Lawrence Group Designs Tapville Austin Concept
Tapville Social debuts Austin self-pour dining, rooftop events near UT and downtown corridor.
Lawrence Group’s hospitality team served as Architect of Record for Tapville Social’s first full-scale restaurant concept in Austin, Texas, under an ongoing IDIQ contract with the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS). The project strengthens Tapville’s presence near the University of Texas and downtown Austin, positioning the restaurant to serve state employees, university affiliates, and the general public.
Located at the corner of MLK and San Jacinto Boulevards, the 4,664-square-feet restaurant blends full-service dining with a self-pour beverage model and Austin-inspired cuisine. The rooftop terrace supports private events for up to 300 guests, providing valuable revenue flexibility while maximizing underutilized vertical space common in urban infill projects.
Tapville Social, which opened in October 2025, includes a private dining room for events and flexible façade design allowing the MLK Boulevard wall to open for outdoor seating and live music programming. This operable frontage improves pedestrian engagement and supports placemaking goals in a dense mixed-use corridor.
“One of the goals was creating an experience that reflects local dining preferences,” said franchise co-owner Jyotsna Chitri. “Research and focus group feedback gave us confidence in the concept’s market fit.”
A signature design feature is the 34-tap self-pour wall offering domestic and international beers along with cider, sangria, and seltzer. Self-pour systems help operators control portioning accuracy, reduce foam waste, and improve transaction speed during peak service periods — all critical factors for front-of-house labor efficiency.
As Architect of Record, Lawrence Group completed several technical coordination tasks:
• Modified standard Tapville prototype details to fit an existing building shell
• Coordinated mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, technology, and kitchen consultants
• Produced the Issued for Construction construction drawing set
• Coordinated with a Texas Accessibility Specialist for code compliance review and final inspection
One of the project’s largest technical challenges involved routing and concealing existing utilities from the adjacent UT Health Center, which carried piping through the restaurant’s ceiling plenum. The design team worked closely with IE2 Construction to ensure valves and filtration equipment remained accessible for long-term maintenance, reducing future tenant disruption risk.
“Tapville wouldn’t be where it is today without the Lawrence Group team,” said franchise co-owner Shashi Rangaraju. “Their speed, coordination, and commitment to quality helped deliver construction on an accelerated schedule. We appreciate their partnership and execution.”
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