The Austonian Austin, Texas

Challenge

Since 2010, The Austonian has towered over the Austin skyline, symbolizing luxury, location, and a love for the city’s unique and vibrant downtown cultural scene. When it opened its doors for the first residents, The Austonian immediately claimed the mantle of Austin’s most desirable downtown high-rise residence. A recognizable feature of the new tower was its iconic lighting design, which featured a curved line of light at the building’s peak that came to be known as The Austonian’s “smile”.

In 2015, however, residents were disappointed when their building’s unique top-floor exterior lighting design - their smile - disappeared due to lighting fixture and lighting control failures. Residents eventually decided that the building’s exterior lighting should be restored to its original glory, and the building management team was tasked with initiating a lighting upgrade project for The Austonian.

General Manager Shawn Bell began looking for a lighting service provider that was willing and able to repel off the top of a 56-story building and replace the original lighting fixtures. He found people willing to repel off the building, and he found electricians qualified to install lights, but The Austonian needed technicians certified to repel off a high-rise tower who were also licensed and trained electricians. Based on an existing lighting products relationship with Austin's FSG branch, Bell asked FSG who to call for their particular lighting challenge. The answer was quick and easy!