Austin Office Tower Has New Plans, New Developer

There’s a new kid on Block 16, a long tussled-over downtown Austin property where a 43-story office tower is planned, as Washington, D.C.’s Carr Properties signed on as co-developer on the project.

Carr joined Austin’s Manifold Real Estate to develop the high-rise in the works at 320 East Second Street, across the street from the west side of the Austin Convention Center. The building’s footprint will take up the southern half of Block 16, named after Austin’s downtown and central-city planning convention, which gives city blocks the numbers assigned to them in the city’s original plan.

Plans for the 738,000-square-foot building, which Gensler Austin is designing, have changed since they were first submitted to the city in 2019. In keeping with current architectural trends that emphasize wellness and sustainability, the building will have 10-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows in a “virtually column-free workplace environment designed to maximize efficiency and access to light and air,” according to a press release. Carr said it will release more details about how it will enhance indoor air quality to protect visitors. The building will also have a fitness facility, meeting areas and food and beverage outlets.

The office leasing brokers marketing the building are Dallas-based CBRE’s Troy Holme and Katie Ekstrom. Their press statements reference strong demand for office space in Austin relative to other large U.S. cities.

Austin has had a number of major office deals in the past year. They include Carr’s first foray into the city, its purchase of a high-rise at 100 Congress Avenue from MetLife and Invesco. That was the first major Austin office building sale during the pandemic.