The Space Needle in Seattle. The Empire State Building in NYC. Every city longs for that iconic skyline symbol that provides a landmark identity that reaches for more than just recognition – a sense of residential pride. As people migrate to Austin, TX in droves, international corporations are also settling into new, instantly recognizable homes. Recently, DPR Construction, along with owner partners Trammell Crow Company and MSD Capital, celebrated the topping out one of downtown Austin’s future landmarks: a 35-story, Class A Office Tower (known internally as Block 185) extending vertically and cozying up to the coastline of Lady Bird Lake flowing through the heart of the city.

“This celebration is a huge thank you to the 350 Craft who showed up daily to reach this impressive milestone,” said Sr. Project Manager Diego Negrete. “I hope everyone involved can look at this tower with pride for years to come because this is truly going to make a generational impact on this city.”

Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli and STG Design, this one-of-a-kind, curved “sail” shape, that Austinites could easily describe as floating along the nearby waves, solidifies its place as the newest Capitol City showstopper.

Breaking ground in 2019 pre-pandemic, the 1.55 million gross sq.-ft. tower reaching its topping out was thanks in large part to the efforts of DPR’s self-perform work teams. DPR’s concrete crews performed a logistically complex mat pour for 36 continuous hours in an extremely tight and complex downtown site with the coordination and finesse of a symphony. After the pour, the team collaborated with trade partners (a workforce of 350 Craft total) to complete 6 levels of below-grade parking, 10 levels of above-grade parking and 25 levels of office space, including individual outdoor terraces, with such proficiency that this topping out milestone was reached weeks ahead of schedule.