Rio Grande's Building 3000

As part of the 50^th annual Preservation Awards, the Heritage Society of Austin presented the Austin Community College District the Adaptive Use award, in recognition of the college’s renovation of Building 3000 at Rio Grande Campus.

 The building originally served as the gymnasium of Austin High School, opening in 1929. Rio Grande Campus occupies what was the main portion of the school.

The college maintained the exterior of the gym as faithfully as possible.

“Congratulations to Austin Community College for the adaptive use of the old Austin High School gymnasium as a visible alternative to demolition for a type of architecture that is frequently lost,” said the Heritage Society’s Marty Moulthrop.

Building 3000 includes 38,000 square feet of new classrooms and faculty offices. Click here for more information about the adaptive reuse project.

The Preservation Awards, held at the Driskill Hotel on December 10, also honored the Austin Motel and Verde Camp in South Austin, among other local properties and individuals dedicated to preservation efforts.

Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. recently recognized Building 3000 as well. The Central Texas chapter of the organization awarded top honors for construction excellence to Bartlett Cocke, the contractor for the project.