18-03-2025
Austin's Mexican American Cultural Center overhaul nears completion
A key Austin cultural institution is on track to complete a major makeover.
Why it matters: The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center was built in 2007 but had insufficient space to host community activities.
The center is dedicated to the preservation, creation, presentation and promotion of Mexican American and Latino cultural arts and heritage.
What they're saying:"We're long past having a small community center that's for one neighborhood or two neighborhoods," Austin City Council member Chito Vela told the Austin Monitor after work began on the project. "We really did need a larger place that a community-wide celebration can take place, and I think they're executing pretty well on the vision for that."
What's happening: The overhaul, meant to draw more patrons to the facility, builds connections to hike-and-bike trails and to Lady Bird Lake.
It also includes a grand promenade "to signify this as a premier cultural destination for visitors and citizens alike," per a city project description.
The new cultural center will be nearly double the original's 36,000 square feet, with the additions of classroom, kitchen, meeting and administrative space.
A plaza will accommodate up to 5,000 people for concerts and festivals.
🚜 Flashback: Construction began in late August 2023.
Follow the money: The $27 million project is chiefly paid for by a 2018 $128 million bond to support libraries, museums and cultural arts facilities.
Zoom out: The remaking of the Mexican American Cultural Center comes during an overhaul of the once sleepy southeast corner of downtown.
