The nation’s fastest-growing large metro area is getting even bigger, with the addition of a $3 billion, 66-acre community. In Austin, Texas, construction has begun on the master-planned Uptown ATX development. The project will introduce workspace, multifamily, retail, hospitality, and a new metro rail station to what’s being called Austin’s second downtown.
Uptown ATX will transform what used to be a single-use, auto-centric office complex into a transit-oriented, mixed-use neighborhood, part of a burgeoning technology hub in Northwest Austin. Uptown ATX will feature 3.2 million square feet of workspace, 2.9 million square feet of multifamily units, 600,000 square feet of retail and hospitality, and 11 acres of public open space. It also will include a new metro rail station, providing a mass transit connection to downtown Austin and the larger region.
Since 2019, SWA/Balsley, supported by Austin-based Coleman & Associates, has been collaborating with Brandywine Realty Trust, Trammell Crow Residential, and a multidisciplinary team of designers, planners, and engineers on the public realm of Uptown ATX. The SWA Balsley team is designing and implementing the project’s streetscapes, seven public parks and plazas, and amenity terraces for two development blocks.
The SWA/Balsley team’s various landscape projects, currently in design or construction, include Walnut Springs Lake Park, one of Uptown ATX’s signature open spaces. The lake’s central water body will function as a combination detention-retention pond that captures, stores, and cleans much of the development’s stormwater runoff. Other landscape projects include a 40,000-square-foot terrace uniting an office tower and a residential tower, as well as pedestrian-oriented streetscapes and a public park serving a multifamily complex with 529 units.
Uptown ATX is owned by Brandywine Realty Trust, with one section co-owned by Trammel Crowe Residential. Page Southerland Page and GFF Architects provide the architectural services. The civil engineer is Kimley-Horn; MEP engineer, Jordan & Skala; structural engineers, Walter P Moore and Viewtech, Inc.; and general contractor, White Construction (with more engineers and contractors to be announced).
Related Stories
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India
Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India.
Airports | Apr 18, 2023
India's mammoth new airport terminal takes ‘back to nature’ seriously
On January 15, 2023, Phase 1 of the Kempegowda International Airport’s Terminal 2, in Bengaluru, India, began domestic operations. The 2.75 million-sf building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), is projected to process 25 million passengers annually, while providing its travelers with a healthier environment, thanks to extensive indoor-outdoor landscaping that offers serenity to what is normally a frenzied experience.
Office Buildings | Apr 13, 2023
L.A. headquarters for startup Califia Farms incorporates post-pandemic hybrid workplace design concepts
The new Los Angeles headquarters for fast-growing Califia Farms, a brand of dairy alternative products, was designed by SLAM with the post-Covid hybrid work environment in mind. Located in Maxwell Coffee House, a historic production facility built in 1924 that has become a vibrant mixed-use complex, the office features a café bordered by generous meeting rooms.
Mixed-Use | Apr 7, 2023
New Nashville mixed-use high-rise features curved, stepped massing and wellness focus
Construction recently started on 5 City Blvd, a new 15-story office and mixed-use building in Nashville, Tenn. Located on a uniquely shaped site, the 730,000-sf structure features curved, stepped massing and amenities with a focus on wellness.
Education Facilities | Apr 3, 2023
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center opens academic center for affordable education and training
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center, which provides career-specific training to adults and high school students, has completed its Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus—a two-story, 155,000-sf academic building. The project aims to fill the growing community’s rising demand for affordable education and training.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023
New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 26, 2023
UC Davis Health opens new eye institute building for eye care, research, and training
UC Davis Health recently marked the opening of the new Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute Building and the expansion of the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC). Located in Sacramento, Calif., the Eye Center provides eye care, vision research, and training for specialists and investigators. With the new building, the Eye Center’s vision scientists can increase capacity for clinical trials by 50%.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 25, 2023
California medical center breaks ground on behavioral health facility for both adults and children
In San Jose, Calif., Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) has broken ground on a new behavioral health facility: the Child, Adolescent, and Adult Behavioral Health Services Center. Designed by HGA, the center will bring together under one roof Santa Clara County’s behavioral health offerings, including Emergency Psychiatric Services and Urgent Care.
Government Buildings | Mar 24, 2023
19 federal buildings named GSA Design Awards winners
After a six-year hiatus, the U.S. General Services Administration late last year resumed its esteemed GSA Design Awards program. In all, 19 federal building projects nationwide were honored with 2022 GSA Design Awards, eight with Honor Awards and 11 with Citations.
Transportation & Parking Facilities | Mar 23, 2023
Amsterdam debuts underwater bicycle parking facility that can accommodate over 4,000 bikes
In February, Amsterdam saw the opening of a new underwater bicycle parking facility. Located in the heart of the city—next to Amsterdam Central Station and under the river IJ (Amsterdam’s waterfront)—the facility, dubbed IJboulevard, has parking spots for over 4,000 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.