The J.E. Rudder building is a 1910s National Register listed historic State Office Building in downtown Austin. CARTER•DESIGN ASSOCIATES began working on the JER Building in 2009 as a consultant to an engineering prime for deferred maintenance work.  We worked with the engineers to provide access, louvers and sealed floor for mechanical repairs.  In addition, we replaced the roofing. 

In 2010, major upgrades to the mechanical and electrical system were performed.  Accompanying building improvements included compliance with modern accessibility and life safety standards.  The ceilings and flooring were replaced, toilet rooms fully renovated, and reworking department layouts on the basement and first floors for record storage and Fire Marshal requirements. Throughout construction, the building remained fully occupied, and a state data center within the building, as a critical state function, was in operation 24/7. Building shutdowns were kept to a minimum and scheduled to avoid critical periods in the tenant’s calendar year to minimize disruptions to the operations of occupants and state functions.  Work was performed floor by floor and move drawings were produced to accommodate the process.

Recently CDA worked through space planning to determine if the Secretary of State Department can fit in the building with the increase in its size.  They also requested to remove the file storage as it is being digitized, move and redesign the public interaction areas and bring the work groups together as they have become scattered with a goal of bringing the entire building up to current offices standards.