The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce announced March 20 plans to open its new 21,000-square-foot location March 26 at the Hilton Hotel Downtown.

The chamber purchased the space for $4 million as its lease was due to expire this year on the current 12,000-square-foot building on Barton Springs Road.

FaulknerUSA, the construction company that built the Hilton Hotel in 2003, used the office space as its headquarters until selling it to the chamber in December.

"It was actually a cultivation of a project that began in December 2010," said Mike Rollins, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce president.

Rollins said as the chamber's 10-year lease was about to expire, a task force was created to not only identify future office space, but also to evaluate the current site. The task force concluded larger meeting spaces were needed as well as a location in the Central Business District.

Rollins said the chamber had been intent on another lease until the site at the Hilton Hotel became available.

"It was a purchase opportunity that seemed to make a whole lot of dollars and sense once we learned about it," he said.

While the hotel is located on East Fourth Street, the chamber office entrance will be on Fifth Street between Neches and Red River streets. Cabra & Cavelli, a clothing store and current tenant, will remain as the chamber will lease the store 5,800 square feet.

The chamber's Barton Springs location will be closed to the public March 22–23 for the moving process. According to the chamber, while the address has changed, the telephone number, 478-9383, as well as staff direct lines and email addresses will remain the same.

An open house will be held April 17 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the new space, located at 535 E. Fifth Street.