Elisabet Ney Museum Improvements

Building Restoration and Site Improvements

Updates

The Competitive Sealed Proposal (CSP) solicitation for construction was posted on June 24, 2024. The CSP process of obtaining a contractor will allow the City of Austin to select the most qualified candidate based on their experience with historic restoration instead of the typical default to the respondent with the lowest bid that meets the City's minimum qualifications. Nearing the end of the bidding and negotiation period, the awarded contractor will anticipate beginning construction in early 2025.

Digital flythrough of bridge rendering (YouTube)

Capital Improvement Project

The Capital Improvement Project (CIP) includes restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows, upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems, and repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

Exterior work includes replacing the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek and installation of accessible pathways, to better connect the museum’s grounds. The site work also includes approximately 20,000 square feet of Waller Creek bank stabilization.

Funding for this restoration project is provided through 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum.

Background

The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) manages the Elisabet Ney Museum and grounds, called Formosa, which make up the studio and residence of Elisabet Ney, a German immigrant and talented renowned sculptor. The Museum is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program. 

Elisabet Ney designed and was on-site during the construction of her studio and residence, located in what is now Hyde Park. Following her death in 1907, her friends preserved the studio and its contents as the Elisabet Ney Museum and established the Texas Fine Arts Association (TFAA) dedicated to her memory. 

In 1941, after moving to West Austin’s Laguna Gloria, the TFAA transferred the property, building and its contents to the City of Austin in return for building and grounds maintenance. PARD continues to maintain and preserve the property and operate the museum. 

The Elisabet Ney Museum is listed as a Texas State Archeological Landmark Site, an Austin Historic Landmark, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places based on its significance as the former American studio of Elisabet Ney. 

In 1972, a study was conducted to develop a restoration plan. Phase 1 of the restoration was completed in 1981. Phase 2 of the restoration was completed in 1982. Numerous additional projects were completed during the next 25 years to preserve the building and its contents. 

In 2007, contractors were commissioned to develop the Formosa Elisabet Ney Museum Comprehensive Restoration Master Plan. This plan serves as a guide to the improvements being made in this major restoration project.

Project Description

This phase of the restoration plan calls for a new museum archival quality Heat, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, weatherization to solve water penetration issues and preserve the building, and construction of a new accessible pedestrian/bicycle bridge.

Anticipated Schedule

Please note that as in any construction project, schedules are projected as accurately as possible, but all dates are subject to change due to the nature of construction and the weather.

Winter 2023: 100% Design Documents (Complete)

Summer 2024: Re-Bidding Phase (Ongoing)

Early 2025: Start of Project Construction

Early 2026: Project Construction Completed

Summer 2026: Museum Reopens

Community Engagement

Information on the new design and restoration elements was presented to the community at Elisabet Ney Nature Day and Ney Day in 2022.

Boards and Commissions Meetings

Historic Landmark Commission:
October 8, 2018: Windows, Doors, and Bridge (presentation, PDF, 10 MB)
June 28, 2021: Mechanical and Lighting (link to approved minutes)

Design Commission:
August 23, 2021 (link to recommendation)

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Ellen Colfax, Project Manager, Parks and Recreation Department, by calling (512) 974-9472 or by email.

Re-Imagining the Ney

Project Description

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the Friends of Elisabet Ney Museum conducted a month-long series of events dedicated to shaping the future of the Elisabet Ney Museum through an interpretive plan. "Re-Imagining the Ney" focused on an inclusive and community-centered approach to updating the historic landscape around the museum.

Interpretive and Landscape Plans

Begun in 2023 and informed by extensive research and a robust public engagement campaign, the museum's new interpretive plan will enhance the format for which the museum shares Elisabet Ney’s life and work through exhibits and programs. Implementation of the interpretive plan will occur once the CIP building renovation project is complete and prior to the reopening.
 
In addition to this new interpretation in the museum, a landscape rehabilitation plan created by a local landscape architecture team seeks to improve access throughout the historic landscape, create an outdoor classroom space, and construct a new entryway plaza. The City and contractors anticipate beginning this landscape work in 2026.

Funding for the interpretive plan and landscape plan is made possible in part by the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum, individual donors, and grants from the Stillwater Foundation, National Trust, City of Austin Economic Development Department, and Austin Parks Foundation.

Final Reports

• Landscape Engagement Report (PDF, 15, MB)
• Contemporary Art Engagement Report (PDF, 11 MB)

Contact Information

For more information on the Re-Imagining The Ney process, please contact:

Jade Walker, Site Manager and Curator, Elisabet Ney Museum, jade.walker@austintexas.gov, 512-619-9959.