Google Tower: 500 West 2nd Street

The new highrise that will be home to Google, among other things, has reached its top height, the Austin American Statesman reports.  

500 West 2nd Street will have 500,000 square feet of office space, of which Google is leasing 200,000 square feet.  The building will also have 11,000 square feet of restaurant and retail on the ground floor.

Other companies signed up to lease space in the high-rise include international law firm King & Spalding and CBRE Group Inc, a global commercial real estate firm.  500 West 2nd Street is 60 percent leased.

The building is part of a redevelopment of the Green Water Treatment Plant on the western edge of downtown which includes a new central library.  Seaholm Power Plant has already become condos, offices, restaurants, stores, and a Trader Joe’s.  The new development will have a total of 1.8 million square feet that will include apartments, condos, offices, hotel rooms, stores, and dining.

Austin Proper Hotel and Residences, which will be 33 stories with 244 boutique hotel rooms and 99 luxury condos, is already under construction.  Condos will be priced from $600,000 to over $3 million.

Northshore, which has 38 floors with 439 apartments, stores, restaurants and offices, is already open.

If you can’t wait for the new apartments to be open, there are plenty of options in the area around the Seaholm redevelopment.  AMLI Downtown is great if you’d prefer a mid-rise apartment over a high rise downtown.  Amenities include a fitness center, some units have downtown views, and they welcome large pets.  The one and two bedroom apartments have concrete floors and black appliances.

Amli on 2nd’s one and two bedroom apartments feature chef’s kitchens with granite counters, maple or urban expresso cabinets, breakfast bar with pendant lights, ten-foot ceilings, polished concrete floors, and floor to ceiling windows.  The community has available interior resident storage rooms, a resort-style pool, and convenient residential and retail parking garage.

Gables West Avenue’s features include hardwood and stained concrete flooring, island kitchens, built-in bookcases, spiral staircases, wood-burning fireplaces, and panoramic city views.  The community has a rooftop terrace, poolside grilling area, fireplace grotto, lounge overlooking Shoal Creek, fitness center, and street level retail.  

Ready to call the 2nd street district home?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists South Austin a call today at 512-912-8000.  In one appointment, you can explore all the apartments in Austin!  

Bedroom Decorating Ideas for Less than $100

Sometimes we all get tired of our bedrooms, especially when you rent and can’t make major changes.  Apartment Therapy has a lot of suggestions for interior design decor on a budget.  

For wall decor, if your landlord allows you to paint the walls, nothing makes a bigger impact than that.  Even an accent wall can make a huge change.  If you can’t paint, try temporary wallpaper or wall decals for a non-permanent change.

Tufted headboards are an incredibly luxe look for your bed, but they also have an accordingly high pricetag.  However, not if you make one yourself using this tutorial from Homemade by Carmona!

Need window coverings?  How about covering some roller blinds in pretty fabric to match your decor?  

Covering your closet doors in temporary wallpaper is another great way to make a big impact of color, pattern, and texture without altering your rental permanently and for not much dough.

Have hand-me-down furniture in a color or style you don’t like?  Repainting or refinishing it is much cheaper than buying new.  You can go the extra yard and add new knobs or paint patterns on it for a one-of-a-kind piece.

Assuming you are allowed to hang things on the wall in your apartment, adding wall sconces on either side of the bed is saves space and looks super luxe like a high-end hotel.

Mirrors are a great way to bounce light around your space and make it look bigger.  You can usually find mirrors at thrift stores and spray paint the frame if it doesn’t match.  Or make a custom mirror using this tutorial.  

Finally, sleep like royalty in a canopy bed.  This how-to will have you feeling fancy in no time!

Need a new apartment to try out your design ideas on?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists a call today at 512-241-1111!

Lamar Beach Master Plan

The Lamar Beach Master Plan is moving to the City Council for approval, the Austin Monitor reports.  Haven’t heard of Lamar Beach?  You aren’t alone.

Lamar Beach is located between Lady Bird Lake to the south, TownLake YMCA and railroad tracks to the north, North Lamar to the east and Austin High and Mopac to the west.  It comprises 65.4 acres of parkland and in June 2014 the Austin City Council passed a resolution to begin the Lamar Beach Master Plan.

Austin Animal Center/Austin Pets Alive, YMCA, the West Austin Youth Association, the Texas Rowing Center, and Austin High School all provide public benefits and currently occupy the land.  The number one goal of the project is to balance existing uses on the site with additional recreational opportunities that allow the site to be enjoyed by all to its maximum potential.  

There was never a master plan for the site, which has resulted in no cohesive plan for the area.  The new plan recommends several infrastructure and trail improvements, and has an ultimate goal of realigning Cesar Chavez Street.

The plan isn’t a cheap one, with the costs for just phase one forecasted to be $27.4 million to $35.7 million.  The most expensive part of that plan is $18.9 million to $24.6 million for the animal shelter.  The second phase of the plan is projected to be $37.5 million to $51 million, with realigning Cesar Chavez Boulevard the high ticket item at $27.1 million to $37.3 million of that total.  You can read the whole plan here.  

However, the commissioners voted ten to zero to send the plan to the City Council, with one commissioner abstaining from the vote because she felt it wrong to spend money on recreational measures when affordability in Austin is such an issue.

The area around Lamar Beach is one of the most vibrant in the city, and the additional improvements and realignment of Cesar Chavez will serve only to make it an even more desirable area.  There are lots of apartments nearby that will allow you to enjoy the Lamar Beach now and when it is remodeled in the future.

422 at the Lake is an apartment community located just a mile from Lamar Beach.  Their one and two bedroom floor plans feature washers and dryers, 10-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, granite counters, Nest thermostats, and floor-to-ceiling windows with solar shades.  Amenities include a crossfit room, a tea and coffee bar, multi-screen sports lounge, Bocce Ball courtyard, social calendar with activities, enclosed bike storage room and more.

404 Rio Grande is three-quarters of a mile from Lamar Beach and has one and two bedroom apartments with upgraded kitchens with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and pantries, crown molding, linen closets, washer/dryer hook-ups and private patios or balconies.  The community features an elevator, outdoor fireplace, a fitness center, controlled access and more.

Northshore Austin has a 24 hour concierge, a controlled access parking garage, executive conference rooms, a fully-equipped catering pantry, and an infinity-edge pool with private cabanas and sun beds.  The one, two and three bedroom units have walk-in closets, quartz and granite counters, stainless steel appliances, engineered hardwood floors, floor to ceiling windows with incredible views, and compact fluorescent and LED lighting.  

Ready to find your new apartment near Lamar Beach or beyond?  Austin Apartment Specialists South Austin can show you every apartment in Austin in one appointment!  Give us a call today at 512-912-8000!

Rental Friendly Decorating

Looking to make some design changes to your apartment, but your property management company won’t let you make any permanent changes?  Houzz.com has a variety of ways to jazz up your home without losing your security deposit and on a budget.

Temporary wall decals are a great way to add color and pattern without paint or wallpaper.  There are a variety of patterns available on Amazon. They even have quotes, flowers, and more.  

Another way to add pizzazz to your walls is temporary wallpaper, which peels and sticks to your wall without causing any damage.  Some temporary wallpaper is even reusable, so check the packaging when you remove it, you could use it again and again!  From wallpaper that looks like a distressed wood wall to wallpaper that functions like paint, there’s an option for accent walls, entire rooms, and pretty much anywhere in your apartment.

Can’t hang art on the walls because you aren’t allowed to generate nail holes?  Prop up your art against the wall!  If the piece is large enough, you can just place it on the floor, or you can use a table, mantel, dresser, or desk.  You can also hang art on your bookshelves for a chic look.  Another option is to use a weathered door or shutter propped against the wall to hang your art on.

Not really into the leaning look?  Check out adhesive hooks!  These wondrous little creations come in all different sizes, rated to handle different loads.

Washi tape can be removed and used again and is fantastic for holding up small pieces of art like postcards or photographs.  You can even make picture frames for your artistic treasures by placing washi tape around them.  The colors and patterns are endless and so are the uses.  (Think outside the box by using the tape on light switches, refrigerator doors or anywhere you can dream up!)  

If you love to add texture and privacy with curtains, but can’t put holes in the walls by hanging curtain rods, check out tension rods.  These lovely little inventions fit inside the window frame and stay in place with springs, making them a great way to hang your window coverings.

Another fantastic way to add color and texture to your space is to wallpaper your bookshelves with wallpaper, scrapbook paper, or wrapping paper.  If you have built-in shelves, you can use temporary wallpaper instead.

Finally, a screen is a great way to add visual interest to a space, whether you place it behind your bed, desk or your couch.  A smaller version of an accent wall, you can just lean it in place or attach it to the wall using adhesive hooks.

Ready to find an apartment you can make your own?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists a call today at 512-241-1111 and we can show you all the great apartments in Austin in one quick appointment!

East Austin Development: The Tyndall

A new multi-family condominium development has broken ground just east of downtown, the Austin Business Journal reports.  

The Tyndall, located on the northbound side of IH-35 at 8th street, will have 182 residences for sale, and already 32 of those units are under contract.  

The development is on track to be completed in August 2018 and will have 23,000 square feet of amenities including a rooftop pool and deck with amazing city views, climate controlled bike storage, a 24 hour fitness center, yoga lawn, and firepit grotto with intimate seating.

The project will have some of the lowest housing costs in the downtown area, with prices around $200 per square foot, compared to $700 per square foot for most downtown developments.  A 571 square foot unit starts at $260,000 and the largest units, which are 2,800 square feet, will go for about $1 million.

The goal of the developers was to bring a high quality of life to people for less money.  Residents will be able to commute to downtown for work and play in minutes and also be within walking or biking distance of landmarks like Franklin’s barbecue, Cisco’s, Waller Creek, and the UT Medical School.  

The designer of the Tyndall also designed Uchi, Uchiko, and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

If you’re looking to rent in the area of East Austin near downtown, there are many apartments for the rental lifestyle as well.  The studio, one and two bedroom apartments at Eleven by Windsor have ten foot ceilings, espresso or white custom cabinets with brushed nickel hardware, granite counters, oversized energy efficient windows, and wood or polished concrete floors.  The community has a skylounge with indoor/outdoor areas and downtown and Capitol views, a fully equipped bicycle repair workshop and bike storage, a shaded dog park and pet grooming station, and so much more!

Amli Eastside has studio, one, two, and three bedroom apartments equipped with gourmet kitchens with granite counters, deluxe cabinets, and undercabinet lighting, full size washers and dryers, tile entries and faux wood floors, large walk-in closets, nine foot ceilings, and spa-like bathrooms with marble countertops.  Amenities include a resort-style pool with cascading waterfall, gourmet coffee bar, garage parking with direct access at every level and reserved parking available, and an outdoor deck with poolside bar.

Corazon is within walking distance to eastside dining and nightlife, has retail and dining on the ground floor, valet trash service, a rooftop deck with downtown skyline views, and is a LEED Certified Gold building.  Apartments, which are available in studio, one and two bedroom floorplans, have concrete or wood style flooring, granite counters and tile backsplashes, butcher block kitchen islands, included washer and dryer, oversized energy efficient windows, and use low VOC paints and finishes.

Eastside Station’s studio, one, and two bedroom apartments feature nine foot ceilings, hardwood style flooring, 42” cabinets, deep kitchen sinks with gooseneck faucets, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, included washers and dryers, large walk-in closets and live/work units are available.  The community has a fitness center with spin room, a parking garage, bike storage, a fire pit, a rooftop lounge, elevator access and is a gated community.

Ready to make your home on the eastside?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists a call today at 512-241-1111.  We love what we do and we’d love to find the perfect apartment for you!  

Rainey Street

Rainey Street is one of the hottest neighborhoods in Downtown Austin.  This is the place everyone wants to be because of its nightlife, proximity to downtown and the lake, and luxurious apartments.   Find out why Rainey Street may be your new hood!

There are lots of Rainey Street restaurants for nearby residents to dine at.  No Va Kitchen and Bar is a casual restaurant serving classic dishes with a modern twist.  They also focus on distinctive cocktails, including Cocktails on Tap.  Their multiple outdoor dining areas and sleek interior mean you’ll find a place to relax and enjoy the cuisine no matter the weather.  

Banger’s Sausage House has an amazing, gigantic outdoor yard underneath gigantic live oak trees.  They serve more than 30 varieties of house made sausage, over 100 draft beers, and have an off-leash dog park.

Rainey Street bars are unique like Container Bar, which cuts an impressive figure with its three shipping containers stacked on top of each other to form the structure.  However, Container Bar isn’t all looks.  They also have killer cocktails and a large beer and wine list, including many draft beers.

The Blackheart is a great place to enjoy a stiff drink and live music simultaneously.  They have an extensive whiskey list, beer, wine, and cigars.

There are many amazing apartments on Rainey Street with lots of luxurious, high-end amenities.  The Millennium Rainey Street has studio, one and two bedroom apartments with floor to ceiling windows with views, wood-style flooring, oversized garden tubs, glass-front shaker cabinets, and quartz counters.  The community has a rooftop infinity pool overlooking downtown and Lady Bird Lake, a fenced-in dog park with dog washing stations, a state-of-the-art fitness center overlooking the pool, valet trash and so much more.  See for yourself in this video of Millennium Rainey.

Skyhouse Apartments is a high rise with studio, one and two bedroom apartments featuring open floorplans with nine foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows with solar shades, hardwood flooring in the kitchen, living, and dining areas, granite counters, and large walk-in closets.  Amenities include a rooftop pool with amazing views of Lady Bird Lake, a poolside terrace with outdoor tvs and fireplace, a skylounge with billiards and space for entertaining, relaxing or working, controlled access parking, and an onsite concierge.

Windsor on the Lake’s one, two, and three bedroom apartments include 42” custom cabinets, floor to ceiling windows, granite counters, wood plank flooring, washer/dryer, walk-in showers, walk-in closets, and spacious verandas.   The community has private garages available for rent, fitness center with strength and cardio equipment and towel service, bike racks, gated entry, and a gourmet kitchen and catering area.

Looking to make the move to Rainey Street?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists South Austin a call today at 512-912-8000 to preview all the amazing apartments in Austin!