Nash Hernandez Building Project

The Nash Hernandez Building is in the heart of the Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Metropolitan Park at Festival Beach. The building is an underutilized asset of the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) and is in need of major renovation. The building was identified to serve as PARD administrative offices with shared community use in the Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Metropolitan Park at Festival Beach Vision Plan. The department is working towards various resolutions from City Council related to the building.

Background

The Nash Hernandez building located at 1621 Nash Hernandez Senior Road is an approximately 9,000-square-foot building built in 1966 for the Austin Fire Department (AFD) as the Arson Division and Museum. The building has been vacant since 2009 when AFD moved locations. In 2012 the Nash Hernandez building was transferred from Austin Fire Department to the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) for the purpose of establishing administrative offices for PARD. In 2012 a building assessment was conducted followed by extensive asbestos and lead abatement in 2013 that left the building not occupiable and in a state of disrepair. Between 2012 and 2019 several assessments, building remediations, and design scopes were initiated and partially developed, but ultimately never completed due to various factors. A previous design version of the Nash Hernandez building included use as a PARD administrative office with no community spaces. Later, Austin Police Department (APD) and PARD collaborated to utilize the building as a joint-use facility until APD pulled out of the project. Currently, PARD intends to utilize the space to accommodate much-needed administrative offices and to offer space for limited community uses as directed in the Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Metropolitan Park at Festival Beach Master Plan.

Project Description

This project will revisit the previous programming and design iterations of the building and update the program and building renovation design to meet current needs. The building program will incorporate PARD administrative spaces while incorporating community-serving spaces as outlined in Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Metropolitan Park at Festival Beach Vision Plan. The project will provide complete renovation to the interior and exterior components of the Nash Hernandez building along with limited site improvements.

• On May 19, 2022, City Council authorized the negotiation and execution of a professional services agreement for design services to renovate the Nash Hernandez building to house PARD administrative spaces with community-serving spaces. (link)
• On June 16, 2022, Council approved resolution 20220616-089 directing the Department to complete a feasibility study and fiscal impact of housing an Intergenerational Resource Activity Center pilot program in the Nash Hernandez Building.
• On October 17, 2022 Staff issued a response to Council Resolution 20220616-089 which included a memo from PARD’s director and a feasibility report. (link)
• On December 8, 2022 Council approved resolution 20221208-059 directing the Department to partner with other City Departments, Austin Public Health, and the IDC Advisory Group to work towards the implementation of an IRAC, which includes identifying licenses, certifications, and funding resources and return to Council with proposals. The resolution also directed staff to conduct community stakeholder engagement meetings to gather input on initiating a pilot IRAC partnership program at Nash Hernandez and other locations recommended by the Parks and Recreation Department. More information related to Intergenerational Program Exploration related to this resolution can be found here. Staff response to this council resolution is expected in late 2023.

Anticipated Schedule 

Pending City Council Direction to resolution 20221208-059. 

Funding & Resources

Partial funding is provided by Certificates of Obligation.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Alyssa Tharrett, PARD Project Management Supervisor, by email or by phone at 512.974.9508