Austin’s best historic places, 2019 edition

Preservation Austin embraces variety

By Cindy Widner@CurbedAustin Oct 16, 2019, 1:32pm CDT

Exterior of a neoclassical building with an arcade held by corinthian columns. A vaulted ceiling with a mural is visible underneath. — Austin History Center

Historic and cultural preservation in Austin tends to be a tricky business—especially in the case of single-family homes, as the city grapples with implementing new development codes. Since 1953, Preservation Austin has finessed this the situation adeptly, becoming the city’s leading nonprofit advocate of historic preservation.

“Preservation” now takes different forms in Austin and includes civic projects, buildings, and advocacy. This year, historically and culturally significant private homes have also undergone some stunning restoration work that incorporates contemporary additions or is carried out in a way conducive to multifamily housing.

The 12 recipients of this year’s Preservation Austin Merit Awards run that gamut and, along with the group’s stewardship and special recognition awards, include such diverse work as the density-adding Avenue C Redevelopment in Hyde Park; Will and Noel Bridges’s work preserving cultural landmarks such as Deep Eddy Cabaret, Cisco’s, and Antone’s; and the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy’s restoration of Symphony Square.

The group also gives special recognition to such projects as an Austin History Center mural restoration, public service in a historic district, and education.

“Our awards program gives us an amazing opportunity to shine a light on these incredible projects and the stories they tell about Austin, past and present,” said Lindsey Derrington, the nonprofit’s executive director. “Every year we’re blown away by the amazing preservation work happening in our city in every day.”

Recipients will be honored at Preservation Austin’s Preservation Merit Awards Celebration at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel on November 15.