Montopolis residents rallied last Friday (12/3/2016) at Austin City Hall to preserve what used to be the Montopolis School that was also known as the Montopolis Negro School. Various activist groups called on City of Austin to save the former Montopolis School. These groups pressed city hall to preserve the Montopolis School by issuing the property with a historical landmark. 15 members from the Montopolis Neighborhood Association showed up last Friday. The Montopolis Neighborhood Association called upon City of Austin to buy the Montopolis School from Austin Stonewall (Austin Stowell) of KEEP Investment Group. Many groups want the city to keep the school by using empty land as a park and school as a museum.
The situation behind Montopolis School is institutional racism that Austin is known for. Historian Fred L. McGhee pointed out the city not acting to save Montopolis School is a symbol of institutional racism. By letting school buildings such as this one decay and face demolition is an example of institutional racism.
Montopolis School is one of the last 42 schools in Travis County that educated African American children from 1891 to 1962. Schools such as Montopolis School were commonplace during the segregation era. Austin ISD finished integration altogether in 1985.
The City of Austin has determined Montopolis School qualifies for historical landmark designation after an investigation. The City of Austin has recommended initiate historic zoning to keep the Montopolis School from being demolished after they determined the building to be historic. If someone goes before the Historic Landmark Commission on September 12, 2016, to save the school, the school will not be demolished.
But that alone will not be enough to save the school from further demolition. Nothing has been implemented or decided yet by the city or Austin Stonewall, but both plaintiffs are pushing for demolition in order for 15 single-family units to be built. These 15 single-family units will be built on 2 rectangular acres. Austin Stonewall of KEEP Investment Group/Real Estate currently has plans to demolish the school in order to make room for 15 single-family units on the property of 2 rectangular acres. Austin Stonewall currently owns property of the land where the Montopolis School is located on.
Today, Montopolis Church of Christ is currently located in its same position as an original steel framework structure.Austin Statesman reports historic properties like the Montopolis School are extremely vulnerable to demolition even thought the city has recommended to initiate historic zoning to keep the Montopolis School from being demolished after they determined the building to be historic. Historic properties like the Montopolis School are extremely vulnerable to demolition. The City of Austin and real estate developers are currently debating the outcome for the Montopolis School. Currently, however, the school faces demolition.
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