On Nov. 27, Austin ISD trustees will vote on the sales of four district-owned properties, including its 2.8-acre headquarters.
A call for bids on the properties—which include the Carruth Administration Center, the Millett Opera House, the Baker Center, and two tracts of land at Doris Drive and Tannehill Lane, were made in September.
Details of the winning bids are as follows:
- Carruth Administration Center: The bid was made by SDC Austin Development Services and amounts to $36.5 million. Currently used as the district's headquarters, the property is located in downtown Austin at 1111 Sixth Street.
- Millett Opera House: A bid of $3 million was submitted by The Foundation for the Preservation of the Historic Millett Opera House, Inc., a Texas nonprofit corporation. The property, located at 110 E. 9th Street, Austin, is currently leased by The Austin Club, a private club used for weddings and other events. According to agenda background documents, the foundation has agreed to allow The Austin Club tenancy for five years following the sale.
- Baker Center: Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas submitted the winning bid of $10.6 million for the former school, located in Hyde Park. The company plans to develop single-family residences and has agreed to market 25 percent of those units as affordable housing to AISD employees and families prior to marketing to the public.
- Tannehill Lane and Doris Drive properties: Bids for both properties have been submitted by the city of Austin—$920,000 for the 1.2-acre Doris Drive tract and $2 million for the 8-acre Tannehill Lane property. Similar to the Alamo Drafthouse agreement, the city has agreed to sell a quarter of the units at prices deemed acceptable by affordable housing guidelines.