In support of World Diabetes Day, The Austonian is participating in the “Monumental Challenge” campaign, an initiative to light iconic landmarks and buildings around the world blue as beacons of hope to the millions of people living with diabetes.
The Austonian will change the LED “smile” on the building’s crown blue tonight (November 14th). The Austonian joins the Alamo, The Empire State Building and other iconic landmarks in countries including Iran, Peru, Russia, Slovenia and Sudan.
World Diabetes Day was introduced in 1991 by the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation in response to the rise of diabetes around the world. Learn more about World Diabetes Day at www.wddusa.org.
At The Austonian, wine aficionados have excellent resources at their disposal including access to the secured climate-controlled wine storage on the 9th floor, proximity to award-winning restaurant Congress, and the personal service that Urban Wine & Liquor will offer to wine enthusiasts when it opens this winter.
The climate-controlled wine room at The Austonian is 400 square-feet in size and currently stores the collections of several homeowners. Wine Trend was responsible for the design of the room, including the 147 floor-to-ceiling lockers that can hold about 3,500 bottles of wine.
The space is climate controlled with two air handling units to maintain the humidity and room temperature at 58 degrees. The space is also connected to The Austonian’s back-up generator to protect residents’ wine in case of power outages.
For homeowners in need of new wines and spirits, Urban Wine & Liquor is slated to open in the base of the luxury condo this winter. The store will offer wine lovers a variety of services including events and tastings, special orders tailored to client’s needs and delivery to The Austonian.
For homeowners who prefer to enjoy their fine wines with a five-star meal, the Beverage Director at the trio of restaurants at The Austonian (Bar Congress, Congress and Second Bar + Kitchen) offers thoughtfully selected wine pairings as well as a comprehensive wine list. In 2009, June Rodil took first place at the Texas Best Sommelier Competition, an accomplishment that earned her the designation 2009 Texas Best Sommelier. This year, Wine and Spiritsmagazine named her one of “The Best New Sommeliers of 2011,” a title she shares with only four other sommeliers in the country.
The new season of Austin City Limits performances and television show tapings began on Saturday, October 1st with artists Mumford & Sons and Flogging Molly. The 37th season of Austin City Limits which takes place at the Moody Theatre in downtown Austin’s W Hotel and Residences, features a new introductory video sequence.
Austin photographer Jonathon Jackson shot the entire introductory sequence, which includes footage shot from the 55th floor Observation Deck at The Austonian.
Jonathan has taken professional photos of The Austonian interiors and The Austonian collection of local and regional art.
For more information about Austin City Limits, the longest running music show on television, visit the website.
(Video by Jonathan Jackson and music by Explosions in the Sky)
Saturday, October 1st from 1 to 4:30 p.m. is the annual Barkitecture event in downtown Austin’s 2nd Street District. Hosted by local nonprofit Animal Lovers of Austin, Barkitecture is a dog-centric fundraiser including a silent auction of one-of-a-kind doghouses designed by local architects, designers and builders.
Additional pet-friendly happenings include a “pup-stop” play area for pets, information on adoption opportunities, and a Howl-o-Ween Fashound Show. Pet owners may register their dog for the Fashound Show at the festival at 3 p.m. for $10. The proceeds will support local area rescue organizations.
Visit the Barkitecture website for more information.
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.
The Austonian Club is a private club where homeowners can host meetings, parties and events.
Located on the 55th floor of The Austonian luxury high-rise building in downtown Austin, the 6,000-square-foot club has 360-degree views of downtown Austin and the surrounding Texas Hill Country. Two observation decks are located on the north and south ends of the facility. The private club is one of a kind, as it is located in the crown of The Austonian, which is the tallest building in Austin and the tallest residential building West of the Mississippi.
With a configuration that supports everything from intimate dinners for 16 to large events for 250, the club has a lounge, dining area and large event room. All of the aforementioned spaces may be configured to support a large event.
An on-staff event planner that is a member of The Austonian concierge team is available to plan events at the club.
To date, the club has been used for events including fundraisers for nonprofit organizations, a sleepover for a young homeowner and friends, a wedding and a high school prom.
For more information about The Austonian’s amenities, visit The Austonian website.
Congress Avenue, known as the main street of Texas (and the first street in Austin), is dotted with significant buildings including the Texas State Capitol and The Paramount Theatre. The theatre, built in 1915, began as a vaudeville theatre known as the Majestic, and was changed to The Paramount in the 1930s when film overcame vaudeville as the entertainment art of choice.
The historically significant Paramount Theatre has thrived over the years and featured noteworthy films and performers including Katherine Hepburn, Willie Nelson, Sarah Bernhardt, Sarah Vaughan, among others. The theatre continues to screen films and is a main attraction during the Austin Film Festival and SXSW.
This summer, Austinites can enjoy The Paramount Theatre Classic Film Series, which features 80 classic films including new prints and restored foreign films. For more information about the series and tickets, visit the website.
The Austonian high rise condos at Second Street and Congress Avenue are also home to a piece of Austin’s past. The façade of the Brown-Dumas Blacksmith Shop has been restored and integrated into The Austonian along Second Street. Read more about historic preservation at The Austonian here.
The monthly “I Art Congress” series continues today in downtown Austin from 6 to 9 p.m. In conjunction with National Preservation Month, May’s theme is “Art & Architecture on the Avenue,” allowing attendees to explore the historical sites of Congress.
Congress Avenue has a unique history revealed by the preserved buildings and sites that tell its story. The Austonian features the 100-year-old façade of the Brown-Dumas Blacksmith Shop, serving as the only remaining façade of its era near the intersection of Congress Avenue and 2nd Street.
I Art Congress is a series of themed, open house events at Congress Avenue museums and galleries taking place the second Thursday of every month.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Photos by Casey Dunn
The Austonian is featured in The Austin Chronicle for its three dining destinations that showcase downtown Austin’s finest. Executive Chef David Bull and his partners in the La Corsha Restaurant Group hired the best of the best of Austin’s cooks, mixologists, sommeliers and servers to create a team that would run Congress, Bar Congress and Second Bar + Kitchen. Read the full article here.
Congress recently received a five-star review from Austin American-Statesman restaurant critic Mike Sutter, making the restaurant the highest-rated dining spot in the city.
For Earth Day the three establishments have joined Austin Give 5. Five percent of today’s purchases will benefit five Austin nonprofit organizations. More information is available at the Austin Give 5 website.
In the bustling 2nd Street District, historical treasures remain carefully preserved above and below ground. At The Austonian, Austin’s premier luxury residence, a historic landmark has been integrated into the building, allowing visitors to experience Austin’s past while enjoying its more contemporary amenities. Further down the stretch of 2nd Street that’s also known as Willie Nelson Boulevard, a general store stands tucked in a corner, surrounded by a retail and office building that helps to anchor the mixed-use district.
The base of The Austonian high-rise condos features the 100-year-old façade of the Brown-Dumas Blacksmith Shop. At the turn of the 20th century, the shop was an integral part of Austin’s thriving commercial core, where dirt streets and horse and buggies dominated the scene. Built circa 1905, it was the largest building on the block at that time. The original plan was to integrate the historic structure into The Austonian, but when the Brown-Dumas building collapsed in a wind storm in 2006, the plan changed to a reconstruction of the façade at the original site. Today, the restored façade – which is home to frozen yogurt shop BerryAustin2Go – is the only remaining façade of its era near this important intersection of Congress Avenue and 2nd Street (originally known as Live Oak Street). In early 2011, the façade was awarded a historic landmark designation from the City of Austin. An associated tax exemption was not requested or granted to the property.
As for other historic sites along the street, Lamberts Downtown Barbecue, on the southwest corner of 2nd and Guadalupe, is located in the Schneider Brothers Building, which was built in 1873 and housed one of the first general stores in town. The Schneiders were German immigrants and one of Austin’s most prominent families at the turn of the century. Their business expanded to the NW corner of the intersection, where a second store was built over a limestone basement the family had constructed for storage (and, it is believed, in anticipation of brewing beer). La Condesa was literally built around these subterranean vaults, which are available for private dining, hence the restaurant’s distinctive elevated bar.
Austin historic preservation expert Emily Little, FAIA participated in aspects of all of the aforementioned projects. Emily is an architect with Clayton&Little Architects. Other local projects that she has worked on include the Hotel St. Cecilia and The Byrne-Reed House (home of Humanities Texas).
