East Austin’s New Mass Timber Workplace Opens, Bringing Sustainable Design and New Street-Level Activity to East Seventh Street
A new commercial development in East Austin is adding more than office space to the neighborhood. The recently opened Workbench building at 2422 E. Seventh Street is bringing together local businesses, sustainable building practices, and new opportunities for street-level activity in one of Austin’s fastest-evolving corridors.
For residents, business owners, and visitors who frequent East Austin, the project represents another chapter in the area’s ongoing transformation—one that increasingly emphasizes walkability, locally rooted businesses, and environmentally conscious development alongside continued growth.
The four-story mixed-use building, developed by a team of Austin-based firms and constructed using mass timber, has officially opened and is already nearing full occupancy. In addition to housing offices for several of the project’s owner-operators, the development includes retail space and a large restaurant location designed to serve both tenants and the surrounding community.
A New Addition to East Seventh Street
According to state construction filings, Workbench consists of approximately 45,844 square feet of mixed-use commercial space built above a 31,000-square-foot parking garage podium. Construction began in July 2024 and reached completion in October 2025, with an estimated project value of $10 million.
Designed by Austin architecture firm Dick Clark + Associates and built by Swinerton Builders, the project was conceived as a collaborative workplace that encourages interaction among architecture, engineering, construction, real estate, and design professionals.
“This project shows what's possible when you bring the right people together from the very beginning,” said Mark Vornberg, principal at Dick Clark + Associates. “Workbench reflects the people who use it and the neighborhood it's part of.”
The development is occupied by several of its owner-operators, including Dick Clark + Associates, Swinerton, Legacy Lighting, Beck-Reit Commercial, Fort Structures, and Art + Artisans.
One notable aspect of the project is its ownership and tenant makeup. Project representatives say nearly two-thirds of the building’s owners and tenants are women-owned or women-led businesses, an uncommon distinction within commercial real estate development.
What Is Mass Timber and Why Does It Matter?
Workbench is among a growing number of commercial projects utilizing mass timber, an engineered wood product increasingly being used as an alternative to traditional steel and concrete construction.
Mass timber is created by bonding layers of wood together to form large structural components capable of supporting multi-story buildings. Advocates point to its renewable sourcing potential, reduced construction waste, and ability to store carbon absorbed by trees during their growth.
According to the project team, the timber used in Workbench stores the equivalent of approximately 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide—comparable to removing roughly 301 vehicles from the road for one year.
Beyond environmental considerations, exposed timber interiors have become increasingly popular for their natural appearance and ability to create warmer workplace environments. The building also incorporates several additional sustainability-focused features, including shaded windows designed to reduce heat gain, abundant natural light, outdoor patios on every floor, energy-efficient lighting controls, a rooftop deck, and electric vehicle charging stations.
“What people will notice right away is how inviting and human-scaled the building feels,” said Alison Satt, vice president and Austin division manager at Swinerton. “At the same time, it's a building that's doing its part to reduce its impact on the environment.”
Rendering of Workbench. (Source: Timberlab)Companies Behind the Project
Founded in 1888, Swinerton Builders is one of the nation’s longest-operating commercial construction companies. The employee-owned firm provides construction management, design-build, and general contracting services and maintains offices throughout the United States, including Austin and Dallas.
Dick Clark + Associates, headquartered in Austin, is a full-service architecture and interior design firm known for projects throughout Central Texas. The firm has played a role in shaping many of Austin’s residential, hospitality, and commercial developments and emphasizes design that reflects local character and community identity.
Together, the firms envisioned Workbench as a workplace that balances functionality, sustainability, and neighborhood connectivity.
Bringing New Activity to the Street
While much of the attention surrounding Workbench has focused on its design and construction, the project also aims to contribute to the public experience along East Seventh Street.
The ground floor includes a retail showroom for Legacy Lighting and a prominent corner restaurant space featuring both indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant location, spanning just over 6,000 square feet, remains available for lease.
For nearby residents, additional dining and retail options could further strengthen the walkable character that has become a defining feature of many East Austin corridors.
As Austin continues to grow, developments like Workbench highlight a broader trend in commercial real estate—projects that seek to combine office space, sustainability initiatives, local business collaboration, and active street-level uses rather than functioning as standalone office buildings.
What Happens Next
With the building now open and nearly fully occupied, attention will likely turn toward securing a restaurant tenant for the ground-floor space and observing how the development integrates into the surrounding neighborhood over time.
For East Austin, the project represents more than a new office address. It reflects the ongoing effort to accommodate growth while creating places that support local businesses, encourage community interaction, and contribute to the evolving identity of one of Austin’s most dynamic districts.
Residents interested in following new business openings, commercial development projects, and neighborhood growth trends across the Austin area can stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for future updates.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.