Historic Former Cenote House Demolished in East Austin

Owners say demolition went beyond what was approved by the city

Mar. 12, 2026 at 5:38pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The small wood-framed structure at 1010 E. Cesar Chavez St. in Austin, which had housed the Cenote café for over a decade, has been largely demolished despite the city only approving a limited renovation. The current owner, Adam Hadair of Haidar Estates, says the building was structurally unsound and contained asbestos, but neighborhood leaders argue the demolition exceeded what was presented to the city during the approval process.

Why it matters

The demolition of the historic 140-year-old building has revived longstanding concerns among East Cesar Chavez residents about how development is reshaping the neighborhood, with fears it could follow a similar path as Rainey Street where many older homes were demolished in favor of high-rise construction. The building had previously been recognized for preservation efforts, and its loss is seen as a blow to the area's cultural and historical significance.

The details

According to city officials, the project had only been approved for a limited renovation with some demolition, but the owners ended up demolishing the entire structure except for the front façade. The owners say engineers told them the building was structurally unsound and had asbestos issues, but the former café owners say the demolition bears little resemblance to what was presented during the city approval process.

  • The building dated back to the late 1800s.
  • Cenote café operated out of the house for over a decade before relocating in 2021.
  • The city issued a stop-work order on March 6, 2026 after inspectors found the entire structure had been demolished beyond what was authorized.

The players

Cenote

A neighborhood café that operated out of the historic building for over a decade before relocating in 2021.

Mary Jenkins

The co-founder of Cenote café, who spent two years restoring the structure after acquiring it in 2010.

Adam Hadair

The managing partner at Haidar Estates, the current owner of the property who plans to rent the space to Urth Caffé.

East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Association

A local community group that has long debated how growth should unfold along the East Cesar Chavez corridor.

Preservation Austin

A preservation group that had previously honored the Cenote building with a Preservation Merit Award in 2011 for its rehabilitation work.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They were supposed to keep the roof. They were supposed to keep the sides of the house. What they represented to the city and what actually happened are two very different things.”

— Mary Jenkins, Co-founder of Cenote café (Statesman)

“We really did want to save the building, but there was no way to salvage it. Engineer after engineer told us that the structural beams were rotting and that asbestos was being released from cracked walls.”

— Adam Hadair, Managing partner at Haidar Estates (Statesman)

“There's an ever-present concern and anxiety that what happened with Rainey Street is going to happen in our neighborhood. It was culturally and historically significant, and then those houses were knocked down in favor of towers.”

— Eric Pace, Chairman of East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Association (Statesman)

What’s next

City officials say the owner must submit a revised site plan and updated building permits before work can resume on the property. Failure to comply could result in the city revoking the permits entirely.

The takeaway

The demolition of the historic Cenote building has renewed fears among East Cesar Chavez residents about the rapid redevelopment of their neighborhood, with concerns that the area could follow a similar path as Rainey Street where many older homes were replaced by high-rise construction. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between preservation and progress in rapidly changing urban areas.