The future of Norwood House in Austin is uncertain
The historic Norwood House overlooks Austin near I-35 and Riverside. Efforts to save it have been ongoing for decades, but now the city is reconsidering its future.
Austin, Texas – Norwood House is located on a hill overlooking Austin near the intersection of I-35 and Riverside.
“There's really no doubt that this is a special place,” said Kim McKnight, historic preservation and tourism program manager for Austin Parks and Recreation.
This 1920s Arts and Crafts bungalow is part of Austin's history.
But more than 100 years later, much of it remains, including an agreement between the Norwood Park Foundation and the city of Austin.
It was recently terminated late last month as private funding for it dwindled.
“We're just wondering, if this is a project, we need to think about some alternatives, maybe an overlook feature that honors the history of the house, or this should be a project that the city of Austin moves forward to kind of realize this vision to rebuild it,” McKnight said.
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Rebuilding the house could cost millions, McKnight said.
“Unfortunately, during the move in the early 1980s, much of the original material was lost or misplaced,” McKnight said.
The house was moved from its original location in the 1980s to make way for a developer interested in building riverfront apartments, but the deal fell through.
The house was moved soon after, but not without damaging its historic charm.
The city will also have to consider the I-35 Capital Express Central project and the Project Connect Light Rail line happening nearby.
“The potential for me is very clear,” said Wolf Sittler, who works for the Norwood Alliance. “The idea is to finish the job that the Norwood Park Foundation started.”
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He believes it's worth rebuilding, not just for the house's sake, but for the decades of people who were behind it.
“It has taken thousands of hours of volunteer work to get it to this point, so why waste it all?” Sittler said. “And just tear it down and put a viewing platform here?”
A few years ago, the city allocated $3 million to save it, but after the Corona virus, construction costs skyrocketed, and the project collapsed.
“He was moved somewhere else,” Sitler said. “We'd like to think that maybe they could convert some of it back to get this started. We think there's enough interest in the history and past of Austin and things like that and the idea of turning this into a usable park facility.”
McKnight said it will take a few months before Austin Parks and Recreation addresses the City Council and they can move forward with a decision.
