Are you intrigued by the rich history of Downtown Austin and its surrounding neighborhoods? Whether you’re a longtime resident, a frequent visitor, or simply curious, you now have an opportunity to learn more and share your knowledge as part of an exciting city project. This initiative aims to document the architecture and heritage of Austin’s oldest district.
The Downtown Austin Historic Resource Survey will use on-the-ground building documentation, archival research, and oral histories to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the area. Over 185 years, this region has evolved from the small frontier settlement of Waterloo into today’s economic and cultural powerhouse.
The City’s Historic Preservation Office is set to host a virtual meeting on Monday, May 13, at 6:00 p.m., to share information about the survey with the public. The meeting materials will be made available online afterwards for those who cannot attend in real-time.
Community members and stakeholders are also invited to contribute their insights on significant places and stories via an online questionnaire. The questionnaire will remain open until Sunday, June 16.
“This survey will provide valuable information about Austin’s Downtown and nearby neighborhoods,” said Kalan Contreras, the City’s Historic Preservation Officer. “We hope community members will attend the meeting and take the questionnaire to add depth to the survey data.”
Historic resource surveys serve as a planning tool to identify properties that may be eligible for designation as local historic landmarks, historic districts, or listing in the National Register of Historic Places. It should be noted that these surveys do not include zoning or land use changes; all building documentation takes place from public rights of way.
