August 15, 2012 Austin Planetarium Press Release

For Immediate Release

THE AUSTIN PLANETARIUM ONE STEP CLOSER TO HOME

Central Texas nonprofit receives unanimous vote from the Texas State Facilities
Commission for a Science and Technology museum in downtown Austin

Today, August 15, 2012, the Texas State Facilities Commission (TSFC) voted unanimously for the Planning and Real Estate Division to perform a conceptual evaluation for the Austin Planetarium’s unsolicited proposal to develop State Parking Lot 7 into a state-of-the-art science museum and technology center which will include the largest planetarium in Texas.

The Austin Planetarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the goal of building a world-class science and technology museum in Austin. Last year, the Austin Planetarium partnered with KUD International, a private sector development firm, and in March submitted a proposal to the TSFC for a ground lease on State Parking Lot 7. This prime piece of real estate is located at North Congress Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, just across the street from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and the Blanton Museum of Art. Along with the 188,000 square foot science and technology museum, the newest addition to Austin’s Museum District will also include a 47-story residential tower, restaurants, a gift store, retail space and over 1000 underground parking spaces; all of which meets the mixed-use and high-density vision of the State of Texas for that location.

After submitting the unsolicited proposal to the TSFC for a ground lease, the innovative public-private partnership recently received Staff approval, and today’s vote is another major step towards securing the land. Statewide, the Austin Planetarium is the very first unsolicited proposal to have received approval from the TSFC. “Although being the first to go through this rigorous process is difficult, we are immensely proud as well,” said Torvald Hessel, Executive Director of the Austin Planetarium. “We cannot start a capital campaign until we have a lease agreement, and this is a huge step towards that.”

The next step in this process is a 60 day waiting period that should start tomorrow August 16th. After this waiting period the project will need to be approved by the newly formed Partnership Advisory Committee. “We expect,” Hessel said “for this entire process to take another 6 months or so, and today’s decision means that we are well on our way.” After the agreement is finalized, construction can start shortly thereafter.

The total cost of the development is estimated at $240 million, which includes $95 million for the science and technology museum. So far, funding for a third of the museum’s cost has been identified, thus offering confidence to bring in additional donors and investors. The development will attract over 600,000 annual visitors and will create more than 650 full and part-time jobs to the area, over $10 million in tax revenue over 10 years, ground rents for the State, and $60 million in annual economic impact. Furthermore, through its presence in the Capital City, it will serve as point of pride for the City and the State alike.

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May 26, 2012 Austin Planetarium Press Release

For Immediate Release

A GIANT LEAP FORWARD FOR THE AUSTIN PLANETARIUM

Grassroots nonprofit partners with world-class development firm on
science and technology museum for Central Texas

A State-of-the-art science and technology museum, with the largest planetarium in Texas, will be the newest addition to Austin’s Museum District.

Planned to be built on State land across the street from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and the Blanton Museum of Art, the proposed 157,000 square foot facility will include the largest planetarium in Texas, a full-spectrum interactive science museum, and a technology center showcasing Texas innovations and ingenuity. The development of a science complex at this location will solidify a Museum District for Austin, increasing visitation to the surrounding museums and adding a tourist destination just blocks from the State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin Campus.

In a joint effort, the Austin Planetarium, a nonprofit with the goal of building a world-class science and technology museum in Austin, and KUD International, a private sector development firm, have submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Texas Facilities Commission for a ground lease on the property located at North Congress Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. This innovative public-private partnership will create a development that also includes a 47-story residential tower, restaurants, a gift store, retail space and over 1000 underground parking spaces, meeting the mixed-use and high-density vision of the State of Texas for that location. “This partnership is the opportunity we have been working very long and hard to achieve,” states Executive Director Torvald Hessel, “by attracting a major international development firm, we have shown that, as a grassroots organization, we can do this.”

The total cost of the development is estimated at $240 million, which includes $95 million for the science and technology museum. So far, funding for a third of the museum’s cost has been identified, thus offering confidence to bring in additional donors and investors. The development will attract over 600,000 annual visitors and will create more than 650 full and part-time jobs to the area, over $10 million in tax revenue over 10 years, ground rents for the State, and $60 million in annual economic impact. Furthermore, through its presence in the Capital City, it will serve as point of pride for the City and the State alike.

“The need,” says Hessel, “for a science and technology museum, specifically in Central Texas, has been recognized for 30 years.” In 1982 the Texas Sesquicentennial Museum Board concluded that a science and technology museum would hold, “the greatest opportunity to serve the best interest of the State”. Unfortunately, the plans for this museum never came to fruition, and currently Austin still lacks a full-spectrum science museum and remains the largest city in the United States without a planetarium.

KUD International is a highly experienced firm specializing in public-private partnerships with a long list of high profile successes. “We are truly excited to be a part of the effort to bring what will be a cultural cornerstone for the City as well as a catalyst for development in the Capitol corridor”, said Marvin Suomi, KUD’s President and CEO.

Additionally, KUD has a long standing working relationship with the architecture firm HOK, which is responsible for the current designs. Together they have successfully collaborated on numerous top-tier developments including The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California.

“The project will make the sciences accessible and the mission of the Austin Planetarium visible to the community.” says Peter Ruggiero, Director of Design for HOK, “Along with our client, HOK is committed to ensuring that cultural institutions such as the Austin Planetarium contribute to the vitality of cities and act as catalysts for positive change.”

The Planetarium will continue its fundraising activities while the State considers the proposal for the site. If the proposal is accepted by the State, it is expected that the process will take approximately a year and that construction will begin shortly after an agreement is finalized.

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About the Austin Planetarium:

The Austin Planetarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of elevating interest, understanding and participation in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for the Central Texas community; developing and implementing educational outreach programs and resources; and creating Austin’s first science museum, planetarium and technology center. Their flagship program, the Discovery Dome Mobile Planetarium program, brings educational planetarium programming to thousands of children annually and offers reduced rates to economically disadvantaged schools. The Austin Planetarium is committed to providing a world-class facility to educate and inspire the Central Texas community. Twice a month, the Austin Planetarium holds networking events at locally-owned venues. In North Austin is their Flash Fundraiser at Opal Divine’s Marina and in South Austin their Southern Skies Social at House Wine. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter [@AustinPlanet]. If you would like more information about them, please call them at (512) 961-5333, visit www.austinplanetarium.org, or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

About KUD International LLC:

KUD is a large development firm that specializes in public-private mixed-use development. They are responsible for carrying out the development objectives for the Austin Planetarium and the surrounding development projects. As Master Developer, their scope includes delivery of the Austin Planetarium, Science Museum and Technology Center project and master development of the Residential Tower, supporting retail and restaurants and parking facilities. KUD International was established in 1994 to provide private sector development expertise to public projects with a focus on educational and cultural facilities. As a subsidiary of Kajima Corporation (one of the world’s largest construction related services companies with offices in 40 countries), KUD is able to utilize its financial strength to provide cultural instructional clients with innovative financial solutions to fund their new facilities. If you would like more information about KUD International, please visit www.kudllc.com, or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

About HOK:

HOK is a global architectural firm that provides planning and design solutions for high performance, sustainable buildings and communities. Through its collaborative network of 25 offices worldwide, the firm delivers design excellence and innovation to clients globally. Founded in 1955, HOK's expertise includes architecture, engineering, interiors, planning and urban design, sustainable consulting, lighting, graphics, facilities planning and assessment, and construction services. DesignIntelligence magazine ranked HOK as the #1 role model for sustainable and high-performance design in 2011. If you would like more information about HOK, please visit www.hok.com, or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for media inquiries.

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