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21c Austin Condominiums will be the second 21c. However, instead of simply replicating 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, 21c Austin will use the core elements of the brand—a love of contemporary art, Southern-style comforts, and modern technology—to create a place that is entirely unique to Central Texas.
A soaring, 44-story addition to Austin's skyline will house 21c Austin and will be home to a contemporary art museum, a 209-room hotel, 202 residential units, a spa, restaurant and other amenities. The project, including an underground parking garage, will total 779,000 square feet and will represent a $200-million investment in downtown Austin. It will open in 2010 at 3rd and Brazos Streets, currently the site of Whitley Printing.
The 21c expansion initiative is led by a development team with extensive and diverse experience. This team includes ACE (Art Commerce Entertainment) Unlimited, which was formed to expand the 21c concept to other cities; Poe Companies, a visionary real estate investment, development and management firm based in Louisville; REI Real Estate Investment Partnerships; Austin-based Ironwood Real Estate; urbanspace Realtors; Deborah Berke & Parners, a New York-based institutional, commercial and residential architecture firm; Goody Clancy, one of the country's leading architecture, planning and preservation firms; and Susman Tisdale Gayle, an Austin-based firm specializing in architecture, planning and interior design.
The crown jewel of 21c Austin will be the art; some of the world's finest works of contemporary art by emerging and internationally acclaimed living artists will rotate throughout the hotel. Some of the displayed works will come from Wilson and Brown's private collection. Other pieces will be new, acquired specifically for 21c Austin with the help of a curator. And still others will be borrowed works from local collectors. Museum admission will be free and open to the public. Guests can expect exhibits that are often interactive, many times featuring an element of whimsy and always accessible to everyone from art aficionados to the casual passerby.
Most of 21c's luxury residences will feature balconies and sweeping panoramic views. Residential units will range in design from open-space lofts to luxury condos. Twelve of the units will be designated for artist lofts.
21c Austin's hotel rooms will offer a blend of cutting-edge technology and luxury, including 42" flat-screen HDTVs, 500-thread-count sheets and original works of art in each room. The hotel will feature a ballroom, outdoor sculpture garden, meeting spaces and a caf é.
Guests and residents of 21c Austin will be able to enjoy a massage and other relaxing treatments at the luxurious in-house spa. The spa will include an outdoor rooftop pool, sunbathing deck and state-of-the-art fitness equipment.
21c Austin will also house an innovative yet accessible restaurant that emphasizes supporting local and sustainable agriculture. The menu will feature contemporary American cuisine.
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