Several years ago, Ray and Jennene Mashburn decided to buy a second home in Austin, which as a matter of location happened to be the place where they were already living. "Some people have a second home in the mountains or on the beach, but we felt like downtown Austin had a totally different atmosphere than our primary residence in Barton Creek," said Ray Mashburn. "Also, Jennene is a huge supporter of Ballet Austin, so we made the condo available to visiting choreographers and dancers."

The Mashburns purchased a home in one of the first condominium towers downtown – Austin City Lofts – and soon they fell in love with the downtown lifestyle. "Downtown offers restaurants, theatres, and a bunch of stuff that you just can't get out where we lived," said Jennene.

When an article ran in the Austin American-Statesman in 2007 about a new upscale condo building under development in downtown Austin, the Mashburns decided to sell their suburban home in Barton Creek and make a complete move to downtown Austin. The Mashburns were the first official residents of The Austonian, signing their contract nearly five years ago. In early June, the couple will have lived in the downtown high-rise for two years.

Since the move, the Mashburns have turned into quite the urban dwellers. We love just walking the streets," said Ray. "Jennene walks to Ballet Austin four times a week for Pilates." More than the location, though, the couple enjoys having their home in The Austonian. 

 "In the summertime, we go down to the 10th floor Lawn and sit by the swimming pool and put our feet in the water," said Jennene. They also enjoy using the grill, hosting church and charity events in the 55th-floor Austonian Club, and the round-the-clock valet parking service that is available to their guests. "It's just handy to have so many amenities at our fingertips."

The couple's favorite place for entertainment is the theatre on the 10th floor. "We love going down there and having date nights," said Jennene. "We can choose from thousands of movies available for streaming on demand and have our own private screening, just on a lark."

While the 40,000 square feet of private amenities were definitely a selling point, the Mashburns love their unit on the 22nd floor. "I can be in one room looking out over the lake and Jennene can be in another room with a view of the capitol," said Ray. "We just love that about our home. We expected a lot when we moved into The Austonian, and it has definitely exceeded our expectations."