The Bowie (Austin)

The Bowie
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeResidential, office, retail
Architectural styleModern
Location United States 311 Bowie Street, Austin, Texas
Construction started2012
Completed2015
Height128.9 m (423 ft)
Technical details
Floor count36
Floor area520,000 sq ft of residential space
Design and construction
Architecture firmHKS Architects
DeveloperEndeavor Real Estate Group and Lynd Company
Main contractorHarvey Cleary Builders

The Bowie is a 36-story[1] luxury high-rise apartment building in the Market District of downtown Austin, Texas. The tower stands approximately 423 feet (129 m) tall with 36 floors,[1] and was completed in 2015. Developed by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group in partnership with the Lynd Company of San Antonio, the project broke ground in 2012 and opened in late 2014. It features 358 residential units along with approximately 41,000 sq ft (3,800 m²) of office space and 4,000 sq ft (370 m²) of ground-floor retail. The Bowie was designed by HKS, Inc. architects and earned a LEED Silver certification for sustainability.[2] In 2017, the building was sold in a record-setting transaction (on a per-unit and per-square-foot basis for Austin) as part of a Lynd-led portfolio disposition.[3]

Tenants and amenities

The Bowie’s office space, located on the 8th and 9th floors, was leased in 2014 to Whole Foods Market for expansion of its headquarters.[4] Whole Foods employees began occupying the space in 2015. The building’s ground-level retail has included a coffee shop and other services catering to residents and the neighborhood.

Residential amenities at The Bowie include a rooftop infinity pool on the 36th floor, outdoor terraces on the 10th and 31st floors, a fitness center, a dog grooming room, and 24-hour concierge service.[5] Due to its height and location near Shoal Creek, many units feature unobstructed views of downtown Austin, Lady Bird Lake, and the Texas State Capitol.

In its early years, The Bowie was the first headquarters of Bumble (app), a dating startup founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd. From 2015 until mid-2017, Bumble operated out of a two-bedroom apartment in the building, despite the Bowie being zoned strictly for residential use.[6] A BuzzFeed News exposé reported complaints from other residents over noise and inappropriate use of amenities.[7] Bumble relocated to an office in downtown Austin later that year.[8]

Bowie Tenants Union

In 2025, residents of The Bowie formed the Bowie Tenants Union, an independent coalition advocating for renters’ rights and improved management practices in the building.[9] The organization emerged in response to repeated water shutoffs, fire code concerns, and unresolved maintenance complaints. It is considered the first tenants’ union formed in a luxury high-rise in Austin.[10]

The union has pressured the property manager, RPM Living, and the building’s ownership group (advised by L&B Realty Advisors and the Florida State Board of Administration) to comply with Texas renter protection statutes and improve communication with tenants.

Reception

As of July 2025, The Bowie holds mixed-to-positive reviews across major apartment rating platforms. It is rated 3.8/5 on Google Maps[11], 2.5/5 on Yelp[12], and 2.8/5 on ApartmentRatings.com[13]. Residents praise the views and rooftop amenities, while others cite concerns about management, recurring water issues, and high additional fees such as parking.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The Bowie – The Skyscraper Center". CTBUH Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  2. ^ "The Bowie". Harvey-Cleary Builders. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  3. ^ "The Bowie". Kairoi Residential. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  4. ^ Novak, Shonda (June 25, 2014). "Whole Foods expands, adds new 40,000 square foot lease downtown". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  5. ^ "Luxury Amenities". The Bowie. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  6. ^ "Tinder co-founder's new Austin startup reportedly turned off neighbors". Austin Business Journal. August 2, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  7. ^ "A Tale Of Starting A Business From Home". BuzzFeed News. August 1, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  8. ^ "Bumble Opens New HQ In Austin Texas". Global Dating Insights. August 30, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  9. ^ "Bowie Tenants Union". Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  10. ^ "About BTU". Bowie Tenants Union. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  11. ^ "The Bowie - Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  12. ^ "The Bowie - Yelp". Yelp. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  13. ^ "The Bowie Reviews - Austin, TX". ApartmentRatings. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.