Shawn Cirkiel Is Branching Into Events With 800 Congress

Parkside Projects and Shawn Cirkiel are branching outside of the restaurant circle by opening an event space, 800 Congress, in downtown Austin. This would be the group’s fifth project in Austin, after the four currently running restaurants. Slated to open in mid-February, it will include the venue, bar service, and event management. Building owners Eduardo Margain and David Kahn are also involved with the project.

[Rendering: Parkside Projects/Official]

The 800 Congress Avenue address was the home of longtime Austin restaurant Hickory Street Bar & Grill, which shuttered in 2011. It was briefly revived in 2012 by new owners temporarily because of a pegged hotel development. Originally, Hickory Street was relocating to West Anderson Lane and Shoal Creek Boulevard, but instead the team decided to opened Fork & Vine in Shoal Creek instead in February 2014.

Currently, Parkside Projects oversees Parkside, The Backspace (which is celebrating its five-year annivesary with half-priced lunch pizza this week), Olive and June, and Bullfight. Both Barley Swine and The Peached Tortilla are opening accompanying event spaces, too.