Hockey Move? Friedkin Opening Austin Office, Market briefs

In Austin, The Friedkin Group, which is in the middle of a tug-of-war to determine whether Austin or Houston gets a professional hockey team, is planning to open an office in Austin.

This will be no Plain Jane outpost office or an infrequently used co-working spot for Houston-based Friedkin Group.

The Friedkin Group will soon open a 7,000-SF office in the Music Lane, recognized as one of the eco-friendly and sustainably designed, multi-use developments in Texas.

The highly regarded Lake Flato Architects, recently won a major American Institute of Architects designed award for the Music Lane project, which is located on South Congress Avenue.

To finish out its new Austin office, Friedkin hired Gensler, the largest architecture firm in the world. The work is slated to be complete by the end of November, if not sooner, as stated by a new construction filing.

Creating a high-quality office of this magnitude seems to indicate that Friedkin may be planning to work in Austin for a while.

In In June, the National Hockey League awarded a six, month exclusive to the Friedkin Group to explore the concept of creating a new hockey team in Texas.

Houston or Austin were the only choices only the NHL menu.

Friedkin Group, a led by billionaire Dan Friedkin, has been scouting around for sites for a new hockey arena, a hockey insider said. Developing an 18,000-seat arena with room for parking and an entertainment district will require 30 or 40 acres near a sufficient roadways and/or light-rail trains.

Many believe Houston would be a shoo-in because of its superior television market, which translates to huge advertising revenue. Houston is the nation’s No. 6 TV market and Austin is ranked No. 32.

Earlier this month, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said he is “optimistic” that Houston will be selected by the NHL Board of Governors to be next city to have a hockey team.

Friedkin Group, which has a sports investment arm called Pursuit Sports, owns soccer teams in Europe. But from its headquarters in Houston’s Energy Corridor, Friedkin operates an auto sales company. Friedkin is also developing a high-rise campus of office buildings, condominiums and a hotel nor far from Houston’s affluent River Oaks neighborhood.

Although Friedkin keeps a fairly low profile, it appears he places a high value on quality architecture and thoughtful real estate development.

The Music Lane development selected for Friedkin’s new Austin office emphasizes sustainability with two 5,000-gallon cisterns that capture rainwater and air conditioning condensate. The cisterns provide water for landscaping.

Music Lane’s Hotel Magdalena used eco-friendly timber beams and wood products in construction.

The walkable and sustainable Music Lane environment features shaded open-air courtyards, and native Texas plants that support local species and migratory birds.

Music Lane’s Architects:

The co-founders of the San Antonio-based Lake Flato Architects, David Lake and Ted Flato, received the AIA Gold Medal in 2024. It’s called the “highest and most prestigious award given to American architects.”