Living Well in Austin | Updated November 2026

By Albert Allen, REALTOR® and Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Compass. Austin native, helping clients buy and sell Downtown Austin high-rise condos.

Sources: developer, architect and builder project pages; Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat; City of Austin GIS.

Photo: Rainey Street towers along Lady Bird Lake, September 2024, by Oleg Yunakov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Downtown Austin has more condo choices than ever, and the towers don't live alike. Some come with hotel housekeeping and in-room dining. Some are newer, with rooftop pools and co-working rooms. Others are earlier buildings that sit closer to the lake than towers twice their height.

I've toured and shown homes in the 15 established towers in this guide, and I've added Natiivo, The 5 Fifty Five and The Linden so you can compare them side by side. Each building is compared on the facts buyers ask about first: where it is, when it was built, how tall it is, how many homes share it and what's inside. Every building name links to its own page with full facts, rental rules and current listings.

Downtown Austin condo towers at a glance

Story and unit counts differ between sources for several buildings, so ranges are shown. Trail distances are straight-line from each building's address point to the nearest point on the Butler Trail, measured with City of Austin map data; walking routes are longer. Austin Proper's distance is measured from the hotel's 600 W. 2nd St. address, since the residences share the tower.

Albert's tip: Confirm a building is a condominium before you fall for it. Several of the tallest new towers downtown, including 700 River, Paseo and Waterline, include rental apartments.

Rainey Street: the newest towers, closest to the lake

Rainey Street runs from Cesar Chavez to Lady Bird Lake between Red River Street and the I-35 frontage road, and it was rezoned for downtown-scale buildings in 2004. Four of the five condo towers closest to the Butler Trail are here, and the Waterloo Greenway's Confluence, which opened in June 2026, links the district to Palm Park and the trail. Weekend nightlife and I-35 construction are the trade-offs.

44 East

• Address: 44 East Ave.
• Completed: 2022
• Height: 49 stories
• Homes: 309 to 322 condos
• Developer and design: Intracorp; Page, with common-area interiors by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

44 East has more than 16,000 square feet of shared amenity space, with a pool, a rooftop grill deck, a gym, a Sky Lounge and a concierge. By City of Austin map data, it is the downtown condo tower closest to the Butler Trail, about 340 feet away near the mouth of Waller Creek.

See 44 East building facts and condos for sale

Milago

• Address: 54 Rainey St.
• Completed: About 2006
• Height: 13 stories
• Homes: About 240 condos
• Developer and design: Fairfield Development; WDG Architecture

Milago was one of the first condo buildings on Rainey Street, built before the newest towers rose around it, and it sits about 350 feet from the trail. It has 24-hour concierge, a gated parking garage with on-site storage, a rooftop pool deck, a fitness facility, a club room and a private event terrace. I've represented clients at Milago. They love the amenities, the short walk to Lady Bird Lake, and having Rainey Street's restaurants and nightlife right outside the door.

See Milago building facts and condos for sale

The Shore

• Address: 603 Davis St.
• Completed: 2008
• Height: 22 stories, with a five-level garage below 17 residential floors
• Homes: 192 condos
• Developer and design: High Street Residential (Trammell Crow); WDG Architecture

It has a sixth-floor amenity terrace and a concierge. The Shore is about 490 feet from the trail and, like Milago, predates the newest Rainey towers.

See The Shore building facts and condos for sale

70 Rainey

• Address: 70 Rainey St.
• Completed: September 2019
• Height: 33 to 34 stories
• Homes: 164 condos
• Developer and design: Sackman Enterprises; Page, with interiors by MARKZEFF

It has more than 31,000 square feet of amenity space, with an infinity-edge pool and cabanas, rooftop gardens, a fitness center, a yoga terrace, saunas, a pet park, indoor and outdoor lounges and 24/7 concierge. It sits about 600 feet from the trail.

See 70 Rainey building facts and condos for sale

The Modern

• Address: 610 Davis St.
• Completed: 2025
• Height: 55 to 56 stories
• Homes: 319 condos, including 20 affordable homes
• Design: Nelsen Partners, with Page as architect of record

The 16th floor has a heated 25-meter pool and spa, outdoor dining areas, an outdoor theater, a fitness center, a yoga and barre studio, an owners' clubroom and a dog run and dog wash. Floors 34 and 35 add a sky lounge, private dining rooms, a movie lounge, guest suites and a speakeasy, and the lobby has 24-hour concierge. Short-term rentals aren't allowed, and leases run at least six months. A cocktail bar opened on the ground floor in April 2026.

See The Modern building facts and condos for sale

Vesper

• Address: 84 East Ave.
• Completed: 2024, with first move-ins that April
• Height: 41 stories
• Homes: 284 condos
• Developer and design: Pearlstone Partners; STG Design

It has 24-hour concierge, co-working spaces, liquor lockers, a fitness center with private spin rooms and a yoga studio, a sky dog run, and a rooftop pool, lounge and outdoor fireplace.

See Vesper building facts and condos for sale

Natiivo

• Address: 48 East Ave.
• Completed: 2021 to 2022
• Height: 33 stories
• Homes: 249 fully furnished studio, one- and two-bedroom homes
• Developer and design: Pearlstone Partners and Newgard Development Group; STG Design, with interiors by INC Architecture and Design

Natiivo is the downtown exception on rentals. It operates under a hotel license, so owners can rent their homes by the night on the home-sharing platform of their choice or through Natiivo Managed, where MasterHosts handle bookings, check-ins and check-outs. The trade-off is that owners can't use the home as a primary residence.

It has a rooftop pool with cabanas and a fireplace lounge, an 18,000-square-foot 10th-floor terrace and garden, a fitness center with yoga and Peloton studios, a 33rd-floor clubhouse, co-working space, a lobby coffee bar, 24-hour concierge and valet, and a dog run.

See Natiivo building facts and condos for sale

Second Street and Congress: hotel service and walkable dining

The City created the Second Street District in 2000, and it has become downtown's walkable shopping and dining strip, anchored by Block 21 and ACL Live. Three of downtown's hotel-branded residences are here or close by, along with The Austonian on Congress Avenue.

The Austonian

• Address: 200 Congress Ave.
• Completed: 2010
• Height: 56 stories
• Homes: 163 to 188 condos, depending on the source
• Developer and design: Benchmark Development; Ziegler Cooper Architects

It has about 40,000 square feet of amenity space, including a 10th-floor lawn with a 75-foot lap pool, spa, cabanas and outdoor kitchens, a 56th-floor fitness center, the 55th-floor Austonian Club and wine cellar, a theater, library, game room, dog park and 24/7 concierge with valet parking. The City's Congress Avenue project is rebuilding the street between Cesar Chavez and 7th Street, with Phase 1 expected to finish by summer 2027.

See The Austonian building facts and condos for sale

W Residences

• Address: 210 Lavaca St., in Block 21 with the W Austin hotel and ACL Live at the Moody Theater
• Completed: 2010
• Homes: About 159 to 168 residences on floors 18 through 36
• Developer and design: Stratus Properties and Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund II; Andersson-Wise, with BOKA Powell as architect of record

It has 24-hour concierge, a residents-only pool, a gym and spa, and access to W Austin hotel staff, amenities and services. Ask which hotel services carry fees.

See W Residences building facts and condos for sale

Four Seasons Residences

• Address: 98 San Jacinto Blvd.
• Completed: 2010
• Height: 32 stories
• Homes: 148 residences
• Developer and design: Ardent Residential and Post Properties; Michael Graves & Associates, with BOKA Powell

It has a fitness center overlooking Lady Bird Lake, a year-round outdoor saltwater pool, a terrace with a fire pit and a residents' library, with the Four Seasons Hotel and Ciclo restaurant next door. It sits about 400 feet from the trail on the north shore. The City is rerouting the trail between Brazos and Trinity streets from June 2026 to March 2027 for electrical work.

See Four Seasons Residences building facts and condos for sale

Austin Proper Residences

• Address: 202 Nueces St.; the hotel entrance is at 600 W. 2nd St.
• Completed: 2019 to 2020
• Height: 32 stories, with residences on the top 20 floors
• Homes: 99 residences
• Developer and design: The Kor Group; Handel Architects, with interiors by Kelly Wearstler

It has an owners-only rooftop pool and sundeck, an outdoor kitchen and a private lounge, a residential front desk plus Proper Concierge, in-room dining, and preferred access to the hotel's dining, wellness and social programming. Fees may apply for hotel services.

See Austin Proper Residences building facts and condos for sale

What hotel-branded residences mean

At Four Seasons Residences, W Residences and Austin Proper Residences, owners can use hotel services such as concierge, in-room dining and housekeeping. Some services are covered by HOA dues, and others are billed when you use them. Before you buy, ask for the current service menu, what is included and what it costs.

Seaholm and the west side: errands and trails at your door

The Seaholm District grew around the 1950s Seaholm Power Plant, now a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Residents here are close to Trader Joe's, the Austin Central Library, the Shoal Creek Trail and the Pfluger Bridge, with the Whole Foods flagship a few blocks north. It is generally calmer after dark than Rainey or Second Street.

The Independent

• Address: 301 West Ave.
• Completed: 2019
• Height: 58 stories
• Homes: 363 condos
• Developer and design: CIM Group and Aspen Heights; Rhode Partners

Its stacked-box shape is one of the most recognizable on the skyline. It has a 9th-floor heated infinity-edge pool, a dog park and dog lounge, a children's activity room and playground, a club room and guest suites, plus a 34th-floor sky fitness center, yoga and barre studio, 25-seat theater, owners' lounge and private dining, and a concierge desk.

See The Independent building facts and condos for sale

Seaholm Residences

• Address: 222 West Ave.
• Completed: 2016
• Height: 30 stories
• Homes: 280 condos
• Developer and design: Seaholm Power Development; STG Design

It has a 10th-floor sky deck with a heated lap pool, a fitness center, an owners' lounge, pet-friendly amenities and a concierge. Trader Joe's, which opened at Seaholm in 2015, the Central Library and the Shoal Creek Trail are all close by.

See Seaholm Residences building facts and condos for sale

Spring

• Address: 300 Bowie St.
• Completed: 2009
• Height: 42 stories
• Homes: 246 condos
• Design: Rafii Architects, with Morris Architects as architect of record

It has a pool, a resident lounge, guest suites and a private dining room with a kitchen. Spring is a slim tower about 780 feet from the trail near the Pfluger Bridge.

See Spring building facts and condos for sale

360 Condominiums

• Address: 360 Nueces St.
• Completed: 2008 to 2009
• Height: 44 stories
• Homes: About 430 condos
• Developer: Novare Group with Andrews Urban

It has 24-hour concierge, an amenity deck with a 70-foot lap pool, cabanas, an outdoor kitchen and fireside seating, an indoor clubroom, a fitness center, a theater room and a pet area. It is one of the larger condo buildings downtown by unit count.

See 360 Condominiums building facts and condos for sale

Fifth & West

• Address: 501 West Ave.
• Completed: Late 2018 to 2019
• Height: 39 stories
• Homes: 154 residences
• Developer and design: Riverside Resources; GDA Architects with Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

It has a pool with a wet deck and cabana, fitness and yoga studios, an event kitchen, game and community rooms, a guest suite, a dog park and pet spa, and concierge services. The Whole Foods Market flagship at Sixth and Lamar is a short walk away.

See Fifth & West building facts and condos for sale

By the Convention Center: condos in the Hilton tower

East of Congress, the blocks around the Austin Convention Center put Sixth Street, Red River's music venues and Rainey Street within a short walk, with the Waterloo Greenway to the north.

The 5 Fifty Five

• Address: 555 E. 5th St.
• Completed: 2004
• Height: 31 stories, shared with the Hilton Austin
• Homes: About 98 condos on floors 5 to 9 and 27 to 31

The 5 Fifty Five shares its tower with the Hilton Austin, and owners can arrange hotel services such as room service through the concierge. The hotel's 8th-floor pool, spa and health club are available for an added fee.

It also has 24-hour concierge, guest suites, a theater room, gated garage parking with valet and a skybridge to the Convention Center. A Starbucks sits on the corner of Fifth and Neches.

See The 5 Fifty Five building facts and condos for sale

Near the Capitol: a quieter address north of the core

North of 15th Street, the Capitol grounds, the Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Blanton Museum of Art and the south edge of the UT campus are all within walking distance. It's farther from the lake and Rainey Street nightlife, and closer to state offices, museums and campus.

The Linden

• Address: 313 W. 17th St.
• Completed: 2023
• Height: 28 stories
• Homes: 117 residences, including five two-story penthouses
• Developer and design: Reger Holdings with Armenia Group; Rhode Partners

The Linden sits a few blocks west of the Capitol, closer to the University of Texas campus than the towers in the downtown core, and takes its name from Linden Street, the original name of 17th Street. Homes run from about 842 square feet to 3,280 square feet in the penthouses.

Its 10th-floor amenity deck has a 65-foot lap pool, a cold plunge pool and sauna, a fitness center, a club room and residence bar, private dining, co-working space and a dog park, and a 24/7 concierge staffs the residents' lobby.

See The Linden building facts and condos for sale

Schools for downtown condo addresses

Sample addresses at 200 Congress, 301 West Ave., 501 West Ave., 70 Rainey, 98 San Jacinto, 360 Nueces and 610 Davis were all zoned to Mathews Elementary, O. Henry Middle and Austin High for 2026-27, according to the Austin ISD School Finder. Mathews highlights design thinking and maker education, and Austin High offers four academies (Classical Studies, Design and Technology, Global Studies, and Science and Innovation), with placement by lottery. Kealing Middle's magnet program is open by application to students who live in Austin ISD. Community Impact reported that Mathews will no longer have a sixth grade starting in 2026-27.

Nearby private options include Headwaters School's River Campus at 801 Rio Grande St., with International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma programs, and the Cathedral School of Saint Mary at 910 San Jacinto, for pre-K3 through 8th grade. The Linden, near the Capitol, may be zoned differently from the downtown core. Always confirm zoning and programs for the exact address.

What's changing downtown

• Congress Avenue: Phase 1 of the City's rebuild, from Cesar Chavez to 7th Street, began in early 2026 and is expected to finish by summer 2027.
• Butler Trail detours: The Trail Conservancy reports a north-shore detour along East Avenue during I-35 construction through 2033, and the City is rerouting the trail between Brazos and Trinity streets from June 2026 to March 2027.
• Waterloo Greenway: The Confluence, about 13 acres along Waller Creek to the lake, opened June 6, 2026.
• Light rail: KUT reported in July 2026 that construction is set to start in 2027, with first trains targeted for 2033. Plans can change.

What to ask about any downtown condo building

• What do the HOA dues include, and when were they last raised?
• How healthy is the reserve fund, and are any special assessments planned?
• Are parking spaces deeded or assigned, and is there valet or guest parking?
• What are the pet rules, leasing minimums and short-term rental rules?
• Which direction does the unit face, and could a planned tower block the view?
• Which hotel or concierge services are included, and which cost extra?
• Were any renovations inside the unit permitted and closed out with the City?

If you already own downtown, the same list is your prep sheet for selling. Request the resale certificate early, have your parking, storage and leasing documents ready, and know your building's rental rules, because investors ask about them first. Closing out any open renovation permits before you list keeps the sale on schedule.

More reading: how to choose the right downtown Austin condo building · what downtown condo HOA fees cover · understanding condo documents · downtown condo amenities explained · high-rise vs mid-rise condos · pet-friendly downtown condos · short-term rental rules for downtown condos.

Explore Downtown Austin Condos For Sale

Albert Allen's Perspective on Downtown Austin Condo Buildings

Frequently Asked Questions About Downtown Austin Condo Buildings

How many condo high-rises are in downtown Austin?

This guide covers 18 condo towers, from The 5 Fifty Five (2004) to The Modern (2025), including Natiivo on Rainey Street and The Linden near the Capitol. Several other tall downtown towers, such as 700 River, Paseo and Waterline, include rental apartments rather than condos, so always confirm a building is a condominium.

Which downtown Austin condo building is the tallest?

Among the condo buildings here, The Independent (58 stories), The Austonian (56 stories by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat count) and The Modern (55 to 56 stories) are the tallest. Story counts vary by source.

Which downtown condo is closest to Lady Bird Lake?

By City of Austin map data, 44 East and Milago are each about 340 to 350 feet from the Butler Trail, followed by Four Seasons Residences at about 400 feet.

Which buildings offer hotel services?

Four Seasons Residences, W Residences and Austin Proper Residences are hotel-branded, and The 5 Fifty Five shares its tower with the Hilton Austin. Owners can use services such as concierge, in-room dining and housekeeping, often for an added fee. Confirm current services and costs with the HOA.

What schools serve downtown Austin condos?

Sample addresses at seven of these buildings were all zoned to Mathews Elementary, O. Henry Middle and Austin High for 2026-27, according to the Austin ISD School Finder. Check the exact address before you buy.

What are HOA dues in downtown Austin condo buildings?

They vary widely by building, amenities and services, and they change each budget year. Ask for the current budget, reserve study and resale certificate for the specific unit, or ask me for current figures.

Can I rent out a downtown condo?

It depends on the building's rules and the City of Austin's short-term rental rules. Many associations set lease minimums, cap how many homes can be leased and ban stays shorter than 30 days. The Modern, for example, bans short-term rentals and requires a six-month minimum lease. Natiivo is the exception: it operates under a hotel license, so owners can rent nightly but can't live there full time.

Which downtown Austin condos allow short-term rentals?

Natiivo, at 48 East Ave. on Rainey Street, is built for nightly rentals under a hotel license. Most other downtown associations restrict short-term rentals, so read each building's declaration and rules before you buy.

About Albert Allen

Albert Allen is an Austin native and Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Compass. He is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™ and a member of the Million Dollar Guild™, serves as 2026 Board President of Rebuilding Together Austin and is part of the 2026 Advisory Group for the Austin Board of REALTORS® Foundation.

Albert represents buyers and sellers in Downtown Austin high-rise condos, including The Austonian, The Independent, 70 Rainey, 44 East, The Modern, Four Seasons Residences, W Residences and Austin Proper Residences. He has toured and shown homes in the established towers in this guide and has more than a decade of experience helping clients buy and sell across Austin.

Sources and Methodology

Sources: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (Skyscraper Center); developer, architect and builder project pages (CIM Group, Intracorp, Pearlstone Partners, Seaholm Development, Rhode Partners, Page, Ziegler Cooper, Handel Architects, Rafii Architects, Andersson-Wise, KTGY, Flintco, Harvey-Cleary, Hensel Phelps); Four Seasons, W Hotels and Proper Hotels; Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings; City of Austin (GIS address points and trail data, Congress Avenue project, Second Street and Seaholm districts, Waterloo Greenway); Austin ISD School Finder and campus pages (checked Nov. 8, 2026); The Trail Conservancy; Community Impact; KUT; CultureMap Austin; Metropolis; ENR; Architectural Record; Building Design+Construction. Where sources disagree, ranges are shown. Building amenities and services can change; confirm with each HOA. Albert Allen, REALTOR®, Compass RE Texas, LLC. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed.