Details Arrive on 44-Story Tower Above Sullivan’s at 3rd and Colorado

Renderings of proposed tower as filed with City of Austin

A 44-story mixed-use tower will rise at the corner of Third and Colorado Streets, according to new city documents. Known only for the moment as Third and Colorado, this Riverside Resources project will go up at 300 Colorado Street, a corner currently occupied by Sullivan’s Steakhouse.

A closer look at a new rendering of the Third and Colorado tower. Photo courtesy of GDA Architects.

According to documents filed with the city’s Design Commission, the tower, designed by GDA Architects, will rise 518 feet and include:

357,000 square feet of residential space
315 apartment units
7,200 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor
9 floors of parking above the ground floor
An outdoor pool deck on the 12th floor atop the building’s podium section
A dog park on the 11th floor
Adherence to Great Streets standards for sidewalks, bike lanes, and trees

It makes sense for the residential component of the building to be apartments, rather than condos — Riverside Resources is the developer behind the nearby Fifth & West tower and probably doesn’t want to steal its own business. Speaking of which, that tower is also designed by GDA Architects, who are carving out a nice little portfolio on this side of town.

Only one question remains: What will become of Sullivan’s? Perhaps the restaurant, which first occupied the current building in 1996, will adapt to the ground-floor restaurant space of this new tower.

Hey, that reminds me — just how old is that building currently on the site? Looks like the Planning & Urban Design Working Group was curious:

“We conclude that the project, as presented, is in substantial compliance with the Urban Design Guidelines. However, we do have concerns that center on the potential historic significance of the existing building. Research has indicated that the building is considerably older than indicated by the applicant. The Historic Preservation Office has concluded that the building is approximately 92 years old and has a rich history.
Given this, and the DAP priority, it should be made clear that our conclusion of substantial compliance with the Urban Design Guidelines does not advocate that we support the demolition of the existing building. We would defer this decision to the recommendation of the Historic Landmark Commission.”
— Planning & Urban Design Working Group

Deference to the HLC feels a little bit like a punt, but not too surprising — from our research this building has never been landmarked. Either way, the proposal is up for discussion and possible action with the Design Commission at their July 24th meeting. Watch closely!