Austin Centre

Last updated
Austin Centre
OmniAustin-2010-08-c.JPG
View of the Austin Centre from the corner of 8th Street and Brazos Street
Austin Centre
General information
TypeCommercial
Location701 Brazos Street, Austin, Texas, United States
Coordinates 30°16′08″N97°44′26″W / 30.268887486504337°N 97.74042168161323°W / 30.268887486504337; -97.74042168161323
Construction started1984
Completed1986
Height
Roof226 ft (69 m)
Technical details
Floor count16
Floor area600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2)
Lifts/elevators15
Design and construction
Architect(s) HKS, Inc.

The Austin Centre is a 16-story mixed-use hi-rise in Downtown Austin, Texas. The building, notable for its large enclosed glass atrium, contains office space, retail space, and an Omni Hotel; the hotel component of the complex contains a rooftop pool and bar, and several conference rooms. The building is headquarters to companies like the Capital Factory, a startup incubator. The building's lobby is home to many large events, including the South by Southwest Startup Crawl.

Contents

History

The ground was broken for the Austin Centre in August 1984; the land once contained the home of Mirabeau B. Lamar, although the house burned down in 1847. [1] To accommodate the 700-space underground parking garage, builders had to drill through a solid chunk of limestone and "quarry" their way 55 feet to the bottom. The building opened in September 1986; the opening was marked with a series of lavish parties and an all-expense-paid tour for 35 writers from various trade publications. [2] Upon its opening, the building touted innovative technological features such as computerized communications, energy management, and its very own on-site telephone company called "EntelCom". [2] In 1988, a chemical reaction in the exterior glass paneling caused panes to break and fall to the street below, prompting a $2 million replacement. [3]

The hotel component, which was originally a Radisson Plaza, became an Omni Hotel in June 1992. On the top five floors of the hotel are now hotel suites but were once condominiums; the residences were initially added to accommodate corporations needing "business entertainment headquarters" or temporary living accommodations for visiting executives or clients, or for government lobbyists while the Texas state Legislature was in session. [4]

Architecture

The Austin Centre was designed by famous Modernist architect Victor A. Lundy and HKS, Inc. [2] The complex consists of two separate hi-rises connected by a 200 foot atrium [5] containing 1 acre of glass. The complex does not have any street-facing activity, instead, the building's ground floor tenants are accessible from the inside. [2] The exterior of the building contains 150,000 square feet of granite from Adoni, India, which was cut in Italy, then boated to Houston before being trucked to Dallas and Austin. [6] The red granite is contrasted by bands of light-grey glass and accents of lighter, flame-finished granite. The building's north face features a full-height space frame and glass wall, providing a view of the Texas State Capitol from inside.

The Austin Centre's lobby and glass elevators were featured in the 2001 film, Spy Kids . [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto-Dominion Centre</span> Office complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Toronto-Dominion Centre, or TD Centre, is an office complex of five skyscrapers in the Financial District of downtown Toronto owned by Cadillac Fairview. It serves as the global headquarters for its anchor tenant, the Toronto-Dominion Bank, and provides office and retail space for many other businesses. The complex consists of six towers and a pavilion covered in bronze-tinted glass and black-painted steel. Approximately 21,000 people work in the complex, making it the largest commercial office complex in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas State Capitol</span> State capitol of the U.S. state of Texas

The Texas State Capitol is the capitol and seat of government of the American state of Texas. Located in downtown Austin, Texas, the structure houses the offices and chambers of the Texas Legislature and of the Governor of Texas. Designed in 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, it was constructed from 1882 to 1888 under the direction of civil engineer Reuben Lindsay Walker. A $75 million underground extension was completed in 1993. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water Tower Place</span> Shopping mall in Illinois, U.S.

Water Tower Place is a large urban, mixed-use development comprising a 758,000 sq ft (70,400 m2) shopping mall, hotel, theater, and condominiums in a 74-story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The mall is located at 835 North Michigan Avenue, along the Magnificent Mile. It is named after the nearby Chicago Water Tower, and is owned by affiliates of Brookfield Property Partners. As reported by the Chicago Suntimes, Brookfield Property Partners handed the keys to the project back to their lender, MetLife, owing to numerous retail vacancies following the closing of Macy's and the impact of COVID and increasing crime along the Magnificent Mile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Bank Plaza</span> Skyscraper in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Royal Bank Plaza is a skyscraper in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that serves as the "corporate headquarters" for the Royal Bank of Canada. The building shares with the Fairmont Royal York Hotel the block in Toronto's financial district bordered by Bay, Front, York, and Wellington streets. It is owned by Pontegadea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CNN Center</span> World headquarters of CNN in Atlanta, Georgia, United States

The CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, is the international headquarters of the Cable News Network (CNN). The main newsrooms and studios for several of CNN's news channels are located in the building. The facility's commercial office space is occupied by various units of the former Turner Broadcasting System, now part of Warner Bros. Discovery. The CNN Center is located in downtown Atlanta adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park. The One CNN Center office building was acquired by CP Group in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotia Plaza</span> Office building in Toronto, Ontario

Scotia Plaza is a commercial skyscraper in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is in the financial district of the downtown core bordered by Yonge Street on the east, King Street West on the south, Bay Street on the west, and Adelaide Street West on the north. At 275 m (902 ft), Scotia Plaza is Canada's third tallest skyscraper and the 52nd tallest building in North America. It is connected to the PATH network, and contains 190,000 m2 (2,045,143 sq ft) of office space on 68 floors and 40 retail stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langham Place (Hong Kong)</span> Building complex in Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Langham Place is a commercial complex and shopping centre in Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The official opening was on 25 January 2005. The complex occupies two blocks defined by Argyle Street, Portland Street, Shantung Street and Reclamation Street. Shanghai Street separates the two portions of the complex, which are connected via two overhead walkways. A hotel is on one side of the development while the commercial elements are located on the other side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driskill Hotel</span> United States historic place

The Driskill, a Romanesque-style building completed in 1886, is the oldest operating hotel in Austin, Texas, United States, and one of the best-known hotels in Texas generally. The Driskill was conceived and built by Col. Jesse Driskill, a cattleman who spent his fortune constructing "the finest hotel south of St. Louis".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">550 Madison Avenue</span> Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York

550 Madison is a postmodern skyscraper at Madison Avenue between 55th and 56th Streets in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee with associate architect Simmons Architects, the building was completed in 1984 as the headquarters of AT&T and later became the American headquarters of Sony. The building consists of a 647-foot-tall (197-meter), 37-story office tower with a facade made of pink granite. It originally had a four-story granite annex to the west, which was demolished and replaced with a shorter annex in the early 2020s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southfield Town Center</span> Office/hotel/retail in the United States

The Southfield Town Center is a cluster of five interconnected skyscrapers forming a contemporary 2,200,000-square-foot (204,400 m2) office complex in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Michigan. It includes the Westin Southfield Detroit Hotel, restaurants, a fitness center, and a major conference center for up to 1,000 attendees. This office-hotel complex is situated along Town Center Drive off M-10, across from Lawrence Technological University in Metro Detroit, with many of its tallest buildings named after their addresses along the road. Separately, there is a 33-story luxury residential high-rise at 5000 Town Center. The American Center, another 26-story office tower near the confluence of Interstate 696 (I-696) and M-10, is not part of the complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One American Center</span> Skyscraper in Austin Texas

600 Congress is a high-rise office building located at the northwest corner of West 6th Street and Congress Avenue in the Financial District of Downtown Austin, the state capital of Texas. Standing 400 feet tall and containing 32 floors, it is currently the 12th tallest building in Austin, tied with the Four Seasons Residences. The construction of One American Center was completed in 1984 and was developed by Rust Properties. It was the tallest building in Austin until the finishing of the Frost Bank Tower in 2003. In 2017, One American Center was rebranded as 600 Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Eleven Congress</span> Skyscraper in Austin Texas

One Eleven Congress, formerly One Congress Plaza, is a skyscraper in Downtown Austin, the state capital of Texas in the United States. Standing 397 feet tall and containing 30 floors, the building is the 17th tallest in Austin. The building contains a sunken plaza, which include trees, a food hall, water features, and park benches, as well as the location for the AMOA Art Show.

590 Madison Avenue, also known as the IBM Building, is a skyscraper at 57th Street and Madison Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes and Associates the 41-story, 603-foot (184 m)-tall tower was developed for the technology company IBM and built from 1978 to 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grand Doubletree</span> Residential and Hotel in Florida, United States

The DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay, also referred as The Grand or The Grand DoubleTree, is a high-rise on the north side of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States. It lies within the Arts & Entertainment District. It was completed in 1986 and designed by the Atlanta architectural firm of Toombs, Amisano and Wells. It is a condominium and hotel. Floors 3–9 are hotel rooms. Floors 10–42 contain over 830 condominium units. The hotel portion contains 152 rooms, and was renovated in 2004. The building is very large, with almost 3.5 million square feet (325,161 m2) of floor space, though this likely includes a large parking garage across the street that is shared with the Omni complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas</span>

The Irving Convention Center is a 275,000 sq ft (25,500 m2) facility on a 40 acres (16 ha) tract in Las Colinas Urban Center in Irving, Texas. Opened in January 2011, the convention center and the adjoining mixed use entertainment district are bordered on the west by Highway 114, on the east by Las Colinas Boulevard, on the north by Spur 348/Northwest Highway, and to the south by Fuller Drive. The building is recognized for its unique architecture and vertical design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse</span> Courthouse in Chicago

The Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, commonly referred to as the Dirksen Federal Building, is a skyscraper in the Chicago Loop at 219 South Dearborn Street. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1964. The building is 384 feet (117 m) tall with 30 floors; it was named for U.S. Congressman Everett Dirksen. The building houses the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and local offices for various court-related federal agencies, such as the Federal Public Defender, United States Probation Service, United States Trustee, and National Labor Relations Board. It is one of three buildings making up the modernist Chicago Federal Center complex designed by van der Rohe, along with Federal Plaza, the U.S. Post Office and the Kluczynski Federal Building. Separate from the Federal Plaza, but opposite the Kluczynski Building across Jackson Boulevard, is the Metcalfe Federal Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Courthouse (Austin, Texas, 2012)</span> Judicial building in Austin, Texas

The Austin United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse in downtown Austin, Texas. Built between 2009 and 2012, the building houses the Austin division of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and other federal judicial offices. It replaced the 1936 Austin U.S. Courthouse, which has since been transferred to Travis County to hold county judicial space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jacinto Center</span> Skyscraper in Austin Texas

San Jacinto Center is a three-building real estate development in Downtown Austin, Texas. The complex, which overlooks Lady Bird Lake, contains a 21-story office tower, a 10-story Four Seasons Hotel, and the 32-story Four Seasons Residences, a condo skyscraper. The postmodern office tower and hotel are clad in Texas creme limestone and Llano rose granite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William P. Hobby, Jr. State Office Building</span> Government in Texas, U.S.

The William P. Hobby, Jr. State Office Building - formerly known as Republic Plaza - is a three-building government office complex located in the Warehouse District of Downtown Austin, Texas, United States. The building complex houses numerous Texas Texas state agencies, including the Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Medical Board, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists and the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. The complex is named for former Lieutenant Governor William P. Hobby Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sixth and Guadalupe</span> Commercial building in Austin, Texas, U.S.

Sixth and Guadalupe is an under construction 66-story mixed-use skyscraper in Downtown Austin, Texas. On November 2, 2022, the building celebrated its topping out, making it the tallest building in Austin, surpassing The Independent. The tower is expected to be completed and delivered in 2023.

References

  1. Vlerebome, Peggy (April 24, 1988). "Marking what's left of history". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 McCullar, Michael (January 17, 1987). "A glimpse of glory in glass". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  3. Tyson, Kim (June 23, 1988). "Leasing agent gets the go-ahead for Austin Centre". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  4. Knighton Jr., James T. (June 16, 1986). "Mixed-use centers meet variety of needs". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  5. "Atlanta real estate broker making a name for himself in Austin". Austin Business Journal . 7 February 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  6. Tyson, Kim (February 26, 1986). "Austin Centre scheduled for September completion". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  7. "Spy Kids". Movie-Locations.com. Retrieved August 5, 2018.

The Austin Centre - Emporis