The Independent Topped Out – Austin, Texas
I’ve mentioned The Independent a couple of times in the last few weeks. At 688 feet, it is Austin’s tallest skyscraper, beating the old record by five feet. But those five feet mean a lot. The Independent now gets to brag they are the tallest all residential tower west of the Mississippi River.
The building is now topped out, meaning, it has reached its final hight, though obviously it’s far from completion. You can now see its relative impact to the fast changing west side of downtown. For obvious reasons, Austinites have nicknamed this the Jenga building. These things go up fast. You can see from this post, how much it has grown in less than a year and a half.
I’m rather excited about The Independent. With its unique architecture, it stands out from the rest and, to me, it has a big city design — the type of tower that might be built in more high-profile cities. It doesn’t look as provincial as the usual designs.
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Hi Andy, it’s Thursday evening on Whidbey Island 2 hours NW of Seattle. Just saw your photo of the Independent. I love the steel blue and gray in the buildings. Good POV, too. Downtown always seems to reveal the interesting if you look. I’ll be back Monday morning; we’re flying a red eye out if Seattle Sunday. See you at Click and Drink next week.
Chuck
Thanks, Chuck. See you next week.
I will be glad when this is done as I like to take skyline photos and I don’t like the construction so much.
Just when you think the construction will end, some new building starts. The development has been relentless.
It used to bug me to see incomplete buildings or construction cranes but I’ve changed my mind. I figure pictures of buildings during construction are unique opportunities that document the change.
I haven’t been downtown in so long, I didn’t know the Jenga building or that bridge were there. Amazing how fast things are changing. Austin seems to determined to become a dense forest of high dollar living spaces and business high rises. Wonder where all these people work who can afford to live down there?
Pricy downtown construction seems to be the name of the game. Not just in Austin but in other growth cities.
Probably some of the people who work in these new downtown office towers conveniently walk to their downtown apartments/condos.
I also heard that some empty nesters, tired of maintaining their big houses in the suburbs, are downsizing (in size, but not in cost, I guess) to urban living.