Spotted: Homewood Suites Gets Its Name Tag in the Rainey Street District

The Homewood Suites project, as seen from the 78-84 Rainey Street site. Photo by James Rambin.

It’s easy to forget about Homewood Suites. That’s not necessarily a judgement of its quality, but in a city with big-ticket hotels sprouting up left and right, a 17-story midrange chain hotel doesn’t really hog the spotlight.

That being said, the Homewood Suites under construction at 78-80 East Avenue one block east of Rainey Street is moving right along, with its sign finally going up last week.

A closer look at the Homewood Suites sign on the west side of the building. Photo by James Rambin.

Despite the project being in the pipeline since at least 2014, there’s a surprising lack of good imagery available for this building. That’s a shame, because based on what we do know, it’s going to look rather odd, to say the least:

Elevations and a very poor quality rendering of the Homewood Suites building planned on East Avenue. Image courtesy of Conley Engineering / Hilton Worldwide.

The design seen here, with the weird crosshatch zig-zaggy stuff on the building’s eastern and western elevations, appears to accurately depict what’s being built now — you can already see some of these components in progress if you’re looking at the site from the highway.

One thing that isn’t clear is the color, with the rendering above having a kind of…orange-ish look? It certainly looks a little brighter than the dark gray and blue paint job currently on the project, so maybe the colors planned for the building have evolved over the years. Here’s hoping — the current scheme looks a lot nicer. Then again, it might be primer.

Anyway, the new Homewood Suites sign is now visible from most of the Rainey Street District’s bar patios, and over the weekend I couldn’t help but notice the typeface for the hotel brand’s wordmark is a variant of Friz Quadrata — better known as “The Extremely Recognizable Law and Order Font.” Don’t believe me? Try this on for size:

I’m sorry, everyone. Photo by James Rambin.

Rainey Street Condos For Sale

603 Davis ST #1905 , Austin

Home size: 714 sq ft
Lot size: 130 sqft
Year built: 2006

1 bed
1 bath
$335,000

603 Davis ST #1607 , Austin

Home size: 879 sq ft
Lot size: 174 sqft
Year built: 2006

1 bed
1 bath
$375,000

40 N Interstate 35 #PA1 , Austin

Home size: 6,639 sq ft
Lot size: 4,878 sqft
Year built: 1983

4 beds
5 baths
$3,299,000

40 N Interstate 35 #4D2 , Austin

Home size: 1,360 sq ft
Lot size: 1,045 sqft
Year built: 1983

2 beds
2 baths
$409,000

603 DAVIS ST #2011 , Austin

Home size: 1,219 sq ft
Lot size: 217 sqft
Year built: 2006

2 beds
2 baths
$725,000

54 Rainey ST #311 , Austin

Home size: 756 sq ft
Lot size: 174 sqft
Year built: 2005

1 bed
1 bath
$333,000

54 Rainey ST #603 , Austin

Home size: 865 sq ft
Lot size: 217 sqft
Year built: 2005

1 bed
1 bath
$364,500

54 Rainey ST #421 , Austin

Home size: 1,164 sq ft
Lot size: 304 sqft
Year built: 2005

2 beds
2 baths
$545,000

54 Rainey ST #903 , Austin

Home size: 865 sq ft
Lot size: 217 sqft
Year built: 2005

1 bed
1 bath
$410,000

603 Davis ST #2206 , Austin

Home size: 842 sq ft
Lot size: 174 sqft
Year built: 2006

1 bed
1 bath
$420,000

603 Davis ST #1905 , Austin

Home size: 714 sq ft Lot size: 130 sqft Year built: 2006

1 bed 1 bath $335,000
603 Davis ST #1607 , Austin

Home size: 879 sq ft Lot size: 174 sqft Year built: 2006

1 bed 1 bath $375,000
40 N Interstate 35 #PA1 , Austin

Home size: 6,639 sq ft Lot size: 4,878 sqft Year built: 1983

4 beds 5 baths $3,299,000
40 N Interstate 35 #4D2 , Austin

Home size: 1,360 sq ft Lot size: 1,045 sqft Year built: 1983

2 beds 2 baths $409,000
603 DAVIS ST #2011 , Austin

Home size: 1,219 sq ft Lot size: 217 sqft Year built: 2006

2 beds 2 baths $725,000
54 Rainey ST #311 , Austin

Home size: 756 sq ft Lot size: 174 sqft Year built: 2005

1 bed 1 bath $333,000
54 Rainey ST #603 , Austin

Home size: 865 sq ft Lot size: 217 sqft Year built: 2005

1 bed 1 bath $364,500
54 Rainey ST #421 , Austin

Home size: 1,164 sq ft Lot size: 304 sqft Year built: 2005

2 beds 2 baths $545,000
54 Rainey ST #903 , Austin

Home size: 865 sq ft Lot size: 217 sqft Year built: 2005

1 bed 1 bath $410,000
603 Davis ST #2206 , Austin

Home size: 842 sq ft Lot size: 174 sqft Year built: 2006

1 bed 1 bath $420,000