Oldest university mosque in Texas gets a facelift

Planted in the middle of Austin’s university residences since 1977, the Nueces mosque is suffocating within its walls. Faced with growing affluence, a major renovation is necessary for this place of worship, the first mosque built on a Texas campus.

“On Fridays, we sometimes have to pray in the garden,” smiles Karim, a master’s student. A situation that pushes the local Muslim community to launch a $2.5 million project. On the program: expansion of the prayer room and new living spaces.

The project does not lack ambition for this modest building on West Campus, which over the years has become much more than a simple mosque. Between evening classes, shared meals and daily prayers, the place vibrates to the rhythm of student life.

“This is where I feel at home,” says Maria, who has been coming here since her first year of medicine. A feeling shared by hundreds of students who find an anchor in this mosque during their years of study.

Work should begin in the spring, once financing is complete. Until then, this local institution continues to welcome, as best it can, its faithful between two courses.

This renovation reflects the evolution of the Texan religious landscape. In this conservative state where churches traditionally mark the territory, the transformation of a modest campus mosque into a true community center illustrates the silent diversification of society. A change that is taking place far from controversy, in the shadow of the university towers of Austin, a city renowned for its open-mindedness in the heart of Texas.