Eighteen years after the first master plan was drafted, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center is on track to expand, fulfilling the community's original vision for the space.

City Council first adopted a resolution pertaining to the creation of the MACC in the late 1980s. The first phase of the building, however, did not open until 2007.

In May the Austin Parks and Recreation Department hosted the first of a series of public input meetings meant to direct the next two phases of development for the MACC.

At the final meeting Jan. 20 the public was briefed on the MACC Master Plan by Jaime Beaman, president of Casabella Architects and lead designer for the MACC project. It was the last chance to offer feedback before the plan is presented to the relevant boards and commissions and City Council.

"This project is so incredibly important to the city, and it's taken way too long to get here," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said at the meeting. "I will continue to push as many different ways to raise money for this project."

Phase 2, which will involve the addition of more gallery space and a cafe as well as improved access to Lady Bird Lake, is estimated to cost $23 million-$37 million. As proposed, it will nearly double the MACC's size, from 36,336 square feet to 68,483 square feet.

Some 6,000-8,000 people pass by the MACC each day on the hike and bike trail along Lady Bird Lake, Beaman said at the meeting.

The MACC's mission is to preserve, develop and promote Mexican American and Latino heritage and culture and to facilitate and encourage a greater appreciation of Latino culture arts by everyone.

The third phase of the project, which will focus mainly on transforming the existing auditorium into a proper theater of larger capacity and increasing the number of parking spaces, is a priority for the public, based on feedback received at meetings, from focus groups and via survey. Despite this interest, the cost of developing it has relegated it to a later stage of development.