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Hyatt to Transform Austin’s South Congress Hotel Into The Standard Austin

The South Congress Avenue hotel is set to become The Standard’s first Texas outpost, with a debut planned for spring 2027

The South Congress Hotel
The South Congress Hotel is set to be converted into The Standard, a luxury property scheduled to open in spring 2027. (Photo by Nick Simonite)

Hyatt announced April 1 that it plans to convert South Congress Hotel into The Standard, a new luxury property set to open on South Congress in spring 2027. The project will mark The Standard brand’s first Texas hotel. The brand already has properties in major cities including New York, London and Bangkok.

According to the press release, the project will renovate and convert the existing hotel at 1603 South Congress Ave. Opened in 2015, South Congress Hotel will be redeveloped through a collaboration between Hyatt and Timberline Real Estate Partners, with local names including Amar Lalvani, James Moody and architect Michael Hsu involved in the project.

The announcement also comes amid uncertainty surrounding the hotel’s current staff. According to a letter reportedly issued by Hyatt and shared on the r/Austin subreddit on March 31, employee contracts are expected to end between May 31 and June 12.

Lalvani, president and creative director of Hyatt’s Lifestyle Group, said the team hopes to honor the property’s existing legacy while introducing a new chapter for the hotel in Austin. In the release, he described the city as both a longtime cultural capital and a world-class destination.

The Standard will be developed through a collaboration between Hyatt and Timberline Real Estate Partners, with local figures Amar Lalvani, James Moody and architect Michael Hsu involved in the project.
The Standard will be developed through a collaboration between Hyatt and Timberline Real Estate Partners, with local figures Amar Lalvani, James Moody and architect Michael Hsu involved in the project. (Photo by Nick Simonite)

A new chapter for the South Congress property

Moody said the goal is to create a place that feels welcoming throughout the day and night, whether guests are looking to unwind, socialize or move between the two. “Austin doesn’t quite have that yet,” he said.

Hyatt said its Austin-based Bunkhouse team will support the project to help preserve the neighborhood character of the property. Interiors will be designed by Goodrich Design in collaboration with The Standard’s in-house team led by Verena Haller.

“South Congress has always been a place where Austin’s past and future meet,” Stan Nix, managing partner of Timberline Real Estate Partners, said in a statement, calling the project “the natural next step” for the corridor and one intended to be “globally relevant, socially vibrant and built for the long term.”

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