The Brazos Lofts embody the definition of downtown loft perhaps more than any other Austin property. From both the inside and outside it feels authentic. Originally constructed in 1925, the Sutton Company completed the downtown Austin conversion in early 1999. Each loft space is separated by a brick wall. Most of the units have original narrow-plank hardwood floors. True to its character, the Brazos Lofts is only three stories (two stories in most of the building) and is home to only 39 condos.
Josh and Marie McJilton are residents at the Brazos Lofts. They’ve decided it’s time to step into more space, and below they share what they love about the building.
“We have lived in our downtown loft for 4 1/2 years and have loved every minute of it. We love our building and our home for many reasons. It has so much character and history. It is truly a one of kind building. The utilitarian past is preserved in the original structure. This combines with the modern design and floor plan to create a feeling of history and the contemporary all at once. The open floor plan creates an awesome sense of space that makes the unit feel much bigger than it’s 1111 sqft.
Outside the walls of the loft, the location of the building is unbeatable. Being one block from the epicenter of downtown Austin, 6th and Congress, puts you within walking distance of everything downtown has to offer. Parking the car on Friday afternoon and not seeing it again until Monday morning is one of our favorite ways to spend the weekend. We love taking walks in our ‘front yard’: the grounds of our beautiful Texas State Capitol building. We ride bikes in our ‘back yard’, the Lake Ladybird Trail and Barton Creek Greenbelt, as often as we can. And, being one block from 6th Street and two blocks from the Warehouse district, we’re never far from a great meal or good time.”
Along the ground level of East 5th Street are a row of spaces that are, in addition to being livable, zoned for light office, gallery, and salon space. Other notable Austinites that have chosen to dwell at the Brazos Lofts include urban planner Cid Galindo and Austin Chronicle writer Marc Savlov. The best barbershop in Austin IMHO, the Good Life Barbershop run by Debbie and Ryan Videtto, is located in the coolest subterranean space in downtown!
-Jude
p.s. More photos can be found here.
A bona-fide relic there. I worked at Austin National Bank in the 1980s when their print shop and supply departments occupied this buildings’ corner suite. ACC’s headquarters occupied most of the building, which leaked like seive. The old service elevator took you to the roof where you could have lunch and maybe even a “constitutional” while above the fray. The second floor of that building, much like many others Downtown back then, used to bounce up and down when you walked on it.