Robertson Hill Neighborhood Association

2009 Neighborhood Beautification Grant Recipient

Robertson Hill is a diverse Central East Austin neighborhood, rich in culture and history. While new homes have been built, many older homes have been refurbished, and a handful of businesses have moved into the community, the Juniper-Olive Historic District located within Robertson Hill boundaries contains a high concentration of boarded-up historic homes and vacant lots. These homes are frequently used by transients, drug addicts, and prostitutes, posing a safety hazard to the residents of Robertson Hill and serving as reminders of Robertson Hill’s recent blighted past.

The slow progress on Juniper-Olive residential revitalization, the unsightly appearance of the vacant houses, and their use as a breeding ground for crime has motivated the Robertson Hill community to transform the vacant houses into artistic landmarks through a community art mural project to inspire community pride and beautify the neighborhood.

With KAB grant funding, ten 4’ x 8’ panels will be designed, constructed, and attached to the exterior of eight vacant homes.  The mural panels will be designed by a variety of artists; will represent the neighborhood’s culture, and winning entries selected by knowledgeable panel of judges.   As each vacant home becomes slated for restoration, the panels attached to that house will be relocated by RHNA members as a semi-permanent movable collection to Kenny Dorham’s Backyard, an outdoor cultural meeting space at 1106 East 11th Street that is leased from the City of Austin by Diverse Arts.

CLICK HERE to download the Call for Entries, deadline October 23, 2009.

CLICK HERE to see KEYE news coverage of the dedication.

CLICK HERE to see Channel 6 coverage of the dedication.

Before Photos

October 6th, 2009 National Night Out = Panel Prepping

Some of the Completed Panels