536 replies to this topic

[John T Roberts]

The PDF file shows the height of the building before it was increased 8'-6". That is where the 507 ft. dimension comes in play. This still did not account for the elevator overrun, which Prairie Pup loves to call a "pillbox hat".

A few weeks ago, an informed source told me the true height of the building and when the signage, landscape, and lighting package was released, the building was dimensioned all the way to the top. The drawings used for the signage package appeared to be the construction drawings for the building. This was presented to the Downtown Design Review Board in PDF format. I had trouble reading the numbers, but it appeared the overall dimension matched my informed source.

I'm finally going to tell the forum the information about the height of the building, and once we know this information, we will have to start splitting hairs. From what I can determine, the height of the Omni Fort Worth Hotel will be 547 feet. Rounded to the nearest foot, this makes the Omni and the D.R. Horton Tower at the same height. Actual dimensions show that the D.R. Horton Tower is 546'-9" tall. The Omni's drawings indicate 547'-0". In viewing the skyline from a distance, it will all be a matter of perspective as to which of the two buildings appears taller. The finish floor of the new Omni should be about 4 feet lower than D.R. Horton's finish floor. Therefore, the top of the D.R. Horton Tower would be higher above sea level.

I'm now switching gears to the lighting, signage, and landscaping. There will be signs on the lower part of the building identifying the various restaurants tenants on the ground floor. They will be internally illuminated metal channel letters. There will be two signs on top of the hotel at 16th Floor that are 5'-0" tall and 38 feet long. These signs will also be internally illuminated metal channel letters reading "Omni Hotel". One of these signs faces south and the other faces east on that side of the west wing of the "L" shaped tower. There won't be any large Omni Signs on the west side of the building because that will have the entrance to the condominiums. Lighting and landscaping around the site will be similar to the Convention Center. At the time this was presented to the DDRB, there was nothing included to light the glass condominium portion of the structure. That is why I said it was nothing imaginative. The building will have standard red aircraft warning lights on top.

[Perkins]

Thanks for the information!!!

I love the design, (IMO) it will be the best looking tower in DTFW (by far)!!!

I do wish the night lighting was going to be more, perhaps something that is a bright white/clear transparent look at the top (IMO).

But, I give it an A, and for being a "new tower" in DTFW (last since early 80's) That makes it an A+++!!!

Now lets get it up!

[John T Roberts]

As reported earlier, they have poured the slab on grade for the lowest parking level on the north half of the site. It is beginning to rise out of the hole.

If they do decide to add decorative lighting to the tower portion, they can always go back to the Downtown Design Review Board with these revisions.

[Fort Worthology]

I would have thought that the "empty" top of the glass tower would have made a great place for some Pier 1-style lighting. Make the lit tops the new DTFW "theme" to replace the Christmas lights.

[Perkins]

Not sure what the "other glass box" is on top in 2nd image (lighted)

But thought I would share the images after I got throught playing around with the Omni. The lighted areas are more brighter than I ment... more transparent Is what I was going for (like Pier1)

Just MO!!

[Fort Worthology]

That first image is *exactly* what I had in mind. The big box in the 2nd isn't glass, I think - I think it's concrete, or something similarly solid. The first image, though - YES! That's what I would have done.

Playing around with Google Sketchup and Google Earth, I made a (very) rough 3D version of the Omni and placed it in Google Earth:

[John T Roberts]

Both look very good. The Omni sign needs to be placed on the concrete bands below the top floor of the hotel on the south and east sides of the elevations.

[Perkins]

I added the Omni sign (I hope right spot). AG, I agree, after playing with this image last night I too think it would look great! Get rid of the Christmas light display, after all BP has more bad bulbs that good bulbs, year around. I even think some section have dif. colored (yellow) bulbs.

[DrkLts]

^^^ That lighting would be perfect!

[John T Roberts]

I've now updated the construction photos on the first page of this thread. They were taken on January 28th.

I'm also surprised that very few of you have commented that the building may be 547'-0" tall. I'm curious to see everyone's opinion about us getting a new 2nd tallest building.

[Bernd]

I'm glad it's only going to be second tallest... I'd rather not see downtown get much taller than it is now.

[FW_Drew]

I welcome the news and entire project. Looks good and will have an awesome affect on the skyline. Also helps to bring a better atmosphere to the Lancaster side of the map.

I think some of us are still kind of in disbelief, plus this kind of positive news throws a curve ball to the pessimistic types.

And thanks for all the great news - once again.

[John T Roberts]

In case if you didn't read the earlier and detailed report on the height, the Omni will only be the 2nd tallest by 3".

[Perkins]

I (honestly) still do not believe it!

I hate to sound like the broken record….. But, it has been way to long since such “new” projects took place in DTFW! At that time I was kicking dirt around at Monnig Middle School and I am 34

A new 2nd tallest is great, I just wish it replaced BP in my opinion. However, I am soooo ready to start looking at it everyday from the west side!

[FW_Drew]

I remember talks within our planning department back in 2001 when the entire project was planned to be around 13 stories. I'm glad they went all out on this and I guess it just won't sink in until we can see it.

[John T Roberts]

I've been doing a little research, and it appears the construction drawings for the hotel have been released in two parts. The first was the foundation, and the second was for the hotel. The total cost of the new Omni Fort Worth Hotel is $164,310,305. It also appears the building will have 34 floors set aside for hotel guests and condominium residents.

Perkins, the sign is in the right location.

[JulieM]

In the words of my son...cool!

[Willy1]

So the total floor count is 34 floors? That's less than I'd hope for. I was hoping for a last minute "city's tallest" announcement. I thought someone said somewhere 38 floors... Maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part. I wonder what it's going to take for this city to get something over 40 floors or 600 ft built... other than a little vision and risk, of course. Don't get me wrong - I think it's great this (or anything for that matter) is getting buit in Ft Worth. This building actually expands the city vertically and horizontally so I am happy we are at least getting getting one new significant building built, even if it is the first building of any significant height built in this city since the mid 80's. (IMO, anything 20 stories or less is insignificant.) I just hope that once the TRV is built that the city of FW actually starts seeing some really impressive project built and the city core actually expand both- vertically, horizontally, and in density... I guess the thing that has always frustrated my about FW is that it's always fallen just shy of greatness when it comes to the scale and importance of the things this city builds. It's also sort of odd to me that in the Everything Is Bigger In Texas culture that we're so famous for, that FW has always resisted anything large scale for at least the last 50 years. I hope the TRV comes true as planned and truly changes all that. It would be a real shame (IMO) for such a grand vision, intended to transform this city, to fall short of expectations simply because no one is willing to "build it and they will come".

[cberen1]

Construction update:

While the dirt ramp is still there and not all of the first-level columns have been poured, they have started setting forms for the first elevated floor (two floors below grade).

[John T Roberts]

Willy, from the latest drawings that I have obtained, it still appears there are four floors of mechanical tucked inside and partially above the sloped glass screen. The only thing is that mechanical penthouses don't count toward the number of floors in a building because they are not generally occupiable spaces.

[Willy1]

Thanks, John... Good to know.

[Brian Luenser]

Sure wish I could see more of the Omni from my place, but I think I will see the top section OK. Really looking forward to seeing progress this summer.

[safly]

I think I see the Green Lantern. Nice "Batman Show" style pic there.

[AndyN]

Look, you can see David Love's trainsets in the background.

[John T Roberts]

I took pictures of the construction progress this weekend, and I will post them soon. In the meantime, here's a link to the Omni Web Cam:

http://www.austinpro...mni/webcam.html

[Bernd]

That webcam is cool! I didn't know that was out there...

[Sam Stone]

OMG, what a great webcam! The fast refresh rate is awesome. Much better than the Tower's old webcam.

[Sam Stone]

Something about the combination of scale, speed, and refresh rates makes it look like little toys or a cartoon, somewhat comical.

[cberen1]

Something about the combination of scale, speed, and refresh rates makes it look like little toys or a cartoon, somewhat comical.

It's not completely obvious in the webcam, but they started teraing out the dirt ramp today.

The camera must be on the south east roof corner of Burnet Plaza. This kind of sucks because there is nothing I can now tell you about the site that camera does not. It's amost the exact same view I have (I'm down a couple of floors from the top). It is kind of cool watching a car go by in real time, and then seeing it on the camera about 4 seconds later.

[safly]

Please don't hurt us. We mean no harm. We are just LITTLE PEOPLE.

[John T Roberts]

I looked at the web cam this morning, and you can actually see that part of the ramp has already been removed from the web cam. Also, you can even see the shape of the tower portions of the building reading in the column and core layout in the basement.

[Keller Pirate]

I like the camera too. I don't see it refreshing though, kind of looks like streaming to me. Now if they would just step up to a camera I could control and spin around for a look the other direction.

[FW_Drew]

Just thinking about some of the comments about missing the Condo boom here in FW, 98 condominiums have to take a few floors out of the 34 story tower portion of the CC Hotel. Anyone know exactly how many floors will be dedicated to the condominiums? I was thinking that most of the 34 stories would be, than if you compare FW today to what was here in 2000 - we have a 37 and a 34 story condo tower. Not really missing the boom I would say. And I guess thats not including the 2nd portion of the Old Tandy Buildings.

[grow_smart]

Has anyone heard if there will be a 'ghostbar' type club on the roof?

[John T Roberts]

The condominiums will occupy 18-20 floors of the building. I haven't heard anything about a "ghostbar" type of club. From what I have seen and heard, all of the upper floors of the tower will either be residential or mechanical space.

[Willy1]

Just thinking about some of the comments about missing the Condo boom here in FW, 98 condominiums have to take a few floors out of the 34 story tower portion of the CC Hotel. Anyone know exactly how many floors will be dedicated to the condominiums? I was thinking that most of the 34 stories would be, than if you compare FW today to what was here in 2000 - we have a 37 and a 34 story condo tower. Not really missing the boom I would say. And I guess thats not including the 2nd portion of the Old Tandy Buildings.

^^^ You are kidding, right? I mean, the whole idea of a BUILDING boom is the fact that a significant amount of buildings get BUILT. So, the Tower was already here and we have the CC hotel being built. Almost everything else is a redevelopment project. Maybe you consider building 1 building over 20 stories in over 20 years a boom, but most would not. And, even if we do count the 34 and 37 story towers as "boom time", well I think that 2 buildings is far short of a building boom, especially when one of the 2 tower was already here. If you really want see a building boom, go to Chicago, Miami, or Dallas.... but don't look at DT FW and think that is any thing near being a building boom. And, really, it's not about missing the condo boom as much as it is about just missing the building boom... There are a lot of cities around the country with completely stagnant growth, yet towers are going up everywhere (Dallas for one) and here sits poor FW with the fastest growing population of any major U.S. city and you practically have to bribe a builder to build something over 10 stories. Any way you look at it, FW has missed the boom. Sure, we've gotten some new stuff, but in general... we are lagging way behind other major cities when it comes to building. Heck, Dallas' Victory project alone practically matches what FW built in the 80's... during the largest building boom in this cities history - and that's just one of the big projects in Dallas..... The Tandy building and the Tower really aren't what I would consider "building" since they were just redevelopment of older buildings. To me, new building means a new building goes up and changes the skyline... We just don't hvae that happening, other than the CC hotel...

[FW_Drew]

Just thinking about some of the comments about missing the Condo boom here in FW, 98 condominiums have to take a few floors out of the 34 story tower portion of the CC Hotel. Anyone know exactly how many floors will be dedicated to the condominiums? I was thinking that most of the 34 stories would be, than if you compare FW today to what was here in 2000 - we have a 37 and a 34 story condo tower. Not really missing the boom I would say. And I guess thats not including the 2nd portion of the Old Tandy Buildings.

^^^ You are kidding, right? I mean, the whole idea of a BUILDING boom is the fact that a significant amount of buildings get BUILT. So, the Tower was already here and we have the CC hotel being built. Almost everything else is a redevelopment project. Maybe you consider building 1 building over 20 stories in over 20 years a boom, but most would not. And, even if we do count the 34 and 37 story towers as "boom time", well I think that 2 buildings is far short of a building boom, especially when one of the 2 tower was already here. If you really want see a building boom, go to Chicago, Miami, or Dallas.... but don't look at DT FW and think that is any thing near being a building boom. And, really, it's not about missing the condo boom as much as it is about just missing the building boom... There are a lot of cities around the country with completely stagnant growth, yet towers are going up everywhere (Dallas for one) and here sits poor FW with the fastest growing population of any major U.S. city and you practically have to bribe a builder to build something over 10 stories. Any way you look at it, FW has missed the boom. Sure, we've gotten some new stuff, but in general... we are lagging way behind other major cities when it comes to building. Heck, Dallas' Victory project alone practically matches what FW built in the 80's... during the largest building boom in this cities history - and that's just one of the big projects in Dallas..... The Tandy building and the Tower really aren't what I would consider "building" since they were just redevelopment of older buildings. To me, new building means a new building goes up and changes the skyline... We just don't hvae that happening, other than the CC hotel...

Building boom is a term that you used, so maybe your definition is different from mine. From your last message I gather that your definition is more of a skyscraper boom, rather than a construction boom. For god’s sake man, they were going to implode the tower. Does it really make a difference if they were to take it down, then build another 37 story condo tower or just refurbish an already existing building? Would that then make it part of your building boom theory?

Approximately 367 owner-occupied units and 324 rental units were scheduled for delivery in 2006, according to the State of Downtown, a publication of Downtown Fort Worth Inc. The expansion doesn’t stop there. Another 914 owner-occupied units and 1,035 rental units have been announced and are scheduled for completion in 2007 and beyond.

If 98 Condominiums are going to take 18-20 floors of the CC hotel, well then you do the math for 367 in 1 year.

You're right dude, I don’t see any signs of a boom. A matter of fact, I think we back tracked.

[texastrill]

I took pictures of the construction progress this weekend, and I will post them soon. In the meantime, here's a link to the Omni Web Cam:

http://www.austinpro...mni/webcam.html

Mr.Roberts will there be underground tunnels connecting the convention center,and/or the parking garage to the Omni?I see what looks like a frame of some sort under Houston St. on the webcam.

Happy Independence Day,my fellow Tejanos!

[safly]

OH SNAP! That's right, HAPPY INDY DAY!

[cberen1]

In a milestone, of sorts, the first pieces of the structure (columns on the north west corner) are starting to peek above grade.

[K.L.]

Just thinking about some of the comments about missing the Condo boom here in FW, 98 condominiums have to take a few floors out of the 34 story tower portion of the CC Hotel. Anyone know exactly how many floors will be dedicated to the condominiums? I was thinking that most of the 34 stories would be, than if you compare FW today to what was here in 2000 - we have a 37 and a 34 story condo tower. Not really missing the boom I would say. And I guess thats not including the 2nd portion of the Old Tandy Buildings.

^^^ You are kidding, right? I mean, the whole idea of a BUILDING boom is the fact that a significant amount of buildings get BUILT. So, the Tower was already here and we have the CC hotel being built. Almost everything else is a redevelopment project. Maybe you consider building 1 building over 20 stories in over 20 years a boom, but most would not. And, even if we do count the 34 and 37 story towers as "boom time", well I think that 2 buildings is far short of a building boom, especially when one of the 2 tower was already here. If you really want see a building boom, go to Chicago, Miami, or Dallas.... but don't look at DT FW and think that is any thing near being a building boom. And, really, it's not about missing the condo boom as much as it is about just missing the building boom... There are a lot of cities around the country with completely stagnant growth, yet towers are going up everywhere (Dallas for one) and here sits poor FW with the fastest growing population of any major U.S. city and you practically have to bribe a builder to build something over 10 stories. Any way you look at it, FW has missed the boom. Sure, we've gotten some new stuff, but in general... we are lagging way behind other major cities when it comes to building. Heck, Dallas' Victory project alone practically matches what FW built in the 80's... during the largest building boom in this cities history - and that's just one of the big projects in Dallas..... The Tandy building and the Tower really aren't what I would consider "building" since they were just redevelopment of older buildings. To me, new building means a new building goes up and changes the skyline... We just don't hvae that happening, other than the CC hotel...

Building boom is a term that you used, so maybe your definition is different from mine. From your last message I gather that your definition is more of a skyscraper boom, rather than a construction boom. For god’s sake man, they were going to implode the tower. Does it really make a difference if they were to take it down, then build another 37 story condo tower or just refurbish an already existing building? Would that then make it part of your building boom theory?

Approximately 367 owner-occupied units and 324 rental units were scheduled for delivery in 2006, according to the State of Downtown, a publication of Downtown Fort Worth Inc. The expansion doesn’t stop there. Another 914 owner-occupied units and 1,035 rental units have been announced and are scheduled for completion in 2007 and beyond.

If 98 Condominiums are going to take 18-20 floors of the CC hotel, well then you do the math for 367 in 1 year.

You're right dude, I don’t see any signs of a boom. A matter of fact, I think we back tracked.

I have mixed emotions about this comment. In other big cities, this would not be considered as a building boom. We have a greater population than Atlanta, Georgia and you've seen their skyline. If you have been a resident of Fort Worth for over 20 years, you consider this a building boom. (lol) I believe the term "building boom" is opinionated. Some go by what they can see from the freeway. At the moment, I believe we have 3 or 4 tower cranes up which residents of fort worth haven't seen in 20 YEARS. We as residents of this city must remember that cities such as Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Miami, and a few others have 3 or 4 tower cranes outside of downtown or in their suburbs. I do believe this city is playing it safe. I am appreciative of the smaller buildings being built yet at the sametime, I am ashamed that cities with smaller populations are getting more notice than fort worth because of their "stack em up" drive. If you disagree with me, look up these cities and see what they are building. Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Boston, and Dallas. I picked Miami, Boston, and Atlanta because our population is actually LARGER than theirs. I picked Vegas because our populations are close and I picked Dallas so that those of you that disagree can see what a real big city building boom is like in close driving distance. If you feel like my comment is harsh, let me put it like this. Fort Worth is doing alot of building, but this is not a SKYSCRAPER BOOM ! We are lacking behind when it comes to skyscrapers and the cities i mentioned are wayyyyyy ahead. On the freeway if you're a tourist, this city doesn't look that powerful. If you live here, hooooray for fort worth!!! I guess building something is better than building nothing which is what we did for 20 years(lol) K.L.

[mosteijn]

I am ashamed that cities with smaller populations are getting more notice than fort worth because of their "stack em up" drive. If you disagree with me, look up these cities and see what they are building. Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Boston, and Dallas. I picked Miami, Boston, and Atlanta because our population is actually LARGER than theirs. I picked Vegas because our populations are close and I picked Dallas so that those of you that disagree can see what a real big city building boom is like in close driving distance.

Except...Miami, Atlanta, and Boston are MUCH larger than Fort Worth. I love the fact that FW is getting bigger, personally, but I also realize that city populations only mean so much. In this case, you have to look at metro populations to effectively compare a city's "building boom." No one would tell you that Fort Worth is bigger than those cities...and it's not because we don't act our size (or some nonsense like that), it's because we actually aren't that big. So relatively speaking, FW isn't booming to the level of a Miami or Atlanta...but then again, they have a LOT more critical mass than we do, so it's really not that depressing.

Las Vegas is a special case, too. Las Vegas isn't "booming" because it's big. It's booming because it's almost entirely dependant on an industry that personifies two things skyscrapers need - ego and risk. To say that Fort Worth, a city with a large, diversified economy, isn't booming as much as Las Vegas misses the whole part of the story where Fort Worth doesn't have Wynns or Trumps trying to outdo each other in a contest - we're just simple supply and demand. And I'm perfectly fine with that.

Edited by John T Roberts, 20 March 2007 - 06:44 PM.

[FW_Drew]

K.L. I agree with most of what you are saying, the main point that I was trying to make is that I feel like we didn’t miss the condo boom. The way I look at this is that you can either think one of two ways on this topic. If you think we missed the condo boom then you are basically saying that we are not building enough condos and take the risk and put up some gosh darn condo towers. Other point of view is looking at all these condos that are already being built and realizing that this great but it can’t last forever, also that 914 owner occupied units in a couple years is indeed a significant number. I won’t get into office towers (too long and obvious,) and I can’t really compare FW with all those other cities. Not yet. Are we another San Jose? Maybe, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

Glad to get a response though, this forum has really died lately. Who likes to read negative posts after negative posts – not me. I at least try to throw some positive things out there every now and then or at least put a positive twist on it.

[K.L.]

K.L. I agree with most of what you are saying, the main point that I was trying to make is that I feel like we didn’t miss the condo boom. The way I look at this is that you can either think one of two ways on this topic. If you think we missed the condo boom then you are basically saying that we are not building enough condos and take the risk and put up some gosh darn condo towers. Other point of view is looking at all these condos that are already being built and realizing that this great but it can’t last forever, also that 914 owner occupied units in a couple years is indeed a significant number. I won’t get into office towers (too long and obvious,) and I can’t really compare FW with all those other cities. Not yet. Are we another San Jose? Maybe, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

Glad to get a response though, this forum has really died lately. Who likes to read negative posts after negative posts – not me. I at least try to throw some positive things out there every now and then or at least put a positive twist on it.

I hate to admit it, but you guys are right now that i think about it. Especially when it comes to Vegas. I still dont see this as a building boom though. I see it as Fort Worth making up for 20 years.

[safly]

[quote]where Fort Worth doesn't have Wynns or Trumps trying to outdo each other in a _____ _____ contest - we're just simple supply and demand. And I'm perfectly fine with that.


2 years ago you would have had my hide for such an arrangement of choice words, so I guess we can post just about anything here these days, ehh JTRoberts?

Intern priviledges I suppose???

Edited by John T Roberts, 20 March 2007 - 06:46 PM.

[mosteijn]

Hey now, I wasn't the first person on here to refer to such a thing...and if my history teacher can say it referring to medieval churches, I figured "why not?" Thanks, though, for making it awkwardly obvious.

[Sam Stone]

I'll take the credit as the first member of the Forum to refer to what I called a "Freudian fixation on height" on the part of some posters. My phrasing is just subtler than Jonny's.

[vjackson]

Hey, I got reprimanded for saying noone has the "b-a-l-l-s". I'm not complaining about Johnny's comment. I think such phrases are fine when used in the right context.

[gdvanc]

All Balls - Aceyalone (1995)


oh, wait - wrong thread. sorry. i'll repost in the proper place.

[K.L.]

All Balls - Aceyalone (1995)


oh, wait - wrong thread. sorry. i'll repost in the proper place.

lol