AUSTIN, Texas — The so-called “Long Estate” – named for the Long family that occupied it for nearly three decades – located at 2308 Woodlawn Blvd. that burned on Friday was one of the best known in a neighborhood renown for its classic “old Austin” architecture.
The nearly 12,000 square foot home was an architectural icon in Austin’s "Old Enfield" neighborhood – simple and elegant when viewed from the street, spacious and luxurious inside.
When it was offered to buyers a few years ago, the firm handling the sale, Elite Auctions, prepared a video tour that gave viewers a rare glimpse behind the front door. It was a mansion with eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, three elevators and a large art gallery that took up the entire basement space.
From 1991 to 2019, it was the home of philanthropists Joe and Teresa Long, for whom Austin’s performing arts hall, the Long Center, is named.
When the Longs downsized and moved out, it was listed for sale at between $7.5 and $8.5 million. The home was eventually sold for an undisclosed amount and was empty and undergoing renovations when the fire broke out early Friday morning.
Built in 1940 from a design in the Greek Revival style by acclaimed architect Charles C. Page, its most unique aspect was not visible to the eye: it was built on a pier and beam foundation with some 34 concrete piers sunk deep into the earth supporting the structure on concrete beams – a technique usually reserved for large commercial buildings, according to Elite Auctions, which handled the most-recent sales transaction.
It was 81 years old and built to last, but now, it’s a question of whether the mansion on Woodlawn Boulevard will survive the devastating blow.
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