Transwestern Develops Austin Micro Units

Austin, Texas—Transwestern Development Co. is developing Indie Apartments, a 139-micro-unit community in Austin, Texas.

Located at 1648 E. Sixth St., the development will be built on nearly 0.5 acres and will include a 2,500-square-foot restaurant space.

“The development will appeal to residents who desire a Class A, walkable, amenity-rich environment at a price point that works within the parameters of their budget,” Josh Delk, Transwestern Development Co.’s vice president, told MHN. “The project was built in this location because there is demand for more economical housing alternatives on East Sixth Street. We intend to build a project that meets the demands of a very specific segment of the market—a segment that values experience over material possessions, appreciates the simplicity that comes with efficient living, and prefers not to pay for area or options that they will not utilize.”

The 55,814-square-foot development will consist mainly of 350-square-foot studio units and 520-square-foot, two-bedroom units, all fully furnished will maximize space through built-in storage units and flexible furniture systems such as Murphy beds, hideaway kitchen modules and convertible tables.

The project will feature a large communal area that will flow from the inside of the lobby into the outdoor courtyard, which will feature fire pits and outdoor televisions. There will also be 108 below-grade parking spaces, as the residential population in the area embraces walking, biking, light rail and ridesharing as alternatives to owning a vehicle.

Indie Apartments will be located less than one block from the Plaza Saltillo metro station, in a burgeoning area that has embraced the arts as well as the local food scene.

“East Sixth Street is a thriving entertainment district in Austin with a wide blend of offerings from some of the best food trucks/kiosks in town to extremely popular high-end restaurants with celebrity chefs,” Delk said. “The dynamic mix of offerings has allowed East Sixth to maintain an element of authenticity that is very important to Austin residents. Additionally, the proximity to downtown, the light rail and bike paths makes it an ideal location for an Austinite that wishes to live independently and experience all that the city has to offer while living efficiently, without a need for a car or furniture.”

Comerica provided the financing for the project, and the first units are expected to be delivered in August 2017.

“Transwestern Development Co. aspires to be forward-thinking and stay ahead of trends in the industry. We are also very focused on developing in a culturally sensitive and environmentally conscious manner,” Delk said. “We believe that micro-housing supports those initiatives by providing affordable, dense, high-quality housing alternatives to residents in walkable locations, encouraging more efficient utilization of space, resources and the environment in which we live.”

Additionally, Transwestern Development Co. is developing a two-building, 445,952-square-foot project directly across the street from Indie Apartments that includes a 94,500-square-foot, Class A, creative office building and The Arnold Apartments, 350 multifamily units with 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The retail space will be occupied by restaurants Gatto Nero, Enoteca Gattino and Blenders and Bowls, as well as urban grocer Royal Blue.

“We strategically planned these two projects, Indie Apartments and The Arnold and its adjacent office building, to complement each other and provide a suite of amenities for residents of both communities,” Delk said. “The residential population in this area is a diverse mix – old and young, permanent residents, business travelers and visitors, etc.—so we have designed living spaces to cater to a variety of renters. Because we are developing so much land in this immediate area, Transwestern Development Co. is able to create a cohesive environment among all its projects.”