A boutique hotel is taking shape in Mueller. On Monday, July 6, Origin Hotel, branded as a "lifestyle-focused boutique hotel," is breaking ground in the burgeoning east side development and slated to open in 2021.
The new five-story, 120-room project is located inside Mueller's Aldrich Street district, home to L'Oca d'Oro, Colleen's Kitchen, Kyoten, Alamo Drafthouse, and Lady Quackenbush, among other homegrown hospitality projects.
Origin Hotel's Austin property — the Mississippi-based Thrash Group's first in Texas — features "well-appointed rooms and suites that feature local funky-flair and color," in keeping with the hospitality trend of tailoring hotel properties to an experience-hungry, millennial-aged clientele.
In this spirit, Origin also offers a sort of choose-your-own-adventure room experience, ranging from dormitory-style lodgings with six bunk beds to well-appointed suites with terraces. Other amenities include in-room yoga equipment, rooms outfitted with kitchenettes, valet parking, a "social and welcoming lobby" where guest check in, gym and meeting spaces, and a guide to curate "local experiences."
“What we’ll offer at Mueller is an elevated hotel experience that focuses on three pillars: creating a lifestyle that informs guests about local, hand-selected things to do, inspired by our guests; establishing a balanced and fresh approach to wellness of the mind, body and soul; and developing a strong sense of community that is based on local partnerships with local eateries, farmers, coffee roasters and more, all to connect people to more meaningful experiences,” said Walker Thrash, partner in developer The Thrash Group, in a release.
Origin will also feature an open-kitchen restaurant and bar, open to both hotel guests and the public, and more than 5,000 square feet of retail space. Details on the restaurant/bar concept and shops were not revealed.
“We’ve remained thoughtful and selective as we pursued the right hotel partner who understands the vision of a vibrant and activated environment that we will continue to deliver along Aldrich Street at Mueller,” said Greg Weaver, executive vice president for Catellus, the developer of Mueller. “Origin will be a stellar addition to the mix of offerings that make Aldrich Street a unique destination that cultivates like-minded retail tenants."
Leading the design is Austin-based Lake Flato Architects and Lusk Architecture, headquartered in Ohio. Overseeing design of the courtyard, around which the hotel is designed, is Austin's Studio Balcones. The hotel's design, notes the release, utilizes materials already seen in Mueller buildings such as The Thinkery.
According to a release, the team is pursuing LEED-Silver and Austin Energy Green Building three-star certifications and has designed the new hotel using materials "carefully assembled in surprising and elegant ways that blend into the nearby urban fabric."
The hotel is scheduled to open in 2021.
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Rendering courtesy of SA Partnerships