[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
IT IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5TH, UH, 2025, AND THIS IS THE MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND ASK, UH, SAM, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER BEN HEIM, PRESENT, COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS, PRESENT, COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT, COMMISSIONER CARL LA ROCHE PRESENT, COMMISSIONER JAIME ALVAREZ PRESENT AND COMMISSIONER TRE MAKE ORDER IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
UM, I WILL NOTE THAT WE HAVE JUST A QUORUM.
SO, UH, WE THANK THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE AT HOME AND HOPE YOU'LL STAY ON FOR THE WHOLE MEETING.
AND, UH, PLEASE DON'T, DON'T GO BLANK ON US OR ANY OF US HAVE TO LEAVE THE DIOCESE.
SO
UH, AT THIS POINT, UH, DO WE HAVE CITIZENS COMMUNICATION? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP CURRENTLY, BUT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THAT IS ANY AUDIENCE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
SEEING NONE THEN LET US GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH A REVIEW OF
[Consent Agenda]
THE AGENDA.ALRIGHT, THANK YOU CHAIR MACK.
UM, OUR AGENDA TONIGHT BEGINS WITH THE FEBRUARY 5TH, 20, 25 MINUTES, WHICH ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL THIS EVENING.
ITEM TWO IS A BRIEFING ON PUBLIC COMMUNI ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UM, FOR OUR DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY, WHICH IS WRAPPING UP, OR WHICH IS, UH, GOING TO BEGIN, EXCUSE ME, UM, LATER THIS MONTH.
SO, UH, THERE WILL BE NO, UH, ACTION TAKEN ON ITEM TWO IN OUR HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS THIS EVENING.
ITEM THREE C 14 H 20 25 0 0 2 2 AT 1701 SAN GABRIEL STREET.
UH, THIS WILL BE AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO APRIL THE SECOND, ITEM FOUR, HR 2 24 0 9 5 1 4 2 AT 24 25 0 4.
BRIDAL PATH IS OUR FIRST CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATENESS TONIGHT.
BUT THIS APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN AND NO ACTION IS REQUIRED.
ITEM FIVE, HR 2 25 0 1 4 3 9 8 AT 41 0 5 AVENUE G.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, UH, AND THERE IS A CORRECTION ON THE AGENDA, UH, WHICH SHOULD SAY, UH, APPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR THE STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION ITEM NUMBER SIX, HR 20 25 0 1 7 4 5 6 AT 200.
THE CIRCLE IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT, UM, AND THE SAME CORRECTION APPLIES THERE.
IT SHOULD SAY, APPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IN OUR SECTION ON NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEM SEVEN, HR 20 24, 1 2 3 0 6 0 AT 1003 MOUNT PHRASE STREET.
THIS IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT, WHICH IS A CORRECTION, UH, FROM THE WITHDRAWAL NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PR 20 24 1 5 9 6 3 2 AT 7 0 5 WESTLAND STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, HR 20 25 0 0 5 7 32 AT 1412 PRESTON AVENUE WILL ALSO BE A DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER 10, HR 20 25 0 0 7 2 6 9 AT 5 0 3 EAST ANNIE STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 11, HR 20 25 0 1 5 1 3 3 AT 1707 ALAMEDA DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 12, HR 2 2 5 0 1 5 3 3 4 AT 1802 NORTHWOOD ROAD IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 13, PR 20 25 0 0 9 4 7 8, UH, 2307.
WINDSOR ROAD NUMBER TWO WILL BE A STAFF POSTPONEMENT, UH, TO CORRECT THE NOTIFICATION.
ITEM 14, HR 2 2 5 0 1 0 8 6 3.
AT 1803 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT BRINGS US TO OUR DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION APPLICATION, BEGINNING WITH ITEM 15 DA 20 24 1 6 5 5 2 6 AT 2,600 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR BOULEVARD.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
ITEM 16, PR 20 25 0 0 8 2 3 6 AT 49 0 1 RIDGE OAK DRIVE WILL ALSO BE A DISCUSSION ITEM 17, PR 20 25 0 1 1 1 8 1 AT 9 3 2 EAST 53RD STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
[00:05:01]
PR 20 25 0 0 8 8 6 2 AT 1310 HASKELL STREET IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.UH, ITEM 19 AS WE DO EACH YEAR, UH, IS WE WILL CONDUCT A, A HEARING AND VOTE ON A PARTIAL, A VALOREM TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS FOR 2025.
UH, THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE AGENDA.
I'M GOING TO REVIEW THE CONSENT ITEMS AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THE END.
AND LET ME JUST BEGIN WITH THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
AND THAT IS ITEM NUMBER ONE FROM FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 5 41 0 5 AVENUE G.
UM, THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR A TWO STORY EDITION, UH, NEW ROOF AND RESTORATION.
THIS OFFERED AGAIN FOR CONSENT.
UH, THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION IN ADDITION TO GARAGE, UH, AGAIN OFFERED OF CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 8 7 0 8 WEST LYNN STREET.
UH, THAT'S, UH, TOTAL DEMOLITION, OH, I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
THIS ONE IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
THIS IS NOT A CONSENT ITEM, SO PLEASE MAKE SURE EIGHT IS NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER TEN FIVE OH THREE EAST ANNIE STREET.
UH, THIS IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF RESIDENCES WITH ATTACHED CARPORT AND POOLS.
ITEM NUMBER 11 17 0 7 ALAMEDA DRIVE.
UH, THIS IS PARTIAL DEMOLITION, TWO STORY EDITION.
ITEM NUMBER 12 18 0 2 NORTHWOOD ROAD.
THIS IS, UM, NEW CONSTRUCTION AND TWO STORY REAR UNIT.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 14 18 0 3 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THIS IS A TWO STORY EDITION, NEW CARPORT AND REMOVAL OF AN OLD CARPORT, UH, ITEM 17 9 32 EAST 53RD STREET.
UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
ITEM NUMBER 18 13 10 HASKELL STREET.
THIS IS ANOTHER DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND THEN ITEM 19, THE, UH, HEARING AND VOTE ON THE, UH, PARTIAL ALAR TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS 2025.
NOW, IF THERE ARE ANY OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD NOT WANT ON ONE OF THESE ON CONSENT AND WOULD PREFER THAT WE HAVE THIS ITEM AS A DISCUSSION, PLEASE GET OUR ATTENTION RIGHT NOW.
OR IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO PULL ANY OF THESE OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA, THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT.
HEARING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, UH, IS A SECOND.
UH, IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A DISCUSSION.
AND SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE ALL SIX HANDS RAISED.
IF ANY OF YOUR ITEMS, UH, WERE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO GO HOME.
UH, YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO STAY AND HANG OUT WITH US TONIGHT.
WE'VE GOT OTHER CASES ON THE AGENDA AS WELL.
UH, NEXT ITEM WILL BE THE POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UH, THIS IS AT 1701 SAN GABRIEL STREET.
UH, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A POSTPONEMENT TO OUR APRIL MEETING, UH, BY THE APPLICANT.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER SEVEN.
UH, THIS IS AT 10 0 3 MAL PHRASE STREET.
UH, THIS IS ADDITION RE, EXCUSE ME.
THIS IS A, UM, UH, APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT, UH, TO THE APRIL MEETING.
AND THE FINAL IS, UM, ITEM NUMBER 13 23 0 7, WINDSOR ROAD NUMBER TWO.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A NOTIFICATION ERROR, SO THE STAFF IS INDICATING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT ONE POSTPONED AS WELL.
SO ALL THREE ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR POSTPONEMENT TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER ROCHE, I SAW YOUR HAND FIRST.
UH, DOES NOT NEED A DISCUSSION FOR POSTPONEMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING THOSE ITEMS, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[2. Briefing on Public Comment Period for Downtown Historic Resource Survey.]
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A BRIEFING.UH, THIS IS THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
AND I BELIEVE SOPHIA WAGNER IS GOING TO, UH, GIVE US AN UPDATE.
[00:10:01]
I AM A PLANNER THREE FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.LET ME SEE IF WE CAN GET THE PRESENTATION, UM, PULLED UP WHILE IT'S TAKING ITS TIME.
UM, THIS IS A SURVEY THAT HAS BEEN UNDER UNDERWAY, BUT IS NOW AT A CRITICAL INPUT STAGE.
AND WE'LL SET THE STAGE FOR, UH, A BADLY NEEDED UPDATE OF RESOURCES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WE NOW INVENTORY OUR HISTORIC HERITAGE, SOME OF, SOME OF WHICH IS THREATENED.
SO APPRECIATE, UH, THE UPDATE.
SO, UM, TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT, UH, ONE OF OUR CURRENT PROJECTS IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY.
UM, THE DRAFT IS ALMOST COMPLETE AND THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
IT'S GONNA BE OPEN, UH, ON MARCH 26TH, AND IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, MAY 9TH.
SO THIS IS THE TIME FOR EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO LIVES, UM, WORKS OR IS JUST INTERESTED IN DOWNTOWN TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK ON THE SURVEY DRAFT.
SO, UH, WHAT, WE'LL, WHAT I'LL TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, UM, IT'LL BE JUST GIVEN A DEFINITION OF WHAT IS A HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY.
UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY, UH, SHOW THE SURVEY BOUNDARY.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT TIMELINE, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, AND HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
UH, SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, THE WHOLE REASON I'M HERE IS, UH, TO LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY COMING OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WHERE TO ACCESS, UM, THE DRAFT AND WHERE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS.
SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS A HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY? UM, IT'S A WAY TO IDENTIFY AND DOCUMENT BUILDINGS, SITES, OR AREAS THAT HAVE HISTORICAL VALUE.
THIS MAY BE WHETHER TO, UH, DUE TO THEIR AGE, THEIR ARCHITECTURE, THEIR DESIGN, OR CONNECTION TO LOCAL HISTORY.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THESE PLACES ARE RECOGNIZED AND DOCUMENTED, AND ALSO, UM, THAT THIS INFORMATION CAN BE ACCESS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, ONE THING THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION IS THAT A HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY DOESN'T, UM, INVOLVE ANY AUTOMATIC CHANGES TO THE ZONING OR THE TAXES.
UM, THIS MEANS THAT ALL THESE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PART OF, THAT ARE BEING SURVEYED RIGHT NOW IN OUR DOWNTOWN SURVEY, UH, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING SURVEYED.
THAT MEANS THAT THEIR ZONING IS AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED OR THE TAXES ARE CHANGED.
UM, THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, THE SURVEY IS JUST, UM, INFORMATION GATHERING TOOL FOR US, UM, FOR THE SEEING IF THERE ARE POTENTIAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS OR DISTRICTS IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO A FEW FACTS ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESEARCH SURVEY, UH, IS THAT IT'S FOCUSING ON BUILDINGS THAT ARE, UH, 45, AT LEAST 45-YEAR-OLD.
UM, IT LOOKS AT THESE BUILDINGS TO SEE IF THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
UH, THIS SURVEY IS, UH, REPLACING THE ORIGINAL 1981 SURVEY.
UM, SO, UH, LONG OVERDUE ON THAT ONE.
UM, HHM AND ASSOCIATES, UH, IS THE HISTORIC, UH, PRESERVATION, UH, CONSULTING FROM WORKING WITH US.
THEY ARE DOING THE RESEARCH AND SO FAR, UM, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED, UH, UNDOCUMENTED 1,964, UH, RESOURCES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UH, THIS SURVEY WILL, UH, HELP US, UH, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE WITH ANY FUTURE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT COME, UH, BEFORE US.
AND IT'LL ALSO BE A GOOD TOOL FOR THE PUBLIC.
UH, LET'S SAY IF A PROPERTY OWNER, UM, HAPPENS TO, YOU KNOW, UH, THEIR, THEIR PROPERTY IS ON THE SURVEY IS LISTED AS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY AS A LANDMARK OR PART OF A POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, IT, THE PROCESS IS VERY SMOOTH AND I WOULD SAY RELATIVELY EASY BECAUSE ALL THAT INFORMATION IS ALREADY THERE ON THE SURVEY.
UM, SO ALL THE RESEARCH IS DONE.
UH, THIS IS THE SURVEY BOUNDARY.
UH, IT STARTS WITH, UH, ROUGHLY, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BOULEVARD ON THE NORTH I 35 ON THE EAST LADY BIRD LAKE IN THE SOUTH, AND MOPAC ON THE WEST.
[00:15:01]
PLEASE.UH, SO HERE'S A QUICK TIMELINE.
UH, THE PROJECT INITIATION WAS BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2023.
THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING TOOK PLACE, UH, IN PERSON, UH, ALSO IN 2023.
THE SECOND PUBLIC MEETING WAS, UH, HELD VIRTUALLY LAST MAY.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UM, ABOUT TO START THE PUBLIC COMMENT PHASE.
UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPENS ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH.
UM, AND ON THE LAST SLIDE, I'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ACCESS THE SURVEY, UM, DRAFT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE A THIRD PUBLIC MEETING COMING UP ALSO ON APRIL 16TH, AND WHICH WILL BE HELD, UH, VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN, UH, DISCUSSING, UH, INTERNALLY TO HAVING THIS PUB THIRD PUBLIC MEETING, UM, OFFERING A TWO, TWO MEETINGS THAT DAY.
SO THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MAYBE, UM, A MEETING HAPPENING, UH, FROM 12 TO 1:00 PM SO IT CAN HELP, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS ATTEND THE MEETING.
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ONE, UH, FROM SIX TO 7:00 PM THAT SAME DAY.
IT'S GONNA BE SAME PRESENTATION, SAME CONTENT.
IT'S JUST, UH, GIVING CITIZENS THE CHANCE TO CHOOSE FROM, UH, WHICH OF THE TWO MEETINGS WILL BE, UH, MORE VIABLE TO ATTEND FOR THEM.
UM, THEN WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMING PERIOD CLOSING ON MAY 9TH, UM, COMING UP IN JULY.
WE ALSO HAVE THE FOURTH, UH, PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH WILL BE A PRESENTATION TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION THAT WILL BE, UH, DONE BY THE CONSULTANTS, UH, WHERE THEY WILL BE PRESENTING THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY.
UH, SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HERE IS, UH, WILL THE PROJECT CHANGE THE ZONING ON MY PROPERTY? UM, SHORT ANSWER IS NO.
UH, LIKE I SAID, THE SURVEY ONLY MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS AND IT'S JUST A PLANNING TOOL FOR US.
UH, AND THE PUBLIC, OF COURSE.
UM, WILL THE PROJECT CHANGE MY PROPERTY TAXES? NO.
SO THIS MEANS THAT ONLY BECAUSE YOUR PROPERTY IS PART OF THE SURVEY DOESN'T MEAN THAT, UM, THE ZONING OR THE TAXES ARE CHANGED WITH THAT DOCUMENT.
UM, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO DESIGNATE THEIR PROPERTY BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, HOW WILL THAT WORK? WELL, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS, IF THEY CHOOSE TO DESIGNATE A LANDMARK OR A HISTORIC DISTRICT BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SURVEY, THEN, UH, THAT WILL ENTAIL A REZONING PROCESS.
AND, UM, THE, UH, SEA STAFF FROM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO WALK THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND LAST QUESTIONS I HAVE HERE IS, IF I CHOOSE TO DESIGNATE MY PROPERTY, WILL MY TAT CHANGED? UM, MAYBE LOCAL LANDMARKS ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR A PARTIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION, AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UH, CURRENTLY CAN RECEIVE A TAX ABATEMENT FOR, UH, QUALIFIED UH, REHABILITATIONS.
UH, THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
UH, WHERE TO FIND THE SURVEY DRAFT, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPENS ONLINE ON WEDNESDAY, UH, MARCH 26TH.
IT'S GONNA BE AVAILABLE AT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESEARCH, UM, SLIDE PUBLIC INPUT OR PUBLIC INPUT.COM, UH, SLASH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SURVEY.
UH, IF YOU GO TO THE LINK OR THE SITE RIGHT NOW, THE SURVEY IS NOT THERE YET, UH, STILL WORKING ON, UH, THE DRAFT, BUT, UM, IT'LL BE OPEN, UH, AND AVAILABLE AT THAT SITE FROM MARCH 26TH TO, UM, MAY 9TH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION? I, UH, YES.
UM, COMM, COMMISSIONER VI, VICE CHAIR EVANS? YES.
I'M WONDERING WHAT THE, UH, OUTREACH IS AND HOW PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET MIGHT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY? HMM.
HI, THIS IS KIM MCKNIGHT, DIVISION MANAGER FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, FINALIZING OUR OUTREACH PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOUR QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A GREAT ANSWER FOR THE DOWNTOWN SURVEY.
WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A SITE SPECIFIC, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
UM, IF WE WERE DOING A PLAN FOR CEMETERIES, WE WOULD PUT A SIGN IN THE CEMETERY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GREAT PLAN, UM, BEYOND OUR MEDIA ADVISORY SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, SO THOSE TEND TO, MOST PEOPLE HAVE A PHONE EVEN.
AND SO SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR MEDIA ADVISORIES OFTEN GET PICKED UP BY THE MEDIA AND WE WILL BE DOING MEDIA ADVISORIES.
BUT IN TERMS OF HAVING SIGNAGE OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BUDGETED TO DO.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT, KIND OF GETTING THE WORD OUT THROUGH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MEDIUMS. UM,
[00:20:01]
I HOPE THAT HELPS.UH, IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY WITH DOWNTOWN.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A VERY DIVERSE, UH, AND COMPLEX GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS.
AND GREAT JOB ON YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND, AND JUST ONE KIND OF CLARIFICATION, UH, YOU NOTED THAT THE LAST SURVEY WAS IN 1981, UH, THAT DOWNTOWN WAS SURVEYED.
AND OF COURSE, AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO, UH, LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS DOWNTOWN.
AND I NOTICED THOSE ARE CARVED OUT.
I DON'T NEED TO, THEY'RE, THEY'VE GOT THE RESOURCES, BUT THIS RESOURCE THEN IS SPREAD OVER A MUCH LARGER AREA.
ARE THERE PARTS OF THIS STUDY AREA THAT WEREN'T INCLUDED IN THE EARLIER ONE? HAVE WE EXPANDED BECAUSE I THINK OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DOWNTOWN AND THE CENTRAL CORE HAS EXPANDED SINCE THAT TIME.
CAN YOU, WAS IT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME BOUNDARIES AS THE LAST ONE, OR DO WE, DID WE ADD SOME EXTRA BLOCKS TO THE MAYBE THE EAST AND THE WEST? I'M SORRY, CHAIR.
HE, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT WE'RE STUDYING, HOW DOES THAT OVERLAP WITH THE ONE THAT WAS STUDIED PREVIOUSLY IN 1981? OH, WITH THE ORIGINAL CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY? CORRECT.
UM, SO THIS PARTICULAR SURVEY EXCLUDES THE EXISTING NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS AND LOCAL DISTRICTS, WHICH WERE NOT AROUND, UM, DURING THAT 1984 CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEY.
UM, SO IT'S NOT QUITE EXACT, BUT IT DOES CAPTURE THAT CENTRAL CORE, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE DID.
BUT DID WE EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES, UH, AROUND THE PERIMETER, OR ARE THEY STILL MUCH THE SAME? THEY'RE SIMILAR.
I'M NOT SURE TO WHAT EXTENT THEY WERE EXPANDED.
UM, BUT WE CAN FIND THAT OUT, UM, AND DO A BOUNDARY STUDY.
UM, IN THE 1984 SURVEY, UM, PROPERTIES, I BELIEVE OLDER THAN 1935 OR 1940, WERE, UH, WERE THE FOCUS.
SO, UM, THIS IS A GOOD DEAL MORE, UM, PROPERTY BY PROPERTY.
BUT, UM, BOUNDARY WISE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT, UM, WELL, AND THE OTHER PRIORITY AND APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, BUT THE OTHER ONE I WANNA NOTE JUST FOR THE PUBLIC IS THAT IT'S NOT ONLY THAT WE WANT TO BE UP TO DATE, YOU KNOW, FOUR DECADES LATER YOU THINK WE WOULD STILL BE LOOKING AT AND UPDATING WHAT'S HISTORIC AND A CRITICAL PART OF OUR TOWN.
BUT DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, THE ORIGINAL STUDY WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN UNDERSTOOD THAT MID-CENTURY MODERN WAS HISTORIC OR VALUABLE.
IT JUST WASN'T OLD ENOUGH AT THE TIME.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THAT UNDERSTANDING OF THAT AS, AS ALSO PART OF OUR LEGACY.
AND SO WE'RE OPENING UP, I IMAGINE, UH, MANY NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR LANDOWNERS, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC TO BECOME APPRECIATIVE OF THE MORE RECENT HISTORY AND SOME VERY, VERY OUTSTANDING ARCHITECTURAL AS WELL AS CULTURAL RESOURCES FROM THIS MORE RECENT FORTIES, FIFTIES, AND SIXTIES, UH, HISTORIC PERIOD.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EXCITING PERIOD IN ARCHITECTURE AND, UH, I'M GLAD TO, UH, TO SEE WHAT OUR SURVEYORS HAVE, UM, AS FAR AS NEW RESEARCH ON THESE PROPERTIES.
AND SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN CONTRIBUTES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A YOUNG CITY, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE FROM THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, I THINK IT'S MORE THAN APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A, AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS TO RECOGNIZE IT.
AND THEN THAT BECOMES, OF COURSE, A RESOURCE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
NOT ONLY US EXPERTS WHEN WE EVALUATE VARIOUS PROPERTIES, UH, FOR, UH, POTENTIAL PERMITS OR IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A CHANGE OR A LANDMARK.
BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC BEING AWARE OF THESE RESOURCES, UH, MAKE THEM PARTICULARLY A REALTOR OR SOMEBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN THE AREA, UH, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO ASK.
YOU CAN FIND OUT THE INFORMATION.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEEMED TO HAVE HISTORIC MERIT? AND I THINK THE MORE WE CAN GET THAT WORD OUT, THAT THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN INTERACTIVE, WE, WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO MAKE THE MOST USE OF THIS.
AND WE'RE, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING OUR JOB VERY THOROUGHLY AND VERY CAREFULLY.
AND IN ADDITION TO THE PROPERTY INVENTORY, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO THOROUGHLY READ THE, UH, THE CONTEXT THAT ARE PROVIDED IN THE SURVEY.
UM, JUST AS YOU KNOW, A STARTING POINT FOR AUSTIN'S HISTORY, UM, THE CONSULTANTS HAVE PROVIDED A VERY THOROUGH AND, UM, A VERY, UM, SOURCE HEAVY, UM, NARRATIVE TEXT.
UH, WHICH EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST, UH, DIPPING YOUR TOE INTO THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN IS, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START.
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO, UM, LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY LAST COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GO ONTO THE AGENDA.
ITEM, UH, THE, THE FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS, ITEM FOUR, AS WE IN INDICATED WAS, UH, WITHDRAWN, SO THEREFORE NO ACTION IS REQUIRED.
SO, UH, THE FIRST ITEM FOR DISCUSSION
[8. PR-2024-159632 – 705 West Lynn St. West Line National Register Historic District Council District 9]
IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.THIS IS AT 7 0 5 WEST LYNN STREET.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU CHAIR.UH, THE PROPOSAL AT 7 0 5 WEST LYNN STREET IS TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1895 HOUSE.
THE HOUSE LOCATED AT 7 0 5 WEST LYNN STREET IS A SINGLE STORY CENTER PASSAGE HOUSE WITH A SIDE GABLED ROOF SET AT A MODERATE TO HIGH PITCH.
THE SINGLE FRONT DOOR IS CENTERED ON THE HOUSE WITH ONE TWO, OVER TWO WINDOW ON EITHER SIDE.
THERE'S A FRONT PORCH THAT EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE FRONT FACADE, SUPPORTED BY FOUR COLUMNS DUE TO THE ELEVATION OF THE SITE.
THE PORCH SITS NEARLY AT GRADE TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE LOT, BUT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY IS A FULL HEIGHT UNCONDITION CRAWL SPACE OR BASEMENT.
WHILE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING MAY READ AS A SIMPLE REC RECTANGULAR CENTER HALL DESIGN, THE REAR EXTENDS FURTHER BACK INTO THE LOT, INCLUDING AN ENCLOSED PORCH.
THERE IS ALSO A SMALL FRAME SHED AT ON THE SITE, WHICH IS ALSO PROPOSED TO BE DEMOLISHED.
THE SHED IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE WEST LINE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION FROM ITS CONSTRUCTION AROUND 1895 UNTIL 1962.
THE PROPERTY WAS OWNED BY THE QUICK FAMILY.
JOHN QUICK, A CARPENTER ORIGINALLY FROM SWEDEN WAS THE FIRST LISTED OWNER AND LATER MARRIED A WOMAN NAMED HELEN, WHO IS ALSO A FIRST GENERATION SWEDISH IMMIGRANT NEWSPAPER.
RECORDS INDICATE THAT HELEN'S SISTER IMMIGRATED TO TEXAS AROUND 1893.
THOUGH IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE SISTERS ARRIVED TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY.
THE QUICKS WERE INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL METHODIST CHURCH WITH THE ADDRESS ON WEST LYNN HOSTING A CIRCLE OF THE WOMEN'S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE.
JOHN QUICK DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES IN 1945, AND HELEN OCCUPIED THE HOUSE UNTIL HER PASSING IN 1962 AT THE AGE OF 91.
UH, THE HOUSE WAS LEFT UNOCCUPIED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER, BUT BY THE 1970S IT WAS OCCUPIED BY RENTERS.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WESTLAW NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, AND THE NOMINATION FURTHER LISTS THE PROPERTY AS ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LISTING.
IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR CITY LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT, THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THE PROPERTY WAS DISCUSSED AT THE FEBRUARY 12TH, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WHERE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING FEEDBACK TO PROVIDE A PLAN AND FURTHER DETAIL OF WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS ON SITE, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, AND COMPARE IT AGAINST THE PLAN SUBMITTED AT THE FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, WHICH SHOULD ALSO CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT DISCUSSIONS HAVE OCCURRED WITH ANY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
ADDRESS WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE PROJECT ARE SPECIFICALLY, UM, UH, HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO REQUIRE DEMOLITION AND WHY PROVIDE FURTHER CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE POST OAK ON SITE AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE CITY ARBORISTS ABOUT ITS HEALTH.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS ALTERNATIVELY, POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, ON SCHEDULED FOR MARCH, UH, 12TH TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVES TO TOTAL DEMOLITION AND TO CONTINUE COMMUNICATION WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OF STAFF? HAVE OKAY.
IF NOT, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE? YES.
BEFORE YOU GO, WOULD YOU MIND POPPING YOUR NAME IN THE BINDER REAL QUICK SO WE HAVE YOU REGISTERED? OH, UH, UP THERE.
AND JUST SO WE'LL DOUBLE SURE.
JUST OBVIOUSLY, UH, JUST TELL US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AS WELL.
I'M SCOTT TURNER AND, UM, GLAD TO BE HERE AGAIN TODAY.
UM, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I, LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT A, A SITE PLAN SHOWING NEW CONSTRUCTION VERSUS PRESERVATION TO SORT OF GO OVER THE DIFFERENCES, WHICH I PROVIDED AND SHOULD BE THERE IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO APOLOGIZE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE FOR MISSING THE LAST MEETING.
I WAS UNAWARE OF THE SCHEDULE AND DIDN'T GET ANY SORT OF NOTICE FROM THE CITY ABOUT WHEN IT IS.
UH, I SENT AN EMAIL TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOME OF THE, THE DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT, THAT, UH, HOPEFULLY WAS HELPFUL AND INSIGHTFUL THAT MIGHT HELP GUIDE THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SITE PLANS.
BUT, BUT OVERALL, IT'S, IT'S TO, TO PUT TWO HOMES ON THERE AND ACCOMMODATE THE TREES AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS, IT JUST BECOMES TOO TIGHT, UH, TO BE FEASIBLE.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A, A COMPARISON OF, UM, UNIT SIZES ON THE SITE PLAN I PROVIDED LAST TIME OF ABOUT 400 SQUARE FOOT DIFFERENCE.
AND TO PUT THAT IN ECONOMIC TERMS, THAT THAT 400 SQUARE FEET EQUATES TO ABOUT $400,000 OF, OF REVENUE.
IT'S, IT'S AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF PROPERTY IN AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT, ABOUT ANY OF THIS.
SO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU, YOU HAVE LOOKED AT THIS, UH, WE'D EXPRESSED ALSO SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE POST OAK, THAT IF YOU'RE THAT CLOSE TO IT WITH AN EXISTING BUILDING,
[00:30:01]
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BUILD IN SIMILAR PROXIMITY NEW, YOU'LL HAVE TO MOVE BACK.I, I ACTUALLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.
UH, THEY, WE, I MET WITH THE CITY ARBORIST, UH, NAOMI REELL OUT THERE, AND THEY DID, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO REQUEST EVALUATION FOR REMOVAL OF THAT POST OAK, WHICH THEY APPROVED.
SO, UM, SO THEY, THEY DID AUTHORIZE THE REMOVAL OF THE POST OAK THERE ON THE SIDE.
THAT WOULD BE WHERE THE DRIVEWAY IS.
AND THEN THE, AND THEN THE ONE ON THE DRIVEWAY IS, IS WAS THE OTHER ONE.
THE ONE IN THE FRONT IS THE ONE IN FRONT IS A HEALTHY LIVE OAK.
AND THEN THE ONE IN THE BACK IS ALSO A HEALTHY LIVE OAK.
SO, UM, AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I HAD A QUESTION THAT YOU ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT, UH, HASN'T BEEN ENTERED IN PUBLIC RECORD, BUT IN YOUR EMAIL YOU NOTED AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS, UM, AND YOU SAID YOU WERE SHORT FOR IT'S 400 SQUARE FEET, THE QUESTION CAME UP, WHY NOT ADD THAT AS A THIRD UNIT, UH, AND IN THE BACK ON TOP OF THE TWO CAR GARAGE.
AND, AND, UH, YOU HAD NOTED THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD ADD A THIRD UNIT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE CASE WITH, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, THE, UM, THE HOME ORDINANCE, THE HOME HOME ORDINANCE AND THE PRESERVATION BONUS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU NOTED THAT IT GOES DOWN TO YOUR PROGRAM AND, AND BASICALLY THE BUDGET ON THIS, THAT IT'S WORTH MORE AS PART OF THE MAIN HOUSE THAN IT IS AS A THIRD UNIT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING FRANK WITH US.
THIS IS ABOUT PROGRAMS, THIS IS ABOUT RETURN.
UM, YOU'RE PLANNING FOR PARKING ON SITE BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO BE MARKETABLE.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE YOU TO BEING, BEING VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT THAT.
SO THIS COMES DOWN TO YOUR PROGRAM AND, AND YOUR BUDGET ON THIS.
UH, AND, UM, I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAD AND ALL THAT RAMBLING WAS, UH, CAN YOU CONFIRM ALL THAT AND DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? YES, I, I CAN CONFIRM ALL THAT.
AND DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE, THE THIRD UNIT ON SITES THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT ZONED SF THREE, YOU KNOW, HOME, HOME ONLY APPLIES TO SF THREE.
SO, SO THIS TRACT IS ZONED ACTUALLY MF FOUR, UH, AND, AND CORRESPONDING THE THIRD UNIT WOULD TRIGGER A, A SITE PLAN PROCESS, UM, WHICH IS JUST A BYPRODUCT OF THE NEW CODE, I THINK.
SO MAYBE THAT'LL GET CHANGED OVER TIME.
UH, BUT NO, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? AND IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK OPPOSED TO THIS ITEM? OKAY, PLEASE, MR. CHARLES RAY SIGNED UP PLEASE.
UM, YES, PLEASE, UH, RE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UH, I LIVE IN OLD WEST AUSTIN AND WAS AT THE ANA MEETINGS.
AND ANA JUST WANTS TO REPEAT THAT.
UM, WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT HOUSE ON THE STREET.
IT IS A UNIQUE HOUSE ON THE STREET.
EVERY OTHER HOUSE, THE GABLE HAS TURNED THE OTHER WAY.
UM, SO THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING HOUSE AND WE WISH THAT, UH, THE DEVELOPER WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE MADE IT WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW AND EXPLORED HOW TO MAKE THE FINANCIALS WORK TO SAVE THIS HOUSE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS EVERYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR OREGON? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, SO COMMISSIONERS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND I BELIEVE, UH, THIS WAS POSTPONED ONCE, IS THAT CORRECT? SO IF THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE DISCUSSION, POSSIBLY, WE CERTAINLY WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO, UM, HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE A RC.
UM, BUT AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, WHATEVER YOUR REFERENCE, AND AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I'M STILL NOT CLEAR ON WHAT WE DO ON THESE COMMENT PLANS BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE THE COMMENTS.
AND IF WE MAKE NO OTHER MOTION, THEN THE CASE ENDS.
IS THAT CORRECT? WE CAN RELEASE THE PERMIT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS, OR WE CANNOT RELEASE THE PERMIT.
UH, IF WE DON'T RELEASE THE PERMIT, THEN THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR, UM, I GUESS WITH BY POSTPONING IT, WE HAVE FURTHER CHANCE TO DISCUSS UNTIL THE TIME RUNS OUT.
UH, OUR ONLY OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO TAKE A MORE DEFINITIVE ACTION FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
YEAH, WE CAN POSTPONE FOR THE SIX MONTH DEMOLITION DELAY, BUT THERE'S NO CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
SO THERE'S REALLY NO PERMIT FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON AND WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE ACTION ON.
I THINK ALL WE HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO IS POSTPONE OR MAKE COMMENTS AND, AND HAVE THOSE COMMENTS ENTERED INTO RECORD AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
SO I GUESS MY MOTION WOULD BE TO MAKE COMMENTS
[00:35:01]
AND NOT POSTPONE AND RELEASE THE PERMIT, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE WAY TO PHRASE IT.'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHAT PERMIT OR A PERMIT FOR WHAT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RELEASING.
'CAUSE THE, OH, IT'S A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
WE, WE, WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR INTO LOOKING AT THE NEW PLANS.
I'VE FORGOT THIS IS A DEMOLITION CASE.
UH, I'M GONNA MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH.
UM, THESE CASES ARE ALWAYS DIFFICULT.
UM, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE APPLICANTS PARTICIPATING AND COMMUNICATING BOTH WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITH THE A RC.
UH, AND, AND HONESTLY BEING VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT WHAT'S, WHAT'S DRIVING THIS.
UM, THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PART OF TOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY SOME WOULD, WOULD BUY THIS AND, AND LIVE IN IT.
UH, BUT THIS IS A DIFFICULT PROPERTY BECAUSE IT IS SO SMALL, SUCH A HUGE LOT.
YOU GOT THE TREES, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A PROJECT FOR ANYONE TO UNDERTAKE.
AND UM, IT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL I THINK FOR AN ADDITION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL PROPERTY.
BUT IN THE CASE OF AN INVESTOR WHO WANTS TO BUILD TWO UNITS, UM, I THINK THE FACT THAT ITS LOCATION IS IN A PRO ON A PROMINENT THOROUGHFARE, BUT IT'S NOT, UM, IT HAS A LOT OF LOSS OF INTEGRITY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO IT.
ALTHOUGH IT'S KIND OF AT THE END OF A, A RUN OF SOME INTEGRITY.
I THINK I WOULD CONSIDER THIS KIND OF EROSION AT THE EDGE EDGES OF A, YOU KNOW, LARGELY ERODED AREA PROBABLY 'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA.
UM, I THINK IT KIND OF LENDS ITSELF MORE TO THE MULTIFAMILY.
AND IF YOU HAD MULTIFAMILY ZONING ON A PROPERTY WITH A TINY HOUSE ON IT, UM, I THINK FINDING A SINGLE FAMILY OWNER TO ADD ONTO THIS AND LIVE IN IT AS SUCH IS GONNA BE A HARD SELL.
SO I'D JUST APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE FORTHRIGHTNESS AND THE ENGAGEMENT OF, OF THE OWNER.
AND I WISH WE WOULD SEE A DIFFERENT ENDING ON THIS.
BUT THIS IS NOT A CASE WHERE I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO FOR POSTPONE IT ANY FURTHER.
COMMISSIONER ROCHE? I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER THEN.
UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF.
UM, NOW THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
WE'VE OBVIOUSLY MADE OUR COMMENTS, UH, IF THIS MOTION PASSES A DEMOLITION PERMIT WOULD BE RELEASED, AT LEAST FROM US.
HOWEVER, UH, WE SAW SITE PLANS, BUT I DON'T RECALL THAT WE'VE HAD FULL REVIEW ON THE NEW PLANS.
IS THAT RIGHT? AND SO THOSE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED AND REVIEWED AND COMMENTED ON.
AND IS THAT NECESSARY PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION ULTIMATELY? UM, GREAT QUESTION.
IS THAT WHAT THE, WHAT THAT WE NEEDED? SORRY, BEFORE, COULD YOU RESTATE YOUR QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
FIRST OFF, WE HAVE HAD LIMITED, UH, AMOUNT OF NEW PLAN MATERIAL.
SO BY CERTAINLY WHAT'S IN THE CURRENT BACKUP, UH, WOULD BE SITE PLAN ONLY.
AND SO I DON'T THINK WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENT FOR SUBMISSION OF THE NEW PLANS FOR OUR REVIEW AND COMMENT.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO THAT A PERMIT TO DEMOLISH ALSO, UH, HAS SOME CONTINGENCY BASED ON WHAT THE REPLACEMENT IS.
IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE CALLEN HAS AN ANSWER.
YOU GO, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT MAY BE RELEASED FROM THE HLC PROCESS, UM, SO THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO COME BACK TO A HEARING, BUT THE APPLICANT CANNOT PULL THEIR PERMIT FOR DEMOLITION UNTIL Y'ALL HAVE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE LAW.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO THE INTENT IS THEY WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO PROCEED WITH THE NEW WORK, THOUGH IT STILL MUST BE REVIEWED AND COMMENTED ON AND ULTIMATELY, UH, RELEASED BY US BEFORE THEY CAN ACT ON THE PERMIT.
BUT BECAUSE WE'D AT LEAST RELEASED THE PERMIT, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROCEED KNOWING THAT THAT WAS APPROVED.
IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT, YES, THAT'S THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT SEQUENCE HERE.
AND THEN, UH, AM I CORRECT IN, IN, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IN THAT WE'VE SEEN SOME ADJUSTMENTS, BUT IT'S ALL BEEN SIDE PLAN AND DIAGRAMMATIC WE HAVE NOT SEEN A FULL SET OF PLANS YET, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THANK WE HAVE A MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, YOU MAY HAVE OTHER COMMENTS.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTING YOUR COMMENT OR MOTION
UM, I, I GUESS I'M, YOU KNOW, I STILL THINK THE SITE PLAN THAT YOU PRESENTED, UM, TO ME LOOKED VERY SIMILAR TO, UM, YOUR TWO DIFFERENT SITE PANS LOOKED VERY SIMILAR.
AND I, I JUST FELT LIKE IF THERE WAS SOME CREATIVITY AND SOME EFFORT EVEN AT A MONETARY LOSS, THAT IT'S WORTH SAVING AN
[00:40:01]
1895 HOME IN A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.AND I JUST WANNA SAY FOR THE SAKE OF FUTURE INVESTORS THAT I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THIS IS THE AREA TO, TO BUY, TO TRY TO DEVELOP WHEN THERE'S AN 1895 HOME SITTING THERE.
SO, UM, I REALLY WISH YOU WOULD LOOK AT IT AGAIN AND, UM, CONSIDER WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH IT.
I I DO THINK THE RIGHT BUYERS OUT THERE WHO, WHO MIGHT HAVE INTEREST IN, IN BEING PART OF THIS DISTRICT AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE FABRIC OF THE DISTRICT.
AND SO, UM, JUST GONNA MAKE A PLEA TO, TO THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE LONGER AND PERHAPS KEEP THAT FRONT FACADE ANY FURTHER? COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? UM, I, I'M ON THE FENCE ON THIS ONE AND I, I HAVE THE FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THAT THE OWNER IS IN GOOD FAITH, BEEN LOOKING AT OPTIONS, BUT THIS AS A, UH, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THIS RISES TO THE, UM, QUALITY.
UH, I AGREE WITH STAFF, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATION AS A LANDMARK.
UH, IT'S JUST NOT A STRONG ENOUGH CANDIDATE, BUT IT'S A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF THOSE THAT MAKE UP A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND WHEN WE LOSE EVERY ONE OF THEM, ANY ONE OF THEM, UH, THE WHOLE DISTRICT SUFFERS.
UH, I JUST, I FEEL IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO FIND A CREATIVE WAY TO KEEP THIS INTACT.
UH, AND I THINK JUST FOR CLARIFICATION'S SAKE, UH, WE REALLY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE MAIN PART OF THE BUILDING THAT FACES THE STREET, UH, THAT DATES FROM THE EARLIER PERIOD.
UH, CLEARLY THE ADDITION, IF, IF IT WAS SOME ADDITION IN THE BACK, UH, PART OF THE HISTORY, UH, IT'S BEEN LONG MODIFIED.
I THINK THE STAFF NOTED THAT THAT WASN'T EVEN PART OF THE SURVEY.
UH, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THAT IS THE HISTORIC SURVEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR DOWNTOWN.
THIS ONE WAS OBVIOUSLY GIVEN A PRIORITY AS, UH, A WORTHY CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE FOR THIS, UH, REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND I, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE EXHAUSTED EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UM, I THINK I, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE QUEST OF THE, UH, MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I SEE TWO VOTES IN FAVOR.
AND SO THE MOTION DOES NOT CARRY.
I WILL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA PUT FORTH A MOTION TO, UM, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AND MAYBE ENCOURAGE ANOTHER.
AND IF WE WANT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US OPPORTUNITY AT THIS MONTH'S A RC, IT'S NEXT WEDNESDAY AT 4:00 PM AT THE, UH, PERMITTING CENTER.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
COMMISSIONER GROIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO, I THINK I'VE SAID MY PIECE.
UH, YEAH, AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UM, THE PROPOSED PLAN SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT'S EXISTING AND I THINK IF WE CAN JUST TRY IT ONE MORE TIME TO SEE IF MAYBE WE CAN SAVE SOME OF IT, MAYBE THE FRONT, UM, WHICH IS THE PART THAT WE'RE MOST INTERESTED IN, THAT, UM, IT'S WORTH ANOTHER SHOT.
COMMISSIONERS? UH, YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
GIVEN OUR LOAD NUMBERS, WHAT'S, IS THERE, DOES THIS NEED TO BE A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF WHO'S ON THE DAIS TO PASS? OR DO WE NEED TO HAVE A LARGER NUMBER RELATIVE TO THE TOTAL COUNT OF THE COMMISSION OR A VOTE TO POSTPONE FOR A VOTE TO POSTPONE? UH, SO IN OUR BYLAWS, UH, A VOTE OF SIX IS REQUIRED, UH, REGARDLESS OF VACANCY STATUS FOR US TO TAKE ACTION.
WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BYLAWS 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A CLERK'S REQUIREMENT AT THIS POINT.
I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION TO AVOID A STALEMATE
UH, BUT I AM READY TO CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR, UH, OUR APRIL MEETING.
AND THEN, UH, RECOMMEND A REVIEW AT THE A RC.
PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND, I DO SEE SIX VOTES AND SO IT PASSES.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS HERE.
[9. HR-2025-005732 – 1412 Preston Ave. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10]
ITEM NUMBER NINE.[00:45:01]
THIS IS 1412 PRESTON AVENUE IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL ARY HISTORIC DISTRICT.ITEM NINE AT 1412 PRESTON AVENUE IS A PROPOSAL TO REMODEL THE MAIN FACADE, CONVERT THE EXISTING CARPORT, UH, TO AN ENCLOSED GARAGE, AND CONSTRUCT A REAR ADDITION AT A, UH, ONE OR A ONE AND A HALF STORY, UH, RESIDENCE.
THIS HOUSE IS, UH OH, IT'S A TWO STORY BUILDING, SORRY, UH, CLA AND BRICK VENEER AND HORIZONTAL SIDING.
THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS ARE STEEL CASEMENTS, THOUGH SOME HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED WITHOUT PERMITS TO DATE.
THE HOUSE HAS A PARTIAL WIDTH INSET PORCH, A CARPORT ADDED TO THE FRONT OF THE ORIGINAL GARAGE, AND A COMPOUND CROSS GABLED ROOF.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR CHRISTOPHER KLAUS'S ECKHOFF AND HIS FAMILY IN THE 1949.
THE ECCOS APPEARED TO HAVE SOLD THE PROPERTY TO THE Z FAMILY IN THE EARLY 1950S.
EDWARD ZA SURGEON WHO MOVED TO AUSTIN FROM SAN ANTONIO IN 1946 AND PRACTICED THERE UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1969.
ZD WAS A HOBBYIST PILOT AND A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
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.
WHILE THE ADDITION THAT IS PROPOSED MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, THE FACADE ALTERATION DOES NOT.
THE PROPERTY ALSO HAS AN ACTIVE CODE VIOLATION FOR WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT UNDER CASE NUMBER CC 20 25 0 0 6 1 7 1.
UH, THOUGH A STOP WORK ORDER HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE CO DEPARTMENT FOR EXTERIOR WORK, THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
BUT STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THUS, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS, ENCOURAGING THE APPLICANT TO RETAIN THE EXISTING FACADE, TO ALLOW THE BUILDING TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT, UM, I GUESS WE'RE LOOKING AT PHOTOS THAT SHOW THAT WORK HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, INCLUDING A TWO LOOKS LIKE A TWO STORY ADDITION.
SO CAN WE GO BACK TO THE PHOTOS PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UM, SO THESE WERE PHOTOS TAKEN IN JANUARY BY THE, UH, CODE INVESTIGATOR WHO, UM, WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROPERTY, UM, BY THE PUBLIC.
UH, THERE IS ALREADY A TWO STORY STRUCTURE ON THIS BUILDING, BUT IT APPEARS THAT, UM, A WINDOW HAS BEEN REMOVED AND THE CLADDING HAS BEEN CHANGED.
SO, AND, AND I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
BUT LOOKING AT THE PLANS, THEY, THEY WERE WORKING WITH AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.
THEY'VE JUST CHANGED THE LOOK AND THE CHARACTER THAT'S CORRECT.
IN THE INTENTION INTENDED PLANS.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN A FEW OF THE PICTURES, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE ALREADY PASSED THEM, BUT SOME OF THE WINDOWS, THERE WE GO, UM, ARE TAKEN OUT.
UM, AND THIS IS THE WORK THAT WAS FLAGGED FOR A STOP WORK ORDER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE? PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UM, MY NAME IS SUSIE GIBSON AND I'M THE ARCHITECT FOR 1412 PRESTON AVENUE.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS, UM, TO GET THIS THING STARTED, UM, WITH THE, UM, PROJECT SPECS IN THE, UM, ARCHITECTURE.
UM, SOME OF THESE NOTES I THINK ARE, UM, JUST NEED TO BE CLARIFIED.
UM, WITH THE, UM, ARCHED FULL ON THE PROJECT SPECS, IT SAYS THERE'S GONNA BE ADDED ARCH FULL HEIGHT WINDOWS, NEW HIP ROOTS.
UM, THOSE ARE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT DOING ARCHED FULL HEIGHT WINDOWS OR ANY NEW HIP ROOF LINES.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLARIFIED ON, UM, OUR SIDE.
UM, ALL OF THOSE WINDOWS WILL STAY MAINTAINED AS RECTANGULAR.
UM, AND THEN ON THE ARCHITECTURE, UM, I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY ON THE NOTES.
IT SAID SOME HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED WITHOUT PERMITS.
UM, THEY WERE REMOVED, UM, AND, BUT THEY WERE NOT REPLACED WITHOUT PERMITS.
UM, IT SAYS THE CARPORT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE FRONT OF THE ORIGINAL GARAGE.
UM, WE HAVE THAT WE'RE NEVER, WE'RE NOT TOUCHING THE PLACEMENT OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE COMPOUND, UM, CROSS GD RUTH, UH, WE'RE ONLY ADDING TO THE FRONT OF THAT.
I WANTED JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, PERMIT AND THE STOP ORDER.
UM, WE, LET ME PULL UP THIS UP.
UM, WE SUBMITTED FOR PERMIT DECEMBER 19TH.
UM, WE OBTAINED A DEMO PERMIT JANUARY 29TH.
UM, THERE WAS A MISSTEP FROM ONE OF THE SUBS ON THE JOB SITE AND PULLED DOWN THE SIDING AND THE UPSTAIRS WINDOWS.
UM, THAT WAS A MISTAKE AND IT WAS A, UM, MISUNDERSTANDING.
UM, WHEN WE PULLED THAT, UH, WHEN WE FOUND OUT
[00:50:01]
ABOUT THIS, WE STOPPED ALL THE WORK UNTIL WE OBTAINED THAT DEMO PERMIT.UM, SO WE JUST WANNA REALLY CLARIFY, RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WAS A MISTAKE AND A MISUNDERSTANDING AND, UM, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE COUNSEL ON THAT.
UM, SINCE RECEIVING THE DEMO PERMIT, WE HAVE FULLY COMPLIED WITH THE HISTORIC REVIEW GUIDELINES AND NOT HAVE, AND HAVE NOT ALTERED THE FRONT FACADE.
UM, OUR INTENT, UM, IS TO, UH, WITH, HAS THE MOST UP UTMOST RESPECT FOR THE COMMISSION AND ANY, ALL THE PERMITS GIVEN.
UM, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE HERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
UM, WITH THE HISTORIC COMMISSION, UM, SOME OF THE, UM, NOTES THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO PRESERVING THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND ARE NOT DEMOLITION THE STRUCTURE.
UM, WE'RE PLANNING TO ADAPT, UM, FOR MODERN LIVABILITY WHILE MAINTAINING ITS CHARACTER.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO RESTORE THE HOME TO ITS INTENDED USE AS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE TRANSITIONING FROM A LONG-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY.
ALL MODIFICATIONS FOLLOW THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS AND ALIGN WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL FABRIC OF PRESTON AVENUE.
UM, WE FIND THE GUIDELINES, UM, THE COMMISSION HAS GIVEN US WITH THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
UM, WE ARE PRESERVING IT AND WE ARE SAVING IT.
OUR MODIFICATIONS ARE RESPECTFUL, THOUGHTFUL, AND SYMPATHETIC TO THE EXISTING DESIGN AND ALIGNED IN, ALIGNED WITH THE HISTORIC GUIDELINES.
UM, THIS IS ABOUT BRINGING THE HOME BACK TO ITS RIGHTFUL PURPOSE AS A FAMILY RESIDENCE AND ENSURE ITS LONGEVITY BY MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC PRECEDENCE.
UM, THE EXISTING WINDOWS THAT WERE ACCIDENTALLY REMOVED WERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STREET THEY MAY LOOK INTACT, BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, UM, FROM THE PLACEMENT AND THE PRIOR CONSTRUCTION FROM THE FIFTIES.
UM, THE PROJECT, UM, IS A HISTORICALLY SENSITIVE RENOVATION.
IT'S NOT A TEAR DOWN, IT'S NOT A MAJOR ALTERATION.
IT REMAINS CONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTIES AND ADHERES TO THE GUIDELINES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE HERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, FOLLOW THE RULES, MAINTAIN THE ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY AND THE HISTORIC FABRIC OF PRESTON AVENUE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
IS THIS THE FIRST TIME WE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THIS CASE, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, YES.
AND YOU, BUT YOU SAY YOU HAVE A DEMOLITION PERMIT? WE DID.
WE GOT APPROVED FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE DEMO PERMIT ON, UM, IN A, IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
THEY, THEY SENT US THE WITH AUTO REVIEW.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? HELP WITH THAT ACTUALLY.
UM, WE HAVE AN EXPRESS PERMIT FOR AN INTERIOR NON-STRUCTURAL EXPLORATORY DEMO, NOT A PARTIAL DEMO PERMIT.
AND WE DID CLARIFY IN THE SCOPE OF WORK IN THAT APPLICATION THAT THE FRONT FACADE WAS NOT TO BE MODIFIED WHATSOEVER.
SO THAT WAS APPROVED AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SUB YEAH, IT GOING AGAINST THAT SCOPE.
ARE AND YOU'RE THE OWNER? NO, THE APPLICANT.
SHE'S EXPEDITER AND THE ARCHITECT.
NO, THE, UM, THE SUB GOT IN OVER HIS SKIS ON THAT AND, UH, WE STOPPED THAT IMMEDIATELY.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
WELL, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE OUR SURPRISE BY THE STOP WORK ORDER ON HISTORIC PROPERTY AND I, I TRUST AND BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT
UM, WE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY OF OUR PLANS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THIS MEETING I EVEN PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE OF, UM, WITH ALL THE COMMENTS THAT, UH, Y'ALL SENT OVER, UM, TO REVIEW ALL THE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT OUR DESIGN INTENT AND HOW IT MATCHES WITH THE PRECEDENT AVENUE, UM, NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
ARE THE PLANS IN OUR BACKUP THAT ARE DATED 12 2 24 BELOW THE SEAL? ARE, ARE THOSE CURRENT? YES, BECAUSE IN THOSE I SEE SOME OF THESE, LIKE A FLAT ARCH OVER THAT MAIN ENTRANCE, UH, SOME SORT OF NEW GABLE AND THEN A ANOTHER KIND OF LIKE LONG FLAT ARCH OVER THREE WINDOWS, WHICH IT SOUNDED LIKE MAYBE YOU ARE OR NOT DOING.
WE ARE MAINTAINING ALL THE SHAPES OF THE WINDOWS.
THERE'S NO AR UH, I NOTICED ON THE FRONT OF THIS, IT SAID AN ARCHED FULL HEIGHT WINDOW.
WE'RE NOT DOING ANY ARCHED FULL HEIGHTS, JUST RECTANGULAR.
[00:55:01]
CHANGE EVERY, ALL THE WINDOWS ARE REMOVED AND REPLACE EXCEPT FROM THE FRONT FACADE.ON THAT DOUBLE STORY, WE WERE MAKING THOSE A LITTLE BIT WIDER JUST TO BE IN SCALE WITH THE MASSING OF THE BUILDING.
NOW, NOW WHAT ABOUT THIS ARCH FEATURE OVER THE ENTRANCE DOOR? SO, SO THAT IS AN EXISTING FLAT ROOF OVERHANG ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
WE WANTED TO PITCH IT UP TO OPEN UP THE FACADE AND THEN ADD IN AN ARCHED OPENING, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, UM, CONSISTENT DESIGN WITH THE STREET ON THIS FRONT FACADE.
SO THAT'S PART OF AN O EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, BUT I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE POINTING TOWARDS WHAT WOULD BE THEN AN ARCHED PORCH MM-HMM
THE WINDOWS WERE GONNA REMAIN, UM, REMOVE AND REPLACE INSIDE BECAUSE THE EXISTING DOOR AND THE WINDOWS, UM, RUN ACROSS THAT, YOU KNOW, INTERIOR PORCH AREA, BUT THE ONLY WINDOWS THAT DETERMINE FROM THE ELEVATION, YEAH.
THE ONLY WINDOWS THAT WOULD BE REMOVED THAT WOULD BE CHANGING ON THE FRONT FACADE, UM, ARE ON THAT DOUBLE HEIGHT STORY.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE THEM JUST A LITTLE BIT WIDER JUST TO GET IN SCALE WITH THEM, WITH THE, WITH THAT PORTION OF THE BUILDING.
BUT THE GARAGE, UM, THE GARAGE ON HERE, THE GARAGE IS REMAINING IN PLACE.
WE'RE JUST, WE WANNA ENCLOSE IT INSTEAD OF MAKING IT A CARPORT.
I MEAN, I I I FOR ONE, IF, IF, UM, IF YOU HAD BEEN COMING TO US BEFORE ALL OF THE SNAFU, UM, AND BEFORE YOU STARTED, I, I WOULD, I'M, I'M GENERALLY VERY POSITIVELY DISPOSED WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I THINK IT'S WITHIN THE STYLE AND, AND THE SCALE OF THE EXISTING BUILDING.
YOU ARE MODIFYING SOME SPECIFIC HISTORIC FABRIC, UH, FOR A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
WHAT ARE THOSE PARTICULAR ELEMENTS, VALUE IN RELATIONSHIP TO SOME OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS, HOWEVER YOU'RE REPLACING THEM WITH MATERIALS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DISTRICT.
I THINK THE REAL QUESTION COMES DOWN AND, AND I I THINK IF YOU ARE AMENABLE, MAYBE THIS IS A, A WORTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS NEW PORCH ADDITION AND THE INTRODU INTRODUCTION OF A, UM, ENTRANCE ELEMENT TO THE ROOF LINE, WHICH THEN CHANGES THE ENTRANCE, CHANGES THE ROOF LINE.
I FOR ONE, AGAIN, UH, IT WASN'T THERE HISTORICALLY, BUT IT IS IN KEEPING WITH SOME OF THE MATERIALS AND SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN CONTEMPORARY MM-HMM
UH, SO THEY, THEY DIDN'T DO IT THIS WAY.
UH, FRANKLY, I HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE IF THEY HAD, I THINK MM-HMM
IN SOME WAYS YOU'RE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY UPGRADING THE DESIGN IN A VERY APPROPRIATE WAY.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE A JUDGMENT CALL.
UH, MY COLLEAGUES MAY NOT AGREE WITH ME, BUT, UH, I THINK IF WE CAN KIND OF ALL GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA THAT JUST BECAUSE WE HAD AN OVERLY AGGRESSIVE CONTRACTOR THAT YOU ALL ARE INTENDING TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION, HELP US MEET OUR GOALS AS YOU MEET YOUR OWNER'S GOALS.
UH, THAT, THAT WE WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT IF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT, WHAT IS, OR, OR MAYBE YOU'LL CONVINCE US THAT THAT IS IN FACT, UH, AN IMPROVEMENT THAT'S WORTHY, UH, ON A, ON A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
UM, I I, IT, IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, UM, DO YOU STILL HAVE THE STEEL CASEMENT WINDOWS THAT WERE REMOVED? UM, I CAN CHECK ON THE FRONT.
UM, IF THEY'RE STILL THERE FOR THE SECOND FLOOR.
I KNOW THE, THE FIRST FLOOR IS THAT ONCE THAT STOP ORDER HAPPENED AND WE REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON, THE OTHER WINDOWS ARE IN THE, ON THE BUILDING.
SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE I CAN CHECK.
UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE THIS WEEK.
AND, AND DO YOU HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DETERIORATION? I DO.
UM, AND WHAT, AND I CAN UPLOAD THAT OR SEND THAT OVER OR EMAIL THAT OVER TO YOU NOW.
BUT, UM, WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THOSE WINDOWS IS THEY'RE SITTING DIRECTLY ON THE BRICK AND DIRECTLY ON THE SIDING.
UH, WHEN WE DID THE EXPLORATORY DIRT PERMIT, THERE IS NO SHEATHING AND NO INSULATION AT ALL.
SO WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THERE'S NO FLASHING EITHER ON THOSE WINDOWS.
SO IT'S CAUSING ROT ON THE SIDING AND IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THOSE WINDOWS.
UM, BECAUSE OF HOW IT'S SITTING DIRECTLY, IT'S A WINDOW TO BRICK AND WINDOW TO SIDING APPLICATION.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY MORE QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE CLARIFICATIONS AS WELL.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR OR AGAINST? OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND
[01:00:01]
AND ALL SIX HANDS ARE RAISED.SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
YES, I, I I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THIS AND ORDER TO GIVE THE APPLICANT AND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, TIME TO TAKE A CAREFUL LOOK AT THIS ONE.
IN MY MIND, THERE'S, THERE'S STILL SOME, UH, OPEN ITEMS THAT I THINK THE, WE WOULD BE WISE TO RESOLVE.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TILL THE APRIL MEETING? CORRECT.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
COMMISSIONER ROCHE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION? NO, I THINK IT, I THINK IT DISAPPOINTS ME EVERY TIME WE HAVE TO, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE STOPPED WORK ORDER AND WE HAVE A MOMENT TO STOP AND, AND REFLECT.
I THINK HAD HAD THIS ALL GONE A DIFFERENT WAY, JUST, THIS MIGHT BE AN EASY ONE AS YOU HAVE TO RESOLVE, BUT I'M HESITANT TO TRY AND WORK THROUGH THE, UH, DESIGN ISSUES ON THE DIOCESE AND I PREFER THE, THE ARCHITECTS HAVE FURTHER ONE.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UM, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LONGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT HAS, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S, UM, I HAVE A LITTLE CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING VERSUS WHAT THEY DISCUSSED TODAY.
AND SO I THINK IT'D JUST BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION IN PERSON WITH THEM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? UM, ASSUMING THE POSTPONEMENT PASSES, UM, I'D LIKE EVERYONE TO HAVE KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDING.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BY PARTICULAR DESIGNERS AND THEN THERE WAS A REBUTTAL BY THE OWNER THAT IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THE TIMELINE.
I, I WAS CONVINCED BY THE, BY THE OWNER'S RESPONSE, THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THIS IS A, UH, PARTICULAR DESIGNER, ARCHITECT THAT, UM, WOULD ADD TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS AS A, AS A SEPARATE LANDMARK.
I HATE LOSING A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY DESPITE MY LAST MOTION.
I ALWAYS HATE LOSING, CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES.
BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT LOSING, CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES AND SOMETHING GOING IN ITS PLACE THAT SURRENDERS VERSUS LOSING, CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES AND SOMETHING GOING IN ITS PLACE THAT'S, THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
AND I THINK IT'S, IN TERMS OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, I AGREE IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE TO THE STREET, FRANKLY, THAN THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION IS, BUT WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO GO AND FIX THE ORIGINAL DESIGNS 'CAUSE THE ORIGINAL ZIONIST TOLD A PARTICULAR STORY.
UM, SO THAT ONE IS GONNA BE, BE COMPLICATED 'CAUSE I CAN DEFINITELY SEE BOTH SIDES AND WE HAVE EARLY DEMOLITION IN THE STOP WORK ORDER IN THE MIX.
SO, UH, I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST A POSTPONEMENT IS, IS APPROPRIATE.
BUT I, I DIDN'T WANT EVERYONE TO KIND OF BE ON THE SAME PAGE AND IF THERE'S ANY MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THIS MIGHT HAVE SOME HIDDEN, UM, UM, BACKGROUND THAT MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO A LANDMARK STATUS THAT IT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED OR MORE INFORMATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED.
BUT, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, WITH ALL THE TESTIMONY GIVEN IS THAT IT, IT WAS NOT.
AND I, I JUST WANNA ADD THAT I, UM, AT A RCI, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ABOUT HOW IMPROVEMENTS COULD MADE TO BE HOUSE TO THE HOUSE, BUT IT'D STILL BE A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
SO IF, IF FOLKS COULD COME PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THAT, THAT IS DEFINITELY MY INTEREST IS, IS HOW THIS HOUSE CAN BE REMODELED FOR THE CURRENT OWNERS, BUT YET STAY CONTRIBUTING.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, I, I, I THINK IT WILL COME DOWN TO THE QUESTION OF THE ENTRY AND THE ENTRY DOOR AND PORCH.
UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MY, MY FEELING ABOUT THE OVERALL COMPOSITION IS THAT, UM, YES, UH, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH.
AND OF COURSE YOU'LL HAVE A MORE INFORMAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, BUT IT PROBABLY WOULD BE ENOUGH TO INDICATE THAT IT'S NO LONGER A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
YOU HAVE AN A, A, A PROMINENT ELEMENT THAT WOULD GO OVER, UNDERGO THAT AMOUNT OF CHANGE.
THAT SAID, UH, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MODIFYING A BUILDING SO IT NO LONGER MEETS THE MORE RIGID CRITERIA.
AND, AND THEN THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS, HOW DOES IT STILL SUPPORT OR, OR EXIST WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT? AND I THINK IN THIS CASE, UH, COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER MORE DRACONIAN ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT OR OUTRIGHT
[01:05:01]
DEMOLITION.MM, UH, I I WOULD SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT STILL COMES DOWN TO A WILLING OWNER WHO, UM, UNDERSTANDS AND, UH, HAS EVALUATED OPTIONS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UH, I, I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUPPORT EITHER WAY, I COULD SUPPORT EITHER WAY.
AND, AND I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO COME WITH SOME HARD EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE WINDOWS AND THE FLASHING, UM, AND THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF THEM, ASSUMING THAT'S GONNA BE AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST, REPLACEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL CASEMENT WINDOWS, WHICH ARE ALWAYS TRICKY TO, UH, REPLACE AND RETAIN THE CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURE.
AND ONE LAST THING, SORRY, THIS IS GOING ON AND ON, BUT, UM, I'M STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THE, WHAT WE SEE AS A CARPORT NOW VERSUS A GARAGE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CHANGE AT THE FRONT THAT I THINK WILL BE A STICKING POINT FOR ME.
SO, ALRIGHT, AND, AND SO THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE ASKING ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL A RC, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE CONSISTING OF, UH, ACTUALLY THREE OF THE FOUR COMMISSIONERS ON THE DIOCESE HERE, UH, WHO HAPPEN TO ALL BE REGISTERED ARCHITECTS WHO HAPPEN TO ALL BE VERY EXPERT IN PRESERVATION AND WHO HAPPEN TO BE WILLING TO DONATE.
UH, THANK YOU ALL BY THE WAY, IF WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO SAY IT NEARLY OFTEN ENOUGH, THEIR TIME TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE MORE INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS THAN WE CAN HAVE ON THE DAIS TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK THINGS OUT, SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER, SEE IF WE CAN COME TO HAPPY RESOLUTIONS.
SO, UH, WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO, UH, HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN HISTORIC OR CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THESE THREE VERY GENEROUS CHARACTERS WHO DONATE SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME,
BUT ALSO, UH, IT HELPS US OUT AS A TOTAL COMMISSION, UH, IN BEING ABLE TO REALLY SPEND THE TIME AT A PROJECT LIKE THIS DESERVES.
SO, UH, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION AND I DO HOPE THAT, UH, THERE CAN BE SOME WONDERFUL DISCUSSIONS THAT, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO ALL OF THIS AT THE A RC MEETING.
SO,
AND SO IF STAFF COULD SEND THAT INFORMATION IN ADVANCE OF THE A RC MEETING WOULD BE APPRECIATED BY ME.
WE'RE WE'RE GETTING NODS OVER HERE, COMMISSIONER.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE APRIL MEETING AND A REFERRAL TO THE A RC.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, WELL THEN, NOT OPPOSED, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS.
[15. DA 2024-165526 – 2600 E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Council District 1]
TO THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS, UH, ITEM THE ITEMS NOW WITH DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS.THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, ITEM NUMBER 15 2600 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
UH, THIS WAS, UH, PREVIOUSLY ON OUR AGENDA AND WE'VE HAD IT POSTPONED A FEW TIMES.
UH, AND, UH, THIS YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER IS THE, UM, THE HOSPITAL, UH, ON MLK.
UH, YES, ITEM 15 2600 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BOULEVARD IS A PROPOSAL FOR DEMOLITION, UM, FOR A PORTION OF THE, UM, PREVIOUS CAPITAL AREA RESEARCH AND RADIATION CENTER, UM, WHICH IS A 1972 AUXILIARY BUILDING, UM, TO THE ORIGINAL HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL.
UM, THIS APPLICATION HAS COME BEFORE Y'ALL TWICE.
UH, THIS IS THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH IT MAY APPEAR, UM, BECAUSE THE APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON MARCH 23RD, UM, AS IT HITS ITS 75 DAYS.
THE CAPITAL AREA RESEARCH AND RADIATION CENTER BUILDING IS A ONE STORY MID-CENTURY MODERN HEALTH SERVICE FACILITY DESIGNED BY PAGE SUTHERLAND AND PAGE, AND CONSTRUCTED BY THE JC EVANS COMPANY HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL, THE FIRST HOSPITAL TO ALLOW BLACK DOCTORS IN AUSTIN WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED ON EAST 11TH STREET IN 1940 TO ADDRESS THE BURGEONING DISPARITY IN CARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE HOSPITALS IN SEGREGATION ERA AUSTIN, AS DESEGREGATION SLOWLY TOOK HOLD IN THE CITY, HOLY CROSS DISTINGUISHED ITSELF AS A PROGRESSIVE ESTABLISHMENT BY EARNING GRANTS FOR NEW HOSPITAL BUILDINGS IN ITS NEW LOCATION, UM, ON WHAT WAS THEN EAST 19TH STREET AND IS NOW MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
UM, PAGE SUTHERLAND AND PAIGE DESIGNED, UM, THE NEW HOSPITAL, UM, ON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
BOULEVARD IN 1965, UH, WITH AN ICONIC FIVE STORY CIRCULAR NURSING FACILITY.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS, UH, HOSPITAL STRUCTURE AND THE, UH, ADJACENT BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1991.
THE CANCER CENTER, UH, FIRST CALLED THE REGIONAL RESEARCH AND RADIATION CENTER, AND THEN RENAMED THE CAPITAL AREA RESEARCH AND RADIATION CENTER WAS SELECTED TO HOUSE CENTRAL TEXAS'S FIRST COBALT 60 RADIOTHERAPY DEVICE AND A LINEAR ACCELERATOR
[01:10:01]
DESIGNED TO TREAT DEEP TUMORS WITH HIGH VOLTAGE X-RAYS.IT CONTAINED AUSTIN'S FIRST X-RAY THERAPY SIM SIMULATOR, WHICH ALLOWED PHYSICIANS TO PLAN TREATMENT AND PERFORM DIAGNOSTIC TASKS.
WHILE THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN MODERATE INTEGRITY, UH, ITS HOSPITAL CAMPUS CONTEXT HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED, AND THE BUILDING NOW VACANT CONTAINS HAZARDOUS RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS THAT MAKE REUSE ON SAFE.
UH, IT IS A MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN BY PAGE TO THE ONE PAGE, WHICH MEANS THAT IT, UH, MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR ARCHITECTURE.
UM, HOWEVER, THE CONTEXT AS PART OF A LARGER HOSPITAL CAMPUS IS GONE, UM, THOUGH IT IS NOW MEMORIALIZED BY A STATE HISTORICAL MARKER.
THE PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL, UM, AND DOES POSSESS, UM, A SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER OF THE CITY, UM, AS PART OF THE, UH, HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL CAMPUS.
UM, HOWEVER, THE, UH, THE PROPERTY, UH, IS ALSO, UH, THERE ARE SOME HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REMEDIATED OVER THE COURSE OF ITS OCCUPANCY AND LATER ABANDONMENT.
UM, THIS ITEM, UH, WENT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, THOUGH THE COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE NEW BUILDING THAT WILL BE IN PLACE OF THIS ONE, THE APPLICANT DID SHARE, UH, THE DESIGN INFORMATION WITH THE A RC, UH, TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK.
AND THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT THE REPLACEMENT DESIGN APPROPRIATELY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANT HISTORIC, UH, THE IMPORTANT HISTORY OF HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL, AND THEY WERE COMFORTABLE APPROVING THE DEMOLITION, UH, CONSIDERING THAT NEW DESIGN.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON RECEIPT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? I HAVE ONE.
UH, CAN STAFF REMIND US OF, UH, JUST WHAT'S THE TIMING ON THIS ONE? UH, SO THIS CASE WILL TIME OUT ON, LET'S SEE, MARCH THE 23RD.
SO THAT IS BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, IS THE APPLICANT AVAILABLE? AND NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF.
UH, LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN AND LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
THEY'RE WRITING THEIR NAME IN THE BOOK, BUT PLEASE GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS WELL WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I'M TAMARIA DAVIS FROM THE RENER GROUP, UM, REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT.
SINCE YOU'VE SEEN OUR PRESENTATION, UH, SEVERAL TIMES.
I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS BRIEF AND MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
BUT AS AN UPDATE, WE PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 25TH AND HAVE MAINTAINED ONGOING DIALOGUE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH OUR MOST RECENT MEETING BEING LAST NIGHT.
WE COMMIT TO CONTINUING THESE DISCUSSIONS TO FORMALIZE THEIR REQUESTS PRIOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL HEARING, AND THIS EVENING, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
I, UH, ONE QUICK COMMENT OR QUESTION.
I NOTICE IN THE TIMELINE IN YOUR UPDATED, UH, MATERIALS THAT, UH, YOU ALL HAVE HAD TWO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS SINCE WE MET LES SINCE YOU'VE MET.
WE, WE MET WITH HIM EARLY IN FEBRUARY AND THEN AGAIN LAST NIGHT.
AND WOULD YOU JUST REVIEW WITH ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING BASED ON THE, THE FURTHER INPUT THAT YOU'VE HAD? SURE.
UM, SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS FIRST INITIALLY JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, SO WE'VE HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STEPS, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS, UH, IS WHAT THEY'RE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH.
AND WE'RE STILL WORKING TO FIND STAFF AT THE CITY THAT CAN EXPLAIN TO THEM STEP BY STEP THE NEXT STEPS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED, UM, AS FAR AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD POTENTIAL SPACE WITHIN THE BUILDING FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS ALONG WITH THE KITCHEN, UM, THERE IS A, A CON A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THEIR ESTABLISHING THEIR HISTORIC DISTRICT ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, AND THE, THE LIST IS, IS KIND OF LONG.
I DON'T REMEMBER 'EM ALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT, UM, THEY'RE HERE AS WELL AND I'M SURE THEY'LL, THEY, THEY CAN SPEAK TO IT.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, FEEDBACK.
UM, HAS GENERAL GROUP MADE ANY COMMITMENTS TO HOW THEY'RE GONNA REPRESENT THE HISTORY? I KNOW THERE WAS TALK OF PLAQUE AND DISPLAYS IN THE LOBBY, AND THEN OF COURSE THE MURAL IS AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT HAVE Y'ALL DISCUSSED ANY OF THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT BE EXPANDED? YES.
SO THAT WOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE, UM, RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, THE MURAL, UH, THE, THAT'S AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING AS WELL AS THE SIDE.
AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE INPUT ON THAT DESIGN AND THE, THE CHOOSING OF
[01:15:01]
THE ARTIST AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE LOCATION OF THE PLAQUE.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, MS. DAVIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANOTHER TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST? I SEEING NONE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? SO PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF IF MR. BARRY MCBRIDE SIGNED UP.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS PROJECT.
I AM A CITIZEN HERE IN AUSTIN AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, WHO HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND WITH THE DRE GROUP.
AND, UH, WE, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, BUT ALSO AS A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, UH, MY SERVICES AND MYSELF.
I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR FOR GETTING THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY, UH, FROM BOTH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION AS WELL AS FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
WE HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RENER GROUP, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE WHO JUST SPOKE, BUT THERE ARE SOME UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT STILL NEED TO BE RESOLVED AND ANSWERED.
UH, WE'RE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A, A, UH, UH, I DON'T WANNA SAY A DEAL PER SE, BUT WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A GOOD MEETING OF THE MINDS.
AND, UH, IN SPITE OF OUR GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, THERE JUST HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO IRON OUT A FEW OF THE REMAINING DETAILS.
SO I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING YOU AS THE AUTHORITY HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER, TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO WORK OUT THOSE DETAILS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, OF, UH, GIVING US A FEW MORE DAYS UP TO THE MARCH 23RD DATE, UH, WHEN ALL OF THIS TIME'S OUT SO THAT WE CAN WORK OUT, UH, AREAS OF, UH, OF, UH, AFFORDABILITY, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT BEING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
WELL, UH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN DETAILS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY THAT WE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THAT IS ADJACENT TO WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA BE GOING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE AFFORDABILITY ASPECTS OF THE, UH, NEW PROJECT WORKED OUT BEFORE THE DEVELOPERS GET THEIR PERMITS TO DE TO DEMOLISH THE FACILITY THAT'S THERE.
NOW WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO COMING TO AN UNDERSTANDING, BUT THERE ARE SOME DETAILS THAT STILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.
ALSO, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP HAPPENS TO BE A NON-PROFIT ENTITY, WHICH, UH, WOULD AFFORD A ADDED VALUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM IF WE COULD PARTNER WITH THEM IN SOME WAY, WHICH WOULD ADD NOT ONLY ECONOMIC VALUE, BUT CULTURAL AND SOCIAL VALUE TO THE PROJECT AS WELL.
THOSE DETAILS, WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IRONED OUT IN DETAIL OR PUT IN WRITING SO THAT WE KNOW AND HAVE THE ASSURANCES THAT THE ITEMS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE INCLUDED IN ANY AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND WITH THE DREA GROUP ARE GONNA BE OFFICIAL, SOLID AND ABLE TO BE ENFORCED.
SO, UH, UH, AND IN RESPECT OF THE TIME THAT I'M GONNA HAVE TONIGHT, WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS TO GIVE US THE ADDITIONAL TIME BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH 23RD TO WORK OUT THOSE UNDERSTANDINGS AND AN AGREEMENT, UH, PUT FORTH IN WRITING BETWEEN OUR GROUP AND THE RENER GROUP.
UH, AND THAT THE EXTRA TIME THAT I'M ASKING FOR WOULD HOPEFULLY ALLOW YOU TO GIVE US A NO VOTE CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, WHICH IS NOT IN FAVOR OF OR AGAINST, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A VOTE TO BE POSTPONED.
SO I'M ASKING FOR THE NO VOTE ASPECT OF WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO TO BE GIVEN TO US AND GIVE US THE ADDITIONAL TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE 23RD OF MARCH TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND TO PUT FORTH A MEMORANDUM OR AN AGREEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING SO THAT THE DETAILS BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP AND THE DRE GROUP AND THE DEVELOPERS CAN BE SOLID AND PUT IN WRITING AND MADE TO WHERE THEY CAN BE ENFORCED.
UM, YOU DO BRING UP AN INTERESTING QUESTION, AND I DO HAVE A, JUST A NEED TO GET A CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE DAIS, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF WE'RE THIS CLOSE TO BEING TIMED OUT, IF WE TAKE NO ACTION AND THIS TIME'S OUT, THIS, OF COURSE, IT'S NOT IN ANY KIND OF REGISTERED DISTRICT, IT'S NOT A DESIGNATED PROPERTY, IT'S ONLY HERE BECAUSE IT'S AN OLDER PROPERTY HAVING OUR REVIEW, UH, THERE WOULD BE NO REQUIREMENT OF THIS OWNER TO DOCUMENT THE PROPERTY.
WHEREAS IF WE ACCEPT THIS AS A, UH, IF, IF WE, IF WE AUTHORIZE THIS DEMOLITION, WE CAN DO SO WITH CONDITIONS AND THEN AMONG THOSE CONDITIONS WOULD BE A FULL DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
[01:20:01]
IS CORRECT.SO IF WE TIME OUT, WE DON'T GET TO DO THAT.
NOT UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK, UH, BUT YOU CANNOT REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION IF THE APPLICATION TIME'S OUT.
BUT, BUT IF, IF WE TELL THEM THAT IT'S APPROVED, THEN THAT'S CONTINGENT THEY HAVE TO RIGHT.
THEY DON'T GET THEIR PERMIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR, YOUR DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, WE ARE, YOU'RE, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY AGENCY OBVIOUSLY, THAT THE NER GROUP WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET A PROJECT OF THIS SIZE PERMITTED.
AND, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE I THINK, VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN MY OPINION, BUT YOU WOULD KNOW, UH, BETWEEN A PERMIT THAT WE SAID OKAY TO TONIGHT, BUT GOT FULL DOCUMENTATION OR ONE THAT WE WAIT ANOTHER 20 DAYS AND GET NOTHING.
DOES THAT, DOES, DOES THIS MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE IN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THIS GROUP? BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY? OBVIOUSLY OUR INTEREST IS IN THE BUILDING AND ITS HISTORIC, UH, DOCUMENTATION AND ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO WORKING THAT OUT, CERTAINLY THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US.
ALL THOSE OTHER ITEMS THEY MAY OR MAY NOT NECESSARILY OVERLAP OUR PURVIEW.
WELL, THE, UH, TIME THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED WILL INVOLVE SOME CONSIDERATIONS OF THE HISTORIC ASPECTS OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, UH, THAT IS FURTHER ADDING FOR THE REASONS THAT I'M GIVING TO GET US MORE TIME TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE JOINER GROUP.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ASKING FOR IT TO BE, UH, POSTPONED AGAIN OR NOT TO HAPPEN AT ALL.
WE ARE JUST ASKING, ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME SO THAT WE CAN WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT, UH, UH, AS TO THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED, ALL OF WHICH ARE COMING, UH, COMING FORWARD WITH SOME AGREEMENT OR ASPECTS OF AN AGREEMENT NOW.
BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME DETAILS THAT STILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.
AND, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IN ANY FORM OF SERIOUS HIGH LEVEL NEGOTIATIONS, SUCH AS THE ONES THAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH, THEY DO TAKE TIME.
AND, UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN DETAILS SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GET TO THE END, THEY JUST TAKE A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE ON THE PARTS OF EVERYBODY INVOLVED TO COME TO SOME FINAL CONCLUSION.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WEEKS OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN A MATTER OF SEVERAL DAYS.
UH, BUT, UH, I'M ASKING AT THIS MOMENT SINCE I DO HAVE THE, THE, UH, THE, YOUR, YOUR ATTENTION HERE TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO WORK IT OUT BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION TO EVEN ISSUE THAT PERMIT.
THAT WAY, WHEN THE PERMIT IS FINALLY ISSUED, WE WOULD HAVE AN AGREEMENT ALREADY IN PLACE SO THAT WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF, OF HOW THE DRAINER GROUP AND THE DEVELOPERS ARE GONNA PROCEED.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT COMFORT LEVEL.
NOW ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT AND THE COMFORT LEVEL THAT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE RECOMMENDED AND WANT TO HAVE PUT FORWARD, INCLUDING OUR PARTICIPATION POTENTIALLY AS PARTNERS WITH THE, WITH THE DEVELOPERS, ALL TO BE IN SOME FORM OF AN UNDERSTANDING THAT CAN BE ENFORCED.
ALRIGHT, MR. MCRIGHT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER HERE IN OPPOSITION? OKAY, UH, BY TRADITION WE ALLOW THE, UH, APPLICANT WHO HAS HAD, UH, A CHANCE TO REBUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UH, MS. DAVIS, PLEASE, UH, YOU HAVE A THREE MINUTES? SURE.
UM, I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT WE WOULDN'T GO TO CITY COUNCIL UNTIL APRIL.
UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GO WITHOUT HAVING THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT IN POLICE.
UM, SO EVEN IF WE NEEDED TO POSTPONE, THEN, THEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO IF YOU LET IT DIE OUT IN 20 DAYS, I, I THINK YOU'RE JUST, IT'S, YOU ARE LOSING THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL APRIL.
AND THEN WOULD YOU BE AMENABLE? I MEAN THE, THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE IN YOUR SITUATION, YOU PROBABLY HAVE MUCH OF THAT, BUT MAKING THAT AVAILABLE AND MEETING OUR STANDARDS SO THAT, THAT IS THEN ON FILE IN THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
UH, AND IS IS PART OF THE OFFICIAL RECORD THAT YOU, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO US ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? UM, WELL I, IT, I WOULD HAVE TO CONFIRM
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
I SEE SIX HANDS RAISED, SO THE COMMISSION, UH, WHAT IS, WHAT IS
[01:25:01]
YOUR PLEASURE? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER, LAROCHE COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YES.
UM, I'M DOING THIS PRIMARILY, UH, TO GET OUR FINDINGS OF FACT AND TO KIND OF EXECUTE THE MISSION OF, OF OUR COMMISSION.
I, I DON'T LIKE LETTING THINGS DIE OUT EXCEPT FOR UNDER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOU KNOW, I, I VOTED TO POSTPONE THIS TWICE.
I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE APPLICANTS IN THE ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, I'VE VOTED FOR THIS, UM, POSTPONEMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR HISTORIC PURPOSES.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT BROUGHT UP THAT IS NOT IN OUR PURVIEW, AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR AND SPECIFIC ABOUT THE ACTIONS WE'RE TAKING.
AND, AND MY VOTES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, GIVEN THE IMMENSE AND IMPORTANT HISTORY OF THE SITE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS REFLECTED AS, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE.
I JUST, I THINK WE'VE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN, AND I JUST, I DON'T SEE THAT THAT'S MOVING ANY FURTHER.
UM, THIS IS A REMAINING STRUCTURE ON AN IMMENSELY IMPORTANT PROPERTY, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE CAMPUS AS IT WAS, UH, THE BEAUTIFUL MID-CENTURY BUILDING AND, AND IT BEING GONE NOW, UM, AND IF YOU DO LOOK CLOSELY AT THIS BUILDING, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF SOME OF THE MCM DETAILS, BUT I THINK BY AND LARGE IT'S NOT GONNA CONVEY, ITS, ITS HISTORY WHEN YOU DRIVE BY.
IT'S, IT'S NOT ATTENTION GETTING.
IT'S, UM, UM, IT'S A SECONDARY UTILITARIAN STRUCTURE AND IT, IT KINDA READS AS SUCH.
AND WITHOUT THE, WITHOUT THE CONTEXT, I DON'T THINK IT, IT STANDS AS A LANDMARK, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE DECIDING WHETHER THIS IS A LANDMARK OR NOT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT VOTE OFFICIALLY IN THE RECORD.
AND AS WELL AS TO GET THE DOCUMENTATION, UH, REQUIRED.
I THINK ANYTHING ELSE IS KIND OF A ZERO SUM GAME IN TERMS OF THE TIME AND THE LEVERAGE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ERR ON OUR EXECUTING OUR MISSION.
I KIND OF FEEL LIKE ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE FOR SOMEWHAT BACK INTO AND ORDER TO PRESERVE FULL DOCUMENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE? YEAH, I, I THINK THAT I, I REALLY AM VERY AWARE AND VERY SYMPATHETIC TO THE WORK, NOT ONLY THAT HAS GONE IN ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE AND WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE IN EVERY WAY WE CAN OF THOSE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT ALSO, UH, I APPRECIATE THIS IS A COMPLICATED PROJECT AND I KNOW THE RENER GROUP HAS ALSO, UH, BEEN VERY FORTHCOMING IN MANY OF THE OPERATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO I HAVE GOOD CONFIDENCE THAT, UH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THESE CONVERSATIONS AREN'T STOPPING TONIGHT.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY THAT I DO BELIEVE THE NEIGHBORS WILL MAKE GOOD USE OF AS POTENTIAL LEVERAGE.
UH, BUT I DO THINK IN THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE'VE ALREADY ALLOWED FOR THE HISTORIC DISCUSSIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THESE DELAYS, THROUGH THESE, UH, UM, POSTPONEMENTS, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE GOOD PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE.
I WISH, UH, YOU KNOW, IF IF THIS POSTPONEMENT WERE TO AT TIME CERTAIN, AND WE COULD HAVE IT ONE MORE TIME ON OUR AGENDA, I'D FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
BUT, UH, AS I MENTIONED, I I THINK THAT OUR PURVIEW IS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE WHATEVER ASPECTS OF THIS, UH, CAN BE PRESERVED IN OUR LONG-TERM LEGACY.
AND I THINK FOREGOING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A FULL DOCUMENTATION, UH, WOULD BE A LOSS.
AND I DON'T THINK FOR THE COUPLE OF EXTRA DAYS WOULD MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE ONGOING POSITIVE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE CONTINUING.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO RELEASE THE PERMIT AND REQUIRE A, UH, FULL DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR APPROVAL BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND CONTINUE TO DO GOOD WORK.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, THAT CONTINUING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
[16. PR-2025-008236 – 4901 Ridge Oak Dr. Council District 10]
IS ITEM NUMBER 16, AND THIS IS 49 0 1 RIDGE OAK DRIVE.AND THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION.
UM, AS HE SAID, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1951 HOUSE.
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BY AUSTIN ARCHITECT BARTON RILEY.
THE HOUSE AT 49 0 1 RIDGE OAK DRIVE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1951 FOR EDGAR PERRY III, GRANDSON OF EDGAR HOWARD KAMO OR PERRY.
[01:30:01]
SET ON A TRIANGULAR PARCEL THAT SLOPES TOWARD THE EAST, OFFERING A AN OPTIMAL VIEW OF DOWNTOWN CLAD IN THE COMBINATION OF WHITE STONE CONCRETE AND VERTICAL WOOD SIDING.THE HOUSE EMPHASIZED ITS HORIZONTALITY WITH TWO LONG WINGS, UH, CREATING AN L SHAPE.
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LOT FEATURES A DRIVEWAY THAT CURVES AROUND THE HOUSE AND TERMINATES AT A CARPORT.
THERE'S AN ENTRY TO THE KITCHEN IN THIS LOCATION INDICATING THAT THE DOORWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE FACING RIDGE OAK DRIVE AND OPENING ONTO THE FOYER IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THE HOUSE WAS DESIGNED TO BE THE MAIN ENTRY.
ARRANGING TWO DOORS IN THIS WAY INDICATES THAT THE AUTOMOBILE ENTRY MAY HAVE BEEN SEEN AS MORE OF A SURFACE ENTRY.
THE LONGER OF THE TWO WINGS EXTENDS TO THE NORTH AND INCLUDES LIVING AREAS AND BEDROOMS AND FEATURES A REAR DOOR FROM THE DINING ROOM TO A BROAD DECK THAT PROVIDES A VIEW OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
IT ALSO FEATURES AMPLE SWIM, UH, AN AMPLE SWIMMING POOL, WHICH ABUTS A RETAINING WALL.
A FLAT ROOF COVERS THE ENTIRE HOUSE WITH MODERATE OVERHANGS ON SEVERAL SIDES.
FENESTRATION IS GENERALLY NOT LARGE, BUT ARE GROUPED IN SEVERAL AREAS TO CREATE A RIBBON WINDOW APPEARANCE AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE.
NEAR THE DECK IS A LARGE BRICK CHIMNEY THAT EXTENDS ABOVE THE FLAT ROOF BY A FEW FEET FROM THE STREET.
THE EXTERIOR WALLS, WINDOWS, AND DOORS ARE WEATHERED, BUT APPEAR TO BE IN FAIR CONDITION.
THE PERRY FAMILY HAS A LONG HISTORY IN AUSTIN THAT STRETCHES ACROSS THE CITY, BOTH ARCHITECTURALLY AND CIVICALLY.
THE HOUSE AT 49 0 1 RIDGE OAK DRIVE WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR EDGAR AND KATHLEEN PERRY TO LIVE IN AFTER THEIR 1951 MARRIAGE AND WAS COMPLETED WHEN EDGAR PERRY WAS IN HIS EARLY TWENTIES.
IN THE SHORT YEARS AFTER THEIR MOVING IN, ED EDGAR WAS INVOLVED IN SEVERAL FAMILY BUSINESS VENTURES, INCLUDING SOUTHWEST LEDGE, UH, STONE COMPANY, TERMINIX TERMITE CONTROL, AND MORE RECENTLY THE PERRY MANUFACTURING COMPANY COMPANY, WHICH PRODUCED PLASTICS AND OTHER NEWLY DEVELOPED MATERIALS FOR DOMESTIC USE.
HE ALSO BECAME INVOLVED IN AND WAS LISTED AS OWNER OF THE MEMORIAL HILL MAUSOLEUM.
EDGAR PERRY II RAN FOR AND WAS ELECTED TO A SEAT ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
HE WOULD SERVE FOR FIVE YEARS, AND AT ONE POINT WOULD SERVE AS THE YOUNGEST MAYOR PRO TEM OF IN THE COUNTRY.
AFTER NOT SEEKING REELECTION, HE WOULD GO ON TO SERVE WITH NUMEROUS CHARITY BOARDS, INCLUDING THE YMCA AND GOODWILL.
KATHLEEN PERRY WAS INVOLVED IN RELIGIOUS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY AND FREQUENTLY APPEARED IN AUSTIN NEWSPAPERS IN THE FASHION SECTIONS AND BEST DRESSED LISTS.
THE COUPLE HAD TWO DAUGHTERS TOGETHER.
WHILE LIVING AT THE RIDGE OAK DRIVE PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR, UH, INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT DOES MEET TWO CRITERIA, UH, THESE CRITERIA ARCHITECTURE IN WHICH THE BUILDING IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
THE PROPERTY APPEARS TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, MOST NOTABLY WITH FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER EDGAR PERRY III.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE PROPERTIES LANDMARKED WITH THE ASSOCIATION TO EDGAR, THE COMMODORE PERRY, I FIRST AND THE PERRY FAMILY, BUT NONE SPECIFICALLY TO EDGAR BERRY II.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER HISTORIC ZO UH, UH, INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING, UM, AND CONSIDERATE WITH CONSIDERATION WITH THE, UH, THE DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT REGARDING THE STRUCTURAL CONDITION OF THE HOUSE.
IF DESIGNATION IS NOT PURSUED, ENCOURAGE RE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OR DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND IS THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE HERE? YES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE HERE.
AND, UH, I'VE, UH, GOT A, I HOPE I'VE PROVIDED ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO RESTORE BUILDINGS IS SUDDENLY HAVING TO DECIDE THAT, UH, THIS ONE CAN'T BE DONE.
AND YOU HAVE READ YOUR NAME IN FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS MIKE MCCONE AND I'VE BEEN, BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS
AND, UH, I'VE PRESERVED A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS AND I'VE ALSO HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT A BUILDING MEETS THE HISTORIC CRITERIA AND CAN BE FINANCIALLY RESTORED.
I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU A VERY EXTENSIVE REPORT.
I HOPE THAT YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT.
IF NOT, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
THIS IS A TRIANGULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT'S ACCESSED, UH, IT FACES ONLY RIDGE OAK DRIVE.
UH, THE CREST WAY DRIVE ENTRANCE UP TO THIS RIDGE IS, UH, ALONG THE EDGE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND IT IS A RETAINING WALL THAT EXTENDS, UH, WELL ABOVE THE STREET, SOME 15 FEET AT SOME POINTS GOING DOWN TO A LOWER, UH, LEVEL AS IT REACHES,
[01:35:01]
UH, TOWARD THE INTERSECTION.THIS IS THE MAIN ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THIS CORNER IS IMPORTANT.
UH, YOU CAN ALSO SEE IF YOU LOOK AT THE SURVEY THAT IT IS, UH, AND RATHER UNUSUAL HOUSE AND THE LAYOUT, UH, FOR TODAY'S, UH, LIVING, UH, ESPECIALLY FROM AN ENERGY, UH, STANDPOINT, THAT IT IS GOT A LOT, A LOT OF EXTERIOR WALL AND, UM, THAT AND THE FACT THAT IT'S DESIGNED TO BE A HOUSE THAT IS SERVED ONLY BY AUTOMOBILE AND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UH, THAT IS THE CONCERN THERE.
IN PREPARATION FOR THE MEETING TONIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, ALSO HAD A COMPLETE, UH, INSPECTION REPORT.
UM, AND IT'S, AND THAT WAS REPORT IS WHAT I HAD DETERMINED WHEN I MADE MY FIRST VISIT TO THIS SITE IS THAT THE YEARS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, UH, TAKEN THEIR TOLL ON THIS BUILDING.
IT'S, UM, MULTIPLE AREAS, UH, DAMAGED BY WATER LEAKS, ROOF LEAKS.
UH, THE WA UH, WALLS ARE IN POOR CONDITION.
THE LEAD PAINT WINDOWS ARE ORIGINAL AND BEYOND LIFE SERVICE.
EXPEC, UH, USE THE PLUMBING AND THE ELECTRICAL ARE ORIGINAL AND NEED REPLACEMENT.
AND MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE ARE OVER 25 YEARS OLD.
AND IT'S, UH, THEY ARE UTIL THEY ARE HAVE TO BE REPLACED 'CAUSE THEY USE FREON THAT'S NO LONGER ALLOWED.
THE FOUNDATION IS A COMBINATION OF SLAB ON GRADE AND CONCRETE CRAWL SPACE, AND IT'S A FAIRLY LEVEL, BUT IT'S IN SEVERAL AREAS.
THE CONCRETE IS SEPARATING FROM THE REBAR AND, UH, MOST LIKELY THIS WILL NOT HAVE TO BE, UH, REPAIRED.
AND, AND, UH, THIS INSPECTOR, UH, HAS DETERMINED THAT THE, IT'S NOT SOUND ENOUGH TO RELAY TO THE A RENOVATION.
I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT HAVING BROUGHT MANY BUILDINGS BACK FROM VERY POOR CONDITION THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THIS WILL NOT BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER GO AND LOOK AT THE PROPERTY.
UH, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT IS THAT THE, UH, EXISTING STRUCTURE IS, UH, WOOD FRAME AND THERE'S TOO MANY, UH, PROBLEMS OF THE GRA UH, WATER PENETRATION.
AND THIS HOUSE HAS JUST BEEN VACANT.
SO, UH, AND NOT KEPT UP, UH, HAD IT GONE BEFORE THIS COMMISSION, 25, MAYBE 30 YEARS AGO AT, UH, OR AT LEAST 20 YEARS AGO, IT, UH, WOULD BE A DIFFERENT SITUATION HAD IT BEEN KEPT UP.
BUT IT'S JUST IN SUCH DE UH, DETERIORATING CONDITION.
UM, THE FOUNDATION BY THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER HAS FOUND THAT IT IS, UH, UH, SUSPECT, UH, AND INTERIOR WALLS ARE SUSPECT DUE TO THEIR BEING EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND NOT HAVING A CONSISTENT ROOF.
UH, CONCRETE IS CRACKING AT THE CRAWL SPACE AND THIS HAS LED TO THE FOUNDATION FAILURE IN SEVERAL PLACES.
THE ROOF IS LEAKING AND HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THAT.
AND THERE IS A REAL CONCERN ABOUT THE RETAINING WALL ALONG CREST WAY DRIVE BEING ABLE TO, UH, IT IS STRUCTURALLY, UH, SUSPECT AND HE NOTICED THAT IT'S FAILING.
FINISHED WITH ONE QUE ONE, ONE THING WRAPPING UP PLEASE.
TO ME, THE TELLING SITUATION IS THAT THE, WE HAVE A VERY UNBIASED SITUATION HERE AND THAT THE TRAVIS COUNTY, TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT EVALUATION LAND 1.2 MILLION VALUE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS 182,000.
THIS GROUP HAS SAID THIS HOUSE, THIS STRUCTURE IS BEYOND ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY.
I DO HAVE OTHER FOLKS HERE THAT I THINK ARE LINE TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION FOR MR. MCCONE? UH, I JUST HAVE A QUICK, QUICK ONE.
I'M LOOKING AT YOUR COST, ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE BUDGET.
UH, WAS THAT SOMETHING YOU WERE INVOLVED IN PUTTING TOGETHER? UH, NO.
UH, WE HAD A PROFESSIONAL GROUP GO THROUGH THERE AND THIS, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT DEMONSTRATES THAT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE FIXED.
SO WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IS WE'D BE CREATING A REPRODUCTION AND WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU PRICE.
YOU'VE GOT, I JUST WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE,
[01:40:01]
MORE MONEY FOR THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL CABINETS THAN YOU DO FOR THE FOUNDATION.SO THAT'S BECAUSE THE, UH, WE DID, HE DID NOT LOOK AT THE FOUNDATION.
THAT'S, THAT WAS BEFORE HE GOT THE ENGINEER'S LETTER.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS DEMOLITION REQUEST? WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGN UP.
WE HAVE THE OWNER, MR. BRAGAN TI WHO'S ONLINE.
WE ALSO HAVE SOMEONE COMING HERE TO THE DAIS.
UH, WELL SINCE YOU'RE HERE SIR, PLEASE.
I'M CHAD NEEK, I'M THE HOME INSPECTOR THAT PERFORMED THE HOME INSPECTION.
I DON'T THINK I NEED TO ADD ANYTHING TO WHAT MIKE HAS EXPLAINED.
UM, IT WAS MORE HERE IF YOU HAD SOME DIRECT QUESTIONS TO ME.
I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK AS I WAS THE ONE THAT CRAWLED THROUGH THE CRAWL SPACE AND, UM, DETERMINED A LOT OF THE FACTORS THAT APPEAR ON THAT REPORT.
UH, I, I KNOW THERE, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE PROBABLY PICKED UP ON THIS, BUT I'M GONNA ASK, TELL US ABOUT THE SPING OF THE CONCRETE BEAMS. OKAY.
UH, TO WHAT EXTENT, THERE'S NO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THAT, BUT TO WHAT EXTENT WAS THAT APPARENT? UH, THERE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE PROVIDED HOME INSPECTION REPORT.
UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS WHERE THE, THE BEAMS HAVE SPED EXPOSING REBAR THAT IS NOW RUSTING AND BEGINNING TO EXPAND ITSELF.
UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE CONSIDERATIONS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATE THAT, THAT CRAWLSPACE FOUNDATION, 'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING HILLSIDE WATER THAT'S RUNNING THROUGH THAT, THAT'S PROVIDED YEARS AND YEARS OF MOISTURE THROUGH THERE.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY CONTRIBUTING NOT TO JUST THOSE SPALDING AREAS, BUT OTHER AREAS OF THAT FOUNDATION THAT WE CAN'T SEE.
AND HOW EXTENSIVE WAS THE SPALDING? THERE WERE PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX AREAS THAT WERE SPAD, PROBABLY TWO INCHES IN DEPTH AND THEN TWO TO FOUR FEET IN LENGTH OF SPALDING.
UM, BUT ALSO WHAT WAS NOTICEABLE INSIDE, UM, AS STATED IN THE REPORT, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF FLUCTUATIONS IN THE LEVELNESS OF THE STRUCTURE, BUT INTERNALLY WHERE THE, THE BEAMS AND THEN THE PANS BETWEEN THE BEAMS, YOU COULD FEEL THE, THE RUMBLES THROUGH THE HOUSE OR VARIATIONS, WHICH THAT TO ME FEELS LIKE THAT'S A STRUCTURAL COMPROMISE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE HOME INSPECTOR? OKAY.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT LAST PART FOR ME AS FAR AS THE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE, IN THE FOUND FOUNDATION? IS THAT WHAT YOU YEAH.
SO IT, TRYING TO UNDER UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID.
MY TERMINOLOGY MIGHT BE INCORRECT, BUT IS, SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR CONCRETE BEAMS THAT ARE TEARING THE LOAD AND THEN THE, THE SURFACE CONCRETE THAT SPANS BETWEEN THE CONCRETE BEAMS AIMS, FLUCTUATES PROBABLY AN INCH TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN SEVERAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE MAIN STRUCTURE.
UM, AND THAT WAS MOSTLY WHERE THOSE SPALDING HAD OCCURRED, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.
UM, BUT THAT VARIANCE WAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S RUMBLED THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT LARGE FOOTPRINT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE I'M, MY, MY CONCERN IS OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY BEING COMPROMISED.
AND IT, AND WE HAD, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE, THIS IS THE HOME INSPECTOR, NOT THE ENGINEER? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE ENGINEER IN HIS REPORT DID INDICATE THE SPINE, UH, OF THOSE BEAMS. I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
HE, HE DID INDICATE THIS FALLING BUT NOT OF A STRUCTURAL CONCERN.
LIKE THERE WASN'T, THERE WAS NO MENTION.
HE SUGGESTS WE HAVE SOME, UH, FOUNDATION MOVEMENT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S PERMANENT DEFLECTION OR EVEN ONGOING DEFLECTION AFTER DE REFLECT
I'M NOT, I'M NOT A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.
I JUST OBSERVE WHAT I'VE, WHAT I'VE FOUND THROUGH DOING A, A ZIP LEVEL FOUNDATION SURVEY.
OH, DO YOU HAVE THAT, DAVID? THAT IS, THAT IS IN THE REPORT.
UH, WE CERTAINLY GET ALONG IF THAT NEEDS MORE CLARIFICATION.
IT'S IN THE INFORMATIONAL SECTION OF THE FOUNDATION STRUCTURE.
AND MY CONTACT INFORMATION'S THERE IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED AFTER THE MEETING.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THE OWNER IS THEN ON THE PHONE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, YES, WE CAN, UH, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND, UH, TELL US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
[01:45:01]
REAGAN S AND MY WIFE MARY MARGARET ERA IS ALSO ON THE PHONE.SHE'S NOT GONNA SPEAK, BUT SHE'S LISTENING IN.
UM, I, UM, HAVE NEVER MET MR. MCCOMB.
I HAVEN'T SEEN HIS FACE, BUT HE WOULD BE A GREAT VOICEOVER FOR LYNDON JOHNSON
UH, LET ME, UH, LET ME SAY THAT MY, MY WIFE AND I ARE, ARE VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE.
AND, UM, SHE'S A GRADUATE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND I'M A GRADUATE OF ST.
SO WE'RE NO STRANGERS TO AUSTIN, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS GOING TO BE A SECOND HOME FOR US.
MY, MY PARENTS WHO ARE DISABLED LIVE AROUND THE CORNER ON MOUNT BONNE DRIVE.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE PURPOSES THAT WE BOUGHT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR HOME.
UM, AND, AND WE DID HIRE SOME INDIVIDUALS TO LOOK AT IT FOR REHABILITATION PURPOSES, BUT WHEN WE SAW THE NUMBERS, WE WERE TO SAY THE LEAST SHOCKED AT, AT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO REHAB IT.
SO OUR, OUR NEXT, UM, NATURAL AND LOGICAL PLAN WOULD BE TO, TO TAKE IT DOWN.
UM, AND WHEN IT DID GET FLAGGED FOR THE TWO CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, I, I JUST WANTED TO LOOK INTO SOME OF THIS AND, AND PROVIDE JUST AS A BASIS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BOARD.
OBVIOUSLY IT IS A MID-CENTURY MODERN HOME.
UM, BUT AS I WAS LISTENING THROUGHOUT THE, THESE PROCEEDINGS AND IN THIS HEARING, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST LYNN HOME THAT WAS BUILT IN THE LATE, UM, 18 HUNDREDS, THE BENEFICIAL THING IS THAT THIS TYPE OF HOME IN THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UM, I BELIEVE THE SAME ARCHITECT, UH, HAS BUILT, UH, SCORES OF MID-CENTURY HOMES IN, IN THIS HIGHLAND PARK WEST NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT, THAT IS A PLUS WHEN CONSIDERING, UH, THAT, THAT ASPECT OF IT.
UM, IN ADDITION ON THE SECOND ONE, IT BEING, UM, UH, SO A PLACE WHERE SOMEONE OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE LIVED.
UM, I DO, UH, RESPECT THE PERRY FAMILY, UM, BUT COMMODORE PERRY, UH, BEING WHO HE WAS AND HIS GRANDSON BEING WHO HE WAS, UH, THERE, THERE IS, THERE IS MINIMAL, UM, SIGNIFICANCE AT BEST TO MR. ED EDGAR PERRY II, UH, WHO, WHO WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AS OPPOSED TO DOING THE THINGS THAT HIS GRANDFATHER DID DO.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TO SELL HIM SHORT, I'M SURE HE WAS A FINE MAN, BUT AS, AS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WROTE IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SAID WE, WE ARE ALL THE GRANDCHILDREN OF SOMEONE.
UM, SO, UH, THAT BEING SAID, I, I DO BELIEVE LOOKING AT, AT THE TWO CRITERIA THAT, THAT THERE ARE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN YOU TACK ON THERE, THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH ANY POTENTIAL REHABILITATION, UH, FOR, FOR THE BOARD TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF, OF GIVING US THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD JUST SIMPLY SAY THAT, UH, WE, WE PLAN ON BUILDING A, A BEAUTIFUL HOME CONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND THE ARCHITECTURE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROUD, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE, UM, UH, PRESERVING THE YARD AND THE TREES AND, AND THE HERITAGE OAK THAT, THAT ARE THERE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE, UH, OWNER? OKAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN AND, UH, YOUR WIFE AS WELL.
SOMEONE ELSE ALSO, UH, UH, SPEAKING FROM THE TELEPHONE CALLING IN, THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I WOULD, UH, I'M MICHAEL DIXON.
I HAVE NOT SIGNED UP IF I NEED TO ADD MY NAME TO THE ROSTER, WE'LL, WE'LL GET YOU IN THE BOOK AS SOON AS YOU FINISH.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE, UH, ISSUES THAT THE STRUCTURE HAS WITH THE CONCRETE AND REBAR EXPOSED IN THE FOUNDATION.
IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE AND IT IS BEYOND REPAIR.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, BEING REPAIRED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT'S FOR A SIMILAR REASON.
AND IT'S THE TYPE OF STRUCTURAL AND INTEGRITY THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE.
UM, THERE'S LIKELY NOT A VAPOR BARRIER UNDERNEATH THE FOUNDATION EXPOSING A LOT OF THAT STRUCTURAL STEEL TO CONTINUED WEATHERING.
AND, UM, I REALLY THINK, UH, IGNORING EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF THIS, THAT THAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A REASON FOR DEMOLITION FOR BECAUSE IT WILL, UH, INHIBIT THE BUILDING FROM HAVING A LONG-TERM LIFESPAN.
THAT'S REALLY ALL I WANTED TO ADD TO THE CASE, BUT LEMME CLARIFY.
YOU'RE NOT THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER THOUGH? I'M NOT THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.
AND WERE YOU INVOLVED IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE ROUGH ORDER OF ANCY COSTS? YES.
[01:50:01]
IS, MOST OF IT HAS TO DO WITH FINISHES IN THE HOUSE, WHICH RIGHT.OBVIOUSLY AN OLDER HOUSE, YOU EITHER LIKE WHAT YOU'VE GOT OR YOU UPDATE THEM.
YOU'LL HAVE TO PUT THEM IN A NEW HOUSE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT, UH, DID YOU, WAS THERE LITTLE OR NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE STRUCTURE WHEN YOU PUT YOUR PRICING TOGETHER? 'CAUSE VERY LITTLE, UH, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION.
'CAUSE AT TIME YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF NUMBER IN THERE RIGHT NOW.
IT WAS ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.
SO IT'S BASED ON OTHER PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS OR SO.
THAT'S PRIMARILY WHERE THE BUDGET COMES FROM.
BUT YOU WERE ASSUMING AT THAT POINT THAT THE FOUNDATION WAS NOT GONNA NEED TO BE HAVING THAT MUCH MORE ADDRESSED.
THAT IS BASED ON THE HOUSE NEEDING TO COME DOWN.
SO WHETHER, I'M SORRY, THE ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE WAS A RENOVATION BUDGET OR THAT'S NOT NEW CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S THE, IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME BECAUSE THE WHOLE HOUSE HAS TO COME DOWN.
I DIDN'T PRICE A, A, A WHOLE RENOVATION BUDGET BECAUSE THE HOUSE NEEDS TO COME DOWN, SO.
I GUESS YOU SUBMITTED A ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE BUDGET, NOT FOR A RENOVATION OF THE HOUSE.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH BUDGET YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
IN OUR PACKET WE HAVE A, UM, ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.
IT'S CALLED A REMODELED BUDGET.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UM, MISSPOKE THEN THERE.
AND THAT IS, UH, FOR THE RIDGE OAK RESIDENCE MM-HMM
AND IT IS NOT ATTRIBUTED TO ANYONE.
IT'S NOT ANYBODY'S LETTERHEAD, BUT, UH, IT COMES UP WITH A TOTAL PACKAGE OF $3,639,000.
THOUGH IT DOES INCLUDE ALL THE DIFFERENT FEES INCLUDING ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS FEES.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S HARD TO DO AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON IN HARD CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
AND AS I NOTED, UH, IT ACTUALLY GOES VERY LIGHT ON THE HEAVY CONCRETE FOUNDATION WHEN I COMPARE THAT TO JUST THE ARCHITECTURAL WOOD CABINETS 160,000 VERSUS 192,000.
SO, I, I JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SUB, YOU'RE SUBMITTING TO US FOR OUR REVIEW.
SO A ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE BUDGET IS BASED ON EQUIVALENT COSTS OF OTHER PROJECTS BROKEN DOWN PRO RATA.
AND THAT'S SIMPLY WHAT THIS PROJECT WOULD COME IN AT BASED ON OTHER PROJECTS OF SIMILAR SCOPE TO REBUILD THIS HOUSE.
SO WHAT YOU SAY IS A RENOVATION, YOU'RE IN ESSENCE RE RECREATE.
YOU'RE, SO, YOU'RE MORE, MORE OR LESS RECREATING THE HOUSE IF YOU, IF YOU YES, EXACTLY.
IF THE WHOLE HOUSE WAS TORN DOWN AND REBUILT THE WAY THAT IT IS, THAT IS THE BUDGET THAT I WOULD CREATE BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA.
AND ON A COST PER SQUARE FOOT BASIS, IT MIGHT BE COMPARABLE TO, UH, ANY NEW HOUSE OF QUALITY IN YEAH.
ANY NEW HOME OF THAT QUALITY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
OR TYPICALLY AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER FOOT.
WELL, THAT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO REVIEW.
IT'S A, IT'S ESSENTIALLY NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXACT HOUSE THAT IS THERE.
BASED ON, UH, HISTORICAL DATA.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE CONTRACTOR? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELL, WOULD THE LAST SPEAKER MIND COMING REAL QUICK? WOULD YOU, UH, SIGN IN TO OUR BOOK PLEASE, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE, IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND LET'S MAKE SURE YOU'RE SIGNED INTO THE BOOK.
I, I HAVE NOT SIGNED IN EITHER.
I'M ACTUALLY THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.
I'M THE ONE WHOSE NAME IS ON THE SURVEY THAT WE SAW EARLIER UP ON THE SCREEN NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY.
I THINK IT'S THE ONLY PROPERTY THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE, THE, UH, PIE SLICE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO I'M NOT HERE IN OPPOSITION NOR PROPONENT OF THE HISTORICAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
I'M, I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE SUCH DESIGNATION.
I GUESS I HAVE MORE OF A QUESTION.
IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CONSIDERED FOR, UM, SUCH A DESIGNATION IN THE 20 YEARS THAT I LIVED IN NEXT DOOR, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF NOTICE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN? SO UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT RESIDENCE COULD HAVE BEEN OBTAINED SINCE THAT, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CONTINUED ON AND NOT BE IN A STAGE.
I'M NOT ONE TO PROPOSE THAT WE NEED TO BUILD ON SOMETHING THAT'S UNSOUND.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR FUTURE RESIDENTS FOR FUTURE OTHER PROPERTIES.
YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT LET PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, THIS HAS SOME HISTORICAL CONSEQUENCE, SHOULD WE UPKEEP IT TO A SOUND BASIS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DEMOLISH IT BECAUSE IT'S NOW UNSOUND FOR ANY TYPE OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST TOTAL DESTRUCTION IF YOU'RE GONNA DO A REBUILD.
SO IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION ON MY PART AND I JUST BRING THAT OUT TO THE COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION.
I HAVE NOTHING ELSE OTHER TO, I, I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE THAT QUALIFICATION, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING WHERE, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WAS UNOCCUPIED FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS OR SO BEFORE, UH, REAGAN AND REAGAN, I JUST, UH, WELCOME TO AUSTIN.
[01:55:01]
AUSTIN NATIVE AND I GREW UP AT THE BASE OF SAN EDWARD.SO IF YOU'RE A GRAD, THAT'S THE UNIVERSITY GROUNDS.
I WAS RUNNING AROUND AS A KID.
SO ANYWAY, UM, WELCOME NEIGHBOR.
UM, BUT I'M JUST BRINGING THAT UP, UH, MORE FOR WHAT OTHER HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS TYPE OF DESIGNATION THAT ARE ALSO GONNA ALSO BE TORN DOWN BECAUSE THEY WERE AN UP KEPT.
WELL, MR. RICHTER, LET ME JUST, UH, I I WILL TRY TO DO A VERY QUICK ANSWER TO WHAT BASICALLY ARE TWO PARTS TO YOUR QUESTION.
BECAUSE THE FIRST QUESTION IS IF SOMEBODY HAS A HOME OR A STRUCTURE OF ANY KIND AND THEY'RE NOT KEEPING IT UP REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER VALUE THE COMMUNITY GIVES IT, THAT IS A SAFETY CONCERN.
AND THERE IS A WHOLE PROCEDURE, IT'S NOT DIRECTLY OUR PURVIEW, BUT IT'S RELATED TO WHAT WE DO.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A BUILDING STANDARDS COMMISSION AND IF SOMEBODY IS NEGLECTING A PROPERTY, THERE IS A PROCEDURE FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ULTIMATELY IS NOT LEFT TO DETERIORATE.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S A PRETTY SEVERE, UH, TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT BEFORE THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE YOU JUST HAD A PROPERTY THAT PROBABLY NEEDED SOME TLC OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, THE EARLIER CONVERSATION YOU HEARD ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN RESOURCE SURVEY, THAT IS THE BEST MECHANISM WE HAVE TO ALERT THE PUBLIC IN A GIVEN AREA THAT THERE ARE A SERIES OF BUILDINGS THAT HAVE VALUE, BUT IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN SURVEYED OR ALREADY DESIGNATED AS OF INTEREST.
REALLY IT'S UNTIL WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR A ACTION OF THIS KIND, EITHER A MAJOR BUILDING PERMIT OR A DEMOLITION PERMIT, DO WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO BRING THE CITY'S RESOURCES TO BEAR AND DO SOME OF THE INVESTIGATIONS NECESSARY TO SAY, HEY, THIS REPRESENTS THIS TYPE OF ARCHITECTURAL PERIOD.
THIS REPRESENTS THIS TYPE OF COMMUNITY VALUE AND IT REPRESENTS PERHAPS ALSO SOME ASSOCIATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS.
NOW THE OVERALL SURVEYS GENERALLY CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT IN DEPTH, BUT THE OVERALL SURVEYS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
AND I DO KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER MAY WARD, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US HERE, HAS VERY, IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK IS ALSO A RESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS BASICALLY LAYING THE GROUNDWORK TO BEGIN ONE OF THOSE SURVEYS FOR YOU BECAUSE THOSE RESOURCES BECOME VERY VALUABLE FOR FUTURE OWNERS AND EVEN EXISTING HOMEOWNERS TO KNOW HOW DOES THIS FIT WITHIN THAT BIGGER STORY OF WHO'S LIVED HERE AND WHY IS THAT OVER TIME IMPORTANT TO OUR HISTORY.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
AND THAT BEING SAID, I MEAN, I LIVE IN ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY, I'VE SEEN THE STATE OF CONDITION AND I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID WITH THESE OTHER EXPERTS.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT.
AND, UH, COMMISSION? WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY IN OPPOSITION.
UH, YES, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND IF THERE ARE OTHERS AS WELL.
UH, BUT PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, HI, MY NAME'S CATHERINE MCCULLOUGH AND I'M ALSO A NEIGHBOR.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 16 YEARS.
UM, AND THIS PROPERTY HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, SERVES AS A CENTURY TO THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD, SETTING THE TONE, UM, FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL FEEL.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY UNIQUE AMONGST HIS PROPERTIES THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESEARCH.
UH, IT HAS A UNIQUE, UM, LOOK AND FEEL.
AND OF COURSE WITH THAT TRIANGLE PROPERTY, UM, IT BASICALLY COVERS A COUPLE ENTRANCES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS JUST LOVED IT.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A SUBJECTIVE OPINION.
UM, WHAT INTERESTS ME ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS, AS THE OTHER NEIGHBORS MENTIONED, THERE WERE PEOPLE LIVING IN THERE MAYBE LIKE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
UM, MY OWN HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ORIGINAL WINDOWS FROM THE 1950S, RIGHT? LIKE WE ALL CAN'T UPDATE EVERYTHING.
UM, AND THE MENTION ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE RETAINING WALL IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTING BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WATCHING WORKERS OVER THERE DISMANTLING THE RETAINING WALL, TAKING BRICKS OFF AND PILING THEM UP.
I FIND I FOUND THAT VERY ODD, AS DID ONE OF MY OTHER NEIGHBORS WHO STOPPED AND ASKED THE WORKERS AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY THEY WERE DOING IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE MOVED TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, LIKE BECAUSE OF THE MID-CENTURY LOOK AND FEEL.
I WOULD HATE TO LOSE SUCH, UM, AN EXEMPLARY, UM, EXAMPLE OF THAT
[02:00:01]
IN THIS AREA.UM, AS HAS ALSO BEEN MENTIONED WITH ALL OF THE TREES THERE, UM, I WOULD HOPE WE WOULDN'T LOSE THE TREES AS WELL.
AND WITH THE NEW HOME ORDINANCE THAT WAS JUST PASSED, I WOULD HATE TO HAVE MULTIPLE STRUCTURES WITH MULTIPLE, UM, POTENTIALLY MULTIPLE DRIVEWAYS ADDED TO THIS 'CAUSE THAT THAT INTERSECTION AT CREST WAY AND RIDGE OAK IS PARTICULARLY, UM, I WOULDN'T CALL IT DANGEROUS BECAUSE, OR IT'S KIND OF DANGEROUS.
THERE'S OFTEN KIDS ON BIKES, THEY'RE COMING AROUND A BLIND CORNER.
UM, CARS DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY SHOULD STOP OR GO.
SO THERE'S A UNIQUE SITUATION THERE, UM, WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND IN CONCLUSION, UM, IT'S JUST A REALLY COOL HOUSE AND I THINK, UM, IT'S SUBSTANTIAL IN ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE CITY.
AND IF WE LOSE ALL OF OUR ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORICAL, UM, YOU KNOW, EXAMPLES IN THIS, IN EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IF WE USE, IF WE LOSE ALL OF THE ONES WITH THE CHARACTER, THEN WE LOSE THEM IN AUSTIN.
AND WHAT, WHAT ARE WE LEFT WITH? UM, I'D LOVE TO SEE IT SAVED.
MY NEIGHBORS, UM, ALSO HAVE A 1950S HOME.
THEY GOT RENOVATED IT, THEY ADDED 2000 SQUARE FEET.
THEY UPDATED ALL THE PIPING, THE ELECTRICAL, THEY DID IT WITH A WELL-KNOWN ARCHITECT AND IT WAS 1 MILLION AND THEY DID IT.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I LOVE IT
UM, BUT THEY DID, THEY LOVE MID-CENTURY DESIGN AND THEY DID IT IN TRYING TO RETAIN THE MID-CENTURY CHARACTER.
SO I BELIEVE THAT 3 MILLION OR WHATEVER WAS QUOTED IS, UM, OUTRAGEOUSLY OVER PRICED.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
UH, AGAIN, BY TRADITION WE HAVE, UH, THE ABILITY FOR THE APPLICANT TO REBUT, UH, MS. MCCOMB, MR. MCCOMB, VERY BRIEFLY, YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT CASE FOR YOU.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT LOOK AT THE SITUATION.
THIS IS A HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN LEFT TO FALL DOWN.
THE REMOVAL OF THE BRICKS OR THE STRUCTURES ALONG THE TOP OF THE RETAINING WALL WERE DONE FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
AND, UH, SINCE THE WALL IS SORT OF MOVING TOWARD THE STREET, THEY WERE MOVED, THOSE THAT WERE THAT LOOSE.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
UH, BUT WE JUST DON'T FEEL THAT THIS HOUSE, UH, IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND ENOUGH TO BE RESTORED, LIKE I SAID, AND LIKE THE CONTRACTORS SAID, WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IS DOING A REPRODUCTION.
AND IF YOU DO A REPRODUCTION, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A HISTORIC BUILDING ANYMORE.
SO WE'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE OUR, AND WE BELIEVE WE'VE MADE OUR CASE FOR WHY THIS SHOULD BE GRANTED AND URGE THE COMMISSION TO FIND IN OUR FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IS THERE NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK THEN? COMMISSIONERS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF, UH, AT LEAST TO CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I MOVE TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR APRIL MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO OUR APRIL MEETING.
I'LL SECOND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UM, I'M BIT ON THE FENCE ON THIS CASE.
UM, BUT I'M ALWAYS HESITANT TO AT FIRST SWIPE TO BYPASS SOMETHING THAT STAFF SAYS, MEET TWO CRITERIA, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOB IS TO IDENTIFY AND SEND IT UP THE LINE, NOT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE PREDICTIONS ABOUT WHERE IT MAY END UP.
[02:05:01]
THE ISSUES WITH THE FOUNDATIONS.UM, I SEE CRACKS IN THE REMAINDER OF THE CONCRETE THAT'S GONNA LET WATER IN.
UH, I THINK IT'S NOT TOO FAR GONE.
YOU COULD PROBABLY APPLY SOME SORT OF COATING UNDER THERE, AND I WOULD DEFER TO COMMISSIONER LAROCHE ON THE DETAILS OF THAT.
BUT IT, IT, IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT'S, IT'S GOT, UH, DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH COVER AND THE, UH, CONCRETE ITSELF WAS NOT, UM, HAS CRACKS IN IT.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF THE INTERIOR, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY INDICATIVE OF MC M DESIGN.
IT'S BA IT'S ON A BEAUTIFUL LOT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY OUTSTANDING AND IT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS AN ECONOMICAL APPLICATION OF MCM ON A BEAUTIFUL LOT WITH, UM, A NICE SPRAWLING FLOOR PLAN.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I'M KIND OF ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT.
I'M DOING THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE HAVE SIX COMMISSIONERS HERE TODAY, HOPEFULLY COMMISSIONER WARD, WHO'S, THIS IS HIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND HIS, UH, ONE OF HIS PRIMARY INTEREST IS M MC M.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE HIM AND HAVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANY OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS HERE.
UM, SO ALL THAT SAID, I'M, I'M LUKEWARM ON IT AS A CASE, BUT I, I WANT TO GIVE IT ANOTHER MONTH AND HOPEFULLY SOME MORE, SOME MORE EYES AND SOME MORE THOUGHT ON IT, UH, BEFORE WE MAKE A FINAL DECISION.
UM, COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UM, YEAH, I, I JUST WANT TO, THE, UH, FULLER DS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS.
I THINK WE NEED MORE EYES AS COMMISSIONER STATED.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
I THINK THE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE, UH, ISSUES WITH THE ATION PROGRAM OPINION, I DON'T SEE SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE OF THINGS THAT AREN'T REPAIRABLE.
I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER S CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF COVER AND THE BOTTOM STEM OF CHOICE SYSTEM, BUT CERTAINLY A PASSIVE PROTECTION AND PROOF CONCRETE REST THAT VERY EASILY.
AND IT'S JUST NOT, NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THERE.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, JUST WHILE I, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, UH, YOU BROKE UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT, UM, FROM WHAT YOU CAN SEE, IT MAY BE SORT OF A, A BIT OF A RED HERRING.
UH, THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS OF STRESS BUT, UH, OF, OF, OF THE SPAWNING, BUT THAT, THAT IS POTENTIALLY REPUTABLE, UH, REPAIRABLE AND I'M, I'M NOW ABSOLUTELY LOOKING AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE REPORT AND I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE THAT THESE AREN'T TEES.
UH, AND, AND THAT EVEN, EVEN THE WAY THESE ARE PUT TOGETHER, UH, OR, OR C CHANNEL, UH, PRECASTS, WHICH WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT IMPLICATION AS WELL, UH, THEN IT WOULD JUST BE UNCOVERING SOME OF THE JOINTS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING SOME TIME.
WE CAN DIG INTO THESE AND BE ABLE TO MAKE A MORE, UH, INFORMED THOUGHT, UH, IN OUR PROCESS.
BUT, UM, WELL, I I DO THINK THEY OPERATE
SO THEN, THEN THE WHERE, WHERE IT SEEMS TO BE THERE'S SOME SEPARATION IS ACTUALLY JUST MAYBE THE COVERING OF THE JOINTS BETWEEN PRECAST ELEMENTS.
WELL, THERE IS SOME SPING AND SOME EVIDENCE OF CORRUPTION.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S OF A SIGNIFICANT NATURE THAT IT'S NOT.
ANY MORE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS?
ALRIGHT, UH, HEARING NO MORE CONVER UH, DISCUSSION, THEN I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
I SEE ALL SIX HAND RAISED AND OPPOSED.
AND SO THAT, UH, WILL, WILL BE HEARD IN APRIL.
THE APPLICANT, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE, UH, END OF OUR DISCUSSION CASES.
UH, WE DO HAVE COMMITTEE UPDATES IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE SHORTHANDED AND WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS WHO WILL BE JOINING US SHORTLY.
UH, UNLESS THERE IS A SPECIFIC, UH, DISCUSSION FOR GRANTS OR OPERATIONS, UH, I WILL
[22. Architectural Review Committee – Comments on the February 12, 2025 meeting. Members: Commissioners Koch, Grogan, Alvarez]
GO AHEAD AND DEFER TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR AN UPDATE.YOU SAW A LOT OF THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR THERE AND THEY PASSED ON CONSENT, SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S A, A GOOD SIGN.
UH, WE DID WIN A FRONT PORCH AND A, UM, CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD,
[02:10:01]
WHICH IS GOOD.WE HAD A APPLICANT WHO WAS DOING A VERY SENSITIVE DESIGN, BUT WANTED TO ENCLOSE THE FRONT PORCH AND WE TALKED HIM OUT A IT.
AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, PRESERVATION
[23. Preservation Plan Committee – Comments on the February 12, 2025 Preservation Plan Celebration. Members: Commissioners Heimsath, Evans, Castillo. ]
PLAN COMMITTEE.I CAN, UH, REPORT BACK THAT WE HAD A, UH, A WONDERFUL, UH, CELEBRATION WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, AND, UH, GOSH, WHO WAS THE OTHER ONE THERE? UH, MAYOR PROM WAS THERE AS WELL, UH, AT, SO, UH, AND, AND, UH, JUST A REALLY WONDERFUL TURNOUT IN RECOGNITION OF THE WORK, UH, FOR THE, UH, EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THANK SO MANY MEMBERS WHO CONTRIBUTED.
UH, AND THEN AN OUTLINE OF THE WORK TO COME.
SO, UH, I DON'T, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY WIND UP WITH A COMMITTEE MEETING SHORTLY, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ONE ALREADY SCHEDULED, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET ON THE AGENDA.
UH, FOR THE GRANTS OR, OH, THE NEXT, THE NEXT PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE DON'T HAVE ONE ON THE BOOKS YET.
NOT YET, BUT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.
WE, WE AFTER, AFTER CELEBRATING.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT'S THE END OF OUR POSTED AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DISCUSS? UH, I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE SOME NEW APPOINTEES, UH, WHO EITHER ARE ALREADY APPOINTED OR WILL BE SHORTLY.
AND WE ASK ANY ONE OF YOU TO GET THROUGH YOUR TRAINING WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE NEED YOU ON THE DAIS, SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO THROUGH WHATEVER, UH, PREPARATION YOU NEED AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN OUR COMING MEETINGS.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
COMMISSIONER COOK, SECOND, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR PULLING TOGETHER AND MAKING QUORUM TONIGHT.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
OH, AND COMMISSIONER, WE'RE LET WITH YOU.
THAT'S, SEE WE LIVE HAPPILY LORD, TAKING YOU FOR BRAD.
DOS SLANDER THE WAY I LOOK AT YOU.
NOT THE WAY TO TALK, TO TALK TO YOU LIKE THE.