[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
6 0 2 I BELIEVE, AND WE HAVE ALL OF, WE HAVE A QUORUM.AND, UH, SO I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER OUR OCTOBER 1ST MEETING, 6:02 PM AND MS. WAGNER, IF YOU WOULD CALL THE ROLL.
UM, CHAIR AFF, UH, PRESENT REMOTELY.
COMMISSIONER RICE IS NOT HERE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER PRESENT.
SO, UM, TONIGHT'S HYBRID MEETING ALLOWS A VIRTUAL QUORUM AS LONG AS THE COMMISSIONER SERVING AS CHAIR IS PRESIDENT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND WITH OUR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, BOTH VIRTUAL TONIGHT, UH, I'LL BE LEADING THE MEETINGS.
UM, BOTH SPEAKERS AND COMMISSIONERS MAY PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON VIRTUAL COMMISSIONERS.
PLEASE SEND YOUR SIGN IN SHEET TO OUR STAFF LIAISON PER THE CLERK'S GUIDELINES.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.WE'LL HEAR FROM GENERAL SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO COMMENT ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT POSTED FOR DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, WE HAVE MS. MEGAN KING.
ALRIGHT, MS. KING, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS MEGAN KING, NO MORE POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN HERE TODAY WITH YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE FROM PA.
UM, YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF OUR THIRD ANNUAL LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH.
UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED THIS YEAR TO FEATURE 10 INCREDIBLE LEGACY BUSINESSES IN OUR PASSPORT, WHICH YOU CAN PICK UP AT ZILKER TAP ROOM AND WHEATSVILLE CO-OPS NORTH AND SOUTH, UM, AND FEATURE SOME AMAZING BUSINESSES LIKE SAM'S BARBECUE, ANTONE'S, NIGHTCLUB ROOM SERVICE, VINTAGE MOZARTS, SOME REAL AUSTIN ICONS.
AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF TOMORROW AT, UH, ZILKER TAP ROOM WITH A PARTY.
THERE'LL BE, UM, A DJ, A PASSPORT, PHOTO BOOTH, FREE PASSPORTS FOR EVERYONE TO PICK UP.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT TIME AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.
AUSTIN'S GOOD WORK, CELEBRATING WHAT WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
[ Consent Agenda]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.THE FIRST ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER MEETING, THIRD MEETING.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EDITS TO THE MEETING? THERE ARE NONE.
UH, HEARING NONE THE MINUTES WILL BE ADDED TO, TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND SO WE WILL NOW VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THIS INCLUDES ITEMS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, APPROVAL, CONSENT, POSTPONEMENT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND NON-DISCUSSION ITEMS. COMMISSIONERS MAY REQUEST THAT CONSENT ITEMS BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, MS. CONTRERAS, IF YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE AGENDA AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S ON CONSENT.
UH, THIS EVENING WE HAVE ITEM ONE, UH, SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2025.
THAT IS THE MINUTES THAT WERE JUST PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM TWO, BRIEFING ON RALLY AUSTIN 2026 BOND PRIORITIES AND A BRIEFING ON THE IH 35 INTERPRETIVE PLAN WILL COME NEXT, UH, BRIEFINGS HAVE, UH, EIGHT MINUTES EACH, BEGINNING OUR CASES TONIGHT.
WE HAVE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS, ITEM FOUR C 14 H 20 25 0 0 9 5 AT 24 0 1 GIBBS AVENUE.
THIS WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM THIS EVENING.
ITEM FIVE, SB 20 25 1 4 7 5 5 AT 6 0 4 BRA BRAZO STREET.
THIS WILL BE A CONSENT ITEM TONIGHT.
ITEM SIX, HR 20 25 0 9 9 7 1 4 AT 1504 EAST 11TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM SEVEN, HR 20 25 1 12 5 6 3 AT 7 0 6 HIGHLAND AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM EIGHT, HR 20 25, 1 1 3 5 4 1 AT 43 0 4 AVENUE C IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NINE, HR 20 25 1 3 0 7 4 AT 1403 SOUTH
[00:05:01]
CONGRESS AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT FOR OUR NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.THIS EVENING WE BEGIN WITH ITEM 10, PR 2 25 0 8 8 1 5 0, HR 20 25, 103 2 85 AT 25 14 WILDRIDGE DRIVE.
THIS WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT.
ITEM 11, PR 20 25 9 5 2 4 3 22.
5 1 26 5 2 17 0 9 DRAKE AVENUE.
ITEM 12, HR 20 25 0 9 7 0 3 3.
AT 1907 KENWOOD AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 13, PR 20 25, 1 0 3 9 0 3 AT 1513 MURRAY LANE IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 14, PR 20 25 1 8 3 2 6 AT 1508 PEACE ROAD A IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 15, PR 20 25, 112 8 82 AT 5 1 4 EAST MONROE STREET WILL BE AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 16, PR 20 25 1 0 5 8 5 7 AT 7 0 2 WINDFLOW DRIVE WILL BE A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 17, SP 2 2 5 0 8 2 8 72 AND HR 20 25 115 6 8 6 AT 2300 EAST SECOND STREET IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
FINALLY, UH, WE HAVE ONE DEMOLITION, UH, APPLICATION THIS EVENING.
ITEM 18 PR 20 25 0 8 6 1 9 6 AT 9 0 2 WEST JOHANNE STREET.
THIS ITEM WILL BE A DISCUSSION TONIGHT UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE NUMBER 19, UH, VOTE TO APPROVE THE 2026 REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UH, WITH A QUICK NOTE, UH, TO MAKE A CORRECTION.
ALL OF THE DATES LISTED THEREIN ARE 2026 AS STATED IN THE TITLE.
UH, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT WITH THAT CORRECTION.
AND FINALLY, ITEM 20, VOTE TO NOMINATE AN APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
THIS WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
UM, AND I HAVE TWO QUICK ITEMS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE COMMISSION TO SUBMIT YOUR ATTENDANCE THROUGH THE FORM, UH, IN OUR BIMONTHLY DIGEST IF YOU HAVE NOT YET ALREADY.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE HUNTER STURGILL, UH, WHO IS SHADOWING TONIGHT.
THIS IS HER FIRST MEETING AND SHE WILL BE OUR HLC LIAISON MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE AGENDA.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
UM, I, I WANT TO ASSURE THE AUDIENCE EVERYONE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK ON THESE CONSENT ITEMS. WE'RE KIND OF DOING THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
THERE'LL BE A LITTLE MORE FORMAL PROCESS TO THAT.
SO, UH, FIRST I WILL ASK, UH, IF ANY, UM, ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY REASON TO RECUSE OR ABSTAIN THEMSELVES FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA PER OUR SIGNATURE? I SEE NONE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY CASES THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, UH, WE WILL HEAR SPEAKERS ON ALL THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. AFTER THE CONSENT SPEAKERS.
THE COMMISSION MAY THEN AGAIN, UH, EITHER MOVE TO LEAVE AN ITEM ON CONSENT OR PULL IT FOR DISCUSSION.
SO, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR ALL THE SPEAKERS ON ALL THE CONSENT ITEMS AND THEN TAKE MOTIONS TO PULL FROM CONSENT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT ITEMS? YES, WE DO.
FIRST, UM, ITEM IS 1403 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
WE HAVE, UH, MS. VICTORIA HAYES.
AND, UH, WANNA SPEAK JUST A QUICK CORRECTION.
ITEM NINE IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
HR 20 25 1 1 3 0 7 4 AT 1403 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
UH, I THINK WE INADVERTENTLY LEFT THAT ONE OFF.
WE'RE RON THROWER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR, UH, 1403 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
THERE DO NOT NEED TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE.
THEY, THEY'VE ALL INDICATED NON-VERBALLY THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE GOOD NOT SPEAKING.
UH, ANY OTHERS? YES, WE HAVE, UH, SPEAKER 4 43 0 4 AVENUE C, WHICH IS ON CONSENT.
[00:10:02]
INDICATING THAT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.WE HAVE, UH, MS. BARBARA, UH, THANK THE COMMISSION, UH, FOR, UH, LISTENING TO THIS.
I AM THE CO-CHAIR ALONG WITH, UH, CLIFF OF THE HISTORIC COMMISSION COMMITTEE FOR, UH, SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES TO THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SCALE ISSUE.
THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK.
AND IF YOU, AND I'M REALLY SORRY THAT I, UM, CAN'T, HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT HOW TO BRING VIDEOS ALONG SO YOU CAN SEE THE VISUAL OF THIS.
BUT ANYTIME YOU'RE LOOKING AT A DISTRICT AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE CONTRIBUTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, BUILDING IS, IT'S DIFFICULT TO CONVEY THE, THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CHANGE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT A BLOCK, UH, STRUCTURE THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLOCK AND YOU CHANGE THE SCALE FROM SINGLE TO, UH, DOUBLE MULTI-STORY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS STRUCTURE, UH, I REALIZE IT'S A CHALLENGE TO MAINTAIN THESE STRUCTURES.
I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL CHALLENGE.
MY OWN HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS APPROXIMATELY THIS AGE.
AND I KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IT TAKES TO KEEP A STRUCTURE LIKE THIS GOING.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DO, UH, LOOK AT LOCAL DISTRICTS AND ENCOURAGE THE TAX EXEMPTION BECAUSE IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THIS DISTRICT.
AND EVERY TIME WE LOSE A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK AND CHANGE THE SCALE, YOU CHANGE THE DYNAMIC, UH, OF THE, OF THE DISTRICT.
AND SO, AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE THEY WANT A LARGER HOME, UM, WE STILL DO NOT SUPPORT DEMOLITION OF THIS STRUCTURE FOR THAT REASON.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, WE HAVE MR. CLIFTON.
UH, NO COMMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR PRESENT DRAWING.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LADD AND I URGE YOU TO DENY THIS APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, WHICH I CO-CHAIR WITH BARBARA, WHO JUST SPOKE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
1709 DRAKE IS A 1920S CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW AND A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE URGE THE OWNERS TO RECONSIDER THEIR APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION AND TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO RETAIN AND REMODEL THE EXISTING HOME.
THIS BLOCK OF DRAKE IS NEARLY INTACT AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO LOSE ANOTHER VALUABLE CONTRIBUTING HOME.
ACCORDING TO THE STAFF'S REPORT, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT APPLICANTS CONSIDER A FLOOR PLAN THAT WOULD RETAIN AT LEAST THE FRONT FACADE OF THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE WHILE STILL COMPLYING WITH FAR REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF SIMILAR HOMES BEING REHABILITATED, MUCH MORE AFFORDABLY THAN DEMOLISHING AN EXISTING HOME AND BUILDING AN ENTIRELY NEW ONE.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THE OWNERS WOULD FURTHER CONSIDER THIS OPTION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THESE COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON CONSENT ITEMS? YES, WE DO.
UM, LET'S SEE, UM, FOR 1907 KINGWOOD AVENUE, WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS.
[00:15:01]
OF THEM ARE VIRTUAL, BUT UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE ONCE IN PERSON FIRST.UM, I'M JUST HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND GENERAL CONTRACTING SIDE FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE PLANS.
UM, CHRISTOPHER CLIFTON, I BELIEVE IS ATTENDING VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
THEY'RE THE ENGINEER WHO PRESENTED THE PLANS.
UM, SO YEAH, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE HERE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR ANY CLARIFICATION.
WE HAVE, UH, MS. FRANCESCA PASANTE.
UM, I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM 1907 KENWOOD AND IN A HOUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNED BY THE SAME ARCHITECT.
AND, UM, I'M HERE SIMPLY TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL.
I THINK IT IS, UH, TASTEFULLY DONE.
IT, UH, ALTERS THE BUILDING SLIGHTLY, BUT IN A WAY THAT I THINK IS PERFECTLY FINE.
AND, UM, I THINK ALSO THE SLIGHT CHANGE THAT THEY WILL MAKE ON THE ROOF IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE.
SO, UM, I'M HERE SIMPLY TO SUPPORT IT.
AND VIRTUALLY WE HAVE, UH, SHAYA, HABIBI.
I OR IN PERSON? NO, IN PERSON.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, LETTING US SPEAK.
I AM ALSO ON THE CONTRACTING AND CONSTRUCTION SIDE FOR 1907 KENWOOD.
UM, THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT RIGHT NOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ON, ON THE, ON THE CONSENT, WE ALTERED THE ROOF STRUCTURE SIMPLY TO BE ABLE TO FIT AN HVAC SYSTEM BECAUSE CURRENTLY IT'S IN THE GROUND, IT DOESN'T REALLY WORK OUT.
AND WE DID IT IN ALIGNMENT WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE HAVE, UM, ONE OF THE OWNERS HERE AND SHE'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THEY, THIS PROJECT THAT WAS SET FOR DEMOLITION, THEY SAVED IN ORDER TO KEEP IT INTACT AND KEEP ALL THE ARCHITECTURAL COMPONENTS INTACT.
BUT WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, MARCUS AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE QUESTIONS.
MARK DOWELL? YES, I'M, I'M HERE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, I'M ONE OF THE HOMEOWNERS AND, UH, WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE IN AUSTIN AND SAW THIS SITE THAT WAS SET UP FOR, UH, JUST SELLING THE LOT.
AND I WENT AND SAW IT AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO LOSE IT.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT IT, IT WAS PRETTY BEAUTIFUL.
SO MY INTENT, YOU KNOW, WAS TO SAVE THE STRUCTURE, TRY TO MAINTAIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE ROOF LINE, UH, LIKE SHYA SAID, UH, ORIGINALLY WITH A LOWER SLANT, BUT IT WOULDN'T ACCOMMODATE A NEW HVAC SYSTEM.
SO IT HAD TO BE LIFTED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
AND THE INTENT IS TO MAINTAIN THE ENTIRE FRONT FACADE AS IS WITH THE, UH, STONE AND TRY TO, UH, PUT IN WINDOWS THAT MIMIC THE EXISTING WINDOWS THERE.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY'RE AESTHETIC AND, AND ARE GOOD FOR THE HOUSE.
UH, SO THE ONLY CHANGE IS PRETTY MUCH THE ROOF LINE, WHICH AN ENGINEER SAID THAT THE EXISTING ROOF WAS NOT A GOOD ROOF AND, UH, THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
UM, I'M ONE OF THE OTHER OWNERS THAT WAS MY FATHER ON THE PHONE.
[00:20:01]
INTEGRITY OF THIS PROJECT AND HOW MUCH HEART AND SOUL THAT WE HAVE.AND WHEN I, WE FIRST SAW THE PROPERTY AND WE SAW THE PLANS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO GO IN, WHICH WAS A DEMO AND AN OFFERING OF WHAT I LIKE TO CALL A CALIFORNIA CONTEMPORARY DUPLEX.
UH, WE, WE COULDN'T LET IT STAND.
AND THE, THESE KIND OF PLACES SHOULD NOT BE LOST.
AND SO WE WILL STAND WITH THAT.
I GREW UP WITH THEM TAKING ME TO FALLING WATERS AND GROWING UP WITH ARCHITECTURE ALL THROUGHOUT OUR HOME.
SO WE HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DO THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE.
THIS IS NOT LIKE WE'RE GETTING IN AND RENTING IT OR SOMETHING.
UM, SHE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY, BUT SHE'S NOT ON THE CALL.
I, UH, OWN THE FIRM THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROJECT, AND I'M JUST HERE TO SERVE AS A, A RESOURCE ANSWER QUESTION.
AND OF COURSE, UH, PROVIDE A VOTE IN SUPPORT.
AND MARCUS FLORES, I, UM, OKAY.
UH, WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN THE APPLICANT POSTPONE.
UM, SO APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT, WE HAVE, UH, FIVE 14 EAST MONROE STREET AND WE HAVE, UH, BARBARA, MS. BARBARA YES.
AND MR. CLIFTON, WHICH THIS WAS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT CASE OR A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT, WHICH YEAH.
FOR APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT THAT THAT'LL HAPPEN.
UM, MAY I MAKE A, JUST A QUICK, UH, POINT OF ORDER CHAIR COOK, PLEASE DO.
UH, WE ARE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ASKING SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IF THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
AND THAT IS UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE, UH, CLERK'S OFFICE.
THAT IS, AS YOU SAID, THE NEW STANDARD.
LET'S STAY WITH THE CONSENT, UH, ITEMS FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE A VOTE.
AND THEN TYPICALLY WE WILL THEN MOVE TO THE POSTPONEMENT ITEMS, BOTH APPLICANT'S AND DISCUSSION.
YES, THE POSTPONEMENTS ARE TAKEN UP AS SEPARATE, SEPARATE GROUPS.
ANY MORE SPEAKERS ON CONSENT ITEMS? NO.
AND, AND, UH, CHAIR COOK, I DO HAVE A COMMENT THAT I JUST HAVE TO ADD PLEASE.
AND MAYBE, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WILL AS WELL.
BUT, UH, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT PARTICULARLY FOR THE KENWOOD AVENUE CASE, WE JUST HEARD SPEAKERS FOR THIS IS A, A WIN-WIN IN EVERY SITUATION.
WE'VE GOT A PAT FOLKS LIKE THIS ON THE BACK.
UH, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS SLATED FOR DEMOLITION, BUT THE BEFORE PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT IT CERTAINLY WAS ON HARD TIMES AND NEEDED A HERO AND FOR THEM TO COME IN, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE HOMES WITH HISTORIC VALUE HAS TO BE A DESIGNATED LANDMARK, BUT IT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
IT IS MEANINGFUL AND IT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, FOR THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ELSE COMES IN AND SEES A BUILDING IN THIS CONDITION AND, AND CAN'T SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THIS GROUP SAW AND IS ACTING ON IT.
AND I JUST, WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH THANK YOUS AND HATS OFF FOR A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.
AND ONE MORE THING, I DON'T WANNA CONFUSE ANYBODY, BUT, UH, UNDER OUR NEW SYSTEM APPLICANT POSTPONEMENTS ARE AUTOMATICALLY ADDED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AS CONSENT POSTPONEMENTS.
UM, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOPING THOSE IN DISCUSSION.
POSTPONEMENTS WILL BE A SEPARATE ITEM.
SO THE APPLICANT POSTPONEMENTS ARE LISTED AS ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL THEN, UH, I'LL TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID AND I GUESS SPEAKERS CAN, CAN GO ON THAT TOO, BUT BOY, IT'S GETTING MORE CONFUSING.
UH, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? YEAH, I'M, I, I DEFINITELY WANT TO REITERATE THAT I REMEMBER 1907 KENWOOD A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
IT, IT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL, ESPECIALLY ON THAT LOT.
UH, IT WAS A LATER ERA WITHIN THE ERA OF SIGNIFICANCE OF THE, OF THE, UH, NATIONAL REGISTRY DISTRICT.
AND TO HAVE IT SLATED FOR DEMOLITION AND THEN HAVE SOMEONE COME IN AND SAVE IT IS
[00:25:01]
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.AND, AND ALSO I THINK THE PLAN SHOW WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH A LITTLE EFFORT TO, UH, RETAIN AN EXISTING HOUSE.
SO, UH, WE NEED MORE, MORE OWNERS, THE RIGHT OWNERS IN THE RIGHT NEIGHBORHOODS IN GENERAL.
SO, UH, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I, I DID WANT TO REITERATE, IT WAS NOTED ON, UM, 1709 DRAKE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THE APPLICANT DID COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL VIEW COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE PRESENT AND ENGAGED.
WE MADE THE KIND OF THE SAME PITCH THAT WAS MADE TO SAVE THE FRONT AND ADD TOWARD THE BACK, BUT, UH, THEY CAME BACK WITH NO CHANGE.
SO, UH, UNLESS COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, DOES ANY COMMISSIONER WANNA PULL ANYTHING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? AND TO, TO REITERATE, CONSENT AGENDA CURRENTLY IS ITEM 5 7 8 9 11 12 13, 14 15, APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT 17, APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
AND 19 ON THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT, NEXT YEAR'S MEETINGS, UH, INCLUDE, UH, NUMBER ONE, UH, SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2025 MINUTES AND THE MINUTES.
AS AS NOTED, APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT ON NUMBER 13 15 13 MAR LANE.
ONE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE MEETING DATES FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, THIS, UH, IS MY, AM I AUDIBLE? YEAH, YOU PUSH THE, OH, TELE
UM, THE DATES ON THE CALENDAR AT THE BACK OF OUR PACKET HERE ARE FOR 2025.
IS THAT, UM, IS, OR IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE 2026? 2026? IT IS.
COMMISSIONER RICE, YOU WALKED IN AFTER WE MADE THE, UH, CLARIFICATION FOR THE RECORD, BUT YES, THEY ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE 20, 26 STATES PER THE, UH, TITLE OF THE OKAY.
BUT, SO, BUT THESE ARE LIKE, JUST, I IMAGINE THAT THE FIVE IS A SIX.
IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS JUST OKAY.
SO THERE'S, UH, NONE BEING PULLED FROM CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE CORRECTION BEING MADE TO THE DATES.
UM, AND, AND CONFIRM THE TWO YOU, YOU REMINDED ME TO INCLUDE WERE 1517.
WHICH I THINK I PICKED UP ON THE ROUND, SO, OKAY.
UM, TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COMMISSIONER RICE, DO I HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ACTON.
EVERYONE ALL AYES VOTE AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.
SO IF YOU HAD ANYTHING ON THAT CONSENT AGENDA, YOU'RE DONE FOR THE EVENING.
[6. HR-2025-099714 – 1504 E. 11th St. Ethel Pearl’s Beauty Salon Council District 1]
OF COURSE THERE WOULD BE DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENTS UH, DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENTS.UM, WE HAVE TWO TONIGHT, AND WE'RE HEARING, UH, THIS IS A CASE THAT IS UP FOR POSTPONEMENT, BUT THE APPLICANTS, UH, WOULD LIKE OR ARE OPPOSED TO THE POSTPONEMENT.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL DISCUSS THESE.
AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION OF THE MERITS OF THE CASE.
IT'S ONLY A DISCUSSION ON THE MERITS OF POSTPONEMENT OR NOT POSTPONEMENT.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS NUMBER 6 0 9 9 7 1 4 15 0 4 EAST 11TH STREET, ETHEL PEARL'S BEAUTY SALON.
SO IF WE HAVE ANYONE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT, WE'LL GO FIRST AND SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES.
WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE AND HE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK MR. UH, GILBERT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK.
UM, WE HAD, UH, PURCHASED, MY WIFE AND I HAD PURCHASED THE HOME AT, UH, THE 1504, UM, EAST 11TH STREET.
AND, UM, WE WENT TO ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, MEETINGS HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, WITH, UH, OUR PLANS.
AND SO ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I, I THINK WE WANT A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY AND, AND, AND HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL JUST WORK TOGETHER, UM, WAS THAT WHEN WE FIRST WENT THERE, WE SPOKE, UH, DOWN TO PLANNING.
WE SPOKE TO SAM, WE SPOKE TO, UH, KYLE, OR YEAH, KAYLIN.
[00:30:01]
THE HOME, WE ASKED THEM THAT, UH, WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, OUR RESTRICTIONS ON IT.AND SO THE MAIN THING THAT THEY SAID WAS THAT THE FACADE IN THE FRONT OF THE HOME WAS NOT TO CHANGE.
I'M SORRY, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING THE MERITS OF POSTPONEMENT OR NOT POSTPONEMENT, NOT THE MERITS OF THE CASE ITSELF.
UM, AND IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN, UH, CHAIR, THIS IS A, UH, STAFF REQUEST REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
UM, FOR MORE FURTHER INFORMATION.
SO THIS IS BEING PUT UP FOR POSTPONEMENT THIS MONTH WITHOUT DISCUSSION.
SO, UH, IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT, WE'LL, WE'LL NEED TO KNOW WHY YOU THINK IT, THAT WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING IT TONIGHT RATHER THAN SIMPLY POSTPONING IT.
I I THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WAS IS THAT PRIOR, LIKE I WAS SAYING, PRIOR TO US BUYING THE HOME, UH, WE ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS WERE AND WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN SINCE IT WAS HISTORICAL.
AND THEY SAID AS LONG AS THE FACADE IN THE FRONT DID NOT CHANGE ON 11TH STREET, EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE.
SO THE, THE LAYOUT OF THE WINDOWS ON THE, THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ANGELINA SIDE, THE TWO DOORS AND THE COVERED PATIO ON, ON THE ANGELINA SIDE, THAT THE, THAT COULD CHANGE AND DEFINITELY THE WINDOWS IN THE BACK COULD CHANGE.
AND SO THEN WE APPEARED IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS AND THEY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WERE TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD CHANGE.
AND SO THAT'S THE PART THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS BECAUSE WE DID OUR DILIGENT WORK AS FAR AS COMING UP AND ASKING THAT.
SO THEN NOW WE AGREED AND WE SAID, OKAY, LET'S REARRANGE THE PLANS INSIDE SO THAT IT'LL FIT THE CONFIGURATION OF THE WINDOWS.
AND THEN, SO OUR NEXT THING WAS IS THAT WE WANTED TO PUT WINDOWS THAT LOOK EXACTLY LIKE WERE THERE BACK, BACK INTO THE HOME.
AND THE, AND THE ANSWER WAS NO.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS YOU COMMISSIONER THAT HAD SAID THAT YOU WANTED TO SHOW THE SUFFERING OF THE, OF THE OWNER AND HER GOING UP.
AND I, HANG ON, I TAKE THAT VERY OFFENSIVE.
I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU NOT PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH.
AND I THINK YOU'VE GONE BEYOND THE REALM OF DISCUSSING WHETHER THIS SHOULD BE A POSTPONEMENT OR NOT.
I THINK YOU'VE MADE THE POINT THAT IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION ITEM BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION AS A GROUP.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES.
UH, CHAIR COOK, CHAIR, COOK, IF I COULD.
UH, PERHAPS WE SHOULD ASK STAFF WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THEIR, THEIR SUGGESTING A POSTPONEMENT? UH, YES.
WE WERE, UH, WAITING FOR SOME, UH, REVISED ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS.
UM, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEM YET.
UH, WHEN WE DO RECEIVE THEM, WE ARE PREPARED TO REVISE THE, UM, STAFF REPORT AND MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION AT THAT TIME.
UM, BUT UNTIL THEN, WE'LL, WE WILL, UH, REQUEST POSTPONEMENT.
AND I GUESS THE, A QUICK QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT, UH, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE APPLICANT IS NOT, UH, AGREEING TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
UH, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN THE DRAWINGS THAT WE'VE HAD SUBMITTED PREVIOUSLY WOULD BE, UH, OURS TO REVIEW IF, IF THAT, IF, UNLESS IT'S POSTPONED AND THERE WAS GONNA BE A CHANGE.
IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? UH, I GOT, LET ME ASK STAFF.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE, THERE WAS A SUBMITTED PACKAGE.
IF THERE'S NO CHANGE, THEN THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US TO DISCUSS.
UH, IF THE APPLICANT IS NOT WILLING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, UH, REQUESTED BY THE A RC, UM, WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS TONIGHT.
THAT, THAT IS UP TO THE APPLICANT.
STAFF CANNOT DECIDE THAT FOR THEM.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER APPLICANT HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS SYLVIA CHAVEZ, OF COURSE, CO-OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY.
UM, I THINK I NOW UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS HEARING IS ABOUT.
THE POSTPONEMENT TALKING TO US.
UM, UM, WE DID NOT TURN IN THE NEW PLANS THAT THE ARCHITECT GAVE US.
I THINK WE MISSED THE BALL OR SOMETHING, OR DROPPED THE BALL.
UH, WE WILL SUBMIT THE NEW, UH, DRAWINGS AND IT PUTS BACK THE WINDOWS EXACTLY THE WAY THEY ARE, SAME SIZE AND EVERYTHING.
SO HOPEFULLY ONCE WE SUBMIT THE NEW DRAWINGS, MAYBE WE CAN BE PUT ON THE NEXT.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT? CORRECT.
AND, AND WHAT IS YOUR POSITION RELATIVE TO THE I'M, UH, CO-OWNER WIFE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS POSTPONEMENT? AND DO WE TAKE THESE UP INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP? THE APPLICANT, THE DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENTS FOR DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENTS, WE'LL TAKE THEM, UH, INDIVIDUALLY.
AND THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, SO THERE'S
[00:35:01]
NO PUBLIC HEARING TO CLOSE, SO THAT'S CORRECT.UH, HAVING HEARD THE TWO APPLICANTS ONE WANTING TO POSTPONE, ONE, NOT WANTING TO POSTPONE, UH, I WOULD LEAVE IT TO THE COMMISSION TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE POSTPONEMENT, UH, CHAIR COOK? YES.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS THESE REVISED DRAWINGS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO US.
SO, UH, IN THE INTEREST OF MOVING THIS FORWARD, UH, I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE AND SEEING THOSE FOR HOPEFULLY FINAL APPROVAL AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND WE'LL THEREFORE GO AHEAD AND MOVE POSTPONEMENT TO OUR, UH, NOVEMBER MEETING.
AND I WOULD NOTE WE COULD ALSO NOT POSTPONE AND HAVE THE DISCUSSION THIS EVENING WITH THE PREVIOUS PLANS.
'CAUSE IT, IT'LL BE A POSTPONED REGARDLESS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MATTER OF WHETHER WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AS A FULL, AS A, AS A FULL COMMISSION RATHER THAN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THAT IS, THAT IS AN OPTION AVAILABLE TOO, IF WE WANT TO ALL DISCUSS IT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I WILL TAKE A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION.
YOU WHAT MOTION IS THAT? I, I DID MOVE, UH, THAT IT'D BE POSTPONED TO THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
YOU MOVED TO POSTPONE, NOT DISCUSS.
AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM, THAT'S MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER AFF.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER WARD.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT IS POSTPONED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND IF WE WANT FURTHER DISCUSSION, I INVITE THE APPLICANTS TO THE NEXT ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY.
UH, THE RECORDINGS OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE WEDNESDAY.
YEAH, WE HAVE ONE THE WEDNESDAY AFTER THE WEDNESDAY OF OUR REGULAR MEETINGS.
[16. PR-2025-105857 – 702 Winflo Dr. West Line National Register Historic District Council District 10]
DISCUSSION.POSTPONEMENT IS 16 7 0 2 WINDFLOW DRIVE.
YES, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE SPEAKERS, UH, MR. MIKE.
AND IS THIS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT AS WELL? NO, THIS IS NOT A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
SO WE'LL TAKE FIRST THE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT.
I'M DONNA OSBORNE, AND I REPRESENT OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, OUR ZONING COMMITTEE WAS NOTIFIED BY NEARBY NEIGHBORS ON WIND FLOW OF A SIGN POSTED FOR DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE AND SWIMMING POOL AT 7 0 2 WIND FLOW.
UH, IT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE INSIDE THE WESTLINE NATIONAL DISTRICT, AND WE WERE GIVEN SHORT NOTIFICATION AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE ABSENCE OF CLEAR DOCUMENTATION ON THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE HOME, THE LACK OF A PROPOSED REPLACEMENT OR CONCEPT DESIGN, AWANA RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TO POSTPONEMENT OF THE HEARING TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE PROPOSED OWNER AND APPLICANT TO MEET WITH ANA AND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO MEET WITH US ON OCTOBER 30TH TO DISCUSS FURTHER THIS PROPERTY.
WHILE WE DO NOT WISH TO CAUSE ANY UNNECESSARY DELAYS, IT IS CLEAR BY MY INVESTIGATION THAT THE DEMO PERMIT WAS FILED ON AUGUST 20TH, WHICH WOULD'VE GIVEN TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH ANA, UM, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.
AND WE SUGGEST THAT THE DELAY IS FALLS ON THE APPLICANT'S FAILURE TO CONTACT US PROMPTLY RATHER THAN A SLOWNESS ON OUR END.
WE WERE, WE REACHED OUT TO THEM AS SOON AS WE WERE NOTIFIED AND FOUND THE NOTICE.
UM, I, I KNOW I CAN'T REALLY GO INTO THE MERITS OF OUR WHY WE WANT, IS THAT CORRECT? BUT ARE WE FEEL THAT IT COULD BE EVALUATED POTENTIALLY FOR, UH, LANDMARK DESIGNATION DUE TO ITS HISTORY? I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE GOING INTO THAT NOW OR SURE.
JUST NOTING THAT THERE'S BENEFITS IN FURTHER DISCUSSION RIGHT.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT? ANY SPEAKERS OPPOSED TO POSTPONEMENT? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I REPRESENT THE OWNER WHO IS, UH, ON HIS HONEYMOON OUT OF TOWN.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING INTO A NEW HOUSE IN ON WINSLOW.
UH, THE, I CAME INTO THIS CASE ABOUT A WEEK AND A ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS, WE UNDERSTAND IT'S IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND WE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK WITH PLANS THE WAY THE CONTRACT TO PURCHASE IS CONSTRUCTED.
IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO THE OWNER TO GO AHEAD WITH A HEARING TONIGHT SO THAT
[00:40:01]
HE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING THE PLANS, UH, FOR THE OCTOBER 30TH MEETING.UH, BUT, UH, THE PLAN IS TO, WE KNOW THAT IT WILL GO FORWARD, UH, UH, AND WE CAN'T GO FORWARD WITH ANY, UH, FINAL, UH, DEMOLITION PERMIT UNTIL THE PLANS ARE REVIEWED UNDER THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.
SO THIS HEARING TONIGHT TO GRANT THE PRELIMINARY DEMOLITION FROM THIS COMMISSION WILL ONLY ENABLE HIM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING HIS PLANS IN A WAY THAT WILL BE, UH, SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND WILL HELP HIM WITH, WITH THAT PROCESS.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR WANTING TO DO THIS TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? WE HAVE MS. LINDA SULLIVAN SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT AND, UH, PATRICK.
AND ANY SPEAKERS, ANY OR ANY OF THE SPEAKERS OPPOSING? OKAY.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS.
AND JUST A REMINDER TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT IF WE HEAR IT TONIGHT, WE COULD ALWAYS POSTPONE IT AFTER THE FULL DISCUSSION.
SO THIS IS JUST A, UM, MOTION TO POSTPONE IT WITHOUT, WITHOUT A FULL HEARING.
SO, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO POSTPONE? OKAY.
MOVE TO POSTPONE BY COMMISSIONER ACTON.
AND I'LL NOTE THAT EVERYONE'S WELCOME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL VIEW COMMITTEE IF WE WANNA DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, PLANS.
BUT, UM, SO, UH, WITH THAT SAID, ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE ALL HANDS RAISED EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER RICE.
ALL OPPOSED? WE HAVE ONE OPPOSED.
THAT MOTION TO POSTPONE PASSES.
[2. Briefing on Rally Austin 2026 Bond Priorities ]
BRIEFINGS AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST BRIEFING FROM RALLY AUSTIN ON THE 2026 BOND PROPERTIES.UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
DAVID COLLIGAN WITH RALLY AUSTIN.
UH, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION AND BACKUP, WHICH WAS THE INCORRECT PRESENTATION.
SO WE'RE PULLING UP A NEW COPY AND STAFF IS GOING TO BE GETTING YOU A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION.
I WAS ABLE TO SEND ALONG INFORMATION TO INTRODUCE OUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS MYSELF AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT.
UH, I JUST WANT TO MEET TIME REQUIREMENTS, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A VERY BUSY MEETING, SO WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THIS INFORMATION QUICKLY.
AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE IT FOR BACKUP.
RALLY AUSTIN IS THE FIRST MULTIPURPOSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION CREATED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THE REQUEST OF THE COMMUNITY IN 2020.
WE SERVE, UH, IN A REAL ESTATE FUNCTION IN BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN MAKING SPACES AROUND AUSTIN MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE AS THEY DEVELOP.
WE DO THAT WITH A MISSION THAT IS, OF COURSE, FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND AGAIN, VERY FOCUSED ON WORKING OR BROKERING WITH THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE POTENTIAL OUTCOMES.
WE FOCUS ON ARTS, MUSIC AND CULTURE, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT WITH THE USE OF RESOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND WE'VE GOT THAT OUTLINED IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT I SENT.
YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF OUR BOARD, OUR NOMINATION PROCESS.
YOU WILL NOMINATE A BOARD MEMBER TO RALLY AUSTIN AND YOU CAN SEE OTHER BOARD NOMINATING ENTITIES HERE, UH, THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF AUSTIN OR THE AUSTIN REGION, OUR CURRENT PORTFOLIO.
AS WE'VE OUTLINED, I'VE ALSO PROVIDED YOU A COPY OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST YEAR, EXPANDING INTO MORE AREAS WITH MORE OF, UH, THE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED ON OUR BOARD.
FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY, I WANNA FOCUS ON THE 2026 BOND ELECTION, SEPARATING THAT DISCUSSION FROM THE UPCOMING, UM, 2025 TAX RATE ELECTION, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT.
UH, I PROVIDED YOU AN OUTLINE AS WELL AS A PRESENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BY CITY STAFF.
SO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND IN THE PROCESS, BUT TAKING YOU THROUGH THE PROBLEM STATEMENT THAT WE SEE AS AN ORGANIZATION, THE SOLUTIONS WE'RE POSING THROUGH OUR PROPOSAL, AND THEN, UH, SHOWING YOU HOW IT IS WE, WE APPROACH,
[00:45:01]
UM, THESE SOLUTIONS.OF COURSE, THIS OVERVIEW YOU'LL FIND IN THE INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDED IN YOUR INTRODUCTION.
NOTHING NEW HERE WITHIN THIS TIMELINE.
UH, JUST TO NOTE THAT OUR PROPOSAL HAS BEEN LISTED IN STAFF'S, UH, DISTRIBUTION OF THE COMMUNITY PROJECT'S IDEA SUBMISSIONS, WHICH WENT OUT LAST WEEK.
SO THERE YOU'LL FIND MORE DETAILS, UH, OR IT, IT, WE ARE INVENTORIED WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT NEEDS.
AS THIS PROCESS CONTINUES, WE BRING UP THIS, UH, TO SEE WHAT IT IS IT EVOKES FOR FOLKS THAT WE'RE MEETING TO DISCUSS THIS BOND PROPOSAL BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY EVOKES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REACTIONS AND RESPONSES.
I'LL LET YOU KEEP THOSE TO YOURSELVES.
FOR SOME FOLKS, IT'S UH, SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPY.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ENJOYABLE FOR OTHERS, THEY DON'T FIND THAT THIS REPRESENTS THEM.
THEY HAVE NO CONNECTION TO IT AND SOME IT EVEN MAKES SAD.
AND OF COURSE THIS IS CONNECTED TO KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, SOMETHING THAT IS A PART OF OUR CULTURE, OUR IDENTITY AS A CITY.
AND WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, HOW IT REALLY STARTED TO, UH, OBTAIN POPULARITY WHENEVER WE GOT THAT TAGLINE ADDED TO IT, WHICH IS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS.
AND OF COURSE THIS CAME AROUND AT A TIME THAT THE CITY WAS LOOKING TO INCENTIVIZE A MAJOR LARGE SCALE RETAILER, RIGHT? THAT THE CITY REALLY CONVENED AROUND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL ICONIC, OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES.
BUT TODAY WE SEE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE SAYING THAT THAT IS PART OF OUR IDENTITY, OUR LEGACY THAT MIGHT BE DEAD.
IN FACT, YOU CAN PURCHASE A T-SHIRT IN OUR OWN AIRPORT THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE'VE LOST OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THAT'S A REDUCTION OF OUR IDENTITY, WHICH WE THINK CERTAINLY HAS ECONOMIC VALUE AND COMMUNITY VALUE AS WELL.
BUT IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN THE MARKET AND THE PRESSURES THAT ARE, UM, BEING PLACED ON SO MANY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR LO CAR, OUR LEGACY, OUR CREATIVES, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE FORCING THESE FOLKS OUT OF MARKET AND THERE IS DISPLACEMENT.
SO WHAT IS AT RISK? WE SEE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BEING MORE VULNERABLE IN THE FUTURE AS WE LOSE THAT IDENTITY.
IF WE DO NOT TAKE A STANCE AND RESOURCE THIS PROPERLY.
RALLY AUSTIN STEPS FORWARD TO PROVIDE A SERIES OF PROGRAMS, NOT SPECIFIC PROJECTS LIKE YOU FIND IN OTHER INVENTORIED ITEMS THROUGH THE CITY'S LIST OR WHAT IT IS OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY BE ASKING FOR.
WE SEEK TO SEED A NUMBER OF THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY OF THESE TYPES OF OUTCOMES.
AND I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE THREE PROGRAMS WITH YOU SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF OUR ASK.
WE WOULD BE CONTINUING TO WORK IN THE SAME THREE COMPETENCIES THAT RALLY AUSTIN ALREADY WORKS AND HAS SHOWN PROVEN OUTCOMES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGH THE REPORTS THAT I SENT TO YOU EARLIER.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON PROPERTY ACQUISITION, WE'RE FOCUSED ON HOW IT IS WE CAN NEGOTIATE BY CONTINUING TO SECURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS EITHER ON THE SITES WE WOULD OWN OR THROUGH OTHER SITES.
AND THEN WE WOULD LOOK TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND ADVANCE A SERIES OF LOAN GRANTS, POTENTIALLY EVEN STIPEND PROGRAMS TO HELP FILL VOID IN THE MARKET WHILE WE BRING MORE OF THESE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS ONLINE.
THE FIRST PROGRAM WE POSE IS THE EXPANSION OF THE AUSTIN CULTURAL TRUST.
THIS PROGRAM WAS INITIALLY SEEDED BY VOTERS, UM, IN 2018 WITH A $12 MILLION BOND.
WE THEN RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT $12 MILLION, UM, APPROVAL FROM VOTERS.
WE KNOW FROM THAT RFP THERE IS AT LEAST $300 MILLION OF NEED THAT HAS NOT BEEN MET BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE DID HAVE TO WORK WITH.
UNDERSTANDABLY, WE ALL KNOW THE VALUE OF CREATIVE AND CULTURAL AGENCIES IN AUSTIN.
I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION, AGAIN, YOU'RE TAKING IT TO READ, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY THIS INFORMATION, SO I'M HAVING A HARD TIME BEARING IT DOWN.
BUT I WANNA SHOW YOU BEST PRACTICES AND TO SHOW YOU THAT A CULTURAL TRUST IS NOT SOMETHING NEW.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE PREMIER ALMOST POINTED TO CULTURAL TRUST LIVES IN OUR NATION BECAUSE THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM OR PRO PROBLEM THAT'S BEING STUDIED BY GROUPS LIKE UNESCO, RURAL CULTURAL CITIES FORUM.
THEY ALL POINT TO THE PREMIER, WHICH IS CAST OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE HERE ON THE SCREEN.
MULTI-LEVEL CREATIVE SPACE THAT IS AFFORDABLE AND ABLE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE SPACE TO CREATIVES TO WORK OUT OF PRACTICE OR EVEN BE ABLE TO OFFICE OUT OF IN SOME CASES.
AND IN THE LOWER EXAMPLE, YOU SEE A PROPERTY THAT WAS PROVIDED BY SAN FRANCISCO IN WHICH THIS AGENCY WAS ABLE TO LEVERAGE BRING ON PARTNERSHIPS,
[00:50:01]
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO BE ABLE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL CAPITAL THEY HAD TO PUT INTO A PROJECT.CHICAGO IS DOING SIMILAR WORK USING A TURS.
PITTSBURGH IS VERY FOCUSED WITH THEIR CULTURAL TRUST ON AN ACTUAL DISTRICT.
NEW ORLEANS DOES INDIRECT SPENDING TO SUPPORT THEIR CREATIVE SPACES.
I SAY THIS BECAUSE OUR CULTURAL TRUST IS ALSO A BLEND OF FUNDS.
WHAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU IS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2014, OVER AN 11 YEAR PERIOD OF TIME, CAST THE PREMIER MODEL FOR DOING THIS WORK HAS SECURED 83,000 SQUARE FEET OF AFFORDABLE SPACE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CAPITAL STACK THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH.
REMEMBER THOSE NUMBERS? BECAUSE THE CULTURAL TRUST THAT WE CREATED THAT WE SUPPORTED IT ALL AS AUSTINITES STARTING, UH, IN JUST ABOUT THREE TO FOUR YEARS AGO NOW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE 53,000 SQUARE FEET BY SUPPORTING SEVEN DIFFERENT, UH, CONTRACTS.
WITH THAT WE'VE GOT OTHER PROJECTS LOOKING TO COME ON THE BOARD, UM, THAT WILL ELEVATE THE NUMBER OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE.
WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE AUSTIN CULTURAL TRUST IS $135 MILLION.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN ACQUIRE EIGHT TO 10 SPACES WITH 80 MILLION OF THAT MONEY AND LOOKING AT EIGHT TO 10 PROJECTS THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, SETTING ASIDE POTENTIAL FUNDS FOR LOANS, GRANTS AND PROGRAMS. AGAIN, TRIAGING LIKE WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER AREAS.
DO I HAVE THE ABILITY TO FINISH OUT THE PRESENTATION? UH, SURE, GO AHEAD.
SORRY, I WASN'T AWARE OF THE TIME CONSTRAINTS, SO I'M TRYING TO YEAH, SORRY.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT, AND, AND THIS IS PROBABLY OF MOST IMPORTANCE TO YOU ALL.
WE WANT TO TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM IMPLEMENTATION AROUND THE CULTURAL TRUST AND APPLY THAT TO MORE OF OUR LOCAL LEGACY BUSINESSES.
WE SEE THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS A COMMERCIAL TRUST.
YOU SEE PITTSBURGH, UH, OR OAKLAND WHO ARE ACTUALLY WORKING IN THE CAPACITY OF SECURING SITES.
THESE ARE THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE LEGACY BUSINESSES AS DEFINED BY, BY FOLKS LIKE PRESERVATION AUSTIN, RIGHT? WHERE WE RALLY AROUND THAT DEFINITION.
BUT OUR AGENCY WOULD BE FOCUSED ON HAVING A TRUST IN PLACE TO SECURE THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND THEN THE ARRANGEMENTS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT MAINTAINING THOSE LEGACY BUSINESSES WITHIN THOSE LOCATIONS OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AT AFFORDABLE RATES.
THESE ARE THE PLACES WE GO TO ON THE WEEKENDS.
THESE ARE THE PLACES NEXT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE MOM AND POP SHOPS THAT WE KNOW WELL, SAN FRANCISCO, AGAIN HAS A PREMIER PROGRAM FOR THIS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A CULTURAL TRUST IN PLACE.
THEY'RE UTILIZING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THEN BE ABLE TO PROVIDE STIPENDS TO THE LOCAL BUSINESS SO THEY CAN STAY IN PLACE.
CHICAGO, AGAIN, USING THAT TURS FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT HERE, A $250,000 GRANT THAT THEY'RE HELPING TO SUPPORT THEIR LEGACY BUSINESSES STAYING IN PLACE.
AND A LOT OF OTHER CITIES ARE REPLICATING THAT SAN FRANCISCO MODEL, BUT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO DO THE NEGOTIATIONS.
THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, BRINGING THESE PIECES TOGETHER, AGAIN, I SPOKE TO THE WORK OF PRESERVATION AUSTIN, ADOPTING WHAT IT IS THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE FOR THE DEFINITION WE'RE IN, UH, LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH, RIGHT? UM, AND SO WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF EVENTS TAKING PLACE HERE, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND WAYS THAT WE CAN EASILY DRAW THIS TOGETHER AND I JUST WANTED TO LIST SOME OF THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE CAN LOOK TO LEVERAGE AS A THIRD PARTY THAT'S SUPPORTING THIS KIND OF OUTCOME.
WITH THE CITY FUNDING BREAKDOWN THAT WE'RE REQUESTING IS 45 MILLION AGAIN TO SEED THIS WORK.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPERTY ACQUISITION, THE NUMBER OF SITES THAT WE CONSERVATIVELY THINK WE CAN FIND THE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WE ALSO THINK THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH.
FINALLY, WHAT WE PUT FORWARD FOR A PROPOSAL IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARRANGEMENT.
FOCUS MORE ON CREATING, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE OR NEED AFFORDABLE WORKSPACES AS WELL.
AND WE SEE THESE HAPPENING ACROSS THE NATION.
WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON BRINGING THIS PRODUCT TO MARKET FOR MORE OF OUR CREATIVE USERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE SPACES, UM, MOST PROMINENTLY BEING DEVELOPED, UM, THROUGH AN AGENCY LIKE ARTSPACE WHO HAS 60 DIFFERENT OF THESE PROPERTIES ACROSS THE NATION.
THEY HAVE LOOKED AT AUSTIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY, OR HOPEFULLY BRINGING THEM BACK TO MARKET TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT THESE IN, I'M SORRY, THESE LOCATIONS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
LARGE BUILDING THAT PROVIDES OPEN SPACE FOR CREATIVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORDABLY, LIVE AFFORDABLY, BE ABLE TO DO THEIR WORK AND MAINTAIN THEIR PLACE WITHIN THAT LOCATION WHILE ALSO GENERATING INCOME
[00:55:01]
TO, TO SUPPORT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.NEW ORLEANS IS A HOTBED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT $160 PER MONTH FOR THIS TYPE OF CREATIVE UNIT, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING AND SOMETHING WE COULD HOPEFULLY BRING TO MARKET A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES WORKING IN WAYS THAT THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE ONE OR THE OTHER.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH POTENTIALLY ON ONE SITE OR ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER WITH THIS REQUEST.
WE HAVE $46.5 MILLION FOR ACQUISITION.
THESE ARE LARGER SITES, SO WE WOULD BE GETTING FEWER OF THEM, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE LEVERAGE POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED WITH THAT TYPE OF SPEND.
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION, 14.5 MILLION.
OUTLINE FOR MORE, UM, OF, OF, OF GAP FINANCING.
UH, AND THEN THE GRANTS AND LOAN PROGRAMS BEING A LITTLE HEAVIER HERE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF GRANTS, STIPEND OR SUPPORT FOR OUR LOCAL CREATIVES TO STAY IN MARKET.
WHILE WE BRING MORE OF THESE SOLUTIONS, UH, TO, TO MARKET IN TOTAL, WE ARE REQUESTING A PROPOSAL OF $260 MILLION TO KEEP AUSTIN HOURS.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT TO 850 MIL, $9 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS AND YOU CAN SEE THE ESTIMATED ECONOMIC OUTCOME.
BUT HERE JUST A COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT IT IS WE ARE REQUESTING.
PUTTING THAT INTO CONTEXT, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW EVERYONE HERE WHAT OTHER CITIES LIKE US ARE DOING AND THE SIZE BOND PACKAGES THAT THEY ARE APPROVING.
'CAUSE THE CITY IS WORKING VERY HARD TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE A LOT OF NEED.
CHICAGO, OF COURSE, 1.25 BILLION JUST LIKE DALLAS.
HOWEVER, CHICAGO HAS BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT THEIR EXISTING PROGRAM, PORTFOLIO DORMANT SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS SO THEY CAN STEER ADDITIONAL CITY FUNDING TO WHAT IT IS THEY'RE AFFORDING THROUGH.
UM, THEIR BOND PROPOSAL, IT'S A TOTAL OF A $3 BILLION PACKAGE, BUT VOTERS APPROVE 1.25 BILLION.
UH, AND AS THEIR TOURS DISTRICTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE SUNSETTING.
THEY WILL BE ELEVATING THE TAX RATE SO VOTERS WON'T SEE A CHANGE.
DALLAS, YOU CAN SEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
PHILLY, I POINT OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO ISSUE 400 BILLION, $400 MILLION WORTH OF BONDS, UH, IN LIGHT OF COVID RESPONSE, VERY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THEY WERE, THEY DID THAT BY WORKING THROUGH AN AGENCY LIKE OURS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO RESPOND VERY QUICKLY BY PIDC, HAVING THE CAPACITY AND SERVING AS A FINANCING PARTNER TO THE CITY, WHICH IN LONG TERM IS THE VISION FOR HAVING AN AGENCY LIKE RALLY AUSTIN HERE TO SUPPORT THE CITY.
JUST WANTED TO LEAVE YOU INFORMATION THAT SHOWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, PROVEN THAT WE ARE AN AGENCY THAT CAN DELIVER WITH THESE RESOURCES, SHOULD VOTERS APPROVE.
AND FINALLY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT TO GET MORE FEEDBACK ON THESE PROGRAMS. AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN THE LEGACY BUSINESS WORKSHOP THAT'S GONNA BE COMING UP A LITTLE LATER THIS MONTH.
WE'RE CONNECTING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND ALSO THIS COUNCIL'S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND THEN WE'LL BE WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH YOU AND WITH STAFF AS WE LOOK TO DEFINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACQUISITION FUND.
AND I WILL LIKELY BE CONNECTING WITH YOU ALL IN THE COMING WEEKS OR MAYBE MONTH TO BE ABLE TO REQUEST ANY FEEDBACK ON FOLKS THAT WE CAN CONNECT WITH AND DOING THAT WORK.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR IF WE CAN FOLLOW UP MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE OF THE AUDIENCE TOO.
I, I GAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE TIME.
I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN, UH, THAT CAME OUT, UM, MORE THAN A YEAR AGO NOW.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WAS US MOVING BEYOND KIND OF THE ROTE PROCESSING OF PERMITS THAT WE DO AND, AND LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE PRESERVATION THAT'S CELEBRATING WHAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S DIRECT INVESTMENT MARKET INTERVENTION, THAT'S THE CITY INVESTING IN ITSELF AND FOCUSING ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
SO THIS LIKE DIRECTLY TIES INTO THE EXPANSION THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I APPRECIATE FOR EVERYONE'S, UM, PATIENTS, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF GOT THE 2026 REPORT AND BACKUP FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GO TO THE MEETING WEBSITE TO ACCESS THAT, UH, TO REPLACE THE THE 2024 THAT WAS IN THERE.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY REAL QUICK, DOES THE, THE CITY OWN THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE PURCHASED TO DATE? THE FEW THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE MUSEUM FOR HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT AND, AND OTHERS, THOSE PROPERTIES ARE NOT OWNED FOR THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH, UH, AND THE CAPACITY OF, OR THE REQUESTS THAT WERE BEING MADE.
UM, WHAT WE DID IS WORKED THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UM, CONTRACTS TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AFFORDABILITY AND LONG-TERM LEASES FOR A NUMBER OF THOSE AGENCIES.
NOW, SOME OF THOSE ARE NOT COMPLETE PROJECTS.
[01:00:01]
ARE NOT ACQUIRED PROPERTIES, SO THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT.AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THESE FUNDS IN THE FUTURE IS YES, ACQUIRE THOSE PROPERTIES AND THEY WOULD LIKELY BE OWNED UNDER RALLY, BUT WE ARE AN AGENT OF THE CITY.
WE HAVE ACCOUNT A COUNT A, A A BOARD THAT REPORTS BACK TO MARIN COUNCIL AS WELL.
SO IT WOULD RESIDE UNDER RALLY AUSTIN, BUT IT WOULD STILL BE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
AND I ASSUME THERE ARE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE THAT GET SOME RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A LONG, LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT WITH WITH THE CITY, WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I HA DID WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION OF HOW HISTORIC PLAYS IN WITH THE BIGGER PICTURE OF CULTURAL AND UH, ARTS AND UM, I'M ASSUMING IT'S PRETTY COMPLEX AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S AN ONGOING DISCUSSION, BUT, UH, HISTORIC PROPERTIES ARE, ARE PRETTY ESSENTIAL TO THIS.
I ASSUME IT'S A CURRENT DISCUSSION AND I'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MONTHS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS OTHERS THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO, TO BE A PART OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN LOOK AT ACQUISITION OF HISTORICAL PLACES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CREATIVE USERS IN THOSE SPACES.
UM, SO IT IS AN A, A CURRENT CONVERSATION.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUESTED BY MARIN COUNSEL.
HAPPY TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THAT RESOLUTION WHEN I FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ALL ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
IT IS, UH, CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION FROM ME AND THAT IS, WOULD A MOTION, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION TONIGHT HELP YOU? AND IF SO, WOULD THAT SPECIFICALLY BE SUPPORTING YOUR, YOUR ASK OR, UH, JUST GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM OR HOW ELSE CAN WE HELP WITH ACTION TONIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
I, I PROVIDED A TIMELINE AND IT'S, IT'S A BIT OF A DANCE RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE CITY'S DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB AT AGGREGATING NEEDS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO PUT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL.
YOU'VE GOT THE BOND, UH, ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE THAT'S ALSO EVALUATING THOSE LISTS OF NEEDS AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S SAYING.
I THINK IF YOU ALL SEE VALUE IN THE PROPOSAL, UM, CERTAINLY YOU COULD, UM, PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF RECOMMENDATION OR, OR, OR INFORMATION TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I THINK THEY WOULD FIND THAT INSIGHTFUL.
WE ARE POSING A NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE MARKET WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, RIGHT, UH, BY, AND, AND REALLY PROVING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE THIS TYPE OF CONCEPT TO MARKET AND MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE.
UH, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH MAYOR COUNCIL, WITH THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE ABOUT THIS DIFFERENT WAY OF, OF STRUCTURING, UH, AGREEMENTS AND, AND RETAINING AUSTIN'S VIBE HERE.
I THINK WE HAVE A COMMENT FROM STAFF IN TERMS OF WHAT WE COULD DO TONIGHT.
CHAIR, THESE ITEMS, UH, THESE TWO BRIEFINGS THAT WE HAVE, UH, AT THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA ARE NOT POSTED FOR, UH, ACTION THIS EVENING.
THEY'RE ONLY POSTED AS BRIEFINGS.
UH, AND IF I COULD, UH, CHAIR, ACTING CHAIR COOK.
UH, I THINK, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY COME TO MIND AND, UH, MR. COLLIGAN, MAYBE YOU CAN RESPOND.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A LONGER PROCESS, AND SO WE CERTAINLY ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THERE'LL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL BOND ISSUE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COME WITH.
UH, MORE PRESENTATIONS OF THIS KIND MAY BE MORE POINTED SINCE THIS WAS IN MORE INTRODUCTORY AS AN OVERVIEW.
BUT THAT, UM, I I DO BELIEVE THAT EVEN, UH, IN OUR NEXT MEETING, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR SOME OF US, UH, TO DRAFT A A POTENTIAL RESOLUTION.
AND SO I ASSUME THAT EVEN IN THIS EARLY STAGE THAT THAT WOULD BE USEFUL, UH, IF IT CAME AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
IS THAT I'M, I'M SEEING YOU SAY THAT THAT SOUNDS, SOUNDS REASONABLE TO YOU.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO TRY TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY OF, OF COURSE WE WILL BE BUILDING OUT MORE DETAIL.
NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE YET.
AND SO WE WILL BE RETURNING AND HAVING MORE DISCUSSION AND REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, BUT, BUT ANY, ANY DIRECTION OR ANY APPROVAL THAT COULD BE SIGNALED FROM, FROM ANYONE, FROM, FROM, FROM YOU ALL, FROM ANY OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT YOU WORK WITH, UH, WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO B TIFF, THE ELECTION TASK FORCE, AND THEN MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CONSIDERING OUR PROPOSAL AND THEN THE, UH, TASK FORCE THAT YOU ARE, UH, TALKING ABOUT AS AN ADVISORY CAPACITY FOR THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
UH, I, WE THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF INPUT THAT WE CAN OFFER, AND NOT ONLY IN, UH, WHAT THE ADVISORY ARRANGEMENT MIGHT BE, BUT EVEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, UH, BEING ABLE TO GIVE YOU SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE NEED, HOW SOME OF THE MECHANISMS MIGHT WORK, NOT ONLY FOR OUTRIGHT PURCHASE, BUT SOME WAYS THAT, UM, WELL YOU'VE EVEN SEEN SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT.
A, UH, PRIVATE OWNER GIVEN THE PROPER INCENTIVES,
[01:05:02]
UH, THAT THOSE PACKAGES MIGHT BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM.SO WE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE AGAIN, UH, THE RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE STARTING TO BRING, UH, IN KEEPING CULTURAL ISSUES ALIVE, UH, HELPING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE TYPES OF, UH, PROPERTY SPECIFIC SPACES AND, AND OF COURSE, UH, BEING ABLE TO HAVE MORE TOOLS, IF YOU WILL, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, IN OUR TOOLBOX FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHICH IS PART OF HIS, YOU'VE REFERENCED THE HISTORIC, UH, UH, THE UPDATE OF OUR EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO, WE'LL, YES, WE'LL BE TALKING WITH YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING IS ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
[3. Briefing on the IH-35 Interpretative Plan]
35 INTERPRETIVE PLAN.I'M THE CULTURAL RESOURCES SECTION DIRECTOR AT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING RELATED TO CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HISTORIC PROPERTIES, UM, FOR OUR I 35 PROJECT.
UH, JUST A REMINDER OVERALL OF WHAT OUR PROJECT IS.
I WAS HERE I THINK TWO YEARS AGO, UM, GIVING YOU A BRIEFING ABOUT THE HISTORIC PLACES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.
UM, TXDOT DEMOL ULTIMATELY DEMOLISHED FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
DID DOCUMENTATION OF THOSE BUILDINGS PRIOR TO DEMOLITION, DID SOME SALVAGING OF BRICKS AND OTHER RESOURCES FROM THE ELGIN BUTLER BRICK COMPANY MAIN OFFICE, UM, TO ULTIMATELY BE REUSED ON THE CORRIDOR AS WELL AS DEVELOPED SOME MITIGATION.
UM, ONE OF WHICH THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, WHICH IS OUR INTERPRETIVE FRAMEWORK.
SO THIS, UM, THIS PROJECT IS REALLY GOING TO BE A PLANNING TOOL THAT TXDOT IS FUNDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF, BUT YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY LEADING THE CREATION OF, UM, AND, AND IT'S A TOOL THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY ANY SORT OF ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS TO TELL STORIES, UM, ABOUT A PLACE, ABOUT NATURE, ABOUT CULTURAL RESOURCES, ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT ALONG THE I 35 CORRIDOR.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HAVE THIS FRAMEWORK SUPPORT, UM, STORYTELLING INCLUSIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED STORYTELLING, UM, AND ALSO HAVE THIS SHARED FOUNDATION WHERE THERE IS A WHOLE HOST OF PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH US THAT DO INTERPRETATION ALONG HERE.
AND IT'S JUST A WAY TO KIND OF GET US ALL TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BETTER AS A GROUP VERSUS DOING ALL THIS STUFF INDIVIDUALLY.
SO REALLY, UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO, UM, BE A GUIDE, RIGHT? FOR OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, ANYONE REALLY TO USE THIS, TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION AND INTERPRETIVE PROJECTS ABOUT AUSTIN, AND ESPECIALLY FOCUSED ON THE I 35 CORRIDOR AREA.
SO WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AND AROUND THE UNIVERSITY, UM, KIND OF UP TO ABOUT AIRPORT BOULEVARD.
SO THIS IS NOT ACTUAL INTERPRETATION.
IT IS PUTTING TOGETHER THEMES AND STATEMENTS.
AND SO T DOT HAS PULLED TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT IS, UM, CONSISTS OF AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS AS WE COULD FIND AND INVITE TO JOIN.
AND THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE FELT, UM, HAD SOME SORT OF ROLE IN DOING INTERPRETATION OR STORYTELLING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, AROUND THE I 35 CORRIDOR AREA.
AND SO WE PUT THIS TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, UM, FROM PRESERVATION AUSTIN, FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION, FROM THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AND INVITED A WHOLE HOST OF, UM, ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, WE'VE GOT REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, FROM LIKE WATERLOO, GREENWAY, AND, UM, ALL OF THAT HELPING US WITH THIS PROJECT WE ARE REALLY KIND OF FOCUSED ON.
SO THIS IS MORE LIKE STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT.
UM, IT IS NOT A PUBLIC OUTREACH.
IT'S MORE OF AN INVITED PROCESS AND INVITING ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE
[01:10:01]
RATHER THAN INDIVIDUALS.AND HAVING THESE, HAVING US WORK TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TOGETHER TO LIKE DEVELOP THESE INTERPRETIVE THEMES TO IDENTIFY KEY AUDIENCES TO GUIDE OUR STORYTELLING AND, UM, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH, UM, AND REALLY COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE WILL ULTIMATELY BE USEFUL FOR A WHOLE HOST OF ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE.
SO JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF THE BREAKDOWN OF WHO WE HAVE.
UM, WE INVITED OVER 100 ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE.
OF COURSE, NOT EVERYONE IS ABLE OR WILLING TO DO SO.
UM, AND WE HAVE ABOUT, UM, I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT 50 PARTICIPANTS, UM, THAT ARE ON OUR WORKING GROUP, PROBABLY REPRESENTING CLOSE TO 35 TO 40 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE KIND OF HEAVILY REPRESENTED BY, UM, OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, BUT THIS IS ALSO A LITTLE BIT, UH, WE'VE GOT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS INVOLVED IN A, A VARIETY OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE REALLY JUST KIND OF IN THE FORMATIVE STAGES.
WE'RE HERE IN PHASE ONE, UM, WHERE WE HAVE HAD TWO WORK GROUP MEETINGS ALREADY, UM, PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, A WORKING GROUP CHARTER AND STARTING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THEMES AND AUDIENCES AND STORIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AVAILABLE TO BE TOLD, AND KIND OF WHAT WE WANT THIS INTERPRETIVE FRAMEWORK TO LOOK LIKE AND DO.
SO WE'VE HAD THESE TWO MEETINGS RIGHT NOW, AND NOW WE'RE INTO PHASE TWO, THE ACTUAL FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT, UM, WHERE WE HAVE SOME INTERPRETIVE PLANNER, UM, CONSULTANTS ON BOARD WHO ARE GOING TO BE TAKING AND DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH, UM, AND TAKING ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT OUR WORKING GROUP HAS GIVEN TO US AND KIND OF PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AND SEEING WHAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO, UM, WORK WITH THE WORKING GROUP OVER AT LEAST TWO MORE SESSIONS, UH, TO ULTIMATELY DEVELOP THIS FRAMEWORK AND THEN HAVE IT FINALIZED, UM, LATER IN 2026.
SO THESE ARE JUST, UM, A LITTLE BIT KIND OF, OF WHAT'S FORTHCOMING AND WHAT WE'LL GOING TO BE END UP DOING.
AND, UM, WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND DO ANOTHER BRIEFING, UM, ONCE IT'S ACTUALLY FINISHED, UH, AND, AND SHOW YOU THE RESULTS OF WHAT WE HAVE.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
I'VE, UH, PUT MY CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL INTERPRETIVE FRAMEWORK SPECIFIC EMAIL ON THIS PAGE AS WELL.
AND, UM, I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR FEEDBACK.
AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS IS LIKE A FRAMEWORK AND CONTENT AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO PULL ON TO, TO DO STORYTELLING AND, AND INTERPRETATION IS, IS THERE ANY, ANY SYNERGY WITH FUNDING FOR ANY CONCRETE DEVELOPMENT? ANY, ANY SIGNPOSTS ON, ON STITCHES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT BE COMING FROM TXDOT OR WHAT, OR WOULD YOU BE LOOKING TO CITI OR OTHERS TO FUND THE RIGHT.
SO IT IS, THERE IS NO FUNDING TIED TO IT.
IT IS REALLY KIND OF UP TO EACH ORGANIZATION DETERMINE HOW AND WHAT THEY WISH TO DO AS FAR AS INTERPRETATION GOES THAT WOULD MAYBE COME OUT OF THIS.
SO TXDOT HAS COMMITTED TO DOING SOME OF ITS OWN INTERPRETATION PROJECTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
UM, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THAT, BUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE COMES OUT OF THAT IS REALLY GONNA BE UP TO EACH ORGANIZATION TO DECIDE.
AND, AND WOULD YOU BE THE BEST CONTACT FOR SOMEONE WHO SAY, WANTED TO PUT A MURAL THAT REPRESENTS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ON A SOUND WALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS PART OF THE OVERALL? I PERSONALLY AM NOT THE BEST CONTACT, BUT I CAN EASILY GET PEOPLE IN TOUCH WITH WHO IS YES.
AT T DOT, YES, I CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER OR CHAIR, HIM CLAIMS STAFF? WELL, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE KIND OF GOT A SEPARATE SILO THAT TSO'S DOING ITS OWN THING, AND THEN YOU'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO SORT OF COME UP WITH ITS IDEAS FOR ITS THINGS.
BUT IF THERE'S NO CROSSPOLLINATION, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SORT OF A WHEEL SPINNING EXERCISE.
YOU, YOU ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR THE FOUR MONUMENTS THAT YOU HAD TO TAKE DOWN MM-HMM
WE ALL WERE AWARE OF THAT AND WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE COLLATERAL WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG PROJECT OF THIS KIND.
UH, I 35 HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT, UH, REALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN SINCE ITS INCEPTION, SINCE IT REPLACED THE TRADITIONAL EAST AVENUE, UH, WHICH WAS A GATHERING PLACE.
AND FROM I 35 ON, IT'S BEEN A SEPARATION.
[01:15:01]
I I I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT, UH, BY THE TIME THIS IS ALL FINISHED, WE HAVE A, A, A BUNCH OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND PATS ON THE BACK AND, AND THE THOUGHT THAT TDOT HAS THEN FINISHED ITS RESPONSIBILITY, WHEREAS TDOT THEN GOES AND DOES WHAT IT WANTS TO POT POTENTIALLY WITH NO INPUT OR RESPONSE IN ANY WAY TO ALL THIS WORK.UH, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I'M HEARING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE IS A WAY WE COULD MAYBE TALK ABOUT THIS WITH YOU OR MAYBE WITH SOME OF THE HIGHER UPS WHO ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE BRING THIS THING INTO A MORE MEANINGFUL RESOLUTION.
I JUST DON'T LIKE THE END RESULT AS YOU'VE DESCRIBED IT.
YOU KNOW, I, I WAS LIMITING MYSELF TO EIGHT MINUTES, UM, AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS AND SHARE ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THOUGH, ABOUT NOT, UM, HAVING FUNDING TIED TO THIS WAS MY CONCERN THAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TDOT WAS TELLING PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO INTERPRET STORIES.
AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO COME OUT OF THIS PROCESS.
I DON'T WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE TXDOT IS SAYING, OH, WE THINK YOU SHOULD TELL THIS STORY, OR WE THINK YOU SHOULD DO THIS, WHICH I THINK WOULD UN BE AN UNFORTUNATE SIDE EFFECT OF ANY SORT OF FUNDING FOR ACTUAL INTERPRETATION FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO COME OUT OF THIS.
SO THERE'S JUST, THAT'S JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO RESPOND TO, BUT YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT MORE.
MS. MCKNIGHT, YOU HAVE INPUT, INSIGHT, UM, AND I SAW THAT VICE CHAIR HAD HER HAND UP, SO I DIDN'T MEAN TO, UH, SERVE HER.
I DID WANNA NOTE YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH, BUT THE IDEA OF AN INTERPRETIVE PLAN ACTUALLY CAME FROM A LOT OF CITY STAFF AS A MITIGATIVE MEASURE.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE WERE PRETTY THRILLED WITH THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD HAVE, UH, TXDOT FUNDING A DOCUMENT THAT WOULD PROVIDE A COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR HOW, LIKE THE CAP AND STITCH, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO IF WE HAVE, UM, PUBLIC ART PROGRAMMING, SITE FURNISHINGS, THE IDEA THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, AREAS ALONGSIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY.
SO, UM, THAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STORY.
SO THERE'D BE SOME SORT OF COHERENT, UM, KIND OF THEME.
SO THIS WAS A REQUEST AS A MITIGATIVE MEASURE THAT THEY AGREED TO, WHICH WE WERE PRETTY SURPRISED.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE, UM, IN THE PAST.
THEY TYPICALLY DO SORT OF MORE SORT OF SOLID CONCRETE THINGS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS WAS A REQUEST FROM THO THOSE OF US THAT WERE ON THE CONSULTING PARTY.
UM, AND THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL MITIGATIVE MEASURES THAT THEY ALL AGREED TO.
UM, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT REBECCA IS THERE, UM, KIND OF LISTENING TO US AND HONORING THE REQUESTS THAT WE MAKE.
UM, THERE, I BELIEVE THERE WERE SOME OTHER MITIGATIVE REQUESTS RELATED TO SALVAGING THE BUTLER BRICK, FOR EXAMPLE MM-HMM
UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER CONTEXTS THAT MIGHT BE DEVELOPED.
BUT THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST, AND LIKE I SAID, IT WAS JUST AN EIGHT MINUTE KIND OF OVERVIEW AND THERE'S A LOT MORE INTO IT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.
UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, REBECCA.
UM, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE, THE IDEA THAT HAVING DOT, UH, OVER THE FUNDING SOURCE WOULD, UH, MAYBE KIND OF CREATE A SENSE OF KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OWNING THE MESSAGE OR OWNING THE MESSAGES, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS COMPETING, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE COMPETING MESSAGES, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A DISPARITY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REALLY GRASSROOTS WITH LIMITED FUNDING, LIMITED ACCESS TO FUNDING, BUT THEN THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HOLD THEMSELVES OUT AS COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF CAPITAL.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN IS THAT, UH, SOME OF THE HISTORIC, UH, DISPARITIES THAT I 35 HAS CREATED COULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, RELIVED IN THE, UH, TRYING TO CONVEY THE INTERPRETIVE HISTORY.
IS THERE, AND LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST SAY, WE, WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFICULTY THAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE, UH, HELPING TO NAVIGATE
[01:20:01]
I, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION, BUT I, I THINK IN A SIMILAR WAY TO, UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS, I, I THINK AN ONGOING CONVERSATION TO TRY TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, AND MAYBE EVEN START SOME PRECEDENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE ARE RAW, DIFFICULT PROBLEMS MM-HMM
THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO TRY A PROJECT OF THIS KIND, BUT COMING UP WITH WAYS TO EXPLAIN IT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS IN A MEANINGFUL, COMPREHENSIVE WAY, UH, UH, IT, IT TAKES THOUGHT AND IT TAKES CARE.
AND SO I I, AGAIN, YOU'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, LET'S APPLAUD YOU BECAUSE WE NEED IT.
UH, BUT I THINK WE COULD ALSO HELP YOU ENVISION WHERE THAT PROCESS MIGHT BE GOING, UH, AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE AS WELL.
NOW IS THE TIME TOO, SO, YEAH.
IS THERE A LIST AVAILABLE OF, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THESE WORKING GROUPS.
IS THAT, IS THAT A LIST AVAILABLE TO US AS COMMISSIONERS? YES, IT IS.
I'LL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO STAFF.
UM, JUST THAT'S, UH, I ECHO A LOT OF WHAT CHAIR SEF HAD TO SAY EARLIER.
I THINK, UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO ADD TO THAT, BUT I DO HAVE, UM, SOME CONCERNS JUST AROUND LIKE WHAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEING INCLUDED AND, AND YES, NOT, UM, BUT I DO, I DO REALLY APPLAUD Y'ALL FOR, UM, ENGAGING AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, I HAVE A LOT OF CRITICISMS OF THE PROJECT, BUT I THINK IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER SINCE THERE'S BEEN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND YES, UM, YES, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, JUST AS IN EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THIS PROCESS, I GUESS, OF VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE LIKE, UM, MS. EVANS SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE WELL FUNDED, SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT.
WHILE WE TRY TO INVITE EVERYONE, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE IS ABLE, OR LIKE I SAID, WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROJECT WITH TEXDOT EITHER.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS TOO, AND NOT PUT THIS OUT THERE NECESSARILY AS A BE ALL END ALL DOCUMENT AND, AND KIND OF RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE GAPS IN THE DOCUMENT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, NOW WE'LL GET INTO OUR CASES PUBLIC HEARINGS
[4. C14H-2025-0095 – 2401 Givens Ave. Calhoun House Council District 1]
ON DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE HAVE, UH, THREE PROPERTIES AND A, UH, COMMISSION BUSINESS ACTION ITEM TONIGHT.SO WE'LL START WITH CASE NUMBER 4 20 25 0 0 9 5 2 24 0 1 GIVENS AVENUE, A HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION.
UH, IF WE CAN START WITH THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO REZONE A, UM, A PLOT FROM FAMILY RESIDENTS HISTORIC DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN SF DASH THREE DASH HD DASH NP TO FAMILY RESIDENCE, HISTORIC LANDMARK, HISTORIC DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, SF DASH THREE DASH H DASH HD DASH NP, COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING.
UH, QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION ARE ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, AND THE PROPERTY NAME, PROPERTY NAME IS THE CALHOUN HOUSE, UM, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTED BY LOCAL BUILDER HAL STARKEY.
THE CALHOUN HOUSE EXEMPLIFIES THE CALIFORNIA RANCH STYLE AND IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING EXAMPLES LEFT IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT FEATURES SEVERAL OF THE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RANCH FORM AND STYLE, GENERALLY, SUCH AS A LOW LONG STREET FACING ELEVATION AND ATTACHED GARAGE AT ONE SIDE FACING THE STREET.
THE CALIFORNIA LET RANCH ELEMENTS ARE MORE EVIDENT AT THE REAR AND INTERIOR OF THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING VAULTING CEILINGS IN THE MAIN ENTRY ROOM AND WOOD PANELING.
THE LAYOUT OF THE HOUSE AT THE REAR SURROUNDS THE YARD ON TWO SIDES, WHICH WERE ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO FACE A BACKYARD POOL.
THE INTERIOR LAYOUT IS LAID OUT BY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTIONS OF THE HOME.
SINCE THIS IS ALL ONE STORY, THE LAYOUT LINES AROUND TO CREATE A SPRAWLING FOOTPRINT, YET IS STILL IN SCALE FOR A SINGLE FAMILY WITH ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR HOSTING EVENTS OR GUESTS.
THE HOUSE STILL FEATURES ORIGINAL WOOD PANELING AND MATERIALS FROM CONSTRUCTION, ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION, EXCUSE ME, THE CALHOUN HOUSE IS ASSOCIATED WITH TC AND THELMA CALHOUN, WHO HAD A LONG LEGACY OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE LARGELY AFRICAN AMERICAN, EAST AUSTIN CIVIC COMMUNITY GENERALLY, AND THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY IN AND AROUND WHAT WOULD LATER BE DESIGNATED AS ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS, SPECIFICALLY TC CALHOUN SERVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEACHER'S STATE ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS, TSTA, AN ORGANIZATION OF SEVERAL THOUSAND BLACK TEACHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION FURTHER THAT DESCRIBES HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AS TC HELD, UH, NUMEROUS
[01:25:01]
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.IN 1948, HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN NEGRO CHAMBER OF CON COMMERCE.
IN 1963, HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE TEACHER STATE ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS, AN ORGANIZATION OF 9,000 AFRICAN AMERICAN TEACHERS AND THE DISTRICT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
TSTA WAS FOUNDED DURING RECONSTRUCTION AND ACHIEVED CRUCIAL CIVIL RIGHTS WINS FOR BLACK STUDENTS AT TEACHERS IN TEXAS.
TSU WAS IN INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY TEACHERS CREDIT UNION, WHICH IS THOUGHT TO HAVE HELPED FINANCE LOANS FOR SEVERAL HOMES IN ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS.
HE WAS A CHARTER MEMBER ON THE BOARD THAT WORKED TO BUILD THE FIRST SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER ON SHOAL CREEK BOULEVARD AND 29TH STREET.
TC WAS ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS AND A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CHILDREN'S HAVEN ASSOCIATION, A NONPROFIT FOUNDED IN 1946 TO SERVE UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN IN EAST AUSTIN.
HE SERVED IN LEADERSHIP ROLES WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS UNITED FOUND OF AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION, AND THE TRAVIS CREDIT, UH, TEXAS CREDIT UNION LEAGUE.
UH, HE WAS LISTED IN THE WHO'S WHO IN AMERICAN EDUCATION AND WHO'S WHO IN COLORED AMERICA.
FMA CALHOUN CAME FROM A FAMILY OF EDUCATORS AND SHARED THEIR PASSION FOR STRENGTHENING THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE COMMUNITY.
AFTER EARNING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM PRAIRIE REVIEW COLLEGE AND A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, SHE WORKED FOR TRAVIS COUNTY SCHOOLS, NOT A SEGREGATED INSTITUTION.
SHE SERVED, UH, TO QUOTE THE, UH, APPLICATION, SHE SERVED AS A GENE SUPERVISOR FOR THE SEGREGATED TRAVIS COUNTY SCHOOLS.
GENE SUPERVISORS WERE A GROUP OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEACHERS WHO WORKED IN SOUTHERN RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES BETWEEN 1908 AND 1968, ALSO KNOWN AS GENES, UH, TEACHERS SUPERVISING, UH, UH, INDUSTRIAL TEACHERS AND GENES WORKERS.
THEY DERIVE THEIR NAME FROM PHILADELPHIA PHILANTHROPISTS, ANNAT GENES, WHO PROVIDED FUNDING FOR BLACK EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH.
THELMA LATER WORKED AS A READING SPECIALIST FOR THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
LIKE TC THELMA VALUED COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SERVED IN THE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES WITH THE CHILDREN'S HAVEN ASSOCIATION IN EBENEZER THIRD BAPTIST BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE SHE WAS A FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S CHOIR.
THELMA ALSO BELONGED TO DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY AND WAS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE TOP LADIES AT DISTINCTION INCORPORATED.
THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, SHE RECEIVED REWARDS FOR HER CIVIC AND SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE COMBINED DECADES OF WORK AND SERVICE BY THE CALHOUNS RESULTED IN A STRONG LEGACY AND CONNECTION WITH DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN EAST AUSTIN AND THE A AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY DURING THE MID 20TH CENTURY ONWARD DUE THE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AT SCHOOLS FOR BLACK STUDENTS.
PRIOR TO INTEGRATION, THE COHO, THE CALHOUN FAMILY HOME PROVIDED COMMUNITY VALUE FOR ITS USES GATHERING SPACE FOR CIVIC MEETINGS.
THE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION DESCRIBES THE FOLLOWING, THE HOME'S COMMUNITY VALUE ALSO STEMS FROM ITS ROLE AS THE SITE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE MEETINGS.
IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE CALHOUN'S RESIDENCE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENT, THEIR DAUGHTER, PATRICIA, CONTINUE, CONTINUES TO ENRICH THE COMMUNITY VALUE OF THE HOME THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCACY AND WORK AS, UH, UH, AND WORK WITH A LOCAL NONPROFIT.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CALHOUN HOUSE SPECIFICALLY SERVED AS A LARGE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS HOME OWNERSHIP, WHICH WAS MADE MORE DIFFICULT AT THE TIME DUE TO RELATIVE LACK OF FINANCING OPTIONS FOR SUCH PURSUITS.
THIS STRONG COMMUNITY ALLOWED FOR MANY OF THE FAMILIES TO STAY IN PLACE AND NOT BE FORCED TO RE RELOCATE WHEN PRICED OUT OF THE AREA.
FURTHERMORE, THE PROMINENT LOCATION OF THE HOUSE IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS NEIGHBORHOOD ALLOWS IT TO SERVE AS ONE OF THE MAIN PILLARS ON A MAIN INDUS RESIDENTIAL INTERSECTION IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE STRUCTURE STILL HAS STRONG INTEGRITY.
THE EAST PATIO WAS ENCLOSED IN THE LATE 1970S, NOW USED AS A GAME ROOM MINOR WEATHERING IS PRESENT, BUT THE HOUSE HAS BEEN ROUTINELY MAINTAINED SINCE CONSTRUCTION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE PROPOSING ZONING CHANGE FROM SF DASH THREE DASH HD DASH MP TO SF DASH THREE DASH HDP ZONING.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
UH, WE'LL TAKE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION IF, UH, THIS IS A COMMISSION INITIATED APPLICATION, BUT, UH, WE'LL HEAR FROM, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE APPLICANTS TO SPEAK IN FAVOR FOR FIVE MINUTES.
YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
AND GOOD EVENING TO CHAIR HIMSS, VICE CHAIR EVANS AND MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC LAND COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I AM PATRICIA CALHOUN, DAUGHTER OF TC AND THELMA CALHOUN, WHO BUILT THE HOME, WHICH I CURRENTLY RESIDE.
I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DESIGNATION OF MY HOME, LOCATED AT 24 0 1 GIVENS AVENUE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
[01:30:01]
AN OFFICIAL LANDMARK, YOU'VE HEARD MOST OF THE HISTORY AND REMARKS THAT, UH, I HAVE TO SAY, SO I'LL, UH, QUICKLY GO THROUGH THIS.ONE OF THE, UM, VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME FOR THIS EVENING IS THAT IT IS OCTOBER 1ST, WHICH WAS MY FATHER'S BIRTHDAY.
SO IT, UH, HAS SPECIAL MEANING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS ON, UH, THE, UH, DATE OF HIS BIRTH.
UM, THIS PROPERTY HOLDS SIGNIFICANT VALUE AS, UH, YOU'VE HEARD BECAUSE OF ITS COMMUNITY UNIQUENESS, SUBURBIA WITHIN THE CITY THAT SPEAKS TO THE HERITAGE OF A PEOPLE OF GREAT RESILIENCY BUILT IN 1959 AND 60.
IT EXEMPLIFIES A MODEST, MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE, BUT BEYOND THAT, IT REPRESENTS THE DETERMINATION OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO THRIVE AGAINST THE ODDS BECAUSE OF SEGREGATION RESULTING FROM THE 1928 PLAN, THE BLIP, MANY BLACK COLONIES THAT EXISTED ON THE WEST SIDE WERE FORCED TO DISPERSE TO THE EAST SIDE ACROSS THE AVENUE.
OUR ANCESTORS CREATED AND MAINTAINED THEIR OWN CITY WITHIN THE CITY, DEVELOPING CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, THEATERS, RESTAURANTS, PHARMACIES AND CLINICS, MORTUARIES, GAS STATIONS, TAILOR SHOPS, ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENTS, ALL THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHILE BEING SEPARATE, BUT UNEQUAL, OUR EDUCATORS TRAVELED OUT OF STATE TO THE BEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY FOR THEIR GRADUATE DEGREES AS THEY COULD NOT ATTEND THE INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE.
EVERY SUMMER, MY PARENTS PACKED ME UP TO TRAVEL TO A SCHOOL OR A CONFERENCE OUT OF STATE TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION DURING THOSE YEARS TRAVELING MEANT THAT ONE HAD TO KNOW WELL IN ADVANCE WHERE TO SPEND THE NIGHT BECAUSE HOTELS WERE TYPICALLY NOT AVAILABLE TO BLACKS.
MY DAD HAD HIS OWN TRAVEL BOOK CONTAINING HIS NETWORK OF PEOPLE AND TOWNS THAT WERE SAFE TO SPEND THE NIGHT, AND HIS TRIP WAS MAPPED OUT ACCORDINGLY.
OF COURSE, THAT MEANT HIS HOME WAS PART OF THE CIRCUIT AS WELL, PARTICULARLY IN MY PARENTS' LEADERSHIP ROLES WITH THE TEACHER'S STATE ASSOCIATION AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY TEACHERS CREDIT UNION.
AS I REFLECT ON MY CHILDHOOD, I SUSPECT A MAJOR FACTOR OF MY PARENTS' DECISION TO BUILD WAS THE FREQUENCY OF HOUSE GUESTS AND THE DESIRE TO HAVE MORE SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE GUESTS.
I AM SURE THAT THE FACT THAT THE NEW COMMUNITY WAS TO BE BUILT ON LAND OWNED BY BLACKS WAS ANOTHER FACTOR IN THEIR DECISION.
I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION TO BUILD A HOUSE AND SEND A CHILD TO COLLEGE.
WHILE RESEARCHING OUR HISTORY, I CAME ACROSS A NOTEBOOK.
MY DAD KEPT APPEARING TO BE A PAYMENT ON A DEBT HE OWED DATING BACK TO THE THIRTIES.
ENTRIES WERE OF CENTS AND A COUPLE OF DOLLARS HERE AND THERE.
THINGS WERE TOUGH MAKING ENDS MEET, AND HE HAD WHAT WAS CONSIDERED A GOOD JOB AND SALARY, ALTHOUGH UNEQUAL TO WHITE COUNTERPARTS RECORDED IN HIS RECORDS FROM THE TEACHER STATE ASSOCIATION, WERE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN TO EQUALIZE PAY OF BLACK TEACHERS TO WHITE TEACHERS.
DESIGNATING THIS HOME AS A LANDMARK WILL NOT ONLY PRESERVE A TANGIBLE PIECE OF OUR PAST, BUT ALSO SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOSTERING A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR OUR LOCAL HISTORY AMONG RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
IT WILL ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RICHNESS THAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY UNIQUE.
I AM COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROPERTY AND ENSURING THAT ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE IS PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS DESIGNATION ALIGNS WITH THE COMMISSION'S MISSION TO PROTECT OUR HISTORIC ASSETS AND CELEBRATE OUR COLLECTIVE HERITAGE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT IN RECOGNIZING THIS HOME AS A VALUED LANDMARK.
I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO THANK OUR FELLOW, UM, RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ACCOMPANIED ME TONIGHT AND HAVE SENT LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
[01:35:01]
YOU, MS. CALHOUN.DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT, PLEASE COME INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
ALRIGHT, UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF PRESERVATION AUSTIN, AND I CHAIR ITS ADVOCACY COMMITTEE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST HEARD, I HAVE LIKE ONE OF THE BEST ROLES IN THE WORLD.
I LOVE THIS BECAUSE I GET TO MEET PEOPLE LIKE PAT AND HAVE MEETINGS IN THEIR HOMES AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY BEHIND THEIR HOMES.
AND SO I JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVE BEING HERE AND, UM, BEING HERE TO SUPPORT HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S A ONE STORY RANCH STYLE HOME AT 24 0 1 GIVENS AVENUE, AND IT'S CONTRIBUTING WITHIN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST INTACT CONCENTRATIONS OF POST WORLD WAR II HOUSING FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN AUSTIN.
AS AN EARLY NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPED BY BLACK PROFESSIONALS FOR BACK PROFESSIONALS, ITS DEVELOPMENT PATTERN IS STRONGLY TIED TO A SIGNIFICANCE.
AS A PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE CLASS SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD, RESIDENTS WERE INFLUENTIAL IN SCIENCE, ARCHITECTURE, EDUCATION LIKE PAT'S PARENTS, THE ARMY, THE AIR FORCE, AND MORE.
THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS 1953 TO 1970, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO POST-WAR GROWTH PATTERNS AND THE DISTRICT'S ASSOCIATION WITH DEVELOPERS, N PHILLIPS, HAL STARKEY, WHO DESIGNED THE CALHOUN HOUSE AD STANGER AND ARCHITECT JOHN CHASE GIS AVENUE, WHERE THE CALHOUN HOUSE IS, WAS NAMED AFTER DR. EVERETT GIVENS, A COMMUNITY LEADER, CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE, AND ONE OF AUSTIN'S FIRST BLACK DENTISTS.
UM, THE HOUSE IS SIGNIFICANT THROUGH ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
UM, THE HOME WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE BUILT IN THE SUBDIVISION ANCHORS A KEY INTERSECTION.
UH, THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS INCLUDE TC CALHOUN, WHO WAS BORN IN 1905 AND BECAME, UM, A LEGENDARY EDUCATOR AT ANDERSON EL C ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL AND KEELING, AND SERVED IN LEGIONS.
UM, TOO MANY TO LIST HERE OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, BOTH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AT EBENEZER THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH AND ELSEWHERE.
UH, THELMA CALHOUN ALSO, UM, AN EDUCATOR GREW UP IN AUSTIN AND, UH, WAS AWARDED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER FOR HER CIVIC AND SERVICE DEEDS.
PAT CONTINUES HER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
UH, SHE'S THE CURRENT OWNER OF THE HOUSE, AS YOU KNOW, AND SHE'S QUITE ACTIVE IN THE CHILDREN'S HAVEN ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE HOUSE, AND IT SERVES, UH, AREA KIDS WHO ARE LOW INCOME.
AND I RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THAT SPACE AND SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK THEY'RE DOING.
AND SO PAT CONTINUES ENHANCING THE COMMUNITY VALUE OF THE PROPERTY THROUGH THAT ASSOCIATION.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS, THE REMARKABLE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY VALUE EMBODIED IN THE CALHOUN HOUSE, WE HOPE YOU'LL VOTE FOR ITS HISTORIC DESIGNATION THIS EVENING.
UH, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? YOU HAVE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I'M MEGAN KING NUR POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TODAY BOTH IN A PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CAPACITY TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THE CALHOUN HOUSE.
AS A CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK, EVERYONE BEFORE ME LAID OUT THE INCREDIBLE HISTORY OF THE CALHOUN HOUSE AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT MY DEAR FRIEND PAT, WHO THOUGH SHE IS NOT HISTORIC, IS CERTAINLY WORTHY OF DESIGNATION HERSELF.
PRESERVATION AUSTIN FIRST BEGAN WORKING WITH PAT WHEN SHE AND THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS NEIGHBORHOOD WERE BEGINNING THEIR GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO BECOME A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF THEIR FAMILIES WHO FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO HAVE THIS LITTLE CORNER OF EAST AUSTIN FOR THEMSELVES.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF FIRST MEETING PAT AROUND 2021 WHEN I WAS BRAND NEW TO PRESERVATION AUSTIN, AND TASKED WITH PRODUCING A DOCUMENTARY ON THE HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEIR INCREDIBLE ADVOCACY TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORY, PAT WAS MY MAIN COLLABORATOR IN THIS EFFORT.
SHE WELCOMED ME INTO HER HOME, SHARED THE INCREDIBLE HISTORY SHE'S DOCUMENTED, AND CONNECTED ME TO THE NEIGHBORS WHO GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED PRESERVATION AUSTIN TO SHARE THEIR STORY.
IF YOU'VE EVER VISITED PAT, YOU'LL KNOW SHE'S A CONSUMMATE HOST.
FOR MONTHS, I MUST HAVE BEEN AT PAT'S HOUSE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, SOMETIMES MORE CONSTANTLY.
WE WERE ON THE PHONE TRYING TO GET THIS FILM MADE.
IN THE END, WE PULLED IT OFF, AND NOW, MANY YEARS LATER, MAKING THAT DOCUMENTARY REMAINS ONE OF MY PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS.
ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE, AND THANKS TO PAT WHENEVER I'M THERE, IT FEELS LIKE HOME.
[01:40:02]
SINCE THEN, THE CALHOUN HOUSE WAS FEATURED ON OUR 2024 HOMESTORE.WE COLLABORATED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE PRESERVATION OFFICE TO THROW AN INCREDIBLE BLOCK PARTY, AND WE HONORED THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ADVOCACY WITH AN AWARD.
PRETTY MUCH EVERY FACET OF OUR WORK HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY PAT AND HER PARTNERSHIP OF NOW A DECADE HAS MADE AN INDELIBLE IMPACT ON OUR ORGANIZATION PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN IS SO HONORED TO COLLABORATE WITH PAT ONCE AGAIN TO PREPARE AND BRING FORWARD THIS WELL-DESERVED NOMINATION.
PAT WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE A VISIONARY LEADER AND PRESERVATIONIST, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT COMES NEXT FOR THE CALHOUN HOUSE AND ROGERS, WASHINGTON.
HOLY CROSS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OTHER SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT? GOOD EVENING.
I AM THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
MY NAME IS MIRIAM CONNOR, AND I SIT BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SUPPORT THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF 24 0 1 GIVENS AVENUE, THE CALHOUN HOUSE, A HOME THAT REPRESENTS NOT JUST ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY, BUT THE ENDURING STRENGTH AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUSTIN BLACK AUSTINITES.
DURING ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PERIODS IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY IN 2017, IN 2017 AT THE CALHOUN HOUSE WITH, UM, WITH MS. CALHOUN, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INTERVIEWING THELMA'S BROTHER ALFRED DOTSON, WHO SHARED AND VALUABLE MEMORIES OF AUSTIN'S BLACK HISTORY.
HE REFLECTED ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ERA AND THE QUIET, BUT POWERFUL WORK PEOPLE LIKE TC CALHOUN ACCOMPLISHED.
HE SAID PROFESSOR CALHOUN WAS A DIFFERENT GUY.
THEY MEANING WHITE PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE THIS, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, HE COULD GET A LOT DONE ON THE LOAD, ON THE DEAL.
HE HIRED A LOT OF TEACHERS AND THEY NEVER KNEW THAT THAT SIDE OF HIM, ALFRED ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE BROADER EXPERIENCE OF BLACK AUSTINITE SAYING IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T THAT IT WAS SO, SO BAD.
IT WAS THE WAY OF LIFE FOR US WHERE I WAS BORN INTO, I'M GONNA SAY THAT AGAIN, WHERE I WAS BORN INTO, BUT WE ALL GOT ALONG.
THEY HIRED OUR MOTHERS AND OUR FATHERS TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN AND TO COOK THEIR FOOD.
THESE QUOTES REVEAL BOTH THE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP REQUIRED TO AD ADVANCE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN AN UNJUST SYSTEM, AND THE RESILIENCE OF A COMMUNITY THAT BUILT INSTITUTIONS OF EXCELLENCE DESPITE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS.
THE HISTORY PRESERVED IN PLACES LIKE THE CALHOUN HOUSE AND IN MEMORIES AND OF ELDERS LIKE ALFRED DOTSON ARE ESSENTIAL FOR FUTURE OR ARE ESSENTIAL FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF BLACK AUSTINITES TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY COME FROM, THE SACRIFICES MADE ON THEIR BEHALF, AND THE LEGACY OF STRENGTH THAT THEY INHERIT.
THIS IS NOT JUST HISTORY TO PRESERVE.
IT'S A FOUNDATION OF IDENTITY, PRIDE, AND A CONTINUED COMMUNITY BUILDING.
I AM INCREDIBLY HONORED TO UPLIFT AND SUPPORT ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS, ON THIS HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
IT IS A PART OF AUSTIN'S ANCESTRAL HISTORY.
THE CALHOUN, THE CALHOUN HOUSE STANDS AS A TESTAMENT OF RESILIENCE, EXCELLENCE, AND COMMUNITY, AND I URGE YOU TO DESIGNATE IT AND MANY OTHERS TO FOLLOW, TO INCREASE THAT 16% OF HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS BEING BIPOC, L-G-B-T-Q-I-A AND WOMEN COMMUNITY DESIGNATED, UH, AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
OTHER SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT, SEEING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY IN OPPOSITION? VERY GOOD.
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? COMMISSIONER MC WATER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICE.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY MOTIONS ON THIS CASE? I THINK OUR OPTION, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR EVANS? YES.
I MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR MOVE THAT WE REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GRANT HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS TO, UH, THE CALHOUN HOME AT 24 0 1 GIBBONS AVENUE.
YOU'LL, UH, YOU'LL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OH, HAVE WE ALREADY MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? UH, WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE NEED TO REOPEN IT.
[01:45:01]
OUR FINAL ACTION TONIGHT, THE REOPENING? WE DO NOT.JUST THE MOTION IS SUFFICIENT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND, UH, PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS ON HISTORIC ASSO ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER RICE? THAT'S THE DIRECTION I WAS LOOKING.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, DISCUSSION? VICE CHAIR? EVAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MADE THE MOTION? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, I'M, UH, VERY PROUD TO, UH, BE ABLE TO MOVE THIS, MOVE THIS FORWARD.
UH, THE HOUSE ITSELF IS SIGNIFICANT.
UH, IT IS IN, UH, WONDERFUL CONDITION, AND IT IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED BY, UH, UH, MS. CALHOUN AND THE LEGACY THAT HER PARENTS LEFT ARE, UH, EQUALLY IMPORTANT AS THE VALUE OF THE HOME.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE BOTH, UH, PIONEERS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN A GOOD STEWARD OF HER FAMILY'S HOMESTEAD.
AND SHE CONTINUES THE WORK THAT HER FAMILY HAD STARTED IN TERMS OF HER WORK WITH THE, THE NONPROFIT THAT SHE'S SO INVOLVED IN.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST, UM, JUST SITTING HERE LISTENING TO THE TESTIMONY JUST NOW, I MEAN, I WAS JUST INCREDIBLY MOVED AND REALLY, UM, I THINK THIS ENTIRE CASE EXEMPLIFIES KIND OF THE BEST OF WHAT THIS PROCESS CAN BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS THE PRE THE LAST SPEAKER MENTIONED, LIKE THE, THE HISTORIC INEQUITIES AND WHAT'S GOTTEN PRESERVED AND WHAT HASN'T IN THIS CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHEN I JOINED THE COMMISSION, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WAS ONE OF MY MOTIVATIONS ON IN JOINING THIS COMMISSION.
AND, UM, I'M JUST INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH THIS PROJECT, AND I'M LIKE, I WANT, I'M FEEL LIKE AFTER THIS MEETING, I'M GONNA GO AND READ MORE HISTORY ABOUT THIS, UH, ABOUT THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE, UM, I JUST FEEL VERY INSPIRED AS A, AS A FAN OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT ALSO AS A, AS SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, GREW UP WITH A, A DEEP LOVE FOR AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE PARTS OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY THAT HAVEN'T HAD THE SAME SPOTLIGHT, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY.
SO, UM, I KNOW I'M JUST THIS, I'M THIS, I JUST FEEL VERY INSPIRED, LIKE BY THE PROCESS THAT HAS BROUGHT US TO, UM, THE DESTINATION.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE AGAIN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CHAIR HEIM? I, I, I AM ABSOLUTELY THRILLED, UH, TO BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS AND, UH, REALLY HATS OFF TO PRESERVATION AUSTIN, BUT ESPECIALLY TO PATRICIA, UH, CALHOUN AND HER FAMILY FOR BRINGING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO US.
UH, I THINK IT REALLY IS A PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF WHY THE PRESERVATION PLAN NEEDS EXPANSION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND YOU WERE TO DRIVE BY IT, AND IT, THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, IT A MODEST MID-CENTURY BUILDING IN THIS CONDITION, THOUGH IT'S VERY NICE.
UH, THE ARCHITECTURE ALONE WOULD NEVER PUT IT ON THE COVER OF A MAGAZINE, AND YET IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF OUR HISTORY AND A LEGACY THAT WE SHOULD BE THRILLED THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE.
AND THE VERY IDEA THAT, UH, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A, SOMETHING DESIGNED BY A ROCKSTAR ARCHITECT IN ORDER TO BE HISTORIC AND BE MEANINGFUL AND HAVE CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT VALUE, UH, TO PASS ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
UH, THIS IS A PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF THAT, OF, OF THAT EXPANDED IDEA OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND I'M, I'M JUST THRILLED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE A ABLE TO ACT ON THIS TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO TOUR THIS HOME DURING PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S HOME TOUR, AND IT'S, UH, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED INSIDE AND OUT.
THE, THE PANELING, THE, I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN INTERIOR PLANTER THAT WAS IN USE, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE.
WE DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MAINTAINING INTERIORS, BUT I CERTAINLY HOPE THOSE LIVE ON BECAUSE, UH, UH, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO GET TO TOUR THE HOME.
SO ALL THAT SAID, I WILL, UH, TAKE THE VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY, WE'LL TAKE UP OUR NEXT CASE NUMBER,
[10. PR-2025-088150; HR-2025-113285 – 2514 Wooldridge Dr. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10]
10 25 14 WOOLWORTHS DRIVE.BEGIN WITH STAFF PRESENTATION.
[01:50:02]
THANK YOU.INTERIM CHAIR, ITEM 10 AT 25 14 BALDRIDGE DRIVE, UM, IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1938 BUILDING AND TO CONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING IN ITS PLACE.
UM, THE DEMOLITION CAME BEFORE YOU LAST MONTH, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT Y'ALL ARE SEEING THE NEW PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY RESIDENCE WITH A COVERED PATIO AND A GUEST HOUSE.
THE PROPOSED BUILDINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED ACROSS TWO LOTS.
THE MAIN BUILDING HAS AN IRREGULAR PLAN, IRREGULAR ROOF LINE IN FENESTRATION AND STONE VENEER CLADDING, ITS SIDE GABLE ELEVATION WITH STONE CLOUD.
LOGIA FACES THE MAIN STREET SCAPE WITH FULL HEIGHT GLAZED FENESTRATION BEYOND THE GUEST HOUSE ATTACHED WITH A COVERED BREEZEWAY IS SET BACK AT AN ANGLE AND FEATURE SIMILAR MATERIALS, DETAILING AND HEIGHT AS THE MAIN STRUCTURE.
THE EXISTING HOUSE IS A TWO STORY GEORGIAN REVIVAL WITH A CURVED PORTICO, SYMMETRICAL SHUTTERED WINDOWS, BRICK VENEER, AND A SIDE GD ROOF WITH ADDED DORMERS.
THE HOUSE AT 25 14 AT WILDRIDGE DRIVE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1938 FOR CLARENCE MCCULLOUGH AND HIS FAMILY MCCULLOUGH, WHO BEGAN HIS CAREER AS ASSISTANT CASHIER AT THE SECURITY TRUST COMPANY.
SLOWLY, LO, SLOWLY ROSE IN PROMINENCE AS A BANKER.
EVENTUALLY HE PARTNERED WITH RANCHER AND FELLOW REAL ESTATE BROKER, DR. JOSEPH KOENIG, TO DEVELOP THE VIOLET CROWN HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION BETWEEN 1946 AND 1948.
LENDING KOENIG'S NAME TO ONE OF ITS MAJOR THOROUGH AFFAIRS IN 1950 AND 51, THEY BUILT THE ADJACENT VIOLET CROWN SHOPPING CENTER IN 2025, KUT.
JOURNALIST JUAN GARCIA AND BEESON, UH, DISCUSSED THIS DISCUSSED DEVELOPMENT OF AUGUST AUSTIN'S MOST WELL-KNOWN MID-CENTURY CENTER.
THE VIOLET CROWN NICKNAME WAS USED IN REAL ESTATE MARKETING THROUGHOUT THE EARLY 20TH, 20TH CENTURY, BUT FEW HAD THE IMPACT DR.
JOE KOENIG AND CLARENCE MCCULLOUGH HAD WHEN THEY STARTED SELLING LAND IN WHAT USED TO BE NORTH AUSTIN IN THE FORTIES.
RIGHT ALONG VIOLET CROWN HEIGHTS, THE PAIR BUILT A SHOPPING CENTER IN 1951.
THEY CALLED IT THE VIOLET CROWN, AND IT HAD A HANDFUL OF VIOLET CROWN THEMED BUSINESSES IMMORTALIZED AS THE EMPORIUM IN RICHARD LINKLATER'S COMING OF AGE FILM, DAZED AND CONFUSED MCCULLOUGH AND KANIG MAINTAINED OFFICES AT THE VIOLET CROWN SHOPPING CENTER AND CLARENCE MCCULLOUGH'S SON, WHO LIVED A 25 14 WILDRIDGE DRIVE THROUGHOUT HIS TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, LATER BECAME THE CENTER'S MANAGER.
MCCULL AND HIS WIFE RUTH, LIVED AT THE HOUSE ON RIDGE DRIVE UNTIL AT LEAST THE EIGHTIES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPOSAL FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND DETERMINE THAT THE PROJECT IS NOT MEET MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THIS PROPERTY CONT CONTRIBUTES TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THE BUILDING IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD AND APPEARS TO RETAIN MODERATE INTEGRITY.
WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN A REAR SECOND FLOOR EDITION WAS FINALIZED IN 1996.
THE FRONT FACADE DORMERS MAY HAVE BEEN ADDED AT THIS TIME, THOUGH HISTORICAL RECORD OR THOUGH HISTORICAL PERMIT RECORDS DO NOT SPECIFY THE LOCATION OF ADDITIONAL WORK AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT.
ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BUILDING AS IT WAS, UH, AS IT WAS BUILT, UH, WITH ITS ORIGINAL ROOF LINE, WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
UH, HOWEVER, THE DORMERS AND ROOF LINE ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE GEORGIAN REVIVAL STYLE IN WHICH THE BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED.
IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE GEORGIAN REVIVAL STYLE, AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH CLARENCE MCCULLOUGH, DEVELOPER OF THE VIOLET CROWN HEIGHTS AND THE FAMED VIOLET CROWN CHOPPING CENTER.
THUS, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER MCCULLOUGH'S ROLE AS CO-DEVELOPER OF THE VIOLET CROWN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD AND VIOLET CROWN SHOPPING CENTER HAVE SUFFICIENT IMPACT ON AUSTIN'S HISTORY TO OFFSET THE INTEGRITY ISSUES WHEN EVALUATING FOR LANDMARK ELIGIBILITY.
IF NOT, ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND COMMENT ON PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND JUST TO NOTE, A COMMISSION MAY POSTPONE THE DEMOLITION A PORTION OF THIS APPLICATION FOR UP TO 180 DAYS FROM THE APPLICATION RECEIPT, WHICH PUTS US AT, UH, JANUARY, UM, AS OUR LAST MEETING, AND MUST COMMENT ON THE PLANS WITHIN 75 DAYS FROM TODAY, WHICH WOULD BE OUR DECEMBER MEETING.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
UH, WE WILL TAKE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST.
YOU COME DOWN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, FIRST SPEAKER, FIVE MINUTES, ALL SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS, THREE MINUTES.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNER.
UM, I, I'M REALLY HERE TO JUST SPEAK TO SOME OF THE OPPOSITION LETTERS THAT WERE RECEIVED AND CLEAR UP SOME MISCOMMUNICATIONS OR SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
UM, PATRICK CRANE IS, THE DESIGNER IS HERE TO SPEAK TO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
UM, A FEW OF THE LETTERS THAT WERE IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION MENTIONED THAT THE SCALE OF THE LOTS BEING JOINED DID NOT MATCH THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, HOWEVER, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET, THE, THE FRONTAGE,
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THE STREET FRONTAGE OF THAT PROPERTY AT, UM, 25 15 IS 240 FEET IN LENGTH, WHICH IS MORE THAN THREE LOTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET.THIS WOULD BE JOINING THE TWO LOTS OF 25 12 AND 25 14.
UM, ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION IN THE LETTERS WAS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BUILD THIS RESIDENCE AND THEN SELL IT, BUT THEY CURRENTLY LIVE, IT'S A FAMILY OF SIX, AND THEY CURRENTLY LIVE ON A LOT THAT ADJOINS THIS AT THE BACK, UM, ON MCCALLUM DRIVE, AND THEY'VE LIVED THERE SINCE 2020.
SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY THAT NEW TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THIS IS THEIR FAMILY HOME FOR THEIR FAMILY OF SIX.
THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF LEAVING.
THEY'LL BE HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, ANOTHER LETTER INDICATED THAT THE SCALE OR SIZE OF THE PROPERTY DIDN'T FIT THE NEIGHBORHOOD YET ACROSS THE STREET AGAIN, THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE PROPERTIES THAT COMPARE TO SIZE IN THIS ONE GOING DOWN WOOLDRIDGE, UM, THAT WOULD BE 25 15, 24, 31, AND 25 0 3 ARE ALL COMPARABLE IN SIZE TO THIS ONE.
UM, AND I'LL LET PATRICK SPEAK TO THE DESIGN, THE NEW DESIGN.
YEAH, SO I'M HERE REALLY JUST TO, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO ADDRESS, I, I THINK I WROTE IN THE, IN THE BRIEF, UH, THE POSITIONING OF THE HOUSE ON THE LOT, UH, AND THE KIND OF PROTRUSION AND THE, THE RECEDING OF THE HOUSE BACK INTO THE, INTO THE PROPERTY, UH, IS, IS MEANT TO KIND OF MITIGATE, UH, SOME, UM, SCALE ISSUES THAT IT MIGHT HAVE WITH ITS IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS.
WE THINK THAT IT, IT FITS IN THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE WISE, UH, PERFECTLY.
IT, IT MEETS HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS, UH, AND IS AS TALL AS THE NEIGHBORING, UH, PROPERTIES HAS THE SAME FLOOR TO FLOOR HEIGHTS.
UM, THE, THE HOUSE IS, IS, IS THE DESIGN HAS, HAS GONE THROUGH A PROCESS OF, OF TRYING TO MEET NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, SCALES AND HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS THROUGH MATERIALITY, UH, SHAPE AND, AND VOLUME.
UM, AND SO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT, THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE AS YOU REVIEW IT, I'D, I'D LIKE TO ADD ONE OTHER DETAIL AS ONE OF THE LETTERS INDICATED THAT, UM, 25 12 SHOULD NOT BE DEMOLISHED, BUT THAT DEMOLITION PERMIT WAS APPROVED IN 2022, AND IT'S STILL ACTIVE AND PLANNED TO BE USED.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
I DO, I DO HAVE A QUESTION OF THE ARCHITECT CHAIR STEAD.
AND, AND, UH, I, I ASSUME THAT WHAT WAS ON THE, UH, PROJECTOR THERE WAS THE FRONT ELEVATION FACING THE MAIN STREET.
UH, AND I, I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY THE, UH, USE OF MATERIALS, THE MASSING.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE TAKING A VERY CONTEMPORARY, UH, STYLISTIC APPROACH IN THIS REGARD.
UH, UH, THE ONLY ISSUE I HAVE IS YOUR FENESTRATION.
AND IT'S JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING WITH, UH, ARCHES AND CLASSICAL PROPORTIONS COME INTO PLAY.
UH, THAT ELEVATION ON THE DOUBLE SCALE, UH, RIGHT SIDE, UH, YOU HAVE A TRIPARTITE ARCHES AND, UH, AN UPPER SPRING LINE, UH, WITH THE SAME SIZED ARCH AND A LOWER SPRING LINE THAT YOU DROP ON THE RIGHT.
AND FOR, FOR ANYBODY WHO KNOWS CLASS CLASSICAL PROPORTIONS, THAT'S LIKE RUNNING YOUR FINGERNAILS ACROSS THE CHALKBOARD.
SO, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS WILL WANT TO DO, BUT IF THERE'S A CHANCE, UH, AND THE, UH, NEIGHBORS ASK FOR ADDITIONAL TIME TO COMMENT ON THE DESIGN, I, I WOULD AT LEAST ASK YOU TO, UH, YOU'VE BEEN SO, UH, A DR AT, AT MERGING THE CONTEMPORARY WITH SOME OF THESE CLASSICAL DETAILS.
I'D ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, UH, ELEVATION, SEE IF THERE'S A WAY YOU CAN MAYBE HAVE A SIMILAR EFFECT WITHOUT, UH, AGAIN, RUBBING THE CHALKBOARDS FOR CLASSICISTS
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OR OF THE APP OF THE SPEAKERS? OKAY.
ANY OTHERS IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? OKAY.
IF YOU CAN COME GIVE YOUR NAME.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF PEMBERTON HEIGHTS.
UH, WE'VE LIVED IN PEMBERTON HEIGHTS FOR 11 YEARS AND CURRENTLY OWN THE HOUSE AT 25 0 5 WILDRIDGE DRIVE.
IT'S A COLONIAL HOUSE BUILT IN 1929.
LIKE MANY PEMBERTON RESIDENTS, WE SPENT THREE YEARS REMODELING THE HOUSE TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF ITS COLONIAL FACADE AND
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ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.I BELIEVE IT IS AN HONOR TO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CHERISHES AND PRESERVES THE LEGACY AND CHARM OF ITS BEAUTIFUL HOMES.
TO BUY A HOUSE IN, UM, TO BUY AN OLD HOUSE IN PEMBERTON HEIGHTS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A STEWARD OF A SMALL PIECE OF AUSTIN HISTORY.
AS A RESIDENT OF PEMBERTON HEIGHTS AND AUSTIN AS A WHOLE, I OBJECT TO THE DEMOLITION OF 25 14 RIDGE DRIVE.
I BELIEVE THAT I SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND THE MANY, MANY NEIGHBORS WHO WROTE LETTERS OF PROTEST.
25 14 WILDRIDGE DRIVE WAS BUILT IN THE 1930S AND REPRESENTS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF GEORGIAN REVIVAL OR COLONIAL REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE.
THE SYMMETRY, GABLE ROOF DORMERS, AND CENTRAL ENTRY AND CLASSICAL DETAILS ALL POINT TO HIS HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT IN THAT DORMERS THAT, UM, WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT WERE ADDED IN THE NINETIES OR POTENTIALLY ADDED INTO THE NINETIES WERE NOT.
UM, THERE IS PHOTOGRAPHS IN THIS BOOK, THE AUSTIN'S PEMBERTON HEIGHTS HISTORY BOOK THAT SHOW THE HOUSE BEFORE 1974 WITH THE DORMERS THAT EXIST TODAY.
I SUBMITTED THAT, UM, TO THE, UM, COMMISSION AS A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT.
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW NOTABLE EXAMPLES OF GEORGIAN REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
ONE OF THOSE IS THE TEXAS FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUB AT 2312 ST.
THE OTHER IS A HOME AT 1506 WEST LYNN THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THIS COMMISSION YEARS AGO.
AND THAT INSTANCE, THE HOUSE WAS PRESERVED, REMODELED, AND EXPANDED THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MODERN EDITION ON THE NEIGHBORING LOT.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE HOW OLD ARCHITECTURE CAN BE PRESERVED IN AN EVER-CHANGING CITY.
THE CHARM OF OUR BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD IS MAINTAINED NOT JUST BY THE STRUCTURES, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE SCALE AND THE SETBACKS OF THE ORIGINAL PLOTS OF LAND.
25 14 OLDER SITS CLOSE TO THE STREET IN MUCH HIGHER IN ELEVATION THAN THE SURROUNDING HOUSES, PARTICULARLY HOUSES THAT THE ARCHITECT MENTIONED EARLIER ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH REMOTES MUCH LOWER TO THE STREET LEVEL.
THE INTENDED NEW DOUBLE LOT PROPERTY AND STRUCTURE MAY MATCH THE LENGTH OF THE OVA HOMES IN PEMBERTON, BUT THOSE HOUSES ARE MUCH FURTHER BACK FROM THE STREET AS WELL.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE NEW STRUCTURE IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORIC HOME THAT THEY WOULD TEND TO DEMOLISH OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A WHOLE.
IN SUMMARY, THE DEMOLITION OF 25 14 WILDRIDGE DRIVE WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO THE ARCHITECTURAL CONT CONTINUITY AND HISTORICAL FABRIC OF WOOLDRIDGE.
THESE HOMES ARE NOT JUST STRUCTURES, THEY'RE ARTIFACTS OF CENTRAL AUSTIN, AND THEY EMBODY THE SCALE, THE CHARM, AND THE CHARACTER THAT MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD UNIQUE.
PRESERVING THESE HOMES SAFEGUARDS OUR IDENTITY, THE IDENTITY OF PEMBERTON HEIGHTS, AND ENSURES THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN EXPERIENCE THIS RARE AND IRREPLACEABLE PIECE OF AUSTIN HISTORY.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO DENY THE APPLICATION FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THIS HOUSE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION? HELLO COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I AM THE OWNER OF 24 11 PEMBERTON PLACE, AND I STRONGLY OBJECT TO THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH 25 14 WOOLRIDGE DRIVE 25 14.
MULCHERS DRIVE IS HISTORIC IN ITS PROVIDENCE, AS ALWAYS AS ALREADY IDENTIFIED BY THIS COMMISSION IN ITS OWN REVIEW, AND SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE BEAUTY AND APPEAL OF OUR CITY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
FURTHER, IT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE THAT ENABLES THE OLD WEST, OLD WEST AUSTIN HISTORIC DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN ITS STATUS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
MANY HOMEOWNERS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE UNDERTAKEN LENGTHY AND PAINSTAKING RENOVATIONS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF EXISTING HISTORICAL STRUCTURES LIKE THAT OF 25 14 WOOLDRIDGE.
THIS NOT ONLY PRESERVES THE DISTRICT STATUS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, BUT IT ALSO HELPS TO MAINTAIN THE BEAUTY AND APPEAL APPEAL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE OVERALL VALUE OF THE TAX BASE TO THE CITY.
THESE HOMES ARE VALUABLE BECAUSE THEY ARE RA RARE, UNIQUE, AND HISTORIC.
THESE STRUCTURES, UM, AS OWNERS OF PEMBERTON PLACE, A 75, SORRY, 24 11 PEMBERTON PLACE, A 75-YEAR-OLD STRUCTURE LOCATED THREE BLOCK, THREE BLOCKS FROM THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
WE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY OVER FIVE YEARS TO PLAN, REMODEL, AND ADD TO A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN A WAY THAT MAINTAINED THE ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SITE.
THIS WAS DONE AT THE EXPENSE, AT AN EXPENSE THAT WAS POTENTIALLY DOUBLE THAT OF SIMPLY TEARING DOWN OUR HOME.
WE DID THIS NOT BECAUSE IT WAS EASY OR CHEAP, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR CITY.
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OF OTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE DONE THE SAME BEFORE US, AND THAT SHOULD BE THE STANDARD THAT IS UPHELD IN STRUCTURES LIKE THESE.IN CONCLUSION, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION, AND WE RESPECTIVELY URGE THAT YOU DENY THE APPLICATION FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 25 14 WILDRIDGE DRIVE.
WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION AND THE, UH, APPLICANT'S CAN HAVE A REBUTTAL THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
UH, JUST ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE, WE'VE BEEN TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, THE MONTH BEFORE LAST, BEFORE APPEARING AT, AT THIS MEETING.
UH, AND ALSO WE'RE AT THIS MEETING, UM, LAST MONTH.
AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TASKED WITH DOING FOR THIS MEETING WAS TO DEMONSTRATE, UH, THAT THE ADDITIONS TO THE BUILDING OVER THE YEARS, THE ADDITIONS AND, AND REMODELING MODIFICATIONS TO THE BUILDING OVER THE YEARS MAY IMPACT ITS, UH, CONTRIBUTING NATURE.
UH, AND WE PRODUCE SOME, SOME DIAGRAMS AND SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT THAT I THINK SHOULD, SHOULD WEIGH ON THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION MAKING, I WOULD ASSUME.
UH, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT DIDN'T GET OVERLOOKED.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE CASE.
I THINK WE HAVE THREE, THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US CHAIR, SETH.
UH, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS, UH, ITEM UNTIL OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.
UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT BOTH THE DEMOLITION, UH, DISCUSSION, UH, WOULD BE WORTH, UH, CONTINUING.
I DID NOT SEE SOME OF THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, UH, WHICH WERE MENTIONED BY ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS, UH, THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT.
UH, I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, THOUGH THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONVERSATIONS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE SEEN THE NEW PLANS.
UH, SO, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAD A QUICK RESPONSE.
UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A CHANCE POTENTIALLY FOR THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE IF YOU HAVEN'T COMMENTED SPECIFICALLY ON THE LAYOUT IN FRONT OF US, UH, THAT THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE AS WELL.
CHAIR, DOES THAT INCLUDE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.
AND, UH, A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MCC QUARTER, UH, CHAIR.
SAFF, I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? UH, I JUST, UH, THERE MAY NOT BE A RESOLUTION, BUT I THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE A BETTER, UH, I I'LL FEEL BETTER ABOUT TAKING THIS UP, UH, WITH MORE INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, REPORTER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE? A MOTION TO, TO POSTPONE UNTIL NEXT MONTH'S MEETING? YEAH, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO, UH, BEING A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO POSTPONE THIS, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS.
UH, AND IT'S PART OF A DEMOLITION DELAY, SO THAT'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO US, UH, IN THE INTEREST OF KEEPING CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
SO, UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
THE, UM, I WOULD, I APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT'S PROVIDING THE INFORMATION WE ASK FOR.
I, I THINK, UM, THERE ARE IN INTEGRITY ISSUES, I THINK THEY MADE THE CASE THAT THIS WAS AN ADDITION.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PHOTO THAT WAS MENTIONED.
UH, BUT LOOKING AT HOW THE DORMERS TIED TO THE ROOF RELATIVE TO WHERE THE HISTORIC CHIMNEY IS CENTERED, UH, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ABOVE THE HISTORIC ROOF LINE.
SO I THINK, UH, SEEING THAT PICTURE WILL MAKE THINGS VERY CLEAR, UH, TO HELP US MAKE THE, THE FINAL DECISION ON THIS.
SO, UH, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
UH, NO FURTHER COMMENTS, UH, TO TAKE THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? I HAVE SEVEN IN FAVOR.
COMMISSIONER WITH COMMISSIONER.
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AND OUR LAST CASE IS A DEMOLITION[18. PR-2025-086196– 902 W. Johanna St. Council District]
RELOCATION APPLICATION FOR 9 0 2 WEST JOHANNA STREET.WE CAN HAVE STAFF PRESENTATION.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIR 1935 HOUSE.
UH, THE CRAFTSMAN IS SI INSPIRED BUNGALOW LOCATED AT, AT 9 0 2 WEST JOHANNE STREET IS CURRENTLY A SIDE-BY-SIDE DUPLEX WITH A SHARED FRONT PORCH.
THIS PORCH SEARCHES ACROSS THE MIDDLE HALF OF THE FRONT ELEVATION AND IS COVERED BY A FRONT FACING GABLE ROOF, WHICH IS IN SET WITHIN A GABLE COVERING THE MAIN HOUSE.
DECORATIVE BRACKETS ARE PRESENT AT BOTH GABLES, ALONG WITH LATTICEWORK ATTIC VENTS.
THE WALLS ARE CLAD IN NARROW TEARDROP SIDING AND THE HOUSE IS ELEVATED ON PIERS.
A 1948 EDITION IS PRESENT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
IT ISN'T KNOWN WHETHER THE HOUSE WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS A DUPLEX OR IF WAS CONVERTED TO SUCH AN ORIENTATION SHORTLY AFTER ITS INITIAL CONSTRUCTION FROM ITS CONSTRUCTION AROUND 1935 UNTIL THE MID 1950S.
THE HOUSE WAS OWNED BY CECIL AND DAISY NAVIN, WHO HAD MOVED TO AUSTIN FROM WICHITA FALLS AROUND THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
CECIL NAVIN WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT SOUTHWESTERN BELL BEFORE BEING LISTED IN CITY DIRECTORIES AS A MECHANIC AND REPAIRMAN DURING THIS TIME, THEY PERIODICALLY HAD RENTERS LIVING AT THE ADDRESS, PRESUMABLY IN THE OTHER HALF OF THE HOUSE.
A WORK PERMIT FOR A REAR EDITION WAS FILED WITH THE CITY IN 1948.
THE 2015 BOLTON CREEK HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY.
UM, THIS, UH, THE APPLICANT TEAM ATTENDED THE, UH, LAST MONTH'S MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, WHERE THE FEEDBACK WAS TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION THAT MAY KEEP THE FRONT OF THE, KEEP THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING INTACT.
ALTERNATIVELY, PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS SUCH AS A STRUCTURAL REPORT ABOUT THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE EXISTING BUILDING TO DETERMINE THAT PRESERVATION AND REHABILITATION WOULD BE PROHIBITIVE.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN MATERIAL DOCUMENTATION, DECONSTRUCTION AND REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, WE WILL TAKE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I AM A SENIOR ASSOCIATE AT POINT B DESIGN GROUP, UH, ARCHITECT, UH, FOR, UM, THE PROJECT AND THE APPLICANT.
UM, UH, AS WAS NOTED, UM, WE ATTENDED THE A RC MEETING, UM, ON, UH, SEPTEMBER 10TH.
DISCUSSED REHABILITATION, ADAPTIVE REUSE, MATERIAL DECONSTRUCTION, RELOCATION, UH, PRES, AND THEN PRESERVATION OF THE FRONT FACADE.
UM, WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THESE OPTIONS WITH THE CLIENT, UM, AND GIVEN, UM, THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE AND THE, UM, THAT THE HOUSE DOES NOT HAVE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION, UM, AND AS PER THE STAFF REPORT DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA, SHE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PROCEED WITH THE DEMOLITION, UM, OF THE EXISTING HOME.
UM, I'LL ALSO JUST NOTE THAT, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING TO AT DEMOLITION AHEAD OF CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HOME.
UM, WE SHARED AT THE A RC MEETING, UM, MEETING WITH THE COMMITTEE THERE, UH, PRELIMINARY, UH, LIKE OUR, WHERE WE ARE IN OUR PROGRESS, UH, WITH THE DESIGN OF THAT NEW HOME, SHE IS LOOKING TO DEMOLISH THE CURRENT HOME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF CONCERNS OF WITH THE STRUCTURE, UM, AND WANTING TO AVOID, UM, ANY POTENTIAL, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE THE HOUSE MAY BE, UM, OCCUPIED BY, UH, SAY A SQUATTER AND WITH CON HER CONCERNS OVER THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE HOME, UM, HAVING SOME LIABILITY IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN WITHIN THE HOME IN THAT, IN A SCENARIO SUCH AS THAT.
UM, SO HERE TO ANSWER, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT I CAN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THE SPEAKER ACTON? UM, YOU MENTIONED IN THE LETTER PROVIDED THAT THERE'S STRUCTURAL CONCERNS.
WAS THERE A, UH, A REPORT BY AN ENGINEER FOR THAT? I DON'T BELIEVE A, AN OFFICIAL ENGINEER'S REPORT HAS BEEN, UM, UM, PUT TOGETHER.
UH, SHE HAS IN THE PAST WHEN SHE INITIALLY ACQUIRED THE HOME, IT WAS, UM, OCCUPIED, UH, AND THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE FLOORING STRUCTURE, AND SHE HAD SOME WORK DONE, UM, TO
[02:15:02]
REPAIR THAT.SHE ALSO ADDITIONALLY LOOKED INTO POTENTIAL RELOCATION AND WAS TOLD, UM, BY THAT, UH, CONTRACTOR, UH, THAT IT WAS NOT VIABLE FOR RELOCATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER RICE.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THIS CASE.
UH, IF STAFF CAN REMIND US ON THE TIMELINE ON THIS, I BELIEVE THIS IS, HAS, ISN'T THIS A 75 DAY TIME? THIS IS, THIS IS A 75 DAY REVIEW.
UH, WE HAVE THROUGH, UH, THE NEXT MONTH, NOVEMBER, UH, A R UH, HLC, EXCUSE ME.
SO WE'D HAVE NEXT MONTH AND THEN ANOTHER TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES, TECHNICALLY, UH, SO WE COULD, WE COULD POSTPONE OR WE COULD RELEASE OR, OR CORRECT.
INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING OR OUR THREE OPTIONS.
I, I MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, UM, UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE ALONG, UH, OKAY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER RICE, THERE'S NO NEED TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THAT'S GONNA BE THE MOTION.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, YEAH, SURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I KNOW THE APPLICANT HAS ALREADY BEEN TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND, UH, SPOKEN WITH, UH, ALL OF Y'ALL.
AND, UH, THE FACT THAT IT JUST DOESN'T FALL INTO EITHER LOCAL OR NATIONAL, UH, HISTORIC REGISTER DISTRICT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO KIND OF PLAYS INTO THE DECISION, BUT I, I THINK JUST THE FACT THAT, UM, IT ALSO DOESN'T REALLY LOOK LIKE IT QUALIFIES AS A HISTORICALLY END MARK.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE SHOULD, UH, BE, I GUESS, THE COMMISSION TO STAND, UH, IN FRONT OF A PROJECT FROM GETTING DONE.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I THINK I'D, I'D I, I'D AGREE WITH THAT.
I MEAN, I, I DO HAVE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I, I DO HAVE SOME SYMPATHY TO PRESERVATION OF, OF HOMES LIKE THIS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT LIKE, JUST BECAUSE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE AREN'T SPECIFIC HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, LIKE THERE ARE, THERE IS VALUE IN PRESERVING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST RUN OF THE MILL RENTAL HOUSING IN AUSTIN FROM THAT ERA.
BUT I DO THINK, LIKE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UM, GIVEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN OF THE, OF THE, OF THE HOME AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD, UM, ABOUT THE, HAVING SPOKEN TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COMMISSIONER ANA GAJI HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF IT BEING NOT IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, NOT IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR, UM, SIMILAR PRESERVATION OF, OF THAT KIND IN, IN THOSE DISTRICTS.
SO, UM, THAT'S KINDA WHERE I'M AT ON THIS ONE.
ANY, YES, YOUR COMMISSIONER ACTON? NO, UM, I AGREE WITH YOU GUYS.
I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
HOWEVER, I DO WANT A CAUTION IN THAT SPEAKER PART OF, PART OF WHAT THE DOCUMENTATION WAS PROVIDED WAS A LETTER ON A LETTERHEAD FROM AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM THAT STATES THAT THERE ARE EXISTING STRUCTURAL STATE OF THE HOUSE IS A CONCERN THAT CARRIES WITH IT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT.
IT CARRIES WEIGHT, A WEIGHT THAT DIFFERS IF IT'S A HOMEOWNER OR AN ARCHITECT OR LIKE ME, A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE HEAR THAT A LOT, AND WHAT OUR EXPECTATION IS, IS DOCUMENTATION OF THAT, BECAUSE THAT TAKES SOMEONE THAT UNDERSTANDS HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND WHAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY REHAB THOSE OR WHAT IS CONCERNING AND NOT.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT CARRIES DIFFERENT WEIGHT COMING FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT MY EXPECTATION WOULD'VE BEEN MORE IN READING YOUR LETTER THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAD DOCUMENTATION FOR THAT STATEMENT AND THAT THANK YOU.
ETH YEAH, I, LET ME REINFORCE, UH, FIRST OFF, UH, WHAT, UH, THE MAKERS OF THE MOTION HERE HAVE ALREADY STATED.
UH, YOU KIND OF LOOK AHEAD AT THE OUTCOME AND IT DOESN'T RISE TO A LANDMARK STATUS.
[02:20:01]
IT'S DISAPPOINTING.AN OLD HOUSE LIKE THIS CAN'T BE, UH, FIND SOMEBODY WHO WOULD LOVE IT, BUT, UH, IT, IT'S NOT OUR PURVIEW TO FORCE THAT ISSUE.
UM, I AM CONCERNED AS, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON HAS SAID THAT WE ARE HAVING A MISHMASH OF INFORMATION ABOUT STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF THIS OR THE COST OF THAT.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO TAKE COST INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT AN OWNER DOESN'T.
AN OWNER HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WORKS.
SO, UH, AN OFF-HANDED REMARK FROM A CONTRACTOR IS NOT A COST ANALYSIS, UH, JUST AS A STATEMENT THING, THERE'S PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUCTURE IS NOT THE SAME AS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT.
TO THAT END, UH, WHAT THIS REALLY BRINGS UP IS A FOLLOW ON, AND I'M HOPING THAT COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND COMMISSIONER ACTON, UH, WILL WORK WITH ME AND OTHERS ON THE COMMISSION TO, UH, HAVE SOME STANDARDS THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE OF ANYBODY WHO'S MAKING A CLAIM ABOUT STRUCTURE.
AND I THINK THERE'S, UH, SOME VERY BASIC THINGS THAT WE SHOULD SAY WE EXPECT, UH, AND AN OWNER OR, UH, PROFESSIONAL COULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO US, UH, OR JUST NOT GO THERE.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT IN THE FUTURE, BUT I AM GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION.
UH, I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I THINK I'M NOT REALLY SEEING ENOUGH INFORMATION HERE TO BE ABLE TO JUST LET THIS ONE GO AT THIS MOMENT.
UH, WE HAVE SOME VERY LIMITED PHOTOGRAPHY.
THERE ARE NO PHOTOS OF THE INSIDE OR OF ANY OF THE ISSUES OF CONCERN TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, GET ME PAST THAT POINT.
WE'VE SEEN LOTS OF OTHER HOMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE DO GET A FULL ENGINEER REPORT.
WE GET ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION THAT KIND OF LIKE PUTS TOGETHER A STRONGER CASE AS TO WHY IT SHOULD BE LET GO.
I'D ALSO BE INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT WHY IT CAN'T BE RELOCATED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THIS DOESN'T QUITE RISE TO, UH, THE LEVEL OF, UH, MERITING HISTORIC ZONING, BUT, UH, I LIKE TO EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS AND, UH, FOR THOSE REASONS, I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS.
UM, I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION PRIMARILY BECAUSE ALL WE COULD DO IS POSTPONE ONE MORE MONTH.
UH, THE APPLICANT DID COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND THE, THE CONTEXT OF THE HOUSE IS SUCH THAT I THINK PUSHING IT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WERE IN A MORE INTACT STREET, I THINK I WOULD BE ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRACTICALITY OF DOING IT.
UH, BOLDEN IS, UM, WE'VE SEEN, HAD SOME HEARTBREAKING CASES IN BOLDEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNDER PRESSURE FROM SOUTH FIRST AND CONGRESS ON ONE SIDE, LAMAR ON THE OTHER.
UH, IT'S GOT A PRETTY POOR REPRESENTATION IN TERMS OF THE DENSITY OF LANDMARKS FOR SUCH A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.
SO SEEING IT WAS EMBOLDENED KIND OF BOTHERED ME, BUT SEEING ITS IMMEDIATE CONTEXT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE OTHER BLOCKS TO FIGHT ON, BUT I, I WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, ENGINEER REPORTS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN HAVE ENGINEERS INVOLVED THAT SEND ONE LETTER REPORT SAYING IT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE OFTEN, I THINK, IN SUPPORT OF TEARING IT DOWN, UH, OBVIOUSLY IN SUPPORT OF TEARING IT DOWN.
BUT PHOTOS ARE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS UNLESS THERE'S ACTUAL TESTS BEING PERFORMED, WHICH CAN BE PRODUCED.
UH, IT'S BASED ON A VISUAL OBSERVATION, AND THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH US IN PHOTOS.
AND SO ANYTIME I SEE YOUR REPORT WITH NO PHOTOS, IT'S IMMEDIATELY SUSPECT.
SO IF WE DID ESTABLISH ANY STANDARDS, PICTURES ARE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT.
BUT IN THIS CASE, I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH PUSHING ANOTHER MONTH.
SO THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALLS IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I HAVE ALL IN FAVOR EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
AND OUR NEXT ITEM IS DISCUSSION ON ACTION ITEM 20, VOTE TO NOMINATE AND A APPOINT A MEMBER.
IS THAT COME, THAT COMES BEFORE THE COMMITTEE UPDATES? CORRECT.
COMMITTEE UPDATES ARE AT THE VERY END.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE UPDATES.
AND ALSO, IF WE COULD PUT THE, UM, PRESERVATION PLAN, UH, QR CODE UP ON THE SCREEN AS WELL.
[20. Vote to nominate and appoint a member to the Preservation Plan Committee. ]
VOTE TO NOMINATE AND APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, AND STAFF WILL DISCUSS.AND AS WE NOMINATE A MEMBER, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO, UH, CHECK OUT THIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH FLYER THAT, UH, KARA IN OUR PRESERVATION, THAT PLAN, UH, WORKING GROUP AND COMMITTEE HAS PUT
[02:25:01]
TOGETHER.UM, IT HIGHLIGHTS A COUPLE SHORT VIDEOS, UM, UH, WITH SIGNIFICANT PLACES, UM, OUR QUARTERLY HALF HOUR SHOW ON A TXN CALLED WE SAVED YOU A PLACE, AND A COUPLE OF SURVEYS, UM, MATERIALS AND PROGRAMMING, UM, FOR FUTURE USE THAT THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE WILL BE LOOKING AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
OH, AND, UH, LET ME WEIGH IN IF I COULD.
UH, MS. CONTRERAS, UH, WE ALSO ARE VERY PLEASED THAT THE PRESERVATION PLAN WILL BE PRESENTED BY MYSELF AND VICE CHAIR, UH, EVANS, ALONG WITH, UH, OUR NEW STAFF MEMBER, UH, AT THE, UH, OCTOBER, UH, ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE TEXAS SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTS.
UH, SO WE'LL BE UP IN DALLAS, UH, AND TALKING TO OTHER ARCHITECTS AND, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, UH, IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY ABOUT, UH, HOW WE'VE GONE ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL TO ENCOURAGE OTHER CITIES TO DO THE SAME.
AND OUR ACTION TONIGHT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE WITH NO MEMBERS CURRENTLY.
IS THAT CORRECT? EXCUSE ME, CHAIR, COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? I VOTE TO NOMINATE AND APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE IS OUR YES, THAT IS OUR, UH, FINAL PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MEMBER.
DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS ALREADY ON THAT? TWO SECONDS ON WHO ARE THE, THE CURRENT MEMBERS SHOULD BE COMMISSIONER SETH AND EVANS, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES.
UH, SO WE NEED ONE MORE NOMINEE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT, UH, ALLOTMENT OF IS.
WE HAVE SOME COMMISSIONERS WITH NO COMMITTEES YET.
I, IF WE WANNA TAKE VOLUNTEERS OR WE WANNA HAVE NOMINATIONS OPEN FLOOR, I'LL, I'LL VOLUNTEER.
I'M NOT ON A COMMITTEE CURRENTLY.
COMMISSIONER UCCI, IT'S A EXCITING TIME FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
IT'S BEEN DONE, BUT NOW WE'RE EXECUTING IT, WHICH IS WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD.
SO THERE ANY OTHER VOLUNTEERS OR NOMINATIONS? IF NOT, I WILL, UH, TAKE A VOTE ON THE, OR MOVE TO ACCEPT THE, UH, TAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE VOLUNTEER TO JOIN THE COMMITTEE.
LET'S, LET'S, UH, MOVE TO HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER TUCCI ON THE, UH, I I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE COMMISSIONER TUCCI ON THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
YEAH, I WANNA MAKE IT FORMAL SO HE DOESN'T, CAN'T BACK OUT.
[21. Architectural Review Committee – Comments on the August 13, 2025, meeting. ]
COMMITTEE REPORTS, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, I'LL REPORT ON THAT.THERE WERE ONLY TWO CASES THAT WEREN'T HEARD TONIGHT.
ONE IS THE POST OFFICE THAT'S, I THOUGHT WAS A LANDMARK, WAS SURPRISED TO SEE, WASN'T, BUT CONNECTED TO THE ND TOWER.
THEY'RE, UM, PUSHING TO ACTIVATE THAT FOOD COURT THAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR.
AND THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE AN ADDITION OF A KITCHEN ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO HIDE, UH, KITCHEN EQUIPMENT ON THAT ROOF.
AND THAT WAS PART OF ITS, UM, INCLUSION IN THE VERY END OF THE, THE SIXTH STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND, UH, WE ALSO SAW A CASE IN ON RAINY STREET, OUR FAVORITE RAINY STREET, BUT THIS WAS WHERE, UH, EL PASO HAD TAKEN TWO BUNGALOWS AND RE-ORIENTED THEM TO BE A PASS THROUGH.
AND WE'RE COMBINING THE TWO WITH THE KITCHEN, UH, IN THE BACK TO MAKE IT, MAKE THEM FUNCTIONAL KITCHEN SPACES.
AND, UH, WE'RE DONE, WE'RE DONE VERY SENSITIVELY.
AND IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE THAT SPACE ACTIVATED OPERATIONS
[22. Operations Committee – Comments on the September 15, 2025, meeting. Members: Commissioners Rice, Acton, McWhorter.]
COMMITTEE AT MC QUARTER.I'M NOT SURE WHO THE CHAIR IS OF THE OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE A, A GOOD MEETING.
UM, WHAT, UH, WHAT SHOULD I BE SPEAK, WHAT SHOULD I SPEAK TO ON THAT? JUST, JUST A QUICK RUNDOWN OF ANYTHING WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WAS COVERED OR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THE BRIEFING OF JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AND WHAT THE SCOPE IS, WHAT SORT OF, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT THE, THE CITY STAFF GIVE US, UH, SORT OF A RUNDOWN OF THE TIMELINES OF DIFFERENT, UM, PROPOSALS THAT COULD BE COMING TO US IN THE COMING, YOU KNOW, YEAR OR TWO.
UM, I, I, I, I ENDED UP GETTING TO THAT MEETING A LITTLE LATE, SO
[02:30:01]
I, I MISSED SOME OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I'M, I THINK WE'RE GONNA, I'M GONNA HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THAT AT THE MEETING.UM, I THINK IT'S ON THE 15TH THIS MONTH.
UM, BUT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST STARTING TO GET THE, UM, THE IDEA OF WHAT THE POSSIBLE CHANGES ARE GONNA BE.
YEAH, THAT'S BEEN, UH, AN, AN ACTIVE COMMITTEE FOR A LONG TIME, SO IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME TO BUILD UP SOME STEAM.
I'M GONNA PUT A VOTE IN ON WORK ON THE SIGNAGE GUIDELINES, UH, SO THAT WE'RE NOT ASKED TO PROVIDE VARIANCES AND THERE'S A LITTLE MORE CLARITY IN DISTRICT PER DISTRICT AND, UM, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR, FOR STAFF TOO.
THAT'S MY, MY PERSONAL PITCH THERE.
I WANT, AND THEN I WAS ALSO GOING TO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS DISCUSSED IS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, A, UM, PUBLIC, PUBLIC NOTICE SENT OUT, UH, I BELIEVE EARLY NEXT YEAR.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, SO SOME OF THE CODE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE, UH, CONTEMPLATING AND WE'LL BE KIND OF WORKING WITH THAT COMMITTEE ON WILL REQUIRE NOTIFICATION AND WE'RE HOPING TO ALIGN THAT WITH, UM, OTHER NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT OTHER CODE AMENDMENTS COMING FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, JUST SO THAT WE'RE SAVING COST WITH MAIL OUTS.
SO IT'S LOOKING LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE FEBRUARY OR MARCH IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND, AND IS THE, UM, FROM THE, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE GOT AT THE MEETING, IS THAT, UM, ARE THOSE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND THOSE, UH, PROJECTS FROM STAFF, IS THAT, UH, IS THAT AVAILABLE SOMEWHERE ONLINE? I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE GOT THAT IN PDF OR NOT.
I DON'T, I HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH KARA 'CAUSE I THINK SHE MAY HAVE FACILITATED THE MEETING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE YET.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE STILL IN KIND OF REVIEW MODE WITH ATTORNEYS AND WHATNOT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SEEING IT WHEN, UH, SUZIE'S ABLE TO SHARE IT.
BUT, UH, I'M EXCITED TO BE, UH, TO BE WORKING ON THOSE AMENDMENTS AND I AGREE ABOUT THE SIGN ISSUE.
AND LET, MAY I ADD, UH, IF I COULD JUST ONE ADDITIONAL, UH, SINCE COMMISSIONER ACTON IS ALSO ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS ENGINEER REPORT ISSUE, UH, MAYBE SOMETHING THAT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WOULD, WOULD DO WELL TO ADD, UH, MAYBE GET SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO, TO, TO WEIGH IN ON IT.
UH, IT COULD BE SOMETHING SIMPLE.
IT COULD BE A, YOU KNOW, A ONE PAGE SET OF GUIDELINES, BUT JUST SOME WAY OF BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, EXPLICIT WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I'M NOT SURE WE COULD ESTABLISH STANDARDS, BUT WE COULD, SHOULD BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH GUIDELINES TO, FOR A SUCCESSFUL REPORT.
AND I'M SURE NOT, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO'VE DONE IT, SO IT MAY, MAY ALSO BE SOME JUST LOOKING OUT TO SEE BEST PRACTICES IF SOMEBODY ALREADY HAS.
AND WE HAVE THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE FLESHED OUT.
IS THERE ANY, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE PRESENTING AT THE TSA CONVENTION.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO DISCUSS? OKAY, VERY GOOD.
WELL, I DISCOVERED TONIGHT THAT FOR TONIGHT I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, UPDATES.
UH, KARA BERTRAN ON OUR STAFF AND I ACCEPTED AWARD FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON MONDAY AT THEIR, UH, ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO IT WAS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT GAVE US AN AWARD, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
WE'RE ALSO PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE PRESERVATION PLAN IS BEING AWARDED A MERIT AWARD FROM PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
AND THAT WILL, UH, THERE WILL BE AN AWARDS EVENT, UM, IN NOVEMBER.
I BELIEVE IT'S NOVEMBER 18TH, WHICH IS A TUESDAY EVENING, UM, PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN, I'M SURE WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, I WANTED TO ALSO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE A RETREAT SCHEDULED ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17TH.
UM, AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING SOME MORE INFORMATION SOON, BUT JUST PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 8:36 PM OKAY.