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Umlauf Sculpture Garden asks task force to back preservation, access and stormwater work in 2026 bond
Summary
Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum representatives presented a long-range historic-preservation and unification plan and asked the task force to consider bond funding for stormwater management, accessibility upgrades and a new 'treehouse' building to connect the site.
Representatives of the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum asked the Bond Election Advisory Task Force on June 23 to include projects from the Umlauf's historic preservation, expansion and unification (HPEU) plan in the 2026 bond.
Bella (museum manager), Amanda Volbrack (director of operations) and Katie Robinson Edwards (member of the public and longtime curator) described an 8-acre site that includes a sculpture garden, the artist's historic home and studio, and two acres of currently inaccessible land they call the "Natural Zone." Bella said the museum welcomes more than "35,000 visitors each year" and described the site as a longtime public asset located alongside Barton Springs and Lady Bird Lake.
Volbrack presented the HPEU plan that consultant Page Architecture developed with Parks and Recreation guidance. She said the plan would preserve and open the historic home and studio, make the homestead accessible via a new building called the Treehouse with an elevator from the garden, and address stormwater entering the site from Barton Boulevard through detention ponds, swales, rain gardens and pond adjustments. Volbrack said the city owns the land and existing buildings and that the nonprofit Umlauf organization will continue to raise operating funds and grants.
The project list the Umlauf highlighted as aligned with the 2026 bond includes stormwater management, making existing trails and new natural-zone trails ADA-compliant and accessible, and construction of the Treehouse to connect the garden to the homestead. Volbrack said the plan also proposes a new "Gateway" building near the entrance for classroom and event space and improvements to the parking lot and crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety.
Volbrack said the HPEU plan has been reviewed and recommended by five boards and commissions, adopted by city council and endorsed by the Zilker Neighborhood Association. She told the task force the museum is pursuing a mix of funding sources, including historic-preservation grants, tax credits, foundation grants, private fundraising and, she said, a request for City of Austin bond support.
Ending: Umlauf representatives asked the task force to consider their projects during the bond prioritization process and said they would work with staff to refine phasing, cost estimates and funding sources.
