The ‘Floating Box House’ hits Austin’s luxury home market for $14.9 million

It’s known as the “Floating Box House,” and it can be yours for $14.9 million.

The award-winning Westlake residence features an upper floor wrapped in mahogany veneer, giving it the illusion of a box floating over the Austin skyline.

The one-of-a-kind modern showpiece was designed by famed New York architect Peter Gluck and built in 2005.

The house is owned by Alexa Wesner, a former Austin tech entrepreneur who recently ended a term as U.S. ambassador to Austria, and her husband Blaine Wesner, a venture capitalist who was formerly a general partner with Austin Ventures.

The property was originally listed in 2015 for $22 million, but was taken off the market last year. The listing is now being handled by Cord Shiflet of Moreland Properties.

“There is nothing else like it,” Shiflet said. “The first floor is entirely glass. Above, the main level looks like it’s floating. It’s as if you’re sitting in the middle of Zilker Park in a glass box.”

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The 12,000-square-foot house at 200 Live Oak Circle features seven bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, six living areas and two state-of-the-art kitchens. Also included: a movie theater, wine room and pool and sauna.

A detached guesthouse has two bedrooms and a bath.

The four-acre property with 200 live oak trees is also a stand-out, Shiflet said. “One of the coolest features to me is simply the acreage. It’s park-like, completely flat and usable,” he said. “A lot of times in Westlake you have hills and cliffs. This is like a four-acre park.”

Shiflet doesn’t expect a quick sale. “A house like this can easily take multiple years to sell. It’s a very specific buyer. It’s a house that may grab someone who isn’t even on the market to buy. They may just stumble across it, fall in love with it and have to have it.”

Alexa Wesner was recruited to Austin by Trilogy, then a high-tech startup, after graduating from Stanford University in 1994. In 1997, she founded HireTECH, a recruiting and consulting company focused on tech startups. In 2000, she founded Recruiting Labs, a Web-based recruiting venture.

Wesner went on to become a  powerhouse Democratic fundraiser, and was appointed ambassador to Austria in 2013. She recently left that role.

Blaine Wesner joined Austin Ventures in 1990 and was a general partner for 15 years. He is no longer connected with Austin Ventures, but remains an active venture investor.