[00:00:03]
IS, UH, JUST AFTER SIX O'CLOCK AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER
[CALL TO ORDER ]
THE, UH, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.WE'RE LOCATED AT CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AND LET US START BY, UH, CALLING ROLL.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, EVERYONE.
UH, COMMISSIONER WHIT FEATHERSTON IS NO LONGER WITH THE COMMISSION, WITH COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT COMMISSIONER CARL LAROCHE.
CARL LAROCHE SHOULD BE ONLINE TODAY, BUT HE'S NOT HERE YET.
COMMISSIONER TREY MCR PRESENT, COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT, COMMISSIONER JAIME ALVAREZ.
PRESENT, COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER RON RAYMOND RUBIO.
COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
UH, DO WE HAVE, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP THIS EVENING? ALRIGHT, THEN WHY DON'T WE GO THROUGH A REVIEW
[Consent Agenda]
OF THE AGENDA, UH, AND CALLEN, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THAT? ITEM NUMBER ONE ARE THE, UH, NOVEMBER 6TH, 20, 24 MINUTES AND THE MINUTES ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT THIS EVENING.ITEM NUMBER THREE OR ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER THREE C 14 H 20 24 0 1 0 3 AT 1308 SPRINGDALE ROAD IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, HR 20 24 9 5 1 4 2 25 0 4.
BRIDAL PATH IS OFFERED FOR APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, HR 20 24 0 4 0 2 9 1 AT 1807 EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET IS ALSO AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST IN OUR NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS THIS EVENING WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER SIX, HR 20 24 1 2 3 0 6 AT 1003 MAL STREET.
THIS ITEM IS ALSO AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DA 2 2 4 8 9 5 22 AT EIGHT 10 WEST 11TH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM EIGHT, HR 20 24, 1 4 2 3 1.
AT 2021, TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, HR 20 24 1 4 9 5 66 1 515 WEST 31ST STREET, BUILDING TWO IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 10, HR 20 24 1 4 8 2 7 8 AT 1702 WEST 30TH STREET IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 11, HR 2024, UH, 1505 WEST 32ND STREET IS A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT THIS EVENING.
ITEM NUMBER 12, HR 20 24 1 4 9 562.
AT 1417 PRESTON AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 13, HR 20 24 1 5 5 2 3 AT 1101 WESTLAND STREET AND ITEM 14, HR 20 24 1 5 0 5 1 4 AT 1113 AT 1115 WESTLAND STREET ARE BOTH OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION, UM, AND COMMISSION.
THIS IS AT YOUR DISCRETION, BUT WE HAVE HAD A REQUEST, UM, FOR THE APPLICANT TO TAKE THESE ITEMS OUT OF ORDER AS THE APPLICANT WILL BE LEAVING AT, I THINK SEVEN O'CLOCK.
NOW WE MOVE INTO THE DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION APPLICATIONS.
ITEM NUMBER 15, PR 20 24 0 4 3 0 3 5 17 0 2 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 16, PR 20 24 0 4 3 8 4 4 17 0 4 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 17, PR 20 24 1 3 8 5 2 2 800 WEST JOHANNA STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 18 DA 20 24 0 8 8 9 5 2 AT 84 0 1 HATHAWAY DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM 19, PR 20 24 1 4 2 7 9 9 AT 2103 SL DAVIS AVENUE, UH, IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION.
ITEM NUMBER 20, PR 20 24 1 4 2 3 1 5 AT 3 0 5 NORTH BLUFF DRIVE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM 21 DA 20 24 1 4 9 9 2 4 AT 10 10 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 22 PR 20 24 1 5 0 5 9 8 AT 47 0 4 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE BUILDING NUMBER 13 IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND UNDER COMMISSION ITEMS NUMBER 23.
UH, WE HAVE OUR VICE CHAIR ELECTION
[00:05:01]
THIS EVENING AND THAT CONCLUDES THE AGENDA.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH.
WE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I WILL GO THROUGH FIRST THE CONSENT ITEMS AND ANYBODY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, OR ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, PLEASE GET MY ATTENTION.
UH, WE GO THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS. IF THE, YOUR ITEM PASSES ON THE CONSENT ITEM, IT IS APPROVED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF, UH, AND YOU'LL BE COMPLETE.
SO LET ME GO THROUGH THOSE, UH, ONE BY ONE.
THE FIRST ITEM, UH, WE HAVE FOR CONSENT IS THE NOVEMBER 6TH MINUTES.
THE SECOND ITEM THAT IS LISTED FOR CONSENT IS ITEM NUMBER 8 20 21 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, THIS IS IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, PARTIAL DEMOLITION, NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, AGAIN, IT IS OFFERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 9 15 15 WEST 31ST STREET, BUILDING TWO IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS, UH, DEMOLISHING THE GARAGE AND REPLACING WITH A NEW REAR UNIT.
UH, AGAIN, ON THE CONSENT CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER NINE.
OKEY DOKE THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, ITEM, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER 12 14 17 PRESTON AVENUE IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL RE REGISTER.
UH, THIS IS A NEW CONSTRUCTION PROPOSAL AGAIN OFFERED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 12.
OKAY, SO THAT IS NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM OFFERED IS NUMBER 16 17 0 4 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT HAD BEEN POSTPONED FROM OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.
IT IS NOW OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 17, 800 WEST JOHANNA STREET.
UH, THIS IS AGAIN, A DEMOLITION REQUEST OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 18 84 0 1 HATHAWAY DRIVE.
SO THAT IS NOT THE NEXT, NEXT ONE.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 21.
THIS IS 10 10 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
UH, THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION IN ADDITION, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER 21, PLEASE AND COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UH, SO THAT IN 21 IS NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 22, UH, 47 0 4 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE, NUMBER 13 AS A RELOCATION REQUEST.
AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THAT IS ALL THE CONSENT ITEMS. SO JUST TO RECAP, WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER ONE, THE MINUTES ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AT 2021, TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
ITEM NUMBER 16 17 0 4 EAST MLK 17, 800 WEST JOHANNE STREET, 22 47 0 4, SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE, NUMBER 13.
AND THOSE ARE THE CONSENT ITEMS. UH, COMMISSIONERS.
MOVE TO PASS THE CONSENT, CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECOND, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE CHAIR IN FAVOR I'D I'D LIKE TO, UH, NOTE THAT I'LL BE VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 16 AND 17.
I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS VOTING NO.
AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE STILL WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT VOTES ON I DON'T THINK SO.
IS THAT RIGHT? NO, WE HAVE ONE MORE THAN QUORUM.
SO YES, A NO VOTE WOULD STILL, UH, ALLOW US A QUORUM VOTE FOR THAT AS A CONSENT ITEM AND WE CAN REGISTER YOUR, UH, NEGATIVE VOTE AT THE SAME TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THOSE, UH, ADJUSTMENTS, UH, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH THE TWO, UH, NO VOTES, UH, RECORDED.
AND SO, BY THE WAY, ANYBODY WHO IS HERE FOR THE CONSENT ITEMS, YOUR ITEMS HAVE BEEN PASSED AND, UH, AGAIN, WITH THE ACTION IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
UH, THE NEXT ITEMS ARE THE POSTPONEMENTS.
AND WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FROM THE APPLICANT, THE FIRST OF THEM BEING ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UH, THESE ARE, UM, HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE AT 1308 SPRINGDALE ROAD.
UH, THIS WAS COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
[00:10:01]
POSTPONED FROM NOVEMBER 6TH.I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK STILL TO BE DONE.
AND SO THAT IS A, UH, POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM US.
UH, THE NEXT ITEMS ARE HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, 25 0 4 BRIDAL PATH.
UH, UH, THE NEXT ITEM AFTER THAT IS, UH, THIS IS THE, THIS WAS POSTPONED PREVIOUSLY FROM NOVEMBER 6TH, BUT IT WILL NOW BE REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO OUR JANUARY MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER 5 18 0 7 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
UH, AGAIN, AN APPLICANT, UH, REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO OUR JANUARY MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, THAT IS, UH, 10 0 3 RE STREET, UH, APPLICATION IS, UH, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT TO OUR JANUARY MEETING.
AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 10 17 0 4 WEST 30TH STREET.
UH, AGAIN, APPLICANT REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT TO THE JANUARY MEETING.
UH, DID I GET ALL OF THOSE? YES, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO, UH, SECOND.
AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THOSE POSTPONEMENTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
WE WILL BE HEARING THOSE IN OUR JANUARY MEETING.
UH, THE NEXT ITEMS ARE THOSE POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS, WHICH, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN NECESSARILY AGREED TO BY THE OWNER.
AND SO WE HAVE POSTED THOSE FOR A DISCUSSION.
PLEASE BE AWARE THE DISCUSSION IS ONLY WHETHER OR NOT WE HEAR THE CASE TONIGHT.
UH, WE DO NOT HEAR THE CASE SPECIFICALLY UNTIL IT COMES IN ORDER, ASSUMING THAT IT IS NOT POSTPONED.
IF IT, IF IT IS POSTPONED, OF COURSE, THEN WE WOULD HEAR IT IN OUR JANUARY MEETING.
AND THE FIRST OF THOSE ITEMS IS
[7. DA-2024-089522 – 810 W 11th St. West Downtown National Register Historic District Council District 9]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.THAT'S EIGHT 10 WEST 11TH STREET.
UH, THIS IS IN THE WEST DOWNTOWN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS WAS, UH, DEMOLITION REQUEST.
IT WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR NOVEMBER 6TH MEETING.
AND AT THIS POINT, UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO REQUEST THAT? WE HEAR THIS TONIGHT AND IS WOULD PREFER, UH, NOT TO HAVE POSTPONEMENT? IS THAT WHO IS? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND, AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF POSTPONEMENT.
UM, MY NAME IS DREW RAEL WITH DRUN GROUP.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER.
UH, WE WOULD REQUEST THAT THIS ITEM WOULD BE HEARD THIS EVENING.
AND I, I THINK THE, UH, HOPE WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE DISCUSSION, UH, WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AND THAT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER ALTERNATIVES BEING CONSIDERED.
BUT, UH, IS, IS THERE ANY OF THAT THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE IN A DELAY? OR IS THERE ANY OTHER REASON WHY, UH, WE SHOULD HEAR THIS CASE TONIGHT AND NOT WAIT TILL NEXT, NEXT MEETING? SINCE LAST MONTH'S MEETING, UH, WE HAVE HAD ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE, UM, OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CONSTRUCTION PLANS TO BRING FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE TOLD THEM THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, BE ENGAGING WITH THEM AND THAT, UM, AT THE TIME THAT WE HAVE PLANS BECAUSE OF OUR LOCATION IN THE DISTRICT, WE WILL BE COMING BEFORE THIS BODY AS WELL AS BEFORE THEM WITH THOSE TWO TO ENGAGE WITH THEM.
THEN YOU, YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE NEED THE NEW PLANS IN ORDER TO FINALIZE THE DEMOLITION OF THE CURRENT BUILDING.
SO THAT, THAT, I GUESS IS ANOTHER REASON.
BUT ANYWAY, YOU, YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO HEAR THIS TONIGHT? YES, PLEASE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF HEARING THE CASE TONIGHT? OTHER THAN THE OWNER? ANYBODY ELSE HERE? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING THIS TILL JANUARY? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I OWN THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, I AM NOT, UM, A MEMBER OF THE BOARD WITH THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I HAD REACHED OUT TO DREW, UM, TO COME AND TALK TO ME.
I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP THAT HE WOULD REACH OUT TO ME.
UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, HE HAS NOT HAD ANY INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY, UH, THE DEMOLITION.
AND SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE STILL BE ALLOWED TO, UM, FOR HIM TO INITIATE THAT CONVERSATION.
MS. CARTER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK AGAIN, JUST ON THE QUESTION OF POSTPONEMENT? OKAY.
UM, AND STAFF, DO YOU, ARE THERE ANY STAFF COMMENTS ABOUT POSTPONING THIS ITEM? NONE.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A RE SUGGESTED POSTPONEMENT, UH, BUT
[00:15:01]
WE HEAR THAT THE APPLICANT WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE A POSTPONEMENT.UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THE MOTION.
I'M SORRY, I DON'T THINK IT WAS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL MOVE TO POSTPONE THE CASE TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A, UH, UH, DISCUSSION ON YOUR MOTION? WE RELY ON OUR ADVOCATES AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ADVOCATES FOR THIS, UH, HISTORIC RESOURCE AND JUST WANNA GIVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THIS PROPERTY.
I'LL JUST ADD FOR THOSE THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T FOLLOWED PREVIOUS MEETINGS, UH, THE PROPOSAL IS TO, UH, DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN A NATIONAL, UM, IS THIS NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT? CORRECT.
UH, PERFECTLY SOUND CONSTRUCTION.
NOTHING'S WRONG WITH IT, AND THERE'S NO PLANS TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF, UH, THE BACKGROUND FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING AND THEY'RE NEW.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'LL JUST WEIGH IN ON THIS.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE CASE UP TONIGHT AND STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF A POSTPONEMENT AFTER WE'VE HEARD THE CASE.
UH, HOWEVER, I THINK I WOULD PREFER NOT TO WASTE ANYONE'S TIME IF WE ALREADY KNOW THAT HAVING MORE TIME TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES IS, IS GOING TO BE OUR PREFERENCE.
UH, AGAIN, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN TO OUR JANUARY MEETING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, SO WE WILL POSTPONE THIS TO OUR JANUARY MEETING.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, POSTPONEMENT.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 10, UH, NO ITEM
[11. HR-2024-150669 – 1505 W 32nd St. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10 (Part 1 of 2)]
11.UH, A REQUEST FOR A POSTPONEMENT, UH, DISCUSSION.
AND THAT IS AT 1505 WEST 32ND STREET, AGAIN, IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO LET US KNOW ABOUT WHY THEY WOULD WANT US TO HEAR THE CASE TONIGHT? MR. DOUG POWELL SHOULD BE HERE.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU'D JUST SPEAK YOUR, SPEAK YOUR NAME INTO THE, INTO THE MICROPHONE.
MY NAME'S DOUG POWELL WITH A DU.
AND, UH, THIS PROJECT, AS NOTED AS BOTH A, UH, ADDITION AND REMODEL TO AN EXISTING CONTRIBUTING HOUSE IN THAT, UH, OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS A NEW, UH, DETACHED A U UM, IN THE REAR.
AND THE REASON I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST NO POSTPONEMENT IS THESE FOLKS JUST HAD A BABY AND THEY'RE DISPLACED RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, WE'D LIKE TO GET GOING ON CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO THAT'S THE MAIN REASON.
SO I WANTED TO SEE IF IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT, UM, AFTER MEETING WITH THE A RC, IF I CAN NEGOTIATE WITH STAFF, IF, IF IT'S CLOSE, IF THE DESIGN'S CLOSE ENOUGH, UH, MAYBE TO AVOID HAVING TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, IS THAT EVEN IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY? UH, THAT'S SOMETHING, IF WE TAKE UP THE CASE, WE WILL CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO OKAY.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE QUESTION OF POSTPONEMENT? AGAIN, ONLY WHETHER WE SHOULD HEAR THIS TONIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE? AND THE STAFF? DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE INPUT ON THIS? ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND AGAIN, UM, WE COULD HEAR THE CASE AND STILL DECIDE IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A POSTPONEMENT.
UH, BUT IT REALLY IS, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WORKS BEST.
I'LL MOVE TO, UH, MAKE THIS A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR TONIGHT.
ACTUALLY, I'M NOT SURE WE NEED A, IF IF IT'S, IF IT'S ALREADY AGENDA ITEM, I DON'T THINK WE NEED THAT FOR, FOR A MOTION TO HAVE IT FOR DISCUSSION.
IS THAT CORRECT? BEG YOUR PARDON? WE JUST SAY WE PULLED IT FOR DISCUSSION.
AND THERE'S NO MOTION TO POSTPONE.
THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND HAVE ITEM NUMBER 11, UH, FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, IS THERE ANY MORE REQUESTS? I THINK THOSE ARE ALL, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
WE DID HAVE A REQUEST TO TAKE ITEM NUMBER 13 AND 14 OUT OF ORDER AS WE HAVE THE APPLICANT, UH, WITH A TIME COMMITMENT.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE, WE CAN BEGIN OUR CASES WITH THOSE TONIGHT.
UH, BUT I WILL NEED A MOTION TO TAKE ITEM 13 AND 14 OUT OF ORDER.
MOVE TO TAKE ITEM 1314 OUT OF ORDER.
[00:20:01]
I'LL SECOND.UM, COMMISSIONER COOK MAKES THE MOTION, UH, SECONDED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, SO LET US GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH, UH, THAT WENT OUT OF ORDER.
UH, HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A BRIEFING FIRST,
[2. Briefing on the Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative]
AND SO WE SHOULD PROCEED WITH OUR BRIEFING.AND THEN, UH, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD STILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE THE CASE.
OUR PRESENTER HERE ON THE, UH, URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE IS LAURA DEERFIELD.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
UM, YES, I'M LAURA DEERFIELD WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE INVITED, UH, THIS EVENING TO, UH, SHARE WITH YOU THE, UH, BIT ABOUT THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE, UH, PROPOSAL, UH, GET YOUR FEEDBACK AND MAYBE OFFER, UM, THE, THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS.
WITH THAT, UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
I'LL JUST FORECAST, UH, TONIGHT WE'LL BE OFFERING, UM, KIND OF A GROUNDING IN THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS THAT TOOK PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF THE 20 17 18 19 TIMEFRAME.
AND, UH, AND THEN MOVE INTO A PROPOSED SO-CALLED FULL BUILD SCENARIO FOR WHICH WE ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED.
AND THEN DISCUSS A PROPOSED FIRST PHASE, UH, KIND OF BLOCK BY BLOCK THAT THAT OFFERS, UH, A PATH FORWARD, UM, WITH, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE DO HAVE.
UM, SO WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THAT AND THEN, UH, OPEN IT UP FOR SOME DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS THERE.
SO YEAH, THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE, UM, BEGAN WITH A, A VISION PLANNING PROCESS.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT, WHAT BROUGHT US, UH, TO, TO THE CURRENT PROPOSAL TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THAT VISION PLAN REALLY DID ROOT IN A, A NUMBER OF VISION AND VALUES AMONG THEM IS, IS THE IMPORTANT CULTURE AND HISTORY OF CONGRESS AVENUE AS THE MAIN STREET OF TEXAS.
AND WE'RE JUST REALLY GRATEFUL AGAIN TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY, TO GET SOME OF YOUR, UM, TAKE ON THAT PARTICULAR HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AVENUE, UM, FOR OUR CITY.
UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS, UM, A, A PLAN VIEW OF THE, THE FULL AVENUE.
THE, THE PROJECT ITSELF LOOKS AT, AT CONGRESS AVENUE FROM RIVERSIDE DRIVE TO 11TH STREET.
AND, UH, IT, IT PROPOSES, UH, FROM THE KIND OF CORE OF THE VISION PLAN TO REBALANCE THE STREET SPACE.
SO CONGRESS AVENUE, UM, HAD FUNCTIONED AS GENERALLY A SIX LANE, UM, STREET, UH, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC OVER.
THE PANDEMIC COUNCIL GAVE US DIRECTION TO OPEN UP THOSE OUTSIDE, UH, THE OUTSIDE LANES FOR, FOR SCOOTERS AND BIKES TO KIND OF PROMOTE SOME DISTANCING AND, AND, UH, RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURES, UH, THAT SCOOTERS AND BIKES, UH, BRING TO BEAR ON THE PEDESTRIAN SPACE.
UH, AND THAT THAT NOW EXISTS, UM, IN THE FORM OF, OF INTERIM, UM, MATERIALS.
AND SO THIS, UM, THIS EFFORT WOULD, WOULD LOOK TO IMPROVE UPON THAT, UH, MAINTAINING SOME OF THAT SPACE REBALANCING THAT OCCURRED IN THE, IN THE 2020 TIMEFRAME.
BUT IN ANY CASE, FROM A FULL BUILD SCENARIO, THIS, THIS IS ABOUT, UM, 130 MILLION OR SO TO ACHIEVE.
AND IT WOULD LOOK TO REBALANCE THE SPACE IN THE FORM OF, UM, OPENING UP MORE SPACE BEHIND THE CURB FOR PEDESTRIANS HAVING, UM, PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND, AND OFFERING.
UM, THE BIG IDEA HERE THAT THAT IS, IS BEFORE YOU ALL, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION IS, IS A PLAZA, UM, NORTH OF SEVENTH STREET.
SO THE, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN MORE DETAIL AS WE GO, BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE TO CLOSE, UM, CONGRESS AVENUE NORTH OF SEVENTH TO PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC.
IT WOULD NEED TO STAY OPEN NECESSARILY FOR CERTAIN FUNCTIONS OF, UM, UH, CERTAIN BLOCKS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE 700 BLOCK WITH THE PARAMOUNT AND STATE THEATERS FOR LOAD IN OF TALENT, FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND SO ON.
AND THERE'S ALSO AN ALLEY OFF OF THE THOUSAND BLOCK THAT WOULD NEED ACCESS FOR CERTAIN DELIVERIES AND THE LIKE.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, THE OPENING THAT, UH, NORTHERN SECTION OF CONGRESS, UM, AS, AS ESSENTIALLY A PUBLIC PARK PLAZA, UM, WITH A DOUBLE ROW OF TREES AND, UH, THE ABILITY TO PROGRAM THAT,
[00:25:01]
UH, IN DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY, DAYS OF THE WEEK FOR THE COMMUNITY.AND THEN IN THE, IN THE HEART OF AUSTIN, WHICH IS A TERM THAT CAME FROM THE VISION PLAN, GENERALLY FROM CESAR CHAVEZ STREET TO SEVENTH STREET, WE'D BE LOOKING TO REBALANCE THE SPACE THERE, UH, TO OPEN UP, UM, FROM ABOUT 12 AND A HALF FEET OF PEDESTRIAN SPACE TO MORE LIKE 30 FEET OF PEDESTRIAN SPACE FOR AMENITIES, UM, OF ALL KINDS THAT, UM, THAT REALLY ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THIS, OF THE AVENUE AND SUPPORT THE RETAIL AND RESTAURANT AND STREET LIFE, UM, OF THIS PART OF OUR CITY.
UM, THE BRIDGE IN PARTICULAR, UH, IS, WELL, IT'S NOT A HISTORIC, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, IT IS ELIGIBLE, UM, AND IT DOES HAVE SOME IMPORTANT HISTORIC, UM, COMPONENTS, ESPECIALLY AS VIEWED FROM, UM, THE EAST AND WEST.
SOME OF THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY IS STILL THERE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS WIDENED IN 1980 AND SOME OF THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY WAS, WAS SORT OF COMPROMISED WITH THAT, WITH THAT CHANGE.
BUT NONETHELESS, UH, WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE ELIGIBILITY HERE AND, UH, LOOK TO MAKE CHANGES ON THE BRIDGE THAT ARE COMPATIBLE, UM, WITH SOME OF WHAT STILL EXISTS ON THE BRIDGE.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, THE BRIDGE IS A BIT OF A DIFFERENT STORY IN TERMS OF, UM, THE AVAILABLE BUDGET.
SO WE'LL GET INTO THAT HERE IN A MINUTE.
UM, BUT, BUT IN, IN ESSENCE, WE'RE LOOKING TO OPEN UP MORE SPACE ON THE BRIDGE FOR PEOPLE TO DWELL AND MAKE THAT BRIDGE CROSSING, UM, FROM, YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT TO, TO DOWNTOWN MUCH MORE PLEASANT, UM, IN A, IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO STARTING WITH THE BRIDGE, UH, HERE YOU HAVE A RENDERING OF WHAT MAYBE SOME BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, YOU, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS, IS AN OPENING, UM, THERE'D BE FOUR OF THOSE PROPOSED TO OPEN UP MORE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO STAND AND WATCH BATS, UM, DWELL ON THE BRIDGE.
UH, YOU CAN KIND OF THINK OF THEM SORT OF LIKE, UM, OPERA BOXES,
UH, AND THEN ALSO WHAT YOU SEE IS, UM, UPGRADING THE, UH, THE BIKEWAY PUTTING IN A MORE ROBUST BARRIER, UM, MAINTAINING THE, THE CURRENT DRAINAGE, UM, STRUCTURE.
AND THEN PERHAPS ADDING, UM, LIGHTING AND SHADE, WHICH WAS, UM, A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION BACK WHEN WE BRIEFED THE ARCHITECTURAL, UM, REVIEW COMMITTEE BACK A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO CERTAINLY WOULD BE OPEN TO THOUGHTS HERE.
HOWEVER, I DO WANNA SAY THAT AS PROPOSED, UH, WE DON'T HAVE, UM, THE BRIDGE SLATED FOR NEAR TERM, UM, IMPROVEMENTS UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE IT WOULD COST ABOUT 17 MILLION OR SO TO DO THE BRIDGE FULLY.
AND WE HAVE 22 MILLION TO WORK WITH.
AND THE BRIDGE IS NOT THE TYPE OF THING WHERE WE CAN DO A LITTLE AND GET A LOT.
IT'S REALLY ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE TO MAINTAIN LOAD NEUTRALITY, WE'D HAVE TO TAKE WEIGHT OFF THE BRIDGE IN ORDER TO PUT IMPROVEMENTS ON IT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A DECKING TYPE, UM, MATERIAL THAT WOULD BE A LOT LIGHTER THAN THE CONCRETE, UH, PEDESTRIAN, UM, SIDEWALKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BRIDGE.
BUT IN ORDER TO, UM, HAVE THAT OR ANY OTHER ELEMENTS, WE'D HAVE TO TAKE THAT CONCRETE OFF TO PUT ON OTHER ELEMENTS.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, UH, IT'S SORT OF AN ALL OR NONE TYPE OF SCENARIO WITH THE BRIDGE AND CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME, UM, FEEDBACK IF THAT, IF THAT IS IN SECTION OF THE, OF THE AVENUE, UM, THAT YOU ALL FEEL IS IMPORTANT TO BE FOCUSING ON.
BUT AT THIS TIME, OUR CURRENT PROPOSAL DOES NOT, UH, FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE BRIDGE AT THIS TIME.
WITH THAT SAID, WE'VE DONE ENOUGH, UNDER ENOUGH STUDY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE CHANGES AND, UM, WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO, TO DEVELOPING THOSE FURTHER.
AS FUNDING, UH, BECOMES AVAILABLE, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, GETTING NOW INTO THE, UH, THE LATITUDE SORT OF NORTH OF CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A RENDERING OF WHAT THAT STREET SCAPE MIGHT LOOK LIKE, UH, IN, IN A FULL BUILD SCENARIO WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO PULL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BIKE LANE UP AND OUT OF THE STREET, OFFER A PEDESTRIAN, UH, SIDEWALK CONSISTENT WITH THE GRANITE PAVERS THAT ARE PRESENT ON MOST BLOCKS, UH, ALONG THE AVENUE.
NOW, HAVING THINGS LIKE RAIN GARDENS TO HELP MANAGE, UH, STORM WATER AND, AND DRAINAGE AND GENERALLY PROVIDE FOR, UM, A CONSISTENTLY, UM, SHADED AND, UH, PLEASANT, UM, PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES ZONE THROUGHOUT THE AVENUE.
IN THIS PARTICULAR PHOTO OR, UH, RENDERING HERE, UM, WE ARE A BIT CONSTRAINED, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE PROPOSING A, A RIGHT TURN LANE HERE ON THE HUNDRED BLOCK.
SO THIS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FOR WHAT IT WOULD NOR IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TYPICALLY, WHICH WE'LL GO TO NEXT.
UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT BACKUP CURB COULD LOOK LIKE, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE WE HAVE FROM THE 200 TO 600 BLOCK, UH, RANGE, SORT OF THAT SPATIAL TRANSFORMATION.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS A, AN ADAPTATION OF THE, UM, CURRENTLY THERE'S ANGLED PARKING SPOTS THROUGHOUT
[00:30:01]
THE AVENUE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, DO PROVIDE FOR THAT ON STREET PARKING.UM, ABOUT 0.27% OF ALL AVAILABLE PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN.
IT'S, SO, IT IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT IT, IT CAN BE IMPORTANT FOR SOME RETAILERS.
UH, HOWEVER HERE, THE, THE PROPOSAL IS TO REPURPOSE THAT ANGLED PARKING SPACE IN ORDER TO OPEN IT UP FOR, UM, THAT PEDESTRIAN AMENITY ZONE.
SO AGAIN, GOING FROM 12 AND A HALF FEET TO ABOUT 30 FEET TYPICALLY, UM, BETWEEN THE, THE 200 600 BLOCKS.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS RENDERING ARE THOSE, UM, RAIN GARDENS, UH, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, UM, THE SPACE THAT, THAT, THAT OPENING UP, UH, THOSE PARKING BAYS OFFER, AS WELL AS, UH, FOR THE BIKE LANE IN PARTICULAR, ABLE TO HAVE A MORE CONSISTENT, UM, PROTECTION OF THAT BIKE LANE.
SO YOU HAVE FEWER CONFLICTS WITH, UM, WITH CARS AND BIKES IN, IN THE BIKE LANE AS NOW WE HAVE TO BREAK THAT, THAT BARRIER FOR, UM, FOR EACH PARKING SPOT.
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE YOU SEE, UH, THE FULL BUILD SCENARIO IN A CROSS SECTION.
AND, AND I'LL, I'LL POINT YOU TO THE DIRECTION OF THE, THE WALKING ZONE, THE STOREFRONT ZONE, THE AMENITY ZONE.
THAT'S WHAT IS, UM, IS, UH, WE'VE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK, UM, AROUND THE IDEA OF A DOUBLE LOADED SIDEWALK.
SO THE IDEA OF A DOUBLE LOADED SIDEWALK IS WHERE, AS A PEDESTRIAN, YOU'RE KIND OF ENVELOPED BY, BY, UM, AMENITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF YOU AND, AND HAVE KIND OF A, A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE KIND OF WALKING THROUGH THROUGH AN, UM, A, A PATH OF TRAVEL THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S A FLOWER STAND AND, UM, A SEATING AREA ON BOTH SIDES.
SO THAT'S WHAT OPENING UP THAT SPACE KIND OF OFFERS IS THAT DOUBLE LOADED FEELING, UM, OF, OF REALLY SUPPORTING THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
SO HERE IS A, IS A RENDERING OF WHAT IT COULD POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE.
SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAZA CONCEPT? BE VERY EAGER TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS CONCEPT 'CAUSE IT IS A VERY BIG IDEA, BUT IN, IN ESSENCE, UH, LOOKING AT OPENING UP THE SPACE TO, TO PEOPLE, UM, TO OCCUPY THE, THE BLOCKS, THE 700, 800, 900 AND A THOUSAND BLOCKS, THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE 700 BLOCK WHERE, UM, THERE WOULD, IT'S HOME TO THE PARAMOUNT AND STATE AND, AND, AND THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM.
AND OFFERS MAYBE AN INTERESTING PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO, TO CELEBRATE, UM, ARTS AND, AND PERFORMANCE AND CREATIVITY IN WAYS THAT, THAT A STREET PLAZA WOULD, COULD OFFER, UM, KINDA UNPARALLELED TO ANY OTHER EXPERIENCE YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A THEATER OR IN A MUSEUM, BUT IN, IN THE STREET.
SO THIS, UM, THIS OFFERS THAT PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS A CROSS SECTION VIEW OF IT.
UM, THIS WOULD REQUIRE FULL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE 700 BLOCK, WHICH, UM, WE ARE NOT FUNDED, UH, TO DO ALL FOUR OF THOSE BLOCKS.
WE'RE FUNDED TO DO TWO OF THEM.
SO, UM, THIS WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING WE COULD PRO PROCEED WITH NEAR TERM OR WOULDN'T BE RECOMMENDING.
WE DO, UM, PROCEED NEAR TERM, UH, BUT NONETHELESS BE A WAY WE COULD, WE COULD MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, SHOULD FUNDING BECOME AVAILABLE.
UM, WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT, HERE'S A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF, OF WHAT THAT PLAZA MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
YOU KNOW, LOOKING FROM SEVENTH STREET TOWARDS THE CAPITOL, YOU CAN SEE THE DOUBLE ROW OF TREES, THE, UM, THE PAVED, UM, PLAZA BLOCKS AND THEN NOTABLY, UH, THE CROSS STREETS AT, AT SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH, 10TH, AND 11TH WOULD REMAIN OPEN AS THEY ARE TODAY.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, THAT CIRCULATION.
UM, WHEN WE GET TO THE PROPOSED FIRST PHASE, I THINK WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND THIS MIGHT BE WHERE WE PIVOT.
SO, UH, NOW I'LL PIVOT TO THE PROPOSED FIRST PHASE.
UM, TO, TO KIND OF PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE ABLE TO PROPOSE THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, IS THAT IN THE 2020 MOBILITY BOND, THERE WERE FOUR NAMED PROJECTS.
AND OF THOSE FOUR PROJECTS, UM, THIS ONE HAS 22 MILLION TO WORK WITH.
SO IT'S $130 MILLION FULL BUILD SCENARIO OF WHICH WE HAVE 22, UM, TO DO THE VERY BEST WE CAN.
AND SO THE PROPOSAL HERE IS TO SAY THAT RATHER THAN PERHAPS FOCUS ON JUST THE BRIDGE AND NOTHING ELSE, OR MAYBE JUST THE, UM, TRAIL ENTRANCES AND NOTHING ELSE, WE ARE LOOKING TO TRY TO BRING AS MUCH BENEFIT TO AS MUCH OF THE AVENUE AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UH, IT LOOKS AT CESAR CHAVEZ TO 11TH STREET, AND ESSENTIALLY THE, THE CONCEPT IS SOUTH OF SEVENTH TO ACHIEVE THAT, EXCUSE ME, THAT SAME SPATIAL, UM, BENEFIT THAT I EXPLAINED, UH, A MOMENT AGO IN BETWEEN THE 200 600 BLOCKS.
AND THEN KEEP THE PLAZA CONCEPT NORTH OF SEVENTH, BUT DO TWO OUT OF THE FOUR BLOCKS.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT HERE, UM, BLOCK BY BLOCK TO KIND OF EXPLAIN, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE IN THE HUNDRED BLOCK, AS I MENTIONED, WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A RIGHT TURN LANE TO HELP MANAGE CONFLICTS WITH NORTH AND SOUTH, UM, PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRAFFIC AND RIGHT TURNING VEHICLES.
UM, THAT WOULD BE ONE PARTICULAR CHANGE TO THE CROSS SECTION.
[00:35:01]
UH, OTHERWISE ALLOW US TO BUILD OUT, UM, THAT PEDESTRIAN ZONE AND, AND BIKEWAYS UP AND OUT OF THE STREET.WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE IN THE 200 TO 600 BLOCKS.
THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE RENDERING YOU JUST SAW, BUT NOTABLY IT'S, UM, DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE THAT WE, UH, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RECONSTRUCT FROM THE, UH, FROM THE BUILDING FACE TO THE CURB.
WE WOULD NEED TO, TO TAKE MORE OF A, AN APPROACH TO FILL IN THAT SPACE SOMEHOW.
UM, AGAIN, LOOKING TO DO IT IN THE HIGHEST, UH, QUALITY POSSIBLE AND WITH THE MOST, UM, YOU KNOW, REVERENCE FOR THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THE STREET, BUT OTHERWISE OPEN UP THAT SPACE FOR THOSE AMENITIES AND KIOSKS AND, AND OTHER, UM, STREET LIFE THAT CURRENTLY IS, UM, KIND OF HAMSTRUNG BY THE SPACE THAT IS TAKEN UP BY THE, BY THE ANGLED PARKING.
AND IN SO DOING, ACHIEVE THE, THE SPATIAL, UM, BENEFITS THAT WERE SOUGHT, SOUGHT AFTER IN THE VISION PLAN, UM, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO IT AT, AT EVERY BLOCK.
AND THEN THE BIKE LANE CAN THEN BE PROTECTED AND YOU, UM, YOU ENCOURAGE MORE OF THAT BIKING AND SCOOTER, UH, BEHAVIOR IN, IN A PROTECTED BIKE LANE VERSUS SAY ON THE SIDEWALK WHERE PEOPLE MAY FEEL MORE, MORE COMFORTABLE IF THEY ENCOUNTER CARS ON SUCH A FREQUENT BASIS AS IT RENDERS THAT BIKE LANE KIND OF USELESS AND THUS COMPROMISES THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PEDESTRIAN IN THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE.
HERE'S KIND OF THAT CONCEPT, UH, LAID OUT IN TERMS OF THAT SPATIAL TRADE OFF.
SO LOOKING TO, TO REBALANCE THE SPACE, THE CROSS SECTION IN, UH, IN THE UPPER LEFT KIND OF JUST TAKES YOU THROUGH THAT, THAT FOUR LANE SECTION OF CONGRESS WITH THE PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND THEN THAT PEDESTRIAN AMENITY ZONE, UH, OPENING UP DOUBLING IF NOT MORE, UM, IN MOST OF THE BLOCKS BETWEEN, UH, WELL DOUBLING FOR SURE IN ALL OF THE BLOCKS.
AND THEN SOME FOR THE, FOR, FOR BLOCKS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ADD.
ANOTHER, UH, VEHICULAR LANE, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A SECOND FOR THE 500 BLOCK.
UM, AS I MENTIONED THOUGH, PARKING IS, IS, THAT'S THE BIG TRADE OFF, AND WE WANNA BE VERY, UM, UPFRONT ABOUT THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE MAYBE PARKING IS AN IMPORTANT, UM, CONSIDERATION FOR CERTAIN RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS AND OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, AND HAVE HAD REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ONE-ON-ONE.
AND AS GROUPS AND THROUGH THE DAAS, UM, WE'VE FACILITATED SEVERAL FOCUS GROUPS TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE BUSINESSES, UH, HOW THOSE BUSINESSES FEEL ABOUT THOSE TRADE OFFS.
MANY OF THEM, AS YOU PROBABLY ARE FAMILIAR, HAVE TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THE PARKING IN FRONT OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS FOR THINGS LIKE SEEDING, UM, OTHER, UH, PLANTED AND, AND, UH, AREAS TO JUST KIND OF IN INCREASE THE AMBIANCE OF THE, OF THE AREA.
AND SO THIS CERTAINLY WOULD LEAN INTO THOSE INSTINCTS AND TRY TO MAKE THAT A MORE CONSISTENT, UM, UH, OFFERING, UH, BLOCK BY BLOCK, BUT NOT NECESSARILY PRECLUDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN SOME PARKING FOR SOME REASONS IN SOME SECTIONS.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE IN THE 500 BLOCK, SIMILAR TO THE HUNDRED BLOCK, WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THE LEFT TURN LANES.
AND SO, UH, IN DOING THAT, THAT HELPS KIND OF WITH SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY AT PEAK HOUR.
UH, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO KEEP THOSE LEFT TURN POCKETS THAT NOW EXIST, UM, SINCE THE PANDEMIC AND, AND STILL BE ABLE TO GET A HIGHER QUALITY PEDESTRIAN ZONE, UM, AND BIKEWAY, UH, BY BUILDING, UM, UP AND OUT OF THE STREET ON THAT BLOCK IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE'S A SIMILAR BIRD'S EYE VIEW FROM THE FULL BUILD SCENARIO THAT WE SHOWED YOU A MOMENT AGO, BUT LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THAT IDEA OF TAKING ON TWO OF THE FOUR BLOCKS RATHER THAN ALL FOUR GIVEN FUNDING CONSTRAINTS, BUT STILL ACHIEVE SPATIALLY THE CONCEPT, UM, THAT, UH, THAT'S ON OFFER, MAINTAINING THOSE EAST WEST STREETS AND, UM, AND CREATING A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO, TO PROGRAM IN VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY, DAYS OF THE WEEK.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT WELL, UM, ONE OF THE KEY PUZZLE PIECES TO THIS WOULD BE BRINGING ON A, A MANAGING PARTNER.
UH, THAT'S A, A SOLICITATION THAT THE CITY WOULD, WOULD ENDEAVOR TO, UM, TO PUT FORWARD AND, AND BRING ON SOMEONE, AN ENTITY.
UM, THEY, THEY EXIST ALL OVER THE COUNTRY MANAGING PUBLIC SPACE WELL, WITH A COMBINATION OF A RESPONSIBILITY AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY, WASTE MANAGEMENT, UM, WITH THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRAM, UH, AN INCREDIBLY UNIQUE SPACE IN THE DOWNTOWN FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATIONS, EVENTS, AND SO ON.
THAT, UM, WOULD CREATE A REVENUE, UM, STREAM THAT CAN BE REINVESTED INTO THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THE LIKE, AS A COMPLIMENT TO WHAT THE DAA ALREADY DOES AS WELL AS, UH, A PD AND OTHERS IN THAT ECOSYSTEM OF, OF DOWNTOWN SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT MANAGE ALL OF THE, UM, THE UNIQUE
[00:40:01]
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR DOWNTOWN OFFERS.WE CAN CERTAINLY GET INTO THAT A BIT MORE IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT JUST REST ASSURED THAT THIS, THIS PLAZA CONCEPT IS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY.
THAT THE ABILITY TO DO IT AND DO IT WELL IS, IS A VERY BIG UNDERTAKING.
AND HAVING THAT MANAGING PARTNER IS A KEY PIECE.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
UH, WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CIRCULATION, WHICH SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT.
SO CURRENTLY, UM, AS CONGRESS AVENUE OPERATES, WE, YOU KNOW, IT DEAD ENDS AT 11TH STREET, SO PUT SIMPLY THE, THE, UM, THE STREET WOULD ESSENTIALLY DEAD END AT SEVENTH, IF YOU WILL.
AND YOU CAN STILL GET AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITOL, FOR EXAMPLE, USING THE, THE OTHER, UM, ARTERIAL NETWORK THAT IS, UM, SERVING THE DOWNTOWN.
UH, I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE PLAZA CONCEPT COMPLIMENTS WHAT THE STATE HAS DONE TO THE NORTH OF THE CAPITOL IN THE, IN THE TEXAS CAPITOL MALL.
UM, AND, AND, UM, SIMILAR, SIMILAR TO TO TWO OUTTA THE FOUR STREETS THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPS THAT EAST WEST, UM, CONNECTIVITY, WELL, WE KEEP ALL THE CONNECTIVITY, THEY, ONE OF THEIR STREETS, UM, SERVES A, A BIG UNDERGROUND PARKING LOT OR PARKING, UM, GARAGE.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF DYNAMICS HAPPENING IN THE DOWNTOWN, WHETHER IT'S I 35 OR, OR, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE WERE TO DO HERE WITH RESPECT TO THE PLAZA OTHERWISE WOULD NEED TO WORK SYNERGISTICALLY WITH THE GRID.
AND, UM, WITH THOSE INTERSECTING STREETS OF SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH, 10TH, AND 11TH, WE CAN THINK ABOUT THAT STREET SPACE IN WAYS THAT COMPLIMENT WHAT THE CONGRESS AVENUE PROJECT NEEDS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AN A DA PARKING SPOT ON CONGRESS AVENUE COULD PERHAPS BE LOCATED AROUND THE CORNER TO MAINTAIN THAT ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, BUT, UH, AND, AND BRING OUT THE, THE BENEFIT OF WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THAT REBALANCING OF CONGRESS ITSELF COULD, COULD, COULD BE FOR, FOR OTHERS.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
HERE'S THE RENDERING OF KIND OF WHAT THAT MORE, UM, MAYBE INTERIM APPROACH COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, ON THE 700, 800 BLOCKS.
UH, REALLY LEVERAGING, UM, AGAIN, THAT PERFORMANCE AND CREATIVITY ARTS SORT OF DISTRICT IDEA, UM, WITH ASPHALT, UH, PAINTING THE ASPHALT OR DOING OTHER, OTHER ACTIVATIONS THAT REALLY BRING ABOUT, UM, SORT OF A GRIT AND A ORGANIC, UM, A WAY TO EXPRESS OURSELVES CREATIVELY AS, AS AUSTINITES.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
HERE'S A CROSS SECTION OF, OF, AGAIN, WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, AS WELL AS A PLAN VIEW.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THOSE, UH, DESIGNS IN THE STREET AND, UM, UH, MAKE OUT THE, UM, THE DECKING IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE A DECKING, KIND OF A, UM, UH, CONCEPT TO OPEN UP THAT, THAT SPACE BEHIND CURB FOR, FOR PEDESTRIANS.
UM, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I THINK THIS IS WHERE, UM, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ON THE 900 AND THOUSAND BLOCKS TO POTENTIALLY AS PROPOSED TO RECONSTRUCT AND OFFER A PLAZA EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, YOU'LL NOTE THE DOUBLE ROW OF TREES.
UM, A A PAVING SCHEME THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT DOES PLAY INTO THE, THE HISTORIC, UM, NATURE OF THE STREET AND OFFERS, UM, SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO, TO BE, UM, WHETHER IT'S UNDER A SHADE CANOPY OR, OR GATHERING FOR A SPECIAL EVENT.
UM, THERE'S A GREAT LAWN PROPOSED AT THE, UM, AT THE END, UH, AT THE 11TH STREET SIDE FOR PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, OUR, UM, HOLIDAY TREE, WHICH I GUESS IS GETTING A LITTLE CROWDED OUT BY
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT A SPACE SHIFT LIKE THIS COULD, COULD OPEN UP FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT IS, MIGHT BE THE LAST ONE.
MAYBE HAVE ONE MORE CROSS SECTION.
SO HERE'S WHAT A RECONSTRUCTED, UM, YOU KNOW, 900 AND A THOUSAND BLOCK MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
UM, IT, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THE, UH, RESTORATION OF THE OLD BAKERY TO REALLY PLAY INTO WHAT CAN THE OLD BAKERY PERHAPS, UM, SUPPORT IN A PLAZA AND VICE VERSA.
THOSE ARE, UM, REALLY, REALLY EXCITING, UM, IDEAS I THINK WE COULD EXPLORE SHOULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
BUT, UH, WITH THAT SAID, IT IS NOT A DONE DEAL BY ANY STRETCH.
IT'S SIMPLY A PROPOSAL FOR FEEDBACK, AND WE'D BE GRATEFUL TO OPEN THAT, UH, CONVERSATION UP TONIGHT FOR, FOR, UM, IDEAS AND THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ALL WE HAVE SLIDE WISE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL PAUSE FOR YEAH.
FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
SO, MS. DEERFIELD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE, THE OVERVIEW.
I WILL REMIND THE COMMISSIONERS THIS IS A BRIEFING, SO WE ARE NOT POSTED FOR ACTION OR DISCUSSION, HOWEVER QUESTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE, UH, OF THE PRESENTER.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A, UH, UH, RELATIVELY NEW ITEM FOR BRIEFINGS.
UH, THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED COMMENT.
IF SOMEBODY IS HERE AND HAS A COMMENT, THEY ARE, PLEASE WOULD YOU DO SO NOW COME TO THE PODIUM AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF IF SOMEBODY IS HERE TO COMMENT ON THIS BRIEFING.
[00:45:02]
OKAY, HEARING NONE THEN, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU ALL FOR QUESTIONS.CAN WE ONLY ASK QUESTIONS OR CAN WE MAKE COMMENTS? UH, IF, IF YOU ARE EXPECTING A DIALOGUE WITH THE, EITHER ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, I THINK THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE, BUT, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONVEYING OUR, YOUR, YOUR SENSE TO, UH, OUR PRESENTER WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
I HAVE A LIST OF THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS IF I MAY BEGIN.
UH, I WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS MOST VOCAL AGAINST THE SHADE STRUCTURES ON THE BRIDGE EARLY ON, BECAUSE I THINK THAT 360 VIEW OF THE, UH, DEVELOPING SKYLINE IS, IS IMPORTANT.
BUT I DID LIKE THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED IN THIS RENDERING.
IT SEEMED LIKE A MORE OF A LIGHT TOUCH.
LIKE IT WASN'T GONNA BE OB THERE ARE MANY VIEWS WHERE IT WOULDN'T OBSTRUCT AND IT WOULD BE NICE MAYBE TO HAVE A RESTING SPACE WITH A LIGHT TOUCH.
UM, I THINK NARROWING DOWN THE STREET AS DIRECTED BY CITY COUNCIL, I THINK THAT WAS THE PRIMARY ISSUE, IS HAVING MORE ABILITY TO HAVE ACTIVITY ON THE SIDEWALK AND SLOWING TRAFFIC.
I'M FINE WITH WITH THAT PERSONALLY.
UM, I'M FINE WITH GETTING RID OF THE PARKING.
IT'S PRETTY USELESS TO MOST PEOPLE ANYWAY.
YOU MIGHT CONSIDER ACCESSIBLE DROP-OFFS.
YOU HAD MENTIONED ACCESSIBLE PARKING AROUND THE CORNER, WHICH IS GREAT.
BE SURE YOU STUDY CLOSELY THE MODERN A DA REQUIREMENTS.
UH, STREET PARKING ISN'T REALLY WELL ADDRESSED OR EVEN REQUIRED IN IN TS AND A DA, BUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR IT WHEN YOU DO PROVIDE ESPECIALLY PARALLEL, ARE PRETTY EXTENSIVE NOW.
UM, SO JUST LOOK, LOOK ESPECIALLY WITH CROSS SLOPES AND, AND THE LEVELS, LOADING AREAS AND THE RAMPS TO GET ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO JUST BE SURE TO STUDY THAT.
WELL, I THINK SOME, UM, PARALLEL SOME DROPOFFS, MAYBE SOME AADA, A DROPOFFS WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.
THAT COULD ALSO BE DOUBLE USE FOR RIDE SHARE.
WE HAVE A, A NEW A DA DROP OFF AT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CAPITOL MM-HMM
THAT WE, WE'VE DONE FOR, FOR, UH, PEOPLE THAT USE RIDE SHARE.
UM, I THINK THE BIRD'S EYES WERE GREAT FOR CONTEXT, BUT I'D BE SURE TO MINIMIZE ANY RENDERINGS THAT AREN'T FROM PEDESTRIAN VIEW.
YOU DID WERE FROM PEDESTRIAN VIEW, BUT THE ONES FROM 20 FEET IN THE AIR WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE CAPITAL OF THE TREES, THAT'S GREAT IF YOU HAVE A DRONE, BUT NOT IF YOU'RE A PERSON.
SO I WOULD JUST FOCUS REALLY ON THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE, UH, ON THE TREES.
UM, I WAS TOOK A VIRTUAL WALK DOWN CONGRESS AND WAS REMINDED HOW MANY TREES WERE THERE.
I KNOW THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION AT ONE TIME, I THINK STILL ADVISED AGAINST TREES ON HISTORIC STREET SCAPES BECAUSE THEY'RE HARD TO MAINTAIN.
UH, YOU KNOW, URBAN TREES ARE DIFFICULT AND THEY WEREN'T ALWAYS OR TYPICALLY PART OF THE PATTERN.
I LOOKED AT SOME HISTORIC PHOTOS.
THERE WERE SOME TREES DOWN CONGRESS IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, MEANING THE 1850S, SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES.
AND, AND THERE'S SOME BACK NOW, BUT HISTORICALLY IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY WIDE OPEN.
UH, I WOULD SAY IF YOU FOCUS ON TREES, MAYBE HAVE THEM MORE DENSELY PLANTED IN FRONT OF NEWER BUILDINGS AND NOT HISTORIC BUILDINGS BECAUSE BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THE HISTORIC FACADES.
UM, DO YOU KNOW THE SPACING OF THE TREES THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN IN THE PLAN? VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DON'T RECALL, BUT WE DID KNOW THAT ALMOST BY
AND ARE THOSE CEDAR ELMS THAT, THAT WERE RENDERED? I I COULDN'T, IT LOOKED LIKE SOME WERE OAKS AND SOME WERE CEDAR ELMS, MAYBE.
YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE GENERALLY OAKS OF WHAT SPECIES, ESPECIALLY.
THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A TREE STUDY AND, AND LOTS TO SAY ABOUT TREES AND I CERTAINLY TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT, ABOUT FACADES AND, AND, UM, UM, YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A BALANCE, I GUESS.
YEAH, I, I WOULD CONSIDER THE MAXIMUM SPACING.
I LOOKED AT THE 300 BLOCK, UH, WHICH IS IN FRONT OF A HISTORIC BLOCK WHERE IT STILL MAINTAINS VIEWS, BUT THEY'RE STILL, THE CANOPIES ARE ALMOST TOUCHING AND THEY, THEY WERE 45 FEET APART.
SO, AND IT'S INTERESTING YOU BRING UP 300 BLOCK, 'CAUSE THAT ACTUALLY DOES HAVE ALMOST A DOUBLE ROW.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN, AN ANOMALY ACTUALLY.
AND, AND YOU DO FIND THEM PLANTED 20, 30 FEET.
JUST REMEMBER THESE TREES ARE GONNA BE HERE UNTIL THEY DIE OR FALL OVER.
AND THEIR ULTIMATE CANOPY SIZE IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT LANDSCAPE PLANTERS USE FOR THE SPACING PLANTING.
AND, UM, THE CAPITOL'S GREAT WALK WAS, THE VIEW WAS COMPLETELY CHOKED OUT BY DISEASE TREES IN THE NINETIES.
THOSE WERE REMOVED AND REPLANTED.
AND IF YOU WALK DOWN THE GREAT WALK, YOU CAN'T SEE THE CAPITOL ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE THE OAKS HAVE GROWN UP.
UH, I THINK THEY PROBABLY PLANTED THEM A LITTLE TOO CLOSE.
SO JUST MAKE SURE, DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPACE 'EM OUT.
UH, EARLY ON, UM, AND I, I'M VERY MUCH AGAINST THE SECOND ROWS AND THIRD ROWS, UM, BECAUSE THEY BLOCKED THE VIEW OF THE CAPITOL.
YOU KNOW, TOWARD THE CAPITOL, IT'S NOT GONNA BLOCK MOST OF YOUR LONG VIEWS.
BUT YOU HAD ONE PAGE IN PARTICULAR THAT HAD THE PARAMOUNT SIGN THAT WAS CONVENIENTLY, THE TREE WAS ERASED FROM THE, A BLOCK AWAY.
AND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE THE PARAMOUNT SIGN FROM BLOCK AWAY TWO BLOCKS AWAY.
SO, UM, WE, WE DO WANT, I, I SEE WE CAN DO TREES THAT ARE WELL SPACED OUT, BUT JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON'T BLOCK THE VIEWS OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCES FROM ACROSS OR, OR DOWN.
UH, AND JUST REMEMBER THAT MAINTENANCE IS AN ISSUE.
[00:50:01]
SHOW THIS CONSISTENT WALL OF TREES BECAUSE THEY WILL DIE.THEY WILL BE BLOWN OVER ONE BY ONE AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE MISSING TEETH EFFECT.
I THINK IT'D BE BETTER TO HAVE WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WHICH IS KIND OF A IRREGULAR PATTERN ALL THE WAY DOWN, MORE RELATIVE TO WHAT THEY'RE IN FRONT OF.
AND THEN THAT WAY AS YOU LOSE THEM OVER TIME, UH, THAT'LL BE LESS OBVIOUS.
SO, AND CONSIDER PARADE PATHS.
THAT WAS MY OTHER CONSIDER, EXCUSE ME, WHAT THE, THE PATHS OF THE PARADES GOING DOWN CONGRESS, UHHUH YES.
UHHUH AND ENDING AT THE CAPITOL THAT PARK.
I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE PARK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF CONGRESS.
I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE LANE EACH DIRECTION ALL THE WAY.
SO YOU CAN DRIVE THE ENTIRETY PERSONALLY.
UM, BUT, UM, AT THE VERY LEAST, WE WANT TO PRAY TO BE ABLE TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND END ON THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
UH, I WONDERED IF THE UNFUNDED PORTIONS OF THIS VISION PLAN MIGHT BE PRESENTED TO THE CITIZEN BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR INCLUSION IN A POSSIBLE 2026 BOND? I I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT, UH, INVITATION AND WOULD TAKE IT BACK TO OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM YEAH.
OTHER COMMENTS, OTHER QUESTIONS? I GOT A FEW QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
UM, I AGREE WITH, WITH MOST OF WHAT COMMISSIONER COOK SAID.
I THINK THE FIRST ONE I'LL HIT IS THE BRIDGE.
I DO NOT, UH, AGREE WITH THESE PUSH OUTS, THESE BUMP OUTS ON THE BRIDGE.
I THINK IF WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU STAYED OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL THREE BAYS OF THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE THEN FROM A KAYAK FROM THE RIVER, I'D BE ABLE TO SEE THAT HISTORIC PROFILE.
AND THEN THESE BUMP OUTS ARE ON THE FOUR OUTER BAYS CLOSER TO LAND.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE BE REALLY GREAT IF YOU COULD DO THAT.
'CAUSE I'M SURE WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM.
ALTHOUGH I'D BE INTERESTED, INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK IS, HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS.
I MEAN, I'VE SEEN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY YEARS LOOKING AT THE BATS, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER LOOKOUTS ACROSS THAT RIVER AREA.
SO MY, MY BRAIN SAYS THEY DON'T NEED, WE DON'T EVEN NEED THEM, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE THERE.
UM, BUT THEY SHOULD BE PUSHED BACK 'CAUSE THIS IS A HISTORIC RESOURCE, LIKE YOU SAID.
UH, SECOND THING IS THE, OH, UM, I TAKE IT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED HEAVILY WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THIS AVENUE.
UH, IS, I'M, I'M HOPING IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT I'M HOPING THAT THIS PLAN, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE DOES TOUCH BASE ON THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A LOCAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.
I THINK THAT IS, IS KEY BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY INTO WHAT IS OUR MAIN STREET.
UH, YET WE'RE, WE ACTIVELY HAVE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED AND ARE NOW A RISK TO THIS, UH, TO THIS HISTORIC FABRIC.
AND THEIR NEIGHBORING STRUCTURES.
WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH FIRES ON THE STREET MM-HMM
SO IF WE COULD PUSH THAT IN SOME WAY, THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, I THINK THE UPPER BLOCKS HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL LANDMARKS, WHICH IS GREAT.
A LOT OF THOSE LANDMARKS, UM, ARE ALREADY EXISTING.
SO MAYBE SOME OF THOSE UPPER BLOCKS, IT'D BE EASY TO DO A LOCAL DISTRICT WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE EXPLORED OR NON-CONTIGUOUS DISTRICT, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS EXPLORING WITH CITY COUNCIL, UH, AS PART OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
AND THE LAST THING IS, UH, THE NATIONAL REGISTER, UH, DOES HAVE A DATE.
IT WAS LISTED IN 1978, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN QUESTIONS, DOES THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED? AND IT'S A BIG CAN OF WORMS. UH, I UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF IT, BUT, UM, I'VE WORKED WITH THAT DISTRICT SEVERAL TIMES AND IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE LISTED AS COMPATIBLE, NOT CONTRIBUTING.
AND THAT HAS BEEN PREVENTING A LOT OF PROPERTIES FROM, UH, UTILIZING TAX CREDITS.
SO, UM, I, I KNOW THIS MAY BE GETTING OUTSIDE YOUR REALM, BUT LONG-TERM PLANNING, ALL THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY INTO THE SPACE, WE WANT THESE BUSINESSES TO ALSO PUT MONEY INTO THEIR PLACES.
SO THESE THINGS ALL ARE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER.
WE WANNA CREATE THAT VIRTUOUS, VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF, OF REINVESTMENT AND YEAH.
UM, COMMITMENT TO THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INSIGHT.
COMMISSIONERS, OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, I, I DO HAVE ONE FOR OUR SPEAKER.
UM, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH YOUR STREET PROFILES.
AND I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF SETTING UP AN AMENITY ZONE.
WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S ACTIVITIES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE.
WOULD THOSE BE SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC PROVIDES OR WOULD THOSE BE SOMETHING WHERE PRIVATE ENTITIES WOULD, WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, SAY ADJACENT BUSINESSES TO USE THOSE SPACES? IS THAT THE IDEA? YEAH.
THE, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO PROVIDE, UM, A SET OF GUIDELINES AND WE WOULD LOVE TO BRING THOSE BACK TO Y'ALL AS THEY ARE DEVELOPED.
[00:55:01]
THAT, YOU KNOW, COMPATIBLE WITH OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHO ARE ENDEAVORING TO UPDATE THE GREAT STREETS GUIDELINES.SO WE SORT OF THINK OF CONGRESS AS THE GREATEST OF GREAT STREETS,
AND SO THE, UH, THE THINKING WOULD BE TO OFFER, OFFER GUIDELINES FOR THAT AMENITY ZONE THAT, UM, THAT BUSINESSES CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IN ON THEIR OWN.
OR THAT MAYBE WHERE THERE'S A COMPELLING REASON TO, UM, TO DO THAT AS THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
I HAVE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN INTO THOSE PARTICULAR DETAILS.
IT WAS REALLY ABOUT CAN WE SHIFT THIS SPACE IN A WAY THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT CONSISTENT PALETTE, UH, OR CONSISTENT SPACE FOR A PALLET LIKE THAT.
SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING DOWN THE LINE THAT WE DEVELOP FURTHER.
I THINK, UM, AGAIN, COMMISSIONER RUBIO REMINDING US, SINCE THIS IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT NOT A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, I THINK IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT THOSE TYPES OF ELEMENTS THAT ARE ADDED TO THE STREET OR ARE IMPACTING THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT ARE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH IN A WAY THAT MAKES SURE THEY'RE COMPATIBLE WITH A HISTORIC FABRIC.
AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THE HISTORIC GUIDELINES ARE BEING, OR THE GUIDELINES ARE BEING PLANNED, BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE BEING PLANNED FOR A HISTORIC STREET.
AND THE WAY WE CAN HELP YOU AND ASSIST IN THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, VERY IMPORTANT AS YOU PROCEED.
UH, AND AGAIN, UM, EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE IF WE HAD ADDITIONAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, MUCH LIKE WE HAVE THE SIGN ORDINANCES ON, UH, THOSE SAME STREETS, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD ALLOW, UH, A MUCH BETTER INTERFACE ALSO SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE COMES IN WITH A GREAT IDEA AND EVERY DEPARTMENT PATS THEM ON THE BACK AND SAYS, YOU'RE OFF AND RUNNING.
AND THEN AT THE VERY END WE GET TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR HISTORIC STANDARDS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE AT THE END AND, AND TRYING TO HOLD UP THE TRAIN.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF THESE BE CONSIDERED AT THIS EARLY STAGE.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT, BUT I THINK, UH, HOPEFULLY THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF, UH, A MUCH MORE ROBUST RELATIONSHIP.
AND, AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATED THE GUIDANCE FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL, UH, REVIEW COMMITTEE EARLY ON, AND, AND WE'D WANNA CONTINUE THAT AS, AS WE GET INTO THAT STAGE OF THE, OF THE PROCESS YET, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING WE, WE HAVE, AND WE WERE LOOKING TO, TO WRAP UP THIS STAGE OF LIKE, IS THIS GENERALLY A CONCEPT WE ALL WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH? UH, SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
COMMISSIONER COOK, I JUST, ONE LAST COMMENT.
I ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM TO REACH OUT TO ME.
WE'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE BOLLARD DESIGN AND THE IMPORTANCE FIXED, REMOVABLE, OPERABLE.
UM, THEY'RE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AND THEY'RE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE'VE UNFORTUNATELY LEARNED THE HARD WAY ABOUT THEM ON THE CAPITAL COMPLEX.
I'M, UM, MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANYONE TO, TO DISCUSS BECAUSE THEY, THEY WILL BE HIT.
AND YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR BOLLARDS IN A DENSE, URBAN ENVIRONMENT, AND IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.
COMMISSIONER, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFERRING TO ONE OF THE MANY HATS YOU WEAR
SO, UM, WE APPRECIATE THAT AND HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED AND WOULD TAKE YOU UP ON IT,
UM, I, I, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ANY ACTION, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, AND LET ME REQUEST THAT, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE ON SOME FAST TRACK TO BE ABLE TO GET ACTION, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO, UH, BE TAKING ACTION ON THIS.
AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL FOR, UH, APPROVING AND PASSING ON PERHAPS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, WOULD BE IN ORDER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A BUSY JANUARY MEETING, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE TIME FOR YOU, UH, OR WHATEVER YOUR TIMEFRAME IS.
BUT WE DEFINITELY WILL EXPECT, UH, TO HAVE A LOT, UH, OF INPUT.
AND, AND YEAH, TO MAYBE JUST QUICKLY OFFER NEXT STEPS, WE'RE JUST NOW SORT OF GETTING OUR HANDS AROUND ALL OF THE FEEDBACK AND HAVE BEEN REALLY, UM, THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, TAKING IN AND HAVE THE INTENT TO REFLECT BACK TO EVERYONE, UH, IN A REPORT AND THEN, UH, WITH, UM, WHERE MAYBE WE WOULD GO FROM THERE AND, AND THAT MIGHT BE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK, UH, TO THE COMMISSION WITH, WITH WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE HAS THE, THE FEEDBACK LEFT US, UM, IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS.
WELL, AGAIN, UH, I THINK IT IS ALWAYS, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT, THE BIGGER THE IDEA IS THIS IS A VERY BIG IDEA AND I THINK THE IMPACT, HOWEVER, UH, EVEN IN THE STAGES THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED, UM, I, I THINK AUSTIN, THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL BE BENEFITING FROM THAT FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.
SO, UM, FOR ALL THE DIFFICULTIES THAT YOU'D BE FACING,
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.
THIS EVENING HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
AND YEAH, LOOK FORWARD TO MORE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY LAST QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE VOTED TO TAKE OUR FIRST, UH,
[01:00:01]
A CASE OUT OF ORDER.[Items 13 & 14]
WILL BE ITEMS NUMBER 13 AND 14.THAT'S 1101 WEST LYNN STREET, UH, AND 1113 AND 1115 WEST LYNN STREET.
THESE ARE PROJECTS IN THE WEST LINE NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO TAKE THOSE TOGETHER? AND, UH, WE'VE ALREADY MADE A MOTION TO TAKE THEM OUT OF ORDER, SO LET'S MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE THOSE TOGETHER.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO TAKE THEM TOGETHER AS ONE CASE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ITEM 13 AT 1101 WESTLAND STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE AN EXISTING RAMP, UH, PARTIALLY DEMOLISH AND CONSTRUCT A NEW DOOR OPENING AND CONSTRUCT A PORTION OF A NEW DEVELOPMENT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE HOUSE CURRENTLY AT 1101 WESTLAND WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1903, A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AT, UH, 1009 WEST 11TH STREET AND ITS FIRST RESIDENCE WITH A VOSS FAMILY WHO LIVED IN MULTIPLE RESIDENCES.
ON WEST 11TH, DIETRICH VOSS OWNED A SALOON ON CONGRESS AVENUE AND WILLIAM VOSS WORKED FOR HIS UNCLE WHO OWNED A HOUSE FOR A STORE ON CONGRESS.
BY 1912, THE VOSS HAD STOLE, SOLD THE HOUSE TO THOMAS H BARROW, A REAL ESTATE BROKER AND INVESTMENT COMPANY OWNER AND HIS LARGE FAMILY.
DURING THE EARLY TWENTIES, BARROW SOLD THE PROPERTY TO GASTROENTEROLOGIST DR. DALTON RICHARDSON, WHO REMAINED IN THE HOME FOR A FEW YEARS.
IT WAS A RENTAL PROPERTY, UH, WITHOUT LONG-TERM OCCUPANTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE IT WAS PURCHASED BY MARY GORDON XANDERS AND MOVED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION AT 1101 WESTLAND XANDERS LIVED THERE WITH HER SON, BUFORD BUCKLEY, WHO WORKED AS A CLERK FOR THE IRS.
SHE OPENED, SHE OPENED AND OPERATED A BEAUTY SHOP THERE UNTIL HER DEATH IN 1969.
THIS PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WESTLINE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UH, THIS ITEM ALONG WITH ITS COUNTERPART IN ITEM 14, WENT TO, UH, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE SEVERAL TIMES, AND COMMITTEE FEEDBACK FOR 1101 WESTLAND WAS TO NOT RECONSTRUCT THE NON-ORIGINAL SHED ROOF AT THE EXTENDED PORCH FOR THIS PROPERTY.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH THE COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND COMMENT ON PLANS AS THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED THEIR PROPOSAL TO REFLECT THAT COMMITTEE FEEDBACK.
ITEM 14 AT 1113 AND 1115 WESTLAND STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO PARTIALLY DEMOLISH AND REMODEL THE EXISTING BUILDING, RECONSTRUCTING THE WEST FACADE, AND CONSTRUCTING A NEW MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING DANIEL JOHNSTON MURAL IN PLACE.
SPECIFICALLY THIS PROJECT SPECIFIES DEMOLISHING, UH, MOST OF THE EXISTING BUILDING EXCEPT FOR THE MURAL AND THE WALL AT THE NORTH ELEVATION STABILIZE AND PRESERVE THE EXISTING MURAL AND WALL USING STEEL SUPPORTS IN A TEMPORARY SLAB TO ANCHOR IT IN PLACE WHILE THE NEW BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED AROUND IT.
THEN RECONSTRUCT THE DETERIORATED WEST.
UH, THAT'S THE FRONT ELEVATION WITH IN-KIND MATERIALS AND FENESTRATION, INCLUDING THE CANOPY.
AND TO CONSTRUCT A, A NEW MIXED USE BUILDING WITH COMMERCIAL FRONTAGE ON WESTLAND AND RESIDENTIAL FRONTAGE ON EAST EASTON.
THE PROPOSED MIXED USE STRUCTURE IS FIVE STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH A FLAT ROOF, HORIZONTALLY ORIENTED, FULL HEIGHT WINDOWS, TRANSPARENT SCREENING, A ROOF DECK, AND STUCCO CLADDING.
THIS NEW BUILDING WRAPS THE EXISTING HOUSE AT 1101 WESTLAND WITH OUTDOOR SEATING TERRACES, UNIFYING THE TWO STRUCTURES.
AND, UH, FINALLY THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES STREET CHEESE AND LOW PROFILE PLANTERS IN PLACE OF THE EXISTING PARKING LOTS.
UM, AND THE EXISTING SIGNAGE IS PROPOSED TO BE RETAINED THE EXISTING BUILDING AT 1113 AND 1115 WESTLAND IS NOW PHARMACY, UH, WHICH IS A ONE STORY HORIZONTALLY ORIENTED TWO UNIT STORE WITH PLATE GLASS WINDOWS MASON VENEER, AND A FLAT CANOPY WITH CURVED SUPPORTS.
ITS SECOND UNIT IS A TWO STORY ATTACHED DRY CLEANER WITH PAINTED STONE CLADDING AND NO FENESTRATION AT THE PRIMARY STREET FRONTAGE, BUT A LONG HORIZONTAL BANK OF MULTI LIGHT STEEL CASEMENT WINDOWS AT THE SECONDARY FACADE.
THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1950 BY ANTHONY AND ALICE COTA REPLACING AN OLDER STORE BUILDING THAT HAD HOUSED DRUGSTORE NAMED ENFIELD.
THE COTAS OPENED ANTHONY'S LAUNDRY AND CLEANERS IN ONE HALF OF THE BUILDING AND LEASED THE OTHER HALF TO HILTON AND ELEANOR.
NOW IN 1951 THERE, THE NOWS OPENED, NOW'S ENFIELD DRUG AND SODA FOUNTAIN, AND THE BUSINESSES OPERATED SIDE BY SIDE FOR THE REST OF THE CENTURY.
THE NOW FAMILY ALSO OWNED SEVERAL OTHER DRUG STORES IN AUSTIN IN 1971.
NOW SOLD THE BUSINESS TO PHARMACIST LAMBERT LABE, WHO WORKED THERE FOR 55 YEARS.
THE BUSINESS REMAINED IN THE LABE FAMILY UNTIL ITS CLOSURE, UNTIL 21 LAMBERT LEVES OBITUARY DESCRIBES THE COMMUNITY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SODA.
FOUNTAIN NOW'S DRUG WAS A LOCAL GATHERING PLACE AND IT WAS REALLY HOPPING BACK WHEN.
WHAT IS NOW THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE? RIO GRANDE CAMPUS WAS THE ORIGINAL AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL FOR DECADES.
FORMER STUDENTS FROM AUSTIN HIGH AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS WOULD COME BACK TO SEE IF THEIR OLD HANGOUT WAS STILL AROUND, AND IT WAS LOTS OF FOLKS.
NOW REMEMBERING LAMBERT LABE AND HIS FAMILY BUSINESS AS BOTH A PART OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION
[01:05:01]
AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.THE PROJECT MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE DESIGN STANDARDS AND THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED PARTS OF THE DESIGN TO REFLECT COMMITTEE FEEDBACK.
UH, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDES, UM, RETAIN AS MUCH OF THE HISTORIC PORTION OF THE BUILDING AS POSSIBLE AND DEMONSTRATE THAT PORTIONS TO BE CONSTRUCTED HAVE DETERIORATED BEYOND REPAIR, PERFORM SELECTIVE DEMOLITION TO DETERMINE THE CANOPY'S CONSTRUCTION AND THE EXTENT OF ITS DETERIORATION.
WRAP THE STONE WORK AND KEEP ONE TO TWO FEET BEYOND THE CANOPY AS A CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURE.
SAVE AS MUCH OF THE CANOPY RETURN AS POSSIBLE AND RECONSTRUCT IT AT THE SECONDARY ELEVATION TO ENHANCE CONTINUITY.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MEETS TWO CRITERIA FOR LAND DESIGNATION.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND COMMENT ON THE PLANS.
THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED THE DESIGN TO INCORPORATE COMMITTEE AND NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDBACK, RECONSTRUCT THE ICONIC BUT DETERIORATED STOREFRONT ELEVATION IN KIND AND RETAIN THE MURAL, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT RECENT PAST FEATURE.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
UM, AND I GUESS THE, JUST TO CLARIFY, WHEN YOU SAY THE COMMITTEE, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED OR DISCUSSED AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE? UH, YES.
IT HAS BEEN TO, I BELIEVE, THREE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF COMMISSIONERS? HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT GO.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
I'M THE ARCHITECT, UH, FOR THE PROJECT.
I THINK JUST CLARIFICATION, WE'VE BEEN FOUR TIMES TODAY, REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ACTUALLY, THREE WEEKS AGO WE HAD ANOTHER WORKING SESSION, BUT IT WAS, UH, CANCELED.
UM, CAN YOU GET, UH, THE SLIDES FOR ME? THANK YOU.
I KNOW I ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES, SO I'M JUST GONNA GO VERY QUICKLY.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE PROPERTY LIKE, UH, THEY WERE EXPLAINING THE STAFF IS, UH, WESTLEY AND 12TH STREET IS THE EXISTING, UH, ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL PHARMACY.
AND ALSO THERE'S, UM, MEDICI CAFE.
UH, THIS IS THE PLAN OF THE EXISTING, UH, FOOTPRINT AND THE WALLS THAT WE ARE, UH, DISCUSSING WHERE THERE IS A MURAL, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA, UH, RETAIN.
AND, UM, AS WE'RE GONNA HAVE 27 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND COMMERCIAL, UH, BELOW YOU GO TO THE NEXT, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE GONNA NEED TO PUT UNDERGROUND PARKING.
AND FOR THAT REASON, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE DOWN PART OF THE, OF THE CANOPY FACADE AND REBUILD IT.
UH, THIS IS THE, UH, 12TH STREET, UH, FACADE.
UH, WE MEASURE, UH, ALL THE ELEMENTS IS, UH, UH, BRICK WALL WITH THE MURAL, UH, IS NOT TECHNICALLY ORIGINAL FROM THE ARTIST, BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, HE SAW IT.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IT SHOULD GO, BUT WE WANT, AND THE OWNER WANTS, UH, TO KEEP IT.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, UH, PLEASE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE, UH, LAST MEETING, UH, THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW, UH, COMMITTEE, WE WENT OVER TALKING ABOUT THE CANOPY, AND WE WENT THERE.
WE OPENED, ACTUALLY, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BREAK ANYTHING.
WE REMOVE, UH, FIRE ALARM, UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO PEEK INSIDE AND BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE CANOPY WAS MADE OF.
IF YOU GO, UH, TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE TWO SIDES IS THE ELEVATION.
WE, YOU KNOW, MEASURE MORE CAREFULLY.
UH, NEXT, UM, AND I WILL GET BACK TO THE CANOPY, BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE PARKING, UH, BELOW THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED FOR THE UNITS AND THE COMMERCIAL.
AND THIS IS THE WALL ON THE 12TH STREET THAT WE'RE GONNA, IT WILL REMAIN, BUT THE PARKING IN ORDER TO WORK NEEDS TO GO.
WE'RE GONNA LEAVE ABOUT EIGHT FOOT, BUT THIS OTHER PART FACING, UH, WEST WESTLEY WILL GO AWAY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TWO FLOORS BELOW.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO, PER DAY ONE OF THE MEETINGS WE WENT, LIKE I WAS SAYING, THESE MEETINGS, UM, UH, OR THE, I GET THE DRUG REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.
WE LOOK AT THE CANOPY CAREFULLY, MORE CAREFULLY.
I WENT MYSELF AND MEASURE ALL THE DIMENSIONS.
AND, UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE CANOPY, UH, UH, OUTLINE THERE.
UH, I REMEMBER, UH, COMMISSIONER CO.
WE WERE WONDERING IF THAT WAS BEING HAULED BY STEEL OR WOOD.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, THESE ARE PHOTOS THAT WE TOOK AND WE DID A WALL SECTION, AND IT'S ACTUALLY A METAL, UH, BEAM ABOUT, UH, THREE INCHES THAT COMES FROM THE BUILDING.
AND THEN IT'S HANGING THESE, UH, UH, REBARS THAT ARE WELDED
[01:10:01]
TO A MESH.AND THAT'S HOW THEY ACHIEVE, UH, THE CANOPY.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTO THERE.
WE PUT THE CAMERA, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, THE, THE MEAN.
AND THEN ABOVE YOU HAVE JUST A STANDARD, UH, WOOD CONSTRUCTION AND JUST A FLAT ROOF IN THERE.
AND THEN HAVE THE, THE WOOD, UH, UH, UH, TRIM AROUND.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
SO IN, SO WE WENT THROUGH, UH, MORE DETAIL.
SOME OF THEM HAVE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE STEEL COMES OUT, IS A PLATE AND IS, IS, IS, UH, CONNECT TO THE EDGE OF THE CANNABIS.
SO WE CAN, UH, RECONSTRUCTED, UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT DETERIORATION OF A LOT OF THAT PART IS, UH, ROTTEN.
THE ROOF IS NOT, YOU KNOW, IN GOOD CONDITION.
THE GUTTER IS REALLY BADLY ATTACHED.
SO ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, REBUILT ANYWHERE.
IF IS CORNER, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
THIS IS KIND OF, UH, A WAY THAT WE'RE TAKING TO HOLD THE STRUCTURE WILL, WILL CONNECT, UH, WITH STEEL, UH, THE WALL TO STAY VERTICAL.
NEXT, PLEASE, WHERE THEY EXCAVATE.
ONE OF THE MEETINGS WE HAD TOO, UH, WAS SUGGESTED IF WE COULD KEEP DESIGN AND THE OWNER AGREED TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, THESE SIGNS THAT MIGHT BE RELOCATED TO, UH, OTHER BASE, UH, YOU KNOW, NEARBY, DEPENDING ON, ON ALL THE, ON THE GROUND UTILITIES AND ALL THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR SIDEWALKS AND SO ON.
BUT GO AHEAD AND YEAH, JUST WRAP UP PRETTY MUCH.
THESE ARE MORE DIMENSIONS YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE AND NEXT ONE.
THEN HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT WILL BE THE LEVEL OF THE HOUSING, UH, ABOVE.
UH, WE'RE AGAIN, KEEPING THE FACADE THE SAME, YOU KNOW, CANOPIES AND ALL OF THAT, THE MURAL.
AND THIS KIND OF NEXT ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT WOULD BE ABOVE, ABOVE THE, THE, THE, THE BUILDING AND ALL THAT IS SET BACK TO NEXT.
JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU KIND OF MORE RENDERING OF WHAT IS GONNA BE THE PEDESTRIAN LIFE, UH, IN, IN THIS AREA NEXT, THIS THE MEDIC CAFE NEXT, AND HOW THE BUILDING WILL BE, UH, AROUND NEXT, I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE IMAGES TO SHOW MORE PEOPLE AND SO ON NEXT.
AND THAT'S THE OVERALL, YOU KNOW, UH, ELEVATION, UH, INTEGRATED NEXT.
AND THAT'S IN THE EASTERN, THE OPPOSITE FROM WESTLEY, THE OTHER STREET, WHICH IS WAY SET BACK, UH, FROM THIS, FROM THE PROPERTY LINE NEXT.
AND THAT'S OUR OVERALL, UH, SIDE PLAN OF THE, OF THE AREA WHERE YOU CAN SEE MOSTLY COMMERCIALLY IN WESLEY AND RESIDENTIAL IN THE, IN THE EASTERN, UH, STREET.
AND SINCE YOU HAD TWO CASES, SO THE EXTRA TIME, BECAUSE
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? I HAD A QUESTION.
HAVE, HAVE WE SEEN THIS RENDERING OF THE STRUCTURE ABOVE? 'CAUSE THE LAST ONE I REMEMBER IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SET BACK AND IT HAD VERY TALL PILATES THAT WERE, UH, UM, THAT WAS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, UH, THREE WEEKS AGO.
BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO, UH, TO MEET OH, OKAY.
THREE WEEKS AGO TO SHOW YOU MORE SEEING THIS NEW.
SO, SO THIS IS NEW TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WE WERE FOCUSING ON THE RECONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION OF THE, OF THE CANOPY AND THE BUILDING.
SO WHAT IS THIS SETBACK NOW? UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT FIRST FLOOR OR THAT SECOND FLOOR EDITION.
NOW WE'VE GOT THIS BALCONY THAT IS FLUSHED WITH OUR HISTORIC FACADE.
AND HOW FAR BACK IS THE ACTUAL, UM, RESIDENTIAL UNIT? SEVEN FOOT.
ANY, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU RO UH, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE, UH, TO SPEAK AGAINST? OKAY, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEMS NUMBER 13 AND 14.
SO SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING? RAISE YOUR HAND.
[01:15:01]
THOSE OPPOSED? IT'S UNANIMOUS.COMMISSIONER, UH, WHAT IS YOUR CONSIDERATION HERE? CAN WE HAVE A COMBINED MOTION ON THESE WITH TWO DIFFERENT ACTIONS OR SHOULD THEY BE TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS? UH, DEPENDS ON WHAT THE ACTIONS ARE.
I WOULD MOVE ON ITEM 13 TO, UH, APPROVE THE, THE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THE DESIGN AS APPROVED, AS SHOWN, BUT TO POSTPONE ITEM 14 TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE SINCE WE'RE TAKING BOTH OF THEM, UH, TOGETHER TO HAVE THAT IN ONE MOTION.
IS THAT CORRECT OR SHOULD WE TAKE THOSE TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS? IS THAT OKAY? ALRIGHT, SO GO AHEAD.
IS UH, THERE WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONER? YEAH, I, I, I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO DO THIS 'CAUSE WE HAD A CANCELLATION OF THE A RC MEETING THREE WEEKS AGO, WHICH IS THE FIRST ONE IN MY SEVEN YEARS ON THE A RC.
IT WAS JUST ONE WHERE THE THREE OF US ALL HAD, UM, PROFESSIONAL CONFLICTS AND WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT AT, AT 4:00 PM ON A WEDNESDAY.
SO, I'M SORRY THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE THIS AND COMMENT ON IT THEN.
BUT I THINK THERE'S, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THIS WITH NO COMMENTS HAVING WORKED THIS OUT 'CAUSE WE HAVE WORKED SO WELL TOGETHER.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT FLUSH FIRST FACADE GOING DIRECTLY UP OFF THE HISTORIC FACADE, THE LAST MASSING THAT WE SAW FOR THE ADDITION WAS VERY MUCH SET BACK.
UM, AND, AND THIS PRETTY MUCH ERASES THE PRESENCE OF THAT HISTORIC FACADE ALL AROUND.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M FINE WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION AS NECESSARY FOR THE UNDERGROUND PARKING.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE RESEARCH INTO THE CONSTRUCTION AND, AND I TRUST THE RECONSTRUCTION WILL BE DONE VERY WELL.
AND, UH, THE TREATMENT OF FACADE IS ALL FINE.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO TAKE ONE MORE LOOK AT THAT MASSING BECAUSE I, I JUST CAN'T LEAVE IT WITH A COMMENT THAT THE HISTORIC FACADE HAS NO MORE PRESENCE ANYMORE, UM, AS, AS PRESENTED.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE ONE MORE, UH, ROUNDED DISCUSSION IN THE A RC AND ONE MORE REVIEW IN, IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONER GROIN, UH, COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ALL THOSE COMMENTS.
I THINK THE REALLY BIG ISSUE FOR ME IS THAT SETBACK THAT, UM, WE HADN'T SEEN YET.
AND, AND, UM, WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH FROM WHAT IS HISTORICAL AND WHAT IS NEW.
AND, AND THAT'S, UM, JUST KIND OF A SEAMLESS PLANE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT IT MORE AT A RC.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? I JUST NOTICED THE SETBACK ON THE BACK OF THE BUILDING IS KIND OF LIKE THE STEP SETBACKS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SIDEWALK, YOUR SIGHT LINE SEES MORE SKY THAN THAN BUILDING.
UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME INITIAL COMMENTS THAT MAY BE WHEN WE COME TO THE A RC HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK, UH, WE'LL SEE SOME DIFFERENT DESIGNS.
BUT FOR FOR SURE THE, THE MAIN FACADE AND THE PARAPET WALL NEEDS TO READ ITS OWN ENTITY AS MUCH SETBACK BEYOND THAT AS POSSIBLE IMMEDIATELY, AND THEN AS MUCH STEP BACK BEYOND THAT SO THAT YOU DO GET THE SENSE OF THE ONE STORY STOREFRONT THAT USED TO BE THERE.
UM, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE ONE MORE MONTH OF THIS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA ADD, UM, GO AHEAD.
I, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY WELL, SO THANK YOU.
UM, THE BIG PICTURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GENERALLY FOLLOWING OUR DESIGN STANDARDS, UM, AND TRY TO APPLY THEM AS IF THIS WERE A LANDMARK, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, OUR MINIMUM IN THAT SENSE WOULD BE 20 FEET.
AND THE EARLIER DESIGN, UH, IT WAS A 10 FOOT SETBACK.
AND SO NOW TONIGHT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE SURPRISED SEEING SEVEN FEET.
UH, SO JUST, UM, MAYBE GOING BACK TO THOSE DESIGN STANDARDS MIGHT HELP YOU ALL UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I'M, I'M GONNA WEIGH IN ON THIS.
UH, AGAIN, THE WORK THAT AS VOLUNTEERS WE ALL ARE DOING, AND IN PARTICULAR THE PROFESSIONALS ON THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH AT HOW MUCH THAT RESOURCE, UH, REALLY MOVES PROJECTS LIKE THIS ALONG.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS, AND WE HAVE THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS THAT WE ABIDE BY FOR BUILDINGS OF THIS KIND.
AND, UH, I THINK ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING COMMISSIONER COOK THE SAME THING.
UH, I THINK WE HAVE A MULTI-STORY BUILDING ON TOP OF A ONE STORY BUILDING, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE SCALE HERE IS GOING TO BE A CRITICAL ISSUE, THAT WE NEED TO BE CONVINCED, UH, THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY, BOTH FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THAT FACADE, BUT ALSO THE CHARACTER OF THAT AS A ONE STORY BUILDING AND ITS IMPORTANCE, UH, AS, UH, A RESOURCE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I, I'M, I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT I'M
[01:20:01]
SEEING RIGHT NOW, UH, IS, UM, UH, IS A, A, A MASSING PROBLEM.SO, UH, I, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT IF THIS MOTION PASSES, THAT THE, UH, APPLICANT AND THE A RC MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS IN TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS A BETTER RESOLUTION THAN WHAT I'M SEEING TONIGHT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED TO LEARN AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THERE IS A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, I BELIEVE, BETWEEN THE OWNER AND THE DEVELOPER, AND THE OWNER WHO SOLD THE PROPERTY HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN PRESERVING THIS FACADE IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM.
SO, ALTHOUGH I FEEL BAD FOR HAVING TO POSTPONE BECAUSE WE HAD TO CANCEL FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS,
THIS IS, THIS IS A, A UNIQUE PROPERTY THAT WE HAVEN'T USED THE L WORD ON YET.
UM, BUT, UH, WE'VE BEEN APPROACHING IT ALMOST AS THOUGH IT WAS WAS ONE.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE OUR, OUR LAST ROUND.
AND LET ME JUST WEIGH IN ON ITEM NUMBER 13.
I DO BELIEVE IT IS APPROPRIATE, UH, WHAT'S BEING SHOWN AS, UH, ADAPTATIONS, UH, IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY FOR ITS CONTINUED USE IN A COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND I THINK THAT CARVE OUT, UH, IT WORKS.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I THINK IT REALLY IS STRICTLY THE NOW FACADE THAT, UH, THAT I HOPE WILL, WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, UH, EXTRA TIME AND COME UP WITH A BETTER RESOLUTION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ITEMS? YES, ALVAREZ? YES.
UH, I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS AND I THINK WITHOUT SOME SORT OF SETBACK OR MASSING DISTINCTION, THE FACADE ON THE, UH, ORIGINAL STOREFRONT JUST SEEMS TO BE LOST, UH, WITHIN THE NEW BUILD.
SO AT THIS POINT, UH, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION ON ITEM THE MOTION FOR ITEM 13, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, RELEASE THE DE PARTIAL DEMOLITION PERMIT, AND ITEM 14 TO DELAY, UH, TO OUR JANUARY MEETING WITH A, WITH A RE REQUEST FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS ALL, ALL APPROVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.
THANK OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF ORDER.
AND SO NOW WE CAN GO BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION CASES.
AND LET ME GO THROUGH THE EARLIER AGENDA.
[9. HR-2024-149566 – 1515 W 31st St. Bldg. 2 Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10]
UH, POSTED FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM NINE, AND THAT IS, UH, 1515 WEST 31ST STREET BUILDING NUMBER TWO.IT'S IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND I BELIEVE THIS WAS PULLED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEMOLISH, CONTRIBUTING GARAGE AND CONSTRUCT A SECOND HOUSING UNIT, A GARAGE THAT IS LISTED IN THE, AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, WHICH HAS BEEN ALTERED, IS PROPOSED TO BE DEMOLISHED IN ITS PLACE, A SECOND HOUSING UNIT, WHICH IS TO BE TWO FLOORS IN HEIGHT WITH AN ADDED LOFT SPACE WITH AN ADDED LOFT SPACE.
THE FOOTPRINT OF THE HOUSING UNIT IS TO BE SIMILAR IN SIZE AND IN APPROXIMATE LOCATION TO THE GARAGE.
UH, THE HOUSING UNIT WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THE HISTORIC HOUSE WITH A NEW SINGLE STORY SCREEN PORCH.
THE HOUSE AT 1515 WEST 31ST STREET IS A SINGLE STORY AND WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1938 WITH SIMPLE BUNGALOW DETAILS.
THERE'S A FRONT PORCH SET AT THE RIGHT SIDE, SUPPORTED BY TWO SIMPLE WOOD POSTS.
THE FRONT ENTRY IS RECESSED UNDER THE PORCH, ALONG WITH A SINGLE HUNG WINDOW, ALONG WITH THE TWO OTHER WINDOWS AT THE FRONT ELEVATION.
THESE HAVE ALL BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED.
THE ROOF IS ALSO MADE OF REPLACEMENT METAL FINISH, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF HIPS AND GABLE CONSTRUCTION.
THERE WAS ALSO A TWO STORY REAR ADDITION ADDED TO THE HOUSE PREVIOUSLY, WHICH FEATURES A FRONT FACING GABLE ROOF WITH DECORATIVE BRACKETS THAT MAKE, CONFUSE IT AS ORIGINAL.
AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY IS A SIMPLE RECTANGULAR GARAGE WITH TWO ROLLUP DOORS AT OPPOSITE SIDES.
A BACKYARD POOL IS ALSO PRESENT.
LITTLE COULD BE FOUND ABOUT THOSE THAT LIVED AT 1515 EAST 31ST STREET.
THERE'S A RECORD OF A WILLIAM AND BEATRICE SPRAWL OWNING THE PROPERTY IN 1940, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE, BUT THAT THEY HAVE, THEY MAY HAVE MOVED DURING WORLD WAR II AS NEWS ARTICLES IDENTIFY AN EARL SMITH WITH THAT ADDRESS BY 1942.
IN BETWEEN THESE TWO, UH, YEARS, AN INVITATION FOR SERVICE MEMBERS WOULD'VE EXTENDED BY A MRS. MARY WARNER AT THIS ADDRESS IS UNCLEAR HOW LONG EACH OF THESE PEOPLE LIVED AT THE ADDRESS, OR WHAT THEIR ROLES IN THE COMMUNITY WERE.
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 NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THE PROJECT MEETS, UH, SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS TO SIMPLIFY THE WINDOW DESIGN TO REDUCE DIFFERENT SIZES OF WINDOWS AND MAINTAIN LEVEL FENESTRATION HEIGHTS ACROSS THE INDIVIDUAL FLOORS.
[01:25:01]
YOU.UM, ANY COMMENT, QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONERS OF STAFF? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WE APPRECIATE IT.
UH, WE WILL OPEN THIS FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? YES, MR. DOUG POWELL IS HERE.
THEN GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF AGAIN.
UM, SO ON THIS ONE, UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, THE, I, I, I LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED A DUPLEX BECAUSE IT'S ATTACHED.
I DIDN'T THE ALL THE NEW RULES FOR MULTIFAMILY, UH, OR SORRY, SORRY, UH, THE THREE DWELLING, YOU KNOW, THING IS KIND OF INTERESTING TO NAVIGATE RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UM, SO I NOTICED THAT THE COMMENT WAS, UM, CAN WE PULL THE ELEVATIONS BACK UP? UM, WAS TO, UH, LEVEL THE WINDOWS.
AND I, I WILL COMMENT THAT I DON'T THINK, UM, SO BASICALLY THE NORTH FRONT ELEVATION, UH, AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT, I THINK IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT TRIGGERED THAT COMMENT.
UM, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD ACTUALLY SEE, UM, THE WHOLE FACADE AT ANY ONE POINT.
UM, SO THE REASON THE WINDOWS AREN'T ALIGNED IS BECAUSE OF SOME INTERIOR SPACE CONSIDERATIONS.
BUT, UM, I'D ALSO BE WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS IF THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE, ARE LOOKING FOR.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK, UH, ON THIS ITEM FOR OR AGAINST? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MWATER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AS UNANIMOUS, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, BRAIN, SORRY.
UM, I MOVE TO POSTPONE, UH, POSTPONE THIS ITEM TO NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE NEXT A RC MEETING.
NOW, I BELIEVE THIS, THIS IS THE APPLICANT WHO, WHO DID INDICATE THAT HE WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT THERE COULD BE A REVIEW AND MAYBE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND THEN BE ALLOWED TO GO FORWARD.
THAT WAS ON THE OTHER, OH, THAT WAS THE OTHER CASE.
I'M, I'M CONFUSING SOME SIMILARITIES HERE.
SO, UM, IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC ITEMS, UH, THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT A DELAY, I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL ITEMS, UM, TO ADDRESS A RC.
AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN DELAYED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? MOTION TO POSTPONE IN ORDER TO REFER THIS TO THE A AR THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IF THERE'S NO SECOND, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
I'LL MOVE TO MAKE OUR COMMENTS AND RELEASE THE PERMIT.
UH, THAT MOTION REQUIRES A SECOND.
IS THERE A SECOND? DID I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ SECOND.
I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE FERVOR TO GET THIS PERFECT, BUT THIS BEING AN A DU AT THE BACK OF A BUILDING IN A, UH, NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, UH, IT DIDN'T SEEM OFFENSIVE ENOUGH TO ME TO DELAY THIS FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
I WOULD JUST ASK, AND FROM WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, THE STREET FACING WINDOWS ARE FAIRLY REGULAR.
THE, THE ROOF LINE IS A LITTLE ODD, I THINK, BUT THAT MAY BE A MATTER OF RENDERING.
'CAUSE I THINK THE MAIN HOUSE IS RENDERING AND I WOULD SUGGEST AN OVERHANG TO MAKE THE ROOF LINES A LITTLE MORE COMPATIBLE.
UM, I THINK THE, THE WINDOW PATTERNS AREN'T MATCHING, BUT THEY'RE NOT EGREGIOUS ON THE FRONT FACING.
BUT JUST DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO, UM, NOT HAVE REALLY NON HISTORIC, UH, WINDOW PATTERNS ON THE FRONT FACING FACADE.
BUT BEING A SEPARATE BUILDING, BEING IN THE BACK, AND THIS BEING A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, I, I JUST, UM, AND SEEING AN OBVIOUS ATTEMPT TO BE, TO MEET THE STANDARDS AND BE SENSITIVE AND NOT TEARING THE BUILDING, THE ORIGINAL BUILDING DOWN, I, I KIND OF WANTED TO REWARD THAT AND NOT, UH, NOT DELAY IT ANOTHER MONTH, BUT I ASKED THAT THE APPLICANT KIND OF TAKE THOSE COMMENTS TO HEART.
AND, UM, PARTICULARLY THE ROOF LINE, THE, THE NO OVERHANG FOR THE SAKE OF THE BUILDING AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, COMPATIBILITY WITH THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
UM, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THEY CONSIDER THAT.
[01:30:01]
UM, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO IT, AND, UM, YES, PLEASE CONSIDER THE COMMENTS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, COOK HAS A MADE UP.I, YEAH, I DIDN'T SEE ENOUGH, UH, STREET VISIBILITY HERE TO, I THINK TRIGGER FURTHER REVIEW.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER COOK ON THE ROOF.
UM, I WOULD SAY NOT TO MATCH THE HISTORIC SIDING.
WE'VE SAID THAT MULTIPLE TIMES UP HERE, UH, TO TRY TO BE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT AND FAIR SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
UH, SO EVEN IF YOU JUST MATCH IT WITH, UH, IF YOU, EVEN IF YOU PUT A SIMPLE PROFILE, UM, OR A DIFFERENT PROFILE FROM THE HISTORIC PROPERTY, UH, ALSO WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE SHUTTERS AND SIMPLIFY THE WINDOWS.
UM, AT ESPECIALLY THE SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS, WHICH HAVE A, THEY HAVE A LOT OF MOUNTAINS OR, UM, IMITATION MOUNTAINS THAT IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S TOO MUCH.
SO I WOULD SIMPLIFY THE WINDOWS.
AND HE ALREADY MENTIONED THE ROOF.
UM, AND I THINK THE CONNECTION'S OKAY, WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE DISCUSSED THAT IN DETAIL, BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF THE WORRIES,
ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, THE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK.
UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ TO GO AHEAD AND RELEASE, UH, THE, UH, PERMIT, REQUEST WITH COMMENTS.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION.
[11. HR-2024-150669 – 1505 W 32nd St. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10 (Part 2 of 2)]
TO ITEM NUMBER 11 AND THIS ONE IS 1505 WEST 32ND STREET.UH, THIS ONE IS ALSO IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND THIS IS A REMODEL ADDITION ON THE MAIN HOUSE AND THE DEMOLITION OF THE GARAGE.
NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A REAR UNIT.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT TWO ADDITIONS IN A REAR HOUSING UNIT.
UM, THE PROJECT PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS ARE TO DEMOLISH THE FRONT PORCH AND ENTRYWAY ALONG WITH THE LEFT WALL CONSTRUCT, A NEW ENTRYWAY AND OFFICE AT THE FRONT CENTER OF THE BUILDING, CONSTRUCT A NEW ADDITION AT THE LEFT SIDE, PROJECTING IN FRONT, BOTH IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE ORIGINAL FOOTPRINT.
AND TO CONSTRUCT A SECOND TWO STORY DWELLING UNIT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
THE CURRENT APPEARANCE OF THE PROPERTY IS LARGELY ORNA UN ORNAMENTED.
UH, THERE'S A FRONT PORCH ELEVATED THREE STEPS ABOVE GRADE AND SUPPORTED BY FOUR WOOD POSTS THAT COVERS THE FRONT ENTRY TO THE RIGHT OF THIS IS A MODERATELY SIZED WINDOW THAT APPEARS TO BE A REPLACEMENT APART FROM TWO SMALL WINDOWS, UH, TO THE LEFT OF THE PORCH.
UH, THIS IS ALL THE FENESTRATION THAT APPEARS ON THE STREET FACING ELEVATION.
THE ROOF IS SIDE GABLED AND SET AT A MODERATE PITCH.
THE OVERALL SHAPE OF THE HOUSE APPEARS TO HAVE NOT BEEN ALTERED, RETAINING ITS ORIGINAL ELONGATED RECTANGULAR PLANT BUILT AROUND 1940.
THIS HOUSE WAS OWNED FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS BY MAJOR AND RUBY HARWOOD.
MAJOR HARWOOD WORKED IN SEVERAL GOVERNMENT ROLES DURING THIS TIME, INCLUDING THE WPA, THE IRS AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROPERTIES IN THE IN NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
UH, THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UM, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON NEW CONSTRUCTION INSIDE AND THE SIDE EDITION.
UH, RECOMMEND TO ALTER THE FRONT EDITION TO MINIMALLY ALTER THE CURRENT APPEARANCE OF THE FRONT ENTRYWAY.
POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO JANUARY 8TH, 2025 AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE DECEMBER 11TH, UH, 2024 MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
UM, SO AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS IS BOTH A, UH, REMODEL TO AN EXISTING HOUSE AND A REAR A DU UH, THAT CURRENTLY IS SHOWN TO BE ATTACHED THAT MAY CHANGE, UM, BECAUSE OF SOME COMMENTS FROM FIRE AND OTHER PEOPLE OR AND OTHER REVIEW STAFF.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT AFFECTS Y'ALL'S DECISION TONIGHT, BUT, UM, THE A DU IS JUST CURRENTLY GOT A COVERED PATIO OR A, SORRY, A COVERED BREEZEWAY ATTACHING IT TO THE MAIN HOUSE.
UM, AND THEN BEYOND THAT, I GUESS THE, UH, MAIN COMMENT I'M GONNA GUESS FROM Y'ALL IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S A, BASICALLY A TRANSVERSE GABLE AND I'M INTRODUCING SOME NEW FRONT, FRONT TO BACK GABLES.
UM, AND, UM, I, MY ATTEMPT WAS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GIVE A NOD TO WHAT WAS THERE.
BUT, UM, HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND, UH, SEE WHAT COMMENTS YOU HAVE.
I WOULD ONLY ASK IF YOU WOULD LEAVE THE POSSIBILITY OPEN THAT I COULD WORK WITH THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND POSSIBLY GET THIS, UM, APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY, UM, RATHER
[01:35:01]
THAN IN GO TO THE NEXT MEETING.UM, IF, IF WE CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR OR AGAINST? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE MAKE OUR COMMENTS AND RELEASE THE, THE, THE PERMIT.
OKAY, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
COMMISSIONER COOK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MC MORDER.
COMMISSIONER KOCH, I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE LAST CLAY CASE.
I'M ACTUALLY, UH, GLAD IT WAS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, THE LAST CASE IN PARTICULAR, UM, AND NOT PASSED ON CONSENT WITH THE COMMENTS 'CAUSE UM, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE, UH, APPLICANTS HAVE HIRED AN ARCHITECT WHO'S TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UH, IS DOING, DOING THINGS IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY.
UM, AND I I JUST THINK OUR COMMENTS ARE AT THAT COMMENTS AND I THINK THAT THEY CAN BE MADE AND RELEASED HERE IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR EX EXAMPLE.
YEAH, THE HISTORIC HOUSE IS BEING ALTERED IN SUCH A WAY THE, THE FRONT EDITION IS LARGE.
THE SIDE EDITION HAS A BIG IMPACT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S GONNA IMPACT ANY CONTRIBUTING STATUS, WHICH I BELIEVE THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO, TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT AS A CONTRIBUTOR, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS HOUSE HAS THAT MUCH TO OFFER AND ITS CURRENT FORM.
I THINK THE ADDITIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD ELIMINATE ITS, ITS CONTRIBUTING STATUS.
I THINK SOMETHING FAR WORSE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THIS HOUSE.
I THINK OTHER OWNERS WOULD MORE LIKELY HAVE TORN IT DOWN AND BUILT A BIG WHITE BOX.
AND SO I'M, I'M MORE HAPPY TO SEE PROBABLY AN AGGRESSIVE FRONT ADDITION THAT IS IN KEEPING WITH THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAN, THAN I AM TO WANT TO IRON OUT DETAILS.
AND I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE PROGRAM CAN'T REALLY BE MET WITH ANY MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS WITH THAT FRONT ADDITION OTHER THAN WHERE IT IS.
SO, UM, I, I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT STRONGLY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS AS A CONTRIBUTING, UH, RESOURCE TO, TO DRAG IT ON ANY FURTHER.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UH, I, SECOND, SECOND.
MC YOU SECOND, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? YEAH, I, UH, I WOULD MAKE A COMMENT THAT JUST LIKE THE OTHER ONE, I BELIEVE THE ELEVATIONS ARE SOMEWHAT DIAGRAMMATIC, BUT, UH, WOULD INDICATE THE ROOF DOES NOT HAVE AN OVERHANG AND THERE'S A VERY SLIGHT BUT APPROPRIATE, UH, TYPE OF DETAILING WITH THE ORIGINAL BUILDING AND BEING SOME SOMEWHAT SENSITIVE TO THAT OR SOME SOMEWHERE, UH, MORE COMPATIBLE I THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE WITH THE REAR ADDITION.
UH, OTHERWISE I THINK THE HEIGHT IS IN THE RIGHT LOCATION TOWARDS THE BACK.
UH, IT WILL NOT BE PARTICULARLY VISIBLE.
UH, AND LIKE COMMISSIONER COOK SAYS, UH, EVEN, UM, THOUGH THERE'S QUITE A NUMBER OF, UH, CHANGES THAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE FRONT ELEVATION, THEY ARE VERY SYMPATHETIC AND HAVE BEEN HANDLED FAIRLY WELL.
UH, WHETHER THAT WOULD NEGATE ITS ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO BE A CONS CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU, IT PROBABLY DOES LOSE ITS STATUS, BUT, UH, IT IS STILL A, A LOOK AND A SCALE THAT WAS COMPATIBLE WITH THE REST OF THE DISTRICT.
UH, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN WAY TOO MANY ALTERNATES THAT DON'T DO THAT.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK.
ONE MORE COMMENT IN, IN THE INTEREST OF, UM, PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE CASES.
THIS IS ALSO ON A STREET WHERE THE, THE LOTS ARE SLANTED TO THE MAIN STREET AND SO THE FACADES ARE ALREADY STEPPED.
THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE IS EVEN SET BACK, UH, MORE THAN OTHERS.
SO I, I THINK A, A FRONT EDITION HERE IS LESS LIKELY TO IMPACT THE STREET SCAPE THAN SOMETHING SIMILAR WOULD DO TO THE, THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE ON ONE WHERE THE LOTS WERE REC TOLINE TO THE FRONT STREET.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER, UM, REASON THAT I'M, I'M LESS INCLINED TO DELAY THIS FOR THE FRONT EDITION.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I, I THINK THE FACT THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT NON-CONTRIBUTING, UM, JUST GIVES ME CALLS TO NOT VOTE, NOT VOTE IN FAVOR, JUST, UH, I THINK IT MAKES IT NON-CONTRIBUTING AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT, SO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, UH, TO RELEASE, UH, THE APPLICATION AND, UH, WITH COMMENTS INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I'M SEEING 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 VOTES IN FAVOR.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, I'M SEEING TWO OPPOSED.
[01:40:01]
SO THAT IS NOT A QUORUM VOTE.AND SO WE WILL HAVE NO ACTION AT THIS POINT.
UH, AND I WILL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
I'LL MOVE TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND ALLOW ADMINISTRATIVE RELEASE AT THAT POINT FOR THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT AFTER THAT? UH, THAT'S, WAIT.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE A, A MOTION TO SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, COOK SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
AND I'LL HAVE THE MOTION MAKER TO COMMENT FIRST.
COMMISSIONER COOK, THIS IS JUST THE NEXT STEP BACK FROM THAT.
SO,
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE OR NON-CONTRIBUTING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY BIG HANG UP TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME, A HEAD START THERE.
UH, AND AGAIN, I, I WE'RE DISCUSSING THE, THE, THE MOTION TO POSTPONE, BUT I'M, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT THE APPLICANT CAN DO WITH THE CURRENT PROGRAM, UH, TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, UH, MAYBE NOT HAVE A GABLE END ON THE, ON THE FAR LEFT.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DESIGN FROM THE DIOCESE, BUT THAT, UH, SINCE I WON'T BE AT THE A RC MEETING, I CAN SEE THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE IS JUST TO MAINTAIN THE, UH, THE PLATE HEIGHT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE ADDITION.
BUT OTHERWISE, UH, I THINK THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MEAT HERE TO, TO, TO, TO CHEW ON.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT IF YOU CAN FIND ANY WAY TO REMOVE THAT FRONT ADDITION.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE HALF OF IT IS A FOUR YEAR AND THERE'S ALREADY A FOUR YEAR AND HALF OF IT IS OFFICE.
IF YOU CAN POSSIBLY FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR THAT, IT WOULD MAKE THIS GO A LOT BETTER BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU'D BE MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC FRONT FACADE, EVEN WITH THE SIDE EDITION, YOU'D HAVE A HISTORIC FACADE RETAINED.
SO IF YOU CAN POSSIBLY LOOK AT THAT BEFORE THE A RC MEETING, HOPEFULLY THIS COMES TO A RESULT.
OKAY, WE HAVE A, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE IN ORDER TO ATTEND THE A RC WITH THE POTENTIAL OF, UH, BEING ABLE TO RELEASE THE REVIEW, UH, UPON THE COMPLETION OF THAT MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK AND, UH, AGAIN, LOOK FORWARD TO A RESOLUTION HERE.
OKAY, THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER
[12. HR-2024-149562 – 1417 Preston Ave. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10 Proposal: New const]
12, AND THAT IS 1417 PRESTON AVENUE.AND THIS IS IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
HEY, I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I SIT FOR THIS ONE.
I, UH, HURT MYSELF A LITTLE BIT.
SO
ITEM 12 AT 1417, PRESTON AVENUE IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A NEW RESIDENCE AND A POOL IN PLACE OF AN EXISTING NON-CONTRIBUTING HOUSE THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION.
THE PROPOSED NEW HOUSE IS TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH A CROSS GD ROOF.
IT IS CLOUD AND HORIZONTAL FIBER.
CEMENT SIDING WITH BRICK VENEER AT THE FOUNDATION.
SKIRTING FENESTRATION INCLUDES SIX OVER SIX WOOD DOUBLE-HUNG ENCASEMENT WINDOWS WITH OPERABLE SHUTTERS.
UH, 12 OVER 12 AND NINE OVER NINE WOOD DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS, ALSO WITH OPERABLE SHUTTERS AND AN INSET FRONT DOOR WITH DIVIDED LIGHT SIDELIGHTS AND TRANSOM.
THE PROPOSED ATTACHED GARAGE IS CONNECTED TO THE MAIN HOUSE BY A BREEZEWAY.
UH, IT'S TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT AND CONSTRUCTED AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY WITH MATERIALS TO MATCH THE MAIN HOUSE.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHAB AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
UH, THE PROPERTY MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LET US HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
I'M SORRY, I HAD A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
DID YOU SAY THE DEMOLITION WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED? YES.
COMMISSIONER, UH, THE EXISTING HOUSE ON THIS LOT IS A NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED ALREADY.
SO THE, THE, I PULLED THIS BECAUSE WE GOT RECEIVED COMMUNITY NOTICE ABOUT THIS VIA EMAIL.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEIR LETTER MEANS NOTHING BECAUSE THEIR ISSUE WAS WITH THE DEMOLITION OF WHAT WAS THERE? IS THAT CORRECT? I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT LETTER, BUT, UM, THE EXISTING BUILDING HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BEFORE THIS CASE.
SO WE'RE, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO.
I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR 'CAUSE WE GOT A LETTER LAID BACK UP OBJECTING TO DEMOLITION OF THIS PROPERTY SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH.
[01:45:01]
BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION.SO, UM, AS A, AS A NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
AS A NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
SO I JUST WANT TO LET THE, THE PUBLIC KNOW WHO SENT THESE, THESE, THIS NOTICE IN THAT, UH, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THE DEMOLITION IMPAIRMENT.
I WOULD BE APPROVED AND THIS IS JUST FOR APPROVAL OF THE HOUSE.
AND WE'RE REVIEWING IT BECAUSE IT IS IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND IT IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY A NEW, NEW STRUCTURE IN THAT, IN THE, IN THAT AREA.
UM, AGAIN, UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM STAFF, THEN I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE MAY HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT IS THE APPLICANT HERE.
PLEASE COME AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
I'M THE ARCHITECT ON THE PROJECT AND I'M JUST HERE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF, UH, THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
I WILL THANK YOU FOR BEING AVAILABLE.
WE MAY, WE MAY PULL YOU BACK UP HERE IF SOMETHING COMES UP.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR OR AGAINST? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MC MORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
I'LL MOVE TO MAKE COMMENTS AND RELEASE THE PERMIT.
UH, SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
UM, COMMISSIONER COOK, I'M GLAD THIS WAS PULLED TO ADDRESS, UH, COMMUNITY CONCERNS, BUT SINCE IT'S BEEN CLEARED UP THAT THE DEMOLITION HAS ALREADY BEEN PRE-APPROVED, I THINK AS NEW CONSTRUCTION, THIS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SENSITIVELY DONE AND IN SCALE AND IN DETAIL.
UH, AND EVEN FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE, THE HOUSE THAT'S BEING LOST, I THINK IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE DESIGN.
COMMISSIONER? UM, I JUST, I GUESS JUST FOR RECORD, SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT BACKUP, UM, THE, THE LETTER, UM, ALSO, UH, FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER OR A NEIGHBOR ALSO, UH, JUST NOTES THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE STREET AND THAT, UH, LET'S SEE, THEIR CONCERN WAS THAT THE STREET FACADE WOULD BE WIDED SO THAT THE EAST SETBACK LINE, UM, WAS NOT APPROPRIATE IN THEIR OPINION, AND THAT THIS WOULD PLACE THE HOUSE 10 FEET FROM THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY TO THE EAST.
AND THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE GARAGE BEING RAISED, UM, TO A STORY AND A HALF AND PLACED ALONG THAT WEST SETBACK LINE.
AND WE DIDN'T, WE HAVEN'T, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THOSE THINGS IN, IN, YOU KNOW, IN DEPTH.
UH, BUT I'M JUST READING THAT FOR THE RECORD SO YOU ALL KNOW, UM, I KNOW, I KNOW YOU COME TO A RC AHEAD OF TIME, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME MISCOMMUNICATION ON THE BLOCK AND IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK JUST TO REMEMBER TO TALK TO THE NEIGHBORS SO THAT, UM, IF THEY CAN HAVE AN OPINION OR, YOU KNOW, LET YOU KNOW WHERE THEY STAND SO THAT THIS DOESN'T COME AS A SURPRISE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, AND LET ME JUST WEIGH IN.
UH, I, I THINK, UH, HERE THE ARCHITECT, TIM, I THINK YOU, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
UH, I THINK IT'S VERY COMPATIBLE FOR THIS, THIS AREA AND, UH, I DO HOPE THE NEIGHBORS, UH, APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET AN EASY COMMENT.
UH, WE OFTENTIMES ARE WORKING WITH, UH, INSENSITIVE PROPORTIONS OR SCALE OR DETAILS OR MATERIALS.
UH, AS STAFF MENTIONED, I THINK THESE ALL WOULD MEET OUR CRITERIA AND, UH, THERE ARE MANY BUILDINGS UP AND DOWN THAT STREET, ALL PART OF THE HISTORIC, UH, NATURE OF THIS AREA THAT, UH, WOULD BE IN VERY COMPATIBLE DIALOGUE WITH YOUR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO I THINK IT, IT WILL CONTRIBUTE VERY WELL, UH, AS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND UH, I THINK IT GIVES US A, OBVIOUSLY PULLING IT GIVES MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO STAND UP HERE AND TAKE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.
BUT IT ALSO I THINK SHOULD GIVE US A CHANCE TO, UH, INDICATE THE SENSITIVITY THAT IS DEMONSTRATED IN THESE DRAWINGS.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, AS A REFERENCE FOR, UH, POTENTIALLY OTHER DESIGNERS IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, PARTICULARLY ONE AS SENSITIVE AS THIS, UH, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD MODEL.
SO THAT WE THANK YOU AGAIN, UM, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I'LL BE READY TO CALL THE CALL THE QUESTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, RELEASE WITH COMMENTS.
UM, AND, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? NOPE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS.
[01:50:01]
NUMBER 12.UH, WE'VE TAKEN 13 AND 14 ALREADY, SO IT IS NOW THE DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION
[15. PR-2024-043035 – 1702 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Council District 1]
PERMIT REQUESTS, AND THIS IS ITEM NEXT ONE IS 15 AT 1704 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR AGENDA, UH, PREVIOUSLY AND WE POSTPONE THIS FROM OUR NOVEMBER 6TH MEETING.
AND I DO BELIEVE WE'LL BE HAVING AN UPDATE HERE.
THIS ITEM, UH, HAS BEEN ON Y'S AGENDA FOR, UM, A LONG TIME SINCE THIS SUMMER.
SO I'LL BE BRIEF WITH THE PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1916 HOUSE AND A 1942 REAR HOUSE.
THE FRONT HOUSE AT 1702 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1916 AS A RENTAL PROPERTY.
ITS ARCHITECTURAL DETAILING MARKS IT AS AN EXAMPLE OF NATIONAL FOLK HOUSES RENTED TO WORKING CLASS EAST AUSTIN FAMILIES DURING THE EARLY YEAR OF THE 20, DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
1702 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING'S FIRST RESIDENT LISTED IN CITY DIRECTORIES WAS OLIVER D KAVANAUGH, A HAYES COUNTY NATIVE KAVANAUGH GREW UP IN THE ANTIOCH FREEDOM COLONY.
ACCORDING TO AMBER LEE HOLM IN A PUBLICATION BY TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY'S CENTER FOR TEXAS PUBLIC HISTORY.
IT'S THE LAST TIME YOU SAW THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, THE ANTIOCH COLONY ITSELF, UH, WE FOUND HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY DOCUMENTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ARCHEOLOGIST MARIA FRANKLIN AND HER TEAM.
UM, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED BY THE TEAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH DESCENDANTS OF THE COLONIES.
UM, AND IN 2016, THIS PROMPTED A TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER INSTALLED IN HAYES COUNTY TO COMMEMORATE THE COLONY.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THIS PROPERTY AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT DOES NOT RECOMMEND INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY TO DETERMINE THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS.
THE FIRST, THE FRONT BUILDING EMBODIES THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY RENTAL HOMES.
MODEST INTERPRETATION OF THE NATIONAL FOLK STYLE, INCLUDING A HIP ROOF AND A CORNER PORCH WITH TURN POSTS.
THE BUILDINGS ARE MOST RECENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOODEN FAMILY.
THE FRONT HOUSE IS ASSOCIATED WITH OLIVER D KAVANAUGH CONTRACTOR AND OTHER FAMILIES FROM THE ANTIOCH FREEDOM COLONY, A HAYES COUNTY COMMUNITY THAT IS MOSTLY NO LONGER EXTANT.
HOWEVER, THE STORY OF THE ANTIOCH COLONY HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED EXTENSIVELY THROUGH AN OFFICIAL STATE MARKER IN 2016 AND THE EXCELLENT WORK OF ARCHEOLOGIST MARIA FRANKLIN AND THE TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMITS ONLY UPON COMPLETION OF CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGES FOR BOTH HOUSES, RELOCATION OF THE FRONT HOUSE WITHIN THE SAME AREA OF EAST AUSTIN WOULD NOT PRECLUDE LATER HISTORIC ZONING.
HOWEVER, EFFORTS TO RELOCATE THE BUILDING WITHIN THE AREA HAVE NOT BEEN FRUITFUL.
THE OUTPOURING OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR DEMOLITION INDICATES THAT THE BUILDING'S COMMUNITY VALUE IS LIMITED IN ITS IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS.
ADDITIONALLY, REMOVAL OF THE HOUSE DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE OVERALL POTENTIAL TO TELL THE STORY OF ANTIOX IMPORTANCE TO AUSTIN.
THOUGH THE STRUCTURE ITSELF WOULD BE LOST THROUGH DEMOLITION, THE PROPERTY COULD STILL PLAY A ROLE IN FUTURE INTERPRETIVE OPPORTUNITIES ON THE MIGRATION OF FREEDMEN INTO AUSTIN, CONNECTING THE INTACT AND ROBUST ARCHEOLOGICAL LEGACY AND HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION OF ANTIOX RESIDENCE TO PART, TO PART OF THEIR AUSTIN JOURNEY.
THANKS SO MUCH AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
I FEEL STRANGE SITTING DOWN, BUT I'M GONNA TRY IT.
WE HAD, IT IS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE.
I WAS THINKING IT WAS JULY, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY JUNE THAT WE WERE, UM, AT THE, UH, FIRST HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND THEN WENT SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE A RC THAT SAME MONTH AND HAD SOME GOOD DIALOGUE.
UM, WE HAVE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THAT TIME, UM, WORKING WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS IN THE AREA IN HOPES THAT WE WOULD HAVE A, UM, HOUSING ADVOCATE THAT MIGHT WANNA TAKE THE HOUSES AND REHAB THEM, OR AT LEAST ONE OF THEM.
UM, AND FORTUNATELY AS STAFF MENTIONED, IT'S JUST NOT BEEN FRUITFUL.
A LOT OF THAT DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE EXISTING, UM, HOUSES AND THE REPAIRS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE HISTORY HERE.
I KNOW THERE'S, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OTHER STRUCTURES POTENTIALLY THAT ARE IN THIS AREA, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CORRIDOR OR NEARBY OR OWNED BY, UM, THE FAMILY THAT MAY BE A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN STUDIES THAT SHOW THIS SHOULD NOT BE INDIVIDUALLY LANDMARKED NECESSARILY, AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES I'M HERE REPRESENTING A DEVELOPER AS A LOT OF YOU'VE SEEN TONIGHT.
UM, BUT THIS IS A FAMILY, THIS IS A FAMILY THAT HAS, UM, WORKED TOWARDS GENERATIONAL WEALTH
[01:55:01]
OVER THE DECADES, AS YOU'VE READ ABOUT IN THE REPORT, TO KEEP THIS PROPERTY AND TO HOPEFULLY DEVELOP IT FOR THE FUTURE OF THEIR FAMILY.AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS CORRIDOR AND THE WAY THAT IT'S CHANGING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN TO SOME, SOME IDEAS AS STAFF MENTIONED IN THE REPORT ABOUT POTENTIALLY RELOCATION POTENTIALLY OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
BUT OF COURSE OUR FIRST REQUEST STILL IS TO, UM, TO HAVE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR DEMOLITION.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE SOME FAMILY MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT IF YOU, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TOO.
WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS.
UH, UM, I WAS, UM, THINKING THIS WOULD BE A, A SIMPLE WIN-WIN WHERE I KNOW THE FAMILY OWNS A PORTFOLIO OF WHAT SOME 30 PROPERTIES, INCLUDING OTHER HOFFINS HOUSES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY HOFFINS HOUSES THAT ARE LANDMARKED AND WE HAD PUT OUT THERE THAT IF THEY HAD ANOTHER PROPERTY, WE'D BE HAPPY TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, FREE OF CHARGE, SAVING ABOUT $2,000 IN APPLICATION FEES TO LAND MARKET AND THEREFORE PROVIDE A, I THINK NOW $10,500 A MONTH, A YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE A MOVEMENT TOWARD EQUITY AND GENERAL WEALTH, GENERATIONAL WEALTH WITH THE FAMILY.
AND IN EXCHANGE, LETTING THESE ON THE HIGH DENSITY, HIGH, HIGH TRAFFIC CORRIDOR BE DEMOLISHED.
THAT SEEMED TO ME TO BE A PRETTY GOOD SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE, THE CITY AND THE APPLICANT.
UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANOTHER ONE OF THE PROPERTIES KIND OF OFFERED UP FOR, FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN STILL TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT WHEREVER THAT HOUSE MAY BE IS WHERE IT WOULD BE LANDMARKED, SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED, UM, THAT IT MIGHT MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE STILL KIND OF STRUGGLING WITH THAT ON OUR OWN.
SO THERE'S NO INTEREST IN ANY OF THE OTHER 30 PROPERTIES OF THESE HOFFINS HOUSES TO PUT UP FOR LA LANDMARK DESIGNATION? THAT PROPERTY ON THAT LOCATION? NOT, NO, NOT ON THIS LOCATION.
NOT ON THIS LOCATION, BUT ANY OF THE OTHER 30 PROPERTIES? OH YEAH.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE ON ANY LOCATION.
I THINK, AGAIN, IT, THE OBJECT IS TO MAYBE MOVE THEM TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON ANY OF THE 30 PROPERTIES THAT CORRECT.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STILL, YOU KNOW, WOULD COME UP IN THE FUTURE SO WE'RE NOT TAKING IT OFF THE TABLE.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WHOEVER'S HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER OR NO, NO.
IS ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE REQUEST? OKAY, THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, 1702 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD AND A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
ALRIGHT, UH, IF THERE'S NO OTHER SPEAKERS, THEN I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND UNANIMOUS THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, I HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF.
WHAT IS THE TIMELINE ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE? UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
THIS ITEM WILL TIME OUT ON JANUARY 20TH, 2025.
SO YOU HAVE THIS MEETING AND OUR JANUARY 8TH MEETING, UM, TO MAKE ACTION ON THIS CASE.
I'LL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR JANUARY MEETING.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER COOK'S MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I, I'LL SECOND.
UH, AGAIN, AS I STATED, THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE A CASE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN OFFER UP THE GIFT OF A TAX ABATEMENT ON ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT THE FAMILY OWNS WITHOUT THE APPLICATION FEES AND ALLOW DEMOLITION TO THIS PROPERTY WHILE THE CITY WOULD STILL GET ONE OF THE REMAINING.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S 11 KNOWN, NONE DESIGNATED, UH, LONG DESIRED TO BE, HAVE ONE PROTECTED FOR THE CITY TO TELL THIS STORY.
UM, I APPRECIATE THAT THE FAMILY IS BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
UH, THERE'S, THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND THE HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, REDLINING AND PLAN OF 28.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED AND I WANNA DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT THE HISTORIC RESOURCES OF THE CITY.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING GENERATIONAL INEQUITY BY OFFERING UP A TAX ABATEMENT FOR SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT THE FAMILY OWNS, THAT'S JUST, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GIVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT DISCUSSION TO BE HAD TO ITS CONCLUSION IF THERE'S ZERO INTEREST IN THAT AS A SOLUTION.
I, I JUST WANTED THAT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT WE GAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR THAT PATH TO BE
[02:00:01]
TAKEN.MR. GROGAN, WE'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, POP IN REAL QUICK.
I THINK THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
WE HAVE A QUESTION THEN FOR THE OWNER.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE, MA'AM? COMMISSIONER, UM, KEVIN, I HEAR YOU AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND MY THING ABOUT THE HISTORY IS I WANT THE RIGHT HISTORY.
I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW BLACK HISTORY HAS BEEN WEAPONIZED AGAINST BLACK HISTORY IN THIS CASE.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO CREATE NOT, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GENERATIONAL WEALTH IS KEEPING OUR HISTORY GOING.
WE ARE NOT LIKE SOME BIG DEVELOPERS THAT JUST CAME INTO THE EAST AUSTIN OR TRIED TO MOVE IN OVER THESE LAST 20 YEARS AND PUSH EVERYBODY OUT.
WE HAVE BEEN THERE AND A PART OF THIS PROJECT, LIKE YOU ASKED ME IN THE FIRST MEETING, LIKE, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THIS MLK, THIS MLK PROJECT? AND I TOLD YOU BECAUSE IT'S ON MLK, THIS IS, THIS IS MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD.
THIS IS A STREET THAT IS NOT RUN ALL THE WAY THROUGH AUSTIN BECAUSE WEST SIDE, THEY DIDN'T WANT HIS NAME TO RUN THROUGH IT.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS IS OUR WAY OF HONORING.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU JUST TO THINK ABOUT, OH, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CREATE THIS GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THIS HISTORY FOR MY FAMILY.
SO I DO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WE HAVE, LIKE, FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO WORK THIS THING OUT.
I HEARD YOU IN THE SECOND MEETING ASK, HEY, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS A WIN-WIN? SO WE'VE BEEN TO THE TABLE, WE'VE BEEN TO THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE TRIED TO GIVE THESE HOUSES AWAY, AND WHEN PEOPLE COME, OH NO, THEY DON'T WANT THIS PROJECT AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD ON OUR OWN LAND.
WE PAID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ACTUALLY LAST YEAR, $370,000 IN PROPERTY TAXES IN EAST AUSTIN.
SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS TO BUILD ANYTHING ON OUR OWN LAND.
SO WHEN YOU ASK ME, WE ARE GONNA HONOR NOT JUST OUR FAMILIES, BUT THE OTHER FAMILIES IN EAST AUSTIN THAT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THERE IN 1928.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M NOT BEING CONSIDERATE OR WE HAVE NOT, WE HAVE GONE TOOTH AND NAIL.
YOU ALREADY KNOW PROPERTY IN EAST AUSTIN IS SOME OF THE PRIME PROPERTY IN AUSTIN.
SO WE, IF IF THIS WASN'T IMPORTANT TO US, WE COULD CASH OUT AND WE COULD BE ON OUR MERRY WAY.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US.
SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON WHAT YOU WAS ASKING.
AND DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST? I, I APPRECIATE YOU WANTING TO GET THE HISTORY RIGHT, AND I THINK YOU AS BEING THE APPLICANT AND PROPERTY OWNER, IF YOU HAD ANOTHER HOFFINS HOUSE THAT COULD BE IDENTIFIED WITH STAFF'S HELP AS BEING A, YOU KNOW, A CANDIDATE FOR LANDMARK STATUS, YOU WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPLICATION AND YOU WOULD HAVE DIRECT INPUT ON THAT HISTORY AND THE HOUSE WOULD BE PRESERVED FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO IT, UM, THAT PART OF IT, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANOTHER ONE OF THE HOUSES BE PRESENTED AS A POTENTIAL LANDMARK, YOU KNOW, IN, IN EXCHANGE FOR ALLOWING THE DEMOLITION OF THIS ONE.
ACTUALLY, IT'S THE, TO GET THE PROPER, BECAUSE THE HISTORY OF THE HI FINDS IS NOT GREAT.
IT'S, IT'S WITH A LOT OF RACISM AND A LOT OF ABUSE.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THIS THING TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE.
AND I'M JUST, I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST, THESE GUYS WAS NOT GREAT GUYS.
SO THE WAY Y'ALL LOOK AT IT, Y'ALL LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURES THEY BUILT, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THEY BUILT THEM THAT WAY AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ABUSE THAT MY, EVEN MY GRANDMOTHER HAD TO GO THROUGH AND, AND THE OTHER WOMEN AROUND HER.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HISTORY, ARE WE GONNA TELL IT ALL OR ARE WE GONNA TELL A LITTLE BIT? SO WE DO HAVE CONCERNS AND IT'S NOTHING THAT I CAN'T JUST SAY, OH, WE HAVE THIS PROPERTY ON 17TH, WE HAVE THIS ONE ON 12TH THAT WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT ALL BECAUSE WE WOULD, WE STILL WOULDN'T BE THERE IF WE DIDN'T DESIRE TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO CARRY OUR GENERATION OF THINGS ON, YOU KNOW? SO IT, IT'S, THIS IS TOUGH.
THIS IS NOT THE SAME CASE AS LIKE SOME BIG OLD COMPANY COMING IN AND JUST TRYING TO WIPE OUT ALL THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN.
SO IF ARE, ARE YOU CONCERNED? YOU WANT THE HISTORY, RIGHT? AND YOU DON'T WANT IT TO BE HONORED.
BUT ALSO IF WE CAN HONOR, I, AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE CAVANAUGHS 'CAUSE I KNOW SOME CAVANAUGHS, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY BLACK THAT HAS HISTORY IN EAST AUSTIN, ANYBODY FROM THE FREEDOM COLONIES, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE THAT.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CANNOT JUST BE WORKED OUT JUST OVERNIGHT OR IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED WHEN YOU ASKED, HAS IT BEEN CONSIDERED? YES, IT HAS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ITEMS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD I, AND I APPRECIATE THE FAMILY COMING FORWARD PRESENTING ITS STORY.
[02:05:01]
I THINK THE WORK THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN DOING ALSO WITH OUR NEW EQUITY BASED PLAN IS POTENTIALLY HAVING EVEN MORE TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR EXISTING STORIES EXISTING, UH, FAMILIES TO BE HONORED AND TO BE GIVEN SUPPORT FOR MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING THEIR HISTORIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS IS THE START OF MAYBE NOT FOR THIS PROPERTY SPECIFICALLY, BUT FOR THE FAMILY TO ENTER INTO A, A DIALOGUE WITH THE STAFF, WITH COMMISSION MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, WE CAN HELP TO MAKE YOU, UH, AWARE OF THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOW AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BEING VERY SOON WITH THE ADOPTION OF SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR, OUR OUR, THE PLAN WAS ADOPTED, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION IS WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US NOW.
UH, AND MANY OF THE THINGS YOU'RE DESCRIBING AND DISCUSSING ARE THE REASON WHY THE COMMISSION HAS PUSHED AS HARD AS WE HAVE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THESE CONNECTIONS IN A WAY THAT HASN'T BEEN POSSIBLE BEFORE AND BRING RESOURCES TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN A WAY THAT MAYBE WAS NOT AVAILABLE BEFORE.
AND IN THE, IN DOING SO, SOME OF THE THOUGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT YOUR EXISTING BUILDINGS AND WHAT THEY MAY REPRESENT IN THE FUTURE, UH, I THINK THAT IS VERY MUCH IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THIS BACK AND FORTH.
UH, AND AGAIN, I, I ALMOST, YOU KNOW, I I I HESITATE TO EVEN BRING IT UP IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
THE ONLY REASON TO BRING IT UP AS AN ISSUE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS THAT WE DO AS PRESERVATIONISTS HAVE A RECOGNITION THAT WHEN A BUILDING WITH ITS HISTORY, ALL OF ITS HISTORY IS NO LONGER PRESENT.
WE CAN RECOGNIZE OUR PAST IN A DIFFERENT WAY, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME AS TO HAVE A PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION THAT THAT BUILDING WILL HAVE.
SO IF NOT THIS BUILDING, THEN POTENTIALLY SOME OF THE OTHER HOMES THAT YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE MAINTAINED AND HAVE CONTINUED TO, UH, PROVIDE FOR OVER THESE MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, IF THIS ISN'T THE ONE, I THINK THE IDEA THAT WE CAN OPEN UP A DIALOGUE AND PERHAPS FIND WHICH ONES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THESE PROGRAMS, UH, I THINK THAT'S VERY MUCH IN KEEPING WITH THE WAY WE'D LIKE TO SEE THIS.
UH, IF THERE IS NOT AN URGENCY, UH, I THINK I CAN SUPPORT THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE MADE YOUR CASE AND UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE CERTAINLY GONE THROUGH SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO LOOK FOR, UH, SOMEONE WHO WOULD WANT TO MOVE THIS OFFSITE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL, BUT IT WAS NOT THROUGH LACK OF TRYING.
SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT.
UM, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION THAT WOULD ALLOW US STILL MORE TIME TO CONTINUE TO DIALOGUE WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS CASE WILL BE OPEN, BUT EVEN AFTER THIS CASE IS O IS OVER, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT DIALOGUE CONTINUES.
SO, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I APPRECIATE THE, THE TIME TAKEN TO TRY TO FIND A SPOT HERE WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
AND IF, UH, THIS GETS POSTPONED, I, I THINK IT'S, UH, APPROPRIATE TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE C CITY LIMITS AS WELL.
UM, WE TYPICALLY DON'T GO FOR THAT, BUT IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE IT, TAKE CARE OF IT, UM, IN 15, 20 YEARS, I'VE SEEN, UH, RELOCATED STRUCTURES COME BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL SITES AND THEY CAN BE REINTERPRETED, UH, IN SOME, PROBABLY EVEN LANDMARKED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE ALSO TO DO DURING THIS TIME.
AND I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER EVANS HAS HER HAND RAISED.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I APPRECIATE, OR I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS ISSUE THAT WE, THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH.
AND AS A RESULT OF DEALING WITH THIS CASE, UH, I HAVE A, A NEW APPRECIATION FOR HOW HISTORIC PRESERVATION LOOKS TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I WOULD PROBABLY NOT SUPPORT A POSTPONEMENT OF THIS.
UM, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY, IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME UP TO MOVE THIS PROPERTY, EVEN OUTSIDE OF, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AS COMMISSIONER RUBIO MENTIONED, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD, UH, CERTAINLY PROVIDE SOME, SOME BENEFIT AND SOME PRESERVATION.
BUT, UH, UH, LIKE, UH, OUR CHAIR, I'M HOPING THAT THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN GIVES US MORE TOOLS AND CREATES THE KIND OF DIALOGUE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN SIMILAR CASES COME BEFORE US, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A BETTER WAY TO WORK THROUGH TO WHAT IS TRULY A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION RIGHT NOW TO POSTPONE TILL JANUARY.
[02:10:01]
GO AHEAD.ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I'M JUST GONNA NOTE THAT DUE TO CONTINUED DISCOURSE IN THIS MEETING AFTER I MADE MY MOTION, I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT MY OWN MOTION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
UH, YOU COULD WITHDRAW THE MOTION, BUT YOU COULD ALSO JUST WAIT AND WE COULD HAVE A VOTE EITHER WAY.
YOU WERE NOT REQUIRED TO SUPPORT YOUR MOTION.
YEAH, I'M, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, IT'S NOT GONNA PASS WITH ALREADY TWO VOTING IN SUPPORT.
IS THAT OKAY WITH THE SECONDER? YES.
THE SECONDER ALSO, UH, GO AHEAD.
WE'VE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR AN A DIFFERENT MO AN ADDITIONAL MOTION OR A DIFFERENT MOTION.
AND I'LL TAKE THE HIT TO MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PACK PACKAGE PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS.
AND I'M GOING TO BACK UP THIS COUNTER MOTION.
UM, I THINK WE HAD THE DISCUSSION NOW AND THE COMMUNICATION'S BEEN HAD AND I UNDERSTAND NOW WHY THEY HAVEN'T OFFERED UP OTHER PROPERTIES.
UM, AND I'M GONNA ALSO PUT OUT THE FINDING OF FACT THAT IN THE CITY EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY DOES NOT RECOMMENDED AS A LANDMARK.
WE DON'T HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITY IN QUESTION.
UM, SO COMMUNITY VALUE IS REALLY HARD TO ARGUE HERE.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PARTS OF OUR HISTORY UNDERSTOOD AND DOCUMENTED AND RETAINED SOMEHOW.
SO I ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO COME FORTH WITH SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES AND, AND KNOW THAT IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE, WE CAN'T LEAVE THE DIFFICULT STUFF BEHIND AND IN THE PAST AND FORGET ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE THEN IT'LL HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND SOMETIMES DIFFICULT HISTORY IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE TOO.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, I'D BE, WOULD BE HAPPY TO PUT ON THE, UM, IN A FUTURE AGENDA, ANY OTHER PROPERTY YOU HAVE THAT YOU MAY WISH TO LANDMARK THAT MAY BE IN A, IN POTENTIALLY A LOCATION THAT'S LESS LUCRATIVE, LAND UNDERNEATH.
AND, UH, GET YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE APPLICATION TO GET THE, THE, THE HISTORY TOLD.
OR AT LEAST I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE OF THE PROPERTIES SAVED EVEN WITH THE DIFFICULT HISTORY JUST BECAUSE WE, WE NEED TO FACE OUR DIFFICULT HISTORY AND REMEMBER IT LESS WE REPEAT IT.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OFFER OUT THERE STANDING AND, BUT NOT HOLD IT OVER YOUR HEAD ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN RESOURCES SURVEY RECOMMENDED AS A LANDMARK AND BECAUSE OF THE, THE COMMUNITY VOICE OF SUPPORT IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER EVANS? YES, I AGREE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE PERHAPS ANOTHER HOFFINS PROPERTY COME FORWARD AND, AND PROVIDE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, ABOUT THE HISTORY ON, UH, IN TERMS OF THE OWNERS IN TERMS OF THEIR ROLES IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY IF IT PREVENTS IT PRESENTS ITSELF IN THE FUTURE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, THEN I WILL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE NOW FROM COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER EVANS, UH, IS TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR RELEASING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
ENCOURAGE RELOCATION IF POSSIBLE, CONTINUE, UH, UH, ENCOURAGEMENT, UH, BUT ALSO TO HAVE, UH, COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UH, FOR BOTH HOUSES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO OPPOSED? OKAY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 16, AND THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, ADJACENT PROPERTY 1704 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR BOULEVARD.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER DEMOLITION REQUEST, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
THIS ALSO WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.
I BELIEVE THIS ONE PASSED ON CONSENT.
I SAW THE NO FROM RUBIO, BUT THAT WAS, UH, WHAT CONSENT? I'M SORRY, I, I'M MY APOLOGIES.
THAT ALREADY PASSED AND, UH, THAT WAS NOT PULLED.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 18,
[18. DA-2024-088952 – 8401 Hathaway Dr. Council District 4]
AND THIS IS, UH, 84 0 1 HATHAWAY DRIVE.AND, UH, I WILL JUST FOR THE RECORD, SAY THAT, UH, UH, I HAVE INTEREST IN A RENTAL PROPERTY THAT ABUTS THIS PROPERTY.
AND JUST IN THE INTEREST OF, UH, MAKING SURE THERE'S NO INDICATION OF, UH, UM, WHAT IS IT CON CONFLICT, THERE'S POTEN, IT, THERE'S NOT A CONFLICT, BUT I JUST DON'T EVEN WANT THERE TO BE APPEARANCE OF ONE.
AND I'VE MADE ARRANGEMENTS IF OUR SENIOR MEMBER HERE, SINCE WE HAVE NO VICE CHAIR,
[02:15:01]
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK WOULD BE ABLE TO PRESIDE.SO I DON'T PREP, NOT PREPARED FOR THIS, BUT STAFF, STAFF PRESENTATION.
ITEM 18 84 0 1 HATHAWAY DRIVE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1961 SCHOOL AND ASSOCIATED OUTBUILDINGS AS AUSTIN'S POSTWAR POPULATION SWELLED IN SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS CREPT NORTH BIRDS.
DURING THE MID 20TH CENTURIES CENTURY, NEW SCHOOLS WERE REQUIRED FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF NORTHWEST AUSTINITES.
THIS DEMOGRAPHIC AND DEVELOPMENT CHANGE USHERED IN A NEW WAVE OF MODERN DESIGNS BY INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND DESIGN SENSIBILITIES, OFTEN ON SPRAWLING NEW CAMPUSES.
DAVID G. BURNETT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, ORIGINALLY SYDNEY LANIER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, WAS DESIGNED BY NOTED AUSTIN ARCHITECT J ROY WHITE, DURING HIS TENURE AT QE BROOKS AND BAR LEADER BOOKS, BAR GRABBER AND WHITE CUTTING HIM IN.
HAIL ENGINEERS COMPLETED THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND BAL MCGEE WAS THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
THE SCHOOL WAS CON CONTRACTED BY A SD IN 1960 AND WAS INITIALLY INTENDED TO HOUSE BOTH JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNTIL A LARGER SCHOOL COULD BE BUILT TO RELIEVE CROWDED MCCALLUM HIGH WHEN THE THEIER HIGH SCHOOL DESIGNED BY FAIR AND GRANGER WAS COMPLETED IN 19 66, 84 0 1 HATHAWAY DRIVE BECAME BURNETT JUNIOR HIGH PRIMARY ARCHITECT JAY ROY.
JAY ROY WHITE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN 1929 AND PRACTICED IN AUSTIN UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN THE 1980S.
WHITE'S WORK OFTEN FOCUSED ON INSTITUTIONAL AND CIVIC BUILDINGS.
HE DESIGNED THE ORIGINAL AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY IN 1933 AS PART OF KUHN BROOKS AND BAR AND WORKED FOR THE CITY TO RENOVATE MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS AND PARKS DURING WORLD WAR II BY THE MID 20TH CENTURY.
HIS PORTFOLIO INCLUDED SEVERAL HOUSTON TILTS AND UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS, THE RECONSTRUCTION OF LYNDON JOHNSON'S BIRTHPLACE AND THE MASTER PLAN FOR ITS ACCOMPANYING STATE PARK AND SEVERAL A ISD SCHOOLS.
THIS DEMOLITION APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED AS PART OF A 2022 VOTER APPROVED A-A-I-S-D BOND.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE BUILDING'S HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH NORTHWEST AUSTIN'S DEVELOPMENT ARE SUFFICIENT TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
IF NOT, STAFF RECOMMENDS ENCOURAGING THE INITIAL MATERIAL SALVAGE WHERE POSSIBLE AND REQUIRING COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE PRIOR TO RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION AND AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, I KNOW WE HEARD ALL OF THE A ISD CASES IN A BUNDLE MANY MOONS AGO, AND I DON'T, I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN 2019.
AND WAS THIS AMONG THAT GROUP? UH, THIS WAS NOT, THIS WAS PART OF, UM, A SEPARATE GROUP THAT'S WRITTEN IN RECENTLY.
AND, AND WE DID APPROVE THE DI THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IN 2018 ON ALL THE ONES WE HEARD ON AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
AND, UM, BUT THIS ONE WAS NOT PRESENTED THEN.
AND IS THE INTENT TO DEMOLISH IT AND BUILD A NEW SCHOOL? UH, YES.
UH, THE APPLICANT I THINK IS ON THE LINE OR MAYBE IN PERSON, BUT, UM, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR THE STORY.
SO, UM, SO DOES ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION AND WHO, WHO WOULD BE FIRST AND WOULD, WOULD THE APPLICANT BE MOST APPROPRIATE TO SPEAK FIRST? YES.
AND WE DO HAVE THE APPLICANT ON THE LINE.
THERE'S MORE OF JIMMO, IF YOU WANNA A PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF OR WITH JUMO.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? DOING GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU? UM, CAN YOU GIVE YOUR NAME GOOD.
GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, I BELIEVE FOR THE INITIAL PRESENTATION.
I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEBODY PHYSICAL AT, UH, THE SPACE, UH, BY THE NAME WESLEY.
UH, HE CAN, UH, SPEAK ON MY BEHALF AS WELL TOO.
IS THAT, IS THAT ALL YOU HAD TO SAY? YES, YES.
WESLEY'S OVER THERE, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT AS WELL.
UH, IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, WE'LL CONSIDER YOU THE PRIMARY SPEAKER, SO YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
I'M A PROJECT ARCHITECT WITH DLR GROUP, WHO'S THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM, UH, DOING THE DESIGN FOR THE NEW BUILDING.
UM, THE INTENT IS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL, FOUR STORIES, UM, ON THE SITE.
AND THEN AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION, THE EXISTING MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD REMAIN OPERATIONAL UNTIL THE NEW SCHOOL IS OPEN.
AFTER THE NEW SCHOOL IS OPEN, THE EXISTING MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND NEW, UH, ATHLETIC FACILITIES BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE SITE OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL.
[02:20:02]
AND, AND DO YOU AGREE THAT, THAT THERE IS HIGH INTEGRITY ON THE EXISTING BUILDINGS TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE? UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I HAVE NOT PHYSICALLY BEEN TO THE SITE, BUT IT'S CURRENTLY OPERATIONAL.UM, SO YES, THERE'S INTEGRITY TO IT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION? I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER SIGNED UP ON PHONE.
WE WANT TO GET EVERYONE ON SITE FIRST, WHO'S SIGNED UP? YES.
SO SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE LIST DID NOT SHOW UP TONIGHT, BUT NEXT WE HAVE MR. CHARLES BRINK.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UM, SO TO WHAT HE SAID EARLIER, LIKE, UM, THERE, THERE IS SOME INTEGRITY TO THE BUILDING, ALTHOUGH THERE IS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BUILDING OF THAT AGE, UH, DOES HAVE SOME, UM, REPAIR AND, UM, JUST INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS THAT, UH, WOULD CONSTITUTE, UH, A LOT OF WORK, UH, ON THE BUILDING AND EXTREMELY HIGH COSTS OF NOT ALWAYS HAVING THE FUNCTIONALITY THAT A MODERN SCHOOL WOULD NEED.
UM, SO WE, UH, AND THE, UM, SO WE HAVE PROPOSED THAT A NEW SCHOOL AND BECAUSE OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL DOES NEED TO MAINTAIN, UH, OPERATION WHILE THE NEW SCHOOL IS GETTING BUILT.
THAT DID DRIVE A LOT OF THE DESIGN FOR THE NEW, FOR THE NEW SCHOOL AS IT WILL BE, THERE WILL BE A SHORT DURATION OF TIME WHERE BOTH SCHOOLS WILL, BOTH BUILDINGS WILL BE ERECTED, UM, JUST UNTIL THE, UH, CAMPUS CAN TRANSITION TO THE NEW BUILDING, UM, IDEALLY, AND THEN THE DEMOTION WOULD START.
THIS IS ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE IN FAVOR TONIGHT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SPEAKING OPPOSED TO DEMOLITION? OKAY.
CAN YOU PLEASE COME TO THE DIOCESE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF? I'M NOT SURE IF I'M, YOU KNOW, DO DOING THIS.
UH, I LI I LIVE ACROSS FROM HA UH, VERNON MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR 30 YEARS.
CAN YOU GIVE YOUR NAME PLEASE? CAN I DO THIS? YOUR NAME? YOUR NAME? MARY HARTZELL.
I'M A RETIRED TEACHER AND TAUGHT IN, UH, UT AND ALL THE SCHOOLS AROUND HERE AND HAVE SUBSTITUTED AT, UH, BURNETT.
I LOVE THAT SCHOOL VERY MUCH, AND I, I DO SUPPORT A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES OR AT LEAST SOME OF THE ATHLETICS OVER THERE.
PLUS I VOTED THERE MANY TIMES.
UM, MY MAIN CONCERN TONIGHT WAS THAT WE, THE, THE NEIGHBOR I, THE MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'VE, I'M A WALKER AND IF YOU'RE A WALKER, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, YOU WALK ALL OVER YOUR NEIGHBOR, YOU MEET EVERYBODY.
UM, IS THAT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE NOTIFICATION ABOUT THIS MEETING UNTIL, UH, I DON'T FORGET IF IT WAS MONDAY, TUESDAY, OR WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK, UM, WEEK OF THANKSGIVING.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE, YOU KNOW, OR SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE LIVED THERE FOR DECADES, EVEN LONGER THAN I HAVE, WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING THEIR THANKSGIVING SOMEWHERE ELSE, OR THEY HAD PEOPLE COMING, UM, UM, THEY DIDN'T GET TO, THEY DIDN'T GET TO CHANCE, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY, THIS WAS NOT A PRIORITY.
THANKSGIVING WEEK, I, I NOTICED THAT THE APPLICATION FORM THAT I GOT SAID, UH, SOMETHING ABOUT YOU HAD SO MANY DAYS OR WHATEVER, AND CONTACT AND ALL THIS STUFF, YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS.
AND WE DIDN'T EVEN GET IT UNTIL, YOU KNOW, A, A DAY OR TWO BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
SO IT DIDN'T QUITE SEEM LIKE A GOOD NOTIFICATION.
MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE GONE, OH, OH, OKAY, MAYBE I NEED TO GET MORE INVOLVED.
SO I AM, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF I'M, IF I'M CAN ASK FOR A POSTPONEMENT FOR THE NEXT ONE, BUT I, I WOULD, I FEEL THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I, YOU KNOW, I LIVE, LIKE I SAID, 90 SECONDS FROM BURNETT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I CAN WALK OUT MY DOOR AND I CAN TOUCH THE BUILDING 90 SECONDS AWAY.
BURNETT MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS BEEN MY LIFE.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE A HOUSE IN FRONT OF ME,
AND, UM, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN A TEACHER, OF COURSE, IF THE SCHOOL IS NOT WELL, IF IT HAS GREAT NEEDS ON THE INSIDE, I I DON'T TEACH THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I UNDERSTAND, I KNOW PROBABLY THE EMPLOYEES IN ALL ARE VERY HAPPY.
UH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.
UH, I THINK IT'S THE PRETTIEST SCHOOL IN AUSTIN, MYSELF,
BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, I DON'T ACTUALLY LIVE IN IT, SO I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, SAY EVERYTHING.
BUT THE THING THAT I'VE FELT, UM, WE HAVE ALSO, IF IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, GO THROUGH DEMOLITION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO BRING THIS UP, BUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY DIVERSE FINANCIALLY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, YOU KNOW, IN HOMES THAT ARE JUST FALLING APART AS WELL AS HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN AND REPLACED BY, UH, YOU KNOW, FOUR HOMES.
[02:25:01]
AS PEOPLE WHO ARE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS.UM, A LOT OF RENTERS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK, UH, JOBS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
UM, WE HAVE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE HAVE LOT RENTERS AND, AND EVEN A COUPLE OF, UM, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, PEOPLE TRYING TO SELL THEIR HOME.
THERE'S JUST A LOT GOING ON AND I FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH CHANCE TO REALLY BE A PART OF THIS.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A SOCIAL CONNECTOR
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO HAVE THIS, THIS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, BUT JUST TO SEE IF THIS COULD BE, UM, PO YOU KNOW, MAYBE POSTPONED AGAIN, SO THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD COULD TALK ABOUT THIS.
I'VE, I'VE TALKED WITH A FEW PEOPLE AND THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME OF 'EM WERE REALLY SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, SOME OF 'EM ARE PRETTY MUCH INVOLVED IN THINGS AND, UH, SO THEY MIGHT'VE HAD A CHANCE TO COME HERE IF THEY, AND THEY MIGHT'VE HAD CONCERNS.
BUT I, IF, IF POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE AND BRING THIS UP THE NEXT TIME OR WHENEVER, IF IT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY.
I'M JUST STATING, UM, THAT IT'S GONNA BE A, IT'S A HUGE DEMOLITION FOR, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S A VERY, VERY D VARIED D DIVERSE E ECONOMICALLY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND, UM, IT'S GONNA BE A, A HUGE DE DEMOLITION FOR US BECAUSE OUR HOMES ARE JUST ALL SURROUNDING THIS BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IS THE, UH, RAILROAD.
AND WE'RE ALL JUST GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST BOUGHT, JUST REMODELED AND THEY'RE RIGHT ON THE BORDERLINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A HUGE CHANGE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE OF A POSTPONING AND HAVING ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF MY NEIGHBORS TONIGHT, BUT I TOLD A FEW OF 'EM I WAS COMING.
BUT ANYWAY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ELSE I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY OR YOU'RE, YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS LEFT TO SAY IT.
IF YOU DO, WHAT'D YOU SAY? YOUR, YOUR, YOUR TIME IS UP.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION? WE HAVE ONE OTHER, OR IS THIS THE REBUTTAL REBUTTAL, OR ARE YOU IN, YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF, UH, AGAINST DEMOLITION? YES.
SORRY, I DON'T DO THIS REGULARLY.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE FOR THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE MISSION HERE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WENT INTO THE PROCESS TO FORM THE 2022 BOND, WHICH THIS MONETIZATION OF THE BURNETT MIDDLE SCHOOL IS PART OF.
SORRY, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION? YES, I REPRESENT THE SCHOOL.
I WORK FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OUT OF ORDER, BUT OKAY.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE'D BE ANYONE OPPOSED.
AND I'M IN, I'M HERE FOR ANOTHER ITEM.
UH, BUT WE HAD ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE CREATION OF WHAT WAS IN THE BOND PROGRAM THAT INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, STAFF, FAMILIES.
UH, IT WAS A YEAR LONG PLUS PROCESS THAT WAS EQUITY DRIVEN.
AND BURNETT MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS IDENTIFIED BECAUSE WHILE THE BUILDING IS SUITABLE, IT NO LONGER MEETS OUR MODERN, UH, EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR LEARNING.
AND SO THE MODERNIZATION IS TO BRING IT INTO LEARNING, UH, FOR THE NEXT 30, 50 YEARS.
AND SO IT WAS PART OF THE 2022 BOND, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, WHICH ARE PUBLICLY, UH, VOTED UPON POSITIONS.
AND THEN THAT BOND WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN BY OVER 70%.
AND SO THAT WAS BACK IN THE FALL OF NOVEMBER OF 21.
AND SO, UH, RESPECTFULLY, WE'VE HAD A IMMENSE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COMMENT ON THIS, TO HAVE RAISED CONCERNS AT THAT POINT.
AND THIS PROJECT SHOULD NOT COME AS A SURPRISE TO ANYONE SINCE EVERYONE APPROVED IT, IT WAS IN DETAIL IN THE, UH, 2022 BOND PROGRAM WHEN PEOPLE WENT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED IN ADVANCE OF THAT ELECTION.
AND SO, UH, RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO JUST, UM, MOVE AHEAD WITH APPROVAL OF THIS DEMOLITION, UH, AS THIS IS A VITAL PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
AND IT IS WHAT THE VOTERS IN AUSTIN HAVE, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED WITH THEIR VOTE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS AGAINST DEMOLITION AND, UH, WHEN THE APPLICANT'S APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE LIKE TO OFFER REBUTTAL TO THE OPPOSITION OR CAN THAT SERVE AS THE REBUTTAL
[02:30:02]
THAT CAN SERVE AS THE REBUTTAL.SO NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I I THINK WE CAN ASK THEM QUESTIONS RIGHT BEFORE YES.
I, SORRY I COULDN'T GET UNMUTED FAST ENOUGH.
UH, IF I MAY, WE, WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, PUBLIC MEETINGS AT THE SCHOOL WHERE THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING OKAY.
AND THE PROCESS HAS BEEN PRESENTED.
SIR, IF, IF YOU CAN WAIT, I'LL OFFICIALLY ASK YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS? 'CAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPEAKING OUT OF ORDER 'CAUSE YOUR TURN'S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN, BUT I CAN ASK QUESTIONS OF ANYONE.
SO I'LL ASK YOU IF YOU HAD ANY OTHER THOUGHTS.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE, UH, OPEN COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, AT THE CAMPUS, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR WHERE, UM, THE DESIGN HAS BEEN PRESENTED AND, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS BOTH WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WERE ALL INVITED TO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE TENDENCIES, UH, WERE MIXED.
UM, SOME WE HAVE MORE, SOME WE HAVE LESS.
BUT, UM, THEY WERE, WE DID HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT OUT.
UM, I APOLOGIZE THAT, UM, THE, THE LADY TONIGHT WAS, AND, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE, UH, SHE ATTENDED THOSE, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I, UH, BUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE OUT THERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? I HAD A QUESTION FOR A SD UM, THIS WAS A SURPRISE.
I'M SURE MANY OF US VOTED FOR THIS BOND IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE FULLY AWARE OF A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
SO, UM, IT IS STILL A SURPRISE FOR A LOT OF US.
MY QUESTION IS, UH, DO YOU ALL HAVE A, A HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY OR SOME SURVEY FOR YOUR PROPERTIES, UH, SO THAT IT'S NOT A SURPRISE TO YOU ALL THAT THESE PROPERTIES DO HAVE SOME ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE? UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT SPECIFICALLY.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT, AS MENTIONED BY THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DLR, WE HAVE THESE CAMPUS ARCHITECTURE TEAMS. THOSE ARE ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS.
EVERYONE'S INVITED TO ATTEND THEM.
AND AT ALL OUR SCHOOLS, WE TRY TO HONOR THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF THE PROPERTIES BY INCORPORATING ITEMS. UH, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT KEEPING THE BUILDING ITSELF TO SALVAGE MATERIALS, WE HAVE A DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY WHO OVERSEES ALL THESE PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, EVERYTHING.
AND IF YOU, UH, HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR SOME OF THE MORE RECENT MONETIZATIONS, SUCH AS EAST SIDE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU CAN SEE HOW HISTORIC ELEMENTS WERE PRESERVED AND INCORPORATED INTO DESIGN.
EVERYTHING FROM THE OLD BASKETBALL TOUR GYM IS NOW A DECORATIVE WALL TO AN ACTUAL CONFERENCE CENTER.
YOU KNOW, THAT HONORS THE, UH, ORIGINAL ELSIE ANDERSON ALUMNI.
SIMILARLY AT, UH, NORMAN SIMS AND SANCHEZ AND ET CETERA.
BUT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, THAT IS ALWAYS A PART OF THE MODERNIZATION IS TO INCORPORATE THE HISTORY, UH, AND IF THERE'S SPECIFIC ELEMENTS, YOU KNOW, MURALS, ET CETERA, TO TRY TO SAVE THOSE AND, AND FACTOR THOSE INTO THE NEW BUILD.
BUT ULTIMATELY, THE BUILDING ITSELF, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PROCESS WAS DEEMED THAT THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND BEST WAY TO USE VOTER, WELL, CITIZEN DOLLARS IS TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING.
AND THAT WOULD MOST BEST BRING IT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY OF LEARNING THAT IS NEEDED FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE.
CASES LIKE THIS ARE POSTED ON SITE, AND I BELIEVE LETTERS ARE SENT TO EVERYONE THAT LIVES WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE PROPERTY.
IS THAT CORRECT? WERE YOUR NOTICES FOR YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AS ROBUST AS THAT IN NOTIFICATIONS OF THE POTEN PENDING DEMOLITION? UH, RESPECTFULLY, WE DON'T HAVE A REQUIREMENT TO SEND OUT, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL, BUT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE REACH OUT THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS TO TRY TO ENGAGE NOT ONLY THE STAFF AND FAMILIES, BUT ALSO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS.
AND EVERYTHING IS POSTED ONLINE, ALL THE PAST MEETINGS, THE PRESENTATIONS, THE MINUTES, THEY'RE ALL SENT OUT.
THERE'S A BOND WEBSITE THAT HAS ALL THIS INFORMATION IS KEPT UP TO DATE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS ALWAYS, WITH THE ISSUE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IN A PERFECT WORLD, IT WOULD BE KNOCKING ON EVERYONE'S INDIVIDUAL DOOR.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, TIME AND MONEY IS ALWAYS A FACTOR HERE.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE HOPEFUL WITH ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AND ALL, ALL THE NEWSLETTERS, ET CETERA, THAT WE DO, THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THESE THINGS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE NOT EVERYONE HAS THE DETAIL, BUT, UH, I WOULD JUST HIGHLIGHT AGAIN THAT THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS NOW AND IS, IS, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND IT'S JUST COMING
[02:35:01]
NOW IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL PERMIT FOR THE DEMOLITION, BUT IT'S SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE TO ANYONE ABOUT THE MODERNIZATION OF THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND NO OTHER SPEAKERS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MWATER, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
I'LL, AND I GET TO SAY NOW AS TEMPORARY CHAIR, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
WE HAVE A SECOND IN LIEU OF A SECOND.
DO WE HAVE ANY ALTERNATE MOTIONS? ALL RIGHT, I'LL SECOND BECAUSE WE NEED A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
'CAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THE SIX OF US, RIGHT? MM-HMM
OH, THIS COULD GET COMPLICATED.
UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UM, I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRIOR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK, UH, WE AT LEAST NEED TO, WE TRY TO ALWAYS ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERN WHEN THEY SPEND THE TIME TO COME OUT HERE.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID TO COME OUT HERE, BUT HALF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE TONIGHT WERE BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR JOB.
AND SO I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SPENDS THAT TIME TO COME OUT.
AND IF THEY THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE NOTICES, UH, ESPECIALLY ON THIS THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, THEN UM, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THE, WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW MAYBE YOU ALL HAD PLANS YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT I, I WOULD'VE HOPED THAT, THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND I THINK, UH, IF A ID WANTS TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE, YOU ALL NEED TO SURVEY YOUR PROPERTIES.
YOU ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU REALLY, UH, TO GET AROUND THIS, YOU, YOU DEMOLISH THOSE PROPERTIES BEFORE THEY AGE AT A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD.
BECAUSE THEY WILL COME TO THIS COMMISSION AND THIS BODY'S GONNA CHANGE EVERY YEAR AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE SURPRISED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS DO HAVE KEY SIGNIFICANCE.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL SPECIFIC MID-CENTURY MODERN, UH, COMPARED COMPARATIVE TO A LOT OF OTHER PLACES AROUND THE STATE.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I THINK WE SHOULD POSTPONE IT.
COMMISSIONER MCW, DO YOU HAVE ANY? YEAH, I, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
I JUST, I DO THINK THAT IT'S WORTH GIVING THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO, TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND THEIR OPINIONS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER EVANS? YES.
UH, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF, IF IN FACT WE GO WITH POST POSTPONEMENT THAT THE DISTRICT, UH, CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES TO THE NEIGHBORS.
UH, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE NEW SCHOOLS COME ONLINE, BUT I ALSO HAVE A COUPLE DEMOLITIONS IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT A PARENT OR REAL CONNECTED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO GET INFORMATION.
SO MAYBE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, THE DISTRICT COULD SORT OF TAKE AN, AN EXTRA STEP TO KEEP THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NON-PARENTS INVOLVED OR INFORMED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WILL SAY, I'M GONNA, UM, SUPPORT THE MOTION, UH, AS MENTIONED IN THE, UH, NEW PRESERVATION PLAN, THERE ARE PROCESS ISSUES IN TERMS OF WHERE OUR REVIEW COMES INTO PLAY.
THIS IS A PARTICULARLY COMPLICATED ONE AND BIG ONE WITH MANY MOVING PARTS OF INVOLVING PUBLIC ENTITIES.
BUT WE, WE DO HAVE POSTING REQUIREMENTS.
AND WHEN THOSE POSTING REQUIREMENTS YIELD FRUIT WITH SOMEONE SPENDING THEIR EVENING COMING DOWN TO SPEAK AGAINST, I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF, UM, LETTING EVERYONE HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
SO I'M SUPPORTING IT FOR THAT REASON.
I DO HAVE SOME INTEGRITY CONCERNS.
UH, I BELIEVE THE EXISTING BUILDINGS ARE LARGELY INTACT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO CONDITION THESE BUILDINGS HAS RESULTED IN SOME PRETTY HEAVY, UH, EQUIPMENT ON TOPS OF THE BUILDINGS, WHICH KIND OF RUINS THE ROOF LINE AND SIMPLICITY.
AND I'M, UH, I SEE A FEW ISSUES WITH, UH, SOMETHING AS SPRAWLING AND OPEN AS THIS IN TERMS OF MODERN SCHOOL SECURITY.
SO I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF AND MAKING COMMENTS ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE, BUT I AM GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR JANUARY MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS AT ALL? YOU, YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY INTERIOR PHOTOS.
UM, SO YOU, YOU ALL WILL BE BEST TO PUSH YOUR CASE
[02:40:01]
IF WE SEE THOSE INTERIOR.UM, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY STUDIES, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE ASBESTOS IN THE BUILDING? IS THERE OTHER THINGS, UH, THAT ARE WRONG? HAVE YOU DONE AN ASSESSMENT? WHERE ARE THOSE NUMBERS THAT SAID IT'S EASIER TO BUILD NEW FOUR STORIES NEARBY AND HERE'S WHAT IT'S GONNA COST.
RESTORE ALL THAT BACKUP DATA IS STUFF AGAIN THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ASK OF EVERY APPLICANT, REGARDLESS OF A PUBLIC ENTITY OR NOT.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD PROBABLY HELP TO HAVE FOR NEXT MONTH.
OUR, UM, PURVIEW ONLY GOES TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
ANYONE THAT OWNS A LANDMARK COULD CUT THAT BUILDING TO THE EXTERIOR WALLS.
SO IN, UM, THE ISSUES OF INTEGRITY REALLY ONLY FALL ON THE EXTERIOR.
ALTHOUGH TO MAKE THE CASE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BRING UP THE OVERALL HOLISTIC CONDITION OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO, BUT MOSTLY I'M, I'M SUPPORTING THE MOTION SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION RAISE YOUR HAND.
LOOKS LIKE IT IS UNANIMOUS POSTPONED TO THE JANUARY MEETING AND I CALL OUR CHAIR BACK SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THANKS AGAIN TO COMMISSIONER COOK FOR STEPPING IN.
I'LL NOTE FOR THE RECORD, THERE'S NO QUICK WAY TO THE DIOCESE ALL THE WAY, ALL THE WAY AROUND.
SECURITY IS, UH, IT DOESN'T LET ME THROUGH.
[19. PR-2024-142799 – 2103 S L Davis Ave. Council District 1]
TO ITEM NUMBER 19.UH, THIS IS 2103, UH, DAVIS, L DAVIS AVENUE S WAIT SL DAVIS AVENUE.
AND THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1935 HOUSE OF APPROXIMATELY 1,190 SQUARE FEET.
THE PROPERTY AT 2013 SL DAVIS AVENUE IS A SINGLE STORY WOOD FRAME HOUSE CONSTRUCTED ON RAISED PIER FOUNDATION.
THERE ARE SOME REMAINING BUNGALOW BUNGALOW ELEMENTS, INCLUDING A RECESSED PORCH THAT OCCUPIES ABOUT HALF THE FRONT FACADE.
THE PORCH FEATURES AN AMPLE FRONT GABLE, THE ROOF FACING THE STREET, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY TWO WOOD POSTS, ONE OF WHICH APPEARS TO BE LATER OR TEMPORARY STRUCTURAL, UH, OR A TEMPORARY STRUCTURAL INTERVENTION.
A MINIMAL RAIL IS PRESENT AT THE PORT PORCH EDGE.
FENESTRATION ON THE FRONT ELEVATION CONSISTS OF THREE ONE OVER ONE WINDOWS WITH SLIM PROFILES AND ARE POSSIBLY REPLACEMENTS.
A SECOND FRONT GABLE EXTENDS OUTWARDS, OUTWARDS OVER THE HALF OF THE FRONT ELEVATION NOT COVERED BY THE PORCH, IS NARROWER AND SET AT A STEEPER ANGLE THAN THE OTHER GABLE, WHICH MAY INDICATE THAT THESE WERE NOT BUILT AT THE SAME TIME AT THE EXTERIOR WALLS.
A NON HISTORIC METAL OR VINYL SIDING HAS BEEN INSTALLED AFTER THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.
THERE'S A CONCRETE SKIRT COVERING THE FOUNDATION AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY AND INCLUDES METAL CRAWL SPACE VENTS.
THE FRONT STAIRS IS WOOD IN CONSTRUCTION.
THE ADDRESS FORMERLY KNOWN AS 2103 WASHINGTON AVENUE FIRST APPEARED IN PUBLIC RECORD AROUND 1906 AND HOUSED RENTERS FOR DECADES.
THE MOST FREQUENTLY NAMED OF THESE RENTERS IN CITY DIRECTORIES WERE MOSES BROOKS, MILTON ADDISON, AND LAVINIA BROOKS, LATER LISTED AS EDISON, WHO ARE GENERALLY, GENERALLY LISTED AS LABORERS.
MOSES BROOKS IS SPECIFICALLY LISTED AS A HOSTLER IN ONE DIRECTORY.
IT IS UNCLEAR WHO OWNED THE HO OWNED THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME.
BUT BY THE LATE 1920S, LANIE ADDISON IS LISTED AS AN OWNER ALONG WITH A LISTING FOR A BROOKS ADDISON, WHICH MAY BE AN ERRONEOUS COMBINATION OF THE TWO MEN DESCRIBED ABOVE.
MILTON'S ADD, MILTON ADDISON'S NAME APPEARS AS OWNER OFF AND ON UNTIL 1953, AFTER WHICH THE PROPERTY IS LISTED AS EITHER OCCUPIED SOLELY BY RENTERS OR THROUGHOUT THE 1960S AND EARLY 1970S, VACANT RENTAL LISTINGS APPEARED IN THE AUSTIN STATESMAN FOR THE PROPERTY.
AT THIS TIME, UP TO THE 1980S, THE HOUSE REMAINED OCCUPIED BY VARIOUS RENTERS.
UH, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS LACKING INTEGRITY IS RECOMMEND AND IS RECOMMENDED AS NOT ELIGIBLE TO CONTRIBUTE, CONTRIBUTE TO A POTENTIAL NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND, AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENT FOR STAFF? YOU, I I HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING, I MISSED IT.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE EAST AUSTIN
[02:45:01]
SURVEY.WHAT, WHAT DID IT SAY IN THERE? YES, IT, UM, LISTS THE PROPERTY AS LACKING INTEGRITY AND IS RECOMMENDED AS NOT ELIGIBLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO A POTENTIAL DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? STAFF? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND IS THE APPLICANT HERE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION? SHE'S LISTENING FROM WHOM TODAY, SHE'S NOT PRESENT.
UH, IS, WOULD SHE WISH TO SPEAK? NO.
UH, IS THERE, I BELIEVE SOMEBODY DID, UH, SIGN UP, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, I ASSUME THIS IS, UH, OPPOSING THE DEMOLITION REQUEST, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY SIGN UP IN OPPOSITION.
HOWEVER, HE IS NOT, NOT HERE TONIGHT, SO IT IS UP TO YOU TO ACT HOWEVER YOU, SO PLEASE.
THERE'S NO ONE ONLINE WAITING.
UH, SO THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, BUT HE'S NOT HERE.
UH, OTHERWISE, UH, WE'VE JUST SEEN THE CASE AND, UM, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATED BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MOVED TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND ENCOURAGE RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION.
AND IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK? UH, THIS JUST GOES STRAIGHT BACK TO THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S OUR STANDARD THAT PEOPLE GO TO, TO RELY ON, TO KNOW, TO EXPECT ON A PROPERTY.
AND IT WAS A FAIRLY LIBERAL, UM, SURVEY, SO IF IT DIDN'T RECOMMEND IT EVEN AS CONTRIBUTING TO A DISTRICT, UM, I CERTAINLY DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO, TO NOT ALLOW DEMOLITION.
UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN? NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENT? COMMISSIONERS, AGAIN, I THINK THE PHOTOGRAPHS DO ALSO INDICATE, UH, CLEARLY IT WAS NOT IN VERY GOOD SHAPE AND LACKED INTEGRITY IN 2016 AND IT HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER.
UH, I, I DO THINK THAT, UH, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS IN ORDER.
SO I'LL CALL QUESTION ON THE MOTION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND NOPE, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
OKAY, SO, UH, AGAIN, THE MOTION PASSES, UH, AND AGAIN, WE STILL ENCOURAGE IF POSSIBLE, UH, REHABILITATION BUT, UH, OR RELOCATION, BUT RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
[20. PR-2024-142315 – 305 North Bluff Dr. Council District 2]
IS ITEM NUMBER 20, AND THIS IS 3 0 5 NORTH BLUFF DRIVE.THIS IS ACTUALLY THE PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARY, AND, UH, THIS IS ALSO A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
THE, UH, PROJECT IS TO DEMOLISH A SECTION OF, UH, SECTION OF PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUS, CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE A ISD SCIENCE AND HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER.
THE BUILDING IS A FREESTANDING INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING WITH A FOOTPRINT OF APPROXIMATELY 25,758 SQUARE FEET IS ENTIRELY ONE STORY IN HEIGHT WITH SEVERAL WINGS PROJECTING OUT FROM THE MAIN ENTRY AREA, WHICH CONTAIN CLASSROOMS AND OTHER GENERAL SCHOOL SPACES.
MOST OF THE INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOMS FEATURE LARGE WINDOW WALLS CONTAINING OPERABLE OR FORMERLY OPERABLE 10 LIGHT METAL WINDOWS.
THOUGH THEY'RE NOT TRUE RIBBON RIBBON WINDOWS, AS THEY'RE BROKEN UP BY INTERIOR WALLS.
EACH ASSEMBLY DOES EXTEND MOST OF THE WIDTH OF EACH CLASSROOM TO, TO PROVIDE LIGHT AND AT ONE TIME VENTILATION.
THE MAIN ENTRY FEATURES A SET OF DOUBLE METAL DOORS, RECESSED SLIGHTLY FROM THE FRONT FACADE WITH A COVERED WALKWAY PROJECTING OUT TO THE PARKING LOT AND STREET.
THE HORIZONTALITY OF THE BUILDING IS EMPHASIZED BY THE FLAT ROOF WITH A MODEST OVERHANG TO SHADE THE FENESTRATION FROM DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
BUFF BRICK CLADS, THE ENTIRETY OF THE EXTERIOR FACADE AT ENDS OF EACH WING.
FULL MASONRY WALLS ARE PRESENT WITHOUT FENESTRATION SINCE CONSTRUCTION.
SOME INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS NEW AWNINGS AND EXPOSED MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ARE PRESENT AT PUBLIC FACING LOCATIONS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD NOW KNOWN AS PLEASANT HILL IN SOUTH AUSTIN WAS BUILT ON A SITE ONCE, UH, CALLED JONESTOWN JOHNSTOWN, UH, WHICH WAS SURVEYED BUT NEVER DEPLOYED YEAR, DEVELOPED YEARS PRIOR RECORDS INDICATE THAT BY 1903 PLEASANT HILL HAD TWO ONE TEACHER OF SCHOOLS.
THESE SCHOOLS WERE SPLIT BY RACE WITH ONE REPORTED TO HAVE 73 BLACK STUDENTS.
AND THE OTHER 42 WHITE STUDENTS.
THOUGH IF THOUGH AN IN-DEPTH SURVEY OF THIS COMMUNITY COULD NOT BE LOCATED DURING THE FIRST DECADES OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE SOUTHWARD DEVELOPMENT OF THE AUSTIN URBAN AREA AS WELL AS HIGHWAY MAPS INDICATE SOME GROWTH IN THE AREA.
THE PRESENT SCHOOL SAW CONSTRUCTION OF ITS ORIGINAL WING, PRESENTLY LOCATED IN THE CENTER
[02:50:01]
OF THE CURRENT COMPLEX IN THE MID 1930S.OPENING IN 1936 IS A FIRST THROUGH NINTH GRADE SCHOOL IN THE LOCAL PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AFTER NINTH GRADE, THE STUDENTS WOULD ATTEND AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, CONTINUED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA, SAW MORE STUDENTS AND EXPANSION OF THE SCHOOL WITH THE PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECOMING A PART OF AUSTIN ISD.
UPON THE ANNEXATION OF THE AREA IN 1956 TO 1958, IT WAS ALSO IN THIS YEAR THAT THE SCHOOL WAS FORMERLY DESEGREGATED.
THOUGH IN THE YEARS AFTERWARD, ITS STUDENT BODY REMAINED LARGELY A LARGELY AFRICAN AMERICAN.
IN 1975, THE SCHOOL WAS REORGANIZED TO SERVE SOLELY AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH ITS EXTENDED HISTORY.
PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE LONGEST OPERATING SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATE THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE OF AT LEAST SOME OF THE ORIGINAL SPACES OF THE SCHOOL, BUT RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, THIS IS POSTED AS TOTAL DEMOLITION, BUT YOUR REPORT SUGGESTS THAT IT'S A SECTION.
DO WE, AND THAT WASN'T CLEAR FROM THE BACKUP WHERE THAT SECTION IS.
IT'S A TOTAL DEMOLITION OF THE, UH, SCHOOL BUILT AROUND THE, THROUGHOUT THE 1950S AND SIXTIES.
UM, THERE WAS A LATER SCHOOL BUILT IN THE 1980S, WHICH SERVES AS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRENTLY, UM, CURRENTLY THE SECTION THAT IS, UM, THE SECTION OF THE CAMPUS THAT'S PROPOSED TO BE DEMOLISHED IS USED AS THE A SD SCIENCE AND HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER.
AND IS IT CONTIGUOUS? UH, BUT ARE BOTH, ARE BOTH PIECES CONTIGUOUS OR ARE THEY SEPARATE? UH, NO, THERE'S SEPARATE FACILITIES ON THE SAME CAMPUS.
IT'S NOT CLEAR FROM THE SITE PLAN IN MY, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT'S BEING DEMOLISHED.
IT SHOULD BE ON THE NORTH END.
UM, JUST THE NORTH END SECTION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE STAFF, DO WE NOT KNOW THE ARCHITECT, ORIGINAL ARCHITECT? I COULD NOT FIND THAT INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
UH, AND UH, AGAIN, THIS, UH, WE CAN OPEN NOW IF THERE ARE NO THE QUESTIONS OF STAFF, WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
AND DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE SIGNED UP TO SAY, UH, WELL PLEASE COME, COME FORWARD? OKAY.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS JEREMY RIFER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE FOR THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, I THINK THIS EVENING IS A LITTLE BIT OF LEARNING FOR US, UH, AND SOMETHING I'M GOING TO TAKE BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES TO TALK ABOUT WHO'S PRESENTING AS THE APPLICANT AS CLEARLY THE APPLICANT WHO IS SIGNED UP IS NOT SPEAKING AND THAT'S THE DEMOLITION COMPANY THAT WOULD BE DOING THE WORK FOR US.
UM, BUT JUST BASICALLY THE QUICK CONTEXT OF THIS IS, AS MENTIONED, THERE'S TWO SCHOOL BUILDINGS ON THIS PROPERTY.
THIS IS THE FORMER SCHOOL BUILDING THAT WAS VACATED YEARS AGO.
UH, IT HAD BECOME HOME TO OUR SCIENCE HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH THEY PUT ALL THE KITS TOGETHER FOR OUR SCHOOLS WITH LIKE SCIENCE, YOU KNOW, FOR SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS AND STUFF.
UH, THIS BUILDING WAS BUDGETED TO BE DEMOLISHED WITH FUNDS FROM THE 2017 BOND.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE MONEY ALLOCATED IN 2017 BOND, WHICH AGAIN, ALL AS MENTIONED, THE PREVIOUS CASE WAS VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY BY THE RESIDENTS OF, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN.
THE, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TO USE THE DOLLARS THAT WERE ALLOCATED BY, YOU KNOW, AND APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC TO DEMO THIS BUILDING AS IT'S NO LONGER A USE.
AND IT IS BASICALLY A HUGE COST FOR US.
'CAUSE WE'RE PAYING UTILITY BILLS, WHICH ONLY CONTINUE TO GO UP EACH YEAR TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE PIPES WARM AND STUFF.
AND, UH, SO THE PLAN IS TO DEMOLISH THIS BUILDING AND THEN TO RES PUT NATIVE GRASSES IN ITS PLACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL PROTECT THAT AREA FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T STEPPING UPON SEEDLINGS AND STUFF.
AND THEN, BUT YEAH, IT WILL BECOME NATIVE GRASSES AND IT IS DIRECTLY, UH, ADJACENT TO OUR DISCOVERY HILL, WHICH, UM, IS JUST AN OUTDOOR LEARNING AREA, HAS A OUTDOOR CLASSROOM.
AND SO THIS WILL KIND OF BE AN EXTENSION OF THAT, UH, INCREASING THE OUTDOOR GREEN SPACE AT THIS CAMPUS.
AND SO WHAT I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING IS THIS WILL, THIS WILL BE MORE RESOURCES FOR THE SCHOOL.
UH, THE EXISTING SCHOOL BUILDING IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR THE NEEDS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT THE SUPPLEMENTAL USES THAT YOU'VE PUT THIS BUILDING TO.
[02:55:01]
DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED TO USE THE BUILDING FOR THAT.UH, AND IT'S A BETTER USE OF THESE FACILITIES TO HAVE MORE OPEN SPACE IN SUPPORT OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL.
IT'S THE EXECUTION OF 2017 BOND MISSION, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, THOSE DOLLARS TO BE PUT TOWARDS DEMOING IT.
SO, UH, BEING ABLE TO FULFILL THAT GOAL TOO.
WE HAVE NO USE FOR THE BUILDING IN TERMS OF ITS CURRENT CONDITION, AND IT IS JUST A COST TO US.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, DOES NOT MEET EDUCATION SPECS.
SO WE WOULD NEVER REUSE IT FOR ANY EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES WITHOUT HAVING TO DO MAJOR RENOVATIONS TO IT.
BUT FURTHER, WE HAVE NO BUDGET.
WE HAVE NO DOLLARS TO DO ANY KIND OF ADAPTIVE REUSE OF, OF THE BUILDING.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE MONEY FOR IS THE DEMOLITION AND THE REMEDIATION WELL FOR REMEDIATION AND DEMOLITION OF THAT BUILDING.
AND I THINK IN FAIRNESS, AND OF COURSE I WASN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH TIME LAG BETWEEN THE PLANNING AND OF COURSE, AT, AT THE SCALE YOU'RE DEALING WITH, WITH THE BOND PROGRAM, MULTIPLE PROGRAMS THAT WERE INVOLVED.
AND I THINK NOW YOU'RE AT THE POINT WHERE, UM, A NUMBER OF A ISD FACILITIES WILL BE UNDER OUR PURVIEW JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
THEY'RE COMMUNITY ASSETS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WILL MEET OUR CRITERIA FOR, UH, CONSIDERATION AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE CHARGED WITH THE CITY TO DO.
AND SO I'M, I'M CERTAINLY AS A RESULT OF SEEING THESE TWO CASES ON OUR AGENDA, UH, IT, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT A MORE ROBUST WAY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DISTRICT MORE HOLISTICALLY ON SOME OF THE, UH, LARGER BUILDINGS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MENTIONED IN, IN THE PREVIOUS CASE.
BUT I, I THINK IT, IT, IT CERTAINLY IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ALSO REACH OUT TO THE DISTRICT AND TO PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES AND SOME GUIDANCE IF YOU NEED SOME, SO THAT THOSE ELEMENTS OF OUR HISTORY THAT ARE IMPORTANT, UH, AND WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO THE DISTRICT AS WELL, WE CAN COME TO SOME AGREEMENT ON.
AND WHEN A CASE LIKE THIS MIGHT COME FORWARD, IT WOULD ALREADY BE ANTICIPATED.
THOSE THAT ARE ANTICIPATED, THOSE THAT WE ALREADY READY FOR, WE CAN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO STARTING FROM SCRATCH EACH TIME THE WAY IT SEEMS TO BE RIGHT NOW.
ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK FORWARD, YOU KNOW, THE 25 SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE MODERNIZING AS PART OF THE 2022 BOND PLUS THOSE THAT WE DID IN 2017, IT'S ABOUT A THIRD OF THE BUILDING.
SO THERE'S TWO THIRDS LEFT THAT ALL DESERVE TO BE BROUGHT UP TO, UH, CURRENT STANDARDS AND MODERNIZED.
AND SO IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NOT ONLY DO WE DO THESE FACILITY CONDITION, FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENTS, WE ALSO DO EDUCATIONAL, UH, CONDITION ASSESSMENTS.
BUT ALSO LOOKING AT IT NOW, GIVEN THE AGE OF THESE BUILDINGS, A HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT AS WELL, AND HAVING THAT BE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SO THAT WAY WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER A BOND PACKAGE GOING FORWARD, WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF ADDRESSED THAT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, ARE NOT SURPRISED YEARS LATER 'CAUSE THERE IS SUCH A DELAY BETWEEN WHEN THE DOLLARS ARE APPROVED VERSUS WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF, UH, GETTING TO PERMITTING AND EVERYTHING.
IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CURRENT BOND, I THINK I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WITH THE CITY HOW WE COULD COORDINATE TIME TO EVEN MAYBE PRESENT AND WALK YOU THROUGH LIKE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE FORTHCOMING
UH, SO THAT WAY YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROGRAM IS, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHY WE MADE THESE DECISIONS, HOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHAT THE FACILITY CONDITIONS LOOK LIKE, ET CETERA.
AND I THINK SOME OF IT'S ALREADY BEEN HIGHLIGHTED.
A LOT OF IT IS JUST THE IMMENSE COST THAT THESE BUILDINGS, UM, ARE FOR THE DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN 'EM.
AND, YOU KNOW, FROM THE HVAC, ESPECIALLY IN THE ROOFING UNITS, THEY'RE JUST SO OUTDATED.
AND SO IT'S A LOT OF PUTTING BAND-AIDS ON THINGS AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS EFFICIENT BUILDINGS, BUT ALSO LEARNING HAS CHANGED.
AND SO THE CLASSROOM OF THE 1950S DOES NOT NECESSARILY SERVE THE STUDENTS IN 2024 OR IN 20 30, 20 40, 20 50 THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD FOR.
AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.
ARE THERE FURTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE, UH, APPLICANT, THE MAIN SPEAKER? THANK YOU.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? AGAIN? THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST FOR, UH, 3 0 5 NORTH BLUFF DRIVE.
UM, MY NAME IS, UH, IS DANIEL GINK AND I LIVE ON, UH, NORTH BLUFF DRIVE.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 500 NORTH BLUFF DRIVE.
SO WE LIVE ABOUT, UM, ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM, UH, THE SCHOOL.
UM, NORTH BLUFF DRIVE IS A UNIQUE AREA.
IT'S A UNIQUE STREET IN MANY WAYS.
[03:00:01]
INFORMATION, IT WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL STAGECOACH ENTRANCES INTO AUSTIN.UH, IT HAS A MASON LODGE THERE ON THAT STREET, WHICH WAS BUILT AT 1858.
UH, PROBABLY ONE OF THE OLDEST STRUCTURES SOUTH OF THE RIVER.
UH, PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL, ACCORDING TO THE MASON LODGE, PEOPLE BEGAN THERE, UM, IN THE 1850S, UH, AS A SCHOOL, A PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, AND A MASON LODGE.
UH, IT WAS, THE PROPERTY WHERE IT'S AT NOW WAS DONATED BY ANOTHER SCHOOL, BY ANOTHER LODGE FROM THIS, FROM SOUTH, UH, SOUTH OF WHERE WE ARE NOW.
UM, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THERE WERE, WELL, I'VE SEEN THAT THE TRUCKS WERE OUT THERE.
UH, AND IT'S FENCED OFF NOW AT THIS POINT, READY FOR DEMOLITION.
BUT, UM, THE BUILDING AS IT EXISTS, UH, FITS WITH THE NATURE OF NORTH BLUFF DRIVE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S IN A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.
WE HAVE SEEN A, AN EXPLOSION OF POPULATION IN THAT AREA.
UH, THERE IS 140 CONDOS ON MY FENCE LINE, UH, 250, UH, UH, UH, APARTMENTS ACROSS THE STREET ON CROW LANE, WHICH IS A LITTLE DEAD END STREET THERE.
UM, THERE ARE TOWNHOUSES BEING BUILT.
WE HAVE ANOTHER UNIT OF 19 HOUSES COMING IN THERE, UM, THAT IS BEING BUILT, BUT THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE HISTORICAL CHARACTER AND NATURE OF NORTH BLUFF DRIVE AND WHAT IT IS.
UH, I WOULD JUST HIGHLIGHT THERE WAS A POINT IN WHICH THEY WERE BUILDING THE CONDOS AND THEY SHUT DOWN NORTH BLUFF DRIVE, AND MY WIFE AND I WERE ABLE TO WALK DOWN NORTH BLUFF DRIVE AND GO TO THE CORNER AT BURGER KING, AN ICE CREAM CONE.
UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS ALL THE TIME, WALKING THEIR DOGS, UM, TAKING A STROLL.
THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS ON MUCH OF THAT STREET, BUT THEY'RE THERE ANYHOW, ALONG WITH CARS THAT ARE GOING 35 AND 40 MILES AN HOUR.
BUT BACK TO PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL, THAT BUILDING THERE HAS BEEN EMPTY NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT I THOROUGHLY AGREE WITH YOUR APP, WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THERE TO LOOK AT WAYS, CREATIVE WAYS TO REUSE AND REESTABLISH AND REFURBISH THAT FRONT SECTION BECAUSE IT FITS, IT FITS IN BEAUTIFULLY WITH THE NATURE OF NORTH BLUFF DRIVE.
THERE IS A HUGE, UH, 30-YEAR-OLD HERITAGE OAK TREE IN THE FRONT OF IT.
UM, AND IT JUST, IT JUST SPEAKS TO THAT, THAT WHOLE THING OF WHAT THAT SCHOOL IS.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER.
AND ALSO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HISTORICAL NATURE AND ALSO, OKAY.
LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY RECOMMENDED TO SEE HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD REFOCUS THE USE OF THAT BUILDING.
UH, JUST THE FRONT PART OF IT, MR. YOUNG TO GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP THEN.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALL I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
UH, BUT, UH, THAT'S, THANK YOU, WHAT WE RECOMMEND.
ANY QUESTION OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALRIGHT.
UH, IF THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, THEN I WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I WILL MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PACKAGE PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN PERMIT PENDING ON CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE WHILE ENCOURAGING REUSE.
COMMISSIONER EVANS HAD SOMETHING TO SAY.
OH, I WANTED TO SECOND THAT MOTION.
COMMISSIONER COOK'S MOTION, UH, TO RELEASE THE PERMIT.
COMMISSIONER EVANS SECOND COMMISSIONER COOK.
I APPRECIATE THE SPEAKER COMING UP TO, UM, TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS CASE.
AND I'M ALWAYS A LITTLE TROUBLED WHEN WE'RE DEMOLISHING A BUILDING AND REPLACING IT WITH, WITH NOTHING, WHICH ELIMINATES THE POSSIBILITY OF IT BECOMING SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HARD TO REUSE.
UH, THE LOW, LOW CEILING LINE, LOW ROOF LINE WOULD MAKE IT REALLY HARD TO ADAPT FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.
[03:05:01]
I THINK THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF OPEN AREAS, SO A, YOU KNOW, NATURAL FIELD COULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA AS WELL.UM, I SUSPECT THERE'S PROBABLY CONCERN ABOUT WHAT MAY REPLACE IT IN, IN THE FUTURE, BUT THAT'S, UM, KIND OF ANOTHER ISSUE FOR ANOTHER TIME.
I JUST DON'T SEE, UM, THE NEED TO ASK THE, THIS PUBLIC ENTITY TO RETAIN THIS BUILDING FOR ANY OVERRIDING HISTORIC, UM, CONTRIBUTION THAT IT HAS TO THE COMMUNITY.
COMMISSIONER EVANS? I FULLY AGREE AND I AGREE WITH THE, UH, THE, UH, CHARACTERIZATION.
THE DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SAVE A BUILDING THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE USED OR CANNOT BE USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I JUST WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND, AND HANGING WITH US THIS LATE, UM, AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER COOK.
UM, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED THE BUILDING DOES LOOK LIKE THIS FOR THAT TIME PERIOD.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, IT'S INTERESTING.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT MEETS OUR LEVEL OF ARCHITECTURAL, UH, SIGNIFICANCE.
AND EVEN IF THERE ARE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'D HAVE TO BE BROUGHT UP.
AND I THINK THERE'S EVEN QUESTIONS PROBABLY ON, ON OUR END ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF.
AND I, I HAPPEN TO KNOW THIS BUILDING BECAUSE MY WIFE, WHO'S A NOW RETIRED, A ISD TEACHER, UH, MANY TIMES WENT TO THE SCIENCE RESOURCE CENTER TO PICK THINGS UP AND, AND, UH, UH, IT WAS NOT A GOOD, IT WAS, IT WAS NOT IN GOOD SHAPE BACK THEN.
IT PROBABLY HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER NOW THAT IT'S NOT BEING USED FOR THAT.
UH, I THINK ALSO THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT, WE DON'T KNOW THE ARCHITECT, UM, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME MODERN SCHOOLS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS THAT WILL BE OF SIGNIFICANCE AND WILL WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE DISTRICT TO THINK CREATIVELY WITH US, TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORY OF PARTICULARLY THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
PLACES WHERE, UH, WE MAY NOT THINK JUST BECAUSE PERHAPS THE BUILDING WASN'T THE MOST EXPENSIVE OR IT WASN'T THE MOST, UH, APPRECIATED AT THE TIME.
UH, IT STILL IS INTACT AND IT STILL CONVEYS THE STORY OF A VERY RUGGED AND VERY IMPORTANT HISTORY.
UH, I THINK THIS ONE, UH, BECAUSE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS CONTINUING ON THE SITE AND BECAUSE THE FACILITIES I THINK WILL BE ENHANCED, UH, WITH THE PLANS THE DISTRICT HAS FOR THE REMOVAL OF THIS STRUCTURE.
UH, AND ALSO I THINK WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE SYMPATHETIC IF THIS WAS AN EASY SWAP OR SOME OTHER OBVIOUS WAY THAT A BUILDING OF THIS TYPE, UH, COULD BE MAINTAINED, IT WOULD BE WORTH ENCOURAGING.
UH, AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO REACH A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL, UH, EVEN WITH THE AMOUNT OF INTEGRITY THIS SHOWS.
IT JUST, IT, THIS WASN'T ONE OF THE, UH, PREMIER BUILDINGS AT THE TIME.
IT WAS A UTILITY BUILDING AND I THINK IT SERVED ITS PURPOSE AND SERVED THE COMMUNITY VERY WELL OVER THAT PERIOD.
BUT, UM, FRANKLY, PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARY IS GOING TO BENEFIT A LOT MORE, UH, IN THE FUTURE, UH, WITH THIS ACTION THAT WE COULD APPROVE.
UM, IF I, IF, IF THIS MOTION PASSES, SO I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, PERMIT, UH, AS INDICATED IN WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR DOCUMENTATION.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS THE MOTION PASSES.
[21. DA 2024 149924 – 1010 E Cesar Chavez St. Council District 3]
UH, OUR LAST DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT IS ITEM NUMBER 21.THIS IS, UH, 10 10 ACE CESAR CHAVEZ, AND THE PROPOSAL IS FOR A PARTIAL DEMOLITION.
IN ADDITION, I DO BELIEVE THIS, UH, HAS BEEN IN, IN FRONT OF THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, BUT I KNOW THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS, UH, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR THE CASE.
ITEM 21 IS A PROPOSAL TO PARTIALLY DEMOLISH AND CONSTRUCT AN ADDITION TO A CIRCUIT 1884 BUILDING FOR USE AS A RESTAURANT LOCATED AT 10 10 EAST CAESAR VEZ STREET.
THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES DEMOLITION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF AN EXISTING OUTBUILDING.
UM, THE PROJECT SPECIFIES CONSTRUCTION OF A PORCH AND A TRELLIS AT THE MEDINA STREET ELEVATION, WHERE AN EXISTING PORCH HAS BEEN INFILLED.
UM, THEY ALSO PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A GABLE ROOFED ADDITION TO THE EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET ELEVATION WITH A PROJECTING BAY WINDOW AND VERTICAL FIBER CEMENT SIDING.
THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES DEMOLITION AND RECONSTRUCTING OF THE EXISTING OUTBUILDING AS IS FOR BAKERY USE, UH, IN A, LIKE, FOR LIKE DESIGN.
THE HOUSE AT 10 10 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ ADDRESSED HISTORICALLY AT 10 10 EAST FIRST AND 10 10 EAST WATER STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1887 AND 1901.
IN 2011, IT WAS DETERMINED ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LISTING ON THE NATIONAL
[03:10:01]
REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES BASED ON ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE MCDONALD FAMILY WHO LIVED THERE FROM 1901 ONWARDS AND WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE CONSTRUCTED THE, THE EXISTING HOUSE AT THE TIME AND THE CANE FAMILY, LONG-TERM RESIDENTS OF THE PROPERTY WHO PURCHASED THE HOUSE FROM THE MCDONALD'S.HOWEVER, LATER RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE MAIN BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED AS EARLY AS 1887.
THOUGH ITS EARLIEST EXTENSIONS AT THE CESAR CHAVEZ STREET ELEVATION AND CHARACTERISTIC DECORATIVE ELEMENTS WERE LIKELY CONSTRUCTED BY THE MCDONALD'S AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
THE 1900 SANBORN MAP INDICATES THAT SEVERAL ACCRETIONS TO THE BUILDING'S ORIGINAL CENTER PASSAGE FORM HAD OCCURRED AT THAT TIME AND DIRECTORY AND NEWSPAPER RECORDS INDICATE THAT GEORGE EVANS LIVED AT THE ADDRESS AS EARLY AS 1884.
THE BUILDING'S LONGEST TERM OCCUPANTS DURING THE 20TH CENTURY WERE THE KANE FAMILY.
PATRICK HENRY KANE, WHO RAN AUSTIN'S DAM AND SUBURBAN RAILWAY IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS LATER BECAME FOREMAN OF THE COLORADO FIRE COMPANY AND INSPECTOR OF THE AUSTIN WATER POWER AND LIGHT DEPARTMENT.
KANE AND HIS EMPLOYEES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR LAYING AUSTIN'S EARLIEST PLUMBING SYSTEMS IN MUCH OF THE CITY.
THE PROPERTY ALSO SERVED AS A HOME-BASED BUSINESS FOR THE MOST RECENT OF ITS SIGNIFICANT RESIDENCE, THE CANTONESE FAMILY, FAMILY.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE HOUSE COSMETOLOGIST, ANITA QUINTANILLA OPENED A FULL SERVICE SALON THERE UNTIL SHE MOVED THE BUSINESS A BLOCK AWAY FROM HER HOME.
QUINTANILLA'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MEXICAN AMERICAN BUSINESS WOMEN TO BOTH THEIR FAMILY'S LIVELIHOODS AND EAST AUSTIN'S MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, UH, HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS AT POTENTIAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROJECT AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROJECT MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE CITYWIDE STANDARDS.
THE 2016 AUSTIN HISTORIC RE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A HIGH PRIORITY AND RECOMMENDS IT AS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION AS A LOCAL LANDMARK, INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THIS BUILDING IS ALSO LOCATED ALONG THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICES DESIGNATED TO HANO WALKING TRAIL AND NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MEETS TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, WHO ISSUED THE FOLLOWING FEEDBACK, USE GLASS AT TRANSITIONAL AREAS.
DO NOT KEEP THE SAME ROOF OR WALL PLANE WHERE THE ADDITION BEGINS, BUT OFFSET THE NEW ROOF LINE.
DO NOT ALIGN THE NEW GABLE WITH THE OLD CREATING A TIGHTER OVERHANG.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND APPROVE THE APPLICATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? I JUST, UH, WANNA NOTE THAT WE, WE RECENTLY RECEIVED SOME BACKUP THAT'S IN OUR EMAILS.
UM, FOR REFERENCE, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
AND THE STAFF REPORT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR BACKUP, UM, IN ITS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS OF STAFF, THEN UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, OPEN, NO, I'M SORRY.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
MY NAME'S INGRID GONZALEZ FEATHERSTON.
I'M WITH MF ARCHITECTURE REPRESENTING OUR CLIENT, ADAM HIER, WHO'S IN ATTENDANCE WITH US TODAY.
UM, I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND SKIP SOME OF OUR SLIDES SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SOME OF THE HISTORICAL FINDINGS THAT WE FOUND, UM, WITH THE RESEARCH THAT STAFF PROVIDED AND SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID WITH THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
SO IF WE COULD PROCEED TO PAGE 10, UM, JUST IN ESSENCE OF TIME, I THINK WE COULD GET THERE PRETTY QUICKLY AND GO OVER SOME OF THE DETAILS.
SO YEAH, SHE'S, UH, QUICKLY CLICKING THROUGH SOME OF THE IMAGERY THAT WE FOUND ON OUR HISTORY TRIP, WHICH WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING AND A LOT OF FUN.
UM, BUT IT WAS ALSO AN IN AN EFFORT FOR US TO HELP IDENTIFY SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BUILDING THAT WERE ORIGINAL, UM, AND THAT WE HOPED TO PRESERVE MOVING FORWARD.
UH, WE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PART OF THE FOOTPRINT WAS EXISTING, WHAT PART OF THE MASSING WAS NEW AND WHAT WAS ORIGINAL.
UM, SO HERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL SITE PLAN OF THE HOW OF THE HOME OR, YOU KNOW, CURRENT CENOTE RESTAURANT.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT IS STILL PRETTY MUCH INTACT WITH THE KIND OF L SHAPE THAT THERE IS ON THE SITE.
UH, WE'RE ALSO NOTING THE ADDITION AREA IN THE DARK GRAY AND HIGHLIGHTING, UH, WHERE IT'S LOCATED ON THE SITE FACING CESAR CHAVEZ, BUT SET BACK FROM THE PRIMARY ELEVATION AND AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING, UM, THE BACK STRUCTURE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE'RE ALSO DOING, UM, WITH THE BACK BUILDING.
BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY KIND OF NEW INFORMATION ON THAT.
UH, NOR DID THE SANBORN MAPS OR ANYTHING, UH, HAVE THE ORIGINAL FOOTPRINT.
SO THAT WAS LIKELY A LOT LATER THAN EVEN THE FINDINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND.
UH, HERE WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE AREAS IN RED, WHICH ARE THE ACTUAL AREAS THAT WE ARE TOUCHING THE BUILDING.
UM, THE FAR RIGHT, WHICH IS FACING MEDINA STREET WOULD BE
[03:15:01]
A PORCH, AN AWNING STRUCTURE.AND WE WOULD BE INFILLING, UH, WITH STEEL AND GLASS ALONG, UH, AN PREVIOUSLY INFILLED PORCH STRUCTURE THAT WAS THERE.
UM, FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, THERE WAS A, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY OPEN THE BUILDING UP AND HAVE MORE VISIBILITY FROM THE STREET, BUT ALSO REALLY PLAY WITH THAT IDEA OF PORCH AND PRESERVING THE IDEA OF PORCH BY CREATING THAT KIND OF GLASS, UH, KIND OF INTERSTITIAL SPACE THERE.
SO IT REALLY DOES STILL FEEL LIKE A PORCH AND WE'LL SEE THAT IN SOME OF THE RENDERS.
UM, AS WE LOOK TO THE LEFT, UH, FOR THE CAESAR CHAVEZ ADDITION SIDE, THAT IS REALLY HOUSING BRINGING UP TO CODE OUR RESTROOM COUNT AND NUMBER AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL DINING SPACE.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE, UH, TREATING THIS WITH A STEEL AND GLASS KIND OF FACADE ON THE SOUTH FACING CAESAR CHA SIDE.
UH, THIS IS AN OVERALL DIAGRAM IDENTIFYING, OF COURSE, RED IN ADDITION IS THE, UM, ADDITION SCOPE BLUE WOULD BE A MODIFICATION TO THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
THE EXISTING STRUCTURE DID NOT HAVE CENTRAL HVAC FOR A RUNNING RESTAURANT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF WINDOW AC UNITS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT KIND OF AD HOC, UH, HODGEPODGE, UM, ASSEMBLIES TO MAKE THAT STRUCTURE HAPPEN.
UH, SO WE ARE A PROPOSING, UH, FLAT KIND OF PARAPET SECTION THE BACK SO THAT WE CAN REALLY ALLOW SOME OF OUR MECHANICAL UNITS TO BE PLACED UP THERE.
UM, SINCE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THE SITE FOR, YOU KNOW, SEATING AND PARKING FOR THE OTHER AREAS, UH, YELLOW WE ARE PROPOSING JUST TO REPLACE IN KIND, UM, WITH THE NEW MODIFICATIONS ON THE INTERIOR TO BE PUTTING HVAC AND SOME OF THE CEILINGS IN, UM, WORKING WITH THE GC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE CAN REPLACE IN KIND AND IT WOULD BE THE BEST METHOD MOVING FORWARD FOR BUDGET AS WELL AS EASE OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'RE MOVING INTO SOME OF THE KIND OF DESIGN INSPIRATION, KNOWING THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTRAST THE EXISTING STRUCTURE ITSELF, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT SCALE, UM, FEELS APPROPRIATE TO THE BUILDING ITSELF.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT STEALING GLASS INFILLS, BAY WINDOW DESIGNS AND, UM, SOME HARDY VERTICAL SIGHTING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKYLIGHT AND KIND OF A MODERN INSERTION WHERE WE CAN.
SO THE CAESAR CHAVEZ ELEVATION, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE EXISTING ELEMENTS THAT WE WANTED TO PRESERVE, UH, INCLUDING SOME OF THE DETAIL WORK AROUND THE TRIM WORK, THE CAPITALS OF THE COLUMNS, THE SITING ITSELF, WE ARE REALLY, THE INTENT WOULD BE TO PRESERVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THE SHELL.
UM, A PART OF THE UPDATE WAS THIS CENTRAL DOOR AT THE ENTRY.
PREVIOUSLY WE'D SUBMITTED TO MAKE THIS A DOUBLE DOOR ENTRY, BUT WE HAVE SINCE MODIFIED AND THAT'LL BE WHAT WAS IN YOUR EMAIL BACKUP THAT YOU RECEIVED THIS EVENING? UH, WE ARE PROPOSING TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THAT CENTRAL ENTRY DOOR ON CAESAR CHAVEZ.
MOVING TO WHAT THE ADDITION WOULD NOW THE CHARACTER FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING THIS TRANSPARENCY WITH STEEL AND GLASS, WE WOULD HAVE A GABLE FORM THAT SITS UNDERNEATH THE ORIGINAL GABLE FORM OF THE MAIN STRUCTURE ITSELF AND ALSO BE SET BACK.
UM, ALLOWING FOR ALSO ANOTHER TYPE OF KIND OF OUTDOOR SEATING PORCH AREA IN FRONT OF THAT STEALING GLASS WINDOW AND KIND OF CREATING THAT DUAL LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE ALSO SEEING ON THE MEDINA STREET SIDE TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE AN AIRY PORCH, UH, FOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE CONNECTION.
THESE ARE NOTING THE SAME TYPE OF ELEMENTS, UM, WITH THE BAY WINDOW.
THERE WAS A LOT OF EX EXISTING TRELLIS AND LANDSCAPING THAT WE ARE REMOVING TO CREATE MORE VISIBILITY FOR THE STRUCTURE.
SO NEXT SLIDE WE WILL SEE OUR PROPOSAL WITH THE CEILING GLASS, UM, WANTING TO PRESERVE THOSE ELEMENTS AND JUST HOPING TO CREATE THAT REALLY NICE PORTRAIT EDITION HERE.
UM, DO LIKE ANY LAST COMMENT? LAST COMMENT WOULD BE, WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL FOR ANY COMMENTS THAT WERE GIVEN TODAY.
UM, GIVEN THAT OUR ALIGNMENTS WITH THE A RC MEETING AND SOME OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, IF WE COULD EVEN WORK EMAIL BACK AND FORTH, WE WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT.
WE APPRECIATE THE TIME THE COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? I I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION TO CONFIRM FOR EVERYONE ON THE MEDINA STREET FACADE, KIND OF THE, THE OPEN PORCH TREATMENT THERE MM-HMM
THAT AREA HAD BEEN HEAVILY MODIFIED OVER THE YEARS, AS I UNDERSTAND WITH THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THERE WE HAD BEEN KIND OF BUILT OUT AND THERE WAS NOTHING ORIGINAL THERE.
YOU'RE KEEPING THE ORIGINAL MAIN HOUSE FACING TAYLOR CHAVEZ AND THEN YOU'RE KEEPING THE BOARD AND BATTEN STRUCTURE EXACTLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT HYPHEN.
BUT IT, IT'S A, IT MAY APPEAR TO SOME TO BE A LITTLE HEAVY HANDED TREATMENT ON THE, ON THE MEDINA SIDE, BUT YOU CAN FEEL IT CLOSELY AT THAT PICTURE.
IT WAS PRETTY HEAVILY CUT UP OVER TIME AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST NOT TRYING TO RECREATE WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS THERE.
AND YOU WOULD STILL ALSO FEEL THE PORCH EFFECT FROM THE INTERIOR SINCE WE'RE KEEPING THAT KIND OF SLOPE OF THE ROOF AT THAT AREA.
SO, BUT, BUT ALL HISTORIC FABRIC IS BEING RETAINED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
UH, THE FENCING THAT IS SHOWN IN THAT FRONT, UH, PHOTO RENDERING, THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE PROPOSING, CORRECT? THE FE THE
[03:20:01]
PERIMETER FENCING? YES.UM, BUT WE ARE OPEN TO COMMENTS ON THAT IF, UH, THE STAFF FEELS RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT TOO.
YEAH, IT'S, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MC MORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT'S UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHAT IS, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON THIS? I'LL MOVE TO MAKE COMMENTS AND RELEASE THE PERMIT.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
YEAH, I THINK THIS IS A, IT'S A LITTLE STRONG TREATMENT, BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF BEING ABLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING THAT IS ORIGINAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE QUESTIONABLE WHETHER THIS WOULD QUALIFY AS A LANDMARK WITH THE ADDITIONS ON IT, BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY STEP BACK SECONDARY.
UM, EVERYTHING ORIGINAL IS BEING RETAINED.
UH, WE DO APPRECIATE THE CHANGE.
THE ONE CONCERN WAS THE DOUBLE DOOR, WHICH LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE IT WAS A, A GREEK REVIVAL SIDE LIGHT THAT WAS TURNING TO A DOUBLE DOOR, BUT WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE SINGLE DOOR TO KEEP EVERYTHING EXACTLY, UH, THE WAY IT WAS HISTORICALLY.
BUT I THINK OVERALL THIS IS A GREAT WAY THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN RETAIN AND SAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC STRUCTURE FOR THE FUTURE.
CELEBRATE IT, USE IT, ADD UM, ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF UTILITY WITH IT IN A REALLY CREATIVE WAY.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF THINKING I THINK WE NEED ALL OVER THE CITY.
NOT JUST TEARING THINGS DOWN AND, AND BUILDING BIG WHITE BOXES, BUT YOU CAN BUILD LOVELY, MODERN ADDITIONS AND STILL CELEBRATE THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
ANY MORE COMMENTS MR. CROOK? UM, I'M REALLY GLAD I PULLED THIS ONE 'CAUSE I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE ENDING ON IT TONIGHT.
UM, SO, AND, AND THE REASON I PULLED IT WAS FOR THAT, UM, DOUBLE FRONT DOOR.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THAT.
I THINK THE SOLUTION'S A GOOD ONE, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, I THINK THIS WAS ANOTHER A RC PROCESS THAT WORKED REALLY WELL.
UM, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING AND LISTENING.
I THINK THE ADDITION, UM, TO THE LEFT SIDE IS SO MUCH MORE IMPROVED IN TERMS OF BEING UNDERSTATED AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE WHAT THE ORIGINAL BUILDING IS.
SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING, UH, WITH US AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS
I'LL BE KEEPING MY EYE OUT, SO THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH A RC.
UH, I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE TONIGHT AND NOT ANOTHER MONTH.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, UH, THIS PROJECT.
I WISH MORE RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS KEPT SOME, SOME OF THESE KIND OF THINGS IN MIND.
LIKE COMMISSIONER COOK SAID, UM, I, I THINK WE'RE STILL INTERESTED IN LOCAL STORAGE ZONING.
SO IF AND WHEN THE OWNER IS READY, WE ARE, WE'RE, WE WILL JUMP AT THAT, BELIEVE ME.
UM, BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING A LOT OF CHARACTER ON THE STREET, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
AND, UH, WE NEED SOMEBODY IN GOOD FAITH, GOOD STEWARD TO, TO PROTECT THIS.
UH, SO I THINK THE, THE ONLY THING THAT YOU PROBABLY, UH, WOULDN'T HAVE RECEIVED IF WE DID THE ZONING FIRST MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SIGNAGE.
I THINK TYPICALLY WE DON'T, UH, I THINK SIGNAGE IS USUALLY A MORE STRICT CRITERIA.
UH, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M, I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND, UH, YEAH, WE'RE, HOPEFULLY THIS COMES BACK TO US AS A, AS A LANDMARK IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANKS FOR WORKING WITH US.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
UH, AND UH, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THAT IS OUR LAST, UH, CASE FOR THE EVENING.
UH, I CAN NOW MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 23.
[23. Conduct emergency Vice Chair election. ]
UH, WE HAVE TO CERTAINLY PASS ON THANKS TO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, WHIT FEATHERSTON FOR HIS LONG SERVICE.HE WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE ON THE COMMISSION AND AS A RESULT WE HAVE A EMERGENCY VICE CHAIR VACANCY.
AND SO I WILL OPEN THE, UH, I'LL OPEN THE TABLE.
I GUESS IT JUST, UH, THE, THE ABILITY NOW TO IS, IS FOR US TO TAKE NOMINATIONS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN NOMINATIONS FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT, UH, THE VICE CHAIR POSITION FOR THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
[03:25:03]
TAKING NOMINATIONS.AND, UH, I, I, COMMISSIONER EVANS AS I, I I BELIEVE THAT IS, IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ACCEPT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, I CAN ACCEPT.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE OTHER NOMINATIONS? I, IF NO OTHER NOMINATIONS, THEN I CAN, UH, CLOSE THE, UH, NOMINATIONS AND, UH, WE CAN VOTE ON COMMISSIONER EVANS FOR OUR VICE CHAIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, COMMISSIONER EVANS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL IN YOUR, IN YOUR NEW ROLE.
THANK YOU FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE
[26. Architectural Review Committee – Comments on the November 13th meeting cancellation]
ANY UPDATES, UH, OTHER THAN THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE IS, UH, GOING TO BE MEETING SHORTLY, BUT WE'RE KIND OF TAKING A BREATHER NOW FROM ALL THE WORK AND HAVING THE PLAN APPROVED.
AND THEN I DO BELIEVE GRANTS AND OPERATIONS, UH, WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
SO, UH, LET ME CALL ON THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR A REPORT.
AND AS WE MENTIONED, UH, THE MEETING WAS UNFORTUNATELY CANCELED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS.
IT'S OFTEN HARD TO GET THREE BUSY PROFESSIONALS TOGETHER AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
UH, WE ALMOST MADE IT, BUT I HAD AN EMERGENCY COME UP AT WORK AND COULDN'T, COULDN'T BE THERE IN PERSON.
BUT AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SERVICE AND THE PATIENCE, UH, FOR THOSE WHO HAD CASES IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, AGAIN, WE AS VOLUNTEERS TRY TO HELP OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND SOMETIMES, UH, UH, REAL WORK GETS IN THE WAY.
SO CAN, UH, CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? PLEASE.
UH, AND ONE OF THE REASONS I BELIEVE STAFF CAN CORRECT US IS WE WEREN'T ABLE TO RESCHEDULE BECAUSE WE HAD USED ALL OF OUR SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS FOR THE YEAR.
AND I THINK AS A GROUP, WE, WE WOULD FEEL THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THAT SITUATION AGAIN.
AND WE WOULD PROBABLY OPPOSE SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS IF WE CAN AVOID THEM IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I THINK SIXTH STREET WAS, WE THINK SIXTH STREET WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
BUT I THINK, UH, SEVERAL, SEVERAL OTHER ONES MAY NOT HAVE NEEDED THAT SEPARATE MEETING.
AND, UH, WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE AVOIDED, UH, A, A CANCELING AND JUST POSTPONING.
I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A LIMIT.
THERE'S A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS YOUR COMMITTEES CAN HAVE.
WE CAN ONLY HOLD ONE EVERY QUARTER.
UH, SO WE HAD USED OURS FOR THE QUARTER.
UH, THE QUARTER STARTS NOW IN DECEMBER, SO WE JUST MISSED IT BY A MONTH.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF WE HAD CALLED NEVER.
SO SOME, SOMEONE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE WOULD COME AND GIVE US A SLAP ON THE WRIST.
THESE THINGS ARE FUNNY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE UNTIL WE HAVE SOMEBODY TELL US WE VIOLATED THEM.
SO, UH, THIS IS COMPLETELY NEW INFORMATION BUT, UH, NOW THAT WE KNOW, SO WE WILL TRY TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF TONIGHT? STAFF? ARE WE ALL SET? THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.