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

40 N Interstate 35 #5C1 , Austin

Home size: 1,288 sq ft
Lot size: 1,001 sqft
Year built: 1983

2 beds
2 baths
$410,000

603 Davis ST #1610 , Austin

Home size: 1,122 sq ft
Lot size: 217 sqft
Year built: 2006

2 beds
2 baths
$670,000

603 Davis ST #1501 , Austin

Home size: 1,005 sq ft
Lot size: 130 sqft
Year built: 2006

1 bed
1 bath
$559,900

54 Rainey ST #718 , Austin

Home size: 1,189 sq ft
Lot size: 435 sqft
Year built: 2005

2 beds
2 baths
$599,000

54 Rainey ST #411 , Austin

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

1 bed
1 bath
$329,000

54 Rainey ST #PH09 , Austin

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

2 beds
2 baths
$555,000

54 Rainey ST #502 , Austin

Home size: 1,557 sq ft
Lot size: 392 sqft
Year built: 2005

3 beds
2 baths
$714,550

70 Rainey ST #2405 , Austin

Home size: 837 sq ft
Year built: 2018

1 bed
1 bath
$621,583

70 Rainey ST #1509 , Austin

Home size: 1,128 sq ft
Year built: 2018

2 beds
2 baths
$755,700

70 Rainey ST #1501 , Austin

Home size: 1,697 sq ft
Year built: 2018

2 beds
2 baths
$1,270,234

70 Rainey ST #2801 , Austin

Home size: 2,851 sq ft
Year built: 2018

3 beds
3 baths
$2,238,250

603 Davis ST #1909 , Austin

Home size: 1,286 sq ft
Lot size: 261 sqft
Year built: 2006

2 beds
2 baths
$699,980

603 Davis ST #2101 , Austin

Home size: 2,101 sq ft
Lot size: 304 sqft
Year built: 2008

3 beds
3 baths
$1,470,000

40 N Interstate 35 #12C2 , Austin

Home size: 1,459 sq ft
Lot size: 1,132 sqft
Year built: 1983

2 beds
2 baths
$625,000

603 Davis ST #1808 , Austin

Home size: 923 sq ft
Lot size: 174 sqft
Year built: 2006

1 bed
1 bath
$425,000

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
$405,000

54 Rainey ST #311 , Austin

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

1 bed
1 bath
$327,000

40 N Interstate 35 #5C1 , Austin

Home size: 1,288 sq ft Lot size: 1,001 sqft Year built: 1983

2 beds 2 baths $410,000
603 Davis ST #1610 , Austin

Home size: 1,122 sq ft Lot size: 217 sqft Year built: 2006

2 beds 2 baths $670,000
603 Davis ST #1501 , Austin

Home size: 1,005 sq ft Lot size: 130 sqft Year built: 2006

1 bed 1 bath $559,900
54 Rainey ST #718 , Austin

Home size: 1,189 sq ft Lot size: 435 sqft Year built: 2005

2 beds 2 baths $599,000
54 Rainey ST #411 , Austin

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

1 bed 1 bath $329,000
54 Rainey ST #PH09 , Austin

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

2 beds 2 baths $555,000
54 Rainey ST #502 , Austin

Home size: 1,557 sq ft Lot size: 392 sqft Year built: 2005

3 beds 2 baths $714,550
70 Rainey ST #2405 , Austin

Home size: 837 sq ft Year built: 2018

1 bed 1 bath $621,583
70 Rainey ST #1509 , Austin

Home size: 1,128 sq ft Year built: 2018

2 beds 2 baths $755,700
70 Rainey ST #1501 , Austin

Home size: 1,697 sq ft Year built: 2018

2 beds 2 baths $1,270,234
70 Rainey ST #2801 , Austin

Home size: 2,851 sq ft Year built: 2018

3 beds 3 baths $2,238,250
603 Davis ST #1909 , Austin

Home size: 1,286 sq ft Lot size: 261 sqft Year built: 2006

2 beds 2 baths $699,980
603 Davis ST #2101 , Austin

Home size: 2,101 sq ft Lot size: 304 sqft Year built: 2008

3 beds 3 baths $1,470,000
40 N Interstate 35 #12C2 , Austin

Home size: 1,459 sq ft Lot size: 1,132 sqft Year built: 1983

2 beds 2 baths $625,000
603 Davis ST #1808 , Austin

Home size: 923 sq ft Lot size: 174 sqft Year built: 2006

1 bed 1 bath $425,000
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 $405,000
54 Rainey ST #311 , Austin

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

1 bed 1 bath $327,000