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Historic modernist home in Bouldin asks close to $2M

A rare Austin home with International and Art Moderne features distinguishes itself

By Cindy Widner
A boxy house with porch and roof overhands at the top of some limestone steps on a wooded hillside.
806 Bouldin Avenue
Via United Real Estate Austin

Along with the Bohn House (1938) and the Red River International House (1947), the Blackshear House is one of the few remaining residences in Austin that draw on the Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and International Style movements. Featured on the 2016 Preservation Austin homes tour, the landmarked, two-story structure was built in 1950 and has a number of features that incorporate those styles, including a white stucco exterior, steel-framed windows, and flat roof.

The design of both the original part of the home and a 1955 basement addition evolved as it was built. Its second story became an apartment that was originally accessed by a fire escape ladder, making it a sort of split-level affair. The landmarked house has a total of four bedrooms and three bedrooms in 2,564 square feet.

While the kitchen has been modernized, the bathrooms updated, and custom cabinetry added, the home retains its historic essence as well as a remarkable number of original features. Listed at United Real Estate Austin with Jay Billig (who owned the property in 2014, according to Preservation Austin notes), it’s located at 806 Bouldin Avenue (in Bouldin Creek, naturally). It has an asking price of $1,987,000.

A living room with a low white ceiling, wood floors, multiple metal rollout windows, and partial room dividers with wide-set vertical slats. The bottom of a set of stairs is behind one of them on the left.
An open kitchen and dining area with a low ceiling of concrete-encased beams. The wooden dining table is long and minimalist.
A kitchen with a low ceiling with concrete beams, stained-walnut cabinets and an apron sink, and a wide picture window over the counter.
A bedroom with two sets of three-paned rollout windows in the corner, stucco walls painted taupe, a light-colored wood exterior door, and part of a bed in the foreground.
A studio apartment kitchen, dining room, and part of a living room. The kitchen has a vintage pink-tile backsplash. The furniture is vintage-looking modernist.
A bedroom with a large set of metal rollout windows on one wall, a low ceiling, light green stucco walls. a wood floor, a light-colored wood exterior door with three horizontal windows on the top half.
A narrow, covered porch attached to a white stucco house. There is a large set of metal rollout windows to the left above it. It extends past the roof on the right. There’s a long, simple, light-colored wood table and chairs in the middle.