The Seaholm District in Austin, Texas, is an adaptive reuse project centered around the former Seaholm Power Plant, a series of late Art Deco-style buildings completed in 1955 that have lain dormant since 1996.
The redevelopment, which started in 2013 and is ongoing, has taken the property from abandoned industrial site to a vibrant example of urban renewal that has created a mixed-use hub for business and families in the growing metropolis of Austin.
The Seaholm District’s apartments and condiminums offer modern urban living , supported by the development’s residential businesses, including a Trader Joe’s grocery, a pet food store and a beauty salon.
It provides an oasis for families, with three public green spaces, including the Open Room, a park that boasts a public art installation amid a grassy field, where visitors can interact with the pieces – a large table and benches, complete with tablecloth and chandeliers.
The centerpiece of the Seaholm District is Austin’s recently completed Central Library, which builds on the structure’s Art Deco roots and adds a modernist touch with natural-looking stone, soaring windows and brightly lit spaces for reading and studying. Its 200,000 square feet of space, including a youth-oriented technology center and a rooftop butterfly garden, is eco-friendly, and the library has earned LEED Platinum certification.
Restaurants, retail and office space round out the project’s multi-use credentials, with more to come as development continues.
This post first ran in 2019.