Preservation Austin held a grand opening ceremony on March 10 to commemorate a new headquarters at the corner of Red River Street and 38th ½ Street, “offering a true home for preservation in the community,” a news release from the Austin-based historic nonprofit states.
The celebration
Members, donors and elected officials visited the historic landmark to celebrate Preservation Austin’s newly-declared headquarters. Among the attendees were U.S. congressman Lloyd Doggett and Austin city council member Zo Qadri, who spoke at the event.
To conclude the celebration, Preservation Austin lit the new neon sign, “establishing a citywide home base for programming and advocacy on behalf of Austin’s historic places,” according to the news release.
Preservation Austin held a grand opening event for its new headquarters on March 10, with attendees including executive director Lindsey Derrington, Austin councilmember Zo Qadri, congressman Lloyd Doggett and board president Miriam Conner. (Courtesy Preservation Austin)Dig deeper
Preservation Austin has been rehabilitating the 1947 Streamline Moderne home for years now, according to the news release.
Establishing the McFarland-McBee House as its headquarters will allow for expanded programming, including further work with Austin music history, LGBTQ+ heritage and homeowner and business workshops.
“We’re so proud of this project, and what it means for Preservation Austin and for our city,” Lindsey Derrington, Preservation Austin’s executive director said in the release. “Austin’s historic places anchor our culture and heritage, and face greater threats than ever before.”
The McFarland-McBee House was built in 1947 by J. P. and Byrdie McFarland, pictured with their sons John and James. (courtesy the McFarland Family)The history
The McFarland-McBee House was named after two families who helped build and preserve it: J. P. and Byrdie McFarland and Frank and Sue McBee.
The McFarlands were the original owners of the house, who built it with inspiration from hotels and South Florida nightclubs. The couple lived there until 1954 and less than a decade later it became a rental property known for housing students and musicians, according to the release.
Preservation Austin became involved with the property in 2014 in an attempt to save it from demolition. The organization purchased it in 2019 before listing the home in the National Register for Historic Places in 2020. Four years later, Preservation Austin renamed the McFarland-McBee House to honor the McBee Family Foundation’s generosity.
“>