[00:00:05]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.I'VE BEEN DRIVING DOWN LOOP PAST CAMPUS FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS WITH NO TRAFFIC.
AND APPARENTLY ALL THE STUDENTS CAME BACK FOR FINALS.
I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER TAKE THE ROLE.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION.
BEN-HAIM SETH PRESENT, AND IT'S THE CASTILLO SHE'S ON VIRTUALLY.
WHIT FEATHERSTON, I BELIEVE IS ABSENT.
KEVIN COOK, CARLA ROCHE KELLY, LITTLE HERE, TREY MCWHORTER, BLAKE.
WILLA WILL BE ABSENT AND CAROLINE, RIGHT? I SEE YOU.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE TO SPEAK TO, UM, AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
THIS IS OUR REGULAR, UM, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
THEN WE WILL START THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH ITEMS D FOUR AND D FIVE BEFORE GOING ON TO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON, UH, APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK.
SO THE FIRST THING ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT DOES NOT HAVE THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? IF SO, COME ON DOWN.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.ITEM AIM ONE A THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022 IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL AND ITEM B MARCH 28TH, 2022 IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL.
CAN WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE ON THE ACCEPTANCE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AT THIS TIME? SOME OF, OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THESE MINUTES, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
WE WILL THEN GO ON, UM, STAFF.
WAS IT YOUR, WAS IT YOUR PREFERENCE TO GO THROUGH THE AGENDA FIRST? OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE AGENDA FIRST.
THIS IS JUST GOING DOWN THE AGENDA, PULLING ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION, UM, IDENTIFYING ITEMS THAT WILL GO ON CONSENT.
IF YOUR ITEM IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND IT IS LATER APPROVED.
WHEN WE GET BACK TO THAT POINT, THEN YOU MAKE YOUR ITEM.
THEN YOUR PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND YOU MAY GO FORTH WITH WHATEVER STIPULATIONS THERE ARE.
IF THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THAT INCLUDES EIGHT BY 10, UH, PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH FACADE, UH, ON PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER, A SKETCH PLAN AND A NARRATIVE HISTORY OF, UH, THE BUILDING OR STRUCTURE, UH, FOR OUR CAVING AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BRIEFINGS TO A, HAS TO DO WITH FLATTOP FENCES, TO BE AS PROPOSED REHABILITATIONS IN SIXTH STREET, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT GOING ON TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AS I SAID, WE WILL FIRST TAKE UNDER CONSIDERATION ITEMS D FOUR AND D FIVE, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSION ITEMS. THEN UNDER A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
A 1 15 0 5 FOREST TRAIL WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
[00:05:01]
IT'LL BE A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT TO JUNE 1ST.IT WAS, UM, THE POSTPONEMENT WAS REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT, A 3 14 0 3 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
A 4, 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM UNDER B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS.
AGAIN, IF YOUR ITEM IS A CONSENT ITEM AND IT'S APPROVED WHEN WE GET TO THAT VOTE, YOU MAY LEAVE, UH, WITH THE STIPULATIONS THAT ARE GIVEN BY STAFF OR THE COMMISSION ITEM B ONE 14 OATH, I'M SORRY.
43 14 AVENUE, H IS A CONSENT ITEM IT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
2001 ROSEWOOD AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM B3 2300 WINDSOR ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT ANYONE MAY PULL AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION WHETHER ON THE COMMISSION OR FROM THE AUDIENCE, IT WILL THEN GO OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE ORDER.
IT APPEARS ON THE AGENDA UNDER SEA DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS ITEM C 1 14 11 ETHERIDGE AVENUE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM C 2 8 0 4 REFERRED PLACE.
THAT WILL BE A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED THE POSTPONEMENT TO JUNE 1ST ITEMS C3 FIVE 12 EAST MONROE STREET IS ALSO A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT ITEMS. SEE 4 18 0 3 KENWOOD AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER REGISTERED IN OPPOSITION FOR ITEM C4.
THEN WE WILL PULL THAT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION I DIDN'T SEE 5, 13, 15 AND 13, 17 MOONING AVENUE WILL BE A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO THE JUNE 1ST MEETING ITEMS, C6 1205 ALTA VISTA AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE HAVE A REGISTERED SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION FOR ITEM C6.
WE'LL PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS. C7 3 0 3 EAST LIVE OAK STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEMS. C 8 17 0 7.
ALTA VISTA AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEMS. SEE 9 15 0 3 ALTA VISTA AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT GOING ON TO ITEMS UNDER D DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION ITEM D 1 34 12 FOOT HILL PARKWAY IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D TO 2002 SCENIC DRIVE.
IT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D 3 9 0 2 EAST SEVENTH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEMS D FOUR AND D FIVE.
AS I SAID, AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA WILL BE MOVED TO THE FRONT OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THEY WILL BOTH BE DISCUSSION ITEMS, ITEM D M D 6 2 0 9 AND TWO 13 WEST FIFTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D SEVEN 1100 EAST FIFTH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D 8 29 0 5.
STRAP FOR DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE WILL THEN GO ON TO E DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
WE HAVE NO ITEMS AT THIS TIME.
F IS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR TAX ABATEMENT.
F1 IS 42 11 EAST AVENUE, C AND F TWO IS 1,105 CASTLE COURT.
BOTH OF THESE ITEMS ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE WILL THEN GO ON TO COMMISSION AND STAFF ITEMS, OFFICER ELECTIONS, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON COMMITTEE REPORTS AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO THAT IS OUR
[00:10:01]
COMPLETE AGENDA GOING BACK.[Consent Agenda]
SHARE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE, THE AGENDA ITEMS, THE CONSENT ITEMS. OKAY.UM, ANY QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AND RAISING YOUR HAND.
THE, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES.
WE HAVE NO DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENTS, BUT WE HAVE CONSENT POSTPONEMENTS FOR ITEM EIGHT, TWO ITEM C TWO ITEM C3 ITEMS, C4.
IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT ITEMS ALSO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT, SAY I RAISE YOUR HANDS.
THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA PASSES.
IF YOUR ITEM WAS ON CONSENT POSTPONEMENT, YOU MAY LEAVE AND COME BACK TO THE DATE THAT IT'S POSTPONE TO ALL OF THEM BEING JUNE 1ST.
AND IF YOUR ITEM WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE CONTACT STAFF ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE OR ANY OTHER STIPULATIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
WE WILL NOW GO ON TO OUR BRIEFINGS ITEM TO
[2.A. Flat Top Fences – City of Austin Community Engagement Office]
A FLAT-TOP FENCES.MY NAME IS
UH, WELCOME TO THE SAME AS A SAFE OFFENSIVE REGULATIONS, UM, ENGAGEMENT MEETING WITH THE HISTORIC LANDMARK MISSION, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 21 11 0 4.
YOU MAY MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 21, 11 0 4 DASH 39.
INITIATED THE COURT AMENDMENTS PROCESS TO ADDRESS ON FA UH, UNSAFE FENCE DESIGN, INCLUDING SPITE ELEMENTS THAT PROTRUDE ABOVE THE TOP RAIL OF THE FENCE.
WE HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY THE CITY MANAGER TO EVALUATE REQUIREMENTS FOR FLATTOP STYLES ON NEW FENCES OF ALL LENS.
ALSO APPLYING THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO FLATTOP FENCE FENCES OF, UH, ANY LENT AND ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE SIX FEET TALL OR SMALLER THAN SIX FEET, AND ALSO APPLYING FLATTOP FENCE REQUIREMENTS TO SUBSTANTIAL FENCE REPAIRS, UH, UH, THAT ARE AT LEAST 50% OR MORE OF THE EXISTING FENCE.
NEXT, THE CITY CODE CURRENTLY ALLOWS US SPIKE FENCE STYLES THAT CAN POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS, INCLUDING ENTRAPMENT AND IMPAIRMENT OF CHILDREN.
UH, ALSO IMPOSE A, UM, DANGEROUS TO WORKERS, PERFORMING ROOF REPAIRS AND PET SOME WILDLIFE IN GENERAL.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO OBTAIN THE COMMISSION'S FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS NEXT.
OKAY, SO THE OPTIONS ARE REQUIRING A FLAT TOP STYLES ON NEW FENCES OF ALL LENS, APPLYING THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO ALL NEW FENCES THAT ARE SIX FEET OR LESS, AND APPLYING THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS OR REMODELING THAT ARE AT LEAST 50% OR MORE OF AN EXISTING FENCE OR OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT WILL BE GATHERED AND MAYBE INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS, UH, UH, ENGAGEMENT, UH, PROCESS NEXT.
UH, WE ARE HAVING A SERIES OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS.
UH, THIS IS THE LAST ONE THAT I SEE THAT IS AN INTERNAL MEETING AND THE NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE ON SATURDAY, UH, AT 9:00 AM
[00:15:01]
AT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.AND, UH, ONCE THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESSING, UH, CONCLUDES, UM, WE WILL DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK THAT HAS BEEN GATHERED AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH AMENDMENTS AND, AND PRESENT THEM, UH, FOR BOARD COMMISSION AND COUNCIL REVIEW.
THIS IS A LIST OF, UH, OF, UM, THE TARGETED AUDIENCES THAT HAS BEEN GATHERED BY THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE.
AND THESE ARE THE PARTIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY HAVE REACHED OUT, UH, AS PART OF THESE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? YES.
COMMISSIONER HEMOSTAT, GO AHEAD.
UH, MS. RIVERA, I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, IMMEDIATELY WHAT THE POTENTIAL CONCERN WOULD BE.
HOWEVER, ALSO HISTORICALLY THERE ARE MANY ORNAMENTED FENCES THAT ARE IN FACT HAVING EXPOSED TOPS.
YOU JUST WALKED BY THE VERMONT BLOCK.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THAT WHOLE CHARACTER IS DEFINED BY A VERY PARTICULAR TYPE OF FENCE, A VERY PARTICULAR STYLE.
I DON'T SEE YOU'RE MAKING ANY PROVISIONS FOR HISTORIC, UH, REPLACEMENTS OR IN SOME CASES, UH, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE EVEN NEW FENCING I CAN, I CAN SEE WHY IT WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDED, BUT EVEN A CONSIDERATION OF NEW FENCING IN CERTAIN CASES WHERE WE WOULD BE REPRODUCING, UH, THE HISTORIC STYLES.
UM, SO IS THERE SOME PROVISION THAT YOU HAVE FOR THIS TYPE OF A SITUATION? UH, WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING.
UH, RIGHT NOW, NOTHING IS WRITTEN IN STONE.
UH, SO WE WILL GATHER ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK AND THAT WHAT YOUR, YOU KNOW, THE POINTS THAT YOU HAVE EXPRESSED HERE ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
UH, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF OFFENSES ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
WE'LL CONSIDER ALSO RISK FACTORS AND SAFETY, AND THAT WE'LL SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THERE.
UH, ULTIMATELY WHAT GETS, UH, WHAT GETS THE OTHER, IT'S GOING TO BE PUTTING IN THE FORM OF, UM, OF A DRAFT AMENDMENT THAT WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE TO PASS, UH, YOUR APPROVAL.
UM, WE DO HAVE OTHER DSD, UH, STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE LOOKING ONLINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THEM HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
WELL, AND WHILE, WHILE THEY'RE WEIGHING IN, THOUGH, UM, IT DOES BEG THE SECOND QUESTION, WHICH IS THIS OBVIOUSLY IS MOTIVATED FOR SOME PARTICULAR REASON, UM, AT THE RISK OF BEING GRUESOME, BECAUSE I HAVE HITCHCOCK MOVIE IMAGES IN MY HEAD, AS SOON AS THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE ANY STATISTICS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, NOT ACROSS THE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE AREAS WHERE THESE TYPES OF FENCES WOULD BE COMMON, BUT WITHIN OUR AREA, DO WE HAVE ANY STATISTICS OF WHAT KINDS OF INJURIES WE'RE ACTUALLY PREVENTING? WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM, UH, THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT UP TO THIS POINT? THAT, THAT'S MY QUESTION TOO, IS THIS INNER PROBLEM AS SOMEONE WHOSE SON CLIMBED ON A PILE OF BRICKS TO CATCH A LIZARD, AND THEN THE BRICKS TUMBLED AND THE FENCE CAUGHT HIM ON HIS NECK.
UM, I AM SYMPATHETIC AND I, I AGREE WITH THIS IN GENERAL.
I DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME PROVISIONS FOR HISTORIC EXISTING HISTORIC FENCING OR RESTORATION PROJECTS WHERE A HISTORIC FENCE IS BEING RECREATED.
BUT IN GENERAL, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF NOT HAPPENING.
UH, I, I HAD NEVER HEARD OF, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE.
AND I WONDERED BECAUSE THERE ARE, IS THE CAPITOL FENCE, THE, OF THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE CAPITAL, NOT A SPIKED FENCE, IT'S TOPPED WITH STARS WITH STARS.
UM, YEAH, I, DO YOU HAVE STATISTICS FOR AUSTIN? I PERSONALLY DO NOT HAVE STATISTICS THAT I CAN PRESENT TO YOU.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE TONY HERNANDEZ HERE WHO IS ONLINE AND, UH, I, I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, UH, THAT CAN EXPAND ON THAT.
UM, WELL I THINK WE HAD OUR OWN PERSONAL, OR I GUESS COMMISSION, UH, TESTIMONY TO THAT, UM, UH, IS, UH, MR. OR MS. HERNANDEZ ON THE LINE? YES.
NOW, DAVID ON THE LINE ALSO WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOME INFORMATION TO SPEAK UP.
JULIE, DO YOU WANT TO GO, JULIE? I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFICS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE
[00:20:01]
BEEN DOING RESEARCH.SO MY SON DIED ON THE SENSE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
THAT'S NOT JUST A LOT OF YOUR ENTAILMENTS HAVE HAPPENED.
AND THERE ARE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN HOA THAT HAVE BANNED AND OUTLAWED LIKE POP FENCES AND OPEN EXPOSED PICKUP TICKET FENCES, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IN CANADA, EVEN I'VE FOUND SEVERAL PLACES THERE BECAUSE IT'S IMPALEMENT OF DEER, BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS DIFFERENT KINDS OF INJURIES.
IF YOU JUST LOOK UP FENCE INJURIES, YOU CAN FIND IMPALEMENTS THEY'RE KIDS THAT ARE CLIMBING ON A FENCE AND THEY FALL.
I'M NOT SURE WHO SAID ABOUT THE LIZARD, BUT THAT'S A VERY COMMON INJURY.
UM, A LOT OF THEM DON'T GET REPORTED.
THEY JUST WIND UP BEING LIKE ESPECIALLY DEER.
SO I HAVE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING STATISTICAL DATA.
UM, BUT IF YOU ASK LIKE THE, UM, GAME WARDENS AND THE, UH, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED, LIKE, SORRY, THE GUYS THAT TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS ANIMAL CONTROL, UM, THEY HA YOU CAN PULL RECORDS AND THEY'LL PULL THE RECORDS FOR ANY KIND OF SENSE ANIMAL RELATED INJURIES, WHERE YOU, BUT FINDING A DATABASE WITH FULL INJURIES HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.
UM, AND MY NAME IS DAVID KING.
AND IF I MIGHT ADD, UH, ME, I HAVE BEEN ALSO SEARCHING.
AND IT'S JUST HARD TO FIND THAT ALTHOUGH YOU CAN FIND STORIES ARE AROUND THE COUNTRY, UH, THE UNITED STATES AND IN CANADA ABOUT INJURIES, THE IMPAIRMENTS OF THE SKULL AND HAVING TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND PEOPLE DYING FROM THAT.
AND OF COURSE, UH, INJURIES TO ANIMALS.
AND IN FACT, SUNSET CITY LAKEWAY ENROLLING WOULD HAVE IMPLEMENTED SIMILAR FENCE REGULATIONS AS THOSE THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT FOR, FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT, THAT THIS IS BEFORE YOU TO HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH A MINIMAL CHANGE TO THE BENZ REGULATION, BUT TO HELP PREVENT INJURIES AND SAVE LIVES.
SO THAT THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S, IT'S HARD TO FIND ANY COMPILED DATA ON THIS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUDY'S SON DIED FROM, FROM THE SPIKE FENCING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE, WE CAN HELP WITH IN A, IN A MINIMAL WAY.
IT'S, IT'S LOOKING FORWARD, IT'S NOT RETROACTIVE.
IT ONLY APPLIES TO FENCES SIX FEET IN LOWER AND ALL, AND, UH, ALSO KNEW IF YOU'RE GOING TO REMODEL YOUR FENCE OR REPAIR YOUR BEST 50% OR MORE OF IT.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR MAYBE SOME CARVE-OUTS FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES, HISTORIC BUILDINGS BACK KIND OF THING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN FIND A WAY THAT WILL HELP, HELP PREVENT INJURIES SAVE LIVES, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, BALANCE THIS WITH OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION GOALS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER MS. RIVERA OR OF THE, UH, FOLKS WHO WEIGHED IN, UM, VIRTUALLY? NO, I, I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, I JUST ECHO COMMISSIONER LITTLE SENTIMENT THAT I THINK FOR FENCES IN GENERAL, THIS MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.
I DON'T HAVE, I HOPE YOU'RE SAYING RECOVERED IS BETTER.
HE DID NOT CATCH THE LIZARD, BUT HE, HE'S FINE.
UH, AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, TO OUR SPEAKERS, UH, SON, OUR CONDOLENCES, UH, WHAT A HORRIFIC EXPERIENCE THAT MUST HAVE BEEN.
SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO CERTAINLY TO SUPPORT, UH, WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN THIS SITUATION, BUT JUST GIVEN THAT THIS TYPE OF FENCING IN VERY PARTICULAR AREAS IS VERY DISTINCTIVE IN THE HISTORIC PERIODS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE PERIOD, UH, OF IMPORTANCE TO MANY OF THE STRUCTURES, IF THERE WAS A, UH, AN APPROPRIATE WAY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ADD THAT TO YOUR MOTION WHEN IT COMES BACK TO YOUR RESOLUTION, WHEN IT COMES BACK, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
CAN I ADD SOMETHING REAL QUICK? WE NEED TO GET ON, BUT PLEASE MAKE IT VERY BRIEF.
UM, AFTER KAY DIED, THE PEOPLE ASKED US ABOUT THE CAPITOL FENCE, AND I KNOW SOMEBODY MENTIONED THAT THE SENSE OF K DIED ON WAS THREE AND A HALF INCHES WIDE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL SENSE, IT'S LOWER.
IT ALSO HAS VERY LARGE SPACE IN BETWEEN THE PICKETS.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE NOTICED RIGHT AWAY, AND IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STRUCTURE THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT SEPARATELY AS WELL.
BUT THERE ARE HISTORICALLY DECORATIVE SENSES STYLES THAT ARE FLATTOPS ALSO, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, BUT, UM, WE WELCOME YOU COMING BACK TO THE COMMISSION OF WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, A DRAFT, UM, RESOLUTION.
[2.B. Proposed rehabilitations in Sixth Street National Register district]
TWO, B PROPOSED REHABILITATIONS IN SIXTH STREET, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT RICHARD SUBTLE, AND I'M CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.[00:25:01]
BEHALF OF STREAM REAL ESTATE.THEIR STREAM HAS MADE A, UH, AN INVESTMENT IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT ON EAST SIX AND IS BECOME, UM, EVEN MORE CRITICAL THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
NOW, SINCE OCTOBER OF 21, 26, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EITHER KILLED OR INJURED IN SHOOTINGS IN OUR NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THINK ABOUT THAT SINCE OCTOBER 26, PEOPLE KILLED OR INJURED, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UH, UH, MANY OF YOU ON THE DIOCESE, REMEMBER WHAT SIXTH STREET USED TO BE, WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY GO DOWN AND, AND HAVE A MEAL AND SEE A SHOW OR LISTEN TO MUSIC.
AND YOU DO, AND YOU WEREN'T WORRIED ABOUT BEING BOXED IN ON A STREET, CLOSED AND SHOT AT WE'VE DONE AN ANALYSIS.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BRING IT BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE.
AND WHAT WE'VE DETERMINED IS WITH SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES.
AND I DON'T MEAN WIPING OUT THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT PRESERVING THE NATIONAL REGISTERS DISTRICT, BUT MAKING SOME CHANGES, FOR INSTANCE, WIDEN THE SIDEWALKS A LITTLE BIT AND OPEN THE STREETS BACK UP.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS, WEST SIX RAINEY STREET, THE TRAFFIC STILL MOVES.
THE FOLKS ARE ON THE SIDEWALK.
WE ALSO HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE MIX OF USES NEEDS TO CHANGE.
SIXTH STREET HAS TURNED INTO A LA A LOT OF SHOP BARS AND A LOT OF PLACES WHERE PEOPLE UNDER AGE CAN COME AND HANG.
THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DRINK, BUT THEY COME GATHER BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE BLOCKED OFF AND IT'S A BIG STREET PARTY.
SO WE THINK THE STREETS NEED TO BE OPENED UP.
WE THINK THE USE IS ON THE PROP ON, ON SIXTH STREET.
YOU NEED TO BE MIXED BACK IN TO WHERE IT'S MORE OF A 24 7 INSTEAD OF A THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SHOOTING GALLERY.
WHAT GOING TO SHOW YOU, I'M GOING TO GO REAL QUICK.
CAUSE YOU GOT A LONG NIGHT AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING TONIGHT, OTHER THAN JUST TO OPEN THE CONVERSATION ON OUR THOUGHTS.
WE'VE GOT EMILY LITTLE HELPING US WITH IT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CHANGING IT ALL UP COMPLETELY, BUT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE MAIN ONE IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESSING SOON.
CURRENTLY THERE IS A 45 FOOT HEIGHT LIMITATION IN THE SIXTH STREET, NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
AND THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE OLD BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE.
THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN THERE ON TWO BLOCKS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING THE COUNCIL TO INITIATE A CODE AMENDMENT TO LIFT THAT, NOT TO DO HIGH RISE, BUT TO HAVE A STEP BACK FROM THE FACADES AND ADD A LITTLE BIT OF DENSITY BECAUSE WITH, WITH, UH, WE THINK THAT WITH AN OFFICE AND A HOTEL USE IN, IN THE TWO BLOCKS THAT ARE THE MOST PROBLEMATIC, WE CAN ADD MORE USES TO DO THE 24 7 USE AND NOT THE THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
WE THINK WE CAN DO IT, UM, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, HISTORICALLY ACCURATELY.
AND, AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT RIGHT, BUT WITHOUT THAT, WE'RE GOING TO BE DESTINED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN ANOTHER 26.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET SHOT OR KILLED OR INJURED IN THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING RADICAL.
SO LET ME RUN THROUGH HERE QUICKLY AND WE'LL, AND I KNOW IT, IT'S KIND OF A SHOCKER AT FIRST, BUT LET ME RUN THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION REALLY QUICK.
AND THEN I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS, THIS PRESENTATION IS STILL IN DRAFT FORM, BUT THE BACKSTORY IS WE START IN 1839 AND WE'D COME ALL THE WAY UP TO 1979, UH, WHEN IT WAS CREATED, THE, WHEN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT WAS CREATED.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND, AND EMILY HAS HELPED US UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EACH AND EVERY BUILDING.
SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS BY THE WAY, ARE MERELY FACADES TODAY.
IF YOU LOOK BEHIND THEM TODAY, THEY'RE GONE.
UM, THE GOAL IS TO REVITALIZE OUR, OUR BELOVED SIXTH STREET, SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN IS KNOWN FOR.
THIS SLIDE THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE, IS THE ASSEMBLAGE SO FAR, WHAT STREAM HAS ASSEMBLED AND WHAT THEY OWN ON SIXTH STREET.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S BASICALLY 60% OF THE PROPERTIES BETWEEN BRAZZES AND
PART OF OUR ANALYSIS, IT'S HARD TO SEE THIS, BUT, BUT BASICALLY GREEN IS, IS WHAT WE HAVE SURVEYED YELLOW IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK STATUS.
AND THESE ARE THE COLORS UNDERNEATH EACH BUILDING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CHART VOICES, THE TEXAS, UM, LANDMARK STATUS, AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE, WE'RE STUDYING THIS A LOT TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING SOMETHING YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIVE AND 600 BLOCK.
THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS THAT ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING.
THEY'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
WE CAN GO ON EACH AND WE'VE ANALYZED THESE IN EAST BLOCK, AND I'M SURE YOU, SINCE WE'VE MADE THIS PUBLIC, NOW YOU CAN HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS, BUT
[00:30:01]
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS BLOCK.AND IF WE CAN GET TO THE 200 BLOCK, I'M GONNA RUN THROUGH JUST VERY QUICKLY, THE OVERVIEW.
THIS IS THE, THE CORNER THERE AT BRAZZES AT THE 200 BLOCK.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO TURN TO CAITLIN TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CAITLIN YOU STAY THE SAME, RIGHT? THESE, THESE, THESE STAIN, YOU GET TO THE 500 BLOCK ON THE NORTH SIDE, AND THAT'S WHAT THESE BUILDINGS REPRESENT HERE.
NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE RHYTHM AND THE ARCHITECTURE, AND THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS HERE.
THAT'S AN AREA THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT, BUT THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE TELLING THEM, WHEN YOU LOOK, THE, THE ALAMO SHAPED BUILDING IS NOT EVEN A CONTRIBUTORY TRIBUTING STRUCTURE, NOR IS FIVE 16 AND 5, 5 18.
THE OTHERS ARE THEY'VE EITHER BEEN SURVEYED MAR LANDMARKS, OR IT'S STILL B TO DO, TO BE DETERMINED ON WHAT WE DO WITH THEM.
THIS IS A CONCEPT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS THE, THE EXISTING, UH, HISTORIC CORNICE.
YOU SEE THE 45 FOOT HEIGHT LIMITATION THAT WE CAN DO TODAY.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU SEE THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR, WHICH WE WOULD, WE WOULD NOT INTEND TO, TO BLAST THROUGH, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, WE'RE NOT TALKING HIGH RISE BUILDINGS HERE.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT GETTING A LITTLE MORE SPACE TO HELP PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO OCCUR ON SIXTH STREET.
THOSE ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT WE CURRENTLY OWN.
THOSE STAY THE SAME 600 BLOCK, THE OTHER SIDE OF RED RIVER STREET, LARGER BLOCK.
YOU CAN SEE YOU ALL WILL RECOGNIZE THOSE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S THE AREA THAT I INTENDED TO TALK ABOUT ALL THESE IN DETAIL, BUT YOU GOT ALONG NIGHT.
NOW YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SURVEYING THESE.
AND WE KNOW WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM.
WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO MAKE A DECISION, UH, TONIGHT, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE SOME ARE CONTRIBUTING, UM, BUT NO LANDMARKS YET.
AND AGAIN, THE MASSING IS THIS WHAT WE'RE IS THE SAME THING? THIS ONE, YOU, YOU BASICALLY HAVE A 122 FEET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING UP, UM, ABOVE STEPPING BACK FROM THE BUILDINGS AND THEN GOING UP TO 122 FEET, AND THEN THE 700 BLOCK, YOU KNOW, THE BILL, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE BUILDINGS AND THEN 700 BLOCK SOUTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE BUILDINGS, THOSE STAY THE SAME SEPT.
THAT IS A CONCEPT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW TO GO UP AND OVER THAT WITH AN OUTDOOR SPACE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET THE SIDEWALKS WIDER SO THAT THE TRAFFIC AND STILL GO UP OR DOWN SIXTH STREET, BUT HAVE PEOPLE WALKING IN AND JOIN, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDINGS, YOU CAN SKIP TO THE NEXT ONE.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN IDEA THAT WE'RE HAVING, UH, OF, UH, WIDENING THE SIDEWALKS, CREATING STREET TREES AND LIMITING IT TO BASICALLY THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC.
THE FINAL, THE FINAL SLIDE IN THE PRESENTATION TALKS ABOUT ITS RELATION TO WALLER CREEK AND HOW THIS CAN ACTUALLY BECOME MIXED IN WITH THE WALLER CREEK, UH, IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THAT IS OUR IDEA FOR THE REVITALIZATION, SPEEDING THROUGH A PRESENTATION, SPEEDING THROUGH, AND TONIGHT WE WANTED TO BE ON YOUR AGENDA JUST TO, SO YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT ON THE STREET BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING MORE AND MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME ARE CRYING OUT FOR HELP.
UH, THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE WRINGING THEIR HANDS AND PULLING THEIR HAIR OUT.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT WE ALL AGREE.
YOU'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE MIXES OF USES AGAIN, BACK TO WHERE IT USED TO BE.
YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE IT MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY AND MAKE IT TO WHERE FOLKS THAT AREN'T LOOKING TO GET IN TROUBLE ARE COMING TO SIXTH STREET, AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT.
AND WE'LL BE BACK TO YOU AS WE GET CLOSER ON OUR PLANS, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AT EVERY ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS AND GIVE YOU A STATUS REPORT.
[00:35:01]
LET ME ASK, UM, IF I COULD THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE OVERVIEW.UM, IT, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE, THE EARLY STATUS OF SIXTH STREET, THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS KIND OF A LIGHT BULB AT THE VERY END OF THE STREET WHERE ESTHER'S FOLLIES WAS AT NIGHT.
AND ONE POINT IN ITS HISTORY THOUGH, IT WAS A RED LIGHT DISTRICT.
AND, UH, UM, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT WAS BEFORE MOST OF US, UH, FREQUENTED SIXTH STREET, BUT, AND WE GO BACK FAR ENOUGH.
WE CAN PROBABLY FIND WHEN THEY WERE SHOOTING PEOPLE AGAIN, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
AND I, MY HUSBAND'S GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS A DEPUTY SHERIFF AND HE DID SHOOT SOMEONE, UH, ON, ON SIXTH STREET.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE IT HAPPENS IN THE BEST OF FAMILIES.
SO LET THE RECORD REFLECT, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
AND MY QUESTION REALLY JUST HAS TO DO WITH YOUR TIMING.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THESE EARLY CONCEPTS, YOU'RE SOUNDING OUT FOR RESPONSE.
UM, ARE WE IN THIS POSITION WHERE IN SOME TIMEFRAME WE SHOULD BE STARTING TO SEE SOMETHING MORE DEVELOPED? YES.
SO WHAT WE'RE WE'RE WRESTLING WITH RIGHT NOW IS WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST SHOW UP WITH DEMO PERMITS OR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS WITH, WITHOUT THE BACKGROUND WITH YOU, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE NEXT STEP.
SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR, FOR DEMOLITION.
SOME OF THEM JUST REHABILITATION.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO CATCH YOU BY SURPRISE.
UM, THIS ALL HINGES UPON THE CODE AMENDMENT.
IF WE CAN'T LIFT THAT HEIGHT, I THINK WE'RE CONDEMNING SIXTH STREET TO ANOTHER LONG TIME OF MORE OF THE SAME, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN MAKE THIS WORK IS IF YOU CAN MAKE IT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE FOR TENANTS TO COME DOWN THERE AND WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO DO THEIR IMPROVEMENTS.
AND RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE VACANT.
AND WHEN YOU GO TO A PROSPECTIVE TENANT, THE GOOD ONES ARE SAYING, YEAH, THAT'S STILL A LITTLE SHAKY FOR ME.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE I COMMIT MONEY.
THE ONES THAT ARE JUMPING ON IT ARE THE ONES WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF WELL.
AND I CAN JUST ADD FOR THE RECORD, THE, UH, CONCERNS THAT I'VE EXPRESSED IN MEETING AFTER MEETING AND AS I'M A MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IN THAT BODY AS WELL, THAT, UH, NO MATTER HOW FIRM WE THINK THESE REGULATIONS ARE, AT SOME POINT, THE ECONOMIC PRESSURES HAVE TURNED MANY OF THESE INTO AN ALL OR NOTHING, PROSPECT WHERE AT SOME POINT A BUILDING THAT WE THOUGHT ABSOLUTELY WAS GOING TO BE SAFE AND WOULD BE RESPECTED, HAS COME IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION FOR EITHER TOTAL DEMOLITION OR A SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT.
THAT IS WAY BEYOND ANYTHING THAT WOULD KEEP ITS HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
BUT I KEEP SAYING THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
SO WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS WOULD ALLOW IS TAKING A STEP BACK AND PERHAPS BY MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT, OFFER SOME WAYS TO BE ABLE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE AND ACTUALLY HARNESS IT FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE.
STREAM DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO STEP UP, MAKE A BIG INVESTMENT AND DO IT AS A, AS A HOLISTIC DISTRICT-WIDE APPROACH.
AND THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MANY OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS DOWN THERE.
RICHARD, UM, I, I HEARD YOU SEVERAL TIMES, UH, PUT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF CLOSING THE STREETS.
DO YOU, DO YOU EQUATE THE STREET CLOSURES WITH INCREASED VIOLENCE? I'M NOT A POLICE OFFICER AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT I DO BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A KID.
IF I'VE GOT A CROWDED AREA WHERE I CAN GO, AND I KNOW THERE'S NOT POLICE MOVING THROUGH AND CARS MOVING THROUGH AND I WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE OTHER, OUR OTHER ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS THAT HAVE TRAFFIC GOING THROUGH IT, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SHOOTING GALLERY EFFECT THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE.
I, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE WE NEED TO OPEN THE TR THE STREET UP COMMISSIONER WRIGHT HAS HER HAND RAISED, SORRY, COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I, YEAH, IT'S HARD TO, IT'S HARD TO BE A WING, UM, AND SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT ALSO PAST THIS AREA HEALTH WISE, UM, THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME SEEING A PRESENTATION ABOUT, ABOUT THIS CONCEPT.
UM, THE LAST PRESENTATION THAT I HEARD WAS MUCH LESS PRESERVATION IN FRONT OF YOU LOOKING THEN THIS ONE WAS PRESENTED TONIGHT.
UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT PREVIOUSLY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEVELOPERS REALLY HADN'T BEEN CONSIDERING THAT AS SOMETHING THAT THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AT.
AND SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT HERE TO HER, TO CHUCK BADMOUTH OF PROJECTS WHERE THEY THINK, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF, I HAVE MORE SUSPICIONS LET'S SAY, UM, ABOUT WHERE THIS MAKE-OUT BASED ON THE PREVIOUS
[00:40:01]
PRESENTATION THAT I'VE HEARD.SO I DO HOPE THAT THERE IS, UM, A CLOSER LOOK BEING GIVEN TO SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY LOOK AT A BUILDING AND THINK, OH, THAT'S REALLY UGLY.
UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NON-CONTRIBUTING TO A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S LESS IMPORTANT THAN A BUILDING THAT, THAT MAYBE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S IN BETTER SHAPE.
AND I JUST, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT SINCE I HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO SEE SOME OF THE PRESENTATION PREVIOUSLY, THANK YOU.
OR THAT IS POTENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING IF ONLY A FEW, UM, COSMETIC THINGS HAD CHANGED ON THE BUILDING AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO CONTRIBUTING STATUS.
UH, MY, MY QUESTION IS I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS, UH, WHEN IT DID SEEM SAFE, I DIDN'T HEAR THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, I USED TO GO TO SIXTH STREET.
WE WOULD TAKE PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN TO KIND OF PEOPLE WATCH AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO, EVEN DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, YOU COULD WALK DOWN THE STREET AND GO INTO ANY PLACE WITH LIVE MUSIC.
NO, THIS IS BEFORE WRISTBANDS AND STUFF.
AND SO IT WASN'T UNKNOWN TO ME.
UM, AND I, BUT I WONDER WHY WE COULDN'T INSTITUTE A CHANGE OF USE IN THE AREA WITHOUT ADDING A LOT OF HIGH RISE OFFICE SPACE.
UM, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE? SURE.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND ESSENTIALLY ZONE SIXTH STREET, SOMETHING OTHER THAN CBD, YOU'D BE LIMITING THE USES, BUT CONSTRAINING FOLKS BY OLD BUILDINGS THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REHABILITATE.
AND OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE FOLKS THAT DON'T WANT TO SPEND A BUNCH OF MONEY, BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO BE OPEN THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AND YOU MIGHT GET THE OPPOSITE EFFECT YOU LIMIT THE USES, AND YOU MIGHT END UP WITH MORE VACANT BUILDINGS.
WHEN I THINK OF HIGH RISE, I THINK OF 300 FEET, TALL HUNDRED AND 20 FEET IS PRETTY TALL FOR THOSE OF US IN THE PRESERVATION LAND.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT I MEAN, RIGHT AT THE OTHER END OF THE DISTRICT, WE'VE GOT THE DRISCOLL AND, AND THOSE OTHERS, WHICH ARE HIGHER THAN THAT.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S A FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION TO BE ABLE TO MIX THOSE USES AND, AND, AND GET THE INVESTMENT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO BRING THIS BACK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND IT'S ON TWO BLOCKS.
UH, WHAT KIND OF SETBACKS ARE Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING UP EXISTING FACADE, STEP BACK, 15 FEET, AND THEN GO UP.
I WAS, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THIS WOULD BE A, WHEN YOU MENTIONED OFFICE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AN OFFICE WOULD BE A 24, 7, AND MOST, MOST OFFICES ARE NINE TO FIVE, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
IF THAT Y Y THE MORE THERE A FOCUS ON RESIDENTIAL, AND THIS WOULD SEEM A VERY IDEAL PLACE TO TRY TO PUT, EVEN AT, TOWARDS THE BACK OF SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS, YOU PUT IN SOME SEMI AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THAT AREA OR DO ABLE TO HAVE, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THE AREA AND THAT IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, REDUCE TRAFFIC? I MEAN, THERE'S LOTS OF, THERE'S LOTS OF UPSIDES TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RESIDENTIAL.
WELL, I THINK IT'S, WE VIEW IT AS STILL GOING TO BE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
NOT MAYBE AS WE SEE IT TODAY, BUT IT'LL STILL BE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
AREN'T THAT ENTERTAINING? NO, BUT IN ANSWER TO BLAKE'S QUESTION, IT'S HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO INVEST AND LIVE ON AN ENTERTAINMENT STREET.
THE OFFICE IS KEY BECAUSE DURING THE DAY WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO OPEN UP THE RESTAURANTS FOR LUNCH.
AND AN OFFICE IS A DRIVER FOR RESTAURANT USE DURING THE DAY.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE ON THE STREET DURING THE DAY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN DOWN THERE IN A WHILE, NOT MANY, NOT MANY FOLKS ON SIXTH STREET DURING THE DAY AND AN OFFICE DOES THAT.
SO IF YOU HAVE THE OFFICE, THE RESTAURANTS, A HOTEL, AND THE MUSIC, YOU GET WHAT WE THINK, AND THIS IS ALL STILL A WORK IN PROCESS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING IS GOING TO MAKE, MAKE IT WORK.
I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT THAT I NOTICED THE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION FOR THIS DISTRICT IS AS OLD AS I AM.
SO YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT CONTRIBUTING AND NON-CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES.
AND I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO THIS DISTRICT OVER THE YEARS THAT YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THERE MIGHT BE PROPERTIES THAT WERE NOT CONTRIBUTING THAT TODAY.
IF THEY CUT THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE OFF AT 1925, WHEN THIS WAS WRITTEN, PROBABLY
[00:45:01]
BECAUSE OF THE 50 YEAR CUTOFF, THERE ARE PROBABLY PROPERTIES THAT THESE DAYS WE WOULD CONSIDER CONTRIBUTING TO THE DISTRICT, UM, OR VICE VERSA.THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT HAVE CHANGE.
UM, THE ASSESSMENT EVALUATIONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE BACK IN THOSE DAYS.
IT WAS MORE OF A HIGH STYLE LANDMARK, KIND OF, UM, CONTRIBUTING, HAD TO MEET A MUCH HIGHER BAR THAN, THAN MOST PEOPLE IN PRESERVATION, UH, IN THE PRESERVATION WORLD CONSIDER TODAY.
IT'S A MORE, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE EMILY HELPING US, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
THERE ARE SOME BUILDINGS THOUGH THAT ARE, UM, THEY'RE JUST FLAT, NOT MODERN, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY NEW.
WELL, THE CUTOFF NOW FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION IS 1972 RICHARD IN THAT WEIRD, AND IT FREAKS ME OUT, BUT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, I'M COMMITTING TO YOU TONIGHT.
WE'RE LOOKING VERY CAREFULLY AT ALL THAT.
AND THE FOLKS WE HAVE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT ARE THE FOLKS THAT YOU ROUTINELY TURN TO ON THESE KINDS OF ISSUES, AND WE'RE TURNING TO THEM AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION, UM, SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT SIXTH STREET.
IT, IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING, IT HAS BEEN A TOURIST DRAW.
IT'S BEEN A FUN PLACE TO GO IN THE PAST, AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE IT DETERIORATE, UM, AND HAVE, HAVE PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, UH, GO BE FEARFUL OF GOING THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO VARIOUS GROUPS.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THE CODE AMENDMENT INITIATED.
THAT'LL GO THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS, AND I'M SURE THAT WILL IN FACT BE BACK TO YOU BECAUSE THEY'LL LOOK TO YOU FOR A RECOMMENDATION ON IT.
[3.D.4. DA-2022-040962 – 201-211 W. 4th St., 310-312 Colorado St. – Discussion Council District 9]
THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND THE FIRST ITEM WILL BE, UM, D FOUR ITEM D FOUR.I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION COMMISSIONER.
I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY THAT, UH, WHY DON'T WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO TAKE ITEM D IS IT D FOUR AND D FOUR AND D FIVE OUT OF ORDER.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECONDARY TO TAKE ITEMS ITEMS D FOUR AND D FIVE OUT OF ORDER.
ONE REASON IS BECAUSE WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE PRESENT TO HEAR THAT, UM, THOSE CASES, AND WE WANT TO HEAR THEM.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF SPEAKERS AND WE SORT OF WANT TO GET THROUGH THAT.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL LATER IN THE AGENDA.
AND THIS IS THE, UM, RETURNING, UH, IT'S, IT'S GONE TO ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S COME TO THE, UH, LARGER COMMISSION.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TAKING THESE TWO ITEMS OUT, OR IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? UM, OKAY, SO I'M LOOKING AT YOU, CAROLINE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
IT PASSES, LET'S TAKE ITEMS D FOUR AND D FIVE WHEN IN ROME.
UH, THIS IS THE STAFF PRESENTATION, FOUR ITEMS, D FOUR AND D FIVE TOGETHER, UH, AS THIS IS PART OF AN ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL.
UH, THAT'S ON TWO SEPARATE PARCELS CURRENTLY, UH, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS GIVEN TWO DIFFERENT ITEM NUMBERS ON THE AGENDA.
UH, HISTORICALLY, UM, THIS ENCOMPASSES MULTIPLE SEPARATE BUILDINGS.
SO FOR CLARITY AND THE STAFF REPORTS, IT WAS BROKEN UP INTO MULTIPLE SUBSECTIONS.
UH, SO JUST, UH, TO READ, READ INTO THE RECORD, WHAT CASES WE ARE DISCUSSING IT'S
THIS IS A PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT FOR SOME TIME.
THE APPLICANT TEAM MATE, WITH KNIT, EXCUSE ME, MET WITH
[00:50:01]
LATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, STEVE SEDOWSKY, UH, FOR A YEAR BEFORE BRINGING THIS FORWARD, I WAS ABLE TO JOIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH THE TEAM AND ALSO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL WITH MR.SO I AM, UM, BRINGING THIS TO YOU TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY BASED ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF HIS DIRECTION.
UH, MR. CONDUCTED AN IN-HOUSE HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY WITH BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON BUILDINGS IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT IN 2009, BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE NEVER FINALIZED.
THERE'S CERTAINLY AS A HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT'S ELIGIBLE WITHIN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT THE LENS THAT THE LANDMARK COMMISSION NEEDS TO APPLY WITH THESE TYPES OF CASES.
UH, AND SO FOR THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, YOU ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER THESE BUILDINGS ARE INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
MR. SEDOWSKY WAS CLEAR IN OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT HE DID NOT FIND ANY OF THE BUILDINGS WITHIN THIS PROJECT AREA TO INDIVIDUALLY MEET THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION AS SUCH.
HE FELT THAT RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FACADES WAS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC STREETSCAPE APPEARANCE AND THIS BLOCK.
UH, SO WITH THAT INTRODUCTION, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON EACH BUILDING, AND THEN I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL.
THE BUILDING SET THREE 10 TO THREE 12 COLORADO STREET, OR SINGLE-STORY BRICK WAREHOUSES WITH STEPPED PARAPETS MODIFICATIONS INCLUDE A CENTRAL TILED SECTION WITH A RAISED PARAPET THAT INTERRUPTS THE HISTORIC DESIGN CHANGES TO FINISHED RATION PATTERNS, NON-ORIGINAL AWNINGS AND ROOFTOP ADDITIONS, INCLUDING RAILINGS, A SHED ROOF PAVILION, AND A TENT.
THE BURKHALTER GARAGE BUILDING AT THREE 10 TO THREE 12 COLORADO STREET WAS BUILT IN STAGES BETWEEN 1930 AND 1933.
THE BUILDING AT THREE 10 COLORADO WAS OCCUPIED THROUGHOUT THE HISTORIC PERIOD BY BEAR CULTURE, SPRING AND BUMPER SERVICE PER YEAR IN CASWELL RELOCATED THEIR OKAY GARAGE FROM THE 200 BLOCK OF COLORADO TO 3, 3 12, COLORADO BY 1935 BURT CULTURES SPRING AND BUMPER SERVICE OCCUPIED BOTH BUILDINGS BY 1937.
AND THE REMAINDER IS IN THE 1970S WHEN IT BECAME CAPITAL SPRING AND BREAK BY THE MID 1980S, THE BUILDING HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO RESTAURANT USE.
UH, THE BUILDING HAS LOW TO MODERATE INTEGRITY AND STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THE BUILDING'S A MODEST EXAMPLE OF WAREHOUSE BUILDING WITH MODIFICATIONS.
THE HISTORIC USE OF THE BUILDING FOR AUTOMOTIVE SURFACE AND REPAIR IS TYPICAL OF BUILDINGS WITHIN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND DOES NOT HAVE INDIVIDUALLY SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, THE PROPERTY DOES POSSESS A UNIQUE LOCATION AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AS PART OF THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER IMAGE AND CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY.
BUT THIS ASSOCIATION, AND THEN OF ITSELF IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THIS BUILDING TO INDIVIDUALLY QUALIFY FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, AMBER, IF WE CAN SWITCH TO THE NEXT ONE, UH, THE BUILDING AT THE CORNER OF WEST FOURTH AND COLORADO STREETS IS A SINGLE STORY.
THE BUILDING HAS THREE BAYS OF STOREFRONT, WINDOWS AND DOORS BETWEEN BRICK PIERS ON THE COLORADO STREET ELEVATION AND FIVE BAYS ON THE WEST FOURTH STREET ELEVATION.
SOME OF THE PEERS ALONG WEST FOURTH STREET ARE TILED AND MAY NOT BE AT ORIGINAL LOCATIONS WHEN THERE'S INDOORS ARE INCONSISTENT IN THEIR DESIGN AND APPEARED TO BE, HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT DIFFERENT TIMES, WRAPPING THE BUILDING AS A ROLL-UP COURSE OF BRICK AT THE WINDOW HEADERS ABOVE WHICH THE BRICK WORK IS PUNCTUATED BY REGULARLY SPACED VERTICAL FANS, ROOFTOP ADDITIONS INCLUDE A BARREL VOLTAGE STRUCTURE IN THE TENT.
THE JIM'S CAFE BUILDING OR RAINBOW BREAD WAREHOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1936.
UH, JIM
AND THEN LATER THERE WAS A J AND J CAFE HERE AND THE LATE 1950S, ESPERANZA IS ITALIAN CAFE OPENS AT THE SPACE IN THE LATE 1970S AND THE BUILDING, UH, THIS CORNER SPACE WAS CONVERTED INTO A SALON IN THE MID 1980S.
UH, THE PORTION ADDRESS AT THREE 16 COLORADO STREET WAS INITIALS INITIALLY SAMUEL ROBINSON'S AUTO REPAIR SHOP.
UH, SO THIS IS THE SPACE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THOSE OTHER AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE, UM, BUILDINGS, A FAIR BAKING COMPANY, A SAN ANTONIO BASED REDNECK MANUFACTURER USE THE SPACES OF WAREHOUSE BEGINNING OF THE EARLY 1940S.
THAT COMPANY LATER BECAME PART OF THE RAINBOW BAKING COMPANY BY THE MID 1960S.
[00:55:01]
THE BUILDING BECAME A WAREHOUSE FOR THE ADJACENT AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE BUSINESS AT THREE 10 TO THREE 12 COLORADO STREET.UH, IN 1984, IT WAS CONVERTED TO OFFICE USE AND SUBSEQUENTLY HOUSED ANTIQUE AND FULL ARCH SHOPS.
UH, THE PORTION ADDRESSED AT 2 0 9 WEST FOURTH STREET HOUSED A VARIETY OF OCCUPANTS, INCLUDING A GOVERNMENT PROPERTY STOREROOM FOR THE U S BUREAU OF MINES, THE HOME SERVICE DELIVERY COMPANY, DEAN SIGNS, AND ADDITIONAL STORAGE FOR THE FAIR AND RAINBOW BAKING COMPANIES.
UH, THE BUILDING HAS A MODERATE DEGREE OF ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY AND AS A MODEST EXAMPLE OF A WAREHOUSE BUILDING WITH MODIFICATIONS AS WITH THE PRIOR STAFF REPORTS, UM, THESE ARE TYPICAL BUSINESSES FOR THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
AND SO THERE DO NOT APPEAR TO BE SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUALLY SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE NEXT ONE, THE BUILDING AT TWO 11 WEST FOURTH STREET, AS A SINGLE STORY, BRICK WAREHOUSE WITH A CURVILINEAR STEPPED PARAPET THAT EXHIBITS MODEST MISSION REVIVAL, STYLISTIC INFLUENCES, DECKER DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDE DIAGONAL TILES AT THE RACE CENTRAL PORTION AND ENDS OF THE PARAPET AND A ROLL-UP COURSE AS COPING THE BUILDING RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL WINDOW AND DOOR OPENINGS WITH SOLDIER COURSE, HEADERS AT THE LEFT ENDS OF THE FACADE IS AN ORIGINAL MULTILINE STEEL WINDOW WITH A CENTRAL AWNING SASH.
THE ADJACENT DOOR OPENING HAS BEEN INFILLED WITH A FLAT PANEL AND AT THE RIGHT END OF THE FACADE PEAR DOORS, FLANKED BY WINDOWS FILL AND OVER, UH, WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY AN OVERHEAD DOOR OPENING.
THE BRICK HAS BEEN PAINTED AND THE BLACK TILE WAYNE SCOTT ADDED, UH, THE LIGHT SEE CAROL FIRESTONE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1936 AS THE HOME OF LEGGETT, W CAROL'S LIGHTSEY CAROL COMPANY, LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS OF MAGNOLIA BEER.
THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY HAD AN OFFICE IN THIS BUILDING IN THE EARLY 1940S AND EXPANDED INTO THE ADJACENT BUILDING AT TWO 13 WEST FOURTH STREET BY 1942.
THE FIRESTONE RETREAD SHOP OPENED HERE AROUND 1946.
THE BUILDING SERVED AS A TIRE RETREAD BUSINESS SHOP UNTIL THE EARLY 1960S BUSINESSES SERVICING AUTOMOBILE, UM, TRANSMISSIONS.
WE'RE LOCATED HERE IN THE MID 1970S AND THE BUILDING WAS CONVERTED TO NIGHTCLUB USE AND THE LATE 1980S, WELL CAN, HARRY'S EXPANDED TO ENTER THE SPACE FORMERLY KNOWN AS TWO A NINE WEST FOURTH STREET WHEN IT OPENED AT THIS LOCATION IN 1990, GAY BARS ARE BROADLY ACKNOWLEDGED AS A PLACE FOR GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION AND SAFE SPACE FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
WITH OVER 30 YEARS IN OPERATION OIL CAN HARRY'S IS AUSTIN'S OLDEST GAY BAR FOR MANY YEARS, THE BAR, UH, HOSTED FUNDRAISERS, UH, TO BENEFIT A NON-PROFIT PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THOSE WITH HIV AND AIDS.
THE BAR WAS NAMED BY OUT MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S 50 BEST GAY BARS IN 2008.
UH, THIS BUILDING RETAINS A RELATIVELY A HIGHER DEGREE OF INTEGRITY, UH, THAN THE, THE TWO WE'VE SEEN PREVIOUSLY.
IT'S A PARTICULARLY INTACT EXAMPLE OF A UTILITARIAN WAREHOUSE WITH A MODEST MISSION REVIVAL, STYLISTIC INFLUENCES.
UH, THE HISTORIC USES OF THE BUILDING ARE TYPICAL WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO OIL CAN HARRY'S AND THE SENSE DENSE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, AUSTIN'S OLDEST CONTINUALLY OPERATED, UH, GAY BAR.
UM, IT'S REALLY FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF THE, UH, THE GAY ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS ALONG WEST FOURTH STREET.
UM, ARGUABLY IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE IMAGE AND CULTURAL IDENTITY OF A PARTICULAR GROUP AND TO THE CITY, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A PROPERTY MUST HAVE ITS BASIS AT LEAST 50 YEARS AGO, UNLESS THERE IS AN ARGUMENT FOR EXCEPTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA AND, UH, CRITERIA AND CONSIDERATION G UH, THEY FIT TO YOUR BENCHMARK FOR EVALUATIONS AND TENDED TO GIVE SUFFICIENT PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT IS HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE MORE RECENT SIGNIFICANCE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE RESEARCH OR OTHER ASSESSMENT OF A PROPERTY'S HISTORIC IMPORT, AS WELL AS COMPARISON WITH RELATED PROPERTIES TO IDENTIFY, WHICH WOULD BEST REPRESENT THOSE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
WELL, OIL CAN HARRY'S IS NOT 50 YEARS OF AGE IT'S STATUS AS A, AGAIN, AS THE OLDEST OPERATIONAL GAY BAR MAY MEET THE THRESHOLD TO DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
[3.D.5. DA-2022-040962 – 213 W. 4th St. – Discussion Council District 9 ]
TWO 13 WEST FOURTH STREET.THIS IS A ONE-STORY BRICK COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH A SYMMETRICAL FACADE
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SURMOUNTED BY A STEPPED PARAPET BRICK COLUMNS DIVIDE THE BUILDING INTO FIVE BAYS, FOUR OF THE COLUMNS APPEAR ORIGINAL WITH A NARROWER SECOND BAY FROM THE LEFT.AS THE BUILDING ENTRANCE, A SECONDARY ENTRANCE TO THE RIGHTMOST BAY APPEARS TO BE A MODIFICATION.
STOREFRONT WINDOWS AND DOOR DOOR OPENINGS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED INCLUDING TO RECESS PHASE TO CREATE OUTDOOR SEATING.
TRANSOM WINDOWS APPEAR TO BE ORIGINAL DECORATIVE BRICK WORK INCLUDES A SOLDIER COURSE ABOUT THE TRANSOM RAISED FREEZES AND CRUMBLING AT THE PARAPET.
THE BUILDING HAS A GLASS ENCLOSED ROOFTOP STRUCTURE.
THE PATENT I CAN BOND BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1928 AS THE SOUTHLAND RED BALL MOTOR MOTOR BUS COMPANY, OFFICES AND GARAGE PATENT TRANSFER COMPANY USE THIS BUILDING AS A GARAGE IN THE EARLY 1930S.
AND BY THE MID 1930S, IT WAS A BUS GARAGE AGAIN FOR THE BOAT OR MO MO EXCUSE ME, BUT WHEN MOTOR COACHES AND KERRVILLE BUS COMPANY, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY USE THIS BUILDING AS OUR OPERATIONS DIVISION AND THE EARLY 1940S DILLS AND MANUFACTURER OF, UH, BLINDS AND WINDOW SHADES MOVED HERE FROM FOUR, FOUR COLORADO.
BY THE END OF 1944, HAROLD, I CAN BOMB WHO CRAFTED WINDOW DISPLAYS HAD THIS BUSINESS HERE FROM THE LATE 1940S THROUGH THE EARLY 1980S, HAROLD, I CAN BOMB DISPLAYS THE LARGEST DECORATIONS MANUFACTURING FIRM OF ITS KIND IN TEXAS WAS NO EXCUSE ME, KNOWN FOR ITS FLOCKED CHRISTMAS TREES.
THE BUILDING WAS CONVERTED TO COCKTAIL LOUNGE USES BEGINNING IN 1995 WITH THE OPENING OF KANSAS, A GAY BAR, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY HOUSED BOYS SELLERS, QUA AND SELLERS.
UM, THIS BUILDING HAS A MODERATE DEGREE OF INTEGRITY WITH THE MAIN CHANGES BEING THOSE CHANGES TO THE WINDOW AND DOOR OPENINGS.
IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A SMALL-SCALE COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH DECORATIVE BRICK WORK.
UM, BUT AS WITH THE EARLIER BUILDINGS, UH, IT'S THE USES THAT WERE THERE HISTORICALLY ARE TYPICAL OF THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
AND AGAIN, AN ASSOCIATION WITH THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND THEN OF ITSELF IS NOT ENOUGH TO QUALIFY A BUILDING INDIVIDUALLY FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL, UH, PROPOSAL FOR THIS PROJECT, IF WE COULD GET THE RENDERING UP SO THIS IS AN ELEVATION ALONG THE WEST FOURTH STREET.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MENTION THAT AROUND THE CORNER ON COLORADO STREET, THE PROPOSAL FOR THREE, 10 TO THREE 12 COLORADO IS SIMPLY TO DEMOLISH THOSE BUILDING FACADES.
UM, NO FACADE RECONSTRUCTION IS PLANNED FOR THE BUILDING TO A ONE TO TWO AND NINE WEST FOURTH, THREE 16 TO THREE 18 COLORADO.
THAT CORNER BUILDING, UH, THE PROPOSAL IS TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING RECONSTRUCTED THE PORTION OF THE FACADE HISTORICALLY ADDRESSES TWO A SEVEN AND TWO AND NINE WEST FOURTH STREET.
UH, THIS WILL BE ADJACENT TO RECONSTRUCTIVE FACADES AT TWO 11 AND TWO 13 WEST FOURTH.
AND ALL OF THESE CASES, THE CHARACTER OF THE BRICK WORK WILL BE ACCURATELY RECONSTRUCTED EXISTING BRICK WILL BE SALVAGED AND REUSED.
AND THE RECONSTRUCTION WITH PAINT REMOVED OR THE BRICKS TURNED TO REVEAL THE ON PAINTED SIDE, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING THE CORNER BUILDING THE, UM, PATTERN OF OPENINGS AND THE SECTION OF THE FACADE MAY HAVE BEEN MODIFIED PREVIOUSLY, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION WILL ESTABLISH A MORE REGULAR RHYTHM OF OPENINGS AT THE CORNER.
THERE WILL BE AN OPEN AIR PLAZA AND RECESS GLASS LOBBY, UH, OCCUPYING THE AREA THAT WAS HISTORICALLY ADDRESSED AS THREE 16 TO THREE 18 COLORADO AND 2 0 1 WEST FOURTH.
AND THEN THE OVERALL PROPOSAL, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS TO CONSTRUCT A HIGH RISE TOWER THAT WILL HAVE A GREATER THAN FIVE FOOT SETBACK FROM THE BUILDING FACADE, UH, BEHIND THE PARAPET.
THE GARAGE LEVELS WILL BE CLOUD IN A SIMPLE SCREEN AND A DARK BRONZE COLOR.
UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER DETAILS TO CALL ATTENTION TO IS FOR, UH, TWO 11 WEST FOURTH STREET, UH, THE STEEL WINDOW THAT IS, UM, STILL PRESENT.
SO THAT APPEARS TO BE ORIGINAL WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON ITS CONDITION FOR REUSE OR A REPLICA WINDOW TO MATCH WILL BE USED AT THAT LOCATION.
UH, THE OIL CAN, HARRY SIGNAGE WILL MOVE FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION, UH, TO THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR IN CONJUNCTION WITH RELOCATING THAT TENANT BACK INTO A SPACE WITHIN THE BUILDING.
AND THEN FOR TWO 13 WEST FOURTH, UH, THE TRANSOM WINDOWS, UM, WILL, WILL BE EITHER RETAINED OR REPLICATED AND STOREFRONT, WINDOWS AND DOORS THAT COMPLIMENTS THE HISTORIC CHARACTER.
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NON-ORIGINAL, UH, WINDOWS AND DOORS AND GENERAL A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH AND RECONSTRUCT A PORTION OF A BUILDING FACADE OR EVEN A FACADE IN ITS, UM, DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARDS THAT WOULD BE APPLIED AND TO REVIEW A PROPOSED WORK TO A HISTORIC LANDMARK.HOWEVER, THIS REPRESENTS A COMPROMISE SOLUTION THAT IS INTENDED TO MAINTAIN THE STREETSCAPE CHARACTER OF THIS BLOCK OF THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
UH, GREATER LIBERTIES ARE PROPOSED FOR THE BUILDING FACADE AT THE CORNER THEN FOR THE MORE INTACT FACADES AT TWO 11 TO TWO 13 WEST FOURTH STREET.
UM, SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS, UH, TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT AS PROPOSED, UM, AND TO REQUEST THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC MOTION LANGUAGE THAT, UM, I'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO COME BACK UP AND MENTIONED TO YOU ALL WHEN WE'RE TO THAT POINT WHEN WE'RE AT THAT POINT.
UM, SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE REST OF THE PUBLIC HEARING? I HAVE A QUESTION, UM, HAS THIS AREA BEEN SURVEYED OTHER THAN THIS KIND OF NEVER FINALIZED WAREHOUSE DISTRICT SURVEY? I NOTICED IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY THAT WAS DONE FOR THE OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BY HARDY HECK.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU KNEW WHY IT WAS CUT OFF JUST NORTH OF THIS.
YEAH, THAT WAS A SURVEY THAT THE OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION UNDERTOOK THEMSELVES.
UM, THEY DID RECEIVE A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANT.
UM, AND SO THE, THE CITY OF BOSTON DID SUPPORT THAT PROJECT JUST BY ENDORSING THEM TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT.
UM, BUT SO IT WAS, IT WAS THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT WERE SURVEYED.
UH, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE DOES INTEND TO DO A SURVEY OF DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT WAS DELAYED WITH, UM, A PAUSE ON SPENDING HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX DOLLARS FOR CITY PROJECTS, UM, WITH THE PANDEMIC.
SO THAT IS THE NEXT, UH, SURVEY PROJECT THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO UNDERTAKE, UH, NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, WHAT ABOUT FROM, OH, UH, SHOULD WE PAUSE THE VIRTUAL IS THE PRESENTATION, THE VIRTUAL COMMISSIONERS, MS. CASTILLO, AND MS. WRIGHT QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE INTERPRETATION OF COMMUNITY VALUE AND NOT MEETING THE CRITERIA AS PART OF A DISTRICT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IS OPEN TERRITORY FOR SETTING PRECEDENT.
SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UM, BUT JUST THE LANGUAGE OF THAT PARTICULAR CRITERIA, THE PROPERTY HAS A UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY, A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A PARTICULAR GROUP.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE SPECIFIC INTERPRETATION AND THAT UNIQUE LOCATION HAVING TO BE CONFINED TO THE PROPERTY OR AT THAT UNIQUE LOCATION CAN BE, UH, INCLUDE SURROUNDS.
IT'S USUALLY SOMETHING THAT IS OUTSTANDING ABOUT A PARTICULAR PROPERTY RATHER THAN, UM, A COLLECTION OF, OF BUILDINGS AS PART OF A DISTRICT.
AND ARE THERE ANY REFERENCES? I DON'T HAVE GREAT DEPTH ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER LISTING, UH, UNLIKE OTHERS ON THE DIAS WHO MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS, BUT IS THERE ANY CORRELATION TO THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS OR NATIONAL REGISTER LISTINGS THAT, THAT DETERMINED THAT THERE ACTUALLY ISN'T A NATIONAL REGISTER STANDING FOR COMMUNITY VALUE? UM, IT'S NOT ONE OF THE CRITERIA, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CRITERIA THAT NATIONAL REGISTER DOESN'T HAVE.
I WANT, UH, I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO EXPLAIN, UM, OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS.
THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION AND ANY SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS ON, UH, WITH THE APPLICANT MAY HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
PLEASE ORGANIZE YOURSELVES, MAKE YOURSELVES READY TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK.
UM, AND TRY NOT TO REPEAT WHAT A PREVIOUS SPEAKER HAS SAID.
UM, I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT'S DIFFICULT.
YOU MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TAKE EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK.
IF, UM, IF THEY'RE ON THE PHONE, UH, THEY MUST HAVE, UM, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, IN ADVANCE AND WE HAVE A LIST OF
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THOSE PEOPLE.IS THAT CORRECT? AMBER? AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE SPEAKERS IN THE MEETING, BUT, UM, AFTER THE APPLICANT AND THEIR SUPPORTERS SPEAK, THEN WE HAVE, UH, THE OPPOSITION SPEAK.
THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES JUST AS THE APPLICANT HAD.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS WILL HAVE A MINUTE TO ADD THEIR VOICE TO THE, UM, TO THE OPPOSITION.
AT THE END OF ALL THE SPEAKERS, THE APPLICANT HAS THE, UM, HAS THE RIGHT TO COME BACK AND OFFER A REBUTTAL TO, UM, TESTIMONY THAT IS HEARD HERE IN TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THERE IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OPPOSITION TO REBUT.
THAT IS OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS.
UM, WE EXPECT EVERYONE TO BE, UH, RESPECTFUL AND TO, UH, FOLLOW, UH, IN AN ORDERLY FASHION IN THE MEETING.
AND, UH, AGAIN, TRY TO ORGANIZE YOURSELVES.
I'M, I'M HOPING THAT YOU DO HAVE A MEAN SPEAKER TO GIVE YOUR, UH, THE MAIN POINTS OF, OF THE PRESENTATION AND SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS.
AGAIN, UH, KEEP YOUR, KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO, TO A MINIMAL WE'LL BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, AT THE END OF, OF ALL OF THE, UM, THE SPEAKERS, UH, WE WILL ASK IF THERE ARE ANY, AS THE COMMISSION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR LEAVE IT OPEN, UH, DEPENDING ON, UM, WHAT WE LEARNED DURING, DURING THE, UH, PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM, AND WE WILL TAKE A VOTE ON, ON THE PROCEEDINGS, ON THE, ON THE APPLICATION THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.
UM, AMBER, CAN YOU TELL US HOW ARE WE, UH, HOW ARE WE TAKING THE, THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE PHONE? SO HOW ARE WE COORDINATING THAT WITH THE SPEAKERS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE ORIGINALLY? UH, WE HAD 75 SPEAKERS REGISTERED BY PHONE, HOWEVER, UM, WE ONLY HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE ON THE LINE, SO THE LIST HAS GONE DOWN A BIT.
UM, SO WHAT WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE WHO ARE ON THE LINE, UH, ONE OF THOSE SPEAKERS, ONE OF THE SEVEN IS IN FAVOR.
WE WILL DO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST AND THEN SPEAKERS BY PHONES.
YES, THE SECOND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING.
SO IS THE APPLICANT HERE, PLEASE? COME DOWN? YEAH.
FIVE MINUTES STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M PRINCIPAL WITH SEB ARCHITECTS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT OUR VISION FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, MS. BERMAN HAS CERTAINLY PROVIDED SOME BACKGROUND ON I'M SORRY.
I DON'T HAVE THE, WHICH IS THE CLICKER.
UM, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING IN AUSTIN.
UM, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF DEFINING ITS SKYLINE WITH NORTH SHORE.
AND CURRENTLY WE'RE WORKING ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING FOR A PROJECT THIRD AND BRAZOS.
THAT VERY MUCH TOOK THE SAME APPROACH THAT WE ARE REQUESTING HERE TODAY FOR THE FOURTH AND COLORADO PROJECT THAT WE ARE BRINGING BACK THE OLD SLAUGHTER HOUSE, GROCERY, UM, WAREHOUSE AS PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT.
NEXT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HERE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECTS.
UH, IT'S BETWEEN, UH, COLORADO ALONG FOURTH.
UM, MS. BRAMLETT CERTAINLY SHARED THE PHOTOS OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS, AND WE USE THEM AS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR OUR DESIGN NEXT.
SO OUR CONVERSATIONS BEGAN WELL OVER A YEAR AGO WITH MR. SADOWSKY.
UM, FOR US, THESE BUILDINGS ARE THE GENESIS FOR THE DESIGN.
THEY'RE THE PART THAT'S GOING TO GIVE CHARACTER AND AUTHENTICITY AND REALLY SPARK A INTERESTING PROJECT FOR US.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, MS. BERBERINE ALSO SHARED IT WITH YOU.
UM, THIS IS OUR ANALYSIS OF HOW WE CAN BRING BACK THAT THE VIBRANCY AND THE TEXTURE OF THE ORIGINAL WAREHOUSE FACADES.
WE HAVE STUDIED CAREFULLY HOW WE CAN ALIGN THE OPENINGS, REOPEN ANY OF THE OPENINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, UH, BLOCKED OFF.
OUR INTENT IS TO BRING BACK THE EXACT, UH, TEXTURE AND PROFILES OF THE PARAPETS.
ALL THE COURSING WOULD BE, UH, THE SAME AS CURRENTLY EXIST AND THE BRICK WOULD BE CLEANED UP AND BROUGHT TO ITS NATURAL STATE.
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YOU KNOW, THESE ARE REPRESENTATIONS OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE THE BRICK TO BE.UM, IT'S NOT CLEAR, UH, WITH ALL THE LAYERS OF PAINT AT THIS POINT LAST, UM, THE PROJECT IS ANCHORED WITH THE CORNER AND IT'S FINE.
YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD, UM, BEING OPEN AND REALLY BEING PART OF THE VERNACULAR WITHIN AUSTIN, WHERE THE CORNER IS BOTH AN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE ACTIVITY SPACE WHERE IT CAN, IT'S IT FOSTERS COMMUNITY SITTING AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STREET.
AND WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT THE FACADES ALONG FORTH ARE PART OF THAT COMMUNITY BUILDING AND VERY MUCH IN KEEPING WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT EXISTS TODAY.
NEXT, JUST THE CORNER REPRESENTATION OF ANCHORING THE, THE APP, THE SOCIAL ASPECT, THE CORNER ASPECT.
THE PART THAT WE WE FEEL IS GOING TO DIFFERENTIATE THIS PROJECT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW WE ARE KEEPING THE MIDDLE FACADES, UM, ALONG, FORTH, CELEBRATING THEM AND ALLOWING THEM TO BE PART OF OUR DESIGN AND INSPIRATION NEXT.
AND JUST A QUICK PLAN OF THE PROJECT.
UH, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS RAIN ON THE LEFT, OH, OIL CAN HARRY'S, UH, THE OWNER SEEKS TO MOVE OVER IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO RAIN, AND THEN THE REMAINING FACADES AND, AND, UH, RETAIL AREA WOULD TAKE OVER THE REST OF THE SPACE AS HE GOES TOWARDS COLORADO.
AND THEN YOU'RE SEEING THE OPEN PLAZA AND THE LOBBY FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE AND ALONG THE ALLEY, IT'S ANTICIPATED TO HAVE AN OUTDOOR SMOKING LOUNGE PATIO SPACE.
THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO TURN OVER TO MICHELLE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? UM, QUICK QUESTION.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE INTENT TO IN RECREATING AND REBUILDING THOSE FACADES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM INTEGRATED INTO THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING IS THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE SEEING COMPLETE.
NORMALLY THE GENERAL INTENT IS THERE, AND I WOULD USE OUR THIRD AND BROWSERS PROJECT.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF WE HAVE THE INITIAL GENESIS.
IT IS BEING BUILT EXACTLY TO WHAT THAT IDEA WAS.
SO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS ARE NOT DONE, BUT THE INTENT IS TO HAVE THIS EXACTLY AS SHOWN, UM, AS AN ARCHITECT, DEALING WITH THESE TYPES OF ISSUES AND ALSO VERY WELL-VERSED AS A PRESERVATIONIST IN CLASS CLASSIC CLASSICISM AND CLASSICAL PROPORTIONS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT AS, AS NICE A GESTURE AS IT IS THAT YOU HAVE DONE A TRANSITION BAND, SO THAT WHAT HAPPENS ABOVE IS SCALED DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED ON THE STREET.
I TH I WOULD URGE YOU TO RE-EXAMINE WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT BAND INSTEAD OF BEING NEUTRAL RIGHT NOW, IT'S PROPORTIONALLY LARGER THAN THE BUILDINGS THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RECEDING AND SUPPORTING.
AND SO, AS A RESULT, IT ACTUALLY IS STARTING TO OVERSCALE THESE BUILDINGS WHERE THAT BAND TO HAVE MORE RHYTHM TO IT, RELATING TO THE BUILDINGS BELOW, OR WERE THE PROPORTION WHERE THAT STARTS TO SOMEHOW, UH, BE EITHER BROUGHT DOWN OR HAVE ANOTHER HORIZONTAL DATUM POINT.
I THINK YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR, I WOULD BE ABLE TO STAIR-STEP UP TO THE PROPORTIONS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE RIGHT NOW.
YOU STILL HAVE THIS HOVERING MASS AND I'VE CRITICIZED OTHERS THE YEARS, NOT THE FIRST ONE TO GET THIS, BUT IT REALLY DOES FEEL TOO MUCH LIKE THE MONTY PYTHON FOOT HOVERING ABOVE THESE BUILDINGS.
AND AS LONG AS THEY ARE DWARFED, YOU'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL.
I LIKE THE INTENT, BUT I REALLY URGE YOU TO STOP AND REALLY RE-EXAMINE EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT AT THE STREET LEVEL AROUND THOSE, SINCE YOU'RE SPENDING SO MUCH EFFORT IN TRYING TO PRESERVE THEM.
I HAD A QUESTION A SECOND AND THIRD LEVELS IS THAT PARKING IT IS.
AND HOW MUCH STUDY WENT INTO, UH, I KNOW YOU MOVED BACK FROM ABOUT TWO FEET RECESS TO MORE THAN FIVE FEET.
SO IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE PLANNING FOR THE PROJECT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND MORE EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE GARAGE.
ORIGINALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH FATTER PENCILS NOW WE'RE REALLY GETTING MORE TECHNICAL AND, AND ANALYZING WHAT SPACE WE CAN REALLY CAPTURE.
AND SO LUCKILY WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE THE GARAGE BACK AND ALLOW THE FACADES TO REALLY STAND PROUD OF, OF, OF THAT INTENDED GARAGE ABOVE.
AND I ASSUME 15 FEET WOULD BE TECHNICALLY IN FEASIBLE.
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE RAMPING UP.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM A COMMISSIONER'S CASTILLO OR RIGHT.
UH, WITH, UM, THANK YOU WITH THE NEXT SPEAKER
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IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.MICHELLE ENDS WITH METCALF WOLF STREET AND WILLIAMS. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK VERY QUICKLY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION CRITERIA NEXT, UH, D FORAY IN YOUR PACKET AS NOTED DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA NEXT DEFOUR B AS IN YOUR PACKET DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA NEXT.
UM, D FORESEE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT DOES HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, WHICH WE ARE INTENDING TO, UH, PRESERVE.
UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY VALUE, ALTHOUGH THAT CURRENT TENANT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REMAIN NEXT D FIVE DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA.
WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT SIGNIFICANCE THAT WE HEARD TONIGHT, UM, TWO 11 WEST FOURTH WIZ IS THE ORIGINAL AND LONGEST RUNNING LGBTQ BAR IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
BUT THEIR LEASE IS EXPIRING IN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OR LESS PROPERTY TAXES AND RENT ARE SKYROCKETING, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY MUCH LONGER.
OUR PROPOSAL IS TO SUBSIDIZE THEIR RENT RATE BY 25 YEARS AND ALLOW THEM TO TRANSFER BUSINESS OWNERSHIP IF NEEDED, BUT TO BALANCE THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORY AND IMPORTANT BUSINESS DEMANDS.
NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT WITH THE FACADE RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH WE'RE TAKING VERY SERIOUSLY AS CLARA NOTED ON OUR THIRD AND BRASSES PROJECT.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE EXPERTISE IN HOUSE.
UM, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO DO THIS COMMITMENT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT MAKES PEOPLE MORE COMFORTABLE TO BE AT A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT CONDITIONS OF ANY MANNER.
UH, WE ARE AN OPEN BOOK FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, BUT WE MEAN WHAT WE SAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE SAY.
I ANSWER THE QUESTION MS. LYNCH, UM, YOU SAVED THAT, UH, THE BUSINESS OIL CAN HERE IS, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE, UH, THE, THE HIGHER RENT.
IS THAT YOUR OWN ANALYSIS OR IS THAT IN DISCUSSION WITH THE OWNERS OF THE BUSINESS THAT IS IN DISCUSSION WITH THE OWNERS OF THE BUSINESS WHO YOU'LL HEAR FROM TONIGHT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH.
MS. LYNCH, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, PRESERVATION OF THE MATERIALS.
COULD YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO FROM THE TIME THOSE WERE REMOVED FROM THE SITE UNTIL THEY ARE REASSEMBLED AND REUSED, UH, ON THE NEW CONSTRUCTION? WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE, THE PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND? SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS ACTUALLY IN OUR THIRD AND BRAZZES PROJECT.
AND WE'LL BE MIRRORING THE SAME HERE, BUT TO A HIGHER DEGREE, UM, OUR OWNER MAY BE ABLE TO, I'M SORRY, THE BUSINESS OWNER OF A HANOVER TONIGHT MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
SO PERHAPS IF YOU WOULD ASK HIM THAT QUESTION, HE MIGHT BE A BETTER ABLE TO ARTICULATE THAT ANSWER.
ANY, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU, MS. LYNCH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL GERARD AND I AM A LANDOWNER ON THIS PROJECT AND ALSO REPRESENT THE NEIGHBORING LAND OWNER I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPERTY SINCE 2007.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN SINCE 1983 AT DOWNTOWN SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SINCE 1990, PRIMARILY THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AND A DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS SINCE THE LATE NINETIES, WHICH INCLUDES TWO, ALMOST 140 YEAR OLD BUILDINGS LOCATED AT 4 21 EAST SIXTH STREET AND FOUR 12 CONGRESS AVENUE.
THIS PR THE PROPERTY TAXING AUTHORITIES IDENTIFIED THIS PARTICULAR SITE AS A HIGH RISE TOWER SITE DATING BACK TO STARTING IN 2017 AND BEGAN RAISING THE TAXES ACCORDINGLY.
THIS PROPERTY TAX WAS 75,000 PER YEAR IN 2012, AND IS NOW $260,000 PER YEAR.
THESE MASSIVE INCOME INCREASES ENCUMBERED THE TENANTS AND WILL NOT STOP A SOLUTION WAS NEEDED.
SO THIS STARTED THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY INTO A RESIDENTIAL HIGH RISE.
WHEN I LEASED TO THE COCONUT CLUB IN 2019, I WAS CLEAR ABOUT THESE PLANS.
THEY UNDERSTOOD EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THEIR OBJECTIVE WAS TO OPEN UP AND HOPEFULLY HAVE HUGE CROWDS, BUT NEVER INTENDED TO BE THERE.
LONG-TERM IN FACT, THEY SORT SIGNED A SHORT-TERM LEASE THAT IS CURRENTLY MONTH TO MONTH AND FULLY.
I ALSO FULLY FUNDED THE OPENING OF NEON GROTTO DURING THE PANDEMIC AND REMAIN A PARTNER.
IT WAS ALSO MEANT TO BE A SHORT-TERM CLUB.
PLEASE WRAP UP IN ONE SENTENCE.
I FOUND A RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER IN HANOVER, AND WE WERE KEEPING THE OIL CAN HARRY'S IN THE PROJECT FOR DECADES TO COME.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR HUSTLE ON DOWN? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS DAVID OD WITH HANOVER.
WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS IN AUSTIN FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR 16.
UM, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TONIGHT TO BECOME AN EXAMPLE OF THE COMPASSIONATE AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT THAT I TRULY BELIEVE WILL POSITIVELY INFLUENCE HOW DEVELOPERS ARE APPROACHING DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE OF AUSTIN.
WE ARE SEEKING TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM COMMUNITY VALUE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT BY PRESERVING THE WAREHOUSE ARCHITECTURE AS ELIZABETH AND CLAIRE HAVE EXPLAINED, AND ALSO ENSURING THAT THE LGBTQ
[01:25:01]
PLUS CULTURE AND SAFE SPACE ALONG FOURTH STREET WILL REMAIN FOR DECADES TO COME.HOW DO WE DO THIS? WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR OVER A YEAR ON OUR PLAN THROUGH ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS EXISTING BUSINESSES AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION STAFF TO ADDRESS BOTH CULTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL CONCERNS WE HAVE NOW REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH OIL CAN HARRY'S OWNERSHIP THAT ALLOWS THEM TO NOT GO AWAY IN EIGHT YEARS AS THEIR CURRENT TERM DICTATES.
BUT TO THE CONTRARY, ALLOWS THEM TO STAY AND THRIVE FOR 25 PLUS YEARS UNDER A SUBSIDIZED RENT STRUCTURE.
THAT INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT TENANT ALLOWANCE THAT WAS FINISHED.
THAT INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT TENANT ALLOWANCE AT BELOW MARKET BASE RENT AND REMOVES THE HEAVY BURDEN OF PROPERTY TAXES AND INSURANCE FOR THE TERM OF THEIR LEASE, WHICH IS A, IS A BIG DEAL COMMISSIONERS WITH YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT, YOU WERE SUPPORTING THE SURVIVAL OF THE BELOVED OIL CAN HARRY'S FOURTH STREET, LGBTQ SAFE SPACE FOR DECADES TO COME.
AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WAREHOUSE FACADES AS DEMONSTRATED IN OUR DESIGN MATERIALS.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU HAD A QUESTION ASK ABOUT THIS? COULD YOU ELABORATE SOMEWHAT ON? SO AS, AS, UH, MICHELLE AND WITH CLAIRE MENTIONED, WE WERE, I'VE TAKEN A SIMILAR STRATEGY AT THIRD AND BRAZOS.
I WISH IT WAS A YEAR FURTHER IN INTO CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE I COULD ACTUALLY GO SHOW THAT TO YOU.
UM, IT IS GOING TO LOOK IDENTICAL TO THE RENDERINGS THAT WE SHOWED YOU ALL A YEAR AGO FOR THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE DOING THAT WITH A SPECIALTY W WE'VE GOT A MASON ON BOARD WITH THIS PROJECT.
UM, I SPOKE WITH HIM FOR AN HOUR THIS MORNING.
THEY'RE THE MASON THEMSELVES, NOT A DEMOLITION COMPANY ARE GOING TO GO OUT ASSEMBLE SCAFFOLDING, DECONSTRUCT THE, THE FACADE, REMOVING BRICK FROM THE, YOU KNOW, DOWNWARD, UH, PALLETIZING THE BRICK REMOVING IT OFFSITE TO THEIR FACILITY, TO BE ABLE TO, TO REMOVE THE PAINT AND, OR REVERSE THE, IF WE HAVE TO REVERSE THE BRICK, BECAUSE THE PAINT CAN'T COME OFF, WE'LL DO THAT.
BUT WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WITH WE CAN, UH, USE CHEMICALS TO GET THE, THE PAINT OFF, STORE IT ON PALLETS FOR 24 MONTHS RETURN THOSE PALLETS THAT HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED FOR THEIR SPECIFIC FACADE THAT'S BEING RECONSTRUCTED, UM, AND REASSEMBLE THEM IN PLACE IN A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MANNER THAT WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED WITH THE GUIDANCE OF AS BUILT ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS THAT WILL BE COMPLETED DOCUMENTING THE EXACT DETAILING OF THE EXISTING FACADES AS THEY ARE TODAY.
UM, AND, UM, AND, AND AS THEY WILL BE, UH, MODIFIED SLIGHTLY AS, AS WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE SLIGHT MODIFICATION TO THE RHYTHM, I BELIEVE OF THE, OF THE EASTERN MORE, THE MORE EASTERN FACADE THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NO, IT'S EXACTLY.
SO YOU HAVE THE PROFESSIONALS ALREADY, UH, IN ENGAGED IN, IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THIRD AND BRAD'S IS DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR.
THEY, IN A SECURE LOCATION, THEY'RE BEING LOOKED AFTER AND BROOKS ARE COMING BACK.
SAME BRICKS COMING BACK HERE, WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER WITH, WITH HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY DOCUMENTING IT A LITTLE BIT.
THE FACADE AT, AT, AT THIRD AND BROWSES WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE UTILITARIAN OF A, A FACADE WITHOUT AS MUCH OF DETAILING.
IT HAD ALSO BEEN EXTREMELY MODIFIED OVER TIME, THIS WITH THE DETAILED NATURE OF THE, OF THE PARAPETS, UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER DETAILING THAT ELIZABETH NOTED IN HER PRESENTATION, WE ARE GOING TO ACCURATELY DOCUMENT THOSE DETAILS SO THAT THEY CAN BE RECONSTRUCTED ACCURATELY.
AND ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER COOK.
I AM THE MANAGING MEMBER OF OIL CAN HARRY'S I COME BEFORE THIS BOARD TODAY, NOT TO SEEK A HISTORICAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THE BUILDING I LEASE, BUT TO DO THE OPPOSITE.
THE FACT IS DUE TO MULTIPLE FORCES OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL OIL CAN HARRY'S WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY ON FOURTH.
IF THE BUILDING IS DEEMED HISTORIC, THIS DESIGNATION WILL ACTUALLY TAKE AWAY THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL WE HAVE IN NEGOTIATING OUR LEARN LONG-TERM PRESENCE ON THE BLOG.
WE NEED THE LEVERAGE OF ALLOWING DENSITY ON OUR SITE TO GUARANTEE THAT OIL CANS CAN STAY AND KEEP FOURTH STREET ALIVE.
PLEASE DO NOT INADVERTENTLY THROUGH GOOD INTENTIONS.
BE THE REASON WHY OIL KANSAS FORCED TO CLOSE ITS STORES.
FOURTH STREET HAS BEEN AUSTIN SAFE SPACE FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY FOR MANY DECADES AND OIL CAN HARRY'S HAS BEEN THE CONSTANT PRESENCE, WHICH CONTINUES TO ENSURE THAT OUR BLOCK REMAINS RELEVANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE WANT THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICTS, LBTQ PRESENCE TO HAVE A FUTURE THAN OIL CAN HARRY'S MUST STAND FORTH.
ANY QUESTIONS? HOLD ON JUST A SEC.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? OKAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER SPEAKERS REGISTERED IN FAVOR.
WE HAVE A LANE BEGS, GUESS THEY LEFT.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE REGISTERED SPEAKER BY PHONES
[01:30:01]
AND FAVOR.MY NAME IS ERIC ROSS, AND I AM SPEAKING TO TAPER OF, UM, RECONSTRUCTING A FOURTH STREET.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST TO DESIGNATE FOUR STREET OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK, BECAUSE IT WOULD INTERRUPT LGBTQ PLUS, UM, HISTORY AND ULTIMATELY CLOSED DOWN OIL CAN HARRY'S, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AS YOU KNOW, OR THE OLDEST STUDY MOST IMPORTANT, UM, GAY NIGHTCLUBS, AWKWARD STREET, AND IT IS A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GATHER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MS MARILLAS? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? OKAY.
WOULD THE FIRST SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION THAT PERSON HAS FIVE MINUTES, PLEASE COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR PRESENTATION? I DON'T BELIEVE, UH, THERE'S A MAIN OPPOSING SPEAKER, SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN THE LIST THAT I GAVE.
UH, THE FIRST SPEAKER THAT I HAVE IS JORN SHMOE.
THIS IS PLEASE, PLEASE, UH, GIVE YOUR NAME AND PRONOUNCE IT.
LIKE, UM, MY NAME IS BJORN SHAY, AND I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR 20 YEARS.
ALTHOUGH THE VENUES MAY NOT MEET THE STRICT DEFINITION OF HISTORIC AND THE SENSE THAT THE CURRENT ESTABLISHMENT DIDN'T EXIST AT THE TURN OF CENTURY, NOR DID ANY, SEVERAL CIVIL WAR GENERALS DANCE AT RAIN.
IT IS JUST INGENUOUS TO JUDGE THESE PLACES ON THAT TIMESCALE OR BY THOSE STANDARDS.
HOMOSEXUALITY WAS ILLEGAL FOR MOST OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND MARRIAGE WASN'T EVEN LEGAL UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, THESE PLACES ARE CULTURALLY HISTORIC BECAUSE THAT MICROSCOPIC TIMEFRAME IS ALL THE HISTORY OF THESE GROUPS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO HAVE.
IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT A GAY COUPLE WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED WHILE TRAVERSING FROM THE DISTRICT IN QUESTION WHERE THEY WERE SAFE AND PROTECTED TO A DIFFERENT PART OF DOWNTOWN, THE CITY SHOWED A LOT OF LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
FOLLOWING THAT ATTACK, CUTTING THE SAFE ZONE IN HALF, WHICH SHOWED THAT IT WAS ALL TALK MEANT TO PLACATE A WORRY POPULACE.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THE IRONY OF A DEVELOPER FROM HOUSTON CONDUCTING THIS WORK WHEN HOUSTON HAS THE OLDEST AND BEST PRESERVED GAY DISTRICT IN THE STATE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON LONG AGO, ACKNOWLEDGED MANTRAS AND ITS GAYBORHOOD AS A CULTURAL ICON AND TREASURE AS MUCH ASPERSIONS AS WE CAST UPON OUR SWEATY AND SWAMPY COUSIN, WE'D BE WISE TO HEED THEIR EXAMPLE AND PROTECT OUR OWN TREASURE.
I IMPLORE YOU NOT TO JUDGE THIS BLOCK BY THE TYPE OF BRICKS IN THE FACADES, BUT FOR THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT LIES WITHIN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. SHAY, UM, WHEN YOU SAY IT WOULD DIVIDE THE, THE COMMUNITY, WOULD I SAY THAT? NO.
D DID YOU SAY THAT? UH, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I'M I MISUNDERSTOOD THEN? UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AMBER, COULD YOU GO AHEAD AND READ LIKE THE NEXT THREE NAMES SO THOSE PEOPLE CAN ORGANIZE THEMSELVES AND GET, YES.
UH, GARY BROWN, JOE DELEA DANIELLA SILVA.
WELL, WE'LL PICK THEM UP AFTER ALL OVER.
UM, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, LUXURY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN DISPLACING AUSTIN, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND NOW THE VIBRANT LGBTQ COMMUNITY AT LIGHTSPEED.
SO I MADE A PETITION TO BLOCK THE BILL.
THEN IT'S GARNERED OVER 4,300 SIGNATURES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.
UM, AND SO THERE'S AMPLE SUPPORT FOR THIS MOVEMENT BEYOND THESE WALLS.
UM, AUSTINITES ARE GETTING PRICED OUT OF THEIR LEASES AND HOMES AND FORCED TO LEAVE THE CITY.
NOW, THE EXACT SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, FORCING THEM POTENTIALLY TO CEASE OPERATIONS FOREVER.
THE CORPORATE LARGE-SCALE LUXURY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS WHO REALLY WINS IN THIS DEAL, NOT THE COMMUNITY, JUST THE FEW THAT NEED THEIR CASH PAYOUT, THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, THE RICH BUYING THE NEW PROPERTIES AND RENTING THEM OUT FOR EGREGIOUS PRICES AND EVEN BUILT THE BUILDING AND BAR OWNERS THEMSELVES.
WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY VIBRANCY THAT ALREADY EXISTS TODAY, OR AS THE COMMISSION TO SET THE PRECEDENT OF CULTURE OVER CASH, A PRECEDENT OF PROTECTING THE CULTURE AND VIBRANCY OF AUSTIN AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SAFE SPACES THAT HAVE TO EXIST BECAUSE OF SO FEW SPACES FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY.
WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT PROTECTING OUR OTHER LGBTQ PLUS SPACES FROM AN INEVITABLE ATTEMPTS OF DISPLACEMENT FROM REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE, EVEN IRON BEAR.
ANOTHER ONE ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS ANOTHER ONE ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S A COINCIDENCE? IT'S JUST THE START OF A DAUNTING DOMINO EFFECT.
UM, WE REALLY NEED TO PROTECT OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY NEED TO INVEST IN SMALL
[01:35:01]
BUSINESSES AND HELP THEM THRIVE.AND WE NEED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NOT MORE LUXURY CONDOMS THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO CONCEDE, TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH COMPANIES WHO INTENTIONALLY TAKE OVER SPACE AND THE TRUEST FORM OF CORPORATE GENTRIFICATION.
THANK YOU VERY FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME SPEAK TONIGHT.
HOUSTON HAS MONTROSE AND DALLAS HAS OAK LAWN.
AUSTIN IS UNIQUE AND THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE A GAYBORHOOD, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON WHY I'VE ALWAYS BRAGGED ON THE CITY THAT I LOVE AS A YOUNG GAY BACK IN THE EARLY TO MID 1980S, WHEN DINOSAURS ROAMED THE EARTH, I NEEDED TO FIND COMMUNITY BACK THEN THAT PLACE WAS FOURTH IN COLORADO IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG ANY OF YOU HAVE LIVED HERE, BUT DURING THE EIGHTIES, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AT NIGHT WAS DEAD EXCEPT FOR SIXTH STREET AND FOURTH AND COLORADO OTHER.
MOST NOTABLY THE CROSSING WAS LOCATED ON RED RIVER.
CHARLIE'S WAS ON LAVACA AND DIRTY SALAD IS, WAS AT 29TH STREET AND RIO GRANDE FOURTH AND COLORADO WAS THE CENTER OF GAY NIGHTLIFE, THE BOAT HOUSE, AND HALL'S PREDATE ALL KEN HARRY'S RAIN AND HIGHLAND.
THE SOUTH ESTABLISHMENTS CURRENTLY IN THE FOURTH AND COLORADO AREA, I ASK YOU TO THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT WIPING OUT MUCH OF THE LGBTQ TWO S PRESENCE AT THIS INTERSECTION ARE THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES HISTORICAL IN SOME WAY, SOMEONE WHO IS SMARTER THAN ME, I HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER, UH, SOMEONE WHO IS SMARTER THAN ME WITH MORE INFORMATION CAN ANSWER THAT.
BUT I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THIS AREA IS HISTORICAL BY ALLOWING THIS BUILDING TO TAKE OUT SO MUCH OF THE GAYNESS OF FOURTH AND COLORADO.
YOU REMOVING ROUGHLY 40 YEARS OF HISTORY IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
CLEARLY WHEN THE CITY PUT DOWN RAINBOW CROSSWALKS AT THIS INTERSECTION, A FABULOUS, COLORFUL, AND GLITTERY STAN NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS CAN STILL FIND COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THE POOL TO ADD TO THE TAX ROLLS IS VERY STRONG, BUT I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THIS PROJECT AND ASK THE DEVELOPER TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PUT THIS BUILDING.
UM, AS A GAY ARCHITECT, MYSELF, I'M TORN BETWEEN OPPOSING THE TOWER PROJECT AND A SUPPORT OF IT.
I SUPPORT THE NEW BUILDING OWNER GUARANTEEING ALL CANS TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE FOR 25 PLUS YEARS FOR US AND THE LGBT COMMUNITY.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T ALSO WANT TO SEE IT THREATENED TO GET KICKED OUT IN THE NEXT EIGHT PLUS YEARS WHEN ANOTHER BUILDING OWNER TAKES OVER, UM, AS AN ARCHITECT, I WANT TO COME UP WITH THE GREAT DESIGN SOLUTIONS THAT I SENT SOME IDEAS TO AMBER.
UM, BUT IS THERE A WAY MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WE CAN START ENGAGING MORE COMMUNITY IN THESE DISCUSSIONS? FOR EXAMPLE, QUELL IS DEVELOPING SPACE FOR ANOTHER LGBT CENTER SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY.
AND I KNOW THAT'S GOING THROUGH A COUNCIL AS WELL.
IS THERE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DISCUSS WHERE WE HAVE EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE, THE ARCHITECT, DEVELOPER THE COMMUNITY.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT PLACE MAYBE HERE? UM, UM, AT LEAST, AT LEAST IN PART, ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS DANIELLA SILVA.
SHE, THEY EGYPT PRONOUNS FOR THE PAST DECADE.
MY FRIENDS AND I HAVE FOUND SAFE SPACES AT FOURTH STREET.
WE KNEW THAT THESE PLACES WERE THE ONLY ONES WE COULD BE FULLY OURSELVES, REGARDLESS OF GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR ECONOMIC STATUS WITHOUT WORRY OF BEING HARASSED, BULLIED, OR EVEN WORSE.
BEING IN DANGER OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.
AS AUSTIN CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT CONTINUALLY FEEL DISPOSED OF IN THE NAME OF LUXURY CONDOS.
AUSTIN'S QUEER COMMUNITY HAS SO GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.
WHAT DRIVES SO MANY PEOPLE, CREATIVITY AND MONEY HERE.
WE DESERVE TO HAVE OUR HISTORY, WHICH DATES AS FAR BACK AS THE 18 HUNDREDS AND CULTURE, NOT ONLY PRESERVE, BUT UPLIFTED THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE THAT LGBTQ BUSINESSES AND PATRONS HAVE PLAYED IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND ECONOMY MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED OR DOWNPLAYED.
I HOPE THAT AUSTIN CONTINUES TO BE THE PLACE WHERE QUEER TEXANS MOVE TO REMEMBERING THEIR EARLY TWENTIES WHEN THEY COULD ESCAPE THEIR CLOSE MINDED TOWN OR FAMILY AND CELEBRATE LIFE AND PEACE BY COMING HERE, I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CHOOSE TO RECOGNIZE THE MOMENTOUS QUEER ROLE.
QUEER CULTURE HAS PLAYED IN THE EVOLUTION OF OUR INCREDIBLE CITY AND THAT YOU TAKE STEPS TO PRESERVE NOT ONLY THE FACADES, BUT THE CULTURE.
[01:40:01]
OKAY.NEXT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR HOFFMAN AND THEN AFTER OLIVER'S AS RED JACOBS, TITUS PARKS, LANE BAGS.
MY NAME IS OLIVER HOFFMAN AND I'M A BORN AND RAISED AUSTINITE, VERY CONCERNED WITH THE PRESERVATION OF GAY BARS ON FOURTH STREET, ADMITTED SUPREME COURT DECISIONS, SETTING A PRECEDENT, WHICH ENDANGERS GAY MARRIAGE IN A STATE GOVERNMENT THAT IS YANKEE AWARE LIKE RIGHT TO MEDICALLY TRANSITION.
AUSTIN WOULD LIKE TO POSITION ITSELF AS A SAFE HAVEN FOR TECHS AND QUEERS AWAY FROM THIS NEW WAVE OF ANTAGONISM.
I HOPE YOU ALL WOULD AGREE THAT IF AUSTIN IS TO BE A SAFE HAVEN, IT CANNOT DEMOLISH OUR QUEER SPACES.
THE QUEER COMMUNITY NEEDS AS MANY SAFE SPACES AS POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW, MORE THAN EVER.
WHAT WE DON'T NEED IN AUSTIN OR ANYWHERE IS MORE LUXURY HOUSING THAT OUR COMMUNITY CANNOT AFFORD.
I CANNOT JUSTIFY AS AN AUSTINITE MAKING INEFFECTIVE CONCESSIONS TO COMPASSIONATE DEVELOPERS AND WATCHING MY CITY CONTINUE TO SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL DUE TO GENTRIFICATION.
AS FOR JACOBS HI, MY NAME IS EZRA JACOBS.
I MOVED TO AUSTIN THREE YEARS AGO AFTER MY PARENTS COMPLETELY STOPPED SUPPORTING ME SHORTLY AFTER COMING OUT, IT WAS SQUARESPACE'S LIGHT THE WEST FOURTH STREET CLUBS THAT HELPED ME CONNECT WITH MY QUEER SIBLINGS.
THEY HELPED ME LEARN TO EMBRACE AND ACCEPT MY QUEERNESS.
I MIGHT BE A SYRIAN JEW, BUT MY HERITAGE IS QUEER.
MY ANCESTORS FOUGHT AT STONEWALL.
THEY LIVED IN THE GREENWICH VILLAGE AND THEY HAD TO FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO EXIST.
RUPAUL CHARLES ONCE SAID AWKWARD CHURCH IS THE LOCAL GAY BAR TO DEMOLISH WEST FOURTH STREET.
SO OUR HERITAGE TO EMBRACE IT IN SACRED QUEER SPACES, QUEER CHURCHES, QUEER HOMES, AUSTIN ISN'T WEIRD ANYMORE.
IT HAS BECOMING A CAPITALIST WASTELAND AND IT'S TIME TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR QUEER COMMUNITY.
HI, THANK YOU FOR THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME, MY NAME IS TITUS PARKS.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS, WHICH MAKES ME BASICALLY GANDALF AT THIS POINT.
I'M FIRED UP AT THE CISM THAT I'VE SEEN TONIGHT FROM BUILDERS AND THEIR REASONS FOR HAVING HOW THEY'RE GOING TO SAVE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
PRIOR TO LIVING HERE, I WORKED FOR THE MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE, AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT PRESERVING BUILDINGS.
LET ME TELL YOU, FACADES ARE NOT BUILDINGS.
AND IF YOU SPENT TIME LIKE I HAVE DURING MY TWENTIES, THANK YOU.
IF YOU'VE SPENT TIME, LIKE I HAVE DURING MY TWENTIES HERE, YOU'VE BEEN IN ALL THESE BUILDINGS.
YOU WERE IN DICK CLARK'S OFFICE, YOU WERE IN THE AVANT SALON.
YOU'RE IN ALL THESE SPACES IN THE INSIDE AND OUT, YOU WERE IN THE ALLEYS.
THESE BUILDINGS ARE NOT FACADES.
AND THIS IS SO CYNICAL TO LISTEN TO THESE DEVELOPERS.
SAY THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE SIXTH STREET FROM THE FIREFIGHTS IS TO TEAR DOWN THESE BUILDINGS AND BUILD THESE SUPER HIGH BUILDINGS THAT HAVE MIXED USES.
IT'S CRAZY TO ME, YOU KNOW, IT'S CYNICAL.
YOU KNOW, THESE BUILDINGS ARE ABOUT THE INSIDES AS WELL ABOUT THE ROCK WALLS AND THE INSIGHTS AND THE WHAT DOES FOR PEOPLE.
THIS IS WHY GAYS LOVE THESE SPACES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS HISTORY AND WE'RE PART OF IT.
PLEASE DON'T ALLOW THESE PEOPLE TO TEAR DOWN THESE BUILDINGS BECAUSE THE TAX RATE IS TOO HIGH FOR OIL CANS.
I HONESTLY, AS A GAY MAN, AND I LOVE YOUR WORLD CANS, BUT I DON'T CARE IF OIL CANS IS GONE.
I DON'T CARE IF OIL CANS HAS GONE.
THE WAY TO SAVE OIL CANS IS TO GIVE THEM A REASONABLE RATE BY RECLASSIFYING THE AREAS HISTORIC SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY $260,000 A YEAR.
NOW I HAVE SEVERAL IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO BUILD SECOND STORIES ON HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT DON'T CONCUR WITH THIS.
IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME A QUESTION ABOUT IT.
ONE SIMPLE IDEA, ONE SIMPLE IDEA ABOUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN SAVING THESE BUILDINGS.
TIME IS UP AND I'LL OPEN IT TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR IDEAS ABOUT ADDING SECOND? I CAN'T AND BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE I'VE SAVED A LOT OF BUILDINGS IN AUSTIN.
I'VE BUILT SEVEN HOUSES ON 50 STRUCTURES, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THE EASIEST WAY TO BUILD THESE MEGALOPOLISES IS TO JUST TEAR A HISTORIC BUILDING DOWN IS TO GO IN WITH, WITH MACHINES AND TEAR THEM DOWN, KNOCK THEM DOWN.
THE WAY TO REHABILITATE AN OLD BUILDING IS TO FIND A WAY A MEANS OF ACCESS.
THAT YOU'RE A MEANS OF EGRESS, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REBUILD IN THE PERFECT CONDITION WHEN YOU'RE DONE AND SEND IN SMALL MACHINES THAT DIG SHALLOW PIERS THAT ALLOW FOR MAYBE TWO OR THREE STORIES WHILE PRESERVING THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE.
THEY KNOW IF YOU, IF YOU DEEM THIS HISTORIC, THAT VIEW, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN ADD SQUARE FOOTAGE.
[01:45:01]
THAT.SO THEY W THEY WANT TO BULLDOZE THEM AND TELL YOU THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE BRICKS AWAY AND CLEAN THEM UP AND REMOVE THE PAINT AS IF THAT IS THE BUILDING.
FOURTH STREET IS NOT ONLY THE LOCUS OF GAY CULTURE, BECAUSE GAYS ARE THERE.
IT'S THERE BECAUSE THE GAYS KNOW THESE BUILDINGS ARE WORTH SOMETHING IN THE CONDITION THEY'RE IN.
AND YES, THEY HAVE NEW COATS OF PAINT, BUT GOD BLESS US.
THANK GOD, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN KEEPING PEOPLE COMING FOR YEARS.
IF YOU TEAR DOWN THESE BUILDINGS, THE INCOME TO AUSTIN WILL BE SEVERELY DIMINISHED IN THE FUTURE.
ONCE EVERYTHING IS A BIG, SUPER BUILDING, NO BUILDINGS ARE SUPER.
PLEASE DEEM THIS ENTIRE BLOCK, A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
NOT BECAUSE I'M A GAY MAN SAYING THIS TO YOU, BUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IN YOUR HEARTS, THIS IS CYNICAL AND THIS IS NOT PRESERVATION.
THIS IS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE MAKING MONEY BECAUSE THEY CAN PUT UP FAKE FACADES THAT THEY SANDBLASTED DON'T BELIEVE IT.
THANK YOU, MS. BUYERS, WE HAVE A LANE BAGS.
YOU HAVE MY INVITATION, SIR, TO APPLY FOR A POSITION ON THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION OR, UH, MORE READILY NEEDED THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY POSITIONS OPEN RIGHT NOW.
UM, JUST TO ADD TO THE VOICES HERE WHO HAVE SEEN FOURTH STREET AS A SAFE SPACE FOR QUEER PEOPLE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, I KNEW MOVING HERE WHEN I WAS 18 FOR THIS, WHERE TO GO.
AND, UM, JUST BEYOND THAT, EVEN I WANT TO BRING UP MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF, UH, GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, CONTINUING TO ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO BRING IN MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCES WITH NO ROADS TO GET ANYWHERE.
IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS WE DON'T.
YEAH, WE DON'T, UH, YIELD TIME, BUT WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MS. SPEAKERS AND OPPOSITION BY PHONE, THE FIRST IS KATIE MATS.
KATIE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YEAH.
SO, UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS, AND I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THIS PROPOSED DEMOLITION AND THE RUINATION OF THE GAY DISTRICT IN AUSTIN.
I'M IN AUSTIN WHEN I WAS 18 FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, BECAUSE IT PROMISED TO BE A REPRIEVE FROM THE CONSERVATIVE WORLD I GREW UP IN.
THERE WAS NOT A STATEWIDE LAW, BANNING AND ANTI LGBT DISCRIMINATION IN TEXAS.
AND GENDER IDENTITY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE STATE HATE CRIME LAW, BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ITSELF DOES AS OF TODAY OFFER LEGAL PROTECTION.
AND THE CITY LOVES TO PRIDE ITSELF AS THE QUOTE BLUE OASIS AND A SEA OF RED.
BUT I LOOK AROUND AND ALL I SEE ARE NEW HIGH-RISES WITH FRIENDS, I CAN'T AFFORD AND PLANTING A NEW HIGH RISE SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CULTURAL DISTRICT MAY COLORFUL IN HOLD BY THE PEOPLE.
THIS PROJECT WILL FURTHER DISENFRANCHISE IS ANOTHER NAIL IN THE PROVERBIAL COST.
DON'T DEMOLISH THE HISTORY OR COMMUNITY ON FOURTH STREET.
WE NEED A SANCTIONED AND PROTECTED GAY DISTRICT AND OFTEN, AND I AM FOR YOU TO STAY THIS PROJECT AND PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF AUSTIN AS A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE WEIRD AND THE CLEAR.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
VANESSA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I FEEL LIKE HOWARD STERN.
UH, I THINK THAT THE FOURTH STREET DISTRICTS SHOULD BE PRESERVED MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, AND AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY K X A N ONE MONTH AGO.
THE CDC REPORTED THAT IN 20 21, 40 2% OF LGBTQ YOUTH CONSIDER SUICIDE.
THE TREVOR PROJECT IN 2021 SHOWS THAT MORE THAN 14,500 TEXAS YOUTH REACHED OUT FOR CRISIS CARE AND 94% OF LGBTQ YOUTH REPORTED THAT RECENT POLITICS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
THE REASON I SAY THIS IS MARCH 9TH, 2022 WAS DECLARED A SAFE CITY FOR TRANSGENDER FAMILIES, LGBTQ AND COMMUNITY.
AND I SAID, CIPRO, AS A MINIMUM, AS A MENTOR AND EDUCATOR WITH GIRLTALK AUSTIN, I HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT.
THEY FACES ON OUR LGBTQ YOUTH AND THEIR ABILITY TO THRIVE IN THOSE SPACES.
THE FOURTH STREET DISTRICT IS A SAFE SPACE AND ITS PRESERVATION IS IMPERATIVE TO THE LIVELIHOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THESE MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD, AND WE ALL KNOW THE TOLL OF ISOLATION THAT THE PANDEMIC TOOK ALONE.
AND BY ALLOWING OFF THE DEVELOPERS TO QUOTE RESTRUCTURE IN QUOTES, WE NOT ONLY JUST PLAY SOME SORT OF ISOLATE OUR LGBTQ CREATIVE COMMUNITY, BUT WE DESTROY ANY SEMBLANCE OF SAFETY FOR THEM.
WE HAVE BARRETT JASSO BARRETT.
[01:50:01]
IS LISA BLACKWELL.LISA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YES, I AM.
UM, MY NAME IS LISA BLACKWELL.
I'M AN, A LONG TIME AUSTINITE AND I'M SPEAKING AGAINST BEFORE AND D FIVE.
HIGH RISE DOES NOT ADD TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN AUSTIN, BUT IT WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY ALTER ITS CULTURE OFFERINGS.
I'LL GIVE YOU T COMMUNITY AND ITS BARS HAVE SIGNIFICANT, HAS HISTORICALLY SERVED AS A LARGE PART OF THE COLOR OF OUR COMMUNITY AND A DRAW THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN MAKING IT A VIBRANT AND SAFE SPACE.
AND EVEN ONE THAT DRAWS DEVELOPERS SUCH AS THESE WHILE I APPRECIATE THE OFFER TO REDUCE OIL CANS, RENT A SINGLE BAR WILL NOT PRESERVE THE HISTORY OR CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
BRICKS DO NOT PRESERVE THE CULTURE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY.
ONLY THE PEOPLE INSIDE THESE AREAS IN THESE SPACES.
AND THEN WE HAVE LINDSEY HERMITS, LINDSEY.
WE STILL HAVE THREE PEOPLE ON THE LINE, UH, BUT THEY MIGHT BE FOR OTHER CASES INSTEAD OF, UM, GOING DOWN THE LIST OF 75 PEOPLE, UM, WERE ANY OF THE PEOPLE ON JOINING US BY PHONE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR THE SCIENCE D FOUR AND D FIVE? YOUR EMAIL IS PART OF OUR BACKGROUND NOISE.
UM, THEN THAT'S IT FOR PHONES BECAUSE ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION FOR THIS CASE, THEN THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO REBUT.
COME ON, STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE.
UH, MARK JACKSON, UH, BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
I AM ACTUALLY HERE FOR THE FAIR MARKET PART OF THIS TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I DO THOUGHT, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SAY, I DO THINK IT'S JUST KIND OF DISINGENUOUS TO SAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF THIS BLOCK.
UM, I, I JUST DON'T THINK EVERYONE KNOWS WE'VE ALL BEEN ON THAT BLOCK.
IF YOU'VE TAKEN A TOUR IN AUSTIN, IT IS A PART OF THE HISTORY IN AUSTIN.
I'VE BEEN ON SEVERAL TOURS IN AUSTIN.
IT USED TO BE THE RED LAKE DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S MORE THAN JUST KIND OF THE LTB G I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE LISTENING AS TO NOT REMEMBER THE ACRONYMS, BUT IF YOU THINK AFTER TEARING IT DOWN AND REBUILDING IT, THAT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE THE SAME BLOCK AS IT IS TODAY.
I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ONE BAR.
SO I THINK ISN'T GONNA MAINTAIN WHAT IT IS.
UM, AND THAT'S KINDA ALL I WANTED TO HAVE TO SAY.
NOW THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO REBUT.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, BUT I AM NOT SPEAKING IN MY OFFICIAL CAPACITY TODAY.
ORIGINALLY I HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
UM, WE ARE STILL TAKING, THIS IS SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, IS THAT, IS THAT, BUT MORE, I'M CONCERNED WITH THE OVERALL PATTERN THAT I'M SEEING HERE.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION YOU HAD FOR THE FIRST SPEAKER AND THAT'S WILL THIS DIVIDE THE GAY COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE THREE PROPERTIES ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, ALONE THAT ARE GAY BARS OR WERE FORMER GAY BARS.
THERE'S THE 2 0 9 AND TWO 13 WEST FIFTH STREET.
THERE'S THE 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH, WHICH IS THE IRON BEAR.
THE OTHER ONE I THINK, WAS RUSTY'S OR SOMETHING BEFORE THAT THREE DIFFERENT GAY BARS THAT WOULD BE GONE JUST LIKE THAT.
SO YOU ASK, WOULD THIS DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY? I WOULD SAY, YEAH, THE SMALLER, THE PLACES, THE SMALLER THE PLACES ARE THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO THE LESS PLACES WE HAVE TO BE SAFE.
IT'S DISPROPORTIONATELY UNFAIR TO A MINORITY THAT ALREADY HAS SUCH A HARD TIME IN TEXAS AS THE ONLY OPENLY OUT AND PROUD TRANSGENDER WOMAN ON A LAND USE SPORT IN TEXAS.
SO MAYBE ASK THE DEVELOPER IF THEY'D WILLING TO GO BIG OR TO GO BACK AND DISCUSS WHAT THE OWNERS OF THE OTHER TWO BARS THAT WOULDN'T GET THE FAIR SHAKE LIKE OCH DID SEE IF MAYBE THEY'D BE WILLING TO USE SOME OF THAT RETAIL SPACE WITH THEM.
THAT'S SOMETHING I'D CONSIDER, BUT YOU GUYS, WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS POSITION FOR THE,
[01:55:01]
FOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HADN'T SIGNED UP, BUT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE ORGANIZE YOURSELVES, GET TO THE END OF YOUR ROW AND, AND COME DOWN SO THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, SPENDING THAT TIME KIND OF MAKING UP OUR MIND.OKAY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, HEY, THERE, I'M RYAN MEYER.
UH, I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN ABOUT 10 YEARS.
UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO, UH, KIND OF, UH, POINT OUT THAT, THAT IDEA, LIKE, UM, JUST SOME OF THE NUMBERS, LIKE THERE ARE SEVERAL LOCATIONS HERE THAT ARE GAY, SAFE SPACES, UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY WILL, UH, BE REDUCING THAT THE AMOUNT OF SPACE BY PROBABLY AT LEAST 60% THAT WOULD BE FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, UM, SINCE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY EMPHASIZING THE PRESERVATION OF THESE SPACES, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST A MASSIVE REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF SAFE SPACES.
AND SO I KIND OF, UH, ECHO WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID, WHICH WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, I WISH WE COULD DO MORE TO, UH, INCORPORATE OTHER, UH, LGBT BARS AND LOCATIONS INTO THE PROJECT IF IT MUST MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, UH, WHAT I SAW ON THE WEBSITE WAS LIKE THE, THE CORNER SPACE WILL BE FOR A CHEF INSPIRED KITCHEN OR RESTAURANT, I THINK WAS THE QUOTE.
UM, YOU KNOW, W I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HAS TO BE A, A CHEF INSPIRED RESTAURANT, WHY IT CAN'T BE, YOU KNOW, ALSO LGBTQ BARS, CLUBS SPACES.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CORNER SPACE.
THAT IS COCONUT CLUB AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS NOT JUST FOR LGBTQ FOLKS, BUT ALSO LGBTQ FOLKS OF COLOR.
UM, KNOWING THAT SO MANY OF THE QUEER SPACES ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT SO MANY OF THEM OFTEN, AREN'T ALSO INCLUSIVE SPACES FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND SO THE REALLY UNIQUE AND, UH, IMPORTANT SPACE THAT COCONUT CLUB OCCUPIES BRINGS A COMMUNITY VALUE THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE DEFINED BY LAW.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOOKING TO NATIONAL PRECEDENTS, I THINK AUSTIN HAS THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SET THE PRECEDENT FOR THE REST OF THE NATION.
UH, MY NAME IS TESSA ORTEGA, AND I AM A QUEER NON-BINARY PERSON.
WHO'S LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT CLOSE TO 10 YEARS NOW.
UM, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT POINT AND THAT, UM, AUSTIN, WE SEE WITH THIS INCREASED DEVELOPMENT IS, IS CONTINUALLY PUSHING OUT IT'S, UH, LIKE DIVERSE POPULATION, PUSHING OUT PEOPLE OF COLOR WITH THE INCREASING HIGH RISE, LUXURY DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO THE SPACES FOR THAT COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR AND THE, THE CROSSOVER BETWEEN PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE QUEER COMMUNITY IS EVEN MORE VITALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND SO TAKING OUT LIMITING US TO JUST A COUPLE OF GAY BARS AND KEEPING THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD, FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PRESERVING THE COMMUNITY WHEN REALLY THEY'RE JUST CONTINUING TO PUSH PEOPLE OUT.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY BY LIKE TAKING HALF OF THE GAY BARS AWAY AND THE ONES THAT PARTICULAR THAT ARE SAFE SPACES FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, UM, AND THE, AGAIN, THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THAT THOSE OVERLAP.
AND SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO IMPLORE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT THE FLAGS AND SYMBOLS.
I AM A LONG-TIME RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, PRETTY MUCH BORN AND RAISED.
UM, I COULD TELL YOU THE BACKSTORY ABOUT HOW I GREW UP IN A RURAL TOWN IN AUSTIN WAS MY SAFE HAVEN AND ALL OF THESE PLACES WERE SAFE AND, UM, A PLACE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT I NEVER GREW UP WITH, BUT I THINK OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SPOKEN BETTER TO THAT.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO BRING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH MY MIND SINCE THE MEETING HAS STARTED, UM, JUST TO KIND OF GET IT OUT THERE.
AND ONE OF THEM IS LIKE A, A MIXED USE SPACE BEHIND A BUNCH OF GAY BARS CREATES, UM, MIXED USE COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN WE GO TO FOURTH STREET, WE'RE THERE TO FEEL SAFE AMONGST PEOPLE LIKE US.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS DOWN TO BRING IN PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PATHS, DIFFERENT ORIENTATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT TO GIVE IT A KIND OF MIXED USE, ANYONE CAN LIVE THEIR VERVE, UM, FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSMEN THAT CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE.
LIKE SOME OF THE MORE UPPER ECHELON IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT REALLY THE SPACE THAT WE'RE DRAWN TO.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO DISPLACE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHERE WE GO TO BE SAFE, AND THAT'S NOT WHERE WE FEEL AT HOME.
AND LASTLY, I WILL SAY TOO, A LOT OF WOMEN GO THERE.
[02:00:01]
WOMEN OF ALL TYPES OF ORIENTATIONS OR IDENTITIES, GO THERE TO FEEL SAFE AMONGST PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE LESS SUSPICIOUS OF.AND THAT CAN ALSO KIND OF DETER THOSE PEOPLE THAT FIND SAFE HAVEN THERE THAT MAYBE DON'T BELONG TO THE LGBTQ PLUS ORIENTATION, BUT JUST KNOW THAT IT'S A SAFE PLACE AROUND PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN FOR THE MOST PART TRUST COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES THEY MIGHT NORMALLY HAUNTS.
I KNOW THERE'S NO OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION, THEN MICHELLE LYNCH, YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO REBUT.
I, UM, I HAD INTENDED TO HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR REBUTTAL FROM THE THAT'S FINE.
I'LL TRY NOT TO USE ALL OF IT.
UM, WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
I THINK THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE AND WELL-STATED, THEY ARE FOCUSED A LOT ON CULTURE, AND I'D LIKE TO DIFFERENTIATE OUR PROJECT FROM OTHER PROJECTS ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT, AS WELL AS PROJECTS YOU'VE HAD IN THE PAST, BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT COMMUNITY VALUE.
THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED WITH DAY ONE WAS ON THE CULTURE.
WE WERE A PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, COLLABORATING WITH STAFF.
AUSTIN IS CHANGING, BUT IN THE WORDS OF THE REVERED STEVE SEDOWSKY ON THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY WORK TOGETHER.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RESPECT THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS BRING BACK AN ICONIC BUSINESS WITH THIS PROPOSAL, FULL PRESERVATION OF THESE BUILDINGS DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE CURRENT LGBTQ BUSINESSES WILL REMAIN THAT DO CREATE THAT SPECIAL COMMUNITY VALUE, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE THAT THE BUSINESSES SPACES WILL BE LEASED TO LGBTQ BUSINESSES AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE STARTED WITH KEEPING THE SAFE SPACE.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS TO REFER A BISH AND BRING BACK THE FACADES, AND WE'RE WILLING TO SUBMIT TO CONDITIONS TO SOLIDIFY THAT GUARANTEE DESIGNATION WOULD BE SENDING A WRONG MESSAGE TO THOSE GOOD DEVELOPERS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
EVERYBODY IN THIS TOWN HAS HAD A DEVELOPER BUILD THEIR HOUSE OR BUILD SOMETHING FOR THEM.
AND WE HAVE PROVEN AS A TEAM BEFORE THAT WE HAVE THE RELIABILITY RECORD AND WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING, AND WE INTEND TO DO IT HERE AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS MS. LYNCH, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE SPEAKERS HERE TONIGHT SEE THIS AS A COMMUNITY? YES MA'AM WE DO.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE STARTED WITH FROM DAY ONE.
WE WILL NO DOUBT DISCUSS THAT IN OUR DELIBERATIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HAVE YOU BROUGHT ANY SORT OF LEGAL, UH, CONFIRMATION OF ADHERENCE THAT WE COULD RELY ON IF WE WERE TO ACCEPT THIS DEAL, UM, THAT YOU WILL FOLLOW THROUGH FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS WITH YOUR OBLIGATIONS THAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED? ARE YOU SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY COMMISSIONER TO THE 25 YEAR COMMITMENT TO OIL CAN HARRY'S OR ARE YOU SPEAKING TO THE DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT AND THE 25 YEAR LEASE? OKAY.
UM, FOR THE 25 YEAR LEASE, UM, THAT IS A COMMITMENT THAT IS, I BELIEVE IN WRITING, UM, WITH HANOVER AND THE BUSINESS OWNER THAT IS A PRIVATE AGREEMENT.
UM, SO THAT IS, THAT IS, UH, LEGAL, UM, TO THE QUESTION OF COMMITMENT TONIGHT, I DID EXPLORE THAT BASED ON SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND YOURSELF, UH, RELATED TO THE 9 0 7 CONGRESS BUILDING.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT WAS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE IN A DISTRICT.
AND SO THAT COULD GO THROUGH A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT WAS LARGELY BASING IT ON, NOT JUST BRINGING IT BACK, BUT BRINGING IT BACK WITHIN A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME, BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAD TO DO SPECIFIC ITEMS TO BRING IT BACK.
I'M STILL OPEN TO THAT IF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS AS WELL AS THE COMMISSION, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PROJECT.
UM, I BELIEVE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE, IF YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT CONDITIONS ON, WE ARE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS A COURTESY REVIEW TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE STILL DOING WHAT WE SAID.
WE WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, UH, WERE AMENABLE TO AS WELL.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE? YOU WANT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR LEAVE IT OPEN FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION? I WOULD MOVE TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND ASK STAFF TO ADVISE ON ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL MOTIONS THAT ARE BEFORE US.
[02:05:01]
EXCUSE ME.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK UP HERE AND DISCUSS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND A POTENTIAL MOTION.
I WANTED TO START BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
UM, I EXPECT THERE TO BE A DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS ON THE DIOCESE.
WELL, UH, THE COMMISSION MUST EVALUATE THESE, UH, PROPOSALS BASED ON THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS OF THESE PROPERTIES RATHER THAN THEIR CURRENT USES AND CONSIDERATION OF THE RECONSTRUCTION THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
AND IN RECOGNITION THAT MOST OF THESE BUILDINGS DO NOT MEET THE VERY, VERY HIGH BAR OF INDIVIDUAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION, STAFF SUPPORTS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AS A COMPROMISED SOLUTION.
UH, IF THE COMMISSION WISHES TO MOVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, I SPOKE WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE BEST WAY TO CRAFT A MOTION TO DO SO.
UM, BEFORE I GET TO THAT, JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, WE DO NOT HAVE A DEMOLITION AND BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROJECT YET.
UH, THIS HAS COME TO US THROUGH A PATHWAY FOR AN EARLIER HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION REVIEW.
UM, THE DEVELOPER IS SEEKING, UH, AN ANSWER FROM THE COMMISSION BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE VERY CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE OF THE SITE PLAN PROCESS THAT'S REQUIRED BEFORE COMMERCIAL PERMITTING IS POSSIBLE FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO WITH THAT MIND, UH, THE LAW DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATION IS A MOTION COULD BE ALONG THE LINES OF MOVE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE THESE CASES WITH DIRECTION THAT DEFOUR, AND
LET ME KIND OF SUMMARIZE, AND THEN I CAN READ IT AGAIN.
SO THIS, THIS BASICALLY WOULD RATHER THAN NEEDING TO TAKE A VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THESE PROPERTIES QUALIFY FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION, WHICH IS USUALLY, UH, THE DIRECTION FOR THESE, UM, THIS WOULD, THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT WOULD IN ESSENCE KIND OF TABLE THAT CONSIDERATION.
AND IT WOULD DIRECT STAFF TO BRING THESE, THESE PROJECTS BACK TO YOU, IF AT ANY POINT THE DEVELOPER WE'RE TO, UM, PROPOSE A DIFFERENT PROJECT THAT ENTAILED SAY WHOLESALE DEMOLITION AND NO RECONSTRUCTION.
SO IT WOULD PROVIDE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN WE GET TO THE BUILDING PERMITTING STAGE.
UH, SINCE WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT CAN HAVE AN EARLY, UM, CONCEPT POINT HERE, UH, THIS WOULD DIRECT STAFF TO BRING IT BACK OF THE PROJECT OR TO CHANGE.
UM, IF A DIFFERENT OWNER WERE TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY AND PROPOSE A DIFFERENT PROJECT, UM, IT WOULD MEAN THE COMMISSION WOULDN'T BE ON RECORD, REALLY SEEING A DEMOLITION PERMIT, UM, WITHOUT ANY STRINGS ATTACHED.
SO THIS IS AN EFFORT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THIS IS ONLY FOR THE PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TONIGHT.
UM, AND IF THE PROJECT WERE TO CHANGE, IT WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
AT WHAT POINT DO WE TAKE UP THE CASE? IF WE POSTPONE IT INDEFINITELY, IT WOULD ONLY COME BACK.
IF THE PROJECT WERE TO CHANGE OTHERWISE AT THE STAFF LEVEL, WE WOULD, UH, ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED ILLUSTRATIVELY APPROVE IT.
AND PROVIDED THAT THE SITE PLAN AND THE, THE ACCOMPANYING BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION SHOWED THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FACADES, CHEER MYERS.
AND AT LEAST LET ME RESPOND TO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
AND LET ME APPLAUD THE LAW DEPARTMENT FOR BEING A LOT MORE INVENTIVE, MAYBE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE.
WE, UH, AT LEAST GET SOME TYPES OF RESPONSES THAT I THINK WILL PUT US IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION THAN WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE'D HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND THEN JUST HOPE THAT SOMEBODY'S WORD IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR, UM, FOLLOWING THROUGH.
SO I APPRECIATE WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWING US TO DO, UM, TO HAVE THE GUARANTEES WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE, UH, EITHER SOME SORT OF OUTSIDE AGREEMENT OR SOME SORT OF OTHER TYPE OF, UH, UH, EASEMENT, UH, GRANTED.
AND I THINK ACTUALLY THAT WOULD BE A FAIRLY, I WOULD SAY, FAIRLY EFFECTIVE IN HOLDING THIS DEVELOPER TO THEIR COMMITMENTS, UH, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT IF THIS DEVELOPER BROKE THEIR COMMITMENTS, WHAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE GETTING IS AT THAT POINT, WE'D BE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
WE'D BE BACK WHERE WE ARE NOW, BUT AT LEAST THAT GIVES US SOMETHING.
AND, UH, IN THE PAST, AS I KNOW, THE DEVELOPER IS AWARE, UH, WE HAVE HAD COMMITMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN,
[02:10:01]
UH, PROMISED AND, YOU KNOW, YEARS LATER, OR EVEN NOT SOMETIMES MONTHS LATER, UH, WE FIND OUT TO OUR DETRIMENT THAT THEY, THEY WERE NEVER INTENDED TO, UH, FOLLOW THROUGH, UH, DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE, BUT AS YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, THINGS CAN CHANGE.SO I THINK ON THAT SCORE IT, IT DOES GIVE ME SOME COMFORT THAT WE HAVE A BETTER SCENARIO.
AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, BEING A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE IN THIS CASE THAN THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.
IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THIS, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
UM, COMMISSIONER COOK WAS THAT EMOTION FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION.
I WILL MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THE WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
NOW I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO MY MOTION.
I HAVE ABOUT SEVEN PAGES OF NOTES HERE AND DON'T HAVE THE WAIT, CAN WE PUT A TIME LIMIT ON YOUR EMOTIONAL, MENTAL OR PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT EFFECTIVELY I THINK EVERYONE WILL AGREE THAT IT'S COMPLICATED.
AND, UH, THIS IS A DEVELOPER, UH, WHO I THINK CAME FORWARD IN GOOD FAITH WITH A SOLUTION THAT THEY HAVE WORKED ON THAT HAS A LOT OF GOOD ASPECTS TO IT.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE A DONE DEAL HERE.
UH, THEY'RE DIPPING THEIR TOES IN THE WATER.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SAY IT'S FINE.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE, I BELIEVE.
UM, SUGGESTING, INITIATING BASED ON ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY, ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AS WAREHOUSES IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY VALUE FOR EACH OF THEIR INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATION WITH A, UH, HISTORIC AREA THAT WAS THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT, UH, AND HAS, UM, LGBTQ PRESENCE RECORDED BACK AS FAR AS 1875.
AND, UH, THEN BACK IN THE 1980S CONTINUOUSLY.
UH, SO ALTHOUGH IT IS UNORTHODOX, UH, I THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION, UH, AN EXCEPTIONAL SITUATION, UH, THAT DEFINITELY QUALIFIES AT LEAST TO THE DEGREE OF GETTING THESE CASES SENT UP FOR HIGHER DISCUSSIONS WERE MORE OPTIONS SUCH AS TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS COULD BE CONSIDERED, UH, A DEEPER LOOK AT THE TAXING STRUCTURE.
UH, THIS IS JUST TOO SPECIAL A PLACE.
AND IF IT WERE TO END HERE, UH, I DON'T THINK PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL WOULD FEEL THE PAIN THAT'S BEING EXPERIENCED HERE AND IS INEVITABLE IN THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT IN WEST SIXTH STREET IN FAR EAST SIXTH STREET IN SOUTH CONGRESS.
AND IN THE DRAG, AS WE CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH THAT WE'RE IN, THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIAL THINGS THAT MAKE AUSTIN SPECIAL PLACES THAT MAKE AUSTIN WHAT IT IS.
AND WITH THE BLANKET CBD ZONING WITH BLANKET TOWERS ACROSS ALL OF THE CENTRAL CITY, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT PUT INTO PRESERVING WHAT'S SPECIAL DOWNTOWN AND I, I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD, I WOULD ALSO ADD THE CRITERION FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION WITH THE OIL CAN HARRY'S 2, 2 11.
AND WITH THE INITIATION, I'D ASKED TO HAVE TO FURTHER LOOK INTO HAROLD EICHENBAUM AND HIS, UM, HISTORY OF THE PARAMOUNT THEATER, HIS BUSINESS, HIS ENGAGEMENTS WITH LBJ AND GOVERNORS AND HIS ASSISTANCE IN HELPING A MAN ESCAPE FROM DOCO.
WHEN WE, WHEN WE SAY THAT THERE IS A 50 YEAR CUTOFF, UM, WE'RE BASING THAT ON THE RECOMMENDED 50 YEAR IN POINT OF THE HISTORIC PERIOD, UH, RECOMMENDED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NATIONAL REGISTER PROPERTIES.
BUT I WOULD ADD THAT EXCEPTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, UM, MAY LESS THAN THAT 50 YEAR POINT, UH, CASE IN POINT DEALEY PLAZA AND NASA WERE LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER BEFORE THEY WERE 50 YEARS OLD.
AND JUST LAST WEEK, UM, WE LISTED, UH, A DOWNTOWN DISTRICT IN MARFA, TEXAS WHOSE SIGNIFICANCE, UH, EXTENDED TO 1994.
SO IT'S NOT A HARD AND FAST RULE, UM, THAT IT, THAT THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, UH, HAVE TO BE SET AT 1972.
AND IF, IF I COULD MAKE A FEW MORE, UM, COMMENTS, I JUST DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT, IF THIS WORD IS TO PROCEED TO A WRECK, GET APPROVED AND THEN PROCEED TO HER RECOMMENDATION.
THIS IS NOT BY ANY MEANS ENDING THIS PROPOSAL.
IT'S JUST ELEVATING THIS DISCUSSION TO HIGHER LEVEL WHERE THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS TO CONSIDER
[02:15:01]
AND OTHER LEVERS TO PULL.UM, AND I DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY THE FACT THAT IF ALL OF THESE BUILDINGS WERE READ TO BE PRESERVED, THAT THEY MAY ONE DAY BE A STARBUCKS AND A SEPHORA AND A PANERA BREAD, UM, THAT IS A REALITY WE COULD BE LOSING THE COMMUNITY.
UH, COMMUNITY IS A VERY DIFFERENT, DIFFICULT THING TO MAINTAIN.
UM, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT COMPLICATED.
AND I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD OF ALL LEVELS COMMISSIONERS, FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UM, I DON'T THINK I CAN BE NEARLY AS ELOQUENT AS COMMISSIONER COOK ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF ELOQUENT, THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ONE.
AND IT'S NOT, SO IT'S NOT BLACK OR WHITE.
WE KEEP HEARING THAT AUSTIN BUILDING OWNERS ARE STRUGGLING WITH HIGH PROPERTY TAXES AND AREAS THAT THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL HIGH-RISES AND AUSTINITES ARE LOSING THE PLACES AND THE CULTURE THAT THEY VALUE IN THEIR CITY.
AND THIS ONE IS A MAJOR LOSS FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
I THINK THERE'S ALSO A PROBLEM WITH HOW WE DO PRESERVATION IN THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, AN UNPUBLISHED SURVEY OF THIS WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
UM, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE CITY IS PLANNING ON DOING A SURVEY OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO GET ON TOP OF.
UM, I ALSO AGREE WITH STAFF'S ASSERTION THAT THE PROPOSAL IS NOT A PRESERVATION PROJECT OR REHABILITATION PROJECT THAT MEETS PRESERVATION STANDARDS.
UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST TEARING DOWN A FEW BUILDINGS, BUILDINGS, IT'S DESTROYING A LARGE PART OF A WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
AND ULTIMATELY IT JUST MAKES ME THINK ABOUT WHAT DO WE WANT AUSTIN TO LOOK LIKE? UM, I ALSO THINK GIVEN WHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND THE FACT THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE HISTORIC, THAT I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN CITY COUNCIL WEIGHING IN ON THIS AND NOT JUST THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION, I THINK SHARE THE WEALTH.
AND I, I HAD TWO MORE COMMENTS NOW THAT I CAN READ MY HANDWRITING AND MY NOTES, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER HEIM STAFF HAD, HAD MENTIONED AN ALL OR NONE SITUATION.
AND I ALSO DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A DEAL AND, UM, FUTURE DEALS COULD BE ALL OR NONE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE'S LESS NUANCE INVOLVED, BUT I TRUST THAT THE TEAM THAT PRESENTED THIS PROPOSAL THAT DOES, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORY HERE AND, AND COMES WITH A FAIRLY BALANCED APPROACH, WE'LL CONTINUE ON UP.
UH, AND JUST THAT THIS COULD RECEIVE ATTENTION AT OTHER LEVELS.
OTHER OPTIONS CAN BE CONSIDERED.
I THINK THIS, UH, IF ANYTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE, THIS IS PROBABLY THE RIGHT DEVELOPER TO DO IT JUST BASED ON, ON THE APPROACH WAS, WAS A VERY, UH, VERY SOLID ONE.
UM, I WOULD HAVE BEEN INCLINED TO ACCEPT IT.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT SHOULD HAPPEN HERE.
AND I WILL NOTE THAT ONLY TWO TIMES IN 48 YEARS NOW HAS CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTED A RECOMMENDATION FROM HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UH, TO ZONE HISTORICALLY A PROPERTY AGAINST THE OWNER'S WISHES.
SO I DON'T DOUBT THAT IF THE DEVELOPER CONTINUES THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE ON THIS PATH, I HOPE AND TRUST THAT A FEW MORE MONTHS OF WORK WON'T HAVE THEM TAKE AWAY THE OFFER, PUT ON THE TABLE HERE.
UM, AND IT BEING VETTED AND DISCUSSED AT HIGHER LEVELS, I THINK COULD REALLY REINFORCE THIS AS A POTENTIALLY A GOOD MODEL FOR FUTURE SUCH APPROACHES.
I JUST DON'T THINK IF IT ENDS HERE THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE THAT IMPACT.
UM, I THINK I MENTIONED AT A COMMITTEE MEETING THAT, UM, I READ AN ARTICLE OF RIGHT AFTER SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ABOUT HOW MANY AUSTIN MUSICIANS HAD MOVED TO BASTROP, UM, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN AUSTIN ANYMORE.
UM, MY PROPERTY TAXES, UH, MY, MY PROPERTY APPRAISAL CAME, UH, JUST LAST WEEK AND THEY VALUED MY PROPERTY AT OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT OF LAST YEAR'S VALUE.
AND I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE.
UM, THE THINGS THAT WE LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN, THE, THE PLACE THAT SAYS IT'S THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD WHEN MUSICIANS CAN'T CAT LIVE HERE, IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE BIG DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING IN, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BANKING ON AUSTIN STILL ATTRACTING, UH, THAT ATTENTION, BUT SORT OF KILLING THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG AND, UM, IN MANY CASES, UM, SO I WOULD SUPPORT YOUR, UH, MOTION
[02:20:03]
COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH LE LET ME OFFER A FRIENDLY, POTENTIALLY A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.UM, I HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERNED FOR A VERY LONG TIME THAT WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE TOOLS TO PRESERVE AND TO DO BASICALLY OUR JOB IN CONTINUING AUSTIN'S HERITAGE AND BEING ABLE TO PASS THESE, THESE BUILDINGS, THESE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, THESE THINGS WE LOVE ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND WE STILL HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THE LIMITED TOOLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
UH, THERE WAS A STUDY THAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE MADE YEARS AGO, THIS WHOLE AREA, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT'S THE ONE TOOL THAT WE DO HAVE WHEN IT'S APPLIED, ALLOWS US TO, TO SEE MORE BROADLY, NOT INDIVIDUAL SPECIMEN PROPERTIES FOR THEIR OWN MERITS, BUT LOOK AT WHOLE DISTRICTS AND HOW THEIR PRESENCE IN TANDEM AND TOGETHER ACTUALLY TELL THE BIGGER STORY.
I THINK IT'S, IT WAS, IT WAS DESCRIBED, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE IF YOU TEAR TOO MANY PAGES FROM THE BOOK, THIS IS, I THINK ONE OF OUR TRAVIS TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UH, UH, PETITIONER'S HAS, HAS USED THIS ANALOGY.
YOU TEAR TOO MANY, TWO PAGES FROM THE BOOK AND YOU DON'T HAVE A STORY ANYMORE.
AND, AND YET THAT DISTRICT NEVER CAME ABOUT THESE TOOLS ARE BEING, UH, MORE RESTRICTED AND HARDER TO APPLY, BUT THEY STILL EXIST.
UH, BUT SHORT OF THAT, THE ONLY TOOL THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CASE IS TO LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES FOR THEIR MERITS AS HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
WELL AT, SO IN THIS SITUATION, I'M, I'M LOOKING MORE AT THE ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY ISSUE.
AND I THINK WE MAKE A STRONGER CASE IF WE LIMIT THE, UH, DESIGNATION TO THE 2 0 4, UH, 2 0 9, UH, WEST FOURTH STREET, THE OIL CAN HARRY'S BUILDING AND THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO IT.
THE TWO 13 WEST FOURTH STREET, I BELIEVE THAT THE REMAINING STRUCTURES HAVE, UH, BEEN DEGRADED AND AS THE STAFF HAS POINTED OUT, BEAR A FAIRLY LOW LEVEL OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
AND I THINK TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THESE TWO TO STAY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ADVANCED THIS CONVERSATION PERHAPS IN A MUCH MORE STRONG, IN A STRONGER WAY, BUT WE ALSO ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT OUR TOOLS ARE LIMITED.
AND WE REALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE SOME OF THESE OTHER STRUCTURES, BUT THOSE ARE MISSING FOR A VERY DELIBERATE REASON.
WELL, THERE, THERE IS THE, IF THIS GOES UP, THE HIERARCHY CITY COUNCIL CAN DESIGNATE A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE'RE ASKING WITH A MOTION TONIGHT TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON PROPERTIES THAT WE BELIEVE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, INCLUDING THEIR CULTURAL ASSOCIATION, UH, RISE TO THAT MERIT.
I THINK WE MAKE A STRONGER CASE WITH THE TWO PROPERTIES THAT I BELIEVE ILLUSTRATE A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY.
AND TO THAT END, MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO LIMIT THE REQUEST TO THOSE TWO PROPERTIES.
WELL, THAT GOES TO COMMISSIONER COOK, WHO MADE THE MOTION AND COMMISSIONER LITTLE WHO SECONDED.
I AM WILLING TO CONSIDER THAT.
IT'S JUST, WHEN I LOOK AT THESE PROPERTIES, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FENESTRATION, YOU KNOW, WE RECENTLY SET UP 3 0 1 SAN JACINTO, UH, WHICH IS GOING TO BE TORN DOWN.
UH, BUT IT HAD COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WINDOWS GRANTED THAT TWO 11 AND TWO 13 RETAIN ORIGINAL WINDOWS, WHICH IS REMARKABLE FOR BUILDINGS THAT I'VE HAD THE KIND OF LIFE THAT THEY'VE HAD.
SO I DEFINITELY AGREE, AND THEY ALSO HAVE MUCH MORE ARTICULATED, UM, PARAPETS.
THEY EXCEL IN ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHITECTURAL MERIT, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTIES AND I LOOK AT THE HISTORIC PICTURES, OTHER THAN THE FENESTRATION AND INFILLS OR THE OPENINGS, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE PARAPETS, THE BRICK WORK, UH, ALL THE BRICK THAT WENT UP ORIGINALLY IS STILL THERE.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH THEY DO MAKE LO LESSER CANDIDATES, I STILL FEEL, FEEL THAT THEY MEET THE CRITERIA.
AND I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S JUSTIFICATION TO TAKE THEM OFF THE TABLE FOR ANY SORT OF BARTER WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING THIS AS A DISTRICT.
I, I, I FEEL LIKE I FEEL THEY MEET THE CRITERIA, ALTHOUGH NOT AS STRONGLY.
AND SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A DISTRICT,
[02:25:01]
UM, POTENTIAL DISTRICT THAT KIND OF WEIGHS INTO MY, INTO MY DECISION-MAKING THERE, UNLESS YOU CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE ON THE, ON THE ARCHITECTURAL MERIT, I MEAN, ARCHITECTURAL MERIT IS THAT THEY, THEY EMBODY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN DEFINED ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.AND I THINK THEY STILL DO WITH THEIR LARGE OPENINGS THAT WERE ONCE GARAGE BAYS WITH THEIR BRICK WORK, WHICH WHAT THEIR SIMPLE UTILITARIAN STRUCTURE, THEY'RE NOT OUTSTANDING, BUT I STILL THINK THEY MEET THE CRITERIA I HAVE TO BE.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION MAY BE, EXCUSE ME, IT MAY BE MOOT IF THE AMENDMENT IS NOT ACCEPTED, BUT, UM, SO THE, THE, UM, SPACE OCCUPIED BY OIL CAN HARRY'S IS THE BUILDING TWO 11, UH, WEST FOURTH STREET.
THEY ALSO SPILL OVER THOUGH INTO ONE BAY OF THAT, THAT LARGER BUILDING.
THEY EXTENDED THE ENTIRE WAY TO THE CORNER.
SO, UH, THAT WAS WHAT WAS, UM, WOULD HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN ADDRESSED AT 2 0 9 WEST SIX.
SO IT'S IT'S, IT WAS A SEPARATE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ORIGINALLY IT'S CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION REGARDING WHICH ADDRESSES YOU ARE.
IT WOULD HAVE, IT ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TWO 11 TO 13.
AND I, I, I DO, UH, YOU KNOW, I CONSIDERED THAT MOTION, UH, BUT AS I LISTENED TO TESTIMONY TONIGHT, AND AS I LOOKED AT THE BUILDINGS, I JUST COULDN'T JUSTIFY MAKING A DISTINCTION BASED ON THEIR MERITS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE ULTIMATELY HERE TO DO.
AGAIN, I'M OPEN TO DISCUSSION ABOUT DETAILS OF INTEGRITY.
UM, WELL, THE, THE STANDARD THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS USE ON IN HYDE PARK FOR RESIDENCES IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE ORIGINAL OWNER WALKING BY? NO, THIS WAS THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR PACE OF BUSINESS OR THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, UH, INSTITUTION.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THE PROPORTIONS, UH, OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE DETAILS ARE CHANGED, BUT ENOUGH OF THEM ARE INTACT THAT, UM, THE TWO 11 AND THE TWO 13, I THINK THEY, THEY RISE TO THAT STANDARD.
I THINK AS SOON AS YOU SORT OF MOVED DOWN THE BLOCK, UH, YOU HAVE, UH, TWO ARGUABLY ALSO LESSER BUILDINGS WHEN THEY STARTED.
BUT, UH, I THINK THAT FRANKLY, THEY'RE JUST IN, IN A LOT WORSE SHAPE IN THE SENSE THAT THEY REALLY DON'T, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BEFORE AND AFTER, IF YOU WILL, AT THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT LESS INTACT.
UH, I WAS ACTUALLY MOVED BY THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE SIMPLE BUILDINGS.
THERE'S NOT MUCH TO RECOGNIZE BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SIMPLE, I'LL, I'LL GRANT YOU THAT, BUT THE DETAIL THAT WAS LAID WHEN THEY WERE BUILT IS, IS STILL THERE.
AND THE OLDEST PICTURE, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD FOR 2 0 1 WAS FROM 1993, I BELIEVE.
AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE WINDOWS WERE EVEN ORIGINAL, YOU KNOW, EARLY, IF NOT ORIGINAL.
SO I, I, YOU KNOW, DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THE WINDOW PATTERNS ON THAT BUILDING AREN'T ORIGINAL, UM, YOU KNOW, ARGUMENT CAME UP, WE'RE INITIATING, WE'LL HEAR THIS AGAIN IN A MONTH IF THIS WERE TO PASS, UM, FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THOSE POINTS COULD BE DISCUSSED IN FINER DETAIL.
THEN I, I JUST, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO STRICTLY APPLY THE CRITERIA AND I LOOK AT THE CRITERIA 50 YEARS OLD INTEGRITY.
I JUST DON'T SEE OTHER THAN A FEW GARAGE DOORS THAT ARE NOW INFILL.
UH, I THINK WHAT WAS PUT UP IS STILL THERE.
I THINK THE OWNERS WOULD RECOGNIZE THEIR BUILDING MAY, WOULD BE REALLY BEMUSED BY THE COLORS, I THINK, UH, PROBABLY NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE REVERSED.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE ARCHITECTURAL ARCHITECTURAL INTACT, UH, CRITERIA OF ARCHITECTURE AND THEY DO EMBODY A, A KNOWN STYLE, UH, WAREHOUSE.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE, BUT THAT'S PART OF THE STYLE.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY VALUE IS, IS ALSO BEEN PARSED OUT IN AN UNUSUAL WAY, BUT I THINK EACH OF THESE AS SEEN BY THEIR USE NOW, UH, AND AS YOU KNOW, NOTED BY THE COCONUT CLUB THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FOCUS ON EQUITY WITH, UM, I'M NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THERE BECAUSE I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A NON HISTORIC ASSOCIATION.
SO I'M NOT EVEN GONNA GO THERE, BUT THESE BUILDINGS ARE ALL OCCUPIED BY A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.
AND, AND CHOOSING ALL CANS IS WISE BECAUSE IT WAS THE OLDEST BUSINESS, BUT THERE IS A VARIETY OF, OF BUSINESSES HERE.
AND THERE IS A VARIETY OF SPACES TO OCCUPY AND TO PUT THESE ON, ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK OR EVEN MARGINALLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, I DON'T SEE A JUSTIFICATION FOR IT OTHER THAN THEY DON'T MEET THE STANDARDS TO AS HIGH A DEGREE.
[02:30:01]
I HAD A QUESTION, I HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.DO WE NEED A SUPER MAJORITY? YOU NEED A SIMPLE MAJORITY AT INITIATION AND A SUPER MAJORITY AT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I HAVE A THOUGHT RELATIVE TO ROBERT'S RULES HERE RELATIVE TO COMMISSIONER HEIM, SASS AMENDMENT, UH, WE'RE NORMALLY PRETTY CASUAL ABOUT, UM, HOW WE DO AMENDMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, OFTEN AN AMENDMENT IS ACCEPTED BY THE MAKER AND SECONDARY.
WE MOVE ON TO VOTE ON THAT AS ONE VOTE.
TECHNICALLY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE MOTIONS IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY'RE INTRODUCED AND VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST, AND THEN ONCE THAT'S RESOLVED, BUT ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
UM, SO I, I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER COOK THAT, THAT YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN COMMISSIONER HEIM, SASS AMENDMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE, SO WHAT WE COULD DO TO MORE CLOSELY FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES WOULD BE TO SEE IF THERE IS A SECOND TO COMMISSIONER HEIM, SAS AMENDMENT, IF NOT, IT WOULD FAIL FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
IF THERE IS A SECOND, THERE WOULD BE A VOTE ON THAT FIRST AND THEN A VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
I APPRECIATE THEM THE CLARIFICATION FOR PROCEDURE AND FOLLOWING ROBERT'S RULES, BUT SO THERE'S MISUNDERSTANDING, I'LL WITHDRAW MY AMENDMENT, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THE, AT THE VERY LEAST, IF THIS MOTION DOES PASS, THEN WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY REQUESTING IS THAT STAFF DO ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO WEIGH THESE VERY FACTORS.
SO I THINK IN LIGHT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE JUST HAD ON THE DIOCESE, UH, I WILL WITHDRAW MY AMENDMENT.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER CASTILLO COMMISSIONER, RIGHT.
I DON'T MEAN TO NEGLECT YOU GUYS.
OKAY, TARA, AND MYRON'S, I'D LIKE TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY THAT I AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE MORE EXAMINATION OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, UM, A DEEPER LOOK AT THE TAX BENEFIT.
I ALSO SUPPORT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY PRESENT AS ABLE, BUT SIMPLY LIKE TO GO ON RECORD WITH THE COMMENTS.
UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESTATE BRIEFLY YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER? OH, GOODNESS.
I MOVE, UH, TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON D FOUR A, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THREE 10, UH, 3 10, 3 12.
UM, BASED ON ARCHITECTURAL AND COMMUNITY VALUE, UH, D FOUR B 2 0 1 TO 2 0 9 WEST FOURTH STREET, BASED ON ARCHITECTURE AND COMMUNITY VALUE, UH, AND, UH, D FOUR C UH, TWO 11 WEST FOURTH STREET BASED ON ARCHITECTURE, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
AND D FIVE BASED ON ARCHITECTURE HAS TO WORK, UH, AND COMMUNITY VALUE AND ASKING STAFF TO FURTHER LOOK INTO, UH, HAROLD EICHENBAUM AS A POSSIBLE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AND RAISING YOUR HAND.
GOING BACK TO THE START OF THE AGENDA, WE HAVE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
WE WILL HEAR THE PRESENTATION, UH, ANY CHANGES TO IT AND WE'LL VOTE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING OR NOT.
WE COULD, WE COULD, UM, TAKE A BREAK FOR A MINUTE IF, IF COMMISSIONERS NEED IT, BUT COULD WE PLEASE TAKE A FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTE BREAK HERE IN JUST A SECOND? THANK YOU.
STAFF ONLY WE HAVE THE FIRST THREE, THE
[02:35:01]
FIRST THREE CASES WE HAVE OR ARE INITIATED ZONING, OR WE HAVE INITIATED THE ZONING ON THOSE, OR WE DO, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE NINE MEMBERS PRESENT.SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND THESE, CORRECT? YEAH.
ARE WE PLANNING? WELL, THERE ARE, YOU CAN'T POSTPONE ALL OF THEM.
THERE'S ONE YOU CAN POSTPONE AND ANOTHER THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO POSTPONE.
WE'LL BE BACK IN FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES, MAYBE TEXT OR CALL YOUR OTHER COMMISSIONER FRIENDS.
WE'RE GOING ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS UNDER A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
[3.A.1. PR-2021-137925 – 1505 Forest Trl. – Discussion (postponed February 28, 2022) ]
A 1 15 0 5 FOREST TRAIL.UM, AMBER, COULD YOU PULL UP THE MASSING MODEL FOR THIS ONE? UM, SO THIS IS THE, UH, CHARLES C GREENHOUSE EL RANCHO VERDE AT, UM, 1505 FOREST TRAIL.
UH, THE COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING, UH, BASED ON ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE FEATURES AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATION WITH CHARLES GREEN, THE EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
UH, THE LAST, UH, MEETING THE APPLICANT HAD REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO ALLOW SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.
UH, THEY HAVE SINCE REQUESTED WITHDRAWAL OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION AND, UM, HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED THIS FOR BUILDING PERMITTING, BUT THIS IS THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE PROJECT IS GOING, WHERE THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL HOUSING CONSTRUCTED, UM, ON THE SITE.
BUT THE GREENHOUSE WOULD NOT BE TOUCHED DIRECTLY IN ANY WAY BY THE PROJECT.
SO IN CONSIDERATION OF THE APPLICANT'S WITHDRAWAL OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, APPLICATION AND INTENT TO RETAIN THE HISTORIC HOUSE WHILE CAN DIRECT CONSTRUCTING ADDITIONAL HOUSING ON SITE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMISSION NOT PURSUE HISTORIC SETTING.
AND SO AS WITH THE PRIOR CASE, UH, THE LAW DEPARTMENT SUGGESTION IS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT ON THIS.
UM, IF THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS TO SUPPORT, UH, THE STAFF'S POSITION, UM, THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TAKE AN UP OR DOWN VOTE ON THE MERITS OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, BUT SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DEMOLITION APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN, AND THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD PRECLUDE A SITUATION WHERE, UM, IT MIGHT BE SOLD BY SOMEONE ELSE.
AND IF A DEMOLITION APPLICATION WERE TO COME FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULD REFER IT TO THE COMMISSION ON CONJUNCTURE.
DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT? NO, I GUESS, EXCUSE ME.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF ON THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT FOR A, UM, APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED, UM, FOR DEMOLITION, BUT THAT'S BEEN WITHDRAWN THE CURRENT ACTION, IF YOU WILL, IS HISTORIC ZONING, WHICH WE INITIATED.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WAS TO BASICALLY LEAVE IN ADVANCE THE ACTION ON A, UH, ON A DEMOLITION, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE IN THIS CASE.
THIS IS TO LEAVE IN ADVANCE THE ACTION ON OUR REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
SO THE COMMISSION DOES NOT NEED TO TAKE AN UPPER DOWN VOTE TONIGHT ON WHETHER OR NOT TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
THE OWNER DOES NOT SUPPORT HISTORIC SENDING THAT HASN'T CHANGED.
THEY ARE WILLING, THEY'RE WILLING TO, TO MAKE THIS CONCESSION.
UM, BUT THEY ARE NOT, UM, AND SUPPORTIVE HISTORIC CENTER.
SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE ON THE TABLE IF FOR INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT AND ACCORDING TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE CALENDAR WOULD BE THAT WE'VE ALREADY REQUESTED THAT THIS, THIS, IF YOU WILL, UH, HISTORIC ZONING BE STARTED, THE PROCESS BE STARTED AND IT WOULD BE JUST HELD, UH, IN ABEYANCE, UNLESS SOMETHING CAME THAT REQUIRED US TO RE-EXAMINE OR GET BACK TO IT.
SO IF A DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION WERE TO COME FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, STAFF WOULD BRING IT BACK.
UM, THE INITIATION PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TIMED OUT AT THAT POINT.
AND, UH, SO THERE WOULD NEED TO BE AN INITIATION AND RECOMMENDATION AT THAT JUNCTURE.
UM, BUT IT ALLOWS THE COMMISSION TO NOT NEED TO VOTE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO YES, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TIMED OUT BECAUSE THERE IS A TIME SPECIFIC, BUT
[02:40:01]
WE WOULD HAVE NO, NO RECORD VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, UM, ON THE RIGHT.AND SO IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN, UM, A COMMISSION VOTE TOO.
THERE REALLY ISN'T A PERMIT TO VOTE TO RELEASE SINCE THE IS WITHDRAWN.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE WOULDN'T BE A RECORD VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMISSION FEELS THIS, UH, MEETS THE CRITERIA AND THE COMMISSION WISHES TO RECOMMEND, SO WE WOULD NEED TO BRING BACK.
SO THE APPROPRIATE MOTION WOULD BE TO POSTPONE WAS INDEFINITELY TO AFFECT THAT.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE ITEM INDEFINITELY? IS THERE A FLEET? WE HAVE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
WE, UM, ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS HERE, UH, IN FAVOR THAT DID NOT GET TO REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME? ALL RIGHT.
THEN WE HAVE, UH, THE APPLICANT IN OPPOSITION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, MICHAEL LEARY
THIS IS IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, YEAH, I THINK, WOULD YOU CALL THAT CURIOUS? WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
WE JUST HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO PURSUE HISTORIC ZONING, BUT, UH, I GUESS IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT TO WHETHER YOU ARE FOR HER AGAINST JUST EVEN COME UP AND GIVE US YOUR OPINION.
GIVE US YOUR OPINION, STATE YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL LEARY AND, UH, I ACTUALLY LIVE AT 15, 13 FOREST TRAIL ADJACENT TO THIS HISTORIC HISTORIC OR NON HISTORICAL PROPERTY OF 1505, UM, HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORICAL HOUSE.
UH, I'M HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DESIGN AND THE, AND THE TIMELINE FOR WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
UM, I KNOW OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE REJECTED THESE PLANS AND I JUST RECEIVED A COPY TODAY.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO REJECT THOSE PLANS, BUT MY RESIDENT IS ADJACENT TO A WESTERN FIELD PARK, WHICH IS JUST EAST OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, AT THE MOMENT I HAVE A VIEW INTO 1505 AND THE IDEA OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HAVE TOO LARGE OF A HISTORICAL HOUSE, UH, BEING PRESERVED, BUT TWO NEW BUILDINGS ON EACH SIDE OF IT GOING, GOING UP JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S, UH, ANYTHING I'VE SEEN IN 7, 8, 7, 0 3, WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE MCMANSION, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, SCENARIO, BUT IT'S JUST A UNIQUE, SO I'M HERE TO LEARN MORE AND TO OPPOSE, UH, TRY TO PRESERVE THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, AS IS, AS IS MANY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEN CAN WE ASK STAFF TO GIVE THAT, UM, TO GIVE THAT BRIEFING OR TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION? MADAM? SURE.
UH, STAFF, I THINK THIS IS A MULTI-FAMILY, IT'S AN MF THREE ZONING.
THAT'S THE REASON WHAT THE CLUSTER OF HOUSES.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A REGULAR, SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
IT'S A MULTIFAMILY LOT WITH A SINGLE HISP THAT HAS BEEN USED AS A SINGLE FAMILY FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE THE HOUSE, JUST DOWN FORCED DOWN TO INFIELD THE HOUSE.
THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET.
THEY WERE, THEY, IT WAS AGREED UPON TO DEMOLISH WHAT WAS THERE AND, AND CREATE SOMETHING AESTHETICALLY PLEASING FOR, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, YEAH, THE ONE ON THE CORNER WAS, WAS PRESERVED IS IT'S A MULTIFAMILY OFFICE, UH, WHICH CORNER, SIR, THE CORNER OF FOREST IN INFIELD ON THE EAST BE THE NORTH.
WELL, WHERE WE'RE FOREST COMES AT, FOREST TRAIL COMES IN TO ENFIELD.
UH, YOU KNOW, THESE DAYS OF THE HISTORICAL HOUSES, LIKE 1505 AND SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING MINE, 15, 13, WHERE THERE'S 11, UH, UH, UH, HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN, HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TIMELINE, THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THE PLANTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, I DON'T KNOW, IT, IT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT PLACE TO SAY THIS.
[02:45:01]
TO STAFF FURTHER ABOUT IT, BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS THIS, THIS HOUSE CAME UP FOR DEMOLITION SOMETIME BACK.AND, UH, WE, WE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING, UM, AND IT WAS WITHDRAWN.
THE REQUEST WAS WITHDRAWN FOR A TIME AND NOW IT'S COME BACK.
AND SO WE'RE BACK IN THE POSITION OF, WE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
NOW THE OWNER SAYS HE WILL WITHDRAW THE DEMOLITION, UH, REQUEST, BUT HE WILL BUILD NEW HOUSES ON THE REST OF THE LOT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC HOUSE.
AND HE'S ASKING US, HE WILL OPPOSE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE HOUSE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CLARIFYING AND IN THE EDUCATION.
I JUST, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING IN 7, 8, 7 0 3 THAT RESEMBLES ANYTHING LIKE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
SO AS LONG AS IT GOES THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS.
UM, I THINK STAFF CAN PROBABLY FILL YOU IN MORE AND YOU CAN GIVE THEM A CALL.
IT IS THE OWNERSHIP IS THE OWNER HERE TO SPEAK THE OWNER.
WELL, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING? NOPE.
WELL, WHAT WE JUST SAW WAS A DIAGRAM OF THAT, WHICH YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF PLEASE, IN ADDITION TO THE DIAGRAM OR ON THE ELEVATION THAT WE SENT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
OH, UH, MY NAME IS CAROLINAS KAMIYAH.
I'M THE ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEER ON THE PROJECT.
AND WE ALSO SENT THE ACTUAL SITE PLAN THAT WILL BE SENT TO THE CITY OF TIME.
AND IT SHOWS THE LOCATION OF THE FOOTPRINT OF EACH BUILDING.
THE FOOTPRINT IS ABOUT 700 SQUARE FEET.
THE LARGEST, THE OTHER ARE LESS THAN THAT.
THE SECOND STORY IS ABOUT 800 SQUARE FEET IN THAT'S BASICALLY IT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, OPPOSES IN, THEY HAD SOME COMMENTS ON TRAFFIC.
SO FOR THAT, WE ARE PROPOSING THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PARKING SPACES REQUIRED, EVEN THOUGH WE COULD GO AHEAD BASED ON AN IMPERVIOUS COVER TO ADD MORE IF WE WANTED TO.
SO WE'RE KEEPING THAT AT A MINIMUM AND FOR THE UNITS, WE ALSO COULD ADD AN EXTRA UNIT, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE SETBACKS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WE DECIDED TO JUST KEEP IT AT THREE.
ALSO, UM, I SPOKE TO THE CLIENT IT EARLIER, BEFORE SHOWING UP AND WE NOTICED THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT ON THE CHARMING AESTHETIC OF THE EXISTING BUILDING.
AND WE WERE WILLING TO MATCH THE COLOR OF THE BREAK, MUCH THE WINDOWS, AS LONG AS WE ARE, WE CAN BUILD THOSE THREE UNITS.
AND THAT WAS MY CONCERN IS ALWAYS SAW WHERE SOME VERY DIAGRAMMATIC, UH, OUTLINES THAT REALLY DON'T TELL US WHETHER THESE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO BE APPROPRIATE AND HAVE, UH, AN ADEQUATE RELATIONSHIP TO WORK IN TANDEM WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING.
BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, IN THAT DIAGRAM, DOESN'T TELL ME THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE SYMPATHETIC.
IF ANYTHING, IT MAKES ME CONCERNED THAT THEY WON'T BE.
SO, UM, IF THERE ARE MORE REFINEMENTS THAT ARE THERE, OR IF THESE ARE JUST THE FIRST STUDIES AND THEN THERE'S MORE DESIGNED TO BE DONE, UH, I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YES, WE'RE KEEPING THE HOUSE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TWO BUILDINGS THAT NOW WE'LL START A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT HOUSE.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE WE OUGHT TO HAVE SOME WAY OF INFLUENCING THAT.
SO THE BUILDING STUDY YOU SEE IN THIS DIAGRAM, THAT'S THE ACTUAL PROPOSED BUILDING BECAUSE ONCE WE STARTED THE SITE PLAN, WE CANNOT, OR WE ARE NOT WILLING TO GO BACK AND CHANGE THE, SO WE WANT TO HAVE THE FACADE AND THE MASSING OF EACH UNIT FIXED BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR ACTUAL ARCHITECTURE AND THE INTERIOR SPACES.
SO THE ELEVATION HERE, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO LOOK THE MATERIALS AND FINISHES THAT WE CAN COORDINATE, UM, WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING, MAKE IT LOOK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO WHAT IS THERE, THE LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL THAT I SEE IN THE WAY THAT THE MASSING HAS BEEN, UH, APPORTIONED AND THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE PORCHES, UH, DIAGRAMMED DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO WORK AT ALL.
SO I'M NOT PARTICULARLY THINKING THAT YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL, UH, ARRANGEMENT HERE, UH, WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE I THINK WITH SOME CONSIDERATION, UH, YOU COULD BUILD NEW STRUCTURES, UH, THAT DID RELATE, THAT WOULD RELATE TO THIS BUILDING.
UH, REMEMBER OUR CHARGE IS TO EVALUATE HISTORIC
[02:50:01]
OR HISTORIC, UH, POTENTIAL PROPERTIES SO THAT THEY WILL BE, UH, APPROPRIATELY PASSED ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS AND JUST HOLDING THIS IN PLACE, BUT BUILDING IT IN A RELATIONSHIP, IT DOESN'T WORK, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT FULLY DOING OUR JOB.UM, IF THE OWNERS WOULD BE OPEN TO, UH, I GUESS THIS IS AN ODD WAY OF THINKING ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, IF WE WERE CONTINUING WITH HISTORIC ZONING, WE WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY BE HAVING YOU GO TO OUR SUBCOMMITTEE, THE, UH, UH, DESIGN AND GO THROUGH DESIGN STANDARDS.
THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, WORKS WITH THE DESIGNERS AND DEVELOPERS IN ORDER TO FIND COMPATIBLE WAYS TO RELATE TO OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
AND I THINK THIS ONE IS CRYING OUT FOR, UH, THAT TYPE OF SCRUTINY.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO COME TO THE COMMITTEE AND MEET AND TALK IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE DESIGN? AND I CAN DISCUSS THE IDEA WITH THE CLIENT.
I DIDN'T GO A LONG WAY IN ADVANCING THIS PROPOSAL.
AND AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE HIS PRIORITY IS CONSTRUCTION AND GETTING THE SIDE PLAN.
IF HE AGREES TO GO TO THE COMMITTEE, THEN, UH, HAS THE SIGNERS, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY GO AND GO OVER ALL THE OPTIONS.
I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, IT WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE INCLUDING, UH, YOUR OWNER, UH, WHERE HE TOO, UM, HAVE THIS HISTORIC ZONING CONTINUE OVER HIS OBJECTIONS.
IT WOULD BE QUITE AWHILE BEFORE THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE RESOLVED AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO START CONSTRUCTION ANYWAY.
SO IT MAY MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE TO, UH, HAVE SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE COMPATIBLE, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE EXPERTISE OF, OF THE COMMITTEE TO ACHIEVE THAT MS. PERMIT, DO WE HAVE THE OPTION OF POSTPONING THIS AGAIN, I AM NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR ON BEYOND WHAT I DISCUSSED WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT, WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE HERE.
SO IF WE WERE LOOKING AT THE 75 DAY CLOCK FROM THE FIRST AGENDA IN WHICH THIS APPEARED FOR THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION, THIS IS THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH THE COMMISSION COULD ACT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF HISTORIC SETTING.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE OWNER IS NOT PENALIZED IN SOME WAY FOR HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, IN GOOD FAITH WITHDRAWN THAT DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT AFFECTS OUR TIMETABLES IN ANY WAY.
UM, I DO NEED TO POINT OUT TO THAT WE HAVE EIGHT COMMISSIONERS HERE AND WE WOULD NEED NINE TO SEND THIS FORWARD.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO CALL OUR CONTACT WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO ASK, UM, IF THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE ANY ABILITY TO REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR A PENDING DESIGNATION BASED ON THAT INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT I CAN DO SO, UH, WE COULD EITHER DO.
I MEAN, I, I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION AND DEFINITELY POSTPONEMENT WITH THE REQUEST THAT THEY GO TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS IF THEY DECIDE NOT TO.
SO, YEAH, BUT I WOULD ENTERTAIN SUCH A MOTION.
WELL, FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, LET ME MAKE THAT MOTION THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH THE INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
THE, UM, PROPERTY OWNER HAS AGREED TO WITHDRAW THE DEMOLITION, UH, THAT WILL AT LEAST KEEP THE HOUSE IN TACT AND WE WOULD INVITE, BUT NOW THAT WE ARE SEEING A DIAGRAMMATIC PROPOSAL, THAT RAISES CONCERNS THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED AND CAN BE WORKED OUT RATHER EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WE HAVE THE MEANS TO DO SO.
UH, WE WOULD URGE THEM TO ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND SEE IF WE CAN'T ALL COME TO A, A MUCH BETTER END RESULT.
DO I HEAR A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR MOTION FURTHER? I THINK I SAID IT IN THE MOTION.
UM, FURTHER DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING IT INDEFINITELY, BUT INVITING THE APPLICANTS TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND SAYING, AYE.
DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND COMMISSIONER TILL IT WAS UNANIMOUS? THANK YOU.
[3.A.3. PR-2022-014784 – 1403 E. Cesar Chavez St. – Discussion (postponed March 28, 2022)]
IS A 3 14 0 3 EAST SCISSORS[02:55:01]
CHAVEZ.THIS IS ANOTHER COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING COMMISSIONERS.
THIS IS, UH, KIMBERLY COLLINS CASE, UH, BUT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO, UH, JOIN US TONIGHT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST ASK IF YOU WOULD LIKE A FULL PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM, UM, OR SIMPLY THE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IN LIGHT OF THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS ON THE DIOCESE IS TO POSTPONE THIS CASE, UM, BECAUSE THE COMMISSION CANNOT, UM, TAKE A VOTE, A MEANINGFUL VOTE TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC SETTING.
AND, UM, I'LL PUT IT TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS TO THE JUNE 1ST.
YES, I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO HEAR FROM.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M SIMPLY ASKING IF, IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THE FULL PRESENTATION, IS THIS, WOULD IT BE DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD WHEN THE SPEAKER IT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR WHEN THE APPLICANT WAS FROM ME WAS IN ATTENDANCE, UM, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE GOING WITH A PUBLIC HEARING? LET'S GO ON WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO YOU'D LIKE ME TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
UH, TO GO WITH, WITH THE SPEAKERS, ARE WE REQUIRED TO HAVE BOTH? NO, WE DON'T NEED YOUR PRESENTATION TO HAVE SPEAK WITH THE APPLICANT, PLEASE LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK TO THE, WELL, THE COMMISSION IS THE APPLICANT IT'S COMMISSIONED, INITIATED.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN FAVOR? YEAH.
DO WE HAVE ANY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY REGISTERED, BUT IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING, UM, YOU MAY APPROACH THE PODIUM.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF HISTORIC ZONING? YEAH.
ARE WE, UH, VICTORIA HASI WITH ROVER DESIGN ON BEHALF OF THE LANDOWNER.
ARE WE, ARE YOU ASKING US TO WEIGH IN, ON A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS CASE OR ARE YOU ASKING US TO GIVE OUR PRESENTATION? UH, WELL, YOU MIGHT FIRST WEIGH IN ON THE POSTPONEMENT AND THAT MIGHT DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU GIVE A PRESENTATION.
I ASSUME YOU DON'T WANT POSTPONEMENT.
UM, OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO NOT POSTPONE.
AND WHERE ARE YOU TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT? YOU WOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED.
WE'LL KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN IF IT IS POSTPONE.
IS THAT RIGHT STAFF, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THE POST THE PRESENTATION AGAIN, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
SO I GUESS AS PUBLIC HEARING, THEY HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
I'M WONDERING IF WE WERE GOING TO, OKAY, GO, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PRESENTATION PLEASE.
YOU CAN ADVANCE THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, OH, THAT IS NOT THE PRESENTATION THAT I'M IS THERE A, IS THERE A DIFFICULTY FINDING? OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONERS VICTORIA, HASI ON BEHALF OF THE LANDOWNER.
SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS PROPERTY'S ASSOCIATION WITH THE BELLAGIO PRODUCE COMPANY.
BELLAGIO PRODUCE COMPANY WAS ONE OF MANY THAT SERVED OUR EARLY AUSTINITES WITH PRODUCE AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD GOODS.
THE BELLAGIO FAMILY IMMIGRATED FROM GREECE IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS.
AND THE PATRIARCH SABA BELLAGIO WAS ACTUALLY SEEN IN THE DIRECTORIES IN 1900 IS HAVING A, UH, OCCUPATION OF GROCERIES AND FRUIT AT FOUR 11 EAST SIXTH STREET, WHERE HIS FAMILY LIVED IN THE UNIT ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
THAT BUILDING IS STILL STANDING TODAY.
THIS 1894 STATESMAN ARTICLE LISTS, MANY PREDECESSOR
[03:00:01]
SUPPLIERS AND GROCERS THAT WERE AWARDED GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, SERVING STATE INSTITUTIONS OF THAT TIME.THEREFORE BELLAGIO PRODUCE COMPANY WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST NOR THE OLDEST TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN OR THE STATE OF TEXAS AS PER THIS 8, 19 10 ARTICLE AND ATTEMPT TO GIVE ANY ONE AGENCY SOLE CREDIT FOR THE PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MARKED GROWTH IN AUSTIN WOULD BE UNFAIR.
EVEN IF NOT THE PRODUCE COMPANY IS THE DRIVER OF SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THEREFORE THE MOST MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESERVATION OF THE STORE BUILDING AT 5 0 5 EAST FIFTH STREET.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS ZERO REGARD OR CONCERN FOR PRESERVATION.
WHEN THAT BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS TO MAKE WAY FOR THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, UNDERSTANDABLY IT IS UNREALISTIC AND EVEN IRRESPONSIBLE TO MANDATE ALL BUSINESSES, HOMES AND STRUCTURES, UH, FROM DEMOLITION BECAUSE THEY ALL PLAYED A PART.
THEY ALL PLAYED A PART IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
SO WE ARRIVE AT THIS COMMISSION'S TASK TO DETERMINE IF THIS BUILDING HAS ALL THE PIECES.
AND IF THOSE PIECES ARE REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES, WARRANTING PRESERVATION, IT IS HERE THAT I INVITE YOU TO CLOSELY CONSIDER THAT BELLAGIO PRODUCE WAS ONE OF MANY.
THEREFORE SOMETHING ELSE SHOULD REALLY SET THIS PROPERTY APART.
THE SUBJECT STRUCTURE FIRST APPEARED ON THE 1900 SANBORN MAP AND LATER VERSIONS SHOW THE EVOLUTION OF THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT THROUGH THE DECADES.
NEXT SLIDE, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND EARLY PHOTOS OF THE STRUCTURE.
HOWEVER, ARCHITECTURAL EXPLORATION PROVIDED THIS CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMATION OF THE VARIOUS ADDITIONS.
THE WHITE BOX IS THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE THAT WAS FROM THE 19 HUNDREDS.
THE STRUCTURE HAS SEEN THE STRUCTURE SEEN TODAY DWARFS THE ORIGINAL 1900 STRUCTURE IN COMPARISON, WHICH WAS ONCE A SHOTGUN STYLE HOUSE, SIMILAR TO NEARBY PROPERTIES THAT SEEM TO HAVE GREATER INTEGRITY.
NEXT SLIDE, ONCE EXTERIOR WALLS, THE REAR IN WESTERN ELEVATIONS BECAME INTERIOR WITH THE FIRST BIG EDITION.
AND THE CONCRETE PORCH SCENE TODAY IS UNCHARACTERISTIC OF 19 HUNDREDS CONSTRUCTION AND IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN ADDED IN THE 1930S.
THE FINAL AND MOST RECENT RENOVATION WAS NECESSITATED BY A SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION IN THE EARLY 1980S UNDER THE OWNERSHIP OF FRANCIS AND SALVADOR RODRIGUEZ, THANKS TO FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE BOARD OF REALTORS.
THE CITY'S FUNDING OF THE RENOVATION WAS NOT PREDICATED ON ANY HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, BUT RATHER ON THE VERY POOR CONDITION OF THE STRUCTURE AND THE CHARGE FOR COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS THE ONLY PICTURE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UNCOVER.
THE ROOF WAS PART OF THAT 1983 RENOVATION, AND IS NOW ONE OF MANY ELEMENTS IN COMPLETE DISREPAIR.
THESE ARE A FEW IMAGES THAT PROVIDE VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE ADDITIONS OVER TIME.
THE LANDOWNER ACHIEVED TWO INDEPENDENT STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENTS, BOTH DOCUMENTING THE SEVERE STATE OF DETERIORATION.
NEXT SLIDE, BOTH REPORTS SURMISE THAT DUE TO DECADES OF NEGLECT AND ATTEMPT AT RESTORATION WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF MOST OF THE ORIGINAL FABRIC.
AN UNDERTAKING OF THIS MAGNITUDE WOULD NOT ONLY BE COST-PROHIBITIVE, BUT WOULD RESULT IN NEARLY A COMPLETE REBUILD OF WHAT ONCE WAS.
SO I ASK, IS IT WORTH THE EFFORT TO REQUIRE PRESERVATION WHEN THE END RESULT WOULD BE A RECREATION? NEXT SLIDE, TOUCHING ON ECONOMICS AND FEASIBILITY.
THE LANDOWNER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE FINANCING FOR SUCH AN ENDEAVOR, MUCH LESS AN INSURANCE POLICY DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE STRUCTURE.
FORCING LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN AN OUTCOME WHERE NO ONE WINS.
HOWEVER, THE LANDOWNER IS MORE THAN WILLING TO SALVAGE AND REUSE THE SHIPLAP WALLS OF THE INTERIOR, WHICH IS ABOUT ALL THAT IS SALVAGEABLE.
AT THIS POINT FURTHER, THE OWNER IS AGREEABLE TO INCUR THE COST OF PRODUCING HABS DOCUMENTATION FOR ARCHIVE AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS COMMISSION NOT RECOMMEND HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF SITE BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE IS NOT A ROBUST CANDIDATE FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THE BELLAGIO PRODUCE COMPANY WAS ONE OF MANY, NOT THE OLDEST, NOT THE FIRST OR LAST TO SERVE AUSTIN.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE DOES NOT EMBODY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRODUCE COMPANY AND IS AN EXTREMELY POOR CONDITION RESTORATION WOULD AMOUNT TO COMPLETE REBUILD, WHICH IS COST PROHIBITIVE, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT FINANCING AND INSURANCE TO DO SO.
WE DO HAVE THE ARCHITECTS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS WE'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION OF HISTORIC ZONING? OKAY.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS WELL.
UM, IF I COULD, CAN WE ASK STAFF, UH, THEIR RESPONSE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT INFORMATION
[03:05:01]
ABOUT THE EXISTING STRUCTURE THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT IT'S, UH, ACTUALLY MUCH, WHAT WE SEE IS, IS ACTUALLY MUCH LATER THAN I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON HERE.AND, AND I THINK THAT WE, I THINK THAT POSTPONING, IT WOULD GIVE STAFF AND THIS, UM, THIS CONSULTANT TIME TO INVESTIGATE THOSE THINGS.
SO YOU HAVEN'T HAD, UH, THIS WAS NOT A STAFF REPORT THAT I PREPARED.
SO I'M NOT INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
I WILL SAY THAT THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN SURVEY RECOMMENDS THE PROPERTY ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND THAT IS STAFF'S FINDING AS WELL.
UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK MORE INTO THE INFORMATION THAT MS. HALSEY PRESENTED.
WHAT I, WHAT I THINK HAS HAPPENED IS THAT EITHER THERE WAS A SMALL HOUSE HERE AND IT WAS DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED WITH THIS HOUSE OR THAT THE SMALL HOUSE WAS RENOVATED IT PROBABLY IN THE 1920S AND ACHIEVED THIS PARTICULAR APPEARANCE AT THAT TIME, WHICH PUTS IT IN THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
BUT I WOULD NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH ON THAT.
I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT AND WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S THE BASIS OF MY ENTERTAINING, A MOTION TO POSTPONE.
I MOVED TO POSTPONE THE CASE TO OUR JUNE MEETING.
A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING IT TO JUNE ONE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND SIGNIFY BY SAYING I'M OKAY.
I WOULD JUST MENTION TO THE APPLICANTS THAT THE, THE BUILDING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXCEPTIONAL INTO CRITERIA.
IT JUST HAS TO MEET TWO CRITERIA, SO, OKAY.
[3.A.4. DA-2022-007262 – 301 W 6th St. – Discussion Council District 9]
HAVE A 4, 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH STREET, THE IRON BEAR.THIS IS, UH, A CASE THAT HAS COME BEFORE YOU, UH, NUMEROUS TIMES, UH, IN FEBRUARY, MARCH.
UM, AND NOW IN MAY, UM, THIS IS A, UH, THIS WAS INITIATED, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING AND, UM, TODAY WITH EIGHT COMMISSIONERS, UM, Y'ALL NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, UM, CAN WE POSTPONE THIS ITEM? WE NOT, UH, THE 75 DAYS IS UP MAY 14TH.
UH, WHICH MEANS THAT THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING, UM, TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE SUPER-MAJORITY JUST, UH, FOR THE SORRY, BUT, UM, IF YOU WERE HAVING ANY SIDE CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE TAKE THEM OUTSIDE AND CONSIDERATION FOR OUR COMMISSION AND OUR SPEAKERS, PLEASE.
UM, PLEASE, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE SUPERMAJORITY AND POSTPONEMENT REQUIREMENTS, UH, BUT FOR THE COMMISSION AND FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
SO, BECAUSE THIS IS A, UH, AN APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION, THE COMMISSION HAS 75 DAYS FROM THE DATE AT WHICH THE ITEM FIRST APPEARED ON THE COMMISSION'S AGENDA, UH, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPERTY MEETS THE BAR FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, WHILE THE COMMISSION MAY INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING WITH A SIMPLE MAJORITY, A SUPER MAJORITY IS REQUIRED, UM, TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING, TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND TO COUNCIL.
UM, AND THAT REQUIRES NINE COMMISSION MEMBERS, UM, TO VOTE IN FAVOR FOR THAT SUPER MAJORITY.
AND WE ONLY HAVE EIGHT IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT.
UH, MATT, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION, THAT WOULD BE, UM, BECAUSE OF STATE LAW THAT INDICATES THAT OVER AN OWNER'S OBJECTION, A SUPER MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION AND, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND OR COUNCIL.
SO OF THE, OF THE, THE THREE ENTITIES TO HAVE TO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY.
UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, ONLY BECAUSE AN OWNER OBJECTS, RIGHT, EXACTLY.
UM, GENERALLY, IF THIS WERE A, UH, AN APPLICATION BROUGHT FORWARD BY A PROPERTY OWNER, UH, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE INITIATION.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD REQUIRE A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
[03:10:01]
THANK YOU, BUT IF WE VOTE AND WE DO NOT HAVE A SUPERMAJORITY, WELL, IT'S STILL GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION.I THINK THE CASE DOES, I THINK IT DOES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS AN EITHER OR PLANNING COMMISSION OR LANDMARKS NO LONGER IS THERE WAS.
SO THE 2019 LEGISLATION LEFT, IT OPEN-ENDED THAT A, UM, A COMMISSION AND COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO VOTE BY A SUPER MAJORITY IN ORDER FOR A CASE TO, UM, BE PUT IN PLACE OVER THE OWNER'S OBJECTION, UH, WITH 2021 AMENDMENTS TO STATE LAW.
UH, THE CITY NOW HAS ONLY ONE OPPORTUNITY AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL.
AND SO IN AUSTIN, THAT IS THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST INITIATE OR MUST RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING BY A SUPER MAJORITY IN ORDER FOR THE CASE TO MOVE FORWARD AT ALL.
I CAN NOT REALIZE THAT HAD CHANGED.
OKAY, PLEASE GO AHEAD WITH THE PRESENTATION.
UH, 301 WEST SIXTH IS A SINGLE STORY.
BRICK WAREHOUSE WITH WRITTEN ADMINISTRATION, A CORNER ENTRANCE AND ART DECO CORNICE DETAILING.
IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLIEST PERIOD OF MODERN REFRIGERATION IN AUSTIN.
THIS SOME FENESTRATION MODIFICATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE YEARS.
IT APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY INTACT PURPOSE-BUILT STRUCTURE REMAINING OF THIS TYPE OF ERA, UH, WITHIN DOWNTOWN.
UH, THIS BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1919, THOUGH.
A LOT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IN USE AS COMMERCIAL IN DWELLING SPACE.
SINCE AT LEAST THE 1890S, THE 1935 SANBORN MAP SHOWS THE CURRENT BUILDING ONE STORY WITH A CUTAWAY CORNER.
IT ORIGINALLY HAD AN AWNING OR CANOPY, WHICH WRAPPED AROUND THE CORNER AND FOLLOWED THE LINES OF THE CUTAWAY.
THIS AWNING OR STRUCTURE HAD BEEN REMOVED BY 1960.
ONE WAS REPLACED IN 1968 IN 1980 AND WAS REMOVED AGAIN SOMETIME AFTER 1997, THE PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REGAL ICE CREAM COMPANY, AUSTIN ICE CREAM COMPANY BUY LIKE CROWN ICE CREAM AND THE CAPITAL SEED COMPANY.
THESE BUSINESSES REPRESENT AN ERA OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND FOOD PRODUCTION AS WELL AS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR VICTORY GARDENERS.
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR ON A RODO, CORTO SOLD A LOT AT SIX AND LAVACA TO THE SAN ANTONIO BASED REGULAR ICE CREAM COMPANY.
IN 1919, IT BECAME A MANUFACTURING AND SALES CENTER WITH PLATE GLASS WINDOWS TO DISPLAY THE STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY IN THE ENAMELED INTERIOR TO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC BY THE TWENTIES, THE AUSTIN ICE CREAM COMPANY HAD PURCHASED THE BUILDING IS THEIR AUSTIN HEADQUARTERS, UH, WHERE THEY MANUFACTURED VIOLET CROWN ICE CREAM PRODUCTS.
IN 1926, A GROUP OF TEMPLE BUSINESS INVESTORS WITH THE BELL ICE CREAM COMPANY HAD PURCHASED THE BUILDING, UH, WHICH KEPT THE VIOLET CROWN NAME BY 1931, THE EXPANDING BELL COMPANY, A PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A NEW FACTORY AT 10TH AND GUADALUPE.
AND THE ROY RATHER REFRIGERATION COMPANY PURCHASED 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH DURING THE 1930S AFTER A BRIEF STINT OF 2 0 1 WEST SIXTH MORRIS AND CURTIS MOSTELLER MOVED THEIR SEED BUSINESS INTO THE FORMER FACTORY DURING THE LATE 1930S AND EARLY 1940S, THEIR ADVERTISING FOCUSED ON THE WARTIME VICTORY GARDEN EFFORT AND MORE SMALL STELLAR DISPENSED, REGULAR PLANTING ADVICE WAS PART OF HIS ROLE AS GARDEN COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE LATE SIXTIES AND EARLY SEVENTIES.
THE BUILDING WAS OCCUPIED BY THE ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT OF DURHAM'S BUSINESS COLLEGE THROUGHOUT THE HISTORIC PERIOD, THE SECONDARY BUILDING SHARING A PARTY WALL WITH 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH, UH, KNOWN THROUGH THE YEARS AS 5 0 2, 5 0 4 AND 5 0 6, LAVACA SERVED A VARIETY OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL OCCUPANTS.
UH, MOST NOTABLY THE LINDSEY AUTO ELECTRIC COMPANY.
THIS BUILDING DOES NOT RETAIN SUFFICIENT INTEGRITY OR ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST TO BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDED HISTORIC ZONING OVERLAY, WHICH STAFF SUPPORTS FOR 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH STREET AS A BUILDING ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, WHICH IS AN AREA A HISTORICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AUSTIN'S LG, LGBTQ PLUS BUSINESSES, GATHERING SPACES AND COMMUNITY NEXUS THAT CURRENTLY HOUSES AN LGBT PLUS CENTRIC BUSINESS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE AND EXAMINE ANY POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE HISTORIC PERIOD UNDER THE COMMUNITY VALUE CRITERIA, AS WELL AS ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, SO THE COMMUNITY VALUE, UM, CRITERIA AND STATES THAT THE PROPERTY MUST HAVE UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC, OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD OR A PARTICULAR GROUP.
UM, AND WHILE THIS BUILDING'S DOCUMENTED ASSOCIATION WITH AUSTIN'S LGBT COMMUNITY, IT DOES NOT APPEAR WITHIN THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO MEET CRITERIA AND G OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER EVALUATION CRITERIA, UM, DUE TO THE CURRENT TENANT, THE IRON BEAR SHORT TENANCY HERE, UM, THE COMMISSION, UM, MAY WISH TO DISCUSS THIS AS PART OF THE EARLIER DISCUSSIONS, UH, FROM, UH, TONIGHT.
BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW STAFF DOES NOT FIND THAT IT IS,
[03:15:01]
UH, ABLE TO MEET THAT CRITERIA.UH, LIKE MOST WAREHOUSES OF THIS VINTAGE, UH, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN MODIFIED, UM, AWNINGS WERE APPLIED DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD, UM, BUT HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED REPEATEDLY.
UH, BRICK PAINTING MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE PHOTO EVIDENCE OF THAT.
UM, WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE LIGHT TRANCE AND WINDOWS VISIBLE AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY AERIALS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MERGED WITH A FENESTRATION BELOW THE SIDE ELEVATION.
THE OVERALL WITH RHYTHM OF THE WINDOW OPENINGS, ENTRYWAY MODIFICATION MAY HAVE OCCURRED AS PART OF A 1968 REMODEL PER PERMITS.
UH, THE FRONT WINDOW OPENING, UH, NOW CONTAINS A METAL GRILL.
UM, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE IS NO CURRENTLY, UH, THERE IS NO REDEVELOPMENT OR MITIGATION PLAN FOR THIS SITE AND LIKE THE FOUR STREET PROPERTIES.
UM, THOSE SINCE OUR LAST HEARING, UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER AT POSING DESIGNATION FROM THE BUSINESS OWNER OF THE IRON BEAR, UH, WHICH YOU CAN FIND IN YOUR BACKUP.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING? DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? WE HAVE MICHAEL WHALEN AND I BELIEVE HE DOES HAVE AN APPLICATION.
I DON'T NEED THE PRESENTATION.
UH, MICHAEL WHALEN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, UM, REGARDING 3 0 1 WEST SIXTH STREET, UH, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK LAST TIME, MOST OF THE DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON THE EXISTING USE, WHICH IS THE IRON BEAR AND ON THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE LETTER FROM THE IRON BEAR IN THE BACKUP.
UH, FIRST, THE CURRENT USE IS NOT HISTORIC.
IT HAS ONLY BEEN LOCATED IN THE STRUCTURE FOR JUST TWO YEARS.
UH, PRIOR TO THAT TIME, THERE WAS AN ALE HOUSE IN A RESTAURANT.
IT WAS NOT, UH, UH, A BAR, UH, SIMILAR TO, UH, THE IRON BEAR.
SECOND, THE PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
AND THIRD, UH, THE IRON BEAR IS OWNERSHIP SUPPORTS OUR DEMOLITION PERMIT REQUEST OPPOSES THE HISTORIC ZONING AND INDICATED IN THEIR LETTER THAT IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THIS SITE WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY LOCATION FOR THEM AND WOULD BE REDEVELOPED, UH, GOING VERTICALLY, UH, THE IRON BEAR AS YOU, AS THEY WROTE AT ME, UH, MOVED IN JUST AS THE PANDEMIC HIT IN FEBRUARY, 2020.
AND THE APPLICANT WORKED CLOSELY, THE OWNER WHO I REPRESENT WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM TO DEFER RENT UNTIL THEY WERE, UNTIL THEY WERE STABILIZED AND ABLE TO RESUME, HELPING THEM STAY IN BUSINESS.
UH, AS THE IRON BEAR SAID IN THEIR OWN WORDS, QUOTE TO THEIR CREDIT.
THE OWNER WORKED WITH US AND DEFERRED RENT THROUGHOUT LATE 20, 20 AND EARLY 2021, UNTIL WE COULD GET BACK ONTO OUR FEET, WHICH WAS CRITICAL TO OUR ABILITY TO STAY IN BUSINESS AT A TIME WHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES EVERYWHERE WERE STRUGGLING AND CLOSING.
UM, SO, UH, UH, THEY, THEY WENT ON AND I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THIS, UH, IN, IN THEIR LETTER THAT, UH, THERE, THE PRECEDENT WINNING COULD, COULD ENCOURAGE OWNERS TO REFUSE TO LEASE THE TENANTS WHOSE OCCUPANCY MIGHT TRIGGER A TENUOUS HISTORIC REVIEW CASE.
UM, WITH THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE BACKEND.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ANYWAY? THANK YOU, MR. WHELAN.
IT HAS, HAS THE OWNER IN THE PLANS THAT THEY ARE ADVANCING, UH, AND IN LIGHT OF SOME OF WHAT WE HEARD IN THE LAST PRESENTATION, UM, LAST, LAST MEETING, UM, HAVE, HAVE THEY CONSIDERED ANY WAY TO EITHER REPRESENT OR INCORPORATE SOME OF THE, UH, HISTORY OF THE BUILDING? I KNOW WE HAD SOME POSSIBILITY OF THAT OR SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AS A POTENTIAL, HAS THAT COME FORWARD OR IS THAT BEING ADVANCED IN ANY WAY? UM, WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK AT THAT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SPECIFIC DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
THE BUILDING HAS BEEN REALLY MODIFIED MEANINGFULLY.
I MEAN, I THINK Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST TIME.
UH, THE CLEAR STORY WINDOWS ARE GONE, THE AWNING'S GONE.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN THE FRONT, THE FACADE HAS BEEN MODIFIED.
I MEAN, IT IS A MODIFIED BUILDING.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO TAKE BACK TO THEM, CERTAINLY OPEN TO DOING THAT.
I, I, I CAN SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M THE ONE WHO SPEAKS OUT AGAINST, YOU KNOW, DON'T GIVE US A PLAQUE BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T REPRESENT THE, THE STRUCTURE THAT WAS GONE.
BUT I, I DO THINK THAT JUST HAVING, UM, DONE THE RESEARCH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE VALUE POTENTIALLY OF THAT BUILDING COULD BE.
AND OF COURSE THE ASSOCIATION THAT, THAT DID, UH, CONNECT WITH IT, THAT SOMEHOW
[03:20:01]
WHAT GOES ON THERE, UH, REFLECTING THAT CREATIVELY, UM, UH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE WITH THE FOCUS ON THE ICE CREAM MANUFACTURING.YOU MEAN THE, THE MA THE MEMORY OF THE BUILDING? YES.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK ON THE CASE? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LITTLE.
OH, TILL IT A LITTLE TILL IT OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
PASSES ZERO MOTION ON THE CASE, KIND OF I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
UH, I MOVED TO, UH, RELEASED A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY AND COULD NOT, WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OTHERWISE RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
I'LL SECOND THAT MR. WHALEN, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH THE, UM, WITH STAFF ABOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, I GUESS I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THEM.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE LAST COMMENT THAT TONIGHT TO OTHERS ALSO IN THE WORK IN WAREHOUSE DISTRICT ADJACENT THE OLD ANTONE'S AND THE OLD RED FEZ ALSO HAD THEIR DEMOLITION PERMITS RELEASED ON, ON CONSENT.
UH, I THINK THE FOCUS WAS ON THE 2011 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN IDENTIFIED CORE PRESERVATION DISTRICT OF, UH, THE WAREHOUSE DE CORE PRESERVATION ZONE.
I AGREE, UH, THIS WASN'T EVEN IN WITH, WITHIN THE OUTER WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
SO THAT WAS A TENUOUS CONNECTION, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T A PART OF THE CONSIDERATION.
UM, BUT THAT'S NINE OF WHAT I HAD COUNTED AS 14, UH, OF THE REMAINING WAREHOUSES IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, UH, THAT WERE ON, ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT AND, UH, POSSIBLY, UH, ALL WILL BE LOST.
SO, UM, YOU MAY WANT TO GET GOOGLE MAPS TO DELETE THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND HAVE EVERYONE THAT TOUTS THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT IN THEIR MARKETING FOR AUSTIN TO BE PREPARED TO ERASE IT, UH, IF SOMETHING'S NOT DONE ABOUT IT.
WELL, AND, AND, UH, I I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS INDICATIVE OF, AS I SAID AT THE HEARING LAST, LAST MEETING OF A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM, AND IT'S NOT THE OWNER'S FAULT.
IT CERTAINLY ISN'T, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY IS PROBABLY VERY AWARE OF, BUT WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC WAVE THAT IS GOING TO WASH AWAY VIRTUALLY ANY BUILDING THAT WE HAVE INTACT.
UH, CERTAINLY EVEN CHERISHED HISTORIC PROPERTIES NOW ARE COMING TO US THREATEN BECAUSE WE OFFER NO ALTERNATIVES.
UH, AND IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE THAT IF THERE ISN'T A CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT CAN BE DONE AND WHAT IS APPROPRIATE IN ORDER TO ALLOW, UH, BOTH THE, UH, LEGAL CONTINUATION OF THESE HISTORIC PROPERTIES, BUT ALSO THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM, UH, WHETHER THAT'S DONE IN SOME CREATIVE WAY WITH, UH, SOME AIR RIGHTS TRANSFERS, MAYBE IT'S DONE IN OTHER CREATIVE WAYS, THERE'S PUBLIC SUPPORT.
UM, MAYBE THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE IRONCLAD, UH, EXPECTATIONS OF ZONING, BUT, UH, IN THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UH, WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, YOU CAN JUST START MOVING INTO OTHER HISTORIC AREAS AROUND TOWN AND ANYTHING THAT'S NOT, UH, AT ITS MAXIMUM FOR ECONOMIC RETURN IS GOING TO BE, UH, EDIT AT NOT JUST A DISADVANTAGE.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO LAST IT'S WELL OVERDUE FOR US TO HAVE BETTER ALTERNATIVES AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.
UH, WE ON THE COMMISSIONER CHARGE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE OUR HERITAGE HAS PASSED ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND IT'S FRUSTRATING HOW, UH, THERE FEW TOOLS THAT WE DO HAVE ARE BEING OVERWHELMED AND THAT'S NOT BEING, UH, I THINK THAT'S NOT SERVING THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN.
WELL, IT'S NOT SERVING ANY OF US WELL, AND IT PUTS SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, UH, THAT WE'RE HAVING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR FUTURE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY DISMAL.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY, THIS IS A CRY, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE DYNAMIC IF WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
[03:25:01]
I, I APPRECIATE THAT.AND JUST ONE TO ADD ONTO THAT, THAT AS YOU SAID, THE OWNERS ARE SWEPT UP IN THE WAVE AS WELL.
AND I NEVER WANT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NEVER ANY INCLINATION THAT WE'RE DEMONIZING OWNERS FOR MAKING CHOICES THAT ARE PART OF THE PRESSURES THAT THEY'RE FACING AS WELL.
I MEAN, WE FULLY REALIZE THAT, BUT AGAIN, OPTIONS NEED TO BE NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED, UH, TO SAVE THESE PROPERTIES ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT PASSES BEFORE WE MOVE ON, IT IS APPROACHING 10 O'CLOCK AND WE STILL HAVE SIX DISCUSSION CASES ALONG WITH STAFF, UH, COMMISSIONER AND STAFF ITEMS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXTEND, AND I WILL MOVE AN EXTENSION THOUGH, I WILL ALSO ASK STAFF, UH, HOW LONG DO WE HAVE BEFORE THE SECURITY KICKS US OUT? NEVER.
I DIDN'T LIKE TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE GOING ON TILL TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE WON'T, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY FOR SIX CASES, WE SHOULD AT LEAST EXTEND UNTIL 10 45.
AND THEN I HOPEFULLY DON'T HAVE TO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[3.C.1. HR-2021-154877 – 1411 Ethridge Ave. – Discussion (postponed October 25, 2022) ]
ITEM I BELIEVE IS C1 14, 11 ETHERIDGE, AND THIS WAS POSTPONED AND OCTOBER, UH, COMMISSIONERS ITEMS. SEE ONE WAS AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT, UH, FROM OCTOBER.UM, IT'S 180 DAYS HAVE ELAPSED.
UM, SO THE PROPOSAL IS BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN, UM, TO DEMOLISH A 1939 CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND THE ASSOCIATED OUTBUILDINGS.
UH, THIS IS A TWO-STORY SYMMETRICAL PLAN, CROSS CABLE CLASSICAL REVIVAL HOUSE WITH SIX OVER SIX AND NINE, OVER NINE WOOD WINDOWS, HORIZONTAL SIDING, AND A FULL WIDTH PORCH SUPPORTED BY BOX COLUMNS.
UH, DETAILS INCLUDE DENTALS AT THE CORNICE SIDELIGHTS AND A TRANSOM AT THE FRONT DOOR.
CLASSICAL CORNUS RETURNS AT THE GABLE ENDS AND WOOD SHUTTERS.
UH, THE HOUSE AND OUTBUILDINGS AT 1411 ETHERIDGE WERE BUILT IN 1939 FOR CLOD A AND CLARA WILLIAMS. CLAUDE WILLIAMS SERVED AS TEXAS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE TIME OF THE HOME'S CONSTRUCTION.
AND HE WENT ON TO HEAD THE TEXAS.
CAN YOU MAYBE PULL THE MICROPHONE OVER A LITTLE BIT OR SOMETHING? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.
REVIS, UH, CALLED AND MARGARET AND SQUARE, AND JEN HAD PURCHASED THE PROPERTY, UH, DR.
SWEARINGEN SERVED AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF, CHIEF OF SURGERY AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT BRECKENRIDGE HOSPITAL.
HE LATER BECAME CHIEF OF STAFF AT THE AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE DENTON STATE SCHOOL AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE SAN SAN ANGELO STATE CENTER, OR THE END OF THE HISTORIC PERIOD IN THE LATE 1960S.
THE BSN NOR FAMILY MILL MOVED INTO THE HOUSE.
LOUIS VIA SENIOR, ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND, CHARLES HAD OPERATED, HAD OPENED THE MISSION FUNERAL HOME ON EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET, UH, WHICH WAS THE FIRST FUNERAL PARLOR THAT CATERED TO LATINOS AND SEGREGATED AUSTIN IN THE 1950S, ACCORDING TO OBITUARY VIA SENORA WAS ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF WOMEN TO GRADUATE FROM MORTUARY COLLEGE IN HOUSTON IN 1961, SHE WAS THE FIRST LATINO WOMAN TO SERVE ON THE TEXAS FUNERAL SERVICE COMMISSION AS A 1989 APPOINTEE OF GOVERNOR, BILL CLEMENTS.
AND SHE ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND LATINO POLITICAL GROUPS.
UM, AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL LULAC COUNCIL, THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
UH, SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMISSION CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
HOWEVER, IF THE COMMISSION DECIDES AGAINST INITIATION STAFF RECOMMENDS RELEASE, IF THE PERMIT UPON RECEIPT OF A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.
DID YOU INDICATE THE, UH, HISTORIC INTEGRITY? IS IT, IS IT, UH, I DIDN'T GO BACK TO THE REPORT, BUT YOU MIGHT JUST REMIND US OF THAT.
THE BUILDING AND OUTBUILDINGS.
DO YOU REPEAT, DO YOU APPEAR TO RETAIN THEIR INTEGRITY? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE? UM, YEAH, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT TEAM FIRST WE HAVE, UM, IN FAVOR, UH, IS REBECCA IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING? NO, THIS IS NOT A INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
THIS IS, THIS IS A DISCUSSION CASE FOR DEMOLITION.
SO WE HAVE IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION.
UM, THAT THE PICTURES THAT YOU PUT
[03:30:01]
UP ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.I'M A, THE DAUGHTER OF CHARLES AND LOUIS VIA SENOR.
SO THE HOUSE WAS LEFT TO ME AND MY SISTER, MELISSA.
AND, UH, THE, THE PICTURES THAT WERE POSTED SHOW THAT THE HOUSE IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE HOUSE DOESN'T REALLY LOOK LIKE THAT.
THE HOUSE, UH, I HAVE A STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT ON IT THAT WAS DONE IN SEPTEMBER.
AND IT IS NOT IN ANY BETTER CONDITION NOW THAN IT WAS THEN.
AND IN OUR ATTEMPTS TO SELL THE HOUSE, UH, STARTING LIKE IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, UH, ALL THE CO WE'VE GOTTEN THREE CONTRACTS ON IT, BUT ALL THE CONTRACTS HAVE FALLEN THROUGH DURING THE, UH, DURING THE OPTION PERIOD BECAUSE THE COST OF RENOVATING THIS HOUSE OR JUST WOULD BE ENORMOUS.
IT, UH, IT HAS FOUNDATION ISSUES.
IT HAS SOME MOLD, UH, THERE, THE ELECTRICAL AND THE PLUMBING AREN'T UP TO CODE.
AND SO THE ONLY WAY WE'LL EVER BE ABLE TO SELL THE HOUSE IS IF WE DEMOLISH IT OR GET, GET A PERMIT TO DEMOLISH IT, I WISH IT WAS DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S NOT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER, WE WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
LET HIM KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
CHAIR MYERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS MELISSA S AND YARD DYE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING FROM YOU, UH, BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, UH, AND WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD, UH, HAVE YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AND DELIBERATION REGARDING OUR REQUEST FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT AS STATED BY MY SISTER REGARDING STRUCTURAL ISSUES.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU, UH, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME, BUT AGAIN, UM, FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION ON OUR REQUESTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
ARE THERE ANY MORE SPEAKERS, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION? OKAY, GREAT.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION, LAURA LEE.
I DO RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGN WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE RENOVATED NINE PROPERTIES OURSELVES THREE IN AUSTIN.
UM, I, THEY FOR PURCHASING A HOME THAT NEEDS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK.
WE JUST PURCHASED ONE IN DEEP EDDY.
IT REQUIRED A COMPLETE GUT TO THE STUDS RENOVATION.
I MOVED BACK TO ST OR TO, UM, AUSTIN ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND I'M REALLY JUST STRUCK BY HOW MANY OF OUR HOMES HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN.
AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND IT'S EXPENSIVE TO RENOVATE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
CAUSE WE COULDN'T FIND A HOUSE TO RENOVATE BECAUSE THEY KEEP GETTING TORN DOWN.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THERE IS A VALUE IN THE BEAUTY OF THE HISTORIC HOME THAT IS ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT ADDS TO THE STORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THERE JUST AREN'T VERY MANY OF THEM LEFT.
THIS IS A UNIQUE IS A, THIS IS A LARGE HOME AND SOMEONE CAN AFFORD TO RENOVATE IT.
MAYBE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY ISN'T AS MUCH, IF YOU CAN'T PUT A 7,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE ON A HALF AN ACRE LOT.
BUT I THINK WE ARE REALLY SHORT-SIGHTED IF WE DON'T CONSIDER MAKING THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE CAN'T JUST TEAR THESE HOUSES DOWN.
ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
THE, UM, THE APPLICANT CAN REBUT IF YOU LIKE TWO MINUTES.
UH, THE FACT THAT SHE IS A DECORATOR INTERIOR DESIGNER AND SHE SEES ALL THE BEAUTY IN THIS, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN MS. LEE STEP UP TO PURCHASE THE HOUSE OR TO SEND A BUYER TO US TO PURCHASE THE HOUSE BECAUSE IT NEEDS SO MUCH WORK.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST TAKING IT DOWN TO THE STUDS AND SOMEBODY ELSE BEING ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUILD IT, SEEING THAT IT'S ON THE LARGEST, SECOND, LARGEST LOT IN PEMBERTON, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY FINANCIAL SENSE THAT THEY DO THAT.
[03:35:01]
THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING FROM ALL THE, ALL THE BUYERS, ALL THE VIEWINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON WITH THIS PROPERTY.IT LOOKS PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT I MEAN, IT'S NOT HISTORICAL.
THE ACTUAL, THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF IT WAS NEVER HISTORICAL.
THAT WAS NEVER MY PARENTS DESIRE FOR IT TO BE HISTORICAL.
THE COLUMNS ARE NOT ACTUALLY THAT NEOCLASSICAL.
I'VE HAD ARCHITECTS LOOK AT IT AND GIVE ME THEIR OPINIONS ON IT, WHICH I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
BUT, UH, I MEAN, I WISH IT WAS LIKE WHAT MS. LEE SAID, BUT IT'S NOT, NOT IN TODAY'S MARKET, NOT IN AUSTIN, NOT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND ALL THE HOUSES THAT ARE UP AND DOWN THE STREET HAVE ALL BEEN DEMOLISHED PROBABLY FOR THE SAME REASON THAT IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO REMODEL SOMETHING THAT IS SO HAS BEEN NEGLECTED.
AND CAN'T BE BROUGHT UP TO CODE TO THE DAY'S CODE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? I DON'T THINK SO.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONERS COOK AND MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I WILL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE BEING NO SECOND.
DO I HEAR AN ALTERNATE MOTION? I'LL SECOND.
IT, IT PAINS ME TO DO SO, BUT KNOWING THAT THERE WERE ATTEMPTS TO SELL IT AS IS, UM, I HATE MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, REPRESENT AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY AND IN OUR STORY, UH, OF OURS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, BUT I, THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, WHILE BEAUTIFUL, I THINK DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF JUSTIFYING, UH, CONTINUING TO PUSH FOR THIS TO, TO, TO FIND THE RIGHT BUYER.
I THINK THE RIGHT BUYER FOR THIS UNFORTUNATELY, IS LOOKING AT THE LAND, NOT THE HOUSE.
UM, AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT TO, TO SELL IT AS IS.
UM, BUT, UM, THE MARKET HAS KIND OF SPOKEN ON THAT AND I, I JUST, UH, I GUESS I DON'T HAVE AN APPETITE FOR IT TONIGHT, ANYMORE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
I, I JUST, I WANT TO SPEAK UP JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT PAINS ME TO THINK OF A BUILDING OF THIS CHARACTER ASSOCIATED AS IT WAS WITH SOMEBODY OF THAT SIGNIFICANCE BECOMES A TEAR DOWN.
I JUST, I, I WE'VE, WE'VE GONE TO THE MAT FOR LESSER BUILDINGS.
UH, I'M, I'M VERY SORRY THAT THE MARKET HAS DEEMED THIS SOMEHOW IS, IS, UM, A LESSER, UM, QUALITY AND IS NOT WORTH SAVING, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS 1939 PEMBERTON.
THERE'S VERY FEW STRUCTURES LEFT FROM THAT EARLY ERA AS WE HEARD FROM THE OWNER.
SO, UM, YEAH, MAYBE IT'S JUST A SYMBOLIC VOTE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE I CAN SUPPORT A DEMOLITION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, RAISING YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE, I GUESS FOUR TO FOUR, MR. WRIGHT IS NOT ON DAYA, SO IT IS THREE TO FOUR.
RAISE YOUR HAND OF RELEASING THE DEMO PERMIT.
THAT'S 1, 2, 3, THOSE IN OPPOSITION.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS TO OUR JUNE 1ST MEETING? UH, WE'LL HAVE MORE COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE AND PERHAPS WE'LL COME UP WITH A MORE REASONABLE OUTCOME.
[03:40:02]
I WOULD SUPPORT THAT MOTION.UM, DO WE HEAR A SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING THIS TO THE JUNE 1ST MEETING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS C4
[3.C.4. HR-2022-016431 – 1803 Kenwood Ave. – Consent (postponed March 28, 2022) ]
1803 KENWOOD AVENUE, TRAVIS SITES, FAIRVIEW PARK.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRQUE 19, SORRY, 37 SINGLE STORY HOUSE AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW HOME.
UH, THE NEW HOUSE WILL HAVE AN IN GROUND POOL IN THE REAR, A GARAGE AND A CARPORT.
UH, THIS APPLICATION WENT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE ON MARCH 18TH.
UH, THE ROOF LINE WAS CHANGED FROM A FRONT GABLE FORM, UH, TO A FRONT CABLED FORM.
AFTER MEETING WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE WINDOWS WERE CHANGED TO A MORE REGULAR FENESTRATION PATTERN ON THE FRONT FACADE AND A SMALL COVERED FRONT PORCH AND ADDITIONAL BRICK WERE ALSO ADDED TO THE PRIMARY FACADE.
UM, AND A WOOD FENCE AND GARAGE WERE REMOVED.
THE CAR PORT WAS TURNED TO FACE THE STREETS DIRECTLY.
UM, AFTER THAT, IT CAME BACK TO THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION VOTED TO POSTPONE AND INVITED BACK TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND, UM, THE, THE APPLICANT DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, SO THE HOUSE THAT WE HAVE, UM, HERE CURRENTLY IS A WOOD-FRAME SINGLE STORY HOUSE.
IT'S A MINIMAL TRADITIONAL STYLE WITH A SIDE GABLE AND A, UH, CROSS GABLE, UH, FRONT FACING.
UM, IT HAS, UH, SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS WAS SHUTTERS, A SMALL ROUND GABLE VENT AND THE FRONT PACING GABLE, A SINGLE ENTRY DOOR WITH A CONCRETE LANDING, UH, WITH A WOODEN AWNING, UH, SUPPORTED BY DECORATIVE WOODEN BRACKETS.
THE HOUSE WAS BUILT BY THE PROMINENT DENTIST AND CIVIC ACTIVISTS, DR.
SUE HOLLAND, HIS WIFE, LILLIAN PARMA, UH, HAD MOVED, UM, FROM THAT HOUSE TO A DIFFERENT HOUSE BY 1942, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY IT WAS OWNED BY RAYMOND W JUNIOR AND MARJORIE M RAMSEY.
UH, RAYMOND WAS EMPLOYED AT, UH, THE RNR SERVICE STATION AND THEY LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL 1944.
THE HOUSE CONTINUED TO BE OCCUPIED SHORT TERM UNTIL IT WAS PURCHASED BY DONALD B AND THE LEASE ISABELLE WHO LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1961.
UH, THE FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED THE CHICKEN HOUSE CAFE.
AND ELISE IS AL WAS ALSO A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.
IF WE COULD, UH, PULL UP THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
UM, THE HOUSE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE DISTRICT SETBACKS.
UM, BUT MOST OF THE OTHER DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THE FRONT PAGE, UH, THE FRONT CAR PORT LOCATION, UM, IS NOT A COMPATIBLE ORIENTATION WITH HOMES AND THE DISTRICT.
UH, THE HOUSE IS TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT HAS SOME SETBACKS TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THAT, UH, THE SECTION OF KENWOOD AVENUE IS COMPRISED OF SMALL SINGLE STORY HOUSES WITH SIMPLE MASSING.
UM, THE OUT OF SCALE THAT THE LARGER HEIGHT CHANGES THE STREETS RHYTHM IN TERMS OF ITS DESIGN AND STYLE, THE BUILDINGS MINIMALIST DESIGN, THIS STYLE DO NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPATIBLE OR TAKE CUES FROM A D JASON CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS AFTER THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, SOME DESIGN CHANGES, UM, OR AT SOME DESIGN ASPECTS FROM THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WERE INCORPORATED SUCH AS SINGLE HUNG WINDOWS, A COVERED FRONT PORCH AND A FRONT GABLE, THE ROOF LINE, UH, MAKING THE UPDATED DESIGN MORE COMPATIBLE THAN ITS PREVIOUS ITERATION.
UM, IN TERMS OF MATERIALS, THE BRICK THAT IS USED FOR PART OF THE EXTERIOR IS A COMPATIBLE MATERIAL WITH OTHER HOMES WITHIN THIS PORTION OF THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT STUCCO IS NOT, AND YOU SEND THIS IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MODIFICATIONS TO APPROVE THE DESIGN, THE PROJECT STILL DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, UH, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION'S MASS SCALE ORIENTATION AND MATERIAL CHOICE IN TERMS OF EVALUATION OF THE EXISTING HOUSE AND THIS SIMULATION, UH, IT RETAINS HIGH INTEGRITY AND IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A MINIMAL TRADITIONAL HOUSE, BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND THEREFORE DOES NOT MEET THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION CRITERIA.
UH, SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION REMAINS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS, ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE USE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE
[03:45:01]
THAN RELOCATION EVER DEMOLITION, BUT ULTIMATELY RELEASE THE DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION PERMITS UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.UM, WE, UH, DO YOU HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE, MR. BEN GOWDY? I CAN'T MR. GOWDY, PLEASE COME DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES EVENING.
UH, MY NAME IS BENJAMIN GOWDY.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SMALL AUSTIN HOME BUILDER WHO OWNS 1803 KENWOOD AVENUE.
UM, I'M ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BUILDERS, 15 EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO ASK THAT YOU RELEASE OUR DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN ABUSED BY SHORT-TERM RENTAL TENANTS OVER THE PREVIOUS FEW YEARS, AND WE'D LIKE TO REPLACE IT WITH A STRUCTURE THAT A FAMILY CAN LIVE IN.
I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT, UH, GIVEN THE ECONOMICS OF THE SITUATION, BUT I, I, I'M NOT AN AIRBNB LANDLORD, SO I DON'T KNOW.
UM, WELL, WE ARE PREPARED TO WAIT, UH, UNTIL THE TIME CLOCK RUNS OUT.
UM, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, UH, YOU CONSIDER THE COST OF THAT, THAT ENCOURAGED TO US AS A BUILDER, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES.
AND, UH, ULTIMATELY THOSE COSTS ONLY RESTRICT THE HOUSING SUPPLY HERE IN AUSTIN AND GET PASSED ON IN THE FORM OF RISING HOUSE PRICES.
IF YOU'D REALLY START PERMITTING YOU, I APOLOGIZE FOR MY COMMENT.
IT GETS DISCOURAGING AND IT'S AFTER THE WITCHING HOUR NOT CAN WE, UM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? WE HAVE ONE BY PHONE AND ONE IN PERSON.
UM, I'LL DO THE IN-PERSON, UH, PERSON FIRST, MELANIE MARTINEZ, GOOD EVENING.
AND I'M BACK TO TRY AND SAVE THIS HOUSE AGAIN.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT INSPIRED THE, MY ANALOGY OF THE STORY, LOSING ITS PAGES.
IF YOU HAVE SEEN OUR SURVEY FOR OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT THIS STREET IS ONE OF THE MOST INTACT STREETS IN ALL OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS, KEN KENWOOD, UM, ESPECIALLY THIS SECTION.
AND AS YOU SAY, ALL THE HOUSES ARE SINGLE STORY, AND I HAVE RESTORED 200 YEAR OLD HOMES MYSELF.
AND SO I CAN IMAGINE THAT THE DAMAGE FROM SOME SHORT-TERM RENTALS IS NOT REPAIRABLE.
SO I DON'T, UM, BELIEVE THAT THAT, THAT THIS HOUSE NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN.
AND, UM, I FEEL LIKE SINCE IT'S NOT, SOMEBODY'S PRIVATE HOME, THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO LIVE IN THEIR DREAM HOME, THAT THE BUILDER COULD BE CREATIVE ENOUGH TO FIND A WAY TO PRESERVE THIS HOUSE AND DO ADDITIONS, OR IF THEY CHOSE TO GO THE LANDMARK ROUTE, UH, THEY COULD PROBABLY FIND SOME FINANCIAL BENEFITS THERE AND OTHERWISE I THINK THEY COULD SELL IT.
SOME OF THEM WOULD LOVE TO BUY THAT HOUSE.
AND, UM, IT'S PART OF THE STORY.
YOU HAVE THE OTHER HOUSES AND DR.
STREW HALL IS STILL SOMEONE THAT I THINK MERITS ATTENTION.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE A FULL HISTORY OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN SOUTH AUSTIN AT THAT TIME.
UM, BECAUSE IT WASN'T REALLY PART OF THE CENTRAL PART OF A HOSTON DURING HIS TIME PERIOD.
SO, UM, I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN OPPOSE THIS DEMOLITION.
AND THEN WE HAVE SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER, UH, BY PHONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION.
ON A VERY LONG EVENING, I WOULD BE THERE IN PERSON IF I DID NOT HAVE AN EARLY MORNING FLIGHT IN THE MORNING.
UM, BUT I ALSO AM A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS, THE FAIRVIEW PARK, NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF 1,803 WOODS.
MUCH LIKE MELANIE SAID, THIS PARTICULAR STREET OF KENWOOD.
NOT ONLY IS IT ONE OF THE LONGEST STRETCHES I'D LIKE TO ILLUSTRATE HOW LONG FROM 16, THE BLOCK OF 1601 ALL THE WAY TO 2015, THAT IS FOUR BLOCKS WITH OVER 88% CONTRIBUTING HOUSES, ONLY THREE STRUCTURES ARE
[03:50:01]
NON-CONTRIBUTING OR 11% OF THAT SIDE OF THE STREET.IT WOULD BE A TRAVIS TRAVESTY TO TAKE ANOTHER ONE.
AND TO DEMOLISH WHAT IS LITERALLY ONE OF THE LONGEST STRETCHES AS COMMISSIONER HIND SETS THAT EARLIER IN THE MEETING, WHAT THERE NEEDS TO BE ARE OPTIONS.
AND THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE IT IS A LARGE LOT.
AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR THERE TO BE AN ADDITION ONTO THE STRUCTURE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR THAT, AND WE KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD VERY WELL SUPPORT THAT IT'S PROFITABLE TO THE DEVELOPER, AS WELL AS PAST DOCUMENTATION HAS SHOWN.
AND AS THE COMMISSION HAS, THE STAFF HAS NOTED ITS DESIGN STANDARDS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE FOR SCALE MASSING AND HEIGHTS.
I WILL ALSO REITERATE THAT DR.
STREW HALL WAS A PROMINENT PRIOR INHABITANTS.
THE STAFF THEMSELVES SAID HE WAS A PROMINENT DENTIST AND A CIVIC ACTIVIST.
SO WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE MORE EXPLORATION ON HIS CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTIN FOR ALL THESE REASONS.
I VERY MUCH OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION AND ASK THAT THERE BE SOME TYPE OF EFFORT BY THE DEVELOPER TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? OKAY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SOME OF, OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, I GUESS WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, JEREMIAH IS I'LL, UH, MOVE TO, UH, RESCIND THE PREVIOUS MOTION.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS REOPENED.
DO YOU WANT TO REBUT? UM, I GUESS I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, UH, WE'VE STUDIED, UH, MY IT'S MY ROLE IN THE COMPANY TO DO THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PROPERTIES.
AND I ADMIT IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT THAT I'M EVEN HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO PRESERVE FINANCIALLY TO PRESERVE THE BUILDING.
AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S, THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF A BIGGER PROBLEM HERE IN THE CITY.
I MEAN, WE COULD BUILD AN ADU IN THE BACK, BUT MORE THAN LIKELY THAT WOULD JUST BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
UM, AND THE REALITY IS THIS IS THE ONLY PATH THAT WE CAN SEE THAT MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE FOR US, AND ALSO ALLOWS A FAMILY TO MOVE INTO THIS UNIT.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS A RESULT OF, YOU KNOW, THE GREATER SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITHIN, UM, THAT THE PROPERTY WAS ON THE MARKET LAST FALL.
IT'S SAT ON THE MARKET FOR A LONG TIME AND WE FINALLY PICKED IT UP AND DECIDED TO DEVELOP IT BECAUSE WE SAW THE VALUE.
AND I MEAN, I, I HOPE THAT THIS IS THE LAST TIME THAT Y'ALL SEE ME.
NO, NO OFFENSE TO WHAT YOU DO.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO HERE, ESPECIALLY TONIGHT.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE, YEAH.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DOING A DUPLEX THERE? I'M GOING TO DUPLEX WOULD ADD TWO, TWO RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO THE CITY.
IF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT DENSITY AND MAKING THINGS AFFORDABLE, A DUPLEX, YOU COULD SELL EACH, EACH, EACH HALF COULD SELL.
I MEAN, I, I QUESTION MY THAT'S MY QUESTION TO ANYBODY THAT'S COMES IN AND STARTS, THESE LARGE LOTS ARE ABLE TO WANT TO PUT IT, PUT A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ON IT.
WHY ARE NOT A DUPLEX? THAT'S A VERY VALID QUESTION.
AND YES, WE DID LOOK AT A DUPLEX.
IT DOESN'T MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THE, THE COSTS INVOLVED, UM, WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING IN TWO KITCHENS AND WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING IN SIX BATHROOMS AND WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE COSTS DON'T SPREAD OVER A LARGER SQUARE FOOT BASIS, UH, THE RETURN'S NOT THERE AND IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
AND THAT EVENING, EVEN IF THEY COULD, EACH, EACH SIDE COULD SELL INDIVIDUALLY, I WISH I WISH IT WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE WE'D PREFER TO BUILD HOUSES THAT ARE AT A LOWER PRICE POINT THAT MORE PEOPLE COULD AFFORD, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
IF IT WAS FOUR UNITS, IT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT STORY.
UM, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT.
NOW, CAN WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'LL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE?
[03:55:02]
I MEAN, THIS IS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.WE'VE HAD, UH, JUST ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
UH, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY GOOD TOOLS HERE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE CASE HAS BEEN MADE THAT THIS RISES TO THE, TO THE MERIT OF A, UM, HISTORIC ZONING OVER AN OWNER'S OPPOSITION.
UH, HOWEVER, UM, I, I JUST, I CAN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT OUR BEST OPTION IS TO RELEASE THE BUILDING PERMIT, THE DEMO PERMIT TONIGHT.
UM, I GUESS THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO DENY THE BUILDING PERMIT AND THEN THE CLOCK RUNS OUT, BUT THE DEMO PERMIT INTO THE CLOCK RUNS OUT AND THEN THE EFFECT IS BASICALLY THE SAME.
BUT, UM, I, AGAIN, WE JUST HAVE SO, SO FEW GOOD OPTIONS HERE.
I'M NOT EVEN MAKING A MOTION YET.
YOU COULD CHOOSE TO DO LIKE TO TAKE NO ACTION.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST RELEASE IT WHEN THE CLOCK RUNS OUT.
OR, OR THE MOTION TO DENY AND THE SAME WOULD HAPPEN.
BASICALLY I, THIS MR. GOWDY, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THIS LOOK ON THIS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT WORKED ON IT FOR 15 YEARS AND WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT DEMOLITIONS SINCE IT WAS LISTED.
UM, ONE AFTER ANOTHER AND PEOPLE COME AND EVERY TIME SOMEONE COMES TO THE COMMISSION AND SAID, WE LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PREFACES THEIR REQUEST TO DEMOLISH PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY DEMORALIZING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO SIT ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, SO WHAT IS, I GUESS WE, WE, WE COULD TAKE NO ACTION IS THAT ONE OF OUR OPTIONS, BECAUSE IF WE TOOK OUT, IF WE DENIED IT, THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK IN SOME OTHER CAPACITY.
IF SOMEBODY CHANGED THEIR MIND, IF WE TAKE NO ACTION, THEN IT'S STILL IS, UH, CAPABLE OF HAVING SOME, SOMETHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THERE AND THE END OF THE CLOCK, SINCE THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, THE COMMISSION DOESN'T HAVE APPROVAL OR DENIAL AUTHORITY, OR YOU CAN COMMENT ON THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
THE CLOCK FOR THAT IS 75 DAYS FROM THE FIRST MEETING.
I HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
UM, THAT, THAT CLOCK AT MOST, UM, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
INITIALLY THAT CLOCK AT MOST CAN GO TO THE JUNE MEETING AS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
THE CLOCK FOR THE DEMOLITION CAN GO UP TO 180 DAYS AT THE COMMISSION TRADITIONALLY HAS TAKEN THAT MEETING BY MEETING.
SO I WOULD BE CONCERNED THAT A NO ACTION WOULD ACTUALLY IMPOSE 180 DAY CLOCK ON THIS DEMOLITION REQUESTS.
WELL, WE COULD, WE COULD POSTPONE IT.
YOU COULD POST THEM ON A MONTH BY MONTH BASIS UNTIL THE 180 DAYS RUNS OUT OR A NEW PROPOSAL COMES TO THE COMMISSION.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE IT TO THE JUNE 1ST MEETING THEN.
I'LL SECOND THAT I'LL PROPOSE THE MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
IT COMPLETELY ALLUDED ME THAT WE COULD, WE COULD PUT THIS OFF FOR 180 DAYS.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING IT TO JUNE 1ST, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE ONLY TOOL WE HAVE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN USING.
[3.C.6. HR-2022-026102 – 1205 Alta Vista Ave. – Consent (postponed March 28, 2022) ]
C6 1205 ALTA VISTA ADAM C6, UH, AS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH AN EXISTING TWO STORY DUPLEX AND A SECONDARY BUILDING, AND TO CONSTRUCT A NEW THREE STORY SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE, UM, THE THREE-STORY HOUSE, UH, PROPOSED IS FLAT ROOFED IN CLOUD, IN STUCCO BOARD AND BATTEN TONGUE AND GROOVE SIDING AND CEDAR SLATS FENESTRATION INCLUDES FIXED UNDIVIDED WINDOWS AND CASEMENT WINDOWS WITH REGULAR SPACING, PROPORTIONS AND ORIENTATION THROUGHOUT A FRONT FACING GARAGE AND SLIDING GLASS DOORS.THE PRIMARY BUILDING AT 12 AND FIVE ALSO VISTA IS A TWO-STORY CROSS CABLE DUPLEX WITH HORIZONTAL SIDING, SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS, ARCH, SIX LIGHT ACCENT WINDOWS AND A COMPOSITION SHINGLE ROOF 1205 ALSO VISTA WAS CONSTRUCTED
[04:00:01]
AROUND 1939 FOR MARY SANDERS.ALONG WITH THE GARAGE REAR DWELLING UNIT WAS CONSTRUCTED LATER.
UH, IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED AS A DUPLEX AND MOSTLY HOUSED TWO FAMILIES IN THE MAIN BUILDING.
AND ONE, THE REAR UNIT RENTERS WERE LARGELY SHORT-TERM AND INCLUDED A CATTLE BUYER, A MEAT INSPECTOR, A BOOKKEEPER STUDENTS AND OIL COMPANY EMPLOYEES.
UM, THE NEW DESIGN, UM, WAS EVALUATED AGAINST THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROJECT DOES NOT MEET MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UM, BUT BECAUSE, UM, STAFF EVALUATED THE PROPERTY, UH, AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? DO WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION, ONE IN PERSON AND ONE REGISTERED BY PHONE.
THE FIRST IN-PERSON IS MELANIE MARTINEZ, MELANIE, UH, MELANIE MARTINEZ.
AND, UH, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT IT SEEMS UNIQUE AND HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN.
THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS WHAT'S PARTICULARLY OFFENSIVE IN, UM, IN OUR DISTRICT.
IT'S SO OUT OF SCALE AND OUT OF CHARACTER, IT'S, IT'S JUST HARD TO BELIEVE IT WOULD FIT THERE.
AND, UM, I FEEL LIKE THAT BUILDER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR DESIGNS IN OTHER AREAS, AND I'M JUST, DON'T SEE WHY THEY CAN'T, UM, PUT THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD TRY AND SAVE THIS AS A MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE, WHICH WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LOSING A LOT OF IN THIS AREA.
SO I'M JUST REQUESTING AGAIN TO PLEASE NOT RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS PROPERTY.
AND THE SPEAKER BY PHONE AND OPPOSITION IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER, MS. FISHER.
UM, I AM SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THIS DEMOLITION FOR THE SAME REASON.
CHAVIS HEIGHTS IS SLOWLY ONE BY ONE, LOSING ITS HISTORIC CHARACTER.
ONE DEMOLITION AT A TIME THREE FAMILIES ONCE WE'RE HOUSED IN THIS PROPERTY AND WE WOULD BE DEMOLISHING IT TO ALLOW FOR ONE SINGLE FAMILY, VERY WEALTHY, LARGE HOUSE.
THE PROPERTY IS ALSO VERY NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
IT IS WHAT PEOPLE WOULD FIRST SEE WHEN THEY ENTER THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WHAT A FIRST IMPRESSION THEY GET IS WHEN THEY SEE DEMOLISHED STRUCTURES THAT ARE NEWLY BUILT MONSTROSITIES COMPARED TO THE CHARACTER BUNGALOWS NEXT TO THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO POINT OUT IN THE SURVEY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT IF YOU DO LOOK AT ALTA VISTA, THERE ARE ABOUT EIGHT STRUCTURES.
AND AT THIS TIME THERE ARE ONLY TWO THAT ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING TO TAKE AWAY ANOTHER ONE.
THEN IT'S THE BALANCE THAT IT BECOMES ALMOST NOT HISTORIC FOR THAT STREET ANY LONGER.
SO FOR THAT REASON AMONG THE OTHERS WOULD ASK FOR THIS DEMOLITION PERMIT TO BE OPPOSED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NO.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? THE, OH, THE APPLICANT'S NOT HERE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
SO I'M A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'M GOING TO SAY THIS IS ALMOST EXACT PARALLEL TO THE LAST ONE.
UH, HOWEVER, I THINK FRANKLY, THE, UM, CASE FOR THIS ONE AS AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK, UH, AS MUCH AS WE LIKE TO SEE A DUPLEX, UH, MAINTAINED IS PROBABLY LESS THE INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE AS MUCH LESS.
UM, THE, SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS I THINK I I'M, I'M LESS INCLINED ON THAT SCORE.
HOWEVER, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO AN APPROPRIATE BUILDING TO REPLACE IT.
AND, UH, THE ONLY TOOL WE HAVE IS DELAY, UH, LET'S POSTPONE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR THAT VERY, VERY SAME REASON THAT MAYBE SOME CHANCE THAT, UH, THIS, UH, THIS OWNER WILL AT THE VERY LEAST CONSIDER A MORE APPROPRIATE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO, UH, MAKE AN ACTION AND NOT REQUIRE THE FULL 180 DAYS.
DO I HEAR A SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING
[04:05:01]
THIS TO JUNE 1ST, BECAUSE IT IS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND WE CAN DO SO PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, AYE, ANYONE OPPOSED? I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF SINCE I WAS OFF DYESS FOR ALL OF THE TESTIMONY AND PRESENTATION IT PASSES.[3.D.2. PR-2022-032448 – 2002 Scenic Dr. – Discussion Council District 10]
D TO 2002 SCENIC DRIVE COMMISSIONERS.THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION OF A CIRCUIT, 1940 RESIDENTS AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES.
UH, THE S OKAY, YOU'RE GETTING IT.
UH, THE PRIMARY BUILDING AT 2002 SCENIC DRIVE IS A TWO STORY SPANISH ECLECTIC RESIDENCE WITH MODERN AND ECLECTIC ADDITIONS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
IT'S CLAYTON STUCCO, AND MASONRY AND CAPPED WITH A COMPOUND HIPPED ROOF WITH DEEP EAVES FENESTRATION INCLUDES MULTI LIGHT WOOD CASEMENT WINDOWS IRREGULARLY PLACED THROUGHOUT A CYLINDER GOLD TURRET WITH A CRENELATED PARAPET AND ARCH WINDOWS FLANKS AND OPEN MASONRY PORCH THAT LEADS TO AN EXPANSIVE DESIGN, THE LANDSCAPE, THE SECONDARY BUILDING.
UM, DO WE HAVE A PICTURE OF THE SECONDARY BUILDING BY CHANCE? IT MIGHT BE.
THAT IS THE SECONDARY BUILDING.
WAS THAT THE SECONDARY BUILDING? OKAY.
UH, THE SECONDARY BUILDING, AND THIS IS AN ECLECTIC GOTHIC REVIVAL COTTAGE.
IT'S TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH AN ARCH PALISADE CEDAR SHAKE ROOF AND MASONRY CLADDING, A TWO-STORY TURRET WITH A CHECKER WORK TRIM DOMINATES THE PRINCIPLE ELEVATION EACH ROUND ARCH INCLUDES A CARVED LIMESTONE KEYSTONE, UH, IMITATIVE OF ENGLISH ARCHITECTURE OR INNOVATION WAS DESIGNED AT CIRQUE IN 1946 TO 47 FOR CH AND MILDRED SLATER BY PROMINENT AUSTIN, ARCHITECTS FARE AND GRANGER.
UH, FARON GRAND JUROR WAS A HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL MID CENTURY, MODERN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM IN AUSTIN, UH, WHICH RECEIVED MULTIPLE AWARDS FOR THEIR WORK ORIGINAL RESIDENTS OF THE HOUSE APPEAR TO BE WILLIAM FOSTER.
AND THEN MR. AND MRS. KATIE SHOUTY, UH, WHO LOST A YOUNG SON WHILE LIVING AT THE RESIDENCE IN 1945, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY CH AND MILDRED SLATER.
UH, AFTER THEIR MARRIAGE, THEY LIVED IN OWNED PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY FROM 1946, AND IT STAYED IN THE SLATER FAMILY UNTIL 2021 C H SLATER WAS A PROMINENT LOCAL ATTORNEY AND CO-OWNER OF THE TAVERN, UM, AND CAME FROM A PROMINENT LANDO FAMILY, UH, IN TERMS OF THE HISTORIC, UH, EVALUATION CRITERIA, UH, THE BUILDINGS ON THE SIDE OF HERE TO RETAIN HIGH INTEGRITY.
THERE ARE OVER 50 YEARS OF AGE, UH, THE ARCHITECTURE, UM, THE BUILDINGS ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF THEIR TYPE, UM, THE MAIN BUILDINGS, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SPANISH ECLECTIC ARCHITECTURE.
THE ACCESSORY STRUCTURE IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF AN ECLECTIC MID CENTURY, GOTHIC REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE.
UH, THEY BOTH APPEAR TO CONVEY ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AS A ONE OF A KIND STRUCTURE FOR HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
THE PROPERTY APPEARS TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORY AS HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
WE SEE H SLATER, THE CO-OWNER OF THE TAVERN AND A PROMINENT LOCAL ATTORNEY IN AUSTIN, UH, AS WELL AS THE ASSOCIATION WITH THE WORK OF FARREN GRANGER.
AND IN TERMS OF ITS LANDSCAPE, THE PROPERTY MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT NATURAL OR DESIGNED LANDSCAPE FEATURES.
UM, WITH VALUE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO POSTPONE THIS CASE.
DID JUNE 1ST TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME FOR STAFF RESEARCH, UH, SHOULD THE COMMISSION CHOOSE NOT TO POSTPONE APPROVE THE APPLICATION UPON RECEIPT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE? UM, DO YOU, DOES STAFF HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT PETER MANS, BENDEL, UH, CARVING, UM, SOME OF THE IMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDING, COLIN, HAS THAT ANYTHING THAT YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH? I KNOW YOU DID SOME OF THE RESEARCH ON THIS YEAH.
THIS IS ANOTHER CASE THAT KIMBERLY COLLINS HAD RESEARCHED.
IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHE HAD MENTIONED TO ME.
THERE'S ALSO THE ORIGINAL STREET NAME WAS, UH, IT WAS WHEN IT WAS BUILT, THE STREET WAS CALLED RIVER STREET.
AND THAT MIGHT BE, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES IN DOING THE RESEARCH.
YOU MIGHT GO BACK TO CITY DIRECTORIES OF THIS BUILDING.
UM, ACCORDING TO, UH, JAMES POWELL WHO CONTACTED ME ABOUT IT, HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE PETER MANS SPINDLE CONNECTION RIVER STREET, AND THAT THIS HOUSE ACTUALLY WAS BUILT IN THE 1920S.
THAT'S A GREAT INFORMATION TO HAVE.
[04:10:01]
THOSE LEADS.MIGHT I SUGGEST, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? WE COULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS, BUT BEFORE WE MOVE ON, INCLUDING THIS CASE, WE STILL HAVE THREE AND WE ARE NEARING 10 45.
SO WE WILL NEED TO EXTEND AGAIN.
OH, IT PAINS ME TO DO SO DO WE HAVE THREE? WHAT DO WE HAVE AFTER WE HAVE ABOUT THREE, 2000? WE HAVE DEATH.
WE HAVE D THREE AND THEN WE HAVE
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING TO 11 O'CLOCK EXTENDED.
WAS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION? OH, OKAY.
UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND SPEAKERS.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS HERE, MICHAEL WHALEN, MICHAEL WHALEN AGAIN.
I'M MICHAEL WENT ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, I THINK HE NEEDS TO PULL IT UP BEFORE HE DOES.
SO I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER, HINDSIGHT'S YOUR CORRECT? UH, MOTION TO POSTPONE TAKES PRECEDENCE UNDER ROBERT'S RULES.
IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MOTION, WE'RE GOING TO BE POSTPONING ANYWAY, GIVEN STAFF.
SO I'LL PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO SEE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
SINCE IT DOES TAKE PRECEDENCE UNDER ROBERT'S RULES, WE'D STILL GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING TYPICALLY, BUT OKAY.
BUT IT WOULDN'T, IT WOULDN'T PRECLUDE YOU FROM COMING BACK BECAUSE WE KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
SO I GUESS WE CAN KEEP IT OPEN AND WILL I GET FIVE MINUTES AS AN APPLICANT THEN? OKAY.
THEN I'LL COME BACK AND DO IT THEN.
WE'LL GIVE YOU ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, THE COURTESY, BUT IF YOU DON'T NEED IT, WE'LL KEEP IT OPEN FOR YOU NEXT MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION.
UH, WOULD, WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO SPEAK OR DO YOU WANT TO WAIT? OKAY.
WELL, YOU WAITED THIS LONG, RIGHT? GO AHEAD.
UM, MY NAME IS EILA FALVEY, AND IT'S WAY PAST MY BEDTIME AS IT PROBABLY IS YOURS.
SO, UM, ACTUALLY I SPENT SOME TIME TRYING FIGURE OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS HOUSE BECAUSE IT'S TRULY FASCINATING.
IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE THE MAIN HOUSE, WHICH IS, IS MAGNIFICENT.
UM, DWELLING, BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT.
UM, IT'S JUST AS IF, AS A VESTIGE OF TIME PASSED, IT WAS BUILT, I THINK AROUND 1923, BECAUSE I WENT BACK USING THE CITY DIRECTORY AND LOOKING AT ALL OF THE AUSTIN STATESMAN INFORMATION BY SOMEBODY, UM, CALLED R M MY NAME, UM, DE LILLE RAYMOND, UM, MAURICE DON'T LELE.
AND THEN I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHO HE WAS.
HE HAD AN OPTICAL SHOP ON SIXTH AVENUE AND ALSO, UM, IN NORWOOD TOWERS.
SO HE WAS SAW THE VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN.
AND THEN HE BUILT THIS HOUSE PROBABLY IN 1923.
CAUSE THERE WAS A CLIPPING FROM THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT A PARTY, A GARDEN PARTY THAT THEY WERE HAVING ON THE BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS WITH A CEMENT SWIMMING POOL.
SO THIS HOUSE WAS IN EXISTENCE.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE DIRECTORY IN 1924 SAID, UM, THAT THEY, THEY CALLED, THEY CALLED IT LAKE AUSTIN.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN GIVE IT THE STREET NAME.
THE FRONT OF THE MAIN HOUSE FACES THE LAKE BECAUSE MAYBE THAT'S HOW PEOPLE ARRIVE.
SCENIC ROAD WAS SUPPOSED TO WHERE SCENIC DRIVE WAS SUPPOSEDLY JUST, UM, A DIRT ROAD UNTIL MAYBE THE FORTIES OR THIRTIES.
UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST FASCINATING.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE INTEREST, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION IS OUT THERE.
LIKE, UM, I FORGOT THIS NAME, BUT SOMEBODY WHO WAS AN ARCHITECT WHO WROTE THAT OR EDITED THAT BOOK, THE AIA BOOK, THE 19 70, 76 BOOK ON AUSTIN AND THAT'S ARCHITECTS, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? IT'S A THIN GREEN BOOK.
I FINALLY, WHETHER THE COPY ANYWAY, HE HAD A HOUSE BUILT BY THIS, UM, RAYMOND DELISLE IN 19, IN THE MID 1930S, RAYMOND DELISLE BUILT A LOT OF HOUSES ON SCENIC DRIVE.
UM, HE SAID, THERE'S A LITTLE BLURB IN THE NEWSPAPER SAYING THAT RAYMOND M DELILAH HAS A NEW HOBBY.
HE BOUGHT LAND AND HE'S BUILDING
[04:15:01]
HOUSES.HE OWNED 13.5 ACRES OF THE LAND AROUND SCENIC IN THE, YOU KNOW, EARLY TWENTIES.
HE WAS, YOU KNOW, HE WAS A WHEELER DEALER, BUT I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO FIND SO MUCH INFORMATION ON HIM.
AND THE HOUSE IS JUST, IT'S FASCINATING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO DID THE CARVINGS, BUT THEY ARE EXCEPTIONAL TO HAVE THIS HOUSE JUST TURNED INTO A PILE OF ROCKS WOULD JUST DESTROY THE AMBIENCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THERE'S A COLLECTION OF OLD, UM, ROCK HOUSES.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S SINFUL.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE BUYING AND IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PROPERTY AND I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT NEW, BIG, BETTER, BEST, BUT THIS PROPERTY IS MAGNIFICENT.
I'M SURE WHOEVER ROLLED AROUND, YOU KNOW, MORE TOOK THE PICTURES PROBABLY ARE NOT TOO HAPPY IF THEY CAUGHT POISON IVY, BUT THEIR BRIDGES, THEIR PATHS, THEIR ROCK STEPS, GOING DOWN TO THE LAKE.
IT'S, IT'S A TREASURE THAT SOMEONE SHOULD TREASURE AND NOT DESTROY.
I MEAN, I HAVE NO, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, NO MONEY IN THIS GAME, OTHER THAN I RESPECT WORKMANSHIP, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT NEEDS SOMEBODY WHO WILL TAKE AND SAY, I HAVE A TREASURE AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS TREASURE SHINE AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S POSSIBLE.
SO ANYWAY, I HAVE MY SPEECH, BUT YOU DIDN'T HEAR MY SPEECH.
WELL, YOU HEARD ME, SO, UM, THAT'S OKAY.
THE THING IS, IT WAS, IT WAS HAULED JUST ONE CORRECTION.
IT WAS, IT WAS CALLED RIVER, UM, AVENUE IN THE 1940 CENSUS.
IT WAS CALLED RIVER STREET ON SOME OF THE ARTICLES IN THE NEWSPAPER WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES THAT OCCURRED AT THE HOUSE.
BUT I MEAN, IT WOULD, IT'S, IT'S QUITE THE HOUSE.
THAT WILL HELP RESEARCH CONSIDERABLY.
RIGHT NEXT WE HAVE LISA GILBERT.
HI, Y'ALL I'M LISA GILBERT AND ONE NAME ALSO NEIGHBOR.
UM, I'M PULLING UP AN EXHIBIT THERE.
WHAT, ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THIS AREA OF SCENIC AND STEVENSON IS A COLLECTION OF OLD FISHING CABINS.
UM, AND THIS CABIN IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST AND PROBABLY THE MOST ELABORATE.
THERE'S AMAZING CARVINGS OUTSIDE.
AND IN THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, HERE ARE A COUPLE OF PICTURES.
THESE ARE ON THE OUTSIDE, UM, AND THEY'RE RANDOMLY PLACED, WHICH IS THE FUN PART BECAUSE IT'S HIDE AND SEEK TO SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THESE GREAT, UM, PIECES OF ART.
UM, THIS IS SOME PICTURES FROM THE INTERIOR, UM, WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
THIS LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE MAN SPINDLE.
UM, WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE OUR OWN FIREPLACE, BUT IT'S NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS THIS.
SO, BUT KIRKLAND STONE, WE WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD RESPECT THIS BUILDING AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE, UH, STEVE, UH, LUNING.
I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET AND I RESTORED ONE OF THESE SMALL ROCK HOUSES AND IT IS EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY ARE REALLY UNIQUE AND THEY'RE WORTH SAVING.
I'M GOING TO READ YOU A SHORT LETTER FROM ALISON HANKS WHO LIVED IN THIS HOUSE FOR EIGHT YEARS WITH, WITH HANKS.
AND SHE WRITES THE HOUSE WAS BUILT BY RAYMOND MARISE DELISLE IN THE TWENTIES.
HIS ARTISTRY CAN BE SEEN IN EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR, CARVINGS OF ANIMALS, CLOWNS, SHAMROCKS, ELEPHANTS BOXES OF MATCHES, AND A CIGAR NEW TO WOMAN, A MURAL COVERING ALL THE WALLS OF UPSTAIRS BATHROOM WITH A NUDE WOMAN, RECLINING ON A BEACH WEIGEL INTERIOR GATES, THE LIVING ROOM I WORTHY OF THE 1920S BLACK AND WHITE MOVIE SET STONES USING THE BUILDING WERE LEFTOVERS AND MADAME CLAPS FROM THE QUARRY NEARBY, WHICH IS CHERRY AND ROCKMORE.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE HOUSE USES MANY STYLES.
SOME I THINK GIVE IT A DELIGHTFULLY QUIRKY QUALITY.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER HOUSE IN AUSTIN WITH THE SAME STRUCTURAL ENCHANTMENT, THE 2002 SCENIC ESTATE INCLUDES A SIDE BUILDING GLASS HOUSE
[04:20:02]
POOL WITH CABANAS TERRORISTS, GARDENS, STONE BRIDGES TO THE GARDENER'S COTTAGE AND ENTIRE ESTATE RELATIVELY UNTOUCHED FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.IT WAS OCCUPIED BY ART PROFESSORS AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDING.
2002 SCENIC IS WE'RE SAVING FOR ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS.
UM, IT IS OF THE OPINION OF STAFF TO GIVE MICHAEL WHALEN A REBUTTAL, EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT SPEAK OKAY.
MR. WAYLAND, DO YOU WANT TO REBUT? ALL RIGHT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION AND NO REBUTTAL? SO WE'RE GOOD.
WE'LL KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND THIS WILL BE TAKEN UP AT OUR JUNE 1ST MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE AND KEEPS A PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
IT WILL BE HEARD AT THE JUNE 1ST MEETING ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HANDS.
AND, AND IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH STAFF, THE LETTER AND THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE, THIS IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE THAT STEPH DID NOT HAVE.
AND HOW DO WE DO THAT? UM, THEY'LL GIVE YOU THEIR PHONE NUMBER.
THE NEXT ITEM, THE LAST DISCUSSION ITEM IS
[3.D.3. PR-2022-033331 – 902 E. 7th St. – Discussion Council District 1 ]
THE SECOND TO LAST.D 3, 9 0 2 EAST SEVENTH STREET RELOCATE, UH, 19 0 3 0 6 HOUSE.
THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO RELOCATE A CIRCA 19 OR THREE TO 1906 HOUSE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, THIS IS A ONE STORY EL PLAN, VICTORIAN CLOUD AND HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING WITH A METAL CROSS GABLED ROOF AND BRICK CHIMNEY IT'S WOOD WINDOWS ARE TWO OVER TWO AND TRANSOM WITH OPERABLE SHUTTERS.
UH, IT STORE IS BENEATH THE TRANSOM LIGHT AS WELL.
AND THE PARTIAL WITH INSET PORCH IS SUPPORTED BY TURN POST TOP SQUARED BALLISTERS AND IT INCLUDES A JIGSAW AND TURNED FREES AND MATCHING DIGS ON BRACKETS.
THE LOT IS TERRORISTS WITH A STONE STAIRCASE MATCHING THE FOUNDATION SKIRTING, UM, THAT LEADS TO A SET OF CONCRETE STEPS TO THE STREET FROM THE TOP OF THE CONCRETE RETAINING WALL.
IT WAS BUILT BETWEEN 1903 AND 1906 BY CONTRACTORS, VICTOR, AND CARL CARLSON, SWEDISH HIM AGAINST HER TEXAS IMMIGRANTS TO TEXAS BETWEEN 1906 AND OH NINE.
THE PROPERTY WAS RENTED TO RAILWAY MOTORMAN, AUGUST LINDELL, ALSO SWEDISH DESCENT.
IT WAS VACANT IN 1912, BUT BY 1914, THE SHIP FAMILY OCCUPIED THE HOME AFTER THE SHIPS TO PARTIAL DEPARTURES, A VARIETY OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, UH, MOST WITH MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS OCCUPATIONS LIVED AT 9 0 2 EAST SEVENTH.
WE BROUGHT A RAY AS COLOMBIA BEGAN RENTING THE HOUSE WITH THEIR FAMILY DAUGHTERS, NOMI KALUNGA, UH, LISTED AS A PROPERTY OWNER AND THE CITY DIRECTORIES AND HENNA VIVA COALINGA MARTINEZ LIVED THERE UNTIL AT LEAST 1970 NOMI.
KALUNGA WORKED AS A LAUNDRESS MADE IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL JANITOR IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
THE COALINGA IS ALSO HOSTED YOUNGER RELATIVES, ALICIA AND BERTHA WHILE THEY ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS THE PROPERTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION AS A LOCAL LANDMARK INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND CONTRIBUTING TO, UH, POTENTIAL AND LOCAL, UH, LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO STAFF RECOMMENDS INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON THE SURVEY RESULTS, UM, AND RELEASE IF THE PERMIT WITH THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDED AGAINST THAT INITIATION.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH? YEAH, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE.
ANY SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS HAVE ONE MINUTE A PIECE.
UH, I AM A DESIGNER AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE WITH THE REST OF OUR PROPERTY COMPANY.
UH, JUST LIKE TO MAKE A CORRECTION.
WE ARE NOT APPLYING TO DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE.
WE ARE HERE TO, UH, RELOCATE, RELOCATE AS STRUCTURE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING THIS LATE AND TAKING, UH, THIS MEETING AND ALLOWING US TO HEAR OUR COMPANY'S GOALS AND FUTURE PLANS FOR THIS HOUSE.
UM, I MEAN, YOU'RE ASKING THE COMMISSION TO ALLOW US TO RELOCATE THE EXISTING HOUSE.
UM, THEREFORE WE ARE RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, HISTORICALLY ZONE THIS HOUSE.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT COMPLETELY AGAINST THE EFFORTS, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU FIND THAT WE SHARE SIMILAR IDEAS.
[04:25:01]
THAT YOU ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RELOCATE THE HOUSE IN ORDER TO PRESERVE AND PROVIDE A BETTER OCCUPANCY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STRUCTURE'S FUTURE.UH, HERE ON THE SCREEN, YOU'LL SEE IT'S, UH, CURRENT CONDITIONS.
UH, WE PURCHASED THE HOUSE, UH, IN LATE 2019 AND HAD A HARD TIME LEASING IT FOR, UH, A COMMERCIAL USE, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S ZONED.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY LEASING IT TO THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS, UH, WHICH IS A RESTAURANT, UH, AND THEY CURRENTLY USE IT AS STORAGE.
OUR PLAN IS TO RELOCATE THIS STRUCTURE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN INTO, UH, INTO OUR NEIGHBORING, UH, CITY AND THE CITY OF KYLE, UM, IN A MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT, OUR COMPANY IS DEVELOPING, UH, BY THE NAME OF 700 BUNTON.
SO THIS IS OUR MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY.
IT IS A 320 ACRE, UH, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING HERE.
IT HAS BEEN APPROVED ZONE FOR SINGLE FAMILY MULTIFAMILY MIXED USE A SCHOOL SITE IN ADDITION TO 60 ACRES OF PARK AND REC SPACE.
UH, JUST TO FOCUS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, UM, IT IS ZONED FOR MIXED USE, UM, AND IT IS JUST UNDER 12 ACRES.
UM, THIS WILL BE THE FUTURE HOME TO A, UH, WELL-KNOWN BARBECUE RESTAURANT HERE IN TOWN THAT IS LOOKING TO OPEN UP THEIR RELOCATE HERE TO, UM, UH, FOR A BARBECUE AND A BREWERY.
UM, THEY WANT TO USE THIS HOUSE THAT WE ARE HERE.
SPEAKING OF TODAY, THEY WANT TO USE IT AS A POTENTIAL OFFICE SPACE OR IN THEIR PREFERENCE TO USE IT AS A FINE DINING OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IF YOU ALLOW US TO RELOCATE THIS STRUCTURE, IT WILL BE PLACED AT JASON TO AN EXISTING MARTIN.
I BELONGED TO A GERMAN FAMILY THAT OWNED THE FARM FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY WHERE RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY A PIECE OF AUSTIN'S EARLY 19 HUNDREDS, UM, UH, ARCHITECTURE.
UH, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE RELOCATION IS A RESPONSIBLE AND RESPECTFUL OPTION TO THAT HOUSE AND HOPE THAT WE HAVE THE COMMISSIONS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF SUPPORT.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO MOVE IT FROM ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT? WE, UH, AND, UM, I BROUGHT
UM, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THROW IT OUT.
WE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTIES, UM, AT LEASING IT, SO IT'S BEEN USED FOR, UH, JUST STORAGE.
THE REASONING WE'RE WANTING TO RELOCATE IT IS THAT WE FEEL THAT IT'LL, IT'LL BE A PART OF A BETTER COMMUNITY ASPECT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WILL BE THE, IT WILL BE THE CENTER OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, IN OUR OPINION, IT IS WHAT MAKES PART OF THIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL.
UH, AND SORRY IF I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION COMPLETELY, BUT WE JUST THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BE USED OTHER THAN STORAGE AND ACTUALLY BE USED FOR SOMETHING THAT MULTIPLE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF KYLE CAN ENJOY.
WE HATE TO HAVE A RESOURCE LIKE THIS REMOVED FROM AUSTIN.
AND, UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE HI, MY NAME IS
I'M A COWORKER HERE WITH FRANCISCO.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UH, FROM US BEING ON THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, BUSINESS OR, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, IT IS PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE CREATIVE, UH, OPTIONS TO PRESERVE THESE TYPES OF BUILDINGS.
AND I GUESS THAT THE, THIS OPTION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY, EH, IT WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE A HOUSE BEING REUSE OR BEING, UH, PROPERLY PRESERVED WHILE OTHER PEOPLE CAN STILL ENJOY, EVEN IF IT'S A FINE DINING,
[04:30:01]
UH, BARBECUE PLACE.ISN'T THAT A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS, FINE DINING AND BARBECUE.
I HAVE TO ASK WHAT IS THE BARBECUE RESTAURANT? UH, LEROY AND LEWIS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANTS? NO, BUT YOUR MYERS, WE'VE GOT THREE MINUTES LEFT.
IF WE DON'T DO ANOTHER EXTENSION, IT PAINS ME TO DO IT, BUT I WILL, UH, OFFER TO EXTEND THIS TO 11, 15.
11, 15 GUYS WERE RIGHT AT THE END ALMOST.
SHALL WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE EXTENSION.
WE ALL WERE RAISING OUR HANDS QUIETLY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION? DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? NO.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
UM, EMOTION ON THE CASE, I MOVED TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO INITIATE HIS STRICT ZONING PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION DISCUSSION.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE SURVEY.
THE DETAILS ON THIS FULL VICTORIAN ARE JUST SO INTACTED FOR MARKABLE THE SITE FEATURES THE LOCATION.
I WAS JUST DRIVING BY THESE, THESE PROPERTIES AND WONDERING WHAT THEIR FUTURE MAY BE, UH, COULD BE COME.
THE PAINTED LADIES OF, OF AUSTIN HERE, UH, ON THE HILL APPROACHING DOWNTOWN.
I JUST HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT THERE'S NOT A TAKER TO LEASE THESE.
UM, BUT IN ANY CASE, UH, I THINK THEY NEED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR, UH, MY MARK STARTED.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST AND THEIR DESIRE TO USE THIS IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I FEEL STRONGLY THAT IF WE HAVE THESE SURVEYS AND USE THE RECOMMENDATION, THE RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
AND, UM, THIS IS A VERY INTACT EXAMPLE AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT LEAVE AUSTIN.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION FOR THE DISCUSSION, ANYONE.
UM, WELL, LET'S TAKE A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, IT PASSES.
AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU'LL VISIT WITH THE STAFF WITH THE STAFF OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPLICATIONS BECAUSE THERE MAY BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR THIS OWNER.
UM, THE LAST, MAYBE LAST CASE, HOPEFULLY
[3.D.7. SP-2020-0297C – 1100 E. 5th St. – Discussion Council District 3 ]
UH, 1100 EAST FIFTH STREET.IT'S IT'S, IT'S A PASSEL, A QUANSET HAT.
CHAIRMAN MYERS, UH, ITEM D SEVEN IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A COMPOUND CONCEPT WAREHOUSE, UH, ERECTED ON OR MOVED TO THE LAW IN 1948.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A RARE MULTIPLE QUONSET HUT, COMPOSED OF FIVE CONNECTED BARREL ARTS UNITS, ALL OF CORRUGATED STEEL PANELING ROLL UP METAL BAY DOORS PROVIDE ACCESS AT BOLT ENDS AND A CORRUGATED METAL HOOD PROTECTS THE WESTERN ENTRANCE WHILE THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE SITE HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED INTO OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE, QUONSET HUTS ARE GENERALLY ACCEPTED AS A HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDING TYPOLOGY WITHIN PRESERVATION INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
UM, AND AN EXAMPLE OF CONTEXT FROM THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DESCRIBES THEM AS AN IMPORTANT WORLD WAR II ERA BUILDING TYPE AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, NOTABLE FOR ITS SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION DISTINCTIVE SHAPE AND USE OF PREFABRICATED MATERIALS.
INTACCT EXAMPLES REPRESENT THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOW COST AND HIGHLY VERSATILE STRUCTURE, UM, DEVELOPED BY THE U S NAVY FOR MILITARY USE DURING WORLD WAR II.
UM, AND THEN USED AS ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECTS FOR HOUSING, UM, AND OTHER USES DURING THE POST-WAR PERIOD.
UM, A 2003 HISTORIC THEMATIC RESOURCE SURVEY FOR FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, UM, DESCRIBES THE QUONSET HUT AS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE AMERICAN BUILDING FORMS EVER CREATED THROUGHOUT WORLD WAR II.
THE QUANSET BECAME THE STANDARD MILITARY UTILITY BUILDING OF ALL REGIONS AND CLIMATES.
AND AT THE END OF THE WAR, THEY WERE EVERYWHERE IN 2015 PRESERVATION ON AUSTIN HONORED, UH, 1100 EAST FIFTH WITH A MERIT AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE BY THOUGHT BARN AND DELINEATE STUDIO.
UM, AUSTIN'S MOST ICONIC QUONSET HUT ON
[04:35:01]
EAST FIFTH MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED FOR PARKING OR AN APARTMENT COMPLEX HAD DOTTED DEVELOPMENT TEAM LED BY RICHARD, CHRIS AND DENNIS DANIEL STEPPED IN TO TRANSFORM IT INTO FAIR MARKET AND STONE.ONE OF THE MOST STUNNING EVENT SPACES IN THE CITY, UH, THE WAREHOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1948 AND 49 BY BEN POWELL JR.
WHO PURCHASED THE LAND FROM NEARBY RAILWAY.
UM, THEY HAD USED A LOT FOR STORAGE PREVIOUSLY, UM, AND POWELL RENTED IT OUT TO THE STACK COMPANY.
HE WAS THE SON OF A PROMINENT AUSTIN JUDGE AND BECAME THE ATTORNEY AFTER ATTENDING VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE, UT AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY IN THE 1930S.
UH, HE THEN WORKED IN MILITARY DEFENSE IN WASHINGTON BEFORE RETURNING TO AUSTIN IN 1945 TO PRACTICE LAW.
UH, WHEN CONSIDERING WAREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE SITE, HOW WAS BACKGROUND IN THE ARMED SERVICES LIKELY LED HIM, UH, TO THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF WARTIME SURPLUS FROM CENTRAL TEXAS MILITARY BASES, UM, OR THE AUSTIN TEXTS, BUILDING EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OR HOUSTON BASED NATIONAL STEEL PRODUCTS.
UM, PRIVATE MANUFACTURERS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE QUONSET HUTS AFTER WORLD WAR TWO IN LIMITED CAPACITY, UM, AFTER THE WAR FOR HOUSING STORAGE AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USES.
UM, BUT THE MILITARY ALSO FOUND ITSELF WITH A SIGNIFICANT SURPLUS.
UM, THESE WERE ADAPTED FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF PEACETIME USES, UM, AND IT CAN BE SURMISED THAT, UH, THIS IS WHERE POWELL, UM, GOT HIS WAREHOUSE FOR THE STEP COMPANY.
UH, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A MULTIPLE UTILITY BUILDING, UH, MEASURING 82 FEET BY 102 FEET, WHICH COULD BE MODIFIED TO EXTEND AND SET INCREMENTS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
UM, AND IT COULD ACCOMPLISH LARGER SPANS BY INTRODUCING A STEEL FRAME, WHICH THIS BUILDING HAS, UM, UPON WHICH ARCHED ROOF SEGMENTS WERE JOINED, UH, WITH LOW SLOPING VALLEY GUTTERS.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE STRUCTURE FROM 1100 EACH EAST FIFTH WAS PURCHASED FROM AN NEARBY MILITARY INSTALLATION OR FROM A MANUFACTURER THEN ERECTED ON SITE.
THE BUILDING ORIGINALLY HAD HOUSED THE STEP COMPANIES' WAREHOUSE, NUMBER ONE, AND REMAINED IN USE UNTIL THE COMPANIES PURCHASED AND DISSOLUTION IN THE MID 1960S.
THE ACCORDING TO THE HEART GRAPHICS COLLECTION AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, THE COMPANY BEGAN AS CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING HOUSE FROM FOUNDATIONS, BUT IN 1912 E L STACK TO OVER THE PRINTING SIDE OF THE BUSINESS FROM HIS FATHER, UM, AND THE STACK COMPANY CONTINUED TO PROSPER AS A GENERAL LINE COMMERCIAL PRINTING COMPANY, SELLING PRINTING WITH THE GRAPHING AND STATIONARIES TO CITIES, SCHOOLS, COUNTIES, BANKS, AND COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS IN TEXAS SEX BUILDING SOAR SEX BUSINESS SOARED AFTER WORLD WAR TWO.
UM, AND AS COMPANY BECAME A MAJOR EMPLOYER IN AUSTIN AS GIS RETURNED HOME STUCK WAS AUSTIN'S FIRST CITY MANAGER.
UH, HE INCORPORATED THIS TECH COMPANY IN 1932 AND SERVED AS ITS PRESIDENT UNTIL 1947.
UM, HE BUILT THE COMPANY INTO ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLISHING CONCERNS IN THE SOUTHWEST.
UH, SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IS THAT THE 1928 STEP COMPANY HEADQUARTERS AT NINTH AND LAVACA ARE STILL EXTANT, ALTHOUGH THEY'VE BEEN MODIFIED.
UM, BUT OTHER KNOWN MID-CENTURY PRODUCTION AND WAREHOUSE FACILITIES ON STUCK AVENUE AND SHOAL CREEK HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED.
THIS BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN HIGH TO MODERATE INTEGRITY.
UH, THE BAY DOORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THOUGH.
THE OPENINGS THEMSELVES DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MODIFIED, UH, TO AN EXTENT THAT COMPROMISES THE BUILDING'S OVERALL INTEGRITY OF FORM.
THE LEFTMOST BAY DOOR APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO THE GROUND FROM THE ORIGINAL LOADING DOCK HEIGHT TO ALLOW ACCESSIBILITY FROM THE STREET AND WOOD BAY DOOR PANELS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA.
UM, THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A MULTI-DAY QUONSET HUT AND MAYBE THE LAST REMAINING FIVE BASED SPECIMEN IN AUSTIN WHILE THE QUONSET HUT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE A TEMPORARY BUILDING TYPE.
THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING HAS GAINED RECOGNITION OVER THE YEARS IN AUSTIN, UM, AND WAS NAMED PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S, UH, MOST ICONIC QUONSET HUT IN 2015.
UH, WHEN IT'S REHAB RECEIVED THE ORGANIZATION'S MERIT AWARD, THE PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH BEN POWELL JR.
AND WITH THE COMPANY, A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON AUSTIN'S ECONOMY DURING THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION, THE ORIGINAL 1928 STEP COMPANY HEADQUARTERS AT NINTH AND LAVACA ARE EXTANT THOUGH, THE PRODUCTION BUILDING ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT MODIFIED, NO OTHER MID-CENTURY STACK WAREHOUSE FACILITIES EXIST ELL TECH'S 1921 HOME AT 3 0 5 EAST 34TH IS LANDMARKED.
UH, THOUGH IT IS MORE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH SEX DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE ELL STACK ADDITION IN THE 1920S WHILE THE PROPERTY DOES NOT APPEAR TO POSSESS UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC, OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD OR DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.
UM, THE COMMISSION MAY CONSIDER THE BUILDING'S ROLE AS AN EXAMPLE OF AUSTIN CHANGING IDENTITY AS DEVELOPMENT BRIDGE, THE GAP BETWEEN WORLD WAR II AND THE POST-WAR COMMERCIAL BOOM.
UM, SO IF THE COMMISSION FEELS THAT THE WAREHOUSES ASSOCIATIONS ARE INDIVIDUALLY SIGNIFICANT ALONG WITH ITS CLEAR ARCHITECTURAL MERIT, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION
[04:40:01]
IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING, SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST INITIATION STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION UPON RECEIPT OF A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.MS. CONTRAREZ, HOW DID IT GO FROM GETTING AN, A MERIT AWARD TO A DEMOLITION REQUEST? UM, I BELIEVE IN 2020 OR 2021, A SITE PLAN APPLICATION WENT FORWARD TO REDEVELOP THE SITE.
UM, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE WAS NOT LOOPED INTO THE REVIEW AT THAT TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE NOW.
IS THERE AN APPLICANT? UH, CHRISTINA CORDOVA, WE HAVE ORIGINAL RICHARD SUP RICHARD, GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I REPRESENT THE OWNER OF THE QUONSET HUT.
HE'S THE SAME GENTLEMAN THAT REDID IT AND GOT THE AWARD ORIGINALLY AS A INTERIM USE.
UM, NOW HAS OTHER PLANS HAS BEEN THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS AT THE CITY, HAS A SITE PLANNING PROCESS AND WISHES TO DEMOLISH IT.
UM, WE'LL KIND OF STAND BY THE, OF COURSE THAT MEANS THE OWNER OPPOSES IT, BUT WE'LL STAND BY THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT IT'S REALLY, UM, DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA.
AND SO WE'LL SEND YOU ALL ARE LATE AND TIRED.
I'LL JUST, IT DOESN'T EVEN QUALIFY.
ONE OF THE SURVEYS EVEN SAYS IT DOESN'T EVEN QUALIFY AS, AS AN EXAMPLE, ALTHOUGH I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE WIDE PURVIEW, SO WE'LL HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO TURN IT LOOSE TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. SETTLE? UM, ARE YOU HERE ON THIS CASE? OH, YOU'RE WITH HIM.
SHOULD WE PAINT YOU WITH THE SAME BRUSH? OKAY, WOULDN'T DO THAT TO HER.
UM, I WILL, I WILL KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
LET'S MOVE THIS TO POSTPONE TO, UH, OUR MEETING NEXT WEEK.
UH, I THINK THAT WE ARE IN A SKELETON THE NEXT MONTH.
I THINK WE'RE KIND OF A SKELETON GROUP AT THIS POINT.
HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE STAFF HAS BROUGHT UP SOME VERY INTERESTING, UH, ELEMENTS.
UH, I WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW ABOUT OTHER, UM, SIMILAR STRUCTURES THAT STILL REMAIN.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE THAT MANY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT I WILL, I WILL MOVE POSTPONEMENT.
IS THAT POSTPONEMENT POSTPONEMENT TO GYM TO REAL ART JUNE 1ST MEETING QUONSET CONSTRUCTION IS MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.
OH NO, I'M NOT SAYING I WOULD THINK THAT POSTPONEMENTS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED AT SIX O'CLOCK.
UM, DO I HEAR A SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER COOK? UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, OF POSTPONING THIS, UH, TO THE JUNE 1ST MEETING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
UM, IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE
[4.A. Officer Elections]
OFFICER ELECTIONS AGAIN? YEP.HOW ABOUT IT, UH, CHAIR MYERS.
DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THE CAPACITY AS CHAIR? I WOULD.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE AS CHAIR.
AND MAY I SAY BY ACCLIMATION THAT WE PLACED YOUR NAME AND NOMINATION FOR CHAIR? UH, IF THERE'S AN OPPOSITION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT CAN BE DONE BY ACCLAMATION.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ME CONTINUING AS CHAIR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
NOBODY WANTS TO JOB, BUT COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH IS GOING TO BE CHEERING NEXT MONTH.
JUST ASSUMING THAT, UH, THE NEXT OFFICER POSITION IS FILLED.
UM, AND FOR VICE CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE IN THAT POSITION? I WOULD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH, CONTINUING AS VICE-CHAIR I GUESS I BETTER SAY AYE.
[04:45:01]
OKAY.DID I VOTE FOR MYSELF? UM, OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER OFFICERS? NO.
THEY'RE ALL VERY, VERY, UM, ARCHITECTURAL
[4.B. Discussion and Possible Action on Committee Reports]
REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK.COULD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S TOO LATE.
I FORGOT WHAT ELSE WE SAW BESIDES A LOT OF IT WAS TAKEN UP WITH TV CAMERAS AND TALKING ABOUT THE, THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT PROPERTIES.
UM, I WASN'T PREPARED TO, WE DID, WE HAD LOOKED AT SURVEY THAT AGENDA CONSIDERING WE HAVE THREE MINUTES LEFT AND MAYBE WE SHOULD FORGO OPERATION GRANTS.
HASN'T MET PRESERVATION, SPRINTS COMMITTEE DID MEET WITH, YOU HAD AN UPDATE.
I'M SORRY, THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, AND THE HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM ABOUT CHALLENGES NATIONWIDE TO BUILDING EQUITY INTO PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.
IT'S INTERESTING AND DEPRESSING AND PROGRESSIVE.
WELL, I GUESS WE'LL PROBABLY HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'M SORRY THAT I WAS GIVING YOU SHORT SHRIFT THERE OF, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE INTENDING TO COME TO THE FULL COMMISSION, BUT IF THE FULL COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT ON THIS SUBJECT, I'D BE HAPPY TO PASS THAT REQUEST.
UH, AM I SPEAKING FOR THE COMMISSION? I THINK WE SHOULD KNOW WHY.
UM, THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE, UM, PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MET EARLIER TODAY.
WE'VE BEEN IN A LONG, LONG MEETING, UH, COMMISSIONER HAIM.
SETH, COULD YOU PLEASE MAKE A REPORT, A BRIEF REPORT IN ONE AND A HALF MINUTES? SURE.
THE, UH, THE GROUP CONTINUES TO MEET WITH STAFF ON UPDATING OUR PRESERVATION PLAN AND WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS.
THE WORKING GROUPS, KARA OR TRON PEOPLE ARE, ARE WORKING HARD, UM, ON OUR EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO DO I HEAR A MOTION FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? NOT RIGHT NOW.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? ADJOURN SECOND, EVERYBODY.