Seaholm Waterfront Project Enters Phase 2
The Trail Conservancy and Austin Parks and Recreation are seeking community input on programming for the former Seaholm Intake Facility.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Remote Work
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The Trail Conservancy and Austin Parks and Recreation have launched Phase 2 of the Seaholm Waterfront project at the Seaholm Intake Facility on Lady Bird Lake. Community members are invited to share programming preferences at a November 7, 2026 open house and through an online survey.
Why it matters
The project aims to transform the long-unused facility into a vibrant community hub along Lady Bird Lake in Austin. Public input at this stage will shape the programming of a site that has been out of use since 1989.
The Seaholm Intake Facility has been out of use since 1989 and was the subject of a Studio Gang planning study in 2017 and 2018. The conceptual design remains unfinished, and final programming has yet to be decided by community input.
The players
The Trail Conservancy
A nonprofit organization that works to develop and maintain trails and green spaces, and is partnering on the Seaholm Waterfront project.
Austin Parks and Recreation
The City of Austin department responsible for managing parks, recreation facilities, and community programming, co-leading the Seaholm Waterfront project.
Studio Gang
An architecture firm led by Jeanne Gang that directed the 2017 and 2018 Seaholm Waterfront planning study and created the conceptual design.
Levy Dykema
An architecture firm that has worked on Austin City Hall and the District Cooling Plant and is involved in the Seaholm Waterfront project.
The details
Phase 1 rehabilitated the property so visitors can access it as-is, and Phase 2 focuses on community programming. The conceptual design includes free wifi, a snack and coffee bar, an amenity porch, a courtyard, water access, and landscaping, with Levy Dykema and Studio Gang involved in the work.
Timeline
2017 and 2018: Studio Gang directed the Seaholm Waterfront planning study.
1989: The Seaholm Intake Facility stopped operating.
November 7, 2026, 9-11 am: Community open house at the facility, with family-friendly STEM activities by Girlstart and Austin Energy.
Roadmap
The Seaholm Waterfront project extends public access along Lady Bird Lake by linking a former industrial facility to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. It follows the pattern of adapting Austin's waterfront land for recreational and civic use.
Residents who want to influence the facility's programming can attend the November 7 open house at 707 W. Cesar Chavez St. or complete the online survey. The open house will include family-friendly STEM activities from Girlstart and Austin Energy.
The takeaway
Residents interested in shaping a long-idle Lady Bird Lake site can participate directly by attending the November 7 open house or taking the online survey before programming decisions are made.
What happens next
A community open house is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 9-11 am at the Seaholm Intake Facility, where residents can share programming preferences.
Further reading
For more on local work and community life in the city, explore Remote Work coverage for Austin.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CultureMap Austin.
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Do you support spending public money to turn the Seaholm facility into a community space?
