The 2021 Preservation Merit Award for Preservation: Rehabilitation & Sustainability - Travis County Probate Courts Project
Downtown Austin's 1936 Old Federal Courthouse is a classic example of the New Deal-era PWA Moderne Style. In 2016, Travis County acquired the federal building and tasked firms Lord Aeck Sargent and Limbacher & Godfrey, alongside Vaughn Construction, with its conversion into a new Travis County Probate Courthouse. Exterior work included repairing limestone masonry, delicate cleaning of cast iron spandrels, and fabricating aluminum replacement windows to restore the graceful profile of the originals. On the interior, intricate woodwork and historic light fixtures were meticulously restored. The project successfully upgraded the courthouse to become a high-performing building and is currently seeking LEED Gold certification. Owing to the fine work carried out by this project, the courthouse is once again a beacon of civic pride in the heart of downtown Austin.
Following the announcement of the 2021 preservation awards on October 19, 2021, the Travis County Commissioners Court, on October 26, 2021, recognized the Travis County Facilities Management Department employees Roger A. El Khoury, M.S., P.E., Gabriel Stock, AIA, LEED AP, and Homer Villarreal, R.A. for their outstanding work on the Travis County Probate Courthouse. Also, The Commissioners Court recognized the consultant, Lord Aeck Sargent, and their subconsultants and the general contractor Vaughn Construction for their outstanding work as well. The team efforts resulted in the New Probate Courts receiving the 2021 Preservation Merit Award for Preservation: Rehabilitation & Sustainability, an award given by Preservation Austin.
Below are photographs of the Award and Commissioners Proclamation.
The 2021 Austin Green Awards - Travis County Cooling Tower Reclaimed Water Project
As stated on the Austin Green Awards web page: “Now in its sixth year, the Austin Green Awards is Austin’s first recognition program to specifically highlight outstanding accomplishments in the broad arena of sustainable design and innovation, recognizing forward facing design strategies that respond to rapidly evolving environmental, social, and health imperatives.”
Travis County was one of the recipients of the 2021 Austin Green Awards for the Travis County Cooling Tower Reclaimed Water Project. The Travis County Commissioners Court led this vision. They funded the design and construction of the Reclaimed Water Addition project and directed the Facilities Management Department to work on this project. The Facilities Management Department Staff, Roger A. El Khoury, M.S., P.E. and AJ Jalifi managed this project with was designed by IMEG, a MEP firm and constructed by Copperas.
The American Institute of Architects - Academy of Architecture for Justice: The Justice Facilities Review Award - Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office Project
The City of Austin’s Austin Energy Green Building Award - Three-Star Rating - Travis County District Attorney Office Building Project
