Waterline Skyscraper Opened as Tallest in Texas
The 1,025-foot tower officially finished construction in August and houses residential, hotel, and office space.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Commercial
Live Poll
Should cities prioritize new skyscraper construction over the preservation and retrofitting of existing older buildings?
Completed at the end of August 2026, the 74-story Waterline skyscraper in Austin now stands as the tallest building in Texas. The mixed-use development, which opened its 1 Hotel Austin in September, integrates residential, hospitality, and commercial space.
Why it matters
The project introduces a significant increase in density to Austin, providing hundreds of residential units and hotel rooms despite a challenging climate for commercial real estate. Its completion marks a major shift in the city skyline near Waller Creek.
The Waterline reaches 1,025 feet across 74 floors, housing 352 residential units and a 252-room hotel. It features 24 floors dedicated to office space adjacent to Waller Creek.
The players
The Waterline
This newly completed 74-story skyscraper serves as the tallest building in Texas.
1 Hotel Austin
This hotel occupies space within the Waterline skyscraper and officially opened in September 2026.
The details
The tower includes two pedestrian bridges over Waller Creek and three public access points for cyclists and pedestrians. Residents began moving into the top 33 floors of the building in mid-August 2026.
Timeline
August 2026: Construction of the Waterline skyscraper was finished.
Mid-August 2026: Residents began moving into the tower.
September 2026: The 1 Hotel Austin opened inside the skyscraper.
Roadmap
The Waterline represents a trend of vertical, mixed-use densification in high-growth urban centers, aiming to maximize footprint utility in dense areas. It follows a national pattern of developers aiming for record-breaking heights to redefine city skylines.
The completion of the tower adds significant residential and hotel capacity to the area near Lady Bird Lake and the Rainey Street Historic District. Pedestrians and cyclists gain new access routes through the site, linking the building to the existing Waller Creek path.
The takeaway
The Waterline reflects a broader shift toward integrating public infrastructure, such as pedestrian bridges, into private high-rise developments. Prospective tenants should monitor how the building's premium office space performs against the city's current 25.2 percent vacancy rate.
Further reading
For more information on the local development landscape, visit Austin Commercial.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Newsweek.
Live Poll
Should cities prioritize new skyscraper construction over the preservation and retrofitting of existing older buildings?
