Austin City Council To Decide On Buying 'Montopolis Negro School' Historic Structure

AUSTIN, TX — Members of the Austin City Council on Thursday will vote on whether to purchase a structure once housing the "Montopolis Negro School" toward preservation of the historic property.

A proposed ordinance on the matter is scheduled as part of the Sept. 28 Austin City Council agenda, directing city staffers to direct city staff to negotiate acquisition of property that is now privately owned in order to preserve it as a museum. The funding for the purchase would be derived from hotel taxes, as detailed in the proposed resolution.

In the upcoming agenda package, a letter from the city's planning & zoning department asks for an "indefinite postponement" related to the property's zoning. But in a brief telephone interview, P&Z assistant director Jerry Rusthoven told Patch the request won't affect the vote on proceeding with the purchase. Rather, the request was simply made to allow officials more time to determine changing the site's zoning from private to public, contingent on the council vote on Thursday.

The structure at 500 Montopolis Drive has been vacant since the 1980s. The building once housed students at the height of segregation, operating from 1932 to 1962. The council item calling for acquisition of the property will come well into the upcoming council session as the 72nd item to be discussed.

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