Austin Convention Center redesign could be developed via competition to envision ‘a world-class, fabulous building’ in eastern downtown

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Austin officials have been pursuing a redesign of the decade-old downtown facility for years. (Ben Thompson / Community Impact Newspaper)

Austin City Council could take action on June 10th to promote a long-debated expansion of the Austin Convention Center.

Two items on the extensive June 10th Council agenda focus on the planning process for the facility’s remodeling. If approved, the first point passed by staff would assist the site manager in the risk method of contracting the project by the council. This process would allow the hiring of a general contractor to oversee the entire partial demolition, rebuilding and expansion of the center, while also providing for the separate hiring of a group to manage the design aspects of the project.

This third-party design grant from an architectural firm is the basis for the second related item, sponsored by Kathie Tovo, councilor for District 9, where the city is holding a competition to solicit design concepts to make the facility a public gathering place and “Landmarks of great standing” based on the city’s central library. Tovo, whose district the convention center is a part of, said her written resolution may be changed before her possible approval this week, but that her general hope is to shut the door on outside suggestions for a new Austin Convention Center in the near future to open.

“We have had a lot of discussions over the past few years about the convention center and possible expansion, and in my opinion it is vital that we have a first class, fabulous building in this location,” said Tovo. “I hope that on Thursday we will get to a place where we can initiate a process that will lead to a really great design.”

The expansion of the almost 30-year-old building has been a concern of the council for years. Officials commissioned a study of the convention center’s economic and cultural potential in 2017, which was published in 2019, and pledged again last year to push ahead with expansion. And while plans for the center’s westward growth were put on hold in April this year, the desire for an overhaul of the existing property remains.

Tovo also stressed on June 8 how important it is, in her opinion, to involve the city council more regularly in the design process than previous city-sponsored projects such as the redevelopment of the former HealthSouth property in the north. She also said that a new, city-backed, functional facility design should tie in with the ongoing Palm District Planning Initiative, which aims to create a new comprehensive plan for the eastern downtown historic sector and provide wider pedestrian access and connectivity with Waller Creek to take into account what earlier concepts did not have.

“We had a lot of conversations around the convention center. I don’t think the original draft that was put on was one that our community members found terribly inspiring or raised with their concerns about the way the convention center interacted and how it was done taking into account the need to be present and exciting for residents, “she said.

In a June 8 memo on the Site Manager Risk Proposal, Trisha Tatro, interim director of the Austin Convention Center Department, said possible action by the council this week would only advance the procurement process and not keep the city bound by any planning or financial commitments. The next staff updates on the redevelopment project funding model and proof of concept are expected later this summer, Tatro said, and city spending on the project would eventually begin with the selection and engagement of an architect.

“Financial modeling and proof of concept are parallel processes for selecting the design firm and [construction manager at-risk]. Running these processes sequentially shortens the timeframe for completing the expansion project, which would reduce the cost of the expansion, “Tatro said in the memo.

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