Twelve developers responded to Central Health's inquiry to redevelop the downtown Austin campus of University Medical Center Brackenridge once the facility closes to make way for a new teaching hospital, said Ted Burton, the public health district's director of communications, in an email. Next May, the hospital will be replaced with the Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, which is currently under construction across 15th Street. Central Health seeks developer to redevelop Brackenridge campus Central Health released the RFQ on Sept. 15 to seek out companies interested in redeveloping the 14.3-acre site that has been home to the hospital since 1970. An addendum released several weeks later included answers to 61 questions submitted by prospective developers. A master plan for the redevelopment calls for about 3.7 million square feet of new construction space with the potential for buildings between 35 and 40 stories tall. Central Health will lease the Brackenridge campus to a developer but will keep ownership of the property. Central Health officials hope to attract office, hotel, retail and residential construction with a focus on medical-related development such as health care research or service facilities. One element considered key to the project is a public market building and central plaza, which would sit adjacent to an overlook offering views of nearby Waterloo Park. Here are the companies that submitted responses to Central Health's RFQ, along with their headquarters and some notable projects:
  • Brandywine Realty Trust, a Radnor, Pennsylvania-based company with an office in Austin. Brandywine is developing 405 Colorado, a 25-story building planned in Central Austin at the intersection of West Fourth and Colorado streets.
  • Catellus Development Corp., based in Oakland, California, with a regional office in Austin. Catellus is behind the Mueller mixed-use development in East Austin at the former site of the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport.
  • Downtown Life Center, which recently formed as a limited liability company, according to the Texas Secretary of State's office. No additional information was immediately available.
  • Duke Realty, of Indianapolis, develops industrial and heath care-related projects nationwide and has a market presence in Dallas and Houston.
  • Endeavor Real Estate Group, of Austin. Endeavor is the developer of The Domain in Northwest Austin as well as the IBC Bank Plaza and The Bowie, both located downtown. Endeavor was also picked by Capital Metro to lead the Plaza Saltillo redevelopment project in East Austin.
  • Lincoln Property Company, of Dallas, has built residential and commercial projects throughout the country.
  • RM Realty Group, of Houston, is involved in a range of development work across the U.S.
  • Portman Holdings, based in Atlanta, the company developed the Peachtree Center Atlanta and has built other mixed-use projects in the U.S. and overseas.
  • Ryan Companies US, with headquarters in Minneapolis and an Austin office, the company operates in several development markets and has worked on local affordable housing projects, including Urban Oaks in South Austin, which is under construction at Circle S Road and William Cannon Drive.
  • The Howard Hughes Corp., of Dallas, is known for its master-planned communities. The company's Texas properties include The Woodlands and AllenTowne, a mixed-use development north of Dallas.
  • The Opus Group, based in Australia, the company is developing the American Academy of Pediatrics National Headquarters in Itasca, Illinois, as well as the corporate headquarters of Xcel Energy in Amarillo.
  • Wexford Science + Technology, a Baltimore-based real estate company that has developed projects in partnership with universities, academic medical centers and research firms.
The request for qualifications, or RFQ, is a formal request that seeks general information from interested developers. After an evaluation committee reviews the responses, Central Health will issue a request for proposals that will elicit more detailed ideas for the planned mixed-use district. Burton said the plan is to have a request for proposals issued in the first quarter of 2017. The property’s master plan shows development occurring over three phases beginning in 2017 and continuing until 2035.