Top 5 Office Projects Under Construction in Austin

Some 2.2 million square feet came online year-to-date through October—the largest office delivery was Cousins Properties’ Domain 12, a 320,102-square-foot building within The Domain, considered Austin’s second downtown. Meanwhile, another 2.2 million square feet is slated for completion by year-end, with deliveries projected to surpass last year’s 2.4 million square feet. The list below maps out the largest office projects underway in the metro as of October, based on Yardi Matrix data.

Some 2.2 million square feet came online year-to-date through October—the largest office delivery was Cousins’ Domain 12, a 320,102-square-foot building within The Domain, considered Austin’s second downtown. Meanwhile, another 2.2 million square feet are slated for completion by year-end, with deliveries projected to surpass last year’s 2.4 million square feet. The list below maps out the largest office projects underway in the metro as of October, based on Yardi Matrix data.

5. 6 x Guadalupe

6 x Guadalupe. Rendering courtesy of Gensler

In October 2019, Lincoln Property Co. teamed up with The Lynd Co. and Kairoi Residential to develop Austin’s tallest tower. The project will rise 66 stories and 847 feet high, surpassing the Jenga-shaped The Independent located a few blocks away.

Dubbed 6 x Guadalupe, the 1.1 million-square-foot mixed-use development is taking shape downtown, at 400 W. Sixth St., and features 590,000 square feet of office space, first-floor retail, 34 floors of residential and 10 levels of parking with 1,627 stalls. Designed by Gensler, the property is expected to come online in the third quarter of 2022. QuadReal Finance provided $272 million in construction financing. A former Extended Stay America hotel was demolished to make way for the project.

4. Texas Capitol – George H.W. Bush State Office Building

George H. W. Bush State Office Building. Rendering courtesy of Texas Facilities Commission

Another project emerging in downtown Austin, at 1801 Congress Ave., is Texas Facilities Commission’s George H.W. Bush State Office Building. The 603,000-square-foot development is estimated to cost $580 million, with a team that includes Page as the master architect, CobbFendley as the site services engineer and Balfour Beatty as the construction manager agent.

At full build-out, anticipated for the second quarter of 2022, the 14-story building will include first-floor retail and eight levels of parking space, as well as display and performance space. The Texas Lottery Commission has already signed on as a tenant. The project represents the first phase of the Texas Capitol Complex, a mixed-use development spanning 46 square blocks. Phase I also includes a 416,000-square-foot project underway at 1601 Congress Ave. The upcoming facilities will serve as the foundation of a new pedestrian mall known as Texas Mall.

3. Indeed Tower

Indeed Tower. Rendering courtesy of Trammel Crow

Trammell Crow Co. and Principal Real Estate Investors broke ground on Indeed Tower in May 2018. The 716,438-square-foot, 36-story project is expected to come online in the second quarter of 2021 and will include 43,000 square feet of first-floor retail space and 12 levels of parking. JPMorgan Chase originated a $211.5 million construction loan.

Two-thirds of the project has been preleased by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, Indeed and Brown Advisory Group. DPR was selected as the general contractor and Page Southerland Page as the architect. In addition to the office building, the joint venture plans to transform the site into a mixed-use destination by redeveloping a former historic post office into a 25,000-square-foot retail segment and a 20,000-square-foot outdoor plaza. The site is located in downtown Austin, at 200 W. Sixth St., equidistant to the upcoming 6 x Guadalupe and 405 Colorado developments.

2. Block 185

Block 185. Rendering courtesy of Trammell Crow

Trammell Crow Co. is also working on Block 185, a 794,000-square-foot, single-tenant office building serving as Google’s future home. Construction on the 35-story asset started in January 2019, with completion scheduled for the second quarter of 2022. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects designed the project, which features a sail-like design and will include 785,783 square feet of office and 8,100 square feet of retail space. JPMorgan Chase financed the project with a $408.5 million construction loan.

Block 185 is located at 601 W. Second St. in downtown Austin, on the last portion of undeveloped land of the former Thomas Green Water Treatment Plant. The upcoming project is close to the Colorado River, rising west of Google’s nearby 29-story office.

1. Apple West Parmer Lane Campus

Apple’s new Austin campus. Rendering courtesy of Apple

One year ago, Apple broke ground on its $1 billion Austin campus, a 3 million-square-foot project including 981,471 square feet of office space scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2022. The development will also include a 192-key, six-story hotel.

JE Dunn Construction serves as the general contractor, while Cardno is the structural engineer. Studio 8 Architects serves as the lead designer and Nudge Design as the landscape architect. Spreading across 138 acres at 6900 W. Parmer Lane in Northwest Austin, the campus is projected to house up to 15,000 employees—double the tech giant’s current employment base in the metro.