Austin's First Skyscraper

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In 1910, a brand-new skyscraper rose above the corner of Congress Avenue and Sixth Street, forever changing the Austin skyline. The Scarbrough Building was completed in 1910 as Austin's very first steel-framed high-rise. Standing eight stories and one hundred and ten feet tall, it briefly held the title of the tallest private building in Texas.

Designed in the Chicago style by Fort Worth architects Sanguinet and Staats, it was originally home to the flagship E.M. Scarbrough and Sons department store. In 1931, the building underwent a major renovation that added striking Art Deco elements.

But perhaps its most refreshing update occurred during that same 1931 remodel, when Scarbrough's became the first retailer west of the Mississippi River to install air conditioning. As you make your way through downtown, think of the early shoppers stepping out of the Texas heat and into the cool, conditioned air of Austin's original high-rise.

Updated June 2026