Through a healthy mix of residential, commercial, and entertainment elements, downtown Austin, Texas, has come alive in the past five years. So when a prime site in the West Sixth Street district became available three years ago, developer Rance Clouse, president of Fortis Realty Services in Austin, quickly recognized the influence all three factors could have in making the parcel a successful mixed-use development. Clouse knew the 1-acre property, which formerly housed a 1960s-era apartment building, had deteriorated, but he felt its foundation, load-bearing walls, and swimming pool could be reused and many materials recycled. Plus, a change in the area’s zoning rules now permitted the addition of ground-level commercial space. To top off the site’s allure, an entertainment district, public park, and upscale supermarket were within walking distance, making the location a magnet for the area’s burgeoning population of young professionals.
To appeal to this eco-conscious demographic, and meet his own sustainability goals, Clouse wanted the new-construction project, named 904 West, to incorporate the latest energy-efficient amenities and construction methods, as well as a cool industrial aesthetic. He approached West Avenue Properties for funding, and the investment firm agreed to purchase the site. Clouse also sought out solar design and installation firm Lighthouse Solar of Austin and local utility Austin Energy for advice on making the building envelope as high-performance as possible for the soon-to-be two-story condominium building.
Opened last November, phase one features 24 one-bedroom units—some designed as live/work spaces—plus a central atrium with a steel structure that houses a solar-panel roof; the remodeled pool; and two ground-floor commercial spaces that have been leased to mortgage and financial services companies.
Generating notable buzz are the property’s energy-saving sustainable features and commercial materials and methods, including photovoltaic solar energy systems installed for each unit that permit individual monitoring; rooftop tankless water heaters; a rain-screen exterior that creates a more breathable façade; spray-foam insulation; LED lighting; and a 1-inch insulated-glass assembly. Mechanical engineer David E. Nichols, vice president of EN Inc. in Austin, used Austin Energy’s Green Building Rating System as a guide. Several chic features lend the building its sophisticated vibe, among them metal “living” walls with greenery climbing from green-painted metal planters; Brazilian hardwood panels; glass railings; and a catwalk connecting the building’s two sides.
Sixteen of the phase one units, which range from 598 square feet to 1,150 square feet and $180,000 to $330,000, had sold as of early August. The second and final phase of 904 West will add four condos on an adjacent, smaller site next winter.