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Austin area stores go green
As environmental awareness becomes an increasingly important issue, Austinites may find themselves shifting from just keeping Austin weird to keeping Austin weird and green. In an effort to help lessen their carbon footprint, many Austin area companies are working to make their businesses more environmentally friendly through energy efficient and sustainable practices. Two national retailers, Recreational Equipment Inc. and Office Depot, are using the Austin area as the stage for their green transformations.
REI plans to open a store in Round Rock this fall to test its new green-building prototype design. The new retail location is the second of its kind for the company, which opened another eco-friendly store in Boulder, Colorado last October.
Office Depot plans to open its first green location on Anderson Lane this summer. This store will be one of the premier projects to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification under standards set forth by the United States Green Building Council.
According to the United States Green Building Council Website, “LEED is a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.”
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South Austin Thrives Amidst Development Boom
The South Austin area surrounding South Congress and Ben White is growing substantially as it plays host to development projects which include residential, retail and office space. Also being built is the South Central Transit Center, a new part of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority system, which will serve to improve the city’s public transportation, beginning in early fall.
Some projects coming online soon are 2900 South Congress, a 21-unit office complex and SoCo Lofts, a housing complex with more than 20,000 sf of restaurant, retail and office space. The Abby at Ben White, a 48,938 sf shopping center built in 2007, recently came onto the market. It is currently home to a diverse group of tenants and is selling for $12.5 million.
This area, just minutes from downtown, has become a bustling hub of expansion with a live/work/play design. Its convenient location is not only close to the heart of Austin, but is also near many major roadways, such as U.S. Highways 35, 290 West, 71, and a short distance from both 360 and MoPac. It is also just minutes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and rests on the doorstep of St. Edward’s University.
For more information on the South Austin commercial real estate market or properties, contact the professionals at NAI Austin through www.naiaustin.com. For retail information, contact NAI Austin Retail Specialist Sherry Sanchez; for office information, contact NAI Austin Office Specialist Lise Wineland.
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NAI Austin Releases 2007 Austin Commercial Real Estate Market Report
Every six months, NAI Austin publishes The NAI Austin Source - The Austin Metro Area Commercial Real Estate Market Report (formerly The Austin Source), a semi-annual market study. The Source data is compiled by NAI Austin broker-professionals, and is collected at the end of each study period in December and June. What makes The Source stand out from other commercial real estate publications is its attention to the market conditions for non-owner-occupied speculative industrial, office and retail buildings 20,000 square feet and larger. Other publications gather information from various public databases and lump together information by combining large/small and owner-occupied/non-owner-occupied buildings. The 2007 end-of-year Source can be accessed through the NAI Austin website at www.austinsource.com.
Industrial
Over the course of 2007, the Austin area industrial real estate market expanded by more than 1.4 million square feet. Even with such growth, it experienced the lowest vacancy rate since 2001, with a healthy 11% vacancy. Due to this low rate, industrial developers have a keen interest in the Austin area, with 976,000 square feet currently under construction and set to be completed within six months. Another result of the low vacancy rate is the increase in rental rates ranging from 8-15%, which is not likely to cease until the market vacancy rate is at 15% or more. Absorption in the industrial sector increased 17% over the 2006 figure, for a total of 1,792,693 square feet of space absorbed. 2007 was the third consecutive year in which the industrial market absorption was more than 1.5 million square feet. For more information on the Austin area industrial market or properties, contact a member of NAI Austin’s Industrial Team: Mark Milstead, Jerry Heare, David Barber, Cheryl Morse, Philip Bible, or Frank Niendorff. www.naiaustin.com
Office
The end of 2007 marked a strong year for the Austin area office space market. City-wide absorption was 628,075 square feet for the second half of the year, and rental rates continued to increase, although at a slower rate than the previous six months. There is currently an 11% vacancy rate, which is remarkable considering the large amounts of new construction in the region.
A rising rental rate and large amounts of new construction characterize a healthy market. Austin has low unemployment, positive job growth and low interest rates, which should also contribute to a healthy office market in 2008.
For more information on the Austin area office market or properties, contact a member of NAI Austin’s Office Team: Lise Wineland, Josie Marshman or Trisha Sims. www.naiaustin.com
Retail
During the last six months of 2007, retail occupancy remained relatively flat while rental rates continued to rise. The Austin area retail segment had a positive net absorption, and new construction continues to be absorbed even as more and more projects are announced by developers. These factors marked a good year for retail in Austin, even as other markets across the nation did not enjoy such success.
Although occupation has remained steady despite the addition of more retail space, only time will tell if the trend will continue.
For more information on the Austin area retail market or properties, contact a member of NAI Austin’s Retail Team: Sherry Sanchez, Travis Waldrop, Leo Morales or Ryan Coleman. www.naiaustin.com
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Industrial Tenant Opportunities Abound in Southeast Austin
Southeast Submarket and Austin Bergstrom Airport areas office space:
Airport Commerce Park –Austin Developers recently completed this 44.32-acre business park, located at the northwest corner of U. S. Highways 71 East and 183 South, on the north side of Airport Commerce Drive. Six buildings, ranging from 43,600 to 69,000 square feet and totaling 327,809 square feet, complete the first phase of the business park. Currently, 278,000 square feet are available. Each 40′ x 30′ building will have a clear height of 24′ and a 120′ bay depth. Developers have the ability to provide a parking ratio of 4:1,000.
MetCenter is a progressive corporate park and an innovative offering for Austin commercial real estate. Located at the intersection of Highways 71 & 183, MetCenter is in close proximity to Austin Bergstrom International Airport, which provides tenants with easy routes to all parts of Austin and Central Texas. Currently, existing buildings are at full capacity. However, there are 350 build-to-suit acres available on the 550-acre campus. Notable tenants include General Motors, PPD and Austin-born Heliovolt. Created in 2001, the corporate park provides many amenities for tenants, including on-site hotel accommodations and restaurants, and a retail center that is planned for the near future. For the physically active professional, MetCenter has a basketball/tennis complex, 1.5-mile hike and bike trail and a disc golf course. Additionally, a child-care center is in the works. There is a 4:1,000 parking ratio and two on-site electrical substations provide dual-feed redundant electric service, making the campus perfect for data centers.
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120,000 Square Feet of Class A Office Space Is Now Available in Frontera Crossing – N. Austin/S. Round Rock
Austin Commercial Real Estate - North Submarket (Round Rock) Office Space:Situated in North Austin/South Round Rock, Frontera Crossing sits between I-35, MoPac and SH-45. Each of its four floors is 38,800 square feet with a building total of around 160,000 square feet, 120,000 of which is available for lease. Frontera Crossing offers Class A interior finishes as well as a 5:1,000 parking ratio. Many retail options are available in the immediate area.
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Recently Completed in Northwest Austin – 509,799 Square Feet of Class A Office Space
Austin Commercial Real Estate - Northwest Submarket - Office Space:
Completed in 2007, Research Park Plaza is located one mile south of McNeil and Spicewood Springs at 12541 Research. This new development offers 272,579 square feet sitting on 11 acres, which is great for smaller tenants who have plans for expansion. The location along Highway183 provides several amenities such as nearby housing, a large selection of restaurants and shopping. There are 1,040 parking spaces.
River Place Corporate Park is a seven-building office park just five miles from Lake Travis near the intersection of FM 2222 and RR 620. The entire park sits on 48 acres of Travis County’s most beautiful land and is part of the 1,440-acre master-planned River Place Community. Of River Place Corporate Park’s 600,000 square feet, 237,220 square feet are available across four buildings. The office park is only four miles from Loop 360 and five miles from Highway 183. The parking ratio is 3.97:1,000.
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Southwest Austin Adds Five Class A Office Buildings Totaling Over 600,000 Square Feet
Austin Commercial Real Estate: Southwest Submarket office space:
Parkway at Oak Hill is a new, Class A office development on a 22-acre site on Austin’s Southwest Parkway. The location offers easy access to downtown and Austin Bergstrom International Airport as well as views of one of Austin’s greenbelts. There are two buildings totaling 145,789 square feet. Building 1 has 59,376 square feet and Building 2 has 86,412 square feet, all of which are available. Both buildings are fully-sprinklered, and locker rooms and showers are available for both men and women. The 4.3:1,000 parking ratio yields 634 parking spaces, 452 of which are covered.
Located at MoPac and Loop 360, The Park on Barton Creek is a new office complex offering 211,000 square feet split evenly between two five-story buildings. Recently completed, this Class A office space sits on 20 acres, just six miles from the Central Business District and kitty-corner to The Barton Creek Mall across the MoPac/360 interchange. Floors are 21,000 square feet with 42′ bay depths. All parking is structured with a 4:1,000 ratio. A cistern is on site to recycle rainwater.
San Clemente at Davenport is a business park development situated in Davenport Ranch off Highway 360, south of the river. San Clemente is being developed in stages, and its newest offering, 3900 San Clemente, was completed in December. The park area is 49 acres, and there is the possibility of expanding total square footage to 800,000. 3900 San Clemente will be five stories, each of which will have 50,000 square feet of usable space for a total of 250,000 square feet. The parking ratio is 4:1,000, and several amenities are offered within San Clemente at Davenport, such as financial services, day spa and salon, dry cleaning and restaurants.