BRR's Nicole Curry Shares Insights at Austin Multifamily Discussion

Key themes which emerged in the discussion:

• Simplification protects both budget and character. Fewer unit types, repeatable layouts and standardized structural elements reduce cost without removing what renters value. Fewer interior typicals also mean fewer shop drawings and submittals. This approach supports prefabrication and other alternative construction methods.
• Adaptive reuse is as much an architectural puzzle as a financial one. Floor plate depth, structural grid, light access and parking ratios can determine whether a building converts well, often before budgets come into play. Older, narrower buildings tend to adapt more easily than deep floor plates. Owners find that an office conversion to multifamily involves far more than just a tenant improvement finish.
• The right amenities start as a need, not a want. The amenity race has cooled, and now renters respond to spaces they actually use. Flexible, multi-use rooms and strong indoor-outdoor connections earn their square footage, while single-purpose areas risk sitting empty. Planning for how a space can change over the life of the building keeps it relevant.
• Early team engagement reduces risk. Design decisions made before the right experts are involved often cost more to fix later. Experienced local design and civil teams know the codes and city processes, which helps projects move through permitting with fewer resubmittals. Bringing everyone in at the start keeps cost and schedule on track.