Infrastructure Renovations - Gus Garcia Middle School in Austin, TX

The Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy at 7414 Johnny Morris Road in Austin is undergoing a $5,500,000 renovation project filed under the name Infrastructure Renovations - Gus Garcia Middle School. This 3,500 sq ft alteration includes the construction of a Mental Health Center, Community and Partner Rooms, a Community Pantry, and an Adult Restroom. The scope also covers structural remediation of a portion of the first floor topping slab and two outdoor patios, along with new mechanical pads and an entry canopy.

Austin Independent School District is the owner of record for this project, with O'Connell Robertson serving as the design firm. Kathy Ann Riley is the registered accessibility specialist listed on the filing. The project involves public funds and public land. TDLR completed plan review in January 2026, and construction was scheduled to begin in March 2026 with a completion date of August 2026. However, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection, so the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record.

Project Scale and Cost Context

At $5,500,000, this project’s estimated cost is above the county median for its type, placing it in the top quarter of Travis County renovation filings. The scheduled build window of 183 days is longer than the county median of 98 days. The cost per square foot is $1,571, which is above the county median of $103 per square foot for similar renovation and alteration projects. Austin ISD has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $8,112,002, including work at Covington Middle School, Davis Elementary School, the Noack Sports Complex, Burger Baseball Stadium, and Pease Community Campus.

The site is located in ZIP code 78724, an area with a population of about 29,326 and a median household income of $76,906 according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates. The median owner-occupied home value in this area is $295,400. City of Austin permit records show four permits on file at this street address, issued between June 2024 and June 2026, with a total declared valuation of $67,000. These permits include building and mechanical work, such as boiler replacement and exterior enclosure updates.

O'Connell Robertson has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $40,984,222, including Plaza Verde in San Angelo and Lasa HS in Austin. The Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy is a public school of choice serving grades 6-8, with a mission to educate scholars in an academic environment where they learn to be leaders and provide community service. The project’s focus on mental health and community spaces aligns with the school’s stated goals for student support and engagement.