The pool at the Carpenter Hotel. You’ll learn more about this project later in the post. Image: The Mighty Union
We often come across some fairly interesting business updates in the universe of downtown Austin and beyond — openings, closings, remodels, upcoming events, the installation of new vent hoods, and so forth — that are not quite robust enough to justify a full feature.
Pictured: us tracking downtown development. Image: Giphy
Since we’re trying to keep everyone on the pulse of the city, we think it’s time we started sharing some of those small updates with you from time to time. They don’t really fit anywhere else, but you might like them. Your friends will be amazed by how informed you sound!
5th & Brazos Streets – Dual-Branded Hotels
Image: bKL Architecture
Two Roads Hospitality, management company of the Thompson and tommie hotel brands headed to a tower at Fifth and Brazos Streets in downtown Austin, was just purchased this week by Hyatt. That probably won’t change any existing plans for this site, but it’s something to note.
1622 Lavaca Street – Hilton Garden Inn
Image: HRI Development / DPR Construction / Gensler
Speaking of hotels, remember the mystery hotel headed for West 17th and Lavaca Streets on the north side of downtown? Turns out, according to recent city documents, that the identity of that hotel will probably be a Hilton Garden Inn. Not exactly the boutique brand we might have expected in this booming hospitality market, but hey!
1905 East 12th Street – Tropic of Capricorn
Tropic of Capricorn is apparently some kind of plant shop housing its wares in geodesic greenhouse domes, and they’ve received a permit to build two of their futuristic-looking greenhouses at 1905 East 12th Street. That’s just down the street from Sam’s Bar-B-Que, where developers are supposedly falling over one another with increasingly huge sacks of money just for the privilege of owning its land.
400 Josephine Street – Carpenter Hotel
The pool at the Carpenter Hotel. Image: The Mighty Union
The Carpenter Hotel is moving right along at the old Carpenter’s Union building at 400 Josephine Street. Job postings are out this week for line cooks, servers, and other employees at the hotel and its restaurant. A snazzy website is up for the property, and bookings are available at the beginning of November — this thing really went up quick, didn’t it?
222 West Avenue – Nekter
According to city documents, Southern California juice bar chain Nekter is heading to a retail space at the Seaholm Residences. The company previously announced plans to open a location in Northwest Hills, with more outlets planned around town — looks like this is going to be one of them. By the way, I’m this guy:
320 Congress Avenue – Live DEEP
The building at 320 Congress Avenue, which is apparently lucky enough to get one of those nifty World Class Capital banners we’ve been noticing all over the city’s most desirable abandoned properties. Image: Loopnet
A massage therapy studio called “Live DEEP” in city documents is apparently on the way at the historic J&S Koppel Building at 320 Congress Avenue. We used to have massage parlors downtown, but the streets are cleaner these days.
79 Rainey Street – Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden
The long process of expansion for wildly popular Rainey Street sausage wonderland Banger’s is slowly but surely headed for completion. The restaurant and bar has documented its arduous construction and permitting process in a series of extremely funny videos, which more people ought to watch.
56 East Avenue – Zengistics
The former psychiatric crisis center at 56 East Avenue is now office space for Zengistics. Photo by James Rambin.
The former psychiatric crisis center at 56 East Avenue in the booming Rainey Street District got a fresh coat of paint the other day, as the building flips to its new use as office space. Its new tenant is logistics firm Zengistics, which now has its extremely Silicon Valley name on the side of the building. There are long-term plans for an office tower at this space, but don’t hold your breath.
51 Rainey Street – Emmer and Rye
They put this banner up back when it was hotter, obviously. Photo by James Rambin.
Emmer & Rye, the restaurant on the ground floor of the Skyhouse apartments at 51 Rainey Street, is building a new patio. Hey, nice patio!
717 East Seventh Street – 7-11
Image: Google Maps
It appears, based on several city permits for new signs, that the Gulf gas station at 717 East Seventh Street will soon become a 7-11 instead. Lots of sevens involved here! You may remember this gas station from a recent incident involving a “hail of gunfire.”
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