Austin nears $107M deal to buy new public safety headquarters
AUSTIN - The City of Austin is nearing a $107 million deal to buy a new public safety building near Zilker Park in Southwest Austin.
On Oct. 24, Austin City Council's Public Safety Committee will hear a presentation about the 386,000-square-foot facility which would serve as the headquarters for Austin Police and Fire, as well as Austin-Travis County EMS.
"We are happy to be announcing that the city council on October 24 will consider approving the acquisition and renovation of a 386,000 square foot property along Barton Sky Way to serve as a consolidated headquarters for all three public safety departments," says Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.
(Source: City of Austin)
Currently, the public safety headquarters are spread across several facilities that are more than five decades old.
"All three agencies have been housed in aging, outdated facilities with costly problems ranging from failing mechanical systems and lack of parking to crumbling foundations and inadequate restroom facilities," said Mayor Kirk Watson in a statement.
The building is expected to sell for $107.6 million and the City plans to spend about $13 million on renovations. The city says building a comparable facility would cost around $234 million.
"This opportunity also allows the City to take advantage of the current commercial real estate market to acquire a modern facility that will generate significant cost savings and increased efficiencies in the long run and improve the delivery of vital public safety services," Watson said.
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax says plans for a combined public safety headquarters have been in the works for 20 years.
"We have an opportunity to buy a beautiful modern facility for less than half, and I will repeat that, for less than half of what it would take to build a new one," says Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax.
(Source: City of Austin)
According to the city, the Austin Fire Department headquarters was built in the 1960s, the downtown police headquarters was built in the 1970s, and the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services building is a former nursing home.
"Despite several remodels that we have made on our facility, it still lacks the capacity and the infrastructure," says Austin Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz.
"The building is a challenge. There is no hot water, no facilities for new mothers to breast-feed, we talk about value in community engagement, community service, and there is no space in this building to gather," says Austin police chief Lisa Davis.
City officials plan to make millions of dollars in renovations on the property owned by the city.
"We will also spend a small amount of money, about $13 million, to renovate the space so that it will accommodate the various departmental functions," says Mayor Watson.
"It benefits both our community and our workforce," says Austin Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Rob Viers.
The Public Safety Committee will hear the presentation on Monday, Oct. 14.
The City Council is expected to vote on acquiring the building at its Oct. 24 meeting.