John S. and Drucie R. Chase Building Archive

The building located at 1191 Navasota St. in Austin, Texas has lived multiple lives since its construction and has since become a fixture in Austin’s eastside. The building was originally commissioned by the Colored Teachers State Association of Texas (CTSAT) to serve as its headquarters. John Saunders Chase, the first African American to graduate from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture and become a licensed architect in the state of Texas, was tapped to design the building. The CTSAT would eventually become the Teachers State Association of Texas (TSAT) after being renamed. The building served the CTSAT for 14 years before the association voluntarily dissolved in 1966 to merge with the Texas State Teachers Association.

After the CTSAT dissolved, the building was sold to Dr. Ella Mae Pease and would become the “House of Elegance.” Opening in 1968, the House of Elegance would serve as a beauty salon for the community in East Austin and beyond. During its decades of service, the salon would also function as social hub for the African American community in East Austin. One social event that Pease facilitated was the Ms. Black Austin Beauty Pageant. During this time as the House of Elegance, the building was be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2018, the University of Texas at Austin purchased the building and christened it the John S. and Drucie R. Chase Building. Donna Carter, the first licensed African American women architect in Austin, was tasked with renovating the building along with her firm, Carter Design Associates. Today, the Chase Building houses the Center for Community Engagement (CCE). The CCE works to deploy university resources to foster connections and meet community needs. The Chase Building will aid the CCE in this endeavor and will to be continue a staple of the Austin community.