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A friend of mine joked the other day that Austin should adopt its own state bird, because 'I've never seen so many cranes in town.' He was right; a look at Austin's skyline includes at least ten to twelve behemoths towering over the city's banks and office buildings like harbingers of change in the city we call home. Downtown Austin is undergoing a re-birth that will add significantly to its reputation as a mecca for musicians, artists, students, and tourists. Within the next three years, Downtown Austin will become the home address for as many as 25,000 new residents. Austin is growing up. Literally.

The Urban Luxury Loft movement has begun in Austin, Texas, offering alternative and attractive lifestyles for many of the city's 67,000 downtown employees. Along with condominiums, town homes and rental units, retail space, restaurants, and other service industries vital to residents in successful urban settings are being added. Downtown life in Austin also offers priceless aesthetic amenities such as Town Lake and Auditorium Shores, with its extensive hike and bike trail and expansive green spaces, and of course, access to Austin's world-renowned music scene. Whole Foods' flagship store at 6th and Lamar offers unlimited choices for gourmet foods, and nearby shopping choices include some of the nation's most recognizable labels and retailers, alongside the funky, eclectic boutiques that are trademarks of the 'Keep Austin Weird' movement.

For individuals seeking the best that Austin has to offer, downtown living may be the 'next big thing.' Notable among the projects presently in construction, or near completion, is The 360, at the corner of Nueces and 3rd Streets, a 40 story, 420-unit condominium tower that also includes 10,000 sq ft of street-level retail space. The construction site has transformed an abandoned parking lot into a prime residential property. The tower, scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2007, offers such amenities as floor to ceiling glass walls, balconies, 10 ft ceilings, 24-hour concierge service, a full sized pool, as well as upscale fitness and social centers. The 360 offers comparatively reasonably priced one-bedroom units at under $200,000 and two bedroom units beginning below $250,000.

Austin Mayor Will Winn has commended the Novare Group 360 Project for their use of underutilized downtown space. 'Novare Group is transforming an abandoned location into a magnificent example of urban infill,' and that 'The city has built the foundation for an active downtown where Austinites can live, work and play.'

Other notable projects currently under construction in various quadrants of downtown Austin include:

The Monarch, a 24 story, high-rise luxury rental property, including 305 residential units and 9,000 sq ft of retail space, overlooking Shoal Creek on the western edge of the Central Business District.

The Shore, a 22-story condominium project of 192 units built above five levels of parking, located at Davis and Red River, near the Convention Center on the eastern quadrant of downtown.

Bridges on the Park, a 6 story 105 unit condominium project, that includes an out door pool, courtyards, and 9000sq ft of street level retail. This property is Located on S.. Lamar, just south of Town lake, and is offering 850 sq ft units at $200,000 and up, with 1650 sq ft units priced at $550,000 and up.