Image: Manifold Real Estate / Carr Properties / Gensler Austin
Earlier this year we caught a fresh look at the latest design of the Block 16 office tower by local developers Manifold Real Estate and national investors Carr Properties, set to rise atop the southern half of the block bound by San Jacinto Boulevard, Trinity, and Second Streets in downtown Austin. This strikingly curved and terraced 738,000-square-foot office building is the work of the perpetually-busy folks at Gensler Austin, and despite plenty of competition it’s set to become one of the more eye-catching towers on the skyline of the new downtown — with that in mind, here’s one more view of the building recently shared by the developers:
The Block 16 office tower, rising over the lake. Image: Manifold Real Estate / Carr Properties / Gensler Austin
The tower’s combination of curved edges and large outdoor terraces is a good one, something we’ve seen much more of lately as post-pandemic projects work to create more organic spaces with lots of air. Remember, this is actually the third design we’ve seen planned for this block, and while we enjoyed the off-kilter look of the second design, this latest take on the tower is definitely the best so far.
Image: Gensler Austin / Carr Properties / Manifold Real Estate
The first design rose roughly 600 feet, with the second bumped up a bit to 723 feet — so what’s the height of the latest design? Manifold founder Tyler Grooms informs us that this new version clocks in at 616 feet to the crown. There’s plenty of competition for height around here if you count towers that aren’t finished (or even started) yet, but if this Block 16 design magically appeared on the skyline tomorrow, it would be the third-tallest building in town. The project is currently awaiting the approval of its site plan by the city, and we’ll be excited to see it move forward.
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