[CALL TO ORDER]
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ARE WE READY TO START? LOOKS LIKE IT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY.
UH, TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
UH, WE ARE AT CITY HALL CHAMBERS, AND THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
AND WE'LL BEGIN BY THE CALLING OF THE ROLE.
ALL RIGHT, UH, CHAIR SETH PRESENT.
UH, VICE CHAIR EVANS IS NOT PRESENT AND IS UNFORTUNATELY RESIGNING.
UM, COMMISSIONER ACTON PRESENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER COOK MAY BE LATE.
UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, WE SEE HIM.
MAYBE IT'LL COME TO HIM, BUT WE WILL MOVE ON FOR THE MOMENT.
BEING, UH, COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER RICE PRESENT AND COMMISSIONER TANA GUCCI PRESENT.
UH, AND I DO WANT TO, UH, MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT OUR VICE CHAIR, UM, COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS, UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO STEP ASIDE FROM THE COMMISSION.
SHE CALLED ME A COUPLE OF DAYS BACK BECAUSE SHE HAS, UH, A CONFLICT THAT IS, UH, RIGHT AT THE SAME TIME AS THE MEETING AND IT'S A TOUGH DECISION, BUT WE CERTAINLY WISH HER WELL AND WE THANK HER SO MUCH FOR HER SERVICE.
BUT, UM, THAT IT WOULD BE VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE.
THAT WOULD MEAN WE HAVE A OPENING FOR A VICE CHAIR ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND CONSIDERING THE TIMING, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO POST THIS, UH, FOR AN AGENDA ITEM.
SO WE WILL HAVE A, UH, SELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR POSTED ON OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING.
UH, I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WHO MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT THEIR SERVICE THAT, UH, IT'LL BE TOUGH, TOUGH SHOES TO FILL, BUT, UH, THERE'LL BE AN OPENING AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOLKS WHO, UH, MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST.
IF YOU'RE AMONG THEM, PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT.
UH, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET, UH, CONTINUED, UH, CONTINUED LEADERSHIP THAT, THAT, UH, KEEPS US GOING.
SO WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SERVICE, BUT WE MAY ALSO BE CALLING ON ONE OF ONE OR MORE OF YOU FOR MORE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UH, WE'LL START WITH THE, UH, ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES.WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS SUSAN MOFFITT.
HI, I AM SUSAN MOFFITT, SPEAKING ABOUT 41 15 AVENUE D, WHICH I EMAILED YOU ABOUT EARLIER THIS WEEK.
THIS PROPERTY CONTAINS A FORMER CHURCH SANCTUARY AND A TWO-STORY CLASSROOM BUILDING BOTH CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES TO THE HYDE PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
BOTH BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY RENOVATED, INCLUDING DEMOLITIONS OF ORIGINAL FEATURES SUCH AS WINDOWS AND DOORS.
BUT BECAUSE ALL THIS WORK WAS DONE ILLEGALLY WITHOUT PULLING A SINGLE PERMIT, IT WASN'T ON THE CITY RADAR.
YOU NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT BEFORE THESE DEMOLITIONS TOOK PLACE.
THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN UNDER A VIOLATION NOTICE SINCE 2024, AND NEIGHBORS ARE STILL TRYING TO VERIFY WHETHER BOTH BUILDINGS HAVE NOW BEEN BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE, INCLUDING WHETHER EXTENSIVE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL WORK CONDUCTED BY UNLICENSED SUBS WAS EVER SIGNED OFF ON BY CITY INSPECTORS.
NEITHER BUILDING CURRENTLY HAS A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY YET.
BOTH ARE NOW LISTED FOR SALE AS CONDOS.
BUT WHAT'S RELEVANT TO THE HLC ARE THE UN PERMITTED CHANGES TO THE CONTR CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES.
THESE INCLUDE DEMOLISHING ALL LARGE ORIGINAL WINDOWS IN THE SANCTUARY BUILDING, REPLACING THEM WITH BLACK PAINTED PLYWOOD AND SIM SMALLER ALUMINUM FRAME WINDOWS INSERTED INTO THE PLYWOOD, DEMOLISHING A LARGE EXTERIOR DOUBLE DOOR AND STOOP IN THE SANCTUARY BUILDING AND BRICKING OVER THE RESULTING OPENING PAINTING OVER THE ENTIRE NATURAL BRICK FACADE OF THE SANCTUARY BUILDING AND DEMOLISHING ALL ORIGINAL DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS IN THE CLASSROOM BUILDING, REPLACING THEM WITH ALUMINUM FRAME WINDOWS.
CITY STAFF HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS CASE WAS HEARD BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE ON JULY 8TH, WHICH APPARENTLY GAVE THE GO AHEAD FOR RETROACTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT CLEAR FROM THE MUDDY AUDIO THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHANGES IN DEMOLITIONS, NOR DID NEIGHBORS WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE PROPERTY RECEIVE ANY
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NOTICE ABOUT THAT MEETING ACCORDING TO CITY STAFF.THE CITY'S POSITION NOW IS THAT ONCE THE PROPERTY IS FORECLOSED ON, THAT WIPES OUT THE ABILITY TO FORCE RETROACTIVE COMPLIANCE.
BUT HAS THAT POSITION BEEN VETTED BY THE CITY LAW DEPARTMENT? DOES IT ALSO APPLY TO UNPERMITTED ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING WORK? WHERE DO WE DRAW THAT LINE? AUSTIN'S LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS THE CITY'S WILLINGNESS TO DEFEND THEM.
IN THE CURRENT CASE, THESE UNPERMITTED ACTIONS OCCURRED UNDER A DIFFERENT OWNER, BUT THE CURRENT OWNER IS THE LENDER WHO PROVIDED THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIONS.
AND AS SUCH, THEY SHOULD ALSO BEAR SOME RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN ONE BAD ILLEGAL PROJECT.
IT'S ABOUT WHETHER WE CARE ENOUGH TO PROTECT AUSTIN'S LOCAL HISTORICS DISTRICTS AND ARE WILLING TO HOLD DEVELOPERS, CONTRACTORS, AND OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALL BUSY VOLUNTEERS, BUT PLEASE EXPLORE WITH CITY STAFF, INCLUDING THE LAW DEPARTMENT, APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCES FOR THIS TYPE OF CASE AND OTHERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. MOFFITT.
ANY QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THIS PROJECT? UH, I HAPPEN TO LIVE FOR MANY YEARS, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THIS, AND I KNOW THE BUILDING, I WASN'T AWARE OF THE SEVERITY OF THESE VIOLATIONS, BUT THIS WASN'T ACCIDENTAL.
THIS WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS DELIBERATELY JUST BASICALLY TRYING TO SEE HOW FAR HE COULD GET AWAY WITH THIS KIND OF, UH, ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS YOU SUGGEST THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE OTHER WORRIES, BUT THIS IS A HISTORIC DISTRICT CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TAKE LIGHTLY.
UH, I, AGAIN, UH, MIKE LAN, MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MIGHT HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
UM, THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A FEW OF THESE CASES COME UP WHERE THE WORK'S ALREADY DONE, AND I KNOW THE CITY HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO ON THE ELECTRICAL AND THE PLUMBING AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S BEEN DONE THAT CAN BE VETTED AND REDONE.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE CASES, AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH HISTORIC FABRIC.
AND WE CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE POOF, REINVENT WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE.
UH, I BELIEVE THE DIRECTION WAS TO RESTORE THE WINDOWS BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL APPEARANCE, WHICH PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PAINTING THE BRICK IS ONE THING.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE WINDOWS WERE THE TWO MAIN CHANGES, BUT THE, THERE WAS SOME CHANGE AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, BUT LOOKING AT IT IN, AS I RECALL IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS, THERE WEREN'T ANY MAJOR MASSING CHANGES OR ROOF LINE CHANGES.
THEY PAINTED THE BRICK, THEY REPLACED THE WINDOWS WITH INAPPROPRIATE WINDOWS.
AND I BELIEVE OUR DIRECTION WAS TO RESTORE THE WINDOWS BACK TO SOMETHING THAT, THAT LOOKED LIKE THE ORIGINALS.
UM, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT GOT THROUGH.
I I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THESE THINGS ARE UNTANGLED WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY DO COME, I WASN'T AWARE OF THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IN FORECLOSURE.
UH, I'D ASK THAT STAFF MAYBE CONSIDER A FUTURE, UH, BRIEFING ON, ON THESE CASES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PROBABLY ALL RECALL THE CASES WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND, UH, EACH ONE'S A UNIQUE CASE.
SOME IS FULL DEMOLITION OF A HISTORIC PROPERTY.
SOME IS PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF A HISTORIC PROPERTY.
SOME IS WINDOW REPLACEMENT WITHOUT APPROVAL.
UM, AND HOW THE CITY DEALS WITH UNTANGLING THESE UNPERMITTED ACTIONS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, IT'D BE GOOD TO KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE APPROACH IS FOR THE PRESERVATION OFFICE, BUT AS I RECALL IT WAS THE WINDOWS, PRIMARILY THE PAINTING OF THE BRICK, UM, AND A MINOR CHANGE TO THE REAR.
AND THE DIRECTION WAS TO RESTORE THE WINDOWS.
UH, AND MAYBE YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF AFTER THAT IN TERMS OF HOW THAT'S BEING APPLIED.
JUST WHEN IT FALLS OUT OF THE REGULAR PROCESS OF APPROVAL AND INSPECTION, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO, TO HANDLE.
BUT I, I DO THINK WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS WHENEVER THESE THINGS GO RIGHT.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKER IS BILL BUNCH.
CHAIR HEIM SOUTH MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, I'M BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, JUST GIVING A BIT OF AN UPDATE TO YOU ON THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE.
AND, UM, AGAIN, ASKING THAT, UH, WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT Y'ALL CREATED, UH, TO SHARE INFORMATION, UM, AND TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT NEXT STEPS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE, THE CITY ITSELF AND HAVE HIT ROADBLOCKS.
UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS HAVE BEEN
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DELAYED, UH, PARTIALLY DENIED.UM, STUFF IS BEING KEPT SECRET.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY THINKS IS GOING ON.
CERTAINLY THE WHOLE MANDATED FEDERAL, UH, NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, UM, SECTION 1 0 6, ET CETERA, ALL THE PROCESSES THAT REQUIRED THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY PROGRESS THERE WHATSOEVER.
UM, ON THE OTHER HAND, UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT LAST WEEK, UH, WE GOT WOR WE WORKED WITH, UH, TERRY O'CONNELL, WHO Y'ALL ALL KNOW, O TO CONNELL ARCHITECTURE AND LORI MARTIN IN HER OFFICE, AND FILED A, UH, UH, FULL APPLICATION FOR STATE ANTIQUITIES LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UH, I THINK AS MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW, IF NOT ALL OF YOU, UH, THE BRIDGE IS PROTECTED AND IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER LIST AS PART OF THE ZILKER PARK, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, IT HAS NOT BEEN PROTECTED AT THE LOCAL OR STATE LEVEL TO MATCH THAT FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, LAST WEEK, THE TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION STAFF INFORMED US, UH, THAT THE APPLICATION WAS COMPLETELY IN ORDER AND, UH, GIVEN THE APPLICATION AND THE FACT THAT IT IS ALREADY A NATIONAL REGISTER LISTED, UH, LANDMARK, THAT IT CERTAINLY QUALIFIES FOR THE STATE ANTIQUITIES LANDMARK.
AND SO THAT'S MOVING FORWARD AND, UH, TO THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL.
UM, WE ALSO MET WITH, UH, BY ZOOM, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION OF LAWYERS WHO ARE MANAGING ALL THIS.
UH, THEY WERE, UH, VERY QUICK TO TELL US THAT, UH, THERE'S BEEN NO FEDERAL GRANT AWARDED FOR THE DEMOLITION AND REPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGE.
IT WAS PUT ON A LIST THAT WAS QUALIFIED POTENTIALLY TO BE FUNDED, SUBJECT TO ALL OF THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL, HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGICAL AND PARK PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS.
AND OF COURSE, OUR POSITION IS THOSE STANDARDS SIMPLY CAN'T NOT BE MET.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO URGE THE CITY TO REVERSE COURSE AND SAVE THIS COMMUNITY TREASURE RATHER THAN DESTROY IT.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
IT'S VERY MUCH A CONCERN THAT WE SHARE WITH YOU AND BEING ABLE TO MONITOR THIS SO THAT AT THE RIGHT TIME WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE, WE CAN FIND A BETTER SOLUTION AND HELP THE, HELP THE CITY MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
BUT WE DO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK.
OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS SPEAKER IS MEGAN KING, MOUR.
MEGAN KING, NUR POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION.
I'M HERE TO SHARE THAT WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED OUR, UH, 10 PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES IN OUR ANNUAL LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PROGRAM.
UM, EVERY OCTOBER OUR FREE LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PASSPORT INCLUDES 10 BELOVED LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGES AUSTINITES AND TOURISTS TO VISIT PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES, SHOW THEIR SUPPORT WITH A PURCHASE AND GET THEIR PASSPORT STAMPED AND WIN PRIZES.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE, UM, A SLATE OF, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER INCREDIBLE SLATE OF BUSINESSES EVERY YEAR.
THEY SEEM TO GET BETTER AND BETTER.
UM, WE HAVE THE HISTORIC BOGGY CREEK FARM, CALLAHAN'S GENERAL STORE, CASEY'S, NEW ORLEANS SNOWBALLS, COCO'S CAFE ELYSIUM ONE IN A MILLION SHENANIGANS NIGHTCLUB, TEXAS CHILI PARLOR, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS, UM, THE TAVERN AND WESTGATE LANES.
SO WE INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US FOR OUR KICKOFF PARTY AT ZILKER BEER ON OCTOBER 1ST.
WE WILL HAVE FREE PASSPORTS FOR PICKUP, A PASSPORT PHOTO BOOTH, AND LIMITED EDITION LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH BEER THAT ZILKER MAKES FOR US EVERY YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN UPCOMING PANEL DISCUSSION ON SEPTEMBER 22ND ON THE NEW VISION FOR THE ELIZABETH NAME MUSEUM IN HYDE PARK.
SO TWO REALLY EXCITING PROGRAMS COMING UP AT PA AND IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN JOINING US, THEY CAN LEARN MORE@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
AND THAT DOES REMIND ME, I'M GONNA CALL ON OUR STAFF MEMBER, UH, KIM MCKNIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANOTHER ITEM THAT FOLKS MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN, PARTICULARLY WITH, UH, ALL THE ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN EAST AUSTIN.
WE ALSO JUST WERE REMINDED, UH, COMMISSIONERS AND TO THE PUBLIC.
PLEASE COME TO THE FRENCH LITIGATION ON SEPTEMBER 15TH FOR A KICKOFF OF OUR EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY.
WE HAVE A REALLY FUN, UH, EVENING PLANNED WITH, UM, PRESENTATIONS AND MUSIC FROM THE JAZZ
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BAND AT HOUSTON TILLSON.UH, IT SHOULD BE A GREAT TIME.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE SURE HOPE TO SEE, UH, THE COMMISSION REPRESENTED.
[Consent Agenda]
THIS POINT, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO AN OVERVIEW OF THE AGENDA WE'LL CALL ON STAFF FOR, FOR HELPING WITH THAT.OUR FIRST ITEM THIS EVENING IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 5TH, 2026 MINUTES, WHICH IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE HAVE ONE BRIEFING TONIGHT ON THE OLD BAKERY EMPORIUM BUILDING.
WE HAVE NO HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS TONIGHT, BUT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS STARTING WITH ITEM THREE, CASE NUMBER PR 2 26 0 0 8 1 8 8 AT 1005 EAST EIGHTH STREET.
THIS IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM FOUR, HR 20 26 1 0 1 4 6 9, UH, AT THE MALCOLM AND MARGARET BADGER REHOUSE 1712 RIO GRAND STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM FIVE, SB 20 26 1 2 1 2 4 AT NINE 20 CONGRESS AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT WITH A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM UNDER NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS, WE HAVE ITEM SIX, PR 20 26 0 5 3 6 7 AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THIS IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM SEVEN, PR 2 26 5 9 9 82 2009.
TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD HAS ALSO BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM EIGHT, SP 20 26 0 3 5 3 6 5.
HR 20 26 0 7 9 AT SIX 11 WESTLAND STREET IS ALSO A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM NINE, PR 20 26 7 9 3 4 9 AT 7 0 6 EAST MONROE STREET IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT ITEM 10, SB 20 26 9 7 3 6 8 AT 5 0 5 NATO STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 11, HR 20 26, 9 1 7 1 AT 32 0 9 KIRBY LANE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM 12, HR 20 26, 1 0 1 9 0 8 AT 1614 PRESTON AVENUE IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND ITEM 13, HR 20 26 9 6 2 5.
AT 1908 KENWOOD AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT UNDER DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION APPLICATIONS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEM 14, PR 20 26, 4 0 4 3 AT 1808 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 15, PR 2 2 6 8 6 8 6 9 AT 1005 EAST 13 STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 16, PR 20 26 0 9 1 6 5 3 AT 2204 CHESTNUT AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 17, PR 20 26 0 9 1 9 4 7 AT 25 0 7 E SECOND STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND ITEM 18, PR 20 26 0 9 4 2 3 AT 1900 EAST 11TH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM 19, PR 20 26 0 9 6 7 0 6 0 2 EAST 48TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 20, PR 20 26 0 9 5 8 9 2 AT 30 14 WINDSOR ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT CONCLUDES YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING.
SO AT THIS POINT I AM GOING TO, UH, REVIEW ALL THE ITEMS THAT ARE OFFERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND EACH ONE OF THOSE, UH, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK OR HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO EITHER COME TO THE MICROPHONE OR IF OF COURSE IF IT'S CONSENT AND IT'S PASSED, THEN IT WILL BE APPROVED WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO YOU ARE ALSO ALLOWED AND MAYBE ENCOURAGED TO WAIVE THAT SPEAKING IF IT DOESN'T, IF IT'S NOT NECESSARY.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE'RE FINISHED, THEN WE TAKE A VOTE ON ALL OF THE CONSENT AND IT'S PASSED AT THAT TIME.
UH, ANY ANY ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT FIRST BEFORE I PROCEED, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO POLL FOR DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND LIST THE ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND THAT'S NOT POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
THE SECOND CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 4 17 12 RIO GRANDE STREET.
IS THERE A SPEAKER FOR THIS? WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS ON THAT ITEM.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS AT NINE 20 CONGRESS AVENUE.
WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP IN FAVOR ON THIS ITEM.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER AND THAT IS SHAYNA GARDNER.
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OR WOULD THEY LIKE TO WAIVE THAT? SINCE IT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT, IT APPEARS THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ON THE LINE.SO PERHAPS WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT PERSON THEN.
OUR NEXT PERSON ALSO A VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS PATRICK MORAN AND HE IS HERE.
HELLO? UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME,
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, YOU'RE WELCOME TO, UH, THE ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, SO IT'S NOT REQUIRED.
YOU MAY WAIVE THAT IF YOU WISH.
SO MY NAME IS PATRICK MORAN AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE SWIFT HOUSE AND IRON ART REGARDING THE PROPERTY AT NINE 20 CONGRESS AVENUE.
UH, I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS SIGN AS IT IS PROPOSED.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS CALLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE HISTORICAL RE UH, RELEVANCE OF NINE 20 CONGRESS AVENUE BEGAN AS PART OF SHOW ROW OPENING ITS DOORS IN 1913 AS THE UNIQUE THEATER AND THEN CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE CRESCENT THEATER.
THE PRE THE PROPOSED SIGN DOES FIT INTO THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION'S DESIGN STANDARDS, EXCEPT THAT IT IS AN EXPOSED NEON SIGN.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED UNDERSTATED NEON WOULD BE A GENTLE CALLBACK TO THE HISTORICAL REVEL RELEVANCE OF THIS BUILDING AS IT SITS CLOSELY TO OTHER NEON SIGNS STILL IN USE SUCH AS THE PARAMOUNT THEATER, THE STATE THEATER AND KRUGERS.
ALTHOUGH NOT IN ITS ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, WE COULD USE A SOFTER LIGHT AND EFFORT TO REFERENCE THE TRANSLUCENT CLASS BOX SIGNS THAT WERE USED IN THE FIRST YEARS OF THE STATE THEATER OR SORRY, OF THIS THEATER.
UM, PLEASE SEE THE REFERENCE PHOTOS ON PAGE FOUR OF OUR PRESENTATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THESE SIGNS USED FACE, FACE LIT, GLASS TO GREAT EFFECT AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO THE SAME.
ON BEHALF OF THE SWIFT HOUSE AND INRI THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE ABOUT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
UH, APPARENTLY THE APPLICANT WOULD PREFER THERE TO CONTINUE TO BE NEON.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT HAVE NEON, BUT OTHERWISE APPROVE THE SIGN.
UH, THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
HOWEVER, IF THIS IS A DISCUSSION THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, ONE OF YOU MAY CERTAINLY PULL IT.
SO THEN WE WILL HOLD ON ANY FURTHER SPEAKERS.
THIS WILL BE PRESENTED AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
PROCEEDING WITH THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 10, AND THAT'S 5 0 5 CHES STREET.
OH, DID I MISS NUMBER EIGHT? NO, IT'S A DISCUSSION.
OH, DID WE DECIDE YOU WERE RIGHT? THE NEXT CON CONSENT ITEM IS NECHES.
SO I GUESS I DID POLL NUMBER EIGHT.
I DIDN'T, SOME REASON IT'S, IT'S SHOWN AS, UM, OH, YOU HAVE AN EARLIER VERSION.
OH, YOU GOT AN EARLIER VERSION.
AND, AND I'M THE ONE WHO PULLED THAT ONE
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO TO NUMBER 10.
ITEM NUMBER 5 0 5 CHES STREET.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
AND THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM LISTED IS ITEM NUMBER 13 AT 1908 KENWOOD AVENUE.
WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IN FAVOR.
AND THAT IS MR. PASI WHO HAS INDICATED THAT HE'S WAIVING HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS THE NEXT AT 10 0 5 EAST 13TH STREET? YES.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION ON THIS ITEM AND THAT IS PAULINA KOVICH.
MAY PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HELPING SAVE 9 0 7 EAST 13TH STREET.
THE CASE STARTED HERE BACK IN DECEMBER AND LAST WEEK UNANIMOUSLY UNANIMOUSLY PASSED THROUGH CITY COUNCIL TO SAVE THAT HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TRY TO SAVE ANOTHER HOME THAT'S JUST ONE BLOCK AWAY.
I'LL START WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION IS WORKING CLASS BLACK EAST AUSTIN.
HISTORY WORTH SAVING FOR GENERATIONS? THIS HOUSE WAS AN ANCHOR FOR BLACK FAMILIES MAKING LIFE IN AUSTIN.
THE HOME'S FIRST OCCUPANT, HENRY WILLIAMS WAS A FIREMAN AND LATER A LABORER AT THE FARMERS AND GINNERS COTTON OIL COMPANY.
HE AND HIS WIFE ELIZA, RAISED THREE CHILDREN AT THIS HOME.
HIS SON MOVED TO NEARBY COTTON STREET AND HAD EIGHT CHILDREN.
I'M SURE THAT HENRY'S GRANDCHILDREN WERE OFTEN AT THIS HOME.
AND ONE OF THOSE GRANDCHILDREN HAD A FUNERAL SERVICE BLOCKS AWAY AT KING TIER'S FUNERAL IN 2003.
LATER IN THE SIXTIES, JIMMY RAYFIELD QUOTE,
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PROFESSOR MOODY LIVED HERE WITH HIS WIFE MENTA.THEY LIVED IN THE HOME FOR OVER 30 YEARS, RAISING SEVEN CHILDREN.
JIMMY WA WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN, HONOR, HONORABLY DISCHARGED, AND A DEACON AT MI MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH.
THE DESCENDANTS OF THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL A PART OF AUSTIN.
MANY MEMBERS OF THESE FAMILIES ARE BURIED AT THE HISTORIC BETHANY AND EVERGREEN CEMETERIES.
THIS HOUSE IS NOT JUST WOODEN NAILS.
IT'S A VITAL LIVING LINK TO THE HISTORICALLY BLACK EAST AUSTIN THAT IS RAPIDLY BEING ERASED AS TO THE PHYSICAL MAKEUP OF THIS HOME.
IT'S NOT DERELICT IN ANY SENSE.
TEARING DOWN FUNCTIONAL SOUND STRUCTURES DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS AUSTIN'S ZERO WASTE GOALS AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS.
IT'S SIMPLY NOT SUSTAINABLE TO SEND VIABLE BUILDINGS INTO OUR LANDFILLS.
THE APPLICANT FOR THIS DEMOLITION PERMIT IS NOT THE CURRENT HOMEOWNER, BUT A DEVELOPER WHO'S TEARING DOWN MANY PROPERTIES UP AND DOWN THE EAST SIDE.
AND OF COURSE, DEVELOPERS BUILD BUT CAN'T WE ASK THEM TO PRESERVE AS WELL? THE HOME PRESERVATION PRESERVATION BONUS EXISTS PRECISELY FOR THIS KIND OF SITUATION.
THIS HOME CAN BE PRESERVED AND THE ADDITIONAL UNITS CAN STILL BE BUILT IN THE BACK.
ALSO, WOULD WE BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IF THE HOUSE WERE IN WEST AUSTIN? OR WOULD IT BE LOVINGLY RESTORED? THE COMMUNITY VALUE OF THIS HOME IS THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF WHO WAS ABLE TO LIVE HERE IN EAST AUSTIN, WHO WORKED THERE, WHO RAISED FAMILIES THERE, AND WHO MADE EAST AUSTIN WHAT IT IS PRESERVING 1005 EAST 13TH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR WORKING CLASS BLACK HISTORY, PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE LAND USE, AND UTILIZE THE TOOLS OUR CITY CREATED TO BALANCE GROWTH WITH HERITAGE.
IF HISTORIC PRESERVATION MEANS ANYTHING, IT HAS TO INCLUDE THE ORDINARY HOMES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO MADE AUSTIN WHAT IT IS.
ALSO, PLEASE SAVE THOSE CHARMING BLUE TRIMMED LATTICE WINDOWS.
COMMISSIONER, YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE SPEAKER, UH, ARE THERE, THERE ARE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, WOULD ANYONE, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THIS ONE AND ALSO NOTE IT WAS, UH, ON THE EAST AUSTIN RE, HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEYS, POTENTIAL LOCAL LANDMARK.
SO WE WILL HAVE THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER 16 IS THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM AT 2204 CHESTNUT AVENUE.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 17 IS 25 0 7 EAST SECOND STREET.
AND THEN THE FINAL, UH, UM, LAST TWO, UH, UH, ITEM NUMBER 19 6 0 2 EAST 48TH STREET.
THERE IS ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IN FAVOR.
AND WE HEAR THAT SHE'S WAIVING SPEAKING.
ITEM NUMBER 20 30 14 WINDSOR ROAD.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS IN FAVOR ON THIS ITEM.
THE FIRST IS NOELLE MC ALEXANDER, WHO HAS WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS JULES KANE.
OKAY, SO THAT CONCLUDES THE LIST OF THE CONSENT ITEMS, UH, WITH THE TWO THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE, UH, I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, FROM MOTION FROM, UM, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER.
UM, WHY AM I THINKING ACTON COMMISSIONER ACTON, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, WE'LL HAVE, I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWING, UH, AS ABSTAINING ON THE MINUTES SINCE I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING.
UM, LET US NOW PROCEED WITH THE REQUESTED POSTPONEMENTS FROM THE APPLICANTS.
UH, 10 0 5 EAST EIGHTH STREET.
AND THAT IS ALSO ITEM NUMBER 14 18 0 8 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ.
UH, ALL OF THOSE, UH, HAVE BEEN REQUESTED BY APPLICANTS.
THEREFORE, ANY TIME CLOCK ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS EXTENDED.
AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT THEY BE POSTPONED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO MOVED, SECONDED BY, WAS THERE SOMEONE, ONE OF THE VIRTUAL SECONDERS? I BELIEVE THAT WAS COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED, SO THAT IS APPROVED.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[2. Staff briefing regarding a feasibility study for an addition to the Old Bakery Emporium building by Susan Hagerty, Project Manager, Austin Capital Delivery Services.]
WE CAN NOW PROCEED TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE BRIEFING, UH, THAT WE WILL BE HAVING ON THE OLD BAKERY EMPORIUM BUILDING ON CONGRESS AVENUE.[00:30:04]
YES.AND BY THE WAY, IF ANY OF YOUR ITEMS HAVE BEEN PASSED ON CONSENT, THOSE HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY AND JOIN US FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING.
BUT, UH, YOU CERTAINLY, UH, YOUR ITEM COULD BE YOU, YOU HAVE HAS BEEN CONCLUDED, SO THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, LET'S PROCEED WITH THE BRIEFING.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICE.
I'M REPRESENTING THE ACME, UH, DEPARTMENT WITH CITY OF AUSTIN, WHO IS, UM, MANAGING THE OLD BAKERY FACILITY, TAKING OVER FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, FAIRLY RECENTLY.
SO, UM, WE ARE CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT A POSSIBLE EXPANSION AND, UH, REFRESH AND, UM, KIND OF RESURFACING OF THE EXISTING BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDING.
SO WE ARE IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE A FEASIBILITY STUDY, PROBABLY GOING TO BE, UH, MAYBE END OF SEPTEMBER FINISHING UP.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PLANS THAT WILL, UM, UH, SEVERAL PLAN OPTIONS.
WE'VE SELECTED ONE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PURSUING.
UM, AND, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR OPINIONS AND OR THOUGHTS ON OUR PRESENT PROGRESS.
SO CAN WE GO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, THE OLD BAKERY EMPORIUM IS A BUILDING THAT WAS, UM, BUILT IN AUSTIN 1876.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY TITLED IN NEW ORLEANS BAKERY.
IT WAS BY SWEDISH IMMIGRANT CHARLES LUNDBERG.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, UM, LIMESTONE BUILDING.
IT'S AT 10 0 6 CONGRESS JUST SOUTH OF THE CAPITOL.
IT'S AN AMAZING LOCATION FOR A DOWNTOWN CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN ACQUIRED THE BUILDING IN 1980.
AND, UH, THAT SCENE THAT YOU SEE THERE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT ANYMORE.
IT'S, IT'S THAT MIDDLE BUILDING THAT SAYS MARKEY'S BAKERY.
THAT WAS THE SECOND, UM, TAKE ON THE, UH, THE NEW ORLEANS BAKERY.
THE BUILDING'S ADJACENT ARE NO LONGER STANDING, SO WE JUST HAVE THE TWO STORY EXISTING BAKERY FACILITY PRESENTLY RIGHT NOW.
THE BAKERY'S FUNCTION IS, UH, IT'S CALLED THE OLD BAKERY AND EMPORIUM.
IT'S, UM, IT'S AN ART GALLERY.
SO THEY HAVE, UM, IT SEQUENCES OF, UH, LOCAL ARTISTS DOING SHOWS.
THE, UM, ANY ARTISAN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, KIND OF OVER 50 IS THEIR CRITERIA.
THEY SELL GOODS, MADE PAINTINGS, JEWELRY, UM, WEARABLES BY THE LOCALS.
AND IT'S, IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION.
LIKE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING IN IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE IN.
AND IT'S, UH, THEY ALSO DO KIND OF VISITOR CENTER.
UM, IT'S BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION AND DOWNTOWN RIGHT ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
THEY DO GET A, IT'S A LOT OF TOURISTS STOP IN AND GET, UM, HISTORIC INFORMATION AND JUST KIND OF DOWNTOWN LOCAL NEWS.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO, THE BUILDING HAS THREE DEDICATIONS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
IT'S LOCALLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK.
IT'S A STATE, STATE ANTIQUITIES, LANDMARK, AND FEDERALLY, IT'S LISTED ON THE NA, NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES.
AS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING TO THE CONGRESS AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT, WE ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN ANY CONSIDERATION THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING.
OUR GOAL IS TO, TO OPTIMIZE ITS POTENTIAL.
IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING BUILDING.
WE, WE WERE ON TO SEE WHAT IT CAN BE.
SO THE RENOVATION GOALS, UM, WE WORKED WITH ACME AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY THEY WERE LOOKING FOR TO GET A PROGRAM PULLED TOGETHER FOR THIS, UM, THINKING THIS IS KIND OF A, JUST A THINKING PHASE.
AND, UM, IDEALLY THEY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THE FACILITY TO INCLUDE WORKSHOP SPACES FOR THE PUBLIC WHERE ARTISTS CAN PARTICIPATE WITH THE PUBLIC AND DO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, KIND OF HANDS-ON, UM, HANDS-ON COMMUNITY, UH, WORKSHOPS.
AND THEY WOULD, IN THEORY, LIKE TO DEDICATE THAT PHOTO.
YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM IS THE, UH, MAIN ENTRY SPACE.
IT'S A KIND OF A, A HIGH VOLUME, UH, LIMESTONE DOUBLE HIGH SPACE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE USING RIGHT NOW FOR RETAIL.
IDEALLY, THEY'D LIKE TO USE THAT BEAUTIFUL GALLERY, UH, BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AS A GALLERY SPACE.
MUCH BETTER SUITED THAN THE RETAIL THEY'VE GOT IN THERE NOW.
UM, THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE, UM, A NEW PURPOSE BUILT RETAIL SPACE.
SO MAKE SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY SET UP FOR THE RETAIL TO SHOWCASE THE GOODS THEY'VE GOT AND LET THE OLD BUILDING KIND OF SING ON ITS OWN.
THEY ALSO, THE, THE BUILDING WAS BUILT IN PHASES, SO IT SORT OF STEPS UP
[00:35:01]
THE SIDE OF A HILL.THE CIRCULATION IS VERY CHALLENGING.
WITH THE NEW FACILITY, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO SIMPLIFY THE CIRCULATION.
USE A, A MAIN HUB SO THAT YOU CAN GET AROUND IN THAT BUILDING A LITTLE BIT EASIER THAN YOU CAN RIGHT NOW.
IT'S LONG AND RECTANGULAR AND IT'S STEPS, THREE LEVELS AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT TRICKY.
UM, ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THE PUBLIC PRIVATE SPACES RIGHT NOW, IN ORDER TO GET TO THE BACK GALLERY, YOU LITERALLY WALK THROUGH THE OFFICES.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT AREN'T STELLAR ABOUT THE WAY IT'S FUNCTIONING RIGHT NOW.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO UPGRADE ALL THE EXISTING BUILDING SERVICES SO IT CAN MOVE TO THE FUTURE.
UM, AND, UH, PROVIDE SOME GALLERY AND RETAIL STORAGE.
DO A, UM, A SEPARATE FACILITIES WORKSHOP FOR FACILITATING THE, THE, UM, ART EXHIBITS AND PROVIDE A SECONDARY WORKSHOP ENTRANCE.
SO KIND OF CLARIFY THE ENTRANCES.
ONE OTHER THING ABOUT IT, THE, UM, PRESENTLY THERE'S AN EIGHTIES EDITION ON THE SIDE THAT IS THE A DA ACCESSIBILITY ENTRANCE, NOT THE HISTORIC ENTRY.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT GREAT THAT YOU'VE GOT A, THE MAIN ENTRY IN THE HISTORIC BUILDING ISN'T THE A DA ACCESSIBLE ENTRY.
AND THE GOAL FOR THE NEW FACILITY WOULD BE, OR REVISED UPDATED FACILITY, WOULD BE TO CONSOLIDATE ONE MAIN PUBLIC ENTRY FOR A DA ACCESSIBILITY IN ALL PUBLIC.
WE WOULD USE THE EXISTING, UM, HISTORIC DOORS AS AN EXIT.
THIS IS JUST A FLOOR PLAN TO GIVE YOU AN OUTLINE OF WHAT THE EXISTING FACILITY LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A LONG, UH, LINEAR BUILDING.
THE PIECE, UH, SMALL RECTANGLE ON THE SOUTH.
AND THERE'S PLAN SOUTH IS, UH, THE ADDITION THAT WAS BUILT IN THE EIGHTIES THAT LITERALLY ALLOWS YOU TO GET, UM, BETWEEN AND AMONGST THE LEVELS.
IT'S A DA ACCESSIBILITY AND TOILETS.
IT'S ALL THE, UM, IT'S JUST BASICALLY THE BACK OF HOUSE AND IT HAS QUITE A PRESENCE ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
WE'VE, WE WERE LOOKING AT, WE'RE WORKING WITH ATKINS REALES AND UM, THEY HAVE DESIGNED FOR US A MAIN PUBLIC ENTRY.
SO YOU COME IN AT THE EXISTING, UM, KIND OF HEART OF THE OLD BAKERY WHERE THE OVENS ARE.
IT WOULD BE A CENTRAL LOBBY SPACE.
CREATE AN EXISTING COURTYARD WITH THE TREES THAT ARE EXISTING, MOVE ALL OF THE BACK OF HOUSE, THE OFFICES AND THE TOILETS TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND PUT THE GIFT SHOP UP FRONT RIGHT ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
SO YOU'VE GOT A, A PUBLIC PRESENCE ABOVE THE RETAIL WOULD BE WORKSHOP SPACES.
THAT COULD BE ONE MAIN SPACE OR TWO SPACES.
AND AGAIN, UH, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PE LIKE PEOPLED AND USEFUL AND, UM, ENLIVENED, I GUESS.
SO THIS, WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO GIVE THIS A LITTLE BIT OF A NEW BREATH OF LIFE 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND IT REALLY JUST NEEDS TO KIND OF FUNCTION IN TODAY'S WORLD.
AND THIS WOULD, UH, BRING KIND OF TOURISM AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, UH, A MUCH BETTER TAKE ON A, ON A FUNCTIONING EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
THIS IS JUST A MASSING MODEL TO SHOW YOU HOW IT WOULD LOOK ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
SO THE FIRST, UH, THE TOP VIEW IS THE PUBLIC ENTRY PLAZA AND THE RAMP ON THE SIDES SHOWS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST MASSING, THIS HAS NOT BEEN DESIGNED.
IT'S TO SHOW YOU A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE SPACE.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS THE EXISTING, UM, HISTORIC FACADE, WHICH WE DON'T INTEND TO, WE MAYBE MAKE ANY CORRECTION RE REQUIRED, BUT WE DON'T INTEND TO, UH, REMODEL OR REFACE THAT IN ANY WAY.
AND THE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE LOWER LEVEL IS RETAIL AND ABOVE THE WORKSHOP SPACE, THE, UM, OPTION C SHOWS THE SECOND PUBLIC ENTRY FOR THE, UH, WORKSHOPS.
THAT'S A, UH, THAT, AS I SAID, IT STEPS UP THE SITE SO THERE'S PARKING UP ON THE UPPER LEVEL THERE.
AND THAT COULD BE A VERY CONVENIENT PUBLIC ENTRY FOR THE WORKSHOP SPACES.
AND THAT SHOWS YOU JUST TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW THAT SITE, UM, IT APPEARS TODAY EXISTING BAKERY ON THE RIGHT.
THAT MIDDLE PIECE THAT YOU SEE IS THE, UM, EIGHTIES EDITION THAT ISN'T HELPING THE OLD BUILDING OR CONGRESS AVENUE.
WE DON'T THINK, UM, IT DOES FUNCTION, BUT THAT'S, IT'S JUST, UH, WE THINK THAT COULD BE, UH, DONE MUCH BETTER.
AND THEN THE, ON THE, UM, LEFT HAND SIDE, THAT PHOTOGRAPH, THAT'S A SIDE VIEW OF WHERE THE ADDITION WOULD BE INSERTED.
AND IT'S, IT'S A PAINTED FACADE THAT WAS A SECONDARY STRUCTURE FROM A BUILDING THAT CAME DOWN.
SO IT'S NOT A HISTORIC LIMESTONE WALL, IT'S A PAINTED STRUCTURE THAT WAS THE INTERIOR OF THE ADJACENT BUILDING THAT WAS DEMOLISHED.
[00:40:01]
INTERFERING WITH ANY, HOPEFULLY ANY HISTORIC, UM, CONCERNS WITH THAT FACADE ON THE, ON THE SOUTH.UM, I'M SURE COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UM, JUST TO START WITH, UM, I HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE SHOWN ME.
I THINK THE PLANNING AND THE PROGRAMMING IS VERY LAUDABLE AND IT'S CERTAINLY A DESERVING BUILDING.
BUT EVEN AT AMASSING LEVEL, YOU ARE SHOWING SOME SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE BEING VERY WELL ADDRESSED.
SO DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON THE DESIGN TEAM THAT HAS A PRESERVATION BACKGROUND? WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
WE'VE GOT, UM, SEVERAL FOLKS AT KINS.
WE, I THINK WE NEED TO SEE THEIR PRESENTATION.
UH, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME LONG CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, EVEN IN ITS PRESENT FORM.
I THINK IT INDICATES THAT THERE'S AN OVERSCALE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE CURRENT, UH, BUILDING.
AND WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DESIGN FROM THE DAIS, BUT, UH, THAT IS, UM, THAT THE, THE WAY THAT THAT IS MASSED, THE WAY THAT THE WINDOWS ARE SHOWN AND THE WAY THAT THE RAMP DOMINATES THE SITE, YOU HAVE A DELICATE BUILDING THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY AND IT APPEARS TO, UH, BE RATHER QUICKLY OVERWHELMED BY THIS ADDITION.
AND THAT'S NOT THE INTENTION, I'M SURE, BUT I AGREED I, FROM WHERE IT IS TO WHAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT WORK, I'D LIKE TO SEE A LOT OF CHANGE.
AND LET ME JUST THROW THAT OUT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE, UM, WE DO HAVE, I MEAN, WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE, WELL, WE DO HAVE A BACKSET.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT ANY FURTHER FORWARD THAN THE EXISTING EIGHTIES EDITION.
AND, UH, UH, WE CAN GO INTO DETAIL, BUT OKAY.
I JUST UNDERSTOOD, LEMME JUST EXPRESS SOME SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT UNDERSTOOD.
I THINK THE, THE INTENT IS LAUDABLE.
THE IDEA OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER INTO A, A, A CENTRAL SPACE AND THEN WORKING THROUGH AND CONNECTING TO THE BUILDING IS LAUDABLE.
I, FOR ONE, WOULD NOT SUPPORT MAKING THE FRONT DOOR OF A HISTORIC BUILDING.
THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN, BASICALLY ONLY AN EXIT, YOU'LL HAVE PEOPLE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR THAT'S, UH, IN HIS, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT VERY HOSPITABLE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S AN STANDALONE GALLERY.
YOU CAN HAVE INDEPENDENT ACCESS IN AND OUT OF THAT GALLERY.
BUT THAT SHOULD NOT JUST BE AN EXIT DOOR.
BUT WE CAN GO IN A LOT MORE DEPTH BY TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S GOT A LOT OF WORK BEFORE I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE OFFERING OUR APPROVAL.
SO WE DO, WE ARE SCHEDULED TO, TO SPEAK WITH THE REVIEW COMMITTEE ON THE 10TH.
WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMENTS.
I MAY HAVE GOTTEN AHEAD OF THE, THE COMMISSION, BUT, UH, I, I REALLY DO HAVE TO SAY THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING, SO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I JUST, I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS.
HAVE Y'ALL VISITED WITH THE STATE PRESERVATION BOARD YET? AND HAVE YOU VISITED WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION YET? THIS IS OUR STOP ONE.
WELL MAYBE WE'LL WE APPRECIATE THAT
THOSE ARE, WE'LL GET THE BALL ROLLING.
THOSE ARE STOPS TWO AND THREE.
WE'RE JUST, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE JUST IN MIDSTREAM PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
TRYING TO GET SOME FEEDBACK BEFORE WE MOVE ON ANY FURTHER.
WE DON'T WANNA BAKE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ACCEPTABLE GIVEN ITS ADJACENCY TO STATE PRESERVATION BOARD TERRITORY.
UM, I THINK THEY WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN IT.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOLKS WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AS WELL.
SO I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU MOVE SOONER WITH THEM RATHER THAN LATER.
SO IT, IT, THE MASSING IS PROBLEMATIC TO YOU, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FORM OF THE OKAY, WE'LL LET IT GO.
WE'LL TALK TO THE ARCHITECTURE.
WELL, AND ONE THING I WILL RECOMMEND, UH, ON A TIGHT SITE LIKE THAT MM-HMM
TAKE UP SO MUCH OF THE PRESENTATION FROM THE STREET WITH A SWITCHBACK RAMP.
YOU MIGHT LOOK AT REOR ORIENTING THE LEVELS AND HAVING A MULTI-STOP ELEVATOR ONCE YOU'RE INSIDE AT, AT GRADE LEVEL.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A SWITCHBACK RAMP THAT'S TAKING UP, UH, THAT'S BASICALLY BIGGER IN SCALE AND, AND MORE DOMINEERING POTENTIALLY THAN THE FRONT DOOR OF YOUR BUILDING, THE HISTORIC BUILDING.
SO, UH, IT JUST, IT LOOKS LIKE IT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
WELL, THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK.
AS CHAIR OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, I'LL JUST BACK ALL THAT UP AND, AND WE'LL TALK IN MORE DETAIL.
JUST ONE THING TO START THINKING ABOUT.
I'M NOT SEEING WHERE THE ACCESSIBLE PARKING IS AND WHERE THE ROUTE ACCESSIBLE ROUTE FROM ACCESSIBLE PARKING INTO THE BUILDING IS.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT POPS OUT AT ME IMMEDIATELY.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO BEFORE WE EVEN GET INTO ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM OTHER, OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
[00:45:01]
UH, JUST TO RETURN ON THAT THERE, ACCESSIBLE PARKING IS LITERALLY THE FRONT SPOT, RIGHT? ON CONGRESS AVENUE? NO.ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT BRIEFINGS ARE FOR.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE GET HARD BEFORE YOUR TIME.
WE HAVE A CHANCE TO GIVE YOU SOME INPUT.
SO I, I REALLY WANNA SEE THAT COME TOGETHER.
[5. SB-2026-102124; C14H-1982-0001-h – 920 Congress Ave. Larmour Block (H) Council District 9]
GO UP TO OUR FIRST, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM.AND THAT'S ITEM NUMBER FIVE AT NINE 20 CONGRESS AVENUE.
UH, THIS, UH, HAS TO DO WITH A SIGN THANK YOU CHAIR ITEM 5 9 20 CONGRESS AVENUE.
THIS IS THE ALARMER BLOCK BUILDING H THE PROPOSAL IS TO INSTALL A NEON LIT PROJECTING SIGN.
UM, THE BUILDING DOES COMPLY WITH ALMOST ALL OF THE APPLICABLE SIGN STANDARDS FOR HISTORIC DISTRICTS, HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, EXCEPT FOR THE PROPOSED NEON LIGHTING.
THIS ITEM CAME TO THIS OR LAST MONTH'S COMMITTEE FEEDBACK OR ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE, AND RECEIVED FEEDBACK THERE.
UM, THAT FEEDBACK WAS AS FOLLOWS, DO NOT INSTALL NEON ON BUILDINGS, USE PERIODS OF SIGNIFICANCE PREDATE THE PERIOD FOR WHICH NEON WAS A CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURE.
AND CHOOSE HALO LIT SIGNAGE INSTEAD.
THIS STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THEREFORE, IS TO APPROVE THE SIGN EXCEPT FOR THE NEON LIGHTING AND DENY THE, THE REQUEST FOR NEON IN CONCURRENCE WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, UM, AND REQUEST THE APPLICANT RESUBMIT THE DESIGN WITH INDIRECT LIGHTING.
UH, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
UM, DO WE, WE HAD ONE SPEAKER.
UH, THIS IS STILL A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE CERTAINLY ARE ABLE TO HEAR SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT? YES, WE HAVE THE WHOLE APPLICANT TEAM, WHICH IS THE THREE IN FAVOR SPEAKERS.
UM, OUR FIRST ONE IS SHAYNA GARDNER, WHO MAY BE ONLINE NOW, WHO IS NOT IN FACT ONLINE.
SO OUR NEXT ONE IS MR. PATRICK MORAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, WE WERE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE, UH, THE COMMISSION, UM, THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMISSION GIVE US FEEDBACK ON THIS.
UH, AND IT PROMPTED US TO ACTUALLY GO INTO A MUCH DEEPER SORT OF, UH, EXPLORATION OF WHAT THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING WAS USED FOR.
UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS.
UH, WE LOVED THAT IT WAS A THEATER, THAT IT WAS, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THEATERS TO ACTUALLY SHOW MOVIES, SILENT MOVIES, STARTING IN 1913.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME, AS I HAD STATED, THEY DID USE THESE PROJECTING, UH, UH, GLASS SIGNS, UM, OR GLASS LIT SIGNS THAT WERE REALLY INTRIGUING TO US.
UM, AND WE THOUGHT THAT THEY, THERE WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT PLACE FOR A CALLBACK TO USE NEON, ESPECIALLY SINCE NEON BECAME SUCH A PROMINENT PIECE OF THE, THE CONGRESS AVENUE, UH, AFTER THAT.
UH, ANOTHER UNIQUE THING IS THAT THE SWIFT HOUSE IS A, UM, IS A VENUE FOR EVENTS, UH, WHICH WOULD CHANGE.
AND AS SHOWN IN SOME OF THE PICTURES I HAVE IN OUR PRESENTATION, UH, THE SIGNAGE, OR SORRY, THE, THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING WOULD CHANGE REGULARLY WITH WHATEVER MOVIE WAS SHOWING.
UH, AND THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN AND INTERESTING, UH, THAT WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT ALSO HARKEN BACK TO NOW ITS NEW USE AS AN EVENT SPACE WHERE THINGS WILL BE CHANGING, UH, REGULARLY.
SO, UH, THE DELICATE AND TINY SORT OF UNDERSTATED NEON, UH, WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A VERY, VERY LIGHT TOUCH CALLBACK TO THIS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, UH, AND RELINQUISH MYTA.
OUR NEXT IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS PATRICK GIORGIO.
PATRICK GEORGIO WITH BUILD AUSTIN.
I REPRESENT, UH, OWNERSHIP OF, OF NINE, UM, 20 CONGRESS.
I'M USED TO SAYING 9 16 9 18 N NINE 20.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS GOING IN WITH YOU GUYS RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT YES, I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS.
UM, LIKE WAS JUST MENTIONED, UM, THE, THE DEEP DIVE THAT WE TOOK INTO THIS PROJECT AFTER, AFTER STARTING TO DIG A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WENT WAY BACK, YOU KNOW, BACK TO THE EARLY 19, UM, 19 HUNDREDS AND FOUND ALL THESE REALLY COOL OLD SIGNS THAT THAT USED TO BE, AND NOTICE THAT IT USED TO HAVE A CIRCUS THAT WOULD, THAT THAT USED TO PLAY THERE, USED TO ROTATE.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF CIRCUSES THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THIS FACILITY AND LIKE WAS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THEY HAD A, THEY HAD A DIFFERENT WRAP FOR THE, FOR THE FACE OF THE BE, UH, BUILDING FOR THE FACADE, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT EVENT WAS GOING ON THERE WITH VARIOUS DIFFERENT LIGHTS, VARIOUS DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SIGNS, ET CETERA.
[00:50:01]
AND LIKE WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, IT, THE, ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT, UM, WE HAD NOTICED WAS, WAS, OR ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE WAS THAT WE, THEY DIDN'T WANT ANY NEON BECAUSE THAT PREDATES THE TIME OF NEON.AND, AND THIS WAS THE, BASICALLY THE BIRTH OF NEON WAS, WAS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD TO SAY.
ANY MORE SPEAKERS? NO MORE SPEAKERS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A, UH, MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED.
WHAT, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'M GONNA MOVE TO, UM, FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF THE SIGN BACK LIT AND NOT WITH NEON.
IS THERE A SECOND? IF THERE IS NO SECOND, THEN WE'LL NEED ANOTHER MOTION.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THE MOTION IN ORDER THAT WE CAN HAVE IT DISCUSSED.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? YES.
UM, YEAH, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE APPLICANT COMING TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, I AM, UH, NEVER HAPPY WITH SIGN SIGNAGE, UH, CASES, ASKING FOR EXCEPTIONS TO SIGN GUIDELINES BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY OBJECTIVE AND THERE'S USUALLY NOT A GOOD REASON TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THEM.
UH, BUT I'M GLAD THE REASON I PULL THIS CASE IS A, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY ASKED FOR IT.
AND BI THINK THE DISCUSSION OF NEON ON, PARTICULARLY ON CONGRESS AVENUE AND SIXTH STREET, NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AND, AND COULD ADVISE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND THEIR EXPIRATION OF THE, THE SIGNAGE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, TO ME, GOING FROM NEON TO BACKLIT IS A MINOR CHANGE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE HISTORICAL RESEARCH AND THE HISTORICAL COMMENTS AND IT KIND OF BRINGS UP WHAT IS OUR INTERPRETATION PERIOD FOR THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, AND I THINK BOTH ON CONGRESS AND SIXTH STREET IS COMPLICATED BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE STARTED WITHOUT NEON AND THEN GREW INTO A PERIOD WHERE THEY HAD, UH, FACING WITH MID-CENTURY MODERN FRONTS AND NEON, WHICH WAS A, UH, CHARACTER SHIFT FOR THE WHOLE STREET THAT WAS LARGELY REVERSED IN THE SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES AND NINETIES WHEN ALL THE LANDMARKS WERE RESTORED AND KIND OF WENT BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY.
SO IN MY MIND, THE INTERPRETATION PERIOD IS THE 19TH CENTURY.
STATE, STATE THEATER, YOU KNOW, THE MOST, THE LARGEST OF THOSE ARE WHERE THE SIGN IS ORIGINAL TO THE BUSINESS AND THE BUSINESS IS STILL EXISTS, WHICH WOULD BE THE JOE CONAN SONS JEWELERS, KRUGERS JEWELERS, PARAMOUNT STATE THEATERS, UH, THOSE BEING HISTORIC SONS ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC BUSINESSES THAT STILL REMAIN KIND OF MAKES SENSE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD, UH, THAT THE HIDEOUT WAS IN NEON.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S NEON OR LED UH, ROYAL BLUE AS WELL.
UM, BUT YES, NEON WAS ONCE APPROPRIATE ON THESE STREETS, ON BOTH STREETS.
UH, WE HAD AN APPLICANT COME AT THE DRISCOLL AND WANTED NEON AND THEY SHOWED US A NEON SIGN THAT WAS ON THE DRISCOLL ON SIXTH STREET.
AND SIXTH STREET IN PARTICULAR HAD TONS OF NEON, BUT WE DIDN'T APPROVE IT.
THEY ENDED UP PUTTING ONE ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE BUILDING AT THE, AT THE NEWLY REVAMPED GRILL.
BUT THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE, THE DISTRICT.
AND SO WASN'T IN OUR PURVIEW ANYWAY AS A DISTRICT.
SO, UM, I JUST ALWAYS, IF WE MAKE AN EXCEPTION TO THE STEIN SIGN OF STANDARDS TO MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR ALL OF US SO THAT WE'RE NOT HEARING SIGN CASES AND THESE CAN BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
I JUST ALWAYS GO TO LET, TO STICK TO THE STANDARDS THERE FOR A REASON.
BUT IF ANYONE FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT REINTRODUCING ALLOWING THE REINTRODUCTION OF, OF NEON ON EITHER OF THESE DISTRICTS, I THINK NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND DIS DISCUSS MY SECOND.
UM, I THINK A GOOD CASE WAS MADE FOR THE HISTORY OF NEON AS UH, THIS OWNER HAS GONE THROUGH QUITE A BIT IN SHOWING US, BUT I THINK IN THE VERY END THEY ALSO SHOW THAT CONGRESS AVENUE TODAY, UH, EXCEPT FOR THE SPECIFIC SIGNS THAT COMMISSIONER COOK REFERENCES ARE IN FACT ALL BACKLIT.
AND SO I THINK THAT A NON HISTORIC NEON IN THAT CRITICAL LOCATION, UH, I THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THE MOTION, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, UH,
[00:55:01]
INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON THIS ONE.OKAY, SO THAT'D BE SEVEN IN FAVOR AND COMMISSIONER RICE ABSTAINING.
[6. PR-2026-053670 – 1109 Travis Heights Blvd. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9]
THAT, UH, LEADS US TO THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT APP PERMIT APPLICATION AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD COMMISSIONERS.WE HAVE HAD THIS ONE ON OUR AGENDA AND IT'S BEEN POSTPONED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE APPLICANT TALK WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE ANY OF THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE, BUT, UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HEAR THE CASE.
CHAIR ITEM SIX AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD AS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCUIT 1920 HOUSE, THIS AMERICAN FOURSQUARE WITH PRAIRIE SCHOOL STYLISTIC INFLUENCES WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1920 AND IT HAS A LOW PITCHED HIP ROOF WITH BROAD OVERHANGS, FULL, UH, AND A FULL WIDTH HIP ROOF PORCH WITH A LONG OPEN SPAN SUPPORTED AT THE CORNERS BY LARGE SQUARE COLUMNS.
THE SECOND FLOOR HAD RECESSED CORNERS INFILLED, UH, AND CONVERTED TO INTERIOR SPACE.
MUCH OF THE HOUSE HAS BEEN COVERED WITH ALUMINUM SIDING.
WOOD WINDOWS APPEAR THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING WITH LARGER MULTI LIGHT FIXTURES APPEARING AT THE FRONT ELEVATIONS IN SIMPLER, ONE OVER ONE UNITS MORE COMMON AT THE SIDES AND REAR.
EARLY OWNERS OF THIS CIRCA 1920 HOUSE WERE ELMER AND CORA YOUNG EE YOUNG WAS CO-OWNER OF AN AUTOMOTIVE DEALERSHIP AND HE LATER BOUGHT OUT HIS PARTNER AND CONTINUED OPERATION UNDER HIS OWN NAME.
HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH IN 1928, HE 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 BUSINESS ON EAST SIXTH STREET.
AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1933, HIS WIFE CONTINUED TO RUN THE JEWELRY STORE FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS.
IT APPEARS THAT SHE LEASED OUT THE HOUSE FOLLOWING HER HUS 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 THE FOREMAN AT THE CAL KASU LUMBER COMPANY AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED.
UM, THIS CASE WILL TIME OUT ON NOV OCTOBER 27TH, 2026.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
DISTRICT AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY BUT DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THUS, 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.
THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST REVIEW NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS PRIOR TO PERMIT RELEASE IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? THE APPLICANT HASN'T SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT THEY MAY BE IN THE ROOM AND IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE THAT IS TRUE.
OKAY, SO MR. GABE JOSEPH? IT'S NOT HERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? YES, WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP IN O IN OPPOSITION.
AND OUR FIRST IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS BARBARA SILLY.
NOW I BET Y'ALL ARE WONDERING WHY THIS CLOSET IS UP THERE.
THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE CLOSET IN MY BUNGALOW.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TRYING TO BUILD A HOUSE TODAY, YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE A CLOSET THAT SIZE.
BUT IN THE TWENTIES THAT WAS PRETTY STANDARD BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? I HAVE MORE THAN ONE CLOSET THAT SIZE OF MY HOUSE.
SO WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, WE DID MEET WITH, UH, THE DEVELOPER.
HE MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR TO US AND WE HAVE UH, LINDSEY HERE WHO DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN THE MINUTES SAYING THAT HIS BUSINESS MODEL DID NOT WORK WITH HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
BASICALLY THAT, UM, HE WAS JUST GONNA RUN OUT THE CLOCK AND THEN GET THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND THEN BUILD A DESIGN THAT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OUR ARCHITECTURAL STYLE, THIS AREA.
SO HE ALSO SAID, UM, I THINK IN THE LAST MEETING HE REFERENCED SOME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. HE INDICATED THAT REALLY THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
SO HE ALSO INDICATED HE WOULD NOT BE PROBABLY MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND HE FURTHER SAID HIS BUSINESS MODEL FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS TO
[01:00:01]
DO 5% OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.SO WE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS GENTLEMAN AGAIN ON DEMOLITION PERMITS OF THESE STRUCTURES THAT HAVE CLOSETS THIS SIZE.
SO THIS CLOSET TO ME REPRESENTS WHERE WE ARE IN THIS MOMENT, WHICH IS TO SAY WE WANT BIG HOUSES WITH BIG CLOSETS.
I AM SURE THAT THE STRUCTURE HE IS PLANNING TO PUT ON THERE WILL BE MM, YOU KNOW, THREE OR 4,000 SQUARE FEET AND THEY WILL BE BIG CLOSETS AND THEY WILL REFLECT OUR TIMES AND OUR POSSESSIONS AND OUR AC ACCLIMATION ACCUMULATION OF POSSESSIONS.
AND I THINK BACK TO MY CLOSET AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY PROBABLY HAD A GOOD DRESS, A BLOUSE AND EVERYDAY BLOUSE AND SOME SHOES.
AND THEN THE TOP WAS, YOU KNOW, FOR HATS AND A FEW THINGS.
AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN HIS BUSINESS MODEL AND OUR DESIRE TO PRESERVE THESE WONDERFUL BUNGALOWS, WE ARE REALLY BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THIS COMMITTEE DOES.
AND I WAS WONDERING, I SIGNED UP FOR, UM, 2009, IF I COULD JUST KIND OF TESTIFY ALL AT ONCE IF THAT WORKS.
UH, WELL YOUR TIME HAS RUN, SO WHY DON'T WE WAIT UNTIL WE CALL THAT CASE.
I, WELL MY SLIDES OKAY,
OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS CLIFTON LAD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LAD AND I'M HERE TO ASK FOR A POSTPONEMENT ON THIS CASE.
I REPRESENT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, WHICH I CO-CHAIR.
AND I'M WITH BARBARA SILLY, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, IN THE INTEREST OF USING OUR TIME MOST EFFICIENTLY, I'VE PLANNED MY COMMENTS TO COVER BOTH 1109 AND 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
SO THIS ITEM IN THE NEXT ONE ON YOUR AGENDA, UH, WE DO HAVE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE WHO ARE HERE ALSO TO TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BOTH THESE CASES.
BOTH OF THESE HOMES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
THEY'RE MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD, AND THEY'RE VERY VISIBLE, PROMINENT HOMES ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, WE HAVE RECENTLY FOUND INFORMATION WE BELIEVE IS SUFFICIENT TO SHOW THAT THESE HOMES ALSO MEET TWO ADDITIONAL CRITERIA NEEDED FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT RESEARCH AND THEN PRESENT AT YOUR OCTOBER MEETING.
UM, AS BARBARA MENTIONED, UH, WE DID MEET, UH, WITH THE APPLICANT.
FIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE, MYSELF INCLUDED, MET WITH, UH, MR. GABE JOSEPH AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD ON AUGUST 17TH.
UM, WE MET THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN WE WENT DOWN THE STREET TO 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
IN THE MEETING, WE ASKED MR. JOSEPH IF, IF HE WOULD BE WILLING TO CONSIDER ANY POSSIBILITY OF RETAINING THE EXISTING HOMES.
WE ASK HIM ABOUT OPTIONS INCLUDING ARCHITECTURAL STYLES, MATERIALS, ROOF LINES, SETBACKS, PRESERVATIONS OF PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURES AND LANDSCAPING, UH, LANDSCAPE SCREENING TO MAKE ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION MORE COMPATIBLE WITH TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
HE IS NOT WILLING TO CONSIDER ANYTHING OTHER THAN DEMOLISHING THE EXISTING HOMES AND BUILDING AS MANY HOMES AS HE CAN ON THOSE LOTS.
UH, WHAT HE'D LIKE TO DO IS BUILD FOUR HOMES WHERE 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS ON A DOUBLE LOT.
UM, AND THEN HE'D LIKE TO BUILD TWO HOMES ON THE SINGLE LOT.
AT 2009, WE ASKED HIM MULTIPLE TIMES WHETHER HE WOULD CONSIDER RETAINING, UM, OR REMODELING THE EXISTING HOUSES, AND HE WAS CLEAR THAT HE WOULD NOT CONSIDER THAT HE DIDN'T SHOW ANY INTEREST IN COMPROMISE.
IT WAS JUST WE DIDN'T GET ANYWHERE WITH MEETING WITH HIM.
HE WAS JUST UNWILLING TO CHANGE ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST GET THESE, THESE HOMES, TEAR 'EM DOWN, AND BUILD AS MUCH AS HE CAN.
UH, I DO HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER POSTPONING ACTION ON THESE TWO CASES WHILE WE CONTINUE OUR RESEARCH.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST.
OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS FRANCESCO PASANTE.
[01:05:11]
YEAH, MY NAME IS FRANCISCO PASANTE AND I TOO BELONG TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE NAPAL ROAD ASSOCIATION, AND I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE PROPOSED DEMOLITION OF 1109 TRA HEIGHT BOULEVARD.I WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF FINDINGS BY MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE EXACTLY.
100 YEARS AGO IN 20, UH, 1926, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN DEVOTED A FULL PAGE TO THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS LAID OUT IN 1913.
AT THE TOP LEFT, YOU SEE TWO HOUSES THAT STILL FACE EACH OTHER AT THE START OF THE BOULEVARD, SETTING THE TONE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE TOP HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR WH STACY, THE DEVELOPER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE NEXT ONE DOWN ON THE LEFT IS THE HOUSE AT 9 11 0 9 DRIVER SITES BOULEVARD THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING TONIGHT, BUILT FOR ELER YOUNG, AN AUTOMOBILE DEALER, CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE NEWSPAPER PICTURE SHOWS 1109 IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE CLAD AND WHITE STOCK WITH RECESSED CORNERS PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY.
LATER IN 1965, THE HOUSE WAS VERY CLAD AND ALUMINUM SIDING, THE CORONERS WERE FILLED IN AND THE HOUSE BECAME MORE BOXY, BUT THE ORIGINAL IS STILL THERE, HIDDEN BEHIND THE ALUMINUM.
THE ORIGINAL HOUSE SHOWN IN THE NEWSPAPER IS A REMARKABLY LIVELY DESIGN ON A PAR WITH THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE PRAIRIE SCHOOL, THE ARCHITECTURAL TREND THAT DEVELOPED IN CHICAGO FROM 1900 TO WORLD WAR I AND INCLUDED FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.
WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH THAT BOTH THE YOUNG AND STACY MOVED INTO THEIR NEW H HOMES IN EARLY 1918, HENCE BOTH HOUSES WERE BUILT AT THE SAME TIME DURING 1917.
NOW, THE US ENTERED WORLD WAR I IN APRIL 17, AND SOLDIERS WERE NOT SENT TO EUROPE UNTIL THE END OF 17.
SO THE TWO HOUSES THAT SET THE TONE FOR TRAVERSE HEIGHTS BOULEVARD WERE DESIGNED BEFORE WORLD WAR I PARTAKING IN THE TWO ARCHITECTURAL TRENDS CURRENT AT THAT MOMENT, THE CALIFORNIAN BUNGALOWS OF GREEN AND GREEN, AND THE MIDWESTERN BUNGALOWS OF THE PRAIRIE SCHOOL.
TWO TRENDS THAT WERE INFORMAL, EMPHATICALLY AMERICAN, NO LONGER IMITATING EUROPEAN STYLES.
THIS IS THE TONE THEY SET FOR TRA SITES.
WE NEED BOTH HOUSES TO STAND WHERE THEY ARE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE, OF THE SPEAKERS? OKAY, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF.
UM, SINCE THIS, UH, THE, THE ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, 1109, UH, HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE A TIME OUT.
HOWEVER, IF WE ARE TO AT LEAST BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HISTORIC ZONING, THAT WOULD, THIS WOULD BE THE LAST MEETING WE COULD AT LEAST INITIATE, THEN STAFF WOULD INVESTIGATE, DO FURTHER RESEARCH, BECAUSE THEN THE NEXT MEETING, IF THERE WAS TO BE A VOTE, THAT WOULD BE STILL POSSIBLE.
WHEREAS IF WE SKIP THAT, BASICALLY THIS IS THE LAST MEETING FOR US TO TAKE ACTION IN THAT REGARD.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SHARE, UH, THIS ITEM WILL TIME OUT ON OCTOBER 27TH, WHICH MEANS THAT YOUR OCTOBER MEETING IS THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH YOU MAY HEAR THE CASE.
UM, AND THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU WANT TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING, IT WILL NEED TO HAPPEN AT THE OCTOBER MEETING, UM, AND BE INITIATED TONIGHT SO WE COULD HAVE A MOTION TO INITIATE.
THAT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE THE FINAL DECISION.
THAT FINAL DECISION STILL COULD BE MADE, BUT IT WOULD BE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND THAT'S OUR LAST CHANCE TO DO SO.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE COMMISSIONERS WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT.
UH, AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[01:10:01]
THOUGHT ON THIS ONE? I, WELL, I APPRECIATE, SIR, IF YOU DON'T, I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH THAT, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS DONE, AND, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT OVER THE COMING WEEKS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CONCLUDE IT.I WOULD BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHO THE BUILDER WAS AND, UM, WHO THE ARCHITECT WAS.
UH, IF WE COULD FIND THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING AND IT MAY ELEVATE THE PROPERTY, UM, WITH GREATER SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I WOULD MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND BEFORE WE MOVE ON CHAIR? UH, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, DOES THAT MOTION INCLUDE, UH, REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.
IS THERE A SECOND? WELL, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS IT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND ADD THE SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION FURTHER? WELL, AGAIN, I THINK I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT THERE IS MORE OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT, UH, THAT THE, UH, COMMITTEE CAN BRING TO STAFF.
UH, AND I WANT THEM TO HAVE THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL OF THIS, UM, ADVERTISEMENT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, ONCE AGAIN, SHOWS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND TO ITS HISTORY.
SO I THINK THAT DESERVES A FAIR HEARING.
AND I'M, I'M JUST GONNA ADD, I HAD NOT FOCUSED ON IT THE WAY THAT MR. FTI HAS COMMENTED, UH, OR BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THOSE TWO HOUSES AND THEIR DEFINITION, IF YOU WILL, OF THE WHOLE ENTRY TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS, I THINK THAT IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY WERE DESIGNED IN RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, THAT, UH, THIS GOES BEYOND JUST THE PROPERTY LINE ITSELF AND I THINK WOULD MEET SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE POTENTIALLY WOULD HAVE IN LOOKING AT COMMUNITY VALUE AS ONE OF THE CRITERIA.
UH, SO I, I, I THINK THAT IT'S WORTH EXPLORING FURTHER.
WE ALSO, IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION OF THIS KIND AT THIS MEETING, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DO A HISTORIC ZONING NEXT MEETING WILL BE PASSED.
SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT THE NEIGHBORS HAVE ASKED FOR A POSTPONEMENT.
THAT ALONE WOULD NOT GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN ACTION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THIS INITIATION.
SO WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE WILL ZONE IT, OR I'M NOT EVEN SURE I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT, BUT KNOWING THAT THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN IN THIS INTERIM PERIOD, I THINK IT IS A WORTHY MOTION.
QUESTION OF STAFF, BECAUSE I MAY AMEND MY MOTION.
THERE ARE TWO LEGAL LOTS ON THE SECOND LEGAL LOT.
THERE IS NO CONSTRUCT, THERE IS NO BUILDING OR THERE MAY BE A GARAGE.
UM, AND, UM, SINCE THERE ARE TWO ILLEGAL LOTS, AND THIS IS ZONING, UH, WE COULD JUST, UH, DO THE, INITIATE THE CASE ON THE LOT THAT HAS THE HOUSE AND NOT ON THE, THE LOT THAT HAS NOTHING OR THE GARAGE, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, COMMISSIONER.
UM, IT IS THE COMMISSION'S DISCRETION, UM, AS TO WHICH BOUNDARIES OF HISTORIC ZONING, UH, THEY WANT TO INITIATE OR RECOMMEND.
UM, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SPECIFIED WITHIN THE MOTION THOUGH, UM, AS YOU MENTIONED.
COMMISSIONERS MORE? ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? YEAH, I'M, I'M GOING, UH, SUPPORT THE MOTION.
AND AS I STATED AT THE LAST MEETING, I THINK THE STYLE OF THIS HOUSE REALLY LENDS ITSELF TO THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPER STYLE AND REALLY PROVIDES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE, HAVE A SHOW OF GOOD FAITH TOWARD THIS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT IN RETAINING ONE OF THE HOUSES.
I THINK, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHICH THE, WHICH OF THE CRITERIA WOULD APPLY.
I'M ASSUMING IT'S ARCHITECTURE, UH, FOR SURE.
BUT, UM, I WOULD LOOK AT A UNIQUE LOCATION, UH, BEING ON THE HILL ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, AND AT THAT PARTICULAR CORNER AS, AS BEING EMBLEMATIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS INDICATED, AND IT'S BEING FEATURED IN MULTIPLE ADVERTISEMENTS.
I AM INTERESTED TO HEAR, UH, WHAT THE OCCUPANT, WHAT ROLE THE OCCUPANT HAD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
I WOULD THINK THERE PROBABLY IS MORE TO THAT SINCE IT IS SUCH A PROMINENT HOUSE IN SUCH A PROMINENT LOCATION.
[01:15:01]
MY CARDS AND SAY, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE INFILLING OF THOSE CORNERS IN TERMS OF INTEGRITY BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL, UM, PERIOD.SO, UM, I THINK THIS MAY BE CHALLENGING, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THIS PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE LOOKING INTO ANY MORE DISCUSSION.
HEARING NONE, I WILL CALL, CALL THE QUESTION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON THIS ONE AS WELL.
I SEE SEVEN HANDS RAISED WITH COMMISSIONER RICE ABSTAINING.
ALRIGHT, UH, THEN THE MOTION IS PASSED.
[7. PR-2026-059982 – 2009 Travis Heights Blvd. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9]
US, UH, TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UH, AND THAT'S 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.ITEM SEVEN, UH, SIMILARLY IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1939 HOUSE.
THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THIS HOUSE IS AT THE RIGHT TWO THIRDS OF THE STREET FACING FACADE, WHICH STILL RETAINS SOME TWO REVIVAL DETAILS AS YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN, SUCH AS THE ARCH DOOR AND THE STEEP ROOF PITCH TO THE NORTH OF THE MAIN HOUSE IS THE 2012 EDITION OF A COVERED PORCH, WHICH WAS ENCLOSED WITHIN WALLS COVERED IN MATCHING PAINTED STUCCO, UH, WHICH APPEARS FROM THE STREET AS CONDITIONED SPACE BEHIND.
THIS IS A PERGOLA THAT IS ALSO ENCLOSED BY FULL HEIGHT WALLS, THOUGH NO ROOF COVERS IT.
THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS HOUSE WERE SR.
AND MAXINE BLAKE, WHO WORKED IN SALES AND BRIEFLY LIVED AT THE PROPERTY BEFORE IT WAS ACQUIRED BY FRANK AND FLORES SHEPA, THEN JASON AND VIRGINIA FORBES, WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
DURING THEIR OWNERSHIP, JASON FORBES WENT FROM A RECORD KEEPER AT THE TEXAS STATE HOUSE REPORTER TO A CORRESPONDENT, AND FINALLY TO AN EDITOR OF THE PUBLICATION.
BY 1957, THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD AGAIN TO FLOYD AND PEARL FORRESTER.
UM, THIS CASE IS SET TO TIMEOUT ON NOVEMBER 9TH, 2026.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, 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 TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE COMMISSION MUST REVIEW NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS PRIOR TO PERMIT RELEASE IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTION OF STAFF? AND AGAIN, THIS WAS POSTPONED.
THIS ONE'S NOT AS FAR ALONG AS ITEM NUMBER SIX, SO WE STILL HAVE ONE MORE MONTH IF THERE IS AN, UH, UH, UH, POSTPONEMENT, UH, AS A STANDARD POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
THE APPLICANT I TAKE IT IS NOT HERE.
UM, THING IS NO ONE NEW HAS ENTERED THE ROOM, BUT OUR FIRST IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER OF FOUR THAT WE HAVE IS LINDSAY LEE.
HI, UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY LEE AND I'M NEIGHBOR TO 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHT BOULEVARD.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ADDITIONAL TIME THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE HAVE USED IT VERY INTENTIONALLY SINCE OUR LAST HEARING.
WE'VE CONTINUED THE ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND WE'VE NOW ENGAGED WITH SOME PRESERVATION PROFESSIONALS TO EVALUATE THE PROPERTY'S ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, INTEGRITY CONSTRUCTION METHODS, AND POTENTIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR HISTORICAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
I DO ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT DURING OUR MEETING WITH THE APPLICANT, THE DEVELOPER INDICATED THAT THESE HOMES WERE PURCHASED ON CONTINGENCY, AND IF THEY'RE NOT APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION, THEY WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH PURCHASING EITHER 1109 OR 2009.
IT IS THE SAME DEVELOPER FOR BOTH OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
UM, OUR RESEARCH IS ACTIVELY UNDERWAY, AND WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THE PROFESSIONALS ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE THEIR ASSESSMENT BEFORE ASKING YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THE MUCH LARGER QUESTION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, WE ARE THEREFORE ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO CONTINUE THE DEMOLITION POSTPONEMENT WITH THE INTENTION OF RETURNING WITH A COMPLETED EVIDENCE-BASED REPORT.
AND IF SUPPORTED BY THOSE FINDINGS ASKING YOU TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING US THE TIME TO CAREFULLY AND RESPONSIBLY RESEARCH THIS BEFORE ANY IRREVERSIBLE DECISION IS MADE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS AS THE SPEAKER OF THE NEXT SPEAKER? OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS BARBARA SILLY, IF SHE CHOOSES TO SPEAK AGAIN.
UH, I'M NOT GOOD WITH THESE CHAIRS.
[01:20:01]
HAVE MORE THAN THE CLOCK.UM, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE NOTION OF A BOULEVARD AND THE CONTEXT OF A BOULEVARD.
SO LET ME GO THROUGH THESE STRUCTURES.
THAT'S THE STACEY HOUSE, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE RESEARCH, UH, ARE REALLY, I THINK, GETTING CLOSE TO MAYBE FIGURING OUT THE ARCHITECT.
THIS IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE STACEY HOUSE.
THIS IS, UH, A, A LANDMARK BUILDING, AND IT IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
SO I WANTED TO SHOW THESE THREE BUILDINGS IN SEQUENCE BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE CHARACTER AND THE CONTEXT FOR WHICH THIS BOULEVARD AND THAT THIS STRUCTURE, UH, A 2009 IS PART OF, UH, I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH TO YOU HOW SAD IT MAKES ME TO HAVE A DEVELOPER COME INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUY TWO PROPERTIES ON SPECULATION WITH THE IDEA OF RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK AND DEMOLISH THEM.
SO I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THIS COMMITTEE GIVING US THE TIME TO DO AS MUCH WORK AS WE CAN TO TRY AND BRING MORE DOCUMENTATION BACK TO YOU.
UM, ALL I CAN SAY IS AFTER GOING THROUGH THESE EXPERIENCE, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING A LOT MORE INTENSIVELY AT DOING LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS TO GET A LITTLE MORE PROTECTION.
WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THAT, AT LEAST I'M VERY CLEAR IN MY MIND ABOUT THAT NOW.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TO YOUR STAFF AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU GUYS ABOUT GIVING US A WORKSHOP ON HOW TO DO A LOCAL DISTRICT CORRECTLY, THE DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER NOT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE DEMOLITION PERMITS, UH, AND, AND THE REAL PAIN THAT IT BRINGS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOSE THESE STRUCTURES.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS OFF THE TOPIC, BUT WHEN I SAW THE MASSING ON THAT BUILDING NEXT TO THE OLD BAKERY, I JUST WENT WHERE, WHAT ARCHITECT DON'T THEY TEACH ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY ANYMORE, HONEY? OH, OKAY.
OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS CLIFTON LAD, I
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS CLIFTON LAD, MY COMMENTS ON 1109 ALSO APPLIED TO 2009, SO I DON'T NEED TO SAY IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
I THINK YOU HEARD ME THE FIRST TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THIS, WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF ONE MORE GENERAL POSTPONEMENT, IF THAT IS YOUR DESIRE.
THIS DOES TIME OUT IN NOVEMBER AS IT'S CURRENTLY STATED.
SO I, I MOVE TO, UH, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, AND POSTPONE TO THE OCTOBER MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK DEAR MOTION? NO, I THINK THE, I I THINK THE OPPOSITION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND, AND THERE APPEAR TO BE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, AND I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE, UH, WHAT INFORMATION THEY CAN PROVIDE.
COMMISSIONER COOK? YES, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR THE APPLICANT TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE DEMOLITION, OTHER THAN IT NOT FITTING THEIR BUSINESS PLAN.
UH, WE'VE SEEN THIS APPLICANT MANY TIMES.
IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR THAT 5% IS THEIR GOAL.
GLAD TO HEAR THERE'S A CAP ON IT.
UM, AND THERE'S JUST NO, AT LEAST THERE'S NO FACADE THAT THEIR BUSINESS PLAN IS COMPLETELY, UM, IN CONFLICT WITH THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
DOES WISH THEY WERE OTHER PROPERTIES THEY COULD FIND TO, TO BUILD.
THEY BUILD HOUSES THAT ARE IN VERY HIGH DEMAND FOR THEIR STYLE, AND, UH, THEY DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT.
IT'S JUST THIS, THIS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, FOR THAT.
I, I DON'T FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH TO GO TO INITIATION ON THIS ONE AS I DID ON THE, I VOTED FOR ON THE OTHER PROPERTY.
I THINK THE OTHER PROPERTY'S MORE PROMINENT LOCATION AND ACTUALLY THE DESIGN STYLE
[01:25:01]
FITS THEIR DESIGN STYLE AND PRESENTS REAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT THIS ONE DEFINITELY DESERVES ALL THE TIME IT HAS.AND I WAS GLAD TO HEAR, UH, MENTION THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT BY ADVOCATES, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO STAFF, UH, EDUCATING YOU ON THAT.
UM, WE HAVE THE, UH, SURVEYS DONE THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE CENTRAL CITY, UH, AND THAT SURVEY IS A BIG HURDLE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE COMPLETED THE CITYWIDE DESIGN, UH, STANDARDS FOR PROPERTIES, WHICH WAS ALWAYS ANOTHER BIG HURDLE TO NEGOTIATE.
SO, UH, THE REST OF IT IS GETTING THE AFFIDAVITS AND PUTTING IN THE APPLICATION.
SO REALLY THE, THE, THE, THE RUNAWAYS BEEN CLEARED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO PROTECT THIS IMPORTANT NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT BLOCK BY BLOCK AS WAS DONE AT ST ON, UH, MARY STREET, UH, THAT MAY BE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT REALLY IS THE PRIMARY TOOL THAT WE HAVE.
UH, THE BAR HAS BEEN RAISED ON THAT TO GETTING THOSE DONE TO SUPER MAJORITIES.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE IT CAN BE DONE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH AS MUCH ADVOCACY AS WE HAVE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS MORE DISCUSSION.
THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE TO, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, POSTPONE TO OUR OCTOBER MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED IS UNANIMOUS.
[8. SP-2026-035365; HR-2026-070009 – 611 West Lynn St. West Line National Register Historic District Council District 9]
AND WE'LL NOW GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AT SIX 11 WEST LYNN STREET.THE PROPOSAL FOR SIX 11 WEST SIX 11 WEST LYNN STREET IS TO CONSTRUCT EIGHT DETACHED RESIDENTIAL U RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THIS PROJECT SPECIFIES CONSTRUCTION OF EIGHT MULTI-STORY HOUSING UNITS ORIENTED AROUND A CENTER, CENTER DRIVEWAY, AND A POOL.
FIVE UNITS AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY WILL FACE THE NEW DRIVEWAY, AND THE THREE REAR UNITS WILL FACE THE ALLEY.
THE DRIVEWAY WILL REQUIRE, WILL REQUIRE A NEW CURB CUT.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY A VACANT LOT, AND THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED IN 2020.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS AND DID VISIT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING LAST MONTH.
THE APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON OCTOBER 19TH, 2026, AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND CONCURRENCE WITH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND RELEASE THE APPLICATION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTION OF STAFF? UH, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
UH, THIS WAS REFERRED TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT SHOWS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REFERENCE ITEMS. IS THERE, COULD YOU, UH, I GUESS, SUMMARIZE ANY PARTICULAR CHANGE THAT TOOK PLACE AS A RESULT OF THAT? UH, CHAIR? ACTUALLY, THIS IS NOT A CASE THAT I'M MANAGING, UM, SO I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU, BUT, UM, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW, CAN ME, MAY BE ABLE TO CHIME IN WHILE I LOOK AT AUSTIN'S NOTES.
THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THAT.
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, A STRONGER PORCH ELEMENT WAS ADDED TO THE RIGHT FRONT PROPERTY.
UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS ON THE LEFT, KIND OF A PORCH, PORCH AWNING OVER, UH, OVERHANG.
UM, DO WE HAVE, UH, THE APPLICANT HERE? YES, WE HAVE MIKE MCCONE, MR. MCCONE COMMISSIONERS, MIKE MCCONE FOR THE A, UH, OWNERSHIP, UH, THIS PROPERTY.
LIZ LIFTED, MY WIFE SAID, LEAVE THEM ON.
YOU LOOK TERRIBLE LIKE A TRAIN RUN OVER YOU.
UH, SO I APOLOGIZED FOR THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL OF YOU VOLUNTEERS AND THOSE THAT SERVED THIS COMMITTEE CITY SO GREATLY, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS.
THIS PARTICULAR SITE WAS VACANT, HAS BEEN VACANT FOR A WHILE.
WE'RE TRYING, THE OWNER JUST ACQUIRED THE, ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY, UH, ASKED ME TO HELP, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW TO REDEVELOP IT IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AT THE SAME TIME SERVE THE AUSTIN, UH, DESIRE TO INFILL WITH, UH, MORE MODEST BUILDINGS RATHER THAN, UH, THOSE VERY SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTIES THAT YOU ARE MENTIONING IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UH, WE BELIEVE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO MAKE IT ALL WORK.
UH, TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE STREETS, UH, THE ORIGINAL STYLE AND OF THE STREET ITSELF.
WE HAVE THE ARCHITECTS HERE WHO WILL MAKE THE PRIMARY PRESENTATION AND I CAN ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
AND SO IF KYLE, YOU'D COME DOWN HERE AND GIVE YOUR, UH, RESPONSE.
WE HAVE MET WITH BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION, WHICH WAS,
[01:30:01]
UH, UH, THE REQUEST OF THE, THIS COMMISSION LAST TIME WE WERE HERE AT THE POSTPONEMENT.I AM WITH CEDAR, UM, THE ARCHITECT ON THE PROJECT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UH, I'LL START BY ADDRESSING DIRECTLY THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THE A RC, WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK, UM, AND WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES SINCE.
UM, WE HAVEN'T GONE ALL THE WAY, BUT I THINK WE'VE ACHIEVED A REALLY NICE COMPROMISE AND I'LL, I'LL JUST WALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, SO WE'VE STUDIED SPECIFICALLY THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES WITHIN THE WESTLINE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I THINK THAT YOU DO SEE A VARIETY OF MATERIALITY AND ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.
UM, YOU ALSO SEE A VARYING, UM, SCALE OF TWO AND THREE STORY HOMES.
I THINK WE'RE ALIGNED WITH THOSE.
UM, AND WE'VE DONE ADDITIONAL THINGS TO FURTHER ALIGN WITH THOSE, INCLUDING PUSHING BACK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, IT PREVIOUSLY BEFORE THE A RC BOARD, WE HAD A FOUR STORY ELEMENT, UM, AT THE STREET, YOU KNOW, ALIGNING WITH WESTLAND.
WE'VE ACTUALLY PUSHED BACK THE FOUR STORY TO JUST BE A STAIR ELEMENT.
SO WE'VE EFFECTIVELY REMOVED ALL FOUR STORY ELEMENTS BEYOND JUST A STAIR ACCESS.
UM, AND THAT IS PUSHED BACK 10 FEET BEYOND THE EXISTING SETBACK.
SO ANYTHING THAT COULD BE EVEN PERCEIVED AS BEING OUT OF SCALE WITH EITHER THE ADJACENT HOME OR THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES IS BEYOND 25 FEET BACK FROM THE STREET AND IS QUITE MINIMAL.
WE SHIFT IN MATERIALITY TO REDUCE SORT OF ITS IMPACT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF WORK TO MORE DIRECTLY, UH, ADDRESS WESTLAND, UM, AND OPEN UP TO WESTLAND.
REALLY, WE'VE BUILT TO, OR DESIGNED, UM, TWO FRONT PORCHES THAT ARE VERY GENEROUS IN TERMS OF OPENINGS VEGETATION.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF CREATING A, A, YOU KNOW, A FRONT DOOR TO THE STREET THAT DOESN'T EXIST THERE TODAY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO ALIGNED THE FENESTRATION WITH A PRETTY DEEP STUDY OF FENESTRATION WE'RE SEEING FROM CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES.
SO PREVIOUSLY WE'D SHOWN FAIRLY LARGE PICTURE OPENINGS.
UM, WE'VE BROKEN DOWN THE SCALE OF OUR, OUR WINDOWS.
AND IN THE PRESENTATION WE PROVIDE KIND OF A, A PRETTY DETAILED STUDY OF THE SCALE OF THE WINDOWS THAT WE'RE SHOWING AND HOW THEY ALIGN WITH THE SCALE OF THE WINDOWS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND I'LL ALSO JUST REMIND, UM, GOING BACK TO SCALE, I'LL REMIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BY, RIGHT FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, WE CAN GO TO 60 FEET, WE'RE NOT GOING TO 60 FEET, WE'RE GOING TO 45.
AND THEN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT THE STREET IS CLOSER TO 40 FEET.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED WITH THE, UH, THE HOME NEXT DOOR.
WE'RE NOT PUSHED BACK AS FAR AS THE HOME NEXT DOOR, BUT I THINK IN OTHER, ALL OTHER WAYS WE'RE ALIGNED IN SCALE.
UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, UH, A TREE.
WE DID LOOK AT FLIPPING, UM, THE TWO HOMES.
THIS WAS REQUESTED BY THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SO THAT WE BROUGHT THE SCALE EVEN DOWN FURTHER ADJACENT TO THE STREET.
UM, AND IT WAS JUST NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE TREE PROTECTIONS FOR A HERITAGE TREE.
UM, BUT I WOULD SAY WE'VE DONE, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A LOT SINCE CRC, WE'VE TAKEN THAT FEEDBACK INTO ACCOUNT, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE THIS PROJECT.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? UM, WHAT CONSIDERATION, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE IN COMPARISON TO YOUR EARLIER PRESENTATION, SHOWN A LOT MORE DETAIL.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A STYLE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH THAT'S CO CONSISTENT WITHIN YOUR DESIGN AND IT IS NOT HISTORIC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT SOME OF THOSE REFINEMENTS AT LEAST MAKE IT MORE IN KEEPING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
THE MAJOR EXCEPTION FOR ME IS THE ADJACENT, UH, RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HISTORIC BUNGALOW AND ACTUALLY YOUR LARGEST STRUCTURE.
YOU HAVE A THREE STORY WALL NEXT TO THE SCALE OF THE BUNGALOW, AND YOU'VE SHOWN IT IN SEVERAL OF YOUR RENDERINGS AND IT'S JUST COMPLETELY OUT OF PROPORTION AND OVERWHELMS YOUR, WHAT, WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR COMPATIBLE NEIGHBOR? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE LOOKED AT? ARE THERE WAYS YOU COULD REORIENT SOME OF THAT MASSING SO THAT YOU SCALE DOWN TO THE LOWER STRUCTURE AT THE EDGE OF YOUR COMPLEX INSTEAD OF SCALING UP? YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT EXTENSIVELY.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S A HERITAGE TREE RIGHT BEHIND IT, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KIND OF FLIP THE TWO STRUCTURES.
UM, WITHOUT GETTING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL ON THE SITE PLAN, IT'S QUITE COMPLEX.
UM, BUT I WOULD SAY THE FIRST THING WE'VE DONE IS ACTUALLY REMOVED MOST OF THE FOURTH STORY MASSING THERE.
UM, THE PREVIOUS DESIGN WE SHOWED HAD FOUR, FOUR STORY MASSING COMING UP TO THE EXTERIOR FACADE LINE THAT SET BACK 15 FEET FROM THE STREET.
YOU'LL SEE NOW THAT WE PUSHED THAT BACK 10 FEET AND WE'VE REDUCED ALL AREA UP THERE TO ONLY THE
[01:35:01]
STAIR ACCESS.UM, AND THERE ARE FURTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN BREAK DOWN THE MASSING OF THAT SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE SUCH A LARGE VOLUME.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY I THINK THAT, THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR, I JUST, YEAH, NO, I, IF, IF YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU DEFINITELY TO CONTINUE.
UH, I THINK ONCE YOU'RE IN THE COMPLEX, THERE'S AN INTEGRITY THAT'S THERE, THERE'S A REFINEMENT THAT CLEARLY SHOWS YOUR DIRECTION.
UH, WE'RE NOT HERE TO DESIGN THAT FOR YOU, BUT IN RELATIONSHIP TO HOW WELL THAT WORKS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AS YOU POINTED OUT, SOME OF THOSE REFINEMENTS DEFINITELY MAKE IT A BETTER FIT, AS I SAY.
BUT IT'S THAT TRANSITION FROM YOUR EDGE TO A VERY DISTINCTIVE PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE SO, SO COMPLETELY OUT OF SCALE THAT, THAT I'M, I'M THINKING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED STILL.
TOTALLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, I THINK THE MASSING NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED THE WAY THAT IT IS, BUT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL THINGS WE CAN DO TO REALLY BE A BETTER NEIGHBOR, UM, FROM A, YOU KNOW, FACADE AND, AND A FENESTRATION PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I'LL ALSO COMMENT THAT THE, THE RICHNESS AND CHARACTER OF MATERIALITY AND THE ALIGNMENT OF THAT MATERIALITY WITH WHAT WE SEE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IS NOT, DOESN'T REALLY COME THROUGH IN THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE'RE PRETTY EARLY IN THE DESIGN STAGE.
BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BREAK DOWN THE OVERALL SCALE OF THE PROJECT AND FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE THIS RICH ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THAT FITS IN.
I MEAN, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT MASK AND SCALE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS, BUT I THINK THE, THE RICHNESS OF MATERIALITY AND THE CONNECTION OF THAT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER ISN'T REALLY COMING THROUGH.
AND IN ALL THE RENDERINGS WE'RE SHOWING, WE, WE DID INCLUDE MATERIALITY PACKAGE WITHIN THE, THE OVERALL PRESENTATION AND WE DID SEE THAT.
UM, YEAH, TO ALMOST TO YOUR COMMENT, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT SIX 13 AND THAT MASSING NEXT TO IT, EVEN AT SIX 13, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S FAIRLY PURPOSEFUL THAT WHEN THEY BUILT THAT REAR ADDITION, THEY ACTUALLY MESSED WITH THE COLORATION OF IT SO THAT IT KIND OF GOES AWAY.
AND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHTTIME, IT COMPLETELY GOES AWAY AND YOU JUST LOOK LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OLD ORIGINAL BUNGALOW FACADE.
AND SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS DEVELOPS AND WHETHER YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
YOU JUST MENTIONED THE MATERIALITIES AND THINGS OF WHETHER YOU CAN KIND OF, EVEN IF THE MASSING DOESN'T CHANGE A LOT, YOU CAN ALMOST MAKE PARTS OF IT DISAPPEAR FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES SO THAT IT FEELS THAT IT MAYBE DRAWS DOWN TO THAT NEXT CELL THAT, THAT HEIGHT NEXT TO IT.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? YES.
OUR LAST SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IS AN IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER, AND THAT IS DONNA OSBORNE.
I'M DONNA OSBORNE WITH AWANA AND WE DID RECENTLY MEET WITH THE DEVELOPER AND ARCHITECTS TO REVIEW THE ADDITIONAL CHANGES AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM MEETING WITH US.
UM, UH, OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS ONE YOU'VE JUST MENTIONED.
IT'S THE PROPOSED, UM, SCALE, UH, OUT OF SCALE WITH THE EXISTING HOMES AND IN PARTICULAR, THE REVISIONS MADE DON'T RESOLVE OUR FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE SETBACK, THE HEIGHT, AND THE MASSING, WHICH ARE CONTRARY, EXCUSE ME, TO OUR OLD WEST AUSTIN DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH I'VE GOT POSTED RIGHT THERE.
WHILE LARGER STRUCTURES THAT DO EXIST IN OUR DISTRICT, THEY ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT AND DO NOT REFLECT THE MODEST COTTAGES THAT ARE SURROUNDING THIS SITE.
UM, MANY ARE ALSO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON LARGER LOTS, UM, BUT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE COMPARISON, UM, IN OUR VIEW BECAUSE THE ESTABLISHED THE BUILDING OF A COMPARABLE SCALE WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THIS PARTICULAR BLOCK, THE APPLICANT'S RENDERING.
UM, IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, ILLUSTRATE THE EIGHT RISING UNITS SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE ONE STORY COTTAGES.
UM, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO AND TO THE NORTH IS, UM, AND AS WELL AS THE CONDOMINIUM BUILDINGS TO THE SOUTH.
UH, THIS CONTRAST IS PARTICULARLY STRIKING FROM THE STREET AND RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED MASSING APPROPRIATENESS RESPONDING TO THE ESTABLISHED CHARACTER AND SCALE OF OUR AND PROPORTION OF OUR BLOCK.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT, UM, THINK ABOUT THIS.
OUR CONCERNS CAN ALSO BE ADDRESSED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR PROPOSED PROJECT TAKEN FROM THEIR WEBSITE.
THE ARI WESTLAND, I QUOTE, WELLNESS BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP.
WE CONSIDER AIR, WATER, LIGHT MATERIALS RESTORATION AND HUMAN CONNECTION FROM THE EARLIEST STAGES OF DESIGN.
EACH ELEMENT IS DEVELOPED AS PART OF ONE COORDINATED SYSTEM INTENDED TO CREATE A HEALTHIER, MORE RESTORATIVE AND CONNECTED WAY OF LIVING.
THE FOUR STORY BUILDINGS ARE SO CLOSE TO THE PROPERTY LINE ON THE NORTH AND TO EACH OTHER THAT THEY DON'T REALLY CONSIDER THE LIGHT.
THEY WILL BE BLOCKING TO THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS
[01:40:01]
AND THE, THEY ARE FORWARD OF OUR STANDARD SETBACK ON WEST LYNN.ALSO, THE GUIDELINES DON'T COORDINATE WITH THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD STREET SETBACK.
THE PROJECT MAY CONSIDER ITS OWN SPACES, BUT IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE CONSIDERING THE DIMINISHED WELLNESS OF THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS.
I WOULD CONSIDER THIS COUNTER TO THEIR ARI WEST LYNN CONNECTED WAY OF LIVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT OPPOSED TO A THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE SITE CAN BE AND SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN A MATTER THAT RESPONDS TO THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN RESPECTING THE HISTORIC CHARACTER.
WE BELIEVE ADDITIONAL DIAL DIALOGUE AT THIS STAGE COULD LEAD TO A STRONGER PROJECT.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO ALLOW THE COMMITTEE ADDITIONAL TIME TO CONTINUE MEETING AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE DEVELOPER AND ARCHITECTS TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THIS CONSIDERATION.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, ANY MORE SPEAKERS? UH, IF NONE, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER HARRIS AND, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I'LL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THE CASE TO OUR OCTOBER MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER COOK? YES.
I, I HESITATED SOMEWHAT TO DO THAT BECAUSE, UM, THE APPLICANT HAS ATTENDED IN GOOD IN FAITH AND THEY'VE LISTENED AND THE CHANGES THEY'VE MADE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY'VE LISTENED AND RESPONDED SPECIFICALLY TO DETAILS.
I, I MADE THE MOTION BECAUSE THEY NOTED IT'S STILL IN DESIGN AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEY CAN LOOK AT WAYS.
I AGREE THAT THE, THE MAIN PLACE THAT WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE SOME MOVEMENT IS THAT TRANSITION TO THE HOUSE, TO THE LEFT.
UM, OTHERWISE I THINK PROGRAM IS, WE'RE PROBABLY AT A POINT WHERE THE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE PROGRAM ARE AT AN IMPASSE EXCEPT FOR THAT, THAT ONE PARTICULAR CORNER I THINK COULD, COULD GO A LONG WAY, UH, FOR ALL THE REASONS, UH, MADE TODAY.
AND AGAIN, I WAS INCLINED JUST TO LEAVE THAT AS A SUGGESTION SINCE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS ADVISORY ONLY IN THIS, IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT ONE MORE MONTH IN THE PROCESS IS NOT GOING TO TO KILL THIS DEAL.
AND IT WOULD REALLY BE NICE TO GET SOMETHING IN WRITING IN DOCUMENTED FOR THE FINAL APPROVAL THAT ADDRESSES THAT LAST KIND OF LOOM LOOMING DETAIL THAT HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED, I THINK.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? YOUR HONOR, I THINK SO.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER COOK.
I, I THINK THAT THE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A RESOLUTION AND I THINK THAT THE WESTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION NEEDS TO BE, UH, RESPECTFUL OF THAT AND, UH, RESPECTFUL OF OUR POSITION.
BUT I, I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE CONTINUED DIALOGUE AND I THINK, UH, SOME MODIFICATIONS WILL BE MADE.
ANY OTHER SPEAK, UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, FROM COMMISSIONERS? UM, OKAY.
I THINK IT, IT HIT THE DESIGN IS GETTING MUCH BETTER AND IS GETTING VERY CLOSE.
UM, IF IT WERE, UH, MAYBE A MIRROR IMAGE THAT IF THE MASSING HAS TO BE THERE, IT GOES AWAY FROM THE ADJACENT BUILDING, NOT NEXT TO IT.
UH, THAT ALONG WITH SOME OTHER DESIGN ELEMENTS, UH, I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AND HOPE THAT'S WHAT WE GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW, UH, FOR OUR COMMENTS NEXT WEEK.
UH, IF, IF THIS MOTION PASSES, UM, COMMISSIONER COOK, I WOULD NOTE THE APPLICANT AS ALWAYS ANYONE LOOKING TO BUILD IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS IS WELCOME TO COME TO ARCHITECTURE.
WOULD BE COMMITTED TO DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL, BUT THE PRIMARY THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS EVEN A, A CLIPPED ROOF LINE AT THAT CORNER RATHER THAN A FLAT ROOF LINE WOULD, WOULD CUT DOWN ON SOME OF THAT MASSING JUST TO CONSIDER THAT.
UH, HEARING NO MORE DISCUSSION, I'LL HAVE CALLED TO QUESTION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE SEVEN HANDS AND COMMISSIONER RICE, ARE YOU IN OPPOSITION? YES.
I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN IN OPPOSITION.
COMMISSIONER RICE ON OPPOSITION.
UM, THAT PASSES AND WE WILL HAVE THAT POSTPONED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
[11. HR-2026-091701 – 3209 Kerbey Ln. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10]
ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 11, AND THAT IS 32 0 9 KIRBY LANE.KIRBY LANE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A NON-ORIGINAL EDITION AND CONSTRUCT A REAR EDITION.
THIS PROPOSAL DEMOLISHES MOST OF THE EXISTING REAR EDITION, INCLUDING INTERIOR PARTITIONS, MOST
[01:45:01]
EXTERIOR WALLS, AND THE ROOF ABOVE THIS SINGLE STORY SECTION.IT ALSO INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW REAR ADDITION, PARTIALLY USING THE EXISTING FOUNDATION FROM THE DEMOLITION.
THE NEW ADDITION WILL BE TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT AND WILL EXTEND THE BUILDABLE WIDTH OF THE LOT.
THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
A NEW GARAGE UTILIZING AN EXISTING DRIVEWAY AND CURB CUT IS PROPOSED AS WELL AS DEMOLITION OF A GARAGE AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE LOT.
THIS PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT AS A TWO STORY RESIDENCE WITH CRAFTSMAN DETAILS.
IT HAS A WIDE AND DEEP FRONT PORCH SUPPORTED BY FOUR WOOD POSTS.
THE THREE BAY FRONT FACADE IS TOPPED WITH A MODERATELY PITCHED FRONT GABLE ROOF WITH SEVERAL BRACKETS AND THE HOUSE APPEARS TO BE CLOUD AND VINYL SIDING.
BEHIND THE MAIN HOUSE IS A SINGLE STORY REAR ADDITION.
THE FIRST OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY WERE JOHN AND RUTH WATSON.
MR. WATSON WORKED FOR THE STATE AS AN ACCOUNTANT AND DURING THE WATSON'S OWNERSHIP OF FIRE BROKE OUT AT THE PROPERTY RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER.
AFTER THIS, THE PROPERTY WENT THROUGH SEVERAL SHORT TERM TENANTS BEFORE BEING PURCHASED BY SIDLEY AND UKULELE FROST WHO RAISED A FAMILY THERE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THIS PROJECT MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS AND THE APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON NOVEMBER 16TH, 2026.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS FOR THE ADDITION AND RELEASE THE APPLICATION.
UM, IS THE, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? IS THE APPLICANT HERE? YES, UH, WE HAVE FRANK FARASH.
I WENT AHEAD AND OH, OH, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE.
I AM FRANK FARKA, I AM HERE, WHICH IS COMM, WHICH IS COMMISSION MEMBERS.
UM, WITH, UH, MOON TOWER DESIGN BUILD AND I ALSO VOLUNTEER WITH PRESERVATION AUSTIN AS A BOARD MEMBER AND CURRENT PRESIDENT ELECT OVER THERE.
IF THERE ARE ANY PRESERVATION MINDED MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE THAT AREN'T PRESERVATION AUSTIN MEMBERS, I DEFINITELY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO LOOK IT UP AND BECOME MEMBERS AND CONSIDER JOINING BECAUSE AUSTIN WE LOVE IS HERE AND WE CAN ALL PITCH IN TO SAVE AND SHAPE IT.
SO TONIGHT I AM HERE AS THE CURRENT STEWARD OF 32 0 9 KIRBY LANE.
WE ARE THE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER.
UH, AND WITH THIS HOME WE ARE ALSO THE APPLICANT OWNER AND DEVELOPER.
IN OUR APPLICATION, WE WANTED TO ENGAGE STAFF TO SHARE OUR CONCEPTS AND LEARN ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AT THE HOME.
IT'S OUR INTENTION TO SAVE THE ORIGINAL TWO STORY BUNGALOW WHILE ADAPTING IT TO, FOR, UH, FROM THE TWO BEDROOM FOOTPRINT THAT IT HAS NOW, BUT TO MAKE IT BIGGER AND ACCOMMODATE A FAMILY THAT MIGHT WANT TO ATTEND BREAKER WOODS ELEMENTARY OR ST.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PROUD TO BE HERE, EVEN IF IT'S FOR A SHORT TIME AS A DEVELOPER.
UH, BUT WE AIM TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER'S FEEDBACK AND ANY STORIES OR CONCERNS IF THERE ARE NEIGHBORS HERE TONIGHT.
UH, THAT THEY COULD SHARE THOSE, UH, EITHER EITHER HERE OR AFTERWARDS.
AND IN GENERAL, OUR GOAL IS TO LISTEN AND BETTER PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY'S FUTURE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE EVERY TIME WE GET TO WORK ON A HOME IN AUSTIN, WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND IMPROVE FROM WHAT'S THERE.
AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, THE STAFF'S NOTE IS THAT THERE ARE SOME NEW PLANS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
SO WE SUBMITTED ORIGINAL CONCEPTS TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THE AGENDA AND THEN BEFORE THE UPDATE DEADLINE WE SENT IN PROGRESS THAT WE HAD MADE.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE WOULD BE GOING FROM MORE HAND-DRAWN CONCEPTS TO FULLY MODELED AND DRAFTED, UH, EXAMPLES.
AND IS THAT WHAT'S IN OUR BACKUP, UH, STAFF? YES, THAT IS UNDER, UH, I THINK UPDATED DRAWINGS.
SO THE UPDATED DRAWINGS DID MAKE IT INTO THE BACKUP.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF, OF THE APPLICANT? JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM YOUR UPDATED DRAWINGS RETAIN THE UPWARD AND LOWERED PIERS AND THE SIMPLER CENTER COLUMNS AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY, YOU RETAINED THE ORIGINAL FENESTRATION UPSTAIRS? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THERE'S, UM, AN ARCHED, UH, TRANSOM ON THE FRONT DOOR AS WELL.
LIKE, WE'LL REUSE THE FRONT DOOR.
THE SIDING IS ALUMINUM OR VINYL COVERED.
SO OUR, OUR INTENT IS TO RESTORE IT TO THE ORIGINAL SIDING BEHIND THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
[01:50:01]
NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THE ITEM.UH, AGAIN, I THINK, UH, WELL LET ME GO AHEAD AND, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, COMMISSIONER HARRIS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION SET.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, I WANTED TO JUMP IN THERE BECAUSE I OFTEN TAKE THE HIT ON DOING THE STUFF, MAKE THE MOTIONS WE DON'T WANNA MAKE, AND THIS IS THE MOTION I WANNA MAKE.
IT'S KEEPING THE MAIN HOUSE, IT'S ADDING TO THE BACK.
IT'S, UH, THE DETAILS WERE REFINED TO BE EVEN MORE TRUE TO THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC HOUSE.
UH, JUST WISH YOU COULD DO MORE WORK IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UH, 'CAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WE NEED IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, UM, EXPAND UTILITY AND MEET NEW NEEDS WHILE KEEPING THE HISTORIC FRONT HOUSE.
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S THAT HARD
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ACTON.
I MEAN, HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET TO SECOND SOMETHING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK'S ACTUALLY HAPPY ABOUT
THIS LOOKS LIKE A VERY GOOD, UM, LIKE A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE, WE LIKE TO SEE UP HERE AND IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND REALLY THE ONLY REASON WE PULLED IT FOR DISCUSSION IS BECAUSE YOU DID THE UPDATE AND IT WAS A LATE EDITION AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL STAFF REPORT ON IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND YES, IT, IT'S, IT GOT MUCH BETTER, A GOOD PROJECT EVEN BETTER.
SO I'LL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE MOTION AS WELL.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, RIKER WOODS HAS STRUGGLED FOR YEARS WITH REDEVELOPMENT AND, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS TRIED HARD TO KEEP HOUSES OF SIGNIFICANCE INTACT AND ANY REDEVELOPMENT, UH, HAVING BEEN DONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BE DONE SIM SYMPATHETICALLY.
AND I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY, UH, ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES WHERE WE'VE HAD SUCCESS IN BREAKER WOODS, SO IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED.
ALRIGHT, UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I, IF NOT, I'LL CALL TO QUESTION COMMISSIONERS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND I DO SEE IT'S UNANIMOUS.
[12. HR-2026-101908 – 1614 Preston Ave. Old West Austin National Register Historic District Council District 10]
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 12 AND THAT'S 1614 PRESTON AVENUE.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY EDITION AT A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE PROJECT INCLUDES, UH, REMOVING OR COVERING THE EXISTING STONE EXTERIOR CLADDING AND REMOVING THE EXISTING WINDOWS, AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND FLOOR ADDITION ABOVE THE EXISTING HOUSE TO DOUBLE THE FOOTPRINT.
THE HOUSE IS A SINGLE STORY, STONE CLOUD RESIDENCE WITH AN INSET PORCH AND MODEST DECORATION AT THE CORNER OF PRESTON AVENUE AND JEFFERSON STREET.
THE FRONT ELEVATION IS DOMINATED BY A LARGE PICTURE WINDOW AT THE REAR OF THE PORCH AND A BROAD LOW PITCH GABLE ROOF ABOVE THE HOUSE IS SET SLIGHTLY ABOVE GREATER ON AN ELEVATED FOUNDATION WITH THE STONE CLADDING EXTENDING TO THE GROUND AT THE SIDE STREET, A TWO CAR GARAGE IS PRESENT BEHIND THE HOUSE AND ATTACHED TO THE MAIN HOUSE BY A NON-ORIGINAL CONDITIONED SPACE FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO DECADES AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION.
THIS PROPERTY WAS OWNED BY PASTORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN AUSTIN.
THERE WAS NO RECORD THAT THIS WAS EVER DESIGNATED AS AN OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF THE CHURCH.
INDEED, DETAILS SHOWED THAT EACH OF THE PASTORS OWN THE PROPERTY OUTRIGHT.
IT IS LIKELY THAT THE FIRST OWNERS, LAWRENCE AND LETHA BASH SOLD THE PROPERTY UPON THE INSTALLMENT OF DR. WILLIAM GIBEL TO THE SAME POSITION, AT WHICH POINT THE FORMER OWNERS MOVED AWAY.
THIS PROPERTY, EXCUSE ME, CONTRIBUTES TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT IT DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, UM, FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
AND THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT, UM, EXCUSE ME, I'M LOSING MY VOICE ON MARCH 1ST, IS IT SUBJECT TO THE 180 DAY DEMOLITION DELAY? UM, AS PART OF OUR NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT CODE STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE POSTPONING THE PUBLIC HEARING, TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE, TO THE, UH, OCTOBER MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, OR SEPTEMBER 10TH, SORRY.
UM, AND OTHERWISE COMMENT ON PLANS FOR THE ADDITION AND RELEASE THE APPLICATION.
STRONGLY ENCOURAGING THE APPLICANT TO RETAIN AS MUCH ORIGINAL EX ORIGINAL EXTERIOR MATERIAL AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING THE STONEWALL CLADDING AND FRONT WINDOWS, AS WELL AS, UM, INTEGRATION INTO THE PROPOSED DESIGN.
ADDITIONALLY, CONSIDER PULLING THE SECOND FLOOR ADDITION BACK FROM THE STREET FACING ELEVATIONS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AND UTILIZING OTHER PORTIONS OF THE REAR YARD AS WAY TO INCREASE CONDITION SPACE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS TO STAFF? OKAY, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE? I THE APPLICANT PLEASE.
UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, I HAD A PRESENTATION, IS IT POSSIBLE TO PULL THAT UP? GREAT.
[01:55:01]
FOR THE RECORD, YOUR NAME? UH, MY NAME IS ARIEL YATI AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND, DR.UM, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COMMISSION COMMENT ON THE PLANS AND RELEASE OUR APPLICATION WITH NOTES.
UH, WE HAVE SIX EXHIBITS TO SUPPORT.
FIRST, WE'D LIKE TO CLARIFY THE PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS AGAINST THE DRAWINGS IN YOUR PACKET.
THE FOOTPRINT INCREASES BY ONLY 1.5%.
FLOOR AREA INCREASES 51% INCLUSIVE OF THE EXISTING CONVERTIBLE GARAGE.
THE STAFF REPORT FINDS THAT REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING MASONRY IS NOT IN KEEPING.
WE WANT TO STATE PLAINLY THAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN OUR PREFERENCE TO RETAIN IT.
YOUR PACKET INCLUDES A, A LETTER FROM OUR GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER THAT WAS FOLLOWING A JOINT INSPECTION.
FIRST, IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MUCH OF THIS MASONRY IS ORIGINAL OR WAS ADDED WITHIN ADDITION.
SECOND, THE INSPECTION FOUND CRACKING AND DISPLACEMENT, FAILED MORTAR AND CHRONIC MOISTURE ACROSS THE LOWER WALL.
OUR ENGINEER ALSO NOTES DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION AND THE ADDITION SLABS AT THE REAR.
EIGHT MORE ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIX.
THIRD REPAIRS REQUIRE THE WALL TO BE DISASSEMBLED, REPOINTING RESETTING AND IMPROVING EXTERIOR DRAINAGE WILL NOT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING ISSUE OF THE DRAINAGE PLANE BEHIND THE WALL AS PRIOR FAILED REPAIRS DEMONSTRATE ON DIFFERENTIATION.
THE STAFF REPORT ALSO CITES STANDARD 5.2, WHICH GOVERNS THE MATERIALS OF AN ADDITION.
RESPECTFULLY, WE SUBMIT THAT THIS ISSUE IS GOVERNED BY STANDARD 4.1 REGARDING MATERIAL REPLACEMENT.
WHEN DETERIORATION IS NOT, UH, ABLE TO BE STABILIZED, THAT STANDARD FIRST ASKS IF REPAIR IS POSSIBLE AND REASONABLE PROFESSIONAL OPINION IS THAT IT IS NOT.
THEREFORE, WE ASK THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE ADVERSE FINDINGS ON DIFFERENTIATION AND UNIFORMITY STILL HOLD.
IF SO, WE ASK FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON REPLACEMENT MATERIALS AS YOUR OFFICE HAS PREVIOUSLY ON THE STUCCO.
UH, THE STAFF REPORT ALSO RECOMMENDS WE PULL THE SECOND STORY BACK FROM BOTH STREET ELEVATIONS AND RECOVER FLOOR AREA IN THE REAR YARD.
EXHIBIT C ILLUSTRATES WHY THIS IS UNAVAILABLE TO US.
THE REAR OF THE LOT CARRIES OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES IMPOSING VERTICAL CLEARANCES.
NEARBY IS TREE 2 4 6, A PROTECTED HERITAGE TREE WHOSE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE RESTRICTS NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SECOND STORY MASSING FURTHER TO THE REAR IS ALSO RESTRICTED BY SUBCHAPTER F, WHICH DOES NOT PERMIT HABITABLE SPACE ABOVE EXEMPT ATTACHED CARPORTS.
WHAT REMAINS IS THE EXISTING FLOOR PLATE AND A NARROW STRIP ON THE INTERIOR LOT, NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO RECOVER WHAT A MATERIAL SETBACK WOULD COST.
STANDARD 10 OF THE SECRETARY'S STANDARDS ON WHICH AUSTINS ARE BASED ASKS WHETHER NEW CONSTRUCTION COULD BE REMOVED WITHOUT IMPAIRING THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE OR THE ENVIRONMENT.
OUR PROPOSAL CARRIES OUR SECOND STORY ON AN INDEPENDENT STRUCTURE OVER THE EXISTING FLOOR PLATE.
THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD PLACE NEW FOUNDATIONS IN THE GROUND DEMOLISH EXTERIOR WALLS FOR CONNECTION AND REMOVE EXISTING LANDSCAPING.
UH, MR. LUKE'S HAS ALSO CONFIRMED FOR US THAT PRESTON IS OUR PRIMARY FRONTAGE IN JEFFERSON.
OUR SECONDARY, UH, WE SURVEYED EVERY TWO STORY RESIDENCE IN THE DISTRICT WITH SIDE STREET FRONTAGE ON JEFFERSON.
92% OF THESE HOMES HAVE SECOND STORY WALLS EXTENDING TO OR BEYOND THE FIRST FLOOR WALL PLATE NEAREST TO JEFFERSON.
THAT DATASET IS IN THE APPENDIX.
APPENDIX A 0.3 ALSO MAPS THE FIRST STORY STREET FACING FENESTRATION.
75% OF EXISTING OPENINGS ARE RETAINED INCLUDING ONE, UH, RESTORED ORIGINAL OPENING THAT WAS CLOSED IN A PRIOR EDITION AND IS CURRENTLY A BLIND WINDOW ON THE PROPERTY.
FOLLOW THE STRUCTURAL STRATEGY.
UH, STANDARD 7.1 UH, ALSO RECOMMENDS AGAINST THE SECOND STORY PORCH BRIEFLY AS TO WHY IT WAS INCLUDED FOR THE COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION.
WHILE STUDYING THE DISTRICT, WE FOUND MANY TWO STORY HOMES WITH FRONT ELEVATION, PORCHES, BALCONIES, OR TWO STORY COLUMN PROGRAMS. EIGHT EXAMPLES ARE SHOWN HERE, INCLUDING TWO ON PRESTON AVENUE.
OUR INCLUSION FOLLOW THESE OBSERVATIONS AND OUR READING OF THE SECRETARY'S GUIDANCE FOR COMPATIBILITY AND CONSISTENCY IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THIS FEATURE HAD SIGNIFICANCE TO STANDARD THREE BY CARRYING THE EXISTING PORCH ON THE PROPERTY UPWARD.
THAT SAID, IF THE COMMISSION'S VIEW IS THAT THE PORCH IS NOT IN KEEPING, WE ARE PREPARED TO REMOVE IT AS ITS ORIGINAL INCLUSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISTRICT.
HERE WE PRESENT RENDERINGS OF TWO POSSIBLE FRONTAGES.
UH, THE CENTER REMOVES THE SECOND STORY PORCH.
THE RIGHT REMOVES THE PORCH AND REINTRODUCES THE FRONT GABLE.
IN RESPONSE TO THE FINDING ON STANDARD FOUR, WE DID NOT ORIGINALLY INCLUDE THE FRONT GABLE, UH, BECAUSE WE DID NOT SEE THE FRONT GABLE CALLED OUT IN THE ORIGINAL NOMINATION OF THE OLD WEST AUSTIN DISTRICT.
AS A CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURE, WE WOULD GLADLY ACCEPT THE COMMISSION'S DIRECTION AS TO EITHER OF THESE THREE FRONTAGES.
UM, AND THE FINAL EXHIBIT THAT WE'LL BE PRESENTING, UH, TO SUMMARIZE, WE HAVE OFFERED CLARIFICATION TO THE PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE, UH, DOUBLING OF THE PROPERTY TO MASONRY FINDING RESTON PROFESSIONAL OPINION AS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
UH, THE SETBACK RECOMMENDATION IS FORECLOSED
[02:00:01]
BY THE UTILITY CLEARANCES THE HERITAGE TREE AND SUBCHAPTER F AND ON THE PORCH IN THE ROOF ALTERNATES ARE BEFORE YOU.UM, WE ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
EACH OF THESE FINDINGS, WE HOPE IS ONE THE COMMISSION CAN RESOLVE ON THE RECORD THIS EVENING.
THEREFORE, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMISSION TO COMMENT ON THESE PLANS, PROVIDE YOUR DIRECTION AND RELEASE THE APPLICATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONER ACTON? UM, YEAH, I HAVE A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS ON THE MASONRY ISSUE.
UM, THE LETTER THAT WAS PROVIDED IS SIGNED BY YOUR CONTRACTOR.
IT'S NOT STAMPED OR SIGNED BY THE ENGINEER.
IN FACT, HE'S NOT EVEN INDICATED AS AN ENGINEER, WHICH BY TBPE RULES, HE WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST INDICATED THAT HE IS A P ENGINEER AND WOULD'VE HAD TO STAMP AND SIGN THAT IF IT'S AN OFFICIAL OPINION.
SO IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT CARRIES WEIGHT.
THE LETTER ITSELF, ALONG WITH THE PHOTOS YOU PROVIDED ARE KIND OF CONTRADICTORY BECAUSE THE, THERE'S, I CAN'T SAY THAT THIS MASONRY CLADDING IS ORIGINAL, BUT IT VERY MUCH LOOKS ORIGINAL.
UM, THE SMALL SAW CUT EDGE VERSUS NONS SAW CUT EDGE, THAT'S VERY MUCH OF AN AESTHETIC AT THAT POINT.
THE, IT APPEARS THAT THE STRUCTURE ORIGINALLY ALLOWED FOR THE MASONRY INSTALLATION.
THERE ISN'T ANY INDICATION THAT THEY INSTALLED A SECONDARY LEDGER.
THEY RECAST PERIMETER FOUNDATION, THEY PROVIDED AN ANGLE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IF IT'S NOT ORIGINAL, IT HAD STONER MASONRY ON IT.
THE PHOTOS THAT ARE PROVIDED ARE ALL, UM, VERY MINOR DAMAGE FOR THE AGE OF THIS BUILDING.
UH, THE ACTIVE STRUCTURAL MOVEMENT, THERE'S NO RATTLING OF THAT JOINT.
AND THE BOND MORTAR BOND LINE FAILURES WOULD INDICATE THAT THIS IS MINOR MOVEMENT OF THE CLADDING ITSELF, NOT NECESSARILY STRUCTURAL MOVEMENT THERE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME WEAK PLANE ISSUES FROM ORIGINAL INSTALLATION.
THE PRIOR REPAIR THAT LOOKS LIKE A VERY POORLY DONE REPAIR THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DONE AT THE CHIMNEY.
UM, THE CHIMNEY'S PROBABLY SITTING ON AN ACTUAL FOUNDATION WHERE THE REST OF IT'S ON A APPEARING BEAM 'CAUSE IT'S VENTED, IT APPEARS.
AND SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN SOME MOVEMENT THERE TODAY.
IF WE DID THIS, THIS WOULD BE A BACKGROUND SEALANT JOINT, WHICH IT COULD BE REESTABLISHED LIKE THAT.
OTHERWISE, IF YOU DID A THREE LIFT REPOINT, THIS WOULD PROBABLY LAST FOR MUCH LONGER THAN WHATEVER THEY DID HERE.
THE MORTAR LOSS, THE OPEN BED JOINTS RELATIVELY TYPICAL.
THAT ONE, THE PICTURE OF THAT ONE LOOKS ALMOST PURPOSEFUL AS IF SOMETHING WAS INSTALLED THERE AT ONE POINT, MAYBE OR MAYBE NOT.
UM, THE CHRONIC MOISTURE AT THE JUNCTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH A FAILURE OF THE GUTTER ABOVE THE CHIMNEY THAT SHOULD HAVE A KICKOUT FLASHING AND THE GUTTER SHOULD BE FIXED.
THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY EFFECT OF THE STONE ITSELF.
THE MOISTURE MOVING THROUGH THE WALL AT THE BASE THERE.
YOU DO HAVE STAINING AT THE BASE OF THE WALLS ASSOCIATED WITH WA WITH LANDSCAPING AND WATERING.
UM, THE MOISTURE THROUGH, THROUGH THE WALL THERE THAT STAINING IS BECAUSE IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH A HIS WITH A HORIZONTAL SURFACE NEXT TO IT.
THE CRACK THAT'S THROUGH THAT IS NON-STRUCTURAL AS WELL.
AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IMPINGEMENT ISSUE.
AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, NOT THE ORIGINAL 1939 FABRIC.
IT VERY MUCH LOOKS LIKE IT IS OR IT'S AT LEAST A, A VERY EARLY RECL AND THERE'S NO INDICATION OF A RECL THAT I SEE BASED ON THE PHOTOS THAT WE ARE PROVIDED.
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THEM WHEN THEY'RE FITTING THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS PATTERNING TO HAVE A WRAPPED CORNER WITH, WITH AN ASTRO FACADE ON BOTH SIDES AND THEN A SAW CUT NEXT TO IT.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT, THAT THE, NOW WHAT YOU PROBABLY DO HERE HAVE, HAVE HERE IN 1939 IS YOU DON'T HAVE AN EFFECTIVE WEATHER BARRIER DRAINAGE PLANE BEHIND THAT.
UM, IF YOU, YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS EFFECTIVELY A WEATHER BEAR AT ONE POINT, LIKE A, LIKE A A FELT OR SOMETHING, IT'S LIKELY ALMOST ALL GONE AT THIS POINT.
AND TYPICALLY THE WAY THAT'S MITIGATED ON HISTORIC HOUSES IS BY TRYING TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT GETS PAST IT.
SO YOU RE-POINT JOINTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU HAVE OVERHANGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IF, IF YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY WANTING TO KEEP THIS FROM WHAT THE INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INDICATION THAT YOU CAN'T.
NOW IT CARRIES WITH IT ISSUES ABOUT HOW THIS WALL WILL WORK IN THE FUTURE BASED ON WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO TO THE INSIDE OF IT.
SO THAT KIND OF CHANGES SOME OF THOSE DESIGN THINGS.
BUT I'M NOT SAYING ANY INFORMATION HERE.
THE LETTER ISN'T COMPELLING BECAUSE IT'S WRITTEN BY SOMEBODY THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NON MASONRY EXPERT.
AND THEN EVEN THE ENGINEERING, THE ENGINEER DIDN'T SIGN IT, DIDN'T SAY HE IS ACTUALLY AN ENGINEER ON THE LETTER.
THERE'S NOTHING INSIDE OF THAT.
THAT WOULD BE AN ACTUAL TECHNICAL, UH, DISCUSSION OR RECOMMENDATION FROM WHAT AN ACTUAL ENGINEER WOULD GIVE YOU.
AND SO I ONLY BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME INDICATION OF WANTING TO KEEP THE MASONRY.
I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE IT RE-LOOKED AT BY SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY THAT ACTUALLY SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND IF YOU DO WANT TO EXPLORE KEEPING IT, AND SO THAT YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND 'CAUSE THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE BUILD THINGS DIFFERENT NOW.
IT, IT AFFECTS THINGS AND AFFECTS SECONDARY THINGS TO HOW YOU MIGHT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE INSIDE.
BUT IF YOU DO WANT TO LOOK AT KEEPING IT, I WOULD, I WOULD EXPLORE THAT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M SEEING THAT HAS TO GO AWAY.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA JUST KEEP THAT IN YOUR BACK POCKET.
[02:05:01]
IS IT, IS IT ALL RIGHT TO RESPOND? YES.WELL, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THIS, UH, THE STONE WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY LIKED ABOUT THE HOUSE.
SO THIS WAS A, A SAD DAY WHEN WE WERE DOING THE INSPECTION AND, AND ENCOUNTERED A LOT OF ISSUES.
AND WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE UNAVOIDABLE, UH, LIKE THE CHIMNEY IS ACTUALLY LEANING AWAY FROM THE HOUSE WITH PRETTY LARGE CRACKS.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE MASONRY MAY NOT BE SALVAGEABLE, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY A, IT WAS A BLOW, UM, TO HEAR THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP ANY OF IT.
IT DOESN'T WRAP THE FULL HOUSE, BUT IT OBVIOUSLY WRAPS THE FACADE, THE CURB TO PEEL WELL, WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT.
THEY, THEY SPENT THE MONEY WHERE YOU COULD, YOU COULD SEE IT.
IT'S PRETTY COMMON FOR THE BACKSIDE NOT TO HAVE IT.
SO I, I CAN'T SAY A WHOLE LOT MORE FROM A TECHNICAL SIDE ON THIS BECAUSE OF WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED HERE.
BUT IF YOU DO REALLY WANNA LOOK AT KEEPING THIS, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST YOU, YOU FIND SOMEONE EX EXPLORED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
NOT SAYING THERE'S NOT SOME THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE REPAIRED, MITIGATED.
IF YOU HAVE LEANING MASONRY, THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THAT AS WELL.
BUT I, I GO AHEAD AND EXPLORE IF YOU WANNA KEEP IT.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT IN THE, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HISTORIC FABRIC.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? AND I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ADVICE YOU'RE GETTING FROM YOUR ARCHITECT.
SO THE FACADES THAT YOU'RE SHOWING US, AND EVEN SOME OF THE ANALYSIS THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH, WERE YOU BRINGING THIS TO US AS NEW CONSTRUCTION OR A NEW BUILD IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT? IT WOULD FEEL VERY APPROPRIATE.
IN NO WAY, HOWEVER, DOES THIS ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUE BEHIND THE DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH IS YOU HAVE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, YOU'RE STARTING WITH A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND, UH, TO KIND OF MAKE IT EASY.
UH, ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS IN A HISTORIC STRUCTURE, IF THE ORIGINAL OWNER WERE SOMEHOW TO COME BACK FROM, YOU KNOW, BACK, BACK FROM THE 1930S AND WERE TO WALK DOWN THE STREET, WOULD THEY RECOGNIZE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR DESIGNER'S PROPOSAL? ALL THREE FACADES? THE ANSWER WOULD BE NO.
IT, THEY WOULD'VE SAID, MY HOUSE GOT TORN DOWN.
SOMETHING ELSE IS IN ITS PLACE.
SO I, I THINK THAT MAYBE THE ISSUE OF THE STONE IS SORT OF THE, THAT KEY ELEMENT THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU RETHINK WHAT IS POSSIBLE SO THAT, THAT FRONT FACADE, IT'S MODEST, BUT IT HAS INTEGRITY.
IT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
THERE'S NO DISCUSSION AND STAFF'S NOT RECOMMENDING IT BECOME A LANDMARK STRUCTURE.
SO DOING SOMETHING CREATIVE THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO MAKE FULLER USE OF THAT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ACKNOWLEDGING AND WORKING WITH THE HERITAGE THAT YOU OWN.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU KIND OF WENT DOWN A TANGENT THAT PERHAPS WE COULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BACK UP AND REEXAMINE THAT AS A ONE STORY ELEMENT THAT STILL KEEPS SOME INTEGRITY, STILL HAS A, A, A, A DEFINABLE RECOGNIZED FACADE, AND YET ALSO HAS ADDITIONAL MASSING.
I THINK THERE ARE CREATIVE WAYS YOU COULD DO THAT WITHOUT STARTING FROM SCRATCH.
BUT THE DESIGNS YOU'VE SHOWN US AND THE RATIONALE FOR THEM, AS I SAY IT, IT, YOU'RE BASICALLY STARTING OVER IN THE HOUSE HAS BEEN, HAS, HAS, HAS DISAPPEARED.
SO I I I WOULD WANT YOU TO, UH, WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT, BUT ALSO, UH, IF YOUR ARCHITECT HASN'T GIVEN YOU THOSE OPTIONS SUCCESSFULLY, I WOULD PUSH THEM.
UH, HAPPY, HONESTLY, I, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE, WELL, I GUESS I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I'M SURE MY HUSBAND APPRECIATES AS WELL THE COMMENTS ON THE STONE.
UH, WHAT DREW US TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS THE HISTORICAL CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WE ARE EAGER TO FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE THAT IN THE DESIGN, WHICH IS PART OF WHY WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME RESEARCHING THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT AND FEATURES.
UH, WE, AGAIN, WE DO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS ON THE STONE BECAUSE I, IF THERE IS A WAY TO KEEP THAT, UH, AND TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE DESIGN, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO OBVIOUSLY SOLVE THE, UH, COMMENTS ON DIFFERENTIATION, UH, BECAUSE THE OFFICE DID OBVIOUSLY RECOMMEND THE STUCCO AND, AND I THINK BY NATURE THE MIX OF A STUCCO AND A STONE WOULD PROBABLY BE, UH, LESS UNIFORM AND LESS JARRING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE APPLICANT? THANK WE.
ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? WE DO HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER SIGNED UP IN FAVOR.
HE IS OUR, UH, DRAFTSMAN WHO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ON THE DESIGN.
HE'S AVAILABLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS? NO.
IF HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, HE'S WELCOME TO, IT APPEARS THAT HE IS NOT ONLINE.
ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER HARRIS, COMMISSIONER
[02:10:01]
ACTON.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
COMMISSIONER ACTON, UM, MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TILL OCTOBER TO ALLOW FOR SOME REMOVE OF MAYBE THEM EXPLORING MAYBE SOME OTHER OPTIONS OF, OF RETAINING SOME OF THE FABRIC.
UM, AND MAYBE GETTING A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN ON, ON IT SEEMS LIKE, AND PERHAPS A REFERRAL TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND REFER TO, UH, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IS, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? OH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UM, YES, I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS TO WORK THROUGH HERE, UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE OWNERS MIGHT HAVE A DESIRE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO I THINK IT'D BE GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO JUST GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND FOR THEM TO MAYBE GO TALK TO THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, IN THE MEANTIME.
COMMISSIONER ROCHE? WELL, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL EXCELLENT SOLUTIONS.
I WOULD, UH, IN LIGHT OF MR. ACT'S COMMENTS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE, UH, OWNERS TO CONSIDER MAKING A SMALL OPENING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEHIND THE STONE.
THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO AND WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER IN RESTORATION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
UH, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO LET THE HOUSE DISAPPEAR NOW.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, INTEGRATING SOME OF THE INTEGRITY OF THAT, EVEN AS A MORE MODEST BUILDING INTO SOMETHING, UH, WITH TWO STORIES.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, FOR POSTPONEMENT TO THE OCTOBER MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND I DO SEE ALL IN FAVOR IS UNANIMOUS.
COMMISSIONER, UH, WHAT IS YOUR STATUS ON QUORUM? I I HAVE A WELL WOULD BE EIGHT 30 YOUR TIME.
UH, I DO BELIEVE WE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE QUORUM, UH, IF YOU HAVE TO SIGN OFF BEFORE THIS CASE IS FINISHED.
BUT WE HAVE ONE MORE CASE, UH, THAT WE CAN TAKE UP NOW.
OKAY, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT CASE THEN.
WELL, AND WE WILL EVEN IF HE HAS TO LEAVE.
[15. PR-2026-086869 – 1005 E. 13th St. Council District 1]
15.AND THAT'S, UH, 10 0 5 EAST 13TH STREET.
ITEM 15 IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1910 HOUSE.
THIS SINGLE STORY HOUSE WAS BUILT WITH NATIONAL FOLK ELEMENTS AND FEATURES AN INSET PORCH AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER.
THE PORCH IS SUPPORTED BY A SINGLE METAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE IN THE FRONT CORNER ATTACHED TO A SHORT METAL RAIL.
THE FRONT DOOR IS SET AT THE REAR OF THE PORCH NEXT TO A SINGLE HUNG WINDOW.
A TRIPARTITE WINDOW ASSEMBLY IS PRESENT AT THE OTHER HALF OF THE FRONT FACADE, SURROUNDED BY AMPLE WOOD TRIM, NARROW WOOD SIDING, CLOUDS THE ENTIRE HOUSE.
AND WHILE SAGGING IN SOME AREAS IS OVERALL IN REPAIRABLE CONDITION DUE TO THE WIDTH OF THE HOUSE, THE MODERATELY PITCHED HIP ROOF FORM VISUALLY DOMINATES THE PROPERTY.
IT IS CLAD AND COMPOSITION SHINGLE AND FEATURES A REC RECTANGULAR DORMER AT THE FRONT, WHICH ITSELF IS TOPPED WITH A HIP ROOF ASSEMBLY.
THE FOUNDATION IS PEER AND BEAM.
THE LONGTIME OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY UPON CONSTRUCTION WAS HENRY WILLIAMS, WHO WORKED VARIOUS ROLES AS A FIREMAN, PORTER FARMER AND OIL MILL WORKER.
BY 1918, HE LIVED WITH HIS WIFE, ELIZA WILLIAMS. AND THE TWO RAISED A FAMILY AT THIS HOUSE.
IN 1926, MR. WILLIAMS WAS SHOT AT RURAL TRAVIS COUNTY AND RECOVERED.
BUT IN 1930 HE WAS AGAIN INJURED AS A RESULT OF A WINDSTORM WHILE WORKING IN AN OIL MILL.
AFTER HIS DEATH AROUND 1944, MRS. WILLIAMS REMAINED AT THE ADDRESS UNTIL AT LEAST 1949, AFTER WHICH TIME THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY ABE AND BOBBY SMITH WHO HAD AT LEAST ONE CHILD WHILE LIVING AT THE PROPERTY.
UH, THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON OCTOBER 19TH.
UH, SO, UH, OCTOBER 7TH IS THE LAST HEARING AT WHICH, UH, THIS ITEM MAY APPEAR.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, HOWEVER, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY DOES LIST THE PROPERTY AS ELIGIBLE, UH, FOR LOCAL LANDMARK LISTING, AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL OR NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THUS, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO APPROVE THE, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE? THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO
[02:15:01]
SPEAK.THAT'S, UH, KASHI WOODLEY IS NOT HERE.
IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER? YES.
OUR IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER WHO SPOKE PREVIOUSLY IS PAUL PAULINA KOVICH.
YOU MAY, YOU MAY COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD EXCEPT THAT THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS, WAS ON THE 2016 SURVEY AS ELIGIBLE AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK AND A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE SAME APPLICANT AS THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS PROPERTIES.
SO I GUESS NOW WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN DOING ANY SORT OF HISTORIC PRE OR WORKING WITH ANY SORT OF HISTORIC, UM, FRAMEWORK WHEN THEY, THEY JUST WANNA SCRAPE THE LOTS AND, AND MOVE ON.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD FROM MY PRIOR STATEMENT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS AGAIN TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND, UM, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, OH, PLEASE QUESTION STAFF.
UM, I THINK THIS SAYS THAT THIS TIME'S OUT FOR US ON OCTOBER 19TH.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT IT SAYS, UH, THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME ON OCTOBER 19TH, 2026 WAS THIS, DOES THIS, WE ONLY HAVE 45 DAYS ON THIS.
IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US A SECOND FOR OUR CASE MANAGER TO COME BACK AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
DO YOU I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AT THIS POINT, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, UH, MOVED AND SECONDED.
COMMISSIONER COOK AND, UH, HARRIS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND IS UNANIMOUS THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE MAY WANT TO WAIT ON THAT INFORMATION.
IT DOES SAY THAT IN THE STAFF REPORT, SO I THINK YOU'RE, JUST REPEAT.
SO IT IS IN THE STAFF REPORT UNDER DEPARTMENT COMMENTS THAT THE APPLICATION TIMES OUT OCTOBER 19TH.
SO, AND THIS IS NOT SPECIFICALLY IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT? NO.
SO THE TIME HORIZON IS, IS SHORT.
UM, SO THE IDEA HERE WOULD BE THAT IN A SIMILAR WAY, IF HISTORIC ZONING IS APPROPRIATE, WE FIRST HAVE TO INITIATE AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT THE OCTOBER MEETING.
AND LET ME JUST CONFIRM WITH CALLAN.
I THINK AT THIS POINT WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH.
WE'LL JUST WAIT FOR HER TO CONFIRM.
CAN YOU JUST RESTATE THAT? OKAY.
UM, SO AS CHAIR, UM, THIS ITEM HAS BEEN TO ONE MEETING.
UM, THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING AT WHICH IT APPEARS.
AND THE OCTOBER 7TH MEETING IS THE LAST MEETING, UM, THAT IT CAN BE HEARD.
SO YOU'LL NEED TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AT THIS MEETING IN ORDER TO RECOMMEND IT IF YOU SO CHOOSE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
WAS THAT CLEAR TO EVERYBODY? OKAY.
SO IF THAT, UH, IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WITH YOUR MOTION, IF IT IS INITIATED, THEN THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WE VOTE TO ACTUALLY APPROVE, UH, OR MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION.
BUT WE'LL GET MORE TIME AND MORE INFORMATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND WE'LL HAVE THAT OPTION.
IF WE ONLY POSTPONE, WE WON'T HAVE THAT OPTION, BUT WE, AT THAT TIME, WE'LL BE ABLE TO STILL GET A FULL DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE IF WE VOTE ON IT AND TAKE ACTION AT THAT MEETING.
OR OF COURSE WE COULD APPROVE IT TONIGHT.
I'LL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THI THIS IS RECOMMENDED AS A LOCAL LANDMARK.
WE HAVE, UH, ADVOCATES HERE IN SUPPORT OF IT.
UM, THIS RECOMMENDATIONS ON RECORD.
ANYONE BUYING THIS ON SPEC TO SCRAPE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED, UH, TO SEE FURTHER ACTION ON THIS.
UM, WITHOUT HEARING FROM APPLICANTS, I'M PERSONALLY INCLINED TO SEND THESE UP TO COUNSEL.
UH, I JUST CAN'T LET HAVING PAID FOR A SURVEY THAT IDENTIFY POTENTIAL LOCAL LANDMARKS TO THEN JUST LET THEM GO AT THIS LEVEL WITHOUT GOOD JUSTIFICATION.
[02:20:03]
UH, NOTHING TO ADD.UM, WE HAVE A MOTION TO INITIATE THE HISTORIC ZONING ON ITEM 15 AT 10 0 5 EAST 13TH STREET.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THAT, THAT WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DONE AT NEXT OUR NEXT MEETING.
[18. PR-2026-090423 – 1900 E. 11th St. Council District 1]
HAVE ONE FINAL DISCUSSION ITEM AND THAT IS ITEM NUMBER 18 AT 1900 EAST 11TH STREET.OUR FINAL ITEM IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1903 TO 1916 HOUSE.
THOUGH NO CHANGES ARE PROPOSED TO THE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE AT THE REAR OF THE LOT ADDRESSED AS 1103 TO CONE STREET, THE BUILDING IN THE FRONT OF THE LOT IS A ONE STORY BUNGALOW WITH A FULL WIDTH PORCH SIDE GABLE ROOF WITH EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS AND DECORATIVE BRACKETS AT THE GABLE ENDS.
HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, TWO BRICK CHIMNEYS AND ONE OVER ONE REPLACEMENT WINDOWS.
THE HOUSE AT 1900 EAST 11TH STREET WAS BUILT BETWEEN 1903 AND 1916 WITH A SMALLER VERNACULAR STRUCTURE LIKELY ENLARGED AND ENOR WITH CRAFTSMAN STYLISTIC ELEMENTS CLOSER TO SIX, CLOSER TO 1916, THE HOME'S EARLY OWNERS WERE MOSTLY SHORT-TERM OWNERS WHO WORKED AS LABORERS AT NEARBY WAREHOUSES OR HOUSEHOLD STAFF.
AFTER 1916, THE HOUSE WAS PURCHASED BY ALFRED AND FRANCIS MARITA.
AFTER WORKING AS A PORTER FOR SEVERAL YEARS, MR. MARITA OPENED THE GROCERY STORE AT 1103 CHACON IN 1922, JOSEPH AND MARLINA JOHNSON PURCHASED THE HOME IN STORE BETWEEN 1922 AND 1926.
ONE YEAR AFTER THEY BEGAN LEASING EQUIPMENT TO SELL KEROSENE FROM THE PIERCE PETROLEUM COMPANY, THE JOHNSON STORE BURNED TO THE GROUND.
JOE JOHNSON BUILT A NEW CORRUGATED METAL STORE IN ITS PLACE IN 1927.
THE JOHNSON'S OPERATED THE GROCERY AND VARIETY STORE UNTIL AT LEAST 1961.
WHEN MR. JOHNSON DIED BY 1973, THE JOHNSON'S DAUGHTER, MRS. LUCILLE HAYWOOD, HAD MOVED INTO THE HOUSE AND CONVERTED THE STORE TO A SANDWICH SHOP.
MRS. HAYWOOD OPERATED THE SHOP UNTIL THE MID 1980S WHEN IT WAS SOLD AND CONVERTED INTO A BARBECUE RESTAURANT.
AN APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION WAS SUBMITTED IN 2020 AND REFERRED FOR COMMISSION REVIEW.
HOWEVER, THE APPLICATION EXPIRED BEFORE THE COMMISSION HEARING COULD OCCUR.
AT THAT TIME, THE OWNER, OWNER AND APPLICANT MET WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE STAFF TO DISCUSS THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK ZONING FOR THE REAR STORE BUILDING, WHICH APPEARS TO MEET DESIGNATION CRITERIA.
A DEMOLITION ORDER FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY AT THE FRONT OF THE LOT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION.
PER CODE RECORDS, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN VACANT AND IN DIS REPAIR SINCE 1996 WITH INTERMITTENT REPAIRS.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT APPEARS TO RETAIN PARTIAL INTEGRITY.
THOUGH THE PORCH RAILINGS AND WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH INCOMPATIBLE MATERIALS OUTSIDE THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
UH, PER BUILDING AND STANDARD'S COMMISSION RULING, THE BUILDING'S CONDITION DOES APPEAR TO BE POOR, UM, MARKEDLY WORSE THAN THE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE BEHIND IT.
AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DETERIORATING STRUCTURALLY FOR SOME TIME.
UM, SO THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR ENGINEERS ON THE COMMISSION TO WEIGH IN.
STAFF HAVE EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION AS A TRANSITIONAL STYLE, DISPLAYING AN ECLECTIC MIX OF CRAFTSMEN AND NATIONAL FOLK STYLISTIC INFLUENCES, UM, AS WELL AS A PROPERTY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MARITA AND JOHNSON FAMILIES GROCERS WHO OPERATED THE STORE AT 1103 CHACON.
HOWEVER, THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE HOUSE ARE NOT AS STRONG AS THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE STORE BUILDING, WHICH LIKELY BETTER MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION THAN THE RESIDENCE.
THUS 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 THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WHILE THE RESIDENCE HAS SOME ASSOCIATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, THE STORE BUILDING AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY IS LIKELY MORE ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION DUE TO A SIGNIFICANCE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH AUSTIN BUSINESSES.
THAT CONCLUDES A STAFF PRESENTATION.
UM, SO THE DEMOLITION REQUEST AS IT'S COME TO US IS ONLY FOR THE FRONT RESIDENTIAL BUILDING AND NOT FOR THE REAR COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
AND HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT IS IN FRONT OF US AND IT IS ON THE SAME LOT, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON THE REAR PORTION OF THE LOT AT THE SAME TIME? UH, THE COMMISSION, I BELIEVE, UM, IS ABLE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE REAR STRUCTURE IF THAT'S UH, IF THAT'S WHAT THE QUESTION IS, IS LEADING INTO, YEAH.
UM, YEAH, BUT IT'D BE, IT'D BE AN UNUSUAL ONE IF, IF, IF, AND I'M SPECULATING HERE BECAUSE THIS IS EARLY AND NO ONE ELSE HAS CHANCE TO ASK, BUT, UH, IF WE WERE TO HAVE ONE PROPERTY WHERE WE BOTH,
[02:25:01]
UH, INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AND ALSO APPROVED DEMOLITION, WOULD THAT STILL BE AN ORDER? IT WOULD.AND ALSO THE APPLICANT AND OWNER IS HERE.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAYBE HAVE HIM WEIGH IN ON, UM, WHERE HE IS ON HIS, UM, JOURNEY TO LANDMARKING THE REAR STRUCTURE.
UH, ALRIGHT, WELL I I JUMPED THE GUN THEN SO, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? SURE, GO AHEAD.
YOU WERE FIRST, UM, THERE ISN'T, UNLESS I MISSED IT.
WHEN DOES THIS ONE TIME OUT? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THIS ONE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN IT.
UM, SO THEY HAVE 75 DAYS FROM TODAY.
ONE IS THIS TWO LEGAL LOTS OR ONE, LET ME CONFIRM WITH YOU, THE APPLICANT ALSO MAY BE ABLE TO CONFIRM.
UM, BUT I CAN LOOK AT A MAP REAL QUICK AND GET RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN NUMBER TWO, AND THIS PREDATES MY TIME ON THE COMMISSION, I BELIEVE COUNSEL JUST APPROVED HISTORIC ZONING ON A PART OF A LOT.
THE FRONT PART OF THE HOUSE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO ESSENTIALLY SOMETHING SIMILAR ON THE SAME LOT.
THEY ALLOWED ZONE HISTORIC ZONING TO BE ON PART OF A PART OF A LOT, RIGHT? YEAH, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE DEMOLITION ON THE REST OF THE LOT, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, BUT IN THIS CASE IT WOULD ALL BE TOGETHER.
SO I JUST, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER THAT WOULD HAVE, IF THESE AREN'T TWO LEGAL LOTS, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, STORE OR NOT THE HOUSE.
WHETHER THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT THE PRECEDENT THAT WAS SET BEFORE AT COUNCIL, WHETHER THAT MIGHT APPLY HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONERS.
CAN WE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT? I'M HERE.
HOW YOU DOING COMMISSIONERS? MY NAME IS TERRANCE HAYWOOD.
UH, THAT HOUSE HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY.
MR. JOHNSON IS MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER.
SO THE THE SELMA SHOP, MY GRANDMOTHER, YES, I'VE BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME.
AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN THEY PURCHASED IT, WHEN THEY MOVED FROM, THEY USED TO LIVE ON RED RIVER ON NINTH STREET AND THEN IN 20 THEN THEY MOVED THERE.
UH, WHAT WE WANT TO DO, THE HOUSE IS VERY DETERRED.
THE PICTURES YOU SEE THERE ARE NOT EVEN, THOSE ARE TAKEN A FEW YEARS AGO.
THE NEWER ONES, IT'S IN VERY BAD SHAPE AND IT HURTS ME TO TEAR IT DOWN, BUT I HAVE TO BE REALISTIC WITH WHAT I'M DEALING WITH.
NO ONE CAN LIVE IN THAT HOUSE.
SO MY GOAL IS TO TEAR THE HOME DOWN, CLEAR OFF THE LOT.
BUT I WANT TO KEEP THE STORE AND TRY TO GET IT HISTORICALLY IF IT MICHELLE'S CRITERIA.
'CAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO REOPEN IT AND OPEN A BUSINESS THERE AND BRING IT BACK TO WHAT IT WAS.
SO THAT IS THE PLAN THAT, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.
I DID AN APPLICATION RIGHT BEFORE COVID.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN COVID HIT.
AND AT THE TIME MY DAD WAS STILL ALIVE AND I WAS DEALING WITH HIM AND HE GOT SICK.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO TEAR IT DOWN, BUT I KIND OF TALKED HIM INTO IT.
BUT AT THAT POINT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, COVID AND EVERYTHING.
AND ONCE HE PASSED AWAY, NOW IT KIND OF FAILS ON ME TO GET IT DONE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF, OF WHERE I'M AT WITH THAT.
IT'S A EYESORE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND IT HURTS ME A LOT 'CAUSE WHEN I WAS BORN I CAME TO THAT HOUSE SO IT REALLY, I KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD VERY WELL.
AND SO I REALLY WANT TO, I KNOW THE STORE CAN DO SOMETHING GREAT, THE HOUSE HAS TO COME DOWN AND MY SON AND I TALKED ABOUT REBUILDING, BUT WE WOULD DO IT WITH TALKING WITH COMMISSIONER AND WE WANT TO KEEP THE AESTHETIC THE SAME AS THAT HOUSE IS NOW TO FIT THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THAT'S LATER ON DOWN THE LINE.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION RELATED TO WHAT YOU SAID? GO AHEAD.
SO TO THAT END, WE HAVE, UH, AN OWNER THAT MIGHT WANT TO INITIATE LANDMARKING ON ONE PART OF THIS.
FROM A LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT, IS THAT BETTER TO COME FROM HIM OR IS IT THE SAME IF WE TRY TO INITIATE LANDMARKING ON JUST THE STORE? SO THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER.
UH, COMMISSIONER, SO FIRST OF ALL, I DID CHECK THEY ARE ON ONE LEGAL LOT THOUGH THEY HAVE TWO ADDRESSES.
UM, OF COURSE IF Y'ALL WERE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, UM, THAT WOULD NOT CAUSE UM, THE APPLICANT TO HAVE TO PAY APPLICATION FEES FOR THE HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, HOWEVER, I THINK THAT UM, WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS ALSO ALL RIGHT WITH MR. HAYWOOD, UM, JUST TO AVOID GETTING ENTANGLED WITH THE SUPER MAJORITY REQUIREMENT IMPOSED BY STATE LAW AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER ON.
UM, AND WE SHOULD CERTAINLY, SINCE MR. HAYWOOD
[02:30:01]
HAS COME HERE, UH, WE SHOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER HIS WISHES AND HIS TIMELINE, UM, WHEN Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING.BUT YES, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD, UM, THAT COULD HELP, THAT COULD WAIVE FEES.
UM, AND IT IS AT THE COMMISSION'S, UM, DISCRETION AS TO UM, HOW THEY WANT TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, Y'ALL CAN SPECIFY WHICH PORTION OF THE LOT IF APPLICABLE, UM, YOU WOULD LIKE TO START THAT INITIATION PROCESS ON.
AND TO THAT END, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE INITIATE THAT IT HAS THE SUPER MAJORITY REQUIREMENT.
HAVE WE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND DOES IT CARRY ANY WEIGHT AS THIS TRIES TO GET THROUGH PLANNING AND THROUGH CITY COUNCIL THAT THE OWNER IS ON BOARD, THEY JUST DIDN'T INITIATE IT.
IF THE OWNER IS IN FAVOR, THEN WHOEVER INITIATES DOESN'T MATTER.
THE SUPER MAJORITY IS ONLY TRIGGERED IF THE OWNER IS OPPOSED.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S, IT'S A TOOL THAT I THINK COMMISSIONERS, SOME OF YOU HAVE SOME HISTORY WITH THIS, SOME OF THE NEWER COMMISSIONERS HAVE NOT SEEN THIS AS FREQUENTLY, BUT UM, IT IS A VERY POWERFUL TOOL.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY WHEN AN OWNER OBJECTS IT IS SOMETIMES OUR LAST RESORT, BUT THERE ARE ALSO CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, EVEN A WILLING OWNER JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE MEANS OR CAPACITY OR TIME MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT.
IT'S A FAIRLY HIGH BAR, BUT WE'VE USED THAT AS THE RATIONALE FOR INITIATING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY.
UH, WE COULD HAVE WAITED FOR YEARS FOR AN OWNER WHO WAS WILLING BUT HAD NO CAPACITY AND BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH NOT ONLY THE OWNER BUT ALSO PRESERVATION AUSTIN AND OTHERS.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE IN THAT VEIN AS WE EXPLORE THIS AND GET TO KNOW THIS OWNER, WHETHER WE'RE MEETING THAT HIGH BAR.
SO TO THAT END, IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE WE MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT POSTPONE IT, FIGURE THAT ALL THAT OUT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE, WE WOULD HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO POSTPONE AND GET MORE INFORMATION IF THAT'S, IF THAT WOULD BE AMONG THE OBJECTIVES.
UH, COMMISSIONERS WE ALSO DO NEED TO CONSIDER THAT, UM, THIS CASE IS AT THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION.
UM, THERE MAY BE A TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, UM, THAT WE DO NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT WELL, COULD, COULD, COULD WE GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, COULD WE, UM, APPROVE DEMOLITION ON THE HOUSE AND PEN THE STORE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING GIVING EVERYBODY A TIME, TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT? THE DEMOLITION'S ONLY ON THE HOUSE.
SO LET ME, LET ME, WE'RE GETTING PAST OURSELVES.
WE STILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE APPLICANT.
LET US MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE OTHER POTENTIAL, UH, SPEAKERS, BUT ALSO I THINK STAFF MAY HAVE SOME OTHER, UH, INSIGHT FOR US.
SO JUST LOGISTICS WISE, UM, COMMISSIONERS, I SEE WHAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO DO.
SO, UM, I THINK THE APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO, UH, CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING OF THE STORE, UM, AT A FUTURE MEETING.
PUT THAT ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IN THAT SECTION WHEN WE GET THERE.
UM, IF YOU SO CHOOSE ON THE PROPOSED DEMOLITION OF THE FRONT STRUCTURE SO THAT WE AREN'T, UM, CREATING, THERE'S GONNA BE A SEAT ORDER FOR THE BACK STRUCTURE.
RIGHT? WE, WE DON'T WANNA CREATE ANY TIMELINE, UH, CONFLICTS WITH THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION.
UM, IF WE DON'T NEED TO FOR ACTION ON THE STRUCTURE THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY BEING CONSIDERED AT THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION.
SO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS, IF THEY'VE ALREADY MADE A DETERMINATION AND WE HAVE NO OBJECTION, THEN THERE'S NO REASON TO HOLD THEM UP.
AND COMMISSIONER HARRIS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT BUILDINGS AND STANDARDS HAS NOT INCLUDED ANYTHING ABOUT THE THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
AND, AND WOULD WE INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION FOR A DESIGNATION OF THE STORE IN THE MOTION NOW AND WOULD THAT COVER THE REQUIREMENT FOR TWO COMMISSIONERS TO PROPOSE THAT FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? 'CAUSE IN THE PAST WE'VE DONE LETTERS FROM TWO IN THAT.
I THINK THAT WOULD STILL BE AN OPTION TOO.
IT'S JUST OUT OF THE BLUE TO AT ANY TIME PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
MAKE SURE, MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS.
YEAH, COMMISSIONER, YOU MAY HAVE TO REPEAT THAT.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE FAINT OVER HERE.
SO, SO IN, IN THE PAST WE'VE, UH, ANYTIME LIKE THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY OR THE FANNIE DAVIS, UH, GAZEBO, UH, WE JUST HAD A LETTER AND I, I UNDERSTAND IT'S TWO COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO BE ON BOARD TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, WE COULD INCLUDE IN OUR MOTION TO CONSIDER IT IN THE FUTURE AGENDA OR WE COULD NOT AND WE COULD COULD COME BACK.
JUST WHOEVER IS PLANNING ON MAKING THE MOTION, THOSE ARE BOTH OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
AND THERE, THERE'S NOT, NOTHING'S GONNA BE LOST SINCE WE HAVE AN OWNER.
YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY WANTING TO MEMORIALIZE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT INITIATING BUT NOT EXACTLY INITIATE SO THAT WE HAVE SOME TIME TO DELIBERATE WITH THE OWNER ABOUT WHAT I JUST, WE WOULD JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE
[02:35:01]
OWNER HAS FULL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, IT, IT, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING MAKES SENSE.YOU, YOU WOULD BE APPROVING THE DEMOLITION OF THE HOUSE BUT, AND MAKING SORT OF A COMMENT FOR THE FUTURE MEMORIALIZING THAT INITIATION OF THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING WOULD BE DESIRABLE IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THAT WOULD LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN TO Y'ALL ADMINISTRATIVELY INTRODUCE IT TO THE AGENDA AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE.
OR COULD WE SIMPLY POSTPONE THAT DISCUSSION TO, TO THE NEXT MEETING? LET ME DO THIS.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A MOTION.
AND I STILL HAVE, WE STILL HAVE AN OPEN PUBLIC HEARING.
ARE THERE ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? SO TECHNICALLY WAS THAT, SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
YOU WERE SAYING, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I SAID.
UH, BECAUSE IT IS NOT ACTUALLY AN AGENDA ITEM.
SO WE WOULD NEED IT TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA BY TWO OF Y'ALL.
TO GET IT, TO GET IT EVEN ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
LET ME ASK THEN, AND THANK, THANK THE APPLICANT FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
UH, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS? NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, SO I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS SOONER.
UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE HEARING IS CLOSED AND I WERE OPEN FOR A MOTION.
I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION AND TO PROPOSE CONSIDERATION FOR INITIATION WITH HISTORIC ZONING ON THE STORE AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO BE, UM, PRESENTED TO THE AGENDA BY STAFF WITH, WITH A REQUIREMENT FOR A DOCUMENTATION WITH PACKAGE WITH REQUIRED, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE ON THE, UH, RESIDENCE BEING DEMOLISHED.
IS THERE A SECOND? MAY, MAY I MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? GO AHEAD.
UH, IF I COULD MAKE A FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT THE MOTION SPECIFICALLY SAYS THE HOUSE ONLY, SO THERE'S NO AMBIGUITY.
YOU SAID DEMOLITION IN YOUR MOTION.
A DEMOLITION OF THE HOUSE ONLY AS PRESENTED IN THE APPLICATION.
AND IS THAT YOUR SECOND THEN I WILL SECOND.
I THINK WE'VE HAD THE DISCUSSION BEF BEFORE THE, THE MOTION, BUT UM, YEAH, THERE'S BEEN, UH, SEVERAL CASES WHERE, UM, THERE'S BEEN, UH, COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
WELL, FIRST I AGREE THAT, THAT, UH, NEITHER OF THESE ARE RECOMMENDED AS LOCAL LANDMARKS IN THE SURVEY, WHICH WILL PRESENT ITS OWN ISSUES IN THE FUTURE.
BUT, UH, GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE AND THE PRESENTATION REPRESENTATION BY THE OWNER, UH, OF THE INTENT, UH, I THINK THE DEMOLITION IS EASILY GRANTED.
UH, AND IT'S GREAT TO HEAR AND THE PROCESS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN RESTORING A HISTORIC FAMILY OWNED STORE AS WELL.
AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A COMMISSION INITIATED ZONING CASE ON THAT, IF THAT'S HOW IT SO TURNS OUT.
AND I THINK IT CAN BE A WIN-WIN.
COMMISSIONER HARRIS, I THINK THAT WAS SAID PERFECTLY.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AND ADDRESS THIS TO, UH, THE APPLICANT.
UH, MR. HAYWOOD, I KNOW YOU'RE IN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF STUFF HERE, BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THIS IS A BUILDING AND BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE STR THE, THE STORE, THEY HAVE LONG ASSOCIATIONS WITH THIS IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR FAMILY.
UH, I CAN'T NECESSARILY SPEAK TO ALL THE FAMILY DYNAMICS THAT GOT YOU HERE.
I'M SURE IT IS VERY, UH, A A LONG AND PROBABLY TORTURE HISTORY THAT GOT GOT TO THIS POSITION BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE HOUSE AND IT PAINS ME OVER THE YEARS TO HAVE WATCHED IT DETERIORATE.
AND I DIDN'T EVER, I'VE NEVER BEEN INSIDE AND I DIDN'T LIVE THERE, BUT I, I, I FEEL WHAT IT MUST HAVE TAKEN.
I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO INTENDED TO DO ALL KINDS OF GOOD THINGS AND YET IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND LITTLE BY LITTLE WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
BUT IN YOUR CASE IT PROBABLY WAS JUST, YOU JUST COULD NOT GET ENOUGH OF THE FOLKS WHO NEEDED TO MAKE DECISIONS TOGETHER TO DO WHAT THEY NEEDED TO.
WELL MY DAD WAS THE ONLY FOLK AND HE JUST LIKE, NO, I CAN'T, YOU WOULDN'T DO IT.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO STRESS 'EM WITH THAT.
SO, WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE CONSEQUENCE UNFORTUNATELY IS THAT WE LOST A HOUSE THAT HAS VALUE.
AND I WOULD ARGUE OFFER THAT IF THIS MOTION PASSES, THAT I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU NOT ONLY FOR THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, BUT ALSO TO SALVAGE
[02:40:01]
WORK WITH A CONTRACTOR THAT SALVAGES THE MATERIAL.'CAUSE ALL OF THAT IS VERY GOOD WOOD.
THERE'S LOTS OF DETAILS, THERE'S HISTORY THERE THAT OTHERS COULD USE.
IT'S ALMOST KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY DONATES THEIR ORGANS, SOMEONE ELSE CAN LIVE.
IT'D BE A SIMILAR THING FOR YOUR HOUSE YOUR LEGACY COULD LIVE ON IN SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE INSTEAD OF BEING BURIED INTO A LANDFILL.
THAT SAID, LET ME ALSO THEN THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR HISTORY AND YOUR FAMILY'S HISTORY, THAT WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THAT WITH A PORTION THAT IS LEFT.
AND I THINK THAT STORE AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN, THE FACT IS, IS THERE ARE A LOT FEWER OF THOSE STORES LEFT, UH, THAN THERE WERE HOUSES.
AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT AND HAVE YOUR COOPERATION IN WORKING WITH US TO PRESERVE THAT AND BRING THAT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THERE'LL BE A PICTURE I'M HOPING IN FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL SEE WHEN THEY SEE THE STORE OF THIS WONDERFUL HOUSE THAT USED TO BE THERE.
MAYBE THE NEW HOUSE YOU BUILD WILL BE JUST AS NICE, BUT, UH, THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PRESERVE.
BUT I THINK OF THE STORE, IF IT'S THERE, THAT LEGACY WILL BE MAINTAINED.
UH, SO I I, AGAIN, WE, WE DON'T NORMALLY SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT FAMILIES THAT LET HOUSES GO TO PIECES.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE HERE DOING THE RIGHT THING NOW.
SO WE WANT TO, WE WANNA APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
I'M JUST
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, PLEASE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND AND I SEE IT AS UNANIMOUS AND, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE IS, UH, NOT WITH US RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT STILL IS A QUORUM VOTE.
I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT STEP IN A SECOND.
SORRY, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT WE HAD A SECOND ON THAT MOTION.
BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD AN AMENDMENT, BUT, BUT ALRIGHT, GOOD.
UH, THAT WAS THE FINAL DISCUSSION ITEM AND WE
[21. Update from the Architectural Review Committee regarding the August 12, 2026 meeting. Members: Commissioners Koch, Alvarez, and Grogan.]
ARE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN HAVE COMMITTEE, UH, UPDATES.UH, WE'LL START WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, HEARD SOME INTERESTING AND POSITIVE CASES FIRST.
UH, 45, 50 MUELLER BOULEVARD, THE BROWNING HANGAR.
UH, LOOKING AT ADAPTIVE REUSE THERE, THERE'S SOME INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS KNOWING THAT IT'S JUST THE SKELETON.
UM, THERE'S SOME RECONSTRUCTION OF ELEMENTS THAT KIND OF RESTORE MORE OF ITS HANGAR APPEARANCE AND DISCUSSION ABOUT EXACTLY HOW TO EXECUTE IT.
BUT THAT'S GONNA BE A VERY POSITIVE PROJECT WHEN IT HAPPENS.
UH, THE BAKER SCHOOL, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING THREE 40 FOOT SHIPPING CONTAINERS ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS LEADING TO INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S A LANDSCAPE INTERVENTION, UH, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A PROPERTY THAT HAS THREE MAIN FACADES, UH, WHAT'S REVERSIBLE, WHAT'S NOT REVERSIBLE, UH, WHEN IT'S NOT EXACTLY APPROPRIATE.
UH, BUT IT'LL BE INTERESTING REGARDLESS WHEN YOU, UH, WHEN YOU ALL SEE IT.
UH, AND THEN, UM, SLED NURSERY, WE SAW EXTREMELY SENSITIVE, UM, WORK ON THAT, CONVERTING THAT INTO A GREEK GREEK RESTAURANT.
UH, IT'S REMARKABLY INTACT, UM, WITH THE ENAMORED STEEL PANEL GAS STATION.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCED, IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN LANDMARKING THAT ACROSS FROM NOW'S NOW'S, UH, PHARMACY, WHICH IS REMAINING IN A NON LANDMARK CONDITION, UH, BUT AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY.
SO, UH, BUT THAT'S BEING DONE VERY SENSITIVELY.
AND THEN WE, UH, SAW A CITY OFFICES AT UH, 1621 N HERNANDEZ.
IT'S ALSO BEING DONE AS A, A SENSITIVE, UM, PRESERVATION PROJECT.
SO WE DO SEE SOME, SOME GOOD THINGS AT THE A RC.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ AS WELL.
[22. Update from Commissioner Taniguchi regarding the August 19, 2026 Downtown Commission meeting.]
HAVE THE OTHER, UH, COMMITTEES HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO MEET THIS MONTH, BUT, UM, WE WILL HEAR FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER TUCCI REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.UH, UNFORTUNATELY I HAD THE FLU FOR THE LAST MEETING, UM, AND I WAS HOPING TO WATCH THE VIDEO AND KIND OF RECAP EVERYTHING, UH, THIS MEETING.
BUT THERE'S NO VIDEO POSTED YET.
SO I WILL RECAP IS ALL FOR THE, I GUESS NEXT TWO OR THAT MEETING.
IN THE UPCOMING MEETING AT OUR NEXT MEETING WE'LL GET A TWOFER.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS AT THIS MEETING? HEARING NONE.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
AND COMMISSIONER HARRIS, COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT IS UNANIMOUS AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.