AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin City Council voted to approve the purchase of a headquarters for Austin’s police, fire and EMS departments on Thursday, the city of Austin said in a news release.
The 386,000-square-foot building is located in southwest Austin at 1501 and 1601 S. MoPac Expressway, according to the city.
Mayor Kirk Watson said the purchase price for the property is about $108 million, and the city estimates it would spend around $12 million to renovate the existing buildings and tailor them to the needs of public safety personnel, KXAN previously reported. That includes $3 million in initial renovations and $9 million in design services. City staff would come back to the full council with a total renovation cost once that design work is complete.
This new headquarters will allow APD, AFD and EMS to “communicate effectively,” the release said. Chiefs with each public safety department previously addressed the structural issues at their respective buildings. On Thursday, the city said those facilities were “between 54 and 64 years old.”
Brianna Hollis contributed to this report
