Development partners Lincoln Property Company and Kairoi Residential have broken ground on a 74-story mixed-use high-rise called Waterline in downtown Austin that will become the tallest tower in Texas when it opens in late 2026. T
Located at 98 Red River St., Waterline will extend 1,022 feet above a l3.3-acre campus near the intersection of Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake.
The project will include 352 luxury apartment homes; 700,000 square feet of office space; and the 251-room 1 Hotel Austin — the first Texas location for the global hospitality company SH Hotel Resorts’ sustainability-focused 1 Hotels brand.
Waterline is the third downtown Austin high-rise that LPC has co-developed and broken ground on in the last three years. Sixth and Guadalupe, also co-developed with Kairoi Residential, will open next year with 66 floors of residences, offices, and ground-level retail. The Republic, a 48-story office tower adjacent to Republic Square Park, is scheduled to open in late 2024. When completed, all three buildings will be taller than any high-rise on the ground in Austin today.
“Downtown Austin offers one of the most dynamic markets and skylines in the nation, and we’re excited to help drive its ongoing transformation,” said Seth Johnston, Senior Vice President of LPC in Austin. “Waterline marks a new milestone for downtown not only because of its height but also because of the positive impact this project will have on improving connectivity, enhancing public amenities, and attracting more people to this beautiful area of downtown.”
Situated on the eastern bank of Waller Creek along the Waterloo Greenway, Waterline will serve as a new gateway from the Central Business District to the Rainey Street district. The development will add two new pedestrian bridges over the creek from the west, as well as three additional public pedestrian and bike access points to the Waterloo Greenway from the east.
The development team will contribute $1 million to the Waterloo Greenway Project to help fund improvements to the 1.5-mile urban trail that connects the University of Texas at Austin to Lady Bird Lake.
