One of the latest skyscrapers to join the Texas capital’s burgeoning skyline is under investigation after several incidents involving glass panels falling from the stories-high building. Last week marked the latest in a series of issues where panels were reportedly falling onto the streets below — an issue that has left Austin development services officials “deeply concerned.”
Ryan Companies is the contractor behind the ATX Tower, a roughly 670-foot-tall skyscraper located at 321 W. Sixth St. in downtown Austin. The more than 834,000-square-foot development, completed back in February, features mixed-use, multifamily, retail and office space and serves as a new addition to the city’s Central Business District. In recent months, the tower has been home to several incidents of glass panels falling from the high-rise, with Austin’s ABC affiliate KVUE reporting four separate incidents across a four-month timespan.
On Monday, August 4, a spokesperson for the Austin Development Services Department confirmed to MySA city officials are aware of the latest issue emerging last week at the ATX Tower. In a statement, the spokesperson said the department is working in tandem with Ryan Companies to perform site visits, adding the contractor is investigating the root causes.
“The Development Services Department is deeply concerned about last week’s incident involving falling glass at 321 W. 6th Street, following several similar incidents this year,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We are working closely with the contractor, who has implemented enhanced safety measures to protect the community and continues to investigate the causes of all recent incidents. The contractor is providing us with regular updates, and we will be making site visits until the any safety concerns are fully resolved.”…