The Waterline, now officially the tallest building in Texas and the 24th tallest in the United States, has opened its doors in downtown Austin. Located at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Red River streets, the towering structure reaches over 1,000 feet, comparable to stacking three University of Texas at Austin towers on top of each other.
Construction of the Waterline spanned more than four years, during which crews dedicated 4.5 million hours of labor and utilized enough concrete to fill approximately 46 Olympic-sized swimming pools, as reported by DPR Construction, the company behind the project. Notably, a ride in the elevator from the lobby to the top floor exceeds one minute.
The mixed-use building features a blend of office space, residential units, a luxury hotel, and a rooftop restaurant offering Japanese-inspired dishes. Additionally, a coffee shop and a Mexican restaurant named Alteño, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Johnny Curiel, enhance the culinary offerings.
DPR completed the project two months ahead of schedule, with the residential section being the final component finished. Residents were able to move in earlier than expected, according to project superintendent Emory Sweeney. The hotel, managed by the upscale chain 1 Hotels, commenced operations on September 3.
Living at the Waterline comes with a hefty price tag. The most affordable option is a 778-square-foot one-bedroom apartment priced at $4,027 per month, which includes mandatory fees. The priciest listing is a spacious 1,606-square-foot two-bedroom apartment available for $12,357, while penthouses on floors 69 to 72 do not have publicly listed prices.
Parking fees add to the expense, with costs ranging from $225 per month for an unreserved space to $1,250 for a private garage. Despite the steep rents, residents will enjoy a variety of amenities, including a pool deck, spa, infrared sauna, golf simulator, gym, and poker room.
The amenity space located near the top floor boasts breathtaking views of Lady Bird Lake and I-35, with a vantage point that allows residents to watch airplanes take off and land at Austin-Bergstrom Airport, creating an impressive experience akin to being eye-level with the planes.
The Waterline’s prime location next to Lady Bird Lake adds to its appeal, especially with its proximity to The Confluence. This recently completed $91.5 million project revitalized 13 acres along Waller Creek and linked the area to nearby trails and bikeways, as detailed on the city of Austin’s website.
The developers of Waterline contributed at least $695,000 to the Waller Creek Delta project and the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, according to public records. However, the complete donation amount remains undisclosed due to the Waterloo Greenway’s policy of keeping donor details private.
Turner Kerr, project manager for DPR, highlighted the collective effort behind the project. “It’s tens of thousands of people that are putting in the effort to make this project become a reality,” he remarked. The collaborative nature of the undertaking instilled a sense of pride among those involved, even as construction has wrapped up.
“The nice thing about construction, especially when you’re building the tallest building in Austin, you can pretty much drive around anywhere and point up to it and be like, ‘I built that,’” Kerr concluded.
