Category Archives: Norwood House

Historic Norwood House
The Norwood House is the fenced white structure on city parkland located at the northwest corner of the intersection of I-35 and Riverside Drive (See Map) . The 9-acre property was once a showcase Arts & Crafts estate, featuring a high-style 1922 bungalow home – surrounded by gardens with a greenhouse, gazebo and walkways – beautifully sited overlooking the Colorado River and downtown. To the east of the house, on lower ground, were arbored bathhouses, a spring-fed swimming pool, and a pecan orchard. Today the former estate is known as Norwood Park, and the house – though recently stabilized – is no longer usable. The other historic features are long since gone, with the lower grounds currently used as a leash free dog park. The former pool is filled in with dirt.

The Norwood Posse was an advocacy group based in SRCC and directed by local resident, Wolf Sittler. The Posse continued efforts that started in the 1990s, after the City acquired the property and in response to the City’s willingness to allow it to deteriorate. Thanks in part to pressure from the Posse and SRCC members, the Parks and Recreation Department commissioned a Feasibility Study and produced the “Preferred Alternative for Norwood Park”. It was adopted by the PARD Board in December of 2011 and included the Posse’s main objective: to restore & repurpose the historic Norwood House.

The posse has since morphed into a new organization, the Norwood Park Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. In 2013 NPF negotiated a multi-year public/private partnership agreement with the City of Austin to restore the house and operate it as a rental venue & community space. Members of the former Posse will keep us apprised of NPF’s progress in posts below.
Liaison: Wolf Sittler 447-2150

Community input at 1st Norwood Meeting

Posted on May 2, 2011 by norwood

The meeting on April 20 highlighted the degraded house and the dog park. Comments about issues and uses, solicited by the consultants, were posted on the list serve.

Posted in Norwood House | Comments Off on Community input at 1st Norwood Meeting

Norwood: Save the date and participate!

Posted on April 13, 2011 by norwood

Wednesday April 20, 6PM, at Zilker Clubhouse is the first community input meeting scheduled by Casabella Architects to explore future options for the entire Norwood Tract. So whether you are interested in the house, the dog park, the pool, access to … Continue reading →

Posted in Norwood House | Comments Off on Norwood: Save the date and participate!

Norwood House future

Posted on April 1, 2011 by norwood

As you know, the Norwood House is finally in the crosshairs of PARD and the consultants. Decisions will be made in the coming months about whether to restore, re-purpose, or demolish the house.

Posted in Norwood House | Comments Off on Norwood House future

Public Input Meeting re: Norwood House

Posted on March 31, 2011 by norwood

Casabella Architects will host the first of a series of public meetings to present ideas and solicit input about the Norwood Park feasibility study. The results of this study will greatly influence what will happen to the most neglected public … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Norwood House | Comments Off on Public Input Meeting re: Norwood House