+ Project Details

"This should serve as a demonstration project for other joint development projects along Congress Avenue in the future. This project was a victory for both state and the city."

-Pollyanne Melton, Urban Designer
Austin Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department

About:
Congress Avenue Wall and Streetscape
Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, TX

The Texas School for the Deaf’s front door, the face it presents to the community, is its perimeter along Congress Avenue. Here the edge of the campus is raised some 15 feet above the street, and the existing retaining wall was in extreme disrepair. BGKA saw the opportunity to not only improve the school’s front lawn image but also connect the school with the community and Congress Avenue by creating a streetscape walkway with a transit stop, 800 feet of additional street parking, and landscape amenities that could be enjoyed by all.

Bringing together the State of Texas (which owns the school), the City of Austin (which owns the sidewalk), and Capital Metro (which owns the transit stop) represents the firm’s ability to find the means to fill a glaring need by bringing separate and seemingly unrelated entities together to fund a transformative project that benefits each individually and the community collectively.

Since its completion in 2005, the wall has given the Texas School for the Deaf a stronger presence in the community. It has reconnected the South Congress merchant district to the downtown area, demonstrating how much the community can benefit from public agencies working together.

Recognition:
Architectural Design Winner, Austin Business Journal Best Real Estate Awards