Public Input On Trail Bathroom Design Sought In East Austin

EAST AUSTIN, TX — Members of the public are invited to provide input on the design of a new restroom for trail users at Festival Beach east of Interstate 35.

The Trail Foundation is undertaking the restroom project to replace an existing facility that has been deemed inadequate. Jobe Corral Architects has been tapped to design the new restroom, and the first public input opportunity will take place May 16 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Austin Public Library Terrazas branch, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez St. Jobe Corral Architects is a local women-owned architecture firm founded by Camille Urban Jobe, AIA, and Ada Corral, AIA.

The Festival Beach restroom, which was identified for replacement in the Holly Shores Master Plan, is one of 15 projects The Trail Foundation announced earlier this year in honor of its 15th anniversary. The Trail Foundation went through the city’s stringent procurement process to select Jobe Corral as the architect for the Festival Beach restroom replacement, officials noted in a press advisory.

The initial community input opportunity will take place during the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood meeting, and members of the public are invited to attend and share their ideas about the replacement of the existing Festival Beach restroom facility. Jobe Corral Architects will provide a brief project overview and respond to questions regarding the project.

A digital survey also will be issued for additional input and those who are not able to attend the meeting. The Festival Beach restroom replacement project is already 100 percent funded through a City of Austin bond that was earmarked for The Trail Foundation by the Parks and Recreation Department in support of its ongoing partnership with the nonprofit, officials noted.

“The selection of an architect that is sensitive to the depth of history and cultural identity of this special park space was critical," Heidi Anderson, executive director of TTF, said. "We’re thrilled Jobe Corral Architects was chosen for this exciting new restroom, and we know they’ll create a successful design that takes the entire community’s needs and thoughts into consideration and enhances the Trail’s natural beauty.”

Once completed, the new Festival Beach restroom will join the ranks of The Trail Foundation’s various other critically acclaimed restrooms, including the Miro Rivera Restroom near Rainey Street (2007), the Heron Creek Restrooms just west of Lamar Blvd. (2015), and the Johnson Creek Restrooms near Mopac (2013), officials said.

Plans call for a groundbreaking at the beginning of next year, Anderson added. Regular project updates will be provided on TTF’s website and social media. For more information, click here and/or here.

>>> Image via Shutterstock