You’ve surely attended a wedding at Mercury Hall, that charming, whitewashed converted church that’s become a staple event venue in South Austin. Maybe you were married there yourself. Now Mercury Hall has issued a save-the-date of its own: its closing date.

Opened in the late Nineties and bought by Merc Properties in 2005, Mercury Hall experienced a revitalization when celebrated Austin architect Michael Hsu reimagined the space. It’s become one of Austin’s most beloved event spaces, most especially for weddings, with Austin Chronicle readers regularly awarding the venue in our annual Readers Poll. But rising property taxes in the lucrative South Austin neighborhood have pushed owners to call it a day, announcing today that the venue will close in June 2021.

In a statement released today, Mercury Hall Partner Daryl Kunik said, “We have really been proud to own and operate such expansive green space in the heart of the city. Unfortunately, our property taxes have tripled over the last five years and it is becoming clear that an event venue is not a viable use on a property of this size and central location. We have held on for as long as we can and are taking our time to find new owners who will be excellent stewards for this beautiful piece of land.”

Mercury Hall owners pledge the venue will operate as usual and weddings and events will proceed as scheduled through June 2021. Additionally, management will be raffling off one date per month to a local nonprofit at 75% off or $50/hour as a way of saying thank you to the community. More info can be found on Mercury Hall’s Facebook page.