Dougherty Arts Center Redevelopment Project
City Council District 9
Project Summary
Austin Parks and Recreation sought to take steps toward moving the Dougherty Arts Center out of the beloved naval center and into a newly envisioned building to be constructed on Butler Shores Park. This project is in the design document phase.
Background
Built in 1947 as a Naval and Marine Reserve Center, the Dougherty Arts Center (DAC) was dedicated to the City and named for the late arts advocate Mary Ireland Graves in 1978. Since then, the DAC has been offering arts experiences for a broad audience through its three main components: The Dougherty Theater, Julia C. Butridge Gallery and the Dougherty Arts School.
As identified in a conditions assessment completed in 2010, the DAC building is beyond repair. The building was established as a temporary structure meant to be razed in the 1970s but was adopted as a permanent home that has outlived its viability. Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) sought to provide a new facility in order to continue to provide arts center services in a safe, healthy and sustainable environment. This project followed a 2018 community engagement process and City Council direction in spring 2019.
Project Description
The project is currently in the design phase for the replacement of the existing DAC at a new location in Butler Shores Park. Funded by the 2018 Bond Proposition B, the new DAC facility will build on the existing core arts programs in an improved environment that can better accommodate Austin’s significant demand for affordable access to arts services. The conceptual planning and programming documents developed in 2018 with community consultation serve as the basis for this project.
Objectives
The goals for this project will build on the DAC’s mission: to support emerging through established artists who create, showcase and experience the arts first hand. APR envisions the DAC as Austin’s cultural living room, where people of all ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, socio-economic statuses, nationalities and religions gather to create community through the arts. Additional project goals identified in the planning phase include, but are not limited to:
- Develop the surrounding parkland consistent with the vision for the Butler Shores and Cultural Arts District;
- Strengthen trail connections and activating parkland through outdoor education, play and performance amenities;
- Consider alternatives for pedestrian and vehicular circulation, site access and parking; and
- Demonstrate high achievement in sustainable design for architecture and landscape.
Communication and Engagement
Date | Event | Location | Materials |
| April 25, 2022 | Design Update | Virtual | Meeting Presentation (PDF, 8.7 MB) |
Funding and Resources
Primary funding comes from the 2018 Bond Proposition B. Read the Memo to City Council (PDF, 196kb), January 26, 2022, discussing funding challenges.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact Tony Hron, Project Manager, at DACproject@austintexas.gov or by phone at (512) 974-9469.
Previous Projects
2018 Communications and Engagement
The DAC has been the focus of multiple studies which determined that the redevelopment at the current site, due to its location within the floodplain and atop a former landfill, is seen as prohibitive from a both a practical application and cost impact. APR has and continues to investigate feasible opportunities for the facility’s redevelopment.
Currently, there is one site on City of Austin parkland being considered – the site at Butler Shores. Potential benefits of the Butler Shores site include:
- Site is within reasonable proximity and service area of existing facility
- DAC Adjacency to APR Main Administrative Office Proximity to and potential partnership opportunities with the ZACH Theatre
- Opportunity to improve parkland adjoining the APR Main office and new DAC
- Opportunity for shared structured parking facility
- Opportunity to enhance Toomey Road streetscape and pedestrian connectivity to Zilker Park Consistent with recommendations in Town Lake Park Comprehensive Plan and Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan
- Site is City of Austin Parkland and properly zoned for construction of a parks facility.
- Video in English | video en español
| Date | Event | Location | Materials |
| June 21, 2018 | Community Open House 1 | Dougherty Arts Center | Flyer (PDF, 1 MB) Open House Sign-In (PDF, 3 MB) DAC Community Survey: English (PDF, 694 KB) / Spanish (PDF, 722 KB) Comment Cards (PDF, 6 MB) Fact Sheet: English (PDF, 250 KB) / Spanish (PDF, 284 KB) Media Kit Press Release: English (PDF, 165 KB / Spanish (PDF, 157 KB) Public Meeting Presentation Board (PDF, 3 MB) |
| September 19, 2018 | Community Open House 2 | Zilker Botanical Gardens | Flyer (PDF, 1.5 MB) Open House #2 Sign-In (PDF, 771 KB) Open House #2 Comment Cards (PDF, 814 KB) September 19, 2018 Public Meeting Presentation Boards (PDF, 8.5 MB) DAC Community Survey Report (PDF, 1 MB) |
- 2019 Board and Commission Dates (Updated March 28, 2019) (PDF, 153 KB)
- DAC Board and Commission Presentation (PDF, 16 MB)
- Existing Facility Conditions Assessment (PDF, 13 MB)
- In 2010, MWM DesignGroup completed a conditions assessment of the existing facility.
- Feasibility Study for DAC Redevelopment (PDF, 3 MB)
- In 2015, Architecture Plus completed a feasibility study for the DAC’s redevelopment at its current site, across from its current site, and on the Butler Shores parkland site.
- DAC Architectural Program and Vision (PDF, 12 MB)
- In 2017, Studio8 Architects completed an architectural program for a future facility, based on current and projected uses.
Design Phase 2020-2021
Community engagement for the design phase began in October 2020, and the project team presented three site alternatives in early 2021. APR connected with audiences who already interact directly with the Dougherty Arts Center as well as decision-makers or individuals and organizations representing more extensive fields of interests or concerns. This engagement process also sought other communities who will be a part of DAC's future, building on the engagement from 2018.
| Date | Event | Location | Materials |
| October 28, 2020 | Community Meeting 1 | Virtual | Presentation (PDF, 9 MB) Meeting Summary (PDF, 596 KB) |
| November 10, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: DAC Staff | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| November 19, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Adult Painting, Drawing and Photography | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 1, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Youth Program Participants | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 2, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Gallery Artists | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 3, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Artist Professional Development | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 7, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Theater Organizations | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 9, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Friends of the DAC | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 10, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Adult Ceramics | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| December 15, 2020 | Small Group Meeting: Toomey Road Friends and Neighbors | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| January 4, 2021 | Community Survey Closed | Online | Survey Results |
| January 7, 2021 | Small Group Meeting: Equity in Arts | Virtual | Meeting Recording |
| January 26, 2021 | Community Meeting 2 | Virtual | Presentation (PDF, 12 MB) Meeting Summary (PDF, 498 KB) |
After the community engagement process above, the project team presented to the following City of Austin boards, commissions, and City Council:
- Design Commission: February 22, 2021 5:30 p.m.
- Parks and Recreation Board: February 23, 2021 6:00 p.m.
These meetings were made available to the community and allow for participation. Click the link to the desired meeting for more information:
- Environmental Commission: March 3, 2021 6:00 p.m.
- Urban Transportation Commission: March 9, 2021 10:00 a.m.
- Planning Commission: March 9, 2021 6:00 p.m.
- Arts Commission: March 15, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
- Downtown Commission: March 17, 2021 5:30 p.m.
- Historic Landmark Commission: March 22, 2021 6:00 p.m.
- City Council: March 25, 2021 10:00 a.m
