Security Vestibule - Blackshear in Austin, TX

Austin Independent School District filed a TDLR registration for an interior remodel of Blackshear Elementary School at 1712 E 11th St in the Blackshear-Prospect Hill neighborhood. The project, listed as Security Vestibule - Blackshear, involves a renovation of 1,206 sq ft with an estimated cost of $325,000. This translates to a cost of $269 per square foot, a figure above the Travis County median of $103 for similar renovation and alteration filings.

Smith Holt Architecture and Project Management serves as the design firm of record, while Mark S Robinson is the registered accessibility specialist. The project was registered with TDLR in April 2025, and plan review was completed in the same month. Construction was scheduled to begin in May 2025, with a planned completion date of August 2025. The scheduled build window of 67 days is shorter than the county median of 98 days for this type of work.

Project Status and Local Context

Although the filing indicated completion in August 2025, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection. Therefore, the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record. The project involves public funds and is located in Travis County, where the unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in August 2026. The Austin Independent School District holds six other TDLR-registered projects in the area, totaling $8,112,002, including work at Covington Middle School and Noack Sports Complex.

City of Austin permit records show 18 permits on file at this street address, issued between January 2024 and June 2026. These include six electrical permits, six building permits, four mechanical permits, and two plumbing permits, with total declared valuations of $120,001. Recent permits describe the removal of existing roofing and the replacement of air handling units. The surrounding area includes Huston-Tillotson University and several other commercial and residential entities, reflecting a dense urban environment in ZIP code 78702.

Smith Holt Architecture and Project Management has completed six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $1,335,000, including renovations at Galindo Elementary School and Zavala Elementary School. This project fits within a pattern of ongoing infrastructure updates by the district and its design partners. The specific scope remains an interior remodel of an existing school, focusing on security vestibule improvements as indicated by the filing name.