AUSTIN, Texas — City staff are looking for new ways to fund restoration plans for a historic landmark that overlooks the Austin skyline.
The Norwood House sits near I-35 and East Riverside, overlooking Downtown Austin. Wolf Sittler lives nearby and has been working to save the home since 2008.
Neighbors say they hope to see the city commits to preserving history in our growing community.
"You can walk and see little remnants of bricks and patios and terracing that are all still here," said Kim McKnight with the Austin Parks & Recreation Department.
The home, built in 1922 by Ollie and Calie Norwood, is now at a crossroads. Austin's Parks & Recreation Department has been working with the Norwood Park Foundation to preserve the house, but had to terminate an agreement in December of 2022.
"And I would say that it was just the perfect storm of COVID and construction cost, cost escalation," said McKnight.
In the 1980's, the home was moved to make room for condos. That project fell through, bringing the home back to its original spot, but it needs work.
"It has a brand new foundation. The subfloor is reinforced or replaced as needed. New subfloor rafters are reinforced. It has a roof that protects you from the rain," said Sittler.
Now, the Parks department is looking at how to perform renovations without a nonprofit partner.
However, funding has been an issue, as have plans for expanding I-35 and adding light rail.
"These could be opportunities for the project, but they could also make the project pretty challenging in the short term," said McKnight.
McKnight says the city is trying to save the house, or at least honor it in some way, but Sittler says a tear-down won't fly.
"It's about recreating what was here before 100 years ago, in direct contrast to what we see across the river," said Sittler.
If you want to get involved in possibly helping the cause, click here.