• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

TOWERS

Austin city life since 2007.

  • News
    • Condo Projects
    • Neighborhoods
  • Listings
    • Austin Condo Guide
  • Newsletter
Search
You are here: Home / News / At Eighth and Congress, Demolition’s Underway for the Hyatt Centric Tower
Search suggestions: condos for sale • rainey street

At Eighth and Congress, Demolition’s Underway for the Hyatt Centric Tower

James Rambin April 3, 2020 Comment

A current view of progress at 721 Congress Avenue. Image: Katerra / James Rambin

After a brief pause in local construction due to pandemic-related concerns, work is spinning back up at sites around Austin — and one of them is really, really visible, smack in the middle of downtown at the corner of Eighth Street and Congress Avenue.

A view of the finished Hyatt Centric project, its already striking design amplified by the convenient presence of the lovely State and Paramount theatre signs next door. Shoulders of giants and whatnot. Image: McWhinney / Nelsen Partners

Internal demolition and construction work at the future site of the 31-story, 246-room Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue started all the way back in February at the former art gallery located on the corner at 721 Congress Avenue, but now walls are actually coming down in preparation for the hotel tower project to move forward in earnest. The building is scheduled for completion in fall 2021, according to its developers — and even though it’s a valid question, we’re not really equipped to speculate on just how much current events might change that timeline, if at all.

Carson Nelsen, project designer for the tower’s architects Nelsen Partners, confirmed that demolition of the site’s existing structure and the beginnings of construction are taking place at the corner simultaneously, with the first of many concrete pours for the building’s foundation starting on Monday earlier this week. “We expect construction to continue and completion of the project in fall 2021,” he says.

A rendering of the Hyatt Centric hotel’s lobby space. Image: McWhinney

Speaking of which, if you’re still locked down in your apartment for the foreseeable future, you’ll appreciate that the project’s general contractors at tech-minded California construction firm Katerra are streaming the whole shebang live on webcam:

​
 

Real Towersheads remember this project, now a concern of Colorado development outfit McWhinney, was originally announced back in 2016 as the Avenue, which would have been the city’s first apartment tower with no on-site parking. (If you’re a really real Towershead, you’ll recall an even earlier tower plan from back in 2004.)

The Hyatt project isn’t even the first hotel to occupy the address, for that matter — from the 1860s to the mid-1920s, even before the spotlight-hogging Driskill Hotel came on the scene in 1883, the Avenue Hotel stood at this corner, and it’s from these long-gone lodgings that the defunct Avenue apartment tower project found its name.

A few more renderings of the Hyatt Centric tower. Images: Nelsen Partners

Despite the admiration of urbanists and other downtown lifestyle enthusiasts, the carless Avenue apartment plan might have been a little ahead of its time in the eyes of potential investors, and it was rumored that its architects and former developers at Nelsen Partners weren’t able to find enough deep-pocketed folks willing to take the risk, no matter how innovative or interesting it might have been. (Extremely!)

The Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin, scheduled for a fall 2021 opening, will offer guests 246 rooms and an estimated 2,000 square feet of meeting and event space. It will include a vibrant ground-floor restaurant and bar, a second-floor bar, and an eclectic eighth-floor outdoor lounge and bar in addition to a 24-hour fitness center.
— McWhinney*

The good news is that despite the hotel pivot, the tower’s strikingly narrow design — actually the narrowest in town by our measure — is pretty much unchanged from its previous configuration, and it’s looking like the development will nicely activate its corner. Of course, we’ve always got to wonder how current events will impact the future of these projects, but it’s still good to see something happening at the site after all these years — considering the historic State and Paramount theatres are right next door, this demolition is likely a delicate business. Watch closely!

* a good-natured note for the project’s new developers at McWhinney — couldn’t help but notice your portfolio entry for this hotel currently misspells the name of its architecture firm as Nelson Partners rather then Nelsen Partners, and speaking as a guy who constantly gets called “James Ramblin” like I’m the lead singer of some third-rate Allman Brothers cover band, I can’t let this injustice stand without some sort of comment. Don’t worry, this kind of thing also happens to Brett Rhode all the time.

Latest Downtown Austin Condos For Sale

  • $699,000 48 East Avenue #3107
    Austin, TX
  • $675,000 222 West Avenue #1003
    Austin, TX
  • $649,863 555 E 5th Street #819
    Austin, TX
  • $5,560,500 555 E 5th Street #3006
    Austin, TX
  • $599,900 54 Rainey Street #1220
    Austin, TX
  • $1,575,000 301 West Avenue #2008
    Austin, TX
  • $465,000 507 Sabine Street #306
    Austin, TX
  • $2,500,000 301 West Avenue #3705
    Austin, TX
  • $814,999 54 Rainey Street #414
    Austin, TX
  • $2,800,000 210 Lavaca Street #2103
    Austin, TX
  • $1,750,000 48 East Avenue #3201
    Austin, TX
  • $1,300,000 48 East Avenue #1210
    Austin, TX
  • $865,000 48 SE East Avenue #2508
    Austin, TX
  • $15,750,000 200 Congress Avenue #54GP
    Austin, TX
  • $875,000 360 Nueces Street #1216
    Austin, TX
48 East Avenue #3107
Austin, TX
Photo of 48  East Avenue #3107, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 3904281)
$699,000
Lot Size
57 sqft

Home Size
740 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

222 West Avenue #1003
Austin, TX
Photo of 222  West Avenue #1003, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8745024)
$675,000
Lot Size
197 sqft

Home Size
678 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

555 E 5th Street #819
Austin, TX
Photo of 555 E 5th Street #819, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8758987)
$649,863
Lot Size
105 sqft

Home Size
1,017 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

555 E 5th Street #3006
Austin, TX
Photo of 555 E 5th Street #3006, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 3470018)
$5,560,500
Lot Size
532 sqft

Home Size
5,055 sqft

Beds
3 Beds

Baths
4 Baths

54 Rainey Street #1220
Austin, TX
Photo of 54  Rainey Street #1220, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9400800)
$599,900
Lot Size
175 sqft

Home Size
750 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

301 West Avenue #2008
Austin, TX
Photo of 301  West Avenue #2008, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 4253998)
$1,575,000
Lot Size
N/A

Home Size
1,325 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

507 Sabine Street #306
Austin, TX
Photo of 507  Sabine Street #306, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2966549)
$465,000
Lot Size
136 sqft

Home Size
877 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

301 West Avenue #3705
Austin, TX
Photo of 301  West Avenue #3705, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9254152)
$2,500,000
Lot Size
N/A

Home Size
1,830 sqft

Beds
3 Beds

Baths
3 Baths

54 Rainey Street #414
Austin, TX
Photo of 54  Rainey Street #414, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 5984631)
$814,999
Lot Size
305 sqft

Home Size
1,164 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

210 Lavaca Street #2103
Austin, TX
Photo of 210  Lavaca Street #2103, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2620849)
$2,800,000
Lot Size
170 sqft

Home Size
2,162 sqft

Beds
3 Beds

Baths
3 Baths

48 East Avenue #3201
Austin, TX
Photo of 48  East Avenue #3201, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 6386893)
$1,750,000
Lot Size
109 sqft

Home Size
1,299 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

48 East Avenue #1210
Austin, TX
Photo of 48  East Avenue #1210, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9504201)
$1,300,000
Lot Size
105 sqft

Home Size
1,277 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

48 SE East Avenue #2508
Austin, TX
Photo of 48 SE East Avenue #2508, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8722079)
$865,000
Lot Size
66 sqft

Home Size
803 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

200 Congress Avenue #54GP
Austin, TX
Photo of 200  Congress Avenue #54GP, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2267558)
$15,750,000
Lot Size
349 sqft

Home Size
4,465 sqft

Beds
4 Beds

Baths
5 Baths

360 Nueces Street #1216
Austin, TX
Photo of 360  Nueces Street #1216, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 6124051)
$875,000
Lot Size
131 sqft

Home Size
1,117 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

  • 48 East Avenue #3107
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 48  East Avenue #3107, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 3904281)
    $699,000
    Lot Size
    57 sqft

    Home Size
    740 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 222 West Avenue #1003
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 222  West Avenue #1003, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8745024)
    $675,000
    Lot Size
    197 sqft

    Home Size
    678 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 555 E 5th Street #819
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 555 E 5th Street #819, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8758987)
    $649,863
    Lot Size
    105 sqft

    Home Size
    1,017 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 555 E 5th Street #3006
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 555 E 5th Street #3006, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 3470018)
    $5,560,500
    Lot Size
    532 sqft

    Home Size
    5,055 sqft

    Beds
    3 Beds

    Baths
    4 Baths

  • 54 Rainey Street #1220
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 54  Rainey Street #1220, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9400800)
    $599,900
    Lot Size
    175 sqft

    Home Size
    750 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 301 West Avenue #2008
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 301  West Avenue #2008, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 4253998)
    $1,575,000
    Lot Size
    N/A

    Home Size
    1,325 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 507 Sabine Street #306
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 507  Sabine Street #306, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2966549)
    $465,000
    Lot Size
    136 sqft

    Home Size
    877 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 301 West Avenue #3705
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 301  West Avenue #3705, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9254152)
    $2,500,000
    Lot Size
    N/A

    Home Size
    1,830 sqft

    Beds
    3 Beds

    Baths
    3 Baths

  • 54 Rainey Street #414
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 54  Rainey Street #414, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 5984631)
    $814,999
    Lot Size
    305 sqft

    Home Size
    1,164 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 210 Lavaca Street #2103
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 210  Lavaca Street #2103, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2620849)
    $2,800,000
    Lot Size
    170 sqft

    Home Size
    2,162 sqft

    Beds
    3 Beds

    Baths
    3 Baths

  • 48 East Avenue #3201
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 48  East Avenue #3201, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 6386893)
    $1,750,000
    Lot Size
    109 sqft

    Home Size
    1,299 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 48 East Avenue #1210
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 48  East Avenue #1210, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9504201)
    $1,300,000
    Lot Size
    105 sqft

    Home Size
    1,277 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 48 SE East Avenue #2508
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 48 SE East Avenue #2508, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8722079)
    $865,000
    Lot Size
    66 sqft

    Home Size
    803 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 200 Congress Avenue #54GP
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 200  Congress Avenue #54GP, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2267558)
    $15,750,000
    Lot Size
    349 sqft

    Home Size
    4,465 sqft

    Beds
    4 Beds

    Baths
    5 Baths

  • 360 Nueces Street #1216
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 360  Nueces Street #1216, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 6124051)
    $875,000
    Lot Size
    131 sqft

    Home Size
    1,117 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

Previous Next
 

Editor's Suggested Posts

The Driskill Hotel's Rooftop 'Bungalow' is a Forgotten Austin Oddity

The Driskill Hotel's Rooftop 'Bungalow' is a Forgotten Austin Oddity

Getting to Know the Avenue, Downtown's Upcoming Experiment in Car-Free Living

Getting to Know the Avenue, Downtown's Upcoming Experiment in Car-Free Living

Congress Avenue's Pocket Patio Transformation, Mapped

Congress Avenue's Pocket Patio Transformation, Mapped

Related

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 78701, architecture, congress avenue, design, development, historic preservation, hotels, retail, streetscapes, towers, walkability

About James Rambin

James is an Austin native, but tries not to brag about it. Email him anything at james@towers.net.

48 SE East Avenue #2508
Austin, TX
Photo of 48 SE East Avenue #2508, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8722079)
$865,000
33
  • Lot Size
    66 sqft

  • Home Size
    803 sqft

  • Beds
    1 Bed

  • Baths
    1 Bath

View Virtual Tour
Previous Post: « In 1918, Austinites Fought a Pandemic by Getting Drunk and Doing Heroin
Next Post: Keep Your Meetings Local With 10 Extremely Austin Zoom Backgrounds »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  •  Schedule a showing

Featured Buildings

  • 360 Condos
  • Austin City Lofts
  • The Independent
  • The Shore Condos
  • 70 Rainey

FEATURED Listings

5924 S Congress Avenue #12
Austin, TX
Photo of 5924 S Congress Avenue #12, Austin, TX 78745 (MLS # 8592590)
$599,000
37
  • Lot Size

  • Home Size
    1,608 sqft

  • Beds
    3 Beds

  • Baths
    4 Baths

View Virtual Tour
70 Rainey Street #1408
Austin, TX
Photo of 70  Rainey Street #1408, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 2400059)
$1,995,000
39
  • Lot Size

  • Home Size
    1,434 sqft

  • Beds
    2 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

View Virtual Tour
360 Nueces Street #1216
Austin, TX
Photo of 360  Nueces Street #1216, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 6124051)
$875,000
36
  • Lot Size
    131 sqft

  • Home Size
    1,117 sqft

  • Beds
    2 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

View Virtual Tour
1700 Ullrich Avenue
Austin, TX
Photo of 1700  Ullrich Avenue, Austin, TX 78756 (MLS # 6581028)
$695,170
27
  • Lot Size
    6,709 sqft

  • Home Size
    1,066 sqft

  • Beds
    3 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

3205 Holton Street
Austin, TX
Photo of 3205  Holton Street, Austin, TX 78702 (MLS # 2917084)
$1,850,000
34
  • Lot Size
    7,062 sqft

  • Home Size
    2,571 sqft

  • Beds
    4 Beds

  • Baths
    4 Baths

48 East Avenue #1608
Austin, TX
Photo of 48  East Avenue #1608, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9928914)
$825,000
10
  • Lot Size
    17,904 sqft

  • Home Size
    803 sqft

  • Beds
    1 Bed

  • Baths
    1 Bath

austin condo report

Footer

LEGAL NOTICE

TREC Information About Brokerage Services (pdf)

Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice


TOWERS realty

Austin Condos For Sale

Agents

Downtown Buildings

Luxury Towers

  • Four Seasons Residences
  • W Hotel & Residences
  • The Austonian
  • 5 Fifty Five at Hilton

Most Popular

  • The Shore
  • 360 Condos
  • Seaholm Condos
  • Spring Condos
  • Milago Condos

New Construction

  • The Independent
  • 70 Rainey
  • Austin Proper
  • Fifth & West

Loft Style

  • Austin City Lofts
  • Brazos Place
  • The Sabine
  • Plaza Lofts
  • Avenue Lofts
  • Brazos Lofts
  • Brown Building

Resources

  • Austin Condo Guide
  • Condos For Sale
  • Condo Buyer FAQ
  • Property Search

Featured

Archives

Austin city life since 2007 · Newsletter · About · Contact Us · DMCA · Privacy Policy · SLAPP · Copyright © 2007-2022 TOWERS.net · All Rights Reserved
 

Loading Comments...