Boutique Hotel Project Arrives On Oracle’s Heels Near East Riverside

A detail of an architectural illustration for the Roadhouse and Junction hotel planned by Los Angeles developer BLVD745 at 2500 Willow Hill Drive. Image: Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Los Angeles hospitality development firm BLVD745 plans to build a 128-room, four-story location of its boutique Roadhouse Hotel and Junction brand in Southeast Austin at 2500 Willow Hill Drive, a 2.73-acre site currently occupied by a carwash located near the corner of East Riverside Drive and South Pleasant Valley Road.

This will be the second development in the area to replace a carwash at an address with “Willow” and “Drive” in the name — the Aspen Heights apartment project planned on Willow Creek Drive is only a few blocks west from this site.

Looking west at the Willow Hill carwash site. Photo by James Rambin.

Commercial real estate broker Russel Moore, who represents the sale of the property, confirmed that the site is currently under contract, and that the hotel development is in the early stages of feasibility assessments, but is “moving through the process.” According to a preliminary site plan filed with the city, the developer has hired local architect Michael Hsu — previously recognized for the design of the South Congress Hotel, among many other buildings — for the project’s design, along with landscape architects Benkendorfer+Associates and engineering firm Jones|Carter.

A view of the 2500 Willow Hill Drive address and its surroundings, with context provided for other developments directly adjacent to the planned hotel site. Image: Google Maps / James Rambin

This fantastically-named hotel would join several nearby developments on the rapidly-developing East Riverside Drive corridor, including the residential and retail project South Shore Highline, located directly to the northwest of the carwash site, along with the 97-acre mixed-use development formerly known as Project Catalyst planned on the northeast side of the intersection of East Riverside Drive and South Pleasant Valley Road.

Looking towards downtown from the Willow Hill Drive carwash site. Photo by James Rambin.

We don’t have a rendering of the space at this time, but these architectural drawings included in the hotel’s preliminary site plan give us a general impression of its design, with three separate buildings planned:

Architectural illustrations for the location of the Roadhouse hotel planned at 2500 Willow Hill Drive in southeast Austin. Image: Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Developer BLVD745’s existing portfolio includes the restoration of the historic Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, but the Roadhouse brand is its first in-house chain, with multiple locations planned in Southern California — though none are complete at the moment. This potential Austin location would be the developer’s first Texas project.

The hotel’s website contains more information about the features of the chain:

We give you the best mattress, a great shower head, a well-designed room with a thoughtful approach to both men and women, a dedicated communal work space, a coffee shop, a health-conscious grab and go market, and a full-service bar and restaurant. […]
Affordable and convenient: Roadhouse is the hotel for everyone – a community built around its neighborhood with events and social functions for all – from kids to adults. The modern American farmhouse design is reminiscent of simplicity and a return to the roots of hospitality. […]
The restaurant is a component of the ground floor space called Junction – a communal work space, business center, meeting space, market, gym, pool and pool house. Junction is a public space with free high-speed WiFi for hotel guests, travelers, and local residents.
— Roadhouse Hotel and Junction Site

A rendering of the Roadhouse hotel planned in Los Angeles, shown below, includes details similar to the illustrations from the site plan for the Austin location, and might give us a decent idea of what the Willow Hill hotel will eventually look like — at least we know they’ll both have chimneys:

A rendering of a planned Los Angeles location of the Roadhouse hotel chain. Image: Roadhouse Hotel and Junction / BLVD745

Though this area may not seem like prime real estate for a boutique hotel, keep in mind that it isn’t the first operation of its kind in the general area — the Austin Country Club was located just down the street from 1950 to 1984, and with the opening of Oracle’s corporate campus only a few blocks away, this hotel is likely set to fill a new need in the local market. Perhaps more importantly, by replacing a carwash instead of a residential property, the project isn’t directly displacing anyone from the neighborhood — an issue we’ll probably be forced to recognize as the corridor continues its rapid development.

East Riverside Real Estate

6908 Idea Rd , Austin

Home size: 1,961 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$421,920

6211 Walker LN , Austin

Home size: 750 sq ft
Lot size: 14,026 sqft
Year built: 2018

1 bed
1 bath
$1,200

2703 Mulford CV #B , Austin

Home size: 1,096 sq ft
Lot size: 8,799 sqft
Year built: 1973

3 beds
2 baths
$1,875

2505 Parker LN #A , Austin

Home size: 1,372 sq ft
Lot size: 10,236 sqft
Year built: 1978

3 beds
2 baths
$1,900

6211 Palm CIR , Austin

Home size: 1,092 sq ft
Lot size: 7,100 sqft
Year built: 1971

4 beds
2 baths
$1,950

7206 Cordelia CT , Austin

Home size: 1,618 sq ft
Lot size: 5,662 sqft
Year built: 2015

3 beds
3 baths
$349,900

1909 Townesouth CIR , Austin

Home size: 1,830 sq ft
Lot size: 14,766 sqft
Year built: 1979

0 beds
0 baths
$300,000

7404 Cayenne LN , Austin

Home size: 2,088 sq ft
Lot size: 4,399 sqft
Year built: 2006

4 beds
3 baths
$311,900

2217 Maxwell LN , Austin

Home size: 1,884 sq ft
Lot size: 6,969 sqft
Year built: 2016

3 beds
3 baths
$409,900

1300 Parker LN #102 , Austin

Home size: 400 sq ft
Year built: 1969

0 beds
1 bath
$860

Photo of Austin, TX 78741 (MLS # 8531031)

MLS # 8531031 , Austin

Home size: 1,507 sq ft
Lot size: 1,176 sqft
Year built: 2008

4 beds
3 baths
$2,400

2520 Elmont DR #105A , Austin

Home size: 625 sq ft
Year built: 1972

1 bed
1 bath
$940

2002 Kenneth AVE #B , Austin

Home size: 1,189 sq ft
Lot size: 7,927 sqft
Year built: 1984

2 beds
2 baths
$1,450

1902 Crooked LN , Austin

Home size: 1,953 sq ft
Lot size: 14,549 sqft
Year built: 1969

3 beds
2 baths
$2,300

2701 Mulford CV , Austin

Home size: 1,100 sq ft
Lot size: 14,244 sqft
Year built: 1973

3 beds
2 baths
$1,600

2124 Burton DR #112 , Austin

Home size: 661 sq ft
Lot size: 1,306 sqft
Year built: 1973

1 bed
1 bath
$950

4500 E Oltorf ST #C-303 , Austin

Home size: 850 sq ft
Lot size: 2,439 sqft
Year built: 1985

2 beds
1 bath
$1,350

2002 Kenneth AVE #A , Austin

Home size: 1,189 sq ft
Year built: 1984

3 beds
2 baths
$1,495

1509 Arcilla St , Austin

Home size: 1,961 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$448,785

1507 Lawrence St , Austin

Home size: 1,978 sq ft
Year built: 2018

4 beds
3 baths
$450,105

6807 Idea Rd , Austin

Home size: 1,978 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$474,070

2109 Maxwell LN #A , Austin

Home size: 1,516 sq ft
Lot size: 3,049 sqft
Year built: 2004

3 beds
2 baths
$325,000

1502 Arcilla St , Austin

Home size: 1,978 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$456,155

1709 Lawrence St #5 , Austin

Home size: 1,982 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$489,900

6805 Idea Rd , Austin

Home size: 1,982 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$449,560

6908 Idea Rd , Austin

Home size: 1,961 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $421,920
6211 Walker LN , Austin

Home size: 750 sq ft Lot size: 14,026 sqft Year built: 2018

1 bed 1 bath $1,200
2703 Mulford CV #B , Austin

Home size: 1,096 sq ft Lot size: 8,799 sqft Year built: 1973

3 beds 2 baths $1,875
2505 Parker LN #A , Austin

Home size: 1,372 sq ft Lot size: 10,236 sqft Year built: 1978

3 beds 2 baths $1,900
6211 Palm CIR , Austin

Home size: 1,092 sq ft Lot size: 7,100 sqft Year built: 1971

4 beds 2 baths $1,950
7206 Cordelia CT , Austin

Home size: 1,618 sq ft Lot size: 5,662 sqft Year built: 2015

3 beds 3 baths $349,900
1909 Townesouth CIR , Austin

Home size: 1,830 sq ft Lot size: 14,766 sqft Year built: 1979

0 beds 0 baths $300,000
7404 Cayenne LN , Austin

Home size: 2,088 sq ft Lot size: 4,399 sqft Year built: 2006

4 beds 3 baths $311,900
2217 Maxwell LN , Austin

Home size: 1,884 sq ft Lot size: 6,969 sqft Year built: 2016

3 beds 3 baths $409,900
1300 Parker LN #102 , Austin

Home size: 400 sq ft Year built: 1969

0 beds 1 bath $860
MLS # 8531031 , Austin

Home size: 1,507 sq ft Lot size: 1,176 sqft Year built: 2008

4 beds 3 baths $2,400
2520 Elmont DR #105A , Austin

Home size: 625 sq ft Year built: 1972

1 bed 1 bath $940
2002 Kenneth AVE #B , Austin

Home size: 1,189 sq ft Lot size: 7,927 sqft Year built: 1984

2 beds 2 baths $1,450
1902 Crooked LN , Austin

Home size: 1,953 sq ft Lot size: 14,549 sqft Year built: 1969

3 beds 2 baths $2,300
2701 Mulford CV , Austin

Home size: 1,100 sq ft Lot size: 14,244 sqft Year built: 1973

3 beds 2 baths $1,600
2124 Burton DR #112 , Austin

Home size: 661 sq ft Lot size: 1,306 sqft Year built: 1973

1 bed 1 bath $950
4500 E Oltorf ST #C-303 , Austin

Home size: 850 sq ft Lot size: 2,439 sqft Year built: 1985

2 beds 1 bath $1,350
2002 Kenneth AVE #A , Austin

Home size: 1,189 sq ft Year built: 1984

3 beds 2 baths $1,495
1509 Arcilla St , Austin

Home size: 1,961 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $448,785
1507 Lawrence St , Austin

Home size: 1,978 sq ft Year built: 2018

4 beds 3 baths $450,105
6807 Idea Rd , Austin

Home size: 1,978 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $474,070
2109 Maxwell LN #A , Austin

Home size: 1,516 sq ft Lot size: 3,049 sqft Year built: 2004

3 beds 2 baths $325,000
1502 Arcilla St , Austin

Home size: 1,978 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $456,155
1709 Lawrence St #5 , Austin

Home size: 1,982 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $489,900
6805 Idea Rd , Austin

Home size: 1,982 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $449,560