AUSTIN, TX — Swinerton Builders and Dick Clark + Associates have completed a new office and retail building that supports community, sustainability, and innovation in East Austin, Texas.
Workbench, a four-story development, brings local architecture, engineering, construction, and real estate firms together under one roof. Nearly two-thirds of the building's owners and tenants are women‑owned or women‑led businesses — an uncommon milestone in the commercial development landscape.
"This project shows what's possible when you bring the right people together from the very beginning," said Mark Vornberg, Principal at Dick Clark + Associates. "Workbench reflects the people who use it and the neighborhood it's part of."
Designed by Dick Clark + Associates and built by Swinerton Builders, the structure uses mass timber, a renewable building material that reduces environmental impact while creating a distinctive look and feel. The exposed timber interior provides a warm, natural aesthetic that offers healthier workspaces.
The project team estimates that the building's timber stores the equivalent of about 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is roughly the equivalent of removing 301 cars from the roadway for one year, making it a lower‑carbon alternative to conventional concrete and steel construction. Additional sustainable elements include abundant natural light, shaded windows to reduce heat, outdoor patios on every level, a roof deck, electric vehicle charging stations, and energy‑efficient lighting controls.
| Your local Wirtgen America dealer |
|---|
| Nueces Power Equipment |
| Kirby-Smith Machinery |
| Kirby-Smith Machinery |
| Nueces Power Equipment |
| Kirby-Smith Machinery |
| Nueces Power Equipment |
"What people will notice right away is how inviting and human‑scaled the building feels," said Alison Satt, Vice President and Austin Division Manager at Swinerton. "At the same time, it's a building that's doing its part to reduce its impact on the environment."
Workbench is intentionally designed as a flexible, accessible, and collaborative workplace, encouraging tenants to gather, work together, and connect. That flexibility has helped attract firms that value innovation and adaptability, while still prioritizing connections with the surrounding community.
The ground floor includes Legacy Lighting's retail showroom and a prominent corner restaurant space designed to activate the sidewalk and serve nearby residents. The restaurant space is just over 6,000 square feet with indoor and outdoor seating, and is still available for lease.
With the building now open and nearly fully occupied, the project team sees Workbench as a sign of a broader shift in Austin's commercial development — one that values sustainability, innovation, and community alongside growth.
Workbench was developed and is occupied by the owner-operators, including Dick Clark + Associates, Swinerton, Legacy Lighting, Beck‑Reit Commercial, Fort Structures, and Art + Artisans.
