Article from the Alcalde: "The most iconic building on the Forty Acres is about to get a major facelift. In a joint press conference Wednesday, officials from UT-Austin and the City of Austin announced a finalized plan to convert the UT Tower and surrounding mall into..."
This is a BIG change. I am all for progress and using the Tower in a more positive way than just admin offices - sounds like a good idea. However I am not sure I am as enthusiastic about the retail footprint / look of this planned change. I am trying to imagine the retail part, how it will look versus how the mall looks now. Is this going to detract from the classy look the mall has now? Do we really want all this commerce around the main building & tower? I don't have a problem with the current open space, large grassy areas and the trees. I suspect some very old trees in that area around the Tower will have to be cut down. What about parking for all the residents of the Tower and the retail workers and people patronizing them? Hmmm, and will they will no longer light the Tower orange, but there will be light shows instead. Not totally against it, just trying to get my head around it.
Well it's about time. I think the 6-pack should be expanded into 12-pack now as well. They could bring in some portable buildings and slide them in there somewhere, really enhance the old look and bring it into modern times.
“The ambitious plan has been met with some protests. At the press conference, English major Matt Inis yelled from the back of the room, “Are you people out of your [expletive] minds? You’re putting a Bikram yoga studio in the [expletive] Tower?” Inis was promptly removed from the event and the announcement continued.”
Hmmm, as I was going on about the business day thinking about this I remembered it is April Fools Day. So Alcade got me.
I remember when I was student, the story from the "Deadly Texan" that we were paying Earl Campbell's mother, to produce more Campbell's. I always wondered what became of that deal. There was also a story about some fraternity killing a pledge name named J. Christ during hell week. Something about him being a "goody two shoes" and it was an accident. Tales of him being being mentally crucified and finally killed. They said his last words, were to tell his father to forgive them, for they didn't know what they were doing. It was around Easter time, as I recall. Speaking of the the Tower and commerce. There was also a story about selling umbrella's on the West Mall for the protection of students. This was because of the rash of suicides, from students flinging themselves off the Tower. These were special reinforced umbrellas, to repel a falling body. There was even a picture showing a person opening his special umbrella, as a falling undergrad approached. It said if sells went well, they would expand and sell them in the foyer of the capitol building. The problem was expanding to that site. That Deadly Texan had all the good scoops, to bad it was only published once a year. You never got any follow up stories for updates.
