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Waterloo Park, an 11-acre component of the forthcoming Waterloo Greenway park system, will open this spring.
Waterloo Greenway, an urban park system that runs 1.5 miles along Waller Creek from 15th Street to Lady Bird Lake, will soon make its debut.
The first phase—Waterloo Park, an 11-acre park bordered by East 15th, Red River, East 12th and Trinity streets—broke ground in 2017 and will open this spring.
Check out these incredible bird’s-eye views of #WaterlooPark. #InTheHeartOfAustin♥️ #OutOfThisWorld🌎 https://t.co/ioXjpn9OTh— Waterloo Greenway (@Waterloo Greenway) 1598914971.0
The 10-year, 35-acre project is the result of a public-private partnership between the city of Austin and local nonprofit Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. Its estimated total cost is $250 million, of which approximately $150 million the city committed through bond funding. The conservancy will raise the remaining $100 million from donors and grants.
This week, nearly 38,000 square feet of fresh grass is being spread out and packed onto Waterloo Park’s Great Lawn!… https://t.co/pUOLOp6mU9— Waterloo Greenway (@Waterloo Greenway) 1599162721.0
CEO Peter Mullan previously served as executive Vice President of Friends of the High Line—a nonprofit that founded, funds and oversees the High Line public park in Manhattan.
The second phase will be an overhaul of the Creek Delta portion, which includes nine acres between Lady Bird Lake and 4th Street. It is currently in the design phase and is expected to be completed in 2023.
The last phase includes the middle section of the park system, from 4th to 11th streets, as well as Palm Park, which abuts the Fairmont Austin hotel and the I-35 frontage road, and Pontoon Bridge, which crosses Lady Bird Lake. It will be completed in 2026.
The three-phase development process is under way and expected to be completed in 2026. (Waterloo Greenway)
Waterloo Greenway is named after the city's original name, Waterloo, according to the Austin History Center. It is also the name of a city in Belgium, combining "water" with the Flemish word "loo," which means "sacred wood."
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Historic preservationists, for their part, overwhelmingly support historic zoning, which would preserve the buildings in perpetuity. The Historic Landmark Commission unanimously voted to initiate historic zoning in July, citing architectural significance, landscape features and association to historic figures. City staffers recommend historic zoning, calling both structures one-of-a-kind examples of vernacular architecture.
Tarrytown neighbors have also banded together to stop the demolition. Many have written letters, and a few spoke at the meeting. “How could anyone buy this property with the intent of destroying it?” Ila Falvey said. “I think it’s an architectural treasure.”
Michael Whellan, an attorney representing the property owner, said that the claims made by preservationists are shaky. The buildings are run down, he said, and have had substantial renovations. A structural engineer hired by the owner said any attempt at preservation would involve tearing down and rebuilding – an undertaking Whellan said would likely cost millions.
Whellan also argued that any historical significance derived from the property’s association with Delisle and longtime owner C.H. Slator is dubious. “These men are not noted for any civic, philanthropic or historic impact,” he said.
What’s more, according to Whellan, Slator likely participated in segregation as the owner of the Tavern on North Lamar Boulevard between 1953 and 1960.
A city staffer, however, said she found no evidence to support the claim. “We would never landmark a property where a segregationist lived, or there was a racist person,” Kimberly Collins with the Historic Preservation Office said.
Commissioner Awais Azhar couldn’t support historic zoning in part due to lingering uncertainty about Slator. “Focusing on that factor is not here to disparage an individual or family. It is not about playing the race card. This is an important assertion for us to consider as Planning commissioners,” Azhar said.
Commissioner Carmen Llanes Pulido said that allegations of racism should come as no surprise. “We’re talking about white male property owners in the 1950s, in Austin, on the west side – and of course they were racist,” she said. But she argued that allowing the house to be demolished based on these grounds does nothing to help people of color who have been harmed by racism and segregation.
The question of tax breaks was also controversial. Michael Gaudini, representing the property owner, said that the tax breaks associated with historic zoning would exacerbate inequality by shifting property tax burdens to less affluent communities. City staffers estimate that the property, appraised at $3.5 million, would get either a $8,500 or $16,107 property tax break annually, depending on whether a homestead exemption is applied.
Commissioner Grayson Cox preferred the commission focus not on tax breaks but on whether the structures merit preservation. “To me, nothing in the historic preservation criteria lists, is this person deserving of a tax break or not?”
Azhar, on the other hand, said he plans to propose a code amendment getting rid of city property tax breaks for historic properties.
The commission fell one vote short of recommending historic zoning, with six commissioners in support and three opposed. Azhar and commissioners Claire Hempel and Greg Anderson voted against.
The odds of City Council zoning over an owner’s wishes are slim. Nine out of 11 members must vote in favor, and there have only been a handful of such cases over the past several decades.
