Elisabet Ney Museum Restorations and Improvements Project Update
February 2025
The City Council recently awarded a contract to Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction, Ltd. for the restoration and improvements of the Elisabet Ney Museum. The museum has relocated and protected all sculptures, and the contractor has begun setting up construction fencing surrounding the museum, pedestrian bridge, and a construction staging area north of Waller Creek. Construction on the museum will begin later this month, starting with the abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint.
Other improvements include:
- Restoration of the original exterior wood doors and windows
- Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system
- Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
- Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes
- Replacement of the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek and installation of accessible pathways
- Waller Creek bank stabilization (20,000 feet)
Funding for this restoration project is provided through 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, and in part by the Heritage Tourism Fund, an initiative paid through hotel occupancy tax revenue and administered by the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Additional funding comes from Partners in Preservation through the National Trust for Historic Preservation and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum.
Elisabet Ney designed and oversaw the construction of her studio and residence, located in what is now Hyde Park. Following her death in 1907, her friends preserved the studio and its contents as the Elisabet Ney Museum and established the Texas Fine Arts Association (TFAA) dedicated to her memory.
The Elisabet Ney Museum is listed as a Texas State Archeological Landmark Site, an Austin Historic Landmark, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places based on its significance as the former American studio of Elisabet Ney. Construction is scheduled for completion early 2026, with the museum being reopened to the public in the summer of 2026.
Christina Bies, Project Manager
Capital Delivery Services
Christina.Bies@AustinTexas.gov
512-974-7251
Ellen Colfax, Project Manager
Parks and Recreation Department
Ellen.Colfax@AustinTexas.gov
512-974-9472
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