AUSTIN, Texas — Google has opened its 35-story “Sail Tower” in downtown Austin, filling a long-vacant landmark with employee workspaces and a free, high-tech hub for local non-profit organizations.
The building, featuring Texas-themed design, is expected to boost the downtown economy and support local charities through access to technology and space.
For nearly four years, the billowing ship sail overlooking Lady Bird Lake sat empty. But on Monday, Google’s Sail Tower opened its doors to the media and the public to unveil the 594-foot skyscraper and a ground-floor hub for non-profits.
“We’re in Austin and the Capitol, and we love to pay homage to the community and the State of Texas,” said Chris Ivarson of Google Real Estate.
Free Real Estate for Area Charities
Google’s new nonprofit venue is 100% free of charge to charities. Holding up to 145 people, it gives nonprofits free access to premium downtown real estate and is outfitted with top-of-the-line audio-visual equipment.
But Google is offering more than just physical space; the tech giant is making its own tech experts available to provide hands-on technical and strategic guidance.
“To be able to leverage Google technology and Google employees to meet their mission with the latest technology,” explained Robert Barron-Pryce, Google Giving Manager.
Bringing the Outside In
Google physically occupies four floors of the 35-story building along the edge of Lady Bird Lake. The Sail Tower design brings the outside in—blending high-tech workspaces with local artwork inspired by Texas landscapes ranging from Hill Country trails to Big Bend wildflowers.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, who attended the grand opening event, says the impact of the iconic sail-shaped tower stretches far beyond the non-profit sector.
“It adds such a neat character to our downtown living room,” Watson said.
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The Real-World Impact on Downtown Vacancy
On paper, Google’s move-in doesn’t change the city’s official vacancy rates since the space was technically leased to the tech giant back in 2019. But in the real world, having employees onsite injects much-needed vitality into a downtown struggling with a 20% office vacancy rate.
“It brings people into downtown,” Mayor Watson noted. “And what they do is then they go, and they shop at the retail shops. They eat food in our restaurants. We have sales tax, but the vitality of the downtown is enhanced.”
City leaders say the towering symbol of the city’s tech boom is now charting a course toward a busier, more vibrant downtown.
Unique Interior Design & Features
Texas-Themed Progression: Moving away from standard corporate styling, every floor of the tower is distinctly customized to mimic a different geographical region of Texas, featuring design elements modeled after Big Bend wildflowers, Hill Country hiking trails, and Marfa storms.
“Secret” Bookshelf: The office space features a hidden lounge space tucked away behind a moving bookshelf that employees have to find to unlock.
Billowing Outdoor Terraces: Due to the building’s unique, stepped, sail-like architectural design, there are private outdoor terraces on each floor landscaped with native Texas plants.
Local Art Focus: Google commissioned custom murals and installations created by local Austin and Texas artists to decorate the hallways and collaborative zones.
Wellness & Active Workstations: The upper workspace levels are outfitted with experiential features, including active walking treadmill desks, customized lifestyle pop-ups, and specialized wellness zones.