Urban Living

Lamar Union

Austin, Texas

Once a predominately single story, 1960’s era, surface-parked retail strip center on nine prime acres just south of downtown, Lamar Union is now a vibrant, vertical mixed-use community. Two of the iconic former tenants, The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and The Highball, were rejuvenated and expanded to anchor the new development, along with seven new restaurants, local retailers, 440 apartment units, and more than 1,300 structured parking spaces.

The BOKA Powell design team worked within the existing entitlements and in consultation with the neighborhood association to accommodate the developer’s required program, while addressing neighbors’ concerns regarding traffic, affordable housing, pedestrian and bicycle connectivity and water quality.  The resulting development has been honored as a model for responsible urban redevelopment by the City of Austin, the Austin chapter of the Urban Land Institute and Texas Society of Architects.

In association with collaborating architect Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.

2018: Texas Society of Architects Design Award

2018: AIA Austin Design Award

2017: Austin Business Journal Best Multi-Family Development

2017: ULI Austin Impact Awards – Innovation Award Winner

2016: ULI Austin Impact Awards – Innovation Award Finalist

 

AIA Austin Design Award Juror Comments:

Aerial Footage:

The sheer size of the site gave us the opportunity to create our own street network off South Lamar. We used the existing Alamo Drafthouse as an anchor to draw people into the project. Then we developed a small urban plaza at its front door and created a new retail promenade extending from Lamar Boulevard to the plaza. Our goal was to make Lamar Union an authentic destination that felt at home in south Austin.

News + Media + Awards

May 16, 2018Close

Lamar Union

2018 Texas Society of Architects Design Award LEARN MORE> Read More
May 10, 2018Close

Lamar Union

2018 AIA Austin Design Award LEARN MORE> Read More
Apr 24, 2018Close

Urban Land: Retrofitting Arterial Strip Centers

Lamar Union, a vibrant mixed-use development on Austin's South Lamar Boulevard, was profiled in the Urban Land Magazine Spring 2018 Edition. Click below to view a PDF of the... Read More
May 11, 2017Close

Lamar Union

Austin Business Journal Commercial Real Estate Awards "MultiFamily Development Award"  LEARN MORE>   Read More
Feb 09, 2017Close

Lamar Union

ULI Austin Impact Awards "Innovation Award" LEARN MORE> Read More
Dec 10, 2016Close

ULI unveils finalists for development awards; crowns nonprofit exec as Austin visionary

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Dec 13, 2015Close

Lamar Union

ULI Austin Impact Awards - Innovation Award Finalist LEARN MORE> Read More
Jul 31, 2014Close

Lamar Union, Austin’s Newest Model for Mixed Use Urban Development, Nears Completion

Austin, TX (PRWEB) BOKA Powell has completed master planning, architecture, and design for Lamar Union, a one-million-square-foot mixed-use community south of downtown Austin. Set on nine acres at South Lamar Boulevard and Treadwell Street, the... Read More