Arthouse Renovation



Arthouse at the Jones Center to add original contemporary landmark to Congress Avenue

The roots of Arthouse reach back 98 years; it is the oldest statewide contemporary visual arts organization in Texas. On March 19, 2008, the Board of Directors unveiled stunning renovation and expansion plans for the Jones Center.

The plans -- developed by Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, New York-based architects, the Board’s Building Committee and Staff -- will triple total space from 7,000 sq. ft. to 20,830 sq.ft. Funded by a $6.6 million capital campaign, which has already raised more than $5 million, this renovation will “recycle” the current building which in the 1920’s was the Queen Theater, a key part of the Queen/Paramount/State theater “block,” and in the 1950’s became a Lerner Shops department store. Three new galleries, two studios, a 90-seat community/screening room, and a 5,500 sq. ft. rooftop space with a 33 foot x 17 foot movie screen will be added.

INTERACTIVE

Steaming footage of the renovation inside and out via our LIVE WEBCAM

Insiders' tour of the new Arthouse

Architectural Process Interactive

Capital Campaign Overview

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Capital Campaign Donors
as of March 25, 2010

Anonymous (7)
Elizabeth Alford and Michael Young
Wendy and William Atwell
Becky Beaver in honor of Ruthie Schafer
Melissa Berry
Alexander Birchler and Teresa Hubbard
Suzanne Deal Booth and David Booth
Michael A. Chesser
The Dachis Family
Chris and Phil Dial
Erin and Jon Driscoll
Elizabeth Dunbar and Michael Tucker
Talley Dunn
Ray and Mary Margaret Farabee
Kelly Fearing
Mary Franzosa
Stan and BJ Friedman
William and Regan Gammon
The Geyer Family
Sue Graze
Jennifer and John Hamlin
Brent Hasty and Stephen Mills
Steve Hopson
Jan and David Hughes
Kerry Inman and Denby Auble
Madeline Irvine
Ann and Jon Rex Jones
Arianna Jones
Johnna and Stephen Jones
Jeanne and Michael Klein
Ellen and David Lake
Audrey and Steven Lavaggi
Michael Maguire
Ginette Mailloux
Kelley Cooper McClure
Carla and Jack McDonald
Juli and Mac McGinnis
In Memory of Linda Cole Miller from her family
Clayton Morgan
Jason Nichols and David Cleaves
Mary and Chris Ozburn
Philip Paratore and Michael Landrum
Brad Parman
Sheila Pepe
Susi Pinales
Shalini Ramanathan and Chris Tomlinson
Lora Reynolds Gallery
The Rodrigues/Mider Family
Tom Sikes
Karen Smith
Robert F. Smith
Christine and Andrew Stewart
Sally Strickland
Claire and Carl Stuart
Gail and Rodney Susholtz
The Sweeney Family
Grant and Margot Thomas
Julie and John Thornton
John Tongate
Lea Weingarten
Alexa and Blaine Wesner
Melba and Ted Whatley
Jennifer Wijangco
Mary and Howard Yancy


Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation
The Aragona Family Foundation
The Berman Family Foundation
The Clayton Fund
KELM Foundation
McBee Family Foundation
Susan Vaughan Foundation
Rosemary Haggar Vaughan Family Foundation
Still Water Foundation


In-Kind:
Dickensheets Associates
Prosperity Bank
Zydeco Development

“LTL's design is pure creative genius; one can't even begin to call it 'adaptive reuse.' Their layering of history and newly-created spaces within Arthouse's Jones Center make it one of the most amazing pieces of architecture in Austin. This city is really lucky that it’s in such a visible location.

Even before construction, Arthouse's brilliant design has been selected as one of only seventeen U.S. projects featured in Architecture in the United States, part of Taschen's international series highlighting architectural trends by country (and I'm really proud that Austin's City Hall is another)."
Will Wynn, Mayor of Austin
2003-2009

“In a world where new museums vie for most extravagant, let’s applaud the brilliant re-make of Arthouse for a modest sum. Under the careful guidance of New York’s celebrated Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, the directors and staff will deliver an astonishingly expanded—envision a roof top film/art space—and transformed building. LTL’s design opens the old department store frontage to reveal the edgy gaiety within and evokes the ghostly glamour of the old movie house in the new galleries on the second floor. And all this will be accomplished while maintaining the building’s historic Congress Avenue form but punching that form in a way that skids Arthouse right into the 21 century. I can’t wait.”
Melba Whatley, Member, Arthouse Building Committee and Board; 2007 Recipient of AIA-Austin Edwin Waller Award for Public Architecture;
Chair, St. Edward’s University Building Committee

Arthouse Capital Campaign animation created by