West Downtown & Seaholm wraps around the Seaholm Power Plant redevelopment, the 2nd Street District and Shoal Creek. Five high rises here trade Rainey's nightlife for a quieter residential pace and the quickest access to MoPac.
The problemThe west-facing unit looked great at a morning tour. By July the living room bakes from 3 p.m. on and the electric bill climbs every month.
Why it happens hereAustin averages about 29 days a year at 100°F or hotter, and the west-facing stacks here take the full afternoon sun across the Hill Country with nothing taller to shade them.
What we doOur lake-view apartments search weighs exposure, glazing and shades per unit, and points you to south or north-facing stacks when the view is close enough.
Portals show a starting rent, not the floor or which way the windows face. In a tower, those two details move the price by thousands a year.
Free-rent offers shift with lease-up pace. Sign a week late and the same unit can cost a month of rent more over the lease.
Credit minimums run 580 to 700+ and income rules 2.5× to 3× rent. Applying blind wastes $50 to $100 per denial.
Year, verified story count, bedroom range, rent range and current concession for each tower. Concessions shift monthly, so we confirm before you tour.
321 W 6th St · RPM Living
The tallest residential tower we cover. Homes start on floor 22, so even the lowest units sit above most of downtown. Currently in lease-up.
Check The Residences at ATX Tower availability110 San Antonio St · Greystar
A renovated penthouse on 38 tops $10,000, while a standard 1BR on 8 starts under $2,000. Close to the lake and the Pfluger Bridge.
Check Northshore availability311 Bowie St · RPM Living
Steps from the Whole Foods flagship and 2nd Street. Starts just under $2,000, with top units above $10,000.
Check The Bowie availability615 W 7th St
A 1 and 2 bedroom tower on West 7th with a tight price band. No advertised concession at last check.
Check Seven availability111 Sandra Muraida Way · Gables Residential
Near the lake on the west side of downtown, with quick access to the trail and Shoal Creek.
Check Gables Park Tower availability
Lake-facing stacks, floor premiums and trail access by building.
The full Class A+ list by district, with what we evaluate before recommending.
2024–2026 towers, pre-leasing access and the widest lease-up concessions.
Breed and weight rules, pet fees and dog amenities verified per building.
$0 to you and no obligation to lease. Send your budget and move date, and get 3–5 matched towers with live concessions within 24 hours.
Three common situations and how a building specialist changes the outcome.
“I had 10 days to sign before starting in Austin. They sent four buildings that fit my commute, steered me off a unit over a loading dock, and I signed at Paseo with 2.5 months free.”
“After 24 years in Westlake we wanted space and a reserved spot. They found a 3-bedroom at Hanover Brazos with tandem parking that we never saw online.”
“They knew which building would accept my company's relocation guarantee before I applied. That saved me two application fees.”
This is downtown for people who want the walkability without the weekend crowds. The Seaholm Power Plant was turned into offices, restaurants and a Trader Joe's, the Austin Central Library sits across the street, and the Whole Foods flagship is a few blocks north at Lamar.
The 2nd Street District has boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants that stay busy without turning loud. Shoal Creek Trail runs north from the lake along the west edge of downtown, and the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge crosses Lady Bird Lake to South Austin and the trail loop. Walk Score 94.
Renters who end up here usually toured Rainey first and wanted something quieter. Upper floors facing west catch sunsets over the Hill Country. This district also holds the tallest of the Austin high rise apartments we cover, The Residences at ATX Tower, where homes start on floor 22.
ZIP codes we cover: 78701, 78703
Landmarks nearby
Roads & transit
MoPac is minutes west via Cesar Chavez or 5th and 6th Streets, and Lamar Boulevard runs north along the edge of the district.
Driving: This is the best downtown district for drives west and north. MoPac (Loop 1) is minutes away via Cesar Chavez or 5th and 6th Streets, which matters for commutes to the Apple campus in Northwest Austin.
On foot and bike: The Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge and the Shoal Creek Trail both start at the edge of the district. The Butler Trail loop along Lady Bird Lake is a few minutes south.
Parking: Every tower has structured parking with reserved spaces. Guest parking is easier here than on Rainey on weekend nights, but policies vary by building.
Tours: Same-day tours when units are available. Northshore, The Bowie and Seven are close together; ATX Tower is on West 6th.
The Residences at ATX Tower (2025, 58 floors) is the tallest residential tower in our inventory, with homes starting on floor 22. It's in lease-up and currently offers 2.5 months free. Northshore (2016, renovated 2022, 38 floors) has the widest price spread in the district: a renovated penthouse on 38 tops $10,000 while a standard 1BR on 8 starts under $2,000.
The Bowie (2015, 36 floors) starts at $1,999 and runs 1 month free. Seven (2015, 23 floors) is a 1 and 2 bedroom building on West 7th. Gables Park Tower (2014, 18 floors) sits by the lake near Sandra Muraida Way, with 1 and 2 bedroom layouts and quick trail access.
Management here includes RPM Living (ATX Tower and The Bowie), Greystar (Northshore) and Gables Residential (Gables Park Tower).
Yes. There's no bar strip under the towers, and weekend street congestion is lower. It's the usual pick for renters who want downtown without the nightlife noise.
The Residences at ATX Tower, with 58 floors. Residential units start on floor 22.
Northshore starts at $1,824 and The Bowie at $1,999. Northshore currently offers 2.5 months free, which lowers the net rent further.
It's the best downtown option. MoPac is minutes away, and the drive north to the Northwest Austin campus avoids the I-35 corridor.
Yes. Austin averages about 29 days a year at 100°F or hotter, and west-facing stacks take the full afternoon sun. We note glazing, shades and exposure per unit so you can weigh the sunset view against the cooling bill.
It can. In the Memorial Day 2015 flood, Shoal Creek reached about 20.8 feet at the 12th Street gauge. We tell you which towers sit closest to the creek, such as Gables Park Tower near its mouth at the lake, and ask how each garage handles heavy rain.
Yes. The Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge and the Butler Trail are a few minutes south, and Shoal Creek Trail starts at the edge of the district.
ATX Tower and Northshore are at 2.5 months free, and The Bowie at 1 month. Seven and Gables Park Tower had no advertised concession at last check.
The Whole Foods flagship, Trader Joe's in the old power plant, the Austin Central Library and the 2nd Street shops are all on foot.
Same day when units are available. Northshore, The Bowie and Seven are close together, and ATX Tower is on West 6th.
Downtown's civic and commercial spine, from the Capitol to the river.
Three towers outside the core: one on the lake's south shore, two up north.
Tell us your budget, bedrooms and move date. We'll send 3–5 matches with live concessions within 24 hours.
Prefer to talk now? Direct line: (512) 555-0190 · Response within 2 business hours · $0 to renters
