Jun 03, 2026 Historic Landmark

UH, I KNOW DISTRICT 10 WILL BE WELL REPRESENTED.

I CAN SAY THAT FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE HE HAPPENED TO BE CHAIRING THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WHEN I WAS THE LANDMARK COMMISSION'S LIAISON, SO, UH, UH, I GOT, GOT A CHANCE TO BE RIGHT THERE, FRONT AND CENTER, SO, AND HE DID A FINE JOB, .

SO WE WELCOME, WELCOME AGAIN, OUR NEW MEMBER.

UH, AT THIS POINT, LET US GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.

UH, CALL ON STAFF, OR DO WE WANT TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION FIRST? IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WELL, PERHAPS WE SHOULD DO ROLL CALL FIRST.

OH, I MISSED THE ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER ACTON PRESENT.

LET ME START OFF WITH CHAIR SETH.

YEP.

PRESENT, UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER GROGAN PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER COOK.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER LAROCHE IS NOT HERE.

COMMISSIONER HARRIS PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER RICE IS ALSO NOT HERE.

COMMISSIONER TUCCI PRESENT.

AND THAT'S ROLL CALL.

UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES.

UH, SO DO WE HAVE,

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.

OUR FIRST PERSON SIGNED UP IS LEE ACKERLEY.

PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND READ YOUR NAME AND TO THE RECORD.

SORRY.

FIRST TIMER AND, AND WELCOME.

HUMANS ACTUALLY GOING TO ENJOY THEMSELVES, NOT JUST HEADING TO THE CAPITOL.

HELLO, COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS LEE ACKERLEY.

I'M THE FOUNDER OF SWIFT FIT EVENTS.

WE'RE AN EVENTS COMPANY THAT FOCUSES ON HEALTH, WELLNESS AND CONNECTION WITHIN CORPORATE ENTITIES.

SO WE WORK WITH COMPANIES TO IMPROVE THEIR CORPORATE CULTURE.

UM, THREE YEARS AGO, WE BOUGHT A PROPERTY AT, UM, OR SORRY, WE MOVED INTO A PROPERTY AT NINE 18 CONGRESS AND THAT BECAME OUR OFFICE.

WE THEN SOON BEGAN TO RENT OUT THAT PROPERTY AS AN EVENT SPACE, SINCE WE DO EVENTS.

AS THAT PROGRESSED THIS YEAR, WE ENDED UP PURCHASING NINE 16 AND NINE 20 CONGRESS.

SO WE NOW HAVE ACCESS FROM NINE 16 TO NINE 20 CONGRESS.

AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS TO CONNECT ALL OF THOSE SPACES TO BE A DOWNTOWN EVENT VENUE.

AND OUR MARKETING FOR THIS COMPANY IS UNFORGETTABLE EVENTS, HISTORICAL CHARM.

SO THE IDEA IS TO REALLY EMBRACE THE LA LAMORE BLOCK SINCE WE'RE ON A HISTORIC BLOCK.

SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON JACOB LAMORE, AND WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS LEAN INTO THAT 19TH CENTURY AUSTIN FEEL AND ENLIVEN THIS PART OF NORTH CONGRESS.

SO WHEN WE FIRST MOVED IN, THERE'S A LOT OF UNHOUSED OUTSIDE OF OUR ESTABLISHMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, GRADUALLY IT'S DISPERSED.

BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO ON THIS PART OF CONGRESS IS RESUSCITATE IT, EN LIVEN IT.

I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE NORTH OF EIGHTH STREET ON CONGRESS DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

THEY SEE IT AS A GHOST TOWN OR JUST A PATHWAY TO THE CAPITOL.

AND WITH ME AND SOME OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, INCLUDING CONNIE REED FROM CONSUELA AND THE AUSTIN CLUB AND QUATRO GOTTI, WE REALLY WANNA MAKE NORTH CONGRESS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GO THERE, WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW,

[00:05:01]

AND SO WE SHOWED UP IN FRONT OF THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE, UM, TWO MONTHS AGO, UM, AND WENT OVER OUR PLANS AND WERE THEN INFORMED THAT A PREVIOUS DEAL HAD BEEN MADE AT NINE 16 FROM THE PAST DEVELOPER, POTENTIALLY A DECADE AGO, WHERE THEY KNOCKED DOWN A FACADE AT NINE 16 AND AGREED TO REBUILD IT AS SOON AS THEY BUILT THEIR FIVE STORY, UM, DEVELOPED BUILDING THAT NEVER HAPPENED.

AND THEN THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD SINCE TO ANOTHER BUYER WHO THEN SOLD IT TO US.

NONE OF THIS, THE AGREEMENT, UM, WAS EVER CONVEYED TO THE NEW BUYER AND THEN TO US.

SO WHEN WE STEPPED IN FRONT OF THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE, WE GOT BLINDSIDED AND WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS SOME PRE-EXISTING AGREEMENTS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN THE SPACE.

AS A BUSINESS OWNER, WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO ACQUIRING THESE SPACES ON A TIMELINE THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD ACHIEVE TO OPEN THE SPACE TO START GENERATING REVENUE, TO KEEP US IN THE GAME.

WHAT THIS HAS DONE WITH THIS POTENTIAL DELAY AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS TAKE US OUT OF THE GAME HERE.

UM, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS AGREEMENT HAD BEEN MADE.

AND, AND SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ARE SAYING WE SHOULD BUILD THIS STRUCTURE IN NINE 16, OR WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE BEFORE WE CAN DEVELOP IT.

SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNCIL.

UM, YOU KNOW, OUR INTENTIONS ARE TO ENLIVEN NORTH CONGRESS TO BRING MORE PEOPLE TO HANG OUT ON THAT PART OF CONGRESS, AND, YOU KNOW, TO BE THE BEST VENUE, YOU KNOW, IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN THAT SUPPORTS ALL OF THESE SOCIAL CORPORATE EVENTS AND WEDDINGS.

AND SO WOULD LOVE SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE COUNCIL ON THIS.

MR. ACKERLEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YES.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

I I WAS THE ONE THAT PROVIDED KIND OF THAT BACKGROUND AT THE A RC MEETING, AND IT WAS BY, BY PHONE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY.

SO IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR AT THE TIME.

AND IT'S MOSTLY RIGHT.

THERE WAS A SEVEN STORY EDITION APPROVED.

THERE WAS ONE APPROVED, I THINK IN 2015, AND THEN AGAIN ANOTHER ONE LATER.

AND, UH, WORK HAD STARTED ON THAT, INCLUDING THE, THE, THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING.

BUT THEN, UH, UM, I'M NOT GONNA OPINE ON ON WHY IT WENT AWRY FROM THERE, BUT, UH, IT WAS KIND OF ABANDONED AT THAT POINT.

SO, UH, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THIS ON AND GLAD YOU APPRECIATE THE HISTORIC, UH, VALUE.

I WOULD SAY THE, THE MAIN THING THAT I SEE EVERY MONTH AS I WALK TO THIS MEETING IS THAT THE BRICKS ON THE TOP OF THE PARAPET, UH, HAVE BEEN FALLING OFF ONE BY ONE.

UH, THAT'S EASILY REBUILT.

UH, I BELIEVE THE WINDOWS ON THE UPSTAIRS, I FORGET IF THOSE ARE IN PLACE OR NOT.

I THINK THOSE MAY STILL BE IN PLACE.

THE MAIN THING THAT'S MISSING IS THE FIRST FLOOR, UM, THE DOORS AND THE, THE ENTRY FACADE.

AND, UH, THE MAIN THING YOU NEED TO DO IS BASICALLY PUT IT BACK THE WAY IT WAS.

UH, THAT, THAT FRONT FACADE, UH, THE MAJORITY OF IT STANDS THERE.

UH, YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THE WINDOWS ARE BACK AND, AND THE DOORS AND WINDOWS ON THAT FIRST FLOOR ARE BACK.

I SAW THE CAST IRON COLUMNS ARE STILL THERE.

THE SIDES ARE PARTY WALLS.

THE BACK IS JUST A BRICK WALL AND WE NEED A ROOF.

WERE YOU PLANNING ON DOING A ROOF AS PART OR WERE YOU GONNA LEAVE IT AS AN OPEN ERROR? OPEN ERROR FOR NOW.

COMMISSIONER COOK, LET ME MAKE A SUGGESTION.

UM, I UN UNDERSTAND.

YOU WERE ALREADY AT THE, UH, ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.

IT'S A MUCH MORE INFORMAL SETTING AND, UH, WE ARE, OUR NEXT MEETING IS NEXT WEEK.

IS THAT RIGHT? MM-HMM .

SO IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO GET A MUCH MORE DETAILED ANSWER.

UH, I THINK, AGAIN, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION IS THESE ARE NON AGENDA ITEMS, SO WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ANY ACTION.

BUT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO, UH, COME TO A PROGRAM THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THEN THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, THEN YOU WOULD STILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

WE, SO WE HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

YEAH, WE'LL BE AT EVERY MEETING, YOU KNOW, FROM HERE UNTIL WE'LL GET YOU THROUGH, NEED TO BE.

SO, UM, WE DID SUBMIT FOR PERMITTING, SO THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT WE'LL BE AT THE NEXT ARCHITECTURAL MEETING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.

BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU COUNSEL.

ALRIGHT, THE NEXT SPEAKER, UH, BEFORE I ANNOUNCE THE NEXT SPEAKER, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND COMMISSIONER RICE THAT YOUR CAMERA HAS TO BE ON AH, COMMISSIONER RICE, PLEASE.

I'M WORKING ON WORKING ON IT.

UH, JUST ONE SECOND.

HEY GUYS, I AM PATRICK GEORGIO, UM, UH, THE OWNER OF BUILD AUSTIN, TEXAS.

WELL, IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL CALL OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WHO IS ALSO RELATED TO THE NINTH 16 CONGRESS AVENUE.

IT IS, UH, PAT, GE.

[00:10:03]

AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING WITH, UH, WITH MR. UH, ACKERLEY, WHO WAS JUST UP HERE.

AND I, I, I THINK THAT HE SAID EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID.

I WAS, UH, TO BE SAID.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO KIND OF GET US SOME EXTRA TIME IF WE NEEDED IT.

BUT, UH, I THINK, UH, WE HAVE OUR DIRECTION ON WHERE TO GO FROM HERE, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING TO OUR ATTENTION.

NEXT SPEAKER.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIA DE LORETTO.

TRUDY.

HI, Y'ALL.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, GO SPURS, AND, UM, I'M SUPER EXCITED AND HAPPY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT 2107 GOODRICH AVENUE.

SO I HAVE LIVED IN THE APARTMENTS NEXT TO THIS AMAZING HISTORIC BLACK CHURCH FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND, UM, IN THE RECENT YEAR, I'VE STARTED REALLY LOOKING INTO THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

AND IT'S JUST, IT CURRENTLY HAS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UM, BUT IT'S BEGUN TO FALL TO DIS DISREPAIR.

UM, AND SO I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO, YOU KNOW, WHO OWNS IT, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANSWERS ABOUT, UM, WHO THAT IS AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.

UM, AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT TRUTHFULLY, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ASSOCIATION THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, WHO'VE JUST GOTTEN REALLY OLD, UM, AND JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO KEEP UP WITH IT.

AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO PLEAD WITH YOU TO PUT SOME ENERGY AND EFFORT INTO THIS CHURCH.

IT'S THE BARTON SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH AND CEMETERY.

IT IS THE OLDEST, UH, HISTORIC BLACK CHURCH AND SCHOOL IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

UM, AND YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT OFTEN IF YOU WERE DRIVING BY OR WALKING BY, OR EVEN BRINGING YOUR DOG TO PLAY IN THIS CEMETERY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE HEADSTONES ARE MISSING.

BUT IT PREDATES THE CIVIL WAR.

IT'S REALLY AMAZING HISTORY HERE IN, IN TEXAS AND AUSTIN.

UM, IT'S A VERY, LIKE, BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF HISTORY FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN.

AND IT'S MOSTLY NOT KNOWN BY FOLKS, UM, BECAUSE THIS ASSOCIATION HAS KIND OF DISBANDED A LITTLE BIT.

THEY GROWN VERY OLD, UM, , AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS AREA IS PRESERVED AND, AND, AND KEPT UP WITH, UM, AND KEEPS ITS HISTORICAL MARKETING.

YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE SEE A LOT OF AUSTIN DEVELOPING, INCLUDING MY OWN BUILDING THAT I LIVE IN, THE, THE NEIGHBORING, UM, APARTMENT BUILDING IS CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED AND DEVELOPED.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A PROTECTION KEPT OVER THIS AREA AND MAYBE SOME REINVESTMENT HONESTLY, INTO KEEPING UP WITH THIS BUILDING, MAYBE RECREATING WHAT IT USED TO BE.

UM, CREATING A COMMUNITY SPACE, LIKE ALLOWING THERE TO BE CHURCH ON SUNDAYS.

RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST THIS CEMENT, UM, FOUR BY FOUR STRUCTURE THAT HAS REALLY FALLEN INTO DISPAIR DISREPAIR, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, WEATHER THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, SOME OF THE CEILINGS FALLING IN.

AND, AND WE HAVE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE WILLING TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO, TO PRESERVING THIS SPACE AND TO MAYBE BEAUTIFYING THE SPACE AND, AND INCREASING THE COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS SPACE.

AND WE JUST ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHAT DIRECTION TO GO IN, UM, AND, UM, HOW WE CAN GO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THIS HISTORY OF AUSTIN IS PRESERVED AND CELEBRATED AND, UM, A PART, A PIECE OF OUR, OUR LIVING HISTORY.

YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NOT JUST THIS PRESERVED SPACE, BUT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN COME AND VISIT AND LEARN FROM, AND THAT IT'S PROTECTED.

AND GO SPUR, GO .

UH, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO WRAP UP IN PLENTY OF TIME FOR TIP OFF.

UH, WHAT WE CAN, UH, OFFER THIS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TOUCHING ON AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS MANY, UH, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ESPECIALLY CHURCHES AND AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE AWARE OF HOW IMPORTANT THIS ISSUE IS AND WHAT A RESOURCE THIS CONTINUES TO BE.

AUSTIN'S VERY FORTUNATE THAT MANY OF THESE STRUCTURES STILL ARE BEING MAINTAINED AND THE FOLKS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, BUT NEED HELP.

SO, UH, WOULD YOU MAKE SURE, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL STREET ADDRESS AGAIN THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? 2107 GOODRICH AVENUE, AND IT'S THE BARTON SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH AND CEMETERY, AND IT DOES CURRENTLY HAVE A HISTORIC PLACARD, BUT THE BUILDING ITSELF HAS FALLEN QUITE POOR AND THE LAND IS NOT BEING KEPT.

AND IT MAY, IT MAY, I I HAVE TO, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT ONE.

IT MAY BE A PLACE MARKER AS OPPOSED TO A BUILDING, BUT THAT STILL, YEAH, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT BETWEEN WHAT THE CITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO OFFICIALLY ALSO MM-HMM .

ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PRESERVATION AUSTIN MM-HMM .

UH, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GET ACTIVE IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS EXACTLY.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

YEAH, OF COURSE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

LET ME NOTE, IT IS SHOWN AS A CITY LANDMARK ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES VIEWER.

THE APPLE MAPS IS 2107, IT MIGHT BE 2109.

SO WE ALREADY ARE IN THE PROGRAM.

SO THAT, AGAIN, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.

I'M, I'M SEEING THE ADDRESS AS 2109.

2109.

[00:15:01]

WE, YOU KNOW, I SEE 2107 AS WELL.

DO YOU KNOW IF THIS CHURCH OR THE CEMETERY HAS AN ASSOCIATION? YES.

SO THERE IS AN ASSOCIATION THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING IT.

AND THAT'S, UM, THE ONE I WAS REFERRING TO WHEN I WAS SAYING THAT THE BOARD OF THAT ASSOCIATION HAS GROWN QUITE OLD AND MANY ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, PASSED AT THIS POINT.

UM, AND IT HASN'T REALLY PASSED DOWN TO A, A NEWER GENERATION.

AND SO THERE ARE NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WHO ARE WORKING TO MAINTAIN THAT AREA, BUT JUST NOT THROUGH AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.

AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ISN'T LOST.

YEAH, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT IT NOW ON THE, JUST THE GOOGLE MAPS AND IT'S, IT'S A OBVIOUSLY A VERY SMALL, VERY PRECIOUS STRUCTURE AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE ITS IMPORTANCE.

IT ALSO HAS THC MARKER COMMISSIONER HARRIS, IT ALSO APPEARS TO HAVE A THC MARKER.

IS THAT FOR THE CEMETERY OR THE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SUBJECT MARKER? TEXAS HISTORICAL.

OH NO, IT'S JUST, I'M SORRY.

NO, IT LOOKS JUST A CITY.

CITY.

IT DID LOOK LIKE A, IT DID LOOK A STATE MARKER AS WELL.

MY APOLOGIES.

YEAH, I THOUGHT THE SAME THING.

I, THIS, I HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF CITY COLLECTS WITH THAT MUCH DETAIL BEFORE.

IT'S INTERESTING.

IT WAS PROBABLY FROM AN EARLIER HEARING.

UH, I DO WONDER IF IS, IF THE CEMETERIES ADJACENT, WHETHER IT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MARKER FROM THC SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

I BELIEVE CEMETERY DOES HAVE A, UH, HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY MARKER FROM THE TEXAS HISTORICAL, I'M SORRY.

UM, YEAH, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MIKE'S, WE'RE NOT HEARING YOU.

THERE WE GO.

UH, I THINK IT DOES HAVE A, UH, HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY MARKER FROM THE THC.

UM, LET ME, THERE IS ONE SINGLE PLACARD THAT IS POSTED IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING, AND THAT'S A CITY MM-HMM .

MARKER.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER JURISDICTIONS AS WELL.

IT COULD BE THE THC MARKER 2016 IS THE HTC DESIGNATION DATE.

AGAIN, THIS IS A WONDERFUL THING TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION.

AND THIS IS NOT A AGENDA ITEM SO MUCH AT THIS POINT, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR DISCOURSE AND DISCUSSION WITH ME AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THIS NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MEGAN KING NUR.

MEGAN KING N MOORE POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN HERE WITH YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE.

UM, OUR SUMMER 2026 GRANT CYCLE IS CURRENTLY OPEN AND WE'RE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS UNTIL JUNE 15TH.

OUR PROGRAM OFFERS UP TO $10,000 IN MATCHED FUNDS FOR PRESERVATION PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

THAT INCLUDES EDUCATION, BRICKS AND MORTAR AND PLANNING GRANTS.

UM, SO IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED AND WOULD LIKE TO APPLY, AND THEY CAN DO SO@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

CAN YOU TALK TO THE YOUNG LADY BEHIND YOU? YEAH, I'LL PLEASE.

THERE YOU GO.

IT'S, IT'S AMAZING HOW THESE THINGS CAN ALL COME TOGETHER.

UH, SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU MS. KING LAMORE.

IS THAT ALL OUR SPEAKERS? THAT'S ALL OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKERS.

ALRIGHT, WELL THEN LET US GO AHEAD AND REVIEW THE AGENDA.

AND, UH, MS. CONTRERAS, I THINK YOU'RE, WE'RE NOT HAVING YOUR VOICE HEARD ON THE MICROPHONE FOR SOME REASON, SO I DUNNO IF WE YEAH.

TRY A DIFFERENT ONE.

YEAH, LEMME TRY THIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. LUKES.

ITEM SEVEN, PR 2 2 6 0 3 2 5 0 4

IS THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, Y'ALL? YEAH, THAT'S, THANK YOU, CHAIR

[Consent Agenda]

SETH.

OUR FIRST ITEM, UM, TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE NUMBER ONE, THE APPROVAL OF THE MAY 6TH, 2026 MINUTES.

THIS ITEM'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT.

OH, AND BEFORE I BEGIN, UM, ANOTHER WARM WELCOME, UH, TO COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

UH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TIME AND EXPERTISE WITH US AND YOUR EXPERIENCE.

UM, WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.

WE HAVE A BRIEFING ON 10 10 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.

ITEM NUMBER THREE, A TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, MARKET ANALYSIS, BRIEFING, AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR, A BRIEFING ON THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY.

WE HAVE NO HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS ON OUR DOCKET TONIGHT.

WE DO HAVE SEVERAL CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS, BEGINNING WITH ITEM FIVE, PR 2 26 0 8 180 8 AT 1005 EAST EIGHTH STREET.

THIS IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.

ITEM SIX, HR 20 26 0 2 1 8 0 0 AT 1107 WEST NINTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.

[00:20:01]

AND HR 20 26 0 3 6 1 6 4 AT 3 0 4 WEST 42ND STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.

ITEM EIGHT, HR 20 26 0 5 7 1 8 4 AT 2 0 8 WEST 32ND STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.

ITEM NINE, HR 20 26 0 5 8 4 4 2 AT 7 0 6 OAKLAND AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL.

ITEM 10, HR 20 26 0 5 6 9 5 7 AT 2006 MAPLE AVENUE IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.

OUR NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS TONIGHT BEGIN WITH ITEM 11, HR 2 2 6 0 5 9 3 4 2 AT 3 3 0 4 OAKMONT BOULEVARD.

THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ITEM 12, PR 2 2 6 5 3 6 7.

AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM UNDER DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION APPLICATIONS.

TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEM 13, PR 2 26 0 4, 0 4 0 3 AT 1808 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO OUR NEXT MEETING.

ITEM 14 DA 2 2 6 3 8 7 98 AT 4 0 3 ORCHARD STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.

ITEM 15 DA 2 26 3 8 8 1 3 AT 1208 WEST FOURTH STREET WILL ALSO BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.

ITEM 16, PR 2 2 6 5 6 8 AT NINE 16 WEST LIVE.

OAK STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND ITEM 17, PR 20 26 5 7 5 6 1 AT 1302 GARDEN STREET IS A COMMISSION REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM THIS EVENING.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO, UH, THE LAST ITEM UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION.

ITEM 18, UM, IS REQUEST TO REVIEW AND ADOPT A REVISE LIST OF ELIGIBLE EXPENSES FOR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT TAX ABATEMENT, UM, BROUGHT BY THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.

AND WE WILL, UH, END WITH FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS TONIGHT.

UH, AT THIS POINT I WILL GO THROUGH THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOUR ITEM IS ON A CONSENT, IT WILL IF IT PASSES, BE APPROVED WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR SOME OF THOSE CASES.

YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION OR SPEAK OR ANYTHING.

IF IT'S ON CONSENT AND IT PASSES, YOU'LL BE APPROVED.

HOWEVER, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE TO STILL COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

SO I WILL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THE CONSENT ITEMS ONE BY ONE.

IF THERE ARE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, WE'LL CALL YOUR NAME.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WAIVE YOUR SPEAKING, JUST WAIVE YOUR HAND, LET US KNOW AND THEN WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

UH, AT THIS POINT, THE FIRST ITEM CONSENT ON, ON THE CONSENT, UH, AGENDA WOULD BE OUR MINUTES FROM UH, MAY 6TH.

THE SECOND ITEM WILL BE THE ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS 1107 WEST NINTH STREET.

DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER FOR 1107 WEST NINTH STREET AND THAT IS NATHAN GRIFFITH WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.

MR. GRIFFITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIVE YOUR SPEAKING AS IT IS ON A CONSENT? IS HE STILL THERE? MR. GRIFFITH? I, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, I THINK YOU SAID, WAIT, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? WE CAN, YES.

OKAY, GOOD.

UM, YES, SORRY, I WILL WAIVE MY SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES SINCE WE ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, THE NEXT UH, ITEM ON CONSENT IS ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE 7 0 6 OAKLAND AVENUE.

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR THAT ITEM.

AND THE ONE AFTER THAT IS ITEM NUMBER 10 AT 2 0 0 6 MAPLE AVENUE.

WE ALSO DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR THAT.

ITEM.

ITEM NUMBER 11, UH, 33 0 4 OAKMONT BOULEVARD.

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER IN FAVOR FOR THAT ITEM AND THAT IS JAMES GONAN, WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER AS WELL.

HI EVERYONE.

UM, I AM THE ARCHITECT ON THE PROJECT AND I'M JUST, I SIGNED UP TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE, BUT OTHERWISE I'LL WAIVE ANY SPEAKING RIGHTS.

[00:25:02]

UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 16 AT NINE 16 WEST LIVE OAK STREET.

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THAT ITEM.

AND THEN THE FINAL ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 18, THE ADOPTION OF THE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES FOR THE ABATEMENT.

UM, AGAIN, THAT CAME FROM OUR, UM, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, BUT IS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT? NO SPEAKERS ON THAT ONE EITHER.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE CONSENT AGENDA, NONE OF THOSE ITEMS WOULD LIKE TO POLL.

SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ACTON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND, MR. CHAIR.

EXCUSE ME.

ASK COMMISSIONER HARRIS, I I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ITEM 11 AND I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM THE MINUTES SINCE I WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE LAST MEETING AND FROM, FROM NUMBER 18 SINCE I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DIGEST ALL THE CHANGES.

SO I'M GONNA ABSTAIN ON, UH, ONE AND 18 AND RECUSE ON 11.

COMMISSIONERS, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUALIFICATION? LET THE RECORD REFLECT THOSE, UH, THOSE SPECIFIC ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

UH, I UNDERSTOOD WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.

SO NOW I'LL CALL, CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND I SEE EVERYONE HERE AND ALL HANDS RAISED.

AND COMMISSIONER RICE IS ON THE DAIS.

SO THAT IS INCLUDED, UM, OR I SHOULD SAY, IS VIRTUALLY ON THE DIETS.

THE NEXT ITEM IS A REQUEST FOR A POSTPONEMENT BY THE APPLICANT.

AND THAT IS ON ITEM 13.

THAT IS A REQUEST FOR A POSTPONEMENT TO OUR JULY MEETING.

AND THAT WILL NOT IMPACT ANY TIMING BECAUSE IT IS A REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.

COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT ITEM.

SO MOVED.

COMMISSIONER HARRIS, I SEE COMMISSIONER ACTON SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND THAT IS APPROVED.

SO THAT ONE ALSO WILL BE, UH, THAT WILL NOW BE ON OUR JULY, UH, AGENDA.

CAN GO BACK TO OUR AGENDA AND BE READY FOR THE FIRST OF OUR BRIEFINGS.

AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE WE

[2. Briefing regarding updates on the project at 1010 E. Cesar Chavez St. by Ingrid Gonzalez Featherston, AIA, Senior Architect, MF Architecture. ]

UM, OUR FIRST BRIEFING IS, YOU KNOW, 1 0 0 5 OR NOT.

I MISSPOKE.

10 10 EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET WITH, UH, INGRID GONZALEZ FEATHERSTONE.

GOOD EVENING MISSION.

UH, JUST PROVIDING A QUICK BRIEFING ON THE PROJECT STATUS.

UH, SINCE THE WORK ORDER, UH, DATED FROM MARCH 10TH, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE HLC COMMISSION, UM, AS WELL AS THE A RC AND ALSO THE BUILDING OFFICIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BRING THE PROJECT UP TO CURRENT CODE.

UM, WITH THE CURRENT SITE CONDITIONS, WHICH BEGAN WITH AN SPE UPDATE REQUIRED FOR CONSTRUCTION TO RESTART DOCUMENTATION OF EXISTING CONDITION AS THEY STAND ON SITE WITH A PARTIAL STRUCTURE HAD TO BE SHOWN ON THIS UPDATED SPE, UM, PRIOR TO US BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION AND RESUBMITTING OUR DRAWINGS.

THE SECOND COMPONENT WOULD BE THE BUILDING PLAN SETS FOR BOTH THE BAKERY AND THE MAIN RESTAURANT HAD TO BE UPDATED TO DOCUMENT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.

UM, WITH THE SITE ITSELF AND THE HISTORIC FACADE THAT REMAINS DEMOLITION, ADDING THE DEMOLITION TO THE BACK WALL WITHIN THE RESTAURANT PERMIT AND THE RECONSTRUCTION WALLS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MEET CURRENT CODE.

OUR DESIGN TEAM IN THAT OVERALL INTERIM BETWEEN MARCH AND APRIL FOR THOSE DRAWING UPDATES, UM, MET WITH THE A RC TEAM TO BE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT ALL DOCUMENTATION OF HOW WE ARE QUALIFYING THE REBUILD PORTIONS WAS TO EVERYONE'S STANDARDS.

UM, AND THEN CURRENTLY THE HISTORIC FACADE IS MAINTAINED WITH, UM, THE SUPPORTS THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AND THAT ARE OUT THERE TO PROTECT THE BUILDING.

AND FROM THE ELEMENTS WE HAVE FROM, I THINK IF YOU LOOK ONTO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WITH OUR CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNICATION, THIS IS JUST DOCUMENTING, UM, MORE JUST THE CHRONOLOGY, CHRONOLOGY OF THE TIMESTAMPS REALLY OF THE SUBMISSION OF THE DRAWINGS, OUR MEETINGS AND REVIEW PERIODS.

UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ALL APPROVALS FROM THE BUILDING PERMITS AND THE SPE TO BE ABLE TO RESTART CONSTRUCTION AS OF LAST WEEK.

SO WE ARE ALREADY MOBILIZING THE SITE TO RESUME CONSTRUCTION, UM, ON THE PROJECT AND THAT'S WHERE

[00:30:01]

WE STAND RIGHT NOW.

SO WAS ANY FURTHER ACTION FROM THE COMMISSION? UH, I'M ASK STAFF.

WAS THERE ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THIS PROCEEDED WITHOUT, UH, FOLLOWING THE APPROVAL? YES, CHAIR.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF BRIEFINGS THAT WE HOPE TO SEE FROM THIS APPLICANT, UM, REQUESTED BY THE COMMISSION.

AND ONCE CONSTRUCTION RESUMES, UM, WE WILL BE SPEAKING WITH THE APPLICANT ABOUT VISITING THE SITE AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, ALL UPDATES ARE COMPLETED AS REQUESTED BY THE COMMISSION AS THIS PROJECT PROGRESSES.

SO THIS BASICALLY WILL GO UNDER WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL.

AND SO I GUESS TO ADDRESS THAT, AND I MAY NOT BE THE ONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS, BUT TO ADDRESS THAT, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SEQUENCE, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DRAWINGS, BUT TELL ME ABOUT THE STRATEGY.

ARE YOU ACTUALLY PUTTING BACK WOOD FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR THE WALLS THAT WERE ERRONEOUSLY DESTROYED? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

SO YOU'RE REBUILDING THE BUILDING THAT WAS THERE YES.

FOR THE, AT THE BACK PORTION WALLS THAT WERE TAKEN DOWN YES.

AS THOUGH IT AS THOUGH IT WOULD'VE BEEN AS WE HAD APPROVED A RESTORATION OF THOSE AREAS YES.

INTEGRATED INTO THE BIGGER PROJECT.

WE WORKED WITH KAYLIN AND WITH THE A RC TO MAKE SURE THE DOCUMENTATION WAS CORRECT AND ACCURATE TO WHAT THEY WANTED.

I I, I DIDN'T GO AND SEE IF ANY ADDITIONAL MATERIAL WAS IN THE BACKUP, BUT I, FOR ONE, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE HIGHLIGHTED.

AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOU CAN SHOW HOW THAT ACTUALLY IS REPRODUCING THE HISTORIC FABRIC THAT WAS ERRONEOUSLY REMOVED, THAT ONE FOR ONE CORRELATION I THINK WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT.

AND THAT GRAPHIC I THINK WOULD BE A VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION TO SO MANY WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS THAT WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUTTING BACK WHAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN REMOVED IN THE BEGINNING.

WE PROVIDED ALL OF THAT AT OUR A RC MEETING, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING THAT BACK IN JULY WHEN WE COME BACK FOR OUR NEXT ONE.

AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN INCLUDED IN OUR PERMIT DOCUMENTATION, WHICH IS FOR PUBLIC RECORD AS WELL.

I WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE SEEING, UH, JUST A WALKING THROUGH OF EXACTLY HOW YOU'RE DOING THAT.

NOT A PROBLEM.

YEAH, I'M, I'M SURE OTHERS WILL AS WELL.

COMMISSIONERS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? EXCUSE ME.

THE, THE BRIEFING? YES.

ONE QUICK QUESTION.

UH, IF I REMEMBER THE BACKUP CORRECTLY, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE NOW IN, UH, I GUESS WITH THE FOUR FOUNDATION'S GONNA BE, IT WILL BE CONCRETE AND UH, I GUESS IT'S NOT, NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE WORKED WITH.

THE FOUNDATIONS WERE ORIGINALLY APPROVED AND THE ORIGINAL PERMIT TO BE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE NEW LOADS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ON THE BUILDING OR THE EXISTING BUILDING THAT NOW HAS NEW PORTIONS.

AND I MUST SPOKE EARLIER WHEN I SAID THE, UM, SORRY TO BACKTRACK.

UH, WE'LL BE BACK FOR AUGUST, NOT JULY BRIEFING.

AND LOOKS LIKE ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE FOUNDATION EXCAVATIONS STARTED YESTERDAY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

YEAH, IT WAS WOULD'VE ORIGINALLY BEEN APPEAR IN BEAM FOUNDATION, BUT YOU SAID THAT WAS ALREADY PART OF THE ORIGINAL STRATEGY THAT YOU HAD PROPOSED.

THAT'S CORRECT.

PICKING UP THE BUILDING, GOING AHEAD WITH THE NEW FOUNDATION AND PUTTING IT BACK ON THE SLAB.

YES, SIR.

COMMISSIONERS, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION THEN? WE DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE CRITICAL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.

BRIEFING, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS MARKET ANALYSIS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ALRIGHT, SECOND

[3. Transfer of Development Rights Market Analysis Briefing by Cara Bertron, Program Manager II, Austin Planning; Kevin Howard Oliver, Project Manager; Abby Gillfillan, Principal, Lionheart; Darin Smith, Principal, EPS. ]

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

KARA BERTRAN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.

AUSTIN PLANNING.

I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE BRIEFING YOU ON A TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS MARKET ANALYSIS.

I'M JOINED BY SOME MEMBERS OF OUR CONSULTING TEAM.

UM, WE HAVE DARREN SMITH FROM EPS TO MY LEFT KEV AND KEVIN OLIVER, THE PROJECT MANAGER HERE.

AND ALSO IN THE BUILDING IS ABIGAIL FILLIN FROM LIONHEART, WHO'S HERE TO HELP WITH QUESTIONS AS NEEDED.

I'M GOING TO START BY SPEAKING, UH, ABOUT SOME BACKGROUND FOR THE PROJECT AND TRANSFERS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS GENERALLY, AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OFF TO THE CONSULTANTS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE RUN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN A TYPICAL EIGHT MINUTE BRIEFING 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT TO GET THROUGH.

WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY CONCISE ABOUT IT.

BUT IF YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR WATCH, THAT'S, WE'RE GOING TO RUN A LITTLE LONG.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

ALRIGHT, SO STARTING WITH WHY WE, WHY THIS PROJECT HAPPENED, WHY WE'RE HERE, UM, MOST CRITICALLY, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS TO REFORM THE HISTORIC INCENTIVES PROGRAM IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND HOLISTIC WAY.

UM, THOSE HAPPENED IN THE SPRING OF 2023 AND IN THE FALL OF 2024 AS PART OF, UH, THE ADOPTION OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN AND TRANSFERS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ARE A PART OF, OF THAT EFFORT, WERE NAMED AS A PART OF THAT EFFORT.

THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN RECOMMENDED TRANSFERS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, WHICH I WILL HENCE FORTH REFER TO AS TDRS THE TRANSFERS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, UM, AS A TOOL TO PRESERVE THE BUILDINGS AND THE CHARACTER OF THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.

UM, A WHILE BEFORE THEN,

[00:35:01]

THE LOW RISE AREA IN THE KIND OF THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN OVER THERE.

UM, ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN, UH, TO FOLLOW UP AT THAT TIME, AND THE CHARACTER OF THAT AREA HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY.

MOST RECENTLY, TRANSFERS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TDRS WERE, UH, A RECOMMENDATION OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN TO EXPLORE THEM AS A POTENTIALLY POWERFUL, POWERFUL TOOL TO MAKE PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE EQUITABLE.

AND PROVIDE DISTRIBUTED A SURVEY TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AND INTEGRATED THE FEEDBACK INTO THE REPORT.

SO WHAT, WHAT ARE TDRS, HOPEFULLY THIS IS A HELPFUL ILLUSTRATION.

THEY ARE A VOLUNTARY AND MARKET-BASED TOOL, MEANING THAT TD A TDR PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT PROPERTY OWNERS CAN SIGN ON TO.

THEY'RE NOT FORCED TO DO IT, IT'S MARKET BASED, MEANING NOT ONLY THAT THE MARKET SETS THE PRICE OF, OF TDRS, BUT ALSO THAT THE, THE, UM, RESOURCES, THE MONEY THAT'S INVOLVED IN TDRS IS ARE, UM, MOSTLY PRIVATE DOLLARS.

SO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS BUYING AND SELLING RIGHTS.

UM, THE WAY IT WORKS, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ILLUSTRATION IS THAT THE OWNER OF A PROTECTED SITE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HISTORIC LANDMARKS HERE, THAT THEY LOOK AT WHAT IS, THEY'RE ABLE TO SELL BASICALLY THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ON TOP OF THEIR, THEIR BUILDING UP TO WHAT'S ALLOWED BY RIGHT BY ZONING.

AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO TRANSFER THOSE PERMANENTLY TO THE OWNER OF ANOTHER SITE.

UM, RIGHT HERE, THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION FROM NEW YORK AND IT, IT IS ON THE SAME BLOCK, BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY HOW IT, HOW IT HAS TO WORK.

USUALLY IT'S A DEVELOPER THAT PURCHASES THOSE RIGHTS AND BUILDS ABOVE WHAT IS ALLOWED BY ZONING.

SO THOSE ARE CALLED SENDING AND RECEIVING SITES.

IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NEWS RECENTLY IN AUSTIN, YOU MIGHT THINK THIS SOUNDS A LOT LIKE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS AND THEY HAVE SOME COMMONALITIES, UM, SOME BIG COMMONALITIES.

THEY BOTH PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY IN EXCHANGE FOR PUBLIC GOOD.

SO TDRS WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FROM ONE SITE, A HISTORIC SITE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO ANOTHER SITE TO BUILD HIGHER DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY IN EXCHANGE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS OR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FEE IN LIEU THAT GOES TO FUND AFFORDABLE UNITS ELSEWHERE.

THEY ARE, UM, AS THE CONSULTANTS GET INTO THE DETAILS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY, UM, ARE REALLY BOTH FOCUSED IN AREAS WITH HIGH, UM, HIGH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE WHERE, WHERE THE CITY WANTS TO DO TO DIRECT HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT.

UM, YOU CAN SEE IN A KIND OF SMALL MAP ON THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER THERE.

UM, AND SO THESE ARE AREAS WHERE DEVELOPERS MAY WANT, OR THE CITY WANTS DEVELOPERS OR DEVELOPERS MAY WANT TO BUILD HIGHER THAN WHAT IS ALLOWED.

SO THAT'S WHERE BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE, WOULD BE DIRECTED.

UM, A PART OF AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS WORKING WITH CITY STAFF WHO ARE WORKING ON THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND, AND STAKEHOLDERS, UM, TO CONSIDER HOW A TDR PROGRAM COULD COMPLEMENT A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND NOT TAKE AWAY FROM IT.

AND IF WE RECEIVE DIRECTION TO CONTINUE WITH DEVELOPING A PROGRAM, THAT WOULD BE A REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT IS TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND THOSE CONSIDERATIONS, RECOGNIZING THAT AFFORDABILITY DOES REMAIN A PRIORITY.

UM, ONE POINT HERE MENTIONS A MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WHICH WOULD BE A NEW IDEA THAT COUNCIL, UM, IF IT CHOSE, COULD SET TO PROVIDE SOME PR PREDICTABILITY.

SAYING YOU COULD GET, UM, YOU COULD BUY EXTRA DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY UP TO THIS SET LIMIT, WHETHER IT'S FROM TDRS, FROM A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO.

AND, UM, THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE IN MY PART, THE PROJECT TIMELINE.

THIS IS A PRETTY TIGHT PROJECT.

IT'S ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS FROM START TO FINISH.

YOU CAN SEE THAT IT STARTED WITH RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS BACK IN THE, IN THE LATE FALL, CONTINUED, UM, WITH SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CIRCLE BACK ON THAT IN A MINUTE.

RESEARCH AROUND PROGRAM STRUCTURE, LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES FROM PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

UM, AND THEN THESE, UH, TWO BRIEFINGS, ONE TO THE COUNCIL HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATELY CANCELED YESTERDAY DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM.

THE BRIEFING TONIGHT.

AND THEN THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE RELEASED IN THE SUMMER AND WE'LL PROVIDE IT TO COUNCIL WITH A MEMO.

UM, AND THEY CAN DECIDE WHETHER, UH, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THAT.

WE DID GET STAKEHOLDER, UM, FEEDBACK, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

I MENTIONED, UM, STAFF WHO WERE WORKING ON THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. THEY WERE REALLY, UM, HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, IN THIS PROJECT.

WE ALSO INVOLVED, UM, SOME KEY STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS PRESERVATION AUSTIN, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, RIKA, ULI, AND RALLY AUSTIN IN THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT KIND OF THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, THE PROGRAM STRUCTURE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE DID A FOCUS GROUP OF HIS, OF LANDMARK OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS

[00:40:01]

I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.

I'M GOING TO PASS IT OFF TO DARREN SMITH TO TALK ABOUT THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UM, WHETHER THIS PROJECT PENCILS THAT.

THAT CREATES IS A CHALLENGE WHERE THERE MAY NOT BE A HUGE MARKET FOR THESE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IN TODAY'S MARKETPLACE.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M DARREN SMITH WITH ECONOMIC AND PLANNING SYSTEMS CONSULTANTS TO THE CITY.

UM, AND WE'VE BEEN PART OF THE TEAM THAT'S BEEN LED BY LIONHEART PRIMARILY.

UH, AND OF COURSE, WORKING WITH STAFF ON THIS ISSUE.

WHERE WE STARTED WAS, AGAIN, THE, THIS CONCEPT OF ASCENDING VERSUS, UH, RECEIVING SITES.

WE'VE LOOKED AT IT ON A DISTRICT BASIS.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT PLACES IN THE CITY WHERE THERE ARE A, UM, A SORT OF CLUSTER OF, UH, HISTORIC PROPERTIES EITHER CURRENTLY, UM, DESIGNATED LANDMARKS OR ELIGIBLE TO BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC LANDMARKS.

UM, THE LARGEST AREA, OF COURSE, IS DOWNTOWN.

MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE IN THE DOWNTOWN, BUT WE ALSO HAVE WEST CAMPUS.

UH, TO THE NORTH WE HAVE THE HYDE PARK ADDITION TO THE EAST.

WE HAVE EAST 11TH AND 12TH STREET, AS WELL AS EAST CESAR CHAVEZ AND SIXTH STREET.

AND THEN JUST TO THE SOUTH IS, UH, SOME PROPERTIES ON SOUTH CONGRESS.

AS KARA MENTIONED, UH, THE PLACES WHERE THERE MAY BE INTEREST AMONG DEVELOPERS IN RECEIVING THE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ARE PRIMARILY PLACES WHERE DENSITY IS EITHER SOUGHT BY REGULATION OR SOUGHT BY THE MARKETPLACE.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S PRIMARILY IN DOWNTOWN AND ITS IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENTS, BUT ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND NORTH BURNETT GATEWAY AS PLACES WHERE, UH, REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTERS MAY BE PROMOTED AND DENSITY IS PROMOTED.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF SITES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM, WE'RE LOOKING AGAIN AT, UH, SITES THAT ARE ALREADY DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC LANDMARKS, OF WHICH THERE ARE 222 AMONG THOSE AREAS THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED.

ALSO, UH, SITES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE DESIGNATED AS LANDMARKS, ANOTHER 225.

SO ALMOST 450 SITES COULD BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE SENDING SITES.

THE VAST MAJORITY, TWO THIRDS OF THOSE ARE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

UM, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN THINKING ABOUT, UH, THE VALUE OF, OF THESE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS DEVELOPABLE ON THESE SITES, THESE 447 SITES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA IS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THERE TODAY, UH, THAT YOU WANT TO PRESERVE.

BUT THEY, THAT PROPERTY HAS MORE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS THAN IT HAS CURRENTLY UTILIZED.

SO THAT GHOST BOX ON TOP OF THE BUILDING THERE IN THE, UH, DIAGRAM AMONG THESE 447 SITES, THERE IS 37 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF UNUSED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TODAY UNDER BASE ZONING.

AND THAT'S ENOUGH FOR OVER 30,000 APARTMENT UNITS OR ABOUT 35 BUILDINGS, THE SCALE OF THE SALE TOWER TO OUR IMMEDIATE NORTH HERE.

SO A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ARE UNUSED AMONG THESE PROPERTIES.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPLY POTENTIALLY OF THESE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNUSED RIGHT NOW.

UM, WE ESTIMATE THAT ABOUT 20% OF THESE SITES, JUST THE HISTORIC, THE ALREADY DESIGNATED LANDMARKS ARE AT MOST RISK OF REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE WORTH MORE AS SITES FOR NEW, PROPER NEW BUILDINGS.

UH, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE WORTH MORE AS LAND THAN THEY ARE WORTH AS BUILDINGS, UH, HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS MIGHT BE WILLING TO SELL THOSE RIGHTS FOR, UM, WE ESTIMATE THAT FOR A GIVEN SQUARE FOOT OF ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, THEY MIGHT HAVE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE TO SELL, UH, UP TO $165 A SQUARE FOOT OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

NOW IT'S A SIGNIFICANT, UH, AMOUNT OF MONEY.

UM, BY CONTRAST, THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WHEN DEVELOPERS ARE BUYING ADDITIONAL RIGHTS TO, UH, DEVELOP, THEY TEND TO RUN FROM ABOUT NINE TO $12 A SQUARE FOOT.

SO THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT MISMATCH BETWEEN WHAT THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE IS FOR SELLERS VERSUS WHAT THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE MAY BE FOR BUYERS OF THESE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, WHICH CREATES, UH, A CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.

UM, WE ALSO HAPPEN TO BE IN A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MARKET DOWNTURN FROM A REAL ESTATE PERSPECTIVE.

WE HAVE OUR RENTS DOWN ABOUT 25% OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

UM, VACANCIES ARE VERY HIGH ON BOTH, UH, MULTIFAMILY AND OFFICE DEVELOPMENT.

AND EVEN FOR SALE, HOME PRICES ARE DOWN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, FROM THEIR PEAKS IN AROUND 2022.

UM, SO WHAT

[00:45:01]

WE LOOKED AT THE, THE FEASIBILITY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT, DIFFERENT HEIGHTS, DIFFERENT DENSITIES, UM, AND WHAT WE SEE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION ARE ABOVE THE VALUE OF THE UNITS IF THEY'RE APARTMENTS OR THE VALUE OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IF IT'S OFFICE.

SO THERE ISN'T A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY FEASIBLE.

THAT'S WHY THERE ARE MANY FEWER CRANES THAT YOU SEE TODAY THAN YOU DID A FEW YEARS AGO.

UM, BUT IF WE LOOK BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS AT WHEN THOSE CRANES WERE UP AND THE MARKET RECOVERS, WE'D SEE THAT THERE WILL BE, UH, MORE FEASIBILITY FOR MOST OF THESE PRODUCT TYPES IN THE RELATIVELY NEAR FUTURE, WE HOPE.

AND WE THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS KIND OF PROGRAM.

UH, IT GIVES US A, A, A PAUSE AND A RESET TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT MOMENT TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT CAN BE IN PLACE WHEN THE MARKET RETURNS SO THAT THOSE, UH, AT RISK PROPERTIES ARE, CAN BE PRESERVED THROUGH A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.

UH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KEVIN, WHO WILL SPEAK ABOUT PROGRAM, UH, SPECIFICS.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

UM, SO I'LL COVER, UH, A LOT OF TECHNICAL MATERIAL IN A REALLY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, BUT FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

UM, SO WE, UH, YOU KNOW, BASED ON A LITERATURE REVIEW AND ON CASE STUDIES FROM PEER CITIES, UM, UM, UH, DRIVE THESE, UM, THESE PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESSFUL T UH, UM, TDR PROGRAMS. UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THEM IN DETAIL, BUT, BUT GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THE, UM, NEED TO BE STRONGLY ALIGNED TO POLICY GOALS.

UH, THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICY GOALS.

OH, THERE WE'RE, THANK YOU.

I, I'M LOOKING AT IT.

THAT'S NOT HELPFUL, IS IT? UH, THEY NEED, SO THEY NEED TO BE STRONGLY ALIGNED TO THE POLICY CITY POLICY GOALS.

THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICY GOALS, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE A REALLY ROBUST MARKET TO DRIVE THE PRESERVATION THROUGH THE DEMAND FOR THE TDR.

UM, ALSO PREDICTABILITY, UM, AND, UH, SIMPLICITY ARE, ARE REALLY CRITICAL AND, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.

UM, AND THE INTEGRATION OF THE BONUS OF THIS PROGRAM WITH THE BROAD REGULATORY LANDSCAPE THAT EXISTS ON THE GROUND TODAY IS REALLY CRITICAL, RATHER THAN IT BEING KIND OF A STANDALONE PROGRAM.

SO WE USE THESE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING POTENTIAL TDR PROGRAM DESIGNS.

UM, AND YOU KIND OF SEE, UH, HOW THEY SHOW UP IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ORGANIZED IN 10 ELEMENTS.

UM, I'M GONNA KIND OF GO THAT GO THROUGH THEM THREE OR SO AT A TIME.

UM, THE FIRST ONE IS REALLY ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, WHO IS ABLE TO, TO SELL, WHO IS ABLE TO BUY, AND IF THERE'S ANY, UM, GEOGRAPHIC LIMITATIONS ABOUT WHERE THESE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO AND FROM.

UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM THIS, FROM THIS PROJECT, UH, ARE THAT, UH, ONLY HISTORIC DESIGNATED PROPERTIES, UH, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSFER, UM, TO SELL TDRS.

UM, AND THAT THE, THE RE RECEIVING SITES COULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY WE, WE KIND OF ANALYZE A FEW, BUT THE GUIDANCE IS THAT THERE ARE AREAS TARGETED FOR GROWTH AND HIGHER DENSITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

UM, AND WE AT THIS TIME WOULDN'T RECOMMEND TRANSFER, DEVELOP, UH, ANY, SORRY, GEOGRAPHIC LIMITATIONS TO TRANSFERS, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE, TO ALLOW THE, UH, DEMAND TO BE MORE ROBUST.

UM, SO THE FOURTH, UH, IS, IS KIND OF INTO THE DETAILS OF THE TRANSFER MECHANISMS, THE, THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS THAT ALLOW THE RIGHTS FROM ONE PROPERTY TO BE SEVERED AND AND ATTRIBUTED TO ANOTHER.

UM, AND SO GENERALLY WE'RE USING, UH, WE'RE RECOMMENDING USING STANDARD REAL ESTATE INSTRUMENTS, UH, RECORDED IN THE REAL PROPERTY, UM, UH, DOCUMENTATION.

UM, BUT SUPPORTING THAT THROUGH, UH, YOU KNOW, A SYSTEM OF STANDARDIZED FORMS THAT HELP MAKE THAT PROCESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF, UH, THESE LAYERED PROCESSES EASIER FOR THE APPLICANTS.

UH, AND, UM, AND THE CENTRAL TRACKING SYSTEM TO HELP THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOLKS AND, AND PLAN REVIEWERS TRACK THESE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING, UH, YOU KNOW, ACROSS LAYERS OF, UH, OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES, INCLUDING, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, UH, PRICING AND VALUATION.

THIS IS REALLY TO SAY THAT, UM, THE MAR THE MARKET SHOULD SET THE PRICE FOR THESE, UM, FOR TDRS.

UM, AND TO SUPPLEMENT THAT, UH, WE'VE SEEN A REALLY GREAT PRECEDENT OF TDR BANKS PROVIDING SORT OF TRANSPARENT PRICING AS A, UH, QUASI-PUBLIC OPTION, UM, THAT CAN HELP KIND OF STABILIZE THE MARKET, ESPECIALLY EARLY,

[00:50:01]

UM, BEFORE THE MARKET IS MATURE.

UH, TRANSFER RATIOS, UM, UH, WE HERE WE ARE RECOMMENDING BASED ON THE BEST PRACTICES, UH, OF A ONE-TO-ONE TRANSFER RATIO TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE.

UM, THIS JUST MEANS ONE SQUARE FOOT OF A HISTO OF A POTENTIAL HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS ONE SQUARE FOOT ON A, ON A, UM, UH, RECEIVING SITE.

UM, HOWEVER, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND GOOD PRECEDENTS FOR ADJUSTING THIS TO, UM, UH, THE RATIOS TO SUPPORT, UM, POLICY PRIORITIES.

IF THERE'S PARTICULAR, UH, RESOURCES THAT NEED NEED EXTRA, UM, PROTECTION, THEY COULD BE INCENTIVIZED.

UM, HEIGHTENED FLOOR AREA CAPS, UH, KARA KIND OF SPOKE ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF, UH, CLARITY AROUND, UH, WHAT IS, UM, WHAT'S POSSIBLE ON ANY INDIVIDUAL SITE.

BUT, UH, ALSO THIS IS REALLY IN WORKING WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND UNDERSTANDING THE, THE CURRENT, UM, LEGAL CONSTRAINTS THAT ESSENTIALLY WE WOULD HAVE COMBINING DISTRICTS THAT WOULD HAVE HEIGHT LIMITS, UH, FOR THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT FOR A TDR THAT WOULD BE SUPPLEMENT, IT COULD SUPPLEMENT, UH, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.

UM, THIS, WE KINDA SPOKE ABOUT THE, A TRACKING SYSTEM PERHAPS IN AMANDA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HELP, UH, HELP THAT PROCESS.

THE LAYER, THE LAYERS OF, UM, PROCESSES KIND OF BE SMOOTHER.

UM, BUT THE DDR BANK CAN ACTUALLY BE A REALLY USEFUL RESOURCE HERE AS THEY CAN EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF STAFF AND ALSO WORK AS A REALLY STRONG INTERFACE TO, UM, SUPPORT APPLICANTS THROUGH THE PROCESS.

UM, REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT.

THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT.

YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE SYSTEM SET UP.

SO THIS WOULD BE REALLY, BECAUSE WE'RE RELYING ON THAT HISTORIC DESIGNATION, RELYING ON THE SYSTEM Y'ALL ARE TAKING PART IN TODAY.

UM, AND, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE WELL THE VALUE CREATED FROM THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS CAN BE REINVESTED IN, IN THESE HISTORIC PROPERTIES.

UM, I'M GONNA SKIP NUMBER 10 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT IN ANOTHER SLIDE.

UM, SO IF YOU ZOOM OUT, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S THREE, UH, BIG CONSIDERATIONS TO CONTINUE AS THIS PROGRAM IS DEVELOPED OR IS, OR AS WE'RE CONSIDERING DEVELOPING THIS PROGRAM.

UM, THE PROGRAM REALLY DOES NEED TO ALIGN WITH THE EXISTING INCENTIVES.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A REALLY STRONG PRIORITY HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND, UH, INTEGRATING THIS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS, UM, COMPATIBLE WITH, UM, THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS GONNA BE REALLY CRITICAL.

UM, ADDRESSING MARKET FEASIBILITY CONSTRAINTS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A DOWN MARKET.

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE, UH, AS FAR AS THE VIABILITY OF THIS, UM, IN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT MARKETING CONDITIONS.

UM, AND THEN WORKING WITHIN THE LEGAL AND REGULATORY CONTEXT.

I THINK THIS IS, IT'S BEEN BECOME MORE COMPLICATED OVER THE LAST, UH, FIVE OR SO YEARS.

UH, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIMITATIONS WITHIN THE STATE, UH, BUT THERE'S ALSO, UH, RECENT CASE LAW THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AS, AS THIS PROGRAM'S DEVELOPED.

SO BACK TO BACK TO ELEMENT NUMBER 10.

UH, THE NEXT STEPS ARE ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PHASING.

AND SO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AS PART OF THIS IS, IS THAT PHASE ONE YOU CONTINUE TO DO RESEARCH, UM, YOU LOOK MORE DETAIL INTO SOME OF THESE PEER CITY PRACTICES.

UM, YOU INITIATE A PLANNING, UH, PUBLIC PLANNING PROCESS TO GET REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE SENDING AND RECEIVING ZONES AND DIFFERENT DESIGNATIONS WITHIN THEM.

UM, AND CONTINUE TO COORDINATE THE DOWNTOWN DEN, OR SORRY, THE DENSITY, CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS WITH A POTENTIAL TDR PROGRAM.

UM, IF THAT ALL WORKS AND, AND THESE CAN, THESE PROGRAMS CAN LIVE SIDE BY SIDE, UM, THEN WE WOULD SUGGEST MOVING FORWARD WITH A PHASE TWO AND IMPLEMENTING A PILOT PROGRAM.

AND THEN, UH, THAT WOULD HELP GEAR UP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS NECESSARY TO, TO, UM, UH, RUN THIS PROJECT AND THEN EXPANDING INTO A FULL PROGRAM.

AND, UH, LIKE DARREN SAID, UM, IT'S A GREAT TIME SINCE THE, THE MARKET IS DOWN RIGHT NOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PAUSE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN PREPARE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS TO, TO, UM, PREVENT OTHER, UM, HISTORIC RECESS RECESSES RESOURCES FROM, UM, DEMOLITION.

WE DON'T GET A LOT OF VALUE OUT OF THIS FOR THAT.

I'M, THAT'S A LOT AT US, BUT I'M SURE COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUICK QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AGAIN, THIS IS A BRIEFING WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ANY ACTION, BUT, UH, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, COMMISSIONER COOK OR COMMISSIONER ACTON, GO AHEAD.

I HAVE A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK I'LL ASK ONE OR TWO AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN BOUNCE AROUND WITH IT.

UH, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, SO TO GET, JUST AS A POINT OF CLARITY, WOULD THIS BE, WOULD EXISTING LANDMARKS BE ELIGIBLE OR, OR ANYTHING ON THE HISTORIC? SO THE, THE PRO THE CONSULTANTS ARE RECOMMENDING, UM, LANDMARKED PROPERTIES, SO H OWNED PROPERTIES, AND THAT COULD BE EXISTING LANDMARKS TODAY OR LANDMARKS THAT PROPERTIES THAT ARE DESIGNATED INTO THE FUTURE AS H ZONE PROPERTIES.

'CAUSE

[00:55:01]

'CAUSE THOSE ARE ALREADY PROTECTED.

SO WOULDN'T WE WANT TO LINK THIS TO BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT, AND THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TO BE, TO GET ADVANTAGE OF THIS, IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE PROPERTIES.

SO I THINK IT COULD BE USED IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.

IT COULD BE USED TO SUPPORT EXISTING LANDMARK OWNERS WHO ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR SHARED COMMUNITY HERITAGE.

IT COULD ALSO BE USED AS AN INCENTIVE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE CONSIDERING DESIGNATION.

UM, WHY CAN'T IT BE LINKED TO THEM HAVING TO DESIGNATE, LINKED TO THE, LIKE, IF THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, WHY SHOULDN'T THEY HAVE TO LANDMARK THE BUILDING? THEY WOULD HAVE TO LANDMARK.

SO IF, IF THEY HAVE A HISTORIC BUILDING THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR LANDMARK AND THEY WANT TO USE THIS PROGRAM, THEY HAVE TO LANDMARK IT AND THEN USE THE PROGRAM.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S WHO WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ON, RIGHT? 'CAUSE ANYTHING THAT'S LANDMARKED, IF THE, IF THE WORRY IS WE, WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SO THEY'RE NO, THEY DON'T HAVE PRESSURE TO KNOCK IT DOWN.

IF IT'S ALREADY LANDMARKS, THEY CAN'T JUST KNOCK IT DOWN.

SO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN THAT MIGHT BE KNOCKED DOWN IN THE FUTURE.

THAT'S WHO SHOULD WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON.

RIGHT? I THINK THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT LANDMARK OWNERS IN GENERAL.

AND AGAIN, THIS STEMS FROM THE COUNCIL RELU, A COUPLE OF COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS TO LOOK AT COMPREHENSIVE REFORMS TO OUR HISTORIC INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. UM, SO I THINK WE, WE ARE NOT, WE HAVE NOT YET DONE THAT.

WE HAVEN'T, WE DON'T HAVE RESOURCES FOR THAT AT THIS TIME, BUT, UM, THIS ANALYSIS AND FUTURE WORK WOULD FEED INTO THAT CONSIDERATION.

BUT THE GOAL IS GENERALLY TO SUPPORT THE STEWARDS OF OUR HISTORIC PROPERTIES, BOTH EXISTING AND, AND POTENTIAL, THE ELIGIBLE ONES THAT THE, THAT WERE MENTIONED.

BUT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT, AT LINKING THAT IF SOMEONE THAT ISN'T, IF A BUILDING THAT ISN'T LANDMARK YET, AND THAT'S, I GUESS ITS OWN QUESTION OF IS IT ELIGIBLE FOR LANDMARK WHOLE OTHER PROCESS, BUT THE INTENT WOULD BE TO LINK THOSE TWO TOGETHER, RIGHT? SO THAT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THEY SELL THESE RIGHTS AND THEN THEY JUST KNOCK THE BUILDING DOWN ANYWAY, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT.

THE SENDING SITES WOULD NEED TO BE ZONED HISTORIC.

RIGHT.

AND THEN WOULD THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AND THEN, I MEAN, WOULD THERE BE A FAST TRACK FOR THAT OR DOES IT HAVE TO GO THROUGH PLANNING HOUSE THROUGH COUNCIL? IT, MAYBE THEY DON'T GET ZONED HISTORIC.

LIKE IS THERE A, A DIFFERENT MECHANISM YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR THAT OR IS IT THE STILL SEMI ONEROUS PROCESS? OR IT WOULD TO DO IT, IT WOULD, WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IS THE, THE STANDARD ZONING PROCESS, BUT I DID NOT MENTION THIS, BUT, BUT BOTH CONSULTANTS MENTIONED SENDING ZONES.

INCENTIVE FOR THE EXISTING LANDMARKS TO KIND OF HAVE THEM PAY TAXES ON THEIR RURAL DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL.

SO THERE WOULD BE COMBINING DISTRICTS THAT, THAT SAY IF YOU HAVE AN H IF YOU ARE A PROPERTY WITH AN H ZONING IN THIS DISTRICT, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE TO SEND AIR RIGHTS.

SO, SO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THE OWNERS OF ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES WOULD GO THROUGH THAT HISTORIC ZONING PROCESS, BUT AS SOON AS IT WAS ZONED H THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO, TO SEND DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IF THEY'RE WITHIN THAT SENDING ZONE.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GONNA LET OTHER PEOPLE THANK YOU TO WHO'S NEXT? UH, YES, YES.

VICE CHAIR EVANS.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

UH, IT APPEARED FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES ALONG EAST 11TH AND EAST 12TH STREET, AND I WONDERED WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATION OR COORDINATION THERE HAS BEEN OR THERE MIGHT BE, UH, WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND OTHERS WHO ARE WORKING ON BLOCK 16 AND 18 ON EAST 11TH STREET.

SO WE HAVEN'T THE, WE HAVE DONE SOME FOCUSED STAKEHOLDER CONVERSATIONS TO INFORM THIS, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT BROAD, A BROAD PUBLIC PROCESS.

UM, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, INVOLVE RALLY AUSTIN IN SOME CONVERSATIONS, UM, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPER WORKING, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WORKING IN EAST AUSTIN.

BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, AS, UM, THOSE ARE TWO PIECES OF INPUT AND WE'D WANT TO HAVE A MUCH BROADER CONVERSATION AS PART OF THE NEXT, THAT, THAT PHASE ONE THAT KEVIN MENTIONED.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

COMMISSIONER COOK? YES.

I HAVE ONGOING QUESTIONS ABOUT PROPERTY VALUE ASSESSMENTS FOR, UH, PROPERTY TAXES FOR HIS HISTORIC LANDMARKS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, HUGE POTENTIAL HEIGHT THAT COULD IMPACT THE LAND UNDER THEM, BUT LIMITED POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE LANDMARK SIZE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ADD SOME FLOORS, YOU COULD POSSIBLY ADD MANY FLOORS LIKE WE APPROVED FOR THE, UM, MACE MASONIC LODGE.

UM, SO I, ALL I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT YOU LOOK AT COMPS AND A COMP IS ANOTHER LANDMARK, BUT MY BASIC QUESTION IS, WOULD A TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FROM A LANDMARK THAT WOULD LIMIT REMOVE THEIR POTENTIAL HEIGHT, WOULD THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE TAX VALUATION OF THE UNDERLYING GROUND? POSSIBLY THAT MIGHT HELP THEM MANAGE THEIR PROPERTY TAX BURDEN? I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT, INTO THAT FURTHER, AS PART OF THE, THE FURTHER PHASING, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH TCAD, BUT NOT ENOUGH I THINK TO GIVE YOU A DEFINITIVE ANSWER RIGHT NOW, AND THAT MIGHT JUST BE A, A NICE LEVELING

[01:00:01]

UM, AND DO WE KNOW WHAT KIND OF COST THIS MIGHT BE TO THE CITY FOR A PROGRAM LIKE THIS BIG PICTURE? NO, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE, UH, SPECIFIC COST NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE REALLY AT THE STAGE OF KIND OF SKETCHING OUT THE, THE STRUCTURE, UM, MORE THAN THE KIND OF, UM, DESIGNING THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND, AND SO FORTH.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, PRIMARILY ABOUT USING EXISTING ADMINISTRATION, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES, UM, BUT LIKELY THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL BURDEN THROUGH FOLKS USING THIS.

UM, UH, AND THEN I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE, UM, THE, UH, TDR BANK IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT'S OFTEN, OFTEN A QUASI, UM, PUBLIC ENTITY, UM, AND SOMETIMES A NONPROFIT.

UM, AND THAT CAN ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, BE FUNDED ELSEWHERE THAT, OR THROUGH OTHER FUNDS POTENTIALLY, UM, BUT CAN HELP WITH, UH, WITH THE, UM, EXPANDING STAFF, UM, CAPACITY.

THANKS.

AND MAY I ASK ONE, ONE LAST QUICK ONE WHILE I'M, WHILE I'M QUEUED UP.

UM, IS THIS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE RECENT HEIGHT THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED DOWNTOWN? IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITIES DOES NOT HESITATE TO ADD RIGHTS TO POTENTIAL, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY HOLDING BACK TO ALLOW THAT EXTRA OOMPH TO EVER GIVE VALUE TO THIS.

I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.

OUR, UH, OUR TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, UM, DID, UH, IT CONSIDERED, UH, CBD AT, UM, 350 FEET, WHICH IS IT CURRENTLY? UM, THAT IT'S THE BASE HEIGHT TODAY, UM, SINCE NOVEMBER.

UM, AND SO WE DID CONSIDER WHAT IS ON THE BOOKS TODAY.

UM, BUT, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER MOVING PARTS DOWNTOWN THAT, UM, MAKE IT HARD TO GET A REAL NUMBER.

UM, BUT I WOULD SAY IT, I, I, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY THAT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT KIND OF BALANCE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE, UM, THE MORE CAPACITY WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON THESE HISTORIC SITES DEFINITELY IS, IS GONNA MAKE THE, UM, IT IS GOING TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF AN IMBALANCE.

COMMISSIONER HARRIS, I'M GLAD THIS IS COMING FORWARD.

I WAS WORKING ON THIS 25 YEARS AGO, UH, AND WE LOOKED AT A BANK OR AN EXCHANGE, UH, AND AT THE TIME THERE WAS A LOT MORE WORTH SAVING DOWNTOWN THAT'S NOW GONE.

UH, THE GINGER MAN IS ONE THAT COMES TO MIND THAT COULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS.

UM, BUT I'LL LET YOU ECHO YOUR CONCERN.

THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TEND TO GIVE BUILDERS WHATEVER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS THEY WANT TO BUILD THEIR PROJECTS.

AND SO IT UNDERMINES THE, THE UNDERLYING VALUE EVEN ALONG SOME, IN SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT.

WE'VE NOW GOT DBU 90, AND THAT, AGAIN, UNDERMINES THE VALUE OF THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

AND SO I'M, I'M A BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ON A GO FORWARD BASIS, BUT I DO APPLAUD EVERYBODY FOR, FOR MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION.

UM, I WILL SAY ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, AND I KNOW THERE'S A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND, AND ADDING AFFORDABILITY DOWNTOWN, BUT, UH, AND THIS COMES FROM MY TIME ON THE, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AS WELL.

DEVELOPERS WEREN'T INTERESTED IN THE DENSITY BONUSES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IT WAS NOT A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT AS A PRIORITY THAT IT'S GOING TO INCENT DEVELOPERS TO TAKE THE DENSITY BONUS.

THEY WEREN'T DOING IT WITH D DENSITY BONUSES.

AND IF YOU HAVE THAT SAME SORT OF REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE TDRS, AND I REALIZE IT IS, IT IS OPTIMAL FOR PUBLIC POLICY, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, IT BECOMES LESS ATTRACTIVE.

AND THUS THE DEMAND ISN'T THERE FROM THE BUILDERS WHEN TIME THE DEVELOPERS, WHEN THE TIME COMES TO START UTILIZING 'EM.

SO THOSE ARE MY OBSERVATIONS.

I GUESS, THE VALUE THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED FROM THE TDR, UM, AS, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, PROFIT FROM THAT.

UM, AND, AND WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA, BUT IF THERE'S ANY LAST, UH, COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI, YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN.

GO AHEAD.

YEAH, SO I GUESS, AND I'M KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THIS OUT LOUD AS I TALK ABOUT IT, SO FORGIVE ME, BUT, UM, RIGHT, SO CURRENTLY, I GUESS YOU WERE SAYING IN THIS MARKET, LIKE IT, THE TDR IS WORTH ESSENTIALLY ZERO BECAUSE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PLACE, I GUESS I'M KIND OF THINKING THE OTHER WAY, LIKE IF T LIKE THE DEMAND FOR TDR, LIKE THE TDR GOES KIND OF EXPONENTIALLY, WHERE, YOU KNOW, A, I GUESS REAL ESTATE INVESTOR COULD COME IN, BUY A PROPERTY THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN LANDMARKED, LIKE IN A MARKET LIKE THIS WHERE THE VALUE WOULD BE ZERO, UM, SPECULATING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT COULD GO UP TO $165 A SQUARE FOOT, LANDMARKING IT, AND THEN JUST KIND OF NEGLECTING THE HISTORIC LANDMARK AFTERWARDS.

AND JUST USING,

[01:05:01]

IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE, LIKE, I GUESS, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO PREVENT THAT IN ANY WAY THAT YEAH, YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YEAH.

THAT, THAT IS, I MEAN, THAT IS A RISK, AND WE SEE THAT WITH SOME DESIGNATED LANDMARKS TODAY WHERE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS DON'T HAVE THE, THE INTEREST OR, OR SOMETIMES THE FUNDS TO, TO MAINTAIN THEM.

SO I THINK TDRS DO PROVIDE AN INFUSION OF, OF FUNDS, WHICH COULD BE HELPFUL FOR REINVESTING IF FOLKS ARE WORKING WITH THAT, WITH THAT INTENTION.

UM, OTHERWISE I THINK WE WOULD WORK WITH THE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND WORK WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS THAT WE HAVE, UM, TO REALLY TO ENSURE THAT THE BUILDING IS, IS BEING, UH, RESPONSIBLY STEWARDED.

YES, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER.

'CAUSE I KNOW WE, WELL, WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, OTHER LANDMARKS KIND OF BE NEGLECTED AND EVERYTHING TOO, SO I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT, BUT, OKAY.

COMMISSIONERS, UM, I, I HAVE A QUESTION.

UH, YEAH.

UH, SO OFTENTIMES WE HAVE, UH, OWNERS OF, UH, HISTORIC PROPERTIES THAT WOULD CHECK MULTIPLE CRITERIA, UH, FOR A LANDMARK, BUT THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO PURSUE THAT AGE DESIGNATION BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT THEY LOSE, UH, BASICALLY SALE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY.

SO THEY DON'T DO IT.

SO THEN I'M WONDERING IF THEY'RE PRESENTED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UH, DOES IT PERHAPS PROVIDE SOME APPEAL TO THEM TO PURSUE THAT DESIGNATION? BUT I GUESS THE CATCH HERE IS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE TO BE DESIGNATED.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE MAY BE A NEED TO CREATE, I DON'T KNOW, WE'LL CALL IT A PRE-QUALIFIED HISTORIC DESIGNATION THAT MAKE, THAT KIND OF LIKE, GIVES YOU SOME KIND OF LOCK INTO THAT IF YOU DID GET THE H DESIGNATION AND PERHAPS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE, WE COULD HAVE A CASE STUDY WHERE WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A PROPERTY LIKE THAT WHERE WE SEE, UH, WHAT VALUE THEY GET BACK.

SAY LIKE, IF THEY GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF, IF THEY HAVE JUST SOLD THEIR PROPERTY AS IS NOW VIA THESE TDRS, WHAT PERCENTAGE THEY GET.

YEAH, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE EXPLORE IN THE REPORT A LITTLE BIT.

UM, I THINK THAT THAT, UH, IS A REALLY, IT'S, IT'S A POSSIBLE ROLE FOR THE TDR BANK.

UM, THESE BANKS COULD POTENTIALLY OFFER EVEN EARNEST MONEY FOR, UM, FOR FOLKS.

UH, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD DO THEIR OWN PRE-VETTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THEY FELT THAT THE PROPERTY WAS ELIGIBLE AND, AND WOULD RECEIVE ITS HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS RISK IN GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THERE'S COST IN GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WORKING WITH A-A-T-D-R BANK COULD REALLY PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A CUSHION, OR ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS THAT AREN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY AREN'T IN THIS GAME, IT'S NOT WHAT THEY DO.

UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY PER PERHAPS HAVE INHERITED THIS HOUSE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR THEM TO HAVE KIND OF AN INTERFACE, BUT ALSO HAVE SOME OPTIONS TO WORK WITH A TDR BANK WITH, WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, UM, TO HELP THEM GET OVER SOME OF THESE, THESE RISKS AND COST BARRIERS.

CAN, CAN I, MAY I ADD ONE THING? CHAIR? YES.

THAT YOU HAVE A ROBUST INTERFACE WITH THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION AS PART OF YOUR IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM, AND IN PARTICULAR AS THE TESTING PROGRAM.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO, THESE HAVE BEEN GREAT QUESTIONS AND THANKS FOR YOUR, YOUR ATTENTION TO A LOT OF MATERIAL AND WE'LL OF COURSE SHARE THE FINAL REPORT WITH THE COMMISSION WHEN IT COMES OUT IN JULY.

I WANTED TO, UM, DO A QUICK ADDEND TO SOMETHING THAT, THAT DARREN HAD MENTIONED ABOUT THE $165 PER SQUARE FOOT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT IS, THAT IS A REAL NUMBER.

THERE'S SOME SERIOUS CALCULATIONS BEHIND THAT, BUT THAT IS, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT COMES UP.

IF SOMEONE IS WEIGHING, REDEVELOPING A PROPERTY VERSUS PRESERVING IT, THAT'S KIND OF, IF ALL ELSE BEING EQUAL.

SO THE PROGRAM A SQUARE FOOT, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE COST FOR EXISTING LANDMARK OWNERS MIGHT BE LOWER.

UM, IF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED TO PRESERVATION AND WOULD LIKE SOME, SOME SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDING TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP, THE BUILDING OR SOMETHING ELSE, OR IF SOMEONE IS LEANING TOWARDS PRESERVATION, IT MIGHT, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY, IT'S NEVER A NUMBER SET IN STONE, BUT IT IS ALSO THAT IS EVERYTHING ELSE BE EQUAL.

SOMEONE SAYING, HOW CAN I GET THE MAXIMUM VALUE FROM THIS PROPERTY? UM, SO JUST I THINK AN IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE.

IF THAT, IF THAT NUMBER, UM, STICKS IN YOUR HEAD, I'D LIKE TO, UM, AND, AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE LEVEL OF INQUIRY THAT WE HAVE, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE THAT THIS REPORT WAS UNDER, BUT, UH, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE JUST ONLY GET ONE BITE AT THE APPLE AND THE WAY YOU'VE GOT IT SET UP RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERTISE THAT I THINK WILL HELP INFORM, IF NOT THE REPORT THAT GOES AND STARTS THIS THING MOVING, BUT CERTAINLY THE IMPLEMENTATION.

AND IF I WOULD, LET ME ASK THAT IN THE REPORT

[01:10:01]

THIS I WANNA, UH, REINFORCE, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS'S SUGGESTION IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN AWARE OF FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE IT GOES WELL.

WE'VE SEEN THE CITY ENGAGE IN SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE A BIT INNOVATIVE OR DO REQUIRE SOME SPECIFIC, UH, ADJUSTMENTS TO LOCAL CONDITIONS.

AND JUST BECAUSE THEY WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE ADOPT THE SAME THING AND IT WORKS HERE.

UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THE MAPS ARE, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A, A VERY BIG IMPACT AND THAT WILL HAVE A MAJOR, UH, IN IMPLEMENTATION, UH, IMPACT FOR SURE.

UH, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS NOT JUST LANDMARKS, BUT YOU KNOW, WE, WE LEAVE OUT A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS, OUR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.

SO IT MAY BE THAT WE COULD REFERENCE OR HAVE SOME PROGRAM WHERE THERE'D BE SOME LEVEL OF UTILIZATION ANTICIPATING THAT MANY OF THOSE HAVE, UH, VALUE AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD UP TO.

NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU WANNA GET MOMENTUM, WE WANNA GET IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL, WE WANT SUPPORT, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THIS WILL HAVE TO DO WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.

SO LET ME, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, LET ME LEAVE IT AT THAT AND ASK YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS, AGAIN, A ROBUST PART OF THE REPORT.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

ALRIGHT, GOOD QUESTION.

UH, WE HAVE ONE

[4. Briefing on the East Austin Historic Resources Survey by Dr. Tara Dudley, Consultant, HHM & Associates. ]

MORE BRIEFING AND, UH, I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THIS FINAL BRIEFING BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS NOT ONLY AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, UH, EFFORT THAT'S BEEN LONG IN THE MAKING, BUT, UH, I ALSO LIKE TO, UH, RECOGNIZE A FORMER COMMISSION MEMBER, UH, DR.

TARA DUDLEY, WHO IS GOING TO BE, UH, COMING TO THE MICROPHONE.

SO WELCOME, WELCOME BACK.

GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER DR.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

TARA DUDLEY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, AND IN THIS EVENING'S CAPACITY AS A SUB-CONSULTANT TO THE HHM TEAM WITH WHICH THE CITY HAS CONTRACTED TO COMPLETE THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY UPDATE.

UM, SO I'M REPRESENTING EMILY PAYNE AND CHRISTINA COOPER SCHMIDT, WHO WERE UNABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.

UH, AND SO TODAY JUST GOING TO PROVIDE SOME HIGHLIGHTS ALONG WITH KARA ABOUT THE INTENT OF THIS SURVEY, OF COURSE, WHICH IS AN UPDATE TO THE 2016 SURVEY.

IT'S, UM, PRACTICED TO UPDATE THESE KINDS OF HISTORIC RESOURCES ABOUT EVERY DECADE OR SO.

UM, AND SO WHY CONDUCT A SURVEY LIKE THIS? UM, SO WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE SO WE CAN BETTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE? UM, HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEYS, UM, IN PARTICULARLY THIS ONE FOR EAST AUSTIN IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE AREA OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

UM, THAT ALLOWS US TO DOCUMENT HISTORICALLY UNDER DOCUMENTED AREAS OF THE CITY, UM, AND AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE CHANGING RAPIDLY ALMOST EVERY DAY.

UM, ALSO SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT THEIR HISTORIC RESOURCES, ABOUT THE BUILDINGS, THE ARCHITECTURE, THE HISTORY OF THE AREA, AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

SO IN MANY WAYS, THESE KINDS OF SURVEYS SERVE AS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS FOR THE COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHICH THEY ARE WRITTEN.

THE PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY IS ALSO TO GUIDE RECOMMENDATIONS OF CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION REGARDING THINGS LIKE PERMIT APPLICATIONS, AS WELL AS HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.

AND ALSO THE SURVEY IS MEANT TO HELP IDENTIFY HERITAGE TOURISM SITES THAT MIGHT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY, UM, BENEFIT FROM GRANT MAKING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OR ENTITIES SUCH AS PRESERVATION AUSTIN OR OTHERWISE, OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT AID THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS, INDIVIDUALS, OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO WITH THIS PARTICULAR UPDATE TO THE SURVEY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EXPANSION OF THE PREVIOUS SURVEY AREA.

UM, THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY WAS MAINOR ROAD, SOUTHERN BOUNDARY LADY BIRD LAKE.

WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THOSE BOUNDARIES, BUT EXTEND EASTWARD FROM PLEASANT VALLEY AND THE ROUTE OF THE, UM, CAT METRO RAIL RED LINE, UM, NORTH OF ROSEWOOD AVENUE.

UM, AND WE'RE GONNA EXTEND OUT TO AIRPORT BOULEVARD.

UM, THOSE WERE THE, THE ORANGE LINE THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THIS MAP WAS THE EASTERN BOUNDARY FROM THE 2016 SURVEY.

UM, WE'VE UPDATED THIS SURVEY AREA TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE HISTORIC RESOURCES, UM, AND ARCHITECTURE, UH, STRUCTURES, OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, INSERTIONS INTO

[01:15:01]

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT UP TO 1983.

UM, AND SO APPROXIMATELY 9,000 RESOURCES ON OVER 7,000 PARCELS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WILL BE SURVEYED IN THIS PARTICULAR UPDATE.

UM, AT THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS FROM THE 2016 SURVEY WHERE WE SURVEYED OVER 5,000 PARCELS AND OVER 6,000 RESOURCES THAT WERE BUILT BY 1971.

THAT WAS THE CUTOFF DATE FOR THE PREVIOUS SURVEY.

SO WE'RE EXTENDING, UM, OF COURSE TO BUILDINGS THAT WILL MEET A 50 AGE CAP PLUS A BUFFER TO GIVE TIME FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS SURVEY REPORT PRESENTATION TO THE CITY APPROVAL BY THE CITY.

AND THEN POTENTIAL ACTION BY INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN DESIGN DESIGNATING PROPERTIES THAT, UM, ARE RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE, UM, FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION AT VARIOUS LEVELS AS A RESULT OF THIS SURVEY.

SO WHAT DOES A HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY DO? WE DOCUMENT HISTORIC BUILDING STRUCTURES, OBJECTS, AND SITES IN ESSENTIALLY A THREE PART, UM, PHASE OF FIELD WORK, ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY INPUT.

AND THIS HELPS TO PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR HOW AREAS DEVELOP HISTORICALLY OVER TIME AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE OF THE HISTORY OF THAT AREA.

UM, WE ALSO RECOMMEND INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES IN AREAS FOR POTENTIAL HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

AGAIN, THE RESULT OF THIS KIND OF DOCUMENT BY THE HHM TEAM OR ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS, IT IS UP TO OTHER ENTITIES, TO PROPERTY OWNERS, ET CETERA, TO PURSUE THOSE DESIGNATIONS.

UM, THIS KIND OF REPORT, THIS DOCUMENTATION, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DO NOT CHANGE ANY HISTORIC ZONINGS.

THEY DON'T AFFECT PROPERTY TAXES.

IT IS AN INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENT THAT PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS ONLY.

AND SO THE FIRST PART OF THIS WORK, UM, IS FIELD WORK FOR ALL OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE SURVEY AREA.

WE WILL AT LEAST PHOTOGRAPH, TAKE A COUPLE OF IMAGES SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE WHAT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND STATUS OF THOSE BUILDINGS INSTRUCTURES ARE FOR BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED BY 1983.

WE WILL ALSO DOCUMENT THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND THE SALIENT PHYSICAL FEATURES, HISTORIC FEATURES, UM, AND ALSO, UH, DOCUMENT HERITAGE TOURISM SITES OR SITES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE HERITAGE TOURISM SITES.

UM, AND HERE YOU SEE EXAMPLES OF, UM, IMAGES OF PEOPLE ON THE H HT HHM TEAM CONDUCTING FIELD WORK AND ALSO WHAT, UM, THE PRODUCT OF THE SURVEY REPORT OR COMPONENT OF THE PRODUCT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WITH AN IMAGE OR SEVERAL IMAGES OF A RESOURCE.

AND AS WELL AS, UM, THE DOCUMENTATION.

THERE'S MAPPING.

AND SO ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED, UM, AS WELL IN THOSE MAPPINGS.

ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE RESOURCE, HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY IS ARCHIVAL RESEARCH.

UM, AND SO THIS WILL INCLUDE AN EXPANDED HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT FOR EAST AUSTIN THAT INCLUDES DISCUSSION OF HISTORIC TRENDS AND EVENTS THROUGH 1983 THAT INFLUENCED THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

THERE, UM, TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORIES OF POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THOSE HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND THEIR HISTORY, AND TALK ABOUT THE OCCUPANCY HISTORIES OF PROPERTIES THAT RETAIN THEIR INTEGRITY OR THAT MIGHT BE RECOMMENDED, ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

THAT ARCHIVAL RESEARCH INCLUDES, UM, ORAL HISTORY, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY IN A MOMENT.

UM, LOOKING AT PREVIOUS HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY REPORTS AND OTHER CITY DOCUMENTATION, CONDUCTING, CONDUCTING RESEARCH AT ANY OF OUR, UM, ARCHIVAL REPOSITORIES HERE IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, UM, THE BRISCOE CENTER, ONLINE RESEARCH, ET CETERA.

AND FINALLY, COMMUNITY IMPORT, WHICH IS REALLY A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.

UM, ONE ELEMENT THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT WILL BE A COMMUNITY QUESTIONNAIRE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN, UM, GAINING CONTEXT INFORMATION, UM, INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT FOUND IN ARCHIVES OR SOME, UH, HELPING OCCASIONALLY TO EXPAND ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE FINDING IN ARCHIVES.

UM, ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IN HELPING US TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL HISTORIC PLACES, UM, OR SIGNIFICANT PLACES.

UM, AND AGAIN, ORAL HISTORIES, UM, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS WE TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LONGTIME MEMBERS WHO RETAIN THAT COLLECTIVE MEMORY AND THAT HISTORIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMMUNITY AS

[01:20:01]

WELL.

AND ULTIMATELY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE TEAM PRESENTS WILL, UM, WILL CO COMPILE ARCHIVAL RESEARCH FINDINGS, INTEGRATE COMMUNITY INPUT ALONG WITH THOSE FINDINGS, IDENTIFY HISTORICAL THEMES AND TRENDS, AND THEN EVALUATE THE ELIGIBILITY FOR LOCAL AND NATURAL NATIONAL REGISTERED DESIGNATION.

AND THEN ALSO, UM, ASSESS POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAD SEVERAL LOCAL DISTRICTS COME OUT OF THE PREVIOUS REPORT.

NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KARA, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER.

THANK YOU, DR.

DELEY.

I, I KNOW WE'RE AT TIME, SO I'LL BE, I'LL BE VERY QUICK.

WE ARE DOING, UM, AFTER THE SURVEY COM IS COMPLETED, WE WILL DO OUTREACH AND WORKSHOPS.

UM, A COUPLE OF WORKSHOPS ABOUT THE FINAL REPORT JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO'S INTERESTED.

WE'LL ALSO DO TARGETED OUTREACH TO PROPERTY OWNERS WHOSE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE, HAVE NOT DONE IN PREVIOUS SURVEYS, BUT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF AN EFFECTIVE SURVEY, IS GIVING PEOPLE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED AND THEN THE TOOLS TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS.

IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, WE'LL COM WE WILL, UM, COORDINATE THAT OUTREACH WITH THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANTS FOR ELIG FOR, UM, EXISTING AND POTENTIAL HERITAGE TOURISM SITES, WHICH IS A VERY POWERFUL INCENTIVE.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE, THE NUMBERS, UH, FOR CONTEXT FROM THE 2016 SURVEY BELOW, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE HIGHER.

FINALLY, HERE'S THE A QUICK PROJECT TIMELINE.

THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROJECT.

THE THREE, UM, PHASES THAT DR. DUDLEY MENTIONED ARE ON THE LEFT, THE FIELD SURVEY, THE RESEARCH, THE INPUT, UM, THE, UH, DRAFT REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED FOR, FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK IN EARLY 2028.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO INFORMATION COLLECTING AND DRAFTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEN THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE PRE, UH, PRESENTED, I BELIEVE AROUND SUMMER 2028.

UM, AND WE'LL DO THE TARGETED FOLLOW UP.

THEN I WILL NOT RUN THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT THE CITY IS LEADING COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS SURVEY IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH HHM STAFF.

SO WE ARE BEGINNING, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OUTREACH, COMMISSION BRIEFINGS AND MEMOS AND TABLING AT COMMUNITY EVENTS THIS SUMMER.

WE'VE ALREADY TABLED IT SEVERAL EVENTS AND ARE BUILDING OUR EMAIL LIST FOR THE PROJECT.

UM, OUR FIRST PUBLIC EVENT IS GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER 15TH, SO PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

IT'S A TUESDAY.

IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE FRENCH LITIGATION, AND IT WILL FEATURE ALAN GARCIA, WHO'S THE FOUNDER OF A TX BODY ARCHIVE AND HT JA, THE HOUSTON TILL IT'S IN JAZZ COMBO.

IT SHOULD BE A REALLY WONDERFUL EVENING, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL JOIN US AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU VOLUNTEER ACTUALLY, IF ANY OF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING AT THAT EVENT, HELPING US TO TABLE, UM, GOING TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, GOING TO COMMISSION BRIEFINGS, PLEASE, UM, LET ME KNOW.

OR SOPHIA WAGNER.

I'M ACTUALLY, I SHOULD HAVE SAID, I'M STANDING IN FOR SOPHIA WAGNER.

UM, MY COLLEAGUE WHO'S THE PROJECT MANAGER, UH, WHO'S OUT OF TOWN THIS WEEK.

UM, WE ANTICIPATE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ON OUTREACH.

WE, UH, WE ANTICIPATE IN AWARDING TWO OR THREE MINI GRANTS, UM, AND DOING A SECOND COMMUNITY EVENT AND SOME INTENSIVE OUTREACH IN EARLY 2027.

UM, THE COMMUNITY QUESTIONNAIRE WILL CLOSE IN APRIL OF NEXT YEAR, SO IT'S A LONG OPEN PERIOD.

UM, BUT WE'LL REALLY RAMP UP THAT OUTREACH, UM, EARLY NEXT YEAR.

AND I MENTIONED, UH, SOME PUBLIC WORKSHOPS ARE IN THE DRAFT REPORT, THE FINAL REPORT, AND THAT FOCUSED, UM, OUTREACH AT THE END.

HERE'S THE PROJECT WEBSITE IN A QR CODE.

YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE EMAIL LIST.

UM, YOU CAN RSVP FOR THE SEPTEMBER 15TH EVENT AND TAKE THE COMMUNITY QUESTIONNAIRE AND LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I THINK YOU GAVE US A VERY GOOD OVERVIEW.

I KNOW WE'RE ALL EAGER TO SEE IT GET GOING.

IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE COULD FRONT LOAD THAT AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT FULL TWO YEARS, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

'CAUSE WE NEED, WE NEED THE MATERIAL NOW, BUT WE AGAIN, APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT GETS US UP TO OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, ITEM IN LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.

UH, COMMISSIONERS,

[5. PR-2026-008188 – 1005 E. 8th St. ]

UH, ITEM FIVE AT 10 0 5 EAST EIGHTH STREET.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCUIT 1906 HOUSE LISTED AS CONTRIBUTING TO A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.

THE HOUSE AT, UH, 1 0 0 5 EAST EIGHTH STREET WAS LIKELY ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS A SINGLE STORY BUILDING WITH THE SLOPING ELEVATION OF THE SITE, CREATING A CRAWL SPACE OR CELLAR TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT.

SINCE ITS CONSTRUCTION, THIS HAS BEEN ENCLOSED AND A REAR ADDITION BUILT INCREASINGLY ENCLOSED FLOOR AREA OF THE BUILDING.

HOWEVER, THE U-SHAPED FORM AND FULL VICTORIAN ELEMENTS STILL READ LEGIBLY AND DECORATIVE DEVELOPMENTS, ESPECIALLY AT THE FRONT PORCH AND GABLE ENDS REMAIN PRESENT.

THE INTEGRITY OF THE ARCHITECTURE IS STRONG AND THE PROPERTY REMAINS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ROBERTSON, STEWART, AND MAYOR HISTORIC DISTRICT.

FOR THE FIRST 30 YEARS AFTER CONSTRUCTION, THE PROPERTY WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF RENTERS, MADE UP OF FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY VARIOUS LOCAL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES, INCLUDING CARPENTERS, FOUNDRY WORKERS, AND PORTERS.

THE FIRST LONG-TERM OWNERS WERE ERNST

[01:25:01]

AND MARIA KEMP, WHO OPERATED A LOCAL GROCERY.

MARIA KEMP CONTINUED TO LIVE AT THE ADDRESS AFTER HER HUSBAND'S DEATH, BUT BY THE 1950S, THE PROPERTY WAS VACANT BEFORE BECOMING SUBDIVIDED FOR OIL INDUSTRY AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL OFFICES.

A THIRD HOUSING UNIT WAS ADDED IN 1970, INDICATING THAT THIS PROPERTY CONTINUED USE AS RESIDENTIAL RE RENTALS.

UM, HOWEVER, AN OVERNIGHT FIRE OCCURRED AT THE PROPERTY ON NOVEMBER 12TH, 2025.

UH, ONE COMMENT IS THAT THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON AUGUST 15TH, 2026, GIVING THE COMMISSION, UM, A COUPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS APPLICATION, UM, FOR THIS MEETING JULY AND AUGUST.

THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO THE JULY 1ST HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE MAY 13TH MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.

THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? HEARING NONE, UH, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT AND PLEASE GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AND, UH, WELCOME.

HI.

YEAH, I'M, UH, ROBBIE MCGREGOR, UH, LIVE THERE AT, UH, 1005 EAST EIGHTH STREET FOR A LITTLE OVER A DECADE NOW, I GUESS.

AND ORIGINALLY I WAS TOLD BY CO COMPLIANCE TO FILE FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT.

THINGS HAVE, I'VE HAD DIFFICULTY FIGURING OUT WHICH DIRECTIONS I NEED TO GO WITH CERTAIN, UH, PERMITTING FUTURE PROCESS, LIKE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S PARTIAL, PARTIAL DEMOLITION PERMIT.

UM, I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE HOUSE CONTRIBUTES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE DAMAGE IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, ESPECIALLY TO THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE.

UH, USAA, UH, RECENTLY DECLARED IT A TOTAL LOSS AND PAID OUT THE FULL POLICY ON THE HOUSE.

SO IT, THEY, UH, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE, WHERE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO, IF I'M HEARING A LOT OF, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET, I GUESS, FUTURE ADVICE ON WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR ALL THIS.

'CAUSE I'M A LITTLE LOST ON EVERYTHING.

WELL, I, IT SOUNDS LIKE WITH THE FIRE, THIS WASN'T SOMETHING YOU WERE PLANNING TO BE DOING.

WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REMODELING IT MM-HMM .

AND THEN, UH, YEAH, A FLOOR SANDER, UH, CAUGHT FIRE OVERNIGHT.

SO, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

SO JUST TWO THINGS.

FIRST, AS YOU, I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE AWARE YOU ARE IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ADVISING YOU.

YEAH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE JURISDICTION TO SAY THIS IS OR IS NOT APPROPRIATE.

UH, BASICALLY IT'S THE SAME PROCESS AS IF IT WERE A HISTORIC LANDMARK.

SO IF IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO TEAR THIS BUILDING DOWN, WE WON'T ISSUE A DEMOLITION PERMIT.

NOW, IF THERE IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION THAT WOULD ALLOW THE PORTIONS THAT CAN BE RESTORED TO REMAIN, THAT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE OUR PREFERENCE, UH, JUST BASED ON PAST HISTORY.

HE RECOMMENDED DEMOLITION.

NOW, I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS, BUT I COULD SEE YOUR BACKUP.

AND AS MUCH AS THE FIRE DID A LOT OF DAMAGE TO YOUR INTERIOR AND SOME OF THE MATERIALS, IT DOES LOOK LIKE YOUR STRUCTURE, FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL, JUST LOOKING THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHS WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU, YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT WON'T STAND UP.

SO WITH, WITH THE RIGHT INVESTMENT, PERHAPS WITH THE RIGHT CARE ALL OR A PORTION OF THE IMPORTANT PART OF THAT HISTORIC BUILDING CAN STILL BE MAINTAINED.

AND SO, YEAH, AFTER SEEING THE BRIEFINGS BEFORE I AM, UH, SPEAKING HERE NOW FEEL PRETTY UNPREPARED.

BUT, UM, I GUESS GOING FORWARD, WHAT WOULD THE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THE LAST, UH, DISCUSSION I HAD WITH USAA, THEY WERE GOING TO, UH, ISSUE A GREATER PAYOUT TO, UH, REFRAME THE WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE, REPLACE THE SUBFLOOR.

UM, AND THE, I'VE HAD QUESTIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT THE ACTUAL PMB FOUNDATION IS STILL VIABLE.

I HAD A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, UH, LOOK OVER IT.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF AUSTIN RECEIVED THAT REPORT OR NOT.

I, I MET, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, BUT THERE'S THAT USAA, THEY WERE NOT SURE, UH, THEY DIDN'T SAY IT NEEDED TO.

THE PMB NEEDED TO BE COMPLETELY, UH, REPLACED OR REDONE, BUT, UH, I GUESS IT'S, IT'S, IT WAS SU SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO WHERE BASICALLY USA FELT THAT MORE OR LESS, ALL THE WOOD NEEDS TO BE RIPPED OUT, REPLACED, REDONE.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS GONNA TRIGGER A DEMOLITION EVENT, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.

UH, BECAUSE MORE OR LESS THE STRUCTURE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AND IT'S, UH, WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.

UH, WOULD BE RELEVANT HERE, BUT THE KIND OF ONE-ON-ONE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE OKAY.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

LET ME JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND SEE IF ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS HAS A QUICK RESPONSE.

WE HAVE SEVERAL STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS WHO ALSO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME COMMENTS THAT,

[01:30:01]

MAY BE VERY APPROPRIATE IN YOUR CASE, BUT I'M, I'M JUMPING AHEAD.

UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON, UM, YES, I, I THINK THAT WHAT WOULD BE BENEFIT IS TO POSTPONE THIS SO THAT WE COULD GET OUR HANDS ON THE REPORTING, UH, FROM THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.

AND THEN I WILL SAY THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THAT REPORT IS IN, IS IN, IS A GOOD REPORT WITH SOMEBODY THAT'S USED TO DEALING WITH EXISTING THINGS.

UH, WE GET REALLY ANGRY WHEN THEY CITE THE WRONG BUILDING CODES AND THINGS.

UM, IS IT TERRY ORTIZ? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE WORKED WITH HIM BEFORE OR NOT.

UM, I KNOW, UH, YEAH.

UM, SO I, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT.

OH, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY COMING TO THE A RC WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, AND PROBABLY BY THE NEXT MEETING YOU'D HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT BEFORE THAT.

UM, SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE YES, PLEASE.

IF, IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, UM, GIVE THAT TO STAFF AND STAFF CAN GET IT TO US.

SO WE, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

OBVIOUSLY, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, OUR JURISDICTION.

IT'S EITHER APPROPRIATE OR IT'S NOT.

WHATEVER YOU'RE RECOMMENDING.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ENOUGH INFORMATION FROM WHAT I SAW IN THE BACKUP TO SAY THAT A FULL DEMOLITION IS APPROPRIATE.

AND I'M RATHER STRONGLY SUGGESTING FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, THAT IT'S NOT THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS.

WE REALLY HOPE THAT'S WHAT YOU AND YOUR, YOUR CREW WILL EXPLORE.

UH, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP? THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THIS, UH, ITEM.

AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE APPLICANT? HEARING NONE, I, I, I HAD A QUESTION THAT MIGHT BE FOR APPLICANT OR FOR STAFF.

THERE'S BEEN A PROPERTY THAT'S COME UP WITH APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT EVERY MONTH FOR FULL DEMOLITION IN ROBERTSON STEWART.

MAYOR.

IS THIS, THAT PROPERTY? THIS HAS BEEN, UM, POSTPONED BY THE APPLICANT FOR TWO MONTHS.

TWO MONTHS OR ONE MONTH? YEAH, I THINK I REMEMBER SEEING IT.

IT WAS ONE MONTH.

IT WAS IN MAY THAT I POSTPONED.

SO THE, BEFORE THE FIRE THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION? NO, NO, NO.

THIS WAS, YEAH, DEFINITELY AFTER THE FIRE.

SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, LET ME HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO MOVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

I SEE, UH, COMMISSIONERS AT HOME, THE REMOTE COMMISSIONERS.

ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.

IT IS UNANIMOUS, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, OPENS THE FLOOR FOR A POSSIBLE MOTION, AND THERE'S BEEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR POSTPONEMENT, UH, MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE, UM, THIS UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING, AND TO REQUEST THAT THE OWNER ATTEND THE A RC.

COMMISSIONER ACTON HAS A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.

COMMISSIONER COOK.

COMMISSIONER ACTON.

UM, YES, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THIS AND THE PROVIDER, IT SAYS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THE WORK OF GETTING STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.

WE'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT SO WE CAN BE INFORMED WE MAKE THIS DECISION.

WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE REPORTS FROM USAA AS WELL, OR THE FIRE REPORTS OR ANY OF THAT? ANYTHING, ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AND WE'LL THROUGH IT.

YES, SIR.

COMMISSIONER COOK? UH, YEAH.

UM, SAME THING.

UM, I JUST, IN THE BACKUP, THERE'S INPUT FROM MARK ROGERS OF THE, UH, GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION REFERS TO EMILY LITTLE AS WELL.

THOSE ARE, THEY BOTH RESTORED HOMES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE BURNED OUT THAT WERE CONSIDERED TOTAL LOSSES, SO THAT THEY MAY BE REALLY GOOD RESOURCES TO REACH OUT TO FOR THE POTENTIAL AND HAVE A HANDLE.

AND I, I'VE SPOKEN WITH BOTH OF 'EM, UH, MARK'S.

YEAH, I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM AS WELL, SO.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE WITH THE, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING POSTPONE, AND, UM, ENCOURAGE THE VISIT AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND AGAIN, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED.

SEE, IT'S UNANIMOUS.

IS THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, AND THAT IS AT 3 0 4 WEST 42ND STREET.

AND WE WISH YOU VERY GOOD LUCK WITH THIS.

THANK, THANK YOU.

UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN

[7. PR-2026-032504; HR-2026-036164 – 304 W. 42nd St. ]

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

THIS IS A REQUEST TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN THE HYDE PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW BUILDING.

THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING SPANS TWO LOTS AND IS ORIENTED TOWARDS AVENUE C RATHER THAN WEST 42ND STREET.

IT'S TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT CLAD AND HORIZONTAL LAP SIDING WITH BOARD AND BATTEN ACCENTS.

THE ROOF IS COMPOSED OF A SERIES OF COMPOUND GABLES AND A SHED ROOF DORMER AT THE SOUTHERN ELEVATION, A PARTIAL WIDTH COVERED PORCH DISPLAYS, CRAFTSMAN INSPIRED

[01:35:01]

PROPORTIONS AND TRIANGULAR BRACKETS AT THE 42ND STREET ELEVATION.

FENESTRATION ON THE NEW STRUCTURE INCLUDES FIXED CASEMENT AND WHATEVER ONE WINDOWS INTERSPERSED THROUGHOUT THE EXISTING BUILDING IS A CIRCA 1932 BUNGALOW.

IT'S ONE STORY IN HEIGHT, CLA AND HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING WITH SIMPLE MASSING AND A SIDE GABLED RECTANGULAR PLAN.

A GABLE GARAGE ABUTS THE EASTERNMOST ELEVATION.

FENESTRATION INCLUDES ONE OF HER ONE WOOD WINDOWS AND EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS ARE PRESENT AT THE EAVES AND TRIANGULAR BRACKETS AT THE GABLE ENDS.

THE HYDE PARK DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE PROJECT, THE, UH, PROPOSED PROJECT FOR THE NEW STRUCTURE MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.

THIS CASE FIRST APPEARED AT THE HLC ON MAY 6TH, UM, AND THE HISTORIC GL COMMISSION 75 DAY TIMELINE FOR ACTION, UH, CONCLUDES ON JULY 20TH.

UH, THIS BUILDING CONTRIBUTES TO THE HYDE PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, AND IT WENT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE ON MAY 13TH, WHERE THE COMMITTEE ENCOURAGED THE APPLICANT TO AVOID DEMOLISHING THIS CONTRIBUTING BUILDING, ACKNOWLEDGING THE SITE CONSTRAINTS, AND THEY, THE APPLICANT TO REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO DISCUSS PLANS.

UM, AND THUS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE'S FEEDBACK AND REQUEST EITHER POSTPONEMENT TO THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TO JULY 1ST AND A RETURN TO THE A RC NEXT WEEK FOR FEEDBACK ON ALTERNATE PLANS OR TO DENY THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.

WHILE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PROPOSAL MOSTLY MEETS THE DESIGN STANDARDS, STAFF CANNOT RECOMMEND THE REMOVAL OF A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN A LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICT.

THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.

HEARING NONE.

UH, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE? YES.

AGAIN, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS TO THE APPLICANT? IS THAT THE QUESTION? DID YOU SPEAK WITH FRIENDS OF HYDE PARK? UH, NO.

HI, UH, JENNIFER LON, OWNER OF, OF THE HOUSE OF THE PROPERTY.

UM, I PREPARED A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST SO I CAN BE MINDFUL OF TIME, SO I'M GONNA READ THROUGH THEM REAL QUICK.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE.

I TOOK MY BUILDER AND ARCHITECT SO THAT WE COULD TRY TO WORK IN REAL TIME TO, TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

UM, AFTER A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, THE, THE FINAL SUGGESTIONS WERE FOR ME TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY GETTING A PERMIT TO REMOVE A PROTECTED TREE TO A LOT MORE SPACE, UM, AND TO POTENTIALLY PUT THE CARPORT IN THE MIDDLE, BASICALLY OF THE HOUSE BETWEEN THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND THE NEW STRUCTURE.

UM, LOOKING AT PUTTING THE CARDBOARD KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF WHERE THE, THE HOUSE IS LOCATED WOULD, WOULD LEAVE ME WITH A VERY WEIRD LAYOUT.

UM, I DID LOOK AT THE TREE.

I, I DON'T WANT TO REMOVE THE TREE.

IT'S A 23 INCH PECAN TREE.

AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, UM, OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT MAKES MY NEIGHBORHOOD SO SPECIAL IS, IS THE, THE LARGE TREES THERE.

UM, SO CHARMING.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE IN HELPING TO KEEP HYDE PARK SPECIAL TO HELP KEEP, KEEP IT, UM, QUAINT.

UM, BUT I, I FEEL LIKE MY UNIQUE SITUATION IS NOT REALLY BEING CONSIDERED.

I THINK IT'S A MISS.

UM, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I WAS DEFINITELY EXCITED TO BUILD A HO HOME, EXCUSE ME.

UH, THAT AFFORDS ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO KIND OF HAVE THE COVERAGE FOR MY CAR, UM, AND TO ALLOW ME FOR MORE SPACE AND MY FAMILY.

WHILE I THOUGHT ENHANCING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, I THINK IT WOULD'VE BENEFITED THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I THINK IT WOULD'VE BETTER MIRRORED MY NEIGHBORS.

UM, AS FAR AS THE LOCATION OF THE HOUSE ON, ON THE LOT ITSELF, UM, AT THE ADVICE OF THE COMMITTEE, I DID GO AROUND AND SPEAK WITH A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS.

UM, ALL OF THE FEEDBACK WAS IN FAVOR OF ME REMOVING THE EXISTING HOUSE AND BUILDING THE PROPOSED HOME.

UM, A LOT OF THE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK THAT I GOT ARE IN LINE WITH, I THINK THERE WERE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND THEY WERE IN LINE WITH THAT, UM, THAT THE PROPOSED DESIGN FITS WELL WITH THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE EXISTING HOUSE SHOULD BE DEMOLISHED.

UM, SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE FOR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLISHING OF THE EXISTING HOME.

I'D LIKE FOR THAT TO BE CONSIDERED.

UM, AND I DO WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO MODIFY THE STRUCTURE OR THE, THE BUILDING, THE HOUSE THAT, THAT MY ARCHITECT PUT TOGETHER JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I DO MEET ALL OF THE, THE STANDARDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

[01:40:01]

JUST, JUST NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM? THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THIS ITEM.

COMMISSIONER ACTON, SECOND COMMISSIONER COOK.

UM, I WILL JUST, UH, LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT FOR THE APPLICANT THAT, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.

AND IF WE'RE NOT CONVINCED THAT THE BEST CONDITION FOR THE ENTIRE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS TO REMOVE AN EXISTING HISTORIC HOUSE THAT CONTRIBUTES, THEN YOU WON'T GET A DEMOLITION PERMIT.

UH, SO IT'S NOT JUST WHAT IS YOUR NEW DESIGN, BUT IT'S ALSO WHETHER THIS MERITS REMOVING PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH BAR.

UH, THAT SAID, I DON'T PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'VE QUITE GOT THE RUSE AND THE PORCH WORKED OUT IN A WAY.

I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING, YOUR ARCHITECT WAS TRYING TO BE VERY SYMPATHETIC, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IN A HISTORIC COMPATIBLE TYPE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION.

UH, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN THINK WE NEED TO GO THERE UNTIL WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH SUPPORT TO ALLOW THAT, THAT, UH, HOUSE COULD BE EVEN REPLACED.

BUT, UH, SO AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF WORKING OURSELVES INTO GOOD REASONS FOR TAKING MORE TIME ON THIS ITEM.

BUT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT AND NO OTHER SPEAKERS? THEN I WILL OBTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND IT'S UNANIMOUS THE HEARING IS CLOSED.

COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR MOTION? I'M GONNA MOVE TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR NEXT MEETING.

INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK.

AND IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

COMMISSIONER ACTON.

UH, COMMISSIONER COOK.

YEAH, I APPRECIATE THIS IS A KIND OF UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND THE SIZE AND POTENTIAL OF THE LOT DON'T MATCH UP.

UM, BUT THE SIZE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE, I WOULD SAY DOES MATCH BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY MUCH A MIRROR OF THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE SIZE OF THE TWO.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE LOT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS BASICALLY LIKE THE TWO LOTS ACROSS THE STREET, BUT COMBINED INTO ONE, UH, THE PLACEMENT OF THAT PECAN TREE WAS A RECOMMENDATION, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO POSSIBLY MAKE BETTER USE OF THE PROPERTY FACING AVENUE C BECAUSE IT WOULD PUSH THE PROPERTY BACK FROM, UM, THE AVERAGE OF ALL THE FRONTAGES ALONG THAT STREET, WHICH IS, UH, WHAT WOULD BE, UH, REQUIRED OF THE HISTORIC, UH, OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS.

UH, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT REALLY PUSHES IT THAT MUCH FARTHER BACK.

UM, AND WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, FOR ME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WE CAN'T ALLOW DEMOLITION OF CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES.

UH, I KNOW HARDSHIPS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, BUT THE HARDSHIP IS THAT IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, MEET THE PROGRAM OF THE OWNER.

AND IF THAT WERE THE STANDARD THAT WE SET, THEN WE'D BE OPENING A HUGE DOOR FOR LOTS OF DEMOLITIONS.

UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THERE IS STILL POTENTIAL FOR A COVERED PORCH OF SOME SORT OF CARPORT IN FRONT AND ADDING ONTO THE BACK TOWARD THE LOT.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE A PROPERTY FACING AVENUE C IT WOULD BE A PROPERTY AT THE SIDE THAT IS EXTENDING INTO THAT A LOT, WHICH IS THE MOST UNUSUAL PART OF THIS CASE, WHICH I THINK MAKES IT THE MOST COMPLICATED.

I I DO SEE THEIR POINT THAT THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE AVENUE C BE THE PRIMARY STREET AND HAVE THE PRIMARY FACADES FACING IT.

THAT'S WHY HE BROUGHT THE TREE UP.

'CAUSE THAT KIND OF HINDERS THAT PATTERN.

BUT AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M JUST, IT WOULD BE A VERY HIGH BAR TO CONVINCE ME TO ALLOW DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY.

AND, UM, AT THIS POINT, THE MAIN ARGUMENT SEEMS TO BE THAT IT DOESN'T, MATT MEET THE PROGRAM NEEDS.

SO, UM, I'M, I'M, I MOVE TO POSTPONE IN LIEU OF DENYING THE CERTIFICATE APPROPRIATENESS TO LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN TO PREVENT HAVING TO REQUIRE REAPPLICATION FOR A NEW APPROACH.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I STAND.

IN THAT FOR DISCUSSION WOULD BE, WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, BEFORE COMPLETE DENIAL, ALL OF THIS.

UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON, UM, COUNTED IN THE SAME BOAT.

AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME POSSIBILITIES HERE TO MAYBE, UH, TWEAK THE DESIGN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE PRIMARY INTACT AND THEN ADD TO IT.

AND I THINK THAT ANOTHER, KINDA, ANOTHER WACK THE RC

[01:45:01]

COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? CHAIR? DID THAT MOTION INCLUDE, UM, REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING? OH, OH YEAH.

I'M SORRY.

AND REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, WOULD THAT BE PART OF THE MOTION? OKAY.

UM, AND I JUST, I'LL WEIGH IN AND SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE THE 42ND STREET FRONTAGE, BUT IT'S THE BACK OF THE LOT.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF THAT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE FRONT OF THE LOT HAS POTENTIAL, POSSIBLY WITH OR WITHOUT DEALING WITH SOME OF THE TREES, UM, EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE SOMETHING FREESTANDING OR SOMETHING CONNECTED WOULD ALLOW FOR THE EXISTING BUILDING TO REMAIN.

UH, SO I'M, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR ENCOURAGE THAT WHATEVER NEW CONSTRUCTION IS CONTEMPLATED THAT IT BE DONE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE EXISTING CAN REMAIN.

UH, I, I, AGAIN, I REINFORCE COMMISSIONER COOK.

UM, I THINK IN THE COURSE OF EXAMINING ALL YOUR OPTIONS, THIS OWNER HAS THE POTENTIAL OVER THE COURSE OF THIS DELAY TO PERHAPS RECONSIDER WITH THEIR ARCHITECT, UH, AND BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.

SO I I WILL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE MOTION.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATION OR DISCUSSION? I JUST DID WANT TO THROW IN THERE FOOD FOR THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, GARAGES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE PART OF THE CHARACTER IN A VERY CERTAIN WAY.

AND THEY'RE MENTIONED, DISCUSSED IN THE, UH, DESIGN STANDARDS IN THE, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.

AND FOR THIS TO BE DRIVEN BY THE NEED FOR A GARAGE AND GARAGES ONLY BEING ALLOWED ON THE ALLEY IN PARTICULAR WHEN GARAGES ARE NOT EN ENCOURAGED HERE IS KIND OF, IT MAKES IT A PARTICULARLY HARD PROGRAM HARDSHIP, EVEN FOR, FOR ME TO ACCEPT.

SO, UM, THERE AREN'T MANY GARAGES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD EXCEPT FOR SMALL OUTBUILDINGS IN THE BACK.

THAT'S THE PATTERN AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER.

UH, AT THIS POINT WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE JULY MEETING.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

UH, LET'S SEE, COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE REMOTE, ARE YOU RAISING YOUR HANDS? I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON THIS ONE.

AND COMMISSIONER RICE IS ABSTAINING, OTHERWISE, ALL THE OTHER HANDS ARE RAISED AND IT IS APPROVED.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

ALRIGHT, ITEM NUMBER

[8. HR-2026-057184 – 208 W. 32nd St. ]

EIGHT.

UH, THIS IS AT 2 0 8 WEST 32ND STREET.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO, UH, ROTATE AN EXISTING, UH, CONTRARIAN RESOURCE ON IT, ON ITS EXISTING SITE TO ALLOW IT TO FIT WITHIN SETBACK REQUIREMENTS.

DEMOLISH YOUR REAR CORNER AND SIDEWALL ALONG WITH A PORTION OF THE FRONT WALL AND FRONT PORCH.

AND ITS PLACE.

CONSTRUCT AN ADDITION TO THE REAR OF THE EXISTING HOUSE, ALONG WITH THE SECOND STORY THAT ENCOMPASSES A PORTION OF THE EXISTING HOUSE'S FOOTPRINT AND TO DEMOLISH THE EXISTING REAR GARAGE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW GARAGE IN ITS PLACE.

THIS PROPERTY IS A SINGLE STORY, LARGELY SYMMETRICAL HOUSE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE ALDRIDGE PLACE HISTORIC DISTRICT.

IT FEATURES A DEEP FRONT PORCH THAT IS LOCATED AT THE CENTER OF THE FRONT ELEVATION FACING 32ND STREET.

THOUGH IT IS ON A CORNER LOT AND MANY SUCH PROPERTIES IN THE DISTRICT FACE, HEMPHILL PARK, OR OTHERWISE OPEN UP TO BOTH STREETS.

THIS HOUSE DOES NOT.

THERE ARE SEVERAL SETS OF PAIRED WOOD WINDOWS ON THE FRONT AND SIDES OF THE HOUSE.

ONE IS FOUND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FRONT DOOR, AND TWO ARE LOCATED TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE HEMP HILL PARK SIDE.

WINDOWS ARE EITHER ONE OVER ONE OR FOUR OVER ONE FIXTURES, WHICH MAY INDICATE SOME REPLACEMENT OVER TIME.

THE HOUSE IS SET ON PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION AND BRICK POSTS APPEAR AT THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE FRONT PORCH SUPPORTS THE ROOF IS STANDING SEA METAL AND MATERIAL.

OVERALL, THE HOUSE IS IN A THREATENED CONDITION DUE TO USE OF NEGLECT AND LIKELY REQUIRES FOUNDATION SHORING AND REINFORCEMENT.

THE ALDRIDGE PLACE, UH, DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.

UM, THE, UH, PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.

UM, AS A DEPARTMENT COMMENT, THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON AUGUST 17TH, 2026.

UM, THE APPLICANT ATTENDED THE MARCH 11TH, 2026 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.

UH, UH, UH, FEEDBACK WAS TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO ROTATION OF THE MAIN HOUSE.

UM, FURTHER FURTHER EXPLORATION INTO THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE, INCLUDING WHAT MATERIAL IS OR IS NOT ORIGINAL, WILL BE LI WILL BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND CONTEXT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROPOSED ALTERATIONS.

UM, AND THEN THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED DISCUSSION WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS EARLY ON IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO THE JULY 1ST, 2026 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE MAY 13TH MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.

THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.

UH, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR COMMENTS TO STAFF? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE THEN LET US HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.

[01:50:13]

WELCOME.

PLEASE, UH, READ YOUR NAME AND FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.

HI, MY NAME IS, UH, KAITLYN HOWE, AND I'M AN ARCHITECT WITH LOGAN ARCHITECTURE.

AND, UH, BELIEVE I'M JUST WAITING ON THE CLICKER.

UM, AND THERE'S THE PRESENTATION.

OKAY, AWESOME.

PERFECT.

SO, UH, FROM THE OUTSET, OUR GOAL IS TO DESIGN A HOME THAT FITS WITHIN THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT, AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ALDRIDGE PLACE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE.

WE HAVE SINCE RECEIVED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED DESIGN, AND I BELIEVE THAT DOCUMENTATION IS INCLUDED IN OUR FILE.

THIS PROPERTY AT 2 0 8 WEST 32ND IS AT A PROMINENT CORNER LOT AT HEMPHILL PARK AND WEST 32ND WITH VIEWS TOWARDS THE PARK IN GREEN BELT.

THE SITE ALSO INCLUDES TWO SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE PECAN TREES, WHICH HAVE BEEN A KEY CONSIDERATION, UM, WHEN DESIGNING.

OUR INTENT IS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THESE TREES AND MINIMIZE IMPACT WHEREVER POSSIBLE.

UH, THE EXISTING STRUCTURE IS, UH, 1,213 SQUARE FOOT CRAFTS IN BUNGALOW, BUILT IN 1928 WITH TWO BEDROOMS AND TWO BATHROOMS. IT RETAINS ORIGINAL CRAFTSMEN DETAIL, INCLUDING TEARDROP SIDING, BRICK ACCIDENTS, EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS, AND WINDOW TRIM.

UH, THIS IS THE EXISTING DETACHED GARAGE, WHICH IS GONNA BE REPLACED WITH THE NEW GARAGE LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, CONSISTENT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDELINES AND DESIGNED TO BETTER COMPLEMENT THE MAIN STRUCTURE.

UH, AND HERE ARE PHOTOS OF THE INTERIOR.

UH, THEY REFLECT LONG-TERM DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND SOME DETERIORATION.

WE HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS TO REPLACE, UH, EXCUSE ME, TO RETAIN AND EMULATE.

UM, AND WHERE THESE ELEMENTS HAVE DETERIORATED, UH, WILL USE LIKE FOR LIKE REPLACEMENTS.

FOR THE EXISTING, UM, A PORTION OF THIS SITE, UH, LIES WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN.

SO THE FINISHED FLOOR IS TO BE RAISED AND THE STRUCTURE WILL BE SUPPORTED ON A NEW PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION.

UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, EXISTING IS ON, I BELIEVE, CONCRETE CMU BLOCKS AND NOT ON PIER AND BEAM CURRENTLY.

UM, BUT IT'LL BE SUPPORTED ON A NEW PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION CONSISTENT WITH TRADITIONAL CRAFTING CONSTRUCTION AND APPROPRIATE FOR ITS, UH, FLOOD PLAIN CONDITIONS.

BEFORE WE LEAVE THAT DOCUMENT, WOULD YOU GO BACK? SURE.

THE DOTTED LINES ON THE INSIDE, THAT'S A 25 FOOT FRONT YARD SETBACK.

AND IS THAT THE HEMPHILL PARK? IS THAT A 15 FOOT? THAT'S CORRECT.

AND SHOWN HERE IS A DEMO SITE PLAN.

AND THEN FOR THE NEW SITE PLAN, UH, THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN ROTATES AND REPOSITIONS THE HOME TO BETTER ALIGN WITH HEMPHILL PARK AND WEST 32ND STREET, WHILE COMPLYING WITH SETBACKS AND MINIMIZING IMPACTS TO THE FLOODPLAIN AND HERITAGE TREES, RESULTING IN A MORE EFFICIENT LAYOUT AND IMPROVED ALIGNMENT WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT.

UH, THESE SHOW EXISTING LAYOUTS AND DEMO FOR YOUR REFERENCE.

UM, OUR GOAL FOR THE PROJECT HAS BEEN TO RECONNECT THE HOME TO HEMPHILL PARK WHILE MAINTAINING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS TO BOTH STREET FRONTAGES, UH, SECONDARY SIDE PORCHES AND INFORMAL ENTRIES REINFORCE THE TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMEN INDOOR OUTDOOR RELATIONSHIP AND IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SITE.

THE SECOND STORY IS SET BACK A MINIMUM OF 15 FEET FROM THE FRONT FACADE PER ALDRIDGE PLACE GUIDELINES.

AND IT'S FURTHER SET BACK BEHIND THE RIDGE LINES OF THE EXISTING ROOF FROM BOTH STREET FRONTAGES.

UH, THESE SHOW THE EXISTING AND PROPOSED, UH, CONDITIONS OF THE ROOF FOR REFERENCE.

AND THEN THIS SHOWS THE EXISTING ELEVATIONS, DEMO ELEVATIONS AND THEN NEW PROPOSED ELEVATIONS.

UH, THE DESIGN PRESERVES THE FRONT FACADE IN THE FIRST 15 FEET OF THE HOME, INCLUDING PORCH, ROOF, WINDOWS, DOORS SCALE IN CRAFTSMAN CHARACTER.

THE ADDITION IS SET BACK BEHIND THIS PRESERVE ZONE AND THEN, UM, ADDITIONAL ELEVATIONS OF THE GARAGE AND THEN SHOWING IT MORE IN CONTEXT.

THE ALDRIDGE PLACE PRESERVATION PLAN EMPHASIZES COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT ALONG HEMPHILL PARK AND WEST 32ND TWO STORY HOMES ARE ALREADY COMMON.

SO THE PROPOSED SCALE IS CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD FABRIC WHILE PRESERVING THE LOWER SCALE STREET PRESENCE OF THE ORIGINAL HOME.

THE ALDRIDGE PLACE DESIGN GUIDELINES RECOGNIZE THAT CORNER LOTS HAVE ONE PRIMARY FRONT FACADE WHILE PRESERVING THAT FACADE.

WE HAVE ALSO MAINTAINED THE SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE SIDE ELEVATION WITH MINIMAL CHANGES.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ADDITION TO THE SIDE IS A SIDE PORCH, WHICH STRENGTHENS THE HOME CONNECTION TO HEMPHILL PARK AND ENHANCES ITS CORNER

[01:55:01]

LOT PRESENCE.

UH, THE GUIDELINES ALSO ALLOW FOR PORCHES TO EXTEND UP TO FIVE FEET INTO STREET SIDE YARD SETBACKS, WHICH WE BELIEVE SUPPORTS THE ADDITION OF A SENSITIVE, HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE NEW SIDE PORCH, UH, SHOWN HERE IS A COLORED RENDERING AND THEN SOME AXON VIEWS.

AND THEN, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE ROTATION OF THE BUILDING ITSELF, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER IMAGE IS THE SANBORN MAPS.

UM, THE SANBORN HISTORICAL MAP OF 1935 SHOWS HOW THE ROTATED ORIENTATION BETTER ALIGNS WITH THE ESTABLISHED STREET GRID AND SURROUNDING HOMES.

AND THEN JUST, UH, SOME PHOTOS OF, UH, NEIGHBORING HOUSES.

SO, UM, ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD IMAGERY HIGHLIGHT THE PREVALENCE OF PORCH AND ACTIVE STREET FACING RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER, WHICH INFORMED OUR DESIGN APPROACH.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? CAN YOU CONFIRM YOUR APPROACH TO THE EXISTING SIDING ON THE FACADES THAT ARE BEING RETAINED? UM, WE PLAN TO REPLACE THE TEAR DOT SIDING WITH, WITH, UH, NEW TEAR DOT SIDING.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? UH, LET ME JUST CONFIRM WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING IS ROTATING JUST ENOUGH SO THAT YOU'RE WITHIN THE EXISTING, UH, SIDE STREET SETBACK.

THAT'S CORRECT.

WHAT IS THAT ABOUT A 15 DEGREE ROTATION? IT'S NOT MUCH, IT, YEAH, IT'S NOT BEEN VERY MUCH AT ALL.

AND THEN WHY IS THERE A, BASICALLY WHAT LOOKS LIKE A DUPLEX NEW ENTRY IN THAT PORCH THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN, FACING HEMPHILL PARK, YOU'RE REPLACING A BAY WINDOW, WHICH IS A DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT ERA, AND YOU'RE PUTTING IN A MIMIC OF THE FRONT PORCH, BUT THAT'S NOT A SEPARATE ADDRESS OR A SEPARATE ENTRANCE.

IT'S NOT A DUPLEX.

AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT MEANT TO BE A DUPLEX.

IT'S MEANT TO OPEN THE HOME MORE UP TO THE PARK.

UM, ULTIMATELY JUST EVEN JUST GETTING EXTRA GLASS WOULD, WOULD BE A WIN FOR US.

BUT WE THOUGHT ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO HAVE SORT OF AN INFORMAL ENTRY.

IT'S A VERY NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY SOCIAL, UM, PLACE WHERE I THINK THAT THEY JUST KIND OF IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS COMING AND GOING, UM, IN A MORE INFORMAL MANNER.

UM, AND IF IT NEEDS TO BE MAYBE LIKE A SLIDING GLASS DOOR SO THERE'S NO CONFUSION THAT IT'S A SECONDARY ENTRY, UM, OR A HOLD IS NOT THIS SECONDARY ENTRY, BUT JUST TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PARK.

WELL, IT'S, IT'S THE GABLE END AND THE PORCH AND THE MIMICKING THE PORCH DETAILS.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE, YOU ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ENTRY IN, IN THE TWO STORY ADDITION THAT APPEARS TO ALSO FACE HEMPHILL PARK, AND THAT DOESN'T CAUSE CONFUSION.

THAT CLEARLY IS SECONDARY TO THE PRIMARY ENTRANCE.

BUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS YOU'VE MADE IT LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE TWO STREET ADDRESSES AND TWO FRONT PORCHES.

SO ANYWAY, AGAIN, THIS, THERE'S CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EXISTING BUILDING THAT ARE MORE THAN JUST ROTATING IT, WHICH I'M NOT LESS, I'M, I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT.

BUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF KEEPING THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT MAKES THAT EXISTING HOUSE IMPORTANT AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.

I THINK AS SOON AS YOU TAKE OFF THE BAY WINDOW AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING, IT'S NOT, THEN YOU'VE LOST SOMETHING.

UH, THAT THAT'S MAYBE THAT JUST IF, IF THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT FOR THE OWNER.

AGAIN, THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN, IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND WE'D HAVE TO BE CONVINCED THAT THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO WORK WITH THIS HOUSE FOR US TO SAY IT'S APPROPRIATE AND ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.

I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT PERSONALLY TELLING YOU THAT I'VE, I'M, I'M AT THAT POINT OF BEING CONVINCED.

BUT AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, YOU MAY HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT IT.

IF YOU WOULD HAVE QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT.

IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE CODE THAT REQUIRES THAT SIDE FACADE TO BE MAINTAINED AND NOT ALTERED? WELL, A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT HAS TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS TO MAKE ANY CHANGE.

OTHERWISE, WE KEEP IT LIKE IT IS.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

YOU'RE SAYING WE DON'T WANNA KEEP IT LIKE IT IS.

WE WANNA MAKE A CHANGE.

SO WE HAVE TO SAY, IS IT APPROPRIATE OR IS IT NOT? THAT'S OUR JURISDICTION.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE QUESTION YOU PUT IN FRONT OF US.

SO THAT'S, COMMISSIONERS WILL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT IF WE GET FURTHER ALONG.

UH, LET ME, AT THIS POINT, UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT THAN ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.

I DO SEE COMMISSIONER RICE HAS TURNED OFF HIS CAMERA.

IN THAT CASE, WE WILL ONCE AGAIN, LET'S CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER GROGAN.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND

[02:00:01]

SO FOR TECHNICAL PURPOSES, WE'LL CONSIDER HIM TO BE OFF THE DAIS.

UH, ALRIGHT.

BUT THAT IS, UH, ALL OTHER HANDS ARE RAISED.

WE WILL CONSIDER THAT TO BE A CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING.

COMMISSIONERS.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, POSTPONE THE CASE TO OUR JULY MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT WEEK.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

COMMISSIONER GROGAN.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER COOK.

YEAH, I, UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE MEETINGS AND MAKING CHANGES.

THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF THIS.

THIS IS, UH, KINDA LIKE THE LAST CASE.

THIS IS, THERE'S UNIQUE CONDITIONS WITH THIS CASE WERE, BUT I THINK THE CONDITIONS, UH, DO SHOW A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HARDSHIP.

I THINK, UH, PRIMARILY THE PLACEMENT OF THIS HOUSE DOESN'T REALLY MATCH THE REST OF THE HOUSES ON THE STREET.

IT'S SLIGHTLY TURNED.

UM, USUALLY I WOULD SAY THAT SHOWS SOMETHING ABOUT ITS HISTORY AND WE SHOULDN'T, UM, MESS WITH THAT.

BUT IT'S, IT'S CLEARLY AN OUTLIER.

BUT THE BIGGER THING IS THAT IT, THE, THE 25 AND HUNDRED ARE FLOODPLAINS THAT IT'S IN, IT'S ALREADY GONNA HAVE TO BE RAISED AND WIND BEING RAISED.

I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF AN ISSUE WITH THE SLIGHT ANGLING OF IT.

UM, THERE WERE, THE, THE WINDOWS IN THE FRONT FACADE I THINK ARE THE PRIMARY THING, AND, AND IT'S NOT A DEMOLITION OF THE FRONT FACADE.

SO, UM, I THINK THAT MEETS THE STANDARDS.

IT'S THE, THE WINDOWS IN THE FRONT WERE, WERE VERY ODD.

WE KIND OF LOOKED AT WHETHER THAT PORCH HAD CHANGED AND WHETHER IT WAS A DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS THAT WAY FROM THE BEGINNING.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IN THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE FOUGHT FOR WINDOW CONFIGURATIONS ON PRIMARY FACADES BEFORE, UH, AND MAINTAINING THE WAY THEY ARE, BECAUSE THAT IS IN THE STANDARD.

SO THE BIGGEST BREAK THAT I SEE FROM THE STANDARDS IS, UH, ADDING THE BALANCING SYMMETRICAL WINDOWS.

THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE PRIMARY THING.

I WANTED TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE REST OF THE, THE COMMISSION ON FOR, FOR THE APPLICANT.

BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT'S IN A FLOODPLAIN, THEY'RE GONNA BE INVESTING IN THIS PROPERTY IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND, AND SAVING IT.

WHEN SOMEONE COULD BASICALLY SAY IT'S IN A FLOODPLAIN, WE WANNA TEAR IT DOWN, UM, I THINK THEY'RE GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO THAT GRANTED IS KIND OF, KIND OF A GIVE TO A HARDSHIP.

AND ALSO THE SIDE FACADE HAD BEEN, UM, MUCH MORE CHANGED IN PREVIOUS VERSIONS.

AND WE ASKED THAT EVEN THOUGH ONLY THE FRONT FACADES TECHNICALLY PER THE STANDARDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED, WE ASKED THAT THEY MAIN, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THAT AND THE MASSING OF THE, THE ONE STORY HOUSE WITH THE TWO STORY ADDITION.

I THINK THEY'VE ACTUALLY DONE THAT VERY WELL.

MY REMAINING STICKING POINT IS THE ROOF LINE AND THE TREATMENT OF THAT SIDE PORCH.

I THINK IT COULD STILL BE A SIDE PORCH THAT LOOKS LESS LIKE THE PRIMARY ENTRANCE.

UH, I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE WITH A FEW LITTLE TWEAKS.

I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE CHANGING THE WINDOWS INTO DOORS THERE, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE PRIMARY FACADE, BUT WE JUST KIND OF ACT.

ANOTHER ASK FOR THE GIVES THAT ARE BEING HERE WOULD BE TO KIND OF TONE THAT SIDE PORCH DOWN.

THAT'S KIND OF MY STANCE ON IT.

KIND OF, THERE'S THE WHOLE HISTORY OF IT.

I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE SO YOU KNEW WHERE WE WERE COMING FROM IN, IN THE GIVES AND TAKES THAT HAVE HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY.

AND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IF THAT SIDE PORCH IS TONED DOWN, I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE IS COMPLIANT EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT WINDOWS THAT WE, UH, HAD SAID THAT WE WOULD AGREE TO, TO GIVE ON, GIVEN THE, THE TOTALITY OF THE HARDSHIPS BEING ADDRESSED HERE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.

UM, HAVE YOU ALREADY BEEN THROUGH WATERSHED PROTECTION? IT'S IN THE FLOOD PLAIN, OR PART OF THE PROPERTY IS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN.

OH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A CIVIL ENGINEER.

WELL, THE, THE FLOODPLAIN MANAGER CAN BE FAIRLY ONEROUS.

UH, AND SO I WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME LIMITATIONS WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN ABOUT WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE DONE.

UM, I HAD A PROJECT THAT WAS KILLED BY THE FLOODPLAIN MANAGER, SO I'M JUST, JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.

UH, I, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT, AGAIN, LOSING THE SIDE ELEVATION.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UM, I, I, LET ME, LET ME CLARIFY.

COMMISSIONER COOK THE TWO SYMMETRICAL WINDOWS ON THE FRONT.

YOU, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAR THAT THE NON-SYMMETRICAL WINDOWS WEREN'T ORIGINAL, BUT I CAN JUST SAY FROM LOOKING AT THE DESIGN, THEY, THEY ARE NOT ORIGINAL AND THEY'RE NOT APPROPRIATE TO JUST KEEP 'EM JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL THERE.

UH, SO I'M, I'M QUITE HAPPY WITH WHAT THE FRONT FACADE IS DOING AND THE WAY THEY'RE HANDLING THAT.

SO I HOPE THAT'S NOT A STICKING POINT.

IT, IT KIND OF, OF WAS ONE, ONE OF THE BIGGER STICKING POINTS.

IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A SIDE PORCH THAT WAS INFILLED.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE FRONT PORCH MAYBE HAD BEEN TO THE LEFT AND THAT SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT.

BUT THE PIERS INDICATED THAT IT WAS AT LEAST A VERY OLD PORCH, IF NOT THE ORIGINAL PORCH.

IT WAS A, IT WAS AN UNUSUAL ONE TO BEGIN WITH.

SO IT IS NOT VERY, IT WAS A STICKING POINT THAT WASN'T VERY STICKY.

BUT THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ARCHITECT CLEARLY HAS CLEANED IT UP AND IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS APPROPRIATE, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

[02:05:01]

UH, WE DO PRIORITIZE THE, THE FRONT STREET ELEVATION.

THE SIDE, HOWEVER, IS IN THIS CASE ALSO A STREET ELEVATION AND IT HAS A CERTAIN CHARACTERISTIC.

AND SO I THINK THE MORE WE CAN KEEP TO OR REFLECT THAT, AND CERTAINLY HAVING THE FALSE INDICATION OF TWO ENTRANCES, UH, THERE, THERE WERE BUILDINGS AT THIS ERA THAT WERE BUILT AS DUPLEXES AND THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT FUNCTION AND A DIFFERENT SCALE AND THEY DO DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS BUILDING WAS.

SO I, I THINK WE'RE, I, I THINK THAT'S THE LINE THAT'S CROSSED FOR ME JUST TO PUT THAT OUT.

COMMISSIONER GROGAN AND CHAIRMAN, I AGREE WITH YOU.

I, I'VE, I'VE BEEN PUSHING AT A RC TO KEEP THE BAY, UH, WINDOW.

UM, I JUST THINK THE PORCH IS, IS TOO MUCH OF A GIVE AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE, ROTATING THE HOUSE AND, AND ALL THE OTHER CHANGES.

SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SIDE ELEVATION STAY INTACT AS POSSIBLE.

AND, UM, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF A PORCH HAS TO HAPPEN, MAYBE SEE WHAT A DESIGN OF A MUCH TONED DOWN VERSION IS.

BUT, UM, I WOULD STILL ARGUE FOR THAT PORCH TO JUST GO AWAY AND WE KEEP THIS INTACT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

NOW, HAVING, HAVING BEAT YOU UP A LITTLE BIT, LET ME ALSO COMPLIMENT YOU AND THE ARCHITECT IN THE WAY YOU'VE PRESENTED YOUR DETAILS, THE WAY THAT YOU'VE SHOWN YOUR ELEVATIONS, ALL OF THOSE ARE VERY RESPECTFUL OF THIS ERA, THIS TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION.

AND I DO, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL ROUNDS, UH, IT'S PAYING OFF.

THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A HOUSE THAT WILL BE NOTICED, IT WILL BE APPROPRIATE.

UH, THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE FAIRLY SIZABLE AND IMPORTANT, BUT, UH, IT IS AT THAT DETAIL LEVEL THAT YOU'RE ALREADY SHOWING US OR GIVING ME AS AN ARCHITECT SOME CONFIDENCE THAT YOU REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE WHAT MAKES THIS ERA AND THIS HOUSE IN PARTICULAR SPECIAL AND THAT THAT'S BEING APPROPRIATELY HANDLED IN THE REST OF YOUR CONSTRUCTION.

SO YOU'RE NOT COMPLETELY FAR OFF.

BUT LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS TRAIN ON EXACTLY THE RIGHT TRACK.

AND I THINK, AGAIN, WITH THE EXTRA TIME THAT YOU WOULD BE PUTTING IN, I THINK THE PROJECT WILL BENEFIT.

UH, SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, I'LL, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION .

SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION TO POSTPONE HEARING NONE, UH, I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION ALL.

AND DID WE, WE DID REOPEN THE OPEN PUBLIC HEARING.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

UH, COMMISSIONER RICE, I THINK YOU WERE OFF THE DAES.

SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU, UH, AS, AS NOT VOTING, BUT OTHER, ALL THE REST OF US ARE VOTING.

AS SOON AS YOU TURN YOUR CAMERA OFF, THEN WE, WE, WE, YOU, YOU WEREN'T PART OF THE OTHER DISCUSSION.

ALRIGHT, UM, THAT GETS US UP TO THE NEXT ITEM.

WE'RE AT, UH, ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS 2 0 6 MAPLE AVENUE.

AND THIS IS A, UM, I'M SORRY, THAT WAS ON CONSENT.

NUMBER, UH, 12 IS, UH, 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.

I KNEW I HAD TOO MANY NOTES ON THAT.

IN FACT, THE ONLY REASON I HAD THAT ONE NOTED IS THAT THERE WERE ALSO JUST IN THE BACKUP, AND I MEANT TO HAVE THIS FOR THE RECORD, UH, IN THE BACKUP, THERE WERE SOME FUTURE UNITS SHOWN ON THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS PART OF THE MATERIAL SUBMITTED WITH THIS.

AND I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION.

SO THE OWNER WAS AWARE THAT WE WERE NOT APPROVING THOSE FUTURE UNITS.

NOW I KNOW THAT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED IN THE, IN THE APPLICATION, BUT I JUST WANT THAT FOR THE RECORD.

SO THANK YOU.

UH, ITEM

[12. PR-2026-053670 – 1109 Travis Heights Blvd.]

ALRIGHT, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1920 HOUSE.

UM, THIS AMERICAN FOURSQUARE HOUSE WITH PRAIRIE SCHOOL OF STYLISTIC INFLUENCES WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1920.

THE TWO STORY HOUSE HAS A LOW PITCHED HIP ROOF WITH BROAD OVERHANGS, THE FULL WIDTH HIP ROOF PORCH AS A LONG OPEN SPAN SUPPORTED AT THE CORNERS BY LARGE SQUARE COLUMNS.

THE SECOND FLOOR HAD RECESSED CORNERS THAT HAD BEEN INFILLED AND CONVERTED INTO INTERIOR SPACE.

MUCH OF THE HOUSE HAS BEEN CON COVERED WITH ALUMINUM SIDING.

UH, WOOD WINDOWS APPEAR THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING WITH LARGER MULTI LIGHT FIXTURES APPEARING AT THE FRONT ELEVATION AND SIMPLER ONE OVER ONE UNITS MORE COMMON AT THE SIDES AND REAR.

EARLY OWNERS OF THIS HOUSE WERE, UH, ELMER AND CORA YOUNG.

UM, MR. YOUNG WAS CO-OWNER OF AN AUTOMATIC AUTOMOTIVE DEALERSHIP, HART AND YOUNG, UH, WILLIS KNIGHT AND OVERLAND AUSTIN AGENCY.

HE LATER BOUGHT OUT HIS PARTNER AND CONTINUED OPERATION UNDER HIS NAME.

HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL AUTOMOBILE DEAL, AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION.

SURELY BEFORE, BEFORE HIS DEATH.

IN 1928, YOUNG BECAME SECRETARY OF THE STACEY REALTY COMPANY, DEVELOPER OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.

LATER OWNERS INCLUDED CHARLES AND CATHERINE BRENNER, WHO OWNED THE HOUSE FROM 1929 UNTIL 1947, CHARLES BRENNER OPERATED A JEWELRY STORE BUSINESS, UH, ON EAST SIXTH STREET, BEGINNING IN THE LATE 1890S.

AFTER HIS DEATH

[02:10:01]

IN 1933, CATHERINE BRENNER, UH, CONTINUED TO RUN THE JEWELRY STORE FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS.

IT APPEARS THAT SHE LEASED OUT THE HOUSE FOLLOWING HER HUSBAND'S DEATH, BUT MOVED BACK IN AROUND 1941.

IN THE 1950S, THE HOUSE WAS OCCUPIED BY ROBERT B AND GWENDOLYN HILL.

ROBERT HILL WAS A FOREMAN AT THE, UH, CAL CHU LUMBER COMPANY.

UH, DEPARTMENT COMMENTS, UH, A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY REFERRED TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION IN JULY, 2019, AND THE CASE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAWN.

UM, PER CITY CODE.

THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS 180 DAYS TO REVIEW DEMOLITION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS STARTING FROM THE DATE THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.

UM, THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DEMOLITION PERMITS WHERE THE HLC ONLY HAS 75 DAYS FOR REVIEW.

THIS PERIOD IS SET TO TIME OUT ON OCTOBER 27TH, 2026.

UH, THIS PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.

DISTRICT PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

UH, THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PACKAGE PERMIT APPLICATION.

UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UH, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST REVIEW NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS PRIOR TO PERMIT A RELEASE IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.

HEARING NONE, LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.

PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.

NOT YET.

MR. PANTE.

NOW DOES THE APPLICANT HEAR WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WITH HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT OR ANYONE WHO IS IN FAVOR OF THIS DEMOLITION REQUEST? DO WE HAVE NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR? THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S IN OPPOSITION.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT IS CORRECT.

YOU MAY COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND SPEAK.

MY NAME IS FRANCESCO PASANTE AND I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN TRAVERSE SITES.

UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TRA HEIGHTS IS A DEFINING ASSET FOR AUSTIN, RECOGNIZED AS SUCH BY ITS INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS A CENTRAL SPINE OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND ITS START AT EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IS A MAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE HOUSE UNDER DISCUSSION IS RIGHT THERE AT THE ENTRANCE ON A PROMINENT RISE.

IT HELPS DEFINE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SUCH FIRST IMPRESSION BE FROM AN ORIGINAL HOUSE.

THE HOUSE UNDER DISCUSSION WAS BUILT AROUND 1920 WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BEGINNING.

IT IS NOT ONLY ORIGINAL, BUT ALSO REMARKABLE SPECIMEN.

YES, THE OUTSIDE HAS SUFFERED SOME ALTERATIONS AND IS CLEARLY IN NEED OF REPAIRS, BUT THE INTERIOR, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT, IS WONDERFULLY INTACT BOTH FOR ITSELF AND FOR ITS POSITION AS A DEFINING GATEWAY TO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS HOUSE SHOULD BE KEPT.

WE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY ARTICULATE OUR CONCERNS.

SO WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR THIS ITEM TO BE POSTPONED TO A LATER MEETING.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

UH, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? HEARING NONE.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION AND THAT IS RUTH CASRE.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

YOU HAVE MUCH PATIENCE.

AND ENDURANCE .

AND PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, YOUR NAME.

MY NAME IS RUTH RE OR RUTH .

I'M A RESIDENT OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER

[02:15:01]

HISTORIC DISTRICT.

IT TOOK US ALMOST 20 YEARS TO ACHIEVE THAT DESIGNATION AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF IT.

THE PROPERTY WE'RE DISCUSSING IS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY TO THAT DESIGNATION, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE IT.

I'VE LIVED IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS FOR 38 YEARS, AND AS I DRIVE PAST THIS PROPERTY EVERY DAY ON MY WAY IN AND OUT, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF IT AS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AUTHENTIC AND UNIQUE.

I THINK THIS HOUSE IS IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE BECAUSE AS YOU ENTER, UH, TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD FROM RIVERSIDE DRIVE, UH, THAT'S THE FIRST PROPERTY YOU SEE OVER TO THE LEFT.

UH, IT'S A PROMINENT LOCATION.

IT'S, UH, IT'S HIGHER ON HIGHER ELEVATION THAN MOST OF THE OTHER, UH, PROPERTIES AROUND IT.

SO IT REALLY STANDS OUT.

UH, IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY ARCHITECTURAL EXAMPLES OF ITS TYPE, THE AMERICAN FOURSQUARE AND THE AREA.

AND THE INTERIOR IS STILL VERY WELL PRESERVED.

UH, I DON'T HAVE THE THE PICTURES, BUT WE CAN GET THOSE PICTURES FOR YOU LATER.

AND IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE PRESERVE CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES SO THAT WE MAY PROTECT OUR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION.

UH, THERE ARE SO MANY, UH, HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE BEING DEMOLISHED AND WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THIS ONE DEMOLISHED AS WELL.

SO WE RECENTLY FOUND OUT, ONLY RECENTLY FOUND OUT BECAUSE WE SAW IT ON THE, UH, UH, LANDMARK COMMISSION'S, UM, AGENDA THAT THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION WAS ON THE AGENDA.

SO WE REALLY NOT HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO GATHER OUR INFORMATION AND OUR JUSTIFICATIONS.

SO WE RESPECTFULLY THAT YOU POSTPONE THIS APPLICATION REQUEST OR THAT YOU DENY IT TONIGHT IF YOU WISH, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BRING, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

UH, BEFORE YOU.

UH, THE STAFF INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT THINK THAT, UH, DESIGNATION CRITERIA HAD BEEN MET.

UM, THEY SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE BUILDING WAS 50 YEARS OLD, THAT THAT WAS THE ONLY, UH, CRITERIA THAT WAS MET.

HOWEVER, ONE OF THE OTHER CRITERIA, COMMUNITY VALUE WAS IGNORED.

UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIR FAIRVIEW PARK DESIGNATION.

WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTION OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? YES.

OUR LAST IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS ANNIE PAAS.

OKAY, WELCOME.

HI.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MY NAME IS ANNIE PASAS AND I LIVE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.

BOUGHT THERE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

AND, AND I'M A MEMBER OF OUR LOCAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION GROUP.

AND, UM, AS THE, AS, UH, MY FRIENDS HAD SAID, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT HOUSE.

IT'S AN UNUSUAL HOUSE.

AND, UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE JOYS OF LIVING IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS IS THE VARIETY OF OLD ARCHITECTURE.

AND, UH, I WAS ACTUALLY KINDA SICK OF THE THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE WOULD WANNA TEAR THIS DOWN.

I THINK THAT THE EXTERIOR COULD BE FIXED.

I KNOW IT'S GOT SOME BAD SIDING, BUT APPARENTLY THERE IS BETTER SIDING UNDERNEATH.

AND AS YOU, UH, EITHER HAVE OR CAN SEE, THE INTERIOR IS VERY NICE.

UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO THE CHARACTER OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS THAT WE KEEP ALL THESE HOUSES AS MANY AS WE CAN.

SO, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION TO DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO PREVENT THE DEMOLITION OF THIS HOUSE.

ARE THOSE ALL OUR SPEAKERS? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC HEARING.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING QUESTION STAFF.

UM, YES.

QUESTION.

UM, STAFF QUESTION.

SO IN OUR BACKUP, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS RESIDENCE IS LAW ON LOT 31 WITHIN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, AND THERE'S ALSO A LOT 32, A SURVEY OF A LOT 32 THAT HAS A STRUCTURE ON IT.

IS THIS IN THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTATION, LIKE THE FORM, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THESE ARE BOTH SUPPOSED TO BE COMBINED AS ONE.

IS THAT THE

[02:20:01]

INTENT IS THIS.

SO WE HAVE THE TWO STORY, AND THEN WE HAVE A ONE STORY THAT'S KIND OF IN THE BACK, BUT IT'S ON A SEPARATE LOT.

THOSE IMAGES WERE WHAT WERE, UH, SUBMITTED TO US IN THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.

UM, HOWEVER, THE, THE, UM, TEXT OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONLY REFERS TO THE HOUSE.

SO, UM, HAS TO BE DETERMINED WHETHER THAT REAR BUILDING IS ALSO PART OF THIS DEMOLITION PERMIT.

AND I CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

BUT AS THIS DEMOLITION PERMIT WAS FILLED OUT, THAT WOULD NOT BE, THEY ARE INTENDED.

THEY ARE ON THE SAME LOT, MAYBE, BUT THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS DEMOLITION PERMIT.

UH, IT, IT WAS NOT WRITTEN THAT WAY, NO.

UM, JUST THE MAIN HOUSE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AGAIN, WE, UH, MADE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, UH, UH, FIRST BY COMMISSIONER ACTON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

IS, IS UNANIMOUS.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS ONE? COMMISSIONER HARRIS? YES, SIR.

UM, I AM, I'M A BIT TROUBLED BY THIS SIMPLY BECAUSE I DON'T, AND I SERVED FOR MANY YEARS IS ON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BOARDS, AND I SURE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ON THIS.

UH, WE'VE GOT THREE REPRESENTATIVES HERE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, BUT IT IS, UM, IT IS PART OF THE GATEWAY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT THEY WOULD WANT INPUT ON, UM, BECAUSE IT IS WHERE IT'S WHERE IT IS.

UM, SO I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT, THAT PERHAPS THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER IT.

UM, YEAH, WE'RE JUST HEARING THAT SEVERAL OF THE NEIGHBORS SAYING THEY JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT.

UM, YEAH.

SO THAT WOULD SUGGEST, UH, SO WE CAN CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION THAT THERE'S A MOTION YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE POSTPONEMENT, PERHAPS? UH, UH, I WOULD PREFER TO POSTPONE IT.

SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH THE CLERK MAKES US DO FOR THESE MOTIONS.

YEP.

AND THEN SUGGESTS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD POSTPONE TO OUR JULY MEETING, AND THEN ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANTS TO DISCUSS THIS AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.

THAT COULD BE A MOTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.

UH, THEN I WILL MAKE THAT VERY MOTION .

UH, MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TO TABLE THE ITEM, UH, TO THE JULY MEETING AND REFER THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND TO ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON.

NOW, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO FURTHER DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? WELL, I, I THINK I'VE, I'VE OUTLINED MY CONCERNS.

UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A GATEWAY PROPERTY.

UM, I THINK THAT GIVEN ITS ITS PLACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THERE SHOULD AT LEAST BE SOME DISCUSSION AND, AND IT IS IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.

THERE SHOULD AT LEAST BE SOME DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE TO, UH, UH, THE PHASE OF DEMOLITION.

COMMISSIONER ACTON.

UM, I CONCUR.

UH, I'D LIKE SOME NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT.

I'D LIKE SOME OWNER INPUT IF POSSIBLE, AND SOME RATIONALE FOR DEMO.

UH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN PROVIDED WITH ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT BEING STRUCTURALLY UNSTABLE.

UH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THEY WANT TO, UH, KNOCK IT DOWN AND BUILD SOMETHING ELSE, WHICH WE ALSO DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO BUILD THERE.

SO, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF MORE INFORMATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS WOULD BE, I THINK, HELPFUL.

YEAH, AND I THINK IF THE OWNER IS LISTENING IN, WE SHOULD CLARIFY.

THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, SO WE DON'T HAVE ZONING JURISDICTION, BUT WE DO HAVE, THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE IS THAT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO REVIEW AND COMMENT TO EVALUATE THIS AS A POTENTIAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.

SO THAT IS ONE OPTION THAT WE COULD TAKE, WHETHER THE OWNER SUPPORTS THAT OR NOT, THAT THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE'RE HERE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVES AND TO DO THAT, BECAUSE IT'S A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, WE HAVE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR REVIEWING THIS.

AND THAT'S WHEN STAFF IS SAYING THE TIMEOUT WOULD BE OCTOBER 27TH.

THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE MEETINGS WHERE WE CAN MEET WITH THE OWNERS, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY FIND GOOD WAYS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THIS BUILDING TO BE SAVED, EVEN IF IT'S NOT A ZONED LANDMARK.

FULL, UM, FULL GROUP FOR NEXT MONTH AS WELL TO PROVIDE A STATEMENT.

AND IF I MAY JUMP IN VERY QUICKLY HERE, CHAIR, UH, APOLOGIES.

UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE MENTION THAT THE THREE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, MEMBERS WHO DID COME UP TO SPEAK WERE PART OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE WITH REPRESENTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

SO WE HAVE FORTUNATELY BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THREE OF THOSE VOICES TONIGHT, BUT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, DISCUSS WITH THEIR

[02:25:01]

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 14 AT 4 0 3 ORCHARD STREET.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR JULY MEETING.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND AGAIN, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED AND COMMISSIONER RICE AS WELL.

SO IT IS UNANIMOUS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[14. DA-2026-038798 – 403 Orchard St. ]

UH, COMMISSIONERS, YOU REMEMBER, THIS HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED FROM OUR MAY MEETING.

UH, WE, THIS IS ADJACENT TO ANOTHER PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE NEXT CASE.

UH, AND WE HEARD THOSE TOGETHER, BUT NOW WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO, UH, ACTUALLY HE, UH, DISCUSS THESE SEPARATELY.

SO, UH, WE'LL PROCEED THEN WITH ITEM NUMBER 14.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

EXCUSE ME.

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH IT.

CIRCA 1912 HOUSE CURRENTLY USED AS A BUS, AS A BUSINESS.

THIS HOUSE IS A SINGLE STORY NATIONAL FOLK STYLE BUILDING WITH AN INSET FRONT, UH, INSET PORCH AT ONE CORNER.

THE WALLS ARE CLADDED IN WOOD, TONGUE AND GROOVE SIDING, AND THE WINDOWS APPEAR TO BE ORIGINAL WOOD FRAMES.

THERE'S A MODERATELY PITCHED HIP ROOF CLAD AND COMPOSITE SHINGLES.

THE FOUNDATION IS PIER AND BEAM WITH THE HOUSE SLIGHTLY ELEVATED ABOVE GRADE.

NEWSPAPER RECORDS INDICATE THAT A PERMIT WAS ISSUED FOR TWO ADDITIONAL REAR ROOMS IN 1944, WHICH WAS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ALTERATION TO THE BUILDING IN THE FIRST FEW DECADES AFTER CONSTRUCTION, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE PROPERTY WERE EMPLOYED IN LOCAL INDUSTRIES THAT WERE SITUATED NEAR THE ADJACENT, UH, RAILROAD TRACKS, INCLUDING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT COMPANY AND AN ICE STORAGE FACILITY.

THE LONGEST OCCUPANTS WERE LEO PAYNE, WHO WORKED AS AN ICEMAN AND A LIO, AND, UH, MARIA QUINTIN, WHO WORKED AS A COBBLER AND SHOE SALESMAN.

THEY WOULD REMAIN AT THE ADDRESS THROUGH AT LEAST THE 1950S AND RAISED AT LEAST ONE SON AT THE HOUSE.

SET.

PATIENT WILL TIME OUT ON JULY 20TH, 2026, WHICH MEANS THAT THIS COMMISSION AND NEXT COMMISSION OF THE, UH, TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, UH, UH, MAKE A MOTION ON THIS OR TAKE ACTION ON THIS, EXCUSE ME.

THE 2025 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A HIGH PRIORITY AND ELIGIBLE FOR NATIONAL REGISTER AS AN INDIVIDUAL RESOURCE OR CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL DISTRICT.

PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

ANY QUESTIONS? THE STAFF? OKAY.

HEARING NONE, WE'LL GO HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.

AND AGAIN, IN COMPARISON TO THOSE WE'VE SEEN PREVIOUSLY ON THE, UH, AGENDA THAT WERE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS OR NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.

FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS NOT THE, THIS IS NOT PART OF ANY HISTORIC DISTRICT YET IT HAS POTENTIAL IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.

UH, THE APPLICANT IS HERE.

HELLO.

HELLO, COMMISSIONERS.

I'M LEAH BOJO WITH RENER GROUP HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.

UM, I KNOW THAT YOU, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST MONTH AND, UM, AND WE JUST HEARD A, A THOROUGH PRESENTATION.

SO I'LL GO QUICKLY.

UM, HERE IS, UM, THE, THE WHOLE BLOCK.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THIS ONE IS SITUATED.

14 OR 4 0 3, SORRY, THERE ON ORCHARD STREET.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS THE 1960 SANBORN MAP.

UM, IT DOES SHOW THE HOUSE.

IT ALSO SHOWS WHAT THE REST OF THE BLOCK LOOKED LIKE AT THAT TIME, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

UM, HERE WE CAN SEE THAT, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED, UM, IT IS 50 YEARS OLD.

UM, I THINK I, I THINK THE DEGREE OF INTEGRITY IS ARGUABLE AS FAR AS THE CONVEYING HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, JUST GIVEN THAT THE CONTEXT IS COMPLETELY CHANGED AROUND IT.

UM, BUT THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, ONLY ONE OF THE, UM, CRITERIA IS MET.

UM, SO WE WOULD REQUEST, UH, YOU GO WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UM, AND, UH, ALLOW US TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE AFTER, UM, THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE IS COMPLETE.

I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THIS IS A LONG ROAD BEFORE THE SITE REDEVELOPS, AND AS WE SAID LAST MONTH, I'LL SAY AGAIN, UM, WE ARE OPEN TO AN AND EXPLORING, UM, IF ANYONE WOULD WANT TO TAKE THE HOUSE AND RELOCATE IT SOMEWHERE, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, REUSE THE MATERIALS SO IT'S NOT COMING DOWN TOMORROW, EVEN IF WE ARE APPROVED.

UM, THANK YOU.

UH, BY THE WAY, ANOTHER CLARIFICATION.

IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO APPROVE ANYTHING THAT IS BUILT NEW.

SO A DEMOLITION REQUEST IS HELD UNTIL THE NEW PLANS ARE SUBMITTED.

UM, FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, THAT IS NOT THE CASE WHEN WE HAVE A, A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

SO THE DEMOLITION COULD TAKE PLACE IF THIS IS ACCEPTED AT ANY POINT AND WE WILL HAVE NO REVIEW OF WHAT COMES NEXT, JUST TO CLARIFY.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONER ACTON.

UM, SO THIS IS THE PARCEL THAT'S ALONG WITH WHERE HOLDOUT IS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THEN ALSO BETTER HALF.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO IT'S BETTER HALF COMING TO US LIKE NEXT MONTH TO GET KNOCKED DOWN.

BETTER HALF HAS BEEN APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY, THAT ONE, YES,

[02:30:01]

IT DID.

IT WAS DETERMINED NOT TO MEET ANY CRITERIA FOR, UH, DESIGNATION.

SO IT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED.

AND I'M ASSUMING THIS IS GONNA BE AN APARTMENT BUILDING.

IT'S GONNA BE A MIX OF USES.

IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE THE WHOLE BLOCK.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY THERE, BUT THE FIRST STEP IS FINDING OUT, UM, WHAT THAT BLOCK LOOKS LIKE.

YEAH, I MEAN IT'S JUST, I MEAN, PART OF WHAT MAKES THAT PART OF TOWN REALLY INTERESTING IS THE STUFF THAT YOU'RE KNOCKING DOWN TO BUILD SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO, TO BE INTERESTING.

SO, UM, KIND OF A CIRCLE THAT DOESN'T USUALLY BREAKS IN HALF AND DOESN'T WORK, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S A LOT OF RETAIL DOWN THAT ROAD THAT'S EMPTY.

SO, UM, ANYWAY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? OUR ONLY OTHER SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IS DONNA OSBORNE IN OPPOSITION.

PLEASE COME AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND THANK YOU AND WELCOME.

HI THERE.

I'M DONNA OSBORNE WITH THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE CIRCLE .

THAT'S A REALLY GREAT COMMENT.

UM, WE DO NOT SUPPORT DEMOLITION OF ANY STRUCTURES.

UH, THESE AT 4 0 3 ORCHARD AND 1208 WEST FOURTH STREET, WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING, CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES OF SORTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IT IS OUTSIDE OF AS THE CUMULATIVE, CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE LOSS OF BUILDINGS THAT COULD ULTIMATELY THREATEN THE DISTRICT'S DESIGNATION AND CHARACTER.

MORE THAN ANYTHING, BASED ON OUR UNDERSTANDING, BOTH STRUCTURES APPEAR TO BE IN SOUND CONDITION AND WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO MAKE GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO PRESERVE THE RESOURCES THROUGH RELOCATION AND PROVIDE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR REASONABLE RELOCATION RELATED EXPENSES.

THROUGH ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH RESIDENTS AND PRESERVATION STAKEHOLDERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AWANA HAS HELPED RAISE AWARENESS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THESE RESOURCES THAT MAY SUPPORT ANY SUCCESSFUL RELOCATION OF THESE STRUCTURES.

WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF REDEVELOPMENT ON ESTABLISHED LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN PARTICULAR.

WE IN PARTICULAR, WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION AND CONTINUED SUCCESS OF BETTER HALF, UM, WHICH HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE AND NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY LONGSTANDING LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCH AS A BETTER HALF HELP FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ENHANCE THE VITAL VITALITY OF THE DISTRICT.

WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE APPLICANT ON THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

AS THE PROJECT ADVANCES, WE WILL ADVOCATE FOR BUILDING MATERIALS, ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS AND SITE DESIGN FEATURES THAT ARE COMPATIBLE AND SENSITIVE TO THE CHARACTER, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.

PRESERVING AND STRENGTHENING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR DISTRICT WHILE SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT HELP DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY, REMAIN A CORE PRIORITY FOR US.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING BUSINESSES CAN SUCCESSFULLY COEXIST AND THRIVE.

COMMISSIONER ACTON, SECOND COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS TO THE SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? ALRIGHT, UM, WE DO HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR THE APPLICANT TO HAVE A REBUTTAL WHEN WE'VE HAD A NEGATIVE.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO WAIVE THAT, THAT'S FINE.

UH, SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NONE.

NO NEED FOR REBUTTAL, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED.

IT'S UNANIMOUS.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THIS WAS POSTPONED, UH, AT OUR MAY MEETING.

AND, UH, JUST QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT IN ANY DESIGNATED AREA.

SO WHAT IS THE TIMING ON THIS ONE? UH, YOU COULD MAKE A ACTION, YOU COULD TAKE ACTION THIS MONTH OR NEXT MONTH, BUT THE TIME'S OUT ON THE JULY 20TH.

IT DOESN'T MEET A LANDMARK.

AND THEN WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TAKING AN ACTION, IF WE APPROVE THE DEMOLITION REQUEST, THEN WE CAN ALSO AT THE SAME TIME REQUIRE THAT THEY HAVE A FULL DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

IF IT IS JUST TIMED OUT WITH NO ACTION, THAT PACKAGE IS NOT PART OF THE ARRANGEMENT.

AND OF COURSE WE BASICALLY, THERE IS NO, NO WAY TO DENY THIS REQUEST OTHER THAN INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR TO ALL THE, ALL THE FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING AT HOME OR HAVE WONDERED ABOUT THAT.

SO COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR DESIRE ON THIS ITEM? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PACKAGE PENDING A CITY DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

OKAY, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ACTON COMMISSIONER COOK'S MOTION COMMISSIONER COOK? YEAH, I DON'T LIKE IT, BUT

[02:35:01]

IT'S NOT IN A DISTRICT.

THIS IS THE BAD PART OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS LET BUILDINGS GO THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY AROUND BECAUSE THEY DON'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE COULD DEFEND IN COURT.

SO I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES.

COMMISSIONER ACTON? I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD.

THIS IS, UH, YEAH, IT'S NOT GREAT, BUT IT'S A TRAIN THAT'S ROLLING AND I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT.

UM, IT, I DON'T THINK WE COULD LANDMARK IT, SO.

ITEM, UH, ADJACENT PROPERTY THERE AT 1208 WEST FOURTH STREET.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? UH, I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT MOVING THIS.

UH, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR WOULD BE VERY EASY TO PICK UP AND MOVE TO SOMEPLACE.

UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A MORE INVOLVED PROCESS TO BASICALLY GIVE UP THE DEMOLITION AND ASK FOR THE ABILITY TO MOVE, BUT I THINK THIS WOULD BE WARRANTED IN THIS CASE IF, AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THE OWNER TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE DEMOLITION WILL BE RELEASED, UH, IF THIS MOTION PASSES.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

UH, MOTION TO, UH, RELEASE THIS FOR DEMOLITION.

PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

OKAY, I SEE ON THE DAIS HERE.

ALL RAISED.

AND THE TWO, UH, REMOTE.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW WE HAVE THE OTHER

[15. DA-2026-038813 – 1208 W. 4th St. ]

ITEM NUMBER 15.

ALRIGHT, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A QUONSET HUT CURRENTLY USED AS A BREWERY AND A CIRCA 1910 BACKHOUSE.

UH, THE MAIN STRUCTURE OF THIS COMPLEX BUILDINGS IN ADDITIONS IS A QUONSET HUT, WHICH WAS MOVED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION FROM CAMP MABRY IN THE 1970S.

THOUGH NO PERMIT RECORDS COULD BE FOUND CONFIRMING THIS, ITS DISTINCTIVE CURVED ENCLOSURE CURRENTLY HOUSES A BREWERY AND ASSOCIATED BACK OF HOUSE SPACES.

THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE IS INTACT, BUT NEW WALLS AT THE EAST AND WEST SIDE WERE CONSTRUCTED AROUND 2020 WHEN THE CURRENT BUSINESS OPENED.

THE HISTORIC MATERIAL THAT REMAINS AS IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONT CONDITION, CONSIDERING THE DESIGN INTENT OF QUONSET HUTS AS BEING TEMPORARY AND QUICK TO CONSTRUCT SHELTER TO THE SIDE, A WOOD, A WOODEN TONGUE, AND GROOVE CLAD BACKHOUSE IS CURRENTLY USED FOR ADDITIONAL BREWERY SPACE.

AND IT APPEARS THAT WHEN THE QUONSET HUT WAS MOVED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION, IT WAS PLACED VERY, VERY NEAR THIS STRUCTURE.

AS STATED ABOVE, THERE ARE VERY FEW RECORDS THAT EXIST OF THE HUTS ORIGIN.

BEYOND THAT, IT WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR CAMP MABERRY, MABERRY, EXCUSE ME, AND IT WAS MOVED ON SITE IN THE 1970S AERIAL IMAGERY OF THE PROPERTY FROM BEFORE.

THIS SHOWS AN LARGELY EMPTY LOT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BACK HOUSE.

THERE APPEARS TO BE VEHICLES IN VARIOUS MATERIALS STORED ON SITE AT THAT TIME.

IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THERE WERE PREVIOUS STRUCTURES THAT ARE ILLEGIBLE IN THE HISTORIC AERIALS AS PERMIT RECORDS FOR THIS PROPERTY ARE SCARCE.

UM, LIKE THE PREVIOUS CASE, THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON JULY 20TH, 2026.

THE 2025 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS BOTH THE QUONSET HUT STRUCTURE AND THE BACK HOUSE AS MEDIUM PRIORITIES.

THOSE, THOUGH THERE IS NO SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION FOR PRESERVATION IN THAT DOCUMENT, UH, PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

STAFF HAS VALUED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR ARCHITECTURE BE, UH, BASED ON THE, UH, FACT THAT IT'S A QUONSET HUT.

THOUGH THIS QUONSET HUT WAS MOVED ONTO ITS LOCATION IN THE 1970S AND FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, UM, THE PROPERTY MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AS A SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY MODULAR CONSTRUCTION FOUND ON A MILITARY BASIS GENERALLY, AND CA CAMP MARE SPECIFICALLY.

THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER THE INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.

SHOULD THE COMMISSION FIND THAT THE BUILDING MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, OTHERWISE ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

RELOCATED TO A PLACE WHERE IT HAS NO RELEVANCE OR LESS RELEVANCE? UM, THAT ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE.

ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? YES, COMMISSIONER.

UM, I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE THERE WERE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO OTHER SIMILAR BUILDINGS IN THE AREA.

UH, ONE OF THEM, UH, PROBABLY PREDATES BOTH OF Y'ALL, BUT IT WAS, UH, PNO Z'S GARAGE.

IT WAS AN AUTO REPAIR PLACE AND IT WAS ANOTHER QUANTI AND THAT WAS TORN DOWN FOR THE, THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHT ALONG, UH, WEST FIFTH STREET.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF THAT ONE WENT THROUGH THIS SAME PROCESS OR IT WAS JUST DEMOLISHED.

I DON'T HAVE AN HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION OKAY.

AND PROVIDE IT.

I I WOULD JUST WANT TO BE SOMEWHAT CONSISTENT GIVEN THAT THEY WERE IDENTICAL BUILDINGS AND MAY HAVE BOTH BEEN RELOCATED.

UM, UH, BUT IS THERE, BECAUSE IT WAS MOVED FROM CAMP MABRY, UH, IN THE SEVENTIES, DOES IT LOSE ITS SIGNIFICANCE HISTORICALLY HAVING BEEN

[02:40:01]

HOWEVER, UH, IT HAS ALMOST MET THE 50 YEAR MARK FOR BEING ON ITS CURRENT LOCATION.

UM, SO THAT'S A MATTER OF DEBATE FOR THE COMMISSION.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, UM, LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.

HELLO AGAIN, YOU BOJO HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.

THERE WE GO.

SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE SAME BLOCK AND YOU CAN SEE HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FOURTH STREET SIDE CLEARLY.

UM, AND HERE AGAIN, WE ALSO HAVE THAT SAME 1960 SANBORN MAP.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT, UM, THE, THIS OBVIOUSLY LOOKS, LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT THAN, UM, THAN WHAT'S ON THE SITE TODAY.

I THINK YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THOSE BACK BUILDINGS IS THE ONE THAT'S STILL THERE.

UM, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT, UH, I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS.

SO THIS IS, THIS, UM, IS IN 1977 AREA AND THE KWANZA HUD IS CLEARLY NOT THERE.

UM, WHICH MAKES ME WONDER IF THE, IF EVEN 50 YEARS AGO TODAY, IF THAT WAS THERE.

AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A PERMIT HISTORY, SO WE CAN'T BE SURE.

BUT, UM, I WOULD QUESTION THE, UM, PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR, UM, PRESERVING THE BUILDING ON THE SITE, GIVEN THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT, IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT WHERE IT ORIGINALLY WAS AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S BEEN HERE FOR 50 YEARS EITHER.

UM, SO WALKING THROUGH THE DESIGNATION CRITERIA, UM, AGAIN, THE 50 YEAR I PUT IN YELLOW AS SORT OF A QUESTION MARK.

UM, AND THEN THE INTEGRITY, UM, I AS QUESTIONABLE AS, AS, UM, MR. LUKE'S MENTIONED, IT HAS BEEN MODIFIED, UM, MULTIPLE TIMES.

UM, AND, UM, WAS REVIEWED IN THE DOWNTOWN SURVEY AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE SIDE PORCH FENESTRATION PATTERN WINDOWS AND DOORS BEING REPLACED THAT IT WAS CONSIDERED NOT, UM, HAVING THE INTEGRITY.

UM, THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION IS NOT, IS WITH THE STRUCTURE, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT IN THIS LOCATION.

UM, TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, I DO KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER QUO HU THAT WAS RECENTLY RELEASED FOR DEMOLITION THAT DID GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WAS RELEASED.

UM, I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHERS, BUT I HAPPEN TO KNOW OF ONE.

UM, AND THEN HERE YOU CAN SEE JUST TO SORT OF POINT OUT AND ACTUALLY EVEN WITHOUT THE, UM, LABELS, I THINK YOU CAN SEE PRETTY CLEARLY THAT THIS HAS BEEN HIGHLY MODIFIED.

UM, SO HERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AGAIN ON SORT OF WHAT ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE, EVEN WITHIN THE ARCHITECTURAL, UM, SIGNIFICANCE, KIND OF WHICH THINGS ARE, UM, ARE, ARE NOTED HERE, BUT WHICH ONES REALLY ARE NOT.

UM, AS YOU, AS YOU HEARD, IT WAS, UM, RELOCATED.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1940 AND RELOCATED.

UM, WHICH MAKES IT NOT SURPRISING OF COURSE THAT IT'S IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION.

AND I THINK AGAIN, I WOULD SAY WE ARE OPEN TO AND ARE EXPLORING, UM, RELOCATION.

AGAIN, WE ARE CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT EVEN IF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT IS RELEASED.

WE HAVE A LONG ROAD BEFORE WE'RE REDEVELOPING, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, TIPS, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM AS WELL.

UM, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR, UM, APPROVAL OF THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND THE DEMOLITION PERMIT RELEASE.

UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? RIGHT? ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THE ITEM FOR BOTH OF THEM.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? NO, IT WAS, IT WAS THE SAME COMMENT.

THANK, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER ACTON, COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING YOU HAVE A MOTION.

SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

COMMISSIONERS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PER PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

COMMISSIONER COOK? UH, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

OKAY, COMMISSIONER COOK? YEAH, I, I DO AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON MADE EARLIER.

THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING BUILDING.

UH, IT'S POPULAR PLACE.

BEEN THERE, IT'S A GOOD DRAW.

I WOULD DEFINITELY ADD THE, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER REHABILITATION AND REUSE AS IT HAS BEEN ONCE, POSSIBLY AS A FEATURE IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.

UH, IT DOES HAVE SOME CONTINUITY, BUT THE COMBINATION OF THE CHANGE CONTEXT, THE INTEGRITY, AND THE QUESTIONABLE AGE AT THIS LOCATION, THOUGH, I DO APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY FOR BOTH OF THESE BUILDINGS.

I, I COULDN'T, UH, TESTIFY IN FRONT OF A JURY THAT I THINK IT WOULD QUALIFY BECAUSE OF THOSE, THOSE ISSUES.

COMMISSIONER HARRIS, UH, YOUR SECOND, UH, NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PACKAGE.

PLEASE INDICATE BY

[02:45:01]

RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND AGAIN, I'M SEEING ALL HANDS RAISED.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR LAST DISCUSSION ITEM

[17. PR-2026-057561 – 1302 Garden St. ]

IS 1302 GARDEN STREET.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU CHAIR.

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A ARCA 1930 HOUSE.

UM, THIS PROPERTY IS A SINGLE STORY AND RECTANGULAR AND PLAN SET ON A RAISED PEER PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION.

THERE IS A CENTER PORCH, WHICH EXTENDS ROUGHLY HALFWAY ACROSS THE FRONT FACADE.

THERE ARE TWO FRONT DOORS SET BY SIDE BY SIDE, WHICH MAY INDICATE THAT THIS STRUCTURE WAS ONCE A DUPLEX, A GABLE ROOF COVERS THE PORCH, WHICH MEETS THE OVERALL HIP ROOF STRUCTURE BEHIND IT.

THE WINDOWS APPEAR TO BE ORIGINAL ONE OVER ONE UNITS.

THE ORIGINAL TEE DROP SIDING AND RAPTOR TAILS REMAIN PRESENT AND WELL WEATHERED.

THE HOUSE RETAINS GOOD INTEGRITY OF ITS ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DETAILS.

THE FIRST RESIDENTS OF THE PROPERTY WERE FRED AND, UH, VITA SIMPSON, WHO RENTED THE ADDRESS FOR OVER 10 YEARS.

FRED WORKED VARIOUS ROLES IN THE SOFT DRINK INDUSTRY, SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRIBUTION AND SALES.

BY THE 1940S, THE OWNER, OR EXCUSE ME, THE HOUSE WAS OWNED BY BEATRICE AND THOMAS TOWNSLEY.

AT THIS TIME, THOMAS WAS LISTED AS A STUDENT AND BEATRICE WORKED AS A WAITRESS AT THE TERRACE MOTEL RESTAURANT.

BY 1959, THEY HAD MOVED AWAY AND THE HOUSE WAS OCCUPIED BY RENTERS ONCE AGAIN.

UH, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL OR NATIONAL REGISTRY.

HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.

THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS TO STAFF? AND IS THE APPLICANT HERE? HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS? NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM AND THE APPLICANT.

AND I, I WILL TELL YOU, I WAS THE ONE WHO PULLED THIS.

I JUST REALLY WANTED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOUSE.

UH, BUT NOW THAT I'M SEEING THE FULL PRESENTATION, I I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS.

SO, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

COMMISSIONER ACTON SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

UH, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHAT IS YOUR MOTION ON THIS ITEM? THERE'S A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION.

AND IF, IF THAT IS GRANTED, THEN THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A DEMOLITION.

IT'S IN MY DISTRICT, BUT I'LL BE THE BAD GUY AGAIN.

I MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PACKAGE PENDING A PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.

COMMISSIONER COOK SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ACTON.

COMMISSIONER COOK? YEAH, I HESITATE DOING IT AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT.

BUT, UM, I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY, WHICH ARE GREAT TOOLS TO PROVIDE SOME PREDICTABILITY.

UH, IF THERE WERE ANY ADVOCATES HERE SPEAKING OR IF ANY ARE LISTENING, I WOULD SAY GO TO THAT SURVEY TO SEE WHICH ONES HAVE BEEN KIND OF PRE-IDENTIFIED AS THE PROPERTIES WERE MOST LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO SAVE.

UH, THIS ONE WAS NOT.

UH, I JUST DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD JUSTIFY OVERRIDING THE SURVEYS FINDINGS.

AND, AND I DO BELIEVE THE SURVEYS PROVIDE SOME PREDICTABILITY FOR BUYERS AND OWNERS AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THAT.

COMMISSIONER ACTON? UH, NOTHING ELSE.

BRINGS US NOW TO OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES.

ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.

HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND AGAIN, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED AND IT'S UNANIMOUS.

OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, THAT

[19. Update from the Architectural Review Committee regarding the May 13, 2026 meeting. Members: Commissioners Koch, Alvarez, and Grogan.]

WE CAN START WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.

THE, OF THE CASES YOU DIDN'T HEAR TONIGHT, WE HAD, UH, BOGGY CREEK FARM IS HAVING, UH, SOME GOOD SENSITIVE RESTORATION, UH, THAT'S LONG OVERDUE SINCE SOME HEAVIER RESTORATION IN THE EIGHTIES, UH, WE SAW 44 12 AVENUE B, UH, WHICH IS THE RAMSEY HOUSE, A POTENTIAL LANDMARK.

AND THE OWNER HAS PRETTY INTENSIVE PLANS, MOSTLY POSITIVE RESTORATION, BUT SOME PRETTY INTENSIVE PLANS THAT MIGHT DRAW POTENTIAL LANDMARKING INTO QUESTION.

THAT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING CASE.

AND THEN 7 0 5 WESTLAND A PROPERTY WE'VE SEEN BEFORE WITH A NEW OWNER STILL WANTING TO DEMOLISH.

UH, ALTHOUGH WITH A LITTLE LESS SPACE BEING ADDED THAN THE PREVIOUS OWNER, IT WAS ALL PRINT BACKUPS AND I, SO I CAN'T REALLY SHARE IT.

BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE YOU DIDN'T, YOU DIDN'T HEAR TONIGHT.

UM, THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY FOR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT TAX STATEMENT EXPENSES.

UH, THE OPERATIONS

[20. Update from the Operations Committee regarding the May 20, 2026 meeting. Members: Commissioners Rice and Acton.]

COMMITTEE HAD A MEETING.

WE SAW SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THEIR MEETING.

UH, DO YOU WISH TO REPORT COMMISSIONER RICE? YES.

UM, SO, WELL, AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE THE, UM, THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TO,

[02:50:01]

UM, WE'D, UH, THE, THAT HAD COME FORWARD FROM, I BELIEVE THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION FOR PEOPLE DISABILITIES.

UM, WE ADDED A COUPLE ITEMS AROUND, UM, PERMANENT, UM, INDOOR AIR QUALITY, UM, SYSTEMS AND, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ABATEMENT.

UM, BUT OTHERWISE THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST AS IT WAS SENT TO US FROM THE COMMISSION WHERE THAT ORIGINATED.

UM, OTHERWISE, UM, WE, THE, THE SORT OF THE MESSAGE AT OUR LAST MEETING ON THE SIGN UPDATES WAS THAT, UM, STAFF WANTED TO KEEP THE, KEEP, WANTED TO POSTPONE, UM, I MEAN, OR NOT LIKE FORMALLY POSTPONED, BUT WAIT TO VOTE THAT OUT TO THE FULL COMMISSION, UM, UNTIL EITHER, UM, UNTIL A FUTURE MEETING AT A DATE TO BE DETERMINED.

UM, THAT SAID, COMMISSIONER ACTON HAS, UM, REALLY LED THE WAY ON THAT AND, UH, I THINK WE'VE REALLY PUT TOGETHER A GREAT SET OF, UM, NEW GUIDELINES WORKING ON GETTING SOME VISUALS AND SOME OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY THINGS THAT'LL GO WITH THAT, UM, REVISED SET OF GUIDELINES.

AND I THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE, AND THIS, UNLESS THIS MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING, I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE A VACANCY ON THAT COMMISSION OR ON THAT COMMITTEE.

UM, WE, SINCE, UH, COMMISSIONER HORTER, UH, IS NOT WITH THIS COMMISSION ANYMORE, HIS REPLACEMENT IS HERE AND WE MAY BE ENCOURAGING HIM TO TAKE THAT SPOT.

SO WE CAN'T ACT, ACT ON THAT TONIGHT.

BUT, UH, THAT MAY BE ON YOUR, UH, POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT, NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.

UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE I'VE MISSED? UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON? NO, I THINK THAT'S IT.

WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.

AGAIN, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

UH, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO RELY ON YOUR EXPERTISE AS WE WILL

[21. Update from the Preservation Plan Committee regarding the May 21, 2026 meeting. Members: Commissioners Larosche, Pleasant-Wright, and Vice Chair Evans. ]

UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS.

UH, THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MET AND WE HAD A, UH, FAIRLY ROBUST DISCUSSION AND A PRESENTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.

AND IN CONNECTION WITH THAT, WE GOT TO SEE A NEW WEBSITE AND SOME OF THE OTHER TOOLS THAT THE CITY HAS DEVELOPED TO HELP US AND HELP THE COMMUNITY FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION.

AND THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.

UH, WE ALSO HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT ANOTHER PRESERVATION SUMMIT.

UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN DOING IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A FIRM DATE, BUT THERE IS SOME PRETTY STRONG SUPPORT FOR DOING IT AGAIN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT, UH, THAT NOT ONLY THE COMMISSION, UH, RECEIVED THROUGH THAT, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.

SO WE KIND OF FACILITATED THAT, UH, THROUGH THE SUMMIT.

SO WE THINK IT'S VALUABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN.

AND WE ALSO HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE EAST AUSTIN SURVEY, WHICH YOU SAW TONIGHT.

AND SO WE WERE PRETTY EXCITED TO SEE THE NEXT PHASE OF THAT COME COME TO FRUITION.

SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DID I MISS ANYTHING? COMMISSIONER? I THINK YOU COVERED IT ALL.

TUCCI, YOU'VE BEEN OUR LIAISON NOW FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND THEN COMMISSIONER

[22. Update from Commissioner Taniguchi regarding the May 20, 2026 Downtown Commission meeting. ]

UM, YEAH, I GUESS NOT A TON TO REPORT FROM THE LAST DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING AS IT RELATES TO, I GUESS HISTORIC, LIKE THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.

THEY DID BRING IN, UH, SOME PEOPLE TO UPDATE US, UM, REGARDING THE CONVENTION CENTER AND UM, THEY HIGHLIGHTED I GUESS THE TRASH HOUSE MOVEMENT THERE AND EVERYTHING.

UM, I KNOW WE ALL DISCUSSED THAT AS A COMMISSION A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN IT CAME THROUGH, BUT, UM, THE CITY SEEMS TO REALLY BE PUTTING KIND OF A SPOTLIGHT AND A HIGHLIGHT ON THAT ADDITION TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, SO.

TERRIFIC.

THAT I THINK, UH, STAFF WAS GOING TO WORK WITH US ON IS THAT IN OUR NEXT MEETING, I BELIEVE THERE IS A REQUEST REGARDING THE, UM, UH, UH, IS IT THE DORIS MILLER? UH, DORIS MILLER ATORY, YEAH.

UH, THE ONLY OTHER ITEM

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

REQUESTED HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE DORIS MILLER AUDITORIUM ON THE RECORD TONIGHT.

SO, UH, GO AHEAD.

UM, REMIND US NOW, UH, YES, CHAIR.

UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, A POTENTIAL TO, UH, INITIATE THE

[02:55:01]

UM, IF THE, UM, SPONSOR AND, UM, INITIATOR WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT, WE NEED TWO SPONSORS FROM THE COMMISSION TO INITIATE.

UM, AND ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE CAN ADD THIS TO OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, SPONSORS TO MOVE THAT FORWARD AND I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT ONE TO JOIN.

COMMISSIONER WASN'T RIGHT.

UM, WE'LL BE INITIATING AND SENDING OVER THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS, UM, ZONING FOR DORIS MILLER AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MORE INFORMATION IN OUR NEXT MEETING.