Zimmerman Wants To Move Site of New County Courthouse From Downtown to East Austin

Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman has asked the Council’s Audit and Finance Committee to consider a draft resolution to relocate its proposed $287M Travis County Civil Courthouse from downtown to East Austin instead.

“Putting the proposed courthouse downtown doesn’t make sense. Downtown is already very congested and expensive. East Austin would be much more affordable and would spur economic development in the ‘Eastern Crescent’ of the city,” Zimmerman, who represents District 6, said in a statement sent to Patch.

The current plan is to build the courthouse adjacent to Republic Square Park at 4th Street and Guadalupe.

Instead Zimmerman wants the county to “choose land in the eastern portions of Travis County -- particularly the “Eastern Crescent” including, but not limited to the vicinity of lake Walter E. Long -- which would have the impact of spurring economic development in the preferred development zone of Austin/Travis County,” he said in his draft resolution.

Council Member Ora Houston, of District 1, is a co-sponsor on the resolution.

County Judge Sarah Eckhardt told the Austin American-Statesman last month that the county needs a new courthouse and downtown is the best option.

“The reality is we need the capacity and we have a constitutional obligation to provide the capacity,” she said. “If we are not successful in (getting voter approval), we will have to retool and look for other ways to provide the capacity. From where I stand today, I don’t see other options that are as effective or as efficient,” she said.

The City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee is scheduled to meet on Sept. 23. The Travis County Commissioners Court has set a countywide bond election for Nov. 3.

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