2016
December 14
Curbed Cup 1st Round
by Cindy Widner
Extolling the virtues of Clarksville at this point is a rather fish-in-a-barrel situation. The Clarksville Historic District—bounded by Enfield Road on the north, North Lamar Boulevard on the east, West Sixth Street on the south, MoPac Expressway to the west—is a section of the larger Old West Austin neighborhood, but it has a distinctive, much funkier style than other parts of the area, one that has appealed to Austinites for quite a long time.
... As downtown advanced west, with older developments like the Whole Foods mothership and the Waterloo Records complex joined by much larger scale projects such as the redevelopment of the Seaholm Power Plant, a funny thing happened. Because of its historic designation and the general will of the neighborhood, many of its older, sometimes ramshackle homes and businesses remained, making it an intimate, neighborly, small-scale area that just happened to be on a hill with great views, within walking distance of the now-thriving entertainment, restaurant, and shopping districts in southwest downtown. For many Austinites, that combination is downright irresistible.
December 12
Green Buildings Renew the Core of The City of Austin
A pioneer of the green building movement, Austin reinvents its ageing industrial sites, turning its former airport and defunct power plant—both on prime real estate—into hip urban enclaves.
by Laura Parker
The jewels of Austin’s urban renewal are two entirely new districts that have risen from a pair of defunct industrial sites—a decommissioned, 1950s-era steam power plant and the outdated municipal airport, which closed in 1999.
Both are key to Austin’s efforts to lure 25,000 new residents and workers into the central city. Athens calls the two projects, which are distinctly different, Austin’s “bookends,” framing the kind of urban density the city needs.
“If cities continue to develop in a low-density, sprawling fashion, it becomes impossible to garner enough tax revenue to support and maintain all that infrastructure,” she says.
The Seaholm EcoDistrict is an 85-acre development on the edge of downtown, facing the shoreline of Lady Bird Lake, some of the most sought-after real estate in the city. Once dominated by the city-owned power plant and a water treatment facility, Seaholm today is a high-density, pedestrian-friendly enclave of shops, restaurants, new offices, and open spaces that invite gatherings such as the kind of music events Austin is known for. It is home to a new public library, set to open in May, and several residential high-rises, including one under construction that will be downtown Austin’s tallest building, The Independent, at 58 stories.
On a walking tour, Athens shows off Seaholm's perks: a small forest of trees, public art works, recharging posts for electric cars, a solar-powered park bench for recharging smart phones and laptops. The Art Deco power plant has been preserved and remodeled into office space, housing a healthcare company and Boiler Nine Bar + Grill, a new restaurant with plans for a roof garden to grow salad greens and other vegetables. Walking paths reconnect the site to the rest of downtown on one side and to a pedestrian bridge over the lake on the other.
December 12
Accordion 16 - Seaholm Mural
atxn.tv - City of Austin On-Air, Online, Anytime
The City of Austin Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department welcomes its latest addition to the city’s art collection. Accordion 16 is a new mural by the Italian artist group k Sten Lex. It spans an impressive 200 feet along the railroad retaining wall on Walter Seaholm Drive; an effort to bring a fresh perspective to the local art scene. Austin artist Jo Kristofoletti connected Sten Lex with Southwest Strategies Group, the developers behind the Seaholm Power Plant Redevelopment.
Additional funding was provided by the Art Alliance Austin and City of Austin Economic Development Department/Cultural Arts Division.
The City of Austin thanks the creators of Accordion 16, Sten Lex of Rome, Italy, as well as artist/producer Joseph Kristofolletti. The City of Austin also thanks Allen Cowden, Rick Reed, John Rosato, Danny Roth and Jim Susman for the donation of the artwork.
[Sten Lex]
November 22
2016 Spotlight
Spotlights: As part of its educational mission to inform staff and the public of work advancing the objectives of Imagine Austin, the Invest in Compact and Connected team recognizes private sector projects that are helping to activate Imagine Austin through an annual “Spotlights” initiative.
November 22
Developers line up for chance to remake prime downtown Austin block
by Will Anderson
Eight companies or partnerships have submitted proposals to transform the downtown block where the county had hoped to build a new courthouse, one of Austin's most high-profile infill opportunities because the site could conceivably hold the tallest building in town.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, the firms that have submitted bids are:
Cielo Property Group with Gables Residential
Cousins Properties Inc.
Endeavor Real Estate Group LLC
Hanover Co. with Brandywine Realty Trust
Lincoln Property Co.
Riverside Resources
Southwest Strategies Group
The Presidium Group
November 21
Proposals in to develop county-owned block in downtown Austin
by Shonda Novak
Travis County has received proposals from eight development firms or teams that are interested in leasing or buying a prime county-owned block just south of Republic Square in downtown Austin.
The developers have been involved in a wide range of real estate development in Central Texas, including high-profile office, retail, residential and mixed-use projects. Four of the firms are Austin-based: Cielo, Endeavor, Riverside Resources and Southwest Strategies Group.
November 3
The history Behind One of Austin, Texas' Hottest Development Properties
National Trust for Historic Preservation
by David Weible
At more than 65 years old, it’s no surprise that Austin’s Seaholm Power Plant is no longer producing electricity, but it is still helping to power the city as one of its hottest new development projects.
What is now more than 130,000 square feet of commercial space in downtown Austin was commissioned as the city’s new power source in 1948. At the time, post-war Austin had a population of roughly 130,000, and it was growing fast. In addition, new appliances like dishwashers and air conditioners were putting an added strain on the municipality’s already over-worked infrastructure.
... That’s when Seaholm Power, LLC stepped in, led by managing partner John Rosato. In April 2005, the team was selected to redevelop the full 7.8-acre site, including the power plant itself. Their approach balanced the construction of a new high-rise residential tower, a shorter commercial building, and a parking garage on the site with the restoration and preservation of the iconic Seaholm Power Plant.
... Today, thanks to some creative thinking, the Seaholm Power Plant remains a powerful symbol for the city of Austin and its history.
October 4
Want to buy a former opera hosue? Or a prime downtown Austin site? AISD has some properties to show you
by Will Anderson
Some appealing properties around the city, from the Central Business District to the east side, have landed on the market — courtesy of Austin Independent School District.
... Austin-based Southwest Strategies Group has been tapped as broker.
... School trustees have placed particular emphasis on projects that offer some academic benefit to students, come with affordable housing for faculty or families with kids, support the district's administrative space/design needs or provide revenue to the district — preferably on a recurring basis.
October 3
Austin's school district put 10 properties on the market
by Shonda Novak
The Austin Independent School District on Monday issued a request for proposals and bids for 10 properties, including the district’s headquarters just west of downtown. Valued earlier this year at more than $95 million, the properties are on the market for sale, lease or other alternative, civic-minded uses.
Details are available online at Southwest Strategies Group.
... The district has hired the same commercial real estate firm it used back in 2011 to market the 10 properties. Southwest Strategies recently completed an evaluation of all 10 of AISD’s properties to determine the market value of each of them.
September 14
Seaholm development sold; Sources say New York buyer involved
by Jan Buchholz
Seaholm, the redeveloped Art Deco power plant on the southwest fringe of downtown Austin, has new owners — though the identity is somewhat of a mystery.
The sellers, headed by Southwest Strategies Group of Austin, announced the gigantic deal but declined to name the buyer in a three-page announcement confirming the sale.
... “We listened to the community and the market and together saved an historic icon,” said John Rosato, principal with Southwest Strategies, in a statement.
Southwest Strategies teamed with CIM Group of Los Angeles, which provided equity financing. Other participants in the project included Centro Development, State Street Properties, La Corsha Hospitality and Capital Project Management. STG Design in Austin played a pivotal role in the architecture and design of the project.
The development has won numerous awards for architecture, design and historic preservation.
September 14
Central Texas architects honored at fundraising gala
Leadership awards highlighted the recent Austin Foundation for Architecture’s Form: Function signature fundraiser at the new South Congress Hotel.
... Westbank-owned Southwest Strategies Group was recognized for 30 years of commercial real estate work, including planning/development, investments, brokerage and public agency consulting. Westbankers and principals Danny Roth and John Rosato focus mainly on iconic buildings that are reused and repurposed.
“It took 12 years to bring the $150 million mixed-use Seaholm project to life,” Rosato said. “Even though developers and architects typically have acrimonious relationships, we enjoy working with many different architects.”
Southwest Strategies Group principals, awardees and Westbankers Danny Roth (left) and John Rosato (HOLLY JACKSON FOR WESTLAKE PICAYUNE)
July 12
Inside Boiler Nine Bar + Grill's Three Levels of Wood-Fire Fare and Cocktails
by Nadia Chaudhur
It was fate when the developers behind the Seaholm project, Southwest Strategies, approached Boiler's parent company La Corsha Hospitality Group. The team was already toying with a concept based on wood-fired fare, which makes perfect sense to execute that vision in the defunct power plant. The name even stems from the location of the ninth of ten original working boilers.
...The space: Boiler Nine is sleek and industrial, both inside and out, and unlike any other structures in Austin. Vintage coin viewfinders on the observatory deck provide views of hill country on one side and the ghostly white network of power plant pipes and gridwork on the other. Grey, white and natural wood appear on both the rooftop and in the restaurant, which incorporates the power plant aesthetic while maintaining its delicacy with thin linear metalwork and round mod furniture. Both a chef's counter with bar stools and a long bar-level table provide the best view of the open kitchen, though the action is visible from all the tables on the main level, and seating on the smaller second level is best for a bird's eye view of the bar.
July 6
First Look: Boiler Nine Bar & Grill in Seaholm Power Plant
New corner of downtown Austin emerges after decade of planning, building
This week, Austin welcomed Boiler Nine Bar + Grill, possibly the city's most anticipated opening in the past two years, to the refurbished Seaholm Power Plant. When La Corsha Hospitality announced exciting plans to transform 11,000 square feet over four levels into a grilling mecca, a late 2014 opening was anticipated. Since then, the group closed lauded fine dining concept Congress to expand Second Bar & Kitchen and acquired two historic properties which they are currently renovating (Green Pastures in Austin and The Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells), all while leading up to Boiler Nine's post-Independence Day launch. And we think you'll agree this ambitious project was worth the wait.
...The space: Boiler Nine is sleek and industrial, both inside and out, and unlike any other structures in Austin. Vintage coin viewfinders on the observatory deck provide views of hill country on one side and the ghostly white network of power plant pipes and gridwork on the other. Grey, white and natural wood appear on both the rooftop and in the restaurant, which incorporates the power plant aesthetic while maintaining its delicacy with thin linear metalwork and round mod furniture. Both a chef's counter with bar stools and a long bar-level table provide the best view of the open kitchen, though the action is visible from all the tables on the main level, and seating on the smaller second level is best for a bird's eye view of the bar.
July 2
Austin developers to create new campus at RBJ Center near downtown
by Jan Buchholz
It’s been a long time in the making, but redevelopment plans finally are moving forward for the Rebekah Baines Johnson Center in Central East Austin along the northern shore of Lady Bird Lake.
... Southwest Strategies Group, Momark Development and DMA Development Co. LLC will rehab the existing 16-story RBJ Center and will add another affordable senior housing component, mixed-income apartments, privately owned condominiums and 25,000 square feet of commercial space.
Southwest Strategies Group, Momark Development and DMA Development Co. LLC will rehab the existing 16-story RBJ Center and will add another affordable senior housing component, mixed-income apartments, privately owned condominiums and 25,000 square feet of commercial space.
May 25
Seaholm development project nears completion, spurs activty
New corner of downtown Austin emerges after decade of planning, building
It lay dormant for years, but a downtown Austin project on the grounds of a decommissioned power plant is beginning to come alive with retail and office locations operating and a residential tower starting to populate.
... A restaurant concept, Boiler Nine Bar + Grill, is slated to open in the former power plant by the end of May. By June, John Rosato, managing partner with developer Seaholm Power LLC, said he expects the remaining condominiums will be closed on and the rest of the spaces leased.
"It is really gratifying to see people coming through here," Rosato said. "It's all coming together."
Greg Kiloh, redevelopment project manager with the city of Austin's Economic Development Department, has worked on the Seaholm project for the past 15 years.
"To turn [the power plant] into a catalyst for the redevelopment district is very significant nationally," Kiloh said.
May 10
2016 Commercial Real Estate Awards winners unveiled
Austin Business Journal
by Will Anderson
Seaholm wins Best Overall award from ABJ
The Austin Business Journal honored the redevelopment of the Seaholm Power Plant with its "Best Overall" award on May 10. The awards honor the best commercial real estate projects in the Austin area. More than 30 projects were nominated in various categories. A video featuring Seaholm Power LLC's John Rosato and athenahealth's Jack Nye discussed the major undertaking that's been 12 years in the making – a transformation that now ensures the historic power plant will be preserved for generations to com
April 22
Golden Afternoon
Golden Afternoon is the first large scale permanent interactive installation in the City of Austin's Public Art Collection
...The parking lot below Trader Joe's and the Seaholm Redevelopment Project is a 3 storied underground structure. Like many parking structures it is functional and structural with gray exposed concrete as the main visible finish. A 40' x 40' concrete wall adjacent to the staircase that facilitates the passage of people from the underbelly of the parking lot to the Seaholm Plaza. This empty canvas was made available to us by the City create a project that could transform this place from purely functional to a joyful and delightful experience.
Project: Golden Afternoon on Urban Matter, Inc.
April
The Placemakers
GlobeSt.com. Real Estate Forum
Some of the most impactful projects to hit the market in the past two years, and the development teams behind them
by Natalie Dolce
The act of real estate development is seldom as simple as putting up four walls and a roof. Building properties—particularly large, commercial assets—involves as much art and finesse as it does science and skill, especially when taking into account all the moving parts and interested parties. A development project can stand out for several reasons, not simply sheer size and cost. Some projects garner attention for their design and architectural elements. Others can revitalize forgotten neighborhoods or provide a much-needed service. Still others can even create new neighborhoods, luring both residents and businesses
alike. Yet bringing any project to fruition takes a great deal of coordination, from city planners and developers, to investors and lenders, to architects, engineers and legal counsel. The hands and minds involved in building a new asset are many.
To learn more about the Seaholm Residences current availability
March 24
Top 10 States 2015: Seaholm Power Plant Redevelopment
USGBC: U.S. Green Building Council
by Amanda Sawit
The 2015 Top 10 States list honors transformative efforts at the state level to create healthier, more energy- and water-efficient places to live, learn, work and play. In 2015 alone, 1,633 projects were certified in the United States—equivalent to an incredible 275 million square feet.
#8 Texas
The Seaholm Power Development, a historic landmark in Austin, Texas, was a former brownfield site that became an adaptive reuse project. After closing in 1989, the long-dormant power plant (originally built in the 1950s) offered a unique opportunity to preserve a key piece of Austin's past and unite it with its future.
The LEED Gold Seaholm Power Plant is envisioned as a future urban oasis on the Southwestern edge of downtown Austin. This $130 million mixed-use redevelopment includes a completed two-story, 67,000-square-foot retail and office building surrounding a one-acre public plaza. A 30-story, 615,000-square-foot residential tower containing 280 high-rise condos is expected to be completed this coming spring.
Despite the challenges of redeveloping a 60-year-old power plant, much of the original structure was reused or preserved. Over 10 percent of the building materials included recycled content, 20 percent of building materials were regionally sourced and energy use was reduced by nearly 20 percent. Additionally, rainwater harvesting was incorporated into the design.
March 24
Austin's Seaholm project for sale
by Shonda Novak
"We're incredibly proud of the way we've redeveloped the entire site, and in particular the Seaholm Power Plant," said John Rosato, lead developer for the project. "It's been restored and redeveloped in a way that honors the past while ensuring its future.
Greg Kiloh, the city's project manager for Seaholm, said the project achieved its main goal: to preserve the structure, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
"That was the purpose of the project," Kiloh said. "It wasn't to make a lot of money. It was an expensive historical preservation project that used economic development (financing mechanisms) as a means of doing the project."
... Government-owned land has been transformed into billions of dollars of new tax base," McCracken said. "The sales proceeds of these properties have added significant sums to the community's affordable housing trust fund. Restoring the Seaholm power plant and converting it from an abandoned power plant to a place people could occupy was complex, hugely expensive and financially risky for the developer. The easiest and most profitable thing to have done with the power plant building was to tear it down."
March 31
FORM : FUNCTION
Austin Foundation for Architecture
Each year, AFA honors one person from outside the field of architecture who believes in the relationship between a well-built environment and high quality of life. As an individual or through professional work, AFA Honorees demonstrate leadership consistent with the AFA mission, through the projects they initiate, lead or champion, through influential decision making, or financial contribution.
...At Form: Function, AFA honors one individual and one organization for extraordinary contributions to the built environment in Central Texas. This year AFA will honor architectural photographer, Patrick Wong of Atelier Wong and Southwest Strategies Group, developer of the Seaholm Project.
March 21
Seaholm Power Development LLC receives TWDB's Texas Rain Catcher Award
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced today the recipients of its annual Texas Rain Catcher Award, a rainwater harvesting competition and recognition program. Seaholm Power Development LLC was recognized in the commercial category.
... The Seaholm Power Development rainwater harvesting system, located in Austin, TX, is an industrial scale project that uses repurposed power plant cooling infrastructure. The 325,000-gallon system provides all of the normal irrigation needs of the five-acre site and the surrounding streetscape planting. The system also doubles as a water quality control system for the site and the surrounding public streets.
February 25
City of Austin & Seaholm Redevelopment Receive Award for Vibrant Downtown Transformation
The Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA) has recognized the City of Austin Economic Development Department andSeaholm Power Development, LLC with a 2016 DANA Urban Light Award for the Seaholm Redevelopment.
Each year DANA honors projects or initiatives that help create a vibrant urban environment for our city. The Urban Light Award recognizes an aspect of downtown that positively transforms the downtown area and points toward a bright future.
“The Seaholm Redevelopment brings a palpable new energy, culturally and economically, to the southwest quadrant of downtown, honoring Austin's civic infrastructure of the past while driving progress toward a vibrant and dense mixed use environment, said Meredith Powell, President, Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association. “For the City's and Seaholm LLC's public-private partnership and commitment to this transformation, we're proud to honor the Seaholm Redevelopment this year.”
... The awards were presented on February 21 at the DANA Annual Meeting in downtown Austin.
Pictured from left to right: Greg Kiloh – City of Austin Economic Development Department Redevelopment Division; Meredith Powell, DANA President; John Rosato, Seaholm Power Development, LLC Managing Partner
2015
Fall
Preservation Merit Awards
Preservation Austin
Volume 19 No. 4
SEAHOLM POWER PLANT, 800 West Cesar Chavez Street, Seaholm Power, LLC c/o Southwest Strategies Group, Inc for Rehabilitation
Jury comments: Such a large-scle rehabilitation of industrial buildings is rare in Austin, making this fantastic project's impact on downtown even greater. The project team is further commended for preserving the property's industrial components.
... It also marks the first time the City has entered into an agreement where the key goals is preserving an iconic structure.
November 12
Mayor, community leaders unveil new facility for the homeless
by Vicky Garza
A $14.6 million facility combining housing and services for Austin’s chronically homeless is expected to break ground in Central East Austin early next year with the support of Mayor Steve Adler, the Downtown Austin Alliance, various nonprofit organizations working to end homelessness and several prominent community leaders.
The 40,000-square-foot Housing First Oak Springs facility will be the first of its kind in Travis County, with 50 efficiency apartments for homeless individuals with mental illness, as well as an on-site clinic, a community room, a parking garage and retail space to provide supportive employment opportunities.
... The panel at the event consisted of the mayor; John Rosato, partner at Southwest Strategies Group; Paul Bury, president and CEO at Bury, a design and engineering consulting firm; and ECHO board members Ed McHorse, attorney at Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, and Judy Maggio, former news anchor.
... Bury also spoke about the opposition – often referred to using the term NIMBY, or “not in my backyard” – to projects such as this that are considered undesirable in certain neighborhoods. He has faced this type of opposition before and said that it is hard to find a good property and, despite the challenge, he’s already working on another project to take more people off the streets without using taxpayer money.
Rosato said that it simply took a while to find a model that works.
October 3
In rapidly changing downtown, The Hatbox finds new home
by Gary Dinges
Property in downtown Austin is at a premium these days.
With cranes dotting the landscape, helping to build scores of new high-rise apartments, condos, hotels and offices, several businesses have been displaced in recent months.
... The Hatbox – which, as you might expect, sells men’s and women’s hats – lost its spot on East Sixth Street but has resurfaced just around the corner at 704 Congress Ave.
... The lease is for 20 years, according to Linda Asaf with Southwest Strategies Group, who helped secure the new space.
August 30
City to pick developer for prime spot
by Lilly Rockwell
Shut down nearly three decades ago, the utilitarian Seaholm intake facility has remained on the north shore of Lady Bird Lake, like an architectural ghost of Austin’s past.
... The goal is to pick a developer by late Septemver and take it to the City Council for approval by October. The two fims in the running to develop the site are Stratus Properties Inc. and Southwest Strategies Group.
August 30
Amid boom, Austin's downtown condo
Lilly Rockwell
Austin developer Perry Lorenz remembers a time when, at the dawn of the 21st century, there was not a single high-rise residential condominium in downtown Austin
... Now the market is shifting again, with a new set of offerings that includes projects like Fifth & West and the 280-unit Seaholm Residences.
... Alan Holt, a real estate broker who owns Holt Residential, said the best might be yet to come for the market.
“The most exciting thing about downtown Austin is how much potential the market still holds,” Holt said. “And with all the new residents living downtown, this is driving not only more shopping, dining and entertainment options, but also things like wider sidewalks, landscaping, and more interesting and accommodating public spaces. Downtown Austin is developing a vibrant neighborhood feel, and that is inspiring to see.”
July 8
White Lodging plans hotel near convention center
A new hotel is planned for downtown Austin, across the street from the Austin Convention Center, reports the Austin American-Statesman.
Previously, the Austin Monitor has reported on plans by city leaders to acquire that part of Block 8 to expand the neighboring convention center. Marketing materials from Southwest Strategies Group, which has note that the Block 8 tract currently is split into four separate tracts occupied by small, one and two-story buildings.
July 1
Seaholm Topping Out Ceremony
The Seaholm redevelopment team celebrates the project's tallest component, a condo tower, topping out. In lieu of the customary tree topping, team members signed a lightning bolt, which was raised to the 28th level.
Left to right: Bill McCann (head of engineering), John Rosato (managing principal), Peter Narvarte (head of construction), David Stauch (head of project management) and Danny Roth (principal).
July 1
Topping out ceremony for 30-story Seaholm Residences just wrapped!
June 29
Supreme Court Decision Unlikely to Stall the Shift Away from Coal Plants
by Richard Martin
Perhaps the most well-known is the Seaholm project, in Austin, Texas. Located on the shore of Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin, the 100-megawatt Seaholm Power Plant was shut down in 1996. Beginning in the mid-2000s the city redeveloped the site as a $100 million retail, office, and residential complex centered around the Art Deco plant building. Developer Southwest Strategies Group welcomed the first major tenant for the space, medical software provider Athenahealth, in February.
May 1
As downtown Trader Joe's opens, how do prices compare with Whole Foods?
By Addie Broyles
People who live and work around Downtown now have a new option for grocery items. The Trader Joe's location at the Seaholm Power Plant is now open for business.
"In the Seaholm area where Trader Joe's is landing we have the highest residential density in town so while that area already has access to the flagship Whole Foods and the Royal Blues, it is really nice to add another option and another price point," said Fred Evins, Redevelopment Project Manager.
May 1
Trader Joe's at Seaholm is open for business
By Calily Bien
People who live and work around Downtown now have a new option for grocery items. The Trader Joe's location at the Seaholm Power Plant is now open for business.
"In the Seaholm area where Trader Joe's is landing we have the highest residential density in town so while that area already has access to the flagship Whole Foods and the Royal Blues, it is really nice to add another option and another price point," said Fred Evins, Redevelopment Project Manager.
April 29
Austin's best new buildings: The 2015 Commercial Real Estate Awards
By Colin Pope
Eleven new buildings and key real estate transactions were recognized Wednesday evening during the Austin Business Journal's 2015 Commercial Real Estate Awards gala at the Four Seasons Hotel.
April 13
Trader Joe's to open soon at Seaholm in downtown AustiN
Austin Business Journal
By Jan Buckholz
The wait is nearly over for Trader Joe's to open in downtown Austin. The official grand opening is scheduled for Friday, May 1.
The 11,500-square-foot store — within walking distance of competitor Whole Foods Market Inc.'s headquarters and flagship store — will be in the new development around the retrofitted Seaholm Power Plant.
... The Seaholm project is one of the most notable new developments in the city because of the buzz created by the iconic former power plant — Athenahealth leased most of the space for its Austin operations, which you can see in a slideshow— and the rapid sell-out of the associated high-rise condo tower.
April 13
By a whisker: Austin cat cafe reaches Kickstarter goal, shops for space
By Michael Theis
Grab your catnip and spray bottles, because Austin is one step closer to getting a cat cafe.
Gray is working with Lawson Pedder at Austin-based Southwest Strategies Group to help find an appropriate place for the cafe. She says it needs to be a place that can house a large cattery as well as have sufficient space for food trucks to operate.
April 1
March 27
The Most Anticipated Austin Restaurant Openings of Spring 2015
By Megan McCarron
... Here's Eater's seasonal guide to the biggest upcoming openings, including beloved Detroit-style pizza, an obscure New York burger shack, and four Italian restaurants.
Location: Seaholm
Major Players: Jason Stude, David Bull, La Corsha Hospitality
Projected Opening: Late Summer 2015
Jason Stude and David Bull of Second Bar + Kitchen and Congress will launch a meat and fire palace in the former Seaholm power plant this summer. Originally slated for June, David Bull recently told Eater the opening date is most likely closer to August.
February
Powering Back Up
By Erin Quinn-Kong
More than 25 years after Seaholm stopped generating energy for the city, it's being redeveloped into a multiuse complex complete with shops, restaurants, green space, condos and offices—all set to open over the next few months.
... In 2005, developer John Rosato, along with his team at Southwest Strategies Group, was brought in to head up the project in a public-private partnership with the City of Austin. "Seaholm Power Plant embodies the history of the city, and it seems to resonate with a lot of people," says Rosato, who also led the Penn Field project. "It's a very unique structure with strong architecture, and the stacks are iconic—everybody recognizes them. It's been fun to work on."
... "What I've found in dealing with historic restorations is that the building gives you lots of neat opportunities," says Jeff Trigger, president/owner of La Corsha Hospitality Group, which is opening the four-story Boiler Nine Bar + Grill at Seaholm in May or June. "This building told us that we needed to do multiple kitchens, multiple menus and multiple bars instead of one big area. You have to work with what you're given. In the end, what you have is something iconic."
... MapMyFitness, which will occupy the entire second floor of the new retail space, plans to move in this month. Trader Joe's is scheduled to open in March, while Optique hopes to open in March or April.
February 9
Seaholm redevelopment project marks a milestone
By Shonda Novak
Athenahealth Inc. is preparing to move into its high-profile office space downtown in the renovated Seaholm Power Plant, with an expected Feb. 2 move-in for the health care software company's 70 Austin employees.
..."The Seaholm move is hugely exciting because it's such an iconic building and the architects and developer worked very hard to keep it looking like Seaholm," he said. "Most developers would've added more floors in to get more tenants in there, but it's an open plan and it's nice that they resisted that urge to add floors."
February 2
First look: Austin's old power plant downtown now stunning creative office
By Jan Buchholz
The massive Art Deco-inspired Seaholm Power Plant in downtown Austin has long captivated the imaginations of locals and visitors alike, and now after many years of dreaming and planning the retrofitted building is almost ready for its new occupants.
About 70 employees of Athenahealth — a software company — will move into the building near Cesar Chavez Street and Lamar Boulevard on Feb. 9.
... Numerous companies had shown interest in the redeveloped power plant, but it was Athenahealth of Watertown, Mass., that took the leap into the unknown and signed a lease with the development group, which was led by Austin-based Southwest Strategies Group.
... Currently, the Athenahealth offices will occupy 34,000 square feet in the former factory that's been transformed into a fortress of light. Two levels below ground — about 77,000 square feet — is available for expansion.
January 1
Seaholm offices downtown near completion for big Athenahealth move
By Chad Swiatecki
Athenahealth Inc. is preparing to move into its high-profile office space downtown in the renovated Seaholm Power Plant, with an expected Feb. 2 move-in for the health care software company's 70 Austin employees.
..."The Seaholm move is hugely exciting because it's such an iconic building and the architects and developer worked very hard to keep it looking like Seaholm," he said. "Most developers would've added more floors in to get more tenants in there, but it's an open plan and it's nice that they resisted that urge to add floors."
mark Development and DMA Development Company LLC will form a development entity called Cesar Chavez Lakeview Village LLC.