Reconstructed gymnasium building at Rio Grande Campus

The Austin Community College District has opened a newly remodeled building at Rio Grande Campus in downtown Austin in time for the summer semester. The building originally served as the gymnasium of Austin High School, opening in 1929; the Rio Grande Campus occupies what was the main portion of the high school.

The gym, now known as Building 3000, encompasses 38,000 square feet and includes new classrooms and faculty offices. Building 3000 will also eventually house a new central plant for heating and cooling the entire campus.

ACC maintained the exterior appearance of the gym as faithfully as possible. The renovation included adding an additional floor in an open area that used to be a basketball court. The college also removed an adjacent band hall because of technical and code demands on the property. That area was replaced by a landscaped courtyard.

New classroom in Building 3000

“It is wonderful to bring this project to a close,” says Robert Ryland, the construction manager. “We now have an efficient and modern academic building that will alleviate crowding at the main portion of the campus.”