Former Empire Control Room Building Listed for Sale
The 606 E. 7th St. property hit the market for $7 million following a resolved legal dispute.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Commercial
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The building that formerly housed Empire Control Room and Garage has been listed for sale after an 18-month legal battle over property control. The site is now on the market for $7 million, following the eviction of its longtime venue operators earlier this year.
Why it matters
The sale marks another shift in the Red River Cultural District, where financial challenges and closures have recently affected several established music venues. Owners are pursuing the sale to address ongoing financial needs despite receiving a $2.2 million loan in September 2024.
The property is listed at a $7 million asking price, significantly higher than its $3.6 million appraised market value. This follows a $2.2 million loan issued to the entity in September 2024 to address financial difficulties.
The players
606 Holdings
The entity currently holding the title to the property on East 7th Street.
Heard Presents
The management company that operated the music venue from 2012 until 2026.
Rally Austin
A financial entity that issued a $2.2 million loan to the property owners in late 2024.
Cresa
The commercial real estate firm managing the sale of the property.
The details
Marketing agents from Cresa are handling the sale of the 604 and 606 E. 7th St. parcels. The venue had been operated by Heard Presents since 2012, but faced declining sales after reopening in 2021, leading to the eventual evictions of the Empire Control Room in April and the Empire Garage in June. The sale represents the conclusion of an 18-month shareholder dispute over the site.
Timeline
Heard Presents began operating the venue in 2012.
Rally Austin provided a $2.2 million loan in September 2024.
Empire Control Room was evicted in April 2026.
Empire Garage was evicted in June 2026.
The property was listed for sale on October 2, 2026.
The Texas Context
The sale of the Empire site follows a broader trend of venue instability within the Red River Cultural District. This mirrors the impending closure of Valhalla in late October and the recent listing of other district properties.
The transition of this high-profile venue site to a new owner may signal future redevelopment plans for the East 7th Street corridor. Residents should watch for upcoming public permit filings that would indicate whether the building will remain a venue or transition to a different use.
The takeaway
The closure of this venue marks the end of a 13-year run for the site in the Red River Cultural District. Keep an eye on the property listing to see if the eventual buyer maintains the space as a music venue or seeks to redevelop the parcel.
Further reading
Keep up with the shifting landscape of local storefronts and music halls in our Commercial section.
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