Austin to preserve black history with mixed-use development project

Reaffirming Austin’s designation of the African American Cultural Heritage District, the Austin City Council on August 2 directed staff to draft a plan to solicit proposals for the development of the 1100 block of East 11th Street.

Austin’s city manager will work with the city’s Urban Renewal Agency on a solicitation for detailed plans and cost estimates for a multi-story mixed-use development.

The Kenny Dorham Museum, 1100 East 11th Street, will anchor the project. The facility will house a mini-archival collection dedicated to the life and music of Kenny Dorham and serve as home to an active research project/educational site for the study and collection of materials documenting black music history of Austin and the cultural history of Central East Austin and the district.

Other uses that may be incorporated into the development are:

• Outdoor performance space/amphitheater and green space. 
• Indoor performance space, with a cafe and/or pub. 
• Audio/video recording studio. 
• Rehearsal space. 
• Classroom, meeting room, and conference space. 
• Small studio rooms for practice, lessons, and art-making. 
• Shared work/office space for nonprofit arts organizations 
• Art gallery. 
• Street-level retail. 
• Residential units, with significant emphasis on affordable housing and units reserved for working creatives. 

Additionally, councilmembers instructed the city manager to determine strategies for implementing various supportive and place-making actions for the district.

The council’s actions formally recognize areas that have a concentration of existing landmarks, historical and cultural assets, and the legacy of the African American residential, commercial, and cultural core in Austin.

This story originally published by Strategic Partnerships.