Preservation Austin opens permanent headquarters in restored 1947 McFarland-McBee House on Red River Street
A long-planned move into a protected Austin landmark
Preservation Austin has opened its new headquarters at the McFarland-McBee House, a restored historic property at 3805 Red River Street. The building, a two-story residence constructed in 1947, has been rehabilitated and adapted for office, advocacy, and public programming use—marking the organization’s first permanent home after more than five decades of operating without one.
The McFarland-McBee House is designated as an Austin Historic Landmark and is recognized for its architectural significance as a Streamline Moderne-style structure. Preservation Austin identifies it as one of only three remaining Streamline Moderne buildings in the city, a rarity that has helped place the property within a broader discussion about what kinds of midcentury architecture merit protection in a rapidly changing development environment.
From threatened site to organizational anchor
The property’s survival and reuse has been closely watched in local preservation circles for years. The house at 3805 Red River has previously been the subject of public debate about demolition and redevelopment, reflecting long-running tensions in Austin between growth pressures and efforts to conserve historic resources.
In its restored form, the house is now positioned to function not only as an administrative base but also as a venue for community-facing work. Preservation Austin has begun launching regular talks and workshops at the site, aligning the building’s new use with the organization’s education and engagement goals.
Funding and the mechanics of preservation work
The headquarters project also illustrates the scale and complexity of preservation financing. City records show Preservation Austin received a Heritage Preservation Grant award for the McFarland House renovation. The organization has also described a broader capital campaign tied to completion of the headquarters, reporting fundraising progress approaching $3 million during the 2025–2026 campaign period.
Those resources supported the rehabilitation and a transition from a residential building to a functional nonprofit headquarters—an approach increasingly common among preservation groups seeking stable, mission-aligned real estate that can host programming and strengthen institutional capacity.
What the new headquarters changes for the group’s work
With the opening of the Red River Street site, Preservation Austin gains a consistent venue for its core activities:
Office operations and administrative support for preservation advocacy
Public events, including lectures and educational workshops
Expanded volunteer opportunities connected to archives, communications, and program logistics
The building’s restoration and adaptive reuse place a 1947 landmark at the center of the organization’s day-to-day preservation and public education work.
The opening adds a new preservation-focused destination to the Red River corridor near Hyde Park and the University of Texas area—an outcome that combines architectural conservation with a long-term operational footprint for one of Austin’s best-known preservation nonprofits.