Proposed in response to the City of Austin's progressive rethinking of its zoning ordinances, 1811 South Congress will feature two stories of residential units above ground-level retail. Antenora Architects designed the 20,000 sf building in an architectural style reminiscent of early-20th century American mercantile vernacular structures. The location is a prominent corner in the popular, pedestrian-oriented SoCo area on Austin's south side.  

The design team's proposal represents one of the first attempts to take full advantage of the municipality’s recently adopted Vertical Mixed Use (VMU) zoning criteria and Commercial Design Standards. The new design standards require the building to extend to the front property line with no setbacks and to address the urban streetscape with benches, lampposts, awnings, and tree along the sidewalk.