What was highly anticipated as the crowning achievement of the Austin skyline has become an embarrassing scar on an otherwise well executed project. “The Independent – Austin topped out in late 2018 to debut its award winning design as the tallest skyscraper in Austin, Texas and the tallest residential tower west of the Mississippi River. The most serious effort was an official petition which you can find at. Since then, there have been attempts to get the crown changed. Social media erupted about how ugly and unappealing the top was. They waited, and waited, and waited, and then…all of a sudden the Independent was open for business, the cranes were gone, and all that was left was what appeared to be a metal fence adorning the top of Austin’s newest high-rise.īasically, everyone freaked out. Then, when the building was nearing completion, Austin grew with expectation about the crown. Whether it’s artistically pleasing or not, it’s certainly unique. The design of the Independent is unique on its own – known as the Jenga tower, the building is divided into several section, each stacked upwards, seemingly cantilevered slightly off-center. As much as Austinites lament the growth and change in the city, there are a lot of folks who take pride in having a world-class downtown and tall buildings are a common characteristic of well established urban centers. When it was announced that the Independent would be the city’s newest and tallest skyscraper, people got excited. Austinites have grown accustomed to some flare in our downtown architecture. Austin is a town known for its remarkable crowns – the Frost Bank Tower is notable for its cascading, pointed top (some liken it to an owl) and the 360 tower features an off-center point. The “crown” is the last bit of construction on a skyscraper. If you’ve been paying even a little bit of attention to the Downtown Austin drama surrounding the city’s tallest residential tower, you’ll know that the Austin public is somewhat upset about the building’s “crown.”
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