The Texas Racing Commission is the first agency to move into the expanded Capitol Complex in downtown Austin, an ongoing construction project that broke ground in 2018.

The first phase of the 2016 Capitol Complex Master Plan includes four major components: the 14-story George HW Bush Office Building at 1601 Congress; the 12-story Barbara Jordan Building at 1601 Congress; five levels of below-grade parking that will provide an additional 2261 parking spaces for state employees; and, this fall, a new extended Texas Mall.

What You Need To Know

  • State agencies are moving into new state office space in the expanded Capitol Complex

  • Two new office buildings will replace lease space for two-dozen agencies

  • The new Texas Mall, when it's complete, will host live events

  • Five levels of underground parking will serve 2,261 state employees
The Barbara Jordan Building (Texas Facilities Commission)

The construction is intended to consolidate many of the smaller state agencies currently in lease space scattered across Austin. Among the 22 agencies that will be moving into the larger George HW Bush State Office Building will be Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Department of Public Safety, Texas Racing Commission and many of the smaller boards that serve professions such as doctors, optometrists, nurses and geoscientists.

The Texas Lottery Commission will be moving into the George HW Bush this week, vacating lease space on East Sixth Street. Most agency employees will be on the fifth and sixth floor of the building, said agency spokeswoman Lauren Callahan. The Texas Lotto drawing studio and Austin Claims Center will relocate to the first floor of the George HW Bush in July.

The Texas Department of Insurance, currently at 333 Guadalupe, will anchor the Barbara Jordan Building. The Office of Public Insurance Council and Office of Injured Employee Council also will move to Barbara Jordan. The state intends to sell 333 Guadalupe.

The Capitol Complex Child Care Center, open to state employees and University of Texas faculty, will be relocated to Barbara Jordan this summer. The current location, at 16th Street and Lavaca, will be incorporated into the second phase of the Capitol Complex Master Plan.

The Texas Facilities Commission has live webcams of the major additions: 1601 Congress; 1801 Congress; and the Capitol Mall.

CORRECTION: The Barbara Jordan building is at 1601 Congress Ave., not 1801 Congress Ave., as per a previous edition of this article. (May 11, 2022)