Ector County ISD Austin Elementary School Cafeteria Renovations in Odessa, TX

Ector County ISD is renovating the Austin Elementary School cafeteria at 200 W. 9th in Odessa, Texas. The project involves the demolition of the existing structure and its reconstruction using CMU, brick, and steel materials, including the addition of a platform. This 6,000-square-foot renovation carries an estimated cost of $2,100,000, equating to $350 per square foot. The work is classified as a Renovation/Alteration under the filing name Ector County ISD Austin Elementary School Cafeteria Renovations.

The owner of record is the Ector County Independent School District. Parkhill, with Austen Mathews listed as the representative, is the design firm of record. Stephen D Macphie is the registered accessibility specialist for the project. The filing indicates that the project involves public funds, public land, or is a Federally funded roadway project. TDLR completed the plan review in February 2025, and the registered construction start date was April 2025.

Project Scale and Context

This renovation is significantly larger and more expensive than typical local projects. Among 629 renovation and alteration filings in Ector County, the median estimated cost is $205,000, and the median size is 3,000 square feet. This project’s $2,100,000 budget places it in the top quarter of county filings for its type. The scheduled build window of 327 days is longer than the county median of 121 days. The cost per square foot of $350 is above the county median of $72.

Ector County ISD has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $3,206,427. These include the Alternative Education Center, New Tech Odessa High School, Bonham Middle School, Wilson & Young Middle School, and Goliad Elementary School. Some of these projects have completed inspections, while others, like Bonham Middle School, have completed review. The Austin Elementary School project is distinct in its scope, focusing specifically on cafeteria infrastructure.

According to the authoritative lifecycle status, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection. Therefore, the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record, despite the scheduled completion date of February 2026 having passed. The TDLR status remains Review Complete, indicating that the regulatory approval process for the plans was finished, but final verification of the completed work is pending in the public database.

The area surrounding the school, ZIP code 79761, has a population of about 30,243 and a median household income of $69,279, according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates. The housing stock consists of 13,591 units, mostly owner-occupied, with a median owner-occupied home value of $158,400. The Ector County unemployment rate was 4 percent in August 2026, which is lower than a year earlier. These economic indicators provide context for the public investment in local educational infrastructure.