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New Future for Castleman-Bull House Heritage Society of Austin Donates Castleman-Bull House to City as Historic Element for Waller Creek Development The Heritage Society of Austin (HSA) has modified its preservation goals for the historic Castleman-Bull House adjacent to the Austin Convention Center to support the city’s vision for the Waller Creek redevelopment project. HSA saved the landmark from destruction several years ago. 2006-2007 Society President Dennis McDaniel said that the longtime community preservation group had planned to rehabilitate the noteworthy structure to serve as headquarters offices and resource center for the organization. Toward that end, it sponsored and helped fund the building’s move from its former location as part of St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin to its current Red River Street site on land leased from the city. Instead, McDaniel said, the HSA Board has voted to release its option for a lease extension on the property and donate the building to the city to incorporate into its ultimate plans for the area. McDaniel said the decision is the result of a confluence of factors and a fortuity in timing. “Our original plans were overcome by subsequent developments,” he explained. “While we appreciate the city’s support in providing a location for the Castleman-Bull House, ongoing expansion of the Convention Center across the street, the accompanying dramatic increase in heavy truck traffic and the resulting loss of area parking rendered our original concept unworkable.” At the same time, McDaniel pointed out, the city has moved forward with plans to construct the Waller Creek Tunnel as a key element in redevelopment of the surrounding area. “While our original plans are no longer feasible, the opportunity has arisen to make preservation of the Castleman-Bull House even more meaningful as an element of that emerging plan.” He stressed that while the Society is giving up its own use of the building, the action supports its larger objective. “We are dedicated to preventing the loss of destruction of such historic structures and to supporting their adaptive reuse. To have the Castleman-Bull House as a beacon of historic preservation in the new development would underscore that objective.” Prominent preservation leader Dealey Herndon, a former HSA president who oversaw restoration of the State Capitol and has led the Castleman-Bull effort, noted that the Society has invested almost a quarter of a million dollars to date in saving, moving and securing the downtown landmark. “Our mission always has been to preserve this outstanding example of early Austin architecture,” she said. “It now appears that there is an exciting opportunity for it to play yet another important role in our city’s history.” She added that possible adaptive reuses would include an information center, restaurant or transit station. Herndon said that the Society is committed to funding the structure’s security pending formation of development plans in exchange for the City agreement to assure the structure’s survival. She said that HSA also has offered counsel and input for the future of the house to the Task Force that is studying Waller Creek redevelopment plans. |
Click Here to read the history of the Castleman-Bull House St. David's Episcopal Church, ca. 1873.
A view looking west on East 7th Street in downtown Austin, ca. 1920s. |
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Phone: 512-474-5198 Fax: 512-476-8687 E-mail: information@hsaustin.org |
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