AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Opera House could make a comeback as part of a proposed mixed-use development – but not everyone is on board with the idea.
According to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, a proposal for a 4.6-acre plot near South Congress Avenue includes a plan to reopen the music venue.
According to the Statesman, developer Chris Wallin – who purchased the property 10 years ago – recently teamed with local musician and architect Richard Weiss to create the project, which they call 200 Academy. The development proposal also includes a park, a music museum, residential housing, retail space and an underground parking garage.
Weiss told the Statesman that, though some details will depend on what the council approves, the developers are looking to build 150 to 200 apartment units as part of 200 Academy.
The Austin Opera House has a long history. The Statesman reports that at its peak in the 1980s, the venue could attract major touring acts that were too big for Liberty Lunch but not big enough for the Frank Erwin Center.
The Statesman reports that the venue was bought by none other than Willie Nelson in the mid-1970s. By the end of the '70s, it had become something of a home base for Nelson, alongside Armadillo World Headquarters.
In the early 1980s, Nelson's nephew, Freddy Fletcher, built and opened a recording studio, Arlyn. The studio still exists on the property today, according to the Statesman.
Over the years, live music at the venue stopped and it was eventually converted into office space, though the structure still stands.
According to the Statesman, Fletcher helped the developers behind 200 Academy get a testimonial from Nelson, which was included as part of a news release about the project. Nelson said in part that he is "looking forward to supporting the reopening of an Austin institution," according to the Statesman's report.
But not everyone is a fan of Wallin and Weiss' plan. The Statesman reports that the South River City Citizens (SRCC) – a neighborhood association that represents the Fairview Park area and the Travis Heights neighborhood – have expressed opposition to the project for years.
And according to the Statesman, current City zoning regulations for the area appear to back the residents up. In particular, there is a Neighborhood Conservation Combining District (NCCD) for the area that has been in place since 1986.
According to City documents, NCCDs serve to create regulations for neighborhoods to preserve their "traditional character while allowing controlled growth." An NCCD also "clearly defines boundaries separating residential uses from commercial uses, and sets standards for redevelopment that is compatible with the unique character of the neighborhood.”
The Statesman report states that the NCCD that applies to 200 Academy could be lifted, but it wouldn't be easy. Because the residents have filed a "valid petition" based on the preferences of property owners right next to the proposed development, nine members of the city council would have to vote in favor of lifting the NCCD.
The Statesman also notes that the residents' opposition is primarily directed at the proposed revival of the music venue, not the 200 Academy development as a whole. The Statesman reports that in 2019, the then-chair of an SRCC committee told Wallin and Weiss that "the neighbors are not opposed to office and residential uses, which are allowed under the current zoning."
The residents' primary concerns are things like traffic, noise and parking issues, which they believe would occur if regular concerts were held at a revived music venue.
To learn more about the proposed development, the Austin Opera House and the residents' concerns, read the Statesman's full report.
The Austin City Council considered this proposal at its meeting on Jan. 27 but unanimously voted to push final decisions about the project to future meetings.
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