5th & Walsh: A new Chapter Begins
Construction is officially underway at 5th & Walsh, Endeavor’s new mixed-use office and retail development in the heart of our historic Old West Austin neighborhood commercial district. Designed by Lake Flato, the five-story project will bring together office space, ground-floor restaurants and retail, and a collection of courtyards, terraces and outdoor gathering spaces designed to complement the surrounding neighborhood. With more than 55% of the office space already pre-leased - and plans for Endeavor to call 5th & Walsh home upon completion - the groundbreaking marks an important milestone, as neighbors look to see how the development balances new growth with the established character of historic Old West Austin.
Sixth and Walsh: Looking Ahead to 2027
Manifold is excited to provide an update on its plans for Sixth and Walsh. The project is currently targeting groundbreaking in the first half of 2027, and the team plans to share an updated design with the community this fall and looks forward to continued engagement with the community.
The project presents an opportunity to make meaningful improvements to the surrounding area, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the pedestrian experience and creating a more engaging street environment.
1608 W 6th Street: C14-2026-0006
APPLICANT: Evan Taniguchi, Taniguchi Architects PLLC
OWNER: Chin Hong (Jimmy) Ng (Lin Asian Bar LLC)
Proposal: A proposed rezoning of approximately 0.52 acres on West 6th Street was approved by City Council on consent on July 23, 2026.
The applicant originally sought GR-NP zoning to allow restaurant use. Following discussions with the OWANA Zoning Committee, the request was amended to the lower-impact LR-CO-NP (Neighborhood Commercial-Conditional Overlay-Neighborhood Plan) designation.
The rezoning allows adaptive reuse of the existing building for a reservation-only omakase-style restaurant, along with limited daytime uses such as Asian cooking classes and occasional corporate lunches. No expansion of the building footprint is proposed.
The LR zoning, Conditional Overlay, and Restrictive Covenant negotiated with the OWANA Zoning Committee provide protections for nearby residents, including:
Restaurant hours limited to 7am - 11pm.
No outdoor entertainment, outdoor amplified sound, or drive-through facilities
Commercial-grade ventilation, filtration, and odor-control systems
Restricted delivery hours
Enhanced screening of dumpsters, refuse, and mechanical equipment
Restrictions on potentially incompatible future uses
The proposal reflects a compromise developed through the neighborhood zoning process with the help of the West End Condo Board. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on April 28, followed by City Council approval on July 23.
Status: Closed
1125 & 1127 W 6thStreet: C14-2026-0026
APPLICANT: Alice Glasco, Alice Glasco Consulting
OWNER: Bradley F. Schlosser, Manager
Proposal: A rezoning request has been filed to change the property, formerly home to Phoenix Motor Works, from CS-MU-V-CO-NP to LI-PDA-NP (Limited Industrial Services - Planned Development Area - Neighborhood Plan).
The site, previously used as an auto repair facility and now used for vehicle storage, is proposed for a mixed-use office/retail building. The PDA would modify certain development standards, including allowing a building height of up to 60 feet along West 6th Street, stepping back to allow up to 90 feet farther south on the site.
The OWANA Zoning Committee is negotiating a Restrictive Covenant focused on improving the West 6th Street streetscape and creating a more welcoming pedestrian plaza and public space in coordination with adjacent developments.
The rezoning is scheduled to present the proposed public space improvements to the Zoning Committee on August 27 and is scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing on September 22.
Status: Ongoing
1409, 1411, 1413 W 6thStreet: C14-2026-0038
APPLICANT: Alice Glasco, Alice Glasco Consulting
OWNER: JJABC, LP; Jay W Barnes; III & James L Cotton
Proposal: The current zoning is LO-NP and LR-MU-CO-NP, and the requested zoning is CS-NP. The subject site consists of three lots, each with a bungalow currently used as office space. The purpose of the rezoning is to allow a broader variety of uses while preserving the existing bungalows through adaptive reuse, providing greater flexibility for future development of the property.
Key Operating Requirements:
Trash: Large dumpsters must use the same provider and coordinated pickup schedule as the adjacent condominiums.
Hours: Businesses must close by 11pm Sunday - Wednesday and midnight Thursday - Saturday.
1413 W. 6th Street: Restaurants are prohibited for five years after rezoning approval. Afterward, additional restrictions apply, including a 10pm closing time under certain circumstances.
Deliveries: Limited to 9am - 4pm, Monday - Saturday; no routine Sunday deliveries.
Outdoor music venues are prohibited, and outdoor sound is limited to 70 decibels at residential property lines.
Outdoor Seating: Restaurant patios must have sidewalk-adjacent fencing.
Traffic & Parking: Customer and rideshare activity will be directed away from the alley. Parking management, signage, and alternative transportation options will be used to minimize neighborhood impacts and maintain resident/emergency access.
Food Odors: Restaurants must install appropriate exhaust and odor-control systems.
Prohibited Uses: Agreed-upon prohibited uses will be incorporated into the rezoning ordinance under a Conditional Overlay.
The rezoning was passed on consent at a Planning Commission hearing on August 11 and is scheduled for City Council on September 10.
Status: Ongoing
611 West Lynn Street: 2026-070009 HR
APPLICANT: Casey Giles
OWNER: Bethea & Magdalen Dildy
Proposal: The proposal calls for the construction of eight detached, multi-story residential units on the currently vacant property at 611 West Lynn. The units will be arranged around a central driveway and pool area, with five units oriented toward the new internal driveway and three rear units facing the rear alley. The project will require a new curb cut.
The property’s original house, constructed around 1899 by Roy and Helen Slaughter, was demolished in 2020. The Slaughters lived at the property until the mid-1940s. Roy Slaughter worked for Brown Brothers, a mortgage and investment firm, eventually becoming a proprietor of the company. Following his death in 1944, Helen remained at the property briefly before selling it to Charles and Magdalen Dildy, who lived there into the early 2000s.
Under the City of Austin’s Historic Design Standards, the proposal meets some, but not all, applicable standards for new residential construction in a National Register district. The project generally addresses setbacks and site placement, with the front units positioned approximately in line with surrounding properties and the rear units becoming less visible due to the site’s downward slope.
Several aspects of the design, however, are inconsistent with the surrounding historic district. The orientation of the five front units toward a central driveway is atypical, and the proposed three-story height, vertical massing, tall proportions, flat roof decks, and large windows differ substantially from nearby contributing properties. The detached configuration also emphasizes the verticality of the buildings. At the same time, the design uses modern architectural language rather than attempting to imitate historic structures, which is consistent with the standards' allowance for contemporary design.
The proposed exterior materials, primarily stucco and limestone, are compatible with materials found elsewhere in the district. Ground-floor garages will occupy much of each unit’s footprint, but the garage doors will face the internal driveway rather than the street, reducing their visual impact from the public right-of-way.
Overall, the project partially meets the applicable historic design standards. Its setbacks, materials, modern architectural expression, and treatment of garages are generally supportive, while the internal orientation, three-story scale, vertical massing, proportions, roof forms, and window design are inconsistent with the historic character of the surrounding district.
The case was scheduled for a Historic Landmark Commission hearing on August 5. Due to concerns raised by nearby neighbors and OWANA regarding the project’s compatibility with the surrounding area, particularly its location within the West Line National Historic District, the Commission granted a postponement. The postponement will allow the project to be reviewed by the Architectural Review Committee (ARC), after which the project team will return to the OWANA Zoning Committee to review and discuss any updates recommended by the ARC.
The project is scheduled for an HLC hearing on September 2.
Status: Ongoing
403 Orchard Street: - 2026-038798 DA
APPLICANT: Leah Bojo, Drenner Group
OWNER: Steven D. Ogden
Proposal: A proposal has been submitted to demolish a circa 1914 single-story National Folk style house at 403 Orchard Street. The structure features early-20th-century residential design elements, including wood tongue-and-groove siding, original wood-framed windows, a moderately pitched hipped roof, and a pier-and-beam foundation. Historic records indicate that two rear rooms were added in 1944, the only significant alteration since construction.
The 2025 Downtown Austin historic resource survey identifies the property as a high-priority resource and potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as part of a historic district.
UPDATE: The HLC approved release of the demolition permit, conditioned on completion of the City of Austin documentation package. The commissioners were clearly unhappy about losing the circa-1912 house and expressed support for preservation or relocation, but concluded that the property did not meet the legal requirements for landmark designation and was outside a historic district. Consequently, they determined that they could not defensibly deny the demolition request.
Key takeaway: The Commission's decision was not an endorsement of demolition from a preservation standpoint. Rather, it was an acknowledgment that, under the City's current historic-preservation ordinance, the Commission lacked sufficient legal grounds to prevent demolition. The commissioners therefore approved the request while encouraging the applicant to pursue relocation, adaptive reuse, or salvage as alternatives to destroying the building.
Status: Closed
1208 W 4th Street: - 2026-038813 DA
APPLICANT: Leah Bojo, Drenner Group
OWNER: Ogden Rentals LP
Proposal: A proposal has been submitted to demolish the Quonset hut currently housing Hold Out Brewing and an associated circa 1910 back house next door to the Better Half Coffee & Cocktails. The Quonset hut is believed to have originated at Camp Mabry and was relocated to the site in the 1970s, though permit records confirming the move are not yet available. The structure retains its distinctive curved form, with portions of the original roof structure intact, while later modifications including added wall construction around 2020 accommodate its current brewery use. The adjacent wood-clad back house also serves as part of the brewery operations.
UPDATE: The Historic Landmark Commission approved the demolition request for the Quonset hut and circa-1910 backhouse at 1208 W. 4th Street, subject to completion of the City of Austin’s required documentation package. Commissioners discussed the Quonset hut’s unusual history, including its reported relocation from Camp Mabry in the 1970s. Staff noted that the 2025 Downtown Austin Historic Resource Survey identified both structures as medium-priority resources and determined that the Quonset hut may meet criteria for architectural and historical significance. Staff therefore recommended considering historic zoning, while also encouraging rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, relocation, or salvage.
Commissioners questioned whether the hut’s relocation, extensive modifications, uncertain age at its current site, and changed surroundings affected its historic significance. They also noted the building’s architectural interest and popularity as the current brewery. Commissioner Cook supported exploring rehabilitation or reuse, potentially incorporating the structure into future development, but concluded that the uncertainties surrounding its history and integrity made historic designation difficult to defend.
The Old West Austin Neighborhood Association (OWANA) spoke in opposition to demolition and urged preservation or relocation of the structures. OWANA also expressed strong support for the neighborhood business currently operating in the Quonset hut, Holdout Brewing, and the adjacent Better Half, describing it as an important community gathering place and neighborhood amenity. The organization emphasized the value of preserving longstanding local businesses and said it would continue working with the applicant to encourage development that is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
Ultimately, the Commission determined that historic zoning could not be sufficiently justified and voted unanimously to release the demolition permit, while encouraging the applicant to pursue relocation, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, or salvage where possible.
The applicant said redevelopment is still some time away and expressed a willingness to explore relocation or reuse of the Quonset hut, even with the demolition permit released.
Ultimately, the Commission determined that the property did not provide a sufficiently defensible basis for historic zoning and voted unanimously to release the demolition permit, with the required documentation package. Commissioners nevertheless encouraged preservation, relocation, or reuse of the distinctive Quonset hut if feasible.
Status: Closed
Town Lake YMCA PUD: - 2026-097571 ZC
APPLICANT: Dave Anderson, Drenner Group
OWNER: YMCA
Proposal: Town Lake YMCA PUD Proposal Moves Forward with Unresolved Questions
Traffic • Trees • Floodplain • Parkland • Emergency Services • Land Ownership
The proposed redevelopment of the Town Lake YMCA at 1100 W. Cesar Chavez St., near North Lamar Boulevard, would replace the existing 74,000-square-foot YMCA with a much larger mixed-use development.
The property is currently zoned LI-CO-NP (Limited Industrial Services). The YMCA is seeking PUD-NP (Planned Unit Development–Neighborhood Plan) zoning.
The proposal includes:
A 110,000-square-foot YMCA with a preschool/daycare, pool, youth programming, counseling and mental-health space, arts and community facilities, and other amenities.
Approximately 111,000 square feet of affordable rental housing, with at least 90 units. About 65% would have two or three bedrooms. The units would be required to remain affordable for 40 years.
Up to 750 market-rate condominium homes in three towers totaling roughly 1 million square feet.
A proposed tower height of 435 feet, compared with 60 feet under current zoning.
About 40,000 square feet of ground-floor uses, including a sit-down restaurant.
Publicly accessible open space, a rooftop garden, green roof, solar panels, stormwater improvements, and other proposed environmental measures.
A fundamental question: How much land does the YMCA actually own?
One issue that has not yet been adequately addressed by the YMCA is whether it owns all of the 4.8 acres it proposes to redevelop.
This question involves the Sand Beach Reserve, a large tract of land set aside by the Republic of Texas in 1840 for public purposes along the north bank of the Colorado River. Much of the parkland south of the YMCA lies within the Reserve.
Questions about the location of the Reserve's boundary led the City of Austin to commission a new survey in 1999. Surveyor William O'Hara concluded that the boundary shown in a 1916 survey was “in the wrong position.” Using an 1885 plat as the best evidence for the bluff line controlling the boundary, O'Hara's report concluded that part of the YMCA-Town Lake Subdivision was “in conflict with the Sand Beach Reserve.”
O'Hara's survey map raises a significant question: Does the YMCA actually own all of the property it claims as its 4.8-acre redevelopment site?
While not a typical issue in a proposed rezoning, this matter involves an underlying question about ownership of public land. The ownership and legal status of the entire proposed redevelopment site should be established before the City approves a major rezoning change proposed for that land.
You can find more information on the Sand Beach Reserve boundary conflict at the following link: https://sandbeachreserve.com/
Key concerns identified during City review
Traffic and transportation
The development would add substantial housing and activity to an already busy area. The number of proposed driveway connections has been reduced from four to three during the review process.
The PUD also proposes significant roadway modifications, including acceleration and deceleration lanes on southbound Lamar, a new roundabout, and changes around B.R. Reynolds Drive. Some originally proposed roadway modifications have been removed or changed, but substantial changes to the surrounding transportation network remain.
A separate Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA 26-126305) has been submitted to the City. The TIA should be reviewed closely before the project advances.
Emergency response
Austin Fire Department staff reported that the surrounding response area had a 9-minute, 27-second emergency incident response time 90% of the time from January 1 through July 18, 2025, compared with an 8-minute national standard.
AFD requested space for a new Fire/EMS facility within the development or an alternative nearby location. The applicant responded that the project cannot accommodate such a facility but would continue working with Fire and EMS on response times.
This remains an unresolved issue.
Trees, floodplain and Heron Creek
City reviewers raised concerns about Heritage and Protected Trees. The applicant says it has revised the proposal to preserve additional trees. The current tree plans are included in the plat notes.
Environmental reviewers have also raised concerns about the proposed treatment of the Critical Water Quality Zone and floodplain.
The current proposal would place Heron Creek into a pipe, eliminating the Critical Water Quality Zone in that portion of the site. The PUD proposes approximately 93% impervious cover and 75% building coverage.
The applicant says it is preparing a floodplain assessment and creek-restoration plan and proposes additional water-quality treatment, riparian improvements, and green infrastructure.
The question remains whether those measures adequately offset the environmental impacts of such intensive development.
Parkland
Some proposed roadway, tree-transplanting, and creek-restoration activities involve or are adjacent to public parkland.
Austin Parks and Recreation staff have noted that additional approvals may be required, including potentially findings under Chapter 26 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code.
Chapter 26 requires the City Council, before approving the use or taking of parkland, to find that there is no feasible and prudent alternative and that reasonable planning has been undertaken to minimize harm to the land as a park.
While some originally proposed roadway modifications have been removed or changed, significant changes involving or adjacent to parkland remain.
Affordable housing
City housing staff have raised questions about the integration of the affordable units with the market-rate housing and about how and when the affordable-housing requirement would be calculated.
The applicant has revised portions of the application, but not every requested change. It also remains unclear whether a fee-in-lieu payment could be used instead of providing affordable housing on site.
The proposed 40-year affordability period is another important consideration.
What happens next?
The PUD is continuing through City review before consideration by the applicable boards and commissions and ultimately the City Council.
Approval of the PUD would establish zoning and development regulations, but it would not by itself authorize construction. Additional reviews would still be required, including traffic, site-plan, floodplain, environmental, utility, and applicable parkland reviews.
QUESTION:
However, once the major zoning change, land-use plan, and detailed development regulations are approved, it can become more difficult to address fundamental questions about the project's layout and impacts at later stages.
The questions that need answers
The proposal offers expanded YMCA facilities, childcare, affordable housing, public spaces, and other amenities. But those benefits need to be considered alongside the scale of the proposed redevelopment and the concerns raised during City review.
Before the project advances, neighbors should be asking:
Does the YMCA own all of the 4.8 acres it proposes to redevelop?
Can the surrounding transportation network and emergency services handle the additional development?
What would happen to Heritage and Protected Trees, Heron Creek, the floodplain, and the Critical Water Quality Zone?
What public parkland would be affected, and have the requirements of Chapter 26 been satisfied?
How would the affordable housing requirement work, and for how long will the units remain affordable?
These are not minor details. They are central questions about the project's scale, impacts, legality, and public costs that should be resolved as the PUD moves through the City's review process.
Status: Ongoing
Zoning Fund
With new development proposals coming in along W 5th and W 6th this spring, every contribution to the Zoning Fund makes a real difference. Want to join the effort? A gift to the Zoning Committee Fund helps guide thoughtful, neighborhood-friendly growth while keeping OWANA feeling like home.
Thank you for helping our community stay vibrant, connected, and full of character!
To make a donation go to: https://www.owana.org/support/#!form/Donation
Click on Add under “ZONING SUPPORT FUND”.
Please reference: OWANA Zoning Committee Fund.
Donations and participation are essential if we are to be successful in representing you and your part of the neighborhood in more complicated zoning cases.
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