[00:00:08]
I'VE BEEN DEMOTED FROM THE MAYOR TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
HOW'S EVERYBODY SIGNED AS THE CONFLICTS.
[CALL TO ORDER ]
GOOD EVENING.AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 25TH, 2021 MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
I WILL CALL ROLL CHERRY MYERS.
BEN HEIM, SETH PRESENT VIRTUALLY VIRTUALLY PRESENT.
ANESSA CASTILLO IS ABSENT TODAY WITH FEATHERSTON VIRTUALLY.
KELLY LIBERAL IS PRESENT TREY MCWHORTER BLAKE TO LET BETH VALANZUELA AND CAROLINE RIGHT PRESENT.
I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
FIRST OF ALL, ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE ROOM FOR 10 SPEAKERS TO SPEAK ON CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.IF YOU HAVE AN ITEM THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND IT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, UH, ANOTHER ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, AND YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS? NO ONE.
I WILL GO THROUGH THE AGENDA QUICKLY AND SOME ITEMS WILL BE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
IF YOUR ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND IT IS NOT PULLED FOR DISCUSSION AND THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES, YOUR ITEM HAS PASSED AND YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO STAY HERE.
UM, ITEMS THAT ARE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, WE WILL GO THROUGH THOSE, UH, IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE ON THE AGENDA.
SOME ITEMS, UM, HAVE APPLICANTS OR STAFF HAVE REQUESTED POSTPONEMENTS.
WE WILL HAVE A MOTION ON THE POSTPONEMENTS AS WELL.
FIRST OF ALL, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR PHONES.
UM, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT YOU NEED TO WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES DURING THE MEETING.
IF YOU DO NOT WEAR A MASK AND YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO PUT IT ON AND YOU TAKE IT OFF A SECOND TIME, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
[Consent Agenda]
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES THAT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM TWO PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSIONS AND POSSIBLE ACTION.WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AS SOON AS WE READ THROUGH THE AGENDA UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC ZONING ITEM, A ONE 10,000 6 21 PIONEER FARMS DRIVE IS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT ITEM EIGHT TO 13,300 DECILE ROAD IS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT ITEM, A 3 25 0 1 INWOOD PLACE IS A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM, A 4 12 0 4 EAST SIXTH STREET AS A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM, A 5 86 0 1 AZALEA TRAIL WILL BE A DISCUSSION
[00:05:01]
ITEM UNDER B.WE HAVE NO POSSIBLE ACTION OR DISCUSSION ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS UNDER SEA DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, ITEM C 1 11 0 4 20TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT COMMISSIONER.
THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT ITEM C 1 11 0 4 20TH WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM C TO 1104.
CHARLOTTE STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
MADAM CHAIR, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, DO WE KNOW WHICH OPTION IS BEING, UH, APPROVED? ARE WE ALLOWING EITHER OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS WITH OUR CONSENT, WHICH OPTION THERE HAD SHOWN IN THE BACKUP TWO DIFFERENT DRIVEWAY OPTIONS? I THOUGHT IF IT WAS ONE OR THE OTHER THAT WAS BEING RECOMMENDED, IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME.
UH, IT MAY BE THAT WE'RE APPROVING OR WOULD, WOULD ALLOW DISCRETION FOR BOTH.
BUT IF THAT COULD BE A CLARIFICATION, WE COULD LEAVE THAT ON THE CONSENT.
HOLD ON JUST A SECOND COMMISSIONER COOK.
DO YOU RECALL HOW WE LEFT THIS AT THE ARC, BUT DID WE GIVE STAFF PERMISSION OF, DID WE ALLOW STAFF TO, UH, APPROVE IT ADMINISTRATIVELY STAFF? ANYONE? I DON'T THINK ON THAT ONE.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? OH, I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT ON CONSENT JUST AS LONG AS WE'RE CLEAR WHAT THE, UH, EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER OR BOTH BEING APPROVED TO JUST SEEMED CONFUSING.
UM, THIS IS A CASE AT CALLAN CONTRARES PREPARED FOR TONIGHT AND, UH, SHE IS ON A WELL-DESERVED VACATION.
SO LET ME LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF I CAN CLARIFY, UH, WHILE THE MADAM CHAIR FINISHES READING THE ADDRESS.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH.
ITEM C3, 80 AND 82 SAN MARCUS STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM C 4 15 0 5 TRAVEL SITES BOULEVARD WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR CLARIFICATION ITEM C 5 14 12.
ALAMEDA DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM C 6 18 0 9 WAS 29TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM C SEVEN 1500 HARTFORD ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM C 8 14 0 9.
WOODLAWN BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM C 9 16 17 WESTOVER ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEMS. SEE 10, 15, 19 WEST 32ND STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
MOLLY DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEMS. C 12 14 11 ETHERIDGE AVENUE WILL BE AT CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
THE APPLICANT HAS ASKED FOR A POSTPONEMENT UNDER ITEMS D DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION ITEM D 1 8 12 WEST 12TH STREET IS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT TO THE NOVEMBER 15TH MEETING ITEM DEEP TO 1000 EAST 38TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 3 16 0 1.
CEDAR AVENUE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D FOUR 1100 SOUTH FIRST STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 5 3 0 1.
SAN JACINTO WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D 6 3 10 EAST THIRD STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND ITEM D 7 35 0 6.
DUVALL STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM FOLLOWING BACK TO 1104 CHARLOTTE STREET.
WE DID HAVE A CITIZEN COME UP AND REQUEST TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND PULL UP FOR DISCUSSION.
[00:10:01]
ITEM C 2 11 0 4 CHARLOTTE STREET THAT WILL NO LONGER BE A CONCERN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
SO WHAT WE HAVE ON CONSENT OR C5? C6 C7, C A C NINE C 11 D TWO D FOUR D SIX.
ALL THOSE IN, UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY.
SECOND FROM A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
TELL THAT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR SAYING AYE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES ITEMS FOR CONSENT.
POSTPONEMENT ARE A ONE 10,621 PIONEER FARMS ROAD, EIGHT TO 13,300 DECILE ROAD, C 12 14, 11, ETHERIDGE AND D 1 8 12 WHAT'S 12TH STREET.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT? POSTPONEMENT MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.
THE OTHER ITEMS WILL BE TAKEN UP IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE UP HERE ON THE AGENDA.
THE FIRST STEP ON THE AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, NOPE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHOSE ITEMS THAT PASSED ON CONSENT, THAT YOU LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STAFF AND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY FOLLOW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF YOU HAVE, IF IT HAS BEEN REQUIRED THAT YOU COMPLETE A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE THAT CONSISTS OF EIGHT BY 10 PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL ELEVATIONS PRINTED ON PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER WITH A DIMENSIONAL SKETCH PLAN AND A NARRATIVE HISTORY FOR ARCHIVING AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
DID I HAVE THE, UM, MINUTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I DON'T THINK I DID.CAN WE TAKE A SEPARATE VOTE FOR THE, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2021? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 27TH MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK MOVED, MADE THE MOTION COMMISSIONER, UM, MCWHORTER SECONDED, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ANY OPPOSED IT PASSES.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TONIGHT, UM,
[2.A. Austin Economic Development Corporation update]
FROM THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION UPDATE AND WE HAVE BRAD PATTERSON WHO WAS A BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTING THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND, AND GATLING HAINES, THE CHIEF TRANSACTIONAL OFFICER WITH THE, WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.MADAM CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS.
UH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS LOCATION AND YOU'RE A MUCH FRIENDLIER BOARD THAN THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
I THINK, UM, MY NAME IS BRAD PATTERSON.
MY DAY JOB IS WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, BUT I'M HERE TODAY AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THIS BODY NOMINATED ME IN, IN FALL OF 2020 TO BE YOUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UM, I'LL SAY THAT THE CHARGE OF THE AEDC, THE AUSTIN ECOMAP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOT REALLY HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE SENSE OF THE DISCIPLINE THAT A LOT OF US OPERATE IN.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISTORIC RESOURCES TO FIT INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE CAPACITIES, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND WORK REALLY HARD TO LOOK FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE IT CAN MESH.
[00:15:01]
FOR THE APPOINTMENT OR THE NOMINATION.UM, AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S NOT BEEN MUCH TO REPORT UNTIL NOW, THINGS ARE REALLY STARTING TO MOVE.
UM, AND ANNE'S GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THAT.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS SEATED BY THE COUNCIL IN THE SPRING, UH, AND THE LEGAL AGREEMENTS THAT ESSENTIALLY FUND THE CORPORATION GIVES US AUTHORITY OVER SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
UH, AND DIRECTIVES HAS ONLY BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL KIND OF IN THE LAST, DURING THE SUMMER AND IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
SO OTHER FACTOR IN THE SLOW START HAS BEEN THE SEARCH FOR STAFF.
UH, THE CORPORATION HAS BEEN OPERATED UNDER THE YEAR, THE LEADERSHIP OF ACTING OFFICERS, ESSENTIALLY ALL, UM, CITY STAFF HEADS OF DIVISIONS, UH, THAT HAVE THEIR DAY JOB.
AND I'VE ALSO BEEN ACTING AS THE OFFICERS FOR THE BOARD.
THERE IS A SEARCH PROJECT PROCESS UNDERWAY CURRENTLY FOR THE CEO WITH SOME HOPE OF HAVING THAT POSITION FILLED BY JANUARY ONE POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED AND THAT'S THE CORPORATION'S CHIEF TRANSACTIONAL OFFICER AND THAT'S ANNE GATLING, HAYNES WHO'S WITH ME TODAY TO TALK ABOUT AND MAKE THE FORMAL PRESENTATION.
SO ANNE STARTED JUST, UH, IN SEPTEMBER, SHE HAS AN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION AND I THINK SHE ACTUALLY PRACTICE WAS A PRACTICING ARCHITECT EARLY IN HER CAREER, BUT HER LAST 20 YEARS OR SO HAVE BEEN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS IN COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, UM, HER CAREER HAS BEEN PRIMARILY BASED IN THE NORTHEAST.
UH, BUT MOST RECENTLY SHE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE CEO OF THE HOUSTON LAND BANK.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO, TO STEAL HER FROM AND BRING HER TO AUSTIN WHEN I WAS GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ANNE.
BUT SHE ACTUALLY ASKED ME TO DO A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE AS THE BOARD MEMBER, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
SO HERE'S THE DIRECTIVE TO CREATE THE AUSTIN AG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, CORPORATION, I WOULD SAY THAT IN A NUTSHELL, WE WERE CREATED TO HAVE A ENTITY THAT COULD DO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
THEY COULD WORK IN WAYS WITH FLEXIBILITY THAT CITY GOVERNMENT TYPICALLY DOESN'T HAVE BY ITSELF, GET STILL BE ACCOUNTABLE, VERY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE CITIZENS.
UM, AND SO WHAT'S REALLY KEY IS THAT WE ESSENTIALLY ARE A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER OR TO BE A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT INSTEAD OF PRIVATE REVENUE, IT'S FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND IT'S FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH.
SO DEI ISSUES ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE MISSION OF THE CORPORATION AND HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
UM, BUT IT'S A VERY BROAD KIND OF CHARGE BEYOND THAT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, I WILL TELL YOU IT'S A HUMBLING BOARD TO BE PART OF THESE ARE THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF AUSTIN.
I'M NOT SURE I WOULD PUT MYSELF IN THAT CATEGORY, BUT I'LL PLAY ALONG WITH IT.
UH, IT'S A REALLY FANTASTIC BOARD COMING FROM ALL KINDS OF DISCIPLINES, REPRESENTING ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CITY ENTITIES.
CAN YOU TELL US, UH, JUST A FEW NAMES OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS OR BOARDS THAT ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS? UH, YEAH, THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION ARE REPRESENTED.
UH, THE, THERE IS, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UH, SOMETIMES THEY'RE REPRESENTING MORE THAN ONE ORGANIZATION, DIFFERENT, UH, GROUPS WERE TAG TEAM TOGETHER.
UH, THERE'S REPRESENTATIVE OF FROM THE, UM, URBAN LAND INSTITUTE, THE CITY MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSIONS, THE THERE ARE MULTIPLE CITY COMMISSIONS.
UM, THERE ARE 21 BOARD MEMBERS, UM, AND WE'VE ONLY NOW MET ONCE FACE-TO-FACE WITH JUST OVER A QUORUM OF THE BOARD.
SO I DON'T YET KNOW ALL OF THEM EXCEPT FOR THE SAME FUND THAT YOU'VE ALL, YOU'VE ALL HAD.
WELL, I KIND OF FAILED THAT ONE, BUT WE'LL MAKE UP FOR IT FOR LIKE, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF COMPANY WE WERE KEEPING.
THESE ARE HEADS OF ALL KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS, UM, CHAMBERS, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING GROUP AND OUR CONVERSATIONS HAVE INCLUDED, UH, DISCUSSIONS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OF CHILDCARE OF, UM, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL, GENTRIFICATION, DIVERSITY ISSUES, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST SORT OF STARTING TO GEL AROUND THAT.
AND PARTICULARLY AS WE GET STAFF FOR THE CORPORATION, WE'LL REALLY START TO GET MOVING.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STARTING TO GET MOVING.
AND ANN'S GOING TO TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE ARE ON SOME MAJOR INITIATIVES.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS OUR SCOPE OF SERVICES IS CURRENTLY LAID OUT BY THE CITY.
WE GET OUR CHARGE FROM THE CITY THE CITY
[00:20:01]
PROVIDES RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE FUNDING, BUT OVER TIME THAT WILL BECOME LESS.UM, BUT THEY GIVE US THE AUTHORITY AND THEN WE HAVE A YEAR TO GO OUT AND DO TRANSACTIONS AND DO PROJECTS THAT RELATE TO THAT REPORT BACK TO THEM.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY CONTINUE TO ADD TO THAT.
THEY ALREADY ARE AMENDING THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS, UH, WITH NEW PROJECTS, UH, FOR US.
UM, AND I THINK WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO LET ANNE HASTINGS, UH, AND HAYNES STEP UP AND TAKE IT OVER FROM HERE.
YEAH, I WAS DOING SO WELL WITH THAT.
UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG AGENDA, SO I'LL BE QUITE BRIEF.
UM, BUT I'M HERE IN PART TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON AND SPECIFICALLY ONE, WHICH IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT WE'RE STARTING TO ROLL OUT A PROGRAM TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD INTERFACE WITH HISTORIC STRUCTURES AT SOME LEVEL.
UM, AS I SAID, I'VE BEEN SAID, MY NAME IS DAN HAYNES AND I'M THE CXO OR THE CHIEF TRANSACTION OFFICER PROJECT LEAD FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND THE FIRST FULL-TIME STAFF OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO ROLL OUT, UM, SPECIFICALLY ONE PROJECT TODAY, THE CULTURAL TRUST, UM, WHICH IS ONE OF MANY THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY IDENTIFIED IN OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, WHICH IS THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT.
WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT A FEW MORE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS IN EAST AUSTIN THAT WILL BECOME PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO AS WELL.
BUT THE AUSTIN CULTURAL TRUST IS A PROGRAM.
LET'S SEE IF THAT GOES, UH, IS A PROJECT THAT EFFECTIVELY HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, STARTING IN ABOUT 2018 WITH SIGNIFICANT WORK, EVEN PRIOR TO THAT, THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, THE IDEA THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY ARTS STABILIZATION TRUST TO PRESERVE AND SECURE PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY FOR ARTS CULTURE AND MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND IN PARTICULAR, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNCTIONS CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN A CITY THAT IS GETTING MORE AND MORE AND INCREASINGLY EXPENSIVE.
UM, AND THEN IN THE LAST YEAR, AEDC WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE PROGRAM MANAGER OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UM, AT THE MOMENT THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT $16.9 MILLION, UH, ASSIGNED TO ARE IDENTIFIED FOR THE WORK OF THIS CULTURAL TRUST THREE DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF MONEY.
AND AS YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH EACH BUCKET OF MONEY HAS DIFFERENT STRINGS ATTACHED AND DIFFERENT OBLIGATIONS, BUT WE ARE RUNNING ONE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS TO DEVELOP A PIPELINE OF PROJECTS.
UH, THIS IS THE CREATIVE FACILITIES BOND OF 12 MILLION, UM, WHICH WAS PASSED IN 2018.
AND WE HAVE SOME HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, UH, DOLLARS FROM THE ICONIC VENUE FUND, AS WELL AS THE BUDGET STABILIZATION, WHICH IS ALSO FOR THE ICONIC VENUE FUND.
THE CULTURAL TRUST PROGRAM PRIORITIES IS REALLY ABOUT FACILITATING THE ACQUISITION AND PRESERVATION OF VENUES FOR CULTURE ARTS AND MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THIS WILL BOTH PRESERVE ICONIC VENUES THAT ARE, UH, SUBJECT TO BE LOST DUE TO INCREASING COSTS, AS WELL AS CREATING NEW CREATIVE HUBS FOR MUSIC, CULTURE AND ARTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
OUR REALLY PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND IDENTIFYING PROJECTS FOR INVESTMENT AND PROVIDING PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY FOR THESE THESE FUNCTIONS.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO BUILD A PIPELINE OF CULTURAL TRUST PROJECTS TO BOTH ASSEMBLE THE INITIAL INVESTMENTS, AS WELL AS BUILD A POOL OF FUNDING OVER TIME TO SUPPORT THESE, THESE VENUES AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS A VERY, UH, DETAILED SCHEDULE, BUT THE MOST THING IS TO KNOW THAT REGISTRATION HAS OPENED FOR THIS PROGRAM AND A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WILL BE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE HAVE BEEN BROADCASTING THIS THROUGHOUT THE ARTS MUSIC AND CULTURE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE REGISTRY REGISTRATIONS FROM ORGANIZATIONS.
AND PLEASE, WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL SPREAD THE WORD AS WELL.
CERTAINLY SOME OF THE CULTURAL HUBS MAY BE LOCATED IN CITY FACILITIES THAT ARE ALSO HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
WE ALSO MAY BE LOOKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A HISTORIC STRUCTURE THAT COULD BE PRESERVED OR SAVED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WE WILL HAVE A DEADLINE AT THE END OF MARCH, BUT TWO PERIODS OF EVALUATING PROJECTS AND AN ONGOING SERIES OF REVIEW OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT COULD BE IDENTIFIED FOR BOTH INITIAL INVESTMENTS AND FUTURE INVESTMENTS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AGAIN IS REGISTRATION IS OPEN.
YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM AT AUSTIN, EDC.ORG/CULTURAL-TRUST.
UH, AND WE ARE ASKING ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTS MUSIC AND CULTURE GROUPS TO PLEASE SIGN UP.
AND WE HAVE SOME WORK SESSIONS AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY DURING THE PROCESS, ESPECIALLY TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS WITH THEIR PROJECTS FROM A REAL ESTATE FEASIBILITY PERSPECTIVE, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, UH, WE ARE GOING TO DO AN ONLINE APPLICATION.
SO REGISTRATION IS STEP NUMBER
[00:25:01]
ONE, AND CERTAINLY I CAN BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS EITHER NOW OR@AFUTURETIMEATANATAUSTINEDC.ORG.AND THEN AGAIN, THE PROJECT WEBSITE HAS ALL UPDATED INFORMATION AND WE UPDATE IT ON A NEARLY DAILY BASIS AT THIS POINT.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VERY MUCH COMING AND BEING WITH US TONIGHT.
WE WILL NOW GO ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THE ITEMS WILL BE TAKEN UP AN ORDER IN THE ORDER.
THEY APPEAR ON THE AGENDA AND WE WILL HAVE, UM, PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM, THE FIRST THE STAFF WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL HEAR, UH, FROM THOSE IN FAVOR AND THOSE OPPOSED.
[3.A.3. PR-2021-105009 – 2501 Inwood Pl. – Discussion ]
OKAY, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.OUR FIRST CASE IS, UM, ITEM
AND AS A LANDSCAPE FEATURE, THE HOUSE WAS OWNED AND OCCUPIED BY HUGH AND FRANCIS MCMATH FROM THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION UNTIL THEIR DEATHS.
YOU HAVE MCMATH WAS A PROFESSOR OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS WHO SPECIALIZED IN MEXICAN ARCHITECTURE AND, UH, WAS MOST WELL KNOWN FOR, UM, HIS WORK TAKING STUDENTS TO AND FROM, UM, MEXICO TO STUDY AT THE INSTITUTE OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGICAL OF MONTEREY.
HE HAS SPONSORSHIP HELP THAT INSTITUTE GAIN ADMISSION TO THE ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF ARCHITECTURE.
MCMATH ALSO, EXCUSE ME, ENCOURAGE JOHN CHASE TO APPLY TO THE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY.
AND CHASE BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO ENROLL AT UT AUSTIN FRANCIS.
MCMATH HELD MULTIPLE POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY.
UH, SHE ALSO SUPPORTED WOMEN THROUGH SPONSORSHIP OF A UNIVERSITY CLUB, WELCOMING FEMALE ARCHITECTURE, STUDENTS AND INVOLVEMENT WITH AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IN TERMS OF ARCHITECTURE, THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION CRITERIA RECOGNIZE A BROAD RANGE OF ARCHITECTURAL EXPRESSIONS, UM, FROM PLACES THAT CLEARLY EMBODY THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF A PARTICULAR TYPE OR STYLE, AS WELL AS A MORE UNIQUE OR ONE OF A KIND PLACES, UH, THE MCMATH HOUSE BRIDGES, THESE CATEGORIES AND ITS ECLECTICISM AS PART OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE.
I WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER WRIGHT FOR, UH, THE TIP TO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH THE LENS OF CRITICAL REGIONALISM.
AND, UM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SAY THE HOUSE RETAINS HIGH INTEGRITY WITH ALTERATIONS DURING THE, UH, MAJORING MCMASTER OWNERSHIP, WHICH APPEAR TO REPRESENT HIS EVOLVING ARCHITECTURAL ENTRUST AND EXPERIMENTATION OF HIS OWN HOME.
THE HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED BY PLAN CON, WHICH WAS A RELATIVELY SHORT-LIVED LOCAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FIRM.
UH, THEY CONSTRUCTED, UH, TRACT HOUSES AT AFFORDABLE PRICE POINTS AND A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UH, ADVERTISE A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE OF DESIGN CONSTRUCTION AND LOAN NEGOTIATIONS.
ONE OF THE FEATURES THAT THEY, UM, PARTICULARLY CALLED OUT IN THEIR MARKETING WERE FABRIC ON WALL STORAGE UNITS, WHICH AMPER ACTUALLY, IF YOU COULD SCROLL BACK UP TO THE LAST IMAGE, UM, OH, RIGHT THERE, THAT PINK THAT'S PERFECT.
UM, SO FABRIC CONS LIST IS CABINET MAKERS IN AUSTIN CITY DIRECTORIES OF THE 1940S.
UH, BUT MORE ACCURATELY WAS A MANUFACTURER PREFABRICATED WALL STORAGE UNITS AND, UH, WHAT THAT REALLY ALLOWED WITH SOME FLEXIBILITY AND INTERIOR DESIGN BY TAKING CLOSET SIDE OF THE EQUATION.
AND INSTEAD USING WALL STORAGE AS A WAY OF DIVIDING SPACES WITHIN A HOME, NICOLE WAS INVOLVED IN BOTH FABRIC CON AND PLANNED CON.
HE GRADUATED FROM BEAUTY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE IN 1939.
UH, RESEARCH HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO PLAN CON, BUT HE WAS A SOLE ARCHITECT WITHIN THE COMPANY'S LEADERSHIP AND PRESUMABLY PLAYED A SIMILAR ROLE TO WHAT HE DID WITH FABRIC ON AND DESIGNING MANY OF THE HOMES.
UH, HE ALSO PRESUMABLY STUDIED UNDER MCMATH AT UT UH, DISAPPOINTINGLY.
I DID REACH OUT TO THE ALEXANDRA ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVE AT UT, WHICH HOLDS MCMASTER PAPERS.
UH, THEY ARE NOT YET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THEIR STAFF WAS KIND ENOUGH TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON MY BEHALF.
AND, UH, THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND THERE ARE FIVES.
[00:30:01]
WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC CONNECTION WITH NED COLE OR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLON MCMATH THAT DOCUMENTED.UH, WE ALSO REALLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THE HOUSE OVER TIME, OTHER THAN WHAT WE CAN OBSERVE.
SO, UM, WHILE MCMATH, UH, MASS HEALTH IS, IS CONTEMPORANEOUS WITH PLAN CONS TRACT HOUSES, BUT IT'S A UNIQUE DESIGN WITH MORE VARIED MATERIALS AND ARTICULATION.
IT'S ALSO COMPARED TO FABRIC ON SLATER HOUSES, MORE TRADITIONAL AND ITS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION WITH LOAD BEARING INTERIOR WALLS RATHER THAN, UM, WALL STORAGE UNITS TO DIVIDE THE SPACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S WALL STORAGE UNITS, WE'RE PLAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A TRADITIONAL WORLD WHEN THE PLAN OF THIS HOUSE IN TERMS OF CRITICAL REGIONALISM IN TEXAS DURING THIS ERA, THAT'S MOST COMMONLY CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAN ANTONIO ARCHITECT OR NEIL FORD WHOSE WORK SOUGHT TO INTEGRATE REGIONAL ARCHITECTURAL TRADITIONS AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY.
AND WELL FORWARD TOOK, UM, VARIED INFLUENCES AND BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER INTO A SINGULAR DESIGN.
WHAT WE SEE AS MCMATH RESPONDING TO THE MODERNIST DESIGN OF HIS HOME AND BRINGING IN, UH, REGIONAL AND MEXICAN ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES, UH, BRINGING IN SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, LOCAL MATERIAL AND REALLY GROUNDING THE DESIGN AND THE SITE, AND THEN THE LANDSCAPE.
AND IN TERMS OF THE LANDSCAPE FEATURES, IT HAS A NATURAL GRAINAGE CROSSING THE SIDE WITH A VERY PICTURESQUE BRIDGE CROSSING THAT DRAINAGE, UH, CURVILINEAR STONE RETAINING WALLS, AND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PATIO AREAS THAT REALLY NESTLED THE HOUSE, UH, AND TO THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, TURN IT OVER TO OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF HEARING? NONE.
UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION WHILE STAFF'S THERE.
UM, I KNOW THE OWNER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, AND I ASSUME THAT BETWEEN THE STAFF AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, BEING ONSITE, THERE'S PERHAPS MORE OBSERVATION ABOUT, UH, THE CONDITION OF THE STRUCTURE.
THANK YOU FOR PROMPTING ME ON THAT.
I'VE MEANT TO, TO TOUCH ON THE CONDITION OF THE HOME AS WELL.
UH, SO THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT THE HOUSE IS OUT OF LEVEL, AND IT HAS A SALTIEL TILE FLOOR THROUGHOUT, WHICH WOULD MAKE, CAN'T DO A TOPPING SLAB.
SO LEVEL THE HOUSE AS A RESULT OF THAT, UM, THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME, WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE ON THE SLIDE CURRENTLY IS, UM, SOME SITE DRAINAGE ISSUES WITH THE GARAGE WHERE, UM, WE JUST HAD WATER RUSHING THROUGH THAT GARAGE AND EATING AWAY AT, UM, SOME OF THE WALLS.
UH, THERE'S ALSO THE FACT THAT THE HOUSE HAS BEEN, UM, MODIFIED MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT A BUILDING PERMITS FROM WHAT STAFF CAN SEE.
UM, YOU'VE GOT THESE VERY BROAD OVERHANGING EAVES THAT HAVE BEEN EXTENDED, UH, FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND, UM, THE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS AREN'T ADEQUATE FOR SUPPORT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THESE KINDS OF SISTERS MEMBERS AND THESE VERY, VERY BROAD OVERHANGS.
UM, THERE ALSO IS, UM, THE LIGHTING FIXTURES THAT WERE ADDED OUTSIDE ARE NOT EXTERIOR GRADE AND THEY ARE SIMPLY PLUGGED INTO WIRING THAT WAS ADDED.
UH, SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH THIS HOUSE.
UM, IF, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT A CASE WHERE THERE WAS OWNER SUPPORT AND AN INTEREST IN REHABILITATING THE HOUSE, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF WORK THAT WOULD NEED TO GO IN TO BRINGING IT UP TO CODE AND, UM, IN, UH, PROVIDING FOR MODERN SAFETY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, THIS IS A COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE HISTORIC ZONING WOULD SPEAK FIRST? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
DO WE HAVE, UH, DID WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY? WAS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? NOT FOR IN FAVOR, BUT WE DO HAVE A LONG LIST OF APPLICANT OVER OWNER TEAM WHO HAS SIGNED UP WHEN I'M ASSUMING IS ALL IN OPPOSITION.
UM, I WOULD HEAR FROM THE FIRST PRESENTER HAS FIVE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION SPEAKERS.
AFTER THAT LINE YOURSELVES UP, PLEASE DON'T REPEAT WHAT OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID.
YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES OF PEACE BE READY TO APPROACH
[00:35:01]
THE PODIUM WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN.YES, MA'AM MADAM CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS VINCE HUBINGER WITH VINCENT GERARD.
UM, THANK, UH, THANKS TO THOSE WHO ACTUALLY CAME OUT AND LOOKED AT THE SITE.
UM, JUST HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. THERE'S GOING TO BE, UH, SIX OF US SIGNED UP FIVE SPEAKING.
SO, UH, MR. WILKINS HAS DONATED HIS TIME.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO ROLL THIS.
SO WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT ALL WITHIN THE FIVE SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE, BUT, UH, REAL QUICKLY, I'M HERE TO NOT ROLLING.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PLATTE AND THE PERMITS.
THE ORIGINAL PLAT IS SHOWN ON, ON THE SCREEN THERE.
UM, THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS, THIS, UH, THE MCMATH PURCHASED THIS IN TWO TRANSACTIONS.
ONE WAS LOT NINE INDIVIDUALLY AND BEFORE 48, WHEN THEY PULLED THE PERMIT AND THE OTHER ONE WAS HALF A BLOCK EIGHT, WHICH IS DONE IN 50, AND WE THINK THAT WAS DONE, UH, AND RIGHT BEFORE THEY PULLED THE SECOND PERMIT, AMRAM STILL NOT WRONG.
SO THERE'S THE ORIGINAL PERMIT, UH, FRAME RESIDENTS WITH GARAGE ATTACHED ON IN 1948.
YOU CAN SEE THE SITE, UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE GOT A LASER, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD SEE ME POINT UP TO THAT, BUT THE SITE AREA IS ON THE SANBORN MAP RIGHT THERE, THAT LOT THAT'S LOT NINE.
AND THEN HALF OF THAT WOULD BE TO THE, TO THE LEFT OF THAT WOULD BE THE PORTION OF BLOCK EIGHT.
SO THEY, THEY PULLED THAT 55 48 PERMIT.
AND, UM, AND IN THAT CONFIGURATION AND THEN PURCHASE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE PURCHASE THE NEXT ONE.
AND THIS ONE IS IN 52, UM, FRAME AND MAY THREE ADDITION TO RESIDENTS.
SO WE TOOK THE SAME MORE MAP AND OVERLAYED IT ONTO THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE ADDITIONS THAT, THAT GO ON THE ENTRYWAY IS ONE.
YOU COULD SEE WHERE THE BIG GREEN LINE IS, IS WHERE IT'S LOT EIGHT, THE, TO THE STORE ROOM, UTILITY ROOM, THE EXTERIOR CLOSET, UH, THE ROOF EAVE EXTENSION.
WHAT ELIZABETH WAS TALKING ON SEVEN GOES ALL THE WAY OVER THREE MORE FEET.
UM, LIVING ROOM ADD ON IS IN THE FRONT NUMBER FIVE, SIX.
WE BELIEVE THE FIREPLACE WAS AN ADD ON FOR THE ORIGINAL BASED ON THE SANBORN MAP AND THEN OTHER AREAS AS WELL FOR FOUR ADDITIONS PAST THE, UH, PAST THE, UH, 50 TO 1950 PERMIT NEXT, PLEASE.
UH, THOSE Y'ALL CAME OUT THERE, SAW THAT THE CONDITIONS OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, UM, THE, ON THE RIGHT IS THE UTILITY ROOM.
AND THE WASH ROOM THAT WAS ADDED ON, ON THE LEFT IS THE, UH, ADDITIONAL LIVING ROOM ADD ON NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE MAIN THING ON THE ROOF IS BASICALLY YOU GONNA SEE, UM, THEY ADDED SOMETHING IN THE SIXTIES WHEN THERE WAS CENTRAL AIR AND CENTRAL HEAT.
SO THEY TOOK UP PITCH ON THE ROOF FROM A FLAT ROOF.
OBVIOUSLY THEY PUT A BLOWER UNIT INSIDE A FLAT ROOF EXTENSION AND PUT A SMALL PITCH ON THE TOP.
WE'RE JUST, UH, DESTROYING THE INTEGRITY OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE NEXT, PLEASE.
THAT'S WHAT, UH, WHAT IT IS NOW.
UH, IT'S IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.
MR. MACKINTOSH IS GOING TO COME UP HERE AND TELL YOU IT'S A, UH, NOT A STRUCTURE THAT THAT CAN, UH, CAN MAINTAIN THAT ROOF.
LOTS OF TREES ON IT, MULTIPLE DEPTHS, MULTIPLE LEAKS, UM, WHICH YOU COULD SEE THE PITCH IN THERE WAS FOR THE CHASE FOR THE AC AND THEN THE BLOWER ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE NEXT, PLEASE.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING BASICALLY IS CURRENT STRUCTURE HAS NO INTEGRITY.
THE ORIGINAL DESIGN STRUCTURE HAS NUMEROUS AD-ONS THAT THE SITE IS IN A VERY BAD SHAPE.
UM, MR. MR. MACINTYRE WILL TELL YOU TO RESTORE IT WOULD BE TO REBUILD THE ENTIRE THING.
UM, AND I'LL YIELD TO MR. MACINTYRE.
ANY QUESTIONS? EXCUSE ME, JUST A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE, UH, THAT SPEAKER? NOPE.
WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF ON THE SLIDES HERE.
I'M AN ENGINEER HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, BEEN FOR ABOUT 35 40 YEARS.
UM, COULD WE GO BACK ONE? SO THE I'M SORRY, ONE MORE.
SO THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS A FLAT ROOF SQUARE HOUSE, AS YOU'VE SEEN, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN ADDITIONS TO THE ROOF TO GET THE AIR CONDITIONING IN THAT HAVE HAD A GABLED ROOF, AS WELL AS KIND OF A LITTLE PENTHOUSE ON TOP.
THEY DON'T MEET CODE THEY'RE TOO FLAT
[00:40:01]
OF SLOPE.THERE'S NO ACCESS TO THAT ADDICT SPACE, WHICH IS A CODE VIOLATION.
UM, ALL THIS WAS DONE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL.
SO THE MODIFICATIONS TO THIS HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED THE DESIGN AND SHAPE OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE.
UM, UH, CAN WE GO ON HERE ONE MORE? SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF LIGHT FIXTURES AND THINGS HAVE BEEN ADDED AROUND THE OUTSIDE.
UH, THESE ARE NOT WEATHER RESISTANT, UH, LIGHT FIXTURES.
THE WIRING IS NOT THE PROPER WIRING, THE JUNCTION BOXES AND ON THERE'S A LOT OF ELECTRICAL VIOLATIONS ALL OVER THE HOUSE NEXT, PLEASE.
UM, THEY HAVE ALSO BOARD, A BUNCH OF HOLES THROUGH THE JOISTS, WHICH HAVE WEAKENED THEM SO THAT SOME OF THOSE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
ANYWAY, THE LIGHTS ARE HUNG JUST FROM WIRES WITH NO JUNCTION BOX AND PROPER STRAIN RELIEF NEXT, PLEASE.
UM, THE, UH, THE ROOF, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SLIDE, THERE HAS A VERY SHALLOW PITCH.
IT'S ABOUT A TWO AND 12 PITCH.
IT SHOULD BE A FOREIGN 12 PITCH.
THIS I IN MY ESTIMATION HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SOME OF THE LEAKS THAT ARE INSIDE.
I COUNTED SIX DIFFERENT LEAK AREAS INSIDE THE HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN SEE STAINS, WATER GOING DOWN THE WALLS.
AND THERE'S SOME ROTTEN, MOST LIKELY MOLD.
THE RIGHT PICTURE SHOWS YOU SOME OF THESE REBEL FOUNDATIONS FOR THE ADD-ONS.
THESE ARE, I SUSPECT THE NON-PERMITTED ADDITIONS THAT WERE DONE.
THEY'RE JUST STONE AND MORTAR.
SO ANY OF THE SEDIMENT THAT'S OCCURRED, YOU CANNOT JACK THESE UP EASILY AND FIX THEM NEXT, PLEASE.
UM, THESE ARE THE ADDITIONS AT THE FRONT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE, UH, ON THE RIGHT PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, THE STONE RUBBLE IS THE FOUNDATION.
THAT'S THE SAME AS THE LEFT PICTURE.
UNDER THE ADDITION, THERE'S A LEAK WHERE THAT MEETS THE ROOF.
IT RUNS DOWN IN THE WALL, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN.
WE SUSPECT FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS THAT THE CHIMNEY WAS NOT THERE, THAT IT WAS ADDED AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT NEXT, PLEASE.
UM, THIS IS AGAIN, MORE INSIDE THIS ROOM.
ADDITION BY THE CHIMNEY, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S LEAKS AND ROT THAT HAD BEEN LONG-TERM OUTSIDE AND IN NEXT PLACE, OTHER LEAK AREAS ARE IN THE UTILITY ROOM WHERE THE GREATEST HIGHER THAN THE WALL.
SO NOT PROPERLY WATERPROOFED IN THE BATHROOM.
THIS IS AT THE EDGE OF ONE OF THE SLOPE GROUP AREAS NEXT, PLEASE.
UH, THE STRUCTURE HAS ALSO GOT SOME PROBLEMS. THIS COLUMN AT THE BACK, YOU CAN TAKE THE WHOLE THING AND WIGGLE IT.
IT'S NOT EVEN TOUCHING THE GROUND.
IT'S ALREADY ROTTED OFF ONCE AND BEEN THE SCABBED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COLUMN.
THERE IS IN THE BACK A LITTLE DAM TO HOLD WATER WITH A HOLE FOR IT, FOR DRAINAGE, BUT I MEAN, A CLOG VERY EASILY.
IF THAT CLOGS UP, IT CAN RISE UP TO THE POINT WHERE I SUSPECT IT COMES VERY CLOSE TO FLOODING INSIDE THE HOUSE.
SO NOT GOOD DRAINAGE AT ALL NEXT, PLEASE.
UH, THE PERIMETER IS ABOUT TWO INCHES LOWER AROUND THE EDGE OF THE HOUSE THAN AT THE CENTER, GIVEN THE ADDITIONS AND THE TYPE OF ADDITIONS.
THIS IS NOT EASILY REMEDIED AND YOU CAN'T JUST JACK IT UP.
AS THE STAFF MEMBER MENTIONED, IT'S ALSO TIA TILE ON THE INSIDE.
SO THIS WOULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT HOUSE TO LEVEL UP NEXT, PLEASE.
UM, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BATHROOM AND THE KITCHEN IS OVER IN HERE.
AND THE WASHROOM UTILITY AREA IS OVER ON THIS RIGHT SIDE.
THIS IS ALL CAST IRON SEWER PIPE, WHICH WAS PUT IN ORIGINALLY IN THE, IN THE MID FORTIES.
IT'S WELL, OVER IT'S 50 YEARS SERVICE LIFETIME, YOU WOULD BE SILLY TO GO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON TOP OF THIS, WITH NEW STRUCTURE, WITHOUT REPLACING THOSE PIPES DOING THAT IS GOING TO DAMAGE A LOT OF THE FLOORING.
AND SO THEN ONCE YOU START, WHERE DO YOU STOP SO THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A PATCH JOB NEXT, PLEASE? SO THE, THE BASIC CONCLUSION IS ALL OF THIS WORK WAS DONE UNDER THE OBSERVATION OF A PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECT, AND I'M SURPRISED SOME OF IT WAS DONE THAT WAY BECAUSE THE MODIFICATIONS ARE POOR QUALITY, POOR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THEY WERE DONE WITHOUT PERMITS.
MANY OF THEM DON'T CONFORM TO CODE, UM, AND AFTER THE REPAIRS ARE MADE AND THE REMAINING STRUCTURE IS BROUGHT UP TO CODE, THERE'S HARDLY GOING TO BE ANYTHING LEFT OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE.
YOUR ROOF SLOPE IS GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE EVEN ON THE FLAT ROOF AND ON THE GABLED ROOF, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD MORE INSULATION.
ELECTRICAL CHANGES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE.
PLUMBING CHANGES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE.
THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ABOUT IT'S USEFUL LIFETIMES THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE CHANGED OUT.
THERE'S JUST NOT THE WHOLE ROOF HAS GOT TO GO TO.
I MEAN, IT NEEDS, THERE'S SOFT ROOF DECKING, BASICALLY.
THERE'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE MUCH LEFT OF THE HOUSE.
BY THE TIME YOU FIX THE ROOF, THE WALLS AND THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS. THANK YOU.
UM, HIS STAFF WATCHING TIME, THIS IS NOT, UH, UH, TO SAY THAT YOU WENT TOO LONG.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE'S WATCHING THE TIME HERE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UH, ROBERT KLEEMAN, I'M AN ATTORNEY HERE IN AUSTIN REPRESENTING THE LANDOWNER.
UH, AND I'LL SEE IF I GOT TWO MINUTES, I'M GOING TO GO VERY QUICKLY HERE.
AND WHAT I'M DOING IS APPLYING THE FACTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU BY STAFF AND BY EVENTS AND BY JOHN TO APPLY THEM TO THE CRITERIA
[00:45:01]
THAT WE FIND IN THE CODE.AND YES, CERTAINLY THE STRUCTURE IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD.
I PUT NO DOWN ON THE OTHER ONE IS BECAUSE THEY HOUSE CHANGED SO MUCH OVER TIME IN SO MANY ITERATIONS.
AND WITHOUT PERMITS, WE DON'T KNOW WHICH VERSION OF THE HOUSE IS EVEN BEING REVIEWED AT THIS TIME.
IT'S OUR CONTENTION THAT ONLY THE ORIGINAL HOUSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS THE REFERENCE, UM, HOME, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF PERMITTING, UH, AND, AND THE POOR QUALITY OF, OF THE STRUCTURE JUST DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO RESEMBLING WHAT IT WAS IN ITS ORIGINAL TIME.
AND SO IN PARTICULAR, A FLAT ROOF HOUSE WITH ONE BEDROOM AND ONE BATH IS WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED.
UH, PROFESSOR MCMATH DETERMINED QUITE EARLY ON THAT THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT SPACE FOR THE 52 EDITION ON THE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL LAND.
UH, SO WE DON'T, I'M SAYING NO TO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
IT MAY HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE POST-WAR SUBURBANIZATION, BUT THE REESE SUBDIVISION OF TWO LOTS IN WESTFIELD, A, IN A 10, LOTS IS MORE OF AN INFILL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND SUBURBAN, AND THE BIG ISSUE IN WHAT CRUSHES THIS PROPERTY IS BEING HISTORIC IS IT HAS NO INTEGRITY.
THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION NOW, WHILE YOU CAN HAVE ALTERATIONS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT AND ARE DOCUMENTED, BUT THE RECORD IS, IS QUITE CLEAR THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THESE CHANGES WERE MADE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET BUILDING PERMITS.
AND SO AT WHAT POINT IN TIME ARE WE GOING TO CONSIDER AND MEASURE INTEGRITY AND WHAT IF I'M UP? YES.
AND SO, UH, FINALLY WITH THE HISTORIC, UH, ASSOCIATION, UH, IF YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL, YOU HAVE TO BE NOT JUST AN ARCHITECT, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS OUTSTANDING AS AN ARCHITECT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY INFORMATION IN THE RECORD INDICATE THAT PROFESSOR MCMATH WAS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS ARCHITECTURAL WORK IN AUSTIN OR THE STATE OR THE UNITED STATES.
ONE MORE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
I'M THE MANAGER OF INWOOD FOREST, LLC, WHO IS THE OWNER OF 2, 5 0 1 INWOOD PLACE, UH, BEFORE PURCHASING THIS PROPERTY IN MAY OF 2020, I CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE DUE DILIGENCE.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY FOR ITS LAND VALUE AND DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL.
I CONTACTED VINCE MY LAND DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, MOSTLY JUST TO DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT LIMITATIONS DUE TO THE FACT THAT PART OF THE PROPERTY IS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
IN THE COURSE OF THAT CONVERSATION, I MENTIONED THAT THE MCMATH FAMILY HAD OCCUPIED THE HOUSE, BUT HAD NOT DESIGNED OR BUILT IT.
VINCE HAD TOLD ME THAT THIS COULD PRESENT A ROADBLOCK AND THAT I NEEDED TO LOOK INTO IT SOME MORE.
SO THE FIRST THING I DID WAS I READ THE CODE THAT OUTLINES THE CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
AND MY CONCLUSION WAS THAT THERE'S NO WAY THAT THIS PROPERTY WOULD QUALIFY.
THE CODE USES WORDS LIKE EMBODIES, EXEMPLIFIES HIGH ARTISTIC VALUE, OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE, ET CETERA.
UM, AND EVEN THE STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS RECOMMENDING, UM, HISTORICAL DESIGNATION CAN ONLY COME UP WITH ELEMENTS OF CERTAIN DESIGNS THAT CAN BE INTERPRETED THROUGH CERTAIN LENSES, APPEARS TO BE APPEARS TO HAVE INTEGRITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO ME, THERE'S NO WAY THAT THIS HOUSE MEETS THIS ARCHITECTURE, ARCHITECTURE CATEGORY.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF HISTORIC ASSOCIATION, WE KNEW THAT THE MCMATH HAD LIVED THERE EVEN THOUGH THEY HADN'T DESIGNED THE HOUSE.
AND I READ THE, UH, TRACING TRAJECTORIES, WHICH IS A 100 YEAR HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.
UH, THERE ARE THREE MENTIONS OF HIM IN THE BOOK THAT AMOUNT TO THREE SENTENCES.
UM, THERE'S NO, THERE'S, IT DOESN'T POINT TO ANY SIGNIFICANT WORKS OF HIS, AND IN TERMS OF NED COLE, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, DESIGN OF THIS HOUSE AT ALL.
UH, SO MY CONCLUSION WAS THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT, THAT THIS READING THE CODE THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD APPLY.
UH, BUT I DID HAVE MY REALTOR WHO WAS HELPING ME OUT WITH THE SALE CONTACT, HISTORIC COMMISSION STAFF, UH, BECAUSE HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD TALKED TO THEM BEFORE ABOUT PREVIOUS PROPERTIES.
AND SO HE'S GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT HIS CONVERSATION WITH STAFF HELLO, UM, I'M BEN SIGNS.
UH, SO I WAS THE AGENT THAT HELPED THEM ACQUIRE IT.
SO I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 17 YEARS, SPECIFICALLY IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIFFERENT THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
[00:50:01]
UP WITH THIS THAT I FELT WAS HISTORIC, WELL, THAT COULD HAVE RAISED A RED FLAG WAS POTENTIALLY WHAT THE, UH, THE OWNER OF IT, BUT AS WE DID MORE DUE DILIGENCE AND ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO THE DAUGHTER OF, UH, OF MR. MCMATH, UM, THE FIRST PART IS, SO I REACHED OUT TO HISTORICAL, UM, AND I, AND I DO THIS ON PROPERTIES WHEREVER.I JUST WANT TO JUST TRIPLE CHECK THINGS.
SO IT'S EITHER STEVE'S TO THE AUSKEY OR AMOR ALLEN, THIS, THIS, THIS TIME IT WAS AMBER ALLEN.
AND I JUST SAID, HEY, CAN YOU JUST TAKE A QUICK GLANCE AT THIS? AND SO SHE DID.
UM, SO SHE JUST SAID, HEY, IT'S THE HOUSE IS NOT A ZONE HISTORICAL.
UH, SHE SAID IT ALSO THAT IT, UM, IS NOT IN A HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
AND IN ADDITION TO, SHE SAID THAT IF THIS CAME ACROSS HER DESK, IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, APPROVAL FOR DEMOLITION.
BUT SHE SAID, THAT'S NOT A GUARANTEE JUST BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE HOME THAT IT COULD DEFINITELY STILL COME TO ACTUAL, UH, TO STAFF.
UM, SO WE FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THAT.
I DID BRING UP THE PART ABOUT MR. MCMATH OWNING IT.
UM, I ALSO DID TELL HER THOUGH, THAT HE DID NOT DESIGN IT, WHICH WAS CONFIRMED NOT ONLY IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT THINGS THROUGH RECORDS, BUT ALSO FROM THE DAUGHTER HERS, UM, HERSELF, I ALSO SAID, DID HE DO ANY OF THE ADDITIONS SPECIFICALLY, UH, HIMSELF? AND SHE SAID, NO, THE ONLY THING THAT HE DID WAS I GUESS, SOME STONEWORK OUTSIDE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO ASKED IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER HISTORIC ABOUT THIS.
AND SHE'S LIKE SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE MY DAD DID NOT DESIGN THE HOME ITSELF.
UM, SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT, SO THANKS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS.
SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE SPEAK IN FAVOR, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, ANY REBUTTAL.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION AND THE US WILL HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF PLEASE.
UH, CAN WE, UM, GET A SECOND TO THE MOTION? OKAY.
THE MOTIONS MADE BY, UM, COMMISSIONER TO LET AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LITTLE, UM, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR MORE QUESTIONS.
SOME OF THE NUMBER, A NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS HERE TONIGHT.
I GUESS WE HAVE NINE NOW THERE FOR AWHILE.
WE ONLY HAD EIGHT AND WE NEEDED NINE TO OVERCOME THE OWNER'S OPPOSITION, CORRECT? YES.
AND WE DO HAVE, UM, IS THAT I, YES, THAT'S COMMISSIONER VALANZUELA IS ON THE, IS, UH, ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, SO WE HAVE NINE.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC, HEARING ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, IT PASSES, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? A SECOND FROM THE MOTION IS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECOND BY COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF WELL DISCUSSION.
I'M JUST RUSHING TO JUDGMENT HERE.
I'M SLIDING I'M I'M SLIPPING OFF MY CHAIR.
IT WAS NOT BUILT BY AN ARCHITECT OR DESIGNER AN ARCHITECT.
WELL, I'M GOING TO NOTE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONING RECORDER AND I VISITED THE SITE.
AND, UM, ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAVE SOME ISSUES, THE ADDITIONS ARE, UH, LESS THAN HIGH QUALITY.
SHALL WE SAY THE, THE HOUSE ITSELF, THE BASE, THE BASIC HOUSE ITSELF.
I FOUND TO BE VERY IMPRESSIVE AS, AS, AS A WORK OF MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE WITH ASPECTS OF, UM, CRITICAL REGIONALISM AND DEFINITELY REFLECTED THE INFLUENCE OF THE OWNER WHO LIVED THERE THROUGHOUT THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
UM, IT IS CONCERNING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT TIE TO THE DESIGNER, BUT IT WAS CLEARLY SOMEONE WHO HAD A SENSE OF, UM, SENSE OF THE MID CENTURY, MODERN STYLE AND DESIGN, AND ALSO HAD INFLUENCE FROM SOMEONE WHO HAD TRAVELED IN MEXICO.
THE, UM, THE TURN COLUMNS, THE COLORS, THE, THE OX YOKE OVER THE DOOR, ALL, ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS.
I, UH, REALLY LOVED THE HOUSE, THE INTERIOR IN PARTICULAR, I LOVED THE WAY IT FIT INTO THE SITE'S VERY UNIQUE SITE WAS VERY THOUGHTFULLY DONE.
I AM A LITTLE BOTHERED BY THE LACK OF DIRECT PROVENANCE.
[00:55:01]
OF THE ARCHITECTURE SPEAKS TO THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE WAS A TIE WITH, WITH NED COLE, THAT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHEN THERE'S SMOKE THERE'S FIRE AND, UH, WITH THE NAME BEING CONNECTED AND THE QUALITY OF THE DESIGN AND THE FABRIC ON MATERIAL INSIDE, UH, IT, IT SEEMS PRETTY EVIDENT AS WELL AS THE INFLUENCE OF PROFESSOR PROFESSOR MCMATH.UM, THEIR INDIVIDUAL INFLUENCE MAY NOT BE OUTSTANDING, ALTHOUGH HE WAS MENTIONED THREE TIMES IN THE HISTORY OF UT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S NOTEWORTHY IN ITSELF.
UM, I THINK JUST THE COMBINATION OF THE UNIQUE SITE, UH, WITH THE LANDSCAPE FEATURE BEING ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED, UH, CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S KEY TO NOTE, UH, THE PLACEMENT OF THE HOME, UH, IN, IN THAT LANDSCAPE, UH, JUST THE UNIQUENESS, THE DEPTH OF HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND THE, UH, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH THE DEPTH, BUT THE BREADTH OF HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND COMBINATIONS, UH, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SITE AND, UM, NED COLE AND PROFESSOR MCMATH AND THEIR VARIOUS HISTORIES TO ME, UH, WOULD QUALIFY IT TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR HISTORIC ZONING FIRST EXCUSE MEASURE, RIGHT.
UM, I ALSO TOURED THE SITE WITH, UM, WITH, UH, ELIZABETH AND WITH COMMISSIONER TO LET, UM, I'LL START BY SAYING I DON'T FIND THE ADDITIONS, UM, TO BE PROBLEMATIC.
UM, THEY'RE NOT BUILT WELL, BUT IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHETHER THEY MORE, THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING THEY'RE WITHIN THE SAME LANGUAGE AND ASSUMING THAT THEY WERE DONE UNDER MICK MATH'S DIRECTION IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, THAT IS ABOUT THE CONTINUITY AND THE CONTINUED USE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LANGUAGE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL TYPOLOGIES, UM, SOMETIMES LANGUAGE AND SOMETIMES BUILDING PARTS ARE KIND OF SQUISHY.
I'LL SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SAY THAT THIS EX, YOU KNOW, HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSIONS RELATED TO CERTAIN TYPE POLICIES, FEW BUILDINGS, REALLY, I SHOULDN'T SAY FEW, BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL BUILDINGS ARE, ARE A SINGLE TYPE OF ARCHITECTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT, THAT ESPECIALLY IS TRUE OF, OF A PLACE LIKE THIS THAT KIND OF HAS A VERY ORGANIC QUALITY TO IT.
THAT IS LIKELY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PERSON WHO LIVED THERE AND WHO HIMSELF WAS A DESIGNER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ISSUES WITH THE ROOF ARE NO SURPRISE AND DON'T BOTHER ME.
I WILL SAY THAT I, I DO APPRECIATE THIS, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISSUES RELATED TO THE FOUNDATION AND THE DIFFICULTY THAT WOULD COME AND THE, AND THE MONETARY ISSUES THAT WOULD COME WITH REPAIRING THE FOUNDATION.
I JUST, I WANTED TO ADD ON THERE.
I, UM, THE ISSUES WITH, UH, ARCHITECTURAL TYPOLOGY, OFTENTIMES A TERM FOR A PARTICULAR SCHOOL DOESN'T COME TO THE FORE UNTIL LONG AFTER THAT SCHOOL, OR THAT TREND HAS GONE OUT OF STYLE.
UM, A CASE IN POINT TO, TO REVIVAL HOUSES, GENERALLY WEREN'T CALLED TO, TO REVIVALS HOUSES.
THEY WERE ENGLISH COTTAGES OR THE ENGLISH STYLE, UM, MISSION REVIVAL THAT, UM, THEY WERE OFTEN CALLED, UH, SPANISH STYLE, UM, THESE KIND OF EBB AND FLOW THE TERMS OF INFLOW OVER TIME, AND EVENTUALLY COME INTO MORE COMMON USAGE.
SO THE, AND I, UH, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? THAT, UM, IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY RARE THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE CAN SAY THAT A BUILDING IS ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY OF THIS PARTICULAR STYLE OR THIS PARTICULAR TYPE.
WE CAN A BUILDING THAT, THAT BORROWS FROM DIFFERENT STYLISTIC INFLUENCES MAY, MAY ALSO BE SIGNIFICANT.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE A UNIQUE OR ONE OF A KIND DESIGN, UM, COMMISSIONER TALLAGHT, UH, WHAT WERE YOUR, UH, CONSIDERATIONS I'M GOING TO, I THINK I WOULD ADDRESS PROBABLY THE WAY IT'S SET IN THE LOT.
UH, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED HOW THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO BE, IT'D BE VERY LOT TO TRY TO TRY TO, TO BUILD ON HIM.
AND IT'S, I BELIEVE THEY WERE TALKING THAT IT SETS ON THE SOLID LIMESTONE, SO, AND IT'S KIND OF CASCADES DOWN.
UH, IT'S SET IN THERE PERFECTLY.
IS IT COMPLIMENTS VERY, VERY WELL.
UH, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE STEP POINTS THAT OUT.
UH, IT, I LIKE THAT IDEA THAT MR. MA, UH, THE OWNER DID SOME OF THE WORK HIMSELF, UH, I'M FAMILIAR WITH, WHAT'S BEEN DONE, LIKE IN PLACES LIKE MAYFIELD PARK, WHERE THERE'S ALL THE STONE WORK WAS DONE PRETTY MUCH ON SITE.
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROBLEMS, THE GARAGE HAS PROBLEMS. IT'S GOT FLOODING, BUT I MEAN, THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED.UH THAT'S I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I THINK THERE IS THE, THERE IS A HISTORIC ASSOCIATION WITH THE OWNERS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY FEELINGS ON THIS COMMISSIONER LEVEL.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE STAFF AND THE APPLICANTS GOING THROUGH VERY THOROUGH LIST OF THE PICTURES THAT SHOW HOW THE BUILDING CHANGED OVER TIME.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUALMS THAT I HAD AT THE LAST MEETING WAS HOW THE BUILDING HAD BEEN ADDED ONTO AND HOW THOSE WERE DONE.
AND AFTER SEEING THEM, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY DETRACT FROM THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING.
I, I DON'T THINK WE CAN CONSIDER ONLY THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE IN PRESERVATION STANDARDS AND OUR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION, ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MOST PROPERTIES CHANGE OVER TIME.
AND THAT THOSE CHANGES THAT HAVE ACQUIRED SIGNIFICANCE SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A CASE OF CHANGES THAT WERE DONE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE OWNER, WHO WAS AN ARCHITECT AND A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL, AND THOSE CHANGES DO HAVE SIGNIFICANCE IN AND OF THEMSELVES.
AND THIS IS AN INTERESTING CASE.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ANYTHING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION WHERE THE LANDSCAPING IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CRITERIA TO, OKAY.
COMMISSIONERS FROM AFAR, ANY COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER HOME, SETH? WELL, I DON'T NEED TO REPEAT SOME OF THE VERY, UH, IMPORTANT THINGS THAT, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
UH, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT STAFF IN MAKING A QUICK OVERVIEW DID EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD HAVE ASKED THEM TO, WHICH IS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION BASED ON THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT MIGHT BE A DIRECTION FOR AN OWNER MOST OF THE TIME THAT'S APPROPRIATE MOST OF THE TIME, UH, THAT THAT DIRECTION IS VERY USEFUL.
SO I CAN APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT, UH, BEING A BIT CONFUSED WHEN, UH, ASSUMING THAT WE'D BEEN ACTUALLY CONVEYED THE, THE, THE GIST OF, OF THE CONVERSATION THEY HAD INITIALLY, UH, THAT, THAT STAFF ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT A GUARANTEE.
AND WITH, OF COURSE MEANS IS, IS THAT THEY'RE USING THEIR JUDGMENT UP TO A POINT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THAT HAS TO BE OUR, OUR JOB AND STAFF DOESN'T SUPPLANT OUR JUDGMENT AND, UH, STAFF ACTUALLY MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO OUR JOB BETTER.
SO AS MORE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE AND AS MORE EXPLORATION HAS BEEN, UH, DISCOVERED AND BROUGHT FORWARD, UM, I THINK THE CASE NOW BECOMES CLEARER AND, UM, WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DIRECTION OR A, OR AN INDICATION AT THE BEGINNING, UH, IS NOT WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
UM, I'M COMPLETELY, REALLY BLOWN AWAY BY THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONERS.
WHO'VE SPENT TIME ON THE SITE, CONFIRMING WHAT I SUSPECTED.
UM, I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT IF THE APPLICANT, UH, CAN TAKE THE TIME AND STEP BACK AND RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT HAVE SEEN IT INITIALLY, UH, WHAT THEY HAVE PURCHASED IS CLEARLY A LABOR OF LOVE THAT TOOK PLACE OVER THE STEWARDSHIP OF A VERY, UH, SIGNIFICANT CAREER, UH, FOR THE MCMAHON FAMILY.
AND THEY LEFT THAT AS A LEGACY.
UH, IT HAS A LOT OF INTEGRITY.
IT HAS A LOT OF BEAUTY, AND IT DOES REPRESENT IMPORTANT DIRECTIONS, UH, BOTH IN LANDSCAPING AND IN ARCHITECTURE, UM, AS A CONTINUATION OF THAT LABOR OF LOVE, IF THIS OWNER IS NOT INCLINED, I DO THINK THEY SHOULD FIND THE RIGHT PERSON WHO COULD PICK UP AND CONTINUE THAT LABOR OF LOVE, UM, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A TREASURE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER, COULD I HAVE A FEW MORE COMMENTS OF OBSERVATIONS FROM THE SITE ABOUT THE FOUNDATION NOTING THE TWO INCH DROP TO FIND THAT VERY ODD THAT IT'S AN EVEN TWO INCHES AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OR SUCH AN ECCENTRIC BUILDING, WALKING THE BUILDING.
I WAS LOOKING FOR CRACKS AND DID NOT SEE A SINGLE CRACK IN ANY FOUNDATION WALLS, OR, UH, THE WALLS ARE LARGELY PANEL WALLS, SO THAT, THAT MAY HIT IT, BUT HAVE HIDDEN SOME CRACKS, BUT NO CRACKS IN THE CEILING, NO CRACKS IN THE CONTINUOUS LTL TILE ANYWHERE I SAW.
IT MAY JUST BE THAT THAT'S HOW THE, UH, THE FOUNDATION HAD CURED.
UH, IT MAY HAVE MAY IT HAD A HUMP IN THE MIDDLE, UH, BEFORE IT WAS BUILT.
UH, I JUST DID NOT SEE FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR HOUSE SITTING ON A HILL, IT DEFINITELY DID NOT SEEM LIKE IT WAS SLIDING DOWN THE HILL, IF IT SETTLED.
UH, IT'S DEFINITELY SETTLING EVENLY AND THERE'S NO IMPACT ON THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING AS A RESULT.
AND NOTHING APPEARS TO BE PROGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF THE ROOF ROOFS ON HISTORIC BUILDINGS ARE INTENDED TO BE REPLACED.
[01:05:01]
IT.UM, THE ROOF IS PROBLEMATIC IN THAT IT'S LOW SLOPE AND COULD USE SOME IMPROVED DETAILING AND FLASHING, BUT IT'S ALSO SAT IN AN OCCUPIED FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AND, AND UNCARED FOR, FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, AND IF THERE'S JUST ONE OR TWO LEAKS WITH A FLAT ROOF LIKE THAT, I THINK IT COULD DEFINITELY BE, BE EASILY RESTORED WITH A PROPER ROOF REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY ON MY EMOTION THAT I WANTED TO NOT ONLY INCLUDE, UH, ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND LANDSCAPE FEATURES, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, WE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMENTS, UH, FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT THIS PROPERTY BEING AN ANCHOR PROPERTY OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HIDDEN IN THIS, UH, IN THE POSSUM TROT BYPASS AND THIS LITTLE CANYON THAT I NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED.
I THINK, UH, AT THE HEART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT REALLY, UH, ADDS TO THE IDENTITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION COMMENTS, HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND SAYING, AYE, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
[3.A.4. PR-2021-135472 – 1204 E. 6th St. – Discussion Council District 3]
ON OUR AGENDA IS A 4 12 0 4 EAST SIXTH STREET.THIS NEXT CASE IS THE ZACHARIASEN SANDOVAL HOUSE.
THIS IS ANOTHER COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
STAFF FINDS THAT THE HOUSE MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR ITS ARCHITECTURE AND THIS HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, HOWEVER IT'S IMPORTANT CONDITION, WHICH THE COMMISSION SHOULD CONSIDER IN DETERMINING WHETHER TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
THE HOUSE IS RECOMMENDED AS A POTENTIAL LANDMARK, AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL EAST SIXTH STREET, HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY FROM 2016, UH, IN TERMS OF ITS ARCHITECTURE, IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A FULL VICTORIAN HOUSE.
UM, I'LL SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON THIS HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND, UM, HOW IT FITS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACTUALLY, EMPEROR, IF YOU COULD SCROLL BACK UP TO FIGURE ONE.
SO, UM, THIS HOUSE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1885, ACCORDING TO CITY DIRECTORIES.
UM, IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE ZACHARY SON AND SANDOVAL FAMILIES, AND ALSO, UH, TYPIFIES THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS THAT EAST AUSTIN EXPERIENCED IN THE TRANSITION FROM THE 19TH TO THE 20TH CENTURIES, ITS FIRST LONG-TERM OCCUPANTS WERE, UM, THE ZACHARIASEN FAMILY, UH, THAT WAS BAKER AND SHOPKEEPER FRANK ZACHARIASEN WITH HIS WIFE, EMMA AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN.
UH, THEY MOVED IN BETWEEN 1888 AND 1903.
THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED FROM SWEDEN IN THE 1870S.
AND IT'S, UM, THE HOUSE WAS PART OF A CLOSE KNIT, UH, SWEDISH COMMUNITY WITHIN THAT IMMEDIATE AREA.
UH, THE ZACK PERSONS RAN A BAKERY AT 1200 EAST SIXTH STREET, WHICH IS AT THE FAR LEFT OF THE TOP IMAGE, A MORE COMMON COMMONLY, CURRENTLY KNOWN AS UPTOWN SPORTS, UH, AT THAT PROPERTY IS BEING LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND IS PURSUING STATE AND FEDERAL TAX CREDITS FOR REHABILITATION.
UM, THERE ARE, WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE, UM, HEARTLINE OR PART A APPLICATION IN SUPPORT OF THAT TAX CREDIT NOMINATION, UM, AND, UH, GATHERED SOME INFORMATION FROM IT THAT HELPS BUILD THE CONTEXT FOR HOW THIS HOUSE RELATES TO THE BAKERY.
UM, ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT THIS, UM, APPLICATION POINTS OUT IS THAT, UM, THE SURROUNDING AREA CONTRIBUTES TO THE BAKERIES INTEGRITY OF SETTING.
UH, THIS BLOCK CURRENTLY REMAINS FREE OF LARGE-SCALE DEVELOPMENT AND HAS SEVERAL 19TH CENTURY BUILDINGS.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO PART OF A DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERN THAT'S LARGELY BEEN LOST ELSEWHERE IN THE AREA WHERE YOU HAVE RESIDENCES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK, AND THEN YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS ON THE CORNERS OF THE LOT.
UM, AND TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOME AND THE BAKERY AND ASSOCIATION WITH THE SAME FAMILIES, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY NICE SET OF PROPERTIES TO TELL THAT STORY.
THE SANDOVAL FAMILY OCCUPIED THE HOME FROM 1941 TO 44.
UH, FLAVIO SANDOVAL WAS A PROMINENT MEXICAN AMERICAN GROCER WHO HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT GROCERY STORES.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY IT WAS THE HOME OF THE SANCHEZ FAMILY.
UM, MR. SANCHEZ WORKED AS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER AND LABORER.
[01:10:03]
UM, SO TO GET BACK TO THE, UM, THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE, AMBER, IF YOU'LL START KIND OF SCROLLING THROUGH THE VARIOUS IMAGES, UM, THERE ARE SOME, SOME FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH THIS HOUSE.UM, UH, THE ROOF WAS ALLOWED TO DETERIORATE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE BEING REPLACED, UH, FEEL GOOD TO THE NEXT IMAGE.
UM, MANY OF THE, THE ENTIRE FOUNDATION IS RACKED AND SO MANY OF THE WINDOWS ARE WRAPPED, UH, THE SIDING'S IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION, BUT, UM, THESE NEXT COUPLE OF IMAGES SHOW, UH, THE, THE SLOPE OF THE SITE, IT'S MUCH HIGHER AT THE ALLEY, UH, BEHIND THE SITE BETWEEN SIXTH AND SEVENTH STREETS.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF STORM RUNOFF THAT'S CHANNELED TOWARDS THE HOUSE.
AND, UH, THE BACK PORTION OF THE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY, UM, THERE THEY'RE SOIL DEPOSITS THAT PARTIALLY BURIED THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
UH, THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF QUITE A BIT OF THE DETERIORATION OF THE FOUNDATION.
AND, UM, IF YOU'LL KEEP SCROLLING PROCESSES AS AN OUTBUILDING, THIS ALSO PROPOSED FOR DEMOLITION, UH, WITHIN THE HOUSE.
IT'S NOT THAT THE HOUSE IS SLOPED TO ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER AND HAS MOVED AS A UNIT.
UM, THE HOUSE ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE SEPARATING IN PLACES.
SO THIS IS THE CENTRAL HALLWAY, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT GAP WHERE THE, UM, THAT WALL HAS SEPARATED FROM THE CEILING AND THE END WALLS OF THAT ROOM.
UM, EACH OF THE ROOMS ARE SLOPING AND SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
THERE'S ONE VERY DRAMATIC IMAGE.
SO THIS IS THE WORST SPOT IN THE HOUSE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE, UM, THE ROOM THAT'S THE KITCHEN NOW MAY HAVE BEEN A DETACHED KITCHEN AND, UM, THIS TWO PORTIONS WERE JOINED TOGETHER WITH AN ADDITION.
AND, UM, SO PORTIONS OF THE HOUSE ARE SIMPLY MOVING DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER PORTIONS OF THE HOUSE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A FEW RELATIVELY MINOR INTEGRITY ISSUES.
WE'RE MISSING THE GITXSAN TRIM ON THE FRONT PORCH.
UH, THE WINDOWS, IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THE SASHES HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED WITH A PATTERN THAT DOES NOT, UH, A PROFILE THAT DOESN'T MATCH THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS, RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OKAY.
UM, SINCE THIS IS A COMMISSION INITIATED, UH, CASE, DO WE HAVE ANYONE? YES.
AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE WHAT YOU HAD WAS AN ADDITION THAT EXTENDED IN THE BACK.
DO WE HAVE A DATE ON THAT ADDITION? NO, I DO NOT HAVE A DATE ON THE ADDITION THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'VE BEEN MULTIPLE ADDITIONS OVER TIME.
UM, THERE ARE TWO BEDROOMS TO THE HOUSE THAT BACK UP TO EACH OTHER.
ONE OF THOSE APPEARS TO BE AN ENCLOSED PORCH OR AN EXTENDED PORCH THAT HAS A DIFFERENT ROOF.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE SIDE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THAT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS A KITCHEN THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DETACHED THAT WAS GROUPED IN WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSE.
AND THEN THERE'S A REAR PORCH THAT WRAPS AROUND AND GOES TO A BATHROOM AT THE BACK.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT HAD MULTIPLE CHANGES OVER TIME.
SO I'M TRYING TO PLACE WHERE SOME OF THE WORST OF THESE STRUCTURAL ISSUES ARE LOCATED.
UM, IF I UNDERSTAND THE S THE CENTRAL, UH, PORTION OF THE HOUSE, THE OLDEST PORTION, PERHAPS THAT FACES THE STREET, THOSE ARE TWO LARGE ROOMS, FLANKING AND ENTRY, UH, UH, AN ENTRY ROOM.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WHAT IS THE CONDITION THAT, THAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE RIGHT THERE? THAT SECTION EACH OF THOSE ROOMS HAS A SLOPING FLOOR AND, UM, WELL, SO THEY'RE OUT OF PLUM AND THEY SEEM TO BE MOVING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
SO THAT WAS THE IMAGE THAT I SHOWED WHERE THE ONE OF THE SIDEWALLS HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CEILING.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE CENTER OF THE PALACES IS PULLING AWAY FROM ITSELF.
BASICALLY, IF IT'S A, THIS IS BEING HERE THEN IT'S, IT'S SORT OF, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S THE SETTLEMENT ON THE SIDE AND THEN PERHAPS LIFTING IN THE MIDDLE.
AND THERE IS, I MEAN, THERE'S SLOPES THAT GO IN AND OTHER, I DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE DOING ANY SORT OF A LEVEL SURVEY.
UM, BUT IT IS, IT IS PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION.
SO ANYTHING THAT'S PULLING AWAY CAN CERTAINLY BE PULLED BACK WITH THE RIGHT FOUNDATION.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION STAFF COME
[01:15:01]
BACK, STAFF.UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE JIGS SOHN WORK IS ORIGINAL TO THE HOUSE.
DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE THAT, UM, THAT IT WAS ORIGINAL TO THE HOUSE? NO.
THE EARLIEST PHOTOGRAPH WE HAVE IS FROM THE 1980S THAT SHOWS SOME OF THE TRIM REMAINING.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE IF THIS IS AN 1880S BUILDING, UM, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WITH THE SHAMPOO, BIRD POSTS AND PILOT TESTERS, THAT IT MAY HAVE JUST HAD THAT AS THE DECORATION AND THE, THE JIGSAW ON, UM, WORK MAY BE LATER, LIKE TURN OF THE CENTURY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT BECAUSE I DON'T, I THINK THE ORIGINAL HOUSE MAY NOT HAVE HAD IT.
AND IN THAT CASE, IT MAY NOT BE LACKING.
UM, THIS IS JUST FROM EXPERIENCE WITH SOME OTHER BUILDINGS, UH, OF THE SAME VINTAGE AND TYPE.
UM, SO THIS IS, THIS IS COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF IT, OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS HOUSE? IS THERE ANYONE HERE IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING? OKAY.
ANYONE SIGNED UP? YES, WE HAVE THE OWNER CATER, JOSEPH.
MR. JOSEPH, ARE YOU HERE? OH, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
AND ANYONE ELSE WHO'S SPEAKING WITH, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
IF THERE ARE OTHER SPEAKERS, PLEASE ORGANIZE YOURSELVES AND COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM.
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
SINCE THE LAST MEETING, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
OH, MY NAME IS CATER JOSEPH, AND I'M THE APPLICANT.
SINCE THE LAST MEETING, WE'VE, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A COUPLE OF COMMISSIONERS ONSITE AND MADE SOME REALIZATIONS THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS REPORTED LAST TIME, AND IT, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE A META RECAP ON WHAT I DISCUSSED LAST TIME, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO IT, BUT OTHERWISE I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT'S.
WHAT'S CHANGED SINCE I THINK ALL OF US WERE HERE LAST TIME.
UH, SO THE, THE MAIN THINGS ARE, AND I'VE GOT SOME SLIDES LET'S SEE.
OH, AND TWO, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS POINTS I'VE OUTLINED NEXT TO ALL THESE SLIDES.
UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER COOK'S SUGGESTION, UH, LIKE AN ARROW SHOWING WHERE, WHERE I WOULD BE TAKING THAT PHOTO FROM.
AND I'VE ALSO OUTLINED ON THERE WHERE THE ADDITIONS ARE CLOSED IN PORCHES ARE SO THAT YOU HAVE A FRAME OF REFERENCE.
BUT THE MAIN THING WE'VE NOTICED SINCE THE, SINCE THE LAST HEARING IS THE WALLS PULLING APART FROM, FROM EACH OTHER.
AND THAT CAN BE SEEN, AM I CHANGING THIS OR ARE YOU OKAY? ALL RIGHT.
UH, THAT CAN BE SEEN STARTING WITH THIS SLIDE HERE AND FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES AND THE HOUSE IS, IS LITERALLY PULLING APART.
THERE'S FOUR INCH GAPS ON THE CEILING THERE, AND NO DOUBT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD REBUILD THIS ENTIRE HOUSE AND HAVE IT PERFECT WHEN IT WAS ALL DONE, BUT, BUT WHAT'S, THERE IS LACKING INTEGRITY IN A MAJOR WAY.
UH, ANOTHER THING WE REALIZED WAS THE, WHERE THE WINDOWS, THERE ARE A VERY FEW ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND, AND ONE OF THE SLIDES COMING UP, YOU CAN SEE THAT, OR, UH, SURE.
THAT SLIDE IN PARTICULAR OUT THERE REALLY SHOWS THE SEPARATION WELL, THAT'S FACING THE FRONT DOOR STANDING RIGHT IN THE ENTRY HALLWAY.
AND IF YOU COULD KEEP GOING, SO DATA SURVEY SHOWING WHICH, WHICH EXTERIOR DOORS AND WHICH WINDOWS WERE ORIGINAL, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE THREE ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND THE REMAINDERS HAD BEEN RE REPLACED WITH A MUCH WIDER MONTHS THAN HAD BEEN THE, IN THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS.
SO THERE, IF YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE, OKAY.
SO THERE, WE'VE GOT TWO ORIGINALS IN THE FRONT AND ONE OVER ON THE, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE.
AND THEN IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDES, YOU'LL SEE PHOTOS OF THE ORIGINALS AND THEY'RE ALL RACKED AND ROTTEN.
AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
[01:20:01]
THE TWO PROFILES RIGHT THERE, AND THEN ALSO TO SPEAK TO THE DRAINAGE AND HOW THE HOUSE ENDED UP THIS WAY PER IN LINE WITH WHAT STAFF WAS STAFF REPORTED.NOT ONLY DOES THIS PROPERTY DRAIN INTO IT, THE RIGHT-AWAY ALLEY DRAINS INTO IT.
AND IF YOU SKIP GO FORWARD, PLEASE, UH, THAT'S STANDING IN THE BACKYARD LOOKING DOWN AT THE HOUSE WITH DRAINAGE, AND THEN IF YOU GO FORWARD, ONE MORE, PLEASE, THAT'S STANDING IN THE LOT ACROSS THE ALLEY THAT ALSO DRAINS DOWN TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
SO IT REALLY, IT REALLY HAS A UNCHARACTERISTICALLY WITH FOUNDATION ISSUES.
YOU USUALLY HAVE TYPICALLY HAVE AREAS THAT ARE LOW IN ONE AREA, AND YOU SEE THE COUNTER OF THAT, ANOTHER AREA WHERE IT'S RAISED UP A LITTLE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A FUN HOUSE.
THERE'S IT IS UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE WITH NO REAL PATTERN.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU'LL HAVE, BUT I'LL TRY NOT TO REPEAT WHAT I'VE ALREADY REPORTED TO Y'ALL LAST TIME.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU IN A VIRTUAL WORLD? OKAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS, UH, ON THIS CASE, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON HAS A QUESTION.
YOU'RE SPEAKING FROM THE ETHER.
UM, YEAH, I THINK LAST TIME THIS CAME UP FOR US, THE, IT WAS PROPOSED THAT, UH, THE HOUSE COULD BE MOVED.
DOES THAT, UM, SEEM FEASIBLE GIVEN ITS CONDITION? UM, I, I DON'T RECALL LAST TIME.
UM, AND I COULD JUST HAVE A FAULTY MEMORY THESE DAYS, BUT THERE WAS LIKE LITERALLY SORT OF COMING APART AT THE SCENES.
UM, SO DOES MOVING IT SEEM POSSIBLE SINCE THE LAST MEETING, WE HAVE EXHAUSTED EFFORTS ON THE RELOCATION AND AT THIS TIME, AT THIS TIME WE'RE PROPOSING TO DEMOLITION THE HOUSE AND SALVAGE AS MUCH MATERIAL AS WE CAN OUT OF IT, BUT WE DON'T FEEL THAT IT IS, IT IS A MOVABLE HOUSE AFTER, AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION SPECIFICALLY AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE HOUSE WAS PULLING APART ON THE HIGHER LEVELS AS WELL.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION COMMISSIONER? IT DOES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE IN YOUR HONESTY.
OH, UH, WHEN DID YOU ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY? UH, MR. JOSEPH, THAT WAS TO YOU? YES.
ANY OTHER OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND BOTH.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE TABLE WHO VISITED THE SITE COMMISSIONING? I VISITED AND FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER SECONDED THAT MOTION.
THE MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT, UM, PENDING, UH, CITY OF BOSTON DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CASE.
I LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT MOTION.
I HESITATED HOPING SOMEONE ELSE WOULD MAKE AN ALTERNATE MOTION TO TRY TO CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
UM, BUT I, I DID VISIT THE PROPERTY.
AND I THINK THE LAST CASE SHOWS THAT I'M NOT AND HISTORY SHOWS I'M NOT EASILY CONVINCED BY, BY CONDITIONS REPORTS.
UM, BUT THIS HOUSE REALLY IS FALLING APART AT THE SCENES.
THIS IS NOT A CASE OF, UH, A HOUSE THAT IS INTACT ENOUGH.
THAT'S BUILT WELL ENOUGH THAT THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC STRUCTURE STILL MAINTAINS INTEGRITY.
AND IN ADDITION, ON THE BACK AS ROTTING OFF, AND SOMEONE JUST TOOK PICTURES OF THE ADDITION TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THE WHOLE HOUSE WAS IN BAD SHAPE, EVERY DIRECTION THE HOUSE IS CANTING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
YOU HAVE FOUR INCHES OUT OF PLUM IN FOUR FEET.
I JUST DON'T THINK YOU CAN LEVEL A FRAME STRUCTURE LIKE THAT WITHOUT
[01:25:01]
THE FASTENERS, HAVING SLIPPED SO FAR OUT OF THEIR POCKETS, THAT WHEN YOU RESTORE IT, IT WILL CONTINUE TO TEAR ITSELF APART AS EVERYTHING TRIES TO FIND ITS NEW LOCATION.UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE LIKE THE OLD, UH, LIBERTY BAR IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE EVERYTHING IS SLOPED, BUT, UM, THIS IS PRETTY FAR GONE.
YOU CAN S YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE CRACKS.
UH, I, IT ALSO PAINS ME BECAUSE THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN SURVEY IDENTIFIED THAT AS A POTENTIAL LANDMARK.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PHOTO, IT STILL HAS THE ROCK FACE, UH, STONE WALL BASE WITH THE PERIOD, UH, IRON FENCE.
UH, IT STILL HAS THE FRONT DOOR, UM, AND THERE ARE NO INTEGRITY NOTES IN THAT SURVEY.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM, FROM THE STREET IT'S NOT READILY APPARENT.
AND WITH THE FEW DETAILS THAT WERE LEFT ONLY FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, I COULD SEE WHY THAT, WHY THAT ASSESSMENT WOULD BE MADE FROM, FROM THE STREET.
UH, IT DID RAISE SOME QUESTIONS TO ME, THE AMOUNT OF LOSS OF INTEGRITY TO THE SITE IN THE PAST YEARS, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED WHEN, WHEN IT WAS ACQUIRED, BECAUSE I DO HESITATE TO MAKE THIS MOTION FOR THE SAKE OF ENCOURAGING OWNERS TO ALLOW THEIR PROPERTIES, TO LOSE INTEGRITY OVER TIME BEFORE SELLING SO THAT THEY CAN'T PASS MUSTER HERE.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A BIGGER ISSUE, UH, THAT HOPEFULLY WE'LL DISCUSS IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN, WORKING GROUP ABOUT BEING MORE PROACTIVE AND SAVING OUR PROPERTIES BEFORE THEY GET TO THIS POINT.
BUT AT THIS POINT, IF I WERE TO ASK A PLANNING COMMISSIONER OR A CITY COUNCIL PERSON TO WALK INTO THAT BUILDING AND KNOW THAT WE WERE ASKING SOMEONE TO RESTORE THIS LANDMARK, UM, I, I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD BEG CREDIBILITY, UH, THE AMOUNT OF RECONSTRUCTION THAT I THINK ANYONE IN THE SPACE COULD SEE THAT IT WOULD TAKE, UH, IS JUST SO EXTREME.
AND AGAIN, IT PAINS ME BECAUSE I'VE MADE IT CLEAR HOW I FEEL ABOUT SIXTH STREET, EAST SIXTH STREET, AND THE TIPPING POINT THAT HAS AT IT PAINS ME BECAUSE IT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONTEXT OF THE UPTOWN SOCIAL CLUB.
IT PAINS ME BECAUSE IN 2016 IT WAS LISTED AS A POTENTIAL LANDMARK, BUT I JUST CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE AT LEAST MAKE THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND FOR ZONING.
I COULD PROBABLY BE CONVINCED IF THERE WAS SOME COMPELLING TESTIMONY TO THE CONTRARY.
UH, BUT I SUSPECT SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE THE SAME FEELINGS THAT I DO.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
UH, WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? IS IT ON, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL TO SAY.
I WAS IMPRESSED WITH JUST HOW, UH, HELP POOR CONDITION THE STRUCTURE WAS IN.
SO, UM, I'M KIND OF IN THE SAME BOAT AS COMMISSIONER COOK.
IF I'D HEARD SOMETHING REALLY COMPELLING, UH, I MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY, BUT I DON'T, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER BEHIND SETH.
WELL, I'M, I'M GOING TO WEIGH IN, UM, REINFORCE THIS MOTION BECAUSE, UH, LIKE COMMISSIONER COOK, IT, IT'S A PRETTY HIGH BAR BEFORE I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THE CONDITION OF AN EXISTING STRUCTURE IS SUCH THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, FOREGO, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, IF IT, IF IT'S WORTHY.
I THINK THAT PARTLY ALSO THE FACT THAT OTHER ELEMENTS OF ITS HISTORIC INTEGRITY ARE NOT INTACT, UM, DO FACTOR INTO MY, CONSIDERING THE CONDITION OF THE, OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, BECAUSE IN FACT IT IS FIXABLE, BUT IT IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A ZONING CASE WITH AN OBJECTING OWNER THAT, UM, JUST BECAUSE IT'S SALVAGEABLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT REALLY MEETS THE BAR OF ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY.
UH, I, I, I AM ALSO THANKFUL FOR NOT ONLY THE COMMISSIONERS WHO TOOK THE TIME, BUT ALSO I DO APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT, UH, KEYING IN THE IMAGES WITH THE PLAN, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE, AS COMMISSIONER COOK SAID, PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE YOU CAN TAKE AN ALARMIST PHOTOGRAPH.
AND IT WOULDN'T MEAN THAT MUCH IF IT'S IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION, BUT CONSIDERING THE LOCATIONS, CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF DETERIORATION OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, YES, IT COULD BE FIXED, BUT IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION WITH ALL OF THE LIMITATIONS, UH, I, I DON'T SEE THAT IT REALLY MAKES SENSE FOR THE CITY TO, UH, DO MORE THAN ASK THE OWNER TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU WANT TO SELL IT, WHICH IS A STRUCTURE.
BUT, UH, I, I CAN'T SEE THAT IMPOSING A LANDMARK STATUS ON THAT.
UH, HOUSING IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION WOULD BE OF MUCH VALUE
[01:30:03]
COMMISSIONER AND A LITTLE, THIS IS A TOUGH CASE.LIKE EVERYONE HAS SAID BEFORE, I WAS HOPING TO GET A CHANCE TO VISIT THE HOUSE AND IT WASN'T ABLE TO, SO I APPRECIATE MS. BRUMMETT GOING OUT AND TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE APPLICANT DOCUMENTING THEM.
CAUSE WE DO GET SO MANY CASES WHERE YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE SHOWING WITH THE CONDITION AND THE SEPARATION.
SO I THINK THIS GAVE US A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE SEE SOME PROPERTIES THAT CONDITION AND INTEGRITY ARE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING A SURVEY AND EVALUATING HISTORIC PROPERTIES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE INTEGRITY, THE NUMBER OF HISTORIC MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS THAT ARE INTACT, BUT YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY EVALUATING THE CONDITION OF THOSE.
AND I THINK THIS IS A CASE WHERE IT IS, IT DOES HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY, BUT IT'S, IT'S GOT ALL OF THAT HISTORIC FABRIC REMAINING, BUT IT'S NOT HOLDING TOGETHER VERY WELL.
SO I MIGHT STILL OPPOSE THE MOTION TO STOP STUBBORNNESS IN THIS CASE, BUT IT'S YEAH, I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY IF WE WERE LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF NATIONAL REGISTER, UH, ELIGIBILITY, UM, THE SEVEN ASPECTS OF INTEGRITY LOCATIONS, SETTING DESIGN, UM, MATERIALS, SOME WORKMANSHIP FEELING ASSOCIATION, UH, THIS HOUSE, UH, RETAINS ITS FORM.
IT RETAINS ITS REFORMING PITCH, ITS CORNICE RETURNS.
IT'S SHAFFORD PORCH, POST IT'S PORCH, ITS FRONT PORCH.
IT'S FENESTRATION PATTERN IT'S SIDING.
UM, BUT IT'S A PIER AND BEAM HOUSE AS COMMISSIONER HINDSIGHT POINTED OUT, YOU CAN JACK IT UP AND PUT SOME NEW FOUNDATION UNDER IT, PUSH IT BACK TOGETHER.
I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY HOUSE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY, BUT ALSO THE HISTORIC CONTEXT.
IT'S, IT'S ALMOST 150 YEARS OLD.
I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IT DIDN'T DATE TO THE LATE 1870S.
AND IT, IT REPRESENTS, UM, TWO WAVES OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THAT PART OF EAST AUSTIN FROM THE SWEDISH AND GERMAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE EARLY YEARS AND LATER HISPANIC FAMILIES.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT IT IS HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME HERE IN THIS FAST-CHANGING AREA, UM, LENDS SOME CREDENCE TO, TO SAVING THE HOUSE.
UM, BUT I WILL YIELD TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT, UM, I WON'T HAVE EFFECT.
SO, AND IF, IF I COULD BEG THE APPLICANT, IF THIS MOTION PASSES TO DO ALL, YOU CAN TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THE MASSING AND THE CONTEXT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UH, AT THAT CORNER NEXT TO THE UPTOWN SOCIAL CLUB, IT'S, IT'S A POTENTIAL JIM CORNER TO HAVE SOMETHING REMAINING OF SIXTH STREET NEAR, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE CANYON.
UM, AND NOT AS IT MAY BE DIFFICULT, BUT I, I BEG YOU TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO RETAIN SOME FEELINGS, SOME SENSE OF CONTEXT THAT THE ORIGINAL HOUSE HAD.
UH, I ALSO WONDER IF THE, I DIDN'T ASK THIS OF THE OWNER, BUT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD TAX PREDATOR PROJECT.
UM, IT WOULD COME IN FOR STATE AND FEDERAL TAX CREDITS THAT WOULD REDUCE THE COST OF REHABILITATION UP TO 45%.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT, UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, SHALL WE TAKE A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, UM, WITH THE REQUIREMENT OF, UH, COMPLETING A CITY OF BOSTON DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, I'LL RAISE YOUR HAND, UM, ALL OPPOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONER'S MYERS LITTLE AND TALLAGHT OPPOSED THE MOTION AT KERRY'S COMMISSIONERS, RIGHT? COOK MCWHORTER, HAIM, SETH FEATHERSTON
[01:35:01]
AND VILLAINS.[3.A.5. C14H-2021-0165 – Dr. Sidney, Jr. and Helen White House 8601 Azalea Trail. – Discussion ]
EIGHT FIVE, THE DR.SIDNEY JUNIOR AND HELEN WHITE HOUSE, 86 0 1 AZALEA TRAIL.
THIS IS AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
DO WE HAVE A STAFF REPORT? YES.
THIS STEVE'S THE ASCII HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, AFRICAN AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS A UNUSUAL CASE BECAUSE THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1968.
IT WAS BUILT BY WALTER CARRINGTON, WHO IS A VERY PROLIFIC GO-GURT HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND IT'S A RANCH STYLE HOUSE OF WHICH WE HAVE JUST A HANDFUL OF SIGNIFICANT HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN EVALUATED FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION THAT ARE IN THIS STYLE.
THIS HOUSE HAS TREMENDOUS SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THE SIGNIFICANCE IS BOTH FOR THE ARCHITECTURE AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS WITH WALTER CARRINGTON OF THE BUILDER, OR HIT THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF DR.
SIDNEY AND ELLEN WHITE, WHO LIVED, WHO BUILT THE HOUSE IN 1968 AND LIVED HERE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
AND THEN ALSO FOR COMMUNITY VALUE AS A CENTER FOR, UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY LIFE IN ATTRACTING BLACK PROFESSIONALS TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, UH, LET'S START WITH THE ARCHITECTURE.
IT'S A RANCH STYLE HOUSE IT'S AT, UH, AT THE TOP OF A CUL-DE-SAC IN NORTHWEST HILLS.
THE HISTORY OF THIS HOUSE IS ESTIMATING IN THAT EVEN AS LATE AS 1968, SIDNEY AND HELEN WHITE WERE FACED WITH DISCRIMINATION, UH, IN BUYING A HOUSE, THEY LOOKED AT ANOTHER HOUSE IN NORTHWEST HILLS TO BUY.
AND THAT DEVELOPER, THAT BUILDER TOLD THEM THAT, YEAH, IT'S GREAT.
YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY IT, BUT YOU NEED THE PERMISSION OF YOUR NEIGHBORS TO MOVE IN NEXT TO THEM.
AND THAT JUST, UH, THAT WAS THE DEAL BREAKER.
SO THEY WENT TO WALTER CARRINGTON AND HE SAID, UH, I WILL GO TO THE HOUSE FOR YOU.
WE'LL PUT IT AT THE TOP OF THIS.
CUL-DE-SAC VERY PROMINENT LOCATION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UH, HAPPY TO DO IT.
SO THIS HOUSE STANDS OUT AS A VICTORY IN THE BATTLE AGAINST REDLINING AGAINST, UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOME BUYERS IN NORTHWEST HILLS, AS LATE AS THE LATE 1960S.
DO YOU THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN TRULY BELIEVED THAT, UH, THE RED WAS, UH, WAS CONFINED TO EAST AUSTIN TO MAKE IT HARD FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO GET LOANS FOR THEIR HOUSES, BUT AS LATE AS 1968, IT WAS BEING USED TO, UH, KEEP BLACK FAMILIES OUT OF EXCLUSIVELY WHITE AREAS.
AND WALTER CARRINGTON WAS A NATIVE OF TYLER, TEXAS.
HE CAME TO UT TO GO TO SCHOOL.
HE STARTED OUT WITH NELSON PEWITT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, AND THEN OPENED HIS OWN COMPANY.
IT WENT BY SEVERAL NAMES, BUT HE WAS IN BUSINESS UNTIL THE LATE OR MID 1990S.
THIS HOUSE SHOWS SOME EVIDENCE OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF, UH, EXPENSIVE GLASS AREAS AND, UH, HE USED WEEPING MORTAR ON BETWEEN THE BRICKS.
THAT'S A VERY UNUSUAL FEATURE FOR AUSTIN AND ALSO VERY UNUSUAL TO USE IT AS LATE AS 1968, BUT IT ALL COMBINES TO MAKE THIS HOUSE VERY SPECIAL AND ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT.
UH, CARRINGTON ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR CONDITION VILLAGE.
HE WAS AN INNOVATOR THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND, UH, YOU ASSOCIATION OF THIS HOUSE WITH HIM IS, UH, WILDFIRE UNDER THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNATION.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT THE WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED VERY, UH, THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS WERE, UH, WE'RE SORRY, COLONIAL COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE.
THE WINDOWS NOW ARE CASEMENTS NOW, BUT THEY WERE USED IN THE EXACT SAME WINDOW OPENINGS.
AND IN STAFF'S OPINION, DO NOT CHANGE THE APPEARANCE OF THE HOUSE TO A NOTICEABLE EXTENT.
[01:40:01]
CHANGE THAT, UH, SHOULD NOT BE COUNTED AGAINST IT.WHAT'S TALK ABOUT THE, UH, SYDNEY AND, AND, UH, HELEN WHITE.
THEY, UH, THEY BOUGHT THIS HOUSE AND CARRINGTON BUILT IT FOR THEM.
WHITE WAS A NATIVE OF TYLER AND CAME TO AUSTIN AFTER GETTING HIS DEGREE AT A COLLEGE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
HE SERVED IN THE KOREAN WAR, CAME BACK TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON, DC, AND THEN MOVED TO AUSTIN, SET UP HIS DENTAL PRACTICE AT A TIME WHERE HE WAS THE ONLY BLACK DENTIST IN THE CITY.
UH, YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THE, THE, UH, CHALLENGES THAT DR.
WHITE HAD FACE RENTING OFFICE SPACE IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT.
YOU HAD TO BUY ALL OF HIS OWN EQUIPMENT.
YOU COULD NOT GO INTO AN ESTABLISHED FIRM BECAUSE EVERY DENTIST OFFICE IN AUSTIN AT THAT TIME WAS SEGREGATED IN 1965.
HE PRESSURED THE AUSTIN DENTAL COUNCIL FOR ADMISSION, AND HE WAS THE FIRST BLACK DENTIST IN THE AUSTIN DENTAL COUNCIL.
WHY DID ACHIEVEMENT? HE AND HELEN THEIR LIFE WORK WAS TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL BLACK PROFESSIONALS TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, DESPITE HAVING A LARGE BLACK POPULATION.
THE POPULATION HERE WAS NOT, UH, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, THEY WERE BLACK ATTORNEYS OR BLACK ACCOUNTANTS, BUT BLACK DOCTORS WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AND BLACK DENTISTS WERE EVEN FEWER AND FAR BETWEEN.
SO THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING BLACK PROFESSIONALS, TRAVELING THE COUNTRY TO DO IT, TO RECRUIT BLACK PROFESSIONALS, TO COME TO AUSTIN, OPEN UP THEIR PRACTICES HERE, DR.
WHITE OPENED IT, UH, HIS OFFICE AND BUILT THE MEDICAL PLAZA ON MEDA ROAD.
HE HAD, UH, OTHER BLACK PROFESSIONALS, UH, IN HIS PRACTICE.
AND THIS HOME ON AZALEA TRAIL BECAME A CENTER FOR THE BLACK PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY, DR.
WHITE AND HELEN WHITE ENTERTAINED, UH, BLACK VISITING BLACK PROFESSIONALS COMING TO AUSTIN TO CHECK IT OUT, UH, THAT ALLOWED THEIR VISITORS TO STAY OVERNIGHT IN THE SALES AT A TIME WHERE, UH, BLACKS FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PROCURE A HOTEL ROOM IN THE CITY AT THEIR, DURING THEIR TIME HERE.
AND SO THIS HOUSE ALSO AS A UNIQUE LOCATION IN NORTHWEST HILLS, UH, AT THE HEAD OF THE CUL-DE-SAC VERY PROMINENT LOCATION, BUT ALSO, UH, IS UNIQUE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE, UH, BLACKS CAME.
BLACK PROFESSIONALS CAME TO CHECK OUT AUSTIN, UH, MAKE SURE, LIKE I COULD MAKE SOME MONEY HERE AND MOVE TO THE CITY, ENRICHING THE BLACK COMMUNITY WITH THEIR SERVICES THAT WERE BEING PROVIDED AT THAT TIME.
AND, UH, INTEGRATING THE CITY FIGHTING FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED AS, UH, EQUAL TO, UH, WHITE PROFESSIONALS AND SERVING THEIR OWN COMMUNITY.
SO STAFF BELIEVES, THIS IS THE, A VERY IMPORTANT STORY, SOUTH TALES.
YOU REALLY, THIS IS ONE YOU REALLY HAVE TO DIG INTO, BUT, UH, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT STORY AND INTEGRATION AND THAT THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL EQUALITY IN AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE PROFESSIONAL CLASSES, UH, AND STAFF BELIEVES THAT IT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR ARCHITECTURE OR ITS BRANCH HOUSE STYLE AND ALSO ITS ASSOCIATIONS WITH WALTER PARRINGTON OR TO SOLICITATIONS IN SYDNEY AND HELEN WHITE AND AS COMMUNITY, UH, REPRESENTATION OF COMMUNITY VALUE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. SEDOWSKY ANYONE? OKAY.
UM, DO WE HAVE MADAM CHAIR BEFORE WE GO ON? I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, THIS NOMINATION WAS PUT DATE PUT TOGETHER BY, UH, THE WIFE OF THE GODSON, UH, SYDNEY AND HELEN WHITE.
[01:45:01]
HAVE ANY CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN, BUT, UH, THEIR GOD SIMON IS LAMONT ALEXANDER AT THIS NOMINATION WAS PUT TOGETHER BY HIS WIFE ALPHA.IT IS ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING EXAMPLES OF A CITIZEN PREPARED, UH, NOMINATION THAT I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS.
SO SHOUT OUT TO MS. ALEXANDER FOR, OKAY.
IS MS. ALEXANDER HERE? SPEAK TO THIS? MS. ALEXANDER COME ON DOWN.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT STEVE SEDOWSKY HAS, UM, GRANTED, UH, MS. ALEXANDER FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND THERE'S AN AUDIO RECORDING THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT.
PLEASE STATE YOUR FULL NAME FOR THE RECORD ALL TO WHY ALEXANDER UM, DO I START? GO AHEAD.
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS AGAIN, MY NAME IS ALTA ALEXANDER.
I'M THE AUTHOR OF THIS SUBMITTED INFORMATION FOR THE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE WHITE ALEXANDER HOME LOCATED AT EIGHT I'M SORRY, 86 0 1 AZALEA TRAIL, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 9 IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE PURPOSE OF MY ADDRESS TODAY IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTS TO ACCOMPANY THE RELATED INFORMATION AND MATERIALS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY RECEIVED AND REVIEWED IN SUPPORT OF THE HISTONE HISTORIC ZONING OF THIS HOME AND HISTORICAL MARKER WILL NOT ONLY WILL NOT ONLY DOCUMENT THIS HOME WITH A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE, BUT ALSO MAKE AWARE TO THOSE LONG AFTER OUR EXHIBITS, OUR EXISTENCE THAT THE EIGHTIES 1968 HOME WAS ERECTED AND OCCUPIED BY POWER.
COUPLE OF THEIR TIME, WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN BREAKING BARRIERS AND LEAVING A LEGACY THAT NOT SHOULD NOT SOON BE FORGOTTEN.
SIDNEY WHITE WAS A TRUE TRAILBLAZER, AN EXCELLENT DENTIST, A SAVVY BUSINESSMAN, AND A DEVOUT PUBLIC SERVANT.
THE WHITE NAME OVER THE YEARS HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH COMMUNITY AND CIVIC SERVICE IN THE AUSTIN.
THE WHITES WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS.
AND IN ADDITION TO GIVING THEIR TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURE, THEY GAVE MUCH TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE BY INTENTIONALLY AND AGGRESSIVELY SEEKING OUT AFRICAN-AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS TO COME TO AUSTIN FROM ITALY.
THEY PERSEVERED WITH UNFLAGGING FAITH TO CARVE OUT A PIECE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM BY PROCURING LAND AND THE WELL-TO-DO NEIGHBORHOOD OF WESTOVER HILLS IN NORTH WEST AUSTIN.
SINCE THERE HAS BEEN AN EXP, SINCE THERE HAS HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIALS SUBMITTED TO YOU BOTH PREVIOUSLY, AND OF COURSE BY THE PRESERVATION OFFICE, I WANTED TO SHARE AN AUDIO INTERVIEW THAT I CONDUCTED WITH DR.
JOHN BRAIN, THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR OF DR AND MRS. WHITE FROM 1968 UNTIL THEIR DEATHS BEFORE PLAYING THIS AUDIO, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THAT I'M PLEASED TO TELL THE EFFORTS RECOGNIZING THESE NOTABLE AND HISTORIC INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR BUSINESSES ON AUSTIN'S EAST SIDE THAT WERE, AND STILL ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE AUSTIN AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND TO THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
WITH THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED DOCUMENTATION, I'M PLEASED TO JOIN MY HUSBAND, HELEN WHITES, GODSON LAMONT ALEXANDER IN REQUESTING THIS ESTEEM COMMISSION SUPPORT IN HONORING THE WHITES, A LEGACY WITH A HISTORIC, WITH A HISTORICAL DESIGNATION FOR THE WHITE ALEXANDER HOME.
THE NEXT STATEMENT YOU HEAR WILL BE THAT OF DR.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME A BIT OF YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
AND THE FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, DO YOU KNOW IF THE WHITES WERE THE FIRST BLACKS IN THE WEST OVER NEIGHBORHOOD? YES, I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THEY WERE, UH, WE ACTUALLY WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE IN WESTOVER HILLS.
WE WERE THE FIRST HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT HERE.
AND, UH, WE KNEW AT THAT TIME, MOST OF THE FAMILIES, BECAUSE IT WAS SCATTERED, THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, UH, SIDNEY AND HELEN WERE THE
[01:50:01]
FIRST BLACKS THAT MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.UM, ANOTHER, UM, ANOTHER ACCOUNT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WAS ABOUT ONE, A COLONEL WHO LIVED IN THE SAME COLD AS ZACH, A COUPLE OF DOORS DOWN.
AND, UH, HE ASKED YOU TO SIGN A PETITION.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? UH, YEAH, I WAS JUST SITTING HERE AND THE DOORBELL RANG AND I WENT AND IT WAS A RETIRED ARMY COLONEL.
HIS NAME WAS HARD-EDGE AND, UH, HE LIVED AT THE, UH, HOUSE THAT'S AT THE CORNER OF AZALEA AND HIGHBRIDGE AND HE HAD A PETITION AND HE WAS VERY UPSET.
HE WAS THOUGHT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS REALLY GOING TO POT BECAUSE A BLACK FAMILY WAS GOING TO MOVE IN AND HE WANTED ME TO SIGN A PETITION TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I GOT VERY INCENSED BECAUSE OF ALL THINGS, A COLONEL IN THE ARMY SHOULD REALIZE THAT, UH, THEY WERE CITIZENS JUST LIKE HIM AND I REFUSED TO SIGN IT.
AND I TOLD HIM I'D JUST AS SOON HE DIDN'T COME AND KNOCK ON OUR DOOR AGAIN.
DID, UM, DID THAT CAUSE ANY KIND OF RIFF BETWEEN YOU, DID YOU EVER MAKE UP? OH, I, I, I, THE POOR GUY, I NEVER WAS TOO FRIENDLY WITH THEM.
AND THEN, UH, HE HAD A BAD ACCIDENT.
HE FELL OFF THE ROOF AND HURT HIMSELF AND I FIGURED MAYBE THAT WAS GOD'S WAY OF STRAIGHTENING OUT THE PROBLEM.
AND SO THE LAST QUESTION IS, UM, THE LAND IN THE BACK INITIALLY, I THINK THAT WAS SLATED TO BE, UM, IN THE BACK OF YOUR HOME AND, UH, IN, IN THE BACK OF THE WHITE'S HOME, UM, ON AZALEA INITIALLY, I BELIEVE THAT WAS SLATED TO BE APARTMENTS, BUT CAN YOU KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? UH, THE LAND, THE LAND THAT WAS BEHIND US WAS A FAIRLY LARGE TRACK THAT WAS OWNED BY A MR. CARLYLE.
UH, HE WORKED AT UT AND, UH, THEY ACTUALLY HAD CATTLE ON IT WHEN WE MOVED IN, BECAUSE WHEN WE MOVED IN HERE, WE WERE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND HE PROBABLY HAD 10 OR 12 ACRES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND HE DECIDED SOMEBODY CAME ALONG AND PROPOSED THAT THEY WOULD BUY ALL HIS LAND AND THEY WOULD BUILD APARTMENTS.
AND WE WERE VERY UPSET AS WAS SYDNEY BECAUSE, UH, THIS WOULD PUT APARTMENT LOOKING RIGHT DOWN IN SYDNEY.
HE HAD INVESTED IN A SWIMMING POOL IN HIS BACKYARD AND HIS POOL WAS RIGHT UP ALONG THE BOUNDARY LINE.
SO SYDNEY REALLY WAS THE PERSON THAT, UH, ORGANIZED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND, UH, WE ALL WENT DOWN TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND SYDNEY LED THE MOVEMENT TO STOP IT.
AND HE WAS, HE WAS, HAD BEEN VERY INVOLVED POLITICALLY.
HE HAD BEEN A CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR ONE OF THE FIRST BLACKS THAT WAS ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE REST OF US WERE PRETTY IGNORANT ABOUT THINGS, BUT SYDNEY LED THE MOVE, LED THE MOVEMENT AND, UH, UH, KEPT IT SO THAT THEY EVENTUALLY JUST BUILT A SINGLE FAMILY UNITS ON A PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
AND IT WORKED OUT VERY WELL FOR ALL OF US.
BRIAN, CAN YOU STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND, UM, AND YOUR FORMER PROFESSION? I UNDERSTAND.
NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, I'M JOHN EDWARD BRENE.
AND, UH, I WAS FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS, A FACULTY MEMBER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
AND I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE FERGUSON STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY, WHICH WAS LOCATED NEARBY AT WHAT'S NOW THE PICKLE RESEARCH CENTER, BUT, UH, USED TO BE CALLED BELL KONA'S RESEARCH CENTER.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BUILT A HOUSE OUT HERE WAS TO BE CLOSE TO THE LABORATORY.
WELL, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME WITH ME TODAY, JUST TO KIND OF REMEMBER WHEN BACK WHEN, AND, UM, I APPRECIATE IT AND, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT THEN AND NOW.
YEAH, WELL, THE WIFE'S WERE JUST WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
SYDNEY, WHEN WE HAD OUR, OUR YOUNGEST SON, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS ON TOP OF THE TEXAS A AND M BONFIRE WHEN IT COLLAPSED, HE WAS KILLED INSTANTLY.
AND THE NEXT DAY SYDNEY, HE CAME OVER WITH A
[01:55:01]
PIE THAT HE HAD BAKED FOR US.AND, UH, HE WAS JUST A REALLY NICE, HUMBLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD PERSON, AND WE ENJOYED VERY MUCH HAVING HIM IN HELEN AS NEIGHBORS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
UM, USE OF ORAL HISTORY, UH, TO AID IN PRESERVATION EFFORTS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MS. ALEXANDER? JUST A MOMENT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? NOPE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING? IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? WE HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, LAMONT ALEXANDER, MR. ALEXANDER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A MEGHAN CROWHURST MEGAN CROWHURST.
IT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT PROPERTY.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, MISSIVES COMMISSIONER, COOK SECONDS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE COMMISSIONER RIGHT.
MOVE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC HISTORIC ZONING.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LITTLE AND UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, ANYTHING TO ADD TO ANY OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS IT'S SO WONDERFULLY PRESENTED.
UM, I THINK IT WILL BE, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY OTHER KIND OF SUBURBAN HOUSES OF THIS TIME PERIOD.
UM, AND I, AND I THINK TRYING TO FIND THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THEM, UM, PROBABLY REQUIRES NOBODY IN THE FAMILY IN THAT WAY.
UM, BUT I THINK THIS WELL, THE WHITES WERE, UH, WERE PIONEERS, UH, PIONEER SETTLERS IN THIS, IN THIS SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UH, THIS WILL BE A PIONEER, UM, NOMINATION FOR US.
SO COMMISSIONER LITTLE, I'LL JUST SAY AS WELL THAT I THINK THE PROPERTY IS SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS ARCHITECTURE AND ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
AND I'VE READ QUITE A BIT ABOUT SEGREGATION AND THE JIM CROW AREA IN RED LINING, BUT NOT THAT MUCH ABOUT HOW IT CAME TO AN END AND PIONEERS LIKE THIS PEOPLE THAT WERE MOVING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, DESPITE OBJECTION, IT'S SUCH A STORY OF BRAVERY AND I, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE DOCUMENTING AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO US.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF BRAVERY ON THE PART OF THE WHITES AND ALSO ON THE PART OF THEIR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, I THINK, TO NOT SIGN THIS PETITION AND TO STAND UP.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A TIME WHEN, UM, WHEN WE WERE MORE UNITED THAN, UH, THAN DIVIDED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I KEEP FORGETTING YOU FOLKS IN THE, IN THE ETHER NET THERE.
UM, ANY COMMENTS I DO HAVE, I DO HAVE TO ADD COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION.
UM, ASSUMING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THIS PROCESS IS SUCCESSFUL AND YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CITY LANDMARKING, UM, I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE MARKERS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
AND ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW THERE'S A, THERE'S AN APPLICATION ROUND OPEN FOR WHAT'S CALLED UNDERTOLD MARKERS, UM, WHICH TELLS STORIES THAT ARE NOT FREQUENTLY TOLD IN OTHER SETTINGS.
AND SO YOU COULD GET A HISTORICAL MARKER IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME THAT ACTUALLY TELLS SOME OF THE STORY.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RECOMMENDING HISTORIC ZONING, RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE, ANY OPPOSED IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANT TO THANK MR. SEDOWSKY FOR GIVING THAT PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS VERY THOROUGH STAFF PRESENTATION AND LET THE COMMISSION KNOW.
AND THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT MR. SEDOWSKY HAS BEEN AWARDED A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BY PRESERVATION
[02:00:01]
AUSTIN.AND I WOULD LIKE THE LANDMARK COMMISSION TO JOIN, UH, THE PRESERVATION AUSTIN IN, UM, IN THIS AWARD, IN THIS WELL DESERVED AWARD.
UM, NEXT ON THE, ON THE AGENDA, WHAT DO WE HAVE? OH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS UNDER C C ONE.
[3.C.1. HR-2021-115725 – 1104 Toyath St. – Consent (postponed September 27, 2021) ]
WE HAVE, UH, 11 0 4, 4 TOYOTA STREET.THIS WAS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.
YES, COMMISSIONERS, UH, THIS, UH, HOUSE, THE, EXCUSE ME, LET ME START OVER THE DEMOLITION OF THE HOUSE ON THIS LOT WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION IN APRIL.
SO THE APPLICATION BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A THREE-STORY RESIDENCE.
IT'S TWO STORIES AS FACES THE STREET AND THE SITE SLOPES, UM, ALLOWING IT A THIRD STORY AT THE REAR.
AND THIS IS A, UM, AN APPLICATION THAT'S COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION MULTIPLE TIMES.
UH, IT'S ALSO BEEN TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, SO I WILL MAKE MY COMMENTS VERY BRIEF.
UM, THE COMMITTEE'S FEEDBACK WAS TO CONSIDER A GLASS RAILING AT THE ROOF DECK WHERE YOU'RE SEEING A WOOD RAILING ON THE SIDE THERE, UH, TO SHORTEN THE SIDE ELEVATIONS AND THE OVERALL ROOF HEIGHT TO REDUCE THE REPITCH, TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL HOUSE AND TO RECONSIDER THE CORNER WINDOW AND THE BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING AT THE UPPER FLOOR AND TO OMIT THE BRACKETS.
UM, THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE PLANS.
UH, WE HAVE NO FURTHER POTENTIAL FOR, UH, POSTPONEMENTS AND THIS CASE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
SO ONE QUICK QUESTION TO STAFF.
SO LOOKING AT THE BACKUP, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE'VE BEEN SUBMITTED ANY NEW PLANS.
THESE ARE THE SAME THAT WE REVIEWED IN THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
CAUSE THAT, YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
I THINK, UM, PROBABLY PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE ASKED TO PULL IT, UH, AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD OBJECTS.
WE, WE GOT, UM, CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE, FROM FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OBJECTING TO THE HEIGHT, UM, THAT IT LOOMS OVER THE LOSS IN HOUSE, WHICH IS A LANDMARK NEXT DOOR ONE-STORY HOUSE AND OBJECTING TO THE ROOFTOP DECK.
DO YOU THINK THEY MADE A MINOR CHANGE TO THE ROOFTOP DECK BY PULLING IT IN JUST A TAD YOU'RE RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS THAT BROUGHT BEFORE US OR WAS THAT A CHANGE THAT WAS NEW AT THE CONTEXTUAL REVIEW? THE APPLICANT HAS COME BEFORE THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE THE PAST TWO MONTHS AND I BELIEVE IT WAS THE LAST MONTH WHERE LIKE THE FINAL, SMALL CHANGE WAS TO TUCK IN THE ROOF DECK.
DOES THAT, UM, DID YOU HEAR THAT, UH, ANSWER COMMISSIONER THAT THEY TOLD HIM THE ROOFTOP DECK? UM, SOMEWHAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO MAKE A PRESENTATION? NO.
UH, ANYONE IN FAVOR, ANYONE OPPOSED? WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION.
WOULD, UH, THE FIRST SPEAKER HAS FIVE MINUTES.
THE NEXT TO THE NEXT SPEAKERS HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH, PLEASE GET YOURSELF READY AND, UH, COME DOWN WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO COME TO THE PODIUM WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER, PLEASE COME IN AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF CCDC OR CLARKSVILLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY READ THIS, UH, CORRESPONDENCE FROM MARY REED.
UM, WE'RE, UH, STRONGLY OPPOSED TO PARADISE OUR HOMES PLANS FOR THE 1104 TORIA HOME IT'S LOCATED IN HISTORIC CLARKSVILLE.
ALL THE BOARD IS HAPPY WITH THE SIZE OF THE FRONT PORTION
[02:05:01]
WITH THE EXTERIOR SIDING.WE'RE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE NEW HOUSE WILL BE, UH, THREE STORIES WITH, UH, WITH A DECK AND A, IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND ON THE STREET WHERE HOUSES TEND TO BE ONE STORY.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A COUPLE OF TWO STORY HOMES.
UM, THE ROOF DECK WILL AFFECT THE PRIVACY OF NEARBY HOMES NEXT DOOR TO 1,104 AND BEHIND IT HOMES LOCATED IN THE 1800 BLOCK OF WEST 11TH WITH DEEP BACKYARDS.
ALSO GIVEN ITS HEIGHT, THE HOUSE WILL LOOM OVER THE LANDMARK LOSS IN HOUSE, WHICH YOU MENTIONED, UH, WHICH IS, UH, TO ITS IMMEDIATE NORTH.
WE BELIEVE THAT PARADISE IS COMPUTER RENDERINGS OF THE HOME.
UM, IT WANTS TO BUILD, UH, EXAGGERATE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN IT AND THE LOSS IN HOUSE OVERALL, ITS MASS AND COMPLEXITY OF DESIGN AND ARE AT ODDS WITH A SIMPLE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF CLARKSVILLE.
WE RECOMMEND THEREFORE THAT PAIR OF THESE, THE SIMPLY SIMPLIFY ITS DESIGN AND ACHIEVE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AT ONCE BY GETTING RID OF THE SWIMMING POOL, WHICH WILL FREE UP MORE LAND ON WHICH TO BUILD AND ALLOW THE COMPANY TO LOWER THE HEIGHT OF THE HOUSE.
THERE'S JUST ONE BELOW GROUND SWIMMING POOL AND HISTORIC CLARKSVILLE.
IT'S NOT A FEATURE THAT BUYERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EXPECT BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PUBLIC POOLS THAT CLARKSVILLE RESIDENTS CAN WALK TO.
ALSO, THERE'S A LARGE SPLASH PAD AROUND THE CORNER FROM 1104 TOILET THAT MARY BAYLOR PARK CLARKSVILLE IS NOT TARRYTOWN OR WESTLAKE REPAIR DIGS PROPOSED HOME BELONGS.
MY NAME IS OLIVIA RUIZ AND I LIVE IN FRONT OF THIS PROPOSED HOUSE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE COMMISSIONERS ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE MEETING WAS WHETHER THESE PICTURES ARE ACTUALLY PHOTO-SHOPPED IN SOME SORTS OR FASHION.
AND SINCE I DIDN'T REALLY QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS PRESENT PRESENTED TO US IN THE AUGUST MEETING AND ALSO IN THE, IN THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.
AND SO I WENT TO AN ARCHITECT THAT LIVES RIGHT DOWN THE STREET THAT LOOKED AT BOTH THE TOP, UM, ANGLE OF THE FIRST TWO ROOFS.
AND HE SAID, THAT'S OUT OF COMPLIANCE BECAUSE SLOPES USER AT THE SAME ANGLE, THEY DID BRING DOWN THE SLOPE ON TOP OF THE PORCH.
THE TOP TWO SLOPES DID NOT CHANGE NOR DID THEY ACTUAL FOOTAGE, WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS REQUEST.
NONE OF THAT, UH, ROOFTOP WAS CHANGED IN ANY FORM OR FASHION.
ONLY THING THAT HAPPENED WAS AT THE ANGLE OF THE PORCH, CAME DOWN A LITTLE.
SO EVEN THESE, EVEN THE TOP TWO, UH, ROOF PITCHES ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE LIKE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND ALSO I THINK A VERY IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO WORK WITH THIS GROUP FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY REALIZE THAT HALF A BLOCK TO THE EAST, THE SWEET HOME BAPTIST CHURCH, TRULY THE SART HEART AND SOUL OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND HAS BEEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND THEN THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, HALF A BLOCK ON THE WEST IS A MARY BAYLOR CENTER, WHICH AGAIN IS A VERY STRONG BLACK FAMILY THERE THAT WAS HONORED BY HAVING, YOU KNOW, A REC CENTER NAMED AFTER HER.
I THINK IF THIS PERMIT IS RELEASED, IT'S REALLY GOING TO BREAK THE HEART AND SOUL OF CLARKSVILLE.
IT, THIS HOUSE IS JUST SO INHERENTLY INAPPROPRIATE THAT I AM RECOMMENDING THAT YOU PLEASE NOT RECOMMEND THE RELEASE OF THIS PERMIT.
UM, LOU RIGLER, UH, I A CORRESPONDENT WITH YOU ABOUT THIS PROPERTY AT 1104.
I LIVE AT 1103 TOYA DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, I WOULD BE REPEATING EVERYTHING THAT'S OBVIOUS, INCLUDING WHAT THE STAFF HAS SAID ABOUT THE DESIGN FOR THIS PROPOSED HOUSE.
UH, IT DOES NOT FIT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT MOST CERTAINLY DOES NOT HONOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HAS A HISTORY THAT IS PRESENT, NOT IN THE PAST, UM, TO FOLLOW MS. ALEXANDER'S PRESENTATION, UH, CLARKSVILLE, UH IT'S UM, BEING HERE FOR THAT PRESENTATION MADE THE TEDIUM OF THE PREVIOUS TWO HOURS WORTH IT.
UM, I CAN'T MAKE SOMEBODY CARE ABOUT HISTORY.
I, I, MY UNDERSTANDING NOW IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T STOP THESE PEOPLE FROM BUILDING THIS
[02:10:01]
PROPERTY IF IT MEETS CODE.SO I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHY I'M HERE, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE A REAL SHAME IF, UH, THAT KIND OF PROPERTY GETS BUILT IN CLARKSVILLE.
UH, I CARE AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I CAME TONIGHT TO REPRESENT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE AND WERE THERE AND THE KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD IT IS.
UH, I WISH YOU HAD AS MUCH CONTROL OVER A NEIGHBORHOOD AS YOU SEEM TO HAVE OVER A HOUSE.
I THINK THE COMMISSION VERY MUCH APPRECIATES YOU COMING OUT AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SITUATION IN CLARKSVILLE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER COOK, COMMISSIONER LITTLE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE TABLE? I AM UNCERTAIN WITH THE MOTION WOULD BE TO LET THIS SYMBOLICALLY TIME OUT SINCE WE CAN'T OFFICIALLY POSTPONE IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A FULL MONTH LEFT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN MOVE TO TAKE NO ACTION.
I, UM, YOU KNOW WHAT COMMISSIONER SEDOWSKY, WHAT CAN, UM, COMMISSIONER SADOWSKY? I JUST, WE JUST, I WAS JUST, UH, DEMOTED FROM, UH, FROM THE MAYOR TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SO, UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DEMOTION OR PROMOTION, BUT MR. SEDOWSKY, CAN YOU HELP US OUT HERE? I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THIS, UH, DIOCESE OR IN THE VIRTUAL MEETING WANTS TO, UM, WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
UH, WHAT THE CODE SAYS, MADAM CHAIR IS THAT, UH, THE COMMISSION WILL TAKE ACTION.
IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN, THEN A NO ACTION IS TAKEN.
THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE RELEASED.
SO IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION.
UM, BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHY LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATIONS WILL PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM INAPPROPRIATE BUILDING STYLES AND, UH, THE ABILITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO MANAGE CHANGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS, THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY THIS SHOULD HAPPEN IN CLARKSVILLE, BUT IF THE COMMISSION DOESN'T TAKE ACTION WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD SPECIFIED, AND THE PERMIT GETS RELEASED, I WOULD RATHER SEE THE PERMIT GET RELEASED THEN FOR US TO RELEASE THAT.
AND I THINK, UH, THIS BE AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, TO, UH, FOR THE APPLICANT SEEING, UH, THE TENOR OF THE CONVERSATION AND, UH, OPPOSITION TO THE CONSTRUCTION, WHETHER THEY WOULD RECONSIDER THE DESIGN TO MAKE IT MORE COMPATIBLE WITH THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF WATSONVILLE.
WE'LL TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT.
I THINK I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TAKE NO ACTION.
THE MOTION TO TAKE NO ACTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECONDARY BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, ANY DISCUSSION.
UH, I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT PAIR OF DIESEL HOMES DID COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE SEVERAL TIMES.
THEY DID MAKE SOME CHANGES THAT THEY COULD MAKE WITHIN THEIR PROGRAM.
BUT, UH, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS A SPEC HOME.
I BELIEVE THIS IS FOR AN OWNER.
UH, THEY WERE CLEARLY GIVEN A PROGRAM, UH, THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE FIT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT DOESN'T FIT.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT MORE AND MORE, UM, NEW OWNERS COMING WITH,
[02:15:01]
UH, SENSIBILITIES THAT DON'T REALLY FIT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ARE INCREASING THE VALUE OF THE LAND UNDER THE HOUSES, WHICH THEN PROPAGATES THE NEED FOR BIGGER HOMES TO JUSTIFY THE VALUE OF THE LAND UNDER THEM, WHICH IS A VICIOUS CYCLE.THIS IS A SIGNIFICANTLY IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT STATUS REALLY IS THE ONLY THROUGH PROTECTION.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE DO, BUT THE TOOLS WE HAVE HERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW.
AND, UH, THERE IS A VERY HIGH BAR TO USE ANY OF THEM.
AND SO, UH, THERE IS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION ON BOTH SIDES, OFTEN IN THE PROCESS.
UM, AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF IT, BUT, UM, I, I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THEY DID COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THEY DIDN'T COMPLETELY IGNORE US.
THEY DIDN'T JUST WAIT US OUT AS SOME GROUPS DID, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH JUST COULD NOT BE RESOLVED, UH, EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE ENOUGH OR ANY SORT OF SATISFACTION FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S JUST A GENERAL PROBLEM ACROSS THE CITY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I JUST TO, UM, YES.
I IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE RIDICULOUS, BUT I MIGHT'VE SUSTAINED FROM THIS, UH, MOTION TO TAKE NO ACTION, ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MIXED FEELINGS AND I FEEL LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I FEEL A LITTLE ENTITLED THAT I GREW UP IN CLARKSVILLE, SO I, I GET TO HAVE MY FEELINGS AND REALLY MEET THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE THERE'S THE, THERE'S NO NEED FOR THE POOL IN THE BACKYARD CAUSE THIS ISN'T TARRYTOWN.
IT'S LIKE, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO DOWNTOWN.
SO, AND IT'S NOT PROTECTED BY A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO, UM, AS A CHILD OF CLARKSVILLE, I TOOK A LITTLE ISSUE WITH THAT COMMENT.
UM, IT'S JUST, THIS IS, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO EVOLVE INTO A, UH, UH, I WANT TO SAY, UM, PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD IT AND IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE THAT WAY AS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME NEIGHBORHOOD IN A PRETTY PRIME LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY.
AND SO YEAH, UM, SAID IT MIGHT BE OKAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE WAY TO TAKE NO TO VOTE, TO TAKE NO ACTION OR WHAT, BUT, UM, LET'S RUN WITH IT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
I THINK MR. FEATHERSTON, ARE YOU OPPOSED? ARE YOU ABSTAINING? I VOTED FOR IT.
WE ARE UNANIMOUS IN OUR, IN OUR VOTE TO TAKE NO ACTION.
AND IF THIS, THIS WILL PROCEED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN ADD SOMETHING TO OUR, NO ACTION TO THE EFFECT THAT WE, UM, WE SUPPORT, UH, THE CONCERNS OF, OF PEOPLE IN CLARKSVILLE.
UM, THIS WILL, SINCE THIS IS NOT A HISTORIC SENDING CASE, IT WILL NOT PROCEED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, THE CLOCK OF 75 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE FIRST MEETING ON WHICH THIS APPEARED ON THE AGENDA THAT WILL EXPIRE ON NOVEMBER SIX.
SO AT THAT JUNCTURE STAFF WILL, WILL AUTHORIZE RELEASE OF THE PERMIT.
[3.C.2. HR-2021-116459 – 1104 Charlotte St. – Consent (postponed September 27, 2021) ]
HAVE C2 1104 CHARLOTTE STREET, A SIMILAR, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO RAISE THIS HOUSE, WHICH IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE CLARKSVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE STREET AND CONSTRUCT A BASEMENT AND CONSTRUCT A SIDE ADDITION, UH, TO ANSWER, UH, VICE CHAIRMANSO, UM, WHICH IS I'LL DESCRIBE THAT.
AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE AND WE'LL MAKE A PRESENTATION AS WELL.
SO THE PROJECT INVOLVES REMOVING A BACK PORCH AND, UH, PORTIONS OF THE REAR OF THE HOUSE, MOVING THE HOUSE, APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET FURTHER FROM THE STREET, RAISING THE HOUSE, APPROXIMATELY SEVEN FEET, CONSTRUCTING A TWO-STORY REAR INSIDE EDITION WITH A SCREENED PORCH.
[02:20:01]
UH, THE ADDITION WILL BE CLAD IN FIBER CEMENT BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING, LIMESTONE AND STUCCO, AS WELL AS HORIZONTAL FIBER CEMENT SKIRTING.IT HAS A HIPPED METAL ROOF AND WE'LL HAVE A FLAT VEGETATIVE ROOF AT THE REAR.
UH, THERE WILL BE NEW HANDRAIL STAIRS AND A SKYLIGHTS ON THE EXISTING HOUSE.
UH, THE HOUSE, UH, WAS LIKELY CONSTRUCTED AS A RENTAL PROPERTY, BUT IT WAS OWNED AND OCCUPIED BY THE ROBINSON FAMILY FROM 1916 UNTIL THE END OF THE 1920S WILLIAM ROBINSON WORKED AS A TEAMSTER.
UH, HE MOVED THERE FROM ACROSS THE STREET WHEN HE MARRIED HIS WIFE A LITTLE BIT, EXCUSE ME, I CAN'T SAY MY OWN NAME.
ELIZABETH ROBINSON WORKED AS A LAUNDRESS AND ONE OF THEIR RELATIVES NANNY STAYED WITH THEM ON AND OFF DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD, UH, STAFF DOES NOT FIND THAT THE PROPERTY MEETS A CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, BUT SO THE COMMISSION IS REVIEWING THIS PRIMARILY AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE WITHIN THE CLARKSVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE COMMITTEE'S FEEDBACK WAS TO USE DRY STACK VERSUS STONE STONE AT THE FOUNDATION TO SELECT TO THE OPTION THAT THE APPLICANT HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH.
UM, DURING THE HEIGHT, IF POSSIBLE, UH, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STEPS OR TERRACES IN THE LANDSCAPING TO SOFTEN THE EFFECT AND TO RETAIN THE PORCH POST.
UH, SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS THAT, UH, THE DESIGN, UH, IS LARGELY IN KEEPING WITH THE STANDARDS WE APPLY AND IN KEEPING WITH THE FEEDBACK FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SO WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION TO RELEASE THIS PERMIT.
SO THE, THE OPTION TWO HAD A DRIVEWAY THAT RESULTED IN A LARGER PRESENCE TO THE ADDITION, UH, WHERE IT WAS MORE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, UH, HAD A GARAGE AT, UH, THE, THAT LOWER LEVEL.
AND THAT IS NOT THE OPTION THAT THE APPLICANTS IS PUTTING FORWARD.
SO, UM, THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION WE'LL, WE'LL GIVE YOU A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT THE DESIGN WILL LOOK LIKE.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT PRESENT TO GIVE A PRESENTATION? YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, ANY SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS, TWO MINUTES A PIECE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS KENDRA WELCH AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.
I THINK QUICKLY THROUGH THE SLIDES, THE FIRST, THE FRONT ELEVATION YOU'VE SEEN SIDE OF VIEW OF THE PORCH.
THIS IS THE NORTH SIDE ELEVATION AND THE REAR ELEVATION THAT SHOWS THE PORCH THAT WE WILL DEMOLISH, BUT KEEP THE SCREAM DOOR AND THE SOUTHERN KIND OF SOUTHWESTERN ELEVATION.
AND THIS JUST A LITTLE ANALYSIS OF LEVELNESS.
THE HOUSE IS GENERALLY INTACT.
ALL THE WALLS ARE PLUMB AND THE WINDOWS ALL FUNCTION AND ALL THE FRAMES ARE SQUARE, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FRONT PORCH, UM, IS DROPPING AND THERE IS, EVEN THOUGH ALL THE WALLS ARE PLUMBED, THE FLOOR IS THREE TO SIX INCHES OFF LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.
AND THE EASTERN CORNER SITS DIRECTLY ON THE GROUND.
AND HAS I HAVE VISUALLY SEEN THE TERMITES AND TREATED FOR THE TERMITES MYSELF? UM, THE DRIVEWAY ALSO SLOPES TOWARDS THAT CORNER IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, CHANNELS, WATER DIRECTLY AT THE HOUSE.
AND ALSO THE HOUSE IS CURRENTLY THE FOCAL POINT OF 12TH STREET TRAFFIC.
SO THE FIRST VIEW IS LOOKING DOWN 12TH STREET TOWARDS THE HOUSE.
AND THEN THE SECOND PHOTO TO THE RIGHT IS ACTUALLY FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE, LOOKING AT THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY A LITTLE NERVE WRACKING TO SIT IN THERE.
IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO GET COMFORTABLE IN THE LIVING ROOM BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC JUST COMING RIGHT AT YOU.
AND ALSO NEW YEAR'S EVE, OH 3 0 4, A TRUCK ACTUALLY CONTINUED DOWN 12TH STREET AND CRASHED INTO THE LIVING ROOM, VERY NEARLY, UH, ALMOST KILLING THE OCCUPANT OF THE HOUSE AT THE TIME.
AND SO THAT ACTUALLY THAT IMPACT, I THINK, IS WHAT IF YOU WANT TO GO OR HAS RESULTED IN SOME OF THOSE STRUCTURAL ISSUES OF THE RACKING OF THE FOUNDATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO BASED ON THESE THREATS TO THE HOUSE, UH, I SEE THE BEST LONG-TERM SOLUTION IS TO SIGNIFICANTLY RAISE THE HOUSE ABOVE THE WATER, ABOVE THE TERMITES, LET US CORRECT THE DRAINAGE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND, UM, GET US ABOVE THE HEADLIGHTS, I THINK IS GOING TO REALLY INVEST IN THE LIKEABILITY
[02:25:01]
OF THE HOUSE.LONG-TERM BASICALLY, UH, SO THIS IS THE EXISTING SITE PLAN.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DEMO THE BACK PORCH, SORRY THIS WAS IN POWERPOINT.
IT SORT OF FADES ONE TO THE NEXT.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SCROLL THROUGH THESE PRETTY QUICK THAT, THAT IF IT IN POWERPOINT, IT SHOWED AT SCOOTING BACK FOUR FEET AND RAISE IT UP FOUR TO SIX FEET.
AND THESE ARE THE PROPOSED ADDITION AND SCREEN PORCH IN ADDITION TO THE LARGE BASEMENT SPACE UNDERNEATH THE ORIGINAL HOUSE.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS JUST A COMPARISON OF OUR CURRENT SURVEY.
AND THE ONE THING I DID WANTED TO NOTE IS, IS THAT, SO I PRESENTED TWO OPTIONS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPROMISE.
YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THE SIX FOOT DIMENSION.
THAT'S THE OFFSET OF THE, OF THE EDITION FROM THE ORIGINAL HOUSE ORIGINALLY, THAT WAS FOUR FEET.
UM, SO WE'VE GONE TO SIX FEET THERE, SORRY, IT'S SORT OF IN A LITTLE CRACK ON MY SCREEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE REST OF ALL.
AND THEN THE VIEWS, I UPDATED THE VIEWS TO REFLECT THAT SIX FEET.
SO THIS IS 1104 WITH 1200 CHARLOTTE STREET, THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR WITH THE MAINTAINING OF THE DRIVEWAY.
IT LOOKS PAVED, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY JUST GOING TO PROBABLY DO SOME, UM, TAMPED CULICHI AND CORRECT THE CORRECT THE SLOPE THERE.
AND THE FRONT VIEW, YOU CAN JUST SEE THE ADDITION PEEKING AROUND THE SIDE THERE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THIS ADDITION HAS TWO WINDOWS INSTEAD OF ONE.
AND THIS IS FOR US IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN EXPOSURE.
UM, NATURAL LIGHT IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US IN THE HOUSE.
AND WE'VE NOTICED, UM, OUR FAVORITE ROOMS RIGHT NOW IS THAT ONE THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT SORT OF PROMINENT TOWARDS US AND HOW THE LIGHT CHANGES IN IT THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND SO WE WANTED TO REALLY GATHER THAT NATURAL LIGHT INTO THE ADDITION AND THIS SHOWS, UH, THAT IT IS CONSISTENT HAVING A PORCH, UM, MANY FEET ABOVE THE STREET SURFACE THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ALSO THE LIMESTONE TERRACES TO, TO CREATE THAT TRANSITION BETWEEN STREET AND RAISED PORCH.
AND THAT WAS THE LAST LINE YOU TIMED IT JUST RIGHT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT THIS, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM YOU ARE OKAY WITH THE NORTH DRIVE OPTION? I SHOULD SAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PARKING SPACE ON THAT SOUTH SIDE.
UM, AND WE MAY NOT PUT IT IN RIGHT AWAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH THE PRECEDENT AND POSSIBLY THE CURB CUT TO HAVE IT THERE, JUST BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY NICE SHADED PARKING SPOT AND BECAUSE OF JEFFRIES AND JOSEPHINE HOUSE HAVING, UH, PUSHING ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ON STREET PARKING IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
SO WE OFTEN HAVE TO LOT WALK ONE TO TWO BLOCKS TO FIND A PARKING SPACE.
CAN YOU DO THAT WITH THE NORTH DRIVE OPTION OR YES.
OH, BASICALLY I WOULD KEEP THE BOTH PARKING SPACES.
I WILL WE'LL KEEP THE NORTH DRIVE AS IT IS.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL JUST ADD ONE SPACE, BUT NOT HAVE A GARAGE, RIGHT.
AND I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION HERE FROM THE VIRTUAL WORLD.
UM, I WASN'T SURE, BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE WAS A, UM, THERE WAS A, UH, AUTHORSHIP OR A DESIGNER NOTED ON THE DRAWINGS.
UH, MS. WELLS, DID YOU DO THOSE YOURSELF? YES, I DID.
AND ARE, ARE YOU IN AS A DESIGNER? I AM.
CAUSE THEY, OTHER THAN COMPLIMENT YOU, UM, I WAS GONNA SAY WHOEVER PUT IT TOGETHER, UH, BY THE TIME YOU GOT TO THE SLIDES AT THE END SHOWING CONTEXT, I THINK YOU INDICATED A REAL SENSITIVITY TO WHAT IS APPROPRIATE IN THE AREA.
AND EVEN THOUGH I THINK ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO, UM, KEEP CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES INTACT, UM, AS THEY ARE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY THE NEXT BEST THING AND MEANS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS ESSENTIALLY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN EVERY WAY WILL BE, UM, CONTINUED ON AND, AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FABRIC.
SO, UM, MY COMPLIMENTS TO I'VE ALREADY OFFERED HER A JOB.
I'M A CLARKSVILLE RESIDENT OF 14 YEARS.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
[02:30:02]
ARE THERE OTHER, UM, SPEAKERS IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME DOWN, COME ON DOWN.YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ORGANIZE YOURSELF, PAULA HEARN WITH CCDC.
I ACTUALLY SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION AND THAT WAS ONLY TO SAY A PREFERENCE FOR THE NORTH SIDE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE NEW DESIGN.
AND SO THE BOARD HAD LOOKED AT THIS IN OCTOBER AND WE OVER, YOU KNOW, UNANIMOUSLY, IT SAID, YOU KNOW, OH, WE LIKE THE NORTH BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE THE GARAGE WITH THE KIND OF OVERSHADOWED, THE ORIGINAL FRONT OF THE HOUSE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALREADY BEEN CHANGED.
SO THAT WAS OUR MAIN, UH, WE JUST PREFER THAT NORTH SIDE WITH THE DRIVE SO THAT IT DIDN'T OVERSHADOW THE ORIGINAL, WELL, WE KIND OF WORKED THAT OUT, UH, IN THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, SOMEWHAT.
AND, UM, NOW IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AGAIN, OLIVIA RELEASE.
UM, I AM, UM, I LIVE ABOUT, ABOUT A BLOCK WESTERN OF, UH, KENDRA.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE NORTH DRIVEWAY.
THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE A CURB CUT INTO THE SOUTH SIDE.
I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS TWO THINGS ESTABLISHING A PRECEDENT BECAUSE WE HAVE MAJOR, MAJOR PARKING PROBLEMS. I DON'T WANT EACH HOUSE TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE SLOTS.
AND HIS SECOND CONCERN IS THAT THAT CORNER IS JUST DANGEROUS.
IT'S VERY, IT'S A VERY SMALL STREET AND CARS ARE GOING LEFT AND GOING, RIGHT.
AND THERE'S SOME PARKED ALWAYS IN THE DRIVE, ALWAYS THERE'S PARKED CARS SHARE.
SO I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SOUTH SIDE OR THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVEWAY.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK SHE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF LISTENING TO THE DESIGN COMMITTEE, REALLY TAKING THE CONSIDERATION, YOU KNOW, THAT SHE, I KNOW SHE LIVES THERE AND LOVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HER, HER FINAL DESIGN WAS GREAT.
UH, I JUST WANT IT TO, TO THE, TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPEAKING YOU, AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMITS AVAILABLE THAT YOU COULD, UH, APPLY FOR A PROGRAM TO DO SO THAT ONLY RESIDENTS CAN PARK ON YOUR STREET.
UM, WE DID THAT WITH WHERE I LIVE.
I PREVIOUSLY LIVED 22 AND A HALF STREET.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS KIND OF WISHY-WASHY ABOUT IT AND I WOULD NORMALLY PUSH IT, BUT THERE WAS JUST SO LITTLE PARKING AVAILABLE THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH JEFFRIES AND GALAXY AND TALK THE FLAT, KEEP THEM OFF, KEEP THEM FROM PARKING, BUT THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO PARK.
AND SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF MOVING THE ISSUE AROUND AND WE APPRECIATE THE BUSINESS.
SO IT'S A VERY CONFLICTING FEELING, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE CLARKSVILLE, WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT.
UM, MADAM CHAIR THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
I TOOK SOMEONE WITH ME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE AND THERE WAS A LOT OF, LOT OF PROBLEMS HERE.
AND EVERYONE, I'M JUST MAKING A COMMENT THAT I THINK AS OUR SOCIETY GETS OLDER, HAVE A MASK PROBABLY FOR A LONG TIME NOW, BUT DEFINITELY NOT HAVING MAC, UH, MAC MICROPHONES.
WE REALLY CANNOT HEAR FROM THE BACK.
AND SO THE PERSON THAT I WAS WITH ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT HEAR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE INFORMAL GATHERINGS BETWEEN THE COMMISSION MEMBERS AND THE APPLICANTS.
AND SO IT'S NOT REALLY A PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S NOT GEARED TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND.
AND OFTENTIMES WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND 1 0 1 TABLE AND WE CAN NOT HAVE THAT AT THIS TIME.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS A TEMPORARY, UM, UH, SORT OF THING, UH, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT I WOULD ALSO THINK THAT JUST BEING A PART OF THE COMMITTEE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, EVEN THOUGH NORMALLY YOU WOULD NOT DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC OR REALLY NOT ASKING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC CAN STILL OBSERVE, BUT ONE OF THE ISSUES IS IT'S STILL VERY DIFFICULT.
WE'LL PASS THAT ON TO THE STAFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE DO RECORD THE AUDIO OF EVERY MEETING AND UPLOAD THEM ONLINE.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THE RECORDING, YOU CAN RECAP THEY ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.
HELLO AGAIN, LOU RIGLER, UH, I'M AT A 30, 35 YEAR RESIDENT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
[02:35:01]
SUPPORT, UH, THE APPLICANT KENDRA AND THE WORK SHE'S DOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PLACE.UH, I'VE KNOWN IT SINCE I THINK ALBERT LIVED THERE AND IT WAS CARPETED WITH TWO OR THREE INCHES OF CIGARETTE BUTTS.
UM, UH, NOT TO MUDDY THE WATERS, BUT IF, UH, A MEMBER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW, HOW HIGH IT WAS GOING TO BE RAID, ET CETERA, I WAS THE AGENT FOR THE SALE OF THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.
AND IT IS MUCH, MUCH HIGHER PHYSICALLY THEN THAT PROPERTY WILL BE EVEN IF IT'S RAISED UP, UM, AND THERE, AND IT'S ORIGINAL, IT'S LOTS OF STONE RUBBLE, THE STONE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND AGAIN, NOT THE MUDDY, THE WATERS, BUT IF, UH, 1104 WAS CLOSER TO ITS NEIGHBORING HOUSE AND THE DRIVER WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE, THAT WOULDN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL.
AND I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME I SAW ANY PLANS, A VERY LARGE NEW, MODERN HOUSES GOING IN TO THE EMPTY LOT IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THAT HOUSE.
SO I'M HAVING A DRIVEWAY BETWEEN THEM MIGHT BE NICE.
I THINK SHE'S DOING A REALLY NICE PIECE OF WORK THERE AND I APPRECIATE IT.
OH, IF IT WAS UP AND IT WAS OVER, IT WOULD BE REALLY CENTERED ON 12TH STREET AND LOOK REALLY NICE COMING DOWN 12TH STREET.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? UM, COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, DO I HEAR A SECOND COMMISSIONER COOK? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND PASSES.
UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION? MADAM CHAIR APPROVAL, THIS APPLICATION.
DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANY STIPULATION ON THE, UH, SECOND PARKING? MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT, UM, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE NORTH DRIVEWAY.
UH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE SOUTH DRIVE.
UM, BUT, UM, THE PLAN IS IT'S PRESENTED, BUT THE NORTH DRIVEWAY DOES NOT SHOW ACCESS TO A GARAGE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS A PART OF MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS MOTION.
DO I HEAR HIM A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND SECOND BY, UH, WE'LL TAKE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION I JUST WANT TO ADD IN COMPARISON TO THE PRE THE PAST CASE.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A CHANGE, BUT, UM, THIS IS, UH, AN OWNER WHO HAS THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE, UH, SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURE THAT SHE'S WORKING WITH AND, UH, HAS DONE A LOT TO, UM, MAKE EXPANSION POSSIBLE.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS COMPLETED AND MAY VERY WELL POINT TO IT AS A EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD BE DONE, SENSITIVELY IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
UM, IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY EASY FOR ANOTHER, UH, OWNER TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE AND BUILD, UM, BUILD ANOTHER THREE STORY HOUSE WITH A ROOFTOP DECK.
UM, I THINK ON MY ONLY MY COMMENT ON THIS IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US IS THE APPLICATION WITH THE NORTHSIDE DRIVEWAY.
UM, AND, UH, I DON'T HEAR OPPOSITION TO ANOTHER DRIVE OR ANOTHER PARKING PLACE, BUT I, I WOULD RATHER NOT TAKE THAT UP AT THIS TIME THAT, UM, THAT, THAT BE ANOTHER YES, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
I WAS GONNA LET YOU FINISH AND PROBABLY JUST ENDED UP AGREEING WITH YOU.
UM, BUT THAT, I, I, YEAH, I DON'T WANT US TO TAKE THAT UP RIGHT NOW WITH THE OTHER DRIVEWAY, BUT ALSO I THINK AN ADDITIONAL CURB CUT, UM, THAT GOES INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY THAT'S THAT'S MY THOUGHT TOO, IS THAT THERE MAY BE, THERE MAY BE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
UH, ANOTHER CURB CUT THAT THAT WOULD, UM, BE A WHOLE NOTHER.
AND THEN THE APPLICANT TALKED ABOUT, UM, IT'S A S SLIGHTLY LESS IMPROVED, UH, DRIVE.
I CAUTION THEM WITH THEIR EXPECTATIONS THAT AGAIN, THERE'S, UH, PARTS OF CITY CODE THAT ARE GONNA REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE
[02:40:01]
A MORE IMPROVED DRIVEWAY THEN, UH, PROBABLY THEY, OR I WOULD PREFER THAT JUST, UH, LOOK OUT FOR THAT ONE.NOW THEY HAVE DIRT, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE IT BE PAVED.
UH, OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY ARE GONNA REQUIRE SOMETHING MORE THAN, UH, UH, COMPRESSED WE CHECK.
SO WE VOTE ON THE MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND SAYING AYE.
[3.C.3. HR-2021-122489 – 80 and 82 San Marcos St. – Discussion (postponed September 27, 2021) Willow-Spence National Register District Council District 3 ]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS C3 80 AND ED TO SAN MARCUS STREET.UH, THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH TWO IDENTICAL, 1941 HOUSES ON ST.
AND THIS IS A, IT'S A VERY CONFUSING CASE BECAUSE THE DOCUMENTATION, OR, UH, BOTH THESE HOUSES IS SPOTTY AND CONFUSING.
UH, WITH BUILDING BOTTLENECKS THAT SHOWED THAT THESE HOUSES WERE BUILT IN 1941, AND THEY DON'T SHOW UP ON THE 1935 SANDBORNE THAT THEY DO ON THE 1962.
SO THAT IS, UH, THAT IS ACCURATE, BELIEVED TO BE ACCURATE.
SO THE DIRECTORIES ALSO BEAR OUT, BUT, UH, THE TENANTS OF THESE HOUSES ARE STARTED LIVING HERE IN THE EARLY 1940S.
THEY WERE BUILT BY LOUIS, BUT NEELY, I'M HOPING, I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING HIS NAME CORRECTLY.
HE HAD A NEIGHBOR HAD GROCERY STORE ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY.
HE LIVED IN 80 SAN MARCUS FOR A LITTLE WHILE OFF AND ON, BUT, UH, HE HAD RENTERS IN ADT, SAN MARCUS THE ENTIRE TIME.
UH, AS I SAID, HE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE AND HE INVESTED IN REAL ESTATE THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, WE INVESTIGATED HIS STORE AND, UH, WHERE HE LIVED OFF AND ON FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
UH, AND NOTHING EVER REALLY HAPPENED WITH THAT.
BUT, UM, I WOULD QUESTION WHETHER HE WAS HAD ENOUGH SIGNIFICANCE FOR IT TO QUALIFY UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION CRITERIA.
AT, UH, AS I SAID AT 87 MARKETS, HE LIVED THERE OFF AND ON THROUGHOUT THE HISTORIC PERIOD AT 82 SAN MARCUS, THAT WAS EXCLUSIVELY A RENTAL UNIT.
AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE LANDLORD AND HIS TENANTS LIVED IN IDENTICAL HOUSES, BUT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY THIS PROPERTY WAS DEVELOPED.
UH, 82, THERE WAS A RATHER HIGH TURNOVER TENANT, ALMOST ALL BLUE COLLAR, UH, WHO STAYED HERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE MOVING ON THE MOST, OR THE LONGEST TENDENCIES WAS WILLIE SMITH, WHO WAS AN AUTO AUTO MECHANIC AND HIS WIFE, ALLIE, RAYMOND AND PEGGY MILLER MOVED TO THE HOUSE AROUND 1943 AND RENTED HERE UNTIL ABOUT 1950.
HE WAS A TAXI DRIVER AND HE EVENTUALLY OWNED HIS OWN FILLING STATION.
SO STAFF COULD NOT FIND THAT THERE WAS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT INDIVIDUAL, A RECOMMENDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR EITHER ONE OF THESE HOUSES BASED ON THEIR HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
ARCHITECTURALLY, THERE ARE CLASSIC EXAMPLES OF VERNACULAR WORKING CLASS HOUSING.
THEY'RE VERY MUCH IN CHARACTER, BUT WE DO NEED TWO CRITERIA TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR THESE PROPERTIES.
THEY'RE ALSO LISTED AS NON CONTRIBUTING TO THE WILLIS PENCE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1985.
THESE HOUSES WERE NOT YET 50 YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME.
SO OUR SCAFFOLD WEAVES THAT THE DETERMINATION OF NON-CONTRIBUTING STATUS WAS BASED ON AGE RATHER THAN ARCHITECTURE THAT TODAY THE MOST LIKELY WOULD, BUT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE AND THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE HOUSE ABOUT THE HOUSE ALSO ARE ENTITLED TO RELY ON THE NON-CONTRIBUTING STATUS OF THESE, OF THESE HOUSES.
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO
[02:45:01]
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION.THESE SEEM TO BE A VERY ATTACKS HOUSES.
THEY SEEM TO BE STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
UH, THEY WOULD SERVE A WONDERFUL PURPOSE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IF THEY WERE MOVED TO ANOTHER SITE AND ALLOW THE CURRENT OWNER TO BUILD ON THIS SITE, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT, UH, THAT THEY HAD AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT HERE, IT WOULD BE INEQUITABLE TO IMPOSE A NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS BASED ON, UH, BASED ON STAFF'S ASSESSMENT, RATHER THAN WHAT IS OUT THERE THAT HE PROBABLY RELIED ON TO PURCHASE THESE HOUSES AND, AND COME UP WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT PLAN WITH EAST AUSTIN SURVEY IN 2016, IT DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE HOUSE AT 80 SAN MARCUS, WHICH IS VERY STRANGE.
UM, AND THEN IT HAS CONFLICTING INFORMATION FOR, UH, THE ADDRESS OF 82 SAN MARCUS.
UH, IT SAYS THAT IT COULD QUALIFY AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK ALSO IS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL OR NATIONAL REGISTER.
UH, STAFF BELIEVES THAT IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE CONTRIBUTING TO A LOCAL OR NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT IF WE REASSESS THE EXISTING WILLOW SPENCE, BUT DOES NOT AGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT THAT EITHER ONE OF THEM SIZES QUALIFIES AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
SO THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE PERMANENT UPON OR JUNE POETRY LOCATION, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RELOCATION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT AFTER COMPLETION OF A CITY DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ANY QUESTIONS? AND MR. SEDOWSKY OKAY.
ARE THERE, UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THESE HOUSES? ANYONE HERE IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
HI, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I LIVE IN THE HOUSE NEXT TO THIS HOUSE.
THE, THESE TWO HOUSES ARE ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM MY BACKYARD.
SO COUPLE OF THINGS, ONE IS Y'ALL HAVE PROBABLY RECEIVED SOME WRITTEN NOTICES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AGAINST THIS DEMOLITION, FROM PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO READ THOSE AND LOOK AT THOSE.
THEY'D SENT THEM BEFORE THE PRIOR THE HEARING WE HAD LAST MONTH.
SECONDLY, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ALL NIGHT ABOUT CLARKSVILLE AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, HOW YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT HAVE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I JUST ASKED THAT YOU CONSIDER IT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, ONE IS THAT AT THE LAST HEARING, YOU SAID, WELL, WE'LL RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AS SOON AS WE GET THEIR, THEIR, THEIR DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
AND THIS TIME IT SAYS WE'LL RELEASE IT.
AS SOON AS WE DO A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE DECISION'S ALREADY BEEN MADE BEFORE YOU GOT INPUT FROM ANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE.
WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BUILD? WE HAVE NO IDEA.
I LIKE TO POINT OUT TO, YOU MENTIONED THE HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY OF 2016.
I HAVE A COPY OF IT RIGHT HERE, AND IT DOES NOT LIST 80 SAN MARCUS.
AND I THINK THE REASON IF YOU DRIVE DOWN THE STREET, THERE'S A BIG NUMBER, 82 ON THE SECOND HOUSE.
THERE'S NO NUMBER ON THE FIRST HOUSE OR SOMEONE MIGHT JUST THINK THAT IT'S ONE ADDRESS THAT MAY BE WHY THEY DIDN'T PUT IT THERE.
BUT THE SURVEY ITSELF JUST SAYS THAT IT IS RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE AS A LOCAL LANDMARK RECOMMENDED CONTRIBUTING TO A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, NO PREVIOUS IN OUR HB DESIGNATIONS, BUT RECOMMENDED AS INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR IN OUR HP RECOMMENDED CONTRIBUTING TO ANY NRH P DISTRICT, AS FAR AS THE HISTORY HISTORY AND THE HISTORIC IMPORTANCE.
UM, THIS HOUSE WAS LIVED IN FOR A LONG TIME BY THE SISTER OF MARCUS DE LEON.
AND HE RAN SOME OF HIS CAMPAIGN STUFF OUT OF THERE.
AND HE WAS VERY INFLUENTIAL AS A HISPANIC, ONE OF THE FIRST HISPANIC POLITICIANS IN AUSTIN.
I THINK THAT MERITS SOME PERHAPS INVESTIGATION.
AND AS I THINK MR HAMSTEAD MENTIONED LAST TIME, THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF
[02:50:01]
A CERTAIN TYPE OF HOME, WHICH AS HE SAID, LAST TIME USED TO EXIST ALL OVER EAST AUSTIN.BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT HARDLY EXISTS AT ALL IN EAST AUSTIN NOW BECAUSE THEY'VE ALL BEEN DEMOLISHED, BULLDOZED AND MOVED.
PLEASE DON'T DO IT TO THIS ONE.
IT'S A SMALL LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT IS INTACT.
THESE HOUSES, AS I SAID BEFORE, ARE NOT THE MOST ARCHITECTURALLY INTERESTING.
AND THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT AS OLD AS SOME OF THE HOUSES.
SO THESE HOUSES WERE BUILT ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN SURVEY.
SO NOT QUITE AS OLD, BUT STILL PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND PLEASE DON'T JUST DEMOLISH THEM FOR NOTHING.
AND LIKE I SAY, IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE FROM YOUR AGENDAS FROM THIS TIME AND LAST TIME THAT THE DECISION'S ALREADY BEEN MADE.
AND AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO BUILD THERE OR HOW BIG IT WILL BE OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
SO DO NOT GIVE THEM A PERMIT UNTIL WE EVEN HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT'S BEING PUT UP THERE.
I BELIEVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY ARE REALLY AGAINST IT.
I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE WRITTEN COMMENTS YOU'VE RECEIVED AND THE TESTIMONY THAT I'VE GIVEN HIM.
ANOTHER NEIGHBOR GAVE LAST TIME.
I JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS THE IT'S.
IT'S NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION, BUT IF THAT, BECAUSE THE HOUSES ARE NOT IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, EVEN IF THEY WERE IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AS ARE WHERE THE HOUSES IN CLARKSVILLE, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE, UM, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE ABILITY TO PROTECT OR PRESERVE THOSE HOUSES UNLESS THEY RISE TO THE LEVEL OF INDIVIDUAL AUSTIN LANDMARKS.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.
AND, UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT EXAMPLES OF RARE OR UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE, UH, THAT STANDS OUT.
AND SO IT'S NOT THAT IT'S, WE WANT TO HAVE INPUT FROM, FROM THE NEIGHBORS, FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY AND ARE WILLING TO LISTEN TO THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ABILITY, UM, TO, TO PRESERVE THEM IF THEY DON'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF, OF LOCAL LIMIT OR BE CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH I BELIEVE, AND I THINK MR SEDOWSKY BELIEVES WOULD BE THE CASE IF IT WERE A LOCAL HISTORIC, JUST, I'M JUST SAYING YOUR OWN SURVEY FROM 2016 SAYS FOR THE 82, THEY ADDRESS 82, WHICH Y'ALL CLAIM IS THE LEAST IMPORTANT.
ONE THAT IT SAYS RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE AS A LOCAL LANDMARK RECOMMENDED CONTRIBUTING TO A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THEN IT SAYS REGULATABLE FOR IT.
SO THIS IS YOUR OWN SURVEY FROM 2016 AND STAFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT HASN'T BEEN PUT FORTH BEFORE, BUT WE HAVE A COPY OF IT RIGHT HERE, MR. SEDOWSKY OR, OR MS. BRUMMETT.
UM, CAN YOU WEIGH IN ON THAT? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS RECOMMENDED INDIVIDUALLY AS AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK.
WELL, THIS IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, HISTORIC RISK RESOURCES SURVEY PREPARED BY HARDY HECK MOWER, OCTOBER 24TH, 2016.
AND SO FIVE YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
NOW YOU'RE SAYING IT HAS NO HISTORIC MEANING WHATSOEVER, BUT YOUR OWN SURVEY SAYS IT DOES.
AND WE, THE NEIGHBORS ARE HIGHLY OPPOSED TO DEMOLITION PERMIT.
ARE THERE ANY, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT COMMISSIONER? I HAVE A QUESTION, NOT FOR THE APPLICANT, BUT FOR STAFF, MR. SEDOWSKY, YOU, YOU REFERENCED THE RIGHT OF THE OWNER TO RELY ON INFORMATION WITH WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THE PROPERTY, BUT SINCE IT WAS LISTED IN THE SURVEY, SINCE 2016 IS RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL LISTING, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY COULD RELY ON THAT HAPPENING HERE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YES, COMMISSIONER, UM, THE 2016 SURVEY IS A WONDERFUL DOCUMENT, UH, BUT IT HAS RECOMMENDATIONS AND I THINK PROPERTY OWNERS AND, UH, PROSPECTIVE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO RELY ON DESIGNATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY BEEN WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, HERE MEAN IS THAT ANY APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION MODIFICATIONS WOULD COME TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION FOR REVIEW, BUT THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT IT BECAUSE IT'S A RECOMMENDATION.
[02:55:01]
UM, WE HAVE SEEN A SMALL NUMBER ACTUALLY OF INCORRECT, OR CAN'T SAY THAT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STAFF DOES NOT AGREE WITH.UH, SO THESE ARE NOT ABSOLUTELY ENGRAVED IN GRANITE.
THEY'RE A GUIDE TO MAKING THE DECISION, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE DECISION ITSELF.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, UM, WHILE THE CITIZEN HAS VERY GOOD POINTS THAT YES, THIS INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN THERE.
UH, IT, THE RECOMMENDATION DOESN'T ACTUALLY PROTECT THE PROPERTIES UNTIL THE PROPERTIES ARE REVIEWED BY THE COMMISSION AND A RECOMMENDATION IS MADE FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY.
I JUST HAD ONE MORE QUICK THING, WHICH IS WHOEVER BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, JUST BOUGHT IT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
AND THE EARLIER PROPERTY, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT 1,266, THAT GUY JUST BOUGHT IT IN JULY.
SO THIS IS A TREND THAT'S REALLY DISTURBING IN AUSTIN, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
I'M SURE Y'ALL, DON'T EITHER, BUT WHERE PEOPLE JUST FIND AN OLD HOUSE AND BUY IT AND THEN WANT TO DEMOLISH IT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO STOP IT SOMEWHERE.
SOMEHOW WE, WE UNDERSTAND THIS.
THE QUESTION FOR STAFF AS WELL.
UH, MR. STARSKY, HAS THERE BEEN ANY INTEREST IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND PURSUING LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE? UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO, THERE HAS NOT BEEN, UM, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CASES IN WELLNESS BATHS.
WE HAD ONE FOR AN ADU AND AN ADDITION, UM, THAT, UH, WE BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION AS WELL.
THAT WAS ON WILLOW STREET, I BELIEVE.
AND, UM, I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WILLOW SPENT, UH, EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY FOR A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BECAUSE IT IS, UH, IT'S IN A LOCATION WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO CLOSE TO THE FREEWAY IN DOWNTOWN THERE'S LAND PRICES IN WILLOW SPANS ARE ASTRONOMICAL, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTY.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A GUIDE AS TO WHICH PROPERTIES PROPERTIES CAN BE DEVELOPED THAT ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WHICH PROPERTIES, UH, REALLY NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AS, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THE CHARACTER OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO UNTIL WE GET THAT, WE'VE GOT, I WOULD TELL THEM INCOMPLETE DOCUMENTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T PROVIDE THE PROTECTION THAT THEY SHOULD FOR THIS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT RAINY STREET, UH, AND WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE, SAME THING THAT HAPPENS TO THE FREEWAY WITHOUT THE PROTECTIONS.
SO I THINK WILLOW SPENCE AND RAINY STREET WERE DESIGNATED, UH, LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER IN THE SAME MULTIPLE PROPERTY NOMINATION.
SO THIS COULD VERY WELL, RAY, UH, ANOTHER RAINY STREET, UM, HAPPENED HERE.
I HAVE ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION SINCE THE COMMISSION CAN INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES, DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING OF A DISTRICT OR A NEIGHBORHOOD ISABELLA? YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT? YES.
THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, THE COMMISSION MAY INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED TO DATE.
UH, THE WAY THAT, UM, WE HAVE HANDLED HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS IS FOR THEM TO COME FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH VALID SHOWING SUPPORT FROM THE RESIDENTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THAT PROCESS BECOMES ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT WITH THE CHANGE IN STATE LAW THAT NOW DICTATES THAT IF EVEN ONE OWNER WITHIN A DISTRICT OBJECTS, IT HAS TO REACH A SUPER MAJORITY HERE AT THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND AT CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I, YOU CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK INTO.
I THINK IT WOULD TAKE A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION AND PERHAPS AS A TOPIC FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
I APPRECIATE THAT EXPLANATION AND BACKGROUND.
WE JUST DISCUSSED THAT THIS AFTERNOON AND, UH, AND, AND THINK THAT THIS IS A CONVERSATION FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, OUR HAIM SETS.
[03:00:01]
YES.WELL, AS LONG AS WE'RE ON THE, THE REGISTER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTER DISTRICTS, LOCAL REG REGISTERED DISTRICTS, UH, PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE, UH, REACHING OUT TO THE SPEAKER, THE PRIOR SPEAKER, UH, BECAUSE I THINK SHE MAY VERY WELL BE, UH, ABLE TO, OR, OR INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF THING FOR THE WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
WE SOMETIMES GET ALL CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE TERMS AND IT MAY BE, UH, IMPORTANT, UM, FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS THIS KIND OF ENERGY TO, UH, BE AWARE OF WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS OF THE DESIGNATIONS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TONIGHT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF A NATIONAL REGISTER.
WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY TEETH WHEN IT COMES TO DOING ANY KIND OF ENFORCEMENT.
WE JUST GET A CHANCE TO LOOK THESE OVER BEFORE DEMOLITION, SEE IF WE CAN PREVENT THEM.
UM, WE DO HAVE MORE TOOLS WHEN IT'S LOCAL AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF, UH, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER COULD SPEAK WITH STAFF BEFORE SHE LEAVES, UH, WE MAY BE ABLE TO, UM, GIVE HER MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW SHE MIGHT PUT HER ENERGIES TO THAT EXACT EFFORT, AS WELL AS WHATEVER WE MIGHT DO.
OH, I HAD JUST A FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH MR. SEDOWSKY ON THE 82 ST.
MARCUS STREET, BECAUSE I DID THINK THE PROFILE LOOKED A LOT, LIKE WHAT, UH, MAY HAVE BEEN, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THEY WERE, BUT, UH, THAT THEY'RE THERE AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER WERE CERTAINLY PREFAB TYPE HOUSES.
AND I JUST, I KNOW I DRIVE PAST THE ONE ON, UM, UM, ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND I JUST PULLED IT UP, UH, AT GUNTER STREET AND YOU KNOW, THAT THE EXACT SAME PITCH, SOME OF THE SAME BRACKETS, UH, AND THE PROPORTIONS IS, IS THERE NO EVIDENCE THAT, THAT THE, THESE WERE EITHER PATTERN, BOOK HOUSES, OR POSSIBLY PREFAB HOUSES THAT WERE PICKED UP AND MOVED? I HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER AND OPPOSITION.
UH, ANYWAY, I, I W I DID THAT.
AND, UM, I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANY EVIDENCE THAT CONNECT THIS HOUSE.
AND I, I CAN ASK YOU ABOUT VERY, VERY QUICKLY AND SUCCINCT AND SUCCINCTLY COMMISSIONER.
WE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING THERE, THERE WERE SO MANY PATTERN BOOKS AND SO MANY KID HOUSES.
UM, WE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING THAT, UH, FIFTIES THAT CONNECTED THEM DIRECTLY OR ANY OF THE OTHERS.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE A, A KID HOUSE, BUT, UM, MY GUESS IS YES, THEY DEFINITELY ARE, BUT, UH, DON'T HAVE ANY CONCLUSIVE THREE FATHER.
UM, IF WE COULD, THEN LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY, I RAISE YOUR HAND.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? WELL, UM, I'M AGAIN, VERY RELUCTANT, UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE REALLY OUGHT TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THESE HOUSES, UH, WHAT THEY REPRESENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
UM, THEY ARE, UH, WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UM, BASED ON STAFF'S DISCUSSION, THEY PROBABLY REVISITING THEM, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, THE LATER TIME.
AND NEWER PARAMETERS PROBABLY WOULD GIVE THEM MORE RECOGNITION, BUT, UM, EVEN THAT WOULDN'T HELP US IN USING THE ONLY TOOL WE WOULD HAVE AVAILABLE, WHICH IS DO ONE OR BOTH OF THESE RISE TO A HISTORIC DESIGNATED LANDMARK WITHIN OUR PROGRAM.
UH, AND BASED ON ASSOCIATION AND BASED ON ARCHITECTURAL MERIT BASED ON ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT NEITHER OF THEM ARE GOING TO RAISE TO THAT LEVEL, CERTAINLY NOT WITH AN OBJECTION FROM AN OWNER.
SO, UM, IT, IT VERY RELUCTANTLY I'M SAYING, UH, THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT WE, UH, ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE OR RELOCATION.
BUT, UH, IF THAT IS NOT SUCCESSFUL, THAT, UH, A COMPLETION OF THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES MUST BE COMPLETE BY THE OWNER PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IS THAT A MOTION? NO, THAT'S MY MOTION.
[03:05:06]
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M JUST GOING TO NOTE THAT I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.OUR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT TECHNICALLY CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES, WHICH IS A GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE AGE THAT THEY WERE AT THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION.
MANY YEARS AGO, THEY SHOULD BE CONTRIBUTING.
WE SHOULD HAVE MORE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US, BUT TECHNICALLY WE CAN'T.
AND I AGREE, THE ARGUMENT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THAT THESE INDIVIDUALLY RISE TO THE STATUS OF A LANDMARK, BUT, UM, THE OWNER DOES HAVE THE 2016 HISTORIC SURVEY.
IT WAS DONE TO GIVE SOME CERTAINTY, SOME LEVEL OF SOME HINT OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PROCESS.
AND IT DOES LIST 82 AS A RECOMMENDED AS A LANDMARK.
SO THERE SHOULD BE NO BIG SURPRISE IF WE WERE TO INITIATE AND EVEN THEN OURSELVES RECOMMEND.
BUT, UH, I AGREE THAT THE ARGUMENT FOR IT WOULD BE TENUOUS, BUT I STILL THINK THERE, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHADOW OF HOPE TO EXTEND THIS, BUT I THINK THE END GAME IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE SAME, BUT I'M STILL NOT GOING TO SUPPORT.
I'M STILL NOT GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I, UM, I DON'T, I FEEL THAT BOTH HOUSES WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO, UH, EITHER A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT OR A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY RISE TO THE LEVEL OF INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS, WHICH IS WHAT, UM, IS REQUIRED OF, OF US TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, UM, FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE WITH THIS ONE, IT'S, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING READING AND PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S LETTER, THAT THE DEMOLITION OF THESE TWO HOUSES WOULD BE THE FIRST, SINCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS OPENING UP THE FLOOD GATES POTENTIALLY.
AND I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD I WOULD ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT A LOCAL LANDMARK NOMINATION FOR IF THE PUBLIC WERE TO BRING THAT FORWARD.
BUT I NO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT LOCAL YEAH.
UM, BUT I, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE POLITICAL CLIMATE AND THE SUPER MAJORITY REQUIRED.
I, I UNDERSTAND STAFF SUGGESTION THAT THAT SHOULD COME FROM THE PUBLIC AND HAVE FULL PUBLIC SUPPORT BY THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I, I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THE, WHAT IS THE MOTION? THE MOTION IS TO SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
THE MOTION IS TO GO WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO RELEASE THE PERMIT, TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSES UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY, UM, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND, ALL OPPOSED, OPPOSED OR COMMISSIONERS COOK, LITTLE AND VALANZUELA.
[3.C.4. HR-2021-126308 – 1505 Travis Heights Blvd. – Consent (postponed September 27, 2021) Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register District Council District 9 ]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS C4 1505 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.I PULLED BESIDE HIM FOR DISCUSSION OF, UH, TO, TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE RECORD.
IT'S AMBER, IF WE CAN START WITH THE CURRENT PHOTO OF THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, UM, I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT DOCUMENT.
UM, BUT THIS IS A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WITH A FRONT GABLED ROOF.
THAT'S IN, UH, THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, IT HAS, UM, HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, UH, MOLD WHENEVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS AND A FULL WIDTH PORCH SUPPORTED BY BOX COLUMNS ON HERES THE HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR FRED AND JULIETTE PINNOCK BEFORE 1924.
FRED PENNOCK WAS A BANK TELLER, CASHIER AND CLERK AT AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK.
JULIA PENICK WAS ACTIVE IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY BUILDING AND YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. UH, STAFF'S VIEWS THAT THIS PROPERTY DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
AND SO THE COMMISSION'S PURVIEW IS PRIMARILY COMMENTING AS A CONTRIBUTING
[03:10:01]
PROPERTY WITHIN THIS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.UH, THIS IS A CASE WHERE, UM, THIS PROCESS HAS HAD A VERY POSITIVE OUTCOME ON THE DESIGN.
UH, THIS IS AN APPLICATION THAT, UH, WAS HEARD BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, THE, UM, WE GIVE FOLKS VERY LITTLE TIME TO RESPOND TO FEEDBACK BETWEEN THAT COMMITTEE AND THE SUBSEQUENT LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, W WHAT WE HAVE HERE, IF, UH, AMBER, IF YOU CAN SWITCH TO THE RENDERING IS A NEAR COMPLETE REDESIGN.
UM, WHAT CAME BEFORE THE COMMISSION LAST MONTH? UM, VERY DRAMATICALLY ALTERED THE APPEARANCE OF THIS HOUSE, THE, THE ORIGINAL VERSUS THIS ONE, THE ORIGINAL PLAN, NOT THE ORIGINAL HOUSE, THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION.
UM, I'LL TALK THROUGH, UM, WHAT IS THERE NOW? SO THE APPLICANTS MADE SIGNIFICANT DESIGN REVISIONS.
UM, THEY'RE RETAINING THE CHARACTER, DEFINING FEATURE THE FEATURES OF THE FRONT PORCH, INCLUDING THE GABLED ROOF OF THE PORCH, WHICH WAS TAKEN AWAY AND THE OTHER PROPOSED DESIGN, UH, KEEPING THE BRACKETS AND THE GABLE EVENT.
SO THIS IS THE DESIGN PREVIOUSLY WHERE, UM, IT BECOMES A VERY DIFFERENT HOUSE AND YOU LOSE MOST OF THE CHARACTER OF THAT PORCH.
SO, UM, IF WE CAN GO TO THE CURRENT AGAIN AT THE GABLES, VINCE IS NOT SHOWN IN THE RENDERING, BUT IT WILL BE RETAINED.
UM, THE MASON REPAIRS AND WOOD HANDRAILS WILL BE RETAINED.
THE WOOD SIDING WILL BE RETAINED ON THE FRONT AND SIDES OF THE HOUSE WITH A, UM, UH, FIBER CEMENT SIDING FOR THE ADDITION, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT SIDE GABLE, UH, THE FRONT DOOR AND ALL OF THE WINDOWS WILL BE REPLACED.
BUT, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SHOWN ACCURATELY IN THE RENDERING.
THE DOORS AND WINDOWS WILL BE REPLACED WITHIN THE HISTORIC OPENINGS, AND THEY WILL BE REPLACED TO MATCH THE HISTORIC DESIGN.
SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE FOR WHEN IT SITS, IT'S AN IMMENSE IMPROVEMENT OVER, UM, THE PRIOR DESIGN.
IT ALSO LARGELY MEETS THE DESIGN STANDARDS AND THE, THE SINGLE DOOR WILL BE RETAINING NOT THE DOUBLE DOOR.
SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS, THE CLARIFICATION THAT WAS NEEDED IS THAT THESE WINDOWS ARE NOT GOING TO BE, ARE NOT IN THE CURRENT PLAN, UH, THAT THEY WILL BE ALUMINUM CLAD WOOD WINDOWS IN THE SAME OPENINGS, AND THE DOOR WILL BE THE SAME.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION RAN ON DOWN HERE? WE'RE HAPPY TO GREET YOU AFTER OUR, OUR MEETING AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS JC SCHMEIL, I'M THE ARCHITECT, UH, FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY WE'RE ABLE TO PRESENT SOME CHANGES THAT WE HOPE YOU FIND SYMPATHETIC TO THE EXISTING HOUSE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER ABOUT THE PROPOSED DESIGN? I'M SORRY.
IT WAS YOU JUST STATED, BUT THE RENDERING WE SAW SHOWED THE WINDOWS AND THE DOORS IN DIFFERENT, BUT YOU WILL BE PUTTING HERE NOW.
UM, WE DIDN'T MAKE IT QUITE THAT FAR WITH ALL OUR CHANGES, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED TO HAVE IT COMES SO THAT THAT WAS CLARIFIED BECAUSE THE DRAWINGS THAT WERE IN OUR PACKET DON'T REFLECT WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
COMMISSIONER HOMESNAP, MR. ISHMAEL, UH, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW STOPPING AND BACKING UP LIKE THAT DOES TAKE SOME REGROUPING, BUT, UM, I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO REINFORCE WHAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF IS SAYING.
UM, UH, YOU HAVE, UH, UH, AN ADDITION TO THIS STRUCTURE, WHICH IS VERY SYMPATHETIC AND WOULD CERTAINLY BE OF, UM, THE PROPORTIONS AND THE APPROACH THAT WOULD BE RECOGNIZABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF ARCHITECTURE.
UH I'M I'M CURIOUS HOW THE, THE RATE CONFIGURATION, UM, COMPARES IN TERMS OF YOUR OVERALL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
WERE YOU ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH QUITE A BIT UNDERNEATH THE EXPANDED, UH, GABLE? YES, WE, WE LOST A LITTLE BIT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO RETAIN MOST OF THE FUNCTION IN THAT ATTIC SPACE.
[03:15:02]
YEAH.AND THEN WITH, WITH THE LARGE GABLE WINDOWS, THEN THAT GIVES YOU STILL PLENTY OF LIGHT.
YEAH, NO, WELL, AGAIN, I DON'T SEE ALL THE DETAILS, BUT, UH, FROM THE RENDERING, UH, THE APPROACH YOU'VE TAKEN IS, IS SPOT ON MY COMPLIMENTS TO YOU AND THE, AND THE OWNER.
AND PLEASE CONVEY OUR, OUR THANKS TO THE HONOR.
OH, HE'S, HE'S SITTING RIGHT THERE.
ANY FURTHER, UM, SPEAKERS IN FAVOR, COME ON DOWN.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST BASICALLY GET SOME FUNCTIONALITY OUT OF THE HOUSE.
IT'S A LITTLE, TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH BUNGALOW.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JC MADE AWARE, UH, MADE ME AWARE OF IS THAT WE COULD GET THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY IF WE COULD JUST PUT EVERYTHING IN THE BASEMENT AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE THE ROOF AT ALL.
AND THE HOUSE WOULD LOOK EXACTLY LIKE IT IS.
AND WE'VE REDONE SIX HOUSES, THREE OF WHICH WERE COMPLETELY REDONE TO LOOK JUST LIKE THE OLD HOUSE.
SO WE LOVE REDOING OLD HOUSES TO MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE THEY USED TO, BUT WE'VE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT WE'RE LIKE 18 INCHES OUT OF VARIANCE IN ORDER TO GET EVERYTHING IN THE BASEMENT THAT WE WANT WITH THE SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS PUT IN GOOD WORDS FOR THE VARIANCE COMMITTEE, BUT WE PLAN TO GO THERE AFTER THIS TO SAY, HEY, WE'LL LEAVE IT EXACTLY THE SAME AND MAKE IT LOOK JUST LIKE IT USED TO, IF WE COULD JUST PUT EVERYTHING IN THE BASEMENT AND WE WOULDN'T CHANGE THE ROOF SO WELL, IF THE VOTE GOES IN YOUR FAVOR ON THIS, YOU COULD TAKE THAT AND SAY THAT THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, UH, APPRECIATE IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE HOW FAR THAT GETS YOU.
WELL, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY ANY QUESTIONS OF THE HONOR.
ANY FURTHER, UM, SPEAKERS AND FAVOR ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER COOK, COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY, AYE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? UH, I'LL MOVE TO, UH, MAKE COMMENTS AND APPROVE THE PERMIT.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE MOTION TO MAKE HERE.
SO, UM, IT WOULD BE TO, UM, I GUESS WE'RE COMMENTING ON, I THINK WE SHOULD APPROVE THE DESIGN AS, UM, AS REVISED, AS PRESENTED AS REVISED AND VERBALLY, UH, DESCRIBED TO MAINTAIN THE, THE OPENING PROPORTIONS EXISTING OPENING PROPORTIONS.
DO I HEAR A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? WAS THAT COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH.
AND THEN I THINK WE'VE ALL KIND OF MADE OUR COMMENTS, BUT I DO WANT IT TO COME IN THE OWNER AND THE ARCHITECT FOR MAKING, MAKING THESE CHANGES.
IT MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
UH, IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE THAT, THAT DELICATE, SHALLOW ARCH OVER THE PORCH.
AND SEEING THAT RETAIN, SEEING THE SIDING RETAINED, UH, UH, I THINK WE COULD TELL YOUR HEART WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ASKED YOU TO COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND GLAD TO SEE THAT PROCESS WORKED OUT TO EVERY EVERYONE'S LIKING.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO COMMUNICATE TO THE VARIANCE, UH, UH, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE VARIANCE IF WE CAN GO FURTHER AND, AND TRULY COMPLETELY RETAIN THE APPEARANCE OF THE HOUSE, UM, TO PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR US, UM, FOR THEM OFFICIALLY.
BUT, UH, THE CHANGE IS BEING MADE SHORT OF RETAINING THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND DOORS IN ON THE PORCH AND NOT ADDING ONTO IT AT ALL.
UH, THE ADDITION TO THE ROOF IS SENSITIVE AS IT APPEARS, IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY RESTORABLE BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION, UH, MAINTAINING THE OPENINGS MEANS THAT COULD BE RESTORABLE.
SO, UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY WELL DONE AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND, UH, I'M JUST LOOKING BACK AT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK THE KEY HERE IS THAT WE'RE, UH, IN THE MOTION, UH, THAT WE ARE RELEASING THE DEMOLITION OF SELECTIVE DEMOLITION PERMIT, UM, AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT IS OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION THAT, UH, THIS DESIGN HAS TAKEN ON, WHICH WE ARE APPROVING.
MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, UH, COMMISSIONER.
I WOULD LIKE TO, I MEAN, THAT, TO ADD THE RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE WORK IS SO SENSITIVE.
[03:20:01]
I FORGOT IT WAS A DEMOLITION.UM, AND THE SECONDARY THAT'S ME, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION.
THE MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE PARTIAL, UH, DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE DOCUMENTATION BACK EDGE AND, UH, RELEASE THE PLANS AS PRESENTED HERE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
LET ME GET ON THE RIGHT PAGE HERE.
[3.C.10. HR-2021-151742 – 1519 W 32nd St. – Discussion Old West Austin National Register District Council District 10 ]
C 10, 15, 19 WAS 30 SECONDS STRAIGHT.THIS IS A HOUSE AND THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT'S A ONE-STORY SITE GABLED HOUSE WITH A FULL WIDTH FLAT ROOF, FORT SUPPORTED BY BOX COLUMNS.
AND IT HAS EIGHT OR EIGHT WOOD WINDOWS FLANKED BY DECORATIVE SHUTTERS.
UH, THE HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1938 FOR BESS AND HERBERT OF SMART.
HERBERT SMART WAS A REAL ESTATE AGENT.
UH, HE ALSO WORKED BRIEFLY AS A SALESMAN FOR A PAINT COMPANY AND GLASS COMPANY.
THE COUPLE LIVED IN THE HOUSE UNTIL 1964.
UM, AMBER, IF WE CAN SWITCH TO WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, IT IS A VERY DRAMATIC CHANGE TO THE FRONT OF THIS HOUSE THAT REMOVES MOST OF THE EXISTING HISTORIC FABRIC AND REPLACES IT WITH NEW MATERIALS.
UH, SO THE ADDITION IS LOCATED WITHIN THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT AND ADDS TO THE HEIGHT OF THE FACADE IT'S CLAD AND FIBER CEMENT SIDING WITH A PROFILE MATCHING THE EXISTING SIDING.
IT WILL HAVE, UM, ADDED WINDOWS AND DORMERS TO THE FRONT AND THE EXISTING CHIMNEY WILL BE EXTENDED.
UH, THERE'S ALSO REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT PORCH, ROOF AND COLUMNS REPLACEMENT OF WINDOWS AND ENCLOSURE OF A SIDE PORCH.
UH, THE HEIGHT, UM, DOES NOT APPEAR SUBORDINATE, UH, TO THE HISTORIC HOUSE AND KEEPING WITH THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
ALSO, THE DESIGN IS NOT DIFFERENTIATED FROM THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE, BUT RATHER MODIFIES THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES MATERIALS TO MATCH THE ADDITION.
SO IN CONCLUSION, THE PROJECT MEETS YOU AT THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, BUT STAFF DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS HOUSE IS, UM, MERITS CONSIDERATION AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE PLANS, ENCOURAGING THE APPLICANT TO REPAIR RATHER THAN REPLACE HISTORIC FACADE ELEMENTS.
AND TO STEP THE ADDITION BACK BEYOND THE EXISTING GROUPS, VIRTUALLY ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? HI, MY NAME IS, UH, BEN PRUITT.
I'M A, AN ARCHITECT WITH STUDIO STEIN BOMBER, A PART OF THE APPLICANT TEAM.
UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
UM, AFTER SITTING THROUGH A LOT OF, UH, YOUR COMMENTS, I, I, I DEFINITELY FEEL, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR EMPATHY FOR THE EXISTING HOUSE.
UM, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, UH, WE SPENT MANY MONTHS IN THE DESIGN.
UH, THE, THE OWNERS CAME TO US AND THEY THOUGHT WE'VE HAD COMMENTS ABOUT THIS, UM, FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THIS EXISTING HOUSE.
AND, UH, IT MEANS SOMETHING TO US.
AND SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE APPROACHED, UH, THE DESIGN OF THIS PROCESS, WE REALLY WANTED TO GET TO A DESIGN THAT RESULTED IN SOMETHING THAT SPOKE THE SAME LANGUAGE AS THE EXISTING HOUSE.
AND IN THIS FIRST SLIDE ON OUR PRESENTATION, UM, WE'RE JUST KIND OF TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE LANDMARK HOUSES THAT ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE'RE SEEING THE DIFFERENT CHARACTER OF THESE TWO STOREY RESIDENCES THAT WERE DESIGNATED AS LANDMARK AND, UH, HOPING TO BUILD A LITTLE CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY FROM THAT CHARACTER, UM, IN OUR DESIGN.
UM, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THESE ARE SOME OBSERVATIONS THAT WE HAD MADE BEFORE WE GOT STARTED.
UM, THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME LINE THAT THE CITY STAFF HAD MADE.
UM, BUT A LOT OF WHAT WE HAD NOTICED IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S SYMMETRY ABOUT THAT FRONT DOOR AND, UH, EVENLY SPACED WINDOWS, UH, SIMPLE, UM, TRIM, UH, LAP SIDING THAT HAS MITERED OUTSIDE CORNERS AND, UM, A SIMPLE, UH, UH, GABLE ROOF, UH, UP FROM EAST-WEST THIS, UM,
[03:25:01]
FRONT FACADE, THE FRONT PORCH AND THE FRONT WALL IS ACTUALLY OVER THE BUILDING LINE SETBACK.AND WHILE OUR PROPOSED DESIGN MAY NOT QUITE LOOK LIKE IT IN THE RENDERING, UM, THE ADDITION IS PUSHED BACK ABOUT FOUR FEET.
UM, A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S GOTTA BE BEHIND, UM, THE BUILDING LINE, UH, TO DO THE ADDITION, BUT, UM, IN DOING THAT, WE WERE LEFT WITH SOME, UH, CHALLENGES BECAUSE ALSO THE WEST SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS OVER THE SIDE YARD SETBACK.
SO AS WE WERE BRINGING UP THIS ADDITION, WE WERE TRYING TO FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CARRY THE CEMETERY, UH, STRAIGHT UP TO THE, THROUGH THE HOUSE.
IF YOU KEEP GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UM, AND NOT TAKE AWAY FROM, FROM THE CHARACTER.
AND, UM, I'M NOT A HISTORIC PRESERVATION EXPERT.
I DON'T WANT TO EMBARRASS MYSELF BY TRYING TO BE, UM, BUT AS AN ARCHITECT, I'VE, I'VE TRIED TO JUST FIND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MATCH PROPORTIONS AND TO FIND, UM, A FEELING OF A HOUSE WHILE STORY, UM, THAT STILL SPEAKS TO THE CHARACTER AND THE STYLE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE.
UM, THE EXISTING ROOF OVER THE PORCH HAS A FLAT ROOF WITH, UH, UH, ROLLED ASPHALT, UM, UM, MEMBRANE.
AND IT IN THE INSPECTION REPORT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR, FOR WATER LEAKAGE.
AND SO WE WERE USING THIS OPPORTUNITY AS WE WERE KIND OF USING THE PORCH ROOF TO KIND OF COVER, UH, THE PART OF THE FIRST FLOOR THAT, THAT, UH, IS, UM, IN FRONT OF THE SECOND FLOOR ADDITION.
AND SO WE WERE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF REFRAME THAT AND CREATE SIMPLER, WATERPROOFING AND FLASHING DETAILS.
AND OUR HOPE WAS REALLY TO, UH, MAINTAIN THIS CHARACTER IN STYLE WHILE ALSO BRINGING A HOUSE UP, UM, TO CURRENT CODE AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY, UH, UH, ENERGY CODE STANDARDS, GIVING US OPPORTUNITIES TO PROPERLY INSULATE, TO USE A, UM, A RAID SCREEN TECHNIQUE FOR THE OUTSET, FOR THE, FOR THE LAP SIDING.
BUT, UM, YEAH, WE ARE, WE ARE PROPOSING TO REPLACE THE EXISTING SIDING WITH LAP SIDING OUTSIDE MITER CORNERS, UM, JUST LIKE THE EXISTING HOUSE HAS.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? COME ON DOWN.
I'M PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, THE OWNER ROCKY MOUNTAIN IS BEHIND ME AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HIM.
UH, WE TOOK REALLY, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO FIND AN ARCHITECT THAT WOULD MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THIS HOME.
WE INTERVIEWED OVER 12 ARCHITECTS AND WE FELT THAT STUDIO IS TOM STEIN BOMBER.
UM, WHAT'S GOING TO HELP US AT OUR MISSION IN ORDER TO EXECUTE A HOME THAT WAS BUILT IN 1939, THAT WOULD STREAMLINE A HOME THAT DID NOT LOOK LIKE AN ADDITION INSTEAD LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL HOME.
UM, I DON'T HAVE, UM, I WENT THROUGH BREAKERS WOODS AND KIND OF LOOKED AT THREE EXAMPLES OF HOMES THAT WERE BUILT BETWEEN 19 38, 19 41 THAT WERE ONE STORIES THAT WERE THEN ADDED ONTO.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE HOMES LOOKS LIKE IT KIND OF FITS THE ORIGINAL TIMEPIECE AND THE OTHER TWO LOOK LIKE THEY'RE ADDITIONS.
AND TO ME, FRANKLY, THE ADDITIONS DO NOT HAVE THESE OF THIS ONE FROM 1940.
AND THIS ONE FROM 1941 ON 1,504 MOLY AND 1,603 MOLAY.
UM, IN MY OPINION, KIND OF DETRACT FROM THE HOME BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION DID NOT LOOK STREAMLINED VERSUS THIS HOME BUILT FROM 1938 ON 16.
MOLAY THE WAY THE TWO STORY LOOKS.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SHOW THESE EXAMPLES.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ABLE TO SHOW THESE TO YOU TO SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER.
OH, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE IN OUR PACKETS.
YEAH, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IF ONE OR TWO, UM, HAND THEM TO THE COMMISSIONER IN THE END AND MAYBE SHE CAN PASS THEM DOWN.
WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME LEEWAY HERE.
OH, IT WAS JUST, I THINK CAROLINE IS LOOKING AT IT NOW, BUT THE, THE P THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT SHOWS HOW THE TWO STORY STRUCTURE LOOKS STREAMLINED.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S AN ADDITION.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A PART OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE VERSUS THE TWO ON THE LEFT CLEARLY LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE OUT ONS.
AND TO ME, THEY DON'T REALLY ENHANCE
[03:30:01]
THE, THESE 1940 AND 1941 HOMES.I FEEL LIKE THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE CREATING, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALL PART OF ONE STRUCTURE.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S KIND OF A HODGEPODGE OF RANDOM ARCHITECTURES, ALL LOOKS KIND OF STREAMLINED INTO ONE HOME THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BUILT FROM THE FORTIES.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY IN, IN GENERAL, JUST IN CASE YOU COME BACK IN THE FUTURE, UM, NOT THE FUTURE FUTURE, BUT, AND TO OUR COMMISSION IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WE GENERALLY LIKE TO SEE A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN, UH, AN ADDITION.
WE LIKED THE HISTORIC TO MAINTAIN ITS ORIGINAL INTEGRITY AND HAVE AN ADDITION SPEAK TO ITS OWN TIME TO BE DIFFERENTIATED, JUST FYI.
OH, YOU LIKED THE HODGEPODGE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T BUY IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S PRESERVATION.
COMMISSIONER MINDSET, UH, TO, UH, ADDRESS THE SPEAKER BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE THE TWO DON'T BELONG TOGETHER AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE THEY AREN'T ONE UNIFIED WHOLE, AND THEY'RE PERFECTLY WONDERFUL EXAMPLES OF LANDMARKS THAT WE PRAISE THAT WERE BUILT SEQUENTIALLY.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL IS AND HOW AN ADDITION HAS EXPANDED OR COMPLEMENTED THE SAME DESIGN.
AND THEN OF COURSE IT IS APPROPRIATE WHERE A DIFFERENT OR DISTINCT, UH, DIRECTION, UM, CAN BE MADE, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL AS UNIFIED.
BUT THE IDEA OF ONE UNIFIED WHOLE, I THINK, IS A VERY DESIRABLE GOAL.
UM, I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, IS WE CAN WEIGHT AWAY, WAIT A DISCUSSION, BUT, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE NOT.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, AT THIS POINT, BEN, TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMISSION COMMITTEE YET OUR SUBCOMMITTEE YET, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, THIS HAS NOT COME TO US.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THIS PLAN? I'LL BE QUICK.
I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO HOME.
UM, AS DAVID SAID, WE DID INTERVIEW A LOT OF ARCHITECTS, BUT, UM, UH, STEIN BOMBER HAD HELPED US REDO OUR HOUSE, WHICH IS ON WOOLDRIDGE, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UM, WE THOUGHT DID A GREAT JOB OF HELPING MAINTAIN THE HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WHEN, WHEN, UH, WE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE ON 32ND STREET, UM, A LOT OF THE ARCHITECTS WERE TELLING US, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE IT DOWN AND, UM, START FROM SCRATCH.
IT'S EASIER THAN DOING A REMODEL.
AND, UM, MY WIFE AND I TALKED ABOUT IT AND IT'S JUST, WE'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 22 YEARS AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE A MODERN MCMANSION THERE.
WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO RETAIN THE INTEGRITY, THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO.
AND, UM, WE, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE OWNER? THANK YOU.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, COMMISSIONER LITTLE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HANDS SAYING AYE.
OH, I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC MEETING OR THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND CASE.
UH, THE MOTION IS TO, UH, REFER THIS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO THE CASE BEING TIMED OUT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE CAN REOPEN, WE CAN REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SHOULD THAT MOTION BE PASSED? OKAY.
UM, SO WE HAD, IT WAS, DO YOU STILL WANT TO KEEP YOUR, UM, NEVA? SURE.
ALL IN FAVOR, EXCEPT FOR BETH VALANZUELA, WHO VOTES IN A, ON CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER HOLMES DEATH.
I LIKE TO REFER THIS TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMISSION, UH, BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO ASK CLARIFICATION.
UH, NORMALLY WE POSTPONED IT AND IN DOING SO WE CAN POSTPONE IT AND REFER IT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW.
DOES THAT AUTOMATICALLY KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN OR DOES THAT NOW NEED TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? I BELIEVE THE MOTION WOULD BE TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO,
[03:35:01]
UH, OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH I DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF ME.AND TO RE TO, UM, INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE MOTION, THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE THE CASE TO THE, UH, NOVEMBER 15TH MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND INVITE THE, UH, APPLICANTS TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER IT SECOND.
THE MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND SAYING AYE.
THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE, POSTPONE THE CASE TO THE NOVEMBER 15TH MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND INVITE THE APPLICANTS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THEN, UH, FOR, FOR FUTURE REFERENCE COMMISSIONER VALANCE, SUELA THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION THEN, UM, A RE REFERRAL TO BE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION COMMITTEE COMMITTEE, AND THE POSTPONEMENT SHOULD TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WHAT'S YOUR REF YOUR WEST, WHAT YOU'RE NOTING FOR US? YES.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE HAVE THREE MORE DISCUSSION CASES AND IT IS 9 45.
UM, WE NEED A MOTION TO, UM, KEEP THE, UM, MEETING GOING BEYOND 10 O'CLOCK.
UM, I THINK WE CAN FINISH THIS.
WE HAVE THREE MORE DISCUSSION ITEMS. CAN, UH, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UM, KEEP THE MEETING GOING TILL 10 30, SECOND, SECOND.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
UM, ALL THOSE OPPOSED? RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THROUGH THEM.
UM, THE MEETING IS OPEN UNTIL 10 30.
[3.D.3. PR-2021-139064– 1601 Cedar Ave. – Discussion Council District 1 ]
IS D 3 16 0 1 CEDAR AVENUE.THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A 1915 HOUSE AT 1601 CEDAR AVENUE IN EAST AUSTIN.
THAT'S A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A TRANSITIONAL HOUSE, WHICH MEANS THAT IT COMBINED ELEMENTS OF EARLIER VICTORIAN STYLES, SUCH AS QUEEN ANNE AND THE VERTICALITY OF THE COMPOSITION WITH, UH, THE BEGINNINGS OF BUNGALOW STYLES, BUNGALOWS WERE JUST STARTING OFF TO BE A POPULAR STYLE.
AND WHEN YOU GET 1910S AND THIS HOUSE REPRESENTS THAT THE TRANSITION FROM VICTORIAN TO BUNGALOW, YOU COULD SEE ALL KINDS OF ELEMENTS OF BUNGALOW STYLE AS THEY LATER FLOURISHED IN THE LATE TEENS AND EARLY TWENTIES.
UM, BUT THEY WEREN'T QUITE THERE YET.
THIS HOUSE IS AN ANOMALY IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT'S, IT'S A MUCH GRANDER HOUSE THAN YOU'D EXPECT, AND IT'S ON THE CORNER OF 16TH AND CEDAR.
SO IT HAS VERY PROMINENT LOCATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS, UH, PURCHASED THE LOT WAS PURCHASED IN THE FALL OF 1914 BY MATT BLACK MACK, MACK BLOCKER, SORRY.
UH, BLOCK WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM HIS WHITE SPOT.
HIS PROPERTY, UH, IS THAT MIGHT'VE MADE FOR INTERESTING JESSICA SUSPICION, BUT, UH, MACK BLOCKER AND HIS WIFE GERTRUDE, THE FORM OF GREGORY PARKER LIVED LIVES THAT WERE TYPICAL.
UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITIZENS OF EAST AUSTIN AT THE TIME BACK BLOCK WORKED AS A BOARDER, UH, WORKED AS A LABORER TRUCK DRIVER AND JANITOR.
HE WAS DRIVING HIS TRUCK OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, SUFFERED AN EPILEPTIC ATTACK AND DIED.
HIS WIFE CONTINUED TO LIVE IN THIS HOUSE FOR DECADES.
UH, SHE APPARENTLY NEVER REMARRIED OR
[03:40:01]
ABOUT, UH, SHE MAY HAVE JUST KEPT HER BLOCKER NAME.UM, BUT SHE ALSO HAD OCCUPATIONS THAT WERE TYPICAL OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN EAST AUSTIN IN, UH, AT THE TIME THAT SHE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE.
SO STAFF BELIEVES THAT THERE IS JUSTIFICATION TO AT LEAST POSTPONE UNTIL NEXT MONTH, FURTHER FLUSH, FLUSH OUT THIS CASE OR INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
NOW THE HOUSE HAS ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH WOULD BE ON, UH, MAC AND GERTRUDE BLOCKER.
SEE WHAT ELSE THERE IS ON THEM AND SEE IF THEY DO TRULY REPRESENT THE DEMOGRAPHIC, THE STYLE AUSTIN THAT WE SHOULD COMMEMORATE BY WHEN MARKING THE SOUNDS.
SO THAT IS A, THAT STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO EITHER POSTPONE TO NOVEMBER 15 OR INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, BUT EAST AUSTIN SURVEY OF 2016 RECOMMENDED THE SAS IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO, UH, THERE'S THAT INFORMATION THERE, BUT, UH, DID NOT RECOMMEND IT AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK POSSIBLY BECAUSE THE WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO FIGURE OUT IF THAT WAS THE REASON OR IF THEY HAD OTHER INFORMATION, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF IS THERE, UM, IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING? NO ONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION, ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO DEMOLITION, PLEASE COME ON DOWN LINE YOURSELVES UP.
THE FIRST SPEAKER HAS FIVE MINUTES.
SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES APIECE.
HELLO? I'M GARRETT HILL AND THE APPLICANT.
OH, UH, YOU'RE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION, CORRECT.
WELL, YOU DIDN'T COME FORWARD IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION, CORRECT? YEAH.
AND SO I WENT ON TO THOSE ZUORA POSTED THE DUMMY LESSON.
YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION OF THIS WONDERFUL HOUSE.
UH, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION.
UM, DID YOU HAPPEN TO SEE THE INSPECTION REPORT THAT WAS, SO THE HOUSE HAS BEEN ADDED ONTO ON THE BACK AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROPERTY MANY TIMES AND THERE WAS A STRONG SEWAGE SMELL, UH, WITHIN THIS ENTIRE PROPERTY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE INSPECTION REPORT ON THE ROOF, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROOF PITCHES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN DIFFERENT DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND, UH, THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE HOME INSIDE, THERE WAS A LOT OF SLOPES TO THE FLOORS AND IT'S JUST, IT'S IT IN A VERY DILAPIDATED STATE.
THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOME IS ALSO VERY DILAPIDATED AS WELL.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR DEMOLITION.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED DEMOLISHING THE INFERIOR ADDITIONS TO THE REAR AND KEEPING THE HISTORIC PART OF THE HOUSE OR REPLACING THE ROOF AND FIXING THE PROBLEMS WHILE KEEPING THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC? SO I PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY WITH THE INTENTIONS OF BUILDING MY HOUSE HERE, UM, WITH MY FIANCE, WE LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE NEED A BIGGER HOUSE, WERE PLANNING ON HAVING A FAMILY AND THAT'S, THAT WAS MY INTENTION FOR THIS PROPERTY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO DEMOLITION? YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
AND SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS MAY HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, I WAS VERY CONCERNED TO FIND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THIS HOME.
I THINK MR. SANDUSKY DID A GREAT JOB OF SUMMARIZING SOME OF THE HISTORY
[03:45:01]
OF THE HOUSE.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS REALLY REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS HOUSE IS THAT THERE HAVE REALLY ONLY BEEN TWO FAMILIES THAT HAVE LIVED IN IT SINCE IT WAS BUILT IN 1915.
SO, UH, MAKIN GERTRUDE BLOCKER LIVED IN, IN IT AFTER MAC DIED.
SHE LIVED THERE FOR 63 MORE YEARS.
UM, IT CHANGED HANDS, UH, AFTER GERTRUDE DIED.
UH, SOMEBODY CALLED MR. UH, MR. LAWRENCE BOUGHT THE HOUSE, HELD IT FOR A YEAR AND SOLD IT TO, UM, RAMONA MARIA GARA, WHO THEN LIVED IN THE HOUSE UNTIL JUST THIS SUMMER UNTIL THEY SOLD IT TO, I GUESS, THE CURRENT OWNER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THE NICEST EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A REAL SHAME TO SEE IT DEMOLISHED.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN THAT HOUSE A NUMBER OF TIMES.
UM, AND, UH, A THING I WOULD NOTICE THAT THERE IS AN ADDITION TO THE HOUSE, BUT THE ADDITION AS WELL, SEPARATED, UM, FROM THE HISTORICAL STRUCTURE, UM, THE HOUSE ITSELF HAS A TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH HOUSE.
AND THE ADDITION ON THE BACK IS NOTHING PARTICULARLY REMARKABLE ABOUT IT.
IT'S JUST A TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH, A BATH ADDITION THAT'S KIND OF ATTACHED.
IT SEEMS TO BE ATTACHED TO, TO ATTACHED TO THE MAIN HOUSE BY WALL THAT FACES THE STREET.
BUT WHEN YOU GO ON IN BEHIND AND YOU COME ON IN BEHIND, IT'S VERY CLEAR, UM, THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE SEPARATE.
IT WOULDN'T BE DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THE ADDITION FROM THE MAIN STRUCTURE.
AND, UM, UH, AT LEAST IN THE ADDITION, I CERTAINLY CAUGHT NO HINT OF ANY SEWAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS IT'S THERE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A SHAME TO ALLOW THE DESTRUCTION OF, OF, OF A HOME LIKE THIS.
IF ALTERNATIVES COULD BE SOUGHT.
AND I HAVE HAD, UH, THREE PEOPLE COMMENT IN FORMALLY THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN RE RELOCATING THIS, THIS HOUSE.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IF WE GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, UH, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO SEEK AN ALTERNATIVE TO, TO DEMOLISHING IT.
IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A FINE EXAMPLE OF ITS TYPE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
ANY FURTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION TO DEMOLITION, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M NOT REALLY IN A POSITION OF DEMOLISHING IT.
I WAS HERE WITH THE, UM, THE CONTACT TEAM FOR THE CHESTNUT NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON IT, BUT WE NEED MORE TIME BECAUSE WE ONLY JUST GOT THE NOTICES PROBABLY WITHIN THE PAST WEEK OR SO.
UM, AND SO WE WERE GOING TO ASK IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST POSTPONE IT UNTIL NEXT MONTH, WHERE WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET AND LOOK AT IT OURSELVES.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY AN OPPOSITION YET.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN ON THIS, BUT WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CASE.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
I'LL MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO ATTEND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AS WELL.
I HEAR A SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THE CASE.
I THINK COMMISSIONER, UH, FEATHERSTON, DID YOU OKAY.
THE MOTION IS MADE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS, I PROBABLY DISAGREE WITH, UH, WITH COMMISSIONER SEDOWSKY WITH MR. SADOWSKY ABOUT THE STYLE.
I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS A BUNGALOW PLAN, BUT IT'S REALLY AN EARLY AND EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF, OF A CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW.
IT HAS THE NOTCH RAFTER, AND IT HAS THE, THE NOTCH DRAFTER ENDS ON THE DORMER.
IT SEEMS, UH, VERY, UM, IT HAS HIGH INTEGRITY AND IT HAS A HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
THIS WAS A VERY ON A PROMINENT SITE,
[03:50:01]
A VERY SUBSTANTIAL HOUSE IN A RISING AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THIS PART OF EAST AUSTIN.AND I THINK THE FACT THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH MATT BLOCKER AND GERTRUDE BLOCKER HAD, UM, WERE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, UM, THE FACT THAT GERTRUDE BLACKER, UH, STAYED IN THIS HOUSE AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TO THE BEST OF HER ABILITY, UH, TO LIVE HERE, SHE DIED IN 1990 AT THE AGE OF 92 AND LIVED IN THIS HOUSE, UH, SINCE HER MARRIAGE IN 1913 TO MATT BLOCKER.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE, UM, TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT THEY, THEY WERE BUILDING AT THE TIME, A STRONG NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S AN ANCHOR PROPERTY, UM, ON THIS BLOCK, OTHER HOUSES THAT FOLLOWED IT ARE ALSO, UH, CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOWS AND, UM, AND NEOCLASSICAL BUNGALOWS ON THE STREET.
I JUST THINK THAT IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL HOUSE.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT THE CONFIGURATION OF IT IS VERY WELL SUITED FOR A VERY SENSITIVE EDITION WHILE RETAINING, UH, THAT CORNER PRESENCE.
UH, I THINK THERE COULD BE ROOM FOR MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SQUARE FOOTAGE WHILE RETAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE ORIGINAL HOME.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT IT WOULD BE FOR THE FA FOR THE APPLICANT, IF, IF HE AND HIS, HIS FAMILY WENT TO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I NOTED ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD LISTSERV, UH, AT LAST LOOK THIS AFTERNOON, EARLY THIS AFTERNOON, 63 PEOPLE HAD WEIGHED IN THE OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF, OF PRESERVATION OF THIS HOUSE.
UM, SO IF THAT HOLDS ANY WEIGHT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEHIND IT.
THEY'RE THE LARGER NEIGHBORHOOD, AT LEAST THOSE WHO WRITE INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LISTSERV.
IT GOT, IT GOT MORE, MORE COMMENTS THAN A BURGLARY AND A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER AND, AND OTHER ITEMS IN ANY CASE.
SO, UM, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, LET, LET ME JUST SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT THAT OWNER HAS, HAS SHOWED US IN TERMS OF THEIR INSPECTION REPORT, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY STANDARD INSPECTION REPORT THAT YOU GET, UH, FOR ANY EXISTING HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN START ITEMIZING THINGS THAT COULD BE, OR WHAT WOULD LIKELY BE IN REPAIR, NOTHING IN THAT REPORT ROSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD NOT BE, UH, EVEN IF THIS WASN'T AN EXCEPTIONAL HOUSE, SOME EFFORT WITH WHAT YOU'D EXPECT, IF YOU'RE BUYING AN EXISTING HOUSE AND YOU WERE THEN PUTTING IT BACK IN GOOD REPAIR.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU, IF THIS, THIS OWNER, IF I COULD SPEAK TO YOU ALL, UH, YOU AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FAMILY, UH, WHETHER YOU WERE AWARE OF IT OR NOT, YOU HAVE IN FACT PURCHASED A MUCH BIGGER OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THE RESTORATION OF THIS HOUSE, WOULDN'T JUST BE AN AVERAGE RENOVATION.
YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE A LANDMARK PROPERTY, UH, ALREADY HAVING LARGE ASSOCIATIONS, NOT ONLY WITH THE DEEP HISTORY THAT YOU'VE HEARD IN THE CASE PRESENTED BY THE STAFF, BUT EVEN IN THE ASSOCIATION THAT YOUR NEIGHBORS ALREADY HAVE WITH YOUR NEW HOME AND WERE YOU TO BE ABLE TO BOTH RESTORE THIS.
AND THEN AS COMMISSIONER COOK IS ALLUDING TO WORK WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION TO FIND IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE, UH, AN APPROPRIATE ADDITION THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE HOUSE AND THEN SUPPORT YOUR NEEDS AS A FAMILY.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO STEP BACK AND SEE THIS MOMENT AS A, AS A BIG OPPORTUNITY AND TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UM, SO CERTAINLY I WILL BE SUPPORTING, WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND SAYING AYE.
WE HAVE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE PUBLIC HEARING REMAINS OPEN.
[3.D.5. DA-2021-132111 – 301 San Jacinto Street – Discussion Council District 9 ]
NEXT ITEM IS 3 0 1 SAN JACINTO.[03:55:06]
MR. SEDOWSKY.I GOT A MESSAGE THAT I'VE GOT LOW BANDWIDTH RIGHT NOW.
SO I WILL, I WILL MAKE THIS FAST BEFORE I LOSE IT COMPLETELY.
UH, THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH, UH, A WAREHOUSE 1912 WAREHOUSE AT 3 0 1 SAN JACINTO.
AND, UH, I'LL JUST SAY RIGHT NOW, STAMP IS AN OPPOSITION TO THAT APPLICATION.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT BUILDING.
THIS WAS, UH, BUILT IN 1912 OR A WHOLESALE GROCERY COMPANY, BUT NOW HE COMPANY AND THEN, UH, BECAME JOHN VERMONT COMPANY'S WAREHOUSE.
IT'S ON THE EAST SIDE OF CONDOMS. SO WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS AREA BEING THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN BRANDED THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
IN FACT, THIS IS MORE OF A WAREHOUSE DISTRICT THAN WHAT WE THINK OF AS THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT ON THE WEST SIDE, ALONG FOURTH STREET.
THESE ARE UTILITARIAN BUILDINGS THAT HAVE MINIMAL ARCHITECTURAL FLOURISHES.
IN THIS CASE, THE, UH, THE FLOURISHES EXTEND TO YOU, GOOD, UH, PORCH ACROSS THE FRONT, AND THEN THE SEGMENTAL ARCHED WINDOWS AND TRANSOMS ABOVE.
IT'S ALSO WITHIN OUR ARCHITECTURAL CRITERION OR UTILITARIAN BUILDINGS, AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST WHOLESALE GROCERIES GROCERIES IN THE CITY.
UH, IN THE, IN THESE DAYS, EVERYTHING IS TRANSPORTED BY TRUCK SEAMS. AND WE DON'T REALLY GIVE A WHOLE LOT OF THOUGHT TO HOW THE GROCERIES GET ON OUR SHELVES AND THE GROCERY STORES.
BUT WHEN THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT, THE RAILROAD WAS THE PRINCIPLE MEANS OF GETTING GROCERIES TO AUSTIN, GETTING THEM DISTRIBUTED TO GROCERY STORES, RESTAURANTS, ALL KINDS OF CONSUMERS, BUT THIS WAS THE WHOLESALE POINT.
AND, UH, THIS BUILDING TELLS THE STORY OF HOW THE GROCERIES CAME HERE.
THERE WERE ALSO COFFEE ROASTERS, AND I KNOW I COULDN'T GO WITHOUT MORNING COFFEE THAT WOULD COME INTO A WAREHOUSE LIKE THIS, AND THEY WOULD ROAST THE COFFEE OF THIS WAREHOUSE AND THEN DISTRIBUTED.
SO STAFF BELIEVES THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT BUILDING AND, UH, NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR A LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UH, AS AN ASIDE, THIS WAS ALSO IMPORTANT, BECAME ITS YOUNG STEAKHOUSE.
UH, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS, BUT IT WAS ALSO THE, UH, RESIDENTS OF, UH, THE REAL WORLD WHEN THEY WERE FILMING IN AUSTIN ABOUT 10, 15 YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S GOT THAT LITTLE AREA, THE RESIDENTS OF WHAT THE REAL WORLD, THE MTB, THE REAL WORLD, YES.
THAT THEY WOULD PUT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN, IN ONE ROOM AND SEE HOW THEY PLAYED WITH EACH OTHER
BUT A STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO EITHER POSTPONE OR INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS BUILDING.
IT'S REMARKABLY INTACT AND IT TELLS A VERY IMPORTANT STORY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SEDOWSKY? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION, MR. SUTTLE, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU EARLIER TODAY.
YOU ARE, WHAT DID I DO? WELL, WE HADN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE.
I TRY TO STAY OUT OF Y'ALL'S HAIR AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I LOVE STEVE SADOWSKY CAUSE HE HAS REACHED DEEP DOWN TO SAYING THAT THIS WAS THE FILM SET FOR THE REAL WORLD AS A, AS A PART OF THE CRITERIA.
WOULD YOU STATE YOUR FULL NAME? SURE.
[04:00:01]
THE OWNER AND THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE.IT'S BEEN KEPT UP BY THE OWNER, THE FAMILY THAT, UH, OWNS IT.
NOW, I BELIEVE I CAN TRACE THEM BACK TO 1924 WILL.
HOUSTON IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LLC THAT OWNS IT.
YOU LOOK IN THE DIRECTORY, IT'S HAIL HAIL HOUSTON WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE VERMONT COMPANY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, I'LL RESPECTFULLY RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH STEVE AND JUST TELL YOU THAT THIS IS AN OLD DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSE.
WE HAVE OLD DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN ZONED HISTORIC TO PRESERVE AT LEAST THE THOUGHT OF WHERE OUR CITY CAME FROM, BUT THE OWNER IS GOING TO OBJECT AT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY FOR HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS CASE.
AND REALLY IN THE END IT MAY BE A COOL BUILDING, BUT IT DOES NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL.
AND IT'S NOT REMARKABLE ENOUGH TO RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A HISTORIC LANDMARK IN OUR OPINION.
ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. SUTTLE? AND WE DON'T AGREE TO A POSTPONEMENT THAT IS OF ANY IMPORTANCE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION OF THIS WAREHOUSE? OKAY.
SHALL WE LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN? DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO EITHER POSTPONE OR INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
I'LL MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
DO I HEAR A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER VALANZUELA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER? UH, I DON'T SEE A REASON TO POSTPONE IT.
I THINK WE SHOULD GET THE BALL ROLLING TOWARD, UH, WHETHER THIS IS GOING TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF A LANDMARK OR NOT.
UH, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW MANY OTHER DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSES ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN LANDMARKED.
UH, I KNOW WE'VE LET A LOT OF THEM GO.
I CANNOT ACTUALLY THINK OF ANY THAT ARE THERE, THERE MAY BE.
I'M LOOKING ALONG SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSES ONE, BUT, UM, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH MR SEDOWSKY EARLIER, HE, UM, CONVEYED TO ME THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A WAREHOUSE, UM, IN THIS PART OF THE CITY, OUTSIDE OF THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
THE QUALITY OF IT, THE DETAILING OF IT, THE INTEGRITY OF IT.
UM, THE LOCATION OF IT AND THE COMMUNITY VALUE IT WOULD PRESENT IN THAT LOCATION AS, UM, AS AN ANCHOR PROPERTY, UH, THERE NEXT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, IT JUST HAS A LOT GOING FOR IT.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD MEET MOVING THAT DIRECTION.
AT LEAST LOOK AT IT MORE CLOSELY COMMISSIONER
I, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND I, I DO THINK THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL, UM, IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO, UH, FIND OUT SOME MORE INFORMATION ON SO WE CAN MAKE A FINAL DECISION.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO MAKE THEIR FOLLOWUP PRESENTATION IN LIGHT OF, UM, THE RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING WAREHOUSE, DISTRICT POSSIBILITIES.
THE VERY THING THAT REIGNITED THE GROWTH OF DOWNTOWN THESE MANY YEARS AGO, UH, THAT STARTED BRINGING PEOPLE BACK DOWN FOR THE NIGHTLIFE, FOR, UH, THE CLUBS, THE BARS, THE RESTAURANTS, UH, THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WANTED TO GO DOWNTOWN.
UM, THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF THAT AND THEY'RE JUST ABOUT TO BE ALL GONE.
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A BUNCH OF TOWERS AND PEOPLE STARING ACROSS THE CHASM, LOOKING AT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RETAIN THESE PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY ONES WITH THIS LEVEL OF CARE, IF ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, UM, LEVEL OF INTEGRITY, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID SO FAR.
AND I'LL ADD THAT I'M OF THE VERY SPECIFIC AGE THAT WHEN I HEARD THE REAL WORLD WAS COMING TO AUSTIN, I THOUGHT IT WAS A COOL THING.
AND THEN INSTANTLY REALIZED HOW RIDICULOUS IT WAS.
AND THEN 15, 20 YEARS LATER, IT'S PAST MY BEDTIME.
SO, WELL, WHEN I HEARD THAT IT WAS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ALL IN THE SAME, UH, SEEING IF THEY COULD PLAY TOGETHER.
[04:05:01]
ME OF MY FAMILY.AND, UH, THAT WAS THE REAL WORLD.
I HAVE TO ALSO JUST REMIND THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS THE ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.
I'VE BEEN RAISING IT AT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CHARGED WITH DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UH, SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN AND PROMOTE THE PRESERVATION OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND OUR HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
AND YET WE'VE GOT AN ECONOMICS OF SCALE GOING ON IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE THE PRESSURES ARE JUST GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE ENORMOUS.
AND, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS A WORTHY FIGHT.
UM, BUT WHEN THE DOLLARS START BECOMING SO LARGE, UH, AND THE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FINANCIALLY, UH, ARE SO STACKED AGAINST US, UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE YET ANOTHER UPHILL FIGHT.
AND WE COULD JUST START LOOKING AROUND THE CENTRAL PART OF AUSTIN AND START CHECKING OFF VIRTUALLY EVERY ONE OF OUR LANDMARKS.
UH, AND W W IT WILL NOT BE VERY LONG BEFORE EACH ONE OF THEM WILL BECOME THE NEXT BITE.
UH, I THINK WE NEED BETTER TOOLS.
UH, I WAS HOPING THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, ASSOCIATION WOULD, UH, BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND, UH, PROACTIVE.
AND IT'S NOT THAT THEY CAN'T, BUT I THINK AS THEY GETTING OUT OF THE SHOOT, UH, I, I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE THEM TO BECOME MORE COGNIZANT OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND, UH, SEE IF THEY CAN ALSO USE SOME OF THE, UH, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLANNING THAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, TO PROVIDE OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR THE FUTURE OF THESE PROPERTIES.
I AGREE, COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MENTION THAT THIS IS ANOTHER, UH, IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR TAX REHAB CREDITS THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY QUALIFY FOR BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL TAX REHAB CREDITS, AND IT COULD BE A WONDERFUL, UM, REHABILITATION AND, UH, ADAPTIVE YEARS.
UM, BUT I DON'T SEE MR. SUTTLE STOLE HERE.
I JUST, I WAS JUST PUTTING THAT FORWARD AS AN, UH, AS AN IDEA, UH, TO CONSIDER THE 45% TAX REHAB CREDITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOW.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, UM, CAN WE TAKE A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING AND KEEPING THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[3.D.7. PR-2021-151456 – 3506 Duval St. – Consent Council District 9 ]
NEXT AND LAST ITEM ISIF WE CAN START WITH THE CURRENT PHOTO AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU WHEN TO BRING UP THE ELEVATION DRAWING.
35 60 VOLT STREET IS A ONE AND A HALF STORY.
CROSS GABLED BUNGALOW WAS TO THE REVIVALS STYLISTIC INFLUENCES IT'S CLAD IN HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PORCH, WHICH IS BRICK.
IT WAS DESIGNED BY A CLAIMED ARCHITECT, ROY THOMAS FOR DR.
M MONTGOMERY AND, UH, PLANS ARE ON HAND TO THE ALEXANDER ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVE.
I FOUND THAT OUT TOO LATE TO SEE IF I COULD GET A COPY OF THOSE.
CLIFFORD MONTGOMERY WAS A PROFESSOR OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, BEGINNING OF 1920.
HIS SPECIALIZATION WAS SPANISH LITERATURE.
MYRA MONTGOMERY WAS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHILDREN'S DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY AND METHODIST CHURCH FOR 15 YEARS.
ELMO AND MAPLEWOOD ELEMENTARY.
SHE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
UM, I WILL SAY BEFORE I GO ON TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, UM, THIS HOUSE WAS IDENTIFIED IN A RECENT HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY REPORT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL NORTH UNIVERSITY HISTORIC DISTRICT ELIGIBLE FOR BOTH THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND FOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT STATUS.
HOWEVER, STAFF DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS HOUSE ON ITS OWN RISES TO THE OCCASION OF BEATING LANDMARK CRITERIA.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND THE, UM, HISTORIC OCCUPANTS WHILE CERTAINLY COMPELLING.
[04:10:01]
NECESSARILY TELL THE LANDMARK STORY.SO AMBER, IF WE CAN SWITCH, IF YOU'LL PAY ATTENTION, ACTUALLY, BEFORE WE GO ON, UM, THOSE TWO GABLES WHERE WE'RE SEEING THAT SOMEWHAT AT AN ANGLE, THOSE ARE THE SAME HEIGHT CURRENTLY.
SO IF YOU WILL SWITCH TO, UM, THE PROPOSED ELEVATION, UH, THE PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE HABITABLE ATTIC SPACE, UH, BY RAISING THE ROOF LINE OF BOTH THE FRONT OR EAST AND SOUTH, UH, SIDE OR SOUTH FACING GABLES THAT ARE ADJACENT THERE.
AND TO ALSO ENLARGE THE HOUSE TO THE REAR, UM, AS A, AN IMPROVEMENT, THE PROJECT PROPOSES TO REOPEN THE SCREENED FRONT PORCH.
IT ALSO PROPOSES TO REPLACE EXISTING HORIZONTAL SIDING WITH FIBER CEMENT SIDING AND TO REPLACE THE EXISTING WINDOWS WITH ALUMINUM CLOUD WOOD.
UH, THIS DESIGN COULD BE REVISED TO MEET THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS WITH SOME ADDITION, UH, WITH SOME ATTENTION TO A STANDARD THAT TALKS ABOUT ADDING A STORY TO A HISTORIC BUILDING.
THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
WE ALREADY HAVE A ONE AND A HALF STORY HOUSE WITH THAT ATTIC SPACE OCCUPIED.
UM, BUT THE SAME PRINCIPLES APPLIED.
UH, THE ADDITION SHOULD BE SET BACK FROM THE FACADE AND BEHIND THE RIDGE LINE OF A SITE OR CROSS GABLED ROOF.
SO STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND MAINTAINING THE EXISTING CEILING HEIGHT AND ROOF LINE OF THOSE FRONT AND SIDE FACING GABLES AND ADDING TALLER.
SECOND STORY AREAS BEHIND THE RIDGE LINE OF THE SIDE GABLED PORTION OF THE HOUSE.
SO IN SUMMARY, WHILE THE PROJECT MAINTAINED SOME ASPECTS OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND RESTORES REPORT MODIFICATIONS TO THE ROOF LINE AND WHOLESALE REPLACEMENT OF SIDING DO NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO CONSIDER DESIGN CHANGES OUTLINED PREVIOUSLY, BUT ULTIMATELY TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? IS THERE AN APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS? OKAY.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE FRONT ROW AND READY TO JUMP UP.
IF THERE ARE SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, THEY SHOULD BE IN THE FRONT ROW.
READY TO JUMP UP WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED.
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, AND APOLOGIES FOR THAT.
SO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN ME FOR THE LAST FEW HOURS FIDGETING AND, AND KNEELING IN THE BACK.
IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY BAD BACK, AND THIS HAS BEEN BRUTAL.
TELL YOU, WELL, YOU CAN BLAME ME THIS FOR DISCUSSION, UH, BUT NO, NO, IT'S, IT'S FINE.
SO YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? UH, MY NAME IS ANDY LOU AND MY WIFE CAROL IS, UH, HERE AS WELL.
AND SO WE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE TO BE OUR FOREVER HOME LAST DECEMBER.
UM, AND WE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A HOUSE IN AUSTIN FOR A FEW YEARS.
I LIVED HERE 30 YEARS AGO, WENT AWAY AND WAS LOOKING TO COME BACK AND, AND IT TOOK US THAT LONG TO KIND OF FIND THE HOUSE THAT WE WANTED.
IF WE HAD WANTED A TEAR DOWN, WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN A TEAR DOWN, RIGHT.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE STAFF CORRECTLY FOUND THAT THE PROPERTY HERE DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND I WANTED TO DO JUST KIND OF ADDRESS A FEW THINGS.
AND I WILL SAY, UH, I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD BE ADDRESSING.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL I HAD TO REALLY GO BY WAS A GUESS AS TO WHY WE GOT PULLED FROM THE CONSENT OFFIT.
AND SO THE ONLY THING I WAS AWARE OF WAS A CITIZEN, UH, COMMENT THAT HAD COME IN, UH, THAT HAD SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T A PLAN, BUT THERE WERE FINALIZED PLANS.
AND THEY'RE PART OF THE RECORD, I BELIEVE, UH, AND, UH, A REFERENCE TO THE, TO THE BRICK WORK OF THE HOUSE.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE, UH, PLAN AS, AS THE STAFF HAS POINTED OUT DOES, UH, ENVISION, UH, RAISING THE ROOF LINE FOR PART OF THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE TWO FRONT BEDROOMS, UH, ON THE SECOND FLOOR HAVE THOSE FUNNY WALLS WHERE THEY'RE VERTICAL FOR ONLY A FEW FEET AND VERY, UH, PITCHED, I GUESS, KIND OF LOOSES CEILING, WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO USE AS A BEDROOM.
LIKE YOU BASICALLY HAVE THE BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE, OF THE ROOM.
AND SO OUR ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO KIND OF RAISE THE ROOF LINE TO KIND OF ADDRESS THAT IN BOTH BEDROOMS,
[04:15:01]
BUT AS WE GOT INTO IT AND, AND WORKING WITH THE ARCHITECT AND THE CONTRACTOR, IT ALSO BECAME APPARENT THAT THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT FOR BOTH WAS TO, UH, DO A WAY WITH BASICALLY THE BRICK WORK AND, AND SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IS WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO.WE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE BECAUSE WE LOVE THE LOOK OF THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY, THE REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT SYMMETRICAL IN THE, IN THE NEW DESIGN IS BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY, YOU KNOW, PARTIALLY ADDRESSING THE, THE, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, FUNNY WALLS IN, IN ONE OF THE BEDROOMS AND LEAVING THE OTHER ONE AS IT IS SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER AND THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
AND WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT HAVING KIND OF THE, UH, UH, ONE GABLE, A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE OTHER, UH, MATERIALLY CHANGES THE CHARACTER OF THE HOUSE.
UM, AND AS THE, AS THE STAFF ALSO REPORTED, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, REPLACING THE VINYL WINDOWS WITH ONES THAT WE THINK ARE MORE HISTORIC.
WE ARE, YOU KNOW, RETURNING THE FRONT PORCH TO, TO THE ORIGINAL STATE.
SO WE VERY MUCH BELIEVE THAT WE, UH, UH, ARE, UH, DOING A RENOVATION THAT IS FULLY IN, IN, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH ALL THE STANDARDS.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, I THINK I PULLED THIS FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, I'M REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS SOUGHT LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT STATUS IN THE PAST, AND THIS WOULD BE A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN A LOCAL DISTRICT OR NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THE, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, UM, MAY RENDER IT A NON-CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY.
AND SO I HAD THAT CONSIDERATION ALSO DUVALL STREET IS UNDER SOME INTENSE PRESSURE, UM, TO, UH, DENSIFY AND TO, UM, MAKE A MEAN TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS MUCH CONTRIBUTING, UM, STATUS ON THE STREET AS, AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WAS MY, MY RATIONALE.
WE'LL GET TO A DISCUSSION HERE LATER, BUT, UM, UH, IF DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OR, UH, ANYTHING FOR THE, FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
AND, UH, IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE THAN TO SPEAK IN OF THE, UH, OF THE APPLICATION? OKAY.
ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO THE NOVEMBER 15TH MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, WHICH IS ONLY THREE WEEKS AWAY AND INVITE THE APPLICANTS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, TO PURSUE MAYBE SOME, SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
DO I HEAR A SECOND, SECOND, THE MOTION IS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, ANY DISCUSSION.
UM, I, I DO APPRECIATE THE INTENTIONS TOWARDS RETAINING THE HOUSE AND I JUST THINK IT COULD, YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF MASSAGING, I THINK IT, I, I APPRECIATED AS WELL AND OPENING THAT PORCH BACK UP, UH, IS A REALLY GREAT IDEA.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE SAVING THE HOUSE.
I JUST LIKE TO HAVE A STAB AT, UM, AT SEEING IF WE COULDN'T TWEAK A FEW THINGS, UH, TO RETAIN THE CONTRIBUTING STATUS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE NOVEMBER, UM, MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND CAN I ALSO ADD OR MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT WE,
[04:20:01]
UH, KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN? IS THAT OKAY? COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.THAT'S BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE MAKER AND THE SECONDARY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.
COMMISSIONER TALL THAT I CAN'T SEE YOU DOWN THERE.
AND, UM, WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO GO TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE NEXT MONDAY? THAT'S NEXT MONDAY ON NOVEMBER 1ST CHAIR.
WE HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ADJOURN.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED BEFORE I MAKE THAT MOTION? HOLD ON.
UM, THE, THE APPLICANT, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE STAFF MAYBE? SURE.
UM, WE HAVE TWO MINUTES COMMITTEE REPORTS.
[4.A. Discussion and Possible Action on Committee Reports ]
THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MET.SOME OF THEM PASSED ON CONSENT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, COME TO SOME GOOD AGREEMENT ON THEM AT THE MEETING.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE RESULTS WAS THE, UM, WHERE THE CHANGES TO 1505 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, WHICH WAS A BLESSING.
UM, I DON'T, WE HAVE THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MET.
I WAS LOCKED OUT OF THE MEETING VALID COMMISSIONER BELLA'S WAY, LIKE IN YOUR REPORT ON IT PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, UH, CHAIR MYERS.
UH, AND, AND WE, WE DEFINITELY MISSED, UH, MISSED YOU THERE.
SO THE BUILDING, YES, MR. MEYERS IS IN THE BUILDING.
UM, YEAH, SO WE MET, UH, WE GOT A STATUS UPDATES ON, YOU KNOW, JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP, UM, AND WENT THROUGH THE, UM, UH, BACKUP MATERIALS THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO, UM, THE WORKING GROUP IN THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, JUST SOME REALLY GREAT PROGRESS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY, UM, HAVE, HAVE, UH, HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT INPUT.
I DON'T KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER HIND, SETH, UH, OR COMMISSIONER COOK OR RIGHT.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ON THAT? NOT THIS HOUR IS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? THE OTHER COMMITTEES HAVEN'T MET, BUT YOUR, YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
WHAT OTHER CLICHES CAN WE SAY? WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ITEM E OR F ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. NOPE.
I THINK THIS WAS A GOOD MEETING.
WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HEIM SET UP A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LITTLE, ALL IN FAVOR, UNANIMOUS.
WE'RE ADJOURNED TILL NEXT TIME.