Luxe Austin Homes - downtown

"PIPELINE SHRINKS FOR SKY-HIGH LIVING"

Austin Business Journal writes, "There's likely to be a multiyear pause in new residential construction in downtown Austin in the wake of a recent building boom, experts say.

Downtown residential projects completed in recent years include the 56-story The Modern Austin Residences developed by Urbanspace, the 41-story Vesper condo tower developed by Pearlstone Partners and The Linden, a 28-story condo tower developed by Reger Holdings LLC and the Armenia Group.

The area has been a big draw for wealthy Austinites, lured by its unique combination of nightlife attractions, dining opportunities, residential development and office buildings that make it possible to live close to work. That has made the main downtown ZIP code — 78701 — the wealthiest…

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"The Modern Austin Residences: Condo tower on Rainey Street welcomes new residents this summer"

Austin Business Journal writes, "With Austin’s reputation as a live music capital, perhaps it isn’t surprising that the origin story of The Modern, a 56-story condominium tower hailed as “authentically Austin,” includes a sweet nod to Austin music icons, the Fabulous Thunderbirds. In 2009, still reeling from a recession which had Urbanspace CEO Kevin Burns rethinking the brownstone plans he had for the property he purchased at 90 Rainey Street, he began to envision something with a larger footprint.

While renting his property to a shipping container bar as a stop gap measure, Burns became friends with the property owners next door, Thunderbirds’ drummer Fran Christina and his partner, artist Julie Speed. Over the course of the next five years, with…

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"Plan for golden tower on West Sixth Street moves forward"

Austin Business Journal shares, "Plans for another mixed-use residential tower downtown took a step forward this week. 

The Austin Planning Commission approved the proposed 66-story tower at 701 W. Sixth St. for inclusion in the city's downtown density bonus program on May 13, which would allow for the project to double its floor area ratio from 15:1 to 30:1. 

The project could have 413 residential units and retail space, according to city documents. It's in a capitol view corridor, however, which limits how tall certain parts of it could go regardless of the density bonus program.

Property owner Kairoi Residential, a San Antonio-based developer, also is involved in building the tallest tower in Texas, called Waterline, at 98 Red River St. It…

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"Austin suburb buys downtown land as it aims to facilitate growth"

Austin Business Journal shares, "One of Austin's growing suburbs will purchase a one-acre parcel in its city center, continuing a wave of cities around the region taking control of land in their downtowns.

The Elgin City Council on May 6 unanimously gave the go-ahead to its economic development corporation to acquire a property at 403 Central Avenue, near the city's new police station. The EDC in February approved the $305,500 purchase from DLJ Holdings LLC. The property was valued for tax purposes at $153,000 in 2025, according to Bastrop County property records.

With the move, the city of Elgin — about 25 miles northeast of Austin with a population of around 12,000 — will acquire a key parcel on the fringes of the city's downtown, which is…

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"Pearlstone secures big construction loan for downtown Austin condo project"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Pearlstone Partners has secured a $154.5 million construction loan for its latest downtown condo project, which broke ground March 26.

The Belvedere, a 158-unit condo in west downtown, is Austin-based Pearlstone’s first to break ground in the city since co-founder and CEO Robert Lee retired earlier this year.

Pearlstone, which is known for its luxury condo projects, secured the construction loan through New York-based Benefit Street Partners, according to an announcement.

Located on around 3 acres at 300 Pressler St., The Belvedere will be almost 300,000 square feet in total. Its 158 condos will range in size from 766 square feet to 2,488 square feet, with one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans. They'll be…

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"RAINEY STREET 3.0"

Austin Business Journal writes, "Austin’s Rainey Street is about to emerge from a construction cocoon — solidifying its longtime transformation from a once sleepy, residential street into one of the densest areas in Texas, if not the country.

The district in downtown Austin has been years in the making. It was a hub of late-night entertainment and barhopping in the 2010s, and a flurry of high-rise construction in recent years has made it difficult for bars and businesses to bring in patrons.

Once the dust settles, however, the new Rainey Street Historic District will become its own ecosystem. Thousands will call the area home, in addition to a mixture of hotels, offices, retailers, restaurants and a host of both daytime and nighttime activities.…

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"New city zoning program that uses density as carrot to encourage affordable housing proving popular so far"

Austin Business Journal writes, "It will take time and it won't help everywhere, but a new zoning designation should boost the supply of housing in Austin.

That's the view of a number of developers when it comes to the so-called Density Bonus 90, or DB90, zoning program approved by the City Council in February. Residential buildings on properties with the new zoning can be up to 90 feet high — 30 feet higher than otherwise allowed — and have ground floor commercial uses, provided certain percentages of the residential units are priced at levels deemed affordable.

“It's unlocking additional properties that couldn't previously achieve the necessary density,” said Chris Affinito a managing partner at Notional Development Partners, a firm that…

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"Luminary condo tower downtown to begin construction and sales next year"

Austin Business Journal shares, "Downtown Austin’s next condo tower is slated to begin construction and sales in 2025, and the West 14th Street property already is generating plenty of interest.

Luminary, a 400-foot-tall condo tower from Northland Living, a development arm of Canadian hospitality giant Northland Properties Corp., will have 293 condos along with ground-floor retail space and one level of office space.

Kevin Burns, CEO of Austin-based Urbanspace, which is handling marketing and sales for the project, said there's already been more than 400 inquiries for the condos even though sales haven't officially started and prices haven't been set.

"And that’s without spending the advertising dollars," he said. "That’s just simply sending…

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"First look: Downtown's Modern Austin Residences"

Austin Business Journal shares, "Rainey Street’s latest addition to the downtown Austin skyline has reached its maximum height.

The Modern Austin Residences, a 56-story condo tower, has topped out, according to an announcement. There’s still plenty of work left before it opens — a trip to the tower’s upper floors still requires hopping into an exterior construction elevator — but with the its structural framework complete, the nearly sold-out tower is expected to welcome residents in early 2025.

The tower is being developed by Austin-based Urbanspace, which also is handling sales, marketing, interior design and ground-floor retail operations. Urbanspace will establish its new office in the tower, said Kevin Burns, Urbanspace CEO and founder.

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"Where wealthy people live"

Austin Business Journal writes, "In his 2005 State of the City address, then-Austin Mayor Will Wynn — fresh off leading the Downtown Austin Alliance — had a goal of 25,000 people living in downtown Austin.

At the time, about 5,000 people called the Central Business District home. Almost 20 years later, downtown is still far short of that goal but growth has ramped up as thousands of new apartments and condos rise toward the sky. 

The DAA now pegs downtown's population at about 15,000. Almost 900 were added last year, DAA reports. They come for the high-rise living, entertainment, quality restaurants and urban hike-and-bike trails.

It's an appealing package if you can afford it — the downtown ZIP code, 78701, is now the wealthiest in the area…

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