[Reading of the Agenda]
[00:00:03]
EMILY REED, THE CHAIR OF THE DIRECT LABOR COMMISSION, SIX O'CLOCK JUNE 22ND.AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER CHAIR.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MERGE THE CALLS FOR THE CITIZENS TO SPEAK.
DO I NEED TO DO THAT? NO, I'LL DO IT.
IF YOU GIVE ME LIKE 30 SECONDS.
WELCOME TO THE AUDIO CONFERENCING CENTER.
PLEASE ENTER A CONFERENCE ID FOLLOWED UP
IF YOU'RE THE MEETING ORGANIZER, PRESS STAR.
NOW, PLEASE WAIT FOR THE LEADER TO ADMIT YOU TO THE MEETING.
YOU ARE NOW JOINING THE MEETING.
I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
MY NAME IS EMILY REED MATURED, A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
IT'S A SIX OH TWO ON JUNE 27TH.
AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND WE'LL BEGIN BY CALLING ROLL LAYLA CHEER.
IN HINDSIGHT, MATTHEW, JACOB IS ABSENT.
KEVIN COOK HERE IN THE QUARTER HERE, GARY MYERS.
TERRY'S ABSENT ALEX, POSSIBLY.
UM, FIRST UP WE HAVE THE, UM, WHAT STAFF LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE WE GET STARTED? WE HAVE MR. SEDOWSKY ON THE LINE.
I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY YES, MR.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CASES UP FOR CONSENT.
THE CHAIR WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM.
UH, THEY'RE ALL LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS AND ONE EMAIL FROM AISD IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION THAT TWO COMMISSIONERS ASKED TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING AND THAT, UH, AISD PRESENTATION OR AT THE EMAIL WE'LL ADDRESS, IMMEDIATE CONCERNS.
AND THEN, HEY, ISD IS PLANNING ON DELIVERING A FULL BRIEFING TO THE COMMISSION NEXT MONTH IN JULY.
SO JARED, IF YOU WANT TO, UH, GO THROUGH THEY'RE ALL, UH, GO THROUGH THE CASES THEY'RE ALL LISTED AS TWO, UH, WHICH ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE ONLY DISCUSSION CASES I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDING DISCUSSION IS
[Consent Agenda]
THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE D ONE AND 18 EDGECLIFF PARIS.THESE IS REALLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANY COMMISSIONERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THESE, UM, THE TIME HAS PASSED FOR THE PUBLIC TO FULL DAYS FOR DISCUSSION.
SO THAT WAS THE ONE 10, 18 EDGE WITH PARIS, THE TWO EIGHT OH ONE WESTERN CHAVEZ.
THE ONE ONLY TO REGISTER ABSTAIN ON THAT ONE.
[00:05:07]
UM, ITEM B TO 1801 WEST CESAR CHAVEZ.IF YOU DON'T THEN TAKE A THREE 38 OH THREE AVENUE H BEFORE SEVEN 20, EAST 32ND STREET AND SEE TWO 16, 19 WATERSON AF SEE THREE 24 16 HARTFORD AVENUE.
ANYBODY WANT TO PULL ANY OF THOSE? NO, MATT, I'M SURE.
WE SHOULD ALSO ASK THE MINUTES FROM MAY TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, ALSO NEED TO ADD THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, I WILL MOVE TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSES, UH, EIGHT ZERO WITH MY ABSTENTION.
YES, ACTUALLY IT WOULDN'T IT BE ZERO.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD'VE BEEN COMMUNICATION.
WE CAN TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON OUR DISCUSSION CASES.
IF THERE IS ANYONE DISCUSSING ITEM A TO B UH, LAVACA STREET, UH, I WILL BE ABSTAINING ON THAT AS WELL.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUR PROTOCOL.
OBVIOUSLY, IF I WERE OFF THE DYESS AND THEY WERE PROVIDING THEIR COMMENTS, NO, I WOULD NOT BE PARTICIPATING, BUT IF I'M NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO THOSE KINDS, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S SIGNED UP FOR THAT ITEM OR NOT.
UH, WE DO HAVE THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THAT ITEM.
UM, DON'T THINK IT POSES A PROBLEM FOR YOU JUST TO BE LISTENING TO THEIR COMMENTS.
UM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING, SHOULD I JUST GO LIKE THIS THE WHOLE TIME YOU CAN TAKE OUT YOUR HEADPHONES AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A SIGNAL? YEAH.
WELL ACTUALLY, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
I'LL GIVE YOU A DOUBLE THUMBS UP WHEN WE MOVED PAST.
UM, YOU'LL BE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH, UM, WELL I SEE, UH, KEN MCKNIGHT IS SIGNED UP ON, UM, YOU A, BUT THAT'S REALLY PART OF THE BRIEFING, RIGHT? LIKE SHE WOULDN'T BE SPEAKING AT THIS MOMENT.
AND I'LL ALSO BE ABSTAINING FROM ITEM D TO 25 OH TWO PARK DRIVE.
WHICH WOULD YOU SEND THAT? THAT'S A COMMISSIONED RECORDER.
SO MR. I'M SAYING WE WILL BE STARTING WITH, UM, TO BE, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A DOUBLE THUMBS UP WHEN WE'RE DONE.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, OBJECT HERE THAT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THESE SORTS OF MEETINGS AND THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR THE MEETINGS, OUR BRIEFINGS ARE LIMITED TO EIGHT MINUTES TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW.
SO OUR FIRST, UM, CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON TO BE IS WILLIAM FRANKS.
MR. FRANKS, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I AM ON THE LINE.
UM, WELL FRANK, ARE YOU SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION OR FOR THE BRIEFING? THE BRIEFING.
SO THAT WILL BE THE BRIEFING, THE STREET.
I THINK WE HAVE SET UP FOR BEING AN ATTENDER RIGHT NOW.
[00:10:01]
THINK THERE IS ANY CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.NO, THE PEOPLE WHO MAY WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY SHOULD GO BEFORE THE BRIEFINGS OR AFTER THE BRIEFING.
I THINK THEY SHOULD GO, UH, AFTER THE BRIEFINGS.
SO THE BIGGER PUBLIC PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE COMMISSION WEIGHING THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO OH, OKAY.
SO YOU DO WANT TO DO THE BRIEFINGS FIRST.
I THINK, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE IF Y'ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT TO THAT.
I LIKE THE TESTIMONY BEING CLOSER TO THE CASES.
UM, SO WE WILL THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM MS. MCKNIGHT ON TUESDAY AND THEN WE'LL HEAR, UM, TO BE A COMMISSIONER HANDSET.
I BROUGHT YOU BACK ON SO THAT YOU COULD HEAR, UM, THE OAKWOOD CEMETERY PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU SEE, WHAT DID WE GO AHEAD AND ENROLL INTO THAT? OR IS THAT VIA EMAIL, MR. SADOSKY? DO YOU KNOW IF ANYONE IS GOING TO SPEAK ON, OH, I'M SORRY.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR TO SEE.
SO THAT'S, WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM NEXT MONTH.
SO WE'RE HERE TO ATB AND THEN WHAT WE WILL HEAR FROM, UM, FOLKS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON, UH, C ONE AND D TWO, I GUESS THAT
[Item 2A]
BRINGS US TO KIM MCKNIGHT.MS. MCKNIGHT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I AM.
I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND HERITAGE TOURISM AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND LOOKING AT THE BACKUP ONLINE.
I'M NOT SEEING THAT THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION THAT I SENT TO STAFF HAS BEEN UPLOADED, BUT MANY OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTS ARE.
I JUST WANTED TO CHECK IN WITH STAFF REAL BRIEFLY TO SEE IF, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION QUICKLY TO THE COMMISSIONERS THROUGH EMAIL, JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE HYPERLINKS IN THAT PRESENTATION THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
SO, UM, ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? IS THERE SOME, IS THERE SOME WAY THAT CAUSE THE PRESENTATION ITSELF, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE, UM, WHAT ARE PEOPLE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING ALONG? IF MY PRESENTATION ISN'T ACTUALLY UPLOADED, IS THERE, WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY BACK UP THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
I'M NOT, MAYBE I'M MAYBE IT'S OUT OF MAYBE, PERHAPS IT'S OUT OF ORDER.
I'M JUST, I'M SEEING THE THREE MEMOS I SENT YOU AS WELL AS THE REPORT THAT I'M GOING TO REFERENCE, BUT I'M NOT SEEING THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION.
LET ME KNOW HOW YOU WANT TO PROCEED.
I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION, OBVIOUSLY.
I JUST, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE HELPFUL FOR THE COMMISSIONERS IF THEY HAD IT IN FRONT OF THEM.
IF I WAS, UH, WE DO HAVE WHAT'S LABELED, UH, OAKWOOD ARCHEOLOGY PRESENTATION.
I DOWNLOADED THAT FROM OSAKA, BUT MAYBE I'M JUST, IS IT, IS IT MAYBE THERE? AND I'M NOT SEEING IT.
I'M SEEING FOUR ITEMS. I APOLOGIZE.
I'M NOT SEEING THERE'S OAKWOOD CEMETERY, ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND THEN THREE MEMOS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE THERE AND SOMEBODY HAS IT.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE EMAILS THIS WAS SENT TO US IN AN EMAIL PLEASE.
SO YOU MAY HAVE, SO DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THE PRESENTATION IF I WANT TO GO THROUGH IT SIDE BY SIDE? UH, I WAS REMEMBERING SEEING THAT TOO, AND I DID JUST FIND IT IN MY EMAIL, UM, FROM ELIZABETH, FROM IT AT ONE, ONE 34.
WELL THEN, UM, DO I, SHALL I GO AHEAD AND PROCEED? I KNOW YOU'VE GOT LOTS OF TIME AND I'M ACTUALLY EVEN GOING TO TIME MYSELF CAUSE I KNOW MYSELF WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IF I DON'T TELL, TALK TOO LONG, UM, SHOULD I PROCEED OR DO YOU ALL NEED MORE TIME TO FIND THOSE PRESENTATIONS? UM, I'VE GOT IT OPEN.
DOES ANYONE ELSE NEED A MINUTE TO PULL IT UP? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
WELL, I'M HERE TO PRESENT AN UPDATE AND BRIEFING ON WHERE WE ARE WITH, UH, AN ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION AT OAKLAND CEMETERY.
THAT'S BEEN GOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IS STILL VERY MUCH AN ACTIVE PROJECT.
I BELIEVE YOU HAD SOME CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WE ASKED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO PROVIDE
[00:15:01]
THIS BRIEFING SO THAT WE COULD GET THE REPORTS ABOUT OUR PROJECT FINALIZED AND THAT DID HAPPEN.SO I'M HERE TO PROVIDE JUST A BROAD OVERVIEW.
I'M GOING TO TALK VERY FAST AND GO THROUGH THE INFORMATION QUICKLY.
UM, OAKWOOD CEMETERY, AS YOU KNOW, UM, IS THE OLDEST MUNICIPAL CEMETERY IN OUR CITY AND DATE FOR THE FOUNDING OF OUR CITY IN 1839.
IT IS, UM, HOW WE DESIGNATED, UM, AS THE CITY OF BOSTON LANDMARK OFFICIAL HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY, AS WELL AS NATIONAL REGISTER, UH, THE CEMETERY.
UM, UH, CAUSE I'M ON SLIDE THREE AT THIS POINT.
UM, THOSE HAVE A SEGREGATED SECTION FOR PEOPLE WITH COLOR, UH, THAT DATES, UM, THE CEMETERY ITSELF WAS RELATIVELY INFORMAL TILL ABOUT 1859 WHEN IT WAS FORMALLY SEGREGATED BY ORDINANCE.
AND IT'S THOUGHT THAT APPROXIMATELY 1200 PEOPLE WERE BURIED IN THIS SECTION BETWEEN 1859 AND 1880.
UM, EVEN AFTER THAT TIME, MANY PROMINENT, UH, LEADERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY ARE INSURED WITH THE CEMETERY, INCLUDING THE REVEREND JACOB FONTANE, LC ANDERSON AND DR.
UM, THE CEMETERY, UM, SECTION IS ALSO, UM, KNOWN FOR HAVING OTHER, UH, IT'S NUANCED AND THERE'S OTHER SECTIONS.
AND SO THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS OF HISPANIC AND EUROPEANS OR SONS, AND THERE ARE SECTIONS THAT OVERLAP THAT INCLUDE WHAT ARE HISTORICALLY CALLED STRANGER GROUNDS AS WELL AS, UM, PAPA GROUNDS OR POTTER'S FIELDS, WHICH WE NOW CALL INDIGENT BURIAL GROUNDS.
UH, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION, UM, COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR OTHER MORE NUMEROUS CEMETERIES IN TERMS OF HISTORIC DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS AREA.
THE CHOCOLATE ITSELF WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1914 AND THIS EXISTS IN THIS SECTION OF THE CEMETERY AND WAS DESIGNED BY US AN ARCHITECTURAL PAGE OVER THE YEARS AND BECAME VERY DETERIORATED AND WAS USED AS AN OFFICE AND LATER YEARS.
UM, IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR MANY YEARS OUT OF THE PRIOR PRIORITY PROJECT IN BOTH OUR CEMETERY MASTER PLAN AND OUR 2012 BOND.
AND THE CHAPEL WAS ENVISIONED ANN IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS A, AS A, UH, INTERPRETIVE SPACE AND A VISITOR CENTER FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE CEMETERY.
AND WE HAVE A PRETTY FANTASTIC STAFF THERE NOW ORGANIZING DIGITAL EXHIBITS AND HOSTING TOURS.
I HAD OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE CHAPEL.
WE DID WORK TO SECURE THE SERVICES OF AN ARCHEOLOGICAL FOAM HICKSON COMPANY TO MONITOR THE PROJECT, UM, GIVEN THE SENSITIVITY OF THE LOCATION.
UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICE AND ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
AND AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY DO KNOW I'LL BRIEFLY JUST TALK ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF THAT, BUT IT WOULD CALL FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT FOR ANY KIND OF GROUND DISTURBING ACTIVITY, DOCUMENTATION OF ALL CULTURAL RESOURCES, PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF ANY REMAINS THAT WOULD BE DISCOVERED INCLUDING THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD, UM, DIRECT THESE BURIALS TO TEXAS STATE FOR A NONINVASIVE BYLAW BIOARCHAEOLOGY LOGICAL ANALYSIS, AND THEN B UM, PRODUCTION OF A REPORT TO SUMMARIZE THE FINDINGS AND REALLY TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF AS WELL AS THE FINDINGS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DID DISCOVER AT THE END OF NOVEMBER OF 2016, DURING THE SECOND SHAFT THAT WAS POURED FOR A PEER OR DRILLED FOR A PEER, UH, BONE FRAGMENTS, THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION WAS HALTED THE HISTORICAL CONDITION WITH NOTIFIED CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL MEMBERS THEN, OR HOUSTON WAS NOTIFIED AS CITY LEADERSHIP OR INFORMED, UH, WITH THE KFC, UM, THE CONTRACTOR AND THE TEAM WORKED TO REMOVE, UM, ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF SOIL IN ORDER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SCALE, THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH.
AND AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT INDEED THE CHAPEL HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTED OVER PREEXISTING GRAVES.
AT THE TIME WE THOUGHT WE WERE DEALING WITH IT ABOUT 25 BURIALS LATER, THE NUMBER GREW TO 37, ALTHOUGH FOLLOWING ANALYSIS THAT APPEARS THAT ONLY 36 HAD, UM, INDIVIDUALS STILL WITHIN, UH, PRIOR TO, UM, NOTIFYING THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSTON WORKED WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A SMALL GROUP OF CLERGY AND NOTIFIED, UM, SEVERAL EAST AUSTIN, UH, LEADERS.
UH, AND IT WAS DONE THAT WE STARTED TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THROUGH A MEMO AND MEDIA ADVISORY, AS WELL AS THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND WE PROVIDED HYPERLINKS TO ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
UH, WE THEN ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE SPRING TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, SHARE PRECEDENT CASES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
TALK ABOUT THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE PROJECT IN ORDER TO ARRIVE UPON, UM, A NEXT STEP AFTER DEATH.
IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BURIALS WOULD BE EXUMA, UM, AND
[00:20:01]
WOULD BE REENTERED INTO OAKWOOD CEMETERY.AND THAT WE WOULD UNDERTAKE FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS, A NUMBER OF COMMEMORATIVE AND MEMORIALIZE MEMORIALIZATION TYPE ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE REMAINS WERE EXUDE AND TRANSFER TO TEXAS STATE.
THAT PROCESS OF ANALYSIS TOOK A VERY LONG TIME.
UH, AND IT WAS ONLY, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THE FINAL REPORTS WERE COMING IN.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN AWAITING ACCEPTANCE FROM THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF THOSE REPORTS.
MEANWHILE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEDICATE TO THE CHAPEL AND OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IT WAS JUST IN MAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY RELEASE THE REPORT.
UM, YOU DO HAVE THE REPORTS AND, UM, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DISOWN.
VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTIFACTS.
UM, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT THE, UM, THE, UH, THE DIFFERENT BIOLOGICAL AFFINITIES ARE REPRESENTED IN THE BURIALS.
UM, ONLY ABOUT 20 OF THE 36 DELRIOS WERE ABLE TO BE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE SO MANY WERE INFANTS, BUT OF THE 20, WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN THAT SIX ARE, UM, ASSUMED TO BE BLACK SIX SYSTEMS TO BE WHITE SEVEN ASSUMED TO BE HISPANIC, AND ONE DETERMINED TO BE BROADLY ASIAN.
AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS CONTINENTAL, ASIAN, OR NATIVE AMERICAN, AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THROUGH TO ADHERE TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES REPATRIATION ACT TO NOTIFY STATE AND FEDERAL TRIBES TO DETERMINE NEXT STEPS.
I'M NOW ON SLIDE 10, MY LAST, UM, WE JUST ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK AND YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MEMO AND IT'S, AND IT'S ALSO IN YOUR BACKUP THAT WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT FOR AN ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP THAT COULD LEAD TO DNA TESTING OF THE REMAINS.
UM, THIS WAS, UM, WELCOME AND EXCITING NEWS BECAUSE THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HAS BEEN PIONEERING NONINVASIVE AND MINIMALLY INVASIVE TESTING TECHNIQUES.
UM, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, UM, TO WORK WITH A SAMPLE THAT COULD THEN BE RETURNED TO THE INDIVIDUALS PRIOR TO REINTERMENT.
AND SO WE ARE EXPLORING THAT PARTNERSHIP, AND I THINK THAT HOLDS A LOT OF AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
WE ARE WORKING WITH A NEW FIRM, HOW THE OLD CONTRACT HAD COME TO AN END.
AND SO WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH A NEW FIRM TO MONITOR THE REINTERMENT PHASE, AS WELL AS ASSIST WITH MEMORIALIZATION, A PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM AND A PUBLIC EXHIBITS.
UH, THE EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE COMMEMORATIVE PIECE OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING ON A DIGITAL EXHIBIT THAT WOULD INTERPRET THE FINDINGS, UM, THAT ARE IN THE REPORT.
AND IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SEE AT THE CHAPEL AND ALSO ONLINE.
AND FINALLY, WE DO HAVE PLANS TO PURSUE AN INTERPRETIVE PLAN FOR THE FULL CEMETERY, WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON THIS SECTION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS REALLY NOT WELL INTERPRETED NOW.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO RECTIFY THAT.
SO I'VE TRIED TO SUMMARIZE WITH A VERY LONG PROJECT, UM, AND, AND I'LL STOP SO I CAN ALLOW FOR QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR TIME AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY QUESTIONS FOR HER.
UM, I, I'M JUST THRILLED WITH THE THOROUGHNESS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT.
SO SENSITIVELY, UH, AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AS THIS IS PROCEEDING.
UH, BUT, BUT I HAVE TO SAY IT JUST IMMEDIATELY, AS I WAS READING THROUGH YOUR REPORT, IT OCCURRED TO ME, UH, THE, THE REMAINS HAVE NOT BEEN REENTERED YET.
SO I ASSUME THEY ARE IN AN APPROPRIATE PLACE CURRENTLY DO WHERE, WHERE ARE THE REMAINS? THE REMAINS ARE AT TEXAS STATE AND THE LABORATORY WHERE THEY WERE ANALYZED.
WE WILL, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON THE SORT OF LOGISTICS AROUND THE DNA TESTING.
AND WHEN, UM, THERE WILL BE A PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR, AND THAT WE'VE, UH, CONTRACTED WITH, WE'LL BE WORKING TO IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS IN, IN THE CEMETERY, VERY CLOSE TO THE CHAPEL, THAT'S OUR GOAL.
BUT AS YOU, AS WE ALREADY KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF UNMARKED GRAVES.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, FURTHER IMPACT GRAVES NEGATIVELY THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING.
SO IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT TRICKY.
AND THE GOAL WOULD BE TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE IT WOULD BE.
UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ENTER THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEN MONITOR THE EXCAVATION OF THOSE, UM, NEW GRAVE SITES.
AND, UM, AND SO THE, THE, THE REMAINS ARE VERY SAFE IN A, IN A PROFESSIONAL LABORATORY AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY.
IT'S THE FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY LABORATORY THAT SPECIALIZES IN THIS WORK AND KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND JUST A QUICK FOLLOWUP, UM, UH, IS THERE GOING TO BE THROUGH THIS DNA TESTING AND IT MAY BE IN YOUR
[00:25:01]
BURIED DEEPER IN THE REPORT.IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY EFFORT TO DETERMINE FAMILY CONNECTIONS OR, OR CONNECTIONS TO, UH, ANY DNA POOLS THAT WOULD BE EXISTING? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED A LOT.
AND I WILL SAY THAT EVEN IN THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT, THERE HAS BEEN NEW, UM, ADVANCES WITHIN TECH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE, DO YOU MAY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WHILE BNA, AS WELL KNOWN SORT OF PUBLICLY FOR BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL LIVING DESCENDANTS, IT'S ONE OF MANY REASONS THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH US.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, IF WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL WHO, UH, BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD, UM, A CONNECTION, UH, GENETICALLY TO ONE OF THE BURIALS, UM, WHETHER THEY HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, FAMILY MOURN OR ALL HISTORIES THAT SAID THAT THIS WASN'T BURIAL AREA OR ADJACENT FAMILY, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT TO GET A GENETIC SAMPLE, SUCH AS SALIVA FROM AN, A LIVING INDIVIDUAL TO DETERMINE RELATEDNESS.
WE ALSO MIGHT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE RELATEDNESS BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, THAT WE HAVE ZOOMED TO SEE IF THEY ARE RELATED TO, IF THERE'S RELATED TO US WITH ANY, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN EACH OTHER.
UM, BUT ALSO IN A VERY SORT OF INTERESTING WAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE DIET EXPERIENCES, DISEASE EXPERIENCES OF STRESS AND TRAUMA, UM, AND, AND THE, AND THE SITE AND THE TEAM THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH IS VERY WELL POSITIONED, UM, AND HAS DONE A LOT OF STUDY OF SIMILAR, UM, UH, PROJECTS, UNFORTUNATE PROJECTS, BUT, UM, SUGAR LAND AND TO COME OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON AND SOME OTHER PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF ATLANTA.
AND SO I, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A GROUP THAT THIS SORT OF POST COLONIAL AMERICAN SOUTH AREA WITH MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
IT'S AN, A, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCOVERY TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE COMMUNITIES.
I HAD A QUESTION, UM, WERE THERE ANY EXCAVATIONS DONE OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE CHAPEL AND, UM, RELATED TO ANY WORK OUTSIDE THE CHAPEL AND OR WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS FOR ANY TO, UH, STUDY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOCATIONS OF GRAVES AROUND THE CHAPEL FOR FUTURE WORK, AT LEAST TO BRING IT TO THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE LOCATIONS AND ALL THE GRAVES ELSEWHERE IN THE CEMETERY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND KEVIN JOHNSON MAY STILL BE ON THE LINE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF HE IS OR NOT, BUT HE IS THE PROJECT MANAGER THAT WORKS WITH ME.
SO AS HE OWES, HE SHOULD FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE AND ALSO PICK UP, BUT WE DID IDENTIFY, UM, JUST UNDER 60, UH, GRADES TOTAL.
UM, I I'M REALLY REFERENCING THE ONES THAT WERE ZOOMED.
AND SO WE DO INTEND TO MARK AND INTERPRET THE GRADES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, BUT, UM, NOT NECESSARILY ZOOMS AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN RECORDED TO, UM, UH, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS ALL WILL BE, OR HAVE BEEN RECORDED TO OUR RECORDS, SO THAT WE'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, UM, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION AND IT'S IN THE CEMETERY MASTER PLAN BROADLY AS CONTINUING TO PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, NONDESTRUCTIVE MEANS WHETHER IT'S GROUND PENETRATING RADAR OR SOIL RESISTIVITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF METHODOLOGIES THAT ARCHEOLOGISTS CAN USE TO IDENTIFY, UM, WHERE WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS VARY.
SO WE DID, UM, WE, WE DID EXAM ONLY THE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEEDED TO BE EXAMINED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT WERE, WERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, ABLE TO LOCATE MANY MORE, BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT, UM, THE WHOLE ENTIRE SECTION IS, UM, FULL OF UNMARKED GRAVES.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER TELL THE STORY OF UNMARKED GRAVES.
OVERALL, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UM, BURIED IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SECTION BEHIND THE CEMETERY, A FOOT STONE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN MORE THAN JUST A FOOT STONE, BUT SOME, UM, GRAVES THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN LOST BECAUSE OF OVER TIME.
SO WE WOULD BE RESETTING THOSE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR HER? UH, KIM'S COLLEAGUE ON THE LINE WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING I'M HERE, BUT I THINK KIM ANSWERED THAT INACCURATELY, SO I'LL STAND BY.
I GO, UM, COMMISSIONER HOMESTAYS COMMENTS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE CITY'S WORK AND THE GRAVITY WITH WHAT HE CONSIDERED THE SITUATION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION UPDATED AS WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE DEVELOP NEW PLANS AND ARE ABLE
[00:30:01]
TO PUT INTO OUR PLANS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.SO I THINK WE WILL NEXT TO MOVE INTO
[Item 2B]
OUR NEXT BRIEFING, UM, WHICH WAS BE TO, UM, SO COMMISSIONER HINES SAY IF YOU WANT TO PLUG WILL SIGNAL TO YOU.I'M CIRCLING BACK TO YOU AGAIN.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST, UM, IN THIS BRIEFING? YES.
AND I SERIOUSLY, I COULD LISTEN TO THE OAKWOOD CEMETERY STORY FOR A LOT LONGER.
THAT WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING.
UM, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT, ACTUALLY, MR. FIVES, BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, UM, IF WE CAN GET THE POWERPOINT PULLED UP, WE'VE GOT YOUR, UH, ARCHITECTURAL PLANTS THERE THAT WILL HELP ILLUSTRATE WHICH TALKING ABOUT, OKAY.
I I'M ACTUALLY JUST ON THE CONFERENCE CALL PORTION.
THAT'S WHAT WAS SENT TO ME, BUT I DO HAVE THE PLANS IN FRONT OF ME AS WELL.
SCRAP THAT UP FOR THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND IT WAS ALSO PROVIDED IN OUR COMMISSION EMAILS OF THE POWERPOINT DOCUMENT.
BUT, UH, PUTTING UP THE POWERPOINT WILL ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE LOOKING AT THIS BROADCAST TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT, UH, WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.
UM, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT, UM, IN FOLLOW UP TO THE HISTORIC COMMISSION MEETING, UM, THAT WE ATTENDED PRIOR AND ALSO A COUPLE ROAD CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, UH, REGARDING THE BAKALA MULE ROBINSON BUILDING AT 1415 OR RACA STREET.
IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOUCHES OFF THE PACKET MEDICAL ASSOCIATION BUILDING.
UH, WE HAD PLANNED, UM, A RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING TO, UH, RESTORE THE OUTSIDE WALLS ON LAVACA AND ON 15TH STREET AND TWO ON THE INTERIOR TRACK ACTUALLY BUILD A 12 STORY BUILDING ON THE INSIDE, UH, PRESERVING THE OUTSIDE OF HIS TO WORK.
UH, WE HAD, WE HAD QUITE A FEW COMMENTS, UH, FROM BOTH THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE, UH, CERTIFICATE APPROPRIATE HIS COMMITTEE.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE REVISED DRAWINGS AND I ACTUALLY HAD KEITH CALLS AND ON THE LINE WITH ME, WHO IS THE ARCHITECT, AND CAN RUN THROUGH THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE AS WELL AS I HAVE.
UM, I, LOU MOMAN AND MAZUR MOE MEN, UM, WHO WERE ACTUALLY THE PURCHASES OF THE BUILDING THAT WILL BE, UH, CONVERTING THIS INTO A HOTEL.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE EVERYBODY AND ALSO TO TELL YOU, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, UH, PROFUSELY ON TRYING TO MAKE THESE CHANGES AT THE SAME TIME, WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALL, UM, IN GOOD STANDINGS WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, PROVISIONS OF THE CITY.
SO, UH, KEITH CARLSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE CHANGE THAT WE'VE MADE SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE AT THE COMMISSION? SURE.
UH, THIS IS KEITH CARLSON WITH MCS ARCHITECTS.
UH, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THE PRESENTATION THAT WE, UH, PREPARED, UH, FOR THE COMMISSION, UH, THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST PRESENTATION WHERE, UH, WE NEEDED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY CLEAR OF THE EXISTING COOPER'S, UH, ON THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING.
SO WE ELEVATED THE SECOND LEVEL TO ACCENTUATE THAT CLEARANCE BY AN EXTRA THREE OR FOUR FEET.
UH, THE OTHER CO COMMENT THAT WE HAD WAS BASICALLY ANY COLUMN SUPPORTING THE STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE SET BACK SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING.
SO, UH, INITIALLY WE HAD THEM CLOSER TO THE, UH, PERIMETER, THE, THE PARAPET WE'VE MOVED THEM ALL BACK A SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE, UH, SO AND EVER CAN LEAVE, RING THE BUILDING, UH, HIGH ABOVE THE COOPERS.
UH, ONCE WE GET TO THE THIRD FLOOR, THE, UH, OTHER MAJOR COMMENT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING ITSELF.
THEY FELT IT SHOULD BE A MORE MINIMAL PRESENTATION, UH, A LITTLE MORE OF A BACKGROUND BUILDING, UH, TO NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE BUILDING ON THE
[00:35:02]
FIRST LEVEL.UH, THOSE WERE A SIGNIFICANT ONES.
UH, ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID IN REDESIGNING THE FLOOR PLANS, WE REDID THE ENTRY INTO THE HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF 15TH AND LAVACA, WHICH IS WHERE THE EXISTING ENTRY TO THE BUILDING WAS.
UH, THIS BRAND IS CALLED MOTEL BY HILTON.
IT'S A NEW BRAND, UH, THAT THEY'VE JUST BROUGHT FORTH IT'S FOR MILLENNIALS.
AND WE THINK IT'S AN EXCITING PRODUCT.
UH, WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT SOME MODIFICATIONS ALONG THE WALKWAY, UM, ON LAVACA.
UH, IT WAS FAIRLY COMPLICATED HOW IT WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY.
WE'VE TRIED TO SIMPLIFY THAT WITH A WALK AREA WHERE PEOPLE WALKING ALONG THE SIDEWALK AND STAY AT GRADE LEVEL AND NOT GO UP AND DOWN.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE ARE ALLOWING SOME RAMPING IN, ON BOTH SIDES, UH, ONTO A TERRACE LEVEL, UH, IN THAT SIDEWALK AREA.
SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME MORE WORK TO BE DONE WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, WITH THE ELECTRICAL VAULT SIZING AND SO FORTH, BUT, UH HUH.
WE FEEL WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIT THIS BUILDING ONTO THE SITE.
IT'S A, IT'S A SMALL SITE, BUT THESE ROOMS ARE A LITTLE SMALLER THAN A STANDARD ROOM, BUT THEY'RE LARGER THAN THE TYPICAL MOTEL PROTOTYPE, BRO.
UH, AND I THINK WE HAVE NOT TOUCHED ANY OF THE OPENINGS, UH, ON THE BUILDING ITSELF ON LAVACA AND ON 15TH, ALL OF THE, UM, DOORS WINDOWS HAVE REALLY BEEN KEPT IN PLACE, WHICH WAS ALSO ANOTHER COMMENT I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT, UH, UH, KEITH CARLSON AND MITCHELL CARLSON STONE HAD DONE NUMEROUS HISTORIC, UM, REHABILITATIONS AND REDEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE DONE PROPERLY TO CODE AND ALSO PRESERVING HISTORIC OF THEY BOOK MANY, MANY TIMES WITH, UH, UH, THE TEXAS STORE COMMISSION AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND RESTORING BUILDINGS.
UH, SO, UH, I APPLAUD THAT BECAUSE THAT'S, THOSE TYPES OF CREDENTIALS ARE HARD TO COME BY.
AND, UH, SO I THINK THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT ARCHITECTURAL FIRM ENGAGED TO ASSIST IN THIS PROJECT.
I WOULD KEEP, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, NO.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS JUST TO EXPLAIN THE PLAN A LITTLE BIT.
THE, UH, THE BRAND ON THE FIRST LEVEL WOULD REALLY HAVE A RECEPTION AREA, A LOBBY.
THEY HAVE A KIND OF A COFFEE GRAB AND GO CONCEPT.
AND THEN THE, UH, THERE WAS A GRAND STAIR THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO THE SECOND LEVEL, WHICH IS WHERE MOST OF THE AMENITIES ARE THE, UH, UH, MINGLE AREA, THE BAR, SOME DINING.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT WAS RECENTLY BUILT DOWNTOWN IN AUSTIN.
UH, WE THINK THAT THAT SECOND LEVEL WOULD BE A, UH, UH, NOT IMPACT THE LOOK OF THE HISTORIC BUILDING, BUT CREATED A DYNAMIC SECOND LEVEL THAT, WHICH STILL HIGHLIGHTS THE HOTEL.
ONE OF THE, THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS, UM, WE NEEDED TO SET BACK THE WALLS ON THE SECOND FLOOR, MORE AWAY FROM THE COOPERS, BUT ALSO NOT ANYWHERE NEAR TO WHERE IT WILL ACTUALLY PROVIDE LIKE A PATIO AREA.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE GREEN IS AROUND IT.
AND IF YOU CAN STILL, THERE'S A LOT OF PROVISIONS.
SO WE HAD ORIGINALLY COLUMNS SORT OF OUT TO THE FRONT OF THE ROWS, UH, AND MCUS WAS ABLE TO BRING THOSE BACK.
CAN'T DELIVER THEM OVER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, HIDE THEM TO WHERE FROM THE EXTERIOR, YOU DID NOT SEE IT.
SO IT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE FIRST FLOOR, UH, HISTORIC RAILS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SEE IF THE COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, ARE YOU TWO GENTLEMEN BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT FOLKS? AM I MISSING SEEING THAT OTHER PAGES OF THIS PLAN? I DON'T THINK I SAW IT IN THE BACKUP.
I'VE ONLY SEEN THE GROUND FLOOR PLAN ON THE DISPLAY SO FAR, UNLESS I'M MISSING SOMETHING.
[00:40:01]
AND THEN TYPICALLY, YEAH, THIRD FROM THE 12TH AND THEN THE OTHER SHEET, THE NEXT YEAR, ELEVATION OF LAVACA AND THE 15TH STREET, ALL THREE ARE IN THE POWERPOINT.IF WE CAN JUST GET THE SLIDE MOVED AHEAD TO THE SECOND AND THIRD SLIDES, YOU CAN SEE, I'LL SAY LET'S GET IT BACK UP ON THE HLC WEBSITE UNDER TWO B.
IT MAY BE USEFUL IF, IF THAT DOESN'T WORK.
AND THEN THE ELEVATIONS ARE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. FRANKS OR CARLSON BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO MR. MOLINA? I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
UM, I BELIEVE IN THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING, WHEN WE FIRST SAW THIS DESIGN, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PULLING THE CANTILEVERED SECTION OFF OF THE, FROM, UM, KIND OF OVERHANGING THE TOWERS ALONG THE FRONT FACADE WAS ANY CONSIDERATION MADE, UM, TO, TO REMOVE THAT CANTILEVER ON THE 15TH STREET FACADE.
THAT WAS TO PULL THE FACADE BACK, PAT IN BOARD OF THE COOPERS.
THAT THE CANCELED LIBRA, THAT, THAT IS ON TOP OF THE TWO PUPIL IS ON 15TH STREET.
YOU MEAN, UM, I THINK THAT EARLY SCHEME DID HAVE THAT ACTUALLY, RIGHT.
WE HAD BOTH KEY, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS CALLED BACK AND WE HAD ONE THAT WAS OUT THAT HAD A BIG CROWN ON THE TOP OF IT AND WE REMOVED THE CROWN.
AND, BUT WE DID KEEP THAT AREA BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN, I BELIEVE IT'S MECHANICAL ROOMS THAT CORRECT KEITH, UH, CERTAIN THINGS OR THAT ARE IN THAT AREA THAT ARE SORTA NEEDED FOR THE HOTEL.
I THINK THE LAST PRESENTATION ACTUALLY DID GO OUT JUST LIKE OUR LAVACA DID ON 15TH.
ONCE IT GOT ABOVE A COOPER LIST, THIS IS A, THIS IS A SMALL SITE AND WE HAD LIMITED ROOM SPACE AND WE HAD BEEN TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE ACTUAL, BASICALLY LIVING SPACE INSIDE OF THE UPPER FLOORS TO PRODUCE A NICE PRODUCT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE
AND IT WAS SET BACK FROM, UM, THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC BUILDING.
I MEAN, JUST LOOKING AT THE RENDERINGS THAT ARE PROVIDED IN OUR BACKUP THAT, UM, CANCELING ROSE, REALLY CASTING A STRONG SHADOW, ESPECIALLY ON THE EASTERN KUKULA.
UM, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE REVISITING THAT TOO.
UM, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE MOST PROMINENT AND AN EYE CATCHING THING ABOUT THAT BUILDING.
I WOULD REALLY, UM, USE CAUTION AND OVERSHADOWING.
NO, IT WAS IN THE CASTING THAT STRONG SHADOW ALMOST COOK WAS ON THAT FACADE.
I HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION IS EAST 15TH STREET, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
UH, HE'S 15 STREET COOPER'S RIGHT.
AND SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS OR THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, I THINK WE'RE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY HERE TO YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT IT STILL FEELS PRETTY CROWDED.
UH, PRETTY CLOSE TO THE, UM, THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, THE OVERHANGING, THE SHADOWS, UH, STILL SEEM LIKE THEY DOMINATE THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
IT WOULD HELP TO HAVE SOME THREE-DIMENSIONAL SKETCHES FROM PASTORS BY POINT OF VIEW TO YOU MIGHT GET A BETTER SENSE OF HOW PROMINENT THE HISTORIC BUILDING IS RELATIVE TO THE NEW STRUCTURE ABOVE, BUT JUST LOOKING AT THESE ORTHOGRAPHIC ELEVATIONS, IT STILL LOOKS PRETTY CROWDED.
KEITH IS THAT 15 FEET IS MY DIMENSION, CORRECT? YES.
SO ORIGINALLY IT WAS, I THINK, 10 OR 12 FEET, WE MOVED IT UP TO 15 FEET.
[00:45:01]
TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE AIRSPACE IN THERE.IT ALSO PROVIDES A NICE PATIO AREA ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
CERTAINLY DO A THREE D MODEL, UH, IS THAT 15 FEET ABOVE THE ROOM FOR 15 FEET ABOVE THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE KUKULA
UH, NOT, NOT 15 ABOVE THE KUKULA, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE DISTANCE FROM THE, UH, SECOND FLOOR ROOF IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE 22 FEET UP TO THE NEXT FLOOR, BUT, UH, THE DISTANCE ABOVE THE COUPLA IS PROBABLY FIVE, SIX, SEVEN FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT YEAH, IT'S THE OVERHANG THAT I'M NOTICING THE HEIGHT OF THE OVERHANG ABOVE THE COOPER LINE, NOTICING THAT THE SETBACK LOOKS PRETTY REASONABLE.
ALTHOUGH IF THAT IS GOING TO BE A DECK AREA, THEN THERE'D BE RAILINGS ALONG THE PARAPET THERE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE SHOWN THAT WOULD IMPACT THAT HISTORIC ROOF LINE.
WE WOULD MOVE, THEY WOULD BE GLASS RAILINGS AND MOVE BACK.
THAT WOULD NOT BE UP AGAINST THE PEAR, BUT WE'D MOVED THEM BACK A FEW FEET.
NOT A THREE DIMENSIONAL SCOUT SKETCH.
MAYBE ABLE TO SHOW THOSE DETAILS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
BUT FROM, FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, IT STILL LOOKS LIKE IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AND OVERPOWERING THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE, I THINK IT'S THE VERTICAL HEIGHT BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE COUPLA AND THE BOTTOM OF THE OVERHANGS THAT IS CONCERNING THAT FIVE TO SEVEN FEET IS JUST NOT ENOUGH DISTANCE TO REALLY LET THOSE STAND OUT ON THEIR OWN.
HELLO, YOU MENTIONED ON THE DRAWING AND LIKE THE FLOOR PLATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE HEIGHT OF THE SECOND FLOOR IS ACTUALLY BRO, WHERE THE VISUAL IS AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PEAR PIT.
AND THEN THE THIRD FLOOR FLOOR PLATE IS MARKED, BUT THAT'S UP INTO THE MASS OF THE BUILDING.
I THINK WE WANT TO SEE MORE SPACE LITERALLY TO MAKE THOSE, THOSE COUPLE WORDS BREATHE.
AND THAT'S NOT DIMENSIONED RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT A FEW DIFFERENT, UM, DIMENSIONS THAT WE'RE NOT, WE CAN'T TELL WHAT, HOW MANY FEET THEY ARE EXACTLY BY THE DRAWINGS WE HAVE.
I THINK LIKE THE THREE IMAGES WOULD CERTAINLY HELP, BUT IT'S REALLY LETTING THOSE COUPLANDS BREATHE.
I I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE BEHIND THE SCENES SINCE THE LAST TIME THIS WAS PUT IN FRONT OF US COMMISSION.
I THINK IT LOOKS, UM, MILES AHEAD OF WHERE IT WAS THE LAST TIME WE SAW IT.
SO, AND GOOD PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
I AGREE WITH THE TREATMENT OF THE FACADE AND RETAINING THE ORIGINAL OPENINGS HAS A BIG IMPACT.
AS I SAID, WHEN I APPEARED BEFORE YOU, GOSH, IT FEELS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO NOW WITH THE CORONAVIRUS DELAYS, BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO DO WHAT'S APPROPRIATE.
WE WANT TO TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE THIS A GREAT BUILDING AND TO ENHANCE WHAT IS NOW A VERY TROUBLED HISTORIC BUILDING, UM, TO PERPETUATE ITS LIFE IN, YOU KNOW, FOR ANOTHER 50, 75 YEARS.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO COOPERATE IN EVERY WAY WE CAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE VISUALS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAVE THE WORKINGS OF TRYING TO BUILD A BUILDING THAT ACTUALLY PERFORMS AND MEETS ALL THE CITY CODES AND FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, LET US WORK ON THAT AND, AND WE WILL, UM, WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU, UM, I GUESS IT'S YOUR NEXT MEETING WITH, WITH MORE DETAILS AND WE WILL TRY TO ALLOW MORE GREEDY SPACE AROUND THE COOPER'S.
UH, AGAIN, WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL.
UM, AND IF I MAY, I GUESS CLOSE WITH THAT, UH, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR ASSISTANCE AND, AND COOPERATION AND, AND REALLY LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO TRY TO, UH, TAKE YOUR IDEAS AND CONCEPTS AND BLEND THEM INTO, UH, THE NEW DRAWINGS.
THANK YOU, MR.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND WHAT BILL SAID, UH, WE'LL WE'LL COME BACK, UH, ON THE SECOND ROUND OR THIRD ROUND AND HAVE A THREE D RENDERING OR DRAWING ON MEETING GIRDER SATISFACTION OF THE COMMISSION.
[00:50:01]
UH, JUST, UM, I THINK THE WHOLE AREA, THE DOWNTOWN, THE LOCATION, THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE ITSELF WILL BE ENHANCING THE ACTUAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ASPECT OF IT WHEN YOU'VE DONE OTHER HOTELS AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT'S A HISTORIC ALSO.AND, UH, WE, WE KEPT THAT DIGNITY OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS WHILE IT IS A FUTURE PROJECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SO MUCH LIMITATIONS TO THIS CURRENT SITE THAT IT'S NOT MUCH YOU CAN REALLY DO, BUT GO UP.
AND, UH, I THINK BILL MENTIONED IT EARLIER, UH, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE'LL BE MAKING, I THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD MILESTONE AND THAT NOVAKA ON 15 STREETS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, I'M THE, UH, UH, LISTING AGENT FOR, UH, TEXAS OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
UM, THEY'VE HAD FORTUNATE RECENT HISTORY.
THEY'VE OWNED THE BUILDING SINCE 1995.
UM, JOE REALLY MCALLISTER WHO WORKS WITH ME ON THIS PROJECT, SOLD THEM THE PROPERTY FOR ANOTHER SELLER AT THAT TIME.
AND THEY DECIDED TO BUILD, THEY DECIDED TO REBUILD THE TARIFFS AND, AND, UH, REALLY TAKE THE BUILDING AS CLOSE AS THEY COULD TO ITS ORIGINAL LOOK.
THEY WERE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT GIVING, UH, THE HISTORY IS TO DO AND THEY'VE KEPT IT THAT WAY FOR AS LONG AS THEY COULD.
AND THEY WERE OFFICING OUT OF IT.
AND UP UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THEY NEEDED TO REMODEL IT AND HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE, UH, THE PLUMBING AND THE, UH, AND THE, UH, SEWAGE, UH, THE SEWAGE LINES.
AND THEY, THE RESTROOMS WERE UNUSABLE.
UM, THEY WERE, THE SLAB WAS TAKING OFF SOMEWHERE.
THEY HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND IT WAS JUST UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY WERE, UH, PLANNING ON REMODELING IT AND LEASING A PORTION OF IT OUT AND STAYING IN THE REMAINDER OF THE, UH, OF THE BUILDING.
UM, BUT IT JUST WASN'T POSSIBLE.
AND SO THEY BROUGHT US IN, UM, WE RECOMMENDED TO GET SOME FORENSICS ON IT.
THEY GOT A DRILLING COMPANY TO COME IN AND TAKE CORE SAMPLES, UM, STUDIED THAT AND FOUND, THEY JUST COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE THE SOURCE OF THE WATER WAS, OR THEY DID KNOW THAT THE SURGE PIPES WERE A BIG, BIG PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE TO BE REPLACED, EXCAVATED AND REPLACED, AND IT WAS JUST GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY TO DO.
AND IT JUST, ISN'T GOING TO BE FEASIBLE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE BUILDING WORK THAT WAY.
SO THEY DECIDED TO SELL THE BUILDING.
AND WE CAME IN AND WE BETWEEN, UH, UH, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED IN BUILDING.
WE HAD 12 OFFERS ON THIS BUILDING, AND THIS IS A SECOND ROUND.
WE DID HAVE A BUYER BEFORE THAT DIDN'T PERFORM, BUT IN THE SECOND ROUND WE HAD 12 OFFERS ON THE BUILDING AND WE CAREFULLY, CAREFULLY SELECTED THE MORE MEAN GROUP, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TRACK RECORD AND ABILITY AND ABILITY TO WORK WITH CITIES AND TAKE HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND BRING THEM, UH, MAKE EVERYBODY PROUD OF WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE BUILDING WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS INTENDED FOR.
AND, AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF THIS IN THE HOUSTON MARKET AND YOU MIGHT'VE SEEN SOME OF THEIR WORK AND THEY WON AWARDS FOR SOME OF THEIR WORK.
AND, UH, WE JUST BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE THE, THE RIGHT GROUP IS SOMETHING'S GOING TO BE DONE WITH THIS MOVEMENT TO PRESERVE IT AND TO KEEP IT IN, IN THE CONDITION, UH, THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND THAT WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE IT IN A BLOCK THAT WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, THIS IS THE GROUPS THAT WILL DO THAT.
MADAM CHAIR, OR YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE THAT THERE WERE TWO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THE LINE, A WOMAN NAMED JEANETTE.
AND, UH, WHEN THEY MOVE, WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS BRIEFING.
BUT, UH, SHE WORKS WITH ME, BUT I THINK WE'VE COVERED MOST OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
THERE'S NOT, AS AT THE MOMENT I CONCUR WITH BILL AND
[00:55:02]
HOLLY MOMENT, WHATEVER THE COMMENT THEY HAVE MADE IT.I AGREE WITH ALL THE COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD, BUT TO GET THE FINAL APPROVAL ON THIS PROJECT.
I WAS GOING TO LET COMMISSIONER SAFE.
WELL, I TURNED OFF, UM, NEXT, UM, BACK AGAIN.
WELL, BE, UH, C ONE 92 RAINY STREET.
THIS WAS A CASE THAT'S BEEN BEFORE THE COMMISSION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
NOW IT IS A, UH, AN APPLICATION.
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO JUST HEAR THE TESTIMONY, UM, FROM THE CITIZENS? I'M SORRY, SORRY.
UH, LET ME, LET ME JUST, I WILL CUT MY COMMENTS SHORT AND DO IT AT PUT MORE AT THE SCHEDULED TIME.
UH, BUT JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT, UH, THERE IS STILL ONE, AT LEAST ONE MORE MONTH FOR, UH, THAT'S ALLOWED UNDER THE CITY'S DEMOLITION DELAY PROVISIONS.
UH, BUT THIS WOULD BE THE FINAL MEETING WHERE THE COMMISSION CAN OFFER COMMENTS ON THE, UH, BUILDING PERMIT FOR THE NEW HIGH RISE BUILDING.
SO WITH THAT, UH, LET'S TAKE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THIS CASE.
IT'S LIKE, WE'VE GOT JUST ONE PERSON SIGNED UP.
SWORE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YES, ADAM.
KAREN, ANY QUESTIONS?
UM, APRIL MOVE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS ON THE TWO 25 OH TWO PARKVIEW.
VERY LIMESTONE IS THE FIRST, FIRST, FIRST PERSON TO HAVE SIGNED UP.
ARE YOU ON THE LINE?
ARE YOU ON THE LINE ALSO ON THE LINE ALSO ON THE LINE? YES MA'AM.
WHAT'D YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST, MR. WILLIAMSON? YES, MA'AM.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PIECE OF PROPERTY AT 25 OH TWO PARK VIEW.
UH, THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1953, IT'S 66 YEARS OLD.
UM, IT WAS BUILT DURING THE TIME THEY HAD THE, UH, AC MARKETING PLAN, UH, IN TORRENT OVER 22 HOUSES.
UH, THEY TRIED TO, THEY WERE SHOWING THAT THAT AC WOULD WORK IN A MID RANGE OR MIDDLE-INCOME, UH, HOUSES.
IT WAS AFFORDABLE TO THE MIDDLE INCOME.
IT WAS DESIRABLE AND THE ACTUAL PLAN WOULD WORK.
UH, AND SO WE HAD 22 OF THOSE THAT WERE BUILT AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
UH, EIGHT OF THOSE HAD BEEN DEMOLISHED, UH, AND WHEN WE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE A LOCAL COMPANY HERE IN AUSTIN, AND ONE OF THINGS, WE BACK IN THE STORE HOMES, IF WE CAN, BUT THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE WAS UNRESTORABLE.
IN OUR OPINION, WE HAD, WE, WHAT WE NOTICED WAS A FELON FOUNDATION, THE PLUMBING I WAS CAST, I CAN'T SURVIVE REMODEL, UH, THE HPAC, UH, AND THE, THE UNFORTUNATE PART ABOUT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE.
THERE'S NO PLACES TO RUN YOUR DUCKS WITHOUT A ROOF'S IN EXTREMELY BAD SHAPE, HIS TAR AND GRAVEL, AND NOT VERY GOOD FOR ENVIRONMENT.
UH,
[01:00:01]
SINCE WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE AND HER DAUGHTER, MS. KIM KAY.AND, UH, SO, UH, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO IS RESTORE A HOUSE.
WE CAN, BUT AGAIN, WE, UH, DON'T TAKE THIS RESTORED.
SO WE'D MOVE WOULD ASK PERMISSION TO ALLOW US TO, UH, DEMOLISH THE HOUSE.
AND, UH, STAFF HAS, UH, I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES FOR YOU.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT A, UH, HOUSES OVER 40, 50 YEARS OLD, IS IT SOMETHING WHERE YOU WANT TO RESTORE OR SOMETHING YOU CAN DEMOLISH? AND ONE THING IS, IS, IS THE ARCHITECTURE.
UH, IT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE STAFF SAID IS REMARKABLY INTACT AND THAT'S TRUE FOR THE OUTSIDE, BUT FOR THE INSIDE, IT'S NOT A MARKETING INTACT.
IT'S A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S THE MECHANICAL STRUCTURE IS, IS AS FAILED.
UH, AND SO WHEN YOU START TO, IF YOU TRY TO REMOVE THE MECHANICAL INSIDE, YOU WOULD AFFECT THE OUTSIDE.
YOU'D HAVE TO RAISE THE ROOF, YOU HAVE TO DO SOME THINGS THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD DO HARSHNESS AND DAMAGE TO THE ARCHITECTURE.
HISTORICAL, UH, ASSOCIATION IS THE SECOND THING YOU REVIEW.
AND WE FOUND THAT HISTORIC FIGURES, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE HOUSE OR WORK OR LIVE IN THE HOUSE.
THEY LIVED AT 50, 60 YEARS AND I DID ON KATE.
THEY PASSED AWAY MRS. KELLY KINCAID IN CASE.
SO WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING OUT THE LOGICAL, UH, ANY KNOWN OR UNKNOWN ISSUES, OR THERE COME FROM COMMUNITY VALUE STANDPOINT.
WE LOOK ONE OF THE STAFF, HE SAID, THIS, A UNIQUE LOCATION THAT WAS THIS CHARACTERISTICS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S IMAGE.
AND WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
WE THINK THAT, UH, THE MID CENTURY MODERN HOUSES DO CONTRIBUTE TO, UH, THE, UH, IMAGE OF THE CITY.
AND, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE, A LOT OF MID CENTURY MODERN HOUSES, UH, BUT WHAT WE WOULD THINK, UH, REBECCA REMODEL, WE LOOKED AT MOLLY'S HOUSE, BUT AGAIN, WE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD DO THAT WITH LACK OF DEMOLISH THE HOUSE AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND WE SHOWED HOUSTON PLANS THAT TRIES TO KEEP IT AS CLOSE TO THE HOUSE.
THAT'S THERE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOU THINK THERE'S A WIN SITUATION FOR BOTH, FOR EVERYONE HERE? UH, WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD LOOK WITH WHAT WE WOULD DO UNDER OUR PLAN WITH PRESERVED INTEGRITY HOUSE.
WE BROUGHT THE HOUSE BACK TO CODE.
WE'D MAKE IT FUNCTIONAL FUNCTIONAL.
NOW, UH, WE'LL MAKE IT LIVABLE.
CAUSE IT'S SOME CODE VIOLATIONS OR SOME PLUMBING ISSUES, AND SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT MAKE IT UNSAFE, IT WOULD MAKE AN ENERGY EFFICIENT, WOULD MAKE IT MUCH MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
YOU HAVE SOME, THIS, ESPECIALLY AS PANELS, THEY'RE STARTING TO CRACK AND BREAK.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE SOLUTION TO THAT.
YOU CAN'T REPLACE THEM AS MATERIALS AND IT WOULD KIND OF LOOK KIND OF STRANGE.
AND THE LAST THING I THINK WE WON'T MAKE IT LAST.
AND IF YOU BUILD A NEW, UH, A NEW STRUCTURE, BUT THAT DOES, UH, USING, UH, GIVES, UH, RESPECT, UH, TO THE ARCHITECTURE IN PLACE, THEN YOU CAN EXTEND THAT MID CENTURY, FIFTIES HOUSE, ANOTHER 50, 60 YEARS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.
UH, TODAY THAT HOUSE IS, IS ON ITS LAST LEG.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO IS, WELL, TALK TO THE NEIGHBOR, SEE WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW.
SO I WOULD ASK HIM AND HE IS A DAY TO DAY, AND I SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS IN YOUR COMMENTS.
YES, I'M JUST WANTING TO FINISH ONE THING.
I GOT 25 HOUSES THAT SUPPORT OUR PROJECT IN THAT IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
AND IF I HAVE DIFFERENT MORE HOURS, I'VE PROBABLY GOT 50 BECAUSE WHAT THEY SAID WAS THEY DON'T LIKE THE CONDITION HAS THEM NOW.
AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT WE ENDED A STAY.
UH, UH, THEY, UH, WITH THE MID CENTURY LOOK, STAY TRUE TO THAT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK
THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND, BUT I, TO CONCUR AND AGREE WITH MOST OF MR. WILLIAMSON'S COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO RETAIN THE MID CENTURY AESTHETIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND BUILD A HOUSE THAT IS MODERN ENERGY EFFICIENT AND FITS INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
WE LIKE AUSTIN, THE WAY IT IS, AND ONCE YOU MAINTAIN EVERYTHING WE CAN, UM, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, UH, THE VIABILITY OF THE BUILDING IS DEFINITELY IN QUESTION, UM, FEDERAL FOUNDATION,
[01:05:01]
SELLING PLUMBING.AND, UH, I THINK IF THE ROUTE WAS AVAILABLE TO PRESERVE THIS HOUSE, SEVERAL ONE WOULD BE ON BOARD TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, THE MR. WILLIAMSON COVERED EVERYTHING.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, AND UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION FROM THE COMMISSION, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSENT ITEMS.
[Item 3 C1]
ONE 92 RAINY STREET.UH, 92 RAINY, AS I STARTED TO SAY EARLIER HAS BEEN ON OUR AGENDA FOR, WELL, SINCE FEBRUARY.
NOW IT'S AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A BUNGALOW THAT HAS BEEN REBUILT SUBSTANTIALLY, OR THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE SITE AND TO, UH, CONSTRUCT A NEW HIGH RISE ON THAT CORNER.
THE, UH, I MEAN, IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS AGAIN, BUT I THINK THE COMMISSIONERS ARE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROJECT LAST MONTH THAT CAME BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMERCIALLY DECIDED TO INVOKE ANOTHER 30 DAY INSTALLMENT.
IT WAS AVAILABLE WAS BIG ENTERTAINMENT SPACE.
CAN I, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME
UH, SO UP ON THE, UH, UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS A, IS A PHOTO OF BEE BUNGALOW.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IN THE LOWER PHOTO THAT THIS BUILDING WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY REBUILT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO IN STAFF'S MIND, THIS RETAINS VERY LITTLE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF MATERIALS, UH, AND ALTHOUGH IT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DISTRICT, IT DOES NOT QUALIFY AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE NEW STRUCTURE AND THEN, UH, EITHER POSTPONE ONE MORE TIME OR RELEASE THE PERMIT FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS IN MOUNTAINS, LAYLA.
I NEED DISCUSSION FOR ME THOUGH.
WELL, I THINK SINCE WE'RE BEING, UH, OFFERED OUR CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW, AS I THINK MR. STATSKY SAID VERY SUCCINCTLY, UM, IT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN ITS CURRENT STATE.
IT'S NOT WORTHY OF OUTRIGHT PRESERVATION AS AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY LANDMARK, BUT WE'RE LOSING A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
THEY COULD HAVE REPLACED IT WITH SOMETHING SENSITIVE.
THE NEW BUILDING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT MAKES NO REFERENCE TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SCALE OF ITS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS AS AN ARCHITECT.
I THINK IT IS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY COMPETENT DESIGN.
IT WOULD BE QUITE APPROPRIATE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS A VERY CLEAR DISREGARD OF ANY, UH, CONNECTION WHATSOEVER TO THE HISTORIC PRECEDENCE OF THE AREA, TO THE NEIGHBORS, TO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, SWEAT AND TEARS THAT HAVE GONE INTO TRYING DESPERATELY TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF RAINY STREET.
UH, IT'S JUST SOMEBODY, YOU HAD A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND SAID, WHAT THE HECK, LET'S JUST DO SOMETHING ON OUR OWN.
SO IT'S A, IT'S DEFINITELY A, UH, UH, I WOULDN'T CALL IT A THUMB ON THE FACE OF RAINY STREET BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AN ELEGANT BUILDING, BUT IT'S THE WRONG
[01:10:01]
BUILDING IN THE WRONG LOCATION.THIS IS JUST A DISREGARD TO THE HISTORIC CHARACTER THAT WAS PRESENT THERE ON RAINY STREET AT ONE TIME.
UM, AND, AND SINCE THIS IS LIKELY THE LAST TIME THAT WE'LL SEE THIS CASE, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS MY EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE BUILDING, BY BUILDING DISSOLUTION OF THE RAINY STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS JUST ONE MORE, UM, BUILDING THAT WILL BE LOST, UM, THAT WAS CONTRIBUTING TO THE STRIKE, THE DESIGNATION OF THE RAINY STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT IN 1985, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WAS A COMMUNITY LED EFFORT TO SAVE THE SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, HISPANIC AND WORKING CLASS CHARACTER FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN UNFOLD OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, ALTHOUGH EFFORTS TO REDEVELOP THE RAINY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD BEGAN WITH URBAN RENEWAL IN THE 1960S.
IT WAS THE REZONING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 2005, FROM SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL TO CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT THAT BEGAN ITS DISSOLUTION.
SINCE THAT TIME BARS LIVE VENUES AND LARGE SCALE APARTMENT TOURS OF ALTERED TO THE POINT OF NON-RECOGNITION THE WOLF'S VIBRANT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, ALTHOUGH IT WAS HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSIONERS WERE TASKED WITH PROTECTING, UM, THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THOSE HISTORIC BUILDINGS ARE INHABITED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE LIVED THERE OFTEN FOR GENERATIONS.
ONCE THE COMMUNITIES DISPLACED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF REZONING, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT BUILDINGS THAT THEY INHABIT WILL SOON FOLLOW.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN ON WRITING STREET.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN EAST AUSTIN.
WHEN THIS COMMUNITY IS DISPLACED, THE BUILDINGS, THEY INHABITED LOSS, THEIR HISTORY IS ERASED.
THAT'S WHY I VOTED EACH MONTH TO KEEP THIS CASE ACTIVE AND TO POSTPONE IT, WE CANNOT STAND BY WHILE THE HISTORY OF OUR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES ARE ERASED.
WE AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION FACE A LOSING BATTLE TO PRESERVE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
IF THE PARCELS THEY RESIDE ON, HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE LOST RAINY STREET, IT'S HISTORIC AND RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER NO LONGER EXISTS WHILE IT'S HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE ARE DOCUMENTED WITHIN THE 1985 NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION, THE RAINY STREET COMMUNITY AND ITS BUILT ENVIRONMENT NO LONGER EXISTS.
SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO IMPLORE OUR CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE SOCIAL EQUITY OF FUTURE REZONING EFFORTS ON EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LOSE OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THEIR HISTORY, TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF ZONING FOR THE SAKE OF HIGH DENSITY, URBAN LIVING.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE CONSIDERING A MOTION FOR POSTPONEMENT, UM, WHETHER WE NEED TO, UH, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AS PART OF THE MOTION.
SO IT IS STILL AN OPEN PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE KEEP IT OPEN.
UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE A TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I TOO WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I WAS VERY KEEN TO SAY NO, BUT LISTEN TO COMMISSIONER BELLIN.
SUELO UH, IT DID REMIND ME, I ACTUALLY KNEW PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA BACK IN THE SEVENTIES.
WERE JUST CALLED CAUSING THEM ANOTHER MONSTER, BUT IT DOES MAKE A STATEMENT FOR WHOEVER'S LISTENING AND THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD URGE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO, THIS IS NO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST WAITING TO SELL OUT AND THAT'S FINE.
UM, I THINK I AGREE WITH, UH, SO MUCH OF A COMMISSIONER OF ALAN'S WELL, UTSA, BUT I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAN RAINY STREET.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT RAINY STREET PROBABLY IT'S, IT'S A FAMOUS SEALED BACK WHEN IT WAS REZONED, UM, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN HISTORIC AT THAT TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WE COULD HAVE DEALT WITH DIFFERENTLY, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST A FALSE DICHOTOMY TO ASSOCIATE A HIGHER DENSITY ZONING WITH A LACK OF EQUITY.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THE MOST EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE WORLD ON HIGHER DENSITY.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ON DENSITY, YOU ULTIMATELY JUST LET THE FEW WEALTHY PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF FORWARD IN SUCH A WELL-PLACED NEIGHBORHOOD BE IN THAT LOCATION
[01:15:01]
AND THAT'S NOT EQUITY.UM, IT'S, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE DECISION THAT YOU MAKE TO ALLOW THE CHANGE, BUT IF YOU DON'T ALLOW THAT YOU'RE MAKING A DECISION ALSO THAT HAS CONSEQUENCES.
BEFORE Y'ALL VOTE ON THIS, LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO IF WE COULD REFERENCE IN THE MOTION, LEAVING THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND THEN HAVE COMMISSIONER BOUNCE WHERE IT WAS MOTION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE, BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION NOW, SHOULD, SHOULD WE ALSO INCLUDE SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT THAT WE, UM, ARE ASKING FOR A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE TO BE COMPLETED? UM, ONCE THE PERMIT IS I GUESS, GONE THROUGH
SO IF Y'ALL ARE MAKING THE MOTION TO POSTPONE ON THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, WHEN THAT DECISION FINALLY COMES UP, THAT WOULD BE THE TIME I THINK IT'S, UH, WE CAN DEFINITELY LET THE APPLICANT KNOW THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING AND WILL BE REQUESTING.
SO MAYBE THEY CAN GET STARTED ON THAT.
BUT, UH, YEAH, THAT USUALLY COMES WITH THE DEMOLITION PERMIT RATHER THAN THE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION.
UM, SO, UH, MY MOTION WAS TO DENY THE REQUEST.
SO ARE WE SAYING THAT THE DEMOLITION IS JUST BEING POSTPONED, BUT IF WE OUTRIGHT DENY IT IT'LL STILL HAPPEN ANYWAY.
WELL, ARE YOU DENYING THE REQUEST FOR THE DEMOLITION PERMIT? RIGHT.
SO IF WE DIDN'T DENY THE REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION PERMIT, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE HOUSE, THEN I SEE.
THAT'S WHY WE, THAT'S WHY WE POSTPONED IT.
SO, SORRY, I THOUGHT THAT YOUR MISSION WAS TO POSTPONE IT, BUT WAS TO POST, I THINK I USED THE WRONG WORDS.
I THINK I DID SAY THE WORD DENY, BUT I DID MEAN, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, EXTEND THIS.
SO THE POSTPONE, THAT WOULD BE THE NOTION.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT CLARIFIES THE POSTPONEMENT AND LEAVING OPEN THE, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, UH, MY MOTION WOULD BE TO, UH, POSTPONE THIS, UH, TO THE NEXT MEETING AND THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WOULD REMAIN OPEN WHILE WE ALSO, UM, FOR THE RECORD ARE REQUESTING AT THE POINT OF A DEMOLITION PERMIT BEING ISSUED THAT A FULL DOCUMENTATION BE REQUIRED OF THE OWNER.
AND I'LL, I'LL RE SECOND THAT MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE?
THE MOTION PASSES EIGHT ZERO ONE WITH FEATHERSTONE ABSTAINING.
[Item 3 D2]
OF THE, UH, OUR FINAL CASE FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING IS A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THE HOUSE AT 25 OH TWO PARKVIEW DRIVE.UH, THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1954, BUT IT IS LOCATED IN A VERY INTERESTING NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED THE AIR CONDITIONED VILLAGE THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE AUSTIN AND NATIONAL COUNCIL OF HOME BUILDERS IN 1953.
AND AS MR. WILLIAMSON SAID EARLIER, HE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THESE HOUSES, THESE 22 HOUSES THAT WERE BUILT IN 1954 WERE TEST CASES TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING AND MODERATELY PRICED AND MODERATELY SIZED HOUSES THAT WERE AIMED FOR MIDDLE-CLASS PURCHASERS.
UH, THE HOUSE AT, UH, 25 OH TWO PARKVIEW WAS, UH, SPONSORED BY THE, UH, CHRYSLER AIR CONDITIONING COMPANY.
AND IT WAS KNOWN AS THE AIR TEMP.
AND WE HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS DOCUMENTATION FROM THE COMPANY
[01:20:01]
AND THE AD AND THE DESIGN, WHICH WAS DONE BY A LOCAL ARCHITECT WHO HAD WORKED PREVIOUSLY WITH FERRAN GRANGER WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH MID CENTURY MODERN DESIGNS.AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE DESIGN OF THIS HOUSE, THIS HOUSE HAS A VERY BOLD STATEMENT OF THE CARPORT OUT FRONT.
THAT'S GOT EXPOSED PEERS, UH, EXPOSED POSTS THAT HAS VERY DEEP EAVES, UH, THAT WERE A HALLMARK OF MID CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, BUT ALSO TO HELP KEEP THE HOUSE COOL, CONSIDERING THAT THIS WAS A TEST CASE FOR CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING THAT USED, UH, NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEW, UH, MATERIALS AND THIS, THE FRONT AND THE BACK OF THIS HOUSE, BOTH FEATURE, UH, ASBESTOS PLANT PANELS THAT ARE SET INTO A METAL GRID.
AND THEN THERE'S A CLERESTORY WINDOW, A SERIES SERIES OF WINDOWS ABOVE THE, UH, PANELS AND DIRECTLY BENEATH THE ROOF LINE.
THEY ALL, UH, ALL OF THESE FEATURES ARE, UH, REHMANN ARE REALLY HALLMARKS WITH MID CENTURY MODERN DESIGN AND THEN THE PERFORATED BRICK THAT IS USED IN THE CARPORT.
AND THEN AS THE DELINEATION OF THE FRONT WALK IS ALSO A MODERN MATERIAL THAT HAD NOT BEEN USED IN CONSTRUCTION PRIOR TO, UH, PRIOR TO THE 1950S.
SO THE HOUSE REALLY FITS THE ARCHITECTURAL CRITERIA AS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF MID CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, UH, AND STAFF ALSO BELIEVES THAT THIS FITS THE COMMUNITY VALUE AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA AS WELL.
AIR CONDITIONED VILLAGE WAS A VERY NOVEL CONCEPT AND, UH, IT WAS AN IDEA TO TRY TO MAKE A LIVING IN SOUTHERN WARM CLIMATES, MORE BEARABLE FOR THE MIDDLE-CLASS PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AIR CONDITIONED VILLAGE, THERE WAS CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING, BUT IT WAS GENERALLY CONFINED TO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OR REALLY HIGH END RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES.
THE MIDDLE CLASS DID NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE FACT THAT THESE HOUSES WERE BUILT IN AUSTIN TO TEST THAT FEASIBILITY, UH, IS, IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT FACTOR AND IT FITS THE DEFINITION OF OUR COMMUNITY VALUE CRITERION.
SO, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS EITHER POSTPONEMENT TO JULY TO INVESTIGATE AND FULLY EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE TO DEMOLITION AND WHAT I WOULD, UH, IF THE COMMISSION GOES THAT WAY, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THE APPLICANTS, UH, GET A STRUCTURAL REPORT ON THE HOUSE, THE DETAILS, THE ISSUES THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING, UH, IN THE ALTERNATIVE STAFF RECOMMENDS OF THE HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
THIS IS ALSO A POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DEMOLITIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MODIFICATIONS, BUT IN LOOKING AT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE IS STILL, I THINK, UH, SUFFICIENT INTEGRITY AND SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF PROPERTIES THAT WOULD, UH, MAKE THIS ELIGIBLE AS A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF?
YOU COMMISSIONERS OTHER STINT AND LITTLE NEED DISCUSSION.
I AGREE WITH THE STAFF ASSESSMENT THAT THE HOUSE MEETS THREE OF THE CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION, ARCHITECTURE, HISTORICAL SEAT ASSOCIATIONS, AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
SO I SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT AND I THINK EVENTUALLY I WOULD SUPPORT INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING OF THE HOUSE.
UM, I THINK BOTH THIS HOUSE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD QUALIFY AS, AS HISTORIC, I'M AN INDIVIDUAL HISTORIC RESOURCE AND A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THESE ARE MODEST HOUSES BECAUSE THEY WERE DESIGNED TO TEST AIR CONDITIONING ON NORMAL FAMILIES, BUT THEY ARE IMPORTANT EXAMPLES OF MODERN POST-WAR ARCHITECTURE.
AND THIS HOUSE IN PARTICULAR IS ONE OF
[01:25:01]
THE BEST EXAMPLES WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN JUST ITS ARCHITECTURE.IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INNOVATIVE STUDY OF AIR CONDITIONING ON RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, WHICH COMPLETELY CHANGED THE WAY WE DESIGN BUILDINGS AND THE WAREHOUSES LOOK.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN EFFORT WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PRESERVE IT BY LISTING IT AS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UM, ASSISTED BY VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING THE LOCAL DOCOMOMO CHAPTER.
SO A NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME HAS NOT BEEN MOVING FORWARD VERY QUICKLY.
I THINK IT'S AND UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE THIS PROPERTY BY DENYING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT OR POSTPONING THAT RATHER THAN PROACTIVELY HELPING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCATES WITH PRESERVING IT.
SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM, TO EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES, TO AVOID DEMOLITION
I AGREE WITH ALL THAT, I THINK I WOULD ALSO BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT A HISTORIC ZONING INITIATION, UM, SOME POINT
UM, I HAVE NOTED THAT COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER WILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS VOTE.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
I SAID, UM, YOU ASSES SEVEN ONE, ONE WITH PROBABLY CELIO IN OPPOSITION AND MCWHORTER OF STAINING.
WE'LL BE BACK ON YOUR JULY 27TH AGENDA.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING CASES.
[Item 4]
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTSJUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT TO FINALIZE GRAPHICS.
WE'RE HOPING
WELL, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT TO FINALIZE THE GRAPHICS FOR THE DESIGN STANDARDS AND WE ARE, WE ANTICIPATE SENDING THOSE TO THE DESIGN STANDARDS, WORKING GROUP, UH, WHICH A NUMBER OF YOU ALSO PARTICIPATE IN WITH THE, THE LAYOUT AND THE GRAPHICS HOPEFULLY VERY SOON.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE WORKING GROUP, IF THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION REMOTELY, OR IF THEY WOULD LIKE, IF WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A TIME FOR EVERYONE TO MEET, WHICH WOULD SLOW THE PROCESS DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT IS IT'S, IT'S SHUFFLING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND I HOPE TO, UH, BRING THE STAMP, THE STANDARDS TO YELLOW, WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE WORKING GROUP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THAT'S ALL IF I COULD, UM, I'M NOT ON THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN STAFF, I'M NOT ON THE WORKING GROUP, BUT WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE THE PROGRESS AND PROBABLY JUST GIVE YOU EVEN IF IT WAS JUST ONE ON ONE, UH, WHAT QUICK RESPONSE? UM, I WOULD LOVE TO JUST NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S ALREADY FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT DRAFT, WHICH IS PRETTY FAR DOWN THE LINE, UM, PLEASE, JUST TO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, I MEAN, Y'ALL CAN MAKE CHANGES, BUT THAT, UM, THERE WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COMMENT FOR THE PUBLIC AND COMMISSION TO COMMENT LAST SUMMER.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF Y'ALL WERE NOT ON THE COMMISSION AT THAT POINT, BUT, UM, IT'S PRETTY, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT, THAT DRAFT WHEN IT'S READY FOR SHARING WITH THE WORKING GROUP WITH ANY OF YOU ALL.
SO JUST, IF YOU CAN EMAIL ME, THEN I'LL MAKE SURE AND PUT YOU ON THE DISTRIBUTION LIST.
AND BEN, I'VE GOT YOU OVER SO YOU DON'T NEED TO EMAIL, BUT ANYONE ELSE, THANK YOU.
AND THEN MADAM CHAIR, I DID HAVE A ISSUE THAT MAYBE WE COULD REQUEST FROM STAFF.
[01:30:01]
IN OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, THE RAINY STREET PROPERTY.THIS ECHOES A NUMBER OF OTHER CASES WE'VE SEEN.
AND WHILE THOSE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH EAST AUSTIN AND NEIGHBORHOODS OF, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN DISADVANTAGED, BEING OVERWHELMED.
I THINK SOME OF THE SAME PHENOMENON IS OCCURRING EVEN IN OUR DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES, AS I'VE BEEN CONVEYING TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, WITH PROPERTIES THAT PEOPLE WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT WOULD BE AT RISK, BUT BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME FINANCIAL GAIN, UH, OR I SHOULD SAY REALLY THE FINANCES STACKED AGAINST PRESERVATION, UH, ONE BY ONE, WE'RE SEEING UNTENABLE, UH, PROPOSALS THAT THREATENED THESE PROPERTIES.
UH, OF COURSE I HAVE STAINED FROM ONE CASE TONIGHT, BUT I THINK IT PROBABLY DOES ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT AS WELL.
SO IT OCCURRED TO ME AS WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD LOOK ANALYTICALLY AT SOME OF THE CENTRAL CORE LANDMARKS AND SEE ABOUT THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THEIR LAND USE AND THE ZONING AND WITH THE COUNCIL BEING INVOLVED IN THE, WHAT POSSIBLY IS THE CODE REVISION VERSIONS THAT'S STILL PERCOLATING AROUND? UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICTS WERE KIND OF SIDELINED AND MAYBE THAT WAS A FATAL MISTAKE OR AT LEAST A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
AND PERHAPS BY ASKING FOR SOME SYSTEMATIC, UH, ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING USE OF THESE HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND THE POTENTIAL DISCONNECT WITH THEIR ZONING CATEGORIES, WE MIGHT ALREADY IDENTIFY A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF RISK AND PERHAPS BE ABLE TO MAKE A VERY COGENT CASE TO THE COUNCIL AS IT CONSIDERS OTHER TYPES OF ZONING TO INCLUDE THESE HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND MAYBE DO BETTER.
I HAVE A BETTER JOB AT PREEMPTING, SOME OF THESE TRAGEDIES.
I WOULD RECOMMEND EXTENDING THAT ALSO TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND HISTORIC PROPERTIES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE IN THE EAST AUSTIN SURVEY, JUST TO SEE SINCE THOSE HAVE NO DESIGNATION OR PROTECTION, UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, I THINK IT'S A CRITICAL, WE'RE AT A CRITICAL POINT IN DETERMINING THEIR FUTURE.
UM, IF WE COULD HAVE SOME ANALYTICAL TOOL, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONER HIMSELF.
AND I'M SURE STAFF IS, IS, IS TAXED WITH ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IF IT WAS JUST A FIRST CUT, UM, SYNOPSIS, AND I AGREE WITH YOU COMMISSIONER BALANCED WHALE THAT, UH, SOME OF WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT ARE IDENTIFYING THE LEVEL OF THREAT AND BEING ABLE TO QUANTIFY, UH, NOT ONLY WHAT EXISTS, BUT ALSO TO BEGIN TO START PRIORITIZING SOME LEVEL OF SOLUTION AS WE LOOK AT THE ZONING DISCONNECT
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS WE'VE, WE'VE NOTED THAT, THAT REQUEST AND WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, I WANTED TO MENTION, UH, AN ADDITIONAL ITEM, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE SOME FUNDING, UH, TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ATTENDANCE AT THE NAPC FORUM, UH, 2020, WHICH WILL BE, UH, EXPLORE EXPLORATIONS FROM HOME RATHER THAN FROM TACOMA, WASHINGTON.
BUT, UH, IT SHOULD STILL BE A GOOD CONFERENCE IT'S HAPPENING AUGUST 3RD THROUGH NINTH.
UH, AND THERE'LL BE TWO OR THREE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS PER DAY BETWEEN 11:00 AM AND 6:00 PM.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE ONE AT A TIME, THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER EVENTS ALSO.
UM, SO PLEASE, UH, IT'S NAPC IS THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEM, THEY DO EXCELLENT WORK.
AND, UH, I WENT TO THE LAST CONFERENCE IN DES MOINES TWO YEARS AGO AND IT WAS REALLY EXCELLENT.
SO IF ANY OF YOU ARE, ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, LOGGING IN FOR IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ALL OF THE CONFERENCE, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF A FAIR AMOUNT OF THE CONFERENCE, PLEASE LET, UH, LET STAFF KNOW, MAYBE JUST EMAIL ME AND STEVE AND, UH, WE'LL COMPILE OUR LIST AND WE DON'T HAVE UNLIMITED FUNDING, BUT WE'D LOVE TO SEE A NUMBER OF YOU, UH, JOIN US ONLINE THAT, THAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY AUGUST 3RD THROUGH NINTH.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE LET US KNOW, UM, BY THE END, I'LL SAY BY THIS FRIDAY
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
[01:35:02]
ANOTHER RECORD.I WILL MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
THE MOTION ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.