Last year, we reported the likely addition of a 15-story boutique hotel to Congress Avenue. The proposed boutique hotel was to have 60-70 rooms and would be constructed on Congress between fourth and fifth streets across from the Frost Bank Tower.
Now, it appears the building is set go at a much grander scale. Under the new plans, developers hope to build a 26-story 130 room structure on top of a small 120-year-old Congress Avenue building. Thanks to Downtown Austin Blog for posting the first images. The proposed is expected to go in front of the downtown commission soon. It will require a zoning variance to allow for additional site density.
Renderings of the new hotel tower proposed for 416 Congress Avenue
As proposed, the boutique hotel will integrate the 1893 Romanesque facade into a new 26-story tower designed by prominent Austin architect Dick Clark. The building is essentially a “sliver tower” — an extremely small footprint tall building designed to fit over a tiny lot occupied b a small building. In this case, the average floor plate will be just 3,500 square feet or 50 by 70 feet. Other cities, such as New York City, prohibit the construction of these sorts of towers. For Austin, which is eager to expand downtown development, to add downtown hotel capacty, and to revitalize Congress Avenue, the project will likely be attractive.
Austin has a number of successful boutique hotels such as the Hotel San Jose on South Congress. 416 Congress will be the first downtown boutique hotel and an important development for Congress Avenue. Last year, plans were cancelled for an unpopular Mariott mega hotel on Second and Congress.
The new hotel will be built on this site: 416 Congress Avenue
Additional Schematics show how the new structure will integrate the existing facade
