[Urbannizer]

Demolition Expected for Fifth and Lavaca Corner in Downtown Austin

The news this week that downtown ping pong bar Smash ATX had permanently closed at the southeast corner of West Fifth and Lavaca Streets didn’t come as a huge surprise to us considering the longstanding plans for a dual-branded Embassy Suites and Tempo by Hilton hotel with a combined 480 rooms in a 30-story tower at this site, but if you’re a big “paddlehead” or you just wanted a nice place downtown to book your corporate team-building excursion, you have our sympathies.

Although the site plan for the hotel project here is still working its way through the city’s permit system, the demolition of the two adjacent structures housing the bar has already attained approval from the Historic Landmark Commission and the city, and judging by the timelines provided by developer Merritt Development Group in its public filings we expect this corner to be cleared for construction sometime this year.