City Holds On to Rainey St. Land Near Cultural Center

The Austin City Council voted late last night to remove a plot of land next to the Mexican American Cultural Center from consideration for sale or development. Instead, the City Manager will develop options for using the land for parks and recreation.

MACC officials asked the council not to sell the land for development because they feared it would limit the visibility of the center and impede its plans for future expansion. MACC Advisory Board Chair Juan Oyervides told KUT News earlier this week the board had expressed interest in the land earlier this year, and “were shocked to suddenly see a For Sale sign [on the property].”

The council will discuss by December what will ultimately happen to the land. Council also approved a broader resolution “directing the City Manager to develop a review process for potential real estate sales of City-owned land.”