The Austonian Blog - Downtown Luxury Condo in Austin, Texas

Austin Events: CowParade Arrives in Austin

The CowParade public art installation made its debut in Austin at the preview event last night at The Long Center for the Performing Arts. The cow sculptures may now be found throughout Austin.

The “Thriller Cow,” stands near The Austonian luxury condos at the southeast corner of Second Street and Congress Avenue. 

The CowParade partnered with the City of Austin and the Dell Children’s Medical Center Foundation to support the Suphero Kids Fund at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. At the end of the three-month-long exhibit, about 50 of the best event cows will be sold at a live auction gala to benefit the medical center. At past events across the U.S., auction prices have averaged nearly $10,000 per cow.

The first CowParade exhibit was staged in Chicago in 1999, with 340 cow installations displayed around Michigan Avenue.

Click here for a map of the cow installations, many of which may be found in downtown Austin.

The Austonian Art Collection: Artist Denny McCoy’s Work Featured in Malick film, “Tree of Life”

The Austonian art collection features over 60 local and regional artists installed throughout the public areas of the building. Denny McCoy’s acrylic on canvas painting, “Blue Hole,” is installed in The Austonian luxury condos in downtown Austin.

 Another piece by McCoy, “El Sal del Rey,” was recently featured in one of this summer’s most anticipated films, Tree of Life. The film, written and directed by Terrence Malick, was shot partly in Austin and premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival winning the Palme d’Or.

"El Sal del Rey" is in Denny McCoy’s current show at the D Berman art gallery, which recently moved from Austin to Wimberley. 

Denny McCoy is known for using illusionary effects on light and color to create optical fluctuations on his canvas paintings. More information about McCoy may be found on the D Berman website here.

 

 

Summer Volunteering at Republic Square Park in Downtown Austin

This summer, Austinites living downtown will have a chance to give back to their neighborhood by volunteering with the Austin Parks Foundation to weed, water, mulch and compost at Republic Square Park. Tools, gloves and water will be provided during the work sessions and volunteers are invited to enjoy the Downtown Farmers’ Market after volunteering on Saturdays. A full list of work sessions for the upcoming weeks is below.

Wednesday, July 27: 9 am – noon

Saturday, July 30: 10 am – 1 pm

Saturday, August 13: 10 am – noon

Austin Parks Foundation connects people to resources and partnerships to develop and improve parks. Since 1992, Austin Parks Foundation has initiated, promoted, and facilitated physical improvements, new programming, and greater community involvement for Austin’s parks. The organization generates millions of dollars in volunteer time, in-kind donations, and financial support by city parks.

Republic Square Park, located a few blocks east and north of The Austonian, recently underwent a renovation project led by Daniel Woodroffe, the chief landscape architect for The Austonian. The renovation included creating a raised seating area that provides a place to sit and protects the park’s historic Auction Oaks.

Woodroffe designed the street-level landscape and the 10^th floor Lawn at The Austonian and is on the board of the Austin Parks Foundation.

(Photo via Austin Chronicle) 

 

Service at The Austonian Luxury Condos: Meet the New Chef Concierge Lorri Legge

At The Austonian, providing top-of-the-line service to homeowners is paramount. The concierge team consists of highly trained individuals dedicated to fulfilling every homeowner and guest request. The newest addition to the services team is Lorri Legge, Chef Concierge and Assistant General Manager. We asked Lorri a few questions about herself and her experience in the service industry.

Tell us a little about your hospitality background.

I have been in the service industry in several different capacities for most of my professional career. I started in restaurants and worked my way over to the catering side of things. I then began working for the Four Seasons Hotel Austin in 1996 as a concierge, where I managed the Food and Beverage outlets for a period of time until I decided to take a break from the business while my daughter was in high school. During that time I opened the Nokonah (a residential building at 9^th & Lamar in Austin) and worked as a personal assistant to an executive. I rejoined the Four Seasons Hotel Austin in 2006 as a concierge and moved to Los Angeles in 2008 where I worked as the Chef Concierge for the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. After three years, I decided it was time to return home to my family and friends. I am thrilled to be a part of The Austonian team.

What attracted you to the position of Assistant General Manager and Chef Concierge at The Austonian? What does Chef Concierge mean?

When I moved back, I knew that I wanted to work with one project in Austin, and it was The Austonian. The people who are involved in the project are exceptional and what attracted me to the position here at The Austonian. I am working with the General Manager Terry Arterburn and the rest of the hospitality team to provide the highest level of service to our homeowners.

Chef Concierge implies the lead concierge or the director of concierge services.

Briefly describe your position at The Austonian. 

Our staff has an attitude that we will do whatever it takes to ensure that our residents experience the best of the best lifestyle in downtown Austin; ensuring that our service standards create legendary service for our homeowners and their guests.

What is your favorite amenity/feature at The Austonian? 

The dog park is terrific. What a great concept! That area has become the social networking spot for homeowners. It has been such a great success that it is being copied throughout the city in other residential communities. The home theater with the 120” screen and 12 recliners makes the perfect screening room and getaway. The Fitness Center on the west side of the 56^th floor is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. The Yoga and Pilates Studio on the east side of the 56^th floor is stocked with floor and mat supplies as well as Stott Pilates equipment. The views are incredible. I am a certified Yoga instructor and I love the views and the natural light in the Yoga and Pilates Studio.

What amenity or service does it seem the residents most enjoy?

We provide complimentary valet parking for our residents and their guests, which they love. It makes downtown living a breeze.

How does the Austonian compare to other luxury projects? 

Our Austin Energy Green Building Four Star rating, the unique architecture and interior design, and the fact that we are the tallest building West of the Mississippi with its outstanding, overwhelmingly beautiful views are high on my list of reasons why I think that The Austonian is best in class. The amenities that support the busy and full lives that our residents live – which include both the building amenities and the services for guests – stand apart.

What are you most excited about in your new role at The Austonian? 

Developing relationships with all of the fantastic people who have chosen to make the The Austonian their home. And for some, their home away from home. 

This Friday in Downtown Austin: Music Under the Star Concert Series with Nash Hernandez Orchestra

This Friday, Music Under the Star is happening at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. The free performance will features b from the Nash Hernandez Orchestra. Established in Austin in 1949, the Nash Hernandez Orchestra is Austin’s longest-running big band.

The show is from 6-9 p.m. in the plaza in front of the museum. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. Paid concessions and free La Sombra Tequila-infused tacos, dessert and Honest Tea will be available while supplies last.

The museum will be free and open to the public during the event. Free parking is available in the museum’s parking garage.

For a full list of the Music Under the Star performances taking place in July, visit the museum website.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is located approximately six blocks north of the Texas State Capitol and sixteen blocks north of The Austonian luxury condos at 1800 N. Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas. 

(Photo via http://365thingsaustin.com/2011/07/08/188-11-music-under-the-star/) 

The Inspiration Behind Frost Bank Tower and Austin’s Rising Skyline

Many people have wondered for years what inspired the architecture of the Frost Bank Tower, which was the tallest building in the Austin skyline for quite some time. While the Austin skyline would not be the same without it, the design of the building has jokingly been said to resemble anything from a giant owl to a nose hair clipper. KVUE News decided to lay the rumors to rest, and went straight to the source of the design by contacting the office of Turan Duda, AIA — the man who is credited with designing the unique building.

According to Duda, the 515-foot building peaks with a “pyramidal translucent crown,” an answer that still leaves much to the viewer’s imagination. Duda explained that the inspiration behind the building was to create a tower with a focal point similar to New York’s Chrysler and Empire State buildings. He told the Austin American-Statesman that he wanted to “create a building that comes to a singular statement at the top, a clear, memorable symbol.” It’s a building that he claimed to be “the missing piece in the Austin skyline.”

While Frost Bank Tower certainly filled that missing piece in 2004, The Austonian and 360 Condominiums stand tall, towering over Frost’s 33 floors, adding even more perspective to Austin’s rising skyline.

Read the full article here. 

(Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/milbot79/5222088196/) 

 

Event Recap: House of Spain Davis Cup Event at The Austonian

Last week, Dr. Byron and Carla Wilkenfeld, residents of The Austonian, hosted a Davis Cup event for the House of Spain, the Austin-based Spanish consulate, on the 10^th floor Lawn at The Austonian. Guests from Austin, including over 30 of The Austonian’s residents, and prominent figures of Spain with the Davis Cup gathered together to kick off the Davis Cup tennis series that was hosted in Austin the weekend of July 7-10. Party guests enjoyed food and beverages on The Lawn, The Austonian’s 10^th-floor rooftop terrace overlooking Congress Avenue in downtown Austin.

The Lawn of The Austonian is suited well for parties and special events, with two outdoor grills, eight cabanas, a 75-foot saltwater lap pool and access to the catering kitchen right inside the building.

Austin was selected as the site for the 2011 Davis Cup by the BNP Paribas tournament quarterfinal tie between the U.S. and Spain. The tournament was held at the Frank Erwin Center at The University of Texas at Austin. After several days of matches, the U.S. was defeated by Spain.

Austin is home to Andy Roddick, the 10th-ranked tennis player who has won 33 U.S. Davis Cup victories in singles tennis. 

 

Austin Named #1 Boomtown by Forbes

More accolades for Austin come from Forbes Magazine this month: the publication named Austin as the number one city likely to grow and prosper over the next decade. In partnership with Praxis Strategy Group, Geographer Joel Kotkin of Forbes examined America’s largest cities. The report noted impressive two-year employment and population growth in Austin and Central Texas. The list included other Texas cities: San Antonio (No. 4), Houston (No. 5) and Dallas (No. 7).

Austin is the third-fastest growing city in the nation, attracting a young demographic of college graduates, families with young children, professionals, retirees and immigrants. While suburban growth is outpacing urban growth as a whole, of note is the growth that’s happening in Austin’s Central Business District. Four suburban condo communities offering a total of 721 units were built from 2009 to 2010: The Austonian, The Four Seasons Residences, The Spring, and the W Hotel and Residences. The addition of new condos to the downtown real estate market supports the growth that’s been happening downtown over the past decade and continues to happen today. From 2000 to 2009, the population in the downtown area increased by more than 20% to nearly 11,000, according to U.S. Census data. By 2014, downtown Austin is projected to grow by more than 2,200 residents.

Between 260 and 270 new condos are on the market today. With no new projects in the pipeline in the short term and an estimated 30,000 people moving to Austin each year, condos demand is expected to exceed supply over the next twelve months. Additionally, rental occupancy in the Austin metro area is expected to reach 96 percent.

Located on Congress Avenue, the “main street of Texas,” The Austonian is the tallest building in Austin and the tallest residential tower West of the Mississippi. The elliptical condo tower has sweeping 360-degree views of Austin and the Texas Hill Country. Views from residences perched above the city include the UT Tower, the Texas State Capitol, and Lady Bird Lake (the Colorado River). Over 40,000 square feet of amenities include a private entertainment facility on the 55^th floor and a 10^th-floor outdoor pet park.

More about The Austonian is available at www.theaustonian.com. Read the full Forbes article here. 

(Photo credit JH Jackson Photography)

Downtown Austin Farmers’ Market Feeds Locals and the Local Economy

Meet the farmers and shoppers at the SFC's locally grown Austin Farmers' Market in this episode of KLRU's Downtown.

The Downtown Austin Farmers’ Market is thriving, bringing approximately 3,000 people to downtown Austin every Saturday. And the benefit extends beyond healthy, local food for Austinites – according to a 2010 consumer research survey, the market generates an incremental $1.5 million in annual benefit to the businesses in the surrounding neighborhood. 

The Downtown Farmers’ Market was founded by Austin nonprofit The Sustainable Food Center in 2003. Today, the local food market includes local meat, produce, artisanal products, prepared local foods and beverages, and live music. 

Hours are Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. More information about the SFC Downtown Farmers’ Market and The Sustainable Food Center is available here.

 

Pet Services at The Austonian: Maggie Mae in This Month’s Texas Monthly

Maggie Mae, one of the four-legged residents of The Austonian, is the star in this month’s ad in Texas Monthly Magazine. Maggie Mae was also profiled in Doggie Aficionado. Known as a Second Street regular, Maggie Mae is a miracle dog that was never supposed to live past age five. Now at age 13, Maggie is loving life at The Austonian and seems to consider herself to be the “building’s official princess.”

At The Austonian, pets are part of the family, and making them feel at home is essential. The Austonian offers amenities specifically for residents’ pets including the 600-square-foot dog park on the 10^th floor, the adjacent indoor grooming room, vet and doggy daycare services and a dog-loving staff. With no breed or size restrictions, the building welcomes all furry family members.

For more information about The Austonian’s amenities for pets, visit: http://theaustonian.com/.