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Rude Mechs Event at Procurement and Development Center - Austin, TX
  • Arts and Culture

City of Austin’s Permitting and Development Center – Multi-Use Creative Space

Finish-out of approximately 7,000 square feet of ground floor lease space within the City of Austin’s Permitting and Development Center (PDC) garage, to provide a new creative center funded primarily by 2018 Cultural Facilities Bonds. Improvements will center on a multi-use theater space with supporting areas.
Developer / Partners
City of Austin, Rude Mechanicals
Project Goals
Affordable creative space, Retention of existing arts organizations, Incubation of emerging arts, Arts access for underrepresented communities.
Key Features
Black Box Theatre for performance space, visual arts exhibition space, and arts education laboratory.
Arts, Music, & Culture

City of Austin’s Permitting and Development Center – Multi-Use Creative Space: Project Facts

  • Arts and Culture
Location
6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Austin, TX 78752
Contributors
Austin Cultural Trust
Investment
$5M Public Bonds ($4.2 from 2018 Creative Space Bond)
Size / Scope
7,006 sq ft
Completion Date / Timeline
Timeline pending

Why It Matters

Retaining a 30-year creative institution for Austin. Provides affordable rehearsal, performance, and creative space for Austin artists. Supports displaced and emerging arts organizations through a stable, long-term venue. Expands access to the arts for underserved and underrepresented communities. Strengthens Austin’s cultural ecosystem with sustainable infrastructure.
Rude Mechanicals started in the 1990s and quickly became one of Austin’s most innovative theatre groups. They ran The Off Center, a warehouse space that gave hundreds of artists a place to perform and rehearse. When that space was lost to redevelopment, Austin lost a vital creative hub. The new PDC Creative Center brings Rude Mechs back as leaders and caretakers of a cultural space built for the future.
Austin Planning and Development
Procurement and Development Center - Austin, TX
The PDC Creative Center is designed to be flexible and accessible. It will include a theater, classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and workshop space, all at affordable rates. A $100 per year City lease and $5 million in bond funding make this project possible. The center will be a home for collaboration, innovation, and community connection in the arts.

Project Timeline

  • 1995
    Founding of Rude Mechanicals

    Rude Mechanicals (Rude Mechs), a nationally recognized ensemble theatre collective, is founded in Austin. The company becomes known for original works, experimental performance, and managing cultural venues.

  • 1999
    Management of the Off Center

    Rude Mechs assumes management of The Off Center, a 10,000 sq ft community arts space, which becomes a hub for rehearsal, performance, and incubating Austin’s independent arts scene.

  • March 2022
    Call for Proposals

    Rally Austin reviews proposals and begins negotiations with the City of Austin and Rude Mechs as part of the Cultural Trust project process.

  • December 2022
    City Council Approves Funding & Lease Terms

    The Austin City Council approves $2M from the 2018 Cultural Facilities Bond and establishes a $100/year lease for the PDC tenant space, launching the development of the new creative center.

  • March 2025
    Rally Austin Expands Funding & Moves Toward Construction

    Rally Austin’s Board approves increasing the 2018 bond fund appropriation up to $4.2M (subject to lease finalization) and authorizes preparation of construction documents, setting the stage for solicitation and contract execution.

  • Ongnoing
    Management of Agreement

    Ongoing collection of reports and payments.

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