When did Highland Mall become ACC Highland?
The change took four years of buying and building. ACC began buying sections of the mall in 2010 and finished in late 2012. The first phase of ACC Highland opened in 2014, and the mall closed in 2015. Phase 2 opened in 2021.
Austin Community College (ACC) tells the story on its Highland project site. The mall opened in 1971. ACC describes it as “Austin’s largest regional shopping center and the city’s first indoor mall.” Here is ACC’s own timeline, in short form.
| Year | What ACC lists |
|---|---|
| 1971 | Highland Mall opens |
| 2010 | Dillard’s building and 18 acres purchased |
| 2011 | Macy’s and JC Penney’s buildings purchased |
| 2012 | Highland Mall ground lease and remaining acres purchased |
| 2014 | ACC Highland Campus (Phase 1) opens |
| 2015 | Highland Mall closes |
| 2017 | ACC Highland Building 4000 opens |
| 2020 | Jacob Fontaine Plaza opens |
| 2021 | Phase 2, Corporate/Academic building and parking garage open |
Source for the table: ACC’s Highland project page, linked below.
How big was the mall property?
ACC says it bought “1.3 million square feet of indoor space on 81 acres.” The college then began turning the mall building into a campus. It also began shaping the land around it into a mixed-use area.
ACC calls the result a place that “includes parks and trails, apartments, office space, restaurants, and shops.” Its numbers for the whole project list 3 new parks and 1.25 miles of trails. They also list 800,000 square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of retail space and 1,200 residential units “with affordable housing options.” These are ACC’s project figures. We did not confirm what is built today.
What is ACC Highland today?
ACC Highland is a working campus at 6101 Highland Campus Dr., Austin, TX 78752. ACC says it was “transformed from what was once Highland Mall.” The campus page lists career-technical training and general education courses meant for university transfer, plus a large arts curriculum.
The arts programs ACC names are culinary arts, fashion design, music, radio-TV-film, game design, visual communications, jewelry, drama and dance. ACC also lists the Texas A&M Engineering Academy sponsored by Samsung Austin Semiconductor, a Bioscience Incubator and a Fashion Incubator. The ACCelerator learning hub has more than 600 computer stations, per ACC.
You can read the short version in our ACC Highland glossary entry. For campus hours, see ACC’s page. Hours change, and ACC posts the current ones.
How far is ACC Highland from Centro?
ACC Highland is about 0.6 miles from Centro in a straight line. On foot the route is 1.2 miles, which Google walking data showed as 26 to 28 minutes on 2026-11-02. The walking route goes around the I-35 frontage road.
| Trip from 824 Camino La Costa | Distance | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Straight line | about 0.6 miles | Census geocode to the campus address |
| On foot | 1.2 miles, 26 to 28 min | Google walking data, 2026-11-02 |
| Drive | 1.2 miles, about 3 min | drive estimate without traffic |
The drive time is an estimate with no traffic. I-35 can add time at peak hours. For bus routes and the walk in detail, read Getting to ACC Highland From Centro.
What else is close to the old mall site?
Highland Station on the MetroRail Red Line sits directly across the street from Highland Mall, according to Wikipedia. Centro is 0.70 miles from the station in a straight line and 1.3 miles on foot, which Google showed as 28 to 33 minutes. Our Highland Station entry explains the stop. Our post on riding the Red Line from Highland Station covers the train.
To see the wider area, read the Highland neighborhood guide and our Highland neighborhood entry. The mailing area is ZIP code 78752.
What does Centro cost near ACC Highland?
Centro lists homes starting at $699. Studios on the 1st floor run $729 to $1,114 and studios on the 2nd floor run $699 to $1,099 per month as listed on 2026-11-02. Prices change daily, so check current pricing. See floor plans for what is open now.
Next step
Want to see the walk to campus yourself? Book a tour or call (737) 317-8369. We will answer your questions about the studios and fees.
