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, a national industry-leading general contracting and construction management firm, is teamed with (DC+A), Lindgren Development and other project partners to design and build a new mixed-use mass timber office building located in East Austin. The project broke ground on October 2^nd with a community celebration, including a site blessing by Rev. Dr. Daryl Horton of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Located at 2422 East 7th Street, WORKBENCH brings sustainable design to life with beautiful mass timber and will serve as a showcase for potential clients interested in mass timber. Construction is estimated to be completed in January 2026.

“Many of the project partners have been ingrained in East Austin for decades. The opportunity to bring together a built environment ‘design collective’ under one roof and within a mass timber building is beyond exciting,” states DC+A Principal Mark Vornberg. “The neighboring community has been supportive of this development, and we look forward to continuing this bond.”

Mass timber’s popularity as an alternative to concrete and steel construction continues to rise, including in Austin. The many sustainable and biophilic attributes are leading to the structure type being integrated into civic, academic, multi-family, and office buildings. WORKBENCH alone is estimated to store 500 metric tons of CO2, which is the equivalent of removing 301 cars from the roadway for a year. Mass timber can typically be completed faster and reduce energy costs for owners as the building can be more efficiently heated and cooled.

Primarily leased by women-owned/operated firms (66%), the building features a different mechanical system on each floor, showcasing how to seamlessly integrate a variety of systems within a mass timber structure. Level two, to be occupied by ŷ��Ⱥ��, features a traditional system with exposed overhead mechanical equipment. DC+A, , , , and will occupy level three, which features a raised access flooring system with a hidden ventilation system.

The first floor will be anchored by Legacy Lighting’s retail and showroom, as well as a restaurant space designed to engage the surrounding community. Additional building features include views of downtown Austin from the upper floors, an outdoor patio and roof deck spaces on each floor, window overhangs protecting the office space from the direct southern and western sun, daylighting and lighting controls to conserve power and electric vehicle charging stations in the parking area.

Additional project (equity) partners include Beck-Reit Commercial Real Estate, Legacy Lighting, Fort Structures and Art + Artisans.

Alison Satt, Vice President and Austin Division Manager notes, “We are looking forward to bringing such a dynamic building to the vibrant East Austin community while showcasing the practical benefits of mass timber.”

ŷ��Ⱥ��’s affiliate Timberlab has been providing engineering services, optimizing the building to utilize the timber as efficiently as possible. Additionally, Timberlab will fabricate the cross-laminated timber (CLT) in its Greenville, SC facility.