Over 400 micro units spread across two communities under development in Austin

Transwestern Development Co. has acquired a 0.56-acre site and a 1.6-acre site in Austin, Texas with the intention to build two micro-unit communities. The communities will be the second and third micro-unit developments for the company in Downtown Austin.

The 1.6-acre site, located between East Third and East Fourth Streets on Waller Creek, is dubbed Block 36 and will include 263 units and a 3,000-sf restaurant space on the ground floor.

Block 36 will comprise primarily studio units with 14% of the community slated for two-bedroom units. Apartments will average 443 sf and include Murphy and platform beds, hideaway kitchen modules, convertible coffee/dining/bar tables, modular furniture, 10-foot ceiling heights, and stainless steel, Energy Star-certified appliances.

The community will feature amenities such as a resort-style pool, bike storage, a fitness center, a clubroom and business lounge, and an elevated courtyard with fire pits, grills, and outdoor seating.

Block 36 broke ground in January of 2019 with delivery in the first half of 2020. Wilder Belshaw is the project’s architect.

Block 36 from across Fourth Street Block 36. Rendering: Wilder Belshaw Architects / Transwestern.

Transwestern’s third micro-unit development in Austin will rise at the 0.56-acre site acquired by the company in late 2019. Located at 817 W. 12th St., the development will include 147 units and 3,600 sf of retail space on the ground floor.

The West 12th Street project will consist of studio, one-, and two-bedroom units that average 444 sf. Like Block 36, this development’s units will feature Murphy and platform beds, hideaway kitchen modules, and convertible coffee/dining/bar tables. The community will have a resident clubhouse, pool, bike storage, laundry facilities, courtyard, and fitness center.

The project is slated to break ground in the second half of 2020 with delivery in 2022. Both projects will fill a gap in Austin’s rental market for those who wish to live in the city for under $1,500 a month. They will join the Indie, Transwestern’s first micro-unit development in Austin, in offering better value for Austin renters seeking a premium product in a compact space.

Across the country, multifamily rents have skyrocketed. Year-over-year rents are up by double digits in nine of the top 30 markets, while national YoY rent growth is up 6.3%. Emerging from the pandemic, a perfect storm of migration, enhanced government stimulus and a hot housing market, among other factors, has enabled this extremely strong growth.