Every city has its iconic landmarks and for Austin, one of these is Block 21. Situated in the heart of Downtown Austin on Second Street, Block 21 has recently garnered attention as the home of ACL Live at the Moody Theater and the contemporary W Austin hotel. The excitement builds as the Opry Entertainment Group announces a $40 million makeover for the development. Block 21, a unique mixed-use establishment, currently houses 159 luxury condominiums, a 251-room hotel, and the ACL Live Theater which seats 2,700 enthusiastic spectators. Spanning an entire city block, the property also boasts 40,000 sq ft of offices and 18,000 sq ft of retail space hosting popular names such as Starbucks and Urban Outfitters. Now, this hub of activity is set for a sweeping renovation encompassing the construction of a 2,060 sq ft terrace enclosure over the existing PNC Plaza. This will serve as an exclusive event space contributing a fresh dash of excitement to Austin’s social scene. Once the renovations that include revamping the W Austin entrance and other key spaces like the coffee shop, restaurant, and bars are over, the hotel plans to add additional positions to support its staff of 241. ACL Live will also continue to entertain audiences with its team of 87. The project, purchased from Stratus Properties Inc in late May 2022 for a hefty $260 million, is expected to wrap up renovations of the hotel guest rooms by fall 2024. Though a grand transformation is underway, both W Austin and ACL Live will continue operations without disruption, standing as testament of Austin’s thriving real estate and entertainment scene. For more detailed updates on this exciting development project, follow the story [here](https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/newstalk-texas/?Item=30103).
