Construction of the new Acton Academy is in progress and moving along quickly. The school, located along Alexander Drive in East Austin, is a modern take on the old schoolhouse design. Each of the the two buildings that form the campus contain large open spaces that can be opened to the large outdoor decks. The airy and open spaces promote an interactive learning experience for the students.The design and construction team are very pleased with the project’s progress.

Just a year ago, many of the homes along Olive and Juniper streets were ready for bulldozing. Now contractors are putting the finishing touches on these homes for Robertson Hill families to take pride in. Located in a historic neighborhood just east of IH-35, these homes originally seemed impossible to renovate due to the severity of dilapidation. Together with the Neighborhood Housing & Community Development Department, the Robertson Hill Neighborhood Association, the City Landmark Commission, and Camilo Garcia’s team of contractors, h+uo designed and oversaw construction, saving all eight of these homes.

Since the Robertson Hill neighborhood is historically an African American community, the team wanted to maintain the historic integrity of the homes through renovation rather than tearing down and completely building new homes. This renovation speaks to the neighborhood’s desire to create and maintain a vital historic district.

With the strong position of the Robertson Hill neighborhood and NHCD’s acknowledgement of the neighborhood desires, this incredible team is in the process of turning this community’s vision into a reality.

h+uo is a big fan of Heritage Restorations. This company locates, dismantles and inventories, restores and re-erects historic timber frame buildings from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries including barns, houses, hand-hewn log cabins and mills. These time-tested, hand-crafted structures are finished with modern space-planning, energy-efficient systems and more technically advanced materials to make beautiful and unique homes, guest houses, commercial spaces and modern barns. We have been fortunate enough to be a part of the design process on many of their projects including the recently completed River Hill Ranch House.

h+uo Partner Randall Owen worked alongside Heritage Restorations Design/Project Manager Greg Godsey to repurpose this historic barn. After nearly two years of working within the limitations and around the inherent challenges of transforming a venerable structure into a modern home, the resurrection of the River Hill Ranch Home is finally complete. Owen and Godsey are currently collaborating to convert three other barns around Texas to be completed this year. To learn more about the amazing work Heritage Restorations is doing, visit their website.

After over three years of development and construction, the HausBar Farm is finally close to completion! Previous Eastside Café owners Dorsey Barger and Susan Hausmann, love growing their own foods and are very passionate about making their urban farm 100% organic and sustainably operated. With the design help of h+uo Senior Partner, Tom Hatch, and Architect, Kelly Stephenson, the property has transformed from a blight space into a beautiful self-sustaining estate.

Meticulously designed, the HausBar Farm includes a huge outdoor kitchen, a gorgeous wraparound porch to view the garden, and a layout that strategically positions the farm in the front yard. Along with producing crops and livestock, HausBar Farm is a beautiful bed & breakfast, open for tours while educating visitors about their sustainability systems.

The farm includes:
-Fruits and vegetables
-Chickens and ducks
-Rabbits
-Two miniature donkeys
-Tilapia filled fish tank
-Agua/hydroponic system

About Urban Farming
Urban farms are properties ranging between one and five acres. Landowners raise produce as well as chickens that are kept in enclosures at least 50 feet away from neighboring homes.

The current East Austin urban farm movement began in the early 1990s, and continues to grow.