Downtown Austin construction projects are moving right along since my last update a few months ago. Several new buildings have now been started, and others are nearing completion. Austin will be adding a tremendous number of offices, condos, apartments, and hotel rooms over the next few years. Here’s the latest status…

Remember that large parking lot behind Whole Food’s headquarters? It’s now a huge hole. Construction has begun on a 16-story office building that will be called Shoal Creek Walk.

Crews are busy dismantling an old Austin Energy building behind the Seaholm Power Plant. This is the future location for The Independent, a 58-story condo tower that’s being advertised as the “tallest residential building west of the Mississippi.” A ground-breaking ceremony took place in mid-January.

Glass windows have now been installed on the new 5th+Colorado office building.

Hmmm…similar glass panels are being installed at West Second Street. This must be the latest style for office towers.

The UT System Administration building now rises about six stories above West Seventh Street. Occupancy is expected at the end of this year.

The Fairmont is growing taller on the northwest corner of Cesar Chavez and I-35. This mammoth hotel will add 1068 rooms to the downtown mix—about the same size as the JW Marriott. A 2017 opening is anticipated.

It’s worth visiting the newly-opened Hotel Van Zandt in the Rainey Street District just to see the cool light fixtures in the lobby. Their trendy fourth-floor Geraldine’s restaurant has an indoor stage and opens up onto the hotel’s pool deck. And the views are impressive—I took that previous photo of The Fairmont from there.

The rest of Rainey Street has definitely lost some of its cool factor, now that The Millennium Rainey Street apartments have taken over half the street. Rentals are expected to start soon.

And a Construction Update would not be complete without reporting on progress of our new Central Library. Stone and windows are being installed. The project seems to be on track for a November opening. Can’t wait!

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