East Austin History Walk and Talk

Thanks to all who joined us on the East Austin History Walk and Talk tour (aka Jane's Walk Tour). There was an excellent turn out, even with the mid-day thunderstorm. The tour was an epic 6 hours with a delicious stop at Casa Colombia.

Our tour guides were Dr. Eliot Tretter and Dr. Fred McGhee. We benefited from their deep knowledge, including Dr. McGhee's expertise as an anthropologist and historian of public housing and Dr. Tretter's research on the history and geography of segregation and neighborhood change. They shared important insights into the history of East Austin, from its early development to the public housing, urban renewal, and planning initiatives that shaped it at the mid-twentieth century and into the recent past. Here is a link to the hefty and in-depth tour packet [pdf] provided by Dr. Tretter. This is the tour map [jpg], which shows stops along our walking route.

The tour was in conjunction with the national network of tours that honor the memory of Jane Jacobs and her fight to preserve the vital neighborhoods of New York City from the ravages of planning efforts that failed to take into account the real lives of the people they claimed to help. On our tour we learned about the complex history of planning in Austin, from progressive efforts to genuinely help low income communities to blatant acts of racism and segregation.

Thank you to Dr. Eliot Tretter, Dr. Fred McGhee, Andrea Roberts (lead tour organizer), Josh Conrad (tour cartographer), and everyone who came on the tour for making this tour a success.

One of the attendees beat us to posting a blog entry. See more on Ryan Pollack's blog entry and Andrea Robert's blog.

Preservation Texas declares April Mod Month!

Preservation Texas recognizes April as Mod Month. Read more about this Texas-wide celebration of modern resources.

Hear Edward Durell Stone's Accomplishments, Personal Struggles, Relationships (April 17)

Images courtesy of Hicks Stone

On Tuesday, April 17, there will be two exceptional opportunities to learn about Edward Durell Stone and experience his architectural legacy. Author and architect Hicks Stone is visiting Austin to talk about his book, Edward Durell Stone: A Son's Untold Story of a Legendary Architect.

The book represents a candid story of Edward Durell Stone's accomplishments, personal struggles, and relationships from the perspective of the person best equipped to share them, Stone's own son.

Special Book-signing EventTuesday, April 17, 2:30-3:30
The Westgate Tower
1122 Colorado Street
map

Hicks Stone will be available for a special book-signing at the lobby of the historic Westgate Tower. This is an opportunity to meet Hicks Stone in the only building in Austin designed by Edward Durell Stone. Mr. Stone will say a few words about his first visit to this landmark.

The Westgate Tower was listed on the National Register for Historic Places in 2010. The plaque will be available for viewing at this special event. More information is available on the National Trust's for Historic Preservation blog.

The book will be available for purchase ($85+tax). Cash or check are preferred. Credit cards will be accepted. The book can also be purchased in advance at the Austin Center for Architecture at 801 W 12th. Check the AIA-Austin website for hours or call 512.452.4332.

Lecture at the University of Texas at Austin
Tuesday, April 17, 5:00-6:00 pm
Goldsmith Hall, University of Texas at Austin
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Hicks Stone will give a lecture on his father's life and work at 5:00 pm at Goldsmith Lecture Hall at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Parking is available on the street and at the nearby UT Coop Bookstore parking garage at 2214 San Antonio Street.

The lecture and book signing was organized by Mid Tex Mod in collaboration with Preservation Texas, AIA-Austin, and the UT-Austin Student Historic Preservation Association. The events are supported by the Goldsmith Society of the University of Texas School of Architecture, the North Texas chapter of Docomomo US, Gay and Lee Gaddis, JP Gumbles, Charles Peveto and the Westgate Condo Association.

Hicks Stone is also speaking in Houston and Dallas organized by Houston Mod and the North Texas Chapter Docomomo US.

More About the book
From the publisher: "Among the iconic projects for which Stone is responsible are The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the U.S.Embassy in New Delhi, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. But a negative reception among the architectural community often accompanied his popular and commercial successes, a double edge that continues to inform his legacy. Hicks Stone addresses a body of work that has been largely neglected, if not outright misunderstood. In answer to the chorus of criticism about the master architect’s works, Hicks Stone writes: 'I believe that my perspective as a son and architect offers me a unique and privileged position to address many of these bromidic and reflexive perceptions.'"

Edward Durell Stone's Architecture in Texas

• Kempner House (1952), Houston
• Bruno and Josephine Graf Residence (1956), Dallas
• Westgate Tower (completed 1965), Austin. (Note: this is listed as the Lumbermen's Company Office and Apartment Tower - 1963 on the website below.)
• Amarillo Fine Arts Museum (1969), Amarillo
• The Woodlands Conference Center (1973), Conroe
• Fort Worth Municipal Building (1975), Fort Worth

More information about Edward Durell Stone