TELA is currently working on Phase 2 of the City of Austin’s Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC), which is dedicated to the preservation, creation, presentation, and promotion of Mexican American and Latino cultural arts and heritage. The existing building, designed by Teodoro Gonzalez de Leon, is undergoing a renovation and expansion by Miro Rivera Architects and Estudio Tatiana Bilbao. The project aims to provide much-needed space for community activities, educational programs, and improved connectivity to the Butler Trail and surrounding neighborhood. The new plan expands the zocalo into a flexible paved plaza broken up by vegetation that is native to both Texas and Mexico. An event lawn beneath the preserved heritage pecans, provides informal seating during large events, and the space allows for food truck parking and multiple stage setups. The enlarged plaza floats above the adjacent trail and wooded hillside to Lady Bird Lake, and the head of the milksnake path sculpture by artist Benito Huerta is transformed into a unique overlook. Other site elements include a sculptural succulent garden at the auditorium entrance, a nature playground, and a healing garden with raised planters for community members and staff to grow herbs and vegetables for use in the new demonstration kitchen. A shady sculpture walk south of the Center invites neighbors to enjoy the MACC’s art collection and provides a connection from the Butler Trail to the Rainey Street District.