1925 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, Texas. County/parish: Travis.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places April 19, 2001. NRIS 01000396.
1 contributing building.Also known as:
University Junior High School (formerly the School of Social Work Building) was a historic Spanish Revival-style structure on the University of Texas at Austin campus in Austin, Texas. Opened in 1933 as a joint project between the university and the Austin Independent School District, the school served both as a public junior high school and as a laboratory school for the university's Department of Education until 1967, when the school was closed and the facility turned over to UT. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
University Junior High later gained historical significance as one of Austin’s first desegregated schools, contributing to the city’s civil rights history.
The building formerly housed the UT Child Development Center, which relocated after breaking ground on a new facility in 2021.
Following the spring of 2024, the Steve Hicks School of Social Work vacated the historic building as part of a relocation plan by the university that cited the aging building’s inadequacies and a partnership with UT Athletics, which pledged $10 million to address systemic homelessness—a commitment later revealed to lack formal agreements or specific plans.
Controversy arose when the university announced plans to demolish the building to construct a new football practice facility, citing modernization needs and proximity to athletic headquarters. The proposal sparked widespread criticism from local preservation advocates, including faculty, alumni, and grassroots coalitions such as "save the past for the fUTure", who argued that the building represents an irreplaceable cultural and historical landmark.
Efforts to save the structure culminated in its designation as a State Antiquities Landmark on July 26, 2024 by the Texas Historical Commission, temporarily adding legal hurdles to demolition plans.
However, the university ultimately obtained a demolition permit in September 2024. Demolition began shortly after the permit was granted, and the site will be transformed into a modern athletic complex with indoor and outdoor practice fields, a sprint track, and parking facilities.
While the university committed to preserving the building’s memory through photography, a documentary, and salvaged architectural elements, critics argued that such measures fell short of meaningful preservation.
The battle to preserve University Junior High School represents a broader struggle over the preservation of Austin’s history amid rapid urban development and raised critical questions about the role of public institutions in safeguarding cultural heritage. It remains emblematic of the challenges faced by historic landmarks in rapidly growing cities.
(read more...)National Park Service documentation: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40973731