Seaholm District & Market District, West Side, Downtown Austin, Texas
Image by myoldpostcards
An aerial view of the Seaholm and Market Districts on the west side of downtown Austin. The Seaholm District extends three blocks from Lady Bird Lake to 3rd Street. The bridges in this view are the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge on the lower left and Austin’s iconic Graffiti Train Bridge on the right.
Over the span of 25 years, Austin has painstakingly transformed nearly 90 acres of industrial land in southwest downtown into a thriving, urban neighborhood. The Seaholm Power Plant, a living testament to Austin’s industrial heritage, stands proudly to the right of the Graffiti Train Bridge, lending its name to the entire Seaholm District. This iconic structure not only symbolizes the city’s commitment to revitalizing this central area but also serves as a reminder of the area’s rich history. At the river’s north shore, the Seaholm Intake Facility, a historic landmark, and just north, with its towering smokestacks, is the turbine generator building, now repurposed as apartments.
Following the power plant’s decommissioning in 1989, the property was deemed a brownfield site, considered too contaminated for use. However, between 1997 and 2003, significant efforts were made to clean up this historic site. In 2005, a public-private partnership was formed, marking a significant turning point in the area’s history. This partnership was dedicated to redeveloping the building using green design and construction practices, transforming the power plant into a beacon of sustainable development. This restoration revitalized the site and sparked a wave of sustainable development in the neighborhood. Today, the Seaholm District stands as a vibrant hub of residential, office, and community gathering spaces.
North of Seaholm lies the Market District, a dynamic and rapidly expanding residential and commercial area. This district is renowned for its luxury high-rise apartments and condos, renovated low-rise apartments, and a bustling cluster of bars and restaurants known as “West Sixth.”
