As St. Annie African Methodist Episcopal Church prepares to relocate to new digs farther north, the iconic white building that served as its home for over a century is poised to start a new life as a residential duplex.
The building’s new owners secured approval from the Historic Landmark Commission last Wednesday to move forward with the project, which entails extensive renovations while preserving the church’s steepled silhouette. A back house once used as a pastor’s office and day care will undergo partial demolition and remodeling as a third unit.
St. Annie’s chapel, located just blocks from South Congress at 1711 Newton St., was built in 1915. At the time, the now predominantly white Bouldin Creek was home to a sizable Black community known as Brackenridge, built by enslaved people who had been newly freed and settled in Austin in the aftermath of the Civil War.
St. Annie’s is one of several African American churches feeling the pressure of rising land value and shifting demographics in real estate hot spots like East Cesar Chavez, East MLK and Bouldin Creek. As preservationists lament the disappearance of Black landmarks, a state bill passed in 2019 has made demolitions even easier, exempting churches from historic designation altogether without their consent.
The bill’s story is symptomatic of the difficult choices faced by Black churches. Among its supporters was Democratic state Rep. Sheryl Cole, a member of David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, who told the Austin American-Statesman that the bill will help them move to a better facility without city interference.
In the case of St. Annie’s, the Historic Landmark Commission was glad to find a partner in architect Craig Hoverman, who says he has worked alongside both Pastor Derwin Gipson and former Commission Chair Terri Myers to ground his vision for a historically sensitive renovation project.
“I know this church very well and have talked with the congregation at length for many years about their possible options … and this is the best outcome we could have imagined,” said Chair Ben Heimsath. “I do believe this building still does belong in the city of Austin’s historic register, so please move your project along, and then let’s talk about initiating historic zoning. … It deserves to be a part of our legacy.”
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Historic Landmark Commission: The city’s Historic Landmark Commission promotes historic preservation of buildings and structures. The commission also reviews applications and permits for historic zoning and historic grants.
