[00:00:06]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
IT IS, UH, THE MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION AT CITY HALL.UH, IT IS JUNE 4TH AT 6:06 PM AND I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
UH, LET'S START WITH A, UH, CALL OF THE ROLL.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE ROLE CHAIR BEN.
HE PRESENT VICE CHAIR ROXANNE EVANS, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER JEFFREY ACTON IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER HARRISON UPRIGHT IS ALSO ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER JUDA RICE IS VACANT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER CARL LAROCHE IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER JAIME ALVAREZ, PRESENT, COMMISSIONER, BE GUCCI PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER TRAY MCWHORTER PRESENT.
AND, UH, I, I JUST WANT TO PASS ON, OR I GUESS, UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS, MAYBE YOU'D BE WILLING TO JUST SHARE WITH US THE SAD NEWS THAT YOU SHARED EARLIER, UH, IN OUR PRE-MEETING, UH, REGARDING, UH, PASSING.
UH, I LEARNED TODAY THAT, UH, FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKIE GOODMAN, PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY.
UH, SOME OF US WHO'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME KNOW WHAT A LEGEND SHE WAS.
UH, SHE WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVANT IN TERMS OF, SHE TOOK HER ROLE VERY SERIOUSLY.
SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY WELL PREPARED FOR MEETINGS, AND SHE WAS WONDERFUL AT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AT CITY HALL.
SO SHE WILL BE MISSED VERY MUCH SO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
TODAY? YES, WE HAVE MS. MEGAN KING.PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN HERE WITH YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE FROM EVERYTHING GOING ON AT PA.
UM, NEXT WEEK, WE WILL BE HAVING A MEMBERS ONLY HAPPY HOUR AT ARLAN STUDIOS ON TUESDAY.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ARLAN STUDIOS, IT IS THE LEGENDARY RECORDING SPACE WHERE ICONS LIKE WILLIE NELSON, RAY CHARLES, AND NEIL YOUNG HAVE LAID DOWN TRACKS.
FOUNDED IN 1984 BY GRAMMY NOMINATED MUSICIAN, FREDDY FREDDY FLETCHER ARLAN STUDIOS IS TUCKED INSIDE THE HISTORIC AUSTIN OPERA HOUSE AND REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED STUDIOS IN THE COUNTRY.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, WE HOPE YOU'LL BECOME A MEMBER.
UM, AND YOU CAN RSVP@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
AND AGAIN, THAT EVENT WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY.
UH, ANY, ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS WE HAVE NO MORE FOR, UH, FURTHER PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK, UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS, WOULD YOU MIND SENDING ME THE SIGN IN SHEET REAL QUICK? CERTAINLY.
[ Consent Agenda]
MS UH, CONTRERAS AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE AGENDA TO VERY INVOLVED DETAILED AGENDA TONIGHT.TONIGHT'S AGENDA NUMBER ONE IS THE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MAY 7TH, 2025 MINUTES.
OUR HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS TONIGHT ARE ITEM TWO C 14 H 20 25 0 0 2 2 AT 1701 SAN GABRIEL STREET.
THIS WILL BE AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM THREE C 14 H 20 25 0 5 9 AT 2,500 OASIS STREET.
UH, WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM THIS EVENING.
UNDER CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS, WE HAVE ITEM FOUR, HR 2 25 0 3 9 3 9 AT 900 CHACON STREET.
UH, THIS IS A HERITAGE GRANT PROJECT THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
NUMBER FIVE, HR 20 25 0 5 7 8 7 4 AT 600 STREET IS A DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT UNDER NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS, WE HAVE ITEM SIX DA 20 25 5 5 6 82, UH, 1212 AND 1214 WEST SIXTH STREET IS ALSO OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM SEVEN, HR 20 25 0 5 6 3 4 4 AT 1703 ALAMEDA DRIVE, UH, WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT AND THERE ARE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ONE.
ITEM EIGHT, HR 20 24 1 2 3 6 AT 1003 MARE STREET IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NINE, PR 20 24 1 5 9 6 3 2 AT 7 0 5 WESTLAND STREET IS A DISCUSSION ITEM WITH SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION.
ITEM 10, HR 20 25 0 4 2 1 0 2 AT 1108 ELM STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
[00:05:02]
AT 3006 KIRBY LANE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.ITEM 12, HR 20 25, 5 0 4 0 8 AT 1611 WEATHERSFIELD ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND MS. CONTRERAS, I, I PERSONALLY, I'M GONNA PULL THAT ONE FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 13, HR 20 25 0 5 7 1 1 1 AT 1107 EASTERN STREET IS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT DUE TO NOTIFICATION ERROR.
ITEM 14, HR 20 25 0 5 9 5 6 4 AT 1511 HARDWOOD AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, DEMOLITION, AND RELOCATION APPLICATIONS TONIGHT BEGIN WITH ITEM 15, PR 20 25 0 4 5 7 0 0 AT 604 COPELAND STREET.
ITEM 16, PR 2 25 4 4 8 5 COPELAND STREET OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 17, PR 20 25 0 4 9 5 0 3 AT 1004 SOUTH FIRST STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 18, PR 20 25 0 4 4 904 AT 1006 SOUTH FIRST STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, 19 PR 2 25 4 7 1 21 19 0 4.
SHARON LANE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ITEM 20, PR 20 25 0 4 1 615 AT 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM THIS EVENING.
ITEM 21, PR 2 2 5 0 4 7 8 6 6 AT 9 1 1 POST OAK STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 22, PR 2 2 5 0 5 8 8 8 1 6 6 FEEDER AVENUE IS A CONSENT APPROVAL 2023 PR 20 25 0 5 8 8 5 6 AT 9 0 8 WEST MARY STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT.
ITEM 24 DA 2 2 5 0 5 2 131 AT 6 0 4 WEST 18TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AT 1801 RIO GRAND STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 26 DA 2 25 5 1 801 AT 6 0 8 OR 6 0 1 WEST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 27 DA 20 25 0 5 1 8 0 8 AT SIX 11 WEST MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BOULEVARD IS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT DUE TO MAPPING ERROR.
ITEM 28 DA 2 25 0 5 1 804 AT 1800.
OASIS STREET, UH, WILL BE A CONSENT ITEM TONIGHT.
UH, I KNOW IN YOUR STAFF REPORT IT SAYS THAT IT WILL BE A STAFF POSTPONEMENT, BUT THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE RATHER THAN WHOLESALE DEMOLITION.
SO STAFF IS HAPPY TO OFFER THIS FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 29, OUR FINAL CASE, DA 2 2 5 0 5 1 8 2 1 AT 1806 OASIS STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE AGENDA.
SO AT THIS POINT WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS READ THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS AND ANYBODY WHO'S HERE WHO WISHES TO HAVE THAT PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, GET MY ATTENTION AS I GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.
UH, OF COURSE, IF YOUR ITEM AND YOU'RE HERE, UH, FOR AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IF IT IS PASSED, THEN THAT IS THE ACTION THAT'S IN THE PACKAGE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF WILL BE, UH, WHAT WE APPROVE.
SO, UH, SO AS THERE'S NO DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, I WILL GO RIGHT INTO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, THAT IS, UH, THE MINUTES OF MAY 27TH, UH, 2025.
AND THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR AT 900 CHICON STREET.
UH, THIS IS THE OLD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT THE HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY AND IT'S A HERITAGE GRANT PROJECT.
UH, I DO HAVE A QUICK REQUEST OF STAFF IN THAT, UH, WE DID NOT GET A DETAIL, UH, AT THE A RC MEETING WHEN I ATTENDED.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD BE SUBMITTING THAT, UM, LINING UNDERGROUND.
AND THERE'S A, A, A RAIN SCREEN DETAIL THAT I WANTED TO SEE AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA HOLD IT UP.
BUT IF WE COULD REQUEST THAT THEY GIVE US, UH, MORE INFORMATION ON THE MATERIALS THEY'LL BE USING, I'D APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, ITEM NUMBER, THE NEXT, THE NEXT UH, CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER.
OH BOY, WE PULLED ALL OF THOSE.
ITEM NUMBER 10, UH, THIS IS 1108 ELM STREET IN THE WEST LINE NATIONAL.
HIS, UH, REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS A REMODEL, UH, AND STABILIZATION PROJECT THAT WAS REVIEWED BY THE A RC ITEM.
NUMBER 11 IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT'S IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER
[00:10:01]
DISTRICT ITEM NUMBER 14 15 11 HARDAWAY AVENUE.UH, AGAIN, IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, UNDER THE DEMOLITION RELOCATION PERMITS, WE HAVE THE FIRST CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM 15, 6 0 4 COPELAND STREET.
AND, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO IT ALSO ON ITEM 16 IS 6 0 6 COPELAND STREET.
UH, AND AGAIN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PULLED FROM THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, BUT IF THE, UM, STAFF RECOMMENDATION ABOUT STRONGLY LOOKING AT REUSE AND, UH, SALVAGE.
BUT I THINK BOTH OF THOSE TWO PROPERTIES COULD BE EASILY MOVED AND I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THAT BE ADDED AS WELL, UH, AS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THE OWNER OF THEIR HERE, UH, WOULD CONSIDER THOSE ARE BOTH VERY SMALL COMPACT BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE WELL-BUILT AND WOULD CERTAINLY BE EASILY MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
ITEM NUMBER 17, UH, 10 0 4 SOUTH FIRST STREET.
UH, THIS IS AGAIN A DEMOLITION REQUEST OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 18, THIS IS, UH, OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
10 0 6 SOUTH FIRST STREET ITEM 19 19 0 4.
SHARON LANE, ITEM 21 9 11 POST OAK STREET, ITEM 22 16 0 6 CEDAR AVENUE.
AND ITEM NUMBER 24 6 0 4 WEST 18TH STREET.
ITEM NUMBER 25 18 0 1 RIO GRANDE.
ITEM 26 6 0 1 WEST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
AND ITEM NUMBER 28 1800 NEW AIS AND 18, UH, ITEM NUMBER 29 18 0 6, NEW AIS.
SO AGAIN, IF THERE'S ANY, THEY NEED TO PULL ANY ONE OF THOSE.
ITEM 27 IS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION FOR POSTPONEMENT BY STAFF.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS A, UH, UH, WAS IT 27 YOU SAID WOULD BE A CONSENT OR WAS 27? ONE OF THE 1 27 IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT FOR A NOTIFICATION ERROR IDENTIFICATION.
SO THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A, AN ERROR IN SOME OF THE NOTIFICATIONS SO THAT WE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION AND THAT WILL BE SAVED FOR ANOTHER ACTION.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 26 FOR DISCUSSION.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS NOT INCLUDED, UH, ON THE CONSENT ITEMS AGAIN, ANY OTHER ITEMS TO DISCUSS? YES, SIR.
AND THIS, UH, 15, 16, 17, AND 18.
WE CAN PULL ALL OF THOSE FOR DISCUSSION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE? YES.
WE WILL HAVE THE REGULAR DISCUSSION ON THOSE.
ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL? YES, MA'AM.
BEG YOUR PARDON? 24, 25, 24 AND 25 24 IS 6 0 4 WEST 18TH STREET.
AND 25, WHICH IS 1801 RIO GRANDE.
ALRIGHT, SO BOTH OF THOSE, UH, WE WILL PULL FOR DISCUSSION.
2323 IS ALREADY THERE FOR DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, I TELL YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, JUST SO THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING.
I'LL JUST READ THE NUMBERS AND DO A QUICK REVIEW SO THAT WE NOW HAVE A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTIONS.
ANYBODY ELSE NEED TO PULL ANYTHING BEFORE I DO THAT? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS.
THE FIRST ITEM IS THE, UH, APPROVAL OF MINUTES ITEM NUMBER ONE.
THE SECOND ITEM FOR CONSENT WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER FOUR AT 900 CHICON.
THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM 10 11 0 8 ELM STREET, 11 30 0 6 KIRBY LANE, 14 15 11 19, 19 0 4.
SHARON LANE, 21, 9 11 POST OAK STREET.
[00:15:01]
AIS ITEM 29 18 0 6.THAT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA PROPOSED FOR TONIGHT.
MOVE TO PASS CONSENT AGENDA AS NOTED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT IS UNANIMOUS THAT HAS PASSED.
ANYBODY WHO IS HERE FOR THE CASES THAT DID PASS ON CONSENT, UH, AGAIN, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT YOU MUST FOLLOW.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DEMOLITION REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED, UH, IF THERE IS A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE THAT IS REQUESTED, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, PLEASE CONTACT STAFF.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF RECORDING OUR HISTORY, EVEN IF THE DEMOLITION IS ACCEPTED.
ALRIGHT, SO THE NEXT PART OF OUR AGENDA IS TO GO TO THE POSTPONEMENTS.
AND WE HAVE, UH, THE FIRST OF THESE IS ITEM NUMBER TWO AT 1701 SAN GABRIEL STREET.
UH, THIS WAS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
AND THE SECOND IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AT 10 0 3.
UH, THIS WAS A POSTPONEMENT ALSO BY THE APPLICANT.
BY THE WAY, BOTH OF THESE WILL BE POSTPONED TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, IN WHAT WOULD BE THAT THE JULY.
UM, WE HAVE A STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FOR ITEM NUMBER 27 AT SIX 11 WEST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
AND THAT IS ALSO POSTPONED, UH, WOULD BE RECOMMENDED FOR POSTPONEMENT TO THE JULY 2ND MEETING.
AND I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE ONES.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE POSTPONEMENTS MOVE TO POSTPONE THE NOTED ITEMS. COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER WARD? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED.
UH, AT THIS POINT I THINK WE'RE ALL SET AND WE'LL BE READY TO TAKE OUR FIRST CASE.
AND THAT WILL BE ITEM NUMBER THREE
[3. C14H-2025-0059 – 2500 Nueces St. Whitehall Cooperative Council District 9]
AT 2,500 OASIS.UM, JUST A NOTE, UH, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION CASES WE HAVE TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO BE ABBREVIATING A LOT OF THESE REPORTS.
UM, BUT THE FULL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR BACKUP AND ONLINE.
UH, OUR NEXT ITEM, UH, IS OUR FIRST HISTORIC ZONING CASE TONIGHT.
UH, CASE NUMBER C 14 H 20 25 0 0 5 9.
THIS IS THE WHITEHALL COOPERATIVE AT 2,500 OASIS STREET.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE, UM, FROM MF FOUR HNP OR FROM MF FOUR NP TO MF FOUR HNP, UM, UNDER THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, AND IF YOU READ THROUGH THE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT SUMMARIZES WHITEHALL COOPERATIVES IMPORTANCE TO AUSTIN, TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, TO THE HISTORY OF WOMEN, TO THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' RESILIENCE AND AMBITION TO INTEGRATION EFFORTS DURING THE MID 20TH CENTURY AND TO THE COOPERATIVE HOUSING MOVEMENT ACROSS TEXAS.
THE, IT'S THE OLDEST INDEPENDENTLY RUN RESIDENTIAL COOPERATIVE IN TEXAS, AND IT HAS A RICH HISTORY THAT DATES TO 1896.
IT'S TRANSFORMATION FROM A TRADITIONAL QUEEN AND WHO AN ECLECTIC AND WHIMSICAL AUSTIN ESTABLISHMENT, UM, IS TRULY UNIQUE.
THE PROPERTY'S EVOLUTION FROM SINGLE FAMILY HOME TO STUDENT HOUSING AND COOPERATIVE LIVING MAKES IT A RARE EXAMPLE OF A STRUCTURE THAT HAS SURVIVED, THAT HAS SERVED MULTIPLE PURPOSES WHILE MAINTAINING MUCH OF ITS ORIGINAL FORM AND MATERIALS.
DESPITE ITS TRANSFORMATION, THE HOUSE LARGELY PRESERVES ITS ORIGINAL DESIGN SETTING AND MATERIALS.
2,500 OASIS STREETS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS SPAN THREE DISTINCT PERIODS OF OCCUPANCY.
FIRST, ITS ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION AND HABITATION BY THE HARLAN FAMILY.
THE 1920S ARAB BOARDING HOUSE ESTABLISHED BY SARAH HARLAN.
AND THE WHITE HAWK COOPERATIVES MOVED TO THE HOUSE IN 1955, WHICH SPARKED AN ERA OF COOPERATIVE HOUSING CENTERED AROUND CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY.
AS THE HOME OF WHITEHALL COOPERATIVE.
THE HOUSE AT 2,500 OASIS HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OFTEN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND THE COOPERATIVE HOUSING MOVEMENT NATIONWIDE, AS WELL AS THE MOVEMENT TOWARD GREATER AUTONOMY FOR WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY AS A NEXUS FOR INTEGRATION AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM.
THE COOPERATIVES HOME BASE WAS THE CENTER OF SEVERAL MUCH LARGER MOVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSITY.
THE CITY AND THE STATE OF TEXAS AND STAFF IS PROUD TO OFFER THIS, UH, FOR A RECOMMENDED HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, AT THIS POINT I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS THE APPLICANT HERE.
PLEASE COME AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, FOR THE RECORD AND LET US KNOW ABOUT THIS APPLICATION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ALESSIO FRANCO.
UM, I AM A RESIDENT AT WHITEHALL.
I'M ALSO CURRENTLY, UH, OUR TREASURER.
[00:20:01]
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.I'D LIKE TO THANK MS. KING AND MS. CONTRERAS FOR, FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS PROCESS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, REMARKS PREPARED PER SE, BUT, UH, I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW IS THAT, UH, UH, I, UH, CAME, I MOVED TO AUSTIN IN 2017, UH, FOR A TWO YEAR, UH, MASTER'S PROGRAM AT UT AND, UH, WHITEHALL.
UM, UH, I, I HAPPEN TO, TO TO FIND MYSELF LIVING AT WHITEHALL.
AND, AND IT, UH, IT TRANSFORMED MY LIFE.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE IT HAS TRANSFORMED THE LIFE OF EVERYONE WHO PASSES THROUGH ITS DOORS.
UM, IT'S, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S CONTROVERSIAL TO SAY THAT AUSTIN IS, UH, CHANGING RAPIDLY.
THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF, UH, AN INFLECTION POINT OR SEVERAL INFLECTION POINTS, UM, IN WHICH CONDITIONS, UH, IN THIS CITY ARE CHANGING.
UM, AND FOR, UH, A LOT, FOR MOST OF THE TIME, UH, OR FOR THE BEGINNING OF OF OF MY LIFE AT WHITEHALL, I THINK WE OPERATED, UH, IN A VERY, UM, UNDER THE RADAR WAY.
WE'RE TUCKED AWAY IN WEST CAMPUS.
UM, STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, PASS BY AND THEY SORT OF, THEY NOTICE THIS INTRIGUING THING AND THEY MAYBE HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT WE'VE BEEN, UH, WE'VE BEEN THE, THE BENEFICIARIES OF, OF MANY YEARS OF, UH, RESPONSIBLE PLANNING AND, AND THOUGHTFULNESS ON THE PART OF OUR MEMBERS DO, AGAIN TO, ITS, ITS TRANSFORMATIVE, UH, POWER, UM, AND THE LOYALTY THAT THE COMMUNITY AND GENDERS.
UH, AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF, UM, OF, OF BEING UNDER THE RADAR.
UM, BUT, UH, THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE PRESENTED CHALLENGES TO US, UH, AS THE CITY CHANGES.
AND, UH, WE, WE ARE HERE, UM, ASKING, UH, FOR, FOR THIS, UM, CHANGE TO OUR ZONING TONIGHT.
UH, BECAUSE WE, WE FEEL THAT YOUR RECOGNITION WOULD BE, UM, UH, A, A MAJOR BOON TO OUR ABILITY NOT ONLY TO PRESERVE THIS, UM, THIS WONDERFUL, UM, UNTOLD HISTORY AROUND THIS HOUSE, UH, THE HOUSE ITSELF AND, AND, UM, THE WOMEN WHO BEGAN WHITEHALL AND WHITEHALL IS AN ORGANIZATION WHICH IS IN ITSELF REMARKABLE, UM, IN THE WAY THAT IT'S STRUCTURED, UM, BUT ALSO IN PRESERVING, UH, THE FUTURE, UH, THE FUTURE, UM, FOR, FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO MAY BE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, HERE ABOUT, ABOUT AUSTIN.
UM, AND I, I, I THINK REALLY, IF YOU KNOW, I I, I'VE, I'VE LIVED HERE, UM, ALMOST EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND WHITEHALL IS A MAJOR PART OF THAT.
AND, UH, I, I'VE STAYED HERE TO DO, TO DO FILM AND THEATER ART, UH, AND MY, MY HORIZON HORIZONS HAVE BROADENED, UM, IN WAYS THAT I COULD NOT HAVE IMAGINED.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE, UM, TO PRESERVE THAT.
I WOULD LIKE THAT TO CONTINUE TO EXIST FOR, UH, FOR OTHER PEOPLE, PEOPLE LIKE ME, UH, PEOPLE UNLIKE ME.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, WE, WE, UM, WE FEEL THAT IT IS TIME TO, UH, TO, TO JOIN, JOIN WITH, UH, JOIN FORCES, TO, TO PRESENT OURSELVES, UM, UH, AND, AND WE FEEL THAT, UM, PARTNERSHIP AND, AND THE SUPPORT OF, OF THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY ARE REALLY, UH, ESSENTIAL AT THIS TIME.
UM, NOT ONLY TO PRE PRESERVE US, BUT TO PRESERVE, UH, THIS, UM, VERY UNIQUE, UH, COOPERATIVE HOUSING MOVEMENT THAT I THINK AUSTIN, UM, UH, HAS, HAS, HAS CULTIVATED OVER THE DECADES.
AND THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, UH, FOR, FOR NOW.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING MR. FRANCO.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I, I JUST WANNA ADD, UH, FROM WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED, IT SOUNDS LIKE AT THE WHITEHALL AT LEAST, THE CO-OP MOVEMENT IS ALIVE AND WELL.
AND, UH, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS EARLIER THAT I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE CO-OPS THAT HAS BEEN, UH, APPLIED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, WE'LL BE THE FIRST TO BE SO DESIGNATED.
UH, IT'S NOT ONLY THE BUILDING ITSELF, BUT, UH, I, I HAPPEN TO RECALL COMING TO AUSTIN TO V VISIT MY OLDER SISTERS WHO WERE NOT AT WHITEHALL, BUT IT SOME OF THE CO-OPS THAT WERE VERY ACTIVE AT THE TIME.
AND IT WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF MAKING AUSTIN WHO IT HAS BECOME, UH, CULTIVATING A GENERATION OF AUSTIN LEADERSHIP, UH, AND AN ATTITUDE.
AND I THINK WE REALLY HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO RECOGNIZE THAT MOVEMENT AS WELL AS THE BUILDING AND THE WHITEHALL BACKGROUND ITSELF.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND IT
[00:25:01]
CERTAINLY IS VERY EXCITING TO SEE, UH, THAT THIS IS CONTINUING AND WE HOPE THAT, UH, THAT MODEL WILL CONTINUE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS TO SPEAK ON THIS? I, I BELIEVE WE HAVE MS. MEGAN KING IN FAVOR.
HELLO MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION.
I'LL BE BRIEF, UM, BUT I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR ORGANIZATION'S LYMPHATIC SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION.
ALESSIO REACHED OUT TO US OVER A YEAR AGO NOW.
WE'VE BEEN PROUD TO COLLABORATE WITH HIM AND THE PRESERVATION OFFICE TO BRING THIS APPLICATION TO LIFE.
UM, BUT I WON'T PIGGYBACK TOO MUCH ON WHAT HE SAID AND WHAT CALLAN SAID ABOUT THE HISTORY AND, UM, ALL THE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THIS VERY, VERY SPECIAL RESIDENCE.
BUT REALLY, UM, THE PRESERVATION OF WHITEHALL, ALL OF THAT CONFERS ON IT IS REALLY, IT'S NOT JUST PRESERVING THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S PRESERVING A WAY OF LIFE, UM, THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE CONTINUE IN THIS CITY.
OF COURSE, THE COST OF LIVING IS, IS RISING ALL THE TIME.
THE COST OF LIVING ON WEST CAMPUS ESPECIALLY IS, UM, ASTRONOMICAL AT TIMES.
AND SO TO SEE AN ORGANIZATION LIKE WHITEHALL PURSUE PRESERVATION IS SOMETHING WE ARE, UM, VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF AND WE CONGRATULATE THEM ON ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, IF NOT COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SE IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON THIS? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION BASED ON ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATION'S, COMMUNITY VALUE.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, FOLLOW STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND, UH, WITH, WITH THE NOTED ITEMS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE UCCI, THIS WILL BE YOUR CHANCE, SO YES, WE'LL, WE'LL CALL YOU OUT AS THE SECOND ON THIS.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? NO, I THINK EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID IS RIGHT ON POINT.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN.
I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE CO-OP IS THE OWNER AND THE OWNER APPLICANT ITSELF, IT'S NOT OKAY.
UM, YEAH, NO, THIS IS, UH, FANTASTIC.
THIS IS AN AREA UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HISTORIC, UH, DESIGNATION, UH, IN THE SAME LOCATION.
AND IT, UH, ON THE MAP OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A EMPTY ZONE ON A VERY HISTORIC AREA ON WEST CAMPUS.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT FILLED IN AND, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, CO-OP COMING FORWARD AND DOING THIS.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI, UH, YEAH, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH KIND OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, UM, BUT ALSO, UH, WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR REACHING OUT AND TRYING TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON THIS.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY CO-OP IS OUT THERE THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT.
SO WE HOPE MORE WILL TAKE THIS MODEL AND
UH, COMMISSIONERS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, SEEING NONE, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE, AGAIN, ALL HANDS RAISED, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
AND, UH, WHAT AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY.
[5. HR-2025-057874 – 600 Harthan St. Harthan Street Local Historic District Council District 9]
FOR, UH, DISCUSSION IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE, AND THAT IS AT 600 HEARIN STREET.UH, COMMISSIONERS, JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, IT IS RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS 1212 AND 1214 WEST SIXTH STREET.
HOWEVER, THE HEARIN STREET IS IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH THEREBY WARRANTS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS ACTION.
UH, AND THAT IS THE, THE REQUEST THAT WOULD, UH, WHERE WE HAVE VERSUS A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER SIX.
WE'LL TAKE THAT SEPARATELY, BUT IN THAT CASE, WE ARE PROVIDING A DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS.
SO WITH THAT, UH, MS. CONTRERAS, THANK YOU CHAIR.
ITEM FIVE, UH, IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN THE HEARTH AND STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT AT 600 HEARTH AND STREET.
THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BUILDINGS AT THIS ADDRESS WERE CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1930 AND DISPLAY SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL, STYLISTIC
[00:30:01]
INFLUENCES.THIS IS THE MOST RECENT BUILDING IN THE DISTRICT, UH, AND PERMIT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THREE MAJOR ADDITIONS TO THE TWO BUILDINGS ON THE LOT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN 1981 AND 1984.
HOWEVER, THESE DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PRECLUDED THE BUILDINGS INCLUSION AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN THE 2008 DISTRICT NOMINATION.
THE HEARTH AND STREET DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED TO EVALUATE PRO PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND AS THIS PROJECT INCLUDES TOTAL DEMOLITION, IT DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, UH, THIS PROPERTY WENT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS NOT TO DO NOT DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT INSTEAD INCORPORATE THE HISTORIC PORTION OF THE EXISTING BUILDING INTO NEW DEVELOPMENT.
MEETING THE HEARTH AND STREET DESIGN STANDARDS FEEDBACK ALSO INCLUDED, UM, A SUGGESTION TO REHABILITATE PORTIONS OF THE BUILDING THAT HAVE BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY ALTERED RATHER THAN DEMOLISHING THE HISTORIC BUILDING ALONG WITH NON HISTORIC ACCRETIONS RETURN TO THE COMMISSION WITH SITE PLANS SHOWING WHICH PART OF THE PROPERTY ARE HISTORIC AGE AND WHICH WERE CONSTRUCTED OUTSIDE THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND DENY THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR DEMOLITION.
UH, THOUGH THERE ARE SOME FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND, UH, WHICH, UH, INCLUDE, UH, WIDESPREAD NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOLITION.
UM, AND THERE DO APPEAR TO BE SOME MODIFICATIONS OUTSIDE THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE THIS IS IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, NO DEMOLITION PERMITS MAY BE RELEASED UNTIL NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR THE SITE IS APPROVED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WILL THE APPLICANT, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND COME TO THE MICROPHONE? BE BEFORE I GET STARTED, CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION? MY NAME'S RICHARD SETTLE.
I'M, I'M NOT JULES KANE, THE APPLICANT.
UM, WE'VE, IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE.
CAN YOU TELL ME THAT THE GROUND RULES ARE BECAUSE THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OR THE FUTURE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY ALSO HAS A PRESENTATION? SO HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE? IT IS A COMPLICATED CASE AND THEY ARE RELATED.
THE LEAD SPEAKER WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE.
UM, AT THIS POINT WE DON'T SHARE TIME, SO, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, THAT IS NOT IN THE BYLAWS.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE BEAR LABOUR GO FIRST 'CAUSE HE'S GOT, HE'S GOT A LONGER PRESENTATION.
HE'S GOT A LONGER PRESENTATION, AND IT LINKS IN THE THEME OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ALONG THIS STRETCH OF THE STREET.
AND THEN I'LL, I'LL COME UP WITH MY THREE MINUTES ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
AND I HAVE HARD COPIES IF YOU GUYS WOULD PREFER, UH, HARD COPIES OR, UH, YOU CAN BRING THEM UP HERE.
MY NAME'S BARRETT LAPORE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, THE INTENT OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO ADDRESS THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS, WHAT IS BEING PLANNED AND CAN THE BUILDINGS BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT.
I'D LIKE TO START BRIEFLY BY REVIEWING, UH, WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SPECIFIC REVIEW OF THE STRUCTURES.
WE'VE SUBMITTED ADDITIONAL BACKUP FOR THAT INFORMATION, WHICH YOU GUYS HAVE, UM, AVAILABLE.
THE INTENT OF THIS, AGAIN, IS TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, BUT TODAY WE HAVE A RENOVATED AUTO DEALERSHIP.
WE HAVE A SERIES OF HEAVILY RENOVATED NOW ABANDONED STRUCTURES, THREE SUBSTANDARD DEAD END SURFACE PARKING LOTS, COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES THAT DO NOT MEET COMPATIBILITY AND BUILDINGS THAT DO NOT MEET URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THIS MAP IS INTENDED TO SHOW FOR REFERENCE THE ORIENTATION OF THE SITES AND THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE HAVE 600 HARTON ON THE EAST, 1214 WEST SIXTH, AND 1312 WEST SIXTH, 1312 REALLY IS INTENDED TO JUST PARK, UH, AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO 1214 THE RENOVATED AUTO DEALERSHIP.
THE EXTERIOR'S BEEN HEAVILY MODIFIED AND NO LONGER PORTRAYS THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
THE, THE REAR PORTION OF THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT AS A PARKING GARAGE WITH 22 APPENDANT SERVICE SPACE.
OVER 30% OF THIS BUILDING HAS NO ACCESS TO NATURAL LIGHT.
UH, THE NEIGHBORS HAVE SPOKEN, I WON A NEIGHBORHOOD, VOTED TO SUPPORT THE DEMOLITION OF THIS BUILDING.
I WANNA REMIND THE COMMISSION THAT THIS IS NOT A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING TO THE WESTLINE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, AND THIS, I UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION IS ORGANIZED, YOU ARE SPEAKING ON ITEM SIX AS WELL.
UH, AND THAT IS THE, THE, THE TWO JUST HELP, HELP US JUST BE CLEAR ABOUT WHICH IS WHICH AS YOU GO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION, AS RICHARD MENTIONED, YES, THIS, THE 1214, UH,
[00:35:01]
THIS IS RELATED TO 1214.THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, A SERIES OF HEAVILY RENOVATED NOW VEIN, THE STRUCTURES REFERS TO THE 600 HEARTH AND SITE.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE IMAGES TO THE RIGHT, WHAT ORIGINALLY USED TO BE A BEAUTIFUL HOME HAS BEEN HEAVILY MODIFIED, APPENDED, PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED, AND COMPLETELY RE-SKINNED.
ONE OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE, ON THE SITE HAD A, UH, AN ADDITION THAT ALMOST DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING IN 1984.
AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORS, THE NEIGHBORS HAVE SPOKEN.
EIGHT OUT OF THE OTHER NINE HEARTH AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT OWNERS SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF THESE STRUCTURES IN A PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT.
THE NINTH COULD NOT BE REACHED BEFORE THIS HEARING.
THIS IS JUST AN IMAGE OF WHAT THE INSIDE OF THOSE BIG BUILDINGS LOOKS LIKE.
I WON'T SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT THE THREE SURFACE PARKING LOTS AND THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE SUBSTANDARD.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THE COMPATIBILITY SETBACKS AND THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS THAT SIT BEHIND THESE PROPERTIES.
THE, THE ALLEY THAT USED TO EXIST AT, UH, WAS ABANDONED IN 1949 BEFORE THE 1951 BUILDINGS WERE PROPOSED.
AND THE BUILDINGS BASICALLY SIT IN THESE RESIDENCE BACKYARD.
THESE BUILDINGS DO NOT MEET OUR CURRENT URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
CITY OF AUSTIN LANE DEVELOPMENT CODE WOULD TYPICALLY REQUIRE NO SURFACE PARKING BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE STREET, MINIMUM GLAZING, MINIMUM FACADE, STREET SCAPE ALONG THE SIDEWALK, AND BUILDING ENTRANCES FACING THE STREET.
THESE BUILDINGS DO NOT MEET ANY OF THESE CRITERIA.
FAST FORWARDING TO WHERE WE THINK WE WANT TO GO, THESE ARE THE BUILDINGS THAT MAKE UP A BROADER SET OF OWNERSHIP, INCLUDING, UH, THE SIXTH AND BLANCO PROJECT, WHICH WE BROUGHT BEFORE YOU A FEW YEARS AGO.
THE PRIORITIES FOR OUR PLANNING INCLUDE PRIORITIZATION OF PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY WITH ON STREET AND OFF STREET SPACES, MINIMIZING TRASH LOADING VIEW FROM THE STREET, AND IMPACT TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORS, PROVIDING BELOW GRADE PARKING WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO SERVE THE AREA AND BLENDING NEW BUILDINGS WITH HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
THIS IS A ZOOM IN THAT SHOWS THE SITES FOR DISCUSSION.
AGAIN, THE EASTERNMOST BLOCK ON THE RIGHT IS THE SIXTH AND BLANCO PROJECT CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THIS MAP SHOWS HOW THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND TWO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS OVERLAY ON TOP OF THESE THREE PROPERTIES, FOUR PROPERTIES.
THESE ARE THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT LIE WITHIN THE OVERALL CON UH, BOUNDARIES OF THE PROJECT.
UH, THE BROADER PROJECT, EVERYTHING IN GREEN IS BEING PRESERVED, UH, AS PART OF THE CENTRAL BLOCK AND ALSO SOME PORTIONS BEING, UH, PRESERVED AS PART OF THE SIXTH AND BLANCO PROJECT.
THIS IS JUST A MAP SHOWING THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE ENTIRE ZONE.
THIS IS A MAP THAT SHOWS THE SERVICEABILITY, UH, OF THE MULTIPLE SITES.
AND I WANNA POINT OUT THE WESTERN TWO.
MOST SITES DO NOT HAVE A REAR ALLEY, THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE AND THE ONE ON THE RIGHT BOTH HAVE SERVICE ALLEYS, UH, THAT ARE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY TO SERVICE THESE PROPERTIES FOR, FOR SERVICE, FOR TRASH AND LOADING.
BUT WE ARE, WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AND HAVE PROPOSED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, UH, SELF IMPOSING A BELOW GRADE SERVICE DRIVE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE.
THESE ARE, THAT'S, THAT IS YOUR FIVE MINUTES, BUT, UH, UH, YOU CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION BY, UH, TELLING ME WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO WRAP UP YOUR PRESENTATION? WELL, DO I HAVE THE FIVE MINUTES FROM THE SECOND CASE AS WELL? UH, THAT'S, WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T AGREED TO TAKE THE CASES SIMULTANEOUSLY.
UH, IS THERE, IS THERE A POINT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AS YOU WRAP UP? THERE IS, UH, BUT WE'RE PROPOSING, AND THE ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHY CAN'T THESE BUILDINGS REMAIN AS PART OF A REDEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS THIS SLIDE, UH, THE EXISTING FOOTPRINTS WE'RE PROPOSING TO PUT, UH, UTILITY AND SERVICE ZONES TO THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY UPWARDS OF, OF 40 FEET FROM THE REAR PROPERTY LINE IN THE EXISTING BUILDINGS, UH, CONFLICT WITH THAT PROPOSED PLAN WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, WE END UP HAVING TO HAVE TRASH AND LOADING SERVICES EITHER ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS OR FACING SIXTH STREET.
SO THERE'S A 20 FOOT GRADE DIFFERENCE FROM SIXTH STREET TO THE REAR PORTION OF THIS PROPERTY.
WE'RE PROPOSING A BURIED SERVICE DRIVE, BASICALLY A CUT AND CAP THAT'S LANDSCAPED TO CREATE A NATURAL BUFFER BETWEEN A PROPOSED PROJECT AND THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS.
THIS IS AN OUTLINE ON THE EASTERN MOST PORTION WHERE THE 600 HEARTH AND SITE SITS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES CONFLICT WITH THE SERVICE DRIVE PROPOSAL.
AGAIN, I WANNA WRAP UP BY SAYING THIS PROPOSAL, THIS PRESENTATION IS INTENDED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS OF WHY, WHICH WERE ASKED AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY, WE APPRECIATE IT.
UH, IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER PLEASE? CHAIR MEMBERS OF COMMISSION.
BARRETT IS ASSEMBLING THIS, UH, SIXTH STREET FOR A RENOVATION
[00:40:01]
AND HE IS BEEN VERY CAREFUL ON THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO KEEP THEM AND ON THE FACADES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO KEEP THOSE KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THESE PROPERTIES, AND I'M GONNA SPEAK JUST ON 600 AT THIS POINT, ARE IN TWO DISTRICTS.HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEARTH AND DISTRICT, WHEN YOU READ THE BACKUP MATERIAL AND YOU, YOU READ TERRY'S REPORTS AND YOU READ EVERYTHING ABOUT IT, 600 HEARTH AND DIDN'T BELONG IN THE HEARTH AND DISTRICT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE REST OF THE, IT DOESN'T REACT OR IT DOESN'T, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD? IT'S NOT LIKE THE OTHER THINGS.
IF YOU, IF YOU TAKE A TEST, WHAT'S MOST DIFFERENT? THIS IS THE MOST DIFFERENT.
IT'S A 1930S SPANISH COLONIAL.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HEARTH AND DISTRICT.
UM, AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU READ THE MATERIAL ABOUT THE DISTRICT, IT SAYS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 600 HARTH AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
AND IT, IT JUST, THAT, THAT THEME REPEATS.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S, UH, GOING ON HERE IS IT'S BEEN HEAVILY MODIFIED, BUT IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS, AND I THINK I CAN FLIP THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY, UM, WHICH BUTTON DO I PUSH TO? ALRIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE PICTURES THAT THE WINDOWS, THE DOORS, THE PORCHES, THE ROOF, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF THIS STRUCTURE EXCEPT THAT IT'S OLD.
UM, AND THEN THE STUFF THAT LOOKS HALFWAY DECENT IS STUFF THAT WAS ADDED ON IN 84.
THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATIONS WITH PEOPLE.
IT, IT'S BASICALLY AN OLD HOUSE THAT NEVER PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE.
WELL, MY OPINION SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THE HEAR THE DISTRICT, EXCEPT THAT IT WAS THE GATEWAY TO THE HEAR THE DISTRICT.
UM, IT DOESN'T RE MAINTAIN ITS ORIGINAL MATERIALS, WINDOWS, DOORS, PORCHES, RAILINGS, OR ANYTHING.
SO THAT'S ON THE LEFT IS KIND OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE ON THE RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S BEEN COVERED UP WITH STUCCO.
YOU'VE HAD PORCHES THAT HAVE BEEN COVERED UP.
YOU'VE HAD DOORS THAT HAVE TAKEN OUT.
YOU'VE HAD WINDOWS THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
YOU'VE HAD WINDOWS THAT HAVE TAKEN, BEEN TAKEN OUT.
THERE'S, THERE'S, WE, WE HAVE THE, THE WINDOWS ARE ALL MARKED FROM 2002 TO 2011.
THE DOORS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT PERIOD PIECES.
THE DOORS AND WINDOWS HAVE BEEN MOVED AROUND.
AND IN FACT, I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE CASES THAT, UM, IN FACT THERE'S ONE IN THE HEARTH AND DISTRICT THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE BECAUSE THE DOORS AND WINDOWS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REPLACED WITH MODERN STUFF.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW HOW MUCH DIFFERENT THE PORCH HAS BEEN ENCLOSED WINDOWS HAVE BEEN ADDED.
SO, SO WE TOOK THIS CASE AND WE WENT TO ANA AND WE WENT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE HEARTH AND DISTRICT THAT LIVE THERE NOW.
AND THE ANA DOES NOT OPPOSE A DEMOLITION DUE TO THE CHANGES IN THIS SITE.
AND THE HEARTH AND DISTRICT RESIDENTS HAVE ALL SIGNED A LETTER TO YOU SAYING THEY SUPPORT THE DEMOLITION BASED ON ITS NEGLECT AND ITS CONDITION.
NOW I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LONG NIGHT.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE OUR GUYS HERE AND WE HAVE BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AGAIN? THIS IS THE 600 HEARIN STREET.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE IN OPPOSITION? OH, IS SHE COMING? GOOD EVENING.
CHAIR HIGHSMITH AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE OWNER OF 6 0 2 HAN, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY, UH, DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO 600 HAN AS WELL AS THE OTHER CASE THAT YOU HAVE NEXT, UH, 1214 WEST SIX, AND I, I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UM, IN, IN FAVOR AND, AND TO SUPPORT, UM, BARRETT AND HIS PROJECT.
BUT ALSO, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, UM, IN 2008 WHEN THIS BECAME A HISTORIC DISTRICT, I ACTUALLY WAS HERE SPEAKING ON IT.
UM, I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT AT THAT TIME THERE WAS SO MUCH DEMOLITION GOING ON.
OLIVER AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE CITY HAD ONLY JUST AROUND THAT TIME, CREATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS AS A TOOL TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE PROPERTIES TO SUPPORT, UM, THE UNIQUENESS OF AUSTIN AND HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WHEN HEARIN STREET WAS CODIFIED AS A HISTORIC DISTRICT, 600 WAS INDEED VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE PROPERTIES.
HOWEVER, MUCH OF THE REASON IT WAS INCLUDED IS BECAUSE IT WAS IN SCALE WITH THE REST OF THE, THE STREET, WHICH IS PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL.
AND THERE WAS CONCERN AT THE TIME THAT HAD THAT BEEN LEFT OUT, SOMEBODY WOULD BUY IT,
[00:45:01]
TEAR IT DOWN AND, AND PUT UP SOMETHING VERY UNSYMPATHETIC AND, AND VERY OUTTA SCALE.UM, THE REASON WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED WITH OTHER PROJECTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO COLLABORATE AND WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP THINGS IN SCALE TO PROTECT THAT PART OF, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH AT THAT BORDER IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF ALL THE ZONING CHANGES THAT THE CITY HAS DONE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UM, AND THERE ARE OTHER CASES GOING ON WHERE YOU HAVE VERY LARGE DEVELOPMENT ABUTTING VERY OLD, UH, CENTURY OLD HOUSES.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK Y'ALL TO CONSIDER THAT AND THAT THE APPLICANT HAS, HAS MADE COMMITMENTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, TO WORK WITH US ON A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND MAKE SURE THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT OVERWHELM WHAT IS ALREADY THERE AND WORKS IN JUNCTION WITH IT.
AND THEN ALSO TO PROVIDE A BETTER STREET SCAPE.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THAT HOUSE IS VERY, UH, DANGEROUS.
AND, UM, AND REALLY FOR THE LAST, GOSH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, UM, NO ONE HAS BEEN LIVING IN THOSE HOUSES.
THEY'VE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATED.
UM, I CAN ATTEST THAT THERE ARE SOME HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN CAMPED OVER THERE.
SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THAT, UM, REDEVELOPED IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE FOR EVERYBODY THAT LIVES ON THE STREET AND, UM, PLAYS INTO THE REST OF THE BLOCKS, UH, AROUND IT.
SO IF YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS, THAT'S IT.
OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, APPRECI IT, UH, AGAIN, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? ALRIGHT, NO ONE'S HERE TO SPEAK EITHER IN FAVOR OR OPPOSED.
THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MCM MORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND ALL ARE IN FAVOR.
OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, UH, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
IT IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
THE REQUEST IS FOR A DEMOLITION.
UH, WHAT IS YOUR ACTION? I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR JULY MEET, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR JULY MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? YEAH, I WANTED TO NOTE, UM, THE BACKUP AND THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS VERY HELPFUL AND, UM, AT LEAST ON UNIT B, I'M CONVINCED THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INTEGRITY FOR IT TO JUSTIFY IT BEING CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY.
I FEEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ABOUT THE OTHER, THE BUILDING A, BUT, UM, IT IS VERY DIFFERENT.
I JUST WANT TO BE, SO I'M, I'M INCLINED TO BE IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION, BUT I WANT TO BE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY CAREFUL TO DO THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY AND NOT SET ANY PRECEDENT.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK STAFF TO CONTACT LEGAL AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES WOULD BE FOR POSSIBLY REASSESSING THEIR CONTRIBUTING STATUS FIRST AND HAVE THEM DELISTED BEFORE WE APPROVE IT.
BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT OF APPROVING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO NOT ALLOW CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE EASIEST QUE ANSWER WE CAN GIVE.
CAN WE JUST DEMOLISH CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY? UH, AND IT, AND ITS LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT ANSWER IS ALWAYS NO.
AND IF WE SAY YES THIS TIME, THAT'S KIND OF VIOLATING OUR OBLIGATION.
UH, ALTHOUGH I, I VERY MUCH DO SEE THE ARGUMENT AGAIN, THAT BUILDING B IN PARTICULAR AND TO A LARGE DEGREE BUILDING A PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.
I KNOW THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DISTRICTS EVER MADE AFTER THE, UH, ORDINANCE HAD PASSED.
AND SO MAYBE THAT WAS KIND OF A FIRST START AND, UM, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH IT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA OPEN A DOOR FOR ANYONE IN THE FUTURE AND ANY OTHER LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS WHERE YOU MAY HAVE A BUNCH OF NEIGHBORS WHO AGREE THAT THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DOESN'T BELONG.
AND IF THEY, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE CASE HERE AND THEY JUST WANT IT GONE AND WE, WE CAN'T VOTE FOR IT JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE AGREES.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THAT CONTEXT AND THAT SUPPORT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE LEGALLY WE'RE NOT SETTING ANY PRECEDENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER I DO HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, BECAUSE THE ADDRESSES ARE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT DESIGNATES THE AREA AS A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THIS PROPERTY DOES HAVE HD ZONING, UM, THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, UH, DESIGNATION PROCESS WOULD HAVE TO NOT BEGIN AGAIN, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AMENDED, UM, AND GO THROUGH, UH, HLC PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL, UM, IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE CONTRIBUTING STATUS OFFICIALLY.
[00:50:02]
MAKING IT VERY CLEAR ON THE RECORD THAT THIS IS A ONE-OFF, UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY REPEAT, UM, IS PROBABLY THE NEXT BEST THING.UM, IF YOU DO CHOOSE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
UM, I HONESTLY AM GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME PROBABLY EVER VOTING IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION ON THIS.
UM, JUST AGAIN, FOR PRECEDENT, I FEEL LIKE, UM, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW A CONTINUATING STRUCTURE IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT TO BE A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT TO BE DEMOLISHED, UM, NO MATTER THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M JUST NOT READY TO CAST THAT VOTE YET.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? UH, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE SITTING IN ON THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, SO THIS IS A CHANCE FOR ME TO SEE A LITTLE BIT, UH, HAVE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.
AND I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
BUT I THINK A, ANOTHER POTENTIAL OUTCOME MAY BE THAT EVEN AS CONVINCING AS THIS PRESENTATION IS FOR SOME PORTIONS, I WILL SAY THAT THE ENTRY FACADE OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL, UH, IN ALL YOUR DIAGRAMS, IT'S THE ONE THING THAT HAS NOT BEEN NECESSARILY CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT A CREATIVE INTEGRATION OF SOME OF THIS COMPONENT INTO THE NEW PROJECT MAY ACTUALLY HELP US MAYBE, UH, THREAD THIS NEEDLE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY SO IT'S NOT IN, IN THAT CASE, A TOTAL DEMOLITION ALL EVIDENCE THAT THIS, WHAT IS LABELED A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE WOULD NOT BE GONE.
IT IS NOT CHARACTERISTIC NECESSARILY OF OTHER PARTS OF THE DISTRICT, BUT IT'S BEEN THERE AND IT WAS INCLUDED FOR A REASON.
AND I THINK THAT IN THE COURSE OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, FOR A DELAY, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT DEVELOPERS COULD LOOK AT AND SEE IF THAT PORTION IN PARTICULAR COULD BE INTEGRATED IN SOME MEANINGFUL WAY.
UH, THAT SAID, UH, I ALSO, UH, I THINK IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT WHAT THIS PROPOSAL IS.
I THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF GOOD REASONS FOR ENCOURAGING A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS.
I CAN SEE WHY THE NEIGHBORS ARE EXCITED TO, UH, HAVE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UM, I I I THINK THIS IS GONNA ALLOW US A CHANCE TO STEP BACK AND TAKE A BIGGER LOOK, BUT, UH, I THINK WE, WE, WE WILL DEFINITELY WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THE HISTORY HERE, EVEN AS WE, UH, HELP WITH A CONTRIBUTION THAT WILL DEFINITELY BENEFIT NOT ONLY, UH, WHAT'S COMING FORWARD, UM, WELL, I SHOULD SAY, LEMME BACK UP AT THE A RC MEETING.
THEY DIDN'T SAY THEY HAD PLANS YET, AND I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT THIS PRESENTATION INCLUDED SOME DIAGRAMS THAT SHOWED WHAT THE INTENT WAS.
SO, UH, I THINK WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
YEAH, AND I HOPING ANOTHER MONTH OF DELAY, MAYBE WE'LL GET SOME MORE OF THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK AS A FOLLOW UP, MAYBE WE CAN INVITE THEM TO THE A RC, EVEN IF YOU HAVE DIAGRAMS OF, OF HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE THE PORTION OF THIS SPANISH STRUCTURE.
I, I, I, I CAN SEE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR BEING CREATIVE HERE, EVEN AS WE HELP, UH, WITH, WITH OUR ENCOURAGEMENT ABOUT OTHER PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT.
SO, UM, I, I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
AND, UM, TO ADD ON THAT, I DO AGREE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THAT ONE SECTION, THAT STRONG, VERY UNIQUE FACADE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT TYPICAL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT LOOKED LIKE THAT SERVICE DRIVE DID NOT GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
SO, UH, IF WE COULD JUST KEEP WHAT IS LEFT, THE WHOLE BUILDING BEHIND IT'S ALL ONE ADDRESS, IT WOULD BE AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF DEMOLITION TO ALLOW WHILE RETAINING A SECTION OF THE FRONT FACADE.
BUT THIS IS A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THE, THE FOCUS REALLY IS MORE ON THE STREET FACING PORTION ANYWAY.
SO I REALLY HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL LETTING BUILDING B GO AND LETTING MOST OF BUILDING A GO AS LONG AS THAT REMAINING HISTORIC WITH INTEGRITY WITH THE FORM, WITH, WITH KIND OF THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE MASSING.
AND IT'S JUST A REALLY UNIQUE HOUSE.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION FOR THE DISTRICT IN FULL AS, AS BACKUP.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE HISTORY ON THIS HOUSE AS BACKUP BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE WE'VE, UNLESS I'VE MISSED IT, I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT.
SO FOR, WITH THAT FULL INFORMATION IN SOME WAY, JUST TO KEEP THIS AT LEAST THE CENTER OF THAT FACADE.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, ANYTHING THAT IS BUILT ON THIS HISTORICALLY ZONE PROPERTY, EVEN IF WE DO ALLOW DEMOLITION, WE WILL HAVE TO MEET THE DESIGN STANDARDS OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AS WELL, WHICH WE WILL BE HEARING THAT, UH, AND HAVE TO APPROVE THAT IN ANY CASE.
[00:55:01]
BUT, UH, YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL IS THAT WE'RE NOT, IT'D BE A PARTIAL DEMOLITION.IT WOULD BE RETAINING THE FRONT FACADE.
YOU'D STILL BE ABLE TO DEMOLISH A LARGE PORTION OF THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES WHILE RETAINING THAT FRONT FACADE.
AND, UM, HOPEFULLY THIS CAN BE A WIN-WIN.
AGAIN, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, I GUESS IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPER IN THE PAST HAS WORKED KIND OF HAND IN HAND WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO, UH, PRODUCE, YOU KNOW, GOOD PROJECTS.
UM, ALONG THAT, THOSE LINES SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE GREAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT BEHIND YOU.
UM, I MEAN, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL MOST PEOPLE, OR I MEAN NOBODY REALLY OPPOSES, UH, IN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT LIVES THERE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, AS YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, JUST KEEP A GOOD OUTLOOK ON IT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME TO A GOOD COMPROMISE, UM, WHERE BOTH THE, UH, HLC AND YOU ARE ABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER A GOOD PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY ND.
SOUNDS LIKE MOTION WILL BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE AN INVITATION TO A RC.
UM, SOUNDS LIKE, UH, WITH THE MOTION, UH, MAKER OF THE MOTION, ACCEPT THAT.
SO YES, WITH AN, WITH AN INVITATION TO THE, TO ANOTHER ROUND AT THE A RC.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS TO OUR, UH, JULY MEETING WITH AN INVITATION TO THE A RC.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND AGAIN, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED, SO IT IS UNANIMOUS.
[6. DA-2025-055682 – 1212-1214 W 6th St. West Line National Register Historic District Council District 9]
SEEN SOME OF THE MATERIAL AS ITEM NUMBER SIX.COMMISSIONERS, LET ME REMIND YOU, THIS IS NOW A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT PERMIT APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT SET OF CRITERIA AND WE REVIEW AND COMMENT IN THIS SITUATION, UH, AND STAFF, WOULD YOU LEAD US THROUGH THIS ONE? SURE THING.
UH, ITEM 6, 12 12 AND 1214 WEST SIXTH STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1951 COMMERCIAL BUILDING ALONG WITH 1968 AND 1973 REAR ADDITIONS.
THE FRONT PORTION OF THE BUILDING IN FROM 1951 IS A ONE AND TWO PART COMMERCIAL BLOCK WITH A FLAT ROOF AND DRAMATIC HORIZONTALS THAT COMPLEMENT ITS MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN.
IT'S CLOUDED IN BRICK AND STUCCO AND FEATURES FIXED METAL WINDOWS, SOME OF WHICH ARE REPLACEMENTS, AND A DRAMATIC WING WALL AT THE STREET ELEVATION.
THE REAR SHOP EDITION AT THE REAR EAST SIDE OF THE LOT WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1962 AND 1968, AND THE SECOND FLOOR WAS ADDED AROUND 1973.
UH, THE STRUCTURE IS A CONNECTED COMPLEX OF SEVERAL BUILDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOAD MON AND MCMORRIS AUTO DEALERSHIPS DURING THE SITE'S PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THE FIRST COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE ON THE SITE WAS A LARGE SHOWROOM AND SERVICE CENTER FOR THE GOAD MOTOR COMPANY WHO SOLD, WHO SOLD CADILLACS AND OLD MOBILES.
BY 1957, CHARLES MON OLDSMOBILE CADILLAC HAD PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
ACCORDING TO THE DRAFT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY, MON OWNED THE DEALERSHIP FROM 1957 TO 1994.
HE STARTED SELLING USED CARS AT THE AGE OF 19 IN PORT ARTHUR BEFORE MOVING TO AUSTIN AND OPENING HIS FIRST DEALERSHIP AT THE AGE OF 30 AT 1214 WEST SIXTH STREET.
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES, CHARLES MON EXPANDED HIS BUSINESS TO INCLUDE MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS ACROSS TEXAS.
MON MADE SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS TO HIS FLAGSHIP PROPERTY, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF A ONE STORY SERVICE ADDITION TO THE WEST REAR PARK OF THE PROPERTY AND REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING ONE STORY STUCCO MECHANIC SHOP WITH A SURFACE PARKING LOT TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
A SECOND STORY WAS ADDED TO THE SERVICE AREA TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL TWO STORY DEALERSHIP.
MON OLDSMOBILE CADILLAC RELOCATED TO RESEARCH BOULEVARD IN 1977, AT WHICH TIME MON SOLD THE PROPERTY TO MC MORRIS FORD, UM, AND THE, IT REMAINED A CAR DEALERSHIP UNTIL THE 1990S.
THIS PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LISTED AS NON-CONTRIBUTING TO THE WESTLINE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, THE DRAFT 2025 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN SURVEY RECOMMENDS THE DISTRICT NOMINATION BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE PROPERTY AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE.
FURTHER CITY STAFF HAS CONFERRED WITH THE ORIGINAL EVALUATOR OF THE 2005 WESTLINE NRHD NOMINATION, UM, WHO IS NOW OUR DEPUTY SHIPPO, UH, HERE IN TEXAS.
UM, AND SHE DETERMINED THAT THE PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTED AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE IN 2005 AND MAY ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LOCAL DESIGNATION.
UH, THIS ITEM, UM, AS WE SAW EARLIER, ALSO CAME, UH, TO A RC AND COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDED, RETURNED TO THE COMMITTEE WITH PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE, ENSURE THAT NEW AND OLD PORTIONS OF THE PROPERTY ARE CLEARLY LABELED ON THE SITE PLAN, INCORPORATE THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THE BUILDING INTO THE DESIGN FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AND DO NOT DEMOLISH PROPERTIES ELIGIBLE FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION OR THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH THE COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THE BUILDING.
[01:00:01]
THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT IT STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE THAT INCORPORATES THE 1951 PORTION OF THE BUILDING INTO THE NEW DEVELOPMENT BEFORE APPROVING THE DEMOLITION UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, AS WELL AS THE PLAN FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING DURING SITE DEVELOPMENT, SHOULD REMNANTS OF THE REPORTED 19TH CENTURY ARMY POST, UH, BE DISCOVERED DURING EXCAVATION.AND THERE ARE REPORTEDLY SOME SUBSURFACE ARTIFACTS THERE.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST, UM, A PLAN FOR MONITORING THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR NOT ANYTHING MORE CONCRETE.
UH, AND AS A REMINDER, DEMOLITION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS REVIEWED PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION OF STAFF? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, IF NOT, THEN I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING CHAIR MEMBERS, THE COMMISSION.
RICHARD, SETTLE AGAIN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT ON THIS ONE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THE, ON THE LAST ONE BECAUSE I THINK WITH MORE INFORMATION WE'RE GONNA GET THERE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ON THIS ONE.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO GET THERE.
THIS SITE DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC ZONING IT IN.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS TO FLIP.
THE ONLY CRITERIA THAT THIS ONE MEETS IS THAT IT'S OLD PARTS OF IT ARE OLD, BUT THE ENTIRE SITE HAS BEEN CHANGED.
THE ENTIRE BUILDING HAS BEEN CHANGED.
IT IS NOT A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT SAYS, OH, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, OR IT'S GOING TO BE, I DON'T KNOW HOW, IF YOU CAN'T TAKE A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND MAKE IT NON-CONTRIBUTING, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MAKE IT NON-CONTRIBUTING.
MAKE IT CONTRIBUTING, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING.
THIS IS WHAT THAT BUILDING LOOKED LIKE ORIGINALLY, AND NOW THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE.
AND THERE, THERE IS NOTHING EXCEPT THE WALLS THAT LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I KNOW THAT, UH, ON ANOTHER CASE, I REMEMBER A WHILE BACK AND I, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER, WE CAN DIG IT OUT.
IT'S IN THE MATERIAL HERE, BUT AUTOMOBILE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE DOESN'T, DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA, ESPECIALLY IN THIS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND THE NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW.
THE DOORS, THE WINDOWS, THE BAYS, IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE A CAR DEALERSHIP ANYMORE.
IT HAS LOST ALL HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
UM, AND, AND THAT, THAT, OF COURSE IS, IS NEW AND IT DOESN'T EVEN BELONG THERE.
THE DOORS AND WINDOWS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED OUT, SOME OF 'EM NOW ARE BOARDED UP.
THE AUTOMOBILE BAYS HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO MODERN WINDOWS.
THE DOORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED INTO MODERN DOORS.
THE FACADE LOOKS NOTHING LIKE IT USED TO.
UM, I HATE TO TRASH A BUILDING, BUT THIS ONE DOESN'T WORK.
THE, UH, OTHER PIECE OF THIS ONE IS WE HAVE FULL SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP TO TAKE THIS ONE OUT TO, IT'S NOT A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
IT DOESN'T MEET ANY OF THE CRITERIA OF THE, IT'S OLD.
AND WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU NOT INITIATE, UH, HISTORIC ZONING AND TURN US LOOSE.
THE, ALL OF THESE, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A DI ONE DISTRICT OR ANOTHER BARRETT, IS WELL AWARE.
WE GET TO COME THROUGH HERE SEVERAL, PROBABLY SEVERAL TIMES TO SHOW WHAT WILL BE BUILT AND HOW IT WILL BE SYMPATHETIC TO THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS.
BUT ON THIS ONE, UM, WE JUST DON'T THINK IT MEETS HISTORIC ZONING CRITERIA.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ON IT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN? OKAY.
I'M MAUREEN MATOYER, AND I OWN THE ADJACENT PROPERTY ALSO TO 1214 WEST SIX, UM, AT 6 0 2
AND I WANTED TO JUST SAY, YEAH, WE, WE DO AS A NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS THE IMPACTED NEARBY NEIGHBORS, UM, UH, HAVE SUPPORTED DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING.
UM, IT REALLY IN CONCERT WITH A REDEVELOPMENT THAT AGAIN, WOULD BE SYMPATHETIC IN SCALE AND MASSING TO WHAT IT IS BEING BUILT AROUND.
[01:05:01]
PROPERTY HAS COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES FOR REDEVELOPMENT.I THINK THE LAST TIME IT CAME UP, I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF IT WAS EVER IT, IT EVER GOT TO THE STAGE WITH THE DEMO PERMIT, BUT, UM, IT HAS LONG BEEN CONSIDERED RIPE FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND A LOT OF, UH, PREVIOUS APPLICANTS THAT WANTED TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AND REDEVELOP IT, WANTED TO TURN IT INTO OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU SEE DOWNTOWN.
UM, THIS IS ALWAYS GONNA BE WHAT YOU ALL ARE FACING.
UM, WHEN WE WENT THROUGH WESTLINE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, IT WAS DEBATED AND IT WAS NOT A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING EVEN.
AND TERRY MEYERS, WHO DID THE APPLICATION AT THE TIME, SAID, SO, UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY THAT'S CHANGED, BUT, UM, WHAT OUR CONCERN IS IN THE CONCERN OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS BECAUSE OF ENCROACHING DEVELOPMENT, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WHATEVER IS PUT IN THIS PROPERTY AND ALONG THE ENTIRE STREET, WEST SIXTH STREET IS, UM, SYMPATHETIC IN SCALE AND MASSING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AGAIN, THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT IN PREVIOUS PROJECTS.
SO WE ARE WILLING TO COLLABORATE AND WORK, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT REPLACES THIS ACCOMPLISHES THAT GOAL.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OTHERWISE, UM, I'D ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO, TO CONSIDER THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKER? I, I, OKAY.
I SEE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, COMMISSIONER HORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED THIS UNANIMOUS.
UH, WHAT WOULD ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE ON THIS ITEM? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND A PLAN FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING.
THERE'S A MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IS THERE A COMMISSIONER COOK? IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TUCCI.
UH, COMMISSIONER, SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION.
UM, AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UH, DEFINITELY HELPS, UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE.
IT'S IS DIFFICULT TO ACT ON ONE BEING ONE THAT IS, IS THAT, WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY? ANYWAY? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IN THE CASE WHERE IT WAS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE, BUT MAYBE SHOULDN'T BE, WE HAVE TO ACT ON IT BASED ON ITS OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION.
UH, THE BRICK IS PAINTED, I THINK IN THE, THERE'S A LOT OF INTEGRITY ISSUES, A LOT OF THE CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES, THE SIGNAGE ALONE, YOU KNOW, AND THIS WAS REALLY STRONG.
ALL THE WINDOWS, THEY'RE ALL GONE.
UM, I, I JUST, UH, I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT CALL AT THE, AT THE TIME AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, CONTRIBUTING.
AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
YEAH, I'LL JUST PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RENOVATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO THIS BUILDING OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE KIND OF REDEFINED IT, UM, FROM THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE AND WHAT IT WAS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I GUESS IN THE PACKET THAT YOU PROVIDED, UM, YOU KNOW, IT CURRENTLY DOESN'T MEET URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, YOU'VE GOT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UM, AND IT'S NOT A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY IN ANY LOCAL DISTRICT.
I DON'T SEE WHY, UH, THIS WOULDN'T BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR, UH, REDEVELOPMENT.
OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I, I'LL JUST COMMENT THAT.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY ODD BUILDING.
UH, I'VE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY, UH, GALLERIES AND THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE OVER THE YEARS AND IT JUST NEVER QUITE MADE SENSE TO ME.
OF COURSE, I DIDN'T KNOW ITS HISTORY AT THE TIME.
UH, SO I, I THINK THEIR REMNANTS OF THAT AS, AS COMMISSIONER COOK HAS INDICATED, UH, SO SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED THAT, UM, THERE REALLY, THERE REALLY THERE'S THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S VERY LITTLE INTEGRITY LEFT THAT, UH, WOULD MERIT GOING TO EXTREME LENGTHS TO TRY TO SAVE THOSE PIECES.
UH, IT'S NOT THAT THEY PROBABLY COULDN'T BE REPACKAGED IN SOME CREATIVE WAY, AND THAT STILL MAY BE ON THE TABLE BECAUSE UNTIL THE NEW PLANS ARE, UH, SUBMITTED AND REVIEWED, UH, THAT BUILDING IS STILL GONNA BE THERE.
SO IT MAY STILL HAVE A CHANCE FOR SOMEBODY TO GET CREATIVE WITH IT, AT LEAST WITH PIECES ON THAT ONE TOO.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WORTH HOLDING UP, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, IT IN, IN LIGHT OF THE PRESENTATION ALSO, UH, I, I WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, LEMME CALL THE QUESTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION,
[01:10:01]
UH, PER STAFF REQUEST WITH THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I SEE IT AS UNANIMOUS.THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
[7. PR-2025-029950; HR-2025-056344 – 1703 Alameda Dr. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UH, 1703 ALAMEDA DRIVE.AND THIS IS IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS A, A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH AN EXISTING 1939 HOUSE, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND TO CONSTRUCT TWO TWO A TWO STORY HOUSE IN GENERALLY THE SAME LOCATION ON THE LOT, BUILT IN A SIMPLE MINABLE TRADITIONAL FORM.
THE HOUSE HAD 1703 ELEVATED DRIVE IS SET AT GRADE SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE STREET AS AND IS RECTANGULAR AND PLANNED WITH A SMALL FRONT PORCH CUT OUT OF ONE CORNER.
THE EXTERIOR IS CLAD IN HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING AND ORIGINAL SCREENS ARE PRESENT AT THE FOREFRONT WINDOWS, ALONG WITH THE SCREEN DOOR AT THE REAR OF THE PORCH FOR THE MAIN ENTRY.
THE HOUSE FEATURES NUMEROUS WINDOWS ON ALL SIDES, TYPICALLY PAIRED OR ARRANGED IN THREE UNITS SIDE BY SIDE.
THE HOUSE IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND HAS SEEN MINIMAL ALTERATIONS SINCE CONSTRUCTION.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATE THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON NEW PLANS AND APPROVE THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS, STAFF? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE I WILL, UH, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UH, ME AND MY HUSBAND ARE THE CURRENT OWNERS OF 1703 ALAMEDA DRIVE.
WE'RE ALSO THE CURRENT OWNERS OF 1705 ALAMEDA DRIVE.
UM, I HAVE A LITTLE STATEMENT I CAN READ.
AS WE GET OLDER AND OUR TWO BOYS ARE GROWING UP, WE ARE LEARNING WHAT TRULY MATTERS AND IS IMPORTANT TO US.
IT'S FAMILY, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
BOTH SETS OF IN-LAWS ARE LOVING.
PARENTS ARE GETTING OLDER AND LIVING OUTTA TOWN, WHICH MAKES TRAVELING TOUGH FOR THEM.
MY MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON'S 11 YEARS AGO AND IS CURRENTLY DEALING WITH INTENSE SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE DISEASE.
UM, ALONG WITH DEMENTIA, BUT RECENTLY WE'VE HAD A WONDERFUL DREAM THAT ONE DAY WE COULD PROVIDE A DESIGNATED SPACE FOR OUR PARENTS, SOMETHING THAT WAS SAFE AND COMFORTABLE FOR THEM TO STAY IN AUSTIN WITH THEIR GRANDKIDS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.
UH, WE'D LOVE TO BUILD AN IN-LAW SUITE WHERE THEY WOULDN'T FEEL IN THE WAY.
SO MY MOM ALWAYS SAYS, EVEN THOUGH SHE COULD NOT BE MORE WRONG ABOUT THAT, UH, BUT THEY COULD COME AND GO AS THEY PLEASE.
WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME UP TO SPEAK WITH JOYCE, THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF 1703 ALAMEDA, AND TALK TO HER ABOUT THE VISION FOR OUR HOME, SHE WAS NOT ONLY INTERESTED IN SELLING TO US, BUT VERY EAGER AND EXCITED TO SEE US EXPAND OUR FAMILY, ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE WHERE SHE GREW UP.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE WANNA CREATE A COHESIVE AND BEAUTIFUL HOUSE THAT WILL ADD QUALITY TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOMETHING THAT OUR NEIGHBORS WILL BE PROUD TO LIVE BY.
HER PARENTS WERE THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY OWNED IT.
UH, AND SHE WAS VERY WONDERFUL AND KIND AND REALLY HAS NO TIES TO THE HOUSE AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, AND IS VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WE DO WITH IT.
SHE MET OUR BOYS, UM, AND EXCITED TO SEE WE'VE KIND OF KEPT HER ALONG WITH OBVIOUSLY THE PROCESS HAS GONE NOWHERE YET, BUT, UH, WE'VE KEPT HER INCLUDED IN ALONG AND I TEXT HER ALL THE TIME ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
SO IT'S EXCITED TO SEE HER EXCITEMENT OF IT, BUT THAT'S KINDA WHAT I GOT.
UH, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU ALSO HAVE INDICATED THE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE NEW HOUSE.
UH, THOSE ARE RATHER DIAGRAMMATIC, UH, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS IT'S A, IT'S BEING APPLIED FOR PERMIT.
UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS FULLY RESOLVED OR IS THAT A CONCEPT? WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PROCESS? UM, I BELIEVE WE'RE PRETTY FULLY RESOLVED ON WHAT WE'VE DRAWN UP FOR.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I THINK THAT THAT IS AS MUCH OBVIOUSLY AS YOU HEARD IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
NOT ONLY IS THERE A QUESTION ABOUT
[01:15:01]
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING IF YOU REMOVE AN EXISTING CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, BUT, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, AND IT'S TIED TO THAT, IS THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL THAT WE WOULD HAVE OF YOUR PLANS.SO, UH, ARE YOU SUBMITTING BOTH TODAY? IS THAT WHAT THE ACTION WAS? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
I KNOW BRIAN CAN SPEAK MORE OF THAT ALSO.
WELL, HE MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER MY QUESTION THEN.
UH, YES, COMMISSIONER, IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION OF MS. SCH? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THEN WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKER.
IS THE NEXT SPEAKER READY? HI, I AM BRIAN.
UM, AND YOU KNOW LAST NAME SIR? BRIAN RANDALL.
OKAY, SO, MR. RANDALL, GO AHEAD.
SO I WAS JUST, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED 'CAUSE WE SUBMITTED THE PLANS, UM, A WHILE BACK, UH, BEFORE THE DATE.
SO I GUESS WHAT WAS THE EXACT, I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WAS SUBMITTED IN THE PACKAGE AND I DON'T HAVE ANY NOTES ABOUT THE MATERIALS.
I HAVE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF DETAILING.
UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SEEING LOOK LIKE THEY MAY EVEN BE INCORRECT IN TERMS OF THE REPRESENTATION ON THE ELEVATION.
SO IT DOESN'T CONSTITUTE TO ME A COMPLETE SET OF PLANS.
SO I ASSUME THAT YOU WERE GIVING US A CONCEPT.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK ON.
UH, ARE YOU WORKING WITH AN ARCHITECT OR, YES.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY ARCHITECT'S NAME OR SEAL ON THIS, SO IT CAN'T BE SUBMITTED FOR PERMIT WITHOUT A SEAL.
SO, UH, WHAT, WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU MAY BE MOVING FORWARD, BUT, UH, I I I THINK THERE ARE SOME REASONS WHY THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE AND YOU'VE CERTAINLY, UH, THE COMMISSION WILL DISCUSS MOMENTARILY WHETHER OR NOT A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE SHOULD BE REPLACED.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT IS BEING REPLACED WITH.
AND WE, WE MAKE COMMENTS ON THAT AS WELL.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME DOING IT IN THE NATIONAL RUSH, SO I CAN GET BETTER PLANS FOR SURE, BUT THAT WAS THE CONCEPT THAT, UM, MET THE CRITERIA THAT WE WERE, UH, ASKED TO, TO WORK WITH.
AND YOUR ARCHITECT SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THOSE AND, AND AS A CHECKLIST BE ABLE TO SHOW US HOW THEY EITHER HAVE MET SOME OF THE CRITERIA OF THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, OR IF THEY BELIEVE THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY WISH TO FOLLOW, THEN WHY THAT WOULD BE AT LEAST A REASONABLE ARGUMENT.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ALSO OF OUR DISCUSSION HERE OF THE A RC, THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND THAT'S A FORUM WHERE SOME OF OUR MEMBERS, UH, IN FACT WHO ARE ALL REGISTERED ARCHITECTS, VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME.
WE HAVE A MUCH MORE INFORMAL WAY OF BEING ABLE TO GO OVER PLANS IN MORE DETAIL.
AND SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, AGAIN, A POSTPONEMENT WAS PROBABLY IN ORDER TO ALLOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO TAKE PLACE.
UH, THAT SAID, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE AGREEABLE TO THE DEMOLITION REQUEST TO BEGIN WITH.
ANY OTHER THING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD THOUGH?
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE AT THIS POINT AS YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO SPEAK? UM, JUST THE, I AGREE WITH THE FINDINGS FROM THE STAFF THAT THE CURRENT RESIDENCE IS NOT, ALTHOUGH IT'S CONTRIBUTING, IT DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA THAT IS, UM, REQUIRED OR THAT DOESN'T ALLOW IT TO BE DEMOED.
AND WE ALWAYS ASK IF THERE'S ANY WAY YOU CAN INTEGRATE IT INTO A BIGGER PROJECT.
THE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS STATED THAT THE STRUCTURE WAS IN PRETTY GOOD, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT HASN'T LITERALLY BEEN TOUCHED IN SINCE WAY BACK WHEN AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO BUILD, TO FULFILL, UM, SIDNEY'S AND GERS, UM, NEEDS AS A FAMILY.
IT, IT'S JUST, IT, IT WON'T WORK.
THE CURRENT, THE CURRENT STRUCTURE CAN'T GET, WE CAN'T GET THERE.
MR. RANDALL, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF OUR SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM? NO.
UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE ONLINE.
COULDN'T FORGET THEN, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE MS. SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
IF YOU ARE ONLINE, COULD YOU PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF?
[01:20:16]
OH, IS SHE THERE? WORKING ON IT? GIVE YOU GOOD.I WAS TALKING AND YOU WEREN'T HEARING ME
MY NAME IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER AND I'M A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SRCC HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
THOUGH I'M NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE TONIGHT, BUT AS AN INDIVIDUAL I DO OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF 1703 ALAMEDA EXCEPT FOR THE CURRENT APPLICANT'S ALREADY EXISTING NON-CONTRIBUTING HOME.
THIS IS A VERY INTACT STREET OF CONTRIBUTING HOME, VERY HIGHLY VISIBLE OFF OF WOODLAND, A MAIN EAST WEST THOROUGHFARE THROUGH TRAVIS HEIGHT AND ALSO THE STREET.
MOST PARENTS DRIVE UP TO DROP OFF THEIR CHILDREN TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIGHT UP THE ROAD.
WHILE I DEFINITELY EMPATHIZE WITH THE REASONS FOR THE APPLICANT'S INTEREST IN BUILDING A, A NEW PROPERTY, I DO KNOW THAT THE APPLICANT DID NOT REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE PRIOR TO SUBMITTING ITS DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AND THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT GOTTEN A CHANCE TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNER TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.
AND AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.
CITE SAYS COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF SMALL BUNGALOWS BEING ADDED ON THE BACK OF ALL TYPES OF PROPERTIES SMALL AND LARGE, AND MANY HOMEOWNERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO SHARE THEIR HOMES.
FOR FOLKS, WONDERING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES, THERE'S MANY EXAMPLES EVEN ON THIS BLOCK, NO MATTER OF THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND SOMEONE WAS LIVING IN UNTIL LATE LAST YEAR, WE KNOW THAT ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS ARE POSSIBLE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT AND DEMOLITIONS IN THIS DISTRICT REQUIRE HIGHER SCRUTINY AND REVIEW IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S CHARACTER.
AND WE ARE NO LONGER A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE TAKE DEMOLITIONS LIGHTLY.
THE APPLICANT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE CONSIDERED DEMOLITION ALTERNATIVES IN ANY RURAL WAY, AND THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT APPEAR TO HONOR THE DESIGN STANDARDS IN ANY NEW WAY.
THE BLOCKS HAS EVEN HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BECOMING A POTENTIAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT ITSELF BECAUSE OF THE INTACTNESS.
I ASKED THE COMMISSION TO LAY ITS DECISION SO THE APPLICANT CAN FURTHER EXPLORE DEMOLITION ALTERNATIVE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ATTEND THE A RC COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE HOW THE EXISTING HOME CAN BE SAVED, MAINTAINING THE LARGELY EXISTING CONTRIBUTING CHARACTER OF THE STREET.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER TO ANY QUESTIONS OF OUR SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER ON, UH, ONLINE? YES, WE HAVE MS. ANNIE PROCESS.
AND I OPPOSED THE TEAR DOWN OF 1703 ALAMEDA.
UM, I PURCHASED MY HOME NEARBY, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1948, ALMOST A YEAR AGO.
UH, I LOVE OLD HOUSES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I BOUGHT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
FOR THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE HOMES, IT SEEMS A SHAME TO DEMOLISH SOMETHING THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARMING, OLDER AND ECLECTIC FEEL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
EACH HOUSE HERE IS UNIQUE, THUS ADDING TO THE RICHNESS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SMALLER, OLDER HOMES LIKE THIS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE, THE DIVERSITY OF OUR HOUSING BASE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE POOL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT OLD HOUSES DETERIORATE AND NEED REPAIR OR RESTORATION, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE BEEN NEGLECTED.
I'M 64 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OWNED AND LIVED IN EIGHT OLD HOMES SINCE I WAS 22.
THEY ALL NEEDED FROM A LITTLE TO A LOT OF WORK, BUT THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED WHEN YOU BUY ONE OLDER HOUSES ARE RENOVATED ALL THE TIME AND THEY'RE WORTH THE WORK AND EXPENSE.
I HOPE THE OWNERS WILL CONSIDER PRESERVING AND REPAIRING THIS OLD HOUSE, THUS RESPECTING THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE FEEL OF OUR HISTORIC AREA.
IF MORE ROOM IS NEEDED, PERHAPS THEY CAN ADD ONTO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE IN A MANNER THAT'S HARMONIOUS WITH THE CURRENT STRUCTURE.
AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO REGISTER MY OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOL OF THIS HOUSE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, WE HAVE MR. BIN PETERS.
UH, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANKS FOR THE COMMISSION.
UM, YES, I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MURRAY
[01:25:01]
WISE, WHO IS CURRENTLY ON A PLANE, UH, AND ROUTE TO AUSTRALIA.UH, MURRAY ASKED ME TO COME IN, UH, ON HIS BEHALF AND, UH, RELAY HIS, UH, REMARKS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, MURRAY OWNS AND, UH, OWNS AND LIVES NEXT DOOR AT 1701 ALAMEDA, UH, IN A HOME THAT LIKE 1703 BEGAN AS A VERY HUMBLE 1930S COTTAGE.
I'M ASSUMING OVER THE YEARS IT'S BEEN UPDATED AND NOT ERASED.
UH, THE SOLE OF THE HOUSE IS STILL THERE.
THE ORIGINAL 1935 STAIRS NOW SHELTERED WITHIN THE FRONT PORCH.
THE OLD CEDAR STUMPS STAND BESIDE THE NEW CONCRETE SUPPORTS SUNSHINE FALLS ACROSS PATCHES OF ORIGINAL FLOORING THAT HAVE WEATHERED DECADES OF FOOTSTEPS.
IT'S PROOF THAT THOUGHTFUL RENEWAL DOESN'T HAVE TO COME AT THE COST OF HISTORY.
UH, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AT 1703 IS NOT THAT.
IT'S A SYMPTOM OF A SHORTSIGHTED APPROACH THAT PRIORITIZES CONVENIENCE OVER PRESERVATION.
UH, 1703 HAS HISTORY AND POTENTIAL AND TEARING IT DOWN WOULD BE ERASING BOTH.
AS OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE NOTED, SEVERAL HOMES ON THE BLOCK HAVE BEEN THOUGHTFULLY RENOVATED TO BALANCE HISTORY AND MODERN NEEDS.
BUT WHAT'S MOST TROUBLING ISN'T JUST THE LOSS OF ONE HOME.
IT'S THE DISREGARD FOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT.
THE CURRENT PLANS SHOW LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE HISTORIC IDENTITY OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS, IGNORING THE ARCHITECTURAL DIALOGUE OF THE STREET AND THE GENERATIONS WHO WORK TO PRESERVE ITS CHARM.
THESE HOMES ARE MODEST, ECLECTIC, AND ROOTED IN AUSTIN'S EARLY GROWTH.
REPLACING 1703 WITH SOMETHING OUT OF SCALE AND OUT OF TOUCH ERASES THAT LEGACY.
BUT BEYOND THE CULTURAL LOSS, DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION COME WITH ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS MADE WORSE BY PLANS FOR THE ADDITION OF A POOL, UH, IN A DROUGHT PRONE REGION WITH WATER RESTRICTIONS.
ADDING A HIGH WATER USE FEATURE IS FRANKLY IRRESPONSIBLE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THERE ARE TWO COMMUNITY POOLS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY AND NOT BURDEN AUSTIN'S CLIMATE WITH LUXURIES FOR THE FEW.
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT PROTECTING THE FUTURE AS MUCH AS IT IS, UH, ABOUT PRESERVING THE PAST.
IN ADDITION, DEMO, UH, DEMOLISHING 1703 ALAMEDA ERODES WHAT LITTLE AFFORDABILITY REMAINS.
UH, MODEST HOMES LIKE THIS ARE AMONG THE LAST OPTIONS FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, ARTISTS AND LONGTIME RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SHAPED TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UH, WHEN SMALL HOMES ARE REPLACED WITH OVERSIZED LUXURY BUILDS, IT'S NOT JUST AN EYESORE.
IT REALLY IS ECONOMIC DISPLACEMENT.
UH, EACH TEAR DOWN SHRINKS AFFORDABILITY AND PUSHES OUT THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHAT IT IS.
UH, RESPECTING A NEIGHBORHOOD MEANS HONORING ITS SOUL.
UH, THESE PLANS DON'T, THEY IMPOSE, NOT INTEGRATE, THEY ERASE, NOT EVOLVE.
OKAY, MR. PETER IS THE INTERVIEW TIME.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, THAT IS YOUR TIME.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKER? YES.
LASTLY, I HAVE MS. MEGAN FERNANDEZ.
I JUST WANNA CHECK THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, MY NAME IS MEGAN FERNANDEZ AND I ALSO, UM, LIVE IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND NEXT DOOR TO THE PROPERTY THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR DEMOLITION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY EMPHASIZING THAT I REALLY ENJOY HAVING A PEACEFUL AND FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY NEIGHBORS, UM, INCLUDING THOSE AT 1705 WHO NOW OWN THE PROPERTY AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUING.
UM, I'VE ALREADY TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT MY OWN PASSION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND I'VE EXPRESSED MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS DEMOLITION, UM, AS OTHERS HAD STATED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THEIR CURRENT HOME.
UH, ALL THE HOMES ON OUR BLOCK AND TWO BLOCKS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS BEING LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, WHICH IS A POINT OF PRIDE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MANY OF THE NEIGHBOR, UH, MANY OF THE HOMES ON OUR STREET AND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE APPROACHING A HUNDRED YEARS OLD IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY.
AND IN TEXAS THIS IS RARE AND IMPORTANT.
THE CHARM MAGIC AND LONG HISTORY OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE EMBODIED IN THE OLDER HOMES, BUT THESE QUALITIES ARE BEING LOST BIT BY BIT AND HOUSE BY HOUSE.
AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT, WHAT MADE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SO UNIQUE WILL BE GONE.
UM, ANY CONCERN ABOUT PROPERTY VALUES SHOULD BE ALLAYED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL HERE AND SOMETHING THAT ALREADY ATTRACTS BUYERS, UM, WHO WANT SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE FOUND IN OTHER PLACES, WHICH ARE BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC HOMES THAT ARE IN HARMONY WITH THE NATURAL SPACES AROUND THEM.
[01:30:01]
MAY NOT BE THE GRANDEST HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THESE OLDER HOMES, WHETHER INHABITED BY PEOPLE WITH FILES IN THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER OR THOSE WITH MORE HUMBLE HISTORIES ARE DESERVING OF CONSERVATION AND CONTRIBUTE TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS CHARM LIKE 17 OH THREES.OWNERS, I HAVE A GROWING FAMILY AND AGING PARENTS MYSELF.
UM, AND I ABSOLUTELY UNDER UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR US TO MODERNIZE AND MAKE SPACE FOR NEW WAYS OF LIFE.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY EXAMPLES OF HOMES IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UM, INCLUDING MY OWN, WHERE FAMILIES HAVE MADE THIS POSSIBLE WITHOUT COMPLETELY TEARING DOWN THESE UNIQUE ORIGINAL HOMES.
THE HOUSE AT 1703 COULD BE BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED AND ADDED TO IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND I JUST HOPE THAT IT WILL BE CONSIDERED.
UM, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
UH, BY TRADITION WE ALLOW THE APPLICANT SOME TIME FOR REBUTTAL.
UH, WOULD EITHER, UH, MS. SCH OR MR. BROWN WISH, UH, MR. RANDALL, UH, WISH TO COME AND, AND MAKE ANY LAST COMMENTS? HELLO AGAIN? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I AM VERY SYMPATHETIC TO THE BEAUTIFUL OLD LOOK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE MOST ABOUT IT.
BUT JUST BECAUSE THIS BUILDING IS OLD DOES NOT SIGNIFICANT OR DOES NOT MEAN IT REALLY HAS HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, IT IS ABSOLUTELY FALLING APART.
THERE IS A TREE THAT IS GROWING THROUGH THE FOUNDATION AND TO BE HONEST, WHEN I TOOK A WALKTHROUGH OF IT WITH NOW WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER, I COULDN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE HAD BEEN LIVING THERE FOR 10 YEARS.
UM, I MEAN, THE CEILING IS FALLING DOWN.
IT IS JUST, IT'S, IT'S FALLING DOWN.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST LIKE Y'ALL TO RECONSIDER THAT JUST, JUST BECAUSE, AND WE'RE ALSO, THE HOUSE THAT WE'RE BUILDING DOES NOT TAKE UP ANY MORE FOOTPRINT THAN THE HOUSE THAT IS SIGNI THERE ALREADY.
IT IS TWO STORIES, BUT IT IS IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT.
UM, AND THE EXACT SAME, UH, SAME LAYOUT FOUNDATION.
SO IT DOES NOT ENCROACH ON THE PROPERTY ANYMORE.
UM, IN FACT, I THINK IT MIGHT BE EVEN CLOSER TO OUR CURRENT HOME TO GIVE THE NEIGHBORS AT 1701 EVEN MORE SPACE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE ALSO.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, THOUGH I SAW THE PLAN IN THE PROPOSED DOCUMENTATION, THAT WASN'T CLEAR THAT THE, THE DEMOLITION COMPONENT, UH, FROM WHAT I COULD TELL, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE BIGGER.
OH NO, IT'S, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEN, THEN YOU, YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT IN OUR DOCUMENT, IN YOUR DOCUMENTATION.
IT'S LIKE LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME FOOTPRINT, JUST TWO STORIES.
AGAIN, IT YEAH, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE COULD GET FROM YOU ABSOLUTELY.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WILL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ IS THERE SECOND COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND IT'S UNANIMOUS THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM? I MOVE TO POSTPONE THE APPLICATION TO, UH, NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AND ALSO, UH, RECOMMEND THAT THE APPLICANT REVISIT WILL VISIT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND FURTHER ALSO CONSULT THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGN STANDARDS SO WE CAN HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CONVERSATION.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? I'LL SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? WELL, UH, I, I THINK THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO HERE TO JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, NOT TOTALLY CLEAR WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, BEING PROPOSED FROM THE DRAWINGS PROVIDED AND IF THEY'RE SYMPATHETIC WITH, UH, WITH, UH, THE LOCAL CONTEXT THERE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE THIS A LITTLE MORE REVIEW, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE, UM, EVERYTHING WE'RE HEARING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A, A PRETTY INTACT STRETCH OF, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE MORE AND UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BETTER WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
YEAH, AND I JUST, I'LL FOR THE RECORD INDICATE AS IF THIS MOTION PASSES.
I'LL CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT, BUT I THINK THAT THIS GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE APPLICANTS TO MAYBE TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT WHAT CAN BE DONE IN PRESERVING THAT
[01:35:02]
CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN SOME FASHION.UH, AT THE VERY LEAST THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S COMPATIBLE.
IF THEY ABSOLUTELY INSIST AND WANT TO PURSUE NEW DESIGN WITHOUT THAT EXISTING BUILDING, THEN RECOGNIZE YOU'VE JUST LOST A COMPATIBLE BUILDING.
YOU REALLY DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE DESIGN STANDARDS AND HAVE SOMETHING THAT REALLY BELIE BELONGS THERE.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE, AT LEAST IN THE DIAGRAMS THAT I SAW, WE HAVE A COMPLETE DESIGN, BUT THE INDICATION WASN'T GIVING ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THAT IT WOULD MEET THOSE CRITERIA.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME WORK TO BE DONE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, WE HAVE A MOTION THEN TO POSTPONE AND REFER TO THE A RC AND ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE WITH NEIGHBORS.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, ALL HANDS ARE RAISED AND IS UNANIMOUS.
UH, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS.
[9. PR-2024-159632 – 705 West Lynn St. West Line National Register Historic District Council District 9]
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER NINE.THIS IS 7 0 5 WEST LYNN STREET IN THE WEST LINE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND AGAIN, A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
AND YOU ALL MAY RECALL, WE HAVE HEARD THIS CASE OVER A NUMBER OF, UM, SESSIONS AND I BELIEVE TODAY IS THE LAST DAY, UH, WHERE IT WOULD OTHERWISE BE TIMED OUT.
SO, UH, MR. LUKES? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCUIT 1895 HOUSE, UH, THE HOUSE LOCATED AT 7 0 5 WESTLAND STREET.
IT'S A SINGLE STORY CENTER PASSAGE HOUSE WITH A SIDE GABLE ROOF SET AT A MODERATE TOP PITCH.
THE SINGLE FRONT DOOR IS CENTERED ON THE HOUSE WITH ONE TO OVER TWO WINDOW ON EITHER SIDE.
THERE'S A FRONT PORCH THAT EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE FRONT FACADE SUPPORTED BY FOUR COLUMNS.
THERE'S ALSO A SMALL FRAME SHED ON THE SITE, WHICH IS ALSO PROPOSED TO BE DEMOLISHED.
THE SHED IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE WESTLINE NATIONAL REGISTER ORGANIZATION.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WESTLAW NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND THE NOMINATION FURTHER LISTS THE PROPERTY AS ELIGIBLE FOR LAND INDIVIDUAL LISTING.
IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR, UM, CITY OF BOSTON LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THE UM, UH, APPLICANT HAS ATTENDED SEVERAL A RC UH, COMMITTEES.
UM, COMMITTEE SUGGESTED MOST RECENTLY EXPLORING THE ADDITION OF A SECOND STORY AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT HOUSING UNIT AND EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY, POSSIBILITY OF WIDENING THE PROPOSED REAR PARKING STRUCTURE TO ADD DESIRED IN INTERIOR FLOOR AREA.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, REMINDER THAT DEMOLITION PERMITS AND THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE PULLED INTO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS REVIEWED PLANNED THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE.
ANOTHER ADDED NOTE THAT YOU MENTIONED, CHAIR, WAS THAT THIS APPLICATION TIMES OUT AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING, MAKING THIS THE LAST TIME FOR PERMISSION TO TAKE ACTION ON THE PROPOSAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN, UH, FROM THE POSTPONEMENT SO, UH, WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS AND SCOTT TURNER REPRESENTING THE OWNER.
UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN GOING OVER AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
IT'S A, A COMPLICATED SITE DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY TWO HERITAGE TREES FRONT AND BACK.
UM, THOSE TREES WERE EVALUATED BY THE CITY ARBORIST AS BEING HEALTHY.
UM, BUT SINCE THE LAST MEETING, UH, WE HAVE HAD GOOD PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AROUND, UM, THE REMOVAL OF THOSE TREES.
I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, WELL THE, THE ONE THING THAT I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD VARIOUS OPTIONS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT GO THERE, UM, BUT I WANT TO CLARIFY, WE HAVE NOT HAD YOUR, YOUR SUBMITTED PLANS FOR THE NEW PROJECT, FULLY DEVELOPED PROJECT YET, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE, THAT'S CORRECT.
OKAY, SO WE'LL BE SEEING THOSE IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT.
UH, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M DONNA OSBORNE AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ANA.
UM, WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING WITH SCOTT, UM, THE APPLICANT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS IN PURSUIT OF A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL OUTCOME THAT SUPPORTS REDEVELOPMENT GOALS WHILE PRESERVING THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR EFFORTS HAVE FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL STREET SCAPE WITH THE SHARED UNDERSTANDING THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
IN THIS CASE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS A SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS FOR PRESERVATION OF THE INTACT FACADE OF THE 1895 HOUSE AND ACCOMMODATE A SECOND UNIT FROM THE ALLEY.
MUCH OF THE CURRENT CONSTRAINTS CENTERS ON A TREE AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH LIMITS OPTIONS FOR
[01:40:01]
OPTIMAL SIGHT.THE TREE WAS ASSESSED THIS WEEK BY MICHAEL ESSIE OF, UH, BE, EXCUSE ME, OF BARLETT TREE IN THE FORMER CITY ARBORIST AND HAS DESCRIBED IT IN FAIR CONDITION.
I'VE GIVEN A REPORT TO YOU GUYS, YOU'LL HAVE IT, UH, I THINK TOMORROW.
UH, THE CANOPY IS THIN AND UNDERSIZED FOLIAGE AND VISIBLE DEAD BRANCHES SUGGESTING A LONG-TERM HEALTH IS ALREADY COMPROMISED.
NOT A FORMAL RISK AT THIS TIME, BUT THE PRESIDENT OF A CO-DOMINANT TRUNK WITH A LOW UNION IS A RED FLAG FOR THIS STRUCTURE AND INHERENTLY WEAKER UNDER, ESPECIALLY UNDER STRESS OF HIGH WINDS, RAIN AND OR ICE.
THE ARBORIST FINDS THE TREE AND IS A MODERATE CANDIDATE FOR PRESERVATION AND WOULD REQUIRE EXTENSIVE TREATMENT AND MONITORING WITH NO GUARANTEE OF LONG-TERM SUCCESS, PARTICULARLY GIVEN PLANNED CONSTRUCTION NEAR THE ROOT ZONE.
IN CONTRAST, PRESERVING THE HISTORIC FRONT PORTION OF THE HOUSE OFFERS A TANGIBLE HIGH VALUE PRESERVATION OUTCOME.
AANA DEEPLY VALUES GREEN SPACE THAT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SO LIVABLE.
WE ALSO STRONGLY BELIEVE IN THE CULTURAL AND VISUAL IMPORTANCE THAT DEFINE OUR NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IF ASKED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A FAIR CONDITIONED TREE AND A FAIR CONDITIONED HOUSE, WE WOULD CHOOSE THE HOUSE, PARTICULARLY ITS ORIGIN OR ORIGINAL FRONT PORTION AND BELIEVE IT IS A BETTER INVESTMENT IN LASTING CHARACTER FOR OLD WEST AUSTIN.
WE SUPPORT TREE MITIGATION IN THIS CASE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLANT NEW SAPLINGS THAT WILL GROW ALONGSIDE A THOUGHTFULLY RECONFIGURED SITE, ONE THAT HONORS BOTH THE PAST, THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEMOLITION PERMIT IS SET TO BE RELEASED HOWEVER A WANNA REMAINS COMMITTED TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT IF THERE IS A FIRM SINCERE COMMITMENT FROM THE DEVELOPER TO PRESERVE THE FRONT FACADE OF THE HOME.
WITH THIS COMMITMENT, WE ARE PREPARED TO SUPPORT AND ASSIST IN THE PROCESS OF TREE REMOVAL.
WE REMAIN FULLY ENGAGED IN HELPING SHAPE A SITE PLAN THAT BALANCES THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT WITH THE PRESERVATION VALUES.
IF THE REMOVAL OF THE TREE ENABLES THE STRUCTURE TO BE SAVED FROM FULL DEMOLITION, WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMISSION SUPPORT IN MAKING THAT OUTCOME POSSIBLE.
AUSTIN'S HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS ARE UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE FROM DENSITY AND CHANGE OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FABRIC AND STORIES THAT MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIAL.
WE URGE THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THE VALUE OF PRESERVING THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE EQUAL TO, IF NOT GREATER THAN THE VALUE OF RE RETAINING A COMPROMISE TREE.
BOTH MATTER, BUT IN THIS CASE, ONE OFFER IS AN ENDURING ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXTUAL VALUE THAT CANNOT BE PLACED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? RIGHT, DO WE HAVE OTHER, UH, SPEAKERS? OKAY, SEEING NONE THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANY NEED FOR ANY NEED FOR REBUTTAL? BEG YOUR PARDON? IS THERE ANY NEED FOR REBUTTAL WITH THAT PRO CON? OH, I GUESS, I GUESS WE COULD SAY IF THERE'S A NEED FOR A REBUTTAL, YOU'RE WELCOME.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THEY'RE UNANIMOUS.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM? BE AWARE THAT IF WE TAKE NO ACTION, THEN IT TIMES OUT AND THE, UH, RE RE REQUIREMENT FOR DOCUMENTATION IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE DEMOLITION PERMIT WOULD NOT BE THERE.
WHEREAS IF, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO RELEASE THE PERMIT, THAT COULD ALSO BE CONTINGENT AS ALL OF THESE ARE ON A FULL DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WOULD THERE BE A MOTION REQUIRED FOR NO ACTION? I'M NOT SURE.
I GUESS WE COULD TAKE NO ACTION OR JUST DO NOTHING.
WE'RE GETTING A NO, YOU CAN DO NOTHING IF YOU WANT, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS IF WE DO NOTHING, UM, WE COULD HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO LET IT TIME OUT.
THAT, UH, THOUGH IT ULTIMATELY WON'T REQUIRE STICKING ACTION, WE CAN THEN HAVE DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER COOK.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED THE CHANCE TO THANK THE APPLICANT FOR CONTINUING TO BE IN, IN DISCUSSION.
UH, I THINK WE ALL REALLY WANT THE BUILDING TO STAY.
WE THINK IT CAN, I KNOW THERE'S, YOU, YOU HAVE ECONOMIC CONCERNS ABOUT MAXIMIZING THE, THE FOOTPRINT AND, BUT I CONTINUE, I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION CONTINUING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION TO BE HAD, SO, UM, I DON'T THINK A DEMOLITION PERMIT GRANTING WOULD DO ANYONE ANY GOOD.
AND IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN PROPERTY WERE TO CHANGE HANDS, I WOULDN'T WANT IT TO GO ON WITH THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE THE NEXT PERSON POSSIBLY.
[01:45:01]
I ASSUME IT'S GONNA BE YOU BUT IT IN CASE NOTHING WORKS OUT.UH, I I JUST DON'T LIKE GIVING FINAL DEMOLITION PERMITS WHEN THE FUTURE OF THE PROPERTY IS NOT 100% ESTABLISHED.
SO, UH, WELL THIS IS JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS STILL WOULD BE A FULL DEMOLITION PERMIT.
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL IT.
THEY JUST WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACT ON IT UNTIL THEY HAD NEW PLANS.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THEM HAS CONTINGENT, UH, DOCUMENTATION.
AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT IS NOT AN OPTION I ASSUME IN THIS CASE, SO.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS TOLD US WE HAVE ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME AND WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM.
UM, COMMISSIONER WITH A SECOND, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT? IS THE MOTION STILL BEING PROPOSED? WELL, WE STILL, WE STILL HAVE A, A MOTION SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT OR WE CAN MAKE ANOTHER MOTION.
BUT WE, WE, UH, THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTITUTE OR THE MAKER COULD WITHDRAW HIS MOTION
DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO.
IF IT TIMES OUT THERE IS NO DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THAT'S THE BIG DIFFERENCE AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
I JUST, UM, I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS ONE.
I DON'T, I CAN'T, I CAN'T VOTE IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION OF THE SOUTH.
IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT IT TIMES OUT THE, UH, THE TREE ISSUE GETS SETTLED IN A WAY THAT'S, UH, REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE PRESENTED A SET OF PLANS THAT SHOWS THE HOUSE IS STILL THERE.
JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TEAR IT DOWN DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY HAVE TO.
AND I FEEL LIKE PART OF THE REASON I FEEL SO STRONGLY ON THIS ONE IS WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH SOME REALLY GREAT SITE DIAGRAMS, SOME REALLY GREAT, UM, CONCEPTUAL 3D MODELS THAT SHOW THE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UM, SO IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME THE PROPERTY CAN STILL BE DEVELOPED AND WE CAN SAVE THE FRONT PORTION OF THIS HOUSE.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE WORK DONE ON THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
IT IS A MOTION, IT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
UH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT REQUIRED, I THINK WE PROBABLY DO NEED TO TAKE IT TO A VOTE.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOW THIS TO TIME OUT AND TAKE NO ACTION.
SO IF THAT IS WHAT THE COMMISSION DESIRES, I WILL CALL A QUESTION, UH, REAL QUICK.
YEAH, I MEAN IT FROM, FROM THE SOUND OF IT, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE EITHER WAY THEY'RE GONNA GET THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION PACKET, AT LEAST THAT'S KIND OF A PRO MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
SO THAT, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD PROBABLY MOTION TO, UH, GIVE THE, UH, APPROVE THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION, UM, AS LONG AS THEY COMPLETE THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
BUT SO I PROBABLY, I GUESS I WOULD'VE TO VOTE NO ON THE CURRENT MOTION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT THE, THE HOPE IS THAT THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WON'T BE NEEDED.
AND WE ARE REVIEWING THE PLANS EITHER WAY.
BUT I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, AS MUCH AS IT PAINS US TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND ON THE RECORD, SAY THIS IS NOW OFFICIAL, IT DOES MEAN THAT THERE'S SOME STRINGS ATTACHED THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
SO I THINK I'LL PROBABLY, UH, FOLLOW SUIT AND OPPOSE THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THIS? AND I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS TO ALLOW THIS TO TIME OUT, OBVIOUSLY TAKE NO ACTION OFFICIALLY, BUT THAT IS WHAT, UH, IS BEING REQUESTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OKAY, I SEE THREE HANDS RAISED AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND I SEE FOUR OPPOSED, SO THAT MOTION DOES NOT PASS, BUT I WILL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
COMMISSIONER TUCCI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION? YES.
UM, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND SET? COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
UH, AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO YOUR DISCUSSION? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU.
I, I HOPE, UH, MOVING FORWARD THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
[01:50:01]
THAT IT DOESN'T GET DEMOLISHED AND THAT THERE'S A, A SOLUTION, UM, BE IT WITH, UH, MAYBE A REMOVAL OF A HERITAGE TREE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT HAS ALREADY BEEN KIND OF EXPLAINED EARLIER, SO.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? I, I DON'T THINK I HAVE MORE TO ADD.
UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE THEN.
IF THAT'S NO MORE DISCUSSION, THEN I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
UH, THE MOTION IS TO, UH, RELEASE THE PERMIT WITH A REQUIRED, UH, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, AGAIN WITH THE HOPE THAT IT NEVER NEEDED.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS FOR ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
ALRIGHT, SO WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM VOTE AND THEREFORE WE ARE TAKING NO ACTION AND THAT WILL STAND.
ALRIGHT, SO COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD LUCK APPLICANT AND NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE HOPE TO NOT HAVE TO, UH, HAVE ANYBODY GET ANY DEMOLITION PERMIT AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE NEW PLANS LOOK LIKE, SO GOOD LUCK.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 10 AT 1108 ELM STREET.
THIS IS IN THE WEST LINE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE A, UH, 1108, NO, NO, THAT WAS A CONSENT ITEM I MISSED.
WELL, I DIDN'T WANNA SCARE ANYBODY THERE.
[12. HR-2025-050408 – 1611 Wethersfield Rd. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10]
WEST WESTERFIELD ROAD, OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A REAR EDITION AT 1611 WEATHER FEET.
UM, SPECIFICATIONS ARE TO DEMOLISHED A NON HISTORIC REAR EDITION AND METAL CARPORT AND CONSTRUCT A NEW TWO STORY ADDITION IN GENERALLY THE SAME FOOTPRINT.
ALSO TO CONSTRUCT A NEW COVERED CARPORT THAT IS TIED INTO THE FRONT HOUSE.
THE SYMMETRICAL SINGLE STORY HOUSE FEATURES A FRONT PORCH THAT EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE STREET FACING, STREET FACING ELEVATION, AND IS COVERED BY A ROOF SUPPORTED BY SIX WOOD POSTS.
THE FRONT WALL FEATURES THE DOOR AT THE CENTER, UH, WITH TWO LARGE SIX OVER SIX WINDOWS ON EITHER SIDE.
AND THESE WINDOWS FEET HAVE FUNCTIONAL SHUTTERS.
UH, TO THE LEFT OF THE HOUSE IS A DRIVEWAY THAT IS PARTIALLY COVERED BY A STANDALONE METAL CARPORT.
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 AT NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UH, THE PROJECT MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, BUT PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATE THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION AFFORDS TO COMMENT ON PLANS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? UM, THIS ITEM, UH, HAS A, UH, SPEAKER AND OPPOSED, UM, BUT I WOULD'VE PULLED IT REGARDLESS.
UH, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM MYSELF.
UH, IS THE SPEAK IS THE, UH, APPLICANT HERE? THE APPLICANT IS ONLINE.
HELLO EVERYONE, THIS IS ANDREW LOGAN ARCHITECT ON THIS PROJECT.
THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
OKAY, MR. LOGAN, YOU MAY PROCEED.
UH, THIS ADDITION THAT WE'RE PLANNING IS TO ACCOMMODATE A, UH, FOUR PERSON FAMILY.
SO WE'RE ADDING BEDROOMS TO THE BACK OF THE HOME.
UH, THE GOAL IS, AND THE GOAL OF THE CLIENT WAS TO, TO, UM, MAKE THE STYLE OF THE ADDITION, UM, COMPLIMENTARY AND ALSO IN A, IN A SIMILAR TRADITIONAL VEIN AS, UH, THE EXISTING COTTAGE, WE HAVE A CARPORT THAT WE ARE HOPING TO ADD OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HOME, UM, OR ONE COVERED PARKING SPACE FOR THE FAMILY.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE ANTICIPATING KEEPING THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL COTTAGE ON THE, THE FRONT FACADE, UH, INTACT.
AND, UH, JUST REPAIRING ELEMENTS AS NEEDED.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AS NEEDED.
[01:55:01]
OKAY.COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE ARCHITECT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, YES, THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER ALVARS.
ARE THE WINDOWS PLANNING, UH, GOING IT BE REPLACED? LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE MAYBE SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS, UH, PROPHE AT LEAST MAYBE ON THE SIDES TOO.
YES, WE ARE PLANNING TO REPLACE ALL OF THE WINDOWS WITH LIKE, FOR LIKE, UH, THE CURRENT SPEC THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WINDSOR, UH, DIVIDED LIGHT WINDOWS.
WINDOWS, THOSE ARE RIGHT, I ASSUME SIMULATED DIVIDED LIGHTS OR TRUCK.
THEY, UM, THEY HAVE A GASKET BETWEEN, I THINK IT IS ONE INSULATED GLASS UNIT, BUT THERE IS A GASKET BETWEEN MUTTONS SO THAT IT APPEARS, UM, LIKE A TRUE DIVIDED LIGHT.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CARPORT, CARPORT? WHAT'S DRIVING THE SHAPE OF IT AND KIND SEEMS TO HAVE THREE OF THE LEGS MISSING? ONE.
UH, MISSING MISSING WHAT YOU MEAN? UM, JUST THE SHAPE OF THE CAR REPORT REFERRING TO THE COLUMN? YEAH.
SO, UM, YEAH, THE CARPORT IS, IS UNFORTUNATELY CANTILEVERED, UH, ON THAT FRONT CORNER.
UM, STRUCTURALLY BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE SO CLOSE TO THE SETBACK THERE THAT WE CAN'T GET A COLUMN WITHIN THE BUILDING SETBACK, UM, AND BE ABLE TO USE THE CARPORT, YOU KNOW, FOR, UH, FITTING A VEHICLE UNDER COVER.
WAS THE SHAPE OF IT INTENDED TO MIMIC THE EXISTING HOME OR, I'M JUST WONDERING WHY IT'S GOT A LOT OF VOLUME.
THE SHAPE, THE ROOF SHAPE WAS INTENDED TO, UM, MATCH THE EXISTING, UH, NORTH-SOUTH GIG ON THAT.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS THEN, UH, ON THIS ITEM? I KNOW WE SAID SOMEBODY WAS IN OPPOSITION.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST SPEAKER.
BUT THERE WAS A REQUEST TO PULL THIS FOR, FROM, WAS IT A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE WHO'S NOT HERE? THAT MAY BE TRUE.
THEY MAY HAVE GONE OUT SOMEWHERE.
WELL, UH, AS I SAID, I WOULD'VE PULLED IT BECAUSE OF THE GARAGE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE CARPORT.
I THINK THAT THE, UM, IF YOU HAVE TO CANTILEVER THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A DIFFERENT FORM TO LESSEN THE SIZE AND, AND IMPACT VISUALLY ON THE SIDE OF THAT BUILDING.
UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO FROM THE DAIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, HOWEVER, THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, I THINK WOULD BE ABLE TO DISCUSS IN ORDER TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT, UM, DIDN'T STICK OUT AND FEEL, UH, VERY AWKWARD IF, IF NOT COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.
UM, SO I, I THINK A CARDBOARD'S POSSIBLE, BUT IT MIGHT LOOK MORE LIKE A FLAT ROOF BY THE TIME WE'RE DONE.
UH, I CAN SEE WHY THEY DIDN'T DO THE GABLE FACING THE STREET IF, BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURAL CONTORTIONS THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE ONLY SOLUTION AND WHAT'S THERE IS NOT WORKING VERY WELL.
SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS ON THE ITEM REGARDLESS.
SO ARE THERE ANY, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, HEARING NONE, UH, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MC.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
THIS UNANIMOUS THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THIS NEEDS SOME COOKING.
UH, A REFERENCE TO THE A RC MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.
UH, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I DO, UH, MOVE TO POSTPONE THE APPLICATION AND, UH, INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND THAT'S TO, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL? OH YEAH.
AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, YEAH, I GENERALLY DON'T TAKE THE ISSUE WITH, UH, MOST OF THE PROPOSAL HERE, THE EXPANDED TO THE BACK.
UH, I THINK IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, DETRACT TOO MUCH FROM, UH, UH, THIS WONDERFUL, UH, SMALL
[02:00:01]
HOUSE WE HAVE HERE.UH, WITH SOME FINE TUNING, I THINK THAT THIS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UH, NOTHING MORE TO ADD.
MAY I ASK THE MOTION OR TO AMEND TO ALLOW ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL IF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, WORKS OUT? THE FEW ISSUES REMAINING? THIS JUST SEEMS IN A DISTRICT WHERE WE SO OFTEN SEE FULL DEMOLITIONS, UM, THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY SENSITIVE ADDITION AND I WOULDN'T WANNA MAKE THEM WAIT ANY LONGER THAN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR A SMALL FINE TUNING.
WITH THE, YEP, I WILL AMEND THE MOTION TO, WELL REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND, UH, WE'LL SAY, SAY ALLOW FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL SUBJECT TO SUCCESSFUL DIALOGUE THERE.
ALRIGHT, UH, SO, UM, AND AGAIN, I THINK JUST TO MAKE MY COMMENTS, UH, I THINK IT IS JUST THAT CARPORT AND IF THEY SHOW YOU UP WITH A NICE ONE OR CAN WORK ONE THAT YOU CAN ALL LOOK AT AND STAFF CAN ACCEPT, UH, THEN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL DOES MAKE SENSE.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO POST, UH, POSTPONE, UH, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE RELEASE AFTER THE A RC MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND AGAIN, I SEE ALL SEVEN HANDS, SO THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
AND, UH, UH, MR. LOGAN, IF YOU'RE STILL THERE, UH, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, THAT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
UM, THAT GETS US NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 14.
NOPE, THAT WAS A CONSENT, UH, MISSING.
[Items 15-18]
TO THE DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS.UH, THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE COME TO US WITH REQUESTS FOR DEMOLITION AND GENERALLY BECAUSE OF AGE AND POTENTIAL FOR HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
UH, THEY HAVE, ARE ON OUR AGENDA FOR REVIEW.
AND ITEMS 14, 15, 16, 17, AND 18 ARE ALL FROM THE SAME APPLICANT.
THEY ARE ALL ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND THE PACKAGES THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, ARE ALL RELATED.
THAT SAID, UM, STAFF, DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND, AND HAVE ALL OF THESE TOGETHER? WHAT'S SAY YES.
15, 16, 17, AND 18 ALTOGETHER.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO ITEMS 15, 16, 17, AND 18, UH, LET US TALK ABOUT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AS, UH, INDIVIDUAL PROJECT, UH, INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES WITH DEMOLITION.
I'M GONNA TRY TO BRIDGE THESE AS WE GO ALONG HERE.
SO THE PROPOSAL FOR 6 0 4 COPELAND STREET.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 15 IS TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1935 HOUSE.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE HERE.
THE FOOTPRINT OF THE NONDESCRIPT BUNGALOW IS ROUGHLY SQUARE IN SHAPE WITH ALL SIDES CLAD AND NARROW TEAR.
THERE'S A STEEPLY PITCH TIPPED ROOF, WHICH IS COVERED IN NON HISTORIC METAL MATERIAL.
THOUGH THE WINDOWS ARE CURRENTLY BOARDED OVER, THEY APPEAR TO BE THE ORIGINAL OPENINGS.
THOUGH THE CON CONDITION OF THE FRAMES ARE UNKNOWN, A SMALL DORMER ON THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE MARKS THE FRONT DOORWAY.
UM, THE 2015 BOLD CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY AND CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL COPELAND HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, STAFF IS EVALUATED FOR, UH, INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATION AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR 6 0 6 COPELAND.
IT'S A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A 19 CIRCA 1935 HOUSE.
ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION IS, UH, DESCRIBED IN THE 2015 GOLDEN CREEK SURVEY AS A WOOD FRAME BUNGALOW.
THE HOUSE FEATURES A STEEP PITCHED HIP ROOF WITH A SMALL, UH, GABLE AT ONE CORNER INDICATING THE FRONT ENTRYWAY.
UH, THIS PROPERTY, UH, FEATURES A COVERED CARPORT THE LEFT OF THE ENTRYWAY UNTIL 2025.
THE WALLS WERE CLAD IN SOME SORT OF SHINGLE, THOUGH THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN REMOVED AS OF A MAY, 2025 SITE VISIT.
UM, THE THE 2015 BOLD CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY ALSO LISTED THIS PROPERTY AS MEDIUM PRIORITY AND IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE POTENTIAL COPELAND HISTORIC DISTRICT.
LIKE, UH, 6 0 4 COPELAND IS BEEN DETERMINED BY STAFF THAT, THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK, UH, STATS.
UH, FOR 1004 SOUTH FIRST STREET, ITEM NUMBER, NUMBER 17, UH, PROPOSALS DEMOLISH A CIRCUIT 1929 HOUSE.
THE ASYMMETRIC CRAFTSMAN STYLE HOUSE AT 1004 SOUTH FIRST STREET FEATURES A BROAD FRONT PORCH THAT SPANS WHAT HALF OF THE
[02:05:01]
STREET FACING ELEVATION AND IS COVERED BY A FRONT G OLD ROOF THAT FEATURES DECORATIVE BRACKETS.THIS IS, UH, LISTED AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY IN THE BOLDEN CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
AND, UH, STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO, UH, UH, OUR DESIGNATION CRITERIA.
UH, FINALLY 1006 SOUTH FIRST STREET.
ITEM NUMBER 18 IS DEMOLISHING A CIRCA 1924 HOUSE.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT THIS INCLUDES A REAR GARAGE STRUCTURE, UM, WIND VIEWED FROM THE STREET.
THE HOUSE AT 1006 SOUTH FIRST STREET IS LARGELY SYMMETRICAL WITH A FEW ROOMS ADDED AT THE REAR OF THE SIDES.
UH, THE PORCH SPANS ROUGHLY THE MIDDLE THIRD BUILDING AND IS ELEVATED, UH, ABOVE GRADE BY TWO STEPS.
UH, THE PROPERTY, UM, ALSO AT ONE POINT INCORPORATED A REAR TWO STORY GARAGE STRUCTURE, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN RENTED OUT AND HAD ADDITIONAL NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADDRESS.
UH, WHICH YOU CAN READ IN THE, UH, RESEARCH SECTION.
UH, IN BACKUP, UH, THIS STRUCTURE IS REFERRED.
JUST NOTE, THE STRUCTURE IS REFERRED TO AS 6 0 2 COPELAND STREET IN THE BOLD AND CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
UM, BOTH OF THESE, UH, LIKE THE OTHER THREE PROPERTIES ARE UM, MEDIUM PRIORITY AND, UM, LISTED AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL COPELAND HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, ALSO DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ALL FOUR OF THESE IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN MATERIAL SALVAGE, UM, AND REUSE, BUT RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WE WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, UM, THE, A CONSIDERATION FOR, UH, UM, RELOCATION.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE STRONGLY CONSIDERED.
UM, AND MAY I ASK, UH, AS WE CONTINUE, IF WE CAN HAVE THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THESE, UH, AVAILABLE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
BUT, UH, ANY DISCUSSION, UH, OR QUESTIONS OF STAFF COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
UM, THIS, UH, THESE FOUR ITEMS HAVE BEEN PULLED, UH, AND WE CERTAINLY WILL, UH, BE ABLE TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND HEAR FROM THE, UH, APPLICANT AS THE APPLICANT HERE.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, UM, AND THE OWNERSHIP GROUP.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THIS, THESE HOMES AND THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THESE HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR OVER A YEAR.
SOME, UM, MANY, MANY YEARS HAVE BEEN, AS YOU CAN SEE, BOARDED UP.
UM, IT'S CREATED A HABITAT FOR, UM, DRUGS, CRIME THEFT, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN A MAJOR NUISANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IT'S BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM TO TRY TO KEEP, UM, PEOPLE OUTTA THESE HOMES, UM, MOST OF WHICH HAVE BEEN, UM, EXTREMELY VANDALIZED BOTH ON THE OUTSIDE AND THE INSIDE.
UM, IT'S CREATED SO MUCH OF A NUISANCE THAT, UM, NEIGHBORS HAVE CONTINUOUSLY CALLED COUNCIL MEMBER RE'S OFFICE, UM, AND, UM, ASKED HIM TO CONTACT, UM, OR THEIR OFFICE TO CONTACT OWNERSHIP ABOUT THIS.
AND SO THEY HAVE ASKED US ABOUT DEMOLITION.
UM, WE HAVE HAD, UM, GROUPS LOOK AT THIS WHO DO RELOCATIONS AND, AND DEMOLITION, AND, UM, THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE SALVAGEABLE IN THEIR CURRENT CONDITION.
UM, AND LASTLY, UM, WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE BOLDING CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, AND THEY STRONGLY SUPPORT, UH, DEMOLITION OF THESE BUILDINGS.
UM, THEY HAVE WRITTEN A SUPPORT LETTER, UM, TO US, AND I'M HAPPY TO READ, READ IT, UM, HERE TODAY.
BUT IN REFERENCE TO THESE PROPERTIES, UH, THE GOLDEN CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ENDORSES THE DEMOLITION OF THESE FOUR STRUCTURES.
GIVEN THEIR SEVERELY DILAPIDATED CONDITION, RELOCATING THEM SEEMS UNFEASIBLE.
WE WOULD LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO RECEIVE ANY MATERIALS THAT CAN BE SAFELY PRESERVED.
IF THE APPLICANT IS AGREEABLE, WE REQUEST THAT SOMEONE FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY VISIT THE PROPERTIES, UH, WITH OWNERSHIP BEFORE DEMOLITION BEGINS, SO THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY ANY ITEMS THAT THEY MAY, UM, THAT THAT CAN BE SALVAGED AND DONATED TO HABITAT.
THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY PURSUED AND DISCUSSED WITH HABITAT, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE DISCUSSIONS PRIOR TO DEMOLITION.
UM, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY.
AND JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS, MR. SAYERS.
UM, SO WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITH THE, WITH THE OWNERSHIP? ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT? I'M, I'M NOT EMPLOYED, UM, BY THE OWNERSHIP.
UM, I, I WORK FOR ANOTHER REAL ESTATE COMPANY IN
[02:10:01]
AUSTIN, TEXAS.UH, THE OWNERSHIP IS NOT, UM, DOES NOT HAVE A LOCAL TEAM.
AND HOW LONG HAVE THEY OWNED THESE PROPERTIES? UH, THAT'S KIND OF A CONVOLUTED, UM, ANSWER BECAUSE OF THESE WERE PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY A GROUP THAT, UM, UH, FELL APART AND THEY WERE A LIMITED PARTNER OF THAT GROUP, AND THEY HAD TO TAKE OVER PRIOR TO FORECLOSURE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY, BUT THIS GROUP IS NOT A COMPANY THAT TYPICALLY MANAGES REAL ESTATE.
AND SO THEY'VE ASKED US TO DO THAT FOR THEM.
THEY WERE A INVESTOR IN THE ASSET, AND THE, UH, MANAGING MEMBER COMPLETELY WENT UNDER AND, AND FELL APART, AND, AND IT IS NO LONGER AROUND.
UM, SO I, I BELIEVE THEY'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE AND HAD TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE, UM, UH, MANAGING ROLE IN THE REAL ESTATE FOR LIKE THE LAST 18 MONTHS, MAYBE TWO YEARS.
BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT TIMELINE UNFOLDED.
AND, AND MY, MY OBSERVATION, PART OF THE REASON I WANTED, I, WE MAY HEAR FROM OTHER NEIGHBORS, BUT, UH, ITEM THE, THE, THE 6 0 4 COPELAND AND THE 6 0 6 COPELAND, UH, WHEN I LOOKED AT THEM QUICKLY, IT LOOKED LIKE THOSE MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN PREFABRICATED, UH, CALCA SHOE HOUSES.
THESE WERE BUILT IN THE THIRTIES AND WERE DISTRIBUTED BASICALLY FACTORY REBUILT AND THEN BROUGHT ONTO SITE.
UH, THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXACT SAME CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE, BUT THE PROPORTIONS AND SOME OF THE DETAILS ARE SIMILAR.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE HIGH QUALITY BUILDS FROM THAT ERA.
AND SO I, I, I KNOW CERTAINLY WITH VANDALISM AND WITH NEGLECT, UH, THAT CAN TAKE IT TO TOLL ON HIS STRUCTURE.
BUT THOSE IN PARTICULAR, UH, SHOULD BE LOOKED AT VERY RIGOROUSLY BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN RESTORED IN, MOVED OFF LOCATIONS, OR COULD BE PART OF SOME OTHER FUTURE PROJECT, UH, AND WOULD BE A RESOURCE BEFORE YOU'VE STARTED EVEN BEGINNING TO TAKE THEM APART.
UH, I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT.
UH, I CAN'T SAY THE SAME THAT THE, OF THE BUNGALOWS, THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE CERTAIN VALUE.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE CONDITION THAT THOSE HAVE GOTTEN INTO.
UH, BUT YOUR, YOUR REQUEST IS THAT ALL FOUR OF THOSE PROPERTIES WOULD BE DEMOLISHED.
AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT IS THE BEST ALTERNATIVES, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS ANY DISCUSSION OR, OR QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF IF THERE'S SURE.
IF, HAS THERE BEEN ANY RESEARCH? I AGREE THESE DO LOOK LIKE CALIE HOMES.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, PLEASE COME AND SPEAK IN FAVOR.
I LIVE AT 900 SOUTH SECOND STREET, PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS DEVELOPED ORIGINALLY BY STORY BUILT DEVELOPER THAT IS INSOLVENT NOW, UM, BUT WAS THE ORIGINAL, UM, DEVELOPER ON THE PROJECT.
WE'VE LIVED THERE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW AND THESE HOMES HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN TRESPASSED HUGE AMOUNTS OF DRUG USE AND THERE IS A CONSTANT BREAK IN OF PUT UP BOARDS.
THEY TAKE THEM DOWN, PUT UP BOARDS, THEY TAKE THEM DOWN, AND IT'S BEEN CONSTANT.
THE POLICE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN THE PARTY THAT HAS CONTACTED SO QUADRY AND NOW THAT THERE IS A SOLVENT ENTITY THAT IS ACTUALLY THE OWNER OF THIS GROUP THAT HAS A LINE TO ACTUALLY POSITION THE DENSE HOUSING TO COME UP AT THIS AREA.
UH, WE JUST, ALONG WITH THE OTHER OWNERS AT, UH, 900 SOUTH SECOND STREET, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PROJECT MOVE AS EXPEDIENT AS IT COULD BE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT NUISANCE OF ENTRANCE INTO THE COMMUNITY, BREAK IN AND DEGRADATION OF THESE HOUSES.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE ABOVE THE SPEAKER, RIGHT? NO, THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UM, I LIVE OVER IN 8 0 2 SOUTH FIRST.
I'M KIND OF THEIR NEIGHBORS AS WELL, UH, AS WELL AS THEY ARE MY PARENTS', NEIGHBORS.
MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN LIVING AT 900 SOUTH FIRST OF ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.
THEY HAVE A CREEK BEHIND THEIR HOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS TRESPASSERS GOING BY THERE.
I LIVE IN LIKE THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, SO I HAVE
[02:15:01]
A LITTLE WOODLAND AREA.PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING BY THAT AREA JUST TO KIND OF GET TO THESE HOUSES AND IT'S A CONSTANT SITUATION.
HOUSES LIKE THE SITUATION ALSO IS, YOU GUYS HAVE THESE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HOUSES, HOWEVER, THERE'S STILL NINE 11 SOUTH FIRST STREET.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TO PRIOR TOWN MEETINGS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PUT UP ON THE AGENDA, BUT I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, RE FABRICATING THESE HOUSES TO MAKE 'EM LOOK BETTER, DOESN'T REALLY FIX THE OVERALL SITUATION WITH THE OTHER HOUSING THAT'S NOT BEEN LISTED OR MAYBE NOT BEEN SHOWN YET.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE THE, UH, SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
THE AMOUNT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, THE AMOUNT OF DRUG USAGE IN THE AREA, PROBABLY NOT THAT GOOD FOR THE LOCAL AREA.
BUT YEAH, THAT I, YEAH, I DO THINK THAT WE KIND OF NEED TO KIND OF GET RID OF THESE, DEMOLISH THEM, GET IT MOVING, MAYBE PUT SOME BETTER JUST FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
AND ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS WHO, UH, WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT.
ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS HERE OPPOSED TO THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? OKAY.
IS THERE ANY SPEAKERS ONLINE EITHER FOR OR AGAINST? ALRIGHT, SO I SEE THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE PULLED ALL, UH, FOUR CASES FOR CONSIDERATION AND WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT, UH, ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THESE FOUR ITEMS? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR ALL THESE PROPERTIES.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RELOCATION 'CAUSE THESE DO LOOK BY CAL CHU COTTAGES, WHICH, UH, WOULD MOVE RELATIVELY EASILY AND SOUNDS LIKE THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THAT.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS THINGS TO MOVE FORWARD HERE AND THEN NO ONE SPEAKING OUT IN FAVOR OF THEM.
IT'S KIND OF AN ODD LOCATION, VERY BUSY STREET.
PROBABLY A GOOD SPOT FOR SOME HIGH DENSITY HOUSING.
UH, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED SEEING THESE AS I GO BY, BUT KIND OF SEEING THEM GO DOWNHILL, IT'S NOT, UH, GREAT FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
SO, UH, I THINK THIS IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD.
YEAH, I I ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOVE THOSE TWO PROPERTIES, THOSE TWO PROJECTS TO, UH, UH, HOUSE THIS TO FIND A NEW HOME.
UH, AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF HOW THIS NEGLECT BROUGHT THOSE STRUCTURES INTO THE SHAPE THEY'RE IN.
UH, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THINGS UNADDRESSED SO THAT THEY DON'T GET BETTER, BUT I THINK IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
IF YOU HAVE AN OLDER HOME, UH, THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR KEEPING THEM UP, KEEPING THEM CONSISTENT.
UH, EITHER THE PREVIOUS ITERATION OF THIS OWNERSHIP OR WHOEVER OWNED THEM PRIOR TO THIS OWNERSHIP, UH, BEARS SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT MUCH CAN BE DONE, UH, OTHER THAN, ONCE AGAIN, ENCOURAGE THE TWO THAT APPEAR TO BE SALVAGEABLE.
UH, IF THERE'S ANY VALUE OR ANY WAY THAT THOSE CAN BE MOVED, WE WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THAT, BUT I, I WILL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, THIS IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT WITH DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ITEMS 15, 16, 17, AND 18.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
I SEE FIVE HANDS, SIX HANDS RAISED, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, AND COMMISSIONER GROGAN OPPOSED.
BUT THAT SIX IS A, UH, QUORUM VOTE AND THE MOTION PASSES.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS.
[20. PR-2025-041615 – 607 E 38th St. Council District 9]
ITEM IS THE DISCUSSION ITEM ON NUMBER 20.AND THIS IS FOR 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1935 HOUSE.
THE HOUSE AT 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET IS A SIDE-BY-SIDE DUPLEX SET ON AN ELEVATED FOUNDATION ON A SLOPING GRADE ADJACENT TO
[02:20:01]
HANCOCK HANCOCK GOLF COURSE.UNLIKE MANY HOMES IN THE NEARBY HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WERE CONVERTED TO DUPLEXES DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN THE 1930S, THIS PROPERTY APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS ITS TWO UNITS.
THIS CAN BE SEEN IN THE TWO ENTRANCES AT THE FRONT CORNERS, WHICH ARE COVERED BY SMALL DECORATED GABLES OVERHANGING THEIR RESPECTED STEWS.
THROUGHOUT ITS EARLY HISTORY, THE PROPERTY WAS INHABITED BY A SERIES OF RENTERS, NONE OF WHOM APPEARED TO HAVE LIVED AT THE ADDRESS FOR LONGER THAN A FEW YEARS.
THE HOUSE WAS CONSISTENTLY, THE HOUSE CONSISTENTLY HAD STUDENTS LIVING THERE THROUGHOUT THE DECADES, GIVEN ITS PROXIMITY TO UNIVERSITIES NEAR TO THE SOUTH.
THE 2019 NORTH BLUE C**K, FOGGY, FOGGY CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY.
PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
UH, THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND OBJECTIVE, REUSE THE MATERIAL, SALVAGE AND REUSE, BUT RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
THE APPLICANT HERE, UH, THE APPLICANT IS, UH, LISA VELA? NO.
UH, WE MAY HAVE SPEAKERS HERE IN OPPOSITION.
UH, WOULD ANYBODY HERE LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, ON THIS ITEM? THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 26 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET.
YES, MR. DON LARSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
MR. LARSON, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE RECORD.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HANCOCK NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 29 YEARS, CHAIR SETH COMMISSIONERS.
I WANNA START BY THANKING YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME YOU GIVE WILLINGLY TO THIS CITY TO HELP PRESERVE OUR HISTORICAL CHARACTER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED, EVEN IF IT ISN'T SAID VERY OFTEN.
AS A RESIDENT OF HANCOCK FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME, I HAVE NOTICED REPEATEDLY AS I WALK THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DRIVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IT'S THE OLD CRAFTSMAN STYLE HOMES THAT KEEP IT QUAINT, KEEP IT VIABLE, AND KEEP IT AN INTERESTING PLACE TO LIVE.
WHEN I PASSED 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET, EITHER WALKING OR DRIVING, IT STANDS OUT NOT BECAUSE IT'S A JARRING NEW HOUSE, BUT BECAUSE IT IS QUAINT, UNIQUE IN STYLE, 90 YEARS OLD, AND IT BLENDS INTO ITS ENVIRONMENT, NOT DETRACTS FROM IT, I THINK THE LOSS OF THIS HOUSE WOULD BE A DETRIMENT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF STAFF AT THIS POINT? WAS THIS DEMOLITION NOT APPROVED IN 2022? THIS HOUSE LOOKED VERY FAMILIAR TO ME AND I'VE LOOKED UP CASE FROM JANUARY 24TH, 2020 2, 6 0 7 EAST 38TH.
IS THIS THE SAME PROPERTY LISA VELA APPLICANT? HAVE WE HAD, WE'VE HAD THIS BEFORE, YES.
AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? UH, WE APPROVED THE DEMOLITION.
I DON'T RECALL THAT, BUT IT'S RIGHT HERE.
WELL, SO YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THAT WHILE WE CONTINUE, BUT IT'D BE ODD FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR IT AGAIN IF THEY ALREADY HAD IT.
UNLESS IT, UNLESS IT WAS TIMING OUT.
BUT, UM, I, I WAS BY THE PROPERTY EARLIER TODAY AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.
UH, AND YOU'VE GOT A, UH, GARAGE IN THE BACK, IN FACT, WHICH IS NOT REALLY MENTIONED, BUT ALSO PART OF THE INTEGRITY OF THAT PROPERTY, EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE MY, MY CURIOSITY WAS PEAKED BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, IT HAD SOME OF THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAL CCHU, UH, HOUSES, THOUGH, IN THIS CASE ON EITHER SIDE.
AND AS A DUPLEX, IT'S NOT AN EXACT, UH, IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE EXACT CHARACTERISTICS.
SO IT MAY HAVE BEEN A VARIANT, UH, OR IT MAY HAVE BEEN DONE IN, IN, UH, COPYING SOME OF THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
[02:25:01]
IN NEW CONSTRUCTION.BUT IT CERTAINLY, WHOEVER, WHOEVER WAS DOING IT, EITHER THAT IS A VERY INNOVATIVE PREFAB THAT WOUND UP THERE OR, UH, THEY WERE DESIGNING IN CELEBRATION OF THE, THE, THE COMMONALITY OF THESE PREFABS.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ARCHITECTURAL REASONS WHY THAT'S, THAT'S A PROPERTY WITH SOME MERIT.
SO THAT JUST MY, MY COMMENT OVERALL.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS AT ALL THAT WE KNOW OF? YES.
UM, I'LL JUST COMMENT THAT, UH, ACCORDING TO CITY RECORDS, WE HAVE THE PERMIT, THE DEMO SHOULD PERMIT BEING WITHDRAWN IN 2021.
ONLINE WE HAVE MS. BARBARA EPSTEIN.
OKAY, MS. EPSTEIN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MS. EPSTEIN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
MY PHONE DISCONNECTED, SO I THOUGHT I MISSED MY CHANCE.
I OPPOSED A DEMOLITION AT 6 0 70 30 EIGHTH STREET, A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE BECAUSE ITS AGE AND ARCHITECTURAL STYLE CONTRIBUTE TO A GATEWAY STREET TO OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK OF THAT VIVID HISTORY.
EVERY TIME I WALKED PAST AN OLDER HOUSE, THE LAND SAM HOUSTON GAVE TO THE FIR TO THE WIFE OF THE FIRST TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE, THE LAST REMNANT OF WHEELERS GROVE, THE FARM OF THE SURVIVOR OF THE ALAMO, THE REMAINING NINE HOLES OF THE OLDEST GOLF COURSE WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, THE J FRANK DOBY HOUSE.
EACH DEMOLITION PERMIT YOU ISSUE ERASES SOME OF THAT HISTORY YOUR STAFF WROTE THAT 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET CAN AND SHOULD BE RESTORED.
IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER OF THE STREET AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEVER DO YOU NEED TO HEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR PERMITS.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER YOUR PREVIOUS DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET, THE OWNER FILED A PLAN TO REPLACE THE CURRENT APPROXIMATE 1800 SQUARE FOOT DUPLEX WITH AN ARCHITECTURALLY INCOMPATIBLE 4,000 SQUARE FEET, REFUSED TO PRESERVE A PROTECTED TREE AND TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO GET THE CITY TO LET HIM TIE INTO THE TWO INCH LINE AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH COULD HAVE BLOWN OUT NEIGHBORS AGING WATER AND SEWER LINES.
YOU APPROVED THE DEMOLITION OF 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE FOR AN ABSENTEE OWNER OF 12 NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTIES, DESPITE IT HAVING BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, DESPITE 71 NEIGHBOR'S SIGNATURES SUPPORTING PRESERVATION, AND DESPITE NUMBER SEVEN OF YOUR OWN BYLAWS, REQUIRING YOU TO ASK THE CITY TO PURCHASE A HISTORIC HOUSE IF THE OWNER REFUSES TO PRESERVE IT.
PENDING THE DEMOLITION, MY REQUEST TO SPEAK WITH YOUR CHAIRMAN WHEN UNANSWERED, THAT UNIQUE 1925 HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED WITHOUT TESTING IT FOR LEAD AND ASBESTOS, EVEN THOUGH IT SAT ON THE EDGE OF EASTWOOD PARK IN WALLER CREEK, NEIGHBORS REPORTED THAT THE DEMOLITION DUST BLEW SO HARD AND THICK, THEY COULD NOT BREATHE INSIDE THEIR HOMES AND HAD TO LEAVE.
INSTEAD OF ITS THREE UNITS CONTINUING TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT REMAINS A VACANT LOT PERIODICALLY CITED FOR WEEDS AS TALL AS SEVEN FEET.
AFTER YOU GRANTED THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 33 0 4 DUVAL STREET, THE OWNER REFUSED TO SOLVE HIS ZONING PROBLEM AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD, APPLIED FOR MF ONE ZONING AND NOW HAS FILED FOR M MS THREE ZONING UNDER WHICH HE CAN BUILD AS MANY AS 36 UNITS.
NOTHING THAT GETS BUILT AS MORE AFFORDABLE GIVEN THE DESIRABLE LOCATION AND THE COST OF LAND CONSTRUCTION AND INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES.
ALTHOUGH THE CITY PREVIOUSLY SURVEYED THE STREET FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, YOU APPROVED PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND INAPPROPRIATE ALTERATIONS FOR 5 0 1 TEXAS AVENUE, INCLUDING TWO ADDITIONAL DWELLING UNITS.
BUT NEIGHBORS WERE TOLD WE WERE NOT ENTITLED TO NOTICE FOR SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS AFTER THE INITIAL HEARING, 29 0 7 VIENNA HAD A DEMOLITION HEARING LAST MONTH.
EVEN THOUGH THE HOUSE IS INTACT IN GOOD HABITABLE CONDITION, CONTRIBUTES TO THE HISTORIC STREET SCAPE AND IS AFFORDABLE.
I TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO LOCATE AND SPEAK TO THE OWNER ABOUT HIS PLANS.
MS. HESS EPSTEIN IN OVER FOUR YEARS INVOLVED IN MS. NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES.
I'M JUST HAVING A SENTENCE OR TWO MORE.
I'VE RARELY SEEN AN INVESTOR CARE ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAXIMIZING PROFITS.
THAT'S WHY THE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE SHOULD HAVE A MORE MEANINGFUL SAY IN PRESERVING THE CHARACTER AND CHARM OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLEASE DENY THE REQUEST TO DEMOLISH 6 0 70 EAST 38TH STREET SO THAT WE CAN KEEP WHAT REMAINS OF OUR PERIOD ARCHITECTURE AND ITS SIGNIFICANT REMINDERS OF OUR HISTORY.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, PLEASE.
HI, MY NAME IS CHARLES BRADBURY.
UM, I LIVE AT 6 0 9 EAST 38TH STREET.
THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR ON THE CORNER.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I LOVE LIVING IN HANCOCK.
[02:30:01]
ALLOWED ME TO LIVE IN AUSTIN, UM, IN AN AREA THAT IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE IT KIND OF, IT HAS VARIATION WITHIN THE CONTINUITY OF THE ARCHITECTURE.I THINK THAT MAKES ME FEEL CONNECTED TO WHERE I'M FROM AND THE HISTORY OF IT.
UM, ALSO HAD THIS GREAT, UM, TREE COVER.
UM, AND IT ALSO HAS A SORT OF LIKE SNEAKY DENSITY TO IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRIPLEXES, A LOT OF ADUS, A LOT OF DUPLEXES, UH, AND ACTUAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR STUDENTS AND FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
UM, FOR ARTISTS, IT'S KIND OF AN AREA ALSO THAT I COULD SEE MYSELF ACTUALLY OWNING A HOME ONE DAY.
UM, AND THE, WELL, I READ THE PROPOSAL, UM, FOR WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH IT.
BUT, UM, LOOKING AT THE HABITAT HOUSE THAT THE, THE LLC, THAT'S THE OWNER, UM, I SEE A LOT OF, UM, THE KIND OF BLOCKING MINIMALIST WHITE AND BLACK ARCHITECTURE THAT'S KIND OF MAXIMIZING THE LOT SPACE.
YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE ACROSS AUSTIN.
UM, AND I FEEL THAT WE MAY BE GETTING RID OF A PURPOSE-BUILT DUPLEX, UM, TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, A ACTUALLY HAVING LESS DENSITY, UM, AND SOMETHING THAT WILL IN CONGRESS WITH THE AREA.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT DECREASES WALKABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.
AND, UM, ALSO HAS MAYBE SOME BAD THINGS FOR THE TREES IN THE AREA.
UH, I'D ALSO SAY THAT I'M AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE HANCOCK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OUR MEETING, UH, SINCE THIS WAS POSTED ON THE 23RD, UM, OUR NEXT MEETING ISN'T UNTIL THE 11TH.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS UP AND DISCUSS, UM, WITH THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORS, UH, AND THE PRESIDENT.
UM, AND IT WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE POSTPONE, UH, A DECISION ON THIS UNTIL AFTER WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT AS A NEIGHBORHOOD HAD COME TO A DECISION.
UM, ALSO THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, UH, IMPACTED THE AREA AND SO I HAVE BEEN BRINGING UP WITH NEIGHBORS, BUT ALSO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BUSY WITH REPAIRS TO THEIR HOMES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE TREES AND THEN TO THE STREETS AND SUCH.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD REQUEST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOU.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS EITHER PRESENT OR ONLINE? ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND ALL SEVEN.
SO THAT IS APPROVED COMMISSIONERS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE APPLICANT HERE, BUT, UH, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE? I'LL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR JULY MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER COOK SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MC MORDER.
UH, I LOVE THE BUILDING AS WELL.
UM, I DO WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TESTIFIED AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE SHOWING UP BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET, SEE THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT HERE, BUT WE CAN'T REALLY DENY A DEMOLITION APPLICATION UNLESS IT'S ALREADY DESIGNATED HISTORIC.
ALL WE CAN DO IS RECOMMEND IT FOR HISTORIC ZONING, WHICH AGAINST OWNERS WISHES IS A VERY HIGH BAR ANYWHERE FROM WHAT FIVE TO 15 TIMES IN HISTORY HAS IT BEEN DONE? AND THE STATE'S CONSTANTLY SETTING THE BAR HIGHER FOR US TO GET THAT DONE.
SO AS MUCH AS WE HATE SEEING A, A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS GO, UH, I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING PROCESSES AND THE PROCESSES PROBABLY GIVE US ABOUT THAT MUCH ROOM TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHENEVER SOMEONE'S HAS AN INTENT TO DEMOLISH SOMETHING.
SO I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO, WE DO CARE.
BUT, UH, PRI I'M VOTING TO POSTPONE PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE OWNER'S NOT HERE TO SPEAK.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT, THAT JANUARY, 2022 CASE WHERE I, WHERE WE HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER NEXT MONTH.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LIMITS.
THE BAR IS VERY HIGH FOR, UH, DESIGNATION AGAINST OWNER'S WISHES, BUT, UH, WE HAVE TO KEEP SHOWING UP AND FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WE CARE.
IF I MAY STEP IN HERE JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE CLARITY ON THE, UH, PREVIOUS DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IT WAS APPROVED, HOWEVER, THE, UM, APPLICANT APPEARS TO HAVE SUBMITTED A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE TO THE CITY, THAT PERMIT THEN EXPIRED.
AND THIS IS, UM, A RENEWAL BY A DIFFERENT OWNER.
THAT IS A DIFFERENT APPLICANT THAN THE ORIGINAL, THAN THE PREVIOUS, CORRECT.
THOSE PACKAGES HAVE THAT MUCH POWER.
YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T PLAY BALL, YOU DON'T GET YOUR, YOU, YOU'VE GOT YOUR DEMOLITION, UH, COMMISSIONER HORTER.
YOU KNOW, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S MERIT TO THIS BUILDING.
UM, I DON'T RECALL THE DISCUSSION IN THE PREVIOUS, BUT IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE TOOL, UM, IT IS EITHER SOMETHING BECOMES WORTHY OF A HISTORIC ZONING DESIGNATION.
IT'S A VERY HIGH BAR, EVEN HIGHER IF AN OWNER IS NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT DESIGNATION.
[02:35:01]
UM, THE ONLY OTHER TOOL WE HAVE IS DELAY.AND IF THE NEIGHBORS CAN USE THAT TIME EFFECTIVELY, THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES TO FIND OTHER SOLUTIONS, PERHAPS, UH, MAYBE EVEN A DIFFERENT OWNER THAT WOULD ALLOW THE PRESERVATION OF A BUILDING OF THIS QUALITY.
UH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT MEETING SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT WOULD MAKE IT AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK, IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT VALUABLE.
SO WE ENCOURAGE THOSE EFFORTS AND I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION AND I HOPE THAT THE NEIGHBORS CAN MAKE GOOD USE OF THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, YOU'VE HEARD, IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE AT OUR MEETING, ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS CASES, WE CALLED IT TIMED OUT.
SO THERE'S ONLY SO LONG THE DELAY IS ALLOWED.
UH, BUT THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST, AND I BELIEVE, UH, WAS IT 70 DAYS? UH, FOR A, UH, HOW MUCH? 75.
UH, SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF, UH, A CLOCK THAT'S TICKING VERY QUICKLY, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT MAY BE, UH, TIME ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING OF MERIT FOR THIS BUILDING.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THAT, UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS REOPENED AND THAT IS POSTPONED TO OUR JULY MEETING.
[22. PR-2025-058881 – 1606 Cedar Ave. Council District 1]
DISCUSSION, THE 1606 CEDAR AVENUE WAS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.AGAIN, A, A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1924 HOUSE.
UH, UM, VERY SIMPLE IN LAYOUT AND MODEST IN SIZE.
THE HOUSE IS AN ELEVATED SINGLE STORY BUNGALOW WITH A PORCH AT THE FRONT CORNER.
THE FRONT GD ROOF ADDS HIKE TO THE FRONT AND RECESSED PORCH PROVIDES SOME OUTDOOR SEATING SPACE, AS WELL AS A TRANSITION FROM THE STEPS UP FROM THE FRONT WALK TO THE FRONT ENTRY.
THOUGH THE BUILDING IS MODEST AND DOES NOT FEATURE MANY, IF ANY DECORATIVE ELEMENTS, THE BUILDING FORM REPRESENTS A COMMON TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION ONCE PRESENT IN THIS SECTION OF EAST AUSTIN.
BUT HAS RENTERS AND SERVICE WORKERS FOR THE PAST 90 YEARS CONSTRUCTED SOMETIME AROUND 1924.
THE HOUSE AT 1606 CEDAR AVENUE WAS FIRST OWNED BY SARAH NEY.
AFTER THIS TIME, IT WAS OCCUPIED FOR RENTERS FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS, ALL OF WHOM WORKED IN VARIOUS SERVICES AND LABOR INDUSTRIES.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS CONTRIBUTED TO BOTH THE POTENTIAL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND A POTENTIAL NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT IT, THAT, THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, UH, BUT RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? UH, MR. JUSTIN HOK WAS ONLINE, BUT HE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ONLINE ANYMORE.
OKAY, WELL, IF WE GET HIM BACK, WE CERTAINLY WILL ALLOW HIM A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS HERE IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, DEMOLITION REQUEST? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE, I KNOW WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO HAS TO PULL THIS.
IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE OPPOSED? OKAY.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I, I LIVE LESS THAN A BLOCK, UM, FROM THIS HOME AND I WALK BY IT DAILY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HOUSE IS IN NEED OF REPAIRS, BUT I THINK THOSE REPAIRS ARE WORTHWHILE AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE DEMOLISHING IT.
WE'VE ALREADY LOST TOO MANY HISTORIC HOMES IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND STUDY AFTER STUDY COMING OUT OF UT TELLS US THAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE CLEAR, RISING PROPERTY VALUES, CULTURAL DISPLACEMENT, AND THE LOSS OF ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER.
ONCE THOSE HOMES ARE GONE AND THEY'RE REPLACED BY EXPENSIVE NEW BUILDS AND WITH THEM GOES THE HOUSING STOCK THAT WAS AT LEAST THEORETICALLY AFFORDABLE, I'M RESPECTFULLY URGING THE COMMISSION TO REQUIRE REHABILITATION IF POSSIBLE, OR AT MINIMUM, ADAPTIVE REUSE STRATEGIES THAT WE ALREADY KNOW WORK REALLY WELL TO KEEP COMMUNITIES INTACT, HOMES AFFORDABLE, AND HOMES BEAUTIFUL.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER OVERSIZED LUXURY BUILD.
WE NEED TO PROTECT WHAT'S LEFT AND WE CAN DO BETTER IN SUGGESTING REHABILITATION REUSE.
UH, MS. FLEXER, I JUST COMMENT, UH, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
WE WOULD LOVE ABSOLUTELY TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THAT A REQUIREMENT IN A CASE LIKE THIS.
UH, AS YOU'VE HEARD, THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT, NOT ONE OF OUR TOOLS, BUT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE, IT, IT WOULD BE A, A, A WONDERFUL THING.
AND THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT CANDIDATE IF, UM, UH, AN OWNER COULD COME TO US AND WE COULD SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T DEMOLISH IT.
YOU HAVE TO DO THESE OTHER THINGS.
UH, AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE HAVE, HOWEVER, IS ENCOURAGEMENT.
AND SO YOU'RE BRINGING THIS TO
[02:40:01]
OUR ATTENTION, UH, POTENTIALLY HAVING A CHANCE TO NOTIFY OR CONTACT THE OWNER.OCCASIONALLY THERE ARE OWNERS THAT LISTEN.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND WITH COMMISSIONER TUCCI OFF THE DIOCESE.
ALL, UH, THE ALL IN FAVOR? SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
THIS IS, UH, A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
WHAT IS YOUR DESIRED ACTION? I WILL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR JULY MEETING.
UH, JUST BEING REALISTIC ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES HERE.
UH, BUT, UH, ALWAYS WANT TO ENCOURAGE, UH, PARTICIPATION, UH, BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WITHOUT THE APPLICANT AVAILABLE TO SPEAK, IT'S ALSO GOOD TO HEAR FROM THEM.
SO I WANT TO GIVE IT A MONTH TO SEE IF THERE CAN BE, UH, ANY DISCUSSIONS CAN BE HAD.
UH, AND I, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ YET, THE, UH, PRESERVATION PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED RECENTLY.
IT'S GOT REALLY GOOD BACKGROUND ON AND REALLY GOOD BRIEFS ON HOW PRESERVATION WORKS.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD, FUN READ.
I MEAN, IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE, VERY DENSE WITH INFORMATION, VERY EASY TO FOLLOW AND KIND OF GIVE A GOOD FOUNDATION.
SO WE ALWAYS WANT TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION AND, UH, ALSO WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR APPLICANT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M MAKING THE MOTION.
UM, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? UH, NOT MUCH MORE TO ADD OTHER THAN YEAH, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, ENCOURAGE, UH, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, INVOLVEMENT IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE DIALOGUE IN THESE MEETINGS.
UH, WHICH CAN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES HELP US PRESERVE MORE, MORE OF THESE, UH, OLDER STRUCTURES.
AND WE MENTIONED HIS STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
THE, UH, EVALUATION OF THE HOUSE, NOT NECESSARILY MEETING THE CRITERIA FOR FULL HISTORIC ZONING.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T NEGATE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT AT THIS POINT.
IT COULD BE ELIGIBLE IN SOME FUTURE DATE.
UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN THIS AREA AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES GO AWAY THE MORE WE LOSE THIS TYPE OF FABRIC.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THE OWNER WILL LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES, UH, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS TO STILL BE INTACT.
UM, COMMISSIONERS HAVE NO MORE DISCUSSION.
UH, THIS IS TO POSTPONE TO OUR JULY MEETING.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED, SO THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[23. PR-2025-058856 – 908 W Mary St. Council District 9]
WEST ST.AGAIN, UH, THIS IS A RELOCATION REQUEST AND THIS HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO RELOCATE A CIRCA 1950 HOUSE.
UM, THIS SINGLE STORY S GABLE CONSTRUCTION IS SET ON AN ELEVATED FOUNDATION THAT HAS CLAGGED WITH A CONCRETE SKIRT.
THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY FEATURES TWO PAIRS OF ONE OVER ONE HUNG WINDOWS WITH DECORATIVE SHUTTERS.
THE FRONT LEFT OF THE HOUSE CONTAINS A SCREENED IN PORCH.
ALL EXTERIOR WALLS ARE CLADDED IN NARROW TEARDROP SIDING, AND THE ROOF IS CLADED IN STANDING SEA METAL.
A REAR ACCESSORY UNIT IS ALSO PRESENT ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH FEATURES, UH, SIMILAR CONSTRUCTION.
BOTH STRUCTURES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN HEAVILY ALTERED.
THE LONGTIME OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY AT 9 0 8 WEST MARY STREET WERE NORMAN AND, UH, RA CRUMBLING, THE COUPLE OWNED CRUMBLEY, UH, GROCERY AND VARIETY STORE IN AUSTIN FOR MANY YEARS, AND RAISED THEIR CHILDREN AT THE WEST MARY STREET.
ADDRESS, THE 2016 BOLDON CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY LIST THE PROPERTY AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY.
UM, AS FOR, UH, INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE RELOCATION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE PROPOSING TO MOVE THIS, UH, UNDETERMINED RIGHT NOW? AND SO WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WITHIN THE CITY, IN WHICH CASE THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT FOR THE NEW LOCATION.
THEY WOULD NEED A PERMIT FOR THAT, BUT I CAN CHECK ON THE, UH, IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING.
AND THE APPLICANT MAY BE HERE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION OR, OR ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS THE APPLICANT HERE.
PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
[02:45:01]
ROBINSON.I AM THE AUSTIN REGIONAL ASSOCIATE FOR A NONPROFIT CALLED THE REUSE PEOPLE.
AND OUR MISSION IS TO KEEP BUILDING MATERIALS OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND, AND INTACT HOUSES WHEN POSSIBLE AND DISTRIBUTE THEM FOR REUSE.
UM, I'M WORKING WITH THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY, UM, UM, HERE ON HIS BEHALF, EXCUSE ME.
AND, UH, HE IS DONATING THE HOUSE TO OUR NONPROFIT FOR, UH, THE TAX BENEFITS.
BUT HE ALSO FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT SEEING THIS HOUSE BE DEMOLISHED.
UM, IT IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND IT, UH, CERTAINLY DESERVES TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BE PRESERVED, UH, IN ANOTHER LOCATION.
UH, THE HOUSE IS GONNA BE MOVED TO SMITHVILLE.
UM, IN FACT, THE GENTLEMAN WHO, UM, THE THIRD PARTY GENTLEMAN WHO'S TAKING THE HOUSE IS HERE TONIGHT.
AND, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S QUITE AN ENTERPRISE FOR A, UH, MOVE OF THAT DISTANCE.
UH, THE HOUSE SEEMS TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD CONDITION CURRENTLY.
UM, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT IT INTO A COUPLE OF PIECES.
IT WILL BE CUT INTO TWO PIECES.
WELL THAT, THAT AGAIN, FORTUNATELY IT SEEMS TO BE IN PRETTY SOLID SHAPE.
IT'S GONNA, HAS A LONG WAY TO GO.
UH, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS HERE WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
UH, MY NAME IS ELLA RUMLEY GAL.
PERHAPS THE ONLY PERSON LEFT WHO REMEMBERS HOW THE STORY BEGAN AFTER BEING SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AND AWARDED A PURPLE HEART IN WORLD WAR I.
MY DAD AND MOM, NORMAN AND E TRUCK RUMLEY BOUGHT THE MARY STREET PROPERTY IN 1938.
IT WAS CONSIDERED THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN THEN NEAR THE CITY LIMIT, WHICH WAS THE OLD OAK TREE IN FRONT OF WHAT IS NOW EL RANCHO.
AT FIRST THE HOUSE AND GROCERY WERE CONNECTED, KIND OF A MOM AND POP ARRANGEMENT.
LATER THE HOUSE WAS CUT AWAY FROM THE STORE TO MAKE WAY FROM MY MOTHER'S VARIETY STORE WITH THE GROCERY BARBER SHOP, BEAUTY SHOP AND VARIETY STORE.
IT WAS THE HUB OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
KEEP IN MIND THERE WERE NO SUPERMARKETS OR SHOPPING CENTERS.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LIKE A SMALL TOWN.
WE WERE AWAKENED BY THE BELLS, WHICH CALL THE MASS AT SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT O'CLOCK FROM THE LITTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOWN THE HILL IN THE EVENINGS.
THE SCREAMS FROM THE PEACOCKS OF GREEN PASTURES SIGNALED WHEN IT WAS TIME TO GO HOME.
OF COURSE, I HAVE TREASURED MEMORIES OF 9 0 8 WEST MARY.
THE SOUNDS OF LIFE, LAUGHTER, TEENAGE TEARS.
MY DAD SANG GRACE AT THE TABLE.
A LOT OF MUSIC, EVEN SAMMY ALREADY HIS AUGH BROTHERS HAD SOME OF THEIR FIRST REHEARSALS THERE.
BEFORE MY BROTHER HAD TO LEAVE FOR KOREA AFTER MY PARENTS PASSED AWAY, WE LEASED THE HOUSE TO PAUL GLASS AND MIKE FRANCIS AND THE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL BAND.
MY FIRST MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II YEARS, MOM AND DAD HAD TO STAY UP LATE AT NIGHT TO COUNT RATION STAMPS AND POINTS.
THERE WAS A BLACKBOARD ON THE WALL WHERE PEOPLE ADVERTISED THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO TRADE THEIR NA UH, RATION GOODS AS IN A POUND OF SUGAR FOR A POUND OF COFFEE.
MY DAD WAS THE HARDEST WORKING PERSON I HAVE EVER KNOWN.
I NEVER SAW HIM SIT EXCEPT IN CHURCH OR TO EAT.
SOMETIMES HE HIRED PEOPLE HE DIDN'T NEED, JUST SO THEY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO.
IF HE HEARD OF SOMEONE SICK AND OUT OF WORK, HE WOULD TAKE A BOX OF GROCERIES TO THEM.
HE BAILED PEOPLE OUTTA JAIL BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ONE ELSE TO CALL.
WHEN HE PASSED AWAY IN HIS LATE EIGHTIES, THERE WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY AT HIS FUNERAL BECAUSE OF HIGH REGARD THEY HAD FOR HIM.
UH, THE WHOLE CORNER THERE DOWN THROUGH THE STORE, AS I CONSIDER TO BE HIS STORY.
UM, WE EVEN HAD A VERY OLD FORMER SLAVE THAT LIVED IN THE NEXT BLOCK.
HIS MUCH YOUNGER WIFE WORKED FOR US.
UH, JUDGE MCBE LIVED ACROSS THE STREET.
HE WAS KNOWN AS THE, UM, THE LAW SOUTH OF THE RIVER.
AND HE RAN SOUTH AUSTIN LIKE, OKAY, THERE'S YOUR TIME, BUT OKAY, PLEASE WRAP UP.
WHAT, FINISH THAT DID YOU SAY? YES, YES MA'AM.
UH, HE RAN SOUTH AUSTIN, LIKE, UH, THE OLD WEST.
I WITNESSED ONE DAY WE WERE PEEPING THROUGH THE HEDGES WHERE WE WERE PLAYING.
[02:50:01]
DOOR OFFICERS CAME THERE TO UH, UM, AT HIS HOME, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE STREET TO ARRANGE SOME PRISONERS.'CAUSE HE GLOSSED THE OTHER ONE IN WORLD WAR I.
HE HOBBLED OVER TO THE TABLE, TOOK A PISTOL OUT OF HIS BOOT, TAPPED IT ON THE PICNIC TABLE AND SAID THE COURT IS NOW IN SESSION.
AND, UH, IT WAS RUN LIKE THAT.
AND WE HAD, UH, THEIR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS HAD, UH, FIVE CHILDREN WHO WERE ALL BORN AT HOME.
AFTER THEY WERE BORN, THEY WOULD, UH, THE DAD WOULD DRAFT THEM IN A TOWEL, BRING THEM OVER TO DAD'S STORE AND WEIGH THEM ON THE SCALES.
BUT ANYWAY, THERE WAS JUST SO MUCH THAT HAPPENED THERE.
BUT I KNOW LIFE GOES ON THE HOUSE PICTURE THAT I SHOWED YOU WAS WHEN IT WAS LAST.
THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS LAST IN MY FAMILY.
SO ANYWAY, I WOULD LOVE TO SAY MORE, BUT I'LL STOP THERE.
BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY STORIES.
I'M WRITING A BOOK NOW, AS A MATTER OF FACT WITH A LOT OF THOSE STORIES.
I'M SURE THEY'LL BE TREASURED.
UM, LET ME JUST CLARIFY, YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF THEN PRESERVING THE HOUSE, EVEN THOUGH IT WON'T BE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE BE MOVED TO SMITHVILLE.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT, UH, I WON'T BE HERE MUCH LONGER AND UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT IT'S BEING PRESERVED.
IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M THE ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA MOVE THE HOUSE AND I KIND OF JUST HAD AN ANSWER TO A PRAYER 'CAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE.
'CAUSE I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE, UH, BORN IN BRAD RIDGE HOSPITAL WAY BACK IN 61.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE IN AUSTIN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY A RETIRED TEACHER CAN'T AFFORD TO ACTUALLY LIVE HERE.
SO MY GOAL WAS TO GET A PIECE OF AUSTIN AND MOVE IT TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD ACTUALLY AFFORD TO LIVE.
AND LIKE I SAY, I, SHE'S AN ANSWER TO A PRAYER.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW THE HISTORY TO THE HOUSE.
AND I MEAN, IT'S A, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A WAY I CAN GET A PIECE OF AUSTIN AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE UH, MR. RHODES, YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE NON-PROFIT? YES.
ARRANGE, I MEAN THAT'S WHAT I, KATHY HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
'CAUSE I LOOK AT Y'ALL'S AGENDA AND IT MAKES ME ALMOST WANT TO THROW UP.
PARDON MY, BUT THAT'S THE OLD COACH COMING OUT IN ME.
'CAUSE I HATE SEEING OLD HOMES DEMOLISHED.
'CAUSE FIRST OF ALL, THEY WERE BUILT TO LAST.
AND I MEAN, I TAUGHT GEOGRAPHY FOR YEARS AND I MEAN, WE DON'T NEED LANDFILLS FILLED UP MORE WITH OLD HOMES.
WE NEED OLD HOMES TO BE RELOCATED OR TO BE REFURBISHED.
THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M THE GUY THAT MARRIED THE CRUMBLING GIRL.
AND UH, OF COURSE I REMEMBER THAT HOUSE WITH, UH, THAT FRONT WALL WASN'T SURROUNDING IT LIKE A FOCUS, BUT, UH, WE COULD, UH, GUARANTEE THAT UH, IF THEY SHOULD GO TO RELOCATE THAT HOUSE, WE HAVE A, A SPOT ON NEY RANCH ROAD THAT UH, WE COULD DEDICATE TO THE LAND FOR THE RELOCATION OF THAT HOUSE.
SO IF THAT'S AN ALL TO GO FOR IT.
SO WE HAVE A FALLBACK JUST IN CASE.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY? OKAY.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I AM THE MANAGER AND HEAD TRAINER AT TRAIN MY DOGS AUSTIN, WHICH IS THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR TO THE RUMLEY HOUSE.
I WAS GLAD TO HEAR LOUELLA SPEAK 'CAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT SHE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THE HEAD TRAINER AND MANAGER AT TRAIN MY DOGS FOR 13 YEARS.
AND IN THAT TIME, WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU GET TO HEAR ALL THE STORIES ABOUT WHAT MR. CRUMLEY DID IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW HE RAISED EVERYBODY UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'M OPPOSED TO THIS RELOCATION FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT MAKE IT A LANDMARK, BUT MOVING THAT HOUSE ERASES THE HISTORY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
BEYOND THAT, THERE ARE LOGISTICAL CONCERNS TO OUR BUSINESS.
SO RELOCATING THAT HOUSE, IF IT IS GOING TO IMPEDE ANY KIND OF ELECTRICITY.
WE HAVE LIVE ANIMALS STAYING AT OUR FACILITY,
[02:55:01]
WHICH COULD, IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER PROVE DEADLY.THE RUMOR HAS IT THAT THE RELOCATION PLAN IS TO REMOVE THE ROOF AND THEN DEMOLISH THE WALL ON OUR SIDE OF, BETWEEN OUR TWO BUILDINGS AND THEN MOVE IT THROUGH OUR PARKING LOT.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE WILL HAVE TO CLOSE, WE WILL LOSE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REVENUE AND ALL OF OUR, OUR STAFF WILL LOSE SALARY.
THE VERY FIRST TIME WE HEARD ABOUT THIS WAS A WEEK AGO WHEN WE GOT THE NOTICE.
THERE HAS BEEN NO DISCUSSION WITH US.
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER CONCERNS BECAUSE THAT WALL ACTUALLY SITS ON OUR LANDLORD'S SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DEMOLISH THAT WALL ANYWAY.
BUT IF THEY DO DEMOLISH THAT WALL, THAT'S ONE OF THE SECURE PARTS OF OUR PLAY YARD.
AND IT WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO OUR BUSINESS WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO REBUILD FENCING AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR FACILITY IS SAFE AND CONTAINED.
SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE JUST A LOT OF CONCERNS OUTSIDE OF THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU SEE THE CRUMBLY HOUSE, THAT EVERYBODY WHO'S EVER LIVED THERE GETS A WARM FEELING.
A MAN STOPPED BY OUR FACILITY A MONTH AGO AND ASKED IF HE COULD PEEK INSIDE.
AND I, I SAID, WELL I HAVE DOGS INSIDE, I CAN'T LET YOU IN RIGHT NOW.
AND HE SAID, MY MOM WAS LOOKING THROUGH THIS PARKING LOT ONE DAY FOR CHANGE 'CAUSE SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO, TO WASH OUR CLOTHES.
AND MR. CRUMLEY CAME OUT AND ASKED WHAT SHE WAS DOING AND WHEN SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO WASH HER CLOTHES, HE OFFERED HER A JOB AND SHE WORKED THERE FOR DECADES.
AND, AND WHEN HE WAS SICK FROM SCHOOL, HE, SHE WOULD SET UP A, UM, PALLET IN THE BACK FOR HIM TO SLEEP.
AND THAT IS WHAT THIS HOUSE SYMBOLIZES AND IT'S, I AM, I'M GLAD THAT THEY WANNA PRESERVE IT AND MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED, BUT I, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH TRYING TO MOVE IT OUT OF SUCH A BUSY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO YOU SAY YOU'RE LEASING YOUR CURRENT FACILITY? YES.
IS YOUR LANDLORD THE SAME OWNER AS THE ONE WHO OWNS THIS HOUSE? NO.
SO, UM, MY LANDLORD WHO IS ALSO HERE TODAY, UH, HE OWNS THE CORNER STORE AND WE ARE THE OLD WASHATERIA.
SO WE ARE, THE CRUMBLY HOME IS RIGHT NEXT TO US.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, WE'VE HAD A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.
UH, SO THEREFORE, AS A COURTESY, IF THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE, THEY CAN OFFER A REBUTTAL.
I WANTED TO SPEAK TO HER CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE LOGISTICS OF THE MOVE AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT, UM, THAT ADJACENT PROPERTY, APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 FEET OF THIS CONCRETE WALL, STUCCO WALL, UM, ON THEIR SIDE OF THE PROPERTY WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND THE HOUSE WILL BE TAKEN OUT DIAGONALLY.
UM, IT, IT SHOULD NOT CAUSE ANY LOSS OF BUSINESS.
THEY MOVE THE HOMES AT NIGHT, UH, USUALLY 11 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING.
UM, AND THEY'RE DONE, YOU KNOW, BY IT, IT'LL JUST PASS RIGHT THROUGH.
SO IT SHOULDN'T IMPACT, UH, BUSINESS.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK 10 TO 12 FEET WOULD, THAT DOESN'T EXTEND FAR ENOUGH BACK TO I THINK, AFFECT THE PLAY YARD THAT, THAT SHE MENTIONED.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO GET WITH, WITH HER, UM,
I, I I THINK IT'S GONNA BE FINE, HONESTLY.
YEAH, I KNOW THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN A MOVE OF THIS KIND.
UH, CERTAINLY COORDINATION WITH THE NEIGHBORS BECOMES CRITICAL, SO.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY DISCUSSION, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MC, WATER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALL SEVEN HANDS THAT IS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONER WHAT ACTIONS, COMMISSIONER SWEAT ACTIONS WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM? THIS RELOCATION REQUEST? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE RELOCATION PERMIT.
UH, MOTION TO APPROVE RELOCATION.
YEAH, ALSO, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON WITH THIS.
A LOT OF EMOTIONS, UH, GREAT HISTORY.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING AND PROVIDING THE TESTIMONY.
THESE RECORDS STAY ON FILE FOR IN PERPETUITY AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND.
SO ANYONE CAN SEARCH THE STREET ADDRESS AND BE ABLE TO FIND THE LINK TO YOUR VIDEO AND YOUR TESTIMONY, WHICH ADDS TO THE HISTORY WHICH HAS BEEN SHARED TO THE HISTORY WHERE IT'S GONNA GO ON.
[03:00:01]
WAS ONE OF THE, UH, IT'S NEVER OUR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, BUT IN A CITY CHANGING AS MUCH AS AUSTIN, IT IS A ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS FOCUSED ON IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN.AND, UM, UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE REUSE PEOPLE, UH, DOING GOOD WORK.
WE'VE RECOMMENDED, UH, Y'ALL A NUMBER OF TIMES, HOPEFULLY PEOPLE HEAR THIS.
UH, IF ANYONE WANTS TO WRITE A STORY ABOUT PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS, BUT, UM, IT'S, I THINK THE HOUSE IS GONNA HAVE A LIGHT THAT CONTINUES.
IT'LL HAVE THIS, IT'S STORY TOLD.
UM, AND THIS IS A LOT OF PARTS AND PIECES KIND OF COMING TOGETHER THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ROLE IN OTHER THAN APPROVING THIS PERMIT.
UH, BUT WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND EVERYONE COMING OUT TO DISCUSS THE PROPERTY.
AND AS FAR AS THE RELOCATION, I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE IS OTHER CITY PROCESSES BEYOND OUR CONTROL IN, IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE NEIGHBORS WORKING TOGETHER, UH, THAT'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED.
ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, SEEING NONE, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, APPROVAL FOR THE RELOCATION.
PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND ALL ABSTAINING.
UH, I SEE SIX HANDS RAISED AND THEN COMMISSIONER GROGAN ABSTAINING.
OKAY, SO THAT IS A SIX VOTE TO ONE ABSTENTION, THEREFORE THE MOTION PASSES.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE RELOCATION, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
[Items 24 & 25]
ITEM THEN IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.UH, THIS ITEM NUMBER 24 IS PAIRED WITH ITEM NUMBER 25 AND HAS TO DO WITH THE PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS.
AND, UH, I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO STAFF.
UH, YES, ITEM 24 AND 25 ARE, UM, BOTH, UH, DIFFERENT ADDRESSES OF DIFFERENT BUILDINGS OF THE SAME APARTMENT COMPLEX.
SO THIS WILL BE ONE STAFF REPORT FOR BOTH OF THESE BUILDINGS.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO ADDRESSED AS, UH, BUILDINGS A AND B, UM, 1801 RIO GRAND AND 6 0 4 WEST 18TH.
THE PROPOSAL IS TO DEMOLISH AN APARTMENT BUILDING CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1962 AND 1964.
UH, THIS IS A THREE STORY APARTMENT COMPLEX CONSTRUCTED WITH A RANCH AND MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLISTIC INFLUENCES.
THE FRONT BUILDING IS CLAD AND BRICK WITH A HORSESHOE SHAPED PLAN.
WHILE THE BACK BUILDING HAS AN IRREGULAR PLAN, THE PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH BUSINESSMAN GENE MCGREGOR.
HIS EARLY DAYS AS A CHAMPION CARD SHARK CATAPULTED HIM INTO NIGHTCLUB OWNERSHIP, TALENT MANAGEMENT AND APARTMENT CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT IN THE 1960S AND 1970S.
AFTER SERVING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC DURING WORLD WAR II, MCGREGOR MADE HIS HOME IN AUSTIN AND PURCHASED SEVERAL SMALL NIGHTCLUBS WHILE GAMBLING COMPETITIVELY AROUND THE COUNTRY.
LATER, MCGREGOR ENTERED THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS FOCUSING HIS EFFORTS ON APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT.
THOUGH HE MADE HIS HOME IN THE PENTHOUSE, MCGREGOR WOULD GO ON TO CONSTRUCT THE VIP CASA GRANDE, CASA TEJAS, GRANADA, AND AMERICANA APARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE 1960S.
THE DRAFT OF 2025 DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY IS CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN MATERIAL SALVAGE AND REUSE, BUT RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF OFFICE AND DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, UH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE? THIS IS FOR ITEMS NUMBER 29, UH, 24 AND 25.
HELLO COMMISSIONERS AND LEAH BOJO WITH JENNER GROUP, UH, HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO MOVE QUICKLY SINCE YOU'VE HAD A LONG NIGHT.
BUT I WOULD JUST, UM, POINT OUT, UM, THAT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
UM, I THINK IT, WHILE THE PROPERTY IS 50 YEARS OLD, I THINK, UM, THAT THE PROPERTY DOES NOT EVEN RETAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY, UM, LET ALONE HAVE THE ARCHITECTURAL OR, UM, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR IT TO, TO REACH THE LEVEL OF BEING DESIGNATED AS A LANDMARK.
SO, UM, RESPECTFULLY, WE WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT TONIGHT.
AND MS. BOJO, YOU SUBMITTED A PRESENTATION.
WILL YOU BE GIVING THAT TO STATE? I DID, AND I IT'S OKAY.
I'M HAPPY TO GET INTO NO, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR THE RECORD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE IMAGES OH, SURE OF ARE, ARE PROJECTED SO WE CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT FOR THIS ENTIRE BLOCK.
I'M SO SORRY, MS. BOJO, COULD I JUST HOP IN REAL QUICK? UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE ITEMS, UH, 24 AND 25 TOGETHER? OH, WE FORGOT.
COMMISSIONER COOK, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND, UH, AS UNANIMOUS.
SO YOU'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW ON BOTH ITEMS. GREAT.
I'M TALKING ON BOTH ITEMS. THANK YOU
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, THIS IS
[03:05:01]
THE SITE, THIS IS, IT'S, IT'S TOOK TWO PARCELS SINCE THE TWO ITEMS, BUT IT IS SORT OF DEVELOPED AS ONE, CONSISTENTLY AS ONE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX.UH, I'M GONNA SKIP THROUGH THESE.
SO THESE ARE THE TWO, OBVIOUSLY THE TWO SORT OF GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND THEN HERE WE HAVE SORT OF A DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCHITECTURE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT STUFF HAS SAID THAT IT DOES, UM, HAVE A RECOGNIZED ARCHITECTURAL STYLE AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT WE HAVE THERE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE, UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, INTEGRITY OF THE PROPERTY, ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
AND IT IS SORT OF A RANCH STYLE APARTMENT, I THINK TO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER ABOUT A PRESENTATION, UM, AUTO FOCUSED, UM, DESIGN.
AND HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
UH, AND SO, UM, AGAIN, WITH THAT WE WOULD, UM, REQUEST, UH, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT BE RELEASED WITH THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, OF COURSE.
ANY QUESTIONS? AGAIN? THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? OKAY, SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
UH, I LIVE AT 1801 WEST AVENUE.
UH, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THESE TWO ITEMS ARE PART OF THE RISK OF YOUR, UM, UH, CONSIDERATIONS FOR TONIGHT.
THAT THIS WILL BE AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK THAT'S DEMOLISHED.
THE, UH, PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS ARE SURROUNDED, CIRCLED BY SEVERAL HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
THE GIL WOOTEN HOME, WHICH IS A HOTEL ELLA, THE, UM, UM, DENNY HOLIDAY HOUSE, UM, THE JACOB LAMORE HOUSE, THE WATSON POPE HOUSE, ALL SURROUND THE PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS.
THE PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS, UH, HAVE PROBABLY NO HISTORIC VALUE OR NO REASON TO PRESERVE THAT.
I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT YOU POSTPONE THIS HEARING BECAUSE THEY ARE AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS AND NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN LIGHT OF THE ACACIA APARTMENTS THAT ARE NOW UNDER DISCUSSION WILL BE UNDER DISCUSSION TOMORROW AT THE CITY HALL REGARDING DESTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS IN AUSTIN.
AND CERTAINLY THE PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS.
SO I DON'T THINK ANY CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN REGARDING DEMOLITION OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS UNTIL THE CITY RESOLVES THIS DILEMMA OR AT LEAST ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE DILEMMA.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YOU HAVE SOMEBODY NAMED, UH, MI, MS. MEISENBACH I BELIEVE SIGNED UP, BUT OKAY.
PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
I'M SPEAK ON THE NEXT, THE NEXT, UH OKAY.
NEITHER 24, NO 25, IS THAT CORRECT? ALRIGHT.
UH, MS. BOJO UH, THERE WAS A SPEAKER AGAINST, UH, AS A COURTESY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A REBUTT.
ALRIGHT, NOW, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, UH, THERE'S NO MORE SPEAKERS.
I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM? I WILL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PACKAGE PENDING AT CITY OF BOSTON DOCUMENT PENDING DEMOLITION PERMIT.
SORRY, IT'S LONGER THAN IT'S BEEN FOR A WHILE, PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, TESTIMONY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE, BUT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW VERY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES BY LAW, UH, TO KEEP THE CITY OUT OF HOT WATER AND, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALTHOUGH IT IS RELATED TO, UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, WE CAN'T CONSIDER THE AFFORDABILITY FACTOR.
IT HAS TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, TIED TO THE CERTAIN CRITERIA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO, WHILE, WHILE THEY ARE VERY MUCH INTERRELATED AND ARE VERY MUCH A PROBLEM SEEING THESE AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES TORN DOWN, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY, REALLY WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AND OUR OBLIGATION HERE IS TO FOLLOW THE LAW, AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE AS STATED IN TESTIMONY, THESE DON'T HAVE HISTORIC VALUE.
UH, AND RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
[03:10:01]
DAG GUCCI? UH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO JUST, YOU KNOW, ECHO EVERYTHING THAT WAS JUST SAID.UM, BUT, UM, ONCE AGAIN, JUST APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY AND APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN HERE.
YEAH, I, I'M GONNA SAY, I, I, I WON'T BE QUITE AS CUT AND DRIED.
I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION AND AN IMPACT THAT MIGHT ALSO, UH, IN A, IN A SMALL WAY, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, UH, THAT AN ACTION WE TAKE.
YOU HAVE, UH, IMPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING IN GENERAL.
UM, I, I THINK WE DO, WE DO ADD THAT AT LEAST TO OUR CONSIDERATION, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY NOT OUR CRITERIA DOESN'T MEET OUR CRITERIA.
UM, AND WE REALLY DO HAVE TO EVALUATE THIS AS IT'S PRESENTED IN FRONT OF US STRICTLY FOR ITS HISTORIC MERIT.
AND, UH, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE SOME ASPECTS OF THAT TO BE PRESERVED, UM, ON THE WHOLE, IT'S JUST NOT IN GOOD ENOUGH SHAPE AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T REPRESENT WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE A LANDMARK BUILDING, UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? RIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 24 AND NUMBER 25 TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMITS WITH A, UH, COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OKAY, AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED.
[26. DA-2025-051801 – 601 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Council District 9]
NUMBER 26 6 0 1 WEST MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BOULEVARD.UH, THAT IS AGAIN, A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
UH, 6 0 1 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1936 STORE BUILDING.
UH, IT IS A TRADITIONAL TWO-PART COMMERCIAL BLOCK, PLAID AND MASONRY WITH A STEP TO PARAPET.
UH, IT WAS ORIGINALLY ADDRESSED AS 6 0 1 WEST 19TH STREET.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1936.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED BY CANTRELL'S DRUGS, OWNED BY CLYDE AND LUCILLE CANTRELL.
AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS, THE CANTRELL SOLD THEIR STORE TO THE NOW FAMILY, LADNER AND HILTON.
NOW WERE NO STRANGERS TO THE DRUGSTORE BUSINESS.
UM, AND ACCORDING TO A 2021 HISTORY BY ELIZABETH FROM IT, THEY ESTABLISHED MANY OF AUSTIN'S DRUG STORES AND SODA FOUNTAINS FROM 1938 TO 1952.
IT SERVED THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREA AS PLACE TO STOP AND EAT AS WELL AS THE PHARMACY.
MUCH LIKE THE NOW'S OTHER FAMOUS AUSTIN ENTERPRISE NOW'S ENFIELD DRUG.
BY THE MID 1950S, IT WAS SOLD TO PHOTOGRAPHER GILMORE C WILLIAMS WILLIAMS, WHO SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION, WAS AN AWARD-WINNING PORTRAIT ARTIST WHO OFTEN APPEARED ALONGSIDE LUMINARY JOEY MEERS IN GUILD PUBLICATIONS.
IN 1971, HE LEFT THE STUDIO TO TAKE A POSITION AS THE HEAD OF CENTRAL TEXAS'S, CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGES, UH, WHICH IS NOW A CC, UM, THEIR NEW DEPARTMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHY, THE DRAFT 2025 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN MATERIAL SALVAGE AND REUSE, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, UH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE? HELLO COMMISSIONERS.
LIA BOJO HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, AND I WILL ALSO RUN QUICKLY THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF THAT SAME BLOCK THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THERE'S THE PORTION OF THE BLOCK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, 6 0 1 EAST MK.
UM, SO THIS PROPERTY, I THINK ARGUABLY DOES MEET THOSE TWO SORT OF GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENTS AS FAR AS PERIOD AND, UM, INTEGRITY.
UM, HOWEVER, I THINK, UM, OUR READ IS THAT ONLY THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, QUALIFIES, UM, THE SITE FOR, FOR DESIGNATION AND DOESN'T QUITE MEET THE SECOND REQUIREMENT.
UM, ARCHITECTURALLY, UM, THE, THE ISSUES I SEE HERE ARE THAT THE WINDOWS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND THE, UM, PENETRATION PATTERN HAS BEEN ALTERED.
UM, BUT IT IS IN A REASONABLE CONDITION.
UM, HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE BUILDING.
OH, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M SORRY, I MISSED THE ONE.
I HAVE A SLIDE ALSO, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST SPEAK TO IT, UM, ABOUT THE, UM, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
SO AS, AS, UM, MS. CONTRERA DESCRIBED, UM, THEY HAD SOME, A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES THAT WERE IN IT, THAT, THAT MAY HAVE HAD SOME LOCAL IMPORTANCE.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL OUT IS THAT THOSE BUSINESSES WERE THERE, UM, EACH AT TWO VERY DIFFERENT TIMES.
SO THE PERIOD OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE IS NOT REALLY, UM, IS NOT REALLY
[03:15:01]
SPECIFIC ENOUGH.AND IT ALSO IS JUST REALLY, I MEAN, THE NAUS DRUG IS AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS, BUT THIS ISN'T THE ORIGINAL LOCATION OR EVEN SORT OF THE MOST ICONIC OR WELL-KNOWN, UM, LOCATION.
AND THEN, UM, SIMILARLY WITH THE, THE PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO, WHICH WAS THERE FROM 1955 TO 1970, NOT THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE ARCHITECTURE.
AND AGAIN, I'M SURE AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS, BUT NOT REALLY ONE, I THINK THAT RIDES US TO THE LEVEL OF A STRONG HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU, UH, RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND OF COURSE WE WOULD PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? YES, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND DOING ALL THIS GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, I LIVE IN THE JUDGES HILL NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ALWAYS ASK YOU TO READ, READ YOUR NAME.
SO, UM, THE JUDGES HILL, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD HAS, UH, A VERY LONG HISTORY STARTING AT 1850.
THERE ARE ABOUT 11 LANDMARK HOUSES INCLUDED.
AND MS. HOWARD'S HOUSE IS A BLOCK AWAY FROM THIS BLOCK THAT'S GOING TO BE CHANGED.
MY CONCERN IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT BECAUSE, UM, I HAVE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO THE APPLICANT ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S, UM, DRY CLEANING FLUID THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THE TCEQ TODAY.
THEY COMPLETED, UM, A CLEANUP THAT WAS TO THE STANDARDS OF ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO REALLY STUDY IT THAT CAREFULLY, UH, BECAUSE THE BASEMENT WAS ALWAYS FULL OF WATER.
SO NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE ALL THESE DRY CLEANING SOLVENTS WENT.
AND THIS INCLUDES, UM, SURE, I'M GONNA GET IT WRONG, UM, TRICHLORETHYLENE AND TETRA CHLOR ETHYLENE, WHICH ARE CANCER CAUSING AGENTS.
AND, UM, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR MOTHERS TO BE, TO BE NEAR THEM AND THEY SEEP UP FROM THE GROUND.
SO WHEN I HEAR OF A DEMO DEMOLITION PERMIT, I CAN ONLY THINK THAT THESE CHEMICALS COULD BE OF HARM TO THE WORKERS AND FUTURE RESIDENTS.
AND IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT THEY SEEPED DOWNHILL TOWARDS THIS JIMMY JOHN'S BUILDING, BUT IT'S NOT KNOWN COMPLETELY.
SO, UM, WE, I THINK WE PROVIDED THE APPLICANT WITH, UH, ACCESS TO 2000, UH, PAGES OF TCEQ DOCUMENTS AND THEN PERIOD TO THAT.
THEN ALSO, WHEN ALL THESE BUILDINGS ARE DEMOLISHED, AS YOU HEARD MS. EPSTEIN SAY, I FEAR THAT THE, UH, LEAD PAINT USED IN THE PAST WILL BECOME PARTICLES THAT WILL DRIFT OVER TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S MY, UH, UH, IT'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
AND I'VE SPOKEN TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TOO, AND THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING EITHER.
SO HERE I'M, THANK YOU MS. MEISENBACH.
THERE ARE, I WILL SAY STRICTER CONTROLS ON COMMERCIAL DEMOLITION THAN RESIDENTIAL.
SO THAT MAY BE SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, REQUIREMENTS IN THE PERMITTING AND DEMOLITION PROCESS THAT WOULD OFFER MORE, MORE PROTECTION.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE, UH, LEACHING OF ANY CHEMICALS, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT OUR PURVIEW NECESSARILY, BUT I I I ASSUME YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE JACK BROWN BUILDING YES.
AND THESE OTHER BUILDINGS ARE DOWNHILL YEAH.
AND, AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE BETWEEN THE WATER QUALITY ISSUES AS WELL.
UH, ALL THINGS THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MAKING THE ROUNDS OF THE COMMISSIONS.
IT, IT'S TRUE FOR ALL THE OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE BLOCK.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, FIRST IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALRIGHT, AGAIN, MS. BOJO, UH, WE HAD SOMEONE SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, SO YOU'RE WELCOME FOR REBUTTAL, WHICH YOU DON'T REQUIRE.
UH, THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? ONE SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM? MOVED TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF BOSTON DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
[03:20:01]
THERE A SECOND? A SECOND.YEAH, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE TESTIMONY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, DON'T THINK WE CAN JUSTIFY IT RISING TO THE LEVEL OF LANDMARK AGAINST ALL'S WISHES.
YEAH, I'VE GOT NOTHING TO ADD.
UH, I MEAN, E EVEN FOR GOODNESS SAKE, LOSING JIMMY JOHN'S, I MEAN, GOSH, UH, IT, IT IS, THERE ARE LOTS OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE HAD AN IMPACT IN THIS AREA.
THAT STRUCTURE HAS BEEN ADAPTABLE TO SO MANY DIFFERENT USES IS CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT ERA, UH, WHEN IT WILL NO LONGER BE USED, UH, USEFUL FOR WHATEVER COMES NEXT.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NOT, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE ALL SEVEN HANDS THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 27, AS YOU RECALL, WAS POSTPONED BY STAFF, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO THEREFORE, THE LAST ITEM.
SO WE HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT OF OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES.
WE DO HAVE A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT ON NUMBER 28.
UH, SO ITEM NUMBER 30, ARCHITECTURAL
[30. Architectural Review Committee – Comments on the May 14, 2025 meeting. Members: Commissioners Koch, Alvarez, Grogan]
REVIEW COMMITTEE.A QUICK SUMMARY OF, UH, THAT VERY EVENTFUL MEETING.
UM, ENCOURAGE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO OF THE, UH, MEETING.
UH, AT THE BEGINNING WE DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF HOUSES THAT HAD BEEN RELOCATED THAT ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE RELOCATED AGAIN FOR ISSUES RELATED TO THE EXPANSION OF CONVENTION CENTER THAT I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE THOSE STAND NOW, BUT, UH, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BOTH WERE PREVIOUSLY RELOCATED.
BOTH, UH, DO HAVE HOMES TO GO TO, UH, AS I RECALL.
BUT, UH, IT'S AN INTERESTING CASE THAT, UH, EVERYONE SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH.
UH, GREEN, WE SAW A LOT OF GOOD, GREAT HERITAGE GRANTS.
UH, GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY HOUSTON TILTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE THERE, SOUTH GATE, LOUIS HOUSE.
SO, UH, UH, SMOOTH HOUSE, A FLOWER HILL.
SO IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE, UH, GOOD THINGS HAPPENING.
UH, AND THEN, UM, DRY CREEK CAFE CAME BACK TO US WITH SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FOR WHAT IT WAS.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW IT'S GONNA COME TO US AS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION PROBABLY, BUT, UM, THAT WAS, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN SEE ON THAT BECAUSE IT WAS ALL HARD COPY, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT, UM, THAT'S CONTINUING AS WELL.
UH, THE OTHER COMMITTEES ARE PRETTY MUCH ON HOLD UNTIL WE CAN HAVE OUR TRAINING AND RETREAT COMMISSIONERS.
YOU'VE BEEN, UH, BADGERED A BIT.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET, UH, A DATE ON THE CALENDAR.
I KNOW, UH, THERE'S STILL A POSSIBILITY THAT THE, UH, DATE AT THE END OF JUNE MIGHT WORK.
AND I REALLY AM ENCOURAGING EVERYONE, UH, FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK IT WILL BE, UH, TIME, CERTAINLY WELL SPENT IN, UH, THE TRAINING IN THE MORNING.
UH, AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN ALL USE A REFRESHER COURSE.
I'M PLANNING TO SPEND THE DAY, BUT CERTAINLY THE REST OF THE DAY, UH, SPENT IN RETREAT WITH BOTH NEW AND, UH, ONGOING COMMISSIONERS.
AND WE CAN THEN LOOK MORE DEEPLY AT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, WHAT EACH OF US WOULD LIKE TO EXCHANGE, UH, AS WE LOOK AHEAD OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN I THINK IT'D BE APPROPRIATE AT THAT POINT TO HAVE A BETTER DEFINITION, NOT ONLY OF THE, THE ASSIGNMENTS OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO TO START TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES ABOUT WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IN EACH OF THEM.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I, I JUST PLEASE GET BACK TO, UH, KIM MCKNIGHT.
SHE'S BEEN TRYING HARD TO GET THAT ON THE CALENDAR AND, UH, I ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE US TO MAKE TIME WHEN WE GET TOGETHER IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
WE LEARN A LOT, BUT IT REALLY WILL MAKE ALL THE TIME WE SPEND, UH, FROM HERE ON OUT, I THINK EVEN THAT MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE.
SO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR MAKING ROOM ON YOUR CALENDARS STAFF.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE MISSED? WE ALL SET? ALRIGHT.
A BIG AGENDA, BUT I THINK WE DID IT IN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME, SO THEREFORE I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.