Paradigm Contracting LLC.

03/08/2026

As a company we support preserving and protecting the environment with such impactful projects. Great job team!

Austin, TX — Today, City of Austin leaders a

03/08/2026

02/06/2026

A great AISD community project!

02/06/2026

AISD's new Outdoor Wonder &Learning! Shoutout to our great team!

02/06/2026

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/aisd-opens-owl-learning-center-at-former-metz-elementary-school-campus/

Its only been 4 months. We are very proud to have been a part of a fun community project. 🤩

The Austin Independent School District on Friday celebrated the opening of the new Outdoor Wonder & Learning, or OWL, Center at the former campus of Metz Elementary School in east Austin.

01/19/2026

A great opportunity to work with the City of Austin and Austin Park Foundation. Excited for the final results.😀

01/19/2026

Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt Playground offers it all, and the City of Austin excels at serving the community. We were incredibly fortunate to contribute to such a landmark project.

10/14/2025

Such a fantastic project we had such a great time working on! If you get an opportunity to stop by, admire the beautiful updates! Don't forget to buy your tickets Nov 18th!

Congratulations to the Austin Parks and Recreation Department on their Preservation Award for the rehabilitation of Buford Tower & Kitchens Memorial Chimes! 🏆

Join us on November 18 at Stubb's Bar-B-Q to toast the incredible preservation work done in Austin this year🥂

Info + tickets: https://www.preservationaustin.org/events/65th-annual-preservation-merit-awards-celebration

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Constructed in 1930, Austin’s historic Fire Drill Tower, now known as Buford Tower, was designed by noted architects Hugo F. Kuehne and J. Roy White in the Italianate style. The six-story tower served as a public training facility for the Austin Fire Department, and became known for its firefighting demonstrations. After technological advancements rendered it obsolete, the tower was closed in 1974.

In 1978, Effie Kitchens, wife of the tower’s original contractor, led a community-driven restoration in partnership with the Austin Chapter of Women in Construction. Preservation architect Wayne Bell designed ornate gates and grillwork, and a new carillon system was installed to produce bell-like chimes. The restored structure was dedicated as the Buford Tower and Kitchens Memorial Chimes in memory of Austin Fire Department Captain James Buford, who died heroically in 1972.

Ironically, in 2021, Buford Tower sustained significant fire damage caused by arson. Austin Parks and Recreation’s recent rehabilitation restored the tower’s historic character while improving durability and safety. With Paradigm Contracting LLC., they replaced fire-damaged brick with custom wire-brushed masonry, installed new impact-resistant windows, and repaired the carillon system, electrical components, and metalwork. Landscaping improvements, including interpretive signage and a National Register of Historic Places plaque, were also added.

Today, Buford Tower continues to serve as a cherished Austin landmark and memorial site, hosting the city’s annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony. Once again, its chimes ring proudly over Lady Bird Lake, symbolizing resilience, restoration, and community legacy.

Photo: Austin Parks and Recreation Department