The 5th Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor plans have been in the works since 2010, aiming to celebrate and preserve the area’s distinct Mexican American cultural history.
The Mexic-Arte Museum, a nonprofit cultural space located on Fifth and Congress, in partnership with the Downtown Austin Alliance and the city of Austin, is currently leading the effort to secure the cultural district designation for the corridor.
This distinction is designed to stimulate economic development, preserve historic buildings, attract public investment, and address the specific needs of the community. To support these goals, cultural districts are allocated up to $250,000 of funding per year.
“The museum is ours, but we have no control over the corridor’s life,” said Sylvia Orozco, the co-founder and executive director of Mexic-Arte.
Mexic-Arte hopes to use new funding to improve signage along the corridor to help identify and commemorate its important landmarks.
“We have received universally positive responses from the businesses. So, the future is bright for the corridor.” – Mexic-Arte’s Sylvia Orozco
“Austin’s Mexico: A Forgotten Downtown Neighborhood,” a Mexic-Arte project, showcases Downtown Austin’s culturally significant Mexican American landmarks near and on Fifth Street. Orozco said they want to recognize historical places such as the Walker’s AusTex Chili Company, which once employed 15% of Austin’s Mexican American community; Chili Park (now Republic Square), once home to tamale and dulce street vendors; and the original Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church as landmarks.
In addition to improved signage, Orozco said Mexic-Arte hopes to use this funding to manage its creative, educational, and community-building programs, such as Viva la Vida, an Austin cultural staple preserving the cultural influence of the Day of the Dead, and amArte, its art workshop for underserved students, providing cultural enrichment and community engagement.
Save Palm School Coalition
One landmark of the Austin Mexican American community is the historic Palm School, which closed in 1976 due to I-35 cutting off access for the majority of its students.
Paul Saldaña, whose family has been in Austin since 1910, is a co-leader of the Save Palm School Coalition. The Coalition’s goal is to turn the Palm School property into a museum that would “tie into the city’s vision for the cultural district,” said Saldaña, who also co-founded Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin.
On May 21, 2024, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved the Save Palm School Coalition to be part of the Palm School Steering Committee. This committee is in charge of creating a community-oriented site, cementing its say in the redevelopment of this historic land.
“It will be able to highlight Mexican-American history, Native American History, and African-American history,” said Saldaña.
Looking Forward
A cultural district designation would bring together businesses down Fifth Street. Historical sites such as the Susanna Dickinson Museum and the Austin Fire Museum would benefit from this funding, allocating money toward meeting the cultural district’s economic and preservation goals.
Public interest is a crucial factor in achieving the cultural heritage designation for the 5th Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor. Orozco said Mexic-Arte has successfully rallied a legion of support from Fifth Street businesses with owners who are enthusiastic about the continued development of this project.
“We have received universally positive responses from the businesses. So, the future is bright for the corridor. That’s beautiful,” Orozco said.
If you would like to fill out an interest form regarding the corridor’s cultural heritage designation, visit tinyurl.com/5thCorridor.
This article appears in July 26 • 2024.