405 Colorado jump-starts Great Streets in warehouse district

A recently completed office tower near a redeveloping area downtown is the first to follow the standards of Austin's Great Streets Plan.

All mirrors and copper, 405 Colorado rises above the mostly two-story buildings in the history-flavored warehouse district around it. That's all about to change, though, with a planned 40-story residential tower on a nearby block bounded by West Third, West Fourth, and Colorado streets. The development of that yet-unnamed building by Houston's Hanover will transform a strip of low-slung buildings that have long been a locus of Austin's LGBTQ nightlife.

The redevelopment of the West Fourth streetscape gave 405 Colorado first dibs on realizing the vision of Austin’s Great Streets Program in the district, which includes lots that were part of the city's original grid.

In designing the site, formerly a surface parking lot,  Durham-based Duda/Paine Architects echoed the original grid by expanding sidewalks and maintaining an existing alley in hopes of carrying on the function and spirit of the established district. The approach also shares the goals of creating "a more equitable balance of space between the roadway and the sidewalk zones and the implementation of enhanced streetscape standards" put forth in the city'd Great Streets Plan. The double-height, glass-walled lobby and retail space on the street level of the 25-story office building should also help with that.

Above 405 Colorado's ground floor is a 13-story parking podium and 206,000 square feet of office space. The building also has a sky lounge and 4,000-square-foot terrace, glass elevators, smaller terraces, semipermeable lounge spaces, and a cafe. Other building amenities include EV parking stations, locker rooms, and bike storage. 

Brandywine Realty Trust developed 405 Colorado. The interiors were designed by Austin's STG Design, and landscape design was by Coleman and Associates. JE Dunn Construction was the general contractor and Stantec was the engineer. CBRE is handling leasing.