branches of these remarkable heritage trees–weaving through the trees at every turn and marking a journey that is as poetic as the trees themselves,” Phifer said.
Doug Manchester, president of Manchester Texas Financial Group, said a direct connection was a must for the Fairmont Austin hotel project to be built to ensure guests' safe passage. This coincided with the Waller Creek Conservancy's initiative to create a comprehensive masterplan for more than 37 acres along a 1.5-mile stretch of Waller Creek running through downtown Austin. The two organizations worked collaboratively to create the unique concept that extends the “hotel in a park and a park in a hotel” theme.
“As a result of our collaboration, we're able to provide not only our hotel patrons but the community at large something to enjoy, admire and embrace,” Manchester said. “And we certainly hope this sets a positive tone for future development all throughout Waller Creek.”
The Canopy Walk marks the first collaborative design effort along the creek between a private developer and the Conservancy. The creek restoration plan for the immediate Waller Creek area in and around the Canopy Walk includes stream bank restoration, implementation of bioengineering techniques, and incorporating the use of native and adaptive plants. All involved also stress the public's ability to access the Canopy Walk, which not only serves the functional purpose of crossing Red River Street, but also an ability to experience Waller Creek from multiple, elevated vantage points. The public will connect from the Waller Creek Trail and streets below by accessing the ramp or stairs located at the street level of the northeast corner of Cesar Chavez and Red River Streets.
“This Canopy Walk reinforces the role and importance of landscape as infrastructure and as art, and this bridge will be an integral part of the vision of the Waller Creek masterplan,” said Daniele Woodroffe, president and founder of dwg. “The ultimate goal is to celebrate what's unique about a critical ecosystem that runs through the heart of downtown Austin.”
The $370 million 1,048-room Fairmont Austin will be the largest hotel in Austin upon its anticipated completion in the summer of 2017. It is expected to help Austin attract additional convention center business and meet pent-up demand. It will feature more than 130,000 square feet of meeting, convention and outdoor space equipped with audio, visual and lighting. The project will generate upwards of $20 million in state and local taxes annually.
“As a result of our collaboration, we're able to provide not only our hotel patrons but the community at large something to enjoy, admire and embrace,” Manchester tells GlobeSt.com. “And we certainly hope this sets a positive tone for future development throughout Waller Creek. We want to create an atmosphere with seamless integration between the park and hotel.”
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