Solid hipster credentials with East Austin office

AUSTIN – Endeavor Real Estate Group broke ground on an unconventional office project in East Austin.

The two-story, 30,100-sf building planned for 2021 E. Fifth St. will have a contemporary design. It is aimed at the businesses of the creative class, such as architectural and public relations firms, while exploring a part of town with solid hipster credentials.

One of Austin’s largest advertising and marketing agencies – EnviroMedia Social Marketing – has signed on as the anchor tenant, leasing almost 21,000 sf.

Reclaimed bricks from a historic University of Texas building will cover about 60 percent of the building’s exterior. The project will also include solar-paneled carports, an electric vehicle charging station and room for a vegetable garden and dog run.

The emphasis will be on fun. The interior buildout will include a slide from the second to the first floor. Estimated construction valuation is $3.5 million.

Finding creative spaces has become a challenge in Austin as more tech firms have swallowed up many of the older offices in places like Penn Field and the Perry Brooks building.