St. John South Under Construction in Northeast Austin

St. John South, a 201-unit affordable development, is under construction at 800 E. St. John Ave. in northeast Austin. Greystar is developing the project, with architecture by Meeks + Partners. The City of Austin sold the site in 2026 to the South Congress Public Facility Corporation, a public facility corporation controlled by the Housing Authority of the City of Austin.

The 208,136-square-foot project carries an estimated construction cost of $22.1 million, per TDLR filings. All 201 units are restricted to households earning 50 to 80 percent of median family income. Completion is expected in March 2028. The city owned the site from 2013 until the 2026 sale; it sat vacant for nearly 20 years.

The project is the first investment from Airbnb's Housing Accelerator fund, a $6.4 million commitment from a $250 million national fund. Amenities include an expanded St. John Pocket Park, splash pad, walking trails, retail space, and public art. The design team also includes Atwell LLC, Lemmo Architecture and Design, and TBG Partners.

St. John South is the first phase of a 19-acre redevelopment. A companion north property will add 325 mixed-income units, 165 of them at 60 to 80 percent of median family income, bringing the total to 526 apartments. The full site will include 15,000 square feet of commercial space. St. John Pocket Park will expand from 0.79 acres to roughly 3.5 acres.