It's been in the works for 30 years, and now the first phase of the Mexican American Cultural Center is open.
Two buildings are ready – a portion of the crescent-shaped main building and the first pyramid-shaped building. The modern, white architectural design was created by CasaBella Architects, Del Campo & Maru and Mexican architect Teodoro González de León.
"The original architect was inspired by the archetype of the sun and the moon, like you often see in Mexican iconography," program director Amparo Garcia-Crow said.
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MACC on track
News 8's Amy Hadley tours the Mexican American Cultural Center.
 
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The 15,000-square-foot first phase includes a multipurpose room (the pyramid building), and the crescent-shaped building consists of offices, classrooms, a gallery and a gift shop. That building opens up to Town Lake and the Hike and Bike Trail. It also serves as a plaza and the central place for gathering.
Garcia-Crow said the center is dedicated in showcasing and
preserving Mexican-American cultural arts. The Tejano Trail will be a series of five outdoor sculptures incorporated into the property along the Hike and Bike Trail.
The 31,000 square-foot facility will eventually house two theaters, studios, classrooms and exhibition halls for displaying artwork. Phases two and three are expected to be completed in the next 10 years once funding is secured.
Austin voters approved $10 million of the estimated $60 million project in a 1998 bond measure. It was first rejected in a 1992 bond election.
The MACC is holding a soft opening right now. Some artwork is on display, people are invited to stroll the grounds, and summer camps are being held there. A grand opening will be held on Sept. 15, the day before Diez y Seis, or Mexican Independence Day.
