Austin | South Central Waterfront | 10 Towers | Up to 600'

[The ATX]

This is a 19 acre project and the first major phase of the ~120 acre South Central Waterfront project.  This specific project is going by the name "305 S. Congress Ave."  As the name implies, this is on the south side of the river, and it will become a huge extension of downtown.  Endeavor is the developer and Skidmore Owens & Merrill is the architect.  The developer is requesting zoning for 600' towers even though the tallest tower currently proposed is 525'.  The City has been planning to limit the height in this area to 400'.  I'll post renderings and more info when I have time.

 

[The ATX]

Here are the approximate floor counts, heights and uses for Endeavor's proposal referred to in South Central Waterfront Advisory Board presentation as "305 S. Congress Avenue."  The towers are numbered from tallest to shortest.  The heights are subject to change depending on zoning changes.

Tower #1 - 525', 35-stories, office 
Tower #2 - 445', 43-stories, residential, hotel
Tower #3 - 375', 26-stories, office
Tower #4 - 365', 35-stories, residential
Tower #5 - 295', 27-stories, residential
Tower #6 - 215', 18-stories, residential
Tower #7 - 185', 15-stories, residential
 

[CityHeart]

On 6/23/2019 at 5:19 PM, The ATX said:

Here are the approximate floor counts, heights and uses for Endeavor's proposal referred to in the Design Commission presentation as "305 S. Congress Avenue."  The towers are numbered from tallest to shortest.  The heights are subject to change depending on zoning changes.

Tower #1 - 525', 35-stories, office 
Tower #2 - 445', 43-stories, residential, hotel
Tower #3 - 375', 26-stories, office
Tower #4 - 365', 35-stories, residential
Tower #5 - 295', 27-stories, residential
Tower #6 - 215', 18-stories, residential
Tower #7 - 185', 15-stories, residential
 

How likely do you think this development actually comes to fruition ? 

[The ATX]

On 6/25/2019 at 1:54 PM, CityHeart said:

How likely do you think this development actually comes to fruition ? 

The South Central Waterfront front project is a master plan that the city has been working on for several years.  So this or something like it will get built.  This 19-acre site just happens to be the first real project proposed for the 100+ acre project.   Endeavor gets their projects built.  But they are asking for significant up-zoning.  So battles with the City and NIMBYs will ensue.   

[The ATX]

Endeavor wants to get going on this.  A Rep for the developer was quoted in the Austin American-Statesman today that they are not waiting for the City Council to give final approval for the South Central Waterfront vision.  They will start going through the current zoning process.  This first project is the current site of the Statesman.  The Cox media corporation owns the Statesman and the site, and chose Endeavor to develop it.  Since nobody reads newspapers any more, the Statesman is apparently moving into a garage apartment in North Austin.  (JK)

Here is a massing of the current proposal.

 

Here's the site today.

 

Here are some renderings.  This project includes 12 acres of public space including a park below the Congress Ave (Bat) Bridge which will be great for nightly bat flight viewing.  It also includes a pedestrian bridge across the river connecting this area to downtown proper.

 

 

The renderings and more project info can be found here.

[The ATX]

 

[The ATX]

After announcing this project, Endeavor announced that they have raised $300 million for future projects.  But they did not specify which projects.  Endeavor has expanded beyond Austin to Dallas, Denver and Nashville.

Austin Business Journal

 

[The ATX]

Endeavor filed the first building permits for this project today.

Zoning Change Request

Development Plan

 

[The ATX]

More project info was added to the PUD and zoning change filings.  The project consists of:  

1.5 Million Sq. Ft. Office space
1.6 Million Sq. Ft. Residential - 1,378 units 
275 Hotel rooms 
150K Sq. Ft. Retail

[The ATX]

This is one of two seven tower downtown projects.  (The other is the Brackenridge redevelopment.)  This is going to take a while to get started because of the zoning changes needed to basically expand downtown to a large area south of the river.  But after filing for the zoning changes the next step in the process seems to be set - a hearing with the Planning Commission.

[The ATX]

This was scheduled to be on the Planning Commission agenda last week.  But it was postponed until a Traffic Impact Analysis was completed.

[Dr. B.]

The South-Central site needs something like the Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center. Something that is a nod to the Hill Country and rivers of Central Texas.  https://www.cnn.com/style/article/anticipated-buildings-2020/index.html 

[The ATX]

On 1/3/2020 at 10:26 AM, Dr. B. said:

The South-Central site needs something like the Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center. Something that is a nod to the Hill Country and rivers of Central Texas.  https://www.cnn.com/style/article/anticipated-buildings-2020/index.html 

I saw that.  I just don'g see anything like that being built outside of China or the Persian Gulf states.

[The ATX]

I'll update this thread even though there are no 600 footers planned.  This is now three separate projects with a total of nine towers being proposed.  The tallest is ~525' with most of the others being between 300' and 450'.  This will finally push downtown across the river.

Here are some renderings of the largest of the three developments with six towers and known as 305 S. Congress.  Endeavor is the developer and SOM is the architect.  A new bridge with light rail lines is planned to pass through the site, and a park area will be created by the Congress Ave, bridge for the nightly bat flight viewing.

  

https://www.som.com/projects/305-south-congress-avenue/

[The ATX]

This thread started off with the six towers proposed for what is known as the 305. S. Congress project.  But there are also two 410' office towers proposed for 200. E. Riverside and a 400' residential tower at 311-315 S. Congress.  All nine towers are south of the river where there are currently no towers over ~250'.  The 305 S. Congress developers (Endeavor) may be seeking a height increase to 600' up from 525' which was up from 400'.

200 E. Riverside: 

https://abc.austintexas.gov/public-search-other?t_detail=1&t_selected_folderrsn=12967257&t_selected_propertyrsn=162042 

 

311-315 S. Congress:

https://abc.austintexas.gov/public-search-other?t_detail=1&t_selected_folderrsn=12894566&t_selected_propertyrsn=398841

[The ATX]

The 305 S. Congress project which is 6 of the 9 towers was approved by City Council on Thursday.  I believe they got a height increase to 600' as well, but I can't confirm that yet.

[The ATX]

A zoning change request was filed this week for a 540' residential tower with a possible observation deck on top.  This is the 10th tower planned for the South Central Waterfront on the south side of the river.