Five-story condo project revs up in South Austin

A long-planned condo project is underway in South Austin. Congress Lofts at St. Elmo at 4315 S. Congress got going recently with a ceremonial groundbreaking at its East Congress neighborhood site in a formerly light-industrial area that's been rebranded the St. Elmo district.

The five-story building will have nine live-work storefronts on the ground floor, 140 residential units on the second through fifth stories, and a 3,800-square-foot retail and restaurant space anchoring the development.

The warehouse-style lofts will include studios and one- and two-bedroom condos as well as something promotional materials call "2-bedrooms + den" units. Common amenities for Congress Lofts will include a gallery-style lobby, library and social lounges, and co-working space.

The interior courtyard will have a pool, an outdoor kitchen, and a fire pit. The complex will also have a ground-floor parking garage, a bicycle room, a dog park, and a dog-washing station. Condos will cost from $400,000 to about $800,000.

The complex will be part of the St. Elmo district, which is being transformed into a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood that includes the redeveloped Missouri Pacific rail yard (called, appropriately, the "Yard") and the future St. Elmo Public Market.

Project partners

Vancouver-based Intracorp is developing the property along with a number of partners, including Northland Capital, Mid First Bank, and Southside Bank. Chicago-based Pappageorge Haymes Partners is lead architect on the project. Local firm Urban Foundry Architecture is the interior designer for the common areas, and Austin-based Hitchcock Design Group is the landscape architect. Chicago-based Summit Design and Build is the general contractor, and IMEG, headquartered in Illinois, is the structural engineer. Compass Development Marketing Group is managing sales and marketing.

In addition to Congress Lofts at St. Elmo, Intracorp is involved in a variety of projects around Austin, including One Oak Austin, 44 East, and Conrad Austin and Conrad Residences Austin.

Sales for Congress Lofts at St. Elmo at 4315 South Congress Avenue were launched in August. Developers expect to complete the complex by mid-2024.