The Trask House, one of Austin's oldest surviving 19th-century structures, is headed for a high-profile new role on the rebuilt convention center grounds, where it will be converted into a programmable events space, project officials say. The move keeps the limestone house in public view instead of in storage or demolished and aims to return it closer to its original Neches Street setting. Designers say the house will help frame new pedestrian amenities near the southeast corner of the site while remaining easy to reach for visitors and convention-goers.
What the Project Site Says
The project website, Unconventional ATX, states that the "Historic Trask House and Kitchen" will be moved to the convention center grounds and "will be a programmable space" used for programming and events. The Austin Business Journal reported April 29 that the Trask House will be incorporated into the redevelopment and activated for events tied to the center.
City Approvals and Preservation Commitments
In a June 25, 2025, memorandum to the Historic Landmark Commission, the Austin Convention Center Department wrote that the Trask House at 217 Red River Street will be relocated as part of the Unconventional ATX project and that the city "commits to applying historic zoning" to the building within 12 months of placement. The Planning Department's staff report shows the Historic Landmark Commission approved certificates of appropriateness on July 2, 2025, clearing the way for temporary relocation and later replacement near the house's original footprint.
How the House Will Be Used and Where It Will Land
Architects told commissioners in mid-2025 that their preferred concept would temporarily move the house and then fold it back into a landscaped public passage with interpretive signage and public programming, according to the Austin Monitor. The intent is to activate the structure as a small-scale venue and living artifact that helps tell the city's 19th-century story while also serving convention-related events.
Timeline and What to Expect
The convention center project is already in site-preparation and design phases, with Unconventional ATX noting a target reopening in spring 2029 and a plan to nearly double the center's rentable space. Project materials state that designers will continue to refine the Trask House's programming and placement as schematic and design work proceeds through 2028.
For now, city officials and the project's design team say the relocation is intended to preserve the house's fabric and public use while allowing the larger construction to move forward. More detailed programming plans and a firm date for the Trask House's placement are expected to be announced as the project's community engagement and design milestones are completed.
