Plans for MACC Renovation Underway

Concepts for redesign should be released in September

After a year of planning, the city’s Parks & Recreation Department and CasaBella Architects finally brought the public into discussions of efforts to reimagine the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, known as the MACC, with a public input meeting on Saturday (June 17).

The meeting marked the first step in a yearlong redesign process. Both PARD and CasaBella hope to maintain the MACC’s cultural and physical presence in the increasingly crowded Rainey Street Historic District.

The MACC was built 10 years ago. PARD project coordinator and cultural resource specialist Kim McKnight noted Saturday that, at the time, the center stood out as an anomaly in the “sleepy little residential neighborhood of single family houses.” But Rainey Street has shifted – from that sleepy neighborhood into one of the pre-eminent entertainment districts in this city – and today, the MACC’s presence has somewhat receded. It’s now nestled into a constantly evolving neighborhood of bars and condominiums.

Throughout the month of June, the city has been collecting public input through an online survey about how the community utilizes the MACC and what changes should be made to the facility. Focus meetings with partners such as the Trail Foundation, the Waller Creek Conservancy, the Downtown Austin Alliance, and the Rainey Neighbors Association are also taking place this month.

Jaime Beaman, a CasaBella architect who contributed to the MACC’s original master plan in 1999, will spend the month of July drawing potential designs with his colleagues. They’ll present three concepts to the public in September – the same month of the MACC’s 10 year anniversary. A final presentation and vote is expected in December, with a single consolidated design hopefully available early in 2018.

Beamen said that establishing a “gran entrada” will be “critical” to the redesign. “The MACC is getting so surrounded by tall buildings,” he said. “When it was built, you could easily see it from [I-35], but you can’t anymore. And you can’t see it from Rainey Street.” Vision boards and filled-out notecards highlighted other design priorities, including added parking for those living outside of the Downtown and East Austin areas and better views and access to the Lady Bird Lake waterfront.

According to McKnight, after the selection of a final design takes place in the spring of 2018, the city will assess funding strategies for the renovation more closely. So far, the redesign project has been supported through reserve facility update funds and from a $400,000 city of Austin lease of park land near the MACC to a construction company that needed working space. “We were fortunate that some funding came through for a plan which will allow us to really position the MACC for the future,” she said.

PARD hasn’t scheduled any public meetings until September, but McKnight encouraged people to “be a part of [the redesign]” by completing the public input survey, available online in Spanish and English, and by subscribing to the MACC newsletter.

Got something to say? The Chronicle welcomes opinion pieces on any topic from the community. Submit yours now at austinchronicle.com/opinion.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Mexican American Cultural Center
Mexican American Cultural Center Prepares for Phase 2 of Its Long-Term Renovations
Mexican American Cultural Center Prepares for Phase 2 of Its Long-Term Renovations
Staff members prepare to move out as MACC gets a facelift

Ali Juell, Oct. 5, 2022

More by Maria Mendez
SB 4 on Campus
SB 4 on Campus
How will campus policing change when the anti-immigrant law goes into effect?

Aug. 25, 2017

Campus Hacks: University of Texas
Campus Hacks: UT-Austin
Surprisingly, hook 'em isn't the only thing you need to know

Aug. 23, 2017

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Mexican American Cultural Center, CasaBella, Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Kim McKnight, Jaime Beaman

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
NEWSLETTERS
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Can't keep up with happenings around town? We can help.

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

All questions answered (satisfaction not guaranteed)

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle