Architecture Firms and Construction Managers Chosen for Austin Convention Center Expansion Project

October 19, 2023

AUSTIN, Texas – Austin City Council unanimously approved the selection of two joint venture companies as the architecture and construction managers for the redevelopment and expansion of the Austin Convention Center, entering the next phase of the project.

The architecture firm LMN Architects and Page Southerland Page (LMN/Page), operating as a joint venture, has been chosen to provide full-scale design and architectural engineering services for the Austin Convention Center’s redevelopment and expansion. Simultaneously, JE Dunn Construction and Turner Construction (JE Dunn/Turner), also a joint venture, will assume project delivery responsibilities, covering preconstruction and construction services as the Construction Manager-at-Risk firm.

LMN/Page was chosen through the City’s Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, and JE Dunn/Turner was selected through the City’s Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation process.

“Receiving the Austin City Council’s approval and support to negotiate and execute these contracts marks a pivotal step in moving this transformational project forward,” said Trisha Tatro, Director of the Austin Convention Center Department (ACCD). “The selected firms bring unparalleled expertise in their respective fields and have a demonstrated ability to provide innovative thinking toward design and construction techniques. This effort aligns perfectly with our goal of constructing a culturally iconic, state-of-the-art convention center in Austin.”

Today’s Council approval gives the City full authority to negotiate and execute the contracts for the architectural firms and construction managers, with a goal to initiate design work in early 2024.

The current project timeline estimates that building closure, demolition and construction activities will begin in 2025 with the new, larger facility reopening in late 2028. The estimated project cost for the Austin Convention Center redevelopment and expansion is $1.6 billion and is funded from the Austin Convention Center’s allocation from the municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax and Austin Convention Center revenues.

After years of studies and planning, the redevelopment and expansion of the Austin Convention Center is moving forward to meet the demand from larger conventions and meeting groups that want to come to Austin. Currently, the Austin Convention Center has 376,000 square feet of rentable space. The expansion and redevelopment target is to nearly double the amount of rentable space. This will allow the Convention Center to remain competitive in the marketplace, while also delivering a community-friendly event space that will transform the southeast quadrant of downtown.

Architectural Firms Summary

• LMN Architects is an American architecture firm with over 44 years of experience and has provided planning and design services for 70 convention center assignments. Based out of Seattle, LMN’s projects include the Vancouver Convention Center and recently completed work on the Seattle Convention Center.
• Austin-based Page Southerland Page is an architectural firm with over 125 years of experience in multidisciplinary projects. Page has provided planning and design services for the Texas Capital Complex Master Plan, served as the master architect/engineer for Texas Capital Complex Phase 1 Buildings, and for terminal expansion at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and George Bush International Airport in Houston.

Construction Managers Summary

• JE Dunn Construction has over 99 years of experience including 70 local projects. JE Dunn’s Austin office has been ranked either as the No. 1 or No. 2 commercial construction company in Austin for three consecutive years. JE Dunn’s project experience includes the Texas Facilities Commission Capital Complex Master Plan, the Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas, and the Sixth and Guadalupe mixed-use tower, which stands at 66 stories (865 feet) and is currently Austin’s tallest building.
• Turner Construction Company is a North American-based international construction services company with over 120 years of experience. With offices and projects completed in Austin, Turner is the largest Construction Manager-at-Risk firm in the nation having completed over 25 convention center projects across the country. Turner’s project experiences include significant expansion work at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

The Austin Convention Center is located at 500 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78701. More information about the history, timeline, and links to the studies of the redevelopment of the Austin Convention Center can be found here.