The Blackland Neighborhood is hosting a block party to celebrate its 30 year anniversary of community accomplishments. The celebration will take place on Saturday August 10, 2013 from 4:00pm-7:00pm, open to all. Attendees can expect food, kid activities, and an opportunity to mingle with others in the community. h+uo architects will also be in attendance.

Fannie Mae Stewart Village Rendering

The block party will also celebrate the recent development of the Fannie Mae Stewart Village, which is close to completion. Located on the 1900 block on East 22nd Street, the Fannie Mae Stewart Village includes an 8-unit apartment complex along with a transformed bungalow into a community conservatory. The Blackland Neighborhood has a history of suffering from disinvestment and predatory real estate speculation. This new addition was designed by h+uo architects and is part of an ongoing effort to maintain affordable housing in the neighborhood and in the city of Austin. Blackland Community Development Corporation was formed in 1983, right before it acquired a lot at 1904 East 22nd from an African-American maid, Fannie Mae Stewart.

About Blackland Community Development Corporation

The Blackland Community Development Corporation (BCDC) was incorporated in August 1983 as a non-profit, 501-C-3 corporation in the state of Texas. The boundaries of the Blackland Neighborhood are Comal Street on the west, Chestnut Avenue on the east, MLK Boulevard on the south, and Manor Road on the north.

Blackland CDC has built, maintains and leases 47 units for households earning less than 60 percent of the median income for Austin, most of which have been designed by Tom Hatch and his family of architects. Because affordable rental units are disappearing from the inner city, CDC does not sell units, knowing that in time they would likely sell to higher income families and would only delay gentrification.

The small Swedish Log Cabin residing in Zilker Botanical Gardens has quite the history.  Built in 1838, the cabin was deconstructed, relocated, and rebuilt five separate times throughout Austin. Cabin advocate, Barbara Pate, has strong sentimental attachments to this cabin, the same place where her grandmother was born. Her family history has long been tied to this cabin and Pate wants to see it restored again.

The grade level log was damaged and rotting due to rainwater running off at the base of the cabin. The interior was also in bad shape, as it was often intruded by animals. Pate pushed the city for six years to get involved and make reparations, and finally got her wish in 2011 when the city commissioned the project.

h+uo architects is working with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department to restore the cabin. In order to divert streaming water, a rain water garden is being built, and an accessible path is being created for visitors to use while venturing to see the cabin.

The renovations are in the drawing phase, and the cabin is on its way to becoming a spot visitors can enjoy again!

Last week the City of Austin announced their selection of the Urban Design Group and team, including h+uo architects to develop a master plan for Colony Park. The fascinating part of the design selection process is that the city had to choose between two incredibly qualified planning teams, McCann Adams Studio and team and the Urban Design Group and team. The staff, council, and outspoken neighborhood joined forces to make a very difficult decision between these two extremely talented teams. The Urban Design Group team is really excited about being selected for this unique project that will transform northeast Austin!

Located in East Austin, east of U.S. Highway 183, the Urban Design Group will develop a plan to develop the vacant 208 acre lot into a master planned community. The city’s vision is to create a community that is not only environmentally sustainable, but also sustainable as a community, without displacing lower-income residents.

Forty percent of the 500 single-family units and 250 multifamily rental units will be affordable housing. h+uo architects will be the key player in designing and ensuring Colony Park’s affordability. Master planning design and neighborhood meetings are expected to begin in September 2013.

It may be hard to believe, but East Austin intersection 12th and Chicon used to be a flourishing artistic, cultural, and commercial hub enjoyed by Austin’s African-American community. It was home to the Harlem Theater, which was greatly enjoyed by its African American neighbors. Today this area is notoriously known by Austinites as an area of drug-dealing, theft, and prostitution. The Harlem Theater is long gone and the only historic live music venue that remains in this area is the famous Victory Grill, built in 1945.

In an effort to bring this historic area back to life, the Chestnut Neighborhood Development Corporation selected h+uo architects to help revitalize this area into a thriving healthy neighborhood once again. Chicon Corridor is a mixed use project that will include 9,000 square feet of local retail and office spaces on the ground floor with affordable occupied housing on the 2nd and 3rd floors. While the development includes contemporary forms, the design of the project still honors the rich cultural heritage of the area. The project will be located on Chicon between 13th and 14th Streets.

h+uo is currently waiting on receiving variances from the city, and is expected to break ground by the end of 2013.