Garage Apartment Conversion in a Historic Neighborhood: Austin, TX

When a family outgrew their home but wasn’t ready to leave the historic Austin neighborhood they loved, Smith Holt found the answer in the detached garage. The firm transformed a noncompliant structure into a fully realized two-story garage apartment, adding new footings and steel beams to support the second-floor dwelling while keeping the addition in harmony with its surroundings. The result is a versatile space that serves equally well as a guest suite or home office, giving the family room to grow without giving up the address. The project earned a four-star rating under the Austin Energy Green Building program.