Musk joint headed to Sixth and Guadalupe

Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter CEO Elon Musk's effect on the Austin landscape (literal, metaphorical) is well-known, lamented and celebrated in probably unequal measures.

Musk isn't the only member of his clan to have an impact on the city, however. His brother, Kimbal Musk, just signed a lease for most of ground floor of 66-story tower Sixth and Guadalupe, under construction at 400 West Sixth Street.

The younger Musk plans to open an 8,000-square-foot Austin location of the Kitchen, the restaurant chain he founded with chef Hugo Matheson in 2004, on the ground floor of the downtown building.

Austin-based architect Michael Hsu, whose influence on the city's built environment is due in part to his work a number of notable restaurants, will design the Kitchen bar, dining room, and private dining areas. The foodie entrepreneur also plans a 6,000-square-foot addition, the Kitchen Upstairs, with a bar, dining room, and private meeting space on the mezzanine level.

The Kitchen Austin is scheduled to open in 2024; the opening date of the Kitchen Upstairs has not been announced.

Trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Kimbal Musk partnered with Matheson to open Kitchen restaurants in Boulder and Denver, Colorado, as well as in Chicago. The partners have been recognized by the James Beard Foundation for their influence on the farm-to-table movement, and the restaurant group was named one of the most innovative companies in the world by Fast Company, according to a press release announcing plans for the chain's expansion to Austin. 

In addition to being the the co-founder and CEO of the Kitchen Restaurant Group and educational food-growing nonprofit Big Green, the culinary entrepreneur is the executive chairman of urban indoor farming company Square Roots. Big Green will partner with Austin-based Fruitful Commons to launch a home-garden initiative in May, the Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday. Big Green has also expanded to the Austin area, according to the daily.

Chef-restaurateur Musk is also on the boards of directors of Tesla and SpaceX. Brother Elon is CEO of both companies, which have facilities in Austin and until recently were headquartered in the city — the elder Musk announced in February that he is moving the Tesla headquarters back to California. According to Fortune, Tesla board member Kimbal "exercised options this week allowing him to cash out shares in the electric carmaker worth a net $17 million."

The Kitchen deal was made as Sixth and Guadalupe nears completion. One of the tallest of the many new towers on the Austin skyline, the building was developed by Texas-based companies Lincoln Property Company and Kairoi Residential, along with San Francisco's DivcoWest. 

Sixth and Guadalupe will have 9,984 square feet of retail on the ground floor, 589,112 square feet of office space on floors 14 through 32, and 349 residences on floors 34 through 66. Rising 875 feet, the tower is (for the moment) the tallest building in Austin and the fifth-tallest building in Texas.

Karoi recently began preleasing for the Residences at 6G, the  apartments on the building's top floors. Residents get exclusive use of a 24-hour health club with virtual fitness classes, an outdoor yoga deck, a podcast studio and media room, a private theater room, a game room, and various dog-related facilities. 

Penthouse residents get access to a members-only clubroom with custom wine storage and exclusive concierge services. Three of the penthouses have been preleased. The Residences at 6G expects to be open for move-in this fall. The building's website lists available units ranging from a 617-square-foot studio to a 3,250-square-foot space with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Prices are not listed.