[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
HERE AT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7TH AT SIX.DID I JUST SAY OH THREE? AND, UH, WE'LL START BY CALLING THE ROLE.
SO, SAM, CAN YOU DO THE HONORS? ABSOLUTELY.
COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH PRESIDENT, VIRTUALLY COMMISSIONER WHIT FEATHERSTONE PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT.
PRESENT, COMMISSIONER TREY MCWHORTER.
PRESENT, COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT, COMMISSIONER JAIME ALVAREZ.
COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO.
COMMISSIONER RON WAYMAN RUBIO PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY PRESENT.
[ Consent Agenda]
REVIEWING THE AGENDA AND BEAR WITH ME.I WOKE UP IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE THIS MORNING AND, UH, WASN'T EXPECTING TO BE THE CHAIR TODAY, BUT, UH, THINGS HAPPEN.
UM, AFTER THE READING OF THE AGENDA, WE'LL START OFF WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
THAT'S FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
SO IT'S JUST AN OPEN FORUM FOR IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT RELATIVE TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
DON'T COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
SO APPROVAL OF MINUTES IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT'S AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, 1500 WEST 24TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 3, 14 0 3 WEST 10TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 4 3 3 1 1 LAFAYETTE AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
AGENDA ITEM FIVE 1500 EAST 12TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
YOU'D THINK THAT SINCE I WOKE UP IN COLORADO, I'D BE BETTER AT LIKE CATCHING MY BREATH, BUT NO.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, 900 SP STREET.
THAT IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE 9 0 3 7 ANN AND ROY BUTLER.
BIKE TRAIL IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT 1300 HUNDRED SPRINGDALE ROAD IS AN APPLICANT.
AND I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT IF ANY OF THESE THINGS AS WE GET INTO IT ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THEY WOULD BE PASSED, UH, PER STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
IF YOU WANT THEM PULLED FROM CONSENT, HOLLER, RAISE YOUR HAND, JUMP UP INTO A JUMPING JACK, LET US KNOW.
WE'LL PULL IT OFF THE CONSENT AND WE'LL MAKE IT A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND, UM, ACTING CHAIR, UH, LET ME JUST QUALIFY ON NUMBER SEVEN AND EIGHT.
UH, WE, WE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING, SO IT, IT'S ACTUALLY STAFFED.
THAT'S REQUESTING A DELAY AND THAT'S A COMBINATION OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, AS, AS WELL AS JUST THE, THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE A LIMIT ON HOW MANY ZONING CASES CAN BE HEARD IN ONE SESSION THAT IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO, UH, REQUEST, UH, TO, TO RESPECT THE STAFF.
REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT ON BOTH SEVEN AND EIGHT THANK YOU CHAIR INTO THE SECTION THAT IS HISTORIC, LANDMARK AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 9 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET THAT IS WITHDRAWN.
AGENDA ITEM TEN ONE EIGHT ZERO SEVEN EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET, THE BURNER CLARK MERCADO HOUSE, THAT IS AN APPLICANT.
POSTPONEMENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11 2 3 0 5 EAST 21ST STREET, THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON, HOLY CROSS, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS PROPERTY IS WITHIN THAT, THAT IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12 2 0 3 WEST 32ND STREET IN THE ALDRIDGE PLACE, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13 1 6 0 7 WEST 10TH STREET, THE MARY BAYLOR HOUSE.
THAT ONE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM 14 4 1 0 7 SPEEDWAY IN THE HYDE PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
TERRY TRAIL, THE GATEWOOD HOUSE, THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
[00:05:01]
EAST NINTH STREET, UH, IN THE ROBERTSON, STEWART AND MAYOR, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
NOW WE'RE INTO THIS SECTION OF THE AGENDA THAT IS NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 17 1 4 0 9 ALVIS AVENUE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION.
SO THAT ITEM WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
CONGRESS AVENUE, NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 19, 600 CONGRESS AVENUE.
IS THIS A REPEAT? WE HAVE, THIS IS A TWO SEPARATE ISSUES HERE.
SO AGAIN, SAME PROPERTY IN THE CONGRESS AVENUE NATIONAL REGISTER.
ITEM NUMBER 19 IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 24 2 0 0 WILSHIRE PARKWAY, WILSHIRE WOOD, NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND AGAIN, 4 2 0 0 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
ARE THESE DISTINCT AS WELL? YES.
ONE IS TOTAL DEMO, ONE IS NEW CONSTRUCTION.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 22 1 6 0 7 KENWOOD AVENUE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT ONE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 23 1 5 1 9 ALAMEDA DRIVE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT WILL WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 24 7 0 0 OR 7 0 7 EAST MONROE STREET IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT ONE IS, WE HAVE A SPEAKER.
THAT ONE WILL BE A DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 24, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 25 1 1 0 6 INFIELD ROAD IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 26 1 5 0 8 PASE ROAD, UNIT B IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 27 3 4 1 1 HAPPY HOLLOW LANE IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
NOW WE'RE INTO THE SECTION OF THE AGENDA FOR DEMOLITION AND RELO RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 28 1 0 4 1 3 SOUTH IH 35 SERVICE ROAD, NORTHBOUND.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 29 1 2 0 5 COTTON STREET.
THAT IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 37 3 0 4 KNOX LANE.
THAT IS ALSO AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 31 3 3 1 0.
BOWMAN AVENUE ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 32 1 7 0 2 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
THAT ONE IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 33 1 7 0 4 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
THAT ONE IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 34 4 7 0 0 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE NUMBER 10.
THAT ONE IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 35 2 8 0 5 MOUNTAIN LAUREL DRIVE.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, THE NEXT SECTION OF THE AGENDA, THE TAX ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 36 4 4 0 5 AVENUE C.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE COMMISSION ITEMS. UM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 37, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF ADOPTION OF THE UMLA SCULPTURE, GARDEN AND MUSEUM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION PLAN.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 38, VOTE TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AND REPORT AGENDA ITEM 39, WE HAVE GRANTS COMMITTEE UPDATE.
NUMBER 40 IS AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
UPDATE 41 IS AN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UPDATE 42 IS A PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE UPDATE.
I'M GONNA READ BACK THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS ONE MORE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THEM WOULD LIKE TO BE PULLED BY ANY INDIVIDUALS ON THE DAIS OR IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, NUMBER ONE IS THE MINUTES NUMBER 12, 2 0 3 WEST 32ND STREET.
NUMBER 14 41 0 7 SPEEDWAY NUMBER 15 2900 TERRY TRAIL, 16 1 0 1 1 EAST NINTH STREET,
[00:10:01]
18 600 CONGRESS AVENUE, 19 600 CONGRESS AVENUE, 20 4200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY, 21 20 4200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY, 26 15 0 8 PASE ROAD, UNIT B 27 34 1 1 HAPPY HOLLOW LANE, 28 1 0 4 1 3 SOUTH IH 35 SERVICE ROAD, NORTHBOUND NUMBER 31 3 3 1 0 BOWMAN AVENUE 35 2 8 0 5.MOUNTAIN LAUREL DRIVE, 36 4 4 0 5 AVENUE C.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.
AND CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCC QUARTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
POSTPONEMENTS, DO WE JUST APPLICANT POSTPONEMENTS? I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD ON THAT.
AND CHAIR, IF I COULD JUST FOR A SECOND, UH, ON ITEM 36, THE 44 0 5 AVENUE C.
THIS IS A, UH, GROUP THAT'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE, UH, ABATEMENT PROGRAM IN THE NATIONAL REG, IN THE LOCAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S NOT, NOT AS WELL KNOWN AND NOT AS OFTEN USED.
AND I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT THIS IS, UH, A CHANCE FOR BASICALLY A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND WITH THAT WE'LL ROLL INTO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THIS EVENING? WE DO NEED A MOTION FOR THE POSTPONEMENTS.
DO WE? IN THE APPLICANT? POSTPONEMENTS? YEAH.
UH, EVEN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENTS.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND JUST READ THEM OFF AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE, UH, THAT ALSO.
SO THE APPLICANT POSTPONEMENTS, UM, ARE ITEM NUMBER SIX 900 SPENCE STREET, ITEM NUMBER 7 9 0 3 7.
ANN AND ROY BUTLER, HY AND BIKE TRAIL ITEM NUMBER EIGHT 1300 SPRINGDALE ROAD, ITEM NUMBER TEN ONE EIGHT ZERO SEVEN EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET, ITEM NUMBER 29 12 0 5 COTTON STREET.
ITEM NUMBER 37 3 0 4 KNOX LANE.
ITEM NUMBER 32 17 0 2 EAST MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD.
ITEM NUMBER 33 17 0 4 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
AND ITEM NUMBER 34 4 7 0 0 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICANT? POSTPONEMENTS DILUTE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WHERE'D THAT, WHERE'D THAT VOICE COME FROM?
WE HAVE A, A, UH, MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK AND A SECOND FROM CHAIR MSMITH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE, AYE, THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
RAISE HER HAND, BUT SHE DOESN'T DO THAT.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THAT POINT OF ORDER.
AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATION.SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP THIS EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS? WE SURE DO.
FIRST UP WE HAVE JOHN ISLANDER.
PLEASE COME TO THE DAAS AND STATE YOUR NAME AND JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THE, UM, LOVE SCULPTURE GARDEN, YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THE PRESENTATION AT THE VERY END OF THE MEETING.
THAT'S WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR, SO, OKAY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN HERE WITH MY, UM, MONTHLY UPDATE FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, OUR DEADLINE FOR, SORRY, DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR OUR, UM, 2024 PRESERVATION MERIT AWARDS IS COMING UP ON FRIDAY.
THIS IS OUR ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM THAT CELEBRATES ALL OF THE AMAZING PRESERVATION WORK THAT SOMETIMES PASSES THROUGH THIS ROOM AND OTHERWISE THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAPPENING.
UM, EVERY YEAR THAT DEADLINE IS AUGUST 9TH AND WE, UM, WE AWARD PROJECTS IN CATEGORIES SUCH AS PRESERVATION, STEWARDSHIP, AND EDUCATION.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE THIRD ONE ACTUALLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL RECOGNITION, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
SORRY, I HAVEN'T RUN THIS PROGRAM IN A FEW YEARS.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING THEIR PROJECTS, UM, THEY CAN DO SO@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR ANNUAL MEETING COMING UP ON AUGUST 22ND AT THE COMMODORE PERRY, WHICH WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH THEM FOR.
UM, SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, THEY CAN JOIN, UM, AS PRESERVATION AUSTIN MEMBER@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG, OR THEY CAN SHOW UP AND PAY $25 FOR COVER FEE.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE EVERYBODY TO JOIN US AND THEY CAN ALSO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
[00:15:01]
SAM.ANYONE ELSE? YES, WE HAVE JENNY BRANCH.
MS. BRANCH, YOU COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME.
HELLO, I'M JENNY BRANCH AND I'M GONNA BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE MOF SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM.
I SHOULD HAVE OFFERED IT TO THE OTHER GUY ALSO.
YOU COULD ALSO, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION RELATED, NOW IS YOUR TIME.
OKAY, THAT IS ALL FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL GET INTO THE MEAT OF THE AGENDA WITH, UH, AGENDA
[2. C14H-2024-0094 – 1500 W 24th St. ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, 1500 WEST 24TH STREET.1500 WEST 24TH STREET IS A ZONING CHANGE FROM FAMILY RESIDENCE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, SF THREE NP TO FAMILY RESIDENTS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, HISTORIC COMBINING DISTRICT SSF THREE NPH ZONING.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE PROPOSING ZONING CHANGE ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE BROOKS HOUSE LOCATED AT 1500 WEST 24TH STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1964 IN THE CONTEMPORARY STYLE OVERLOOKING SHOAL CREEK.
IT IS SET BACK FROM THE INTERSECTION OF WEST 24TH STREET AND PEMBERTON PARKWAY AT THE CORNER OF THE PROPERTY WITH THE HIGHEST ELEVATION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOTS VIEW SHED WITH A SURROUNDING VEGETATION.
THIS LARGELY OBSCURES THE BUILDING FROM THE RIGHTS OF WAY.
THE SECOND, THE TWO STORY RESIDENCE FEATURES A HAWAIIAN OR DICKIE DOUBLE DOUBLE PITCHED ROOF.
THAT WAS CONS, UH, CONS CONSIDERED HIGH STYLE AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION.
UH, CURVING PARKWAY OPENS UP TO REVEAL THE HOUSE AND ITS MID-CENTURY.
DETAILS AND GLEAN VERTICAL WOOD SIDING AND THE ENTRY, UH, LANDING UNDERNEATH THE MAIN HOUSE, WHICH IS RAISED ON CONCRETE PIERS.
INSIDE THE ORIGINAL WOOD PANELING IS ATTA INTACT, AND THE SOUTH AND EAST WALLS OF THE MAIN FLOOR ARE LARGELY GLAZED TO CAPTURE VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
THE ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE IS EXEMPLARY WITH MODIFICATIONS ONLY OCCURRING AROUND THE SIDES AND THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
1500 WEST 24TH STREET IS PRIMARILY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST RESIDENCE OF THE CURRENT HOUSE, R MAX BROOKS AND MARIETTA MOODY BROOKS EDUCATED AS AN ARCHITECT.
ROBERT MAX BROOKS WAS INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS CONSTRUCTION PRO PROJECTS ACROSS AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY WITH PUBLIC GOVERNMENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL, EXCUSE ME, EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS WITH THE FIRM HE FOUNDED WITH FELLOW ARCHITECTS, HOWARD R BARR, DAVID C GRABBER, AND JJ ROY WHITE.
SOME OF THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE FEDERAL BUILDING IN AUSTIN.
CONSULTANT WORK FOR NUMEROUS CAMPUS BUILDINGS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS THROUGHOUT THE 1960S AND SEVENTIES.
AND THE LYNDON B JOHNSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, THE BROOKS FAMILY HAD A LONG AND CLOSE CONNECTION WITH THE JOHNSON FAMILY AFTER HAVING BEEN INTRODUCED, UH, WHEN BOTH COMPANY COUPLES WERE NEWLYWEDS BY COMMODORE, EH H PERRY MAX BROOKS, UH, WAS ALSO HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE DUR SKILL HOTEL FROM DEMOLITION IN 1969.
MARIETTA MOODY WAS A UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS GRADUATE WHO BECAME A HIGHLY REGARDED, CIVICALLY MINDED SUPPORTER OF INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE USO UNESCO AND THE TEXAS FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION.
SHE WAS APPOINTED IN ROLES RANGING FROM DIRECTOR TO ADVISORY DELEGATIONS TO THESE GROUPS.
UH, BUT SOME OF HER MOST IMPACTFUL WORK INVOLVED WOMEN IN THE ARMED SERVICES IN RECOGNITION OF HER WORK PURSUING SAFE AND AVAILABLE HOUSING FOR FEMALE PER PERSONNEL IN THE ARMY.
MOODY WAS HONORED WITH THE CLASS OF NURSES ENTERING THE SERVICE, BEING NAMED FOR HER ONLY THE THIRD TIME.
SUCH A COHORT, UH, WAS HONORED HONORING A VOLUNTEER.
UH, THE FIRST RESIDENTS ARE MAX BROOKS AND MARIETTA MOODY BROOKS BOTH CONTRIBUTED TO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MID-CENTURY TEXAS POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE, AND THEIR LEGACIES ARE BOTH APPARENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS OF, UH, STAFF COMMISSIONERS? NO.
I JUST WANNA LET STAFF KNOW THAT THAT WASN'T, THAT BACKUP WAS NOT POSTED ONLINE AS WELL, SO YEAH, IT WAS SENT TO US A LITTLE BIT LATE.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? AND ANY OPPOSED? DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE I MOVE TO? WE'RE NOT INITIATING, WE'RE RECOMMENDING AT THIS POINT, RIGHT? OR DO WE THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU RECOMMENDING AT THIS STAGE, UH, I MOVE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, UM, WITH MAX BROOKS AND MARIETTA MOODY, BROOKS SECOND IT.
WE'LL NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION? UH, DO I, WE TAKE IT TO A VOTE WE CAN CLOSE FIRST, I GUESS,
[00:20:01]
CAN WE TAKE IT ALL AS ONEIF, IF HIS MOTION INCLUDES THE CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEN IT'S ALL BEEN DONE.
TYPICALLY WHAT WE'LL DO IN A CASE LIKE THIS IS WE CLOSE THE HEARING FIRST AND THEN WAIT FOR A MOTION, BUT THERE'S NO PROBLEM HAVING IT TOGETHER.
SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE CASE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THAT WAS BY COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JUAN RAMON RUBIO.
DO LET'S, UH, NEED A DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT'S, UM, A FANTASTIC PROPERTY, MID-CENTURY, WHICH IS GOOD TO SEE.
BROOKS IS A HUGE NAME, UH, FOR MANY, FOR MANY YEARS HERE IN AUSTIN.
I ENCOURAGE THE OWNERS, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GONNA BE KEEPING THOSE INTERIORS BECAUSE WE CAN'T FORCE YOU TO, BUT, UH, IT'S APPARENT THAT YOU SEE WHAT YOU HAVE HERE.
SO, UH, KEEP THOSE INTERIORS INTACT IF YOU CAN.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE HOUSE BE A LITTLE MORE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, BUT AGAIN, WE CAN'T REQUIRE THAT EITHER.
THOSE WOULD JUST BE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A VERY STRONG AND, UH, UNIQUE AND HIGH PROFILE, WELL LOCATED LANDMARK TO ADD TO OUR LIST.
UH, I'LL JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LOSING QUITE A FEW OF THESE MID-CENTURY BUILDINGS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THE OWNER, UH, WENT AHEAD AND, AND DECIDED TO DO THIS.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING THIS APPLICATION TOGETHER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE FO APPLICATION LATER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSIONERS? I'LL JUST SAY, THIS IS AN AWESOME HOUSE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GETTING A TOUR AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY ONE THAT WE WOULD WANNA SAVE CHAIR.
AND I'M JUST VERY THANKFUL THAT IT'S IN SUCH A REALLY REMARKABLE SHAPE.
UM, THE FACT THAT IT, IT HAD THAT SORT OF LOVING DETAILS THROUGHOUT AND THEY'RE STILL HERE, UH, IT GIVES US A REAL OPPORTUNITY.
SO, I'M, I, SINCE I HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE, I JUST SAW THE PHOTOGRAPHS, UH, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING, GETTING A CHANCE TO BE INSIDE AS WELL.
ANY FURTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? SHOULD I SEE YOUR HAND ALMOST UP? NOPE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
[3. C14H-2024-0098 – 1403 W 10th St. ]
3 1 4 0 3 WEST 10TH STREET, UH, 1 4 0 3 WEST 10TH STREET, ALSO KNOWN AS THE MO PHRASE.HOUSE, UM, IS A PROPOSAL FOR A ZONING CHANGE FROM FAMILY RESIDENCE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN SF THREE NP TO FAMILY RESIDENTS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, HISTORIC SF THREE HNP, COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS, UH, TO GRANT THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE MORAIS HOUSE IS AN EX EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW STYLE, FEATURING AN AMPLE FRONT GABLE PROJECTING OVER THE FRONT PORCH WITH MODERATELY PITCHED HIP ROOF COVERING THE MAIN SPACE OF THE HOUSE.
ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND SCREENS ARE PRESENT ON ALL SIDES OF THE HOUSE AND ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
A REAR PORCH EDITION IS LOCATED ALONG THE MO UH, MORAYS, UH, STREET ELEVATION.
THE FRONT PORCH, WOOD RAIL IN COLUMN DETAILS, THE RELATIVELY SIMPLE IN DESIGN AS IS COMMON IN HOUSES OF THIS STYLE, WERE MADE PRESENT, ARE IN AND ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
THE INTERIOR FLOOR PLAN, WHICH ORIGINALLY WAS LAID OUT AS A CENTRAL HALL WITH ROOMS ACCESSED ON EITHER SIDE, HAS SEEN ONLY SLIGHT MODIFICATION, WHICH OCCURRED WHEN THE PORCH WAS CONSTRUCTED.
OVERALL, THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY IS EXCELLENT.
LITTLE ALTERATION HAS OCCURRED, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH WAS COMPLETED DURING THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND THE BUILDING HAS BEEN ROUTINELY MAINTAINED AND OCCUPIED SINCE CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST INTACT EXAMPLES OF THE STYLE IN THE DISTRICT AND THE CITY.
THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE DEFINED IN THIS APPLICATION EXTENDS THROUGH THE TIME IN WHICH THE HOUSE WAS OWNED BY THE MORAYS FAMILY ACROSS SEVERAL GENERATIONS.
IN, LITERALLY IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 1890S, THE FAMILY, UPON MOVING TO THE AUSTIN PROPERTY FROM NEWARK, NEW JERSEY THROUGH THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA, OPENED AND OPERATED A RE A READY MIX CONCRETE BUSINESS, WHICH QUICKLY BECAME THE LONGEST CONCRETE, THE LARGEST CONCRETE CONCERN OF ITS TYPE IN THE CITY.
SPECIFICALLY THE NAME MORAY CAN BE SEEN STAMPED ON MANY SIDEWALK SLABS AND PAVERS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN, WHICH WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR MANY DECADES THAT THE CONTRACTORS' COMPANY NAME TO BE STAMPED ON COMPLETED PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY.
THIS IS, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE MO PHRASE FAMILY HAD AND CONTINUES TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF AUSTIN.
AS MANY CONCRETE PAVERS ARE STILL PRESENT IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MORE BESPOKE PROJECTS THAT THE COMPANY WORKED ON, SUCH AS THE BLACK CONCRETE AROUND THE DOWNTOWN SCARBOROUGH BUILDING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NONE.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? I, YES, WE HAVE MARK STEIN.
[00:25:02]
GOOD, GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.I'M, UH, MARK STEIN, UM, WITH MY WIFE, UH, CLEMMY CUMMINS, WHO IS HERE.
UH, WE ARE THE OWNERS OF THE HOUSE.
WE'RE THE SECOND FAMILY TO OWN THE HOUSE.
WE BOUGHT IT FROM, UH, THE, UH, A MARE, THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE MAN WHO BUILT THE HOUSE, UM, IN, WITHIN THE MARES FAMILY.
AND, UH, SO WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO ON, UH, PRESERVATION.
UH, BOTH MY WIFE AND I GREW UP IN OLDER HOMES AND, UH, WE, WE HIGHLY VALUE THEM.
WE THINK THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, IF POSSIBLE, SHOULD HAVE SOME OLDER HOMES, UH, SUCH AS THIS.
AND SO WE'LL DO OUR BEST IN THE FUTURE TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THIS HOUSE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE OWNER? OKAY, THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.
SECOND, THE MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMISSIONER COOK AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
ALTHOUGH IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
UM, IF PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE I MOVE TO RECOMMEND HIS? I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE SPEAK.
FIRST OFF TIME AS CHAIR, I DON'T GET TO MAKE MANY MOTIONS, BUT THIS HAS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT, UH, YEARS AGO WHEN WE MOVED A DERELICT SHELL OF AN OLD BUNGALOW THAT BASICALLY WAS SALVAGED, UH, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PORCH COLUMNS THAT WE COULD WORK WITH, WE'D HAVE NO HISTORIC RECORD OF THEM, UH, JUST DRIVING AROUND THAT AREA, I SAW THOSE PORCH COLUMNS AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM AND RECREATED THEM FOR MY OWN HOUSE.
SO, UH, IT IT, IT GIVES ME GREAT HONOR TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS MOTION.
BEFORE YOU EVEN GET A SECOND, CAN I COMPEL YOU TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY VALUE IN YOUR REASONS WHY? WELL, UH, CERTAINLY WOULD, WOULD MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE FOR ME, BUT, UH, WITH THE MAL PHRASE FAMILY, I THINK, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT HOUSE AND I, I WOULD CERTAINLY ADD THAT AS WELL.
UM, CHAIR MSMITH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD OR HAVE YOU ALREADY, UH, MADE YOUR COMMENTS? I, I, I PERSONALLY WANTED COMMUNITY VALUE, UM, ATTACHED TO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS MY HOME NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I GREW UP IN.
IT'S, IT'S RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE PARK THAT I SPEND SO MUCH OF MY CHILDHOOD IN.
UM, IT'S A GREAT, GREAT HOUSE, SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE IT HERE.
SO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I WAS GONNA SIMILARLY SAY THAT THE SITE IS REALLY IMPORTANT, SO I'M GLAD YOU ADDED COMMUNITY VALUE, UM, THE SITE UP THERE ON THE HILL, UM, I THINK THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THE, THE NA THAT NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT IS, IS QUITE LARGE.
UH, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY FOR A LOT MORE FUTURE LOCAL LANDMARKS OR ANOTHER DISTRICT WITHIN THAT NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY, UH, SPREAD THAT WORD AT LEAST TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE THAT WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SETH AND SECONDED BY MYSELF, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
AND THAT VOTE IS UNANIMOUS, SO NONE OPPOSED.
[4. C14H-2024-0100 – 3311 Lafayette Ave. ]
4, 3 3 1, 1 LAFAYETTE AVENUE, VICE CHAIR.I'M NOT FEELING MY BEST TONIGHT, SO, UH, PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
UH, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME.
AS AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION, UH, FOR THE SPL GREENHOUSE AT 33 11 LAFAYETTE AVENUE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE, UH, FROM SF THREE NP TO SF THREE H NP, AND THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
THE PROPERTY AT 33 11 LAFAYETTE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF VERNAC, OF A VERNACULAR BUILDING TYPE, SHOWCASING THE TRANSITION BETWEEN MORE FORMAL STYLISTIC CHOICES OF THE 19TH CENTURY TO THE UNIQUE AUSTIN INTERPRETATION OF, OF THE NATIONAL FOLK AND CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOWS OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
FURTHERMORE, THE HOUSE'S TWIN NOW LOCATED ON EAST 46TH STREET HAS ALREADY BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
THOUGH THE HOUSE AT 33 11 LAFAYETTE REMAINS MARKEDLY MORE INTACT, ARCHITECTURALLY REMARKS OWNER AND AUTHOR STEVE WILSON IN HIS HOME'S HISTORIC ZONING
[00:30:01]
APPLICATION.THIS HOUSE IS A DISTINCTIVE AND WELL-PRESERVED MISSING LINK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUNGALOW STYLE IN AUSTIN.
THIS BLEND GREEN HOUSE IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH NOTABLE OCCUPANTS, WALTER SPL AND ANNIE LOU GREEN, BUT ALSO FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH AUSTIN'S SHIFTING DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS AS THE MISSING HALF OF A PAIR OF IMPORTANT STRUCTURES ON A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND DOWN THE STREET.
THE HOME STORY IS A UNIQUELY AUSTIN TALE THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE GROWTH, UPHEAVAL, AND REBIRTH OF THE CITY DURING THE 20TH CENTURY.
IT'S A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF HOW AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS AND ITS BUILT ENVIRONMENT CHANGED AND ADAPTED TO SUIT THE DEMANDS OF THE GROWING UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN THE EXPANSION OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 35 AND HOW AUSTINITES OVERCAME THE EFFECTS OF RACIALLY RESTRICTED COVENANTS TO UPHOLD, TO UPLIFT THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THE BUILDING WAS RELOCATED WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE, WHICH DOES NOT AFFECT ITS INTEGRITY.
AND IN FACT, THE RELOCATION OF THE HOUSE IS PART OF ITS HISTORIC IMPORTANCE AND HELPS TO TELL THE STORY OF AUSTIN AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS EXPANSION.
THE 2023 EXTENSION OF THE EXISTING SCREEN PORCH TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE MAINTAINS THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE ORIGINAL, AND IT HAS BEEN LOVINGLY MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS.
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF CALLAN FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? NONE.
I'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME.
UH, YEAH, UM, I'M, I'M STEVE WILSON.
I'M THE OWNER WITH MY WIFE ERIN MAYS.
AND, UM, YEAH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, HAVE LIVED THERE FOR 22 YEARS AND WE'VE WORKED HARD TO MAINTAIN THE HOUSE DESPITE, UH, A GROWING FAMILY WHO YOU KNOW OF TWO RAMBUNCTIOUS BOYS AND VARIOUS PETS.
AND, UM, BUT WE, UM, HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THE HOUSE AND WE WERE VERY INTRIGUED WHEN WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A TWIN.
WE LOOKED INTO IT MORE, FOUND OUT THAT HAD HISTORICAL STATUS, AND WE'D LIKE TO MAKE THINK IT KIND OF MAKES THE HOUSE W UNIQUE IN A WAY BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, UH, THERE'S A TWIN OF IT AND IT'S KINDA LIKE BRINGING THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER IN THE REPORT FOR THE OTHER HOUSE.
IT'S THE ANDERSON HOUSE IS THE OTHER ONE IN HYDE PARK.
UM, IT KIND OF MENTIONS, AND ANOTHER OTHER MATERIALS IT MENTIONED, LIKE OUR HOUSE WAS CONSIDERED LOST, SO IT'S KIND OF NICE TO THINK OF IT BEING FOUND AND THESE TWO HOUSES BEING REUNITED.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AS I SAID IN THE REPORT, UH, IT, THEY BOTH WERE TWIN HOMES BUILT BY THESE TWO SISTERS, AND THEY WERE MOVED TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
UM, THE OTHER HOUSE WENT THROUGH THE BLACKLAND NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN TO THE HYDE PARK AND OURS JUST, AND WOUND UP IN CHERRYWOOD AND STAYED THERE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THING, YOU KNOW, CHERRYWOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF A, UM, A SORT OF A LOW KEY NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDED BY MUCH FLASHIER NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE HYDE PARK AND MUELLER AND, AND EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, I, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, HISTORICAL LANDMARKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE KIND OF NICE TO HAVE ONE.
UM, SO, UM, AND THEN, YEAH, VERY BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE EXCITED TO VERY RECENTLY LEARNED THAT WILLIAM SPL, UM, NOT EXACTLY A HOUSEHOLD NAME, BUT HE WAS AN INTERESTING GUY WHO WAS THE SEVENTH, UH, PRESIDENT OF UT.
HE WAS THE SECOND CHOICE THOUGH, WHICH I'VE FIND KIND OF IN A WAY FITTING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE CHERRY WAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF LIKE A SECOND CHOICE TYPE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW? AND SO, UM, UH, AND HE, BUT HE WENT ON TO WORK WITH SAM RAYBURN TO DO NEW NEW DEAL POLICIES, SO, YOU KNOW, IN AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
SO HE DID, HE HAD A REALLY INTERESTING CAREER.
AND THEN, UH, ANNIE GREEN WAS A VERY LONG TIME RESIDENT, UH, WHO LIVED THERE FOR 30 YEARS, FROM THE VERY EARLY SEVENTIES TO THE LATE NINETIES.
AND SHE, UM, SORT OF REPRESENTS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, STRONG AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, UH, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS FAMILIES THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS MENTIONED IN THE REPORT, THERE WAS SOME VERY RACIST LANGUAGE ORIGINALLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARTER THAT EVENTUALLY GOT ELIMINATED, BUT IT WAS JUST, UM, I DON'T KNOW, JUST KIND OF A NICE WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND SHE WAS A VERY PILLAR, A PILLAR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UH, PEOPLE STILL TALK TO US ABOUT HER, SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO KIND OF NAME IT AFTER THOSE TWO FOLKS.
ANYONE HERE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? AND ANYONE OPPOSED? SEEING NONE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'LL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ALSO RECOMMEND HISTORIC, RECOMMEND HISTORIC DESIGNATION BASED ON ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS PER THE STAFF REPORT.
AND DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? SECOND, UM, MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK,
[00:35:01]
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, DO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YES.
SORRY TO HOG THE FUND ONES, BUT, UM, THIS IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND YES, WHEN YOU DO LOOK AT THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES VIEWER, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT, UH, EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF LANDMARKS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS, THIS IS DEFINITELY A LANDMARK DESERT.
THERE IS ONE AT ROBINSON 32ND, UH, WHICH IS A LARGER HOUSE, BUT THIS IS AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I KNOW IN THE RECENT SURVEYS THAT WERE DONE, UM, IT WAS SOMEWHAT OVERLOOKED AS WELL, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE A LOT OF FIRSTS LISTED IN THAT REPORT.
IT, UH, REALLY IS AFTER THE PAVING OF, UM, WHAT WAS WEST AVENUE INTO I 35 IN 1930, REALLY EXPLODED.
IT'S TIES INTO WORLD WAR II, UH, GIS COMING HOME.
THERE'S DEEPER HISTORY, THERE'S MORE RECENT HISTORY.
IT'S REALLY AN ECLECTIC, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND, BUT IT REALLY IDENTIFIES A LARGE SWATH OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK THIS, THIS VERY MUCH FITS IN, UH, WITH TELLING THAT STORY.
SO I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY TO, TO MAKE THE MOTION SIMILAR.
UH, I GUESS STATEMENT TO EARLIER, JUST, I APPRECIATE YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, I HOPE THAT MORE AUSTINITES REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF THIS, NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATION, BUT TO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTIES ALONG THAT STREET THAT ARE LIKELY ELIGIBLE FOR A LOCAL DISTRICT, AND IF WE COULD GET MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 15, 22 PLUS YEARS TO REALIZE THE BENEFIT, UM, WE CAN KIND OF SAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF THAT HISTORY.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND APPRECIATE IT.
I'LL PIGGYBACK ON THAT AND SAY IT'S NOT JUST THE STEWARDSHIP.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND JUST GIVING A VOICE TO THE STORY.
AND I, I HOPE YOU KEEP DOING THAT WHEN ANYBODY ASKS WHY DOES YOUR HOUSE HAVE THAT MARKER ON IT? SO, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? SEEING NONE, UH, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, THAT APPEARS TO BE UNANIMOUS.
[5. PR-2024-064274 – 1500 E 12th St]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 5 1 5 0 0 EAST 12TH STREET.ITEM FIVE IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION OWNER OPPOSED INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING CASE FOR THE EAST END SALOON.
AN EISEN VISOR SALOON, THE 1500 CLUB, AND THE 1500 BEAUTY AND BARBER SHOP AT 1500 EAST 12TH STREET.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THIS LANDMARK COMMISSION RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL AND OTHERWISE REQUIRE A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE BEFORE ANY DEMOLITION PERMIT IS RELEASED FOR THE PROPERTY.
THIS BUILDING IS SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AS NOTED IN THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
THIS, THE HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY ALSO NOTES THAT THE BUILDING IS ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE AREA OF LAND DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY PLANNING.
THE BUILDING IS A VERNACULAR COMMERCIAL BUILDING, A TYPOLOGY RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING.
IN AUSTIN, IT WAS RECOMMENDED AS A PRESERVATION PRIORITY, REQUIRING STABILIZATION IN A 2019 LETTER FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN.
NEIGHBORHOODS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS A TWO STORY STORE BUILDING OCCUPANTS CONSTRUCTED ONE STORY REAR ADDITIONS IN AND OUTSIDE THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
IT HAS A HIP ROOF WITH A CENTRAL HIP DORMER AT THE 12TH STREET ELEVATION, ONE OVER ONE WOODEN VINYL WINDOWS AND HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING COVERED WITH VINYL SIDING THAT HAS BEEN PARTIALLY REMOVED WITHOUT PERMITS.
A SHALLOW FRAME AWNING SHELTERS THE TWO ENTRY STOOPS AT 12TH STREET, WHILE TWO ENTRANCES ON KAMAL STREET REMAIN UNCOVERED.
THE BUILDING SECOND FLOOR PORCH WAS ORIGINALLY OPEN BUT ENCLOSED DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY IDENTIFIES THE PROPERTY AS SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH EARNEST EISEN, A PROMINENT AUSTIN GROCER.
THE BUILDING IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY AND MR. BUFORD JOHNSON PROPRIETOR OF THE 1500 CLUB AND BAR, BAR BEAUTY AND BARBERSHOP, AS WELL AS CHRISTIAN J WILHELM GROCER AND POLITICIAN.
THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY ADDRESSED AS 1400 EAST 12TH STREET AND IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT AROUND 1910 PER THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
HOWEVER, THE BUILDING'S EARLIEST O OCCUPANT GROCER CHRISTIAN WILHELM IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADDRESS AS FAR BACK AS 1889.
WIL WAS ACTIVE IN POLITICS AND RAN FOR SEVERAL CIVIC ROLES, INCLUDING TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
IN 1910, HE AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO HOUSTON AND SOLD THE PROPERTY AT 1400 EAST 12 TO DESAL MERCHANTS EARNEST AND LOUISA EISEN ADVISOR.
THE EISEN ADVISORS STORE SOLD PRODUCE AND DRY GOODS AND HAD AN ATTACHED SALOON AND RESTAURANT.
THE FAMILY LIVED ABOVE THE STORE AND OCCASIONALLY RENTED, RENTED OUT LIVING SPACE FOR TENANTS DURING PROHIBITION.
THE SALOON WAS CLOSED BY CITY ORDINANCE, THOUGH IT LATER REOPENED, AND BY 1934 IT WAS A POPULAR
[00:40:01]
SPOT FOR GERMAN FOOD, MUSIC, AND THEATER.IN 2000 AND FOURS, AUSTIN, TEXAS THEN AND NOW AUTHORED JEFFREY KERR RECOUNTS THE E ADVISORS HISTORY.
HE OPENED HIS EAST END SALOON, LATER KNOWN AS E ADVISORS CAFE AT EAST 12TH STREET IN KAMALA.
IN 1910, THE SECOND LIT STORY PROVIDED LIVING SPACE FOR ERNEST WIFE, LOUISE AND DAUGHTERS EMMA AND CATHERINE.
ERNEST WAS BORN IN VADEN, GERMANY, IMMIGRATED TO AMERICA IN 1878 AND MOVED TO TEXAS IN 1903, HE WORKED WITH EMIL BOWLES IN A PFLUGERVILLE MEAT MARKET BEFORE OPENING HIS FIRST CAFE IN DESSAU.
IN 1907 EAST 12TH STREET STREET CAR LINE CONNECTED WITH THE SIXTH STREET LINE AT WALLER, WHICH IN TURN RAN DIRECTLY TO CONGRESS AVENUE.
POP EISEN ADVISOR RAN THE FAMILY BUSINESS UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1947.
ALTHOUGH THE STREET CAR TRACKS ARE LONG GONE, THE NAME EISEN VISOR REMAINS STAMPED ON THE CONCRETE STEPS ALONG THE BUILDING'S FRONT.
AFTER ERNEST EISEN ADVISOR DIED IN 1947, HIS WIFE LOUISA CONTINUED TO RUN THE BUSINESS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
BY 1950, SHE HAD SOLD THE BUILDING TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN, BUFORT JOHNSON AND ITS FURNISHINGS TO WIDOW, EM BARTON JOHNSON OWNED GROCERY STORES ELSEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT HAD A DIFFERENT VISION FOR THE CORNER OF 12TH AND KAMAL STREETS.
BY THE MID FIFTIES, THE BUILDING AT 1500 EAST 12TH HAD GREATLY EXPANDED ITS OFFERINGS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE 1500 BEAUTY AND BARBERSHOPS OPERATED OUT OF THE BUILDING ALONG WITH CLUB 1500, A BAR AND MUSIC VENUE.
THE GAMMA ATE A ALPHA CHAPTER OF THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, ALSO TOOK UP RESIDENCE THERE, THE OLDEST FRATERNITY TO ALLOW BLACK MEMBERS.
ALPHA PHI ALPHA VOTED AN ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBER ROSTER IN AUSTIN, IN AUSTIN AND NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING RENOWNED A NAACP PRESIDENT, LIEUTENANT COLONEL ULMA OVERTON SENIOR JAY MASON BREWER JR.
THE SON OF FAMED AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKLORIST, JAY MASON BREWER, REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
THOUGH THE ELF'S TOTAL TENURE AT 1500 EAST 12 WAS NOT CONFIRMED DURING RESEARCH.
THEY REMAINED IN THE BUILDING FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS, BEGINNING IN 1956.
BY THE EARLY SIXTIES, THE BUILDING WAS OWNED BY HOUSTON TILLSON ALUMNI GILLI C AND GRACE SNEE, JEFF GRACE SNEAD JEFFERSON.
THROUGHOUT THE SIXTIES, THE JEFFERSONS CONSTRUCTED ADDITIONS AND MADE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING, WHICH GAINED NOTORIETY AS A POPULAR MUSIC VENUE.
EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY ALSO IDENTIFIES THE PROPERTY AS UNIQUE LOCATION AS ONE WITH A UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER, IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR A PARTICULAR DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP IS A POPULAR MEETING PLACE IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT FORMS PART OF A HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT INTERSECTION AT 12TH AND KAMAL STREETS OPPOSITE THE SOUTHGATE LEWIS HOUSE AND NEXT TO THE IQ HURDLE HOUSE.
THE TWO STORY BUILDING HAS LIVED MANY LIVES FROM A GERMAN BEER HALL, WEATHERING PROHIBITION TO CIVIL RIGHTS ERA MEETING PLACE OF BLACK PATERNITY ALPHA PHI ALPHA REMARKS.
REPORTER CALLIE BRAMBLE OF THE AUSTIN MONITOR.
THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN MODERATE INTEGRITY.
WINDOWS AND DOORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED OVER THE YEARS, AND VINYL SIDING HAS RECENTLY BEEN REMOVED TO REVEAL HISTORIC AGE WOOD SIDING.
ADDITIONS AND PORTION CLOSERS APPEAR TO MOSTLY HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
SIGNIFICANT INTEGRITY MAY BE RESTORED AND EXISTING INTEGRITY RETAINED WITH BASIC REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE WORK.
CALL ANY COMMISSION, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF COLIN FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION, WHICH WAS TO IN, TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING? SO IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING, IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF MOVING THIS FORWARD WITH HISTORIC ZONING? YES.
FREDDIE, ARE YOU PRESENT? FREDDIE DIXON? YES.
WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND UH, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? I'M, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
THIS TIMING WOULD, WOULD BE FOR ANYONE WHO'S, UH, WANTS TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF PRESERVING THE BUILDING.
IT'S CONFUSING WHEN YOU GUYS DO THIS, YOU KNOW,
FIRST IT'S DEMOLITION, THEN IT'S PRESERVATION.
HEY, I AM MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE PROPERTY AT 1500 EAST 12TH STREET.
THE BUILDING'S HISTORY IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY ANCHOR TRACKING DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES OF EAST AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
FROM ITS EARLY DAYS AS A GERMAN GROCERY TO ITS LATER HISTORY AS THE HOME OF A HISTORIC BLACK SALON BARBERSHOP AND FRATERNITY.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THE PROPERTY'S DEMONSTRABLE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
THE BUILDING IS PROMINENTLY SITUATED AT THE CORNER
[00:45:01]
OF EAST 12TH AND KAMAL STREETS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE IQ HURDLE AND SOUTHGATE LEWIS HOUSES, BOTH OF WHICH ARE LANDMARKS OF AUSTIN'S BLACK HERITAGE AND FURTHER REFLECTS THE GREATER IMPORTANCE OF THIS INTERSECTION TO THE STORY OF BLACK EAST AUSTIN.DESPITE ITS RICH HISTORY, 1500 EAST 12TH STREET HAS SAT VACANT FOR YEARS, DETERIORATING THE BUILDING'S CONDITION, HAS RECENTLY WORSENED BY THE OWNER'S REMOVAL OF VINYL SIDING FROM MULTIPLE FACADES AND WINDOWS LEFT OPEN, EXPOSING THE BUILDING TO THE ELEMENTS.
THIS IS NOT DUE TO A LACK OF RESOURCES ON THEIR BEHALF, NOR THE LACK OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO PRESERVATION PROJECTS, INCLUDING HISTORIC TAX CREDITS AND CITY OF AUSTIN HERITAGE TOURISM GRANTS, INSTEAD OF REHABILITATING THE STRUCTURE AND MAKING IT INCOME PRODUCING, ONCE AGAIN, ITS OWNERS HAVE KEPT THE BUILDING VACANT AND UNPROFITABLE.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS AN UNCONSCIONABLE ACT OF NEGLECT FOR A BUILDING WITH SUCH IMPORTANCE TO THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY OF EAST AUSTIN PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN FULLHEARTEDLY SUPPORTS THE DESIGNATION OF THIS BUILDING AS A CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD BE FOR DEMOLITION? YES.
FIRST WE HAVE NICHOLAS SANDLIN, I BELIEVE IS THE APPLICANT.
IT'S NICE TO BE HERE WITH YOU IN PERSON.
UH, I'M HERE IN TWO CAPACITIES.
AS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER TAKES US DUTIES SERIOUSLY.
AND AS AN AUSTIN RESIDENT BORN HERE IN THE 1980S, PARTS OF ME OBJECT TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO INITIATE ZONING, HISTORIC ZONING.
THE BUILDING PRESENTS TOO MANY SAFETY HAZARDS TO REMAIN.
AND I BELIEVE FAR MORE PUBLIC BENEFIT WOULD BE GAINED BY ENABLING DEMOLITION.
HERE'S WHY THE STRUCTURE PRESENTS AN UNSAFE SITUATION.
VARIOUS CIVIL ENGINEERING INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS BUILT AROUND THE STRUCTURE ARE NON-COMPLIANT WITH MODERN SAFETY DRIVEN STANDARDS.
I REACHED OUT TO AUSTIN ENERGY, WHICH STATED THE FOLLOWING, IT DOES NOT MEET OUR CURRENT REQUIRED CLEARANCES.
WE WOULD NOT PERMIT A BUILDING TO BE BUILT IN THAT SAME LOCATION.
THE STRUCTURES LOCATION RELATED TO PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY MEANS COMPLIANT SIDEWALKS AND SITE DISTANCE ARE NOT FEASIBLE, ENDANGERING THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELFARE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AMONGST OTHER CONFLICTS.
THESE SETBACKS EXIST FOR GOOD REASON AND NEED TO BE BROUGHT INTO ACCORDANCE WITH THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
THE STRUCTURE IS TOO CLOSE TO AN IMPORTANT CORNER THAT IS MUCH BUSIER NOW THAN WHEN IT WAS BUILT.
STRUCTURES ARE BUILT WITH LIFESPANS AND THE STRUCTURE HAS CLEARLY EXCEEDED IT.
THIS IS ALSO WHY MOVING THE STRUCTURE IS COMPLETELY UNFEASIBLE.
IT WASN'T BUILT OR INTENDED TO LAST A HUNDRED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, AND IT'S LONG PAST THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE STRESS OF BEING MOVED.
THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS REPORT SUPPORTS THIS DETERMINATION BASED ON THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
THE PRESENT DAY SAFETY CHALLENGES WILL PREDATE THE CURRENT OWNERSHIP AND CAN ONLY TRULY BE RESOLVED BY REMOVAL OF THE CURRENT STRUCTURE.
THIS IS NOT A CURRENT HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR AN OWNER TO BE EXPECTED TO HAVE MAINTAINED IT AT TO HISTORIC STANDARDS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE DAVIS THOMPSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHERE THIS PROPERTY RESIDES AND IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS YOU'LL HEAR FROM TONIGHT ARE IN SYNC.
THE BEST AND MOST EQUITABLE FORWARD-LOOKING THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS LET THIS IMPORTANT SITE BECOME A PARTER OF THE AUSTIN GREAT STREETS PLAN.
THERE'S AN UNQUESTIONABLE COMMUNITY WILL AND WANT FOR THIS SITE TO BE SAFE BY CURRENT STANDARDS AND WALKABLE.
I HEAR THEM ASKING FOR YOU TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE OVER A DILAPIDATED STRUCTURE.
THE GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE IS MENTIONED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS A FAR MORE EQUITABLE SOLUTION AND IT REQUIRES A DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE.
AND, UH, JUST THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
I I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. I HAVE A QUESTION OF, OF THE PRESENTER.
UM, I I'M CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING WITH GREAT, UM, DEFINITIVENESS ABOUT ALL THE REASONS WHY THIS HAS TO GO.
AND AS AN ENGINEER, I HAVE NOT HEARD YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OTHER THAN JUST SAYING IT HAS TO GO.
SO I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN YOUR REPORT.
I SEE NOTHING IN THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE THAT WOULD TELL ME THAT THERE'S SOME DIFFICULTY WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY.
EVERYTHING YOU'VE RAISED HAS TO DO WITH OUTSIDE PER PARAMETERS.
[00:50:01]
OR EXPERIENCE WITH HISTORIC PROPERTIES? WELL, I I THINK TO SPEAK TO THE FIRST PART OF WHAT YOU SAID, MAKE, TO MAKE THESE DEFINITIVE ASSERTIONS, SO TO SPEAK TO THE FIRST PART, DID YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF THE STRUCTURAL REPORT? WELL, I'VE, I'VE REVIEWED YOUR STRUCTURAL LETTERS.I, I PERSONALLY DID NOT DO THE STRUCTURAL LETTER.
SO I'M THE, I'M THE CIVIL ENGINEER, SO THAT'S WHY MY ASSESSMENT IS FOCUSED, AS YOU SAY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD POINT TO THE STRUCTURAL REPORT THAT I'M CITING.
SO YOU, BUT SO YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T, UH, YOU OKAY.
YOU, YOU'RE NOT REFERENCING ANY SPECIFICS ABOUT HISTORIC PROPERTIES WHEN YOU MAKE THESE ASSESSMENTS.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD MAKE THOSE SAME STATEMENTS ABOUT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PROPERTIES THAT WE HOLD UP AS STELLAR EXAMPLES OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
WELL, NO, THEY DON'T MEET OUR CURRENT CODES.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT A CONDEMNATION OF THOSE BUILDINGS.
AND IT SAYS, CERTAINLY DOESN'T WARRANT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION WE HAVE IS TO DEMOLISH THEM.
SO I'M NOT SUGGESTING NECESSARILY IT'S MAKING SURE WE'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
I I, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT IT OTHER THAN OUTSIDE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT, BUT THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IN PRESERVATION IS NOT UNCOMMON.
SO IT'S DATA IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMOLITION.
AND I THINK THAT TO SPEAK TO MORE THE HISTORIC ASPECT, THERE ARE GONNA BE OTHER SPEAKERS AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS EXPRESSED, UM, THE SI SIMILAR CORROBORATING THINGS TO WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO, UM, AS THE ENGINEER, THAT'S OF COURSE GONNA BE MY PERSPECTIVE TO GIVE YOU THE TECHNICAL DATA THAT IT DOESN'T MEET SAFETY STANDARDS AND SETBACKS AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SITE DISTANCE AND, AND THE GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE ARE IMPORTANT IN THIS CASE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I WANT A CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF.
YOU MENTIONED A, A STRUCTURAL REPORT.
I SEE FOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTS FROM SANDLIN, WHICH IS YOU.
IS THERE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT THAT WE DON'T HAVE OR IS WHAT ARE WE REFERENCING? I'VE, I'VE GOT A COPY OF IT.
I BELIEVE IT'S PART OF THE FILE THAT WE SAW ONLINE.
SO I, SAM CAN YOU MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT, THAT IF IT'S IN THE FILE OR NOT? I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT WAS POSTED AS BACKUP COMMISSIONER.
HERE'S THE THREE PAGE STRUCTURAL LETTER IF YOU NEED IT.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO HAND THAT TO STAFF AND CONFIRM THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THAT IN OUR BACKUP PACKAGE? THANK YOU.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, YOU MENTIONED THE, THE GREAT STREETS.
UM, DO YOU HAVE A SITE PLAN AT ANY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU COULD POINT TO FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT WOULD SHOW THAT YOU INTEND TO SUPPORT THE GREAT STREETS OR EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT FACETS OF IT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION? ARE THERE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT, UH, WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE REFERENCING, UM, CRITERIA THAT THIS SITE DOESN'T, UH, MEET.
AND ALSO I THINK, I MEAN JUST PERSONALLY, I THINK A HISTORIC STRUCTURE SORT OF TRANSCENDS, UM, GREAT STREETS AND, AND CONTRIBUTES TO THEM IN THEIR OWN WAY.
BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DO YOU HAVE A SITE PLAN THAT YOU COULD POINT TO AT ANY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD SUPPORT THIS ARGUMENT ABOUT GREAT STREETS? NO, WE DON'T HAVE A SITE PLAN.
HOWEVER, WE ARE AWARE OF THE CODE AND DESIRES OF, UH, THE GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE WITH THE ADDITIONAL SPACE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE RIDE OF WAY AND WALKABILITY STANDARDS AND ESPECIALLY SITE DISTANCES BEING ON AN IMPORTANT INTERSECTION.
SO, UH, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS PAST THE DEMOLITION.
UH, THAT'S, UH, HOPE I AN ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, I HAD A QUESTION.
UM, YOU SPOKE FIRST AND PEOPLE WHO SPEAK FIRST ARE USUALLY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE APPLICANT.
ARE YOU AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT? ARE YOU THE APPLICANT OWNER, OR WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY? SO WE FILED THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AS A CONSULTANT AND SO THAT'S THE OKAY, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ARE THERE ANY OTHER, OH, I GUESS I I GUESS UNLESS IT'S REFERENCED IN SOME MATERIAL WE DON'T HAVE, YOU ALSO SAY THAT IT CAN'T BE MOVED.
HOW DID YOU COME TO THAT CONCLUSION? AGAIN, I'D BE REFERENCING THE STRUCTURAL REPORT OF HOW IT'S A, UM, CONCRETE
[00:55:01]
SLAB AND A, A NOT SAFE STRUCTURE TO MOVE AS FAR AS THE TWO STORIES GO.UH, SO I, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE STRUCTURAL REPORT, BUT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW I CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION.
WELL THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE EASIEST BUILDINGS TO MOVE ACTUALLY WOOD FRAME STRUCTURES AND THE TWO STORIES DON'T SEEM TO MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE.
SO, UM, I, I, AGAIN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING TO SOMEBODY WHO'S QUITE EXPERT ON THAT AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE BUILDING THAT WOULD SAY, UH, WOULD, WOULD LEAD ME TO THAT CONCLUSION.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF HISTORIC ZONING? YES.
AND WHILE WE WAIT FOR THAT, UH, CHAIR COMM, I THINK WE HAVE A COMMENT FROM COMMISSIONER ROCHE REAL QUICK, SIR.
SO, WELL, I JUST WANNA KNOW IF WE HAVE THIS IN OUR BACKUP OR NOT THAT I DON'T SEE AN ENGINEER'S REPORT.
THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER WE HAVE IT OR WE DON'T HAVE IT.
UH, SAM, CAN YOU CHECK THE POSTED BACKUP WHILE, WHILE YOU HAVE A SECOND AND, UM, SEE IF THERE'S, IF IT'S IN THERE SOMEWHERE, JUST MAYBE MISLABELED IT WAS NOT IN THERE.
WE DO HAVE TWO STRUCTURAL LETTERS FROM NICK HIMSELF.
UM, THOSE ARE WHAT WE HAVE, BUT I HAVE REQUESTED THAT WE GET A COPY EMAILED SO WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
ALL RIGHT, SIR, IT'S YOUR TURN.
UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS DANNY THOMPSON AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN EAST AUSTIN.
I'M NOW 67 YEARS OLD, A LOCAL MUSICIAN AND MAINTENANCE WORKER IN THE AREA.
I HAVE WORKED IN THIS BUILDING BEFORE.
UH, I AGREE WITH THE GENTLEMAN TO, TO ACTUALLY MOVE IT, IT WAS DANGEROUS JUST WORKING IN IT, BUT, UH, THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT I HEARD IN THE LAST MEETING THAT CONTRADICT MY FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE AND HISTORY.
I'LL START WITH THE BOTTOM LINE.
THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A GOOD MEMORY PLACE FOR EAST AUSTIN RESIDENCE.
SIR, I HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT COULD YOU MOVE THE MIC CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH OR YOUR MOUTH CLOSER TO THE MIC? WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU.
YES, I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, THIS, UM, THIS, THIS BUILDING HAS NEVER BEEN A GOOD MEMORY AS FAR AS, AS I'VE KNOWN IN THE AREA AS FAR AS IT BEING A HISTORICAL, UM, GROCERY STORE.
THE, THE, THE HISTORICAL GROCERY STORE FOR THE AREA WAS STARKS GROCERY STORE, WHICH IS, UH, IT WAS AT MARTIN LUTHER KING AND CHICON AND IS NOW THE SALVA DUCK.
THAT WAS THE, THE HISTORICAL GROCERY STORE IN THE AREA.
I MEAN, I'VE, I HAVE NO REAL MEMORY.
I, I KNOW THAT LONG BEFORE IT BEING THE, UH, UH, UH, SIGHT OF THE, FOR THE HOUSTON TILLISON'S, UH, UM, THE FRATERNITY FRATERNITIES, RIGHT? UH, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, BUT SOMEONE THAT'S 67, I WALKED THOSE STREETS AS A CHILD AND AS A TEENAGER, AS I WAS PLAYING MUSIC IN THE AREA THAT WAS, UH, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS PUT ON PAPER WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE ACCOUNT, UH, THE STAFF HISTORY THAT YOU SEE IN THE 1970, WHICH WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
SINCE THEN, THIS WAS THE HALFWAY HOUSE IN A TERRIBLE LOCATION BECAUSE OF ALL THE SURROUNDING TEMPTATION.
IT BASICALLY SERVES AS A SPOT OF ALL KINDS OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND NOT GOOD MEMORIES FOR EAST AUSTIN.
IN MY AM I SIR, THAT'S YOUR TIME, OPINION, OPINION OF THE MAINTENANCE.
IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I MEAN, THERE WAS A, THERE'S
[01:00:01]
A LOT OF PLACES IN THAT AREA THAT YOU COULD DESIGNATE AS A HISTORICAL MARKET, BUT A LOT OF 'EM YOU'VE ALREADY LET BE TORN DOWN THE EAST, UH, THE HARLEM THEATER, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A, A GREAT HISTORICAL MARKER, THEY'VE ALL BEEN TORN DOWN.STAR GROCERY STORE IS NOW THE SOUR DUCK.
AND AT ANY TIME, IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO, IF I CAN ASSIST IN POINTING OUT SOME, SOME PLACES, BUT THAT BUILDING ABSOLUTELY IS REALLY NOT ONE.
ANY, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? OKAY, UM, SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGN UP TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YES, WE HAVE FREDDY DIXON.
AND JUST FOR AWARENESS OF EVERYBODY HERE, THE TIMER'S THREE MINUTES, IS THAT WHERE THE TIMER'S SET AT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE CAN, WE CAN TALK LONGER.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I AM OPPOSITION FOR, I WANT THIS HOUSE TO BE, UM, DI DEMOLISHED COMPLETELY FOR THE SAKE OF THREE REASONS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER CONTEXTUALIZE THIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER HAVE YOU ASK ME QUESTIONS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THERE ARE THREE REASONS THAT I HAVE THAT THIS HOUSE SHOULD BE DEMOLISHED.
NUMBER ONE, IT DOES NOT MEET ANY GREAT ARCHITECTURAL CRITERIA.
NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE NO PERSON OR PERSONS WHO ARE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT GIVE THIS HOUSE CREDENCE TO BE CONTINUED.
FOURTH AND FOREMOST, THIS HOUSE DID NOT REPRESENT THE BEST OF THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
IT REPRESENTED THE WORST OF THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
AS I CONTEXTUALIZED THAT, I HAVE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN HISTORICALLY DESIGNATION OF PROPERTIES HERE IN EAST AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY IN ANY EAST AUSTIN.
I AM A MEMBER OF ALPHA FIVE ALPHA FRATERNITY.
THAT HOUSE HAS NO SIGNIFICANT MEANING TO US.
NONE OTHER THAN THAT HOUSE HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROPOSITION OF SALE FROM ONE PERSON TO THE NEXT PERSON.
THIRDLY, OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY IT, THIS HOUSE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GERMAN COMMUNITY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SIT THERE, MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT MUCH OF EAST AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY FROM I 35 ALL THE WAY UP TO CAMAL STREET OR A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, THERE WERE GERMANS WHO LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND OWNED THESE HOUSES.
SO THAT BECAUSE THEY OWNED THESE HOUSES AND BECAUSE THEY CONSTRUCTED THEM GIVES NO SIGNIFICANT HISTORY OR REASON FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THIS HOUSE BEING DESERVED HISTORIC.
LET ME GO JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND THAT IS, I, I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN AFFRONT TO THE EAST AUSTIN BLACK COMMUNITY AND THOSE OTHERS WHO LIVE IN EAST AUSTIN BLACK COMMUNITY.
WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS YOU ARE PLACING THIS BUILDING IN REFERENCE TO LESS THAN A MILE AWAY KEELING HISTORIC SCHOOL.
THIS BUILDING DOES NOT DESERVE THE RECOGNITION THAT THE SEGREGATED KEELING SCHOOL DESERVES.
AND, AND THIS IS A FRONT TO THOSE OF US, OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO I ASK THAT WE DEMOLISHED THIS FOR REASONS THAT I HAVE FOR MENTIONED THAT THERE'S NO HISTORIC VALUE, NONE WHATSOEVER.
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I'LL TAKE THEM.
I I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, BUT I'M GONNA LET THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UH, JUMP IN FIRST IF THEY HAVE ANY.
SIR, I WAS INTRIGUED BY YOUR MENTION OF, UH, KEELING JUNIOR HIGH.
UM, I WAS A PART OF THE KEELING JUNIOR HIGH DURING SEGREGATED TIMES.
I'M GOING, I'M GONNA FACT CHECK YOU SO THAT YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT THE REASON WHY I'M COMPARING, I'M TALKING ABOUT KEELING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, WAS THE FACT THAT I WAS AMONGST MOST OF THE GROUP OR GROUPS THAT SALVAGED THE OLD KEELING HIGH SCHOOL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF WAS THAT THE KEELING JUNIOR HIGH, THE OLD BUILDING, KEELING JUNIOR HIGH ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, WAS SET FOR A HEARING BEFORE THIS VERY BODY.
[01:05:01]
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE HEARING, A COINCIDENCE HAPPENED.IT HAPPENED THAT THE RECORD STATE THAT THERE WAS A TRANSIENT IN THE BUILDING OF THE OLD KEELING HIGH SCHOOL ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE WHO LIT A CIGARETTE, AND SOMEHOW THE LIGHTING OF THAT CIGARETTE DESTROYED THE WHOLE BUILDING ITSELF.
THAT BUILDING WAS TO BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC.
THE OLD KEELING SCHOOL WAS NOT HISTORIC.
SO WHAT DID WE DO? BECAUSE OF THE DELAY OF SEGREGATION FOR 10 YEARS BY THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH JACK DAVIDSON, WHO WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THAT TIME, DELAYED FOR THOSE 10 YEARS, THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF A BOND ELECTION.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO INTEGRATE THE SCHOOLS IN AUSTIN.
SO THEY POSTPONED THAT FOR 10 YEARS.
AT THE END OF THE 10 YEARS, JACK DAVISON RETIRED, THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HIRED A NEW SUPERINTENDENT UNDER THE NAME OF JOHN ELLIS.
I'M GIVING YOU CONTEXTUALIZATION HERE.
JOHN ELLIS CAME IN REALIZING THE CONDITION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE BECAUSE OF THE DELAY OF REPAIRING AND FIXING THE BUILDINGS AND BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS.
JOHN ELLIS SAT OUT TO MAKE HIS POINT TO THE AUSTIN PEN, TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOR THE FUNDING OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET NEW BONDS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THERE WERE THOSE OF US THAT DECIDED THE ONE WAY BUSING, WHICH WAS BEING DONE AT THAT TIME, WAS ONLY ONE WAY BLACK COMMUNITY TO THE WHITE COMMUNITY.
BUT SIR, I, I'M TAKING EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING AS FACTS.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA FACT CHECK YOU.
I'M, I'M SAYING HERE, I'M INTERESTED IN HOW THESE FACTS TIE TO THE, BUT THE FACTS TIE TOGETHER IS THAT THIS BUILDING HAS NO NOTORIETY AS THE SAME AS THE KEELING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS BEING BUILT AT.
AND HOW CAN WE BUILD A HOUSE OF IRRE REPUTE, A HOUSE OF MANY THINGS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WERE NOT DECENT, WERE NOT RECOGNIZED, ET CETERA, HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RECOGNITION THAT THE PEELING SCHOOL HAS RIGHT NOW, WHICH I THINK IS AN AFFRONT TO THE EAST DAWSON COMMUNITY IF THIS HOUSE IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO STAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS APPROPRIATE, BUT, UM, IN, IN MY CAREER, WE, WE ARE MANAGING A BIG PART OF THE AUSTIN ISD BOND PROGRAM, SO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND REMODELIZATION, THE MODERNIZATIONS OF THE CAMPUSES, UM, WHERE WE HAVE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE MODERNIZATION CAMPUSES, WE HAVE CAMPUS ARCHITECTURAL TEAMS, WHICH CONSIST OF, UM, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, UM, PARENTS THAT HAVE A SAY IN HOW THEIR SCHOOLS ARE GONNA BE REBUILT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE FROM THIS, UH, DAY TO, TO BRING THAT UP.
THINK THE GREAT CONVERSATION FOR YOU GUYS TO CONNECT ON OFFLINE.
I'M, I'M INTRIGUED BY EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M TAKING EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING AS FACT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXTUALIZATION FOR THE WHOLE SITUATION, THIS, THIS, BUT I AM TRYING TO CONTROL A, A MEETING TO KEEP IT FOCUSED ON THE SPECIFICS OF THIS TRUCTURE, THIS HOUSE STRUCTURE.
THIS DOES NOT DESERVE THE RECOGNITION THAT YOU WERE GIVEN IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE FROM YOU.
MOST OF THIS HOUSE WAS TRANSITORY.
IT WAS A BUSINESS PROPOSITION THROUGHOUT THE OWNERSHIP.
ALPHA PHI ALPHA NEVER TOOK ANY REAL SIGNIFICANT RECOGNITION IN THIS HOUSE.
NONE OTHER THAN IT USED IT AS A BUSINESS PROPOSITION, AS MANY OF THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT WERE A PART OF THIS HOUSE.
IT WAS STRICTLY A BUSINESS PROPOSITION.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
UH, YOU MENTIONED IT AS A HOUSE OF ILL REPUTE.
CAN YOU DETAIL YOUR, YOUR HISTORY MEMORY OF THAT? MY, MY HISTORY MEMORY OF THAT IS THAT MUCH OF WHAT MR. DANNY THOMAS SAID WAS THE FACT THAT THIS WAS A HOUSE WHERE MANY TRICKS, MANY ACTIVITIES WENT ON THERE DURING THE, DURING THE LATER EVENING HOURS, ET CETERA.
ALCOHOL WAS SOLD OTHER IN OTHER ACTIVITIES WERE GOING ON IN AND AROUND THIS HOUSE.
OVER THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 50 YEARS, AND EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANCE FOR THIS HOUSE.
[01:10:01]
YOU SAY WHAT TIME PERIOD, THAT PHASE OF THE STRUCTURE STARTED WHEN, WHEN IT FELL INTO THAT KIND OF USE RATHER THAN, WELL, THAT KIND, THE FRATERNITY.WELL, THAT, THAT KIND OF STRUCTURE HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND I CAME HERE IN 1,973 SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, THAT HOUSE HAS BEEN THAT SAME KIND OF HOUSE.
IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS BASICALLY A NIGHTCLUB.
THERE WERE TWO NIGHTCLUBS THAT WERE THERE.
ONE OF 'EM IS ALREADY TORN DOWN CALLED THE YELLOW JACKET, IF YOU WANT TO CHECK ME.
AND THE NEXT ONE WAS CALLED, UH, THE, THE HOUSE HERE ON COMMONWEALTH AND, AND 12TH STREET, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WAS, WAS, WAS, IT WAS JUST, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DESCRIBE ANY, THE ONLY WAY I DESCRIBE IT AS A BODY HOUSE, AND MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT.
SO I'LL GIVE IT UP A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT MORE DIGNITY THAN A HOUSE OF YOUR REP REPUTE, BUT I CALL IT A BODY HOUSE.
AND MUCH ACTION WENT ON THERE, WHICH WAS UNDESIRABLE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, I DO THINK THAT IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU COULD CONNECT WITH COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
WHAT DO I NEED TO CONNECT WITH HIM ABOUT? I MEAN, I NEED TO GET WITH WELL, TO TALK ABOUT ALL I'M SAYING, ALL I'M SAYING, SIR, WAS, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, HOLD ON, LET ME, LEMME FINISH THAT.
THE KE I LET, I, YOU GOTTA, LET ME JUST ACTUALLY START SO THAT I, THEN I CAN FINISH.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVE AND CONTEXT TO GIVE, UM, THAT IT'S BEYOND JUST THIS BUILDING.
IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND, AND THE, THE STRUCTURES.
AND COMMISSIONER CASTILLO IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THOSE ACTIVITIES RIGHT NOW, AND IT'D BE GREAT FOR YOU GUYS TO CONNECT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT, THAT CONSTRUCTED YEAH, THE NEW KEELING SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THIS HOUSE SHOULD NOT BE COMPARED.
SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YES, WE HAVE ELLIOT DEW.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND CITY STAFF.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UH, AND MY INTEREST IN THIS CASE IS THAT I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM 1500 EAST WALL STREET.
I'VE LIVED ALL OVER AUSTIN, AND SPECIFICALLY AT THIS ADDRESS ACROSS THE STREET FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UM, SINCE THE LAST MEETING, I LEARNED THAT MY HOME HAPPENS TO BE AN OLD HOME.
UM, EUREKA'S PARENT COMPANY OWNS, UM, I FEEL COMPELLED TO SHARE THAT THEY'VE BEEN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE LANDLORD THAT I'VE EVER HAD.
LIKE SERIOUSLY, THE, THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO ANY NEEDED REPAIRS AND VERY OPEN TO IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT I BROUGHT TO THEM.
FURTHERMORE, I RUN A LOCAL COMPUTER REPAIR SERVICE, AND EACH DAY I SEE THE VALUE IN MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON LOGIC, NOT EMOTION.
FURTHERMORE, UM, OR AS SUCH, I URGE YOU TO NOT FORCE A HISTORICAL DESIGNATION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
TRULY HISTORIC STRUCTURES ARE BUILT WITH ADDITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL MERIT FROM THE ONSET.
THIS WAS NOT BUILT WITH ANY KIND OF STANDOUT ARCHITECTURE, NOR WAS IT BUILT TO ENDURE.
THE REALITY IS LOCAL EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS KNOW THE HISTORY BEYOND WHAT THE STAFF SHARED, WHICH ENDED IN 1970.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE CRUDE HERE, BUT MOST OF US KNOW THIS LOCATION AS A WHOREHOUSE OR CRACKED IN, I DON'T MEAN, UM, SORRY.
UM, SADLY, IT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO MANY NON HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURES IN URBAN AREAS THAT EXIST WELL BEYOND THEIR INTENDED LIFESPAN.
THIS SITUATION SPURRED ME TO DO MY OWN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH.
IN DOING SO, I NOTICED THE POLICIES OF CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA.
IN THOSE OTHER CITIES, YOU HAVE TO ARRIVE WITH IRREFUTABLE FACTS, UM, AND SHOW THAT A STRUCTURE IS TRULY HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
A DESIGNATION IS SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO QUALIFY FOR AND WORK HARD TO PROVE.
IT APPEARS LIKE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS COMMISSION ARE TWOFOLD.
A STRUCTURE IS SIMPLY OLD AND OWNED BY A DEVELOPER, UH, THAT SOMEONE QUESTIONS THE INTENTIONS OF, AND THEN A DEVELOPER IS IMMEDIATELY GUILTY AND FORCED TO PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE.
THE PROCESS HERE QUICKLY DEVOLVES INTO NON MERITUS MERITORIOUS, UH, ARGUMENTS VERSUS TRUE DISCUSSION OF RELEVANT HISTORICAL MARRIAGE, PULLING IT INSIGNIFICANT STRAWS AS THE CASE HERE IS A WASTE OF CITY RESOURCES.
RESOURCES THAT COULD BE PUT TO FAR BETTER USE.
[01:15:01]
IMPROVEMENTS HERE WILL MAKE IT A MORE APPEALING ENVIRONMENT WHERE RESIDENTS WILL WANT TO BE, WANT TO WALK PAST.THIS IS A LOCATION WE WANT TRANSFORMED INTO A STRUCTURALLY, I I JUST HAVE A SENTENCE LEFT.
UM, STRUCTURALLY AND ELECTRICALLY SAFE PLACE THAT BRINGS NEEDED SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY, IT COULD BE SO MUCH SAFER, MORE USEFUL, MORE WALKABLE AND VALUABLE THAN IT WHAT IT HAS BEEN FOR THE ENTIRETY OF OUR LIFESPANS.
IN CONCLUSION, PLEASE DON'T ADD TO THE PROBLEM OF FURTHER DELAYS, BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE AND IRRELEVANT DRAMA, AND LET THE PRIVATE SECTOR BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION HERE.
UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
I GUESS IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU, UH, IT SEEMED THAT YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS, THEY SOUND LIKE WE DON'T HAVE, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH MERIT UP HERE.
UM, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED.
I THINK THAT YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH, UM, SOME INDIVIDUALS AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS PARTICULAR CASE, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP OURSELVES TO PARTICULAR STANDARDS THAT ARE OBJECTIVE AND THAT WE ARE GONNA APPLY THAT OBJECTIVITY TO THIS CASE AS WELL.
UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IS EUREKA A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY? YES.
IN FACT, THEY HAVE SEVERAL PROPERTIES ON 12TH STREET AND THEY'RE ALL VERY NICE.
LIKE I, ONE TIME I HAD A PROBLEM WHERE I NEEDED SOME PEST CONTROL AND THEY PUT ME UP IN THIS REALLY NICE STREET THAT, BUT THAT'S EUREKA.
WHO YOU ENGAGE WITH ON THOSE ISSUES? WELL, THEY'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF ME FOR SEVEN YEARS AT THIS LOCATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? NO.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? I THINK, UH, AS A FORMALITY, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT OF REBUTTAL FROM THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL THAT SPOKE IN FAVOR, WHICH WOULD BE MS. MEGAN KING, IF SHE CHOOSES TO TAKE THAT.
I GUESS I'LL JUST BE BRIEF AND I GUESS REITERATE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTION AND FEELING AROUND HISTORIC SITES IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS AN ORGANIZATION TAKE UP OFTEN.
AND WE WORK WITH PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE IN EAST AUSTIN TO ADVOCATE FOR IT'S BLACK AND BROWN HERITAGE ALL THE TIME.
WE HEAR PEOPLE COME UP TO US ON THE STAES, ESPECIALLY COMPLAINING AND, AND DISTRAUGHT OVER THE, THE LOSS, UM, OF HISTORY IN EAST AUSTIN AND THE RAPID TURNOVER OF REALLY IMPORTANT PLACES.
AND I WELCOME ANYBODY, I MEAN, WE, WE DO OUR BEST.
WE'RE SUCH A SMALL TEAM TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE AND REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE KNOW IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND IF ANYBODY EVER HAS A PRESERVATION ISSUE THAT THEY WANNA ADDRESS TO US, UM, TO PRESERVATION, AUSTIN, I BY ALL MEANS YOU CAN FIND MY EMAIL ON OUR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN EMAIL ME.
YOU CAN HAVE A COFFEE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE HERE TOO, TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD IT CAN BE MORE COLLABORATIVE AND CASES LIKE THIS CAN, UH,
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, SAM, THAT I MIGHT'VE MISSED? DO I HEAR MOTION? I, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
DO DO WE HAVE NO, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FROM EUREKA? EVERYBODY HERE IS A CONSULTANT OR SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT DO WE HAVE NOBODY WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THIS PROPERTY OR IS, IS REPRESENTING A THIS CORPORATION? I I THINK THE ANSWER IS TO YOUR QUESTION, IS THERE, THERE IS NOT.
UM, I GUESS THE ENGINEER, THE ENGINEER IS IN THAT ROLE.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ROCHE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, I GO, THAT WAS UNANIMOUS.
UH, I HAVE, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF.
UM, IS THE DOCUMENT THAT, UH, MR. SANDLIN HANDED YOU NOT PART OF OUR BACKUP.
IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL ENGINEER'S REPORT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE WE RECEIVED IT.
[01:20:01]
I'VE DOUBLE CHECKED.I DON'T SEE IT IN MY EMAIL OR ANYTHING, BUT I HAVE REQUESTED A COPY BE SENT TO US.
UH, SO IT COULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOU AFTER THIS MEETING, BUT, BUT SO YOU HAVE A NEW DOCUMENT THAT HAS NEVER BEEN PART OF THE BACKUP, IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, IF THAT'S THE CASE, UH, AND MAYBE STAFF WILL HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT IS PRUDENT FOR US TO REVIEW THAT AND HAVE THAT AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION.
I MAKE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
SECOND
SHE BEAT YOU THE PUNCH THERE, BUT, UM, LET, LET'S CLARIFY THAT WE AREN'T TIMING ANYTHING OUT.
THAT'S, THAT WAS MY NEXT COMMENT WAS A, BASED ON THE INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.
A QUESTION TO STAFF ON WHAT IS OUR TIMELINE CURRENTLY.
HE, YOUR MOTION WAS TO REOPEN AND POSTPONE CORRECT.
AND COMMISSIONER DUDLEY SECONDED.
UM, SO NOW WE HAVE THIS, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT MOTION.
MY QUESTION TO STAFF IS TO, UH, LET US KNOW WHAT OUR TIMELINE IS CURRENTLY ON THIS ITEM.
I WILL LOOK THAT UP RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE HAVE 75 DAYS FROM, LET'S SEE, FIRST CAME ON OUR AGENDA ON JULY 3RD, SO THAT WAS LAST MONTH.
WE HAVE ONE MORE MONTH, I BELIEVE.
AND THE HISTORIC ZONING HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATED, SO WE DO JUST NEED ONE REMAINING MEETING TO RECOMMEND IF WE HAVE THAT IN THE TIMELINE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO HAVE ONE MORE MEETING, RIGHT? IF THE 75 DAY CLOCK STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY.
SEPTEMBER IS OUR LAST MEETING.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION AT HAND? I, I'M JUST GONNA NOTE THAT WE ASKED FOR THAT STRUCTURE REPORT FOUR WEEKS AGO AT OUR LAST MEETING.
SO I'M, I'M AGAINST THE POSTPONEMENT POSTPONEMENT PERSON AND THAT'S POINT WELL TAKEN.
BUT I'M SUPPORTING THE POSTPONEMENT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF US GETTING FULL INFORMATION REGARDLESS OF THE PROCESS IT TAKES TO GET THERE BEFORE WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS.
YEAH, I'LL SAY I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING, UH, SOMETIMES, UM, AS, AS MEGAN KING SAID, THAT, UH, SOMETIMES WE GET OUR ROLES TWISTED AROUND HERE WHEN, UH, WHEN THE SUPPORTING THE MOTION MEANS, UM, SUPPORTING PRESERVATION RATHER THAN SUPPORTING THE DEMOLITION.
BUT, UH, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I THINK THAT IT'S BETTER TO GET IT RIGHT.
UM, THE 75 DAY WINDOW SEEMS UNBEARABLY TIGHT ON OCCASION, AND IN THIS CASE, WE DO HAVE WITHIN THAT WINDOW THE CHANCE TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION AND MAKE A FULLY INFORMED DECISION.
AND ONE OTHER COMMENT, UH, SINCE WE ARE SPEAKING TO THIS MOTION AND NOT, UH, ANY OTHER MOTION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE HERE, I DO WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT IF THERE'S ANY, ANY PRESS ON THIS THAT, UM, ONE THING I'VE LEARNED THROUGH MULTIPLE VENUES, UH, WHEN DEALING WITH A COMMUNITY, UH, MINORITY COMMUNITY OF WHICH I'M NOT A PART OF, THAT MINORITY, IS TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT TO NECESSARILY IMPOSE MY OWN VIEWS OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE THERE.
AND, UH, I WAS MOVED BY WHAT I HEARD HERE TONIGHT, AND THERE IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY NEXT MONTH FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN SAVING THIS PROPERTY TO COME AND TESTIFY TESTIMONY, ESPECIALLY IN WHAT WE DO OR WE ARE PRESERVING HISTORIC BUILDINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY IS IMPORTANT, UM, AND SHOWS THE VALUE THAT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE.
SO, UH, OPEN INVITATION FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS NEXT MONTH.
I'LL, I'LL PIGGYBACK ON THAT AND TO SAY, CONTRIBUTE IN ANY WAY.
I'M, I'M UNBELIEVABLY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU GUYS MAKING THE TRIP DOWN HERE THIS EVENING AND, AND TELLING THE STORIES THAT RELATE TO THIS HOUSE AND THE GREATER CONTEXT OF AUSTIN.
AND I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT BACK NEXT MONTH.
I HOPE YOU CAN TELL THE PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE DOWN HERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE A PART OF IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE MOTION? UM, ALL RIGHT.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, COMMISSIONER RUBIO IS OPPOSED.
SO THAT WAS, I BELIEVE, NINE TO ONE IN SUPPORTIVE.
[01:25:04]
ALL RIGHT.[11. HR-2024-077497 – 2305 E 21st St. ]
UH, AGENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS NUMBER 11, WHICH IS 1 8 0 7 EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET, THE BURNER CLARK MERCADO HOUSE FISHER.THAT WAS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT 1111 WAS, OH, I DID, I READ IT WRONG.
TELL ME IF I GET THIS ONE WRONG.
2 3 0 5 EAST 21ST STREET, ROGERS, WASHINGTON, HOLY CROSS.
LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPERTY.
UH, HR, UH, 20 24 0 7 7 4 9 7, UM, IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT, UM, ADJACENT TO THIS HISTORIC HOME FACING EAST 21ST STREET, OFFSET ROUGHLY 10 FEET FROM THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
UM, THE FRONT OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS NEARLY FLUSHED WITH HISTORIC AND IS TWO STORIES TO THE IN HEIGHT.
UH, MATERIALS ARE PROPOSED TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL HOME, AND THE ROOF IS SIMILAR IN PITCH AND FORM.
THE FENESTRATION PATTERN IS MOSTLY REGULAR ON THE FRONT, ALONG WITH A GLAZED ENTRYWAY DOOR AT THE SIDES AND REAR.
AND WINDOWS ARE PLACED ACCORDING TO THE INTERIOR FLOOR PLAN.
THE, THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT'S DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THIS PROJECT MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE FENESTRATION BE SIMPLIFIED ON THE SIDES IN THE REAR OF THE A DU, AND THAT THE AWNING OVER THE FRONT ENTRYWAY BE REDESIGNED ALTERNATIVELY POSTPONED TO THE SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2024 HLC MEETING, AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 14TH, 2024.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? THANK YOU.
SAM, IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? YES, WE HAVE MICHAEL MAGNER.
I, HOW'S IT GOING? I'M MICHAEL MAGNER.
I'M ONE OF THE OWNERS AND WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO WORKING WITH THE STAFF TO, YOU KNOW, INCORPORATE THOSE CHANGES INTO IT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE OWNER? SEEING NONE.
UM, SAM, IS THERE ANYONE HERE SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPLICATION? NONE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND POSTPONE TO THE NEXT MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE? SO MOVED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION? I I WAS INCLINED TO, UM, ADD ON THERE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE OWNER WORKING WITH STAFF TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS.
'CAUSE I DO THINK IT'S VERY, VERY CLOSE.
IT DOES DO THINK IT COMES DOWN TO THE FENESTRATION, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS AND, UH, LIGHTEN THE LOAD SOMEWHAT ON STAFF WHO'S GOT THEIR HANDS FULL.
SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO THE MEETING AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING THAT CAN BE IN PERSON OR REMOTE NEXT WEEK.
AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT IN, IN LIGHT OF RE RECENT SCRUTINY IN OUR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
IT'S, IT'S WORTH TAKING THIS OUTSIDE TO A RCC COMMITTEE AND REALLY JUST MAKING SURE WE CROSS OUR T'S AND DOT OUR I'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WITH THAT, WE WILL TAKE A VOTE TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND POSTPONE THIS UNTIL OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS NUMBER 13, 1 6 0 7 WEST 10TH STREET.
THANK YOU CHAIR HR 20 24 0 7 7 9 86 B 20 24 0 7 8 0 4 6.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A REAR EDITION, UM, TO A HISTORIC, UH, A HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED PROPERTY.
INCREASE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE CURRENT HOUSE TO INCLUDE TWO NEW BEDROOMS AND ONE NEW BATHROOM.
EXTEND THE ROOF BACK AND CREATE A SECOND SIDE GABLED RE ROOF AT THE REAR.
UM, AND ALSO TO GENERALLY MATCH THE
[01:30:01]
HISTORIC MATERIALS AND COMPOSITION, BUT KEEP THEM VISUALLY DISTINCT TO ALLOW THE NEW CONSTRUCTION TO BE READ AS AN ADDITION.THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PROPERTY IS A MODEST ONE STORY COTTAGE WITH SMALL FRONT PORCH WITH TWO FRONT ENTRY DOORS.
A MODESTLY PITCHED SIDE GABLE ROOF IS PRESENT WITH A SMALLER FRONT GABLE FORMING THE ROOF OVER THE PORCH.
UH, WINDOWS ARE FOUR OVER FOUR WIND WOOD UNITS AND WALLS ARE CLAD AND NARROW.
HORIZONTAL WOOD LAB, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE, UH, PROJECTS AT HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND IN NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
UH, THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2024 AND TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE AUGUST MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION? NOPE.
AND IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'LL MOVE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND POSTPONE, UH, TO OUR SEPTEMBER 4TH MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO ATTEND OUR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE TO SEPTEMBER AND LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH.
UM, NOT HAVING THE APPLICANT HERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW LIKELY IT IS THEY'RE GONNA BE AT THE A RC, BUT THEY WILL BE ON THE AGENDA.
AND I'LL NOTE, UH, IF THEY WANT TO DO ANY WORK BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, THE MAIN ISSUE IS LARGELY THE INCOMPATIBLE WINDOWS VISIBLE ON THE SIDES OF THE ADDITION.
SO, UM, IN LIEU OF ATTENDING, IF THEY WANTED TO POSSIBLY SEND UPDATED DRAWINGS FOR OUR, OUR DISCUSSION, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S VERY CLOSE, BUT IT'S JUST DOWN TO THOSE WINDOWS.
UH, AND PROBABLY GONNA BE A QUICK FIX.
UM, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEND UP UPDATED DRAWINGS AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT THIS WAS A, A LATE BACKUP TODAY, SO WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME PERSONALLY TO LOOK THROUGH THIS, UH, THROUGH THIS SET OF DRAWINGS.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING, LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
AND THAT APPEARS TO BE UNANIMOUS.
[17. PR-2024-033568 – 1409 Alta Vista Ave.]
ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS NUMBER 17, 1 4 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.MR. ITEM NUMBER 17 IS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE SEEN, UH, SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE.
UM, 1409 ALTA VISTA AVENUE, UH, REQUEST TO DEMOLISH A C 1926 HOUSE.
UH, THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST MEETING, UH, THAT Y'ALL CAN HEAR THIS APPLICATION.
UM, AND THE PROPOSED DEMOLITION IS A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, SCRAPE WOOD WINDOWS, DECORATIVE SHUTTERS, A HOODED ENTRYWAY WITH DECORATIVE BRACKETS AND A CLIPPED GABLE ROOF.
UH, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THIS PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
UH, THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST ALSO REVIEW PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS BEFORE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT IS RELEASED.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? NO.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? SORRY.
PLEASE, PLEASE COME DOWN AND, UH, STATE YOUR NAME OF THE DIOCESE.
THIS IS IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE.
UH, MY NAME IS DANIELLA LAVAN AND I'M HERE WITH MY SISTER JOSEFINA.
WE ARE THE DAUGHTERS OF ROVAN, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AT 1409 ALTA VISTA.
FIRST, WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE OPEN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY AND ADDRESS OUR PLANS FOR THIS PROPERTY AND WHY WE ARE APPEALING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
WE ARE SORRY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ASSIST BEFORE, BUT I, UH, RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM UT AND WAS HOME VISITING MY FAMILY.
WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH WE VALUE THE BEAUTY AND HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ARE ORIGINALLY FROM CHILE AND MOVED TO AUSTIN TO PURSUE MY MBA AT
[01:35:01]
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.I HAVE RECENTLY DECIDED TO MAKE AUSTIN MY PERMANENT HOME, AND I'M EXCITED TO START WORKING AT DELL HERE.
WE GENERALLY LOVE THE CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AFTER SPEAKING WITH SOME NEIGHBORS AND WATCHING THE LAST HEARING, WE UNDERSTAND THERE WERE SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS REGARDING OUR INTENTIONS FOR THE PROPERTY, AND THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO COME AS A FAMILY TO CLARIFY THE, THE SITUATION.
LET US ASSURE, ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE NO PLANS TO BUILD A TRIPLEX OR REMOVE THE BEAUTIFUL TREES THAT ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS LOT AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE MAIN REASON, REASON WE FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.
THESE TREES PROVIDE SHADE, HABITAT AND CHARACTER, WHICH WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE AND CAN ASSURE YOU WILL BE PRESERVED REGARDING THE HOUSE.
UNLIKE OTHER ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL HOMES IN THE AREA, THIS HOUSE WAS ABANDONED FOR A LONG TIME.
DURING THIS PERIOD, IT WAS NOT MAINTAINED LEADING TO ITS CURRENT CONDITION.
ROTTEN WALLS, CEILINGS, AND PIER AND BEAM BEAM FOUNDATION ARE COMPROMISING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING.
ALL THE APPLIANCES, WINDOWS AND CABINETRY HAS HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED BY THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND ARE CURRENTLY IN A DEPLORABLE STATE.
WHILE THE EXTERIOR MAY APPEAR TO BE IN FAIR CONDITION, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL AND MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY VISIBLE.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED A DOCUMENT WITH SEVERAL PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE INTERNAL, UH, INTERNAL EXTERNAL CONDITION OF THE HOUSE.
OUR GOAL IS TO REPLACE THE CURRENT STRUCTURE WITH A HOME THAT BLENDS SEAMLESSLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMPLIMENTS THE EXISTING ARCHITECTURAL STYLE STYLE IN ALTA VISTA STREET, INCLUDING THE TWO MODERN HOMES NEXT DOOR.
WE'RE FULLY COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE TREES ON THE PROPERTY.
WE HAVE ALREADY CONSULTED WITH ARBORISTS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS TO ENSURE THAT ANY CONSTRUCTION WORK WILL PRESERVE THE TREES AND THE ROOT SYSTEMS. THE NEW HOME WILL BE DESIGNED AROUND THESE TREES, ENSURING THEIR HEALTH AND LONGEVITY.
WE ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS, CONCERNS ABOUT BEING PERCEIVED AS OUTSIDER DEVELOPERS.
ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN ONLY IN AUSTIN FOR A FEW YEARS, UH, I'M PRACTICALLY NEW TO THE CITY I WISH TO STAY.
AND WE'RE, UH, A CLOSE FAMILY WITH HIGH CONCERNS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, AND WE, UH, HIGHLY, UM, WANT TO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND, AND TRANSFER ALL THIS, UM, INTO MAKING A BEAUTIFUL SINGLE OWNER PROPERTY THAT WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING AND ABANDONED HOUSE.
FINALLY, WE UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A HISTORIC CHARACTER TO ALTA VISTA STREET.
OUR PLANTS, PLANTS PRIORITIZE SUSTAINABILITY, AESTHETICS, AND COMMUNITY VALUES.
WE AIM TO CREATE A HOME THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF AND THAT RESPECTS THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, MRS DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER COOK? I DID WANNA KNOW YEAH, FROM THE EXTERIOR, IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT'S IN, IN REALLY GOOD CONDITION.
UH, JUST KNOWING THAT THE INTERIOR COULD BE COMPLETELY GUTTED, YOU KNOW, THE FINISHES ON THE INTERIOR, THE INTERIOR WALLS, THE ROOF COULD BE REPLACED.
I, I, MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE WOULD BE JUST TO KEEP THE FRONT FACADE INTACT AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TOWARD THE BACK.
DID YOU LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT? THE, THE LARGE SIZE OF THE APRON, THE STUCCO APRON? I DO SEE A FEW CRACKS IN IT, BUT FOR A BUILDING THAT WOULD HAVE APPEARING BEAM THAT'S FAILING, I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE DISTRESS DOWN THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAD CONSIDERED OR EXPLORED AT ALL TRYING TO RESTORE JUST THE FRONT FACADE AND BUILDING BACK.
WE HAVE CONSIDERED IT, UH, BUT UH, WE THINK THAT TO REALLY NOW LIKE, USE AND LIKE BUILD A HOUSE, LIKE IN BETWEEN OF THE TREES, THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, WE THINK THAT JUST KEEPING THE FACADE WILL LIKE LIMIT A LOT THE SPACE AND ALL THE LIKE, UH, SURROUNDINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO.
HAVE YOU, UH, PERHAPS CONSULTED WITH AN ARCHITECT AS YOU THINK ABOUT, I GUESS, WHAT YOU'RE THINKING TO DO WITH THIS PROPERTY AS TO WHAT YOUR BUILDABLE FOOTPRINT IS? LOOKING AT THE BACKUP YOU HAVE, MAYBE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE SEVEN HERITAGE TREES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LIMITATIONS ON THEIR ASSOCIATED CRITICAL ROOT ZONES.
THIS LOOKS TO BE LIKE A NARROW LONG LOT.
SO YOU MAY WANNA THINK ABOUT IF YOU REALLY GET MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE OR IF YOU GET WHAT YOU WANNA DO OUT OF THIS VERSUS PERHAPS MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY IN PART OR IN WHOLE AS, UH, AS A FELLOW COMMISSIONER HERE JUST MENTIONED.
SAID ANOTHER WAY, THE LARGEST HOUSE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUILD ON THIS PROPERTY IS THE ONE THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.
ALSO THE FOUNDATION IS LIKE A LITTLE BIT SUNK INTO THE LAND.
WE DON'T THINK WE CAN PRESERVE IT.
UH, BUT, UH, ABOUT THE TREES IN THE BACK, WE, WE KNOW IT, UH, LIMITS A LOT WHAT WE CAN BUILD.
[01:40:01]
ONE OF THE REASONS REALLY, REALLY LIKE THE TALENT OF THIS LAND.WE THINK WE CAN BUILD A HOUSE THAT IS LIKE IN A LEVEL SO WE CAN NOT COMPROMISE ANY OF THE TREES, BUT BUILD AROUND THE TREES.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE HAVE CONSIDERED, AND WE HAVE TAKEN ARCHITECTS TO THE LAND.
THEY THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE, UH, HAVING THE TREES, BUT THEY THINK WE CAN BUILD A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE IN BETWEEN THEM.
SO, UH, LET ME FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
UH, YOU SAID YOU'VE, YOU'VE TALKED, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE NOT DEVELOPED PLANS AT THIS POINT? NO.
SO WE ARE RIGHT NOW, UM, WAITING TO SEE IF WE CAN LIKE, UH, UH, DEMOLISH THE HOUSE AND START PLANNING.
BUT WE DO HAVE TAKEN, WE HAVE TAKEN THE ARCHITECTS SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S THE FACT, LIKE, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, SQUARE FEET WE CAN BUILD TO LIKE UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT WHAT ARE THE, UM, POSSIBILITIES IN THE LAND.
BUT WE HAVE NOT STILL, UH, MAKE ANY LIKE PLANS.
WELL, AND WE AND YOU DO, YOU ARE AWARE WE WILL ALSO BE NEEDING TO REVIEW THOSE AS WELL? YES, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND, AND JUST TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF ARCHITECTS HERE ON, ON THE COMMISSION AND OUR CONCERN IS THAT YOU'LL REMOVE THE HOUSE AND IT'S ONLY THEN THAT YOU'LL REALIZE BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONES, YOU HAVE VERY LIMITED AREA THAT YOU CAN BUILD.
AND I'M SURPRISED THAT YOU WOULD BE SO DEFINITIVE WHEN YOU HAVEN'T ACTUALLY TRIED STUDYING WHAT YOU'LL GET WHEN YOU TRY TO WORK AROUND THOSE TREES.
AND OF COURSE THE EXISTING BUILDING, IF IT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO YOUR NEW BUILDING, ALL OF THAT'S GRANDFATHERED.
ALL OF THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
IT CAN STAY RIGHT WHERE IT IS.
AND IT CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY KIND OF NEW PLAN TO COME EVEN CLOSE TO THE SQUARE FOOTAGE YOU HAVE, UH, PURE AND BEAM FOUNDATIONS, BY THE WAY, ARE THE MOST FORGIVING.
SO IT MAY NOT LOOK GOOD RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, A HANDYMAN WITH A JACK MAY BE ABLE TO FIX THAT.
SO IF, IF YOU HAVE AT AT LEAST NOT TAKEN THE NEXT STEP, UH, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.
UH, THE WORST THING THAT I THINK WOULD BE FOR YOU CERTAINLY WOULD BE FOR THE NEIGHBORS, WOULD BE TO LOSE THIS HOUSE ONLY TO FIND OUT AFTERWARDS THAT YOU HAD A SITE THAT YOU REALLY COULDN'T, COULDN'T BUILD WHAT YOU WANT TO ON.
WE CAN COMPROMISE MAYBE IN, SORRY, UH, IF YOU WANNA TALK FIRST
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
SO WE, WHAT WE CAN DO IS A HUNDRED PERCENT WHEN WE ARE DEVELOPING THIS ACTUAL PLAN, UH, SEE WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL, LIKE, BUT WE HAVE TO TALKED TO ARBORISTS AND WE HAVE DONE A STUDY OF THE TREES AND WHAT IS THE ACTUAL LAND THAT WE COULD USE? YOU DONE THAT ALREADY, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THE BACKUP.
WE HAD SOMEONE REPRESENTING US BEFORE.
NOW WE ARE TAKING CONTROL OF IT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING I HAD ASKED, UM, THE PREVIOUS TIME.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M JUST NOT WILLING TO VOTE FOR HER PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH WITHOUT KNOWING AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE UH, WHAT THE CHAIR, LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROBABLY NO BILLABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, YOUR FOUNDATION ISSUES ARE FIXABLE, FIXABLE.
UM, BUT I REALLY DO THINK IN, IN PROBABLY THE INTEREST OF EVERYBODY MM-HMM,
UH, I'M GONNA ASK IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION.
AND THEN IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING A MOTION, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL ASK, ASK YOU MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
YES, SAM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP IN FAVOR? IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION? YES, WE HAVE SOMEBODY ONLINE.
MR. LADD, ARE YOU, ARE YOU THERE? GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND A RESIDENT OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT INCLUDES 353 ACRES OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.
IT INCLUDES THE CORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MOST OF THE OLDEST HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE DISTRICT WAS APPROVED IN JULY, 2021 BECAUSE IT MEETS ALL OF THE
[01:45:01]
REQUIRED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PROTECTION ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.I URGE YOU TO DISAPPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF 1409 ALT VISTA.
ALT VISTA IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STREETS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE RECENT PRESERVATION AUSTIN HISTORIC HOME TOUR FEATURED THE MABEL DAVIS HOME AT 1308 ALT VISTA.
JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THIS HOME.
PROPOSED FOR DEMOLITION 1409 ALT VISTA IS A BEAUTIFUL ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN HOME BUILT IN APPROXIMATELY 1926 AND IS HAS MANY AS YOU NOTICE, AS YOU KNOW, HERITAGE TREES.
I APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S REVIEW OF THIS HOME, THOUGH I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY MAY MEET THE THREE REQUIRED DESIGNATION CRITERIA FOR HIS HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO EVALUATE THIS FURTHER.
AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTOS INCLUDED WITH YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL.
THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS OR MAJOR MAINTENANCE NEEDS OF THIS HOME.
IN FACT, THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 3RD HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING STATED THAT HOME WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR ADDITION AND REMODEL, NOT DEMOLITION BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL FOR THIS MEETING SHOWING ANY STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS OR PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS OR ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING THEIR INTENTIONS.
WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT, IF ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE EXISTING HOME.
BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SEPARATE BUT ASSOCIATED GARAGE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT LISTING AS CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES.
AS SUCH, THEY WOULD NEED SEPARATE APPLICATIONS FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
I BELIEVE I REQUEST YOU DENY A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS HOME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
IS ANYONE ELSE, ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY'S NOW OFF THE DIOCESE.
SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE 1, 2, 3, 9 OF US.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING OR POSTPONED TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING? I'LL SECOND THAT.
UM, YEAH, I DON'T, THIS IS TOUGH.
UH, IT'S, UH, I LAMENT WITH THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UH, COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE COME OUT HERE MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, BUT I WILL AGAIN NOTE, WE ASKED FOR A SURVEY.
WE ASKED FOR A STRUCTURE REPORT.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS CASE HAS COME TO US, SO THE ONLY TOOL WE HAVE IS DELAY AND MORE DELAY.
SO, COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? WELL, I, I THINK THAT THERE ARE, AND I ENCOURAGE THE, THE HOMEOWNERS, I APPRECIATE THAT THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE REPRESENTING THEMSELVES AND THEY'RE ENTERING INTO A DIALOGUE.
I THINK THERE IS PERHAPS MORE INFORMATION THAT AS THEY MAKE AND DISCERN THEIR OPTIONS, UH, EVEN, EVEN WITH THIS LAST DELAY, UH, THEY SHOULD HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE TO SEE THE VALUE OF AT LEAST THE FRONT PORTION OF THAT FACADE AND THE STRUCTURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO, UH, FROM THEIR OWN POINT OF VIEW HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF THEIR SITE.
BUT CERTAINLY FROM THE NEIGHBOR'S POINT OF VIEW, HOW THAT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE INTO THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IS WORTHY OF, OF, OF PRESERVATION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, THIS OWNER COULD WAIT US OUT, BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, UH, THERE IS A, A, A HOPE THAT, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN EXCHANGED FROM THE DAIS AND IF THEY WANNA FOLLOW UP EVEN WITH STAFF OR WITH THE A RC, UH, THAT THERE COULD BE ALTERNATIVES THAT, UH, WOULD COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE.
COMMISSIONER HY OR COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A INVITATION TO THE A RC AND IF THEY COULD BRING A TREE SURVEY ALONG, I THINK, UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND POSSIBLY TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT PROPERTY WITH THOSE HERITAGE TREES.
YEAH, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS MENTIONING THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE BEFORE I DID.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS STRETCHING THE LIMITS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AS SORT OF A FREE CONSULTING SERVICE.
UM, BUT IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, PROPERTY THAT IS JUST AT A VERY EARLY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT EARLY, BUT EXTREMELY CRITICAL.
UM, IF YOU END UP WITH A SITE THAT IS SIMPLY NOT BUILDABLE, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW IT NOW, THAT WOULD
[01:50:01]
BE REALLY UNFORTUNATE.AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE OWNERS REPRESENTING THEMSELVES THIS EVENING.
UM, COMMISSIONER RUBIO MENTIONED THAT THIS HAS BEEN IN FRONT OF US A FEW TIMES AND WE'VE ASKED FOR THINGS AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN THEM.
I THINK THAT, UH, HAVING YOU GUYS ENGAGED DIRECTLY IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
AND I DO HOPE YOU GO TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND HAVE A OPEN AND HONEST DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT IT.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON YOUR, YOUR HANDS UP? I STAFF WILL GET AHOLD OF YOU ABOUT YOUR INVITATION TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO, TO GIVE YOU THOSE DETAILS.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE MOTION AT HAND, WHICH IS TO POSTPONE TO OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY HI.
I BELIEVE THAT IS UNANIMOUS AT NINE OF US.
UM, STAFF, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
CAN I HAND MY CHAIRSHIP OVER TO BEN HEIM, SETH REMOTELY FOR THE NEXT ITEM? IS THAT ALLOWED? I AM NOT GONNA MAKE IT THE WHOLE MEETING.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN ASK FOR A BREAK AND GET BACK ON THE DA IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES IF YOU DON'T WANNA TAKE IT OVER REMOTELY.
CHAIR HY, THAT'S, I DON'T THINK I CAN.
I WISH I COULD, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S ALLOWED.
UH, CALLAN SAYS HE CANNOT, WE ARE GONNA TAKE A CHAIR.
YEAH, WELL, THE CHAIR'S ABOUT TO BE OUT THE ROOM FOR THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.
THE MOTION THAT WE TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS? YES.
UM, I MOVE THAT WE TAKE A, A FIVE, A 10 MINUTE, LET'S SAY 10 MINUTE RECESS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF 10 MINUTE RECESS.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
SEE YOU BACK ON THE DAAS AT 8 0 5 5.
AND I THINK ALL PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ARE BACK.
UM, SAM, DURING RECESS YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, THE, THE, SOMEONE WAS HERE TO SPEAK ON 1607 WEST 10TH STREET, WHICH WAS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13, AND I BELIEVE WE DID TAKE THAT IN ORDER AND, UM, PASSED A MOTION TO POSTPONE WITH AN INVITATION TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SO I APOLOGIZE TO ANYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THAT AND, AND MISSED IT, BUT THAT ITEM HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED AND TAKEN ACTION.
[22. HR-2024-055618 – 1607 Kenwood Ave. ]
AT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2 2 1 6 0 7 KENWOOD AVENUE, UH, 1 6 0 7 KENWOOD AVENUE, UH, HR 20 24 0 5 5 6 1 8.AS A PROPOSAL THAT SAW CONSTRUCTION OF A SIDE EDITION TO A CIRCA 1940 HOUSE ENCLOSING A DETACHED STUDIO BUILDING.
UM, THIS ENCLOSED THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE AND COMBINED THE STUDIO BUILDING AS WELL AS, UH, REMOVED UH, TWO FRONT WINDOWS AND A DOOR AND INSTALLED TWO NEW FIXTURES.
IT ALSO SAW THE ENCLO, UH, THE REMOVAL OR COVERING OF, UH, RAFTER TAILS ON THE FRONT FACADE AND THE REPLACEMENT OF SIDING.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDS FOR REHABILITATION, ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THE PROPERTY CAME BEFORE THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE LAST MONTH.
UM, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK WAS TO RE-EXPOSE THE RAFTER TAILS ON THE ORIGINAL SECTION OF THE HOUSE, REPLACE THE DOOR WITH A DESIGN THAT MATCHES THE STYLE OF THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT.
INSTALL WINDOWS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR THAT ARE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE ERA AND LOCATION, UM, AND UPDATED, UM, FRONT ELEVATION, UH, PHOTO WAS SUBMITTED, UM, AND THE PROJECT WITH REVISIONS MAY MINIMALLY MEET THE, UH, APPLICABLE STANDARDS LISTED ABOVE.
UM, THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED MORE DETAIL ABOUT CHANGING SOME ELEMENTS OF THE FRONT FACADE TO MAKE THE APPEARANCE MORE COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING PROPERTIES WITH SOME MEASURES INCLUDING THE EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS.
REAPPEARING STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ANY CHANGES OR FURTHER WORK WILL REQUIRE REVIEW BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND MAY REQUIRE APPEARANCE BEFORE THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO CONSTRUCT THE ADDITION? YES, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR HERE AS OSHANA.
[01:55:01]
YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.UM, HI, MY NAME IS MICKEY AGRAWAL AND I'M THE, UM, OWNER OF THE HOME.
UM, AND JUST A LITTLE CONTEXT, UM, I HAVE BEEN, I PURCHASED THIS HOME TWO YEARS AGO, COMING OUTTA MY MARRIAGE WITH MY LITTLE BOY WHO'S NOW SEVEN.
AND IT'S BEEN THIS WILD TWO YEAR JOURNEY OF FIGURING OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PERMITTING TO GET AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES WITH VARIANTS AND HISTORIC AND A RC.
AND WE FINALLY FIGURED ALL OF IT OUT.
WE'VE PASSED THE VARIANCE COMMITTEE, THE A RC MADE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WE'VE NOW HANDLED.
THE RAFTER TAILS ARE ALREADY EXPOSED.
UM, WE, UH, THE, THE FRONT DOOR AND THE WINDOWS ARE BEING REPLACED, UM, SO WE CAN MATCH THE HISTORIC, UM, AESTHETIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, THIS IS LIKE THE LAST MEETING, HOPEFULLY IN TWO YEARS.
SO MY LITTLE BOY AND I CAN JUST MOVE IN TOGETHER AND JUST BE THERE WITH OUR FRIENDS AND OUR COMMUNITY WHO LIVE ALL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE'RE JUST SO, SO EXCITED TO, TO BE THERE, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN A TWO YEAR JOURNEY AND WE JUST, I JUST WANT THIS, THIS, THIS TO BE DONE, PLEASE.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE OWNER FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
WE'LL CALL YOU BACK UP IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
UH, SAM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? NO.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE IN OPPOSITION? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? IT'S ALL MOVED.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, I THINK I SEE ALL THE HANDS UP IN THIS WALL THERE.
UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I'M GONNA MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION, UH, PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AND DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? UH, COMMISSIONER COOK? YEAH.
THIS ONE WAS A REALLY DIFFICULT ONE FOR THE APPLICANT, I'M SURE AS WELL AS US SINCE ALL THE WORK HAPPENED WITHOUT A PERMIT, UM, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND TO BE DUE TO THE CONTRACTOR.
IT'S LONG STORY, REGARDLESS, IT CAME TO US WITHOUT WORK, WITHOUT A PERMIT PAID A COMP LEE WORK ALREADY DONE THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE APPROVED.
UM, BUT IT WAS KEPT ONE STORY, IT WAS KEPT WITH THE SAME SIDING.
UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IF THEY HAD COME HERE TO BEGIN WITH, I'M SURE WE WOULD'VE ENCOURAGED THEM TO MAKE A FEW CHANGES, KEEP THE MAIN FACADE, OFFSET THE ADDITION AND EVERYTHING WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT.
I, I JUST DON'T SEE AT THIS POINT, UH, WE HAVE REAL CONCERN ABOUT SETTING PRECEDENT FOR WORK THAT'S HAPPENING AND THEN ASKING FORGIVENESS LATER.
BUT I'M, I'M CERTAIN THAT ALL OF THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THIS HAVING HAPPENED THIS WAY, UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYONE WOULD EVER CHOOSE TO DO TO THIS EXTENT.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'LL JUST ECHO THAT THIS IS NOT A CASE THAT WE WANTED TO SET PRECEDENT.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE THE DOOR IN THE WINDOWS.
UM, I HOPE, UH, LESSONS WERE LEARNED ALL AROUND THIS SHOULD, THIS NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
UM, AND I DON'T, I I DON'T EVEN NEED TO KNOW HOW OR WHY, BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND I HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
ALRIGHT, UM, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON, UH, THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION PER STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS WITH ALL NINE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, NEXT UP FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM NUMBER 23 1 5.
I'D LIKE TO POKE IN REAL QUICK.
UH, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT'S FOUR, 600 CONGRESS AVENUE WITH THE SIGNS HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THEIR PROJECT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS APPROVED ON CONSENT.
IS THAT ALLOWED? CALLAN ACTION HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN ON THIS ITEM AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED ON CONSENT.
UM, SO WE, WE CAN'T REOPEN, UM, AN ITEM ONCE IT'S BEEN APPROVED.
ONCE THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, WE, WE DID HAVE A OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING THAT, UM, COULD PERTAIN TO THIS TOPIC AND BE BROUGHT UP AT THE VERY END.
UH, IF THE APPLICANT WANTS TO STICK AROUND FOR THAT, WE COULD ASK THEM SOME DIRECT QUESTIONS.
BUT YEAH, PER CALLAN'S DIRECTION, UM, WE'RE GONNA KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AGENDA NOW.
[23. HR-2024-048021 – 1519 Alameda Dr. ]
ALAMEDA DRIVE[02:00:05]
CHAIR.UH, 1 5 1 9 ALAMEDA DRIVE IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A NEW HOUSE AND POOL.
UM, THIS IS ONE THAT'S ALSO COME BEFORE Y'ALL, BEFORE IT WILL TIME OUT AFTER OUR NEXT MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
THE PROPOSED NEW HOUSE IS THREE STORIES THAT HABITABLE BASEMENT AND A GARAGE BENEATH THE TWO MAIN FLOORS.
UH, THE PROJECT DOES NOT MEET MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, SO IT WAS SENT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, WHO RECOMMENDED, UH, WHO PROVIDED FEEDBACK, UH, WHICH INCLUDED USING DARK COLORS TO DISGUISE THE MASSING AND SCALE.
DO NOT, UH, USE THE OPTION PRESENTED WITH WOOD SIDING AND TO ENSURE THAT THE DESIGN OF THE GARAGE BLENDS INTO THE STREET SCAPE.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF YOU JUST SAID IT, BUT DO WE KNOW WHAT OUR TIMELINE IS HERE? UH, YES.
CHAIR, WE HAVE UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING IS THE LAST ONE AT WHICH THIS ONE COULD BE HEARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR COLIN? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? NO.
WE HAVE SOMEONE ON LINE, SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
CAN YOU HEAR US? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME'S SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I MENTIONED THAT THE LAST HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING THAT I RESPONDED TO THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES BACK IN OCTOBER ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN STANDARDS.
THEN AGAIN IN MAY AFTER HE REPRESENTED THAT WE HAD NOT RESPONDED TO HIM ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE.
I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM A MONTH LATER, NOR HAS ATTENDED THE LAST TWO HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETINGS INDICATING TO ME AND POSSIBLY TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE APPLICANT HAS NO INTEREST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN STANDARDS OR THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE LAST MEETING FOR THIS PROPERTY'S NEW CONSTRUCTION BEFORE IT WILL TIME OUT.
HOWEVER, I DO WANNA OPPOSE THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FINAL TIME ON THE RECORD.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S AN EXAMPLE THAT THE COMMISSION'S TOOLS ARE VERY LIMITED, BUT IN THE WORDS OF COMMISSIONER HEIM STAFF AT LIES MEETING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS PULLED TOGETHER FOR OUR PROPERTIES, OUR EFFORTS, OUR TIME TO CREATE THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE ASSOCIATED DESIGN STANDARDS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND THE PRESERVATION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITY'S HISTORY.
AND THIS DESIGN DOES NOT HONOR ANY OF THOSE.
IT'S IN THE WRONG PLACE AND FOR THAT REASON, WE OPPOSE IT.
I DO REQUEST THE COMMISSION LET IT TIME OUT, SENDING THE MESSAGE TO THE DEVELOPER THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT SUPPORT IT AS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANYONE ELSE? SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'M GONNA MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC, MAKE OUR COMMENTS AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MAKE THIS THE END OF IT.
AND THE REASON I'M DOING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE MORE MONTH LEFT.
THE APPLICANT, THIS IS UNUSUAL PROPERTY 'CAUSE THERE WASN'T A STRUCTURE THERE AS I RECALL, CORRECT.
IT'S GOT A BIG THING IN THE FRONT.
UH, YOU COULDN'T REALLY BUILD ANYTHING THAT'S OFFSET AND IN LINE WITH THE OTHER PROPERTIES.
IT'S GONNA BE A UNIQUE PROPERTY TO BEGIN WITH.
UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE LOT IS NON-COMPLIANT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AT THE BOTTOM AT THE, THE MAIN REASON I MADE THE MOTION TO NOT GIVE THE LAST MONTH IS BECAUSE THE APPLICANT DID ATTEND AN A RC MEETING.
THEY DID HEED OUR COMMENTS ON PUTTING, USING STONE AND DARKENING THE SUPER STRUCTURE TO MAKE IT BLEND MORE AND MAKE IT LOOK MORE LIKE AN EMPTY LOT
SO GIVEN THE SITUATION OF CLEARLY THEY WEREN'T GONNA CHANGE THE DESIGN AND CLEARLY IT'S A NONCOMPLIANT PROPERTY, UH, THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD WITHIN THOSE CONFINES AND, AND I I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION FOR AT LEAST ATTENDING AND HAVING THE CONVERSATION AND MAKING SOME CHANGES.
YEAH, AS THE SECOND I'LL SAY THAT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING COMMISSIONER COOK SAID.
UM, IT IS, IT'S NOT REALLY WITHIN OUR MANDATE OR OUR PURVIEW, UM, TO COMMENT ON A PROPERTY IN THIS WAY.
BUT I I, I PERSONALLY DO EXPERIENCE TRAVIS HEIGHTS AS AN ECLECTIC NEIGHBORHOOD AND THIS NEW ADDITION, WHILE NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE LETTER OF THE INTENT OF, OF THE REGISTERED DISTRICT, I THINK IT, UM, IT, IT'S HARD, IT'S HARD TO PUT VALUE JUDGEMENTS ON THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE
[02:05:01]
OF THOSE BOUNDS.BUT I DO THINK THIS IS A WELL-DESIGNED PROPERTY.
SO I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER COOK'S REASONING AND I, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD AND ANOTHER MAYBE DAY ALSO HAVE THAT SENTIMENT.
JUST, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS AND THE OWNER IS DEFINITELY WILLING TO WAIT THIS OUT.
SO I THINK I'D RATHER SEE THIS BE, UH, WEIGHTED OUT.
BUT IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, UM, I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE DO NOT, UH, HAVE THE, I GUESS, JURISDICTIONAL REQUIREMENT IN THESE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
SO THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND YOU WILL GET MUCH WORSE DESIGNS UNTIL YOU ALL DECIDE TO DO LOCAL HISTORIC ZONING.
SO JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS, THIS IS A PRETTY WELL DESIGNED HOUSE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED
SO THAT'S FOR ALL OF OUR NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SEE THESE CASES WHERE WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION.
AND, AND I DIDN'T WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT AT A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT HERE, BLUEBONNET HILLS.
IT WAS FAR REACHING, UH, AND IT HAD VERY STRONG OPPOSITION.
I THINK THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS SOMEWHAT DEMORALIZED BY THAT.
BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A ONE BLOCK LONG, UM, EAST MARY, UH, WHICH IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT BLOCK BY BLOCK WHERE YOU HAVE EVERYONE AGREE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO WHAT WE CAN.
AND I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE NOT TO LOSE THE DREAM.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THE RESEARCH, YOU HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION.
WE HAVE A CITYWIDE DESIGN STANDARDS NOW, RIGHT NOW IT, ALL IT REALLY TAKES IS AGREEMENT FOR EVERYONE ON A BLOCK FACE TO BE WILLING TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION, UM, AND TO REACH OUT TO US IF, UH, ANYONE HAS ANY INTEREST.
UM, LET, LET ME ADD TO THAT WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC, BECAUSE ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING IN THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN IN ORDER TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS TO REALLY WORK IN AUSTIN IS, UH, TO ADVOCATE FOR NON-CONTIGUOUS HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
NOW, THAT REQUIRES THE STATE INVOLVEMENT AS WELL, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN EXCELLENT ARGUMENT FOR, UH, POCKETS THAT RELATE AND BELONG TOGETHER.
AND JUST BECAUSE THE LOTS DON'T COMPLETELY BUTT UP AGAINST EACH OTHER, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY CAN'T STILL HAVE THE KIND OF PROTECTION THAT OUR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT HAS, THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF MERIT.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT, IT HAS TO BE AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
THEN IT BECOMES A MATTER OF ZONING.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY WITH OUR CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PROPERTY BELONGS IS APPROPRIATE OR WHETHER IT'S NOT, UH, IN THE NATIONAL DISTRICT.
ALL WE HAVE IS JUST THE CHANCE TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, WHICH IS TO COMMENT, UH, MAYBE APPEAL IF POSSIBLE TO BETTER ANGELS, UH, REMIND A NEIGHBOR THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS HAVE PUT IN THE CONSIDERABLE TIME THAT THEY HAVE, UH, TO TRY TO PRESERVE HISTORY AND, UH, AND YET INDIVIDUALS ARE FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES.
UH, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I, I DO BELIEVE OUR ONLY TOOL IS THE TIMING OUT, UH, IN THIS SITUATION.
AND I THINK I'M HAPPY THAT THIS OWNER'S WANTING TO WAIT.
I'M HAPPY TO LET THEM WAIT, SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS WITH THAT? WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.
THE MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LET WAIT AND, AND ALLOW FOR THE RELEASE OF THE PERMIT.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THIS, IS THERE AN ACTUAL PERMIT? IS THERE, OR THIS IS A COMMENT SITUATION, RIGHT? WELL, TOLE RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
THERE'S NOT, THERE IS NO DEMOLITION PERMIT.
TO APPROVE, TO, TO ALLOW THE, THE, A BUILDING PERMIT TO PROCEED.
SO, YEAH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WEIRD ONES WHERE OUR JOB IS TO MAKE COMMENTS AND THERE'S NOT REALLY A MOTION TO MAKE COMMENTS,
SO I'M THINKING CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING IS THE EFFECTIVE WAY OF ACCOMPLISHING THAT AND ENDING THE CASE.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, TECHNICALLY YES.
YOUR ACTION HERE IS TO RELEASE, UM, NOT TO APPROVE, UH, BUT TO ISSUE COMMENTS AND RELEASE THE BUILDING PERMIT.
YEAH, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY RELEASING A BUILDING PERMIT 'CAUSE THE PERMIT IS NOT UP.
YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING PERMITS
THE, THE MOTION ON THE TABLE BY COMMISSIONER COOK IS SECONDED BY MYSELF, IS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, MAKE OUR COMMENTS AND RELEASE THE BUILDING PERMIT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE,
[02:10:01]
OPPOSED? RAISE YOUR HAND AND THREE OPPOSED THE MOTION.
[24. HR-2024-072700 – 707 E Monroe St. ]
DISCUSSION IS NUMBER 24 7 7 EAST MONROE STREET.UH, 7 0 7 EAST MONROE STREET, HR 22 4 0 7 2 7 0 0 IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ON THE SIDE OF A PREVIOUSLY PERMITTED AND DEMOLISHED CARPORT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
A DU WAS PROPOSED TO BE TWO BEDROOM, TWO BATHROOM WITH A GARAGE FACING THE EXISTING SIDE DRIVEWAY, TWO EXTERIOR DOORS, ONE ADJACENT TO THE GARAGE, AND ONE TO THE SIDE UNDER A SECOND FLOOR PORCH PROVIDE ACCESS.
SEVERAL LARGE WINDOWS APPEAR AT THE NORTH AND WEST ELEVATIONS, WHICH ARE VIEWED AS AT THE, AS AT THE FRONT OF THE A DU, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE SECOND FLOOR SIDE PORCH.
THE EXTERIOR WALLS FEATURE INGS OVER OVERALL WINDOWS ROOF IS TO BE HIPPED AND SET AT A MODERATE PITCH.
UH, THE HOUSE AT 7 0 7 EAST MONROE STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1941 AS PART OF A DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH AUSTIN THAT WAS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE AREA AT THE TIME.
THE BUILDING WAS FIRST OWNED BY CECIL AND, UH, MINI WARREN.
MR. WARREN WORKED AS A PORTER, THEN AS A CHEF AT THETE, STEVEN F. AUSTIN HOTEL ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
MRS. WARREN LOST A BROTHER IN WORLD WAR II OFF THE COAST OF FRANCE AS OF 1947.
THE HOUSE WAS OWNED BY MRS. RUTH PHELPS, WHO WORKED AS A ST AS A STENOGRAPHER AT THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EMBALMING.
AFTER ANOTHER OWNERSHIP CHANGE, THE HOUSE WAS BOUGHT BY FRANK AND MADDIE TISDALE, WHO LIVED THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THEIR DAUGHTER EVENTUALLY MARRYING AND MOVING IN 1955 TO JAPAN WITH HER CHILDREN TO JOIN HER HUSBAND WHO IS SERVING OVERSEAS.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION, AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, BUT DOES NOT MEET THE TWO, TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR THE A DU.
ANY QUESTIONS OF AUSTIN FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? NONE.
ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OF AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT? NOPE.
ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OUR NEUTRAL SPEAKER HAS, UH, STEPPED OUT.
SHE WILL NO LONGER BE SPEAKING AT TONIGHT'S MEETING.
SAID THAT A LATE ADDITION TO THE COMMENT WAS, MY OWN BROTHER IS A NEIGHBOR OF THIS PROPERTY AND CALLED TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OR DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE APPLICATION.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UM, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION IN THE BIG PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD DESPITE IT BEING A HIP ROOF AND THE WINDOW OPENINGS MAYBE NOT BEING EXACTLY RIGHT.
SO, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, SUPPORT WHENEVER SOMEONE'S KEEPING THE ORIGINAL HOUSE AND BUILDING IN REASONABLE SCALE.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE HAS THE SECOND.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE ERS? I'LL SUPPO SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
I, I DO WISH THAT THERE WAS A SITE, I'M, I'M MISSING A SITE PLAN MAYBE ON THE, IN THESE DOCUMENTS, UH, I ONLY SEE THIS FLOOR PLAN.
I ONLY SEE TWO FLOOR PLANS AND ELEVATIONS.
IS THAT JUST ME? I BELIEVE THERE IS A SITE PLAN.
WE, IT WAS UPLOADED A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT IT WAS ON THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE OR IS A RELEASE VIA TO APPROVE AND RELEASE THE APPLICATION? ALL RIGHT.
AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS WITH ALL NINE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.
AND OUR LAST, UH, ACTION ITEM OF THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE, OR NO, I SHOULDN'T SAY IT LIKE THAT 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE SOMETHING LATER.
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, UH, NUMBER 25 1 1 0 6
[25. PR-2024-071202 – 1106 Enfield Rd. ]
INFIELD ROAD COMMISSIONER.ITEM 25 AT 1106 INFIELD ROAD IS A PROPOSAL TO PUBLISH A CIRCA 1926 HOUSE.
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THIS IS A TWO STORY ECLECTIC MISSION REVIVAL HOUSE WITH TRIAL STUCCO CLADDING, MULTI LIGHT CASEMENT WINDOWS, A COMPOUND FLAT AND GD ROOF COVERED IN RED CLAY TILE AND DECORATIVE DETAILS, INCLUDING A TAPERED STUCCO, CHIMNEY, AND ARCHED GATEWAY LANDSCAPE.FEATURES INCLUDE AN ARCH, LIMESTONE BRIDGE AND LIMESTONE RETAINING WALLS.
THE HOUSE WAS ORIGINALLY ADDRESSED AS SIX INFIELD ROAD AS PART OF THE PS ESTATE WAS SUBDIVIDED.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1924 AND 1926.
FIRST OCCUPANTS WERE REALTOR JOHN, PRESENTING RILEY, HIS WIFE TEXAN, AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN.
RILEY, WHO ORIGINALLY WORKED FOR THE STACY REALTY COMPANY, WAS APPOINTED AS SALES AGENT OF THE NEW PEMBERTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD BY THE AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN 1927.
BY THE EARLY THIRTIES, THE RILEYS HAD SOLD THE HOME TO JAKE J HENDRICKS AND HIS FAMILY.
HENDRICKS WORKS FOR THE TEXAS, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS THE CHIEF OF THE TEXTBOOK DIVISION.
HIS SON ALSO WENT INTO EDUCATION BECOMING A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND AUTHOR OF AT LEAST ONE BOOK ON TEXAS HISTORY DURING THE 1950S AND SIXTIES.
THE HOME WAS OWNED BY THE KAUFMAN FAMILY.
WALTER E CRAN WAS A SALESMAN WITH THE HIGGIN HIGGINBOTHAM BAILEY COMPANY, A WHOLESALE DRY GOODS FIRM.
AFTER AROUND 1966, THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN PREPARATION FOR A NEW CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY.
HOWEVER, THE ROADWAY WAS NEVER CONSTRUCTED.
INSTEAD, THE CITY BEGAN LEASING OUT THE HOME.
MOST OF THE RENDERS WERE SHORT TERM AND INCLUDED POLITICIAN TERRANCE TERRANCE O'ROURKE AND MULTIPLE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PROFESSORS STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
IT'S CONSTRUCTED WITH AN ECLECTIC COMBINATION OF SPANISH AND MISSION REVIVAL INFLUENCES AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH REALTOR JOHN, PRESENTING RILEY.
HOWEVER, HE ONLY LIVED IN THE HOME FOR FIVE YEARS.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE BUILDING'S ASSOCIATION WITH RILEY MEETS THE CRITERION FOR SIGNIFICANCE DUE TO HIS SHORT TENURE IN THE HOME.
IF SO, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND IF NOT, RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THIS PROPERTY IS IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, THEREFORE, NEW CONSTRUCTION MUST BE REVIEWED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION PRIOR TO RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR CALLEN FROM THE COMMISSION? ALL RIGHT, SAM, DARE I ASK, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL PRESENT, UH, IF WE HAVE ANYBODY, UH, HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, WE HAVE ONE SIGNED UP.
UH, KAREN CARLSON, WE HAVE NOT PRESENTATION.
I'M KEEPERS LAND PLANNING, AND I'M THE APPLICANT AND THE OWNER IS HERE AS WELL.
AND WE'RE SPLITTING THE TIME TO KIND OF KEEP THE, KEEP OUR TIME AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, SO WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT 1106 INFIELD ROAD.
UM, GO AHEAD AND SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, IN ADDITION TO WHAT STAFF HAS ALREADY PROVIDED YOU, MS. CARLSON BOUGHT THE PROPERTY IN THE EARLY NINETIES AS A FORECLOSURE AND IT WAS VERY MUCH UNLIVABLE AT THE TIME.
SHE THEN PUT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY INTO IT AS A SINGLE MOM RAISING HER KID 30 YEARS LATER.
UM, SHE'S NOW TRYING TO RETIRE AS A UT PROFESSOR AND MOVE ON AND, UM, DOWNSIZE.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT BEFORE WE GO INTO THE PICTURES.
UM, SO WE ARE REQUESTING FOR A DEMOLITION, UM, THIS TIME FOR THE BUILDING IN THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO YOU SEE AT ONE OF THE PICTURES, AND MAINLY WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A SLIDE DECK OF PICTURES SO IT CAN SHOW YOU THE CURRENT, UM, THE CURRENT EXISTING OF THE PROPERTY, JUST WHAT IT IS TODAY.
SO THAT IS THE MAIN SUPPORTING BEAM THERE THAT YOU'RE SHOWING, THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PICTURE ROTTEN.
UM, THERE IS MOLD, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WATER DAMAGE AND LEAKAGE FROM THE ROOF.
THE IT ROOF NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AS WELL.
GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS SOME OF THE STUCCO ON THE SIDE.
YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL OF THESE PICTURES, UH, WHERE THERE'S MAJOR CRACKING, MAJOR LEAKAGE.
THIS, UM, TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS A PICTURE OF THE FRONT DRIVEWAY THAT ALSO HAS TO BE COMPLETELY REDONE AS WELL.
THIS NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
IT ALSO HAS TO HAVE MAJOR REPAIR IN THE SEWAGE LINE.
UM, IT'S SUPER OUTDATED AND NEEDS TO BE UP, UPGRADED A GREAT DEAL AND WATER LEAKAGE IN THE HOUSE WITH EXTENSION CEILING AND, AND BEAM DAMAGE, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY REFERENCED.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE CRACKS AND WATER DAMAGE IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY FROM INS STECCO.
AND JUST TO KIND OF GO OVER BULLET POINTS THERE,
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INTERNAL WALLS HAVE EXTENSIVE CRACKS, CRACKS ON EXTERNAL, CONCRETE AND INTERNAL TILES INDICATING FOUNDATION PROBLEMS, OUTDATED ELECTRICAL WIRING AND GALVANIZED PIPES THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.UH, MORE CRACKING AS YOU CAN SEE.
ADDITIONAL CRACKING, PRETTY MUCH WHERE YOU SEE THAT IN THE BALCONY OR ANYWHERE THERE IS A STEP, THERE'S ADDITIONAL CRACKING AND, AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND JUST DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE.
YOU CAN SEE THE CRACK THE CRACKS.
AND I WANNA SUM UP BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR ROLE.
I THINK THAT WHAT YOU DO AS A COMMISSION IS REALLY CRITICAL.
WE NEED TO SAVE HISTORICAL PROPERTIES AND I REALLY APPRECIATE A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN.
UM, I THINK YOU SAVE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE GOOD HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE WHEN IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, WHAT THE CLIENT IS TRYING TO DO, WHAT DR. CARLSON WOULD LOVE TO DO IS SELL THE PROPERTY, HAVE SOMEONE, UM, BUILD SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE HERE AND FITS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, HAS A PROPER AESTHETIC TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FITS BETTER, UM, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SHE'S NOT LOSING MONEY CONSTANTLY AND LOSING OFFERS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL INTRODUCE DR. CARLSON.
UM, JUST TO, UH, FOLLOW UP ON, ON RICK'S PRESENTATION, UM, I MOVED HERE IN 1989, UH, TO JOIN THE FACULTY AT UT AND I BOUGHT MY HOME IN 1990.
UM, IT WAS A FORECLOSURE, IT WAS IN BAD SHAPE.
I RENOVATED IT, UM, TO MOVE IN AND CONTINUED TO RENOVATE IT OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AND I MOVED OUT JUST IN JANUARY OF 23 WITH THE IDEA OF RETIRING.
UM, I KNEW IT HAD SOME ISSUES.
I KNEW THE ROOF LEAKED, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN UNTIL IT WENT ON THE MARKET THAT THE EXTENT OF THE ISSUES HAVE REALLY BECOME APPARENT.
AND IN THE YEAR AND A HALF SINCE I'VE MOVED OUT, THOSE HAVE CONTINUED, UH, TO DETERIORATE.
UM, IT HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET MOST OF 23, UM, WITH NO OFFERS.
UM, IT'S BEEN BACK SINCE FEBRUARY OF 24.
UM, AND, UH, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH HOPED TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO WOULD BUY THE HOUSE AND RENOVATE IT.
THE ONE OFFER WE HAD WAS SOMEONE WHO ONCE THEY GOT THE INSPECTION, UH, WITHDREW THE OFFER.
AND THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN IS THAT IT'S JUST TOO MUCH WORK, UM, TO DO.
UM, I DO NO LONGER LIVE THERE.
I DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO, UM, UNDERTAKE TO KEEP IT UP.
UM, AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THE BEST USE, UM, WE, WE'VE HAD IT IMPROVED FOR MULTIFAMILY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A STRUCTURE BUILT THERE THAT WOULD GIVE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A NUMBER OF FAMILIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS REALLY WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVED IN MOST OF MY LIFE.
QUESTION, JUST TO CON, JUST TO CONFIRM, THE PROPERTY IS NOW ZONED MULTIFAMILY FAMILY.
IT, YEAH, JUST RECENTLY AT THE LAST MEETING, IT WAS ZONED THAT WAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU.
WE'LL CALL YOU BACK UP IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
SAM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? ANYBODY HERE? ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? NO.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL HERE, I'M GUESSING, TALKING ABOUT
I, UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO A MOTION FOR ANYTHING MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE? I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER COOK.
MAY I SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE STRONG ENOUGH AND LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD.
UM, UNLIKE OTHER STUCCO PROPERTIES, WHICH WE'VE SEEN IN THE RECENT PAST, I DO BELIEVE THIS ONE WOULD NEED TO BE FULL, FULLY RES, STUCCOED.
UM, I, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S STRONG ENOUGH AND THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME REALLY AT THAT LOCATION.
IT'S REALLY PROMINENT LOCATION.
UH, IN SOME WAYS, IN SOME WAYS YOU DON'T EVER REALLY NOTICE IT 'CAUSE YOU'RE GOING BY, UH, SO QUICKLY.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME MULTIFAMILY, UH, PROBABLY WITH VIEWS OF THE CAPITAL I WOULD EXPECT.
UM, AND I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THE PROPERTIES, I I COULDN'T ARGUE THAT IT'S WORTH SAVING BASED ON HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, THE LOCATION, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY VALUE THAT IT PRESENTS.
[02:25:01]
COMMISSIONER SETH, SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND.UH, I JUST, UH, LET ME REINFORCE THE SAME, BUT, UH, ADD ANOTHER LITTLE INTERESTING QUIRK.
I THOUGHT IT WAS CURIOUS THAT FOR A BRIEF TIME AT LEAST THE CITY OF AUSTIN OWNED THIS BUILDING.
IT WAS CONDEMNED RIGHT OF WAY, AND THEN AS IT SAYS IN THE REPORT, UH, IT, IT OBVIOUSLY IT WAS TURNED OVER TO A RENTAL PROPERTY, SO IT HASN'T BEEN, IT, THE CONSTRUCTION TECH, UH, UH, TECHNIQUE DOESN'T SIT, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE STUCCO IS, IS, IS NOT IDEAL FOR THIS TYPE OF FRAME CONSTRUCTION IN THAT AREA.
SO THIS WOULD BE A, A MASSIVE CHALLENGE.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, BECOME A VERY SIGNIFICANT BUILDING AND, AND THE FACT THAT THE CITY'S ALREADY OWNED IT AND PASSED ON IT ONCE
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I, I'LL ADD THAT I THINK THAT, UM, OFTEN APPLICANTS, UH, THEY, THEY SAY THINGS THAT ARE THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.
AND I, I, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE,
I THINK, UM, IT MEANT SOMETHING TO ME.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR ME, BUT, UH, SO MAYBE I'M GETTING MY LOGIC WRONG, BUT THE IDEA THAT YOU, YOU TRIED TO SELL IT AS IS, AS A, AS A REAL PROPERTY THAT SOMEONE ELSE COULD TAKE ON AND THE MARKET SAID, UH, AND, UM, SO, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THE MOTION.
UM, I, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS THAT PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ALREADY UPS ZONE THIS, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT YEAH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY, AYE.
AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER 37.
I'D LIKE TO HOP IN REAL QUICK.
SHE'S NOT ONLINE ANYMORE, BUT WE DID HAVE A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION TO 1607 KENWOOD, WHO WOULD'VE LIKED TO PUT HER COMMENTS ON THE RECORD.
I KNOW WE ALREADY PASSED, TOOK ACTION ON THAT ONE, SO WE CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT IT NOW, BUT JUST WANT TO RECORD THAT THERE WAS SOME OPPOSITION TO THAT CASE.
I THINK YOU'VE, YOU'VE DONE YOUR FAIR DUTY, SAM.
[37. Presentation, discussion, and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council in support of adoption of the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum Historic Preservation, Expansion, and Unification Plan.]
37, A PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF ADOPTION OF THE OOF SCULPTURE GARDEN, A MUSEUM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION, AND UNIFICATION PLAN CHAIR.UM, FULL DISCLOSURE, UH, OUR, ONE OF OUR ARCHITECTS' OFFICES WAS INVOLVED WITH CONSULTING WITH UMOFF.
I KNOW THERE'S NOT REALLY A VOTE, SO I WAS PLANNING ON NOT BEING PART OF ANY CONVERSATION OR VOTE JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, WE ARE REQUESTING ACTION ACTUALLY.
UM, WELL, I GUESS REGARDLESS, I WAS PLANNING ON, UH, ABSTAINING FROM ANY VOTE.
UM, BUT LEGALLY, AM I REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE DAAS CALLEN OR DOES ROBERT'S RULES ALLOW FOR ME TO STAY AND LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION CHAIR? SETH, LET ME JUST SAY, IT'S BY TRADITION.
WE'VE JUST MADE IT EASIER FOR THERE TO BE NO QUESTION.
IF THERE IS A VOTE AND THERE IS ANY KIND OF, UH, APPEARANCE OF CONNECTION, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO SIT, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT NOT BE BEYOND THE DAIS.
AND THAT'S NOT, NOT BY RULE, BUT IT'S BEEN OUR TRADITION IN THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
USUALLY WHEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO HOME IN OUR OUR OFFICE, I'M, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO LEAVE IN THE ROOM, BUT I WILL DO THAT JUST TO KEEP OUR TRADITION.
IT'S A PRETTY GOOD VIEW FROM THE LOBBY TELEVISION.
ANYWAY,
HI, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS KIM MCKNIGHT AND MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER.
I SERVE AS THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND TOURISM PROGRAM OF THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS EXCITED TO JOIN OUR PARTNERS AT THE MOF SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE VISION PLAN, WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THIS PLAN GUIDES THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION OF THIS LONGTIME BELOVED AUSTIN ARTS FACILITY, THE GIFT OF THE HOME AND STUDIO, ALONG WITH THE ART COLLECTION DATES TO 1985, NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO.
THE MUSEUM WAS OPENED IN 1991 AND FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UMLA SERVES AN IMP IMPORTANT PUBLIC PURPOSE AND PROVIDES OUR CITY WITH
[02:30:01]
ACCESSIBLE ARTS, PROGRAMMING, ARTS, EDUCATION, AND EXHIBITS FOR RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS.THIS FACILITY IS ONE OF SEVERAL TREASURED CITY FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE ARTS, CULTURE AND HISTORICAL PROGRAMMING.
THOSE INCLUDE OUR HISTORIC MUSEUMS, LIKE THE OAKWOOD CHAPEL VISITORS CENTER, ELIZABETH DAY MUSEUM, BRUSH SQUARE MUSEUMS, AND THE OLD BAKERY, AS WELL AS OUR CULTURAL CENTERS.
UH, WE RECENTLY, UH, IT HASN'T BEEN REALLY FORMALLY ANNOUNCED, BUT YOU'LL LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT IN THE PRESENTATION.
BUT AFTER MANY YEARS OF WORKING ON IT, THAT MOF HAS BEEN NAMED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AS OF EARLY JUNE, UM, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT TOOK US A VERY LONG TIME, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STAFF AND BOARD TO GET A VISION PLAN UNDERWAY FOR PROBABLY A DECADE NOW.
SO WE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THIS PLAN AND GREATLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF OUR PARTNERS AND DESIGN TEAM FOR THEIR TIME AND EFFORT IN DEVELOPING THIS COMMUNITY-BASED PLAN.
WE ARE SEEKING THE SUPPORT OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE BOARD COMMISSION AND COUNCIL PROCESS FOR THE VISION PLAN ADOPTION.
I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR PARTNERS AT THE UMOFF AND WE'LL START WITH KATIE ROBINSON EDWARDS, WHO IS THE CURATOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO'S HERE.
UM, AND ALSO THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ABLE TO TOUR OUR SITE.
WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL AND, AND EXTEND THE INVITATION TO EVERYONE.
UH, I I, IF IT'S OKAY, I WANTED TO CHECK WITH SAM.
WE MOVE THROUGH PRETTY QUICKLY.
DO WE HAVE AN ABILITY TO ADVANCE THE SLIDES? SHOULD I, CAN I JUST GIVE YOU THE HIGH SIGN? OKAY, GREAT.
THE MOFS HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION PLAN WAS CREATED BY PAGE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM AND THE UMOFF WITH GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THIS PLAN IS A 270 PAGE DOCUMENT, WHICH WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO SUMMARIZE TODAY.
THE FULL PLAN IS AVAILABLE IN OUR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO YOU.
THE UMOFF IS NESTLED WITHIN AUSTIN CENTRAL GREEN NETWORK, ALONGSIDE BARTON SPRINGS, ZILKER PARK, AND LADY BIRD LAKE.
WE ARE A BELOVED 33-YEAR-OLD GARDEN AND MUSEUM WITH A MISSION TO CULTIVATE COMMUNITY CURIOSITY AND CONNECTION THROUGH NATURE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND THE WORK OF CHARLES MOF.
WE WELCOME OVER 35,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR AND HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHARLES MOF, IN CASE YOU DO NOT KNOW, HE LIVED FROM 1910 TO 1994.
HE BEGAN HIS ART CAREER AT AGE 11, STUDIED AND MADE HIS CAREER IN CHICAGO, WHERE HE WORKED ON NUMEROUS WPA PROJECTS AND MARRIED A FELLOW ARTIST AND, UH, ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO STUDENT ANGELINE ALLEN, WHO BECAME ANGELINE ALLEN UMOFF IN 1937.
IN 1941, HE BECAME THE FIRST PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OF LIFE DRAWING AND SCULPTURE.
HE STAYED THERE FOR 40 YEARS, HAVING THE LONGEST TENURE AT THE TIME OF ANY PROFESSOR.
HE HAS MORE SCULPTURE ON PUBLIC VIEW IN TEXAS THAN ANY OTHER ARTIST.
AND HIS ART IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTIONS IN CHICAGO, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART SMITHSONIAN ART MUSEUM, MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, UM, IN ADDITION TO NEARLY EVERY MUSEUM IN TEXAS, WE ALSO BELIEVE HE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST PROLIFIC SCULPTORS EVER AND PLAN TO BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT SOMEDAY.
IN 1985, CHARLES AND ANGELINE MOFF MADE A MAJOR GIFT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT KIM REFERENCED.
IT WAS THEIR HOME, HIS STUDIO, THEIR PROPERTY, AND 168 SCULPTURES THAT EVENTUALLY EXPANDED TO BE 273 OBJECTS.
THE CURRENT SITE WHERE THE MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN SIT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AFTER THE GIFT WAS MADE.
AND YOU SEE THAT IN YELLOW ON THE MAP BEFORE YOU.
THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM WAS OPENED IN 1991.
THE LAND AND BUILDINGS ARE OWNED BY THE CITY AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UMOFF SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS THROUGH A COUNCIL SUPPORTED AGREEMENT.
HOWEVER, THE ORIGINAL GIFT OF THE HISTORIC HOME AND STUDIO IS NOT YET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO INACCESSIBILITY CODE COMPLIANCE AND REQUIRED RESTORATION OF BUILDING SYSTEMS AND FINISHES.
AND YOU SEE THAT IN THE BROWN SECTION AT THE UPPER RIGHT OF THE MAP.
ADDITIONALLY, ABOUT TWO ACRES OF GREEN SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY THAT YOU'LL SEE AT THE LOWER PORTION IN GREEN IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THE UMOFF SITE IN WHOLE IS ABOUT EIGHT ACRES, BUT ONLY HALF OF THAT IS CURRENTLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE REFER TO OUR VISION PLAN AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION PLAN OR HPEU PLAN, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PIECES IN REFERENCE
[02:35:01]
TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORIC UMOFF HOME AND STUDIO SEEN IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH AND OPENING THE PROPERTY TO THE PUBLIC AS AN EXTENSION OF THE MUSEUM ON JUNE 6TH OF THIS YEAR.AS KIM MENTIONED, WE VERY PROUDLY RECEIVED A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DESIGNATION AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT IS INCREDIBLY RARE TO HAVE AN ARTIST STUDIO, HOME AND MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THEIR WORK ON A SINGLE SITE ANYWHERE, BUT WE ARE COMPETING WITH OURSELVES FOR SPACE.
WE CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE ONE VERY SMALL INDOOR GATHERING SPACE THAT CANNOT ACCOMMODATE MOST NEEDS.
AND THE EXPANSION PIECE OF THE PLAN IS IN REFERENCE TO BOTH THE NEED FOR MORE PHYSICAL SPACE AND THE EXPANSION OF THE MANY PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER TO THE PUBLIC, AND CONTINUING TO BRING AN EVEN WIDER SWATH OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE UMWA.
JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER AMONG MANY OTHERS, INCLUDE SHAPING SPACE, WHICH IS OUR FREE AFTERSCHOOL OUTREACH EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT SENDS TEACHING ARTISTS TO TITLE ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS AUSTIN FREE MONTHLY FAMILY DAYS.
WE HAVE ONE SUNDAY IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME SUMMER ART CAMP WITH SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHILDREN EXPERIENCING THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
UMOFF AFTER DARK, LIKE WE HAD LAST NIGHT WITH THEMES SUCH AS LUNAR NEW YEAR PRIDE, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, AND WE HAVE WELLNESS PROGRAMS, TOUCH TOURS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED, AND ALSO AN UMOFF PAID INTERNSHIP AS WELL AS INTERN PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
AND YOU'LL SEE REPRESENTATIONS OF ALL THOSE PROGRAMS ON THE SCREEN CURRENTLY.
IN ADDITION TO CHARLES UMOFF, WE ALSO EXHIBIT WORK FROM CONTEMPORARY AND EMERGING ARTISTS, AND CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE ONE GALLERY THAT ALSO HOUSES OUR ADMISSIONS DESK AND OUR GIFT SHOP.
THE CITY HAS ABOUT 225 CHARLES UMOFF ART OBJECTS IN STORAGE PAID FOR BY THE CITY BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE SPACE TO DISPLAY THEM.
WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE UMLA, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE MORE OF CHARLES MLA'S WORK, BOTH INDOORS AND OUTSIDE, WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO EXHIBIT CONTEMPORARY AND EMERGING ARTISTS.
TWO PAST EXHIBITIONS REPRESENTED ON THE LEFT BY MICHAEL RAY, CHARLES, AND, UH, I'M SORRY.
AND THE UPPER RIGHT LUIS JIMENEZ, WHO HIMSELF WAS ALSO AN UMOFF STUDENT, BY THE WAY, IN THE 1970S.
AND TWO UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS BY CEDRIC HUCKABEE AND ALSO JENNIFER LING DAUCH AND TAMMY RUBIN, WHICH WILL ALL BE IN OUR VERY SMALL GALLERY.
WE HAVE MENTIONED PRESERVATION AND EXPANSION.
THE OTHER MAJOR ENDEAVOR IS THE UNIFICATION PIECE OF THE PLAN.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES WHAT A FULLY UNIFIED AND EXPANDED UMOFF COULD LOOK LIKE.
THE HPEU PLAN CAREFULLY CONNECTS THE CURRENTLY UNREACHABLE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD AT THE UPPER RIGHT WITH THE MUSEUM AND THE SCULPTURE GARDEN FOR SEAMLESS AND ACCESSIBLE SITE-WIDE USER EXPERIENCE.
THE PLAN SUGGESTS IMPROVEMENTS IN ADDITIONS THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE LARGE GATHERINGS, WORKSHOPS, ART CLASSES, AND EXPANDED EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER PROGRAMS TO EVEN BROADER AND MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCES BY RESPECTING EXISTING STRUCTURES AND ECOSYSTEMS. NEW BUILDINGS WOULD AIM TO COEXIST WITH THIS SITE, ENSURING A HARMONIOUS INTEGRATION WHILE MAINTAINING NEW ML'S, UNIQUE LEGACY AND SENSE OF EXPLORATION.
AND HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THIS PLAN? WELL, THE UMLA AND PAGE COMPLETED A ROBUST ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD FOUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP SESSIONS WITH EXPERTS FROM THE CITY.
WE HAD FIVE WORK SESSIONS WITH ARTS, ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION, AND NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATION REPRESENTATIVES, FOUR PUBLIC GATHERINGS TABLING AT SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY, AND AN ONLINE SURVEY WITH 634 COMPLETE RESPONSES.
FROM THAT PROCESS, THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED SIX CATEGORIES OF PRIORITIES YOU SEE HERE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ACCESSIBILITY, ART AND EDUCATION, MOBILITY, COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AND THESE PRIORITIES GUIDED THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN THE HPEU PLAN.
IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, ESSENTIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES ALSO DETERMINE THE SHAPE OF THE PLAN, RECOGNIZING THE SITE'S ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE ARE CORE PRI PRINCIPLES.
THE COMMUNITY GUIDELINE, PRIORITIZES AND ACCESSIBLE AND UNIFIED SITE TO EXPAND THE MFTS REACH AND FOSTER DEEPER CONNECTIONS WITH AUSTINITES.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSIVITY AND BELONGING CONTINUE TO BE ESSENTIAL VALUES.
LEGACY SEEKS NOT ONLY TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD AND TO AMPLIFY CHARLES OLAF'S ARTISTIC HERITAGE, BUT ALSO THE 30 PLUS YEAR HISTORY
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OF THE MUSEUM AND GARDEN, BRINGING ART AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND CHARLES ML'S TIME.SINCE THIS IS THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PIECE OF THE PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO THE IMPORTANT TWO FIRST WORDS OF OUR PLAN, THE UNI UMLA AND PAIGE WORKED WITH JOHN ISLANDER, WHO'S HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
FROM ARCHITECT ON A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE HISTORIC SITE.
THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN THE PLAN FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE PRESERVATION ZONES FOR THE THREE MAIN AREAS OF THE SITE, THE HOME, THE STUDIO, AND ANGIE'S GARDEN.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORIC SITE.
AT THE UPPER RIGHT HERE IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE SITE OF THE ORIGINAL HOME, UH, CIRCA 1932 OR TO 1934.
AND YOU CAN SEE BARTON SPRINGS AND THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE IN THAT, UH, IN THOSE IMAGES.
THE HOME ITSELF WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN THE LATE 1920S AND IS A SINGLE STORY, WOOD AND LIMESTONE BUILDING.
CHARLES AND ANGELINE MOFF PURCHASED THE HOME IN 1944 AND IN 1950, UMOFF BUILT HIS FIRST EVER FREESTANDING STUDIO, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE UPPER RIGHT, LESS THAN 100 FEET FROM THE HOME.
THE STUDIO IS A SINGLE STORY, WOOD FRAMED BUILDING WITH WOOD SIDING AND A SINGLE PLANE WOOD, UH, SINGLE PLANE SHED ROOF.
IN 1956, THE MOFS ENGAGED WOLF ESSEN OF JESS AND JESSON, MILLHOUSE AND GRIEVAN TO DESIGN AN ADDITION TO ENLARGE THE HOUSE.
THE ADDITION WAS BUILT UPON THE ORIGINAL STONE STONE STRUCTURE, CREATING AN L-SHAPED PLAN.
THE RENOVATION PRODUCED A MINIMALIST AESTHETIC TYPICAL OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN.
CHARLES AND ANGIE MOF SPENT 50 YEARS TOGETHER HERE.
THEY RAISED THEIR FAMILY, RAN THEIR ART BUSINESS, HOSTED VISITORS AND CELEBRITIES, AND LIVED THERE UNTIL THEIR PASSING.
THE PLAN RECOMMENDS PRESERVING THE ENTIRE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD AS A HOUSE AND STUDIO MUSEUM, EXPANDING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOME.
THERE'S A NEED TO REMOVE PATCHES ON THE STONE, MASONRY WALL, AND REPOINT WITH COMPATIBLE MORTAR, RESTORE THE WOOD SIDING, WINDOWS AND DOORS WITH MODIFICATIONS FOR A DA ACCESS.
AND THE NEXT FEW SLIDES SHOW WHAT THE INTERIOR OF THE HOME LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
THE APPROACH TO THE INTERIOR OF THE HOME WILL INCLUDE RESTORING THE ORIGINAL FLOORING, INCLUDING THE PARQUET FLOOR THAT YOU CAN SEE IN THIS SLIDE IN THE LIVING ROOM.
REPAIR WOOD PANEL WALLS REPAIR INTERIOR MILLWORK, AND RESTORE INTERIOR DOORS WITH MODIFICATIONS FOR A DA ACCESS.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, PRESERVATION OF THE HOME WILL ALLOW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT PEOPLE BACK IN THESE ROOMS THAT REMAIN JUST AS CHARLES AND ANGIE UMOFF USED THEM.
HERE IN THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU SEE A BUILT-IN 1950S SHELF.
THAT IS THE WAY ANGIE UMOFF LEFT IT WHEN SHE PASSED IN 2012.
UH, WE HAVE BARELY TOUCHED ANYTHING.
NOTICE THE SLANTING CEILING THAT SLOPES DOWN TO THE WEST.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS A VIEW FROM THE HEARTH LOOKING WEST THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM INTO ANGIE'S OFFICE WITH THE BEAMS THAT WERE EXPOSED DURING THE 1956 RENOVATION.
ON THE LEFT OF THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE FOYER WITH THE ORIGINAL 1920S EXTERIOR STONEWALL ON THE LEFT.
THAT BECAME ENCLOSED DURING THE 1956 RENOVATION.
AND ON THE RIGHT IS THE KITCHEN WITH THE ORIGINAL 1956 CABINETRY AND APPLIANCES.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS ANGIE'S OFFICE WITH HER TYPEWRITER.
SHE WAS A POET AND THAT CAN BE SEEN ON THE LEFT AND SCONCES ADORN WOOD PANEL WALLS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 1950S TIME PERIOD ON THE RIGHT.
THE UMOFF IS ALSO IN POSSESSION OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTS AND ARTIFACTS FROM CHARLES AND ANGELINE'S LIFE, INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHS, LETTERS, BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE, DRAWINGS, CLOTHING AND ORIGINAL FURNITURE, SUCH AS THE SCISSORS LOUNGE CHAIR, DESIGNED BY PIERRE GENERE FOR NOEL ASSOCIATES IN 1948.
AT THE UPPER LEFT, WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE.
BUT SOME CURRENT ISSUES THAT WE SEE WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE HOME THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED ARE SEEN.
THERE ARE MAJOR CRACKS TO MONITOR FOR, FOR FOUNDATION ISSUES ON WALLS AND THE SALTILLO TILE FLOOR FROM THE 1956 RENOVATION YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE MOLD ON THE INTERIOR CEILING FROM A PREVIOUS ROOF LEAK, WHICH WAS MERCIFULLY.
THE ROOF WAS REPLACED IN 2018 BY A HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT.
LOOKING AT A DETAIL OF A DIAGRAM OF THE DIAGRAM OF THE HOME, THE PRESERVATION ZONE IS SHOWN IN RED, WHICH INCLUDES THE AREA THAT WAS THEIR BEDROOM AND
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HIS STUDIO PRE THE 1956 RENOVATION, BUT WAS CONVERTED INTO THE DINING ROOM AND LIVING ROOM.IN THE RENOVATION, THESE AREAS WOULD RETAIN THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF THEIR HISTORIC FABRIC.
THE RESTORATION ZONE IS SHOWN IN YELLOW AND INCLUDES THE BEDROOMS AND CARPORT STORAGE AREA WHERE THE SALE OF SCULPTURE TOOK PLACE.
WE ENVISION THE BEDROOMS BEING UTILIZED AS INTERPRETIVE SPACES IN THESE AREAS.
THERE WOULD BE LIMITED AND SENSITIVE UPGRADING OF MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING SYSTEMS AND OTHER CODE REQUIRED WORK TO MAKE THE PROPERTIES SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL.
LIMITED REHABILITATION ZONES ARE SHOWN IN GREEN AND ARE MOSTLY MACHINE ROOMS AND STORAGE WHERE THERE'S A NEED FOR ALTERATIONS TO MEET CONTINUING OR NEW USES WHILE RETAINING THE BUILDING'S HISTORIC CHARACTER AND FORM.
WHEN THE UMOFF FAMILY MOVED INTO THEIR HOUSE IN 1944, CHARLES MOFT USED THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE HOUSE AS HIS ART STUDIO, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH.
SOME OF THE OBJECTS SHOWN HERE ARE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN COLLECTION TODAY.
AS THE UMLA FAMILY GREW, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE FAMILY NEEDED MORE SPACE.
SO THE STUDIO WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1950.
I'M NOT SURE I MENTIONED THEY HAD SIX CHILDREN HERE.
UH, IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH, YOU CAN SEE CHARLES MOF WORKING IN HIS STUDIO IN THE 1970S.
THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN BY THE WELL-KNOWN ROOSEVELT ERA.
RU WPA PHOTOGRAPHER WHO LATER HAD A LONG AUSTIN STINT RUSSELL LEE.
ONE OF CHARLES OLAF'S MOST FAMOUS STUDENTS WAS FARRAH FAWCETT.
IN 1970, SHE CHANGED HER MAJOR AT UT TO ART, AND SHE TURNED OUT TO BE VERY TALENTED.
YOU SEE HER MAKING AN UMOFF LIKE TORSO IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH, WHILE HE SCULPTS AN OVERSIZED TERRACOTTA SCULPTURE OF FARRIS HEAD.
HERE IN THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE EXTERIOR OF THE STUDIO LOOKS LIKE TO, THERE'S A NEED TO REPLAY, REPLACE, AND REPAIR, UH, DAMAGED SIDING AND TRIM TO TEST FOR PAINT, COLOR AND PAINT, RESTORE THE WINDOWS AND DOORS PER THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS AND MODIFY IT FOR A DA ACCESS.
WE ALSO NEED TO INSPECT THE ROOF DECK FOR WATER DAMAGE AND REROOF IF NEEDED.
AND HERE WE ARE WALKING INTO THE STUDIO THE WAY MOF WOULD HAVE APPROACHED IT.
THE INTERIOR OF THE STUDIO IS DIVIDED INTO AREAS FOR EACH TYPE OF WORK THAT HE WAS DOING, DRAWING, CARVING WOOD OR PLASTER, OR MOLDING AND HYDROSTONE.
THIS STUDIO IS FILLED WITH OLAF'S ART TOOLS, HANDMADE WORKBENCHES AND SHIPPING CRATES.
THE ROOF LINE INCORPORATES A TALL NORTHEAST WALL FILLED WITH LARGE WINDOWS TO MAXIMIZE SOFT, NATURAL, NORTHERN LIGHT DESIRABLE FOR AN ARTIST'S WORKSHOP.
THE PRESERVATION AND RE AND UH, RESTORATION STRATEGIES FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE STUDIO INCLUDE RESTORING THE ORIGINAL FLOORING, REPAIRING WOOD PANEL WALLS, MILLWORK AND DOORS, AND REPLACING GYPSUM BOARD CEILING AND WALLS.
UNFINISHED WORK AND FRAGMENTS OF SCULPTURE CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT.
IT'S AS IF UMOFF JUST STEPPED OUT OF THE STUDIO TO HAVE DINNER WITH HIS FAMILY.
THE 60 YEARS OF OBJECTS AND DOCUMENTS IN THE ARCHIVES WILL HELP US RECONSTRUCT UNEXAMINED HISTORIES THAT HAVE LOCAL AS WELL AS NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
JUST ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE COVERING, UNCOVERING WHO DORA WAS SEEN HERE ON THE RIGHT.
WE DO KNOW SHE WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST MODELS FOR UMOFF AND MODELED FOR HIM IN THE 1940S.
LOOKING AT THIS DIAGRAM OF THE STUDIO, THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDIO WOULD BE PRESERVED, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN RED WITH THE RESTORATION APPROACH APPLIED TO THE PORCH AND THE BACK AND A BACK ROOM.
REHABILITATION ZONES IN THE STUDIO INCLUDE A STORAGE SPACE SHOWN HERE IN GREEN, WHICH WAS LIKELY AN ADDITION IN THE 1980S.
OUTSIDE THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, A PRIVATE SCULPTURE GARDEN REFERRED TO AS ANGIE'S GARDEN WAS THE SCULPTURE GARDEN.
THE MOFS ORIGINALLY GIFTED TO THE CITY IN 1985.
ORIGINALLY, DOZENS OF SCULPTURES FILLED THE PROPERTY AND WERE USED AS THEIR PRIVATE SCULPTURE GARDEN, WHERE THE MOFS DISPLAYED ART TO BE VIEWED BY VISITORS AND PERSPECTIVE BUYERS.
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COULD PHONE THE HOUSE FOR A PRIVATE TOUR LED BY ANGIE AND JUNIOR LEAGUE DOCENTS.
HERE IN THIS SCENE IS ROBERT REDFORD HELPING TO LAUNCH SAVE OUR SPRINGS IN THE EARLY 1990S.
NOTICE OLAF'S CASTSTONE, 1950 TWO'S A PERMANENT SCULPTURE, UH, 1952, MOTHER AND CHILD ON THE RIGHT, AND AUSTIN'S BILL BUNCH AND THE LATE, UH, JACK GOODMAN SITTING ON THE STAGE.
ON THE LEFT IN THE NEXT SLIDE IS ANGIE WITH A NEW PET AND CHARLES'S 1941 LIMESTONE WOMAN.
IN THE BACKGROUND BY THE STUDIO,
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HE CARRIED INDIANA A LIMESTONE WITH HIM TO TEXAS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANY LIMESTONE.HERE TODAY, THE SCULPTURE IS IN THE PUBLIC SCULPTURE GARDEN.
ON THE LEFT OF THE NEXT SLIDE IS A PHOTO LOOKING INTO ANGIE'S GARDEN WITH A HANDMADE RUBBLE STONE PLINTH ON WHICH SITS THE 1945 BRONZE CRUCIFIXION.
THAT SCULPTURE ITSELF WAS REJECTED BY THE DONOR, WHO WAS MARIAN KOGLER MCNAY, BUT LATER IT WON FIRST PLACE IN THE TEXAS GENERAL EXHIBITION AND WAS FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.
UML SOURCED THE PINK SUNSET GRANITE THAT YOU SEE ON THAT BENCH IN THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT, UH, FROM STASS WES GRANITE.
AND ON THE RIGHT IS MARIA REGINA, A COMMISSION MADE FOR OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA THAT HAD A STORY AND ENDED UP BACK ON THE PROPERTY AND IS A CONTRIBUTING SCULPTURE.
WE PLAN TO RESTORE AND REPLENISH ANGIE'S ORIGINAL GARDEN SO THAT VISITORS CAN UNDERSTAND HOW CHARLES AND ANGIE SHARED THIS SPACE AND MY, FOR MY PART.
THE FINAL SLIDE IS CHARLES MOF.
IN A 1954 PHOTOGRAPH FOR LIFE MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPH BY, UH, JOSEPH SCHELL, I HOPE IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS HISTORIC SITE IS WORTHY OF PRESERVING.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE STEEP INCLINE AND THE ROUGH TERRAIN, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD FROM THE EXISTING SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM.
AND TO SHARE MORE ABOUT HOW THE OOF PLANS TO CONNECT THE HISTORIC PROPERTY TO THE CURRENT PROPERTY, I AM GOING TO PASS YOU OFF TO AMANDA ULBRICH, OUR WONDERFUL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION.
ALRIGHT, SO THE SOLUTION FOR CONNECTING THE EXISTING SCULPTURE GARDEN WITH THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD IS, UM, THE ADDITION OF THE TREE HOUSE, WHICH IS A THREE STORY BUILDING NESTLED WITHIN THE TREES AND PROVIDES AN ELEVATOR AS WELL AS OUTDOOR TRAILS.
TO REACH EACH LEVEL OF THE TREE HOUSE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE UMLA AND PAIGE TO BE CONSIDERATE OF FITTING NEW STRUCTURES INTO THE NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY AND THE TREE CANOPY OF THE SITE.
THE TREE HOUSE WOULD SIT QUIETLY IN THE TREES NOT TO DISTRACT FROM THE SCULPTURE GARDEN OR THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD.
IN THIS CONCEPTUAL RENDERING, YOU CAN SEE A VIEW OF THE TOP LEVEL OF THE TREE HOUSE, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD.
THIS FLOOR WOULD SERVE AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SITE.
THE MID-LEVEL WOULD INCLUDE INDOOR EVENT SPACE TO BE USED AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE, AS WELL AS A REVENUE GENERATOR FOR THE MUSEUM'S OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND PROGRAMMING BUDGET.
WE EN ALSO ENVISION A YEAR ON PROGRAM, UM, WHERE THE EVENT SPACE COULD ALSO SUPPORT NEEDS OF OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMU IN COMMUNITY GROUPS AT LITTLE OR NO COST.
AND THEN AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE EXISTING SCULPTURE GARDEN NEAR THE BACK, YOU WOULD COME ACROSS THIS ENTRYWAY TUCKED INTO THE TREES.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CONCEPTUAL RENDERING, THE FIRST FLOOR WOULD BE MODEST AND FEATURE ADDITIONAL EXHIBITION SPACE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE OF THE UMLA COLLECTION TO BE TAKEN OUT OF STORAGE AND MADE VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AS IT WAS INTENDED TO BE.
IN TOTAL, THE TREEHOUSES THREE LEVELS WOULD ADD 4,700 SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR PROGRAM EVENT AND EXHIBITION SPACE.
THE PLAN RECOMMENDS THAT THE CURRENT MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN WOULD MOSTLY REMAIN THE SAME WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO ACCESSIBILITY, WATER MANAGEMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS AND EXISTING FACILITIES.
THE PLAN ALSO PROPOSES IM IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WELCOME ZONE WHERE VENT, WHERE VISITORS ENTER THE PROPERTY.
THE LARGER LONGEST BUILDING IN THIS DIAGRAM, UM, ON THE LEFT IS OUR ALREADY EXISTING GALLERY IN TERRACE.
THE PLAN INTRODUCES A NEW BUILDING CALLED THE GATEWAY, WHICH IS SEEN ON THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE DIAGRAM.
THERE WOULD ALSO BE UPDATES AND RELOCATION OF THE CROSSWALK TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND SAFETY, AND A REDESIGN OF THE PARKING LOT TO ENSURE A DA ACCESSIBILITY.
SO THESE NEXT TWO SLIDES SHOW A CONCEPTUAL RENDERING OF WHAT THE GATEWAY COULD LOOK LIKE.
CURRENTLY, OUR MUSEUM AND MISSION AND GIFT SHOPPED ARE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR ONLY GALLERY SPACE.
THIS NEW BUILDING WOULD PROVIDE A PROPER AND SAFE WELCOME ZONE TO VISITORS AND ALLOW CURRENT GALLERY, THE CURRENT GALLERY TO BE FULLY UTILIZED FOR EXHIBITIONS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE NEW BUILDING WOULD INTEGRATE WITH OUR EXISTING STRUCTURE, THE LIMESTONE STONE BUILDING ON THE LEFT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE INDOOR GALLERY GATHERING SPACE THAT SERVES MULTIPLE PURPOSES, A STAFF AND BOARD MEETING ROOM RENTABLE SPACE, AND OUR ONLY INDOOR PROGRAMMING SPACE.
WE OFFER FREE TOURS TO AUSTIN SCHOOL CHILDREN, BUT HAVE LIMITATIONS DUE TO CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS AS WELL.
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THIS BUILDING WOULD CREATE AN ADDITIONAL INDOOR PROGRAM SPACE IN CLASSROOMS. IN ORDER TO WELCOME MORE CHILDREN TO THE UMOFF, IT WOULD ADD APPROXIMATELY 1500 SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR PROGRAMMING SPACE.UM, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, THE UMOFF HAS 411 SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR SPACE AVAILABLE FOR OUR PROGRAMS. AND THEN THE FINAL ZONE OF THE PLAN IS CALLED THE NATURAL ZONE, WHICH CURRENTLY IS INACCESSIBLE AND, UM, UNMAINTAINED LAND.
THE PLAN WOULD OPEN UP THESE TWO ACRES SOUTH OF THE WELCOME ZONE IN THE PARKING LOT AND PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH NATURAL SPACE.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE A TRAIL VIEWING PLATFORMS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS WOULD BE FREE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS NO MUSEUM ADMISSION REQUIRED AND WOULD GIVE BACK TWO ACRES OF PARKLAND TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT IS NEXT? THE H-H-P-E-U PLAN OUTLINES THREE MAIN PHASES FOR IMPLEMENTATION, EMPHASIZING SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE STRATEGIES THAT WILL BE INTEGRATED THROUGHOUT THE PHASES.
THE FIRST PHASE WOULD INCLUDE EXISTING FACILITY PROJECTS, PHASE TWO, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND PHASE THREE EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OF THESE PHASES TO OVERLAP.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE MOF STAFF BOARD AND VOLUNTEERS, THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US SHARE THIS PLAN WITH YOU.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, WE DO HAVE JOHN ALLEN HERE FROM ARCHITECT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION STRATEGY, UM, HE'S HERE TO ANSWER THIS.
UM, YOU DO HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT WHILE THIS THIS PROPERTY IS NOT YET THE HISTORIC PART, UH, A CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK, WE OFTEN PURSUE NATIONAL REGISTER DESIGNATION.
AND IF WE KNOW WE HAVE A PLAN WITH A PRESERVATION COMPONENT, THOSE ARE HELPFUL ELEMENTS TO HAVE WHEN PURSUING THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
HELPS INFORM BOUNDARIES AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC FABRIC.
UM, SO JUST KNOW THAT BEFORE AND HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD A LANDMARK DESIGNATION FAR BEFORE THE WORK, UH, TAKES PLACE OR ANY FURTHER DESIGN.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WILL BE HAPPENING.
COMMISSIONER CASTILLO? UH, YEAH, JUST, JUST A CLARIFICATION.
ARE THOSE TWO ACRES YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AT THE END, UM, UH, IS THAT TO BASICALLY OFFSET THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF, OF WHAT'S PLANNED? UM, YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, SO THEN, AND I'M I'M GOING FOR THE MORE LIKE IMPERVIOUS COVER TYPE.
SO NOT, NOT NECESSARILY, THAT WASN'T ACTUALLY THE INTENTION TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY VERSIONS OF THIS PLAN OVER THE YEARS.
SOME THOUGHT WAS EVEN PUTTING SOME BUILDINGS BACK THERE, BUT IT CAME, BECAME VERY EVIDENT THAT THAT SPACE NEEDED TO BE, UM, USED AS PARKLAND AND GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE TWO NEW BUILDINGS WE'RE SUGGESTING WERE PLACED IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE FAIRLY MINIMAL.
WE DID DO A TOPO AND TREE SURVEY, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT TREE HOUSE BUILDING.
UM, YEAH, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, THANK YOU.
IS IT IS THAT, THAT WAS A LOT, BUT I, I DON'T, SO I DON'T WANNA SAY, IS THAT IT AS THOUGH THAT LIKE
AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PLAN FOR AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY.
WE'VE BEEN TO THE ARTS COMMISSION AND RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
AND AFTER, UH, THIS COMMISSION WILL BE GOING TO THE DESIGN COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE PARKS BOARD BEFORE GOING TO COUNCIL IN OCTOBER.
SO IT IS OUR HOPE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN ENOUGH THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING THIS TO COUNSEL.
I, I GUESS I'LL TAKE THE NEXT STEP AS JUST SAYING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, JUST GENERAL COMMENTS OR, UH, QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONERS HAVE OF THE PRESENTERS? WHAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION? IS IT JUST LIKE A GENERAL ENDORSEMENT OF THE PRESERVATION INTENT? I WOULD, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, THE FULL SUPPORT OF ADOPTION OF THE OV SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION PLAN.
THAT'S, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO, UH, RECOMMEND AS CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO BOSTON, THE CITY COUNCIL.
JUST, JUST, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HAVE MY MICROPHONE ON.
UH, ARE, DID, DID, IS THIS POSTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND DO WE
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NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT? IT IS LISTED IN OUR AGENDA FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.AND, UH, PERHAPS CALLEN, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE A, A, A READ, DO WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR IS THIS, WAS THIS ACTUALLY AN ITEM THAT REQUIRED A PUBLIC HEARING? THIS IS POSTED FOR COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
IT WAS NOT POSTED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, BECAUSE IT IS JUST AN ENDORSEMENT.
UM, Y'ALL ARE ONLY VOTING TO RECOMMEND TO, UH, COUNSEL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO WE, YEAH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO GIVE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AS CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? SURE.
I WANT TO GET US OUT OF HERE BEFORE 10 TOO, BUT, UH, I WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS, UH, IS AMAZING WORK.
THE, THE RESEARCH, THE DETAILS.
SO MANY EXPERTS CONSULTED, SO COMPREHENSIVE.
UH, IT REALLY HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES.
UH, THE TREE HOUSE IS SOMEWHAT OF A LARGE INTERVENTION, UH, BUT IT DOES SHOW MID-CENTURY INFLUENCES, NEURO RUSTIC DETAILS.
IT'S CENTRAL TO THE SITE, BUT IT'S RECESSED FROM THE MAIN SITE LINES AND CIRCULATION PATTERNS.
IT'S JUST REALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT, UH, SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
UH, YOU, YOU IN THE, IF I HADN'T BEEN THERE AND SEEN THESE PLANS, I PROBABLY WOULD'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF HESITATION ABOUT HOW LARGE IT IS.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SITE AND SEE WHERE YOUR EYE GOES, HOW, HOW THE SPACE FLOWS AND HOW THE SITE REALLY IS BUILT ON A SERIES OF TERRACES AND TERRACES ARE PART OF THE LANGUAGE, IT, IT'S JUST REALLY WELL DONE WAY TO INTRODUCE THAT MUCH PROGRAM.
AND SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE DESIGNERS ON THAT.
UH, MAKING THE SITE FULLY ACCESSIBLE IS AMAZING.
INCORPORATING AUSTIN'S NATURAL SPACE AND ART RIGHT THERE NEXT TO ZILKER PARK AND HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND BARTON SPRINGS IS JUST GONNA BE AN AMAZING, I THINK, KIND OF BOOKEND OF THE ELIZABETH NAY, UH, HOUSE STUDIO MUSEUM.
UH, NOT QUITE A HUNDRED YEARS APART, BUT REALLY SHOWING, SHOWCASING KIND OF THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF WHAT AUSTIN HAS EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND, UH, MAKE US LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE MAY HAVE IN A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW.
MR. ALVAREZ FOR A SECOND? YEAH, I APPRECIATE ALL THE MAIN ELEMENTS PRESENTED RIGHT HERE.
I WALKED THE SITE A FEW MONTHS AGO AND, UH, OF COURSE THE, UH, THE OUTDOOR GALLERY AREA IS DOWN LOW.
THE, UH, UH, UMLA HOME IS UP HIGH.
SO THE QUESTION OF ACCESSIBILITY TO ME WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I REALLY LIKE HOW THE TREE HOUSE WORKS OUT AND BRINGS THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, UM, PROVIDING ACCESS TO THAT HISTORIC COMPONENT, WHICH IS KIND OF HARD TO GET TO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THE PRESENTATION? GO AHEAD.
COMMISSIONER HYMES, I WAS, I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE TOUR, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UH, UH, INVITATION.
AND IN FACT, UH, IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK, I'M, I HEARD THAT YOU SAID YOU MORE TOURS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
I'D LOVE TO GO SEE THE HISTORIC HOUSES IN THEIR CURRENT STATE.
UH, SO I MAY TAKE YOU UP ON THAT.
I, I THINK THIS IS AN EXCITING PROJECT.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THIS HAS BEEN SAID, BUT MOST OF ALL, I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOING TO EXPAND ON THE UMM LA'S ORIGINAL VISION IN GIVING THIS TO THE CITY, WHICH IS TO ALLOW FOR GROWTH AND EXPANSION, BUT IN A VERY APPROPRIATE WAY.
UH, AND I, I THINK THAT UP UNTIL NOW, THOUGH, THE HOUSE AND THE STUDIO HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, ON HOLD, UH, THIS ALLOWS, I THINK, FOR THOSE TO BE REAL CITY RESOURCES IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE NOT RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, AGAIN, IT'S JUST A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW.
UH, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, UH, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A YEAR BY THE WAY, THAT THIS BECOMES A DESIGNATED CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK.
UH, I KNOW SOMETIMES PART IS A LITTLE RESISTANT AT TIMES.
UH, WE'VE BEEN PUSHING ON THESE, BUT, UH, I CERTAINLY WANNA SEE THIS ON OUR AGENDA SOONER THAN LATER.
YEAH, IT, IT'S REALLY AN ISSUE OF STAFF CAPACITY, WHICH IS OFTEN WHY WE PURSUE THE NATIONAL REGISTER BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF, UM, OFTEN STUDENT RESEARCH.
UM, SO IT HAS, WE, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO RESISTANCE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LANDMARK, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO GET AS MANY ON, UH, THE LOCAL LANDMARK LIST AS POSSIBLE.
SO KNOW THAT, THAT, UM, THERE IS ZERO RESISTANCE FROM PARKS AND REC.
I'LL JUST PILE ON WITH THE THANK YOU AND, AND GREAT JOB.
AND, UH, ALSO KEEP ME UPDATED ON THE, THE, THE BACKUP TO TOUR THAT COMMISSIONER.
SO ANYTHING ELSE? UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE ADOPTION OF THE UMLA SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION, AND UNIFICATION PLAN.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
AND THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS FOR EVERYONE THAT'S
[03:05:01]
PRESENT, WHICH WOULD BE THE EIGHT OF US.COMMISSIONER RUBIO OFF THE DAIS, AND WE CAN WELCOME HIM BACK NOW.
YOU GUYS HAD ME WORRIED YOU WERE WAITING AROUND FOR COMMITTEE UPDATES.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, COMING BACK ONLINE, UH, WE HAVE AGENDA
[38. Vote to approve Annual Internal Review and Report. ]
ITEM NUMBER 38, A VOTE TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AND REPORT.UH, DOES STAFF SPEAK TO THIS? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT, UH, FEELS COMFORTABLE THAT THEY'VE FULLY DIGESTED IT AND COULD SPEAK TO IT? CALL YOU MIGHT BE MUTED.
ALL THIS IS A, THIS IS A ITEM FROM COMMISSION, TECHNICALLY, I THINK, UH, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PRODUCED, UH, BY OUR CHAIR.
UH, SO HE COULD SPEAK TO IT IF HE WANTS, BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY I'LL HAVE, UH, READ IT, REVIEWED IT, AND ARE OKAY WITH SUBMITTING IT TO OUR CITY CLERK.
THAT'S, THEN I'M NOT CLEAR WITH WHICH, WHICH ONE WOULD, WHICH, WHICH ONE.
UH, THE CITY CLERK REQUIRES THAT THE CHAIR, UH, GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE'VE MET OUR MISSION.
UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT HOW TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
AND SO AS A RESULT, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS WHAT I WOULD CALL THE RUDIMENTARY VERSION.
UH, I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND, BUT IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEADLINE, UH, THIS WAS SUBMITTED, AND, UH, YOUR APPROVAL, UM, YOU KNOW, UN UNLESS SOMEBODY PARTICULARLY WANTS TO HELP ME REWRITE IT, UH, I WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING THAT TONIGHT.
WHAT'S THE DEADLINE? THE DEADLINE WAS JULY 31ST.
SO THEY ASKED US TO APPROVE IT, EVEN IF IT WAS AT OUR NEXT MEETING, THAT WAS TOO LATE.
UH, SO I GUESS IT'S JUST A, UH, FORMALITY.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY, UM, IF WE HAD COMMENTS, WE COULDN'T LOG THEM NOW, UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF HAVING THEM INCORPORATED, UH, JULY 31ST, 2025, I DON'T SEE WHY NOT.
ACTUALLY, LET ME MAKE A SUGGESTION.
SINCE FOR SOME REASON THE CLERK SEEMS TO THINK I, I HAVE TO DO ALL THIS AS CHAIR.
UH, BUT, BUT ACTUALLY, FRANKLY, I, I, I'M HAPPY TO COORDINATE THIS.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BETWEEN THE, UH, PROFESSIONALS WE HAVE AND ALL OF YOU AS VOLUNTEERS.
UH, I, I LITERALLY GOT THE NOTICE.
UH, I GUESS, SAM, YOU GOT A REMINDER AND SOMEHOW IT CAME ON MY DESK THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
SO, UH, WE, WE'VE BEEN SCRAMBLING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT TOOK, GOTTEN TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT I WOULD SAY IN THE INTEREST OF PUTTING A GOOD STEP FORWARD, WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL MATERIALS FROM EACH OF THE, UH, EFFORTS WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, ESPECIALLY THE EQUITY BASED PLAN.
AND I, I'M HAPPY TO HELP COORDINATE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND EVEN IF IT MEANS SENDING A SUPPLEMENT, UH, I, I DO THINK WE SHOULD APPROVE THIS SO IT'S NOT LINGERING, BUT THIS IS BY NO MEANS THE BEST REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE PAST YEAR.
I THINK, UH, JUST THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT PROBABLY NEED TO BE ADDED ON HERE AND DESCRIBED IF SOME OF THESE THINGS DON'T MAKE SENSE EVEN TO ME.
SO I THINK WE OWE IT TO MAKE, MAKE OURSELVES LOOK A LOT BETTER TO COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER TO REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
WE HAVE SENT SOME LETTERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL THAT ARE NOT ON HERE, SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES AND ALL THAT.
WE HAVE HAD SOME, UM, INITIATED LOCAL ZONING THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE ON HERE AS WELL.
SO THOSE KIND OF THINGS ALONG WITH ALL THE, I THINK, COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW MANY A RC MEETINGS WE'VE ENGAGED.
WE'VE HAD A CO A COUPLE OF PRIVATE A RC MEETINGS WITH SIXTH STREET AND ALL THAT.
THOSE ARE SOME KIND OF ITEMS I THINK SHOULD BE ON HERE SO THEY CAN SEE HOW HARD WE'VE BEEN WORKING.
AND THEN AS FAR AS NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST REVIEWING THE DRAFT OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN, BUT WE'RE ENACTING IT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF, UM, OUR, OUR GOALS AS WELL.
OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, HAS A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE'RE REVIEWING RELATED TO HOME RELOCATION.
ALL THOSE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE ON HERE.
SO I GUESS, WHAT'S THE, THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE IT? I THINK COMMISSIONER SETH, YOU MENTIONED APPROVING THIS THIS EVENING.
[03:10:01]
IT AND SAY THAT WE'LL BE SUPPLEMENTING IT SOON SO THAT AT LEAST IT'S, UH, ACKNOWLEDGED WITHIN THE DOCUMENT TO SAY THAT WE PLAN ON PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SOON? UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY.I, I THINK THAT, UH, WE CERTAINLY CAN UPDATE, SUPPLEMENT OR, UH, AMEND IT, UH, AT ANY TIME.
UH, AND, AND I WOULD HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT THAT WOULD BE IN THE RECORD.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT FOR OUR PURPOSES, IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH REFLECT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UH, AND, AND I THINK SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS, UH, MAKING THAT AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED OR THE COUNCIL OFFICES SO THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, WHAT'S COMING.
BUT, UH, I, I WOULD SAY THAT IT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE DEADLINE IS A BIT ARBITRARY.
IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT SOMETHING I HAD BEEN AWARE OF OR PLANNED FOR.
UH, BUT I THINK UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO MEET THE CLERK'S REQUIREMENT, IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO TAKE THE RUDIMENTARY VERSION, UH, TONIGHT.
AND THEN AS, UH, ANY OF YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING, UH, OR MAYBE WITH THE HELP OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AS WELL, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE A, AN EXPANDED VERSION VERY, VERY REASONABLY, UH, IN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? YEAH, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.
LOOK, I'M JUST READING NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO ADDRESS EVERY ITEM IN THE MISSION AND, AND NOTE WHY WE DID NOT ADDRESS THAT.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE 10 BULLET POINTS EXPLAINING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE MISSIONS STATEMENTS.
SO IF, IF I'M READING THIS, THIS IS INCOMPLETE.
IN PAST, I DID GET A CHANCE AT THE VERY END TO GO PERUSE A COUPLE OF PAST YEARS.
UH, AND FRANKLY, THESE ARE THINGS WHERE THE STAFF HAD BEEN MUCH MORE INVOLVED FOR SOME REASON.
THE, UH, ORDER FROM THE COM FROM THE CLERK, UH, SEEMS TO, UH, HAVE, HAVE, I CAN'T SAY CHANGED, BUT MAYBE BE A REMINDER OF, UH, HOW THIS SHOULD BE ASSEMBLED.
BUT, UH, FOR ME, IT'S NOT A EITHER OR.
AND SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, UH, THAT WAS MORE OF A COBBLE TOGETHER TO MEET THE DEADLINE, BUT, UH, WE REALLY DO HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND PACKAGE IT APPROPRIATELY IS, IS, WOULD BE OUR, OUR, I THINK THE, THE, A REASONABLE EXPECTATION.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO MAY MAYBE IN, IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE, UH, ACTIVITIES YOU'RE MENTIONING, UH, YOU, YOU MIGHT SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT SOME TIME.
DID ANYBODY WRITE THAT DOWN? IT IS RECORDED.
YOU, YOU, YOU SOUND LIKE YOU'RE GETTING VOL.
I'M GONNA SOUND LIKE I, I'M VOLUNTEERING YOU, AND I'M, I'M HOPING THAT'LL BE THE CASE.
WELL, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AND REPORT AS WRITTEN WITH A NOTE THAT, UH, WE SHOULD REVISIT IT AT THE NEXT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY IN ADVANCE OF THAT, I'LL REMEMBER TO SOLICIT FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO ALL OF HIS GREAT INPUTS.
I'LL SECOND ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT MOTION TO VOTE TO APPROVE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AND REPORT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, AYE.
AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS FOR THE NINE OF US.
[39. Grants Committee]
ITEM NUMBER 39.ANYTHING UPDATED THERE? WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT.
IS IT A FUTURE SCHEDULING? WE WE'RE STILL WAITING ON A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PARD TO BE APPOINTED.
[40. Operations Committee]
NUMBER 40, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.I, UH, I THINK NEXT TIME WE HAVE AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, I WILL MAKE MINUTES AS WE GO.
SO I'LL TRY TO RECOUNT WHAT WAS DISCUSSED, AND HOPEFULLY THE OTHER ATTENDEES WILL JUMP IN AND TELL ME WHEN I'M WRONG.
YOU, YOU'RE READY TO TELL ME THAT I'M WRONG,
I'M READY TO GIVE YOU OUR MINUTES.
UM, SO THE FIRST THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS HISTORIC SIGN GUIDELINES.
I THINK WHAT WE CAME UP WITH THERE AFTER TALKING THROUGH IT IS THAT WE REALLY JUST NEED TO CLEAN UP WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, THAT A LOT OF THE STRUGGLES THERE WITH OUTDATED VERSIONS OF THE GUIDELINES IS SORT OF BEYOND OUR CONTROL.
IT'S WITHIN THE, UM, MONOPOLISTIC GOOGLE.
AND, UH, WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT AT THIS POINT THAT OUR INTERNAL LINKS ARE SQUARED AWAY.
UM, AS FAR AS CHANGING THEM SIGNIFICANTLY.
I THINK WE TALKED OURSELVES INTO NOT DOING THAT.
[03:15:01]
THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SIGNS THAT ARE HIGHER UP ON BUILDINGS THAT IN THEORY COULD BE RELAXED.BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THESE HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE ALSO REALLY INTEGRAL TO THINGS SUCH AS THE VIEW CORRIDORS OF THE CAPITOLS, UM, OR OF THE CAPITOL, NOT PLURAL, UH, BUT MULTIPLE VIEW CORRIDORS, UH, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THOSE STANDARDS AND LOOK MORE LIKE A RESPECTABLE CITY THAT, UM, WE'RE SHOWCASING THE MAIN STREET OF TEXAS AND NOT THE MAIN STREET OF DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS.
SO, UH, CALLEN, WHAT DID I MISS THERE? YOU GOT IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, WE ALSO, UM, AUSTIN HAS VERY KINDLY PROVIDED, UM, A GOOGLE DOC WITH THE, UH, THE STANDARDS FOR Y'ALL TO, UH, EDIT IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL, UM, BECAUSE THAT SHOULD BE, UH, IN THERE FOR YOU.
AND IF I, IF I COULD, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON ONE, ONE ITEM THAT I, I, I'M, I'M SORRY.
I, I WAS GONNA HOPE I COULD DO IT VIRTUALLY, BUT I HAD A CONFLICT AT THAT TIME.
UH, IT DOESN'T COME UP OFTEN, BUT IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH, UH, ART WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORIC.
AND THERE'VE BEEN A COUPLE OF DISCUSSIONS, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANY, YEAH, IT, IT WAS JUST DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE HAD, WE OFFERED NO GUIDELINES, AND THERE ARE OTHER, UH, CITIES, THERE ARE SOME BEST PRACTICES THAT I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST ADD THAT TO THE DISCUSSION.
IF, IF, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU JUST VOLUNTEERED YOURSELF TO, UH,
I THINK THERE IS A SPECTRUM FROM MAYBE ART TO ADDRESSING, UM, AND SOMETIMES, UH, SIGNAGE COULD FALL IN THE MIDDLE THERE.
AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR GUIDELINES AFFECT EACH PART OF THAT SPECTRUM IS SOMETHING THAT WE RE SORT OF RE-FIRE OUT EACH TIME.
SO, YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY BEST PRACTICES POINT, LOT OF HAVE TO DO WITH MURALS, UH, PAINTING, LARGE SCALE PAINTED MURALS.
SO YEAH, SAM, I ALSO WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THAT.
CAN YOU MAKE THE RECORDING OR SEND THE RECORDING OF THAT MEETING TO US SO THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION? I'M A LITTLE, I'VE, I'VE USED THE SIGN GUIDELINES AS A CONSULTANT AND THEY SUCK.
SO I, I'VE HAD MY FRUSTRATIONS WITH THEM.
OUR CLIENTS HAVE HAD FRUSTRATIONS WITH THEM, SO, UM, I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION BEFORE I EVEN SAY ANYTHING.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN AUSTIN SENDS HIS HIS GOOGLE DOC, WHAT WOULD WE RECOMMEND? YOU KNOW, CAN'T, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE'RE REGULATING IN NR VERSUS LOCAL? THOSE NEW HIGH RISES THAT ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING? THERE'S A CONCERN WITH THOSE, BUT I AGREE WITH THE CAPITAL CORRIDOR, SO HOW DO WE MAKE THAT FLEXIBLE? BUT THEN I'VE ALSO SEEN SOME SIGNS IN, IN THE DISTRICT, AND I'M LIKE, HOW DID THAT GET APPROVED? SO YEAH, IT'S, I DON'T, MIGHT KNOW THERE, I JUST, IT'S A, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, WE DISCUSSED DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
I MEAN, THIS ONE, I THINK THE, THE HEADLINE IS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS DOING THIS COULD, UM, IF THE PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED, END UP WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY FINE IF THEY ARE BEING FOUND TO BE COMMITTING DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCES AND STEPS ALONG THE WAY AS TO HOW, UH, A PROPERTY WOULD GET TO THAT POINT.
AND WE, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES MAKING, TAKING THOSE STEPS AND THEY'RE COMPLICATED.
UM, CALLAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE TO ADD THERE.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT CHAIR.
UM, I AM TALKING TO OUR LEGAL STAFF TO MAYBE GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE ENFORCEMENT PART OF THIS, UH, CODE SECTION, BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS.
UM, SO WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD CHATS.
I'M HOPING TO, UH, GET SOME KIND OF REPORT TO Y'ALL, AT LEAST BY OUR NEXT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
I THINK ALSO, AND, AND THIS MIGHT TRACK BACK TO THE SIGNS A LITTLE BIT, THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME REALLY GREAT WORK DONE BY STAFF, BOTH, UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE CITY JUST TO GET COORDINATED AND STREAMLINE AND THAT,
[03:20:01]
LIKE WHEN A, A PROPERTY, SO I, I, I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS, THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT DURING THE SIGNS, RIGHT, CALLAN, THERE'S JUST LIKE A BETTER SYSTEM IN PLACE OF LIKE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS RATHER THAN LIKE SURPRISING THEM IN THE THEM AT THE END, THAT THEY NEEDED TO GO THROUGH IT.AND IT'S STREAMLINED A LOT OF STUFF, UH, SIMILAR, BUT HAS NOT YET REALLY BEEN IMPLEMENTED ON THE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT SIDE IS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT THEIR BUILDING IS DERELICT AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IN SOME WAY.
THAT DEMOLITION IS AN OPTION THAT COMES WITH A LOT OF CAVEATS, THAT THEIR PROPERTY MAY BE HISTORIC.
AND THAT, THAT MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY IS, IS CURRENTLY, I GUESS, THE WAY IT READS.
UH, A PROPERTY OWNER LOOKS AT THEIR OPTIONS AND SAYS, WELL, CLEARLY I'M GONNA DEMOLISH IT.
WELL, LET'S JUST PUT THE VERBIAGE IN THERE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE BECAUSE YOUR PROPERTY MIGHT BE HISTORIC.
SO WE HAD DISCUSSIONS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN DEMOLITION VERSUS RELOCATION PERMIT PROCESSES.
WELL, I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF THIS ALREADY HAPPENING ON THIS AT ALL LEVELS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
THAT SEEMS PRETTY ENCOURAGING.
UM, AT THE TIME OF OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, IT SEEMED, I MEAN, IT, IT WAS, I WAS AWARE THAT A LOT WAS GOING ON.
IT STILL KIND OF SEEMED FRUSTRATING THAT THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO COMBINE THE PERMIT PROCESS FROM A DEMOLITION TO A RELOCATION INTO A SINGLE THING.
BUT I THINK EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE ACROSS THE BOARD TO MAKE THAT EASIER.
UM, AND SIMILARLY, AN AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM IS HOW HARD IT IS TO, ONCE YOU RELOCATE THE BUILDING AWAY FROM ITS CURRENT SITE, PLACE IT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY VERY DIFFICULT.
THAT'S WHY MOST OF OUR RELOCATIONS LEAVE THE CITY.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER COOK ON THE NOTE OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, CALLEN, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DISCUSS THE CASE THAT SOME OF US MAY BE, PEOPLE MAY ASK US ABOUT ON CONGRESS AVENUE THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A FAILED DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT EFFORT FROM THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT NOT HAVING POSTED IT, OR CAN WE KINDA SHARE AN UPDATE OF THE STATUS OF THE PROPERTIES IN QUESTION THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? UH, YES, COMMISSIONER, I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD OPEN IT UP AS A DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN ON THE AGENDA.
UH, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, A SENTENCE OF BRIEFING, I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE OKAY.
BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, NOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION AS I THINK THIS IS A, A CASE THAT'S ALSO A LITIGATION.
9 0 7, 9 0 9 AND NINE 11 CONGRESS HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED.
I DID SEE THE BRICKS PALLETIZED.
SO THE REQUEST THAT IT BE SALVAGED FOR RECONSTRUCTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.
BUT, UH, WE ALL, WE ALL KNEW IT WAS COMING, BUT IT HAPPENED.
SO IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED OR HAVE PEOPLE HAVEN'T BROUGHT UP YOUR ATTENTION, THAT IS PROGRESSING.
AND, AND I DO THINK, UH, IF WE COULD HAVE THAT AS A, AS A BRIEFING IN OUR FUTURE MEETING, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
UH, MINDFUL OF SOME OF THE OTHER SENSITIVITIES.
COULD WE INCLUDE NINE 14 IN THAT SAME ITEM? NINE 16, NO, NINE, 14 AND 16TH? BECAUSE I HAVE AN UPDATE.
ARE THOSE LAST TWO ITEMS, RELOCATION AND DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT OR, YOU KNOW, JUST DIFFERENT ENFORCEMENT CODE STUFF? IS THAT GOING TO END UP BEING LIKE A RESOLUTION IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS THAT WE SEND A LETTER TO COUNSEL SAYING, HERE'S OUR PROBLEMS, HERE'S WHAT WE WANT YOU ALL TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH US ON AND, AND WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS OF WHAT OUR END GOAL IS.
YOU KNOW, ARE WE COLLECTING ALL THAT NOW IN THE NEXT 3, 4, 5, 6 MONTHS AND THEN SENDING A LETTER? YOU KNOW, IS THAT THE START OF A GOOGLE DOC? YOU KNOW, I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS.
MY BRAIN'S A LITTLE FRIED AT THIS POINT.
AND I, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST IN GENERAL DISCUSSION, BUT I, I THINK THAT A NUMBER OF THESE ITEMS ARE RUNNING PARALLEL TO OTHER EFFORTS BY OUR POSTING THEM, BY OUR HAVING, UH, WEIGHING IN WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT WE DO GET A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN OFFICIALLY.
UH, I DO THINK THAT FROM EVERYTHING I UNDERSTAND, THE QUESTION OF DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION IS, IS COMING UP AND IS BEING PUSHED, AND WE MAY VERY WELL BE WEIGHING IN ON SOME OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, LONG BEFORE IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, NOT IT IS NOT, DOESN'T HAVE TO COME FROM US.
UH, I'M, I'M NOT SO SURE ON THE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
I DO KNOW IT'S A VERY CRITICAL
[03:25:01]
ISSUE BECAUSE A NUMBER OF ENFORCEMENT ITEMS ARE COMING FORWARD AS PART OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.AND IT MAY BE PART OF OUR JOB IS TO DOVETAIL WITH SOME OF THE OTHER EFFORTS.
SO, I I, I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE A BLANKET STATEMENT OTHER THAN TO SAY IT'S, IT'S A GOOD THING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE TIMEFRAME ON SOME OF THESE MAY HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE PARALLEL EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN SOME OF THESE, SOME SAME SIMILAR AREAS.
BUT, BUT WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN? I MEAN, WOULD THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, IT'S ALMOST A CASE BY CASE BASIS IS I THINK WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT I WOULD SAY ALSO, UM, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE BACKUP THAT WAS POSTED TO OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, THAT IS, UH, AN EXISTING MEMO, UM, AND IT'S STUFF OUT OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN THAT PERTAINS TO THIS STUFF, AND SIMILAR TO THE SIGNAGE, UM, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND, AND SEE IF THERE'S STUFF THAT, AND I SAY THIS TO ALL COMMISSIONERS.
TAKE A LOOK AT THAT STUFF AND SEE IF THERE'S STUFF THAT'S IN THERE THAT'S HAPPENING THAT YOU FEEL IS JUST NOT ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF THE HISTO HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AT THIS TIME AND BRING THAT UP.
I, I MAY, I MAY HAVE MISSED LOOKING AT THAT MEMO THOROUGHLY.
I THINK I'D SEEN IT WHEN IT WAS POSTED A WHILE BACK AT YOUR MEETING.
BUT I, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO SUMMARIZE ALL THESE THINGS AND SEND A LETTER TO COUNSEL.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T ACT ON THOSE THINGS WHEN THE COMMUNITY CONTINUALLY COMES.
AND I'VE GOT ONE PROPERTY IN MINE WHERE THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE BACK AGAIN.
WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE CAN OR CAN'T DO.
HERE'S THE PROBLEMS. WE'VE GOT A LIST OF 10 OR 12 ITEMS. WE'RE SENDING THAT TO COUNCIL.
WE ARE SENDING THAT TO COUNCIL.
NOW YOU ALL NEED TO TELL CITY COUNCIL MANAGER, HEY, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE SEE AS PROBLEMS AS WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE THING THAT DID COME UP, IF I AM CORRECT, IS THAT IT DOES HAVE TO HAVE AN H ZONING AND PROPERTIES AND NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS DO NOT HAVE THE H SO THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
IS THAT TRUE? I HAD A QUESTION ON THAT.
UM, THEY CAN BE CONTRIBUTING, UH, TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS PENDING, UH, AND SO DESIGNATION.
AND SO WE, WE COULD ENACT DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT FOR CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE TO A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
I
AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT PROPERTIES DON'T HAVE AN H IN THE ZONING.
I WANNA CLARIFY THAT, BUT, OKAY.
AND THEN I THINK, I MEAN, LASTLY ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING IS TO SAM, HELP US KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING.
SO LET'S SCHEDULE THE NEXT ONE.
[41. Architectural Review Committee ]
41, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.UH, WE, YOU SAW A LOT OF THE CASES THAT WE HEARD THAT CONTINUES TO BE A USEFUL PROCESS TOO, THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR TONIGHT.
UM, UH, TRACY GALLAGHER SPOKE ABOUT 9 0 1 9 PARKFIELD DRIVE, WHICH IS THE OLDEST FOX WORK HOUSE IN AUSTIN THAT THEY ARE RENOVATING AS PART OF THEIR OFFICE, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING.
IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT THAT BACKUP.
UH, ONTARIO O'CONNELL SPOKE TO US ABOUT 1312 NOONAN, WHICH IS A REALLY INTERESTING PROPERTY, HISTORIC PROPERTY THAT HAD CONDOS ADDED AROUND IT, I THINK IN THE EIGHTIES OR NINETIES.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING SOME REALLY GOOD SENSITIVE WORK THERE.
BUT BOTH OF THOSE ARE JUST REALLY INTERESTING CASES TO LOOK AT IF YOU, IN YOUR SPARE TIME AND AGENDA
[42. Preservation Plan Committee]
ITEM NUMBER 42, THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.UM, SO AS CHAIRMAN HIGHSMITH HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE EQUITY BASED, UH, PRESERVATION PLAN.
WE'VE, THEY, THEY'VE, THE COMMITTEE AND THE WORKING GROUP, THEY'VE BEEN VERY BUSY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I HAD TO ATTEND TO MY CORPORATE OVERLORDS, UH, LAST WEEK.
SO I WASN'T ABLE TO, TO JOIN THE JULY 31ST MEETING WHERE IT WAS KINDA THE LAST, THE LAST ATTEMPT FOR LIKE THE BIG PICTURE ITEMS. UM, AND, AND WHAT'S MISSING FROM THE PLAN.
BUT THE, THE NEXT MEETING, UH, WITH THE WORKING GROUP, THE COMMITTEE, AND THE FULL, UM, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION WILL BE ON THE 21ST, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND THAT'LL BE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO KIND OF FINALIZE THE PLAN AND, AND MOVE IT FORWARD FOR, FOR EXECUTION.
BUT, UM, LET ME, LET ME REINFORCE THAT, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE A SPECIAL MEETING.
UH, AND, AND I THINK ALSO TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER RUBIO'S CONCERN, I, I THINK YOU'LL GET A SENSE OF THE BREADTH OF RECOMMENDATIONS,
[03:30:01]
THOUGH SOME OF THE, UH, ITEMS STILL ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PUT MORE ENERGY IN HERE AND WILL NOT BE AS SPECIFIC AS THEY CAN BE, BUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HAVE THINGS THAT WILL BE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.SO I, I THINK RATHER THAN HAVE ANYTHING PIECEMEAL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, WHEN YOU START SEEING SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THE WAY THAT THIS IS COMING FORWARD, I CAN'T SAY EXACTLY THE FINAL BECAUSE WE'RE STILL DIGESTING IT.
BUT, UH, IN THIS LAST CHANCE TO REVIEW, I THINK THIS WILL GIVE US A CHANCE TO, TO ADD THAT EXTRA, UH, EMPHASIS AND THEN SEE THAT THROUGH, UH, AS A WHOLE PACKAGE OF, OF EFFORTS THAT THE COUNCIL WILL THEN, NO QUESTION BE ABLE TO STOP, DIGEST, AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO EXPEDITE ACTION ON.
AND ALSO, JUST TO, UM, KUDOS TO, TO KARA AND HER TEAM ON, ON, UH, LEADING THIS EFFORT.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
SO I'LL, I'LL ADD, AND OF COURSE, THE, AND OF COURSE, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, YOU WERE, YOU, YOU WERE THERE FOR THE, UH, AWARD PRESENTATION.
SO THE, THE WORK HAS, UH, UH, BEEN RECOGNIZED, THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION, UH, OVER AT THE, UH, UH, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS.
UH, THIS, THIS WHOLE EFFORT WAS GIVEN A BEST PRACTICE FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AWARD.
UH, AND, UH, I THINK AGAIN, WELL DESERVED AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORT FOR THAT.
I, I WANTED TO AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT WAS READ INTO THE RECORD, UM, SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THIS WAS, UH, AWARDED A NATIONAL AWARD FOR NOT JUST, UH, THE LANDMARK COMMISSION THAT CURRENTLY IS SITTING ON THE DIOCESE, BUT THOSE THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HELD, UH, THOSE, THOSE OFFICES, I GUESS, UM, TO MAKE THIS PLAN HAPPEN ALONG WITH ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE DONE THIS.
SO THERE'S HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT THAT KIND OF AWARD GOES TO.
SO, UM, YEAH, KUDOS TO THE COMMISSION AND EVERYONE THAT'S WORKING ON THAT.
IT WAS CURRENTLY VERY WRAPPED UP, BUT
COLIN, WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY? YEAH, CONCRETE PROOF.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO DO A QUICK REMINDER.
UH, PLEASE HELP OUT YOUR COMMITTEE CHAIR AND OUR STAFF BY CONFIRMING, UH, WHETHER OR NOT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE 21ST, UH, JOINT MEETING.
UM, HAVE, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD, UM, IS, IS PART OF OUR, UM, PROCESS FOR THIS PLAN.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS IN ATTENDANCE TO, UH, TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
AND, AND YOU CAN ATTEND VIRTUALLY.
I THINK IT'S ONLY VIRTUAL, ACTUALLY, SO, OH, NO EXCUSES.
UM, I, I, I THINK, I THINK ONE, ONE PERSON HAS TO BE THERE.
RAY, I THINK YOU'RE STUCK IN THE ROOM.
EVERYBODY ELSE CAN BE VIRTUAL.
UH, I TAKE THAT, UH, COMPLETES OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
UM, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER COOK SAID HE HAS A DATE WITH A CRANE THAT SOUNDS SUPER EXCITING AT 10 O'CLOCK THIS EVENING.
CAN YOU GET THE CAMERA ON SAM? OH, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
AND A THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.