Texas A&M University System selected Vaughn Construction as the construction manager-at-risk for the new iconic, six-story state headquarters for the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), a state agency tasked with disaster mitigation, response, and recovery. The combined 334,000 SF buildings brings all TDEM staff under one roof, providing training rooms and conference facilities to enhance communication during emergencies. Equipped with advanced communication and technology systems, the building is designed to withstand 200 miles-per-hour windstorms.
The new headquarters feature a 15,000 SF council floor and high-tech spaces to support the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), including a the state watch room, a radio room, a live recording studio, and a data center. The open workspaces are designed for TDEM staff to enjoy a comfortable, biophilic work environment due to the building’s natural light from its mass timber construction. The facility includes spaces for research and other collaborative efforts to advance the field of emergency management, including offices for other state agencies and emergency response partner agencies that are permanently or temporarily deployed to Austin for disaster response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
“The TDEM facility is Vaughn’s first mass timber project,” said a Vaughn project manager. “Mass timber offers a visually appealing, natural wood finish and is a sustainable building material. The building’s open office concept will allow viewers to see wood columns and floors from the outside. We look forward to working on this project and sharing more as the project progresses.”
TDEM’s new headquarters is slated to reach substantial completion in September 2026.