McFarland-McBee House
Austin, Texas
2025 HISTORIC REHABILITATION AWARD
Built in 1947, the McFarland-McBee House is a local landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. J. P. and Byrdie McFarland began construction on the house while living a few doors down on Red River Street. Working closely on the design with their builder, the McFarlands infused their dream home with their love for the Streamline Moderne houses, hotels, and nightclubs of South Florida. The McFarlands lived in this house until 1954.
By 1962 the house was a rental property, providing a home to students, servicemen, and musicians. Longtime resident Tom Pittman of the band Lounge Lizards lived here in the 1990s with then-wife Madgie Hollingshead, and the house became a fixture in the bluegrass music scene. Legends like Joni Mitchell, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Marcia Ball were among the attendees at their well-known parties, including an annual gathering at the end of each South by Southwest music festival.
But by 2014, the house was facing demolition. That’s when Preservation Austin stepped in as an advocate, launching a grassroots movement to save it. They rallied community support and built a coalition of donors, volunteers, and advocates.
In 2019, Preservation Austin was able to purchase the property, and in 2020, listed it in the National Register. The organization then embarked on its largest project ever—to transform the historic residence into a headquarters for Preservation Austin’s offices, advocacy, and programming.
The work was extensive. Structural issues were serious: failing cantilevers, termite damage, sagging roof beams, and water intrusion that had compromised the balcony, carport, and kitchen. A full roof replacement was required, and the leaking old cast-iron plumbing had to be replaced throughout the house.
Meanwhile, the historic garage was rehabilitated into office space, complete with a new accessible bathroom and a full restoration of its original streamlined design. Sitework addressed long-standing site drainage issues, landscaped the backyard, and added a small parking area.
In recognition of longtime preservation champions Frank and Sue McBee, the rehabilitated house was renamed in their honor—the McFarland-McBee House—when it reopened in 2024.
Major funding for the project came from the McBee Family Foundation, Moody Foundation, City of Austin Heritage Tourism Grant Program, Summerlee Foundation, Lola Wright Foundation, Susan Vaughan Foundation, Still Water Foundation, Texas Historical Foundation, Shepherd 5 Points Family Foundation, and the Texas Preservation Trust Fund—along with nearly 100 individual donors.
The organization also received nearly $290,000 in in-kind professional services and donated materials, including pro bono architectural work from Hutson-Gallagher, landscape design from David Wilson Garden Design, and interiors by Heather Herndon at JS Dwellings.
Today, the McFarland-McBee House stands as Preservation Austin’s first permanent home in more than 50 years. The building now provides office space for staff, meeting rooms for community partners, and a gathering place for Austinites who care about history and heritage.
The award was presented at Preservation Texas’s 2025 Honor Award Ceremony in San Antonio on October 30, 2025.
Owner: Preservation Austin
Project Manager: Lindsey Derrington, Preservation Austin
Architect: Hutson Gallagher, LLC
Engineer: Tsen Engineering
Contractor: ATC Contractors
Other Partners and Stakeholders: David Wilson Garden Design (Landscaping); Heather Herndon, JS Dwellings (Interior Design)
