Related Revises Austin Office Project Originally Planned as Mass Timber Tower

• Related Companies has revised plans again for its delayed South Congress office project in Austin.
• The development has been scaled back to a five-story building after a previous expansion proposal nearly doubled its size.
• The project was originally announced as Related’s first mass timber office development.

What Related Changed in the Austin Project

Related Companies is once again revising plans for its long-discussed office development at 901 South Congress Avenue in Austin. The New York-based developer originally unveiled the project in 2022 as a five-story, 107,000-square-foot office building and promoted it as the company’s first mass timber project. In 2023, Related significantly expanded the proposal, increasing the building to seven stories and roughly 260,000 square feet. Now, new filings submitted this spring show the project reverting to a smaller five-story structure after the previous application expired. The latest plans do not specify the project’s final square footage or confirm whether mass timber construction will still be used.

What the Development Could Include

Current filings continue to identify the project as an office development, though it remains unclear whether mixed-use elements will return to the proposal. Earlier versions of the project included ground-floor retail and residential units alongside office space. The site sits along South Congress Avenue, one of Austin’s most active mixed-use and hospitality corridors, where developers continue targeting high-density projects despite slower office leasing conditions. The project is also located near another major Related development planned in the South Congress district. That larger mixed-use proposal includes approximately 800 residential units, a 225-room hotel, 200,000 square feet of office space, 120,000 square feet of retail, and a grocery store spanning roughly 25,000 square feet. Austin City Council approved planned unit development zoning for that larger project last year, allowing for increased density.

What the Project Signals for Austin Development

The revised plans highlight the ongoing recalibration happening across Austin’s office market as developers respond to changing demand, construction costs, and financing conditions. Mass timber construction has gained popularity in Austin because of its sustainability profile, faster construction timelines, and lower carbon footprint compared to traditional concrete and steel buildings. Several developers have already embraced the building method in Austin, including Hines with its T3 Eastside project and Endeavor Real Estate Group at 901 East Sixth Street. Even as portions of the office market remain soft nationally, developers continue betting on highly walkable mixed-use districts like South Congress, where demand for lifestyle-oriented office space remains stronger than in more traditional suburban office corridors. For Related Companies, the Austin project remains part of a broader long-term investment strategy in one of the country’s fastest-growing development markets.