Luminary: Northland Living and Urbanspace team up to offer downtown Austin residents access, serenity in latest luxury tower
Forty years ago, the urban core of a typical Texas metropolis was viewed as a collection of office buildings with little else of interest outside of work hours. Indeed, suburbia held court for decades as the uncontested ultimate goal for homeowners: a place they sped away to as quickly as possible at the end of every work day.
But by the mid-nineties, urban planners had begun to change their tune, pointing to America’s most celebrated cities and their enduring popularity among tourists: New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia. What if we’d made a grave mistake by building out our post-war cities in the service of cars instead of people? With the publication of “Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream” in 2010, a new dawn appeared on the horizon for America’s young downtowns, including those in Texas.
Enter Urbanspace, a company responsible for not only changing Austin’s skyline, but enhancing its vibrancy downtown. Offering a suite of services in real estate, development, and interior design to aspiring city dwellers, Urbanspace offers its clients a truly integrated experience from start to finish. In March 2022, the company broke ground on The Modern, a luxury tower at the very center of the action. This year they are teaming up with developer Northland Living on Luminary.
Northland Living Managing Principal Tony Kaleel says he’s well aware that not everyone wants a front row seat to the occasional raucousness of Rainey Street. Northland Living’s first residential tower in Austin, Luminary, will offer an alternative.
“Luminary’s more serene setting makes it an ideal option for empty nesters looking to downsize from a home in, say, Tarrytown. Additionally,” says Kaleel, “the property’s close proximity to the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas makes it a great fit for government employees, professors, and even students.”
Northland Living has a mission to make that highly coveted downtown area attainable for a wider range of people. “We recognized the strong demand for the lock-and-leave lifestyle that condos offer,” recalls Kaleel, “but we also understood that many buyers had been priced out of Austin’s existing condo towers.”
With prices starting from $499,000, the residences at Luminary offer an attainable option in the heart of downtown Austin — especially when considering the average cost of a single-family home in the area. This 35-story tower, located at 400 W. 14th St., presents an opportunity to own in one of the city’s most coveted neighborhoods. Just steps from the historic, tree-lined Judges Hill, residents will enjoy walkability to iconic landmarks, easy access to hiking trails, and proximity to some of Austin’s top parks, including Waterloo and Pease.
Austin is, of course, widely recognized as a city filled to the brim with outdoor enthusiasts. Wendy Dunnam Tita, principal at Page, the architect and interior design firm for the project, notes that nature lovers will find what they’re looking for without even needing to leave the property.
“Page embraces the natural beauty of Austin to create spaces that seamlessly integrate the built environment with the outdoors. From crafting vaults at the ground level with supple plaster and natural light to incorporating lush, biophilic design elements and texture inside and out, every detail is conceived to foster a deep connection between Austinites and nature. Our goal was to design a place where occupants feel connected to, and inspired by, the neighborhood and environment around them.”
