[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:06]
MEETING TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, OR OCTOBER 7TH MEETING IN AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UH, I AM SITTING IN FOR CHAIR AFF WHO IS REMOTE TONIGHT AND IN THE ABSENCE OF A VICE CHAIR.
UM, SO THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 10 YEARS, SO BEAR WITH ME.
UM, WE'LL START WITH, UH, STAFF WILL CALL ROLE.
UH, COMMISSIONER HEMS OR CHAIR HIM? SETH
UH, I'M, I'M PRESENT REMOTELY.
COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT PRESENT.
UM, COMMISSIONER RICE AND COMMISSIONER TAN GUCCI ARE BOTH ABSENT TONIGHT.
I'LL NOTE WITH A, UH, DIOCESE OF 10, WE CURRENTLY HAVE JUST A SUPER MAJORITY, SO, UH, WE WILL NEED UNANIMOUS VOTES ON SOME OF THE CASES TONIGHT FOR THOSE TO PASS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
COMMUNICATION.OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKER IS MEGAN KING, NOMORE.
MEGAN KING, NOMORE, POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR PRESERVATION.
UM, IT'S OCTOBER, SO IT'S OFFICIALLY LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH.
UH, OUR PASSPORT PROGRAM IS IN FULL SWING.
WE'VE GOT 10 BELOVED LOCAL BUSINESSES IN OUR FOURTH ANNUAL PASSPORT AVAILABLE FOR FREE PICKUP OR PICKUP AT OUR OFFICES AT TOMO MAGAZINES, AND AT ZILKER TAPROOM AND ANY OF THE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES THOSE BUSINESSES ARE BOGGY CREEK FARM, CALLAHAN'S GENERAL STORE, CASEY'S, NEW ORLEANS SNOWBALLS, COCOS CAFE, EIA, ONE IN A MILLION SHENANIGANS NIGHTCLUB, TEXAS CHILI PARLOR AT THE TAVERN, WESTGATE LANES.
SO ALL MONTH LONG YOU CAN VISIT THEM WITH YOUR PASSPORT, MAKE A PURCHASE, GET A STAMP, AND WE'VE GOT AWESOME PRIZES AT THE END OF THE MONTH FOR YOU TO WIN.
AND WE JUST ANNOUNCED OUR 2026 PRESERVATION MERIT AWARD WINNERS, AND WE WILL BE CELEBRATING ALL 12 OF THESE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND PROJECTS AT OUR, UM, 66TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION AT CENTRAL MACHINE WORKS ON NOVEMBER 10TH.
SO YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH AND THE PRESERVATION MERIT AWARDS AT OUR WEBSITE, PRESERVATION AUSTIN.ORG.
OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKER IS BILL BUNCH.
GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE WITH A BIT OF AN UPDATE AND A COUPLE OF REQUESTS RELATED TO OUR NOW A HUNDRED YEAR OLD, UH, BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE.
UM, WE, OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AS YOU KNOW, BEEN TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AS POSSIBLE, TRY TO INFORM YOU, INFORM THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION.
UM, THE CITY STAFF HAD BEEN STRINGING US OUT SUB SUBSTANTIALLY ON A SERIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS.
SO WE FINALLY SENT A THREATENING LETTER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE MAYOR, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAYING, LAYING IT OUT, SAYING, COME ON, GIVE US THE INFORMATION.
WITHIN A FEW DAYS, WE GOT 4,000 PAGES OF RECORDS, UH, THIS LATE LA THE END OF LAST WEEK.
WE'RE NOW WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THEM.
UH, BEATRICE ANDERSON, OUR, OUR POINT PERSON ON IT.
UM, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED, BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS A COUPLE IMPORTANT THINGS.
THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY LAWYERS HAS INFORMED THE CITY AND INFORMED US THAT IN FACT, THE, THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT'S PENDING, NOT AWARDED, BUT AVAILABLE UPON COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW, UH, THAT MONEY CAN BE USED TO SAVE THE BRIDGE.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE WORKING GROUP, WHICH COMMISSIONER ACTON, I BELIEVE YOU'RE CHAIR OF.
UM, I WOULD ASK, PLEASE, THAT Y'ALL TRY TO MEET AND, AND WE WOULD BRING THIS INFORMATION TO THE, TO THE TABLE AND INVITE STAFF SO WE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S REALLY
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GOING ON.'CAUSE THERE'S, WE STILL HAVE NO REAL MEANINGFUL TIMELINE TO ADDRESS THIS.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU PUT IT BACK ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THE WHOLE COMMISSION NEXT MONTH FOR DISCUSSION REVIEW AND POTENTIAL ACTION.
AND ONE POTENTIAL ACTION THAT COULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN ADDITION TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS Y'ALL HAVE PREVIOUSLY MADE, IS TO SUPPORT THE PENDING STATE ANTIQUITIES, UH, LANDMARK DESIGNATION, UH, THAT WILL GO BE GOING TO THE STATE HISTORIC COMMISSION, UM, I BELIEVE IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
SO, UH, A NOVEMBER MEETING WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK AND FURTHER DIGGING INTO THE LAW ON THIS, UH, THERE'S A LANDMARK, UH, US SUPREME COURT CASE FROM 1971.
SOME OF Y'ALL KNOW IT, CITIZENS TO PRESERVE OVERTON PARK VERSUS VOLPE.
UM, THAT'S STILL THE CONTROLLING CASE LAW FOR WHETHER, UH, REVIEWING THESE DETERMINATIONS UNDER SECTION FOUR F OF, UH, FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVES.
UM, THE COURT THERE SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN MAKE THAT FINDING IS IF THERE'S UNIQUELY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS, QUOTE OR QUOTE COSTS OR COMMUNITY DISRUPTION OF EXTRAORDINARY MAGNITUDE.
UH, WE KNOW THEY CAN'T MEET THAT STANDARD.
WE SHOULD STOP WASTING OUR TIME DESIGNING A BRIDGE WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD AND INSTEAD START SAVING IT.
AND WE'D APPRECIATE YOUR HELP ON THAT.
[Consent Agenda]
OF YOU.UM, WE WILL GET TO BUSINESS NOW.
STAFF WILL READ THROUGH THE WHOLE AGENDA AND IDENTIFY CONSENT AND POSTPONEMENT ITEMS. THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, SERVING IN CHAIR HEIM SETH STEAD TONIGHT.
OUR FIRST ITEM IS THE SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026 MINUTES, WHICH ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL, UH, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION.
ITEM TWO IS A BRIEFING ON THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN BY CITY STAFF FOR OUR HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEM THREE, CASE NUMBER PR 20 26 0 5 3 6 7 0 AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THIS WILL BE A DISCUSSION CASE TONIGHT.
AND ITEM FOUR, PR 2 26 86 0 8 6 8 6 9 AT 1005 EAST 13TH STREET WILL ALSO BE A DISCUSSION CASE TONIGHT.
THESE ARE BOTH COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS UNDER CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEM FIVE, PR 2 26 0 0 8 1 8 8 AT 1005 EAST EIGHTH STREET.
THIS IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT, ITEM SIX, PR 20 26 0 1 8 3 2 1, AND ALSO HR 20 26, 112 2 3 1 AT NINE 16 CONGRESS AVENUE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM THIS EVENING.
1 4 3, 2, 1 AT 2 4 6 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM EIGHT, HR 20 26 1 0 6 3 2 7 AT 2 4 1 0.
BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NINE, HR 20 26 1 0 4 9 8 2 AT 4 3 0 9 AVENUE D IS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT AND UNDER NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.
TONIGHT WE BEGIN WITH ITEM 10, PR 2 26 0 5 9 9 82 AT 2009, TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, WHICH IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 11, SP 20 26 3 5 3 6 5 AND HR 20 26 79 AT SIX 11 WEST LYNN STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 12, PR 20 26 0 7 9 3 4 9 AT 7 0 6 EAST MONROE STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM 13, HR 20 26, 1 0 1 9 0 8 AT 1614, PRESTON AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL.
ITEM 14, SB 20 26, 112 6 5 6 AT 71 RAINY STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ITEM 15, PR 20 26, 1 0 4 8 6 1 21 0 7 HARTFORD ROAD IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
1 1 8 6 7 2 AT TWO 11 ACADEMY DRIVE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM TONIGHT.
ITEM 17, HR 20 26, 1 1 8 6 26 AND PR 20 26 112 4 6.
AT 1410 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL ITEM 18, PR 2026.
1 1 3 7 2 1 AT FIVE 15 LELAND STREET IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL FOR OUR DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION APPLICATIONS.
WE BEGIN WITH ITEM 19, PR 20 26 0 4 0 4 0 3 AT
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1808 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.THIS IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 20 PR 20 26 0 7 5 0 8 5 AT 1508 CANTERBURY STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 21, PR 20 25 1 5 3 7 5 3.
AT 9 0 8 WEST GIBSON STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 22, PR 20 26 1 8 5 5 AT 1009 EAST 13TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 23, PR 20 26 1 8 5 1 27 0 5 EAST SECOND STREET IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 24, PR 20 26 1 1 3 6 8 8 AT 800 WEST 34TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION AS WELL AS PR 20 26 1 1 3 7 0 6 AT 8 0 1 WEST 34TH STREET, WHICH IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACT.
ACTION ITEMS TONIGHT, UH, ITEM 26, WE HAVE OUR VICE CHAIR ELECTIONS, WHICH WILL BE A DISCUSSION AND ITEM 27, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE HLC AND A RC MINUTES, UH, OR MEETING DATES FOR 2027.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE A CONSENT ITEM THIS EVENING.
OKAY, SO AS REVIEW OUR CONSENT AGENDA, UH, WHICH WOULD PASS BASED ON STAFF RECOMMENDATION IN THE BACKUP WOULD BE NUMBER ONE, NUMBER SEVEN, NUMBER 11, NUMBER 13, 14 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, AND 27.
UH, AT THIS POINT IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY OF THESE FOR DISCUSSION? I DO NOT SEE ANY HANDS RAISED.
SO AT THIS POINT WE WILL, UM, OPEN PUBLIC HEARING ON EACH OF THESE CASES TO ALLOW ANYONE WHO'S COME TO SPEAK ON THESE CASES TO SPEAK.
I ASSUMING NO ONE IS SPEAKING ON THE MINUTES.
UH, SO IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS? YES.
OUR FIRST CONSENT ITEM WITH SPEAKERS IS GONNA BE 2 4 0 6 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BOULEVARD.
AND OUR FIRST IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS EMILY DONAHUE, WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.
AND I DO WANNA NOTE, YOU CAN ALSO WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK KNOWING THAT, UH, IF IT PASSES ON CONSENT, IT WILL SIMPLY PASS BASED ON STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UH, EMILY DONAHUE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, WE SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
HOWEVER, WE DID WANNA FLAG THAT SOME NEIGHBORS HAVE OBSERVED CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY AND ASK THE STAFF CONFIRM THAT THE WORK IS PERMITTED AND CONSISTENT WITH THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
THEY ARE TAKING NOTES AND I'M SURE THEY WILL GET ON THAT FIRST THING.
OUR SECOND IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS JOHN ROSADO WAVES.
AND WE HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
UH, MAY I QUICKLY JUST WEIGH IN ON THIS ONE? YES, PLEASE.
UM, THE NEIGHBORS AND THE OWNERS OF THIS, UH, I REALLY HAVE TO GIVE THEM A COMPLIMENT.
UH, WE INITIALLY GOT THIS AS A DEMOLITION PERMIT WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO IT IS PART OF, UH, A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
WE, WE HAVE MORE AUTHORITY THAN IF IT'S JUST A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, AND THE FAMILY, THOUGH THEY, UH, WOULD'VE LIKED TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS PROPERTY, UH, THEY PRETTY MUCH COME TO THE CONCLUSION THE DEMOLITION WAS THEIR ONLY OPTION.
AND BY TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH ME, UH, WITH STAFF, AND AS I UNDERSTAND ALSO MEMBERS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THEY REALLY DO DESERVE CREDIT FOR STEPPING BACK AND RECONSIDERING THAT IN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WORKED HARD FOR THIS TO NOW BE ON CONSENT.
ALWAYS GOOD TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN, WHEN THINGS WORK OUT.
ANY SPEAKERS? NUMBER 11, UH, A MOMENT PLEASE.
OKAY, CHAIR, ARE YOU GOING TO, UM, INCLUDE NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IN THIS CONSENT AGENDA? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT UP AS A SEPARATE MOTION? UH, I WAS GOING TO DO IT SEPARATELY, BUT,
[00:15:01]
UM, IF IT FACILITATES THINGS, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD NUMBER NINE TO THE CONSENT, UH, AGENDA LIST.THAT WAS A STAFF REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
WE DO HAVE SPEAKERS FOR THAT ITEM.
UH, UH, IF, IF I MAY, UH, YES, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK THAT, THAT JUST ALL BE PUT TOGETHER WITH THE POSTPONED ITEMS WHEN, WHEN THOSE COME UP.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO IT'S NOT ON CONSENT AGENDA, IT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE NEXT ROUND.
THEN OUR NEXT CONSENT ITEM WITH SPEAKERS IS GOING TO BE ITEM NUMBER 11 6 11 WESTLAND STREET.
OUR ONE IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS KYLE VANISE AND OUR THREE IN OPPOSITION SPEAKERS.
UH, THE FIRST WILL BE DONNA OSBORNE.
UM, DONNA OSBORNE WITH AWANA, OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND WE ARE WANTING TO, UH, REQUEST THIS TO BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, THERE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THE ARCHITECT, AND SINCE WE MET LAST TIME AND NEW THOUGHTS HAVE ARISEN AND WE ARE NOW UNDERSTANDING THAT MORE CHANGES ARE ON THE HORIZON THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REVIEW.
UM, AND, UH, THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE SITE PLAN.
AND WE, UH, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ANYMORE IF IT'S, IF I, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROTOCOL IS FOR ASKING FOR DISCUSSION VERSUS THE MERITS OF DISCUSSION VERSUS THE MERITS OF WHY WE WANT IT PULLED.
UM, THIS IS THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AS THOUGH IT WERE AN ACTIVE CASE, UH, BEING HEARD.
SO I WOULD GIVE YOUR FULL TESTIMONY.
JUST KEEP GOING AS YOU WOULD MM-HMM.
A A A BIG PART OF OUR DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON THE FRONT YARD SETBACK, AND WE HAD AN, A NEIGHBORING ARCHITECT COME INTO THE MEETING AND DISCUSS WITH THE, UH, DEVELOPER AND ARCHITECT ABOUT HOW THE MINIMAL SETBACKS BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS, THE STANDALONE WERE, WERE VERY NARROW AND TALL.
AND IF THEY COULD POSSIBLY PUSH THE BUILDINGS TOGETHER AND THEN TAKE THAT EXCESS, YOU KNOW, FOOTAGE AND PUT IT TOWARDS THE FRONT SETBACK SO THAT WE COULD KEEP IN LINE WITH WHAT'S EXISTING ON WHAT WEST LYNN, WHICH IS 25 FEET.
THEY'RE, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IS, I THINK, QUOTE ME IF I MAY BE WRONG, 15 FEET SET INTO THE 25 FOOT SETBACK.
UM, SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.
UM, UM, UH, COMBINING THE UNITS ALONG THE BACK WOULD ALLOW MORE SPACE FOR THE ALLEY THERE.
A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS WERE THERE AND CONCERNED ABOUT HOW CLOSE THE UNITS ARE INTO THE ALLEY AND BACK UP DISTANCE AND TRYING TO NAVIGATE A NARROW ALLEY.
UM, CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, PROPOSED FOR THE LOT, COMBINING THE UNITS AND CREATING FEWER BUT BIGGER SHARED LANDSCAPED AREAS WAS A BETTER APPROACH.
AND WE THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, MORE INCONSISTENT WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, OLD WEST AUSTIN, UM, UH, COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROJECT DESIGNED FOR THIS LOCATION AS A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND IT.
WE THINK THAT THIS COULD BE PICKED UP AND PUT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE COMMITMENT TO MAKE IT LOOK AND FIT IN WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, INCREASING THE FRONT YARD SETBACK, POSSIBLY COMBINING THE UNITS OR CUTTING DOWN A UNIT, TIGHTENING UP THE SPACES, CONSIDERING HOW IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, FACING OR ADJOINING TO THE, UM, THE LOT NEXT DOOR, THE DISTANCE FROM IT AND THE HEIGHT THAT IT, UH, THAT EXTENDS RIGHT UP AGAINST THE NEIGHBORING UNIT.
UM, AND KEEP WORKING ON THE BUILDINGS.
MASSING, WE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE DEVELOPER AND ARCHITECT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE HISTORIC COMMISSION KEEPS THE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION UNTIL A NEW DESIGN IS PRESENTED BEFORE RELEASING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IF I COULD, UH, I, I THINK THESE, THESE ISSUES WERE THE ONES THAT WE'VE RAISED IN PAST CONVERSATIONS.
IF THERE'S, UH, ADDITIONAL, UM, INDICATION ABOUT THIS, I THINK IT'D BE APPROPRIATE TO ADD THIS TO OUR DISCUSSION.
UH, I'LL JUST ASK THAT IT BE, BE, UH, TAKEN OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ANY FURTHER SPEAKERS AT THAT POINT.
THAT IS PULLED FROM CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM, UH,
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IN FAVOR.AND THAT IS ARIEL YATI AND SHE'S WAIVING HER RIGHT TO SPEAK.
SO OUR NEXT CONSENT ITEM WITH A SPEAKER IS ITEM NUMBER 17 FOR 1410 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
AND THAT IS LAURA BRENNAN IN FAVOR, WHO IS ALSO WAIVED HER RIGHT TO SPEAK.
SO OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE SPEAKER IS ITEM NUMBER 18, WHICH IS FIVE 15, UH, LELAND STREET.
AND THAT IS RUDY DELGADO I WAIVE, WHO IS ALSO WAIVING HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK.
SO OUR NEXT CONSENT ITEM WITH SPEAKERS IS GONNA BE 9 0 8 WEST GIBSON STREET.
AND OUR FIRST IN FAVOR SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IS CLAYTON MONTGOMERY, WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.
CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
UH, REAL QUICK BEFORE I START, I WANTED TO, I, I THINK, I BELIEVE YOU SAY IF THE, IF THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO APPROVE, WOULD YOU ADVISE LIKE SPEAKING OR, OR DOES IT? I DON'T WANNA WASTE THE COMMITTEE'S TIME.
THAT IS YOUR CALL, BUT I WILL ASK IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS BESIDES ON THIS ITEM.
SO YOU CAN WEIGH THAT WHEN YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO WAIVE OR SPEAK.
THE OTHER SPEAKER, UM, WORKS WITH ME AS WELL, SO IT'LL, UH, BE THE SAME.
UM, BUT I CAN GO AHEAD AND JUST SHARE THE BRIEF COMMENT I HAVE, FEEL FREE.
UM, I'M IN, MY NAME IS CLAYTON MONTGOMERY.
I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF ITEM 21, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 9 0 8 WEST GIBSON.
UH, I SUPPORT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL.
STAFF LOOKED AT THE PROPERTY, FOUND IT DOESN'T QUALIFY THE LANDMARK IF A PLAIN OLDER BUNGALOW WITH NO MAJOR HISTORIC FEATURES, NO IMPORTANT HISTORY TIED TO IT, AND NO SPECIAL VALUE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
DEARLY RESIDENTS WERE SHORT-TERM RENTERS, THEN THE BERG FAMILY LIVED THERE STARTING IN THE LATE, LATE 1940S.
WE RESPECT THE BUILDING'S HISTORY AND WILL COMPLETE THE CITY'S DOCUMENTED PACKAGE WITH PHOTOS OF SITE PLAN AND A WRITTEN HISTORY FOR THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
BEFORE ANYTHING IS TORN DOWN, I ASK THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE THE DEMOTION PERMIT AS STAFF RECOMMENDS.
OUR NEXT IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS SAL SOLOMON COHEN, WHO IS ALSO A VIRTUAL SPEAKER WHO APPARENTLY IS NOT ONLINE.
SO I GUESS THAT WAS OUR ONE IN FAVOR SPEAKER FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, HAVING HEARD ALL OF THE TESTIMONY, DOES ANYONE WANNA PULL ANY OF THESE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT? ACTUALLY, THERE ARE TWO MORE CONSENT ITEMS WITH SPEAKERS.
UM, SO ITEM NUMBER 22 HAS ONE SPEAKER IN FAVOR.
AND THAT IS BRITTA WALLACE I WAIVE, WHO IS WAIVING HER RIGHT TO SPEAK.
AND OUR LAST CONSENT ITEM WITH A SPEAKER IS ITEM NUMBER 23 2 7 0 5 EAST SECOND STREET.
SPEAKER FOR THAT ITEM IS LOUISE GRAN, WHO HAS WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK AS WELL.
THOSE ARE ALL OUR CONSENT SPEAKERS.
I MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS ON ANY OF THE ITEMS? NO, SIR.
UM, UM, I, I, LET ME, LEMME MAKE SURE I, THAT, THAT, THAT DID GET A SECOND.
AND I DO HAVE A QUICK COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER ACT ON ITEM NUMBER 17 IF I COULD.
YES, WE HAD, UH, COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE, UH, MOTION AND COMMISSIONER ACT A DID.
I'M NOT SURE I HEARD THE SECOND REMOTELY.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 17, I REALLY WANNA SAY WE HAVE WAY MORE HEARTACHE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, UH, OR SHOULD SAY WE HAVE A LOT LESS HEARTACHE IF FOLKS WOULD FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF AN EXCELLENT PROJECT.
SO THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS COME IN, THEY'VE PUT THEIR PERSONAL STAMP ON A HISTORIC BUILDING.
THEY'VE MADE SOME CHANGES, BUT THEY'RE ALL RESPECTFUL OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, RESPECTFUL OF THE EXISTING PROPERTY.
AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THE RIGHT THING AND WE DON'T GET TO TALK ABOUT YOU, BUT I DO THINK THIS ONE ALSO DESERVES A PAT ON THE BACK.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT SOME OF THE, UH, ITEM NUMBERS IN THE TWENTIES THAT WERE IN EAST AUSTIN WHILE, WHILE WE ALWAYS HATE LOSING HISTORIC FABRIC, UM, THE SURVEY EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY OF THOSE AS POTENTIAL LANDMARKS.
[00:25:01]
KIND OF HELPS, UH, PROVIDE SOME, UM, SOME IDEA OF, NOT CERTAINTY, BUT A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT, UH, WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.SO, UH, I ADVISE ANYONE, ANY ADVOCATES WHO MAY HAVE WANTED TO SAVE ANY OF THESE BUILDINGS TO LOOK AT THAT SURVEY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER RENEWAL, BEING REVIEWED AND UPDATED, UH, THAT, THAT'S KIND OF A GUIDE FOR WHAT IS GENERALLY GONNA BE DEEMED HISTORIC AND NON HISTORIC.
AND NONE OF THESE WERE DEEMED HISTORIC IN THAT SURVEY.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
LOOKS LIKE WE ARE UNANIMOUS ALL EIGHT VOTING FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND SO NEXT WE'LL TAKE THE POSTPONEMENTS.
WE HAVE TWO APPLICANT REQUESTS AND ONE STAFF REQUESTED.
SO ITEM FIVE, I ASSUME WE'LL JUST GO ON THE POSTPONEMENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE ITEM NINE THAT WAS STAFF REQUESTED AND WE HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEAK ON THAT.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT.
AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS SUSAN J PRYOR, WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.
UM, YEAH, UM, I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND I'VE BEEN SPENDING MONTHS AND MONTHS TRYING TO GET THIS PROPERTY PERMITTED.
AND, UH, I AM NOW HAVING TO GO THE CITY HAS, IS TAKING ME TO COURT FOR NOT MAINTAINING THE EXTERIOR OF THIS BUILDING, WHICH I CAN'T DO WITHOUT A PERMIT.
I KNOW THE NEIGHBORS ARE VERY UPSET.
SO POSTPONING THIS IS ONLY GONNA BE MORE AND MORE PAINFUL.
AND I THINK MY ARCHITECT DEREK BUDZINSKI IS THERE TO SPEAK TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S NO REAL OBJECTIONS.
I'M TRYING TO RESTORE IT BACK TO THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND NICER THAN IT IS, AT LEAST AS NICE AS SOME, THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SURROUNDING.
SO AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S NOBODY THAT'S OBJECTING TO THAT.
YOU HAVE A SECOND SPEAKER? YES.
I WORK AT ALANIS ARCHITECTS OF ARCHITECTURE FIRM, HYDE PARK FOR LAST 25 YEARS, HAD BEEN PRACTICING, UH, HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE IN AUSTIN FOR THE, UH, LAST 30 YEARS.
UM, TONIGHT, AS SUSAN MENTIONED, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN LONG DELAYED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
SUSAN ORIGINALLY TRIED TO GET THIS PROJECT RESTORED BACK TO A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE THROUGH SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE STATE.
THE STATE DEEMED THAT TOO MUCH DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE TO THE HOUSE AND TOO MUCH ORIGINAL FABRIC HAD BEEN REMOVED.
SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO JUST RESTORE IT, UM, WITHOUT THE STATE'S PARTICIPATION.
AND AS SUSAN MENTIONED, SHE'S BEEN CITED BY THE CITY FOR LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE PROJECT, BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING ASKED TO POSTPONE IT.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, HARD FOR US.
UM, THE STAFF THAT, UH, REPORT THAT AUSTIN LUKE PUT TOGETHER IS GREAT.
THE, UH, ISSUES HE RAISED IN THERE ABOUT THE CHANGES, THE FRONT PORCH AND THE FRONT COLUMNS ALL MADE PERFECT SENSE TO US.
WE LOOKED AT THAT AGAIN THIS MORNING AND YOU KNOW, THE MAIN COMMENTS THAT CAME UP FROM, UH, AUSTIN'S, UH, REPORT WERE THAT THE SECOND FRONT DOOR NEED TO BE PRESERVED, BUT THAT IS IN NO WAY HISTORICAL OR ORIGINAL TO THE HOUSE.
HOUSE BUILT IN 1912, UH, BY THE STUBBS FAMILY.
AND THEY DID NOT SUBDIVIDE IT UNTIL THE DEPRESSION WHEN THEIR DAUGHTER MOVED INTO THAT ONE SIDE OVER THERE.
WE INTENDED TO STORE, RESTORE THE ORIGINAL FRONT DOOR, RESTORE THE ORIGINAL TRANSOM, AND KEEPING THE SECOND DOOR, UH, MAKES THAT REALLY QUITE AWKWARD AND INAPPROPRIATE.
THERE WERE NO ENTRANCE DOORS TO BEDROOMS IN 1912 IN HYDE PARK.
UH, THE PAIRED WINDOWS IN THE FRONT, WE PUT THOSE IN THERE TO ADD MORE LIGHT.
UH, THE, UH, REPORT ALSO MENTIONED RESTORING THE WINDOWS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO RESTORE EACH AND EVERY WINDOW ON THAT HOUSE.
WE COULD, SOME OF THEM LITERALLY HAVE NO SASH AND NO GLASS LEFT, SO I THINK WE'D EASILY BE ABLE TO RESTORE THE ONES ON THE FRONT PORCH, WHICH FACE THE STREET, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WELL PROTECTED FROM THE WEATHER.
BUT THE ONES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE CURRENTLY HAVE NO GLASS, NO SASH, NO MID RAILS, NO SILLS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO DO THERE.
WE DID SUBMIT, UH, TO THE HLC TODAY A REVISED, UH, WINDOW SCHEDULE SHOWING THE DIMENSIONS OF ALL THE WINDOWS WE WOULD KEEP AND ALL THE WINDOWS WE WOULD, UH, REPLACE.
ONE OF THE OTHER COMMENTS RAISED WAS THAT THE, UH, NEW RAISED PORCH, UM, IS NOT ORIGINAL.
[00:30:01]
THERE IS TOTALLY FAILED AND INAPPROPRIATE, AND THE COLUMNS THAT ARE, ARE REALLY TEMPORARY COLUMNS ARE PUT UP TO KEEP THE PORCH FALLING DOWN.WE DISCOVERED EVIDENCE THAT THE ORIGINAL COLUMNS WERE PROBABLY PAIRED COLUMNS, WHICH ARE NO LONGER THERE, AND WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER TO BASE A SUGGESTION ON.
SO WE BASICALLY CAME UP WITH A, UH, A RAISED BRICK PORCH AND COLUMNS THAT WERE TYPICAL OF THE PERIOD, BUT NOT NECESSARILY HISTORICAL.
UH, SOME ARE BEING USED IN OTHER HOUSES TODAY.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO, UH, CONSIDER THIS MATTER.
AGAIN, I ASK THAT THIS, UH, MOTION TO, UH, ALLOW THIS PROJECT TO GO AHEAD AS ASKED BE, UH, PASSED TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
THIS IS SCHEDULED FOR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW NEXT WEEK.
I, MY QUESTION IS, RATHER THAN TRYING TO WORK OUT THE DESIGN ISSUES FROM THE DAAS, DON'T YOU THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT JUST TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE RESOLVE ANY REMAINING ISSUES? I DON'T THINK, I DON'T SEE AS YOU LOSE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME HERE ANOTHER MONTH.
UH, AND AGAIN, UM, THE ISSUES THAT, UM, AUSTIN RAISIN'S REPORT, UM, ARE PRETTY EASY TO DEAL WITH HERE.
UM, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL COLUMNS WERE.
SO WE'VE PUT OUR PROPOSAL WHAT WE THINK THEY SHOULD BE ON THERE.
AND LIKEWISE, THE, OR THE, UH, THIS, THE OBJECTIONS AUSTIN RAISED OF THE SECOND FRONT DOOR, UM, DON'T HAVE ANY HISTORIC BASIS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW GOING THROUGH A DESIGN MEETING WOULD CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT ORIGINAL.
YOU LISTED A NUMBER OF ITEMS. SO ARE YOU OPPOSED TO MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GROUP REVIEW GROUP? TRUTH TRUTHFULLY, WE TRIED AND WE, UH, CALLED LAST MONTH TO GET ON THE, UH, DOCKET AND, UM, WE DID NOT GET, UH, A RETURN CALL FROM THE PRESERVATION OFFICE AND TIME TO MAKE THE MEETING.
WE CALLED A NUMBER OF TIMES THE WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING TO TRY AND GET ON THE DOCKET AND FIND OUT HOW TO ATTEND.
AND WE DID NOT GET A CALL BACK TILL AFTER THE MEETING SAYING, OH, YOU JUST MISSED IT.
THAT'S GOOD BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
BUT MY QUESTION REMAINS, DO YOU STRONGLY OBJECT TO MEETING WITH THE REVIEW GROUP NEXT WEEK? AS MY OWNER SAID, SHE'D LIKE TO IT MOVING WITH THIS PROJECT AND GET THE, UM, NEIGHBORS HAPPIER WITH WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOT THE, UH, PENDING COURT CASE COMING UP WITH THE CITY WHERE THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, AFTER HER FOR, UM, NOT MAKING PROGRESS ON THE PROJECT.
SO IT SEEMS A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE THAT ONE HAND, NOVEMBER 18TH, SHE HAS TO GO TO COURT, DANCE TO THE CITY, AND THEN WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TRYING TO GET AN ANSWER.
SO I THINK THE URGENCY BEING PLACED UPON US IS BEING PLACED UPON US BY THE CITY.
AND, AND THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN ABOUT REASONS FOR POSTPONEMENT OR NON POSTPONEMENT.
UM, I THINK, UH, SO I THINK, UH, UH, CHAIR COOK, LET, LET ME SUGGEST I THINK THE APPROPRIATE ITEM HERE.
UH, THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO WORK OUT SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD HAVE AN APPROVAL PENDING, UH, THE RELEASE FROM THE, UH, MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE SINCE THEY HAVE SOME CHANGES THAT THEY'RE DISCUSSING, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING, UH, THAT WOULDN'T BE A POSTPONEMENT ITEM.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING WE DEAL WITH IN A DISCUSSION.
SO I I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO PULL THIS FOR DISCUSSION.
PULL THIS FOR DISCUSSION AND, AND A POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE ONE OF OUR OPTIONS, BUT AT LEAST WE WOULD GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS.
BUT LET'S, LET'S TAKE THAT OFF FOR NOW.
SO THE NEXT, UH, POSTPONEMENT APPLICANT REQUESTED 1808 CAESAR CHAVEZ.
I'M ASSUMING THERE'S NO SPEAKERS ON THAT.
SO WE HAVE NUMBER FIVE, NUMBER 19 UP FOR POSTPONEMENT.
AND COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND COMMISSIONER HARRIS FIRST AND COMMISSIONER HARRIS SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY, SO I THINK WE ARE SET WITH OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR TONIGHT.
IF ANY OF YOU ARE HERE FOR AN ITEM THAT WAS ON CONSENT AGENDA, UM, IT HAS PASSED ACCORDING TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO LEAVE QUIETLY, UH, AS WE GET INTO OUR OFFICIAL BUSINESS.
[2. Staff briefing regarding progress on the development of the Central City District Plan by Shanisha Johnson, Principal Planner and Olivia Beams, Senior Planner, Austin Planning. ]
HAVE A BRIEFING ON THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN TESTING.GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME FOR US TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE CENTRAL CITY
[00:35:01]
DISTRICT PLAN.UM, FOR THIS INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION, I'LL ORIENT US TO THE PLAN, AREA AND PLAN PURPOSE.
UM, BUT ACTUALLY START WITH A TEAM INTRODUCTION.
UM, ORIENT US TO THE PLAN AREA AND PLAN PURPOSE.
HIGHLIGHT, UM, HOW COMMUNITY FEEDBACK CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE PLAN.
AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO OLIVIA TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF KEY PLAN CONTENT AND WHERE, UM, IT THAT CONTENT ALIGNS WITH THE COMMISSION'S PRIORITIES.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE'LL, WE'LL CONCLUDE WITH SOME KEY NEXT STEPS.
UM, MY NAME IS ISHA JOHNSON, AND I WORK AS A PRINCIPAL PLANNER AND PROJECT LEAD ON AUSTIN PLANNING'S DISTRICT PLANNING TEAM.
I'M JOINED HERE BY MY TEAMMATE, OLIVIA BEAMS SENIOR PLANNER.
AND NOW FOR THE PROJECT BACK BACKGROUND, BRING THIS.
SO THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT AREA IS BOUNDED BY I 35, UH, TO THE EAST OR ON THE EAST, UM, BOLDING CREEK AND RIVERSIDE DRIVE TO THE SOUTH LAMAR BOULEVARD TO THE WEST, AND THEN 29TH STREET AND ACTUALLY JUTTING OVER UP TO 32ND STREET ON THE NORTHERN END.
THE PLAN AREA INCLUDES THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, A DOWNTOWN PROPER, AS WELL AS THE UNIVERSITY AREA, UM, OUTSIDE OF UT CAMPUS.
AND ALTOGETHER, UM, THESE THREE AREAS MAKE UP ABOUT 3.3 SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE AND LIMITED JURISDICTIONS.
SO THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN WAS BROUGHT ABOUT WITH A 2024 RESOLUTION, A COUNCIL RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN UPDATE TO THE 2011 DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
UM, AUSTIN PLANNING PROPOSED THAT WE, UM, WE PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN ALONG WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND THE UNIVERSITY AREA, UM, FOR A FEW, UH, IN STATING A FEW KEY REASONS.
UM, THOSE REASONS BEING, UM, THAT TOGETHER THESE AREAS WILL EXPERIENCE GROWTH AND CHANGE, UM, RELATED TO THE INVESTMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LIGHT RAIL, UH, PROJECT CONNECT LIGHT RAIL AS WELL AS THESE AREAS TOGETHER WILL EXPERIENCE, UM, GROWTH AND CHANGE, UM, RELATED TO FUTURE CAPS AND STITCHES.
SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE WAY THAT FOLKS, UM, CONTINUE TO MOVE WITHIN AND ACROSS THESE AREAS ARE SOME OF THE KEY REASONS THAT, UM, THAT WE WANTED TO PLAN FOR THESE AREAS TOGETHER.
ALSO, THESE THREE AREAS TOGETHER AND SEPARATELY ARE SOME OF THE MOST VISITED PLACES IN OUR, OUR BELOVED CITY.
AND SO REALLY TRYING TO, UM, PLAN FOR EXISTING RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO VISITORS.
UM, THIS PLAN WILL ACHIEVE A COMMUNITY INFORMED VISION AND GOALS, PLACE TYPES MAPPING TO INFORM FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS, PUBLIC REALM AND MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS, PROGRAM POLICY, PROJECT AND PARTNERSHIP RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ACTIONABLE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES.
SO NOW I'LL DISCUSS HOW COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE PLAN.
THE FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT IS GUIDED BY A SHARED VISION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS.
THESE ELEMENTS ARE IN INFORMED BY COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK AND THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS AND METHODS SUCH AS SURVEYS, POPUPS, AND COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES, AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT SPECIFIC STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION, WE HAVE CONDUCTED OUR OWN PLANNING ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL SORTS OF ISSUE AREAS ARE FULLY EXPLORED.
UH, THE IMAGINE AUSTIN TEAM, IMAGINE AUSTIN IS OUR CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THEY'LL BE PROVIDING A FUTURE LAND USE PALETTE FOR WHICH WE WILL THEN, UM, APPLY TO THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT ONCE THAT PALLET IS FULLY DEVELOPED.
EXISTING PROJECTS AND POLICIES ARE ALSO IMPORTANT IN THIS PLAN'S ALIGNMENT.
THIS ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN SOUNDCHECK AND CONTINUES TO BE SOUNDCHECK THROUGH, UM, ENGAGING IN INTERAGENCY TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
AND THAT GROUP IS MADE UP OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES SUCH AS AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAP, METRO
[00:40:01]
AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS CENTRAL HEALTH, TRAVIS COUNTY.AND SO WITH OUR PROGRESS ON THE PLAN, WE'VE FINALIZED THE PLAN'S, VISION, GOALS, AND MOST OF THE OBJECTIVES AND ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON DRAFTING ACTION ITEMS AS WELL AS SOCIALIZING THE PRECURSOR TO OUR, OUR DISTRICT PLACE TYPES MAP THAT PRECURSOR BEING THIS GROWTH CONCEPT MAP, A HIGH LEVEL VISION FOR FUTURE LAND USE FOCUS.
THIS MAP CHARACTERIZES GENERAL GROWTH PATTERNS.
AREAS IN BROWN ARE PROPOSED TO RECEIVE OUR DENSE, MOST INTENSE, UH, GROWTH CENTERED AROUND THE LIGHT ROLL CORRIDOR AND OUR, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH SHORE, THE NORTH AND SOUTH SHORES OF LATER LADY BIRD LAKE.
THE AREA IN RED IS ALREADY CELEBRATED FOR ITS ALTS, ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, AND TOURISM, AND WILL, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOSTER THIS CHARACTER, EMBRACE OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS IN IN THAT AREA, AND HOPEFULLY BRING AND BUILD ACTIVATION PROGRAMMING IN AN, IN AN AND, AND ENHANCED PUBLIC REALM AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER, PALM PARK AND FUTURE CAPS AND STITCHES.
THE AREA IN ORANGE IS CONSIDERED TRANSITIONAL AND LAND USE INTENSITY DECREASES AS YOU MOVE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LIGHT ROLL CORRIDOR.
THE LAND USE INTENSITY IS VARIED IN THIS AREA, AND SOME OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURES MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE.
SPEAKING OF ADAPTIVE REUSE, THE AREAS IN GREEN FEATURE PROPERTIES OF ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, WHETHER COMMERCIAL, CURRENTLY COMMERCIAL OR UH, PRIMARILY COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL EXISTING CHARACTER CAN BE PRESERVED IN THESE AREAS, UM, WHILE ACCOMMODATING NEW BUSINESSES AND ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
LASTLY, THE AREAS IN PURPLE ARE AREAS THAT WILL ALSO GROW, BUT GENERALLY MAINTAIN THEIR EXISTING CHARACTER.
SOME OF THESE AREAS ARE CIVIC USES, INCLUDING AUDITORIUM, SHORES AND THE LONG CENTER, THE CAPITAL AND CAPITAL COMPLEX, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN CAMPUS.
NEXT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO OLIVIA TO WALK US THROUGH KEY PLAN CONTENT.
AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, I'LL JUST NOTE THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION I'M ABOUT TO SHARE IS CURRENTLY ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE'RE ALSO RUNNING A SURVEY ON TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS.
I SEE WE'RE RUNNING LOW ON TIME, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
UM, TO START OFF, OUR VISION STATEMENT IS A GUIDE FOR THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
IT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT WE DEVELOPED AND IT IMAGINES CENTRAL CITY IS COMPLETE AND CONNECTED AND LIVABLE, WHILE ALSO HONORING ITS ROLE AS THE HEART OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE OLDEST PART OF THE CITY.
THE, UM, PLAN IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE STRUCTURE OF THE VISION STATEMENT BEING THE MOST GENERAL, UM, PART OF THE PLAN, AND THEN FOLLOWED INTO GOALS, WHICH WE HAVE EIGHT OF THEM.
AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT OUR HERITAGE AND IDENTITY GOAL TONIGHT.
NEVERMIND WITHOUT OBJECTION IF, UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM, IF THEY CAN CONTINUE SPEAKING.
SO, UM, WE HAVE EIGHT GOALS, WHICH I'LL HIGHLIGHT THIS EVENING FOR YOU, THE HERITAGE AND IDENTITY GOAL.
AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THIS FRAMEWORK, WE ALSO HAVE TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS WHICH SERVE TO IMPACT AND PROVIDE BENEFITS TO THE WHOLE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
AND, UM, APPROACH THESE BIG IDEAS THROUGH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY LENS, UM, IN BOTH, UM, OR, AND HAVE THEY HAVE IMPACT TO SEVERAL GOALS.
SO OUR GOAL THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THIS EVENING IS OUR HERITAGE AND IDENTITY GOAL, WHERE, UM, AND AS WELL AS ITS ACTIONS, WHICH, OR AS WELL AS OBJECTIVES, WHICH ACTIONS WILL SERVE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE OBJECTIVES ONCE THE ACTIONS ARE FINISHED IN DEVELOPMENT, THIS GOAL SEEKS TO BOTH PRESERVE HISTORIC STRUCTURES AS WELL AS THE STORIES AND IDENTITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNIQUE FABRIC OF THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT.
OUR FIRST TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEA THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED FOR THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING IS, UM, REGARDING OUR IMPORTANT CULTURAL CORRIDORS SUCH AS E SIX, THEN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
THE FIRST TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEA SEEKS TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTR CONTRIBUTION THAT OUR CORRIDORS MAKE TO THE OVERALL CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING THE SUCCESS AND EVEN EVOLUTION OF THESE CORRIDORS BY
[00:45:01]
TAILORING STRATEGY TO THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL CHARACTER OF THE CENTRAL CITY.NEXT I'LL HIGHLIGHT OUR ADAPTIVE REUSE TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEA THAT, UM, RECOGNIZES THAT THE MOST SUSTAINABLE BUILDING IS ONE THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
AND WE HOPE TO PROMOTE THIS IDEA IDEOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE PLAN AS AREAS GROW AND CHANGE OVER TIME, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PLAN FOR HOW THE BUILDINGS ARE USED AND HOW THEY CAN CHANGE ALONG WITH THE DISTRICT'S GROWING NEEDS.
WE SEEK TO ENCOURAGE THE REUSE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS SO THAT THESE STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORY OF THE DISTRICT WHILE ALSO CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND CREATIVE SPACES.
SO, UM, THIS IS REALLY THE LAST CONTENT SLIDE.
UM, OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO, UH, CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS SURVEY, UM, HOSTED ON OUR SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE.
THAT SURVEY CLOSES AT 11:59 PM ON SUNDAY.
UM, WE WILL ALSO, UH, BE CONVERTING THE HIGH LEVEL GROWTH CONCEPT MAP SHOWN, UM, ON THIS SLIDE INTO A PLACE TYPES MAP FOLLOWING THE IMAGINE AUSTIN OPEN HOUSES OCCURRING LATER THIS MONTH.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THOSE OPEN HOUSES, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PAGE ON, UH, SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG.
AND THEN OUR LAST SLIDE INCLUDES, UM, OUR TEAM'S CONTACT INFORMATION, MY INFORMATION, OLIVIA'S INFORMATION, AND THEN AT THE VERY BOTTOM, OUR SPEAK UP AUSTIN, UM, ADDRESS, AS WELL AS OUR, UH, PROJECT INBOX.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GO A A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ROCHE, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, MY QUESTION IS REGARDING ADAPTIVE REUSE AND, UH, PRESERVING THE HISTORIC FABRIC.
CAN YOU OPINE ON THAT A LITTLE MORE? DO YOU HAVE A VISION OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? GO FOR IT.
UM, SO WE SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ADAPTIVE REUSE IN OUR HISTORIC STRUCTURES, GIVEN THAT THE CENTRAL CITY AREA IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PARTS OF TOWN.
AND WE WILL HIGHLIGHT THROUGH OUR ACTIONS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT OUR, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION TEAM HAS HELPED GUIDE US IN DEVELOPING, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, ADAPTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORK DONE FOR THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN TO A CENTRAL CITY CONTEXT.
AND SO PART OF THAT IS ENCOURAGING ADAPTIVE REUSE.
ANY OTHERS? UH, CHAIR HEIM, SETH? YES.
THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR THIS UPDATE.
I UNDERSTAND WE'RE STILL IN SOME EARLY STAGE, BUT A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
UH, I NOTICE THAT IN THE AREA AROUND THE, THE UNIVERSITY THAT'S, UH, SHOWN IN THE PURPLE, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT, UH, UH, CHARACTER, UH, HOW DOES THAT SYNC WITH THE MORE AGGRESSIVE, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEING PROMOTED THROUGH THE UNO PROCESS? UM, SO WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHICH AREA YOU'RE SPEAKING OF.
ARE YOU SPEAKING NORTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OR MORE WEST OF THE UNIVERSITY? BOTH.
YOU KNOW, UNO HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE WESTERN AREA WEST.
UH, AND THERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT WILL BE UNDER PRESSURE, UH, BECAUSE OF MORE INTENSE, UH, DEVELOPMENT, HIGHER, UH, DENSITY AND, AND HEIGHT LIMITS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, WHEN THAT PRESENTATION WAS MADE, WE EXPRESSED A LOT OF CONCERN.
UM, BUT I'M NOT SEEING THAT NECESSARILY BEING, UH, RECOGNIZED IF THAT WHOLE AREA IS LEFT AS, UH, EXISTING CHARACTER.
AND WHAT, WHAT, UH, THAT GROWTH CONCEPT MAP REALLY DOES IS PAINT, UM, JUST START TO KIND OF PAINT, UM, ON, ON THE GROUND IN 2D FORM, UM, WHAT KIND OF CHANGE, FUTURE GROWTH CHANGES WE ARE PROPOSING.
SO, UM, WHAT MAYBE THAT, PERHAPS THAT MAP DOESN'T CAPTURE IS ALL THE GROWTH THAT HAS OCCURRED SO FAR.
SO, UM, UNO, THE UNO AREA IS STILL GROWING, UM, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF GROWTH ENABLED AS WELL.
AND SO, SO FAR WITH THIS PLAN WE ARE, UM,
[00:50:02]
NOT RECOMMENDING THAT, UM, THAT, UM, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY WE, WE STILL FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH UNDER CURRENT REGULATIONS.AND SO THAT IS WHY THE KIND OF EXISTING CHARACTER, THE AREA CHARACTERIZES EXISTING CHARACTER.
NOT SO MUCH THAT IT'S GONNA BE LEAVING IT EXACTLY LIKE IT IS AS MUCH AS THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO ADD OR, YEAH.
WELL, WHICH THEN BRINGS MY SECOND POINT AND I THINK YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FOCUS ON THE HERITAGE AND I DO APPRECIATE HOW MUCH OF THE AREA, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT ONE QUIBBLE, UH, IS SHOWN BOTH AS, UH, THE PURPLE AND THE GREEN BECAUSE IN THEORY THOSE ARE THE AREAS WHERE WHAT'S THERE NOW AND HOW WE KEEP AND MAINTAIN THAT HERITAGE IS IMPORTANT.
BUT EVEN IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN THOSE TWO COLOR CATEGORIES MM-HMM
THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT PROPERTIES BOTH CURRENTLY AS LANDMARKS, BUT ALSO WITH THE POTENTIAL OF BEING LANDMARKS.
SO MAY I, MAY I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION? YEAH.
THAT YOU ALSO TALKING ABOUT HERITAGE GO ON THE MAP, THE FOOTPRINT OF ALL OF THE LANDMARK AND, UH, SURVEY PROPERTIES THAT WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL HUNDRED NOW MM-HMM
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A FINER GRAIN VIEW OF THAT ISSUE.
AND I THINK AS YOU'RE GOING TO THE NEXT PHASE WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS STEPS, IT WILL BECOME MORE INCREASINGLY APPARENT WHERE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS MIGHT BE, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE ONE AND TWO STORY HISTORIC BUILDING NEXT TO AREAS WHERE WE'RE ENCOURAGING A GREAT ORDEAL OF DENSITY, UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME MORE ROBUST TOOLS THAN THE ONES WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND WE WOULD HOPE THAT AS PART OF YOUR PROCESS IN COORDINATING ALL OF THE CITY'S EFFORTS, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING REDEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THAT FRONT AND CENTER ALSO THE TOOLS THAT WOULD PROVIDE A ROBUST PRESERVATION COMPONENT TO ALL OF THAT PLANNING.
UH, REALLY BE ABLE TO GET THIS OUT THERE NOW.
WE APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK AND WILL, UM, HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, FURTHER EXPLORE, UH, THE TYPES OF TOOLS THAT THAT WILL, UM, ALLOW US TO ADDRESS THAT CONTEXT SENSITIVITY.
I WILL SAY, UM, WHILE WE ARE NOT THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON TOOLS LIKE THAT, WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
UM, AND SO, UM, AND WE, WE UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, UH, AND ON YOUR ADVISORY GROUP, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'VE EVER HAD DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THEM, BUT ARE THERE PRESERVATION, UH, RELATED, UH, EXPERTISE IN THAT, UH, ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THAT CAPACITY? UM, IN THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP SPECIFICALLY? I'M SORRY, THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY? YES.
JUST MAKE, JUST MAKING SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME RECALLING THE FOLKS ON THAT LIST, BUT OLIVIA KENNA.
UM, A LOT, SEVERAL OF OUR STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS THE CITY, AND SO MANY OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE AN A SPECIFIC INTEREST IN THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO PRESERVATION AUSTIN TO JOIN THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP.
AND SO I KNOW THAT, UM, WE'VE CORRESPONDED WITH THEM IN THE PAST, BUT PRIMARILY THROUGH OUR WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRIORITIZE AND ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVATION.
WELL JUST, WE APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING US POSTED AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ADD RESOURCES, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
AND I'LL TAKE YOU HAVE ANY MORE.
OH, COMMISSIONER ATKIN, VERY QUICKLY, IF I CAN, UM, FIRSTLY TO, TO PIGGYBACK ON, UM, CHAIR HIGHSMITH, UH,
UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF VERY HIGH PROFILE HISTORIC BUILDINGS ALONG THERE.
UM, AND SO IF YOU OVERLAY THE LANDMARKS AND THEN ALSO KIND OF GO THROUGH A MENTAL LIST OF OTHER BUILDINGS OF IMPORT, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF THOSE WITHIN THOSE DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOW LOOKING AT MID TO HIGH DENSITY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
SECONDLY, ON TRYING TO, UM, ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE, UH, YOU'LL, YOU'LL MAYBE NOTICE A LITTLE BIT WHILE YOU SAT IN HERE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE STAFF BEFORE, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED TOOLS ON PROTECTING A LOT OF THE THINGS IN THIS CITY.
UM, IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, WE'RE VERY LIMITED OTHER THAN FORMS OF COERCION AND, AND DELAY.
AND SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO START A DIALOGUE ON, ON
[00:55:01]
KIND OF IF THERE'S STICKS AND CARROTS ABILITY IN TALKING ABOUT THIS, ESPECIALLY IF PART OF THIS IS, IS FUNDING AND ZONING ALLOWANCES AND THINGS THAT CAN BE TEAMED WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION SIDE OF IT INSTEAD OF IS US JUST CONTINUALLY LOSING THESE PROPERTIES IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN IT, IT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO COERCE PEOPLE INTO ADAPTIVE REUSE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO.AND SO I THINK THAT, THAT, I'D APPRECIATE THAT TYPE OF DIALOGUE GOING FORWARD AND SEEING HOW WE CAN KIND OF TEAM THOSE EFFORTS TOGETHER, UM, TO MAYBE SAVE A FEW MORE THINGS AND, AND ALSO TO FACILITATE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AS WELL.
ANY OTHERS? COMMISSIONER HARRIS? I THINK ONE OF THE TOOLS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND WE GOT A, A REPORT, UM, THIS WEEK, UM, ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT AS WE LOOK AT THIS AREA IN PARTICULAR IS THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.
TDRS, IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING PASSED, CAN BE A, AN AMAZING TOOL FOR, TO PROTECT THOSE BUILDINGS THAT ARE, ARE RELEVANT, THAT ARE HISTORIC, HISTORIC ELIGIBLE, IDEALLY SUITED TO ADAPTIVE REUSE.
UM, WE'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO, TO USE THAT TOOL IN MUCH OF DOWNTOWN MM-HMM
BUT AS WE LOOK AT THIS PLAN AREA, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE TDRS, UH, FOR THIS PURPOSE.
IT'S WHAT IT'S INTENDED FOR, AND IT WOULD BE A PERFECT TOOL TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT I THINK WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, UH, WHILE GIVING, UH, FOLKS THAT WANT TO HAVE INCREASED DENSITY IN AREAS WHERE IT IS BEST OR BETTER SUITED, UH, THE TOOLS TO DO SO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK AND YOU, YOU BEAT ME TO THAT, UH, RESPONSE AND THAT HIGHLIGHT, UM, I THINK TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IS, UM, I HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN, AN EXCELLENT TOOL FOR, FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH PRESERVATION.
WAS THIS TAILORED FOR US OR IS THIS YOUR GENERAL PRESENTATION FOR EVERYONE? SOME SLIDES ARE STANDARD, BUT UM, OLIVIA DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF CRAFTING, UH, SLIDES AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION THAT SPOKE TO YOU ALL'S PRIORITIES.
YEAH, I ASKED BECAUSE I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH FOCUS ON CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT, ADAPTIVE REUSE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IN A LONG TIME, SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE AND, UH, APPRECIATE THAT BEING IN THERE.
THIS IS OUR, OUR CHANCE TO SPEAK.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND, AND THAT'S FANTASTIC.
I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE, THE FRUITS OF THAT WORK.
UH, BUT YEAH, REALLY GOOD COMMENTS UP HERE.
UH, I AGREE THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP NEEDS SOME PRESERVATION AS SOME PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN SPEAK KIND OF TO THE NUANCES OF THE ACTION.
LET ME GET TO THE ACTION ITEMS AT THE PEAK OF THE PYRAMID ON HOW TO INTEGRATE, UH, HISTORIC, UM, PRESERVATION WITH ADAPTIVE REUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT CAN GO REALLY, REALLY WONKY WITHOUT SOME IDEA OF THE NUANCE.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE THE WORD HISTORIC IN THERE.
I DID SEE CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT, ADAPTIVE REUSE, BUT I THINK THAT'S KIND OF IMPLIED THERE.
UH, IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THAT.
UM, AND, UM, IN TERMS IT'LL BECOME AN ACTION ITEMS AT THE END.
BUT JUST ONE THING I WANT TO GET IN THERE IS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT SIXTH STREET IS NOT A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT IS A CULT DENSITY OF LANDMARKS THAT IS PROTECTED BY A HEIGHT OVERLAY.
AND I THINK, UH, PARTICULARLY I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT MENTION, I THINK FOURTH STREET AND RED RIVER RIGHT NOW.
UM, FOURTH STREET WAS IN THE NEWS A FEW YEARS BACK, RED RIVER RIGHT NOW.
UH, I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY SOME FOCUSES ON, WE'VE FOCUSED ON GOING HIGH FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS AND I THINK EVERYONE CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF THAT AND DENSITY, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT THAT.
I THINK NOW WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT SOME BALANCE AND GOING LOW PLACES AND I THINK, UH, TDR R IS ARE THE WAY TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF ASPECTS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BUT I I WANTED TO GET THAT COMMENT IN.
SO, AND JUST ONE FINAL NOTE THAT I'M, I'M RED GREEN COLORBLIND, AS IS 20% OF MEN, AND I CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SECOND COLOR AND THE FOURTH COLOR.
UH, WE'LL GET ON ONTO OUR CASES NOW.
I'LL NOTE WE HAVE 12 DISCUSSION ITEMS AND WITH A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF 15 MINUTES PER, WHICH IS UNLIKELY, THAT'S GONNA BE THREE HOURS.
UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE HAD TO HAVE A MOTION TO GO PAST 10 O'CLOCK.
I, UH, SUSPECT WE WILL NEED ONE THIS EVENING, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP THINGS MOVING ALONG AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE MAKING SURE EVERYONE GETS HEARD.
AND, UM, WE HAVE THOROUGH DISCUSSION ON ALL ITEMS. SO FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM
[3. PR-2026-053670 – 1109 Travis Heights Blvd. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9 ]
NUMBER 3 11 0 9 TRAVIS I BOULEVARD CHAIR.I JUST WANT TO MENTION AGAIN, UM, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMISSION, UH, WE DO
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HAVE ONE VACANCY ON OUR COMMISSION, WHICH MEANS THAT THESE TWO COMMISSION INITIATED AN OWNER OPPOSED HISTORIC ZONING ITEMS. UH, ITEMS THREE AND FOUR WILL REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY OF EIGHT TO PASS THIS EVENING.UM, THIS, UH, PROJECT AT 1109, UH, TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS A, UH, INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING, UM, BY THE HLC ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026.
UM, THIS PROPERTY IS DESI, UH, IS DESIGNATED AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS AMERICAN FOUR SQUARE HOUSE, HOUSE WITH PRAIRIE SCHOOL STYLISTIC INFLUENCES WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1918.
THE TWO STORY HOUSE FEATURES A HIP ROOF WITH BROAD OVERHANGS.
THE FULL WIDTH HIP ROOF PORCH HAS A LONG OPEN SPAN SUPPORTED AT THE CORNERS BY LARGE SQUARE COLUMNS.
THE SECOND FLOOR HAD RECESSED CORNERS THAT WERE INFILLED AND CONVERTED INTO INTERIOR SPACE AT THE SIDE AND REAR.
TWO ADDITIONS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED FROM WHAT MAY HAVE ORIGINALLY BEEN OPEN PORCHES.
OTHER ALTERATIONS INCLUDE RECRE CLADDING THE EXTERIOR WALLS AND REPLACEMENT OF SOME SIDE WINDOWS.
TYPICAL DETERIORATION IS ALSO PRESENT THROUGHOUT, BUT THE STRUCTURE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPROMISED.
RECORDS INDICATE THAT THIS HOUSE WAS DESIGNED BY NOTED LOCAL ARCHITECT ROY L. MOORE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN OF NUMEROUS RESIDENCES, RESIDENCES AROUND THE CITY, INCLUDING 1310 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES PRAIRIE SCHOOL DESIGN ELEMENTS FROM AROUND THE SAME TIME OF CONSTRUCTION.
DURING THIS PERIOD, MOORE WORKED WITH TRAVIS HEIGHTS DEVELOPER WILLIAM T CASWELL, ON SEVERAL OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
DURING HIS CAREER, MOORE DESIGNED SEVERAL PROMINENT BUILDINGS IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE HERBERT AND ALICE BONE HOUSE, THE STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HOTEL, BOTH OF WHICH ARE DESIGNATED CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARKS, AS WELL AS RELIGIOUS AND CIVIC INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH AND HELEN M. KIRBY HALL.
GIVEN ITS PROMINENT LOCATION ON AN ELEVATED LOT BRACKETING THE MAIN ROAD INTO TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD OR TRAVIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD, EXCUSE ME, THE HOUSE AT 1109 WAS BUILT TO SEE AND BE SEEN BY NEIGHBORS AS DEVELOPMENT TOOK HOLD IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
WILLIAM TEAK ASWELL A COTTON BUYER BY TRADE WHO HAD BEEN EXPANDING INTO OTHER IN INDUSTRIES SUCH AS LUMBER MANUFACTURING, TOOK AN INTEREST IN THE LAND TO THE SOUTH OF AUSTIN THAT HAD NOT YET TAKEN TO DEVELOPMENT AFTER ITS 1912, FOUNDING BY NEWING SWISHER AND GENERAL STACY.
TO THIS END, CASWELL CONTRACTED WITH ARCHITECT ROY L. MOORE TO BUILD SEVERAL HOUSES ON THE PROMINENT STREET.
EARLY OWNERS OF THIS CIRCA 1918 HOUSE WERE ELMER AND CO CORA YOUNG EE YOUNG WAS A CO-OWNER OF AN AUTOMOTIVE DEALERSHIP, HART AND YOUNG WILLIS KNIGHT, AN OVERLAND AUSTIN AGENCY.
HE LATER BOUGHT OUT HIS PARTNER AND CONTINUED OPERATION UNDER HIS NAME.
HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH.
IN 1928, YOUNG BECAME SECRETARY OF THE STACY REALTY COMPANY, DEVELOPER OF THE TRAVES HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS UNKNOWN HOW CLOSE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE YOUNGS AND DEVELOPER STACY WAS, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE YOUNGS PURCHASED AN EARLY PROJECT IMMEDIATELY FROM THE MECHANICAL LIEN AFTER CONSTRUCTION.
AS FAR AS INTEGRITY OF THIS PROPERTY GOES, IT IS MODERATE THE ORIGINAL FOUR SQUARE LAYOUT AND MANY OF THE CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES SUCH AS THE WIDE AND DEEP FRONT PORCH WITH THICK COLUMNS.
THE 12 OVER ONE FRONT WINDOWS AND HIP TO ROOF ASSEMBLY ARE INTACT.
REPLACEMENT WINDOWS AND SIDING DETRACT FROM THE INTEGRITY OVERALL SIDE AND REAR ADDITIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN BUILT SINCE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION, BUT PERMIT RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE WHETHER THESE WERE BUILT WITHIN THE, UH, PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THE, THE BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT SEVERAL OF ROY ELMORE BUILDINGS THAT RETAIN MORE INTEGRITY THAN 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED AS CITY LANDMARKS, INCLUDING THE HERBERT AND ALICE BONE HOUSE AND THE STEPHEN OF AUSTIN HOTEL.
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER EXAMPLES OF PRAIRIE STYLE DESIGN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING NEARBY AT 1310 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THOUGH THIS HOUSE, UH, 11 0 11 0 9 DOES OCCUPY A PROMINENT LOCATION IN THE DISTRICT.
FINALLY, THE ASSOCIATIONS WITH DEVELOPER WILLIAM T CASWELL, AS WELL AS ELMORE ELMER AND CORY YOUNG DO NOT MEET THE DESIGNATION REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE CASWELL HOUSES LOCATED AT 1404 AND 1502 WEST AVENUE BETTER EMBODY ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE CASWELL FAMILY.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING AS THE PROPERTY DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIRED CRITERIA.
THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, FIRST WE'LL TAKE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR AND THAT WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF DESIGNATION.
SO ACTUALLY WE HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT FIRST.
UH, WE DID ASK OUR LEGAL TEAM, OH, BUT, UM, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS GONNA BE GABE JOSEPH, WHO IS OPPOSED TO HISTORIC ZONING.
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THANK YOU, THE COMMISSION FOR, UH, HAVING US UP HERE TONIGHT.AND FOR THE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE TURNED OUT TO, UH, OPPOSE THIS, HOW COULD YOU OPPOSE THAT HOUSE? LOOK AT HOW MUCH BETTER THAT LOOKS THAN ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, THAT'S TRAVIS HEIGHTS IN A NUTSHELL TO ME.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY OUR FIRM REALLY APPRECIATES THE HISTORY OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
THAT'S WHY WE FELT IT WAS A GOOD LOCATION, A GOOD PROJECT TO DO.
THE ISSUE WITH THE HOUSE THAT'S THERE NOW, IS IT, I WOULD SAY LET'S ALL AGREE WITH STAFF AND SAY IT DOESN'T QUALIFY ON THAT BASIS ALONE.
THERE'S NO REAL SOLID REASON TO PROCEED WITH ANY FURTHER DELAYS OR COERCION, AS YOU GUYS MENTIONED, WHICH MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD COERCION USED SO POSITIVELY, UH, IN A PUBLIC SETTING.
BUT MOVING ON FROM THAT, UH, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE HVAC, WITH THE ELECTRICAL, WITH THE PLUMBING, SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
WE SEE A LOT OF MOLD AND WE JUST CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIOUS, FIND A GOOD ECONOMIC BASIS FOR TRYING TO TAKE THAT AND RESTORE IT TO SOME ORIGINAL, UH, CONDITION WITH ALL OF THE NUMEROUS ISSUES THAT WE FOUND IN IT.
WE CAN'T TAKE THAT AND SELL THAT TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND SAY, THIS PLACE IS OKAY.
IT WOULD, THE, THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY A DONATION OF THE PROPERTY.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND YOU'RE PUTTING A HOUSE ON THE MARKET THAT YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, UH, THE NUTSHELL OF THIS.
I WOULD ALSO ADD VERY QUICKLY, UH, THE LOT NEXT DOOR TO 1107, WHICH IS VACANT.
UH, WE HAVE PERMITS IN TO DEVELOP THAT LOT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S MOST LIKELY GONNA HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
UM, AND I THINK THE, UH, THE FINAL THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A POSITIVE MEETING WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
I THOUGHT THEY ASKED A LOT OF REALLY INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY.
WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE, THIS DESIGN THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS THE BEST, UH, KIND OF REPRESENTATION OF TAKING THE HISTORY OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS, AN AREA WE LIKE, AND UPDATING IT TO BE COMPLIANT WITH MODERN CODES, MODERN AMENITIES, MODERN STANDARDS.
SO, UH, I'D SAY WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
SO NEXT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN FAVOR AND WHO'S REPRESENTING OUR FIRST IN FAVOR? SPEAKER IS GONNA BE MR. CLIFTON LAD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LADD, AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO DENY A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS CASE AND TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS TO DESIGNATE AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT NOW FOR A FEW MONTHS, SEEMS LIKE LONGER THAN THAT, MAYBE.
WE'VE FOUND SOME PRETTY GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
BUT I, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, I DO REPRESENT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH I CO-CHAIR, UM, WITH BARBARA SILLY, WHO'S ALSO HERE TONIGHT.
AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UM, IN, I COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS HOME IS AT A VERY PROMINENT LOCATION NEAR THE NORTH END OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST HOMES BUILT IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UM, THIS SLIDE, UM, DOES SHOW, UM, THE COLUMNS THAT WERE BUILT ON ALTA VISTA, BUT IT DOES DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AT THE TIME, UM, ON, NOT ONLY IN ALT VISTA, BUT ALSO TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, NEXT, UM, WE, UM, HAVE FOUND INFORMATION THAT THE ARCHITECT WAS ROY THOMAS, AND THAT THE HOME WAS BUILT IN 1918.
UM, WE'VE GOT A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT, UH, SAYS THAT THE YOUNGS LIVED THERE IN, UM, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IN, UH, BEFORE MAY, 1918.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST HOMES BUILT.
UM, WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS, UM, ABOUT THESE FACTS LATER, AND WE HAVE SOURCES FOR THE INFORMATION, AND WE DO HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE, UM, WHO ARE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT SO THAT WE CAN BASICALLY SPEAK ON DIFFERENT, UM, PARTS OF, OF THE, OF THE PROJECT.
THIS HOME IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, AND IT IS MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
IT'S, UH, VERY VISIBLE, PROMINENT HOME ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THE INTERIOR, THESE PHOTOS ARE FAIRLY RECENT, UM, IS IN REMARKABLY GOOD CONDITION AS YOU, AND AS YOU'RE AWARE FROM YOUR PREVIOUS REVIEW OF THIS HOME, UM,
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IT HAS BEEN EVALUATED FAIRLY RECENTLY FOR RESTORATION.UM, AND, UH, I'D LIKE FOR THAT TO CONTINUE.
UH, NEXT, UH, WE HAVE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON OTHER TOPICS OF THIS HOME, UM, INCLUDING THE ARCHITECTURE, UM, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITY VALUE, LANDSCAPE FEATURES.
AND, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL SUM IT, SUM IT UP.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO DENY A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS CASE AND TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS TO DESIGNATE IT AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO ANNIE PAAS.
OUR NEXT IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS ANNIE POAS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF SOUTH RIVER CITY, UH, CITIZENS.
UM, THE STAFF REPORT CALLED THIS HOUSE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF AMERICAN FOUR SQUARE ARCHITECTURE AND, UH, THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND THE NOMINATION THAT GOVERNS THIS DISTRICT CALLED IT PRAIRIE SCHOOL AND CONTRIBUTING AND SAYS THAT ONLY FOUR DWELLINGS IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT OUT OF 911 CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES SHOW PRAIRIE SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FOUR PRAIRIE SCHOOL IS A NAME THAT WE GIVE THE HOUSE DESIGNS THAT CAME OUT OF CHICAGO BETWEEN 1900 AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR, LOUIS SULLIVAN AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN 1907, A PLAN OF WRIGHTS WAS PUBLISHED IN THE LADIES HOME JOURNAL AS A FIREPROOF HOUSE FOR $5,000, A STUCCO CUBE WITH A HIP ROOF AND DI DEEP EAVES.
THAT PLAN WENT OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND FOUR SQUARE IS WHAT THE PATTERN BOOKS CALL IT.
BUT PRAIRIE SCHOOL IS WHERE IT CAME FROM.
TWO NAMES FOR ONE HOUSE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE HOUSES, SMOOTH STUCCO, DEEP EAVES THAT THROW SHADOW A FULL WIDTH PORCH ON SQUARE COLUMNS, BANKS OF WINDOWS, AND AT THE SECOND FLOOR CORNER, AN OPEN SLEEPING PORCH, COLUMNS AND OPEN AIR.
THE ROOF LINE, THE PORCH, AND THE MASSING IN THE 1926 PHOTOGRAPH CAN STILL BE GLEANED FROM THE STREET TODAY.
YOUR CASE MANAGER PUT IT IN ONE SENTENCE IN JULY.
IT ALREADY MEETS THE ARCHITECTURE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION DUE TO ITS PROMINENCE AND INTEGRITY OF THE AMERICAN FOURSQUARE DESIGN.
AGAIN, IT'S ONLY ONE OF FOUR IN OUR DISTRICT, AND AS CLIFF MENTIONED, IT WAS BUILT TO BE SEEN.
AND, UH, BARBARA SILLY WILL TELL YOU NEXT WHAT IT MEANS TO THE STREET.
OUR NEXT IN FAVORITE SPEAKER IS BARBARA SILLY.
I STRONG FISHER, ACTUALLY, UH, MS. SILLY, SHOULDN'T IT BE SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER? WHO'S NEXT? IT'S OKAY.
I'M, I'M OKAY TO GO AFTER HER.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE 1920, UH, TO SANBORN MAP, WHICH IS KIND OF THE EXPLODED CONCEPT OF THE BOULEVARD THAT I WANT TO INTRODUCE.
THE COLOMBIAN EXPOSITION OF 1893 ATTRACTED 27 MILLION VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.
IT HAPPENED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY WHEN THE UNITED STATES WAS EXPERIENCING A DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE TO THE CITY.
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PLANS IN THE HISTORY OF PLANNING WAS DEVELOPED BY BURNMAN ROOT AND FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED FOR THE EXHIBITION, AND HAS BECOME AN ENDURING LANDSCAPE THAT FORMS THE LASTING IMPRESSION OF CHICAGO.
THE VISITOR TO THE WHITE CITY EXPERIENCED FOUNTAINS, PROMENADES, VISTAS, AND BOULEVARDS THAT WERE AN EXCITING AND NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO VISITED THE FAIR.
THEY TOOK THESE EXPERIENCES AND IDEAS BACK WITH THEM TO JUSTIFY TO BEAUTIFY THEIR CITIES AND TOWNS AND SUBDIVISIONS THAT WERE BEING DEVELOPED.
AND THE CITY BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT WAS BORN.
TRAVIS HEIST WAS PLATTED BY STACEY IN 1913.
CAN YOU SHOW THE IMAGE OF THE PLAT? UH, THAT WOULD BE SLIDE 10.
UM, THIS PLAT SHOWS TRAVIS HEIGHTS TO BE THE WIDEST STREET IN THE NEW SUBDIVISION, CLEARLY DEMONSTRATING ITS PROMINENCE IN DESIGN.
THE AXIAL PLANNING TERMINATES IN THE VISTA, WHICH, UH, I HAD A MAP OF THE VISTA, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT GOT THE AXIAL PLANNING TERMINATES IN
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THE VISTA OF LADY BIRD LAKE, ONE OF THE OTHER ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS, THE DESIGN OF BOULEVARD.ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THE BOZART'S PLANTING ARE HERE.
THE RIBBONS OF GREEN PROVIDED BY THE PLANTING LAWNS.
THE SIDEWALKS WERE PROMET THE WIDE STREETS FOR VEHICLES.
THE SUBDIVISION ADVERTISED ITSELF EARLY IN ADS AS OUT OF THE NOISE ZONE AND INTO THE OZONE.
AND EARLY GUIDE TO THE STREETS OF AUSTIN.
SHOWS HOW RARE AND DESIRABLE THE BOULEVARD WAS.
THE AUSTIN STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE OF 1922, LIST ONLY SIX BOULEVARDS, AND IT'S UNCLEAR HOW MANY OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED.
THE LANDSCAPE AND DESIGNS OF BUILDINGS WERE ALL INTEGRATED TO CREATE THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE CITY.
WHILE THE BOULEVARD WAS A FOUNDATION, IT WAS THE BUILDINGS AND THEIR SIDING THAT PROVIDED THE ULTIMATES OF PLACE IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
THE GUIDING ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLE WAS THE BUNGALOW.
THE RESIDENTIAL SCALE OF THE BUNGALOW CREATED ONE OF THE OTHER NECESSARY DESIGN ELEMENTS EMBEDDED IN THE CONCEPT OF THE BOULEVARD, THE SCALE AND UNIFORMITY OF ARCHITECTURE EXPRESSED BY THE BUNGALOW SOUTH.
AND AUSTINITES EXPERIENCED THE SENSE OF THE BOULEVARD AS A SPECIAL PLACE FROM THE FRONT PORCH OF 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD BECAUSE OF ITS SIDING ON THE HILL WHERE THEY CAN SOCIALIZE AND WAVE TO THE NEIGHBORS, AND THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OUTTA THE NOISE AND INTO THE OWN ZONE.
NEXT SPEAKER, OUR NEXT IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND PAST CHAIR AS WELL.
UM, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SPEAKING TONIGHT, BUT ALSO REPRESENT TRAVIS HEIGHTS HERE, UM, JUST TO SHOW SUPPORT, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY FOR OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY IS THOUGHT TO BE MADE BY PROMINENT FIGURES, BUT IT MORE OFTEN IS PRESERVED IN EVERYDAY LIVES, THE SPECIFIC CHOICES, BIRTHING A NEIGHBORHOOD, NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORS ORGANIZING AROUND A WORLD WAR OR A WIDOW, KEEPING A BUSINESS OPEN IN ONE OF AMERICA'S DARKEST TIMES, AND ALL OF THOSE LIVES.
MET AT 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THAT HISTORY, BUT THERE'S MANY MORE DETAILS THAT I'M NOT ABLE TO GIVE IN MY THREE MINUTES.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT GENERAL HARWOOD'S STACY.
HE BUILT 1109 AT HIS COMPANY'S EXPENSE, SPECIFICALLY AS THE MODEL FOR THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD HE PLACED 1109 BESIDES THE HOUSE, BESIDE THE HOUSE THAT HE BUILT FOR HIS OWN FAMILY.
TOGETHER, THESE TWO HOUSES FRAMED THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S GATEWAY.
ONE PRESENTED FOR DEVELOPMENT, THE OTHER SHOWED STACEY MAKING HIS HOME THERE.
FOR PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOW FAIRVIEW PARK FOR THE WEALTHY ALREADY EXISTED, BUT STACEY WANTED TO OFFER A BROADER RANGE OF HOME SITES FOR THE MORE MODEST INCOME.
AND THAT'S WHAT TRAVIS HEIGHTS DID.
HE ENTICED BUYERS FROM DOWNTOWN BY STREETCAR.
AFTER THE NEW CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE WAS BUILT, IT WAS A MAJOR STEP IN AUSTIN'S EXPANSION SOUTH OF THE RIVER.
WHAT ABOUT COMMUNITY BUILDING? ELMA AND ELMER AND CORA YOUNG WERE THE FIRST FAMILY TO LIVE HERE.
WE HAVE, IF STAFF COULD MOVE THE SLIDES.
UM, WE HAVE EVIDENCE FROM THIS AMONG OTHERS SHOWING THAT CORA YOUNG WAS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
THIS NEWSPAPER ARTICLE WAS ONE OF SEVERAL.
THEN THERE'S THE STORY OF CATHERINE BRENNER, OF BRENNER'S JEWELRY STORE LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE DRISCOLL HOTEL ON EAST SIXTH STREET.
IT OPERATED FOR NEARLY FIVE CON CON CON CONTINUOUS DECADES IN AUSTIN.
BUT THE STORY GETS AMAZING AFTER HER HUSBAND DIED, INSTEAD OF CLOSING UP IN THE DEPRESSION IN WORLD WAR I, LIKE SHE COULD HAVE, SHE RAN IT UNDER HER NAME FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS AS A WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS BY HERSELF AS A WIDOW OPERATING FOR 50 YEARS IN AUSTIN.
I'LL CLOSE BY SAYING THE CITY HAS RECOGNIZED THAT LANDMARK STORIES CAN COME FROM PEOPLE WHOSE SIGNIFICANCE IS ROOTED IN AUSTIN.
THE CITY RECENTLY DESIGNATED THE GOINS VER NITSKY HOUSE ON EAST 13TH STREET THAT PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF A WORKING CLASS FAMILY.
AND ANNA ELIZA GOINS, THE WIDOW WHO MADE A LIFE FOR HER HOME IN THAT HOUSE.
THAT KIND OF EVERYDAY HISTORY BELONGS IN OUR LANDMARKS TOO.
AND I ASK THE COMMISSION TO RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE AND STORIES THAT MADE 1109 THE VERY IMPORTANT PROPERTY THAT IT IS.
OUR NEXT IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS AMY HADLEY.
AMY HADLEY, HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
MY FAMILY MOVED TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS A YEAR AGO, AND IT HAS BEEN A DREAM.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WALKING, BIKING, RUNNING, WALKING DOGS ALMOST EVERY
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HOUR OF THE DAY.AND WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHERE I LIVE WITHOUT FAIL, THEY SAY, I LOVE TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
THE HOUSES ARE SO BEAUTIFUL AND THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT.
TRAVIS HEIGHTS HAS A SOUL THAT EVERYONE FEELS AS A NEW MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S BEEN INSPIRING TO PLUG INTO A GROUP THAT'S WORKING TO SAVE HOMES AT RISK OF BEING LOST.
THIS PARTICULAR HOME HAS BEEN EXCITING TO LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAD A HAND, NOT JUST IN BUILDING AND LIVING IN IT, BUT WHO SHAPED THE BIRTH OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND HELPED CREATE THE VISION FOR A DEVELOPING AUSTIN MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, SO FORGIVE THE ZEAL OF A NEWBIE, BUT WHEN WE ALLOW OLD ORIGINAL HOMES TO BE TORN DOWN, WE ERODE THE ARCHITECTURE, THE HISTORY, AND THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S PERMANENT, IRREVERSIBLE ERASURE OF HISTORY.
AND THIS HOME IS PART OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS ORIGIN STORY PERCHED ATOP A HILL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOULEVARD, NEWSPAPER ADS SHOWCASED 1109 TO SELL NOT JUST HOMES, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S THE FOURTH CORNER OF THREE ALREADY HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED HOMES ALL BUILT AROUND THE SAME TIME AND INHABITED BY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES BUILDING THE FUTURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
1109 HELPED SET THE TONE FOR EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWED.
THE ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED BY YOUR STAFF.
SO I'LL JUST REITERATE HOW COOL IT IS THAT IT'S ONE OF FOUR PRAIRIE SCHOOL HOUSES IN THE DISTRICT, AND IT IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
AS FOR COMMUNITY VALUE, THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT TO BE THE IMAGE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PERCHED PROMINENTLY ON THE FIRST BLOCK.
IT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED AND BILLED AS SUCH IN THE NEWSPAPERS.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE SECOND IMAGE DOWN ON THE LEFT.
AND EVEN STILL TODAY, IT SITS PROUDLY IN A POSITION AS THE GATEWAY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UNCOVERING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS HOME WAS PERHAPS THE MOST EXCITING GENERAL WILLIAM HARWOOD.
STACEY, WHO DEVELOPED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUILT THIS HOUSE ON HIS COMPANY'S ACCOUNT TO SHOW WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE.
AS SUSAN MENTIONED, ELMER YOUNG, THE FIRST OWNER BECAME SECRETARY OF THE STACEY REALTY COMPANY AND HIS WIFE, CORA YOUNG, AS CHAIR OF THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS RED CROSS AUXILIARY IN AN ARTICLE IN 1918 SAYS, SHE HOSTED THAT, UM, A MEETING IN THIS HOME TO HELP WOUNDED SOLDIERS THAT MAKES THIS HOME.
ONE OF THE FIRST IN WHICH COMMUNITY LIFE ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS, THE BRENNER'S, THE SUBSEQUENT OWNERS RAN BRENNER'S JEWELRY STORE AND WHEN HER HUSBAND DIED.
AS SUSAN MENTIONED, CATHERINE RAN THE BUSINESS AS A WIDOW IN A TIME WHEN IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR WOMEN TO OWN AND RUN BUSINESSES.
AND THROUGH THE DEPRESSION NO LESS AS A REGISTER, AS A RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER MYSELF, I CAN SAY I WOULD LOVE TO GET MY HANDS ON THIS HOUSE.
I HAVE YET TO SEE A NEW HOME WITH THE CHARACTER AND ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL OF AN OLD HOME.
WE HAVE PAGES AND PAGES, MORE RESEARCH, BUT I HOPE THAT WE'VE CONDENSED ENOUGH COMPELLING EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH THIS HOME'S PROMINENCE AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE CITY AND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO ADVOCATE FOR SAVING THIS HOME.
OUR NEXT IN FAVOR, SPEAKER IS MELANIE MARTINEZ.
HELLO, I'M MELANIE MARTINEZ, AND I LIVE IN, UH, FERRY PARK ON NING.
AND, UM, I HOPE THAT THIS COULD BE DESIGNATED A LANDMARK GIVEN THE HISTORY THAT WAS PRESENTED.
AND ALSO, UH, THE LOCATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
UM, I'VE HEARD IN THE PAST THAT THE DISTRICT, NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE OFTEN ERODED AROUND THE EDGES, AND THEN THAT CREEPS IN TOWARD THE CENTER AND GIVEN ALL THE OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE HERE.
UM, BUT THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE IS PART OF A BIGGER STORY.
THE WHOLE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS A STORY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND THE VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, THE VARIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.
AND WHEN A HOUSE LIKE THIS GOES, IT'S MORE THAN JUST RIPPING A PAGE OUT OF THE STORY.
THIS IS PART OF A BIGGER STORY WITHIN ITSELF AND, UH, IT'S JUST REALLY DEPRESSING WHEN THE WRONG KIND OF PERSON BUYS THIS AND DOESN'T SEE THE VALUE WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN THAT WOULD, AND COULD I HAVE RESTORED TWO HISTORIC HOUSES MYSELF IN WORSE CONDITION THAN THAT.
SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY, OH, YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO UPDO THE EIGHT, REDO THE HVAC AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS.
AND THERE ARE MANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD EVEN BE MADE ON THIS HOUSE AND BRING IT UP TO STANDARDS THAT WOULD BE VERY COMFORTABLE.
SO, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AND DESIGNATE THIS AS A LANDMARK.
OUR LAST IN FAVOR, SPEAKER IS LOUIS MIN,
[01:25:05]
WHO HAS WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK.UH, NOW THE APPLICANT, GABE JOSEPH, IS WELCOME TO OFFER A, A REBUTTAL IF HE SO CHOOSES.
I THINK THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING REPORT, AND I'M GLAD THE NEIGHBORS SPENT THE TIME THEY DID TO DO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AMATEUR SLEW THING THAT, THAT LENDS TO THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UM, ALL THAT SAID, UH, THE CITY STAFF DOES A GREAT JOB AT RESEARCH.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE FOCUSED, THEY'RE CONCENTRATED, UH, AND THEY DO A LOT OF IT, AND THEY'RE USUALLY RIGHT.
AND SO MY, UH, MY REQUEST TO THE COMMISSION WOULD BE JUST LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE RESEARCH THAT GUIDES THESE DECISIONS.
LET THE EXPERTS DO THE WORK AND LET'S LISTEN TO THEM, UH, AND NOT, UH, NOT NECESSARILY PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS AND PLEASANT WRIGHT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
THIS CASE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WILL TIME OUT, UH, BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, IF THAT HAPPENS WITHOUT ACTION, WE WILL LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS CASE.
IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HISTORIC, MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND I CAN SECOND THAT AND, UH, TO CONFIRM THIS INCLUDES REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, APOLOGIES, YES.
MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO, DOES MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGNATION.
UH, IF YOU MAY SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION.
UH, I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR THEIR ADDITIONAL WORK ON THIS.
I WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR EVERYBODY TO DO WAS TO GO BACK, DO ADDITIONAL WORK, UH, FIND MORE, UH, COMPELLING INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOUSE, THE STORY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU'VE DONE THAT, AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.
I THINK IT'S COMPELLING ENOUGH TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
AND IF I COULD, UH, LET ME SUGGEST THAT THE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, THAT YOUR MOTION INCLUDE THE RECOGNITION OF THE ARCHITECTURE, THE ASSOCIATION, AND ALSO COMMUNITY VALUE.
AND, AND I, I THINK THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, I THINK THE PRAIRIE SCHOOL IS VERY DISTINCT, UM, IN THIS BUILDING.
IT'S NOT REPRESENTED WITH VERY MUCH OTHER, UH, ARCHITECTURE THAT IS DATES FROM THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
THOUGH AUSTIN HAD QUITE A BIT OF, UH, PRAIRIE SCHOOL INFLUENCE MUCH LATER.
UH, SOMETHING THIS EARLY IS QUITE RARE.
AND THE SECOND, OF COURSE IS ITS INTEGRITY.
THOSE, UH, ENCLOSURES OF THE SIDE PORCH PIECES, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN NECESSARILY THAT TOOK PLACE.
SO IT POSSIBLY COULD BE WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, I WOULD PREFER IF SOMEBODY RATHER GIFTED HAD THIS TO SEE THOSE OPEN BACK UP AGAIN.
BUT EVEN IN ITS CURRENT STATE, I THINK, UH, THE BUILDING DOES MAINTAIN A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, ASSOCIATIONS.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD ENOUGH ABOUT THAT.
I'M, I'M VERY PLEASED TO HEAR ADDITIONAL CON CONNECTIONS WITH, UH, SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUALS.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT THE ISSUE OF COMMUNITY VALUE REALLY CAN'T BE OVERSTATED IN THAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE BEGINNING AND THE CENTER, REALLY THE HEART OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND THOSE FOUR HOUSES THAT INTERSECTION.
THE FACT THAT IF YOU WERE ALL ABOUT DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANTED TO LIVE SOUTH OF THE RIVER, THIS WAS PART OF WHAT WOULD'VE SOLD YOU ON THAT CONCEPT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD SAY FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, THE REST IS HISTORY.
BUT I, I THINK THE FACT THAT THAT HAS MAINTAINED ITS PROMINENCE IN THIS LOCATION IS SIGNIFICANT AND NEEDS TO BE ADDED
[01:30:01]
TO ITS VALUE, UH, AS WE LOOK AT IT AS A LANDMARK.AND THE ONLY LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I, I DON'T DOUBT, UH, THE SIGNIFICANT WORK THAT THE APPLICANT HAS DONE TO CRAFT THE KIND OF STRUCTURES THAT HE'S SHOWN.
UH, BUT THE QUESTION OF WHO WOULDN'T WANT THAT? WELL, IF IT'S AT THE EXPENSE OF THIS STRUCTURE, UH, NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST ARE SERVED.
IF THAT IS ALL WE'RE GONNA GET AT THE EXPENSE OF SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS STRUCTURE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UM, I WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP, UM, TODAY.
UM, AND THAT WAS SUPER HELPFUL FOR US.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY I REALLY RESPECT YOUR OPINION AND I THINK YOUR OPINION IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE.
WE ARE HERE TO, TO HEAR YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU KNOW BEST.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, I GUESS I WILL CALL THE VOTE.
THIS RULE WILL REQUIRE A MAJORITY, A UNANIMOUS VOTE, UH, FOR US TO RE MEET THE SUPER MAJORITY REQUIREMENT AGAINST OWNERS' WISHES.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
LOOKS LIKE WE ARE UNANIMOUS ON THAT.
[4. PR-2026-086869 – 1005 E. 13th St. Council District 1 ]
PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN CITY COUNCIL.NEXT CASE NUMBER FOUR 1005 EAST 13TH.
UM, THIS IS A, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION INITIATED, UH, ZONING.
UM, IT WAS INITIATED ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026.
UM, THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS THE BUILDING AS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION AS A LOCAL LANDMARK AND AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THIS WIDE 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 FRONT, UH, IN THE FRONT CORNER, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO A SHORT METAL RAIL.
THE FRONT DOOR IS SET AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT 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, PAINTED BLUE NARROW WOOD SIDING, CLADS 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 OVER THE PROPERTY IS CLAD AND COMPOSITION SHINGLE, AND FEATURES A RECTANGULAR DORMER AT THE FRONT, WHICH ITSELF IS TOPPED WITH A HIP ROOF ASSEMBLY.
THE FOUNDATION IS A PEER AND BE BEAM SYSTEM.
THE HOUSE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A THREATENED RESOURCE BY VIRTUE OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES AND STANDS AS AN EXAMPLE OF VERNACULAR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
THE PROPERTY DOES NOT HAVE A LONGSTANDING ASSOCIATION WITH GROUPS OR EVENTS OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE BEYOND BEING A VIEW INTO DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS OF AT THE TIME.
THE LONGTIME OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY WAS HENRY WILLIAMS, WHO WORKED AT VARIOUS ROLES AS A FIREMAN, PORTER FARMER AND OIL MILL WORKER.
BY 1918, HE LIVED WITH HIS WIFE, ELIZA WILLIAMS AND RAISED, AND THE TWO RAISED A FAMILY AT THE HOUSE.
HENRY WILLIAMS WAS NOTED IN LOCAL PAPERS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR SUSTAINING ENERGY INJURIES RELATED TO HIS WORK.
IN 1926, HE WAS SHOT IN RURAL TRAVIS COUNTY AND RECOVERED.
AND IN 1930 HE WAS AGAIN INJURED AS A RESULT OF A WINDSTORM WHILE WORKING AT AN OIL MILL.
AFTER HIS DEATH AROUND 1944, ELIZA WILLIAMS REMAINED AT THE ADDRESS UNTIL AT LEAST 1949, AFTER WHICH THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY ABE AND BOBBY SMITH, WHO HAD AT LEAST ONE CHILD WHILE LIVING AT THE PROPERTY.
THE STRUCTURE AND FINISHES OF THE BUILDING HAVE SEEN FEW ALTERATIONS AND ORIGINAL SIDING AND WINDOWS APPEARED TO BE REMAINING.
THE CARPORT CONSTRUCTED OUTSIDE OF THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE IS MINIMALLY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
TYPICAL DETERIORATION FROM DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT, BUT ALL APPEARS TO BE IN A REPAIRABLE CONDITION.
UH, STAFF NOTE WILL ALSO SAY THAT, UM, IT IS NOTED THAT WHILE THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS THIS PROPERTY ELIGIBLE AS A CITY LANDMARK STAFF RESEARCH DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET THE HIGH LEVEL OF TWO LANDMARK CRITERIA, THE LACK OF STRONG HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION INVOLVING THE LONG, LONG-TERM OWNER, AS WELL AS, UH, LACK OF EVIDENCE SHOWING THE PROPERTY'S CONNECTION TO NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE OVER TIME OR OTHER COMMUNITY VALUE PROVE, UH, STAFF DETERMINATION THAT IT ONLY MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR ARCHITECTURE.
UM, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING AS THE
[01:35:01]
PROPERTY DOES NOT MEET THE CRI REQUIRED CRITERIA.AND THE APPLICANT ON THIS CASE TO SPEAK.
THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT PERHAPS THEY'RE IN THE ROOM AND IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE IT.
NO, HE'S NOT THE APPLICANT FOR THIS ONE.
UM, SO OUR ONE IN FAVOR, SPEAKER IS PAULINA KOVICH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
MY NAME IS PAULINA KOVICH AND I'M A RESIDENT OF SWEET HILL.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT HISTORIC ZONING FOR 10 0 5 EAST 13TH STREET.
IN ORDER TO PREVENT ITS DEMOLITION.
THE APPLICANT FOR THE DEMOLITION PERMIT HAS NOT MADE TIME TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO ITS DESTRUCTION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE JUST BITING THEIR TIME IN ORDER FOR THEIR APPLICATION TO TIME OUT AND THEY CAN GET WHAT THEY WANT, A CLEAN SLATE.
I'M HERE TO TRY TO PUT UP A FIGHT FOR MY COMMUNITY, AND I REALLY WISH WE HAD AS MANY RESOURCES AND PASSIONATE FOLKS AS THE TRAVIS HE CASE, BUT WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST IN THE O2.
THE DEVELOPER WHO FILED THIS DEMOLITION PERMIT, WHO I WILL KNOW IS NOT THE PRESENT OWNER BUILDS IN FULL HOUSING, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE NEED MORE HOUSING IN AUSTIN.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE EXPLICITLY STATED THAT PRESERVATION IS NOT PART OF THEIR BUSINESS PLAN.
SINCE THAT IS THE CASE, I INVITE THEM TO BUY A PLENTY OF THE FRANK, FRANK, EXCUSE ME, PLENTIFUL, EMPTY LOTS.
THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON THE EAST SIDE.
THEY VIEW A STRUCTURE THAT IS PERFECTLY SOUND AND REPAIRABLE AS JUST SOMETHING TO THROW IN THE DUMPSTER WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE CURRENT CULTURE AND INTEGRITY OF THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S HISTORY OR ITS FUTURE RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOS LOSING LINKS TO THE PAST DAILY.
NOR IS THERE ANY CONCERN FOR FUTURE AUSTINITES WHO WILL LOOK BACK AND STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE WERE SO CAVALIER WITH THESE UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN THE FACE OF LOOMING CLIMATE CRISIS.
WHAT MAKES THIS DEMOLITION ATTEMPT MORE UNNECESSARY IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HOUSING AND PRESERVATION.
THE HOME PRESERVATION BONUS EXISTS SPECIFICALLY FOR CASES LIKE THIS.
THE MECHANISM FOR THOUGHTFUL DENSITY IS ALREADY THERE.
THE APPLICANT IS SIMPLY CHOOSING TO IGNORE IT IN FAVOR OF COMPLETE ERASURE AND THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
TODAY, THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE 1000 BLOCK OF 13TH STREET DOES CONTAIN ALL OF ITS ORIGINAL STRUCTURES.
SUCH A CONTIGUOUS BLOCK OFFERS US A GLIMPSE INTO THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY OF EAST AUSTIN.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY VALUE THAT CANNOT BE REPLACED ONCE IT'S GONE.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN SURVEY DID IDENTIFY THIS HOME AS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE 2026 SURVEY MAY NOT BE AFFORDED THE CHANCE TO REACH A SIMILAR CONCLUSION.
THIS BUILDING IS A PHYSICAL LINK TO THE HISTORY OF WORKING CLASS BLACK AUSTIN THAT IS VERY, VERY RAPIDLY BEING LOST.
WE MAKE VALUE JUDGEMENTS ABOUT THOSE WHOSE HISTORY DESERVES RECOGNITION BY WHAT WE KEEP FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE MESSAGE THAT AUSTIN IS SENDING BY LETTING OLD EAST AUSTIN END UP IN THE LANDFILL IS LOUD AND CLEAR.
PLEASE WORK TO RETAIN WHAT WE CAN WHILE WE CAN.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NO OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, COMMISSIONER HARRIS.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
UNANIMOUS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, CAN STAFF GIVE A QUICK REMINDER ON THE TIMELINE ON THIS? YES.
THIS IS A DEMOLITION OUTSIDE OF A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S A 75 DAY TIMELINE FROM THE FIRST, UM, APPEARANCE OF THE, UH, OF THE CASE BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
UM, THE, THIS WILL BE THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING THAT THE, UM, APPLICATION CAN BE HEARD.
AND ALSO AS AN INITIATED CASE, I THINK THAT ALSO HAS ITS OWN TIMELINE, RIGHT? UH, BETWEEN INITIATING AND RECOMMENDING.
THERE'S NOT A SEPARATE TIMELINE THERE.
ANYWAY, IT, IT'S OUR LAST MEETING TO HEAR IT.
SO, UH, AND IF, UM, WE LET IT EXPIRE, WE'LL LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
SO I WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN MOTION, I'LL MOVE TO ACCEPT THE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND, AND TO RE UH, OKAY.
AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? AND, UH, AND FOR TO, UH, WE, WE DON'T NEED TO IF IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
UM, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROSE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HARRIS.
UH, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH.
WE'VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION MANY TIMES BEFORE.
I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
UH, I REGRET THAT, UH, WE'RE IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN, BUT I
[01:40:01]
SEE NO REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE IN LIGHT OF STAFF'S DILIGENCE AND RECOMMENDATION.YEAH, LET ME JUST GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
SINCE THESE BOTH WERE, UH, INITIATED FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, AS ONE CAME BACK, THERE WERE MORE DETAILS.
AND OF COURSE, I THINK ALSO STRICTLY ON AN ARCHITECTURAL BASIS, IT WAS A MUCH STRONGER CASE.
UH, I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN MORE PARTICULARS ABOUT THIS, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR.
UH, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT MADE AT A PARTICULAR TIME BY A NAMED ARCHITECT.
UM, BUT BETWEEN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.
AND THEN AS THE STAFF HAS SAID, LACK OF BETTER CONNECTIONS WITH ASSOCIATION.
UH, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE SPEAKER IN BRINGING SOME OF THESE ITEMS TO OUR ATTENTION.
BUT I THINK, UH, IT'S A VERY CLEAR IN COMPARISON TO OTHERS WHERE WE'VE TAKEN THE STEP TO INITIATE OVER AN OWNER'S OBJECTION.
UH, IT HAS TO BE A PRETTY HIGH BAR.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ONE DOESN'T, DOESN'T MEET THAT.
THAT SAID, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, WE SHOULD BE VERY CLEAR, DOES INCLUDE WITH THE RELEASE OF THE BUILDING PERMIT THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE, UH, STRUCTURE IS FULLY DOCUMENTED FOR THE ARCHIVE AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
SO IF WE JUST LET THIS TIME OUT, WE WOULD LOSE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF IT.
SO, UH, ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION AND JUST IF I'M GONNA JUMP IN, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE, UH, MOTION JUST TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE REQUESTED IN IT? SURE.
THE MOTION WAS STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
I WAS CHECK CHECKING TO SEE WHETHER THAT WAS IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE CITY OF FALLS DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL, UH, STAFF REPORT, BUT NOT IN THIS, UM, MR. SO IF YOU CAN CLARIFY, HOWEVER IT CAN BE, I, I'LL CLARIFY, I'M REFERRING TO THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND GET THESE DETAILS OUT.
I, I DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY NOT, UH, APPROVING A LANDMARK THAT'S IN A SURVEY RECOMMENDED AS A LANDMARK.
'CAUSE IT'S THERE FOR SOME CERTAINTY, UM, FOR BOTH SIDES.
I, UM, YOU KNOW, DOWN UPGRADING IS USUALLY A HARDER BAR UNLESS THERE'S ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY.
UH, DOWNGRADING I THINK ALSO HAS TO, HAS TO HAVE SOME DETAIL.
I, I AGREE THAT THE SPECIFICS OF THE, THE PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT, THE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT HAD SUCH LONG OCCUPANCY WITHOUT THAT PERSON THEMSELVES, THAT FAMILY THEMSELVES HAVING SUFFICIENT HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR CHANGING OWNERSHIP TO REFLECT THE PATTERNS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, UNLIKE OTHERS, UH, I THINK THIS, UM, YEAH, SO I'LL JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL IS IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
JUST, OH, MAY, MAY I HAVE ONE MORE, ONE MORE COMMENT AS YOU WOULD CHAIR SETH.
UM, I THINK THIS IS THE TYPE OF BUILDING THAT REALLY ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE RESIDENTIAL ADDED TO THE CITY'S DECONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE BECAUSE THESE ARE NOW A HUNDRED PLUS YEAR OLD MATERIALS.
THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE, THEY'RE COMPLETELY SALVAGEABLE.
ALL OF THIS SHOULD NOT GO INTO THE LANDFILL.
AND YET ALL WE CAN GET THEM TO DO WITH THE OWNER'S OBJECTION IS, IS, UM, HAVE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
BUT, UH, I THINK FOR LOTS OF REASONS, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, CONTINUITY WITH OUR, UH, PAST, UH, THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF BUILDING THAT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO A RIGOROUS DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGING OF ALL OF THE REUSABLE COMPONENTS.
UH, I, I'M, I'M, I DO HOPE THAT THE OWNER AT LEAST TAKES THAT INTO ACCOUNT, UH, WHEN THEY START UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE VALUE OF THIS IS WHEN THEY START, UH, IF THEY START ACTING ON THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AND, AND I DID WANNA JUST MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT THAT ALL THESE DECISIONS ARE, ARE IN THE BALANCE OF THE CRITERIA.
I THINK, UH, CHERYL SETH DETAILED THAT WELL, THAT THE, THE LAST CASE, YOU KNOW, I THINK APPROPRIATELY HAD HAD COMMUNITY VALUE IN THERE BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE LOCATION AND ANCHOR TO THAT COMMUNITY.
UM, WHEN YOU PLUG THESE IN, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT AN OBJECTIVE ALGORITHM.
IT KIND OF ALL COMES OUT IN THE BALANCE.
AND I THINK WE'VE CAPTURED ALL THE DETAILS SUFFICIENTLY.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
[01:45:03]
SO THAT, UH, DID NOT RECOMMEND.SO THE, YEAH, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT IS THEN RELEASED.
[6. PR-2026-018321; HR-2026-112231; C14H-1982-0001-f – 916 Congress Ave. Larmour Block (F) Council District 9 ]
NINE 16 CONGRESS AVENUE.THANK YOU CHAIR ITEM SIX AT NINE 16 CONGRESS AVENUE.
THIS IS THE LAR BLOCK F BUILDING.
UM, THE PROPOSAL IS TO INSTALL A NEW STOREFRONT AND A SECURITY GRILL TO INSTALL EGRESS DOORS IN THE WALL BETWEEN NINE 16 AND NINE 18 CONGRESS AVENUE TO RETROACTIVELY PERMIT THE RAISED WOODEN DECK AND PAPERS INSTALLED BEHIND THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING IN THE OPEN COURTYARD.
UM, THE PROPOSED FENESTRATION INCLUDES FULLY GLAZED ALUMINUM FIRE DOORS BETWEEN NINE 16 AND NINE 18.
THE PROPOSED NEW STOREFRONT COMPRISES THREE BAYS WITH MOLDED WOOD TRIM, TRANS AND WINDOWS ABOVE EACH BAY, AND A WOOD TRIFOLD DOOR AT THE CENTRAL BAY.
THE FLANKING OPENINGS ARE INFILLED WITH METAL SECURITY GRILLS AND GATES.
THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES RETROACTIVE APPROVAL OF PAVERS AND AN EVENT STAGE CONSTRUCTED PREVIOUSLY, UH, AT THE REAR OF THE NOW EXTERIOR COURTYARD.
THIS IS A TWO PART 1876 COMMERCIAL BLOCK WITH ITALIANATE STYLISTIC INFLUENCES, LIMESTONE, MASONRY, AND ARCH SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS WITH DECORATIVE STONEWORK.
THE ORIGINAL STOREFRONT HAS BEEN LOST, UH, LIGHTLY DURING THE 1930S OR FORTIES, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL STOREFRONT LOOKED LIKE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS AT HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROJECT AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES MEET SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THE APPLICANT BRIEFED THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ON THE PROJECT ON MAY 6TH, 2020 SIXTH.
THEY WERE INVITED THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026, UM, AND HAVE PARTIALLY MODIFIED THEIR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE SOME A RC FEEDBACK.
UH, FOR SOME HISTORY ON THIS UNIQUE CASE.
THIS IS ONE THAT THE COMMISSION HAS SEEN MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
THE EXISTING BUILDING WAS MODIFIED AFTER HLC APPROVAL OF A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN PROPOSED BY A PREVIOUS OWNER BACK IN 2013, UH, WITH MODIFICATIONS TO THE, THROUGH THE, TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, AGAIN, APPROVED IN 2015 AFTER DEMOLITION OF ALL, BUT THE BUILDING'S FACADE OCCURRED, THE PROJECT WAS ABANDONED AND MITIGATION OF STRUCTURAL ISSUES CAUSED BY THE DEMOLITION WAS APPROVED BY THE HLC IN 2017, UH, WHICH TIME STRUCTURAL SHORING TO THE, UM, INTERIOR OF THAT COURTYARD.
NOW COURTYARD, UH, WAS INSTALLED.
THE EXISTING STOREFRONT, AS I MENTIONED, WAS MODIFIED EXTENSIVELY, UH, PROBABLY DURING THE 1940S.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN IN 1982 PER RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY FORMER HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER STEVE SADOWSKI.
A DECK IN CANOPY SIMILAR TO THOSE AT NINE 18 CONGRESS WERE APPROVED BY THE HLC IN 2007.
UH, BUT THOSE WERE NEVER CONSTRUCTED AT THE A RC.
UH, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED, UM, A LIST OF FEEDBACK, INCLUDING A REBUILD OF THE ENTIRE FACADE, INCLUDING THE ROOF AND WINDOWS, UH, RETENTION OF THE IRON ENTRYWAY COLUMNS, A REPLACEMENT OF THE SECURITY GRILL WITH ELEMENTS APPROXIMATING THE HISTORIC STOREFRONT.
UM, THEY RECOMMENDED AS FEEDBACK NOT TO BLOCK THE MAIN ENTRANCE AND TO INSTALL OPERABLE FENESTRATION.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED FIRE DOORS AND RETROACTIVELY APPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF THE STAGE AS IT IS SET BACK FROM THE STREET, UM, AS WELL AS APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL CONFIGURATION AND DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED NEW STOREFRONT.
UM, AND ALSO TO CONSIDER POSTPONEMENT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TO NOVEMBER 4TH, 2020 SIXTH, UH, TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE OCTOBER MEETING, UH, OR TO THE, UH, YES, OCTOBER NEXT WEEK, A MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, TO DISCUSS FENESTRATION OPTIONS FOR THE STOREFRONT, AS WELL AS ANY FUTURE ROOFING OR OTHER PROTECTIVE AND OR STABILIZATION MEASURES, UH, FOR THE LONG-TERM PRESERVATION OF THE STRUCTURE.
UM, AS WELL AS REQUIRING THE PROPERTY OWNER TO REMOVE THE INCOMPATIBLE PLANTINGS AND BIOG GROWTH FROM NEAR THE FOUNDATION AND UPSTAIRS WINDOWS TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING MASONRY AND TRIM.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS CASE? YES, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT.
I'M WITH BUILD OSS AND I REPRESENT OWNERSHIP LEE ACKERLEY, WHO OWNS A PROPERTY.
UM, AND, UM, FIRST I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME.
I SEE AFTER, UH, COMING TO THESE A FEW TIMES, JUST HOW MUCH Y'ALL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH AND, UH, AND I KNOW THIS IS VOLUNTEER TIME FOR YOU, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I'LL TRY AND MAKE THIS REAL BRIEF.
UM, WE, WE'VE ALREADY GONE BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THIS PROJECT OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PROJECT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, MYSELF.
AND, UM, LONG STORY SHORT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I AGREE WITH YOUR, I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UH, APPROVE THE FIRE DOORS AND RETROACTIVELY
[01:50:01]
APPROVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE STAGE AND TO APPROVE THE GENERAL CONDITION AND DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED NEW STOREFRONT.BUT THE, THE ISSUE COMES UP WITH THIS POSTPONING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO NOVEMBER 4TH.
UM, THIS PROPERTY AND THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES ARE ALL TIED INTO ONE PROJECT AS OF TODAY.
UH, BEFORE, PREVIOUSLY THEY WERE DIVIDED AMONGST THREE PERMITS THAT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE.
SO THAT NOT, NOT A, AN ISSUE WITH ONE PROPERTY WOULD AFFECT THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE BUSINESS.
UM, THIS, THIS, UH, THESE THREE PROPERTIES ARE BLEEDING THE OWNERS, UM, DRY AND WITH THE INABILITY TO ACTIVATE THEM.
SO, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE TAKEN THE ARCS, UM, UM, ADOPT, WE HAVE ADOPTED THEIR FEEDBACK.
UM, WE HAVE KEPT THE IRON COLUMNS IN INTACT.
UM, WE DISCUSSED THE WINDOWS LAST TIME WE WERE OVER HERE ABOUT THE SAFETY, SAFETY RISKS WITH IT BEING AN OPEN AIR VENUE ON BOTH SIDES, THAT PUTTING GLASS IN THERE, WHICH JUST WOULD, WOULD BE UNSAFE.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REBUILD THE, THE FACADE TO SOMETHING SIMILAR, UH, THAT IT, UM, FROM HISTORY.
HOWEVER, UM, DELAYING THIS FURTHER BY GOING BACK TO THE RC ONE MORE TIME AND, AND GOING OVER THIS IS, IS WE CAN'T AFFORD THE TIME ANYMORE.
UM, SO MY, MY, UH, RECOMMENDATION OR MY REQUEST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN WE APPROVE THIS WITH, WITH CONDITIONS? CAN WE APPROVE THIS WITH CONDITIONS THAT WE DO GO BACK TO THE RCS AND, AND, AND GO OVER THE FINE DETAILS.
BUT WE, WE ARE APPROVED TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT AS OF TODAY.
UM, WE'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE ABOUT THIS PROPERTY.
WE, WHEN, WHEN MY CLIENT BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, NONE OF THIS CAME UP IN DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO DO ANY OF THIS STUFF.
WE'RE NOT TRYING, HE'S NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE PROPERTY AT ALL.
IDEALLY, WE'D KEEP IT JUST AS IT IS AND NOT TOUCH IT.
UM, BUT NOW WE'RE BEING HELD TO A STANDARD FOR AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH, WITH TWO OWNERS AGO.
AND THIS HASN'T COME UP WITH, WITH TWO SEPARATE POSSESSIONS OF THE PROPERTY.
SO, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE JUST AT, WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME GRACE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS THING SO WE CAN, WE CAN ALL, UH, ALL GO ON WITH OUR LIVES.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE AWAY ANY HISTORIC VALUE FROM THIS PROPERTY.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD TO IT.
WE'RE TRYING TO ACTIVATE THIS BLOCK.
WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF, OF OTHER, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, THAT, THAT, UH, OWN THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
CAN YOU CONFIRM WHAT EXACTLY IS IN THE SCOPE OF THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION REQUEST AND WHAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WORK? SO ESSENTIAL TO PART OF THE, THE FRONT DOOR IS ALREADY THERE.
THE, AS SHOWN, THE PROPOSED FRONT DOOR IS ALREADY THERE.
SO, UH, NO, THAT'S, WE'RE THE, SO THE PROPOSED DOOR THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, APPROVING THE FIRE RATED DOOR OR THE FIRE DOORS, THOSE ARE NEW DOORS PENETRATING THE SIDEWALLS OF THE PROPERTIES.
SO ONE OF 'EM IS WITHIN THE HLC PURVIEW.
THE ONE WITHIN IS THE, IS THE ACTUALLY TECH.
IF WE'RE CALLING, IF WE'RE CALLING THIS A, A SITE NOW, THEN THAT IS NOW AN EXTERIOR DOOR.
IT'S THE NORTH FACING, UM, DEMISING WALL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE ACCESS FROM NINE 16 INTO NINE 18 PER BATHROOM FACILITIES, ET CETERA, WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED, WHICH WE HAVE A LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR.
WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH AND EXPEDITED NOW TWO TIMES TO DISCUSS.
AND ALL OF EVERYTHING IS APPROVED.
EVERY COMMENT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND SO THAT DOOR IS NOT IN QUESTION.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE ONES THAT THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO, TO APPROVE, UM, THE, AND THAT WOULD HELP US MOVE FORWARD.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THE, IF WE HOLD UP THE FACADE TODAY, THEN IT HOLDS UP THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
'CAUSE NOW, AS OF TODAY, THE CITY BUILDING OFFICIAL AND CHIEF PLANS EXAMINER COMBINED ALL THREE PROPERTIES INTO ONE PROJECT.
AND SO IF WE, IF WE DON'T HAVE APPROVAL TO PROCEED, WE'RE STUCK.
AND WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY HOLD UP THE FACADE, WHAT IS IN THE PROPOSAL THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE ON THE FACADE IN THIS? OH, THE F THE FACADE IS, IS SIMPLY THAT FIRST FLOOR.
THE, THE SECOND FLOOR REMAINS INTACT, REMAINS, UH, AS ORIGINAL THE FIRST FLOOR, UM, WE PROPOSED TO, TO BUILD IN THE, THE WOOD FACADE THAT, UM, LOOKS SIMILAR TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES, ACTUALLY LOOKS SIMILAR TO THE 2013 AND 20, UH, YEAH, 2013 AND 2008, UH, IMAGES, UH, AVAILABLE ON GOOGLE EARTH.
SO WE TRIED TO MATCH THOSE AS CLOSELY AS WE COULD.
THE ONLY THINGS THAT WE LEFT OUT WAS THE EGRESS GATES, UM, IN THE FENCE FOR, TO KEEP THE OPEN AIR CONCEPT SOMEWHAT, LEAVE THE WINDOWS OUT.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT PART OF THIS DEAL, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, THE, UM, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE IS WANTING US TO CHANGE THAT FRONT DOOR TO SOMETHING MORE, UM, IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, THE TIMING OF THE BUILDING.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, THAT FRONT DOOR IS ALREADY THERE.
THAT FRONT DOOR WAS PUT IN BY A PREVIOUS O OWNER.
THE FRONT DOOR WAS EXISTING TO, UM, AT PURCHASE.
[01:55:01]
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS WHAT'S IN GREEN, KIND OF THE WOOD FRAME, KEEPING THE, AND THE GATES, I GUESS THE CORRECT THE BAR GATES, BUT THE DOOR THAT IS SHOWN IN THERE IS ALREADY THERE.AND YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THAT AT ALL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER ROCHE, CAN, CAN I GET AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED ELEVATION? UH, I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS IT IN, IN DISCUSSION AFTER, AFTER A MOTION IS MADE.
UM, CAN I, CAN I SPEAK TO WHAT WAS MENTIONED AT THE A RC? I THINK IT WAS, UM,
AND THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS WITH ENFORCING WHO TOOK THE ACTION THAT GOT IT WHERE IT IS VERSUS THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOMEONE INHERITING IT THE WAY IT IS NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT RESTORING THE FRONT FACADE TO BE AS HISTORIC AS POSSIBLE.
AT THAT TIME, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN ITS HISTORIC, UH, PERIOD.
UH, THE CONSTRUCTION WHEN IT WAS LITTLE CITY WAS A RECONSTRUCTION TO, TO BE SIMILAR TO OTHER BUILDINGS WITH THE CENTRAL INSET.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME WORK THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE BY PREVIOUS OWNERS WORK THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE IN TERMS OF REBUILDING THE THING AND WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE IN TERMS OF PUTTING IN THE BARS AND, AND THE DOOR AND WHERE WE WOULD STAND IN OUR ABILITY TO OBLIGATE THIS OWNER TO RESTORE THINGS VERSUS SIMPLY APPROVE THE CHANGES THAT WERE BEING MADE.
AND WE DISCUSSED THAT THE CHANGES THAT WERE WANTED WERE THE OPENING INTO THE ADJACENT BUILDING AND TO PRESENT SOME SORT OF FACADE.
AND OUR SUGGESTION WAS TO DO SOMETHING, ANY WORK THAT WAS DONE SHOULD BE HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE.
AND THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME WOULD'VE BEEN EITHER PER, UH, DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OR SOMETHING APPROPRIATE BASED ON OTHER STOREFRONTS ALONG CONGRESS AVENUE OF THE PERIOD.
Y YEAH, MY, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT, I GUESS, OTHER THAN TO SAY I DON'T THINK WHAT'S DEPICTED IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HISTORIC FACADE, THAT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE FACTUALLY CORRECT, BUT AT ANYWAY, I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AFTER MOTION.
IS THERE, I GUESS I'M A BIT CONFUSED.
I'M LOOKING AT YOUR CONSTRUCTION PLAN AND IT SPECIFICALLY POINTS OUT, UH, THAT THE DOOR WILL BE AN ANTIQUE WOOD TRI-FOLD DOOR WITH TRANSOM.
ARE YOU SAYING, AND I'M SORRY, I I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO IS THAT ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY THERE OR IS THAT THE DOOR IN THE RENDERING THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO PUT THERE? NO, THAT, THAT DOOR IS JUST THE CENTRAL, JUST THE CENTRAL BAY.
THAT, THAT DOOR IS EXISTING AND THAT DOOR WAS INSTALLED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
AND SO THE, WE'RE, I HAVE A PROPOSING KEEP THAT DOOR.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF THEN.
SO DO WE KNOW, UH, STAFF WAS THAT DOOR THAT IS PROPO THAT IS SHOWN THERE IN THE RENDERING AND SUPPOSEDLY IS, I GUESS IT'S THERE NOW IN, UH, UH, LOOKING JUST LIKE THAT ON SITE.
UH, DID WE APPROVE IT WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER? NO.
SO, UH, CHAIR THE DOOR AND THE EXISTING SECURITY GRILLS WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT A PERMIT AND WITHOUT OUR REVIEW.
I'M NOT, I'VE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE GRILLS AND I DO THINK THAT WE'RE VERY CLOSE IN THE WAY THAT THIS TREATS THAT INFILL.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE THE, UM, WAY THAT YOU ALL, IF I COULD ADDRESS THE, UH, APPLICANT, UH, HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO, UM, THESE COMMENTS.
UH, AND THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF THAT SPECIFIC DOOR.
SO WOULD YOU UNDERSTAND IF EVERYTHING ELSE WAS READY TO GO AND WE TOLD YOU THAT, YEAH, IT GOT PUT THERE, YOU DIDN'T DO IT, BUT PROBABLY TO GO FORWARD, WE NEED YOU TO REPLACE IT.
UH, IS DOES THAT SEEM LIKE IT'S AN, UH, SOMETHING THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF IF, IF THAT BECAME A CRITERIA? IF, IF THAT'LL MOVE US FORWARD? I'LL PUT WHATEVER DOOR YOU WANT, SIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
ALL INVITATION INTER MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[02:00:01]
SECOND COMMISSIONER GROGAN, I THINK GOT THAT ONE ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CASE.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO POSTPONE CONTINGENT UPON ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW OF PROPOSED DOOR REPLACEMENT.
AND I, I SAY THAT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT BECAUSE I, I'VE BEEN DECEIVED ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT.
SO I HAVE SOME RESERVATION ABOUT, LET'S SEE WHAT THE DOOR LOOKS LIKE AND THEN WE CAN GO FORWARD THERE A SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROCHE, I THINK YOU ALREADY BEGAN TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ON THAT? NO.
COMMISSIONER ACTON, UM, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD AND IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER MONTH.
UM, IF I MAY MAKE A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION TO AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION THAT IF A NEW DOOR IS PROVIDED THAT IS CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, THAT THE REMAINDER OF WHAT IS IN THIS PROPOSAL COULD BE RELEASED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
UM, I AGREE THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE.
WELL, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? AND I'LL MAKE MY COMMENTS AS CHAIR AND A RC CHAIR AT THE END.
NO OTHER COMMENTS? UH, THIS, THIS PROJECT IS, UM, ALL SORTS OF COMPLICATED.
I WALKED BY, I, I KNEW I HAD SEEN BRICKS MISSING ON THE TOP OF THIS BUILDING, AND NOW I REALIZE THE ENTIRE PARAPET ABOVE THE METAL FACADE IS COMPLETELY GONE, ERODED AND COMPLETELY GONE.
UM, I DON'T, I HAVEN'T KNOWN WHERE TO FOCUS MY ANGER ON THIS PROJECT IN THIS CASE.
UM, I THINK YOU SHOULD BE ANGRY AT WHOEVER DID YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT YOU HAD TWO HISTORIC LANDMARKS THAT HAD ON RECORD WITH A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH OF THIS ADDRESS, THE PREVIOUS APPROVED WORK AND NEWS STORIES AND WHO WORKED ON IT AND COULD SEE WHY DOES A HISTORIC LANDMARK LEFT LIKE THIS? SO I UNDERSTAND IT'S IN YOUR HANDS.
YOU'RE TWO PEOPLE DOWN AND WE PROBABLY TWO BUYERS DOWN AND WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ANY LEGAL RECOURSE TO DEMAND RESTORATION FROM YOU.
I THINK THERE MAY BE MORE DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK AND INTERNALLY ABOUT THAT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DEMAND BE RESTORED IN THIS BUILDING VERSUS WHAT CAN WE APPROVE? I, I THINK WHAT YOU APPROVED IN, IN TERMS OF THE DESIGN OF THAT ENTRY, UM, WE CAN'T PROVE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
IT WAS PROBABLY A, A RESET RECESSED CENTRAL, UH, BAY.
UH, BUT WE CAN'T PROVE IT AND TRYING TO DO ANYTHING THAT MATCHES.
IT COULD BE FALSE HISTORICISM.
I THINK THE GENERAL TRANSOM THREE BAY PATTERN WITH THE ORIGINAL CAST IRON COLUMNS AS AS, UH, PROVIDED, UM, ARE FINE.
UH, I THINK THEY REPRESENT HISTORIC PATTERNS.
I THINK IF WE CAN GET AN APPROPRIATE DOOR IN THERE, THEN I THINK WE CAN RELEASE THIS NEXT WEEK.
BUT I DO THINK THERE ARE BIGGER ISSUES THAT REMAIN HERE.
THERE'S, AND THE FIRES, THE FIRE DOORS ARE ANOTHER ISSUE BECAUSE IF THIS WERE, IF THIS HAD A ROOF, IT WOULD BE ARGUABLE.
THOSE PARTY WALLS ARE COMPLICATED WHEN IT COMES TO THESE KIND OF BUILDINGS AND WHAT IS AN EXTERIOR AND WHAT IS AN INTERIOR IN A LANDMARK.
AND WHEN IT'S AN INTERIOR WALL SHARED WITH THE NEIGHBOR, BUT IT'S THE EXTERIOR WALL OF THE LANDMARK, IT'S GOTTEN COMPLICATED.
I THINK IN ANY CASE, WE WOULD ALLOW AN ENTRY FROM ONE BUILDING INTO ANOTHER TO EXPAND.
UM, WE DO THAT IN LESS VISIBLE LOCATIONS ON RESIDENTIAL LANDMARKS ALL THE TIME.
BUT I, I, I JUST REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP OF THIS PROPERTY.
NOT HAVING A ROOF, INTERIOR WALLS OR EXTERIOR WALLS, VINES GROWING UP THE WALL.
A COMPLETELY MISSING ORIGINAL, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL BRICK PARAPET THAT AS OF THE TIME WE STARTED THESE CONVERSATIONS, STILL HAD A FEW BRICKS UP THERE.
SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GO BACK TO MY PICTURES AS I WALKED FROM THE CAPITOL TO THIS BUILDING ONCE A MONTH AND TAKE PICTURES OF THE DI SLOW DETERIORATION OF THAT BUILDING OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, UH, WHEN THERE WERE BRICKS THERE AND WHEN THERE WEREN'T.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THAT IN TERMS OF ANY ACTIONS Y'ALL MAY HAVE TAKEN.
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMOVAL OF THOSE BRICKS, WHERE THOSE BRICKS MIGHT BE IF THEY'D BEEN FALLING.
DID SOMEONE PICK UP HISTORIC BRICKS INSIDE THIS BUILDING AND THROW 'EM AWAY?
[02:05:01]
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.UH, OTHERWISE THE WINDOWS I UNDERSTAND ARE, THEY'RE IN STORAGE, RIGHT? THE SASHES OR THE, THE SASHES THAT WERE ABOVE THE SASHES ARE, ARE STILL EXISTING.
THEY'RE EXISTING AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE INSTALLED, THEY'RE CLEANED UP.
UM, WE TOOK THE GLASS OUT FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, BUT, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, JUST KEEPING AN EYE ON WHAT REMAINS.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN GENERALLY FORGIVING ON THIS CASE ALL ALONG BECAUSE ANYTHING Y'ALL HAVE DONE HAS NOT MADE THE, THE CASE WORSE.
AND IT'S, UH, PROVIDING SOME INCOME STREAM ON THIS THAT MAYBE YOU CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOME SORT OF COVER, AT LEAST ON THE BACKSIDE OF THAT FRONT FACADE.
UH, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONE TIME I REALLY LOST MY COOL IS WHEN I TOLD THE PEOPLE DOING THIS IN 2017, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
AND THEN THEY CAME BACK AND ASKED ME TO PUT 36 HOLES THROUGH THE FACADE WITH ANCHORS ON THE FRONT, AND THEY FOUND A WAY TO GENTLY PROTECT IT FROM THE SIDE.
BUT NOW THAT'S BEEN STANDING OUT IN THE RAIN FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS MM-HMM
UH, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT COVERED.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ENGINEERING STUDIES TO LOOK AT WHAT REMAINS AND HOW STABLE IT IS IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS IN THIS REQUEST, UH, I THINK WITH THE DOOR BEING HANDLED AT NEXT WEEK'S ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE MEETING, I'LL BE FINE APPROVING IT, WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
BUT I DO THINK THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD ABOUT LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON NO, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT CAPTURES SOME OF MY SENTIMENT WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S JUST ALWAYS BEEN A CASE OF IF WE'RE THE ORIGINAL OWNER, THIS WOULDN'T GO.
BUT, UM, LEGALLY THIS IS VERY COMPLICATED.
AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST CASE WHERE WE'VE HAD WORK THAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, ABANDONED OR HAPPENED WITHOUT PERMIT, AND THEN YOU HAVE A NEW OWNER AND IT'S, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT TRANSITION, I THINK IS REALLY HARD TO TEASE OUT.
UM, AS LONG AS THE FACADES NOT GONNA COLLAPSE, I, I, I DON'T NEED THINK WE NEED TO ESCALATE IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE FACADES NOT GONNA COLLAPSE.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE PRESENT OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, HE KIND OF PRE, HE, HE SIT RIGHT BACK THERE, BUT HE PRIDES HIMSELF IN TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THE, OF THESE SPACES.
THE INTENT IS TO CREATE A, A WEDDING VENUE, AN EVENT SPACE THAT THAT REALLY BRINGS PEOPLE INTO THE, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE VIBE OF THE, OF THE LAWNMOWER BLOCK BLOCKS.
I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT, BUT IT BEGINS WITH STABILIZATION.
AND I THINK THE STABILIZATION WAS, WAS DONE WHEN THE, THE TWO OWNERS PREVIOUS DEPARTED TO A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO PRICE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DRAWINGS OUT OF THEM TO SHORE THE WALLS TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO THEY, THEY HAVE PERMANENT SHORING IN THERE THAT WAS MEANT FOR CONSTRUCTION SO I THINK IT'S STABLE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STABLE, IF LONG, IF EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS.
SO I THINK IF YOU COULD GET A FORENSIC ANALYST OUT THERE TO LOOK AND KIND OF GIVE US A REPORT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD HELP THINGS.
WE, AND JUST, UM, THE PREVIOUS OWNER, NOT OF, OF MOST RECENT, THEY HAD A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER DRAW UP THE STRUCTURAL BRACING PLAN.
THAT'S WHAT WENT THROUGH PERMITTING.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN IN 2017 WAS JUST TO DEMO THE INTERIOR AND NOT MENTION NOTHING ABOUT SHORING.
THIS IS A DEC, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A DECADE AGO.
AND I KNOW THE STRUCTURAL SHORING THAT'S IN THERE NOW HAS BEEN PERMITTED AND IS STABLE, BUT I THINK IT WAS ALWAYS DONE WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT IT WAS GONNA BE AN ENCLOSED BUILDING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR AN EXPOSED CONDITION.
AND, AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER ELEMENTS, RIGHT? KEVIN MENTIONED THAT COMMISSIONER COOK MENTIONED THE PARAPET WALL FOR, AS AN EXAMPLE OF YOU NEED TO STOP THE DETERIORATION OF THE PARAPET WALL AND THE FACADE UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT'S NOT STABILIZED.
[8. HR-2026-106327 – 2410 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Local Historic District Council District 1 ]
IS 24 10 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING.UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT TWO NEW HOUSING UNITS, UM, AT AN EXISTING VACANT LOT, CONSTRUCT TWO NEW HOUSING USING UNITS UTILIZING THE HOME ORDINANCE.
EACH HOUSING UNIT WILL BE TWO STORIES, AND WE WILL BE OF SIMILAR SIZE WITH ONE LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE OTHER.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS AT 24 10 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
UM, ALSO CONSTRUCT A DRIVEWAY AT THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE LOT TO PROVIDE FOR OFF STREET PARKING.
UH, THE EXISTING PROPERTY IS A VACANT LOT WITH NO RECORD OF PERMANENT STRUCTURES EVER BUILT ON SITE.
THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE PROJECT, UH, AS PROPOSED MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UM, DEPARTMENT COMMENT IS, UH, THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON DECEMBER 21ST, 2026.
I'LL ALSO ADD THAT PREVIOUSLY THIS WAS ONE SINGLE PROPERTY WITH 24 0 6 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
[02:10:01]
UM, IT HAS BEEN, UM, SUBDIVIDED BECAUSE THERE IS A UTILITY EASEMENT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS IMAGE, UH, RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE, UM, WHAT WAS THE PROPERTY NOW AT ONE EDGE OF THE PROPERTY.UM, AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS IS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING, AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE OCTOBER 14TH MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR DESIGN REVISIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? YES.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
AND OUR FIRST IN FAVOR SPEAKER IS FELICIA FOSTER.
MY NAME IS FELICIA FOSTER, AND I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND HAVE WORKED IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SINCE 1987.
OVER THE YEARS, I'VE ALSO VOLUNTEERED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MY PROFESSIONAL TIME WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON TECHNICAL CODE ISSUES AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
I WANNA BEGIN BY THANKING THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.
I UNDERSTAND THE TIME AND COMMITMENT REQUIRED TO SERVE IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY, AND I GENUINELY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO TO PROTECT AUSTIN'S HISTORIC CHARACTER.
THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO RAISE A PROCESS CONCERN TONIGHT.
THIS PROJECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED ADMINISTRATIVELY AND DIRECTED TO THE APPROPRIATE NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORIC GROUP FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT WHEN IT WAS SUBMITTED BACK IN AUGUST, RATHER THAN REQUIRING A FULL COMMISSION HEARING AND ADDING NEARLY A MONTH THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
I'M NOT RAISING THE POINT TO CRITIC CRITICIZE STAFF.
I'M JUST ASKING THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE CLEAR GUIDANCE FOR HOW PROJECTS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED GOING FORWARD SO THAT IT'S STRAIGHTFORWARD CASES CAN BE ADDRESSED AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL AND APPLICANTS ARE NOT UNNECESSARILY DELAYED.
THAT WOULD PROTECT THE COMMISSION'S TIME AND PROVIDE GREATER PREDICTABILITY FOR APPLICANTS, AND ALLOW THE PRESERVATION PROCESS TO FOCUS ITS ATTENTION WHERE THE COMMISSION LEVEL REVIEW IS TRULY NEEDED.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT YOU TO YOUR, UH, PACKET.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SUBDIVISION.
UM, THIS WAS ACTUALLY A RECORDED PLAT NOVEMBER 23RD, 1956.
THE LOT IS IN ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION AND HAS NOT BEEN SUBDIVIDED.
THE ORIGINAL OWNER FOR 24 0 6 OWNED BOTH LOTS.
SO THEY WERE, UM, TETHERED TOGETHER ON TCAD.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY IT WAS SHOWING ONE OWNER.
BUT THEY ARE TWO DISTINCT LOTS.
YOUR PLAT, THE PLAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKAGE.
UM, THE SECOND ONE WAS ORIENTATION AND SETBACKS.
UH, THERE'S A 27 FOOT MAXIMUM.
THE BUILDING HEIGHT IS ACTUALLY T EXCUSE ME, 23 9.
AND THE OVERALL BUILDING HEIGHT IS 25 6.
WHEN MEASURED FROM THE, UM, AVERAGE ADJACENT GRADE, THE DESIGN AND STYLE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE LOWERED THAT FRONT FACING, UM, GABLE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A MORE APPROPRIATE, UH, GIVEN THE WIDTH OF THE BUILDINGS.
STAFF HAS ACKNOWLEDGED ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THEIR REPORT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE LAST ONE WAS WINDOWS AND SCREENS.
UH, THE WINDOW SIZES, UM, AND LOCATIONS ARE COMPATIBLE WITHIN THE DISTRICT ACCORDING TO STAFF.
I ALSO ADDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE TYPE OF WINDOWS THAT WE'RE USING, WHICH ARE THE MARVIN ESSENTIAL, WHICH WE USE IN A LOT OF, UM, HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
SO I'D LIKE TO JUST CLOSE AND SAY THAT, UM, THIS PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS ACCORDING TO STAFF.
WE HAVE PROVIDED ALL OF THE INFORMATION NECESSARY AND WE'VE RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT TONIGHT AND TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND PROVIDE TWO AFFORDABLE HOMES IN THE DISTRICT.
OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS IN OPPOSITION, AND IT IS EMILY DONAHUE, WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.
IT WOULD APPEAR THAT SHE IS NO LONGER ONLINE.
MOTION CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND ACT IN COMMISSIONER HARRIS.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CASE.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN HAS QUESTION OF STAFF.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS DOES SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE REVIEWING AND IT WOULD NOT BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY, NEW CONSTRUCTION, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
[02:15:02]
WELL, I, I THINK I AM ABLE TO MAKE A MOTION AND I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS CASE, UM, TO APPROVEUM, YES, THIS, THIS WAS A, UH, AT ONE TIME POTENTIALLY DIFFICULT CASE.
UM, AND I THINK THE RESULT THAT EVERYONE HOPED WOULD HAPPEN HAS HAPPENED THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME DENSITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE SAVING, RETAINING A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN A VERY IMPORTANT LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND SO DEFINITELY WANNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO FACILITATE THIS.
YEAH, I, I DO BELIEVE ANYTIME THERE'S NEW CONSTRUCTION IN LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, CERTIFICATES, APPROPRIATENESS IN LHDS BEING ONE OF OUR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS HERE, I THINK IT, IT WOULD ALWAYS COME TO US.
SO I, I DO THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND, UH, I, I DO AGREE WITH ALL OF THE, UH, COMMENTS THAT THE, THE REGISTRATION'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S AN UNUSUAL LOT.
SO I THINK IT'S GONNA BE TALL AND SKINNY TO BEGIN WITH, WITH, UH, WE DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE DENSITY.
UH, YEAH, MY ONLY ITEM ON THE WISHLIST WAS TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PORCH ELEMENT THAT SPANS THE FRONT THAT KIND OF REINFORCES THE, THE ONE STORY AMASSING OF THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
UM, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HOLD THAT, THE WHOLE CASE UP FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
HAS THE APPLICANT, UM, WORKED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS ASSOCIATION ON THIS OR GOT THEIR INPUT OR FEEDBACK? WE HAVE SOMEONE COMING UP, COMING UP TO ADDRESS THAT.
BACK IN JUNE, I REQUESTED A PROCESS OUTLINE FOR HOW TO GO THROUGH, UM, IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE STEPS, UM, THAT WERE OUTLINED BY THE PRESERVATION OFFICE.
SO, AND I HAVE, UM, CORRESPONDENCE BACK.
I, I SENT THEM AN EMAIL IN JUNE.
I SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO, OR WHAT IS THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS? THEY RESPONDED BACK MID-JULY AND SAID, THIS IS THE NEXT STEP.
YOU NEED TO SUBMIT YOUR PLANS, AND THEN WE WILL, UM, EITHER APPROVE IT OR SEND IT TO HLC.
WE DID THAT IN AUGUST, AND THEN THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, YOUR NEXT STEP IS HLC.
SO WE DID NOT, UM, GO TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WAS OUTLINED.
SO, JUST TO CLARIFY, COMMISSIONER STAFF CANNOT REQUIRE THAT AN APPLICANT VISIT A NON-CITY BODY FOR REVIEW.
UM, OUR PURVIEW IS ONLY WITHIN OUR CITY PROCESS.
HOWEVER, UH, Y'ALL MAY ENCOURAGE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ENCOURAGE BUT NOT REQUIRE VISITS TO NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO, IS TO REACH OUT TO THEM, UM, JUST SO THEY CAN BE AWARE.
YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS A, UM, APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE THIS, UM, 24 0 6 DEMOLISHED, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT HAS BEEN SAVED.
BUT I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH THEM AND, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, GET TO KNOW WHO YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE BUILDING AND KNOW THAT TEAM AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND, AND BY THE WAY, ON THE APPLICANT ON, ON BOTH OF THOSE PROPERTIES, SO 24 0 6 AND 24 10, RIGHT.
SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE IN CONJUNCTION AND, YOU KNOW, DESIGNED THESE ACCORDINGLY.
I THINK, AND, AND I WILL NOTE, UH, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BUT I'M CERTAIN THEY'RE GLAD THAT CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES BEING SAVED AND RESTORED.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT WE APPROVED A, UH, AN A DU ON, I BELIEVE IT WAS 21ST STREET, WHICH WAS ADJACENT TO A PRETTY PROMINENT ONE STORY PROPERTY.
AND IT WAS A, A FAIRLY THIN TWO STORY, A DU WITH KIND OF A SIMILAR HEIGHT AND, AND ROOF LINES AND, UH, THAT, THAT'S BEEN BUILT.
UH, AND THERE WEREN'T ANY OBJECTIONS AT THE TIME.
SO I'M JUST WITH, WITH MY EXPERIENCE IN THIS DISTRICT.
UH, I RECALL SOMETHING OF SIMILAR FORM.
UH, I WAS, WE WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT TWO STORY, KIND OF A NARROW TWO STORY MASSING NEXT TO A ONE STORY.
UH, BUT THERE, THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS DURING THAT PROCESS
[02:20:01]
OR, OR SENSE TO MY UNDER, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.SO, SO I THINK IN YOUR PACKET, THERE'S A SITE PLAN, AND THE SITE PLAN SHOWS, UM, SINCE THIS WAS PLATTED IN 1956, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, DRAINAGE EASEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LOT.
THERE'S A 10 FOOT DRAINAGE EASEMENT DOWN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE LOT.
THERE'S A FIVE FOOT, UM, PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT AND ELECTRIC EASEMENT DUE TO THE POWER LINES.
WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL CLEARANCES BECAUSE OF THE POWER LINES THAT ARE NEW CODES THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS ADOPTED SINCE THAT WAS ADDED.
SO INSTEAD OF FIVE FOOT, IT'S 15 FEET.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY LIMITED AS FAR AS THE WIDTH AND WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH ON THAT LOT.
THERE'S ALSO A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SLOPE FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT.
SO TRYING TO NAVIGATE, UM, MULTIPLE STRUCTURES AND KEEP THE COST DOWN.
UM, BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE TWO, TWO HOUSES, TWO SMALL HOUSES, THEY'RE BOTH 1400 RIGHT UNDER 1400 SQUARE FEET, THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH OPEN CARPORTS.
UM, THE, UH, THE GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE TWO, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTS, TWO HOUSES THERE THAT WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, AND THE, THE PROPERTY I WAS SPEAKING OF WAS 2305 EAST 21ST STREET, UH, STREET VIEW.
GOOGLE STREET VIEW CURRENTLY DOESN'T SHOW, UH, THE A DU THAT WAS BUILT TO THE SIDE, BUT IT'S THE RELATIONSHIP OF, OF THE TWO PROPERTIES ARE VERY SIMILAR.
AND THE, YOU KNOW, THESE DESIGN STANDARDS WERE DONE BEFORE THE CDI DESIGN STANDARDS, SO THEY WERE KIND OF NEGOTIATED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE NEW CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS ARE ACTUALLY FAIRLY FOR FORGIVING AS LONG AS THE HISTORIC, UH, PROPERTIES ARE RETAINED.
UM, BUT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WITH MY BACKGROUND THAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
UH, THE REASON THAT I WAS WILLING TO MAKE THE MOTION AS I DID, LET ME ADDRESS THE SECOND, AND I, I GUESS SIMILAR TO COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT, UM, I, I'VE HAD A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THE NEIGHBORS REGARDING THIS PROPERTY.
UM, I HAVE TO SAY, NOT SPECIFICALLY TO THE DESIGN WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
AND LET ME DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO ENCOURAGE THIS, UH, APPLICANT TO GET TO KNOW THESE INCREDIBLE NEIGHBORS.
UH, THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS JUST HAD A, A, A COMMUNITY NIGHT A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, UH, WHERE IT WAS ALL, YOU KNOW, GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND LET'S SEE WHAT'S COMING UP.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A PERFECT INDICATION OF THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN, THE KIND OF OWNERSHIP THAT THIS GROUP HAS.
UH, I, I THINK IN YOUR CASE, THEY'RE VERY AWARE THAT THIS IS FRONTING MLK, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET RESIDENTIAL BACKUP IN THIS PROPERTY IS, IS A REAL WIN.
IN ALL THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH THEM, THAT WAS OUR OBJECTIVE AS WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
UH, THE FACT THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN, IT GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S SO LITTLE THAT YOU CAN DO, AS YOU POINTED OUT, WITH ALL THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROPERTY, YOU'RE GETTING THE TWO RESIDENCES.
YOU'RE GETTING RESIDENTIAL SPECIFICALLY ON THAT BUSY, UH, WHAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE A BUSY STREET.
UH, AND I THINK, UH, IS VERY APPROPRIATE THERE.
UH, SO THE REASON I SECONDED IT IS, AS AN ARCHITECT, I JUST, YOU PUT A PORCH ACROSS THAT IT'S GONNA GIVE THE SCALE, IT'LL CONNECT TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, WHICH WE'VE NOW BEEN ABLE TO, TO PRESERVE.
AND, UH, BUT IN THE, AS YOU GO FORWARD, LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO, UH, JUST A, A A REALLY WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOU.
AND PROBABLY THE REASON THEY HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO YOU IS BECAUSE THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT IT.
YOU'RE DOING WHAT THEY, THEY WANT YOU TO
THEY, IF THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT, YOU'D CERTAINLY BE HEARING FROM THEM.
AND, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO MENTION TO YOU, WE, UM, I, I LOVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS PROJECT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
UM, LOOKING AT THE PORCH ASPECT, THE ONLY REASON WHY WE DON'T HAVE A PORCH GOING ALL THE WAY ACROSS, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO.
ONE IS BECAUSE WE ARE 28 INCHES OUT OF THE GROUND.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS WE ARE SO TIGHT ON IMPERVIOUS COVER IN ORDER TO GET THE PARKING IN THE BACK BECAUSE THERE IS NO STREET PARKING ALLOWED ON THOSE STREETS.
SO WE HAVE NO OFF STREET PARKING.
EVERYTHING HAS TO PARK THERE, WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE ONE HOUSE BEHIND THE OTHER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE BACKING DISTANCE AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO PARK WHEN THEY COME VISIT.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND TREES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO WE KIND OF GOT WHAT WE COULD ON THERE, UM, AND MADE IT AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE BUILD COULD TRANSLATE INTO A MORE AFFORDABLE PRODUCT GOING DOWN THE ROAD.
[02:25:01]
WISE, UM, EVERY DAY IS CRITICAL FOR THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.WELL, AGAIN, THAT, THAT HORIZONTAL ELEMENT, AS MUCH AS CAN BE DONE RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE A FLAT, RATHER DELICATE THING THAT DOESN'T REALLY ESTABLISH THAT ONE STORY LINE.
AND JUST THE MORE YOU CAN ESTABLISH THAT VISUALLY, UH, THAT REALLY IS THE KEY, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE WHAT YOU SEE FROM MLK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? OKAY, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
LOOKS LIKE WE ARE UNANIMOUS ON THAT.
AND I WILL NOTE WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY FOUR MORE CASES PLUS SOME BUSINESS AND HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE 10.
NEXT CASE, 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
[9. HR-2026-104982 – 4309 Avenue D Hyde Park Local Historic District Council District 9 ]
WE HAVE, UH, 43 0 9 AVENUE D LEWIS POLL FOR DISCUSSION.UM, THIS, UH, PROPOSAL AT 43 0 9 AVENUE D IS TO REHABILITATE A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCT A REAR ADDITION, CONSTRUCT A REAR A SECOND HOUSING UNIT AT THE EXISTING GARAGE AS WELL.
UM, THIS PROPERTY IS A SINGLE STORY RESIDENCE IN THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WITH CRAFTMAN, UH, ELEMENTS, UH, WHICH FITS WELL WITH SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
IT FEATURES A LARGE HIP ROOF WITH A FRONT FACING GABLE PROJECTING AT A FRONT CORNER WHILE OTHER CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES ON THE STREET FEATURE ELEVATED PORCHES FACING THE STREET.
THIS HOUSE HAS NO SUCH PORCH, UH, WITH ITS TWO FRONT DOORS ACCESSED VIA SIMPLE CONCRETE STAIRS.
CITY DIRECTORY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE HOUSE WAS BUILT AS A SINGLE UNIT, BUT WAS SPLIT INTO, UH, TWO IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
A ROOF OVERHANG IN FRONT OF THE TWO DOORS IS SUPPORTED BY TWO SIMPLE WOOD POSTS AT THE REAR OF THE LOT AS A GARAGE FACING A REAR ALLEY.
THE HYDE PARK DESIGN STANDARDS ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THIS PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UM, THIS APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON DECEMBER 21ST, 2026, AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026, AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE OCTOBER 14TH MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS CASE? I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HEARD TWO.
UM, IN FAVOR IS SUSAN J PRYOR, WHO IS ALSO THE APPLICANT, UH, WHO IS ONLINE.
YES, I'M THE OWNER OF PROPERTY AND, UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET A PERMIT FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND I HIRED, UM, AN HISTORICAL ARCHITECT, UM, WHO'S HAS A GREAT REPUTATION AND HAS DONE A LOT OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN YOUR AREA THAT DEREK BRAZINSKI WHO IS THERE.
AND, UH, I WANT TO ONLY DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THIS PROPERTY.
I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE AT THE TIME I BOUGHT IT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A TEAR DOWN FOR MOST PEOPLE, AND I'M STUPID ENOUGH TO BUY THESE PROPERTIES.
I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER HISTORIC PROPERTIES THAT I'VE PROTECTED AND TRIED TO, TO HELP KEEP IN THE, IN ITS FORM.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW I LIVE IN A HISTORIC PROPERTY.
MY HUSBAND WORKS IN A HISTORIC PROPERTY, AND THIS ONE, I WAS, I HOPE I HAD HOPED TO MAKE IT A HISTORIC PROPERTY, BUT THE STATE HAS DECIDED THAT IT WAS BEYOND REPAIR DAMAGE DONE TO IT, AND IT, THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT IT.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I'VE BEEN, UH, I HAVE TO GO TO COURT BECAUSE THE CITY HAS SAID THAT I HAVEN'T MAINTAINED THE STRUCTURE, EVEN THOUGH I COULDN'T MAINTAIN THE STRUCTURE BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A PERMIT.
IT'S TAKEN ME OVER A YEAR TO GET AN ARCHITECT AND THE ARCHITECTURAL FENCE THAT WERE COMPATIBLE WITH THE AREA TO GET AN ENGINEER TO APPROVE WHAT I'VE HAD TO DO TO GO THROUGH THE ELECTRIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT I STILL HAVE TO GO TO COURT FOR NOT MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY.
I HAD TO CONSTRUCT AFE, UH, CONSTRUCTION FENCE AROUND THE PROPERTY.
AND EVEN THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO PREVENT ME FROM HAVING TO GO TO COURT IN NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK POST THIS PROPERTY IS ONLY GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN MAYBE MAKE THE, MY ARCHITECTURE HAS ADDRESSED ANY CON CONCERN, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE COULD GO THROUGH THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO,
[02:30:01]
UM, GO TO A POSTPONE THIS.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR IS DEREK BARSKI.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONER, AND THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, I THINK AT THE POINT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POSTPONEMENT, I BRIEFLY WENT THROUGH THE, UH, COMMENTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE BY STAFF ABOUT THE RAISED PORTS, UH, SECONDARY FRONT DOOR AND SO FORTH THAT, UM, WERE ON THERE.
BASICALLY, THE PIECES THAT, UM, UH, STAFF CITED, UH, I ADDRESSED IN OUR EARLIER COMMENTS, QUOTING THE STAFF.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, THEIR CONCERNS ARE MINOR.
THE APPEARANCE OF OUR PROJECT OVERALL MAINTAINS THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN FITS WELL.
UH, WE AGREE TO PRESERVE THE FRONT WINDOWS.
I MENTIONED BEFORE ON THE ONES THE STREET, THE, UH, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS I PROVIDED TO STAFF OF THE OTHER WINDOWS, WHICH ARE NOT AS REPAIRABLE.
UM, THE, UH, STAFF SAID THE FRONT PORCH WOULD BE IDEAL.
THE ADDITION WE PROPOSED IN THE BACK FOR THE BEDROOM, AND THE KITCHEN IS MINIMALLY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, AND THE ADDITION IS APPROPRIATELY SCALED IN SIZE.
ALL THOSE ARE THE COMMENTS WE GOT FROM STAFF.
WITH THAT SAID, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE NEED TO DELAY GETTING THIS PROJECT MOVING.
THE DELAY, AS YOU HEARD, UH, SUSAN MENTION DOESN'T HELP.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF BY THE TIME WE GO TO THE COURT, WE CAN SAY THAT EVERYTHING'S BEEN RESOLVED, THE PERMIT'S IN PLACE.
REALISTICALLY, IF WE GET HISTORIC, UM, APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT, WE CAN PROBABLY CLEAR THE REMAINDER OF THE CURRENT COMMENTS, UH, FROM THE CITY ON OUR BUILDING APPLICATION.
NEXT TWO WEEKS, WE COULD BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THE HEARING.
SO IT'S REALLY CUMBERSOME ON THE OWNER.
THIS OWNER, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER OWNERS HERE TONIGHT, IS REALLY HERE IN ADVOCACY AND BOTH IN SPIRIT AND IN ACTION FOR PRESERVATION.
PRESERVING A BUILDING SHOULD NOT BE THIS CUMBERSOME.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE A DELAY AND A POSTPONEMENT.
AND I APPRECIATE IF WE COULD GET THROUGH THIS TONIGHT, IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS, BE GLAD TO ADDRESS 'EM ARCHITECTURALLY.
UH, LET ME JUST, LEMME JUST GET A CLARIFICATION THEN.
SO WHAT WE'VE UNDERSTOOD IS SOME OF THE COMMENTS, AND YOU ADDRESSED THEM IN YOUR EARLIER, UM, UM, CONVERSATION, YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH AND, UH, HOW THE COLUMNS ARE HANDLED.
SOME OF THE DETAILS WITH THE FENESTRATION, UH, AND THE PORCH ARE ALL THINGS THAT, UH, EITHER AS YOU SAID, ARE EXPLAINABLE OR SOMETHING THAT, UH, I MEAN, I, I THINK LOOKING AT THE PLANS AS I SAW THEM SUBMITTED, I THINK WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO BEGIN WITH, BUT WHATEVER THAT FINE TUNING IS, I I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE AMENABLE TO THAT.
IF THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE WINDOWS FACING THE STREET IS OBJECTIONABLE, WE'RE WILLING TO REMAIN, KEEP THE WINDOWS THERE REMAINING AND RESTORE THEM WITHOUT EVEN REPLACING THEM.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE COMMENTS.
SO IT'S IN THE, UH, THANK YOU REPORT THAT'S EASY FOR US TO AGREE TO TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY MORE SPEAKERS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? COMMISSIONER ACTON, COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CASE.
I, UH, I PULLED THIS ONE THINKING THAT THIS MIGHT BE, UH, A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR, UH, APPROVAL CONTINGENT UPON, UH, A MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO CONFIRM THE ADDRESSING OF THESE DETAILS UPON WHICH WE WOULD THEN AUTHORIZE STAFF TO RELEASE THE BUILDING PERMIT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY, THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE US TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE APPROVAL, BUT WOULD THAT AS A CONTINGENT ITEM? YEAH, I'LL SECOND THAT CHAIR.
SETH MOTION AND COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? AND THEN, OH, YOUR, YOUR MICS DROPPED OUT.
UH, THE KINDS OF BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE THAT SHE BRINGS, I, I KNOW, UH, EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S SPEAKING WITH, WITH MANY, MANY YEARS OF, UH, CONNECTION TO HYDE PARK, A LOT OF WHAT, UH, THEY, SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO, UH, HAS BEEN EXTREMELY VALUABLE.
AND, UH, IT IS DEFINITELY, I'M SURE, A, IT WAS A LEAP OF FAITH FOR HER TO JUMP IN.
AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR HER, WE
[02:35:01]
WE CAN DO TO, UH, SPEED THEM ON THEIR WAY, UH, I CERTAINLY HOPE WE CAN.AND, AND AGAIN, UH, THANK SHE AND HER HUSBAND FOR, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, STICKING IT THROUGH AND, AND HAVING THE GUTS TO, TO, TO FINISH IT OUT.
I, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION TO STAFF, HOWEVER, UH, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY WITH THIS BACKGROUND KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, OBVIOUSLY WEAVING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CITY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I,
IS THERE SOME, ISN'T THERE SOME WAY THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ENFORCED ALL THAT OR DELAY THAT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WORK ON TWO FRONTS AT THE SAME TIME? MAYBE STAFF CAN ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AS THE APPLICANT WORKS THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, UH, THAT INCLUDES THIS HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING AND OTHER RELATED PUBLIC HEARINGS, UM, THE TIMELINE IS PAUSED FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.
HOWEVER, I WOULD NEED TO CONFIRM THAT WITH THE CODE OFFICIALS THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS CASE.
THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.
SO LET'S DOUBLE CHECK THAT, THAT THAT SYSTEM IS WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD.
UH, SO WE DON'T WANT A, ANY ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON FUTURE APPLICANTS CAN DO.
I'LL ASK OUR CASE MANAGER TO CONFIRM THAT WITH THE, UH, THE CODE OFFICER WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS CASE.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? YEAH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION.
DEFINITELY WANT EXPEDITE THIS.
I SEE THERE, I SEE THE ISSUES WITH THE BUILDING.
THERE'S A FENCE FALLING DOWN, THERE'S WINDOWS FALLING APART, BUT I ALSO SEE YOU WANT TO RESTORE IT AND YOU WANT TO GET ALONG MOVING AND DON'T WANNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN INTERIM.
SO YEAH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THAT TO KEEP IT MOVING ALONG.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
I WOULD, I THINK THE ISSUES ARE CLEAR.
JUST FENESTRATION ON THE FRONT FACADE.
IF YOU CAN GET UPDATED DRAWINGS, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE VERY QUICK.
YOU CAN CALL INTO THE MEETING AND WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE AND GIVE OUR BLESSING.
AND SO I'LL DELAY YOU A WEEK AND THE STAFF WILL HELP YOU OUT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
[10. PR-2026-059982 – 2009 Travis Heights Blvd. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9 ]
2009 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.I DUNNO WHAT ISSUES I FOLLOW YOUR COMMISSION AMENDMENT, PLEASE.
UM, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1939 HOUSE.
UM, THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THIS HOUSE CAN BE SEEN ON AT THE RIGHT TWO THIRDS OF THE STREET FACING FACADE, WHICH STILL RETAINS SOME TUDOR REVIVAL DETAILS SUCH AS THE ARCH DOOR AND STEEP ROOF PATCH, ORIGINAL SIDELIGHTS AND MODEST FRONT PORCH WITH STAIRS, CONCRETE STAIRS CONTINUE WITH THIS STYLE.
THE EXI, THE EXTERIOR MATERIAL IS STUCCO OR PLASTER, WHICH MAY BE ORIGINAL, BUT HAS BEEN PAINTED TO THE NORTH OF THE MAIN HOUSE, IS A 2012 EDITION OF A COVERED PORCH, WHICH HAS BEEN ENCLOSED WITH WALLS COVERED IN MATCHING PAINTED STUCCO AND APPEARS FROM THE STREET AS CONDITIONED SPACE BEHIND.
THIS IS A PERLA THAT IS ALSO ENCLOSED BY FULL HEIGHT WALLS, THOUGH NO ROOF COVERS IT.
ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS HOUSE, UH, WERE SR.
AND MAXINE BLAKE, WHO WORKED IN SALES AND BRIEFLY LIVED AT THE PROPERTY BEFORE IT WAS ACQUIRED BY FRANK AND FLORENCE, UH, REPA, THEN JASON AND VIRGINIA FORBES, WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
DURING THEIR OWNERSHIP, JASON FORBES WENT FROM RECORD KEEPER AT THE TEXAS STATE HOUSE REPORTER TO A CORRESPONDENT, AND FINALLY AN EDITOR OF THE PUBLICATION.
BY 1957, THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD AGAIN TO FLOYD AND PEARL, UH, FORESTER PER SE CODE.
UH, UH, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS 180 DAYS TO REVIEW DEMOLITION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS STARTING FROM THE DATE THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.
THIS PERIOD IS SET TO TIMEOUT ON, UM, NOVEMBER 9TH, 2026.
AN UPDATE TO THE DEMOLITION, UH, EXCUSE ME, AN UPDATE TO THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED IN THE PAST MONTH, WHICH HAS CHANGED THE SCOPE OF WORK TO NOT INCLUDE THE DETACHED GARAGE AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
AS A RESULT, THIS PROPOSED DEMOLITION IS NOW LIMITED TO THE MAIN HOUSE.
ONLY THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND, UH, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PACKAGE, UH, PERMIT APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST REVIEW NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS PRIOR TO PERMIT RELEASE AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT? WE HAVE THE APPLICANT.
J GABE JOSEPH SIGNED UP IN FAVOR.
OKAY, COME SPEAK AT THREE MINUTES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO STATE WHICH, UH, WE'VE HAD
[02:40:01]
THREE HERE TONIGHT.UH, 1109 TRA HEIGHTS, UH, 1107 TRA HEIGHTS IN 2009, TRA HEIGHTS.
THESE ARE ALL GONNA BE, UH, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE UNITS.
THIS IS ABOUT PROVIDING DENSITY, WHICH ULTIMATELY, UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES AFFORDABILITY.
SAME THING WITH THE ONE ON, UH, EAST 13TH THAT WAS APPROVED EARLIER.
SO THE PLAN FOR THIS ONE IS TO DO TWO UNITS.
UH, WE CAN KEEP THE GARAGE, IT'S BACK THERE.
IT MEETS CODE, IT MEETS THE SETBACKS, IT MEETS EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, SOUNDING, YOU KNOW, ARROGANT OR HOSTILE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THESE, THESE PROPERTIES AND TRA SITES, WE WANNA BUILD MORE HOMES THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW PEOPLE WANNA LIVE THERE AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD DENSITY, WE CAN SUCCEED IN THAT EFFORT.
IF WE'RE LIMITED TO KEEPING, YOU KNOW, AN OBSOLETE STRUCTURE WITH A KIND OF INEFFICIENT LAYOUT, AND I'LL SPARE YOU GUYS THE DETAILS OF THE, THE CONDITION OF IT AND ALL OF THAT.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK PAST WHAT'S THERE AND LOOK AT WHAT COULD BE AND LOOK AT THE MULTIPLE UNITS, LOOK AT THE DENSITY, UH, IF WE CAN PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY TO ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY, I THINK THAT THAT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE THESIS HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE? ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUR FIRST IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS LINDSAY LEE, WHO IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.
HELLO, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY LEE AND I'VE BEEN A TRAVIS HEIGHT RESIDENT FOR 15 YEARS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHT BOULEVARD.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COMMISSION INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'VE GIVEN US TO RESEARCH THIS PROPERTY.
WE'VE CONSULTED PRESERVATION PROFESSIONALS REVIEWED ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION RECORDS, AND THEN COVERED SOME COMPELLING QUESTIONS.
MY FIVE DAY OLD SON IS AT HIS LIMIT ON THIS HEARING.
UM, IN 1937, AUSTIN BUILDERS JD MONK AND GEORGE KIPPER CONSTRUCTED A RESIDENCE WITH 12 INCH DOUBLE CONCRETE WALLS AND CONCRETE JOISTS.
AROUND THE SAME TIME, ARCHITECT BUBBY JACKSON WAS RECOGNIZED FOR INNOVATIVE CONCRETE HOME DESIGN FOR DESIGN.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER? BECAUSE WE BELIEVE 2009 AND 2011 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD MADE AND BUILT AS CON COMPANION SPECULATIVE HOMES IN THE 1930S.
WE KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT 2011 CONTAINS POURED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION DESPITE THE HISTORICAL RECORDS IDENTIFYING IT AS FRAME.
AND BASED ON ACCOUNTS FROM 2009, CURRENT OWNER AND A FORMER RENTER, WE HAVE REASONABLY THAT 2009 ALSO CONTAINS THE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.
IF CONFIRMED, THAT COULD MAKE 2009 A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF CONCRETE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION AND TRA HEIGHT.
AND POTENTIALLY, AND OFTEN MORE BROADLY.
WE'VE ALSO UNCOVERED ORIGINAL 1939 RECORDS THAT IDENTIFY HF OSBORNE IN CONNECTION WITH 2009, SOMEONE THAT'S ABSENT FROM THE CITY'S HISTORICAL NARRATIVE THUS FAR.
UM, THESE FINDINGS DON'T ESTABLISH THE HOME'S ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM, BUT THEY RAISE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TWO OF THE STAFF FINDINGS.
FIRST, THE ARCHITECTURE, THE STAFF ACKNOWLEDGES THAT 2009 IS AN INTACT, ALTHOUGH ALTERED EXAMPLE OF TUTOR REVIVAL, WE BELIEVE IT'S SURVIVING FEATURES OF POTENTIALLY UNUSUAL CONSTRUCTION DESERVED FURTHER EXAMINATION.
AND SECOND, THE COMMUNITY VALUE.
THE STAFF CONCLUDED THAT THE PROPERTY LEFT UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS CONTRIBUTING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY.
WE ASK YOU TO CONSIDER IT HISTORICAL PRESENCE ALONG TRAFFIC SITES BOULEVARD, ESPECIALLY THAT IT'S AT THE TOP OF THE HILL OF TRAFFIC SITES, AND PARTICULARLY AS A PART OF POTENTIALLY RELATED CARE OF SURVIVING 1930S HOMES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE HISTORIC DISTRICT CONTRIBUTING STATUS ALONE DOESN'T ESTABLISH LANDMARK ELIGIBILITY, BUT NOT HAVING PROVEN A PROPERTY'S FULL SIGNIFICANCE IS NOT THE SAME AS PROVING THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE DOESN'T EXIST.
TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING FOR INITIATION, NOT FINAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION BECAUSE DEMOLITION IS IRREVERSIBLE.
INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING PRESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO INITIATE THE HISTORIC ZONING FOR 2009 TRA SITES BOULEVARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ALL RIGHT, SECOND IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M UH, REP, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UM, AND, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD, SPECIFICALLY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
[02:45:01]
UM, ONE OF THE EARLIER SPEAKERS, UH, BASICALLY MADE A COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING COMPARED WITH THE PROFESSIONALS, AND I VALUE OUR RELATIONSHIP AND WORK WITH THE CITY STAFF.BUT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE WHO'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND, AND THE 1109 ARE HISTORIC ARCHITECTS, HISTORIC LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, AND OTHER HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROFESSIONALS.
I'M THE EXCEPTION, I'M JUST A BIOLOGIST.
BUT, UH, UM, TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UM, 2009 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS PROMINENTLY SITUATED ON THE HIGHEST HILL ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THIS, THIS IS THE HIGH POINT ALONG TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
IF I CAN HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, AND THESE ARE FROM THE CURRENT ZILLOW LISTING.
THIS HOME IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT COULD BE PURCHASED FOR SOMETHING LESS THAN WHAT THE HOMES THAT THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD REPLACE IT IF THEY WENT ON THE MARKET.
AND SO AS FAR AS AFFORDABILITY, I THINK THAT THIS IS AN AFFORDABLE HOME.
UM, THIS IS, UM, WHAT MR. JOSEPH HAS, UH, SHOWED US THAT HE WOULD, THAT, THAT HE WOULD REPLACE THE HOME WITH.
UM, AND AS FAR AS OTHER PROFESSIONALS AND KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK WE HAVE OVER A CENTURY OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE LIVING IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
AND WE KNOW WHAT FITS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHAT FITS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE HOME THAT'S THERE.
NOW I SEE THE NEXT, UM, THIS HOME, UH, WAS BUILT IN 1939.
IT'S A ONE STORY STUCCO, TWO DOOR REVIVAL WITH ARCHED FRONT DOOR.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A FAIRLY UNIQUE TYPE OF, OF HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IN 2012, THERE WAS AN ADDITION THAT ENCLOSED A SIDE PORCH ON THE NORTH.
UH, BUT THE ORIGINAL HOUSE IS INTACT BEHIND THAT ADDITION, AS LINDSEY POINTED OUT, THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL CONSTRUCTION'S BUILT PARTLY OF CONCRETE.
NEXT, THIS HOUSE FITS WELL WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS AN EXCELLENT IN, IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE CURRENT ZILLOW LISTING.
THE PICTURES, WHICH I JUST SHOWED YOU, IT'S PROMINENTLY SITUATED ON THE HIGHEST HILL ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
IT HAS A UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SIGNIFICANT FEATURES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE ING IMAGE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT, IT MERIT, UM, SAVING THIS HOME.
UH, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU DENY THE DEMO PERMIT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GO TO HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF.
UM, UH, MR. LAD SHOWED US A RENDERING OF WHAT HE SAID THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING AS A REPLACEMENT.
UH, THAT, UH, ASSUMING THAT THE DEMOLITION PERMIT WA WOULD BE APPROVED, BUT THAT IS A, A, A SEPARATE ACTION THAT IS REQUIRED, BUT, UH, CAN SOMETIMES BE DONE CONCURRENTLY.
BUT WE WE'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO REVIEW THOSE PLANS AND THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN SUBMITTED YET, AS, AS I UNDERSTAND, UNLESS I'VE MISSED SOMETHING.
THE DISCUSSION IS ONLY, UH, PERTAINING TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, WITH THE DEMOLITION REQUEST, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY, UH, UH, DRAWINGS YET SUBMITTED FOR, UH, THE NEW, ANY, ANY NEW PROJECT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN A NEW APPLICATION COME IN.
THE, UM, COMMISSION IS ONLY, UM, CONSIDERING THE DEMOLITION PROPOSAL.
SO THE, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
WE'RE ONLY CONSIDERING THE DEMOLITION PROPOSAL.
NOT, NOT THAT THE REST OF IT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S THERE WE CAN SEE IT, BUT IT'S JUST, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT RELEVANT TO OUR OTHERWISE TO OUR CONVERSATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION IS BARBARA SILLY WHO APPEARS TO HAVE LEFT.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OUR IN OPPOSITION SPEAKERS.
UM, THE APPLICANT, GABE JOSEPH IS WELCOME TO OFFER REBUTTAL IF HE SO WISHES HE'S WAIVING AND HE IS WAIVED.
OKAY, I'LL LET TRAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER HARRIS, COMMISSIONER ACTON.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS CASE.
[02:50:12]
AND IF SO, SINCE IT'S AN UNPLEASANT ONE, I'M WILLING TO MAKE ITI WILL MOVE TO RELEASE CITY OF AUSTIN DEMOLITION PACKAGE, UH, THE PERMIT, DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DEMOLITION PACKAGE AND COMMISSIONER ACT, THE SECOND.
AND, UM, I THINK, UM, I AGAIN APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY.
IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROCESS HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE CHANGES, THE ADDITION TO THE LEFT HAS REALLY CHANGED THE OVERALL MASKING OF THIS BUILDING.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ENTRY THERE.
IT HAD THAT OPEN FRAME WITH THE FREE FLOATING WINDOW AS OF 2000, UH, 2009.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THAT THERE'S INTEGRITY ISSUES AND, AND IT IS ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, BUT I SEE THIS ONE AS THE RULE THAT PROVES THE EXCEPTION OF, UH, THE ONE WE HEARD EARLIER.
THAT, UH, THE OTHER ONE WAS ON, ON A MUCH MORE PROMINENT HILL CENTRAL LOCATION.
MUCH MORE OPEN TO VIEW THIS ONE WHILE ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UM, DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE THAT GOING FORWARD.
IT DIDN'T, HAS HAVE AS STRONG OF ARCHITECTURE.
WHAT WAS THERE BEF BEFORE WAS PRETTY SIMPLE.
AND I THINK THE ADDITION TO THE LEFT HAS KIND OF ALTERED WHAT LITTLE IT HAD TO BEGIN WITH.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE THAT IT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF THE LANDMARK.
AND I'LL JUST CONCUR THOSE STATEMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? ALL CALL THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
[11. SP-2026-035365; HR-2026-070009 – 611 West Lynn St. West Line National Register Historic District Council District 9 ]
7 0 6 EAST MONROE.UH, SIX 11 WESTLAND WAS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT EIGHT DETACHED, UH, RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON A PROPERTY.
UM, THERE ARE EIGHT MULTI-STORY STORY HOUSING UNITS ORIENTED AROUND THE CENTER DRIVEWAY AND POOL AREA.
FIVE UNITS AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY WILL FACE THIS NEW DRIVEWAY AND THE THREE REAR UNITS WILL, WILL FACE THE REAR ALLEY.
THIS DRIVEWAY WILL, WILL REQUIRE A NEW CURB CUT.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ON A VACANT LOT.
UH, THE ORIGINAL HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY 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 THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THIS PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
PREVIOUS HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION INCLUDES A DEMOLITION APPLICATION FOR THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN, UH, MAY 21ST, 2018 HLC MEETING PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, THIS CURRENT APPLICATION WILL TIME OUT ON, UH, OCTOBER 19TH, 2026.
MAKING THIS THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TAKE AN ACTION ON THIS STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IN CONCURRENCE WITH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND RELEASE THE APPLICATION.
YOUR TESTIMONY IS APPLICANT HERE.
WE HAVE THE, WELL, WE HAVE IN FAVOR.
KYLE VANISE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UH, APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.
I'M THE ARCHITECT, UH, WORKING ON THE PROJECT ON BEHALF OF CEDAR AND ON BEHALF OF GOSSETT AND CO.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO MAKE THIS PROJECT BETTER.
AND I THINK WE HAVE, AND I, I WANT TO THANK THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ANA SPECIFICALLY FOR PROVIDING LOTS OF FEEDBACK AND HELPING US CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE QUALITY OF THIS PROJECT AND TO GET IT MORE IN LINE WITH, UM, THE GUIDELINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST ALIGNMENT WITH THE SCALE.
UM, AND, AND, UM, AND HISTORIC GUIDELINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I THINK IN PREVIOUS HLC SESSIONS AND A RC, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE RICHNESS OF MATERIALITY, THE NATURAL KIND OF VERNACULAR THAT WE'RE INTEGRATING INTO THE PROJECT.
UM, WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FENESTRATION, ESPECIALLY ALONG WEST LYNN TO ALIGN WITH THE CHARACTER OF ADJACENT BUILDINGS AND CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT ON THE FRONT YARD AND THE PORCHES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE REALLY ADDRESSING WESTLAND AND, AND FEEL LIKE WE HAVE FRONT DOORS TO THE STREET.
UM, WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH AWANA.
UH, WE KNOW THERE ARE STILL A FEW THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT FULLY IN AGREEMENT ON, UM, BUT WE'D ASK YOU TO PROVE THIS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING.
UM, AND YEAH, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THEIR FEEDBACK THUS FAR AND ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
UM, I WILL SAY JUST A COUPLE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, OUR BUILDING COVERAGE ON THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT 35%.
YOU KNOW, IT'S HALF, ALMOST HALF OF WHAT MF FOUR ALLOWS.
AND I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY BELOW MANY OF THE PROJECTS, IF NOT ALL OF THE PROJECTS ON THE, ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT SF THREE SINGLE
[02:55:01]
FAMILY ZONING, UM, BUILDING COVERAGE IS TYPICALLY AROUND 40, 45%.UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BELOW THAT AND ARE STRIVING TO, YOU KNOW, FURTHER REDUCE THAT.
UH, MUCH OF THE SITE IS, UM, IS DESIGNED IN A RICH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH, UM, POOLS AND GARDENS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO INTEGRATED A LOT OF PARKING INTO THE PROJECT.
WE'RE AT ALMOST A 3.0 PARKING STALL TO UNIT RATIO, WHICH I KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT WAS CONCERNING TO THE NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE ALLEY THAT WE'VE DONE A LOT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT VEHICULAR CIRCULATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE ALLEY IS, IS CONSIDERED WELL AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE SEE IN THE ALLEY TODAY.
WE'RE GIVING A LOT MORE SPACE SETBACK TO THE HOMES ALONG THE ALLEY THAN YOU SEE ADJACENT.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE FURTHER WAYS TO ADD MORE GREEN SPACE AND MAKE THE THE OVERALL PROJECT RICHER AND MORE ALIGNED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO YOU HEARD EARLIER COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO SPACING OF THE BUILDINGS.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THERE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION? UM, I THINK THE, THE SPACE, THE SPACING OF THE BUILDINGS IS A NEW, NEW QUESTION.
UM, OR IT WAS A NEW CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, EIGHT TO 10 FOOT SPACING BETWEEN THESE BUILDINGS.
WE'VE BROUGHT DOWN THE HEIGHT, UM, AND THE FACADE, YOU KNOW, FROM FOUR STORIES TO THREE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A STAIR.
BUT YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THIS PLAN.
UM, I THINK, UH, BUT AGAIN, I, I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT WE ARE AT A VERY LOW BUILDING COVERAGE HERE.
UM, AND SO I'M NOT SURE THAT ATTACHING UNITS IS GONNA CHANGE KINDA THE AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE THAT WE'RE ALREADY PROVIDING 'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY SO SIGNIFICANT.
BUT YEAH, WE'RE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOUR
UH, THOUGH AT THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, UH, I KNOW, UH, THE NEIGHBORS AND I MYSELF WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MASSING, PARTICULARLY IN THE ADJACENCY TO THE, UH, CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
AND YOU HAD THE HIGHEST OF THE HEIGHTS NEXT TO A, UH, MORE MODEST STRUCTURE AND, AND VERY CLOSE ADJACENCY.
UH, I WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD SEE SOME CHANGE, BUT I DON'T SEE THERE'S BEEN ANY CHANGE SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
SO IS THAT A, FOR YOU, IS THAT JUST GONNA BE A NON-STARTER AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH? I MEAN, YOU'RE ASKING FOR OUR COMMENTS, SO, UH, I I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT AND IT CERTAINLY CAME UP AGAIN, UH, WHEN ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS, YOU, I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM SHORTLY, BUT IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON OR WOULD CONSIDER? OR IS THAT, IS, ARE YOU LOCKED IN AND THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO, I MEAN, I, I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT, BUT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO COMMENT.
SO, UH, HOW, HOW CAN WE GET A RESPONSE, UH, ON THAT SPECIFIC ITEM? YEAH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON IT.
UM, I THINK ONE THING, IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITHOUT A SITE PLAN PRESENT, BUT YOU KNOW, A MAJORITY OF THE ADJACENT STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, 6, 6 13 WESTLAND, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY ABOUT 30 TO 35 FEET SET BACK FROM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LARGE TREE IN BETWEEN.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO REFINE THAT MASSING TO, TO SORT OF FURTHER STEP BACK.
WE'RE ACTUALLY COMPLETELY OUT OF THE, THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE.
WE'RE NOT ENCROACHING EVEN INTO THE HALF CRITICAL.
UM, SO WE HAVE CREATED SIGNIFICANT, UM, SPACE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE ADJACENT STRUCTURES FACADE.
UM, AND WE PRESENTED A RENDERING IN THE LAST, UH, MEET NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT SORT OF THE LUSH GARDEN SPACE THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN THESE TWO HOMES SO THAT THERE WAS LIGHT AND AIR THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, MEETING THE ADJACENT HOME.
I KNOW THERE'S STILL CONCERN AROUND HOW THE FRONT HOME MEETS THE STREET, WHICH WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON.
THAT RAISES A QUESTION FOR ME.
IF YOU'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON IT, IS IT AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN APPROVE IT AS WHAT IS GOING TO BE BUILT OR IS IT GONNA CONTINUE TO CHANGE? UH, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU OR I WOULD ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE PLAN AS TODAY.
UH, IF WE DO MAKE CHANGES, WE WILL AMEND THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, ACCELERATED THE PROCESS OR WE'VE MOVED THROUGH THE PROCESS THROUGH SDP SO FAR, UM, WITH THE CURRENT PLAN AND, AND WE'D ASK YOU TO APPROVE THAT TODAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DONNA OSBORNE IN OPPOSITION.
[03:00:06]
HELLO AGAIN.I THINK ONE OF OUR MAIN CONCERNS IS, AND KYLE IS CORRECT, THERE IS A TREE THAT IS ADJACENT TO SIX 13.
IT'S THE FACT THAT THERE'S A WHOLE NOTHER STRUCTURE IN FRONT, WHICH IS THE STANDARD SETBACK OF 25 FEET.
THERE'S A WHOLE NOTHER FOUR STORY, THREE, THREE TO FOUR STORY STRUCTURE THAT'S ADJACENT.
THAT IS THE REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPACES BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS IS IF WE COULD PUSH THEM BACK TOGETHER, WE COULD GET THE FRONT UNIT HOPEFULLY BACK BEHIND OR CLOSER TO THE VIEW LINE.
THAT JUST GOES STRAIGHT UP WESTLAND.
AND, UM, THAT'S, THAT IS ONE OF OUR MAIN CONCERNS THAT THEY, THEY'VE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH SO FAR, BUT IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE STILL CONSIDERING CHANGES.
THAT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT ANOTHER MEMBER, UH, OUR ZONING CHAIR SHEILA LYON HAD TODAY WITH KYLE.
AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE, UM, BACK WAITING FOR, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CHANGES MIGHT BE.
UM, IS IT, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT, AND AGAIN, I DIDN'T HAVE THIS DISCUSSION SECONDHAND POSSIBLY, UH, LOSING A UNIT, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT IS IN THE MIX OR WAS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID TODAY? UH, SO WE'RE NOT TOTALLY SURE WHAT THE SITE PLAN LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S UM, WE REALLY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE, THE SETBACK AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE CAN BE SO MUCH MORE BUILT ON THIS SITE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULD BE, UH, THERE WAS ONE HOUSE THERE, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE HOUSE, UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS LET GO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN HAD TO BE DEMOLISHED.
AND, UM, WHAT IS BEING PUT THERE NOW CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, IMPROVE AND, YOU KNOW, FIT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER.
I'VE REALLY ENJOYED HEARING Y'ALL SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT ARE FITTING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE HAVE A QUOTE ABOUT, UH, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO, UM, IT'S FRENCH WORD TERAH USED TO DESCRIBE A UNIQUE QUALITY OF A, OF A, A WINE THAT COMES FROM A CERTAIN PLACE WITH A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, TASTE OF THE PLACE SHAPED BY THE LANDSCAPE HISTORY CULTURE.
A GOOD BUILDING WOULD CONNECT WITH ITS PLACE AND WE FEEL LIKE THIS BUILDING COULD BE PICKED UP AND PUT ANYWHERE THAT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY FIT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS IT IS.
UM, THAT, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR, UM, HAVE IT HAVE MORE COMPATIBILITY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON NEXT DOOR.
AND WITH THE, AGAIN, WESTLAND IS KIND OF OUR VIEW UP INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMING UP FROM SIXTH STREET.
AND THIS IS, UH, THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL HOME ACROSS THE STREET, HISTORIC, AND THEN THERE ARE MANY BUNGALOWS JUST BEYOND THIS.
OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS KATHLEEN DEAVER.
I'LL JUST SAY EVERYTHING SHE SAID.
UM, BASICALLY SHE WAS LIKE DODO FOR, FOR DONNA.
SO OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS ALONA PNA, WHO DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE HERE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR IN OPPOSITION SPEAKERS.
HOWEVER, THE APPLICANT IS WELCOME TO OFFER REBUTTAL IF HE SO WISHES.
UH, ENTERING A MOTION PUBLIC CLOSE.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
I I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF.
UM, JUST WE DO HAVE THE, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE COMMENT AND YET WE'VE ALSO KNOW THAT THE TIMING OUT IS, YOU SAID OCTOBER 9TH.
IS THERE ANY SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR APPROVING WHAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED, PARTICULARLY IF THEY WERE TO MAKE CHANGE OR IF WE JUST LET IT TIME OUT AND WE DO, WE TAKE NO ACTION BECAUSE THERE'S NO PRO, UM, BUILDING ON THIS SITE.
THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE THAT CAN BE REQUESTED.
UM, AS FAR AS APPROVING, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE COMMENT ON IT AS OPPOSED TO TIMING OUT.
IGI GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IF, IF WE APPROVED IT AND HAD, UH, IT GO FORWARD AND THEN THEY
[03:05:01]
DID MAKE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, WOULD THAT ALREADY REQUIRE THEM TO COME BACK AND DISCUSS THOSE CHANGES WITH US AND CONTINUE OUR REVIEW AS OPPOSED TO JUST LETTING IT TIME OUT, IN WHICH CASE I ASSUME THERE'D BE NO OBLIGATION.BUT I I, I WAS READING THAT INTO OUR ORDINANCES.
I WASN'T SURE THAT THAT ACTUALLY WAS THE CASE.
IF THE DESIGN SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGES, THEY CAN BE, UM, REQUIRED TO COME BACK BEFORE HLC.
SO THEN THERE IS ENOUGH, THERE IS DIFFERENCE THEN BETWEEN THE TWO.
IF WE SAY, IF WE DO NOTHING AND SAY NOTHING, WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO IS WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO.
WHEREAS IF WE REVIEW THIS AND ISSUE THE APPROVAL AND THEN WE SEE ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT WOULD BE GETTING THEM BACK IN FRONT OF US FOR MORE DISCUSSION.
I, I THINK A NUANCE HERE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND AUDIENCE AND ANYONE LISTENING IS THAT WE DON'T APPROVE ANYTHING.
WE ONLY COMMENT AND THEY ARE ALWAYS AT, THEY CAN ALWAYS DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO
SO, UH, THERE'S REALLY NO FORMAL IN YEAH, THE, IT'S JUST WE CAN MAKE
THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO IS POSTPONE, POSTPONE, MAKE THE OFFER, YOU KNOW, TO MAINTAIN THE RIGHT TO MAKE COMMENTS NEXT MONTH, WHICH WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE TO US ANYWAY.
SO I THINK EITHER, UH, WE CAN'T EVEN POSTPONE.
SO ALL WE CAN REALLY DO IS MAKE COMMENTS.
IT SEEMS. IF THAT BEING SAID, UH, CHAIR, IF THE APPLICANT FILES A NEW APPLICATION WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT PROJECT, UH, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO HLC REGARDLESS.
WHAT WOULD BE THE TRIGGER POINT FOR THAT? WHAT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL? UM, HONESTLY, COMMISSIONER, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT RESEMBLE WHAT'S ALREADY COME BEFORE HLC, UH, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT WOULD TRIGGER THAT.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALREADY TRIGGER RE-REVIEW AND CODE.
UM, SO NEW CONSTRUCTION IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A, A DIFFERENT PROJECT OR A PROJECT THAT SUBSTANTIALLY DEVIATED FROM THE DESIGN STANDARDS IS KIND OF THE, THE RULE OF THUMB.
BUT IT DOES REALLY VARY CASE BY CASE, DEPENDING ON SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S ALMOST, IT'S ALMOST IF THEY WERE TO PULL A NEW PERMIT WOULD BE THE TRIGGER IF THEY WERE TO APPLY FOR A NEW PERMIT RIGHT? OR IF THEY WERE TO MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL REVISION.
IS BASICALLY THE TRIGGER OR, OR SUBSTANTIAL REVISION.
AND AS WE'RE LOOKING, I GUESS I'M, I'M, I'M GOING AHEAD AND LET ME GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THEN, UH, UNDER THE, WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO BE THAT CLARIFICATION, THEN I WILL MOVE APPROVAL, UH, AS PER STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND ENCOURAGE REFINEMENTS, UH, THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY CONTINUE UNDER THE, UH, STILL UNDER THE, THE UMBRELLA OF THE, THE OVERALL APPROVAL THAT WE ARE SUBMITTING TONIGHT.
AND IF, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY ON THAT, THAT MOTION, THESE ALWAYS GET ME 'CAUSE IT IS, IS IT THE MOTION TO MAKE OUR COMMENTS AND JUST CHOOSING NOT TO MAKE THE MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE? I THINK, UH, THAT'S RIGHT.
NO, WE NEED TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
BUT THAT, UM, THAT WE, UM, WOULD OFFER OUR, I I GUESS IT'S APPROPRIATE TO CALL IT AN APPROVAL, BUT THAT ALSO, UH, WITH THE RECORD OF OUR COMMENTS, YEAH, I'VE TRIED TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE MAKE OUR COMMENTS AND THAT NEVER SEEMS TO STICK, BUT I THINK EFFECTIVELY TAKING NO OTHER ACTION IS THE MOTION IN THIS CASE
BUT I, I THINK LETTING IT GO AT THIS POINT.
IS YOUR MOTION ALLOWING THIS TO PROCEED? IS THE MOTION COMMISSIONER LAROSE SECONDS? UH, DOES ANYONE WANNA SPEAK ANY FURTHER ON THIS? I, I DO WANNA SAY I DO APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT, UM, SHOWING UP.
I THINK, UM, NONE OF US EXPECTED A TOUCHDOWN.
I THINK WE MAYBE GOT TO THE BACK 20 YARD LINE, BUT THE APPLICANT DID SHOW UP TO PLAY, UH, UP TO THIS LAST MINUTE WHERE THEY COULD HAVE WAITED FOR 12 MORE DAYS.
SO I, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR THE PARTICIPATION THAT SHOWN THERE.
I DO STILL THINK THE MASSING ON THE LEFT SIDE IS, IS REALLY OUTTA WHACK, BUT AS I SAID, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.
AND THEY DID DO A LOT OF WORK IN PRESENTATION MATERIAL, UM, BUT DON'T THINK IT MADE THE ARGUMENT, BUT IT'S NOT A WIN OR LOSE THING HERE.
BUT I'D VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE INTERACTION.
IT HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE AND THEY HAVE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT IN BOTH WITH US AND, AND THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I, I DIDN'T WANNA COMMIT THEM FOR THAT, SO, OKAY.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER ACTION COMMENTS, WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT CASE.
[03:10:01]
MONROE.DO YOU HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? AND ALSO, DID YOU VOTE? UH, YES, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO, THERE'S NO ACTION THAT VOTE ON, WE'RE JUST CHOOSING NOT TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO MOTION TO MAKE ON FINAL COMMENTS.
I'VE NEVER QUITE UNDERSTOOD THAT.
AND I ASK EVERY TIME, AND THERE'S NEVER
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE NO ACTION OR YOU CAN CHOOSE TO RELEASE THE PLANS.
RELEASING THE PLANS IS AN ACTION THAT WE TAKE TECHNICALLY.
SO, SO THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE MY INTENT, IS THAT WE TAKE THE ACTION TO RELEASE THE PLANS.
I THOUGHT OUR ONLY COMMENT ALLOWED WAS TO COMMENT AND CHOOSING NOT TO MAKE OUR COMMENTS WAS RELEASING, BUT THEY, THEY AMOUNT TO THE SAME THING.
AND I JUST, LEMME JUST QUICKLY, I THINK FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, SINCE WE ARE PICKING UP THIS QUESTION OF ENFORCEMENT, UM, WE SEE PLANS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, WE COMMENT ON THEM, WE RELEASE, UH, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY TRIES, BASICALLY DEVIATE SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THEM.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
IDEALLY, WHAT THEY SUBMITTED TO US STAYS WITH THE BUILDING PERMIT.
AND THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THAT PROJECT, WE SHOULD BE EVEN HAVING THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS DOUBLE CHECKING THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT CAME IN FRONT OF US.
AND IF IT'S NOT THAT WE BASICALLY START ALL OVER AGAIN.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW.
SO WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO ADDRESS THAT CHAIR.
UH, FOR THE MAJORITY OF APPLICATIONS THAT DO HAVE AN ACTIVE PLAN REVIEW, STAFF SEE REVISIONS AND WILL RE REFER TO HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION IF THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATION FROM A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED OR RELEASED, UH, APPLICATION.
AND DOES THAT RESET? YEAH, AND I GUESS JUST, IT'S, IT'S HOW IT'S DOCUMENTED, I GUESS, IS THE QUESTION.
AND DOES THAT RESET THE CLOCK? AND IS THAT CLOCK 75 DAYS FOR COMMENT? OKAY.
[12. PR-2026-079349 – 706 E. Monroe St. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9 ]
EAST MONROE.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCUIT 1927 HOUSE.
THIS PRO PROPERTY IS A SINGLE STORY CRAFTMAN BUNGALOW, UH, FEATURING AN AMPLE PROJECTING FRONT PORCH THAT IS SUPPORTED BY TWO SQUARE WOOD POSTS.
THESE POSTS, ALONG WITH THE PORCH RAILING AND BRACKETS ABOVE DECORATE THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH RETAINS STRONG INTEGRITY.
THE FRONT GABLE ROOF FEATURES PROMINENT OVERHANGS AND RAFTER TAILS STILL PRESENT UNDER A LATER GUTTER.
ADDITION WINDOWS ALL APPEAR TO BE ORIGINAL AND ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
THE WALLS ARE CLAD IN NARROW HORIZONTAL SIDING, AND THE ELEVATED FOUNDATION IS COVERED BY A CONCRETE OR STUCCO SKIRTING.
BEHIND THE HOUSE IS A PORCH STRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY A PREVIOUS OWNER TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BY FORMER UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR, UH, BOB MATHER.
UH, THE DESIGN OF THIS STRUCTURE MADE FROM PORTIONS OF THE ORIGINAL GARAGE MATCHES THE ROOF PITCH TO CREATE A SHELTERED SPACE AT THE REAR AND WAS LIKELY DESIGNED, UH, WHILE MOTHER LIVED, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE.
JEAN NEARBY AT 1611 ALL MADE A DRIVE, UH, AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION.
THIS PROPERTY WAS SHORTLY OWNED BY WALTER AND LARA, UH, BURFIELD, THE FORMER OF WHOM WAS EMPLOYED AS A BARBER AFTER A SERIES OF SHORT-TERM OWNERS AND RESIDENTS, INCLUDING A TAXI DRIVER AND A TELEPHONE REPAIRMAN.
THE PROPERTY WAS BOUGHT BY EDMOND AND DOROTHY MORRIS AROUND 1944.
EDMOND MORRIS WORKED AT THE MUTUAL BENEFIT HEALTH ASSOCIATION AS A MANAGER BEFORE STARTING HIS OWN INSURANCE AGENCY.
BY 1949, DORIS IS LISTED AS ASSISTING IN THIS OPERATION, AND THE COUPLE RAISED SEVERAL CHILDREN AT THE PROPERTY.
BY 1957, THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY CLYDE AND GEORGIA.
PRETTY A CHEF AT THE COMMODORE PERRY HOTEL, UH, PER CITY CODE, THE HISTORIC LA COMMISSION HAS 180 DAYS REVIEWED DEMOLITION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTRY HISTORIC DISTRICT, STARTING FROM, UH, THE DATE THAT THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.
UM, THIS PERIOD IS SET THE TIME OUT ON, UH, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2027.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
DISTRICT PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LAND REC DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
UH, THIS PROPERTY DID, UM, OR THIS APPLICANT DID ATTEND THE, UH, AUGUST 12TH, 2026 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, WHERE FEEDBACK WAS TO, UH, PURSUE OPTIONS TO RETAIN THE HOUSE IN ITS ORIGINAL SITE AND INCORPORATE IT INTO THE PROPOSED DESIGN MAKING USE OF THE BACKYARD, UH, WHERE POSSIBLE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE RELOCATION AND DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION.
UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST REVIEW NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS PRIOR TO PERMIT RELEASE AND NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
OUR APPLICANT IS ONLINE AND IS IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.
CAN YOU HEAR? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
[03:15:01]
UH, APOLOGIES.UM, MY FAMILY AND I LIVE NEXT DOOR, AND OUR GOAL IS TO EXPAND OUR HOME TO FACILITATE EXTENDED VISITS AND STAYS WITH TWO SETS OF AGING PARENTS.
UM, AND WE ALSO HOPE TO REORIENT THE OVERALL PROPERTY TO REALLY ENJOY THE GREEN BELT AND SUNSET LANE IN THE BACK.
UM, WE DID SOME CONCEPTING AND RESEARCH WORK WITH AN ARCHITECT, WHICH AS MENTIONED WE DISCUSSED AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW MEETING A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT A DESIGN THAT INVOLVED BUILDING AN EXTENSION OFF OF, UH, OUR HOME, WHICH WOULD ENCROACH UPON 7 0 6 AND THE CURRENT SITE OF THE BUNGALOW.
WE DID LOOK INTO REHABBING, UH, 7 0 6, UM, BUT IT REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT INCLUDING THE FOUNDATION, WHICH IS ALSO HEAVILY, UM, OR, OR SIGNIFICANTLY LOCATED OVER THE CRV OF A VERY LARGE, UM, AND BEAUTIFUL HERITAGE TREE, WHICH WOULD LIKELY CREATE ITS OWN SORT OF COMPLEXITY DOWNSTREAM.
UM, WE ARE VERY OPEN TO RELOCATION AND REUSE.
WE DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION NOW, BUT, UM, VERY, UM, COMMITTED TO LOOKING DOWN THOSE AVENUES.
UM, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, TODAY.
OUR FIRST IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS CLIFTON LAD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LAD AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO POSTPONE ON THIS CASE.
WE'VE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS A LOT.
WE'VE HAD OUR HANDS FULL LATELY WITH RESEARCHING OTHER CASES, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT LEADS THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON, ON 7 0 6 EAST MONROE.
AND, UH, SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO POSTPONE, UM, I'M REPRESENTING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH I CO-CHAIR, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS.
UM, BEFORE I FORGET, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COMMENT THAT I, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE LETTERS IN THE OPPOSITION FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT THIS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL, BUT THERE WERE AT LEAST THREE LETTERS, ONE OF WHICH WAS IN AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE BACKUP, UM, BUT TWO THAT, UM, HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN THE BACKUP, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THOSE, UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THEM.
UM, THIS BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW HOME IS IN, IN REALLY A PERFECT CONDITION.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF HOUSES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS ONE, THE FLOORS ARE LEVEL, THE WALLS ARE STRAIGHT.
UM, AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK ON EAST MONROE, RECOGNIZED BY MANY OF THE NEIGHBORS FOR ITS CHARM.
AND IT'S GOT A, IT'S ALSO RECOGNIZABLE AS A LANDMARK FOR A VERY UNIQUE CARPORT LEAN TWO EDITION, UH, THAT WAS DESIGNED BY THE LATE BOB MATHER, WHO WAS ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN ARCHITECTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, MR. MATHER WAS A UT ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR, AND HIS WIFE, JEAN MATHER, WAS CO-FOUNDER OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS.
SHE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION FROM 2002 TO 2008.
UM, AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW IF A FEW OF YOU PROBABLY KNEW HER, UM, SHE PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR AND, UH, I'M SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT IF SHE COULD BE HERE, SHE'D, SHE'D TELL YOU A FEW MORE THINGS.
UM, THE MATHERS WERE BOTH VERY INVOLVED FOR YEARS IN THE PRESERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS HOME IS ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
IT RETAINS VERY HIGH INTEGRITY AND MEETS TWO OF THE ADDITIONAL CRITERIA REQUIRED FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION ARCHITECTURE BECAUSE IT'S A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW ARCHITECTURE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, AND THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION WITH ADDITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BY BOB MATHER.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN DOING ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
WE'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND THE, THE HISTORY OF IT.
UM, AND SO WE'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF THIS CASE TO THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION IS
[03:20:01]
ANNIE POIS.UH, MY NAME IS ANNIE PASAS AND I OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF THIS HOME AT 7 0 6 EAST MONROE.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I LIVED TWO BLOCKS FROM THE HOME.
I BOUGHT MY 1948 HOME TWO YEARS AGO, AND SPECIFICALLY CHOSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF ITS HISTORIC CHARACTER IN THE MIX OF HOME STYLES.
THIS HOME IS IN THE CORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT CALLED TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND FAIRVIEW PARK.
IT'S A LOVELY CRAFTSMAN STYLE HOUSE, ABOUT 950 SQUARE FEET THAT WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 1920S.
AS CLIFF SAID, IT APPEARS AND IS REPORTEDLY IN GOOD CONDITION, ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T BEEN IN IT PERSONALLY.
IT HAS THAT VERY INTERESTING, UNIQUE CARPORT THAT WAS DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR, AND IT'S ON A REALLY DECENT SIZED LOT, ALMOST A QUARTER OF AN ACRE.
THE HOME NEXT DOOR, 700 EAST MONROE, WHICH THE OWNERS OF THIS COTTAGE WANT TO EXPAND INTO THE EMPTY LOT AFTER DEMOLITION, REPLACED A DUPLEX SOME YEARS BACK BEFORE THEY OWNED IT.
SO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ALREADY LOST ONE LIVING UNIT, AND IT WILL BE TWO IF YOU GRANT PERMISSION TO TEAR THIS HOME DOWN.
RETAINING SMALLER HOMES IN GOOD CONDITION, LIKE THIS IS KEY TO KEEPING THE HISTORIC FLAVOR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, TO ALLOWING A WIDER RANGE OF BUYERS TO AFFORD HOMES HERE.
WE CAN'T GET THESE UNIQUE OLD BUILDINGS BACK ONCE THEY'RE GONE AND THEY'RE WORTH KEEPING.
I REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER POSTPONEMENT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
OUR NEXT IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS MELANIE MARTINEZ.
UM, MELANIE MARTINEZ AND, UM, LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM THIS HOUSE.
AND I WAS PART OF THE GROUP THAT, UH, CREATED THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, MY, I'M VERY OPPOSED TO THE DEMOLITION OF THIS HOUSE, OBVIOUSLY.
AND, UM, I WAS HERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UH, PROTESTING THE DEMOLITION OF THE DUPLEX AND ESPECIALLY PROTESTING THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE THAT REPLACED IT, WHICH DOESN'T FIT THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT ALL.
AND SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE, UH, REPLACING THIS HOUSE.
AND I WOULD REALLY, I'M APPEALING TO THE OWNER TO PLEASE BE CREATIVE AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO PRESERVE THIS JEWEL.
AND, UM, REALLY DON'T HAVE MORE TO SAY EXCEPT WHAT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
UM, JUST TO ADD ANOTHER CONNECTION TO THE MATHERS.
I KNOW NOT EVERYTHING HANGS ON THE CARPORT, BUT THE PAVILION RIGHT BEHIND, UH, IN THE PARK IS NAMED FOR GENE MATHER.
SO THAT'S A REALLY CLOSE CONNECTION.
AND IT'S JUST NICE TO DRIVE DOWN MONROE AND SEE THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME BUNGALOWS LEFT.
IT'S BECOME A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE RECENTLY.
AND, UH, THERE'S OTHER HOUSES WE'RE FIGHTING TO SAVE A LITTLE FURTHER UP ON MONROE.
AND ONCE YOU GET THERE, A LOT OF THE HOUSES DON'T FACE MONROE AND, UH, YOU'RE JUST SEEING THE SIDE YARDS OF CROSSING STREETS.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I HOPE THAT THIS IS SOME KINDS.
HOPEFULLY THE, THE OWNER WILL, UH, GO BACK TO YOU AND TRY TO GET MORE IDEAS ON HOW TO SAVE THIS HOUSE.
THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR IN OPPOSITION SPEAKERS.
HOWEVER, THE APPLICANT HANNAH MA IS WELCOME TO OFFER A REBUTTAL OF SHEA WISHES WAIVED.
THE SPEAKERS ENTERTAIN A MOTION CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER HARRIS, COMMISSIONER ACTON.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS CASE.
WE HAVE THE, UH, CHAIR, SETH, UH, YOUR SPEAKER, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOT ERIC.
STAFF, WHEN WILL THIS, UH, TIME OUT? UH, THIS IS SCHEDULED TO TIME OUT IN FEBRUARY OF 2027.
SO I MOVE THAT WE REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE POSTPONED THIS TO OUR NOVEMBER MEETING AND ENCOURAGE THIS APPLICANT TO VISIT WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES SO THAT THEY POSSIBLY COULD DO AN EXPANSION
[03:25:01]
AND STILL PRESERVE THIS HOUSE.AND I'LL SPEAK TO MY MOTION JUST A SECOND.
IF I GET A SECOND, I'LL SECOND.
I JUST WANNA SAY I SERVED WITH JEAN MATHER AND IF, UH, SHE WERE HERE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HER HUSBAND HAD DONE THE GARAGE IN THE BACK, SHE'D WANT US TO DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO KEEP THIS HOUSE ALIVE.
SO, UH, UH, THAT THERE'S A, IT'S, IT'S NO QUESTION THAT WE SHOULD DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO FIND ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UM, I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS ONCE IN THE A RC, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH THE HOMEOWNER AGAIN AND WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND THE INVITATION TO YOUR ARCHITECT TO JOIN US AS WELL.
I THINK, UM, THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD HAPPEN HERE WITH THIS EXISTING STRUCTURE, AND SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING ABOUT IT.
ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, I, I AGREE.
UM, THE PLANS THAT WE WERE SHOWN, UH, WITH THE INTENT TO KIND OF HAVE A IN-LAWS SUITE OR GUEST SUITE ATTACHED HYPHENATED, PRETTY MUCH PUT A NEW STRUCTURE RIGHT IN THE SAME FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING BUNGALOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MONEY COULD BE SAVED.
JUST HYPHENATING THESE AND DOING A CLEVER COURTYARD ADDITION AND KEEPING THE EXISTING AT THE INTENT IS TO PROVIDE A GUEST HOUSE.
SO, UM, JUST THE THOUGHT OF THIS GOING AWAY AND THEN ANOTHER STRUCTURE OF SIMILAR FOOTPRINT GOING RIGHT BACK IN ITS IN ITS PLACE IS REALLY FRUSTRATING.
SO, UH, YOU, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, ENJOY TALKING ABOUT IT MORE, BUT I FEEL VERY STRONGLY, UH, THAT WITH THE SAME UTILITY IN THE SAME PLACE, UM, THAT I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO ENCOURAGE CONSIDERATION OF THAT APPROACH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[16. HR-2026-118672 – 211 Academy Dr. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District Council District 9]
11 ACADEMY.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1933 RESIDENCE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THIS HOUSE IS A LARGELY SYMMETRICAL U PLAN.
FORMER DUPLEX WITH COLONIAL REVIVAL DETAILS A SINGLE STORY STRUCTURE.
THE RECESS CENTER FRONT PORCH FORMALLY FEATURED TWO FRONT DOORS FACING EACH OTHER.
UH, AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST, THE HOUSE WAS CONVERTED TO A SINGLE UNIT AND ONE FRONT DOOR WAS INFILLED AND C CLADE.
WITH MATCHING SIDING, THE PORCH REMAINS IN ITS ORIGINAL APPEARANCE, OTHERWISE WITH TWO SETS OF PAIRED WINDOWS AT ITS REAR, WHICH COMPLIMENT THE ARCHED WINDOWS AT THE OTHER AREAS OF THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
THREE SIMPLE WOOD POSTS SUPPORTS ROOF STRUCTURE ABOVE, WHICH IS LARGELY SIDE GABLED, AND FEATURES TWO DORMER ATTIC VENTS.
UH, TO EACH END OF THE HOUSE IS A STREET FACING GABLE ROOF PROJECTING OUT WHICH EACH FEATURE, UH, SEVERAL WINDOWS.
UH, WITH COVERED WITH WOOD SCREEN ASSEMBLIES.
THIS HOUSE IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED, WHICH ALLOWS IT TO SIT MORE EVENLY ON THE CHANGING GRADE OF THE PROPERTY.
THE OVERALL CONDITION OF THE HOUSE IS GOOD AND IT RETAINS INTEGRITY.
SINCE THIS PROPERTY WAS PURPOSE BUILT TO BE A SIDE-BY-SIDE DUPLEX, THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF MULTIPLE RENTER TENANTS WHO LIVED IN THIS BUILDING.
MANY OF THESE TENANTS LIVED AT THE PROPERTY FOR A LONG TIME, INCLUDING SEVERAL FAMILIES EMPLOYED LOCALLY IN THE AREA.
EARLY OCCUPANTS INCLUDED A TAX ASSESSOR AND COLLECTOR, AS WELL AS AN EMPLOYEE FOR THE NEARBY SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, IT WAS OCCUPIED BY A SUPERVISOR AT US CIVIL AERONAUTICS ADMINISTRATION.
THE LONG STONERS AND TENANTS BELONGED TO THE TURNER FAMILY.
MARSHALL AND LUCILLE TURNER OWNED THE PROPERTY FROM THE END OF WORLD WAR II ONWARD.
AND FOR A TIME, JA, JASON AND GRACE TURNER OCCUPIED THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, DURING THIS PERIOD, MARSHALL AND JASON WERE BOTH EMPLOYED BY THE AUSTIN CHEMICAL COMPANY PER CITY CODE.
THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS 180 DAYS TO REVIEW DEMOLITION PERMITS, UH, IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS STARTING FROM THE DATE THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.
THIS PERIOD IS SET TO TIME OUT ON MARCH 9TH, 2027.
UH, THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
DISTRICT PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS VALUED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA.
UH, THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER POSTPONING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO NOVEMBER 4TH, AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE OCTOBER 14TH MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW REVIEW COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION.
ALTERNATIVELY, ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF BOSTON DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST REVIEW NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS PRIOR TO PERMANENT RELEASE IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
ANY SPEAKERS? WE HAVE THE APPLICANT, PAUL MICHAELS IN FAVOR.
I'M PAUL MICHAELS, UH, MY WIFE LEANNE AND I OWN TWO 11 ACADEMY, A DESIGNATED CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
IN JUNE OF 1983, MY WIFE THEN LEANNE WALLACE,
[03:30:01]
PURCHASED THE 1930 YEAR OF DUPLEX WITH A DOWN PAYMENT FROM HER, PROVIDED BY HER PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER.AS OF THE 1ST OF JULY, LEANNE HAS OWNED AND RESIDED IN HIS PROPERTY FOR 43 YEARS.
FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, LEANNE RESIDED UNDER A SIDE, RENTED THE B SIDE OF THE DUPLEX TO TENANTS SEEKING ECONOMICAL, CENTRALLY LOCATED HOUSING IN SOUTH, IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
LEANNE AND I MARRIED IN MAY OF 1999.
IN 2005, WE HIRED IAN HOMES OF AUSTIN TO COMPLETE A PERMITTED INTERIOR REMODEL.
THE REMODELING CONVERTED THE 1930 ERA, TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH DUPLEX UNITS INTO A SINGLE FAMILY, FOUR BEDROOM, TWO BATH RESIDENCE.
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS WERE INCLUDED IN MY SUBMITTED PACKET.
FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WE HAVE BENEFITED SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE 2005 REMODEL.
IT PROVIDED US WITH A MODERN KITCHEN WITH BREAKFAST BAR, A LARGE OPEN LIVING ROOM AND DINING ROOM, CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING, AND THE HOME'S ELECTRICAL WAS BROUGHT UP TO CODE.
HOWEVER, THE HO HOUSE IS STILL A 1933 PURE AND BEAM STRUCTURE WITH SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY CONCERNS.
THE PUR AND BEAM FOUNDATION REQUIRES LEVELING.
THE ATTIC IS LIMITED IN INSULATION.
THE ORIGINAL DOUBLE-HUNG WINDOW S DOUBLE HUNG SASH WINDOWS PROVIDE VERY LIMITED INSULA VALUE.
UH, THE ROOF DRUMMERS ARE ONLY COSMETIC.
UH, A 1990 FIRE THAT DESTROYED THE ROOF, REPLACED THE DORMERS WITH, UH, NON-FUNCTIONING, UH, METAL, UH, ROOF VENTILATIONS WERE ADDED.
THE EVENTUAL SALE OF TWO 11 ACADEMY DRIVE IS AN IMPORTANT PART TO OUR RETIREMENT PLAN.
I REACHED UH, 70 THIS PAST AUGUST.
WE ARE REQUESTING A HISTORICAL LANDMARK COMMISSION APPROVE A REQUEST FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
FUTURE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SATISFY ALL APPLICANTS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
REQUIREMENTS FOR DEMOLITION PERMIT, ANY PROPOSED REPLACEMENT STRUCTURES OR STRUCTURES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE CITY APPLICATION, HISTORICAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS, AND THE HISTORICAL DESIGN STANDARDS.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE ARE ONLY ASKING FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
WE WILL NOT BE DOING THE DEMOLITION.
WE ARE TRYING TO SELL THE PROPERTY.
WE WANNA LIST IT AS A TEAR DOWN.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OF THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, WE HAVE TWO IN OPPOSITION SPEAKERS.
OUR FIRST IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS CLIFTON LAD.
CLIFTON AND I REPRESENT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, WE HAVE NOT HAD, UM, MUCH TIME TO LOOK AT THIS CASE.
UM, HEARING MY NEIGHBORS SPEAK ABOUT IT, AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT.
I WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THE CASE AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO DO.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO POSTPONE IT.
UM, I REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, I, I THINK WE JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
OUR SECOND IN OPPOSITION SPEAKER IS MELANIE MARTINEZ.
UM, I, UM, I GUESS I'M OPPOSED TO GOING AHEAD AND CALLING IT A TEAR DOWN AND GETTING A DEMOLITION AT THIS POINT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.
AND, UM, UM, I GUESS I'M IMAGINATIVE.
I THINK IT COULD BE MADE A DUPLEX AGAIN.
IT COULD BE A REALLY APPEALING PROPERTY.
AND THE LOCATION THAT IT IS RIGHT THERE ON ACADEMY, NEAR SOUTH CONGRESS.
UM, I JUST WOULD HOPE I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, LIKE THE OWNER COULD SELL THE HOUSE AS IT IS, AND THEN THE NEXT, THE BUYER COULD MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
AND, UH, IT IS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IF IT'S AN INCOME PRODUCING PROPERTY, THE OWNER COULD GET CREDITS FOR REHABILITATION AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING WITH A DUPLEX, I BELIEVE.
AND, UM, SO I THINK THERE COULD BE MORE TO LEARN ABOUT IT.
IT'S RARE TO HAVE A DUPLEX OF THAT VINTAGE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S STILL STANDING.
MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEMOLISHED.
SO, UM, I HOPE THAT THE OWNER MIGHT THINK ABOUT JUST SELLING IT LIKE IT IS.
SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME VERY MUCH.
MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[03:35:01]
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CASE.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
THE APPLICANT MENTIONED WANTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND TO, I GUESS, TO BASICALLY LIST THIS AS A TEAR DOWN.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN HERE? IF THERE WAS A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP AND, UH, WHAT'S BEING SOUGHT HERE AND WHAT WOULD BE, HAVE TO BE SOUGHT BY, UM, SAY A FUTURE BUYERS? SOMETHING LIKE THIS? YEAH.
SO, UM, 'CAUSE THIS ISN'T A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT OR A LANDMARK, THE TERM CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS ISN'T, UM, EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, UH, CORRECT.
HOWEVER, TO GET A, UH, APPROVED OR RELEASED DEMOLITION PERMIT, THAT DEMOLITION PERMIT CAN REMAIN ACTIVE FOR SOME TIME.
UM, AND A SUBSEQUENT OWNER CAN, UM, APPLY FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION WITH THIS DEMOLITION ALREADY
SO I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION FOR STAFF.
DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REBUT WHAT? YOU CAN ALWAYS REOPEN IT AGAIN AND THE APPLICANT CAN REBUT IF HE WISHES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO REBUT, UH, MOVE TO REOPEN PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE, WHY WOULD WANT SOMEONE WANT TO RESTORE TO A DUPLEX? UM, IF ONE WAS TRYING TO GET, UH, INCREASED DENSITY, UH, A BETTER BUILT DUPLEX ON THAT, UH, PROPERTY WOULD BE, UH, MORE ECONOMICAL.
THE 1930 SOMETHING HOME, THE VALUE OF THE STRUCTURE IS NOT WORTH WHAT WE WISH TO OFFER IT ON THE MARKET FOR.
SO YOU'RE LIMITING OUR RETIREMENT POSSIBILITIES BY NOT ALLOWING US TO TEAR DOWN THE PROPERTY.
AGAIN, MY WIFE IS THE LONGEST OWNER OF THIS HOUSE.
THE STAFF LOOKED AT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS, AND THERE WAS THE TURNER FAMILY THAT OWNED IT FOR JUST SHORT OF TWO DECADES.
BUT WE'VE OWNED IT FOR OVER FOUR DECADES.
THE, JUST ONE MORE COMMENT THAT I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ABSENT.
THE, UH, HISTORICAL LANDMARK COMMISSION WAS PUT IN PLACE LONG AFTER MY WIFE'S PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, NO, NO GRANDFATHERING, NO NOTIFICATION THAT, YOU KNOW, NO NOTHING THAT HAD SAID, OH, YOU'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING.
IF IN OH FIVE WE HAD, UH, RE REDONE WITH THE INTERIOR REMODEL, AN EXTERIOR CHANGE, THEN IT WOULDN'T FALL UNDER THIS CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY STANDARDS AS THE 1406, UH, HILLSIDE.
OUR, OUR BACK STORE NEIGHBORS DID A REMODEL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST LOOKING AT THE, IT WAS AN ADDITION OUT THE BACK WAS THE REMODEL? NO, NO.
IF WE HAD DONE AN EXTERIOR REMODEL, THEN WE WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY.
BECAUSE WE WOULD'VE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
ANY MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING? AGAIN? SO MOVED.
SIMULTANEOUS HARRIS AND LAROCHE.
ALL IN FAVOR? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CASE.
I MOVE TO, UH, ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION RELEASE, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION, AND CONTINGENT UPON THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THANK COMMISSIONER ROEN ACTON SECONDED.
COMMISSIONER ROEN, SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION.
I, I JUST, UH, QUITE SIMPLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY RISES TO THE STATUS OF THE LANDMARK ACTON.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CHAIR, SETH? UH, YOUR SPEAKER BECAUSE THERE YOU GO.
YEAH, I, I, I'M GONNA SPEAK AGAINST THE MOTION IN THAT I THINK A POSTPONEMENT IS WARRANTED.
UH, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THE PARTIES THAT, UH, HAVE SPOKEN TONIGHT, AND PERHAPS SOME OF THE OTHER VERY ACTIVE MEMBERS WHO'VE PUT TOGETHER THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT MIGHT BE ABLE TO PREVAIL UPON THEIR
[03:40:01]
NEIGHBORS TO, UH, RECONSIDER THE VALUE.I I, IT, IT, IT DOES SEEM ODD THAT THE MOST VALUABLE WAY TO USE THIS ASSET IS TO SCRAPE IT CLEAN.
UH, THERE, THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT EXISTS, THERE'S A HISTORY THERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, EVEN IF IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, AND WE'LL FIND OUT WITH MORE INVESTIGATION, UH, WORTHY OF LANDMARK STATUS, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES THAT HAVE FOUND NEW HOMES, NEW USES, AND NEW OWNERS QUITE SUCCESSFULLY BECAUSE OF THE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THIS BASICALLY BREATHING PERIOD GIVES US.
SO I, I WOULD RECOMMEND WE TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND, AND AN ALTERNATE MOTION WOULD BE TO POSTPONE TO THE NOVEMBER, UH, HEARING.
BUT, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MOTION ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW.
UH, I'LL ALSO CURRENTLY NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION AS STATED.
I THINK IT'S A BIT QUICK TO, TO JUST LET THIS ONE GO.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM, UH, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT A POSTPONEMENT AS AN ALTERNATE, AND I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION EITHER.
ALL OPPOSED, THAT'S COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT.
WAS THAT, WERE YOU FIRST ONE OR SECOND ONE? I WAS CONFUSED ON WHICH ONE WAS THE MOTION.
'CAUSE YOU HEARD, I HEARD PART OF IT, BUT I COULDN'T HEAR THE SECOND.
SO SECOND, THE, THE MOTION WAS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
YOU'RE FOR THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN AN ALTERNATE MOTION.
I'LL MO MOVE TO POSTPONE, UH, TILL THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
AND, AND ENCOURAGE AND ENCOURAGE, UH, UH, THE A RC, UM, THE OWNER TO, TO VISIT WITH THE A RC AND WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'M SORRY.
AND TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS MOTION JUST 'CAUSE I THINK IT DESERVES AT LEAST, UH, ONE MONTH WHEN WE COULD HAVE SIX MONTHS ON THIS.
I, UH, IT'S A LITTLE CHALLENGING SITE.
THE SITE HAS A POTENTIALLY GREAT VIEW OF DOWNTOWN SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE VALUE CALCULATIONS OF THE OWNER.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE CHALLENGING TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
UM, I RECENTLY HAD READ SOMETHING ABOUT SOMEONE SCRAPING A LOT TO REDUCE THEIR TAX COVERAGE, AND IT'S NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF TEARING THINGS DOWN AND HOLDING MULTIPLE PROPERTIES.
THAT NEVER REALLY OCCURRED TO ME.
BUT, UM, I CAN, I CAN UNDERSTAND THE, THE BUSINESS CALCULUS BEHIND IT, BUT I DO THINK IT DESERVES AT LEAST ONE MONTH FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OPPOSED? COMMISSIONER ACTON, DO YOU VOTE FOR THE, OKAY, SO, UH, I THINK THAT WAS 5 5 1 1.
UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TAKE THE NEXT TWO CASES, 24 AND 25 IN TANDEM.
UM, UH, IF YOU THINK WE CAN'T FINISH IN 14 MINUTES, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EXTEND PAST IN.
COMMISSIONER ACTON, IT'S MOTION TO EXTEND COMMISSIONER ROGAN.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T COMPLETE THE AGENDA.
OH, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
LIKE THIS, THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME COMMISSIONER COOK KNOWS THAT THIS IS THE PET PEEVE OF MINE.
THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED TILL 10.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF IT DOESN'T COMPLETE?
[03:45:03]
THE COMMISSION IS NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE ACTION ON ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.SO, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CLOCK? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE TO BE QUITE HONEST, THAT'S NOT HAPPENED BEFORE WITHOUT AT LEAST A POSTPONEMENT OF THE CASE TO THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, IT MAY JUST FALL OFF THE AGENDA, BUT I'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH LEGAL ON THAT.
NEEDS TO GO OVER 10 ALL THE TIME.
YEAH, IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
UH, WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, I, I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE SENTIMENT, BUT I, I WILL NOTE THAT THESE MEETINGS USED TO GO TO 1:00 AM UH, REGULARLY UNTIL 11, SOMETIMES MIDNIGHT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN THE PAST YEAR, TWO YEARS, UH, NOT TO HAVE THIS MANY DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, THIS MANY CASES OR DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO HOPEFULLY THIS REMAINS UNUSUAL CASE.
WELL, BUT IT STILL, WE STILL SHOULD GET CLARIFICATION ON WHAT HAPPENS.
YEAH, I WOULD GUESS THE CASES WOULD JUST GO ON TO THE NEXT AND, AND IF ANYTHING TIMES OUT, IT TIMES OUT.
AND IF IT DOESN'T, WE COULD TAKE ACTION.
SO I THINK THE, THE QUESTION IS FOR POSTPONEMENTS, WE POSTPONE TO A DATE CERTAIN, UM, IF A CASE IS NOT POSTPONED TO A DATE CERTAIN, UM, IN A MOTION, I'M NOT SURE.
I I THINK IT MAY JUST BE NO ACTION.
IT MAY END, IT MAY END SOME OF THE CASES DEPENDING ON THE, THE NATURE OF THE CASE.
I'M JUST SAYING WE SHOULD GET DEFINITION RESOLVED.
NOT, YEAH, IT'D BE GOOD TO GET CLARIFICATION ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THAT HAPPENS.
BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW WOULD HAPPEN IS IT WOULD MAKE OUR NEXT MEETING LONGER AND MORE LIKELY TO ALSO GO OVER AND, UH, THINGS FALL OFF THE CLIFF.
UM, SO ON TRAINING, MOTION TO TAKE 24 AND 25 TOGETHER.
SO MOVE COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, AND GROGAN.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, HANG ON JUST A SECOND WHILE WE ASK LEGAL ABOUT, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCHE'S QUESTION.
I I DO KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, SPECIAL CALL SESSIONS IN THE PAST TO HANDLE TIMING AND, UM, MENTIONED TO ISSUES.
SO IT PROBABLY A SPECIAL CALLS MEETING TO HANDLE THE MONTH'S AGENDA.
I MEAN, IF THERE'S, YEAH, AND I THINK WITH INITIATION, THERE'S, UM, SOME CERTAIN THINGS THAT THERE'S A 30 DAY TIMELINE IF YOU DON'T, SO INITIATION I THINK WOULD BE MORE COMPLICATED.
THE OTHER ONES WOULD PROBABLY JUST ROLL, ROLL, POTENTIALLY, POTENTIALLY ROLL OFF.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN LOOK AT.
START GETTING PUSHED TO A SPECIFIC TIME.
GET THE MOST URGENT ONES FIRST.
KIM IS GETTING CLARIFICATION FROM LEGAL.
[Item 24 & 25]
AND 25.AND THE MOTION WAS MADE TO TAKE THESE TWO ITEMS TOGETHER.
UH, ITEM 24 AND 25 IS EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHT OH ONE WEST 34TH STREET.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1965 OFFICE BUILDING, UM, A CIRCA 1975 OFFICE BUILDING AND THE CONNECTING SKYBRIDGE 8 0 1 WEST 34TH STREET WAS BUILT IN 1965 AS A MEDICAL CLINIC BY WILSON MORRIS, CRANE AND ANDERSON.
THIS TWO STORY MID-CENTURY MODERN BUILDING FEATURES NEW FORMALISM DETAILS SUCH AS LARGE AGGREGATE CONCRETE PO PLASTERERS, BRICK AND CERAMIC TAL TILE, EXTERIOR CLADDING, FIXED METAL WINDOWS WITH TRANSOMS AND A FLAT CAN DELIVERED ROOF.
THE NEW BUILDING CONTAINS 10,700 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE IN THE GROUND FLOOR WITH ADDITIONAL BASEMENT SPACE OF 6,000 SQUARE FEET AND IS PLANNED FOR A FUTURE SECOND FLOOR EX EXPOSES THE AUSTIN AMERICAN.
THE DESIGN COMBINATION OF VERTICAL PYLOS EXPOSED AGGREGATE CONCRETE AND MONOLITHIC MASSING IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF A TRANSITION PIECE BETWEEN THE NEW FORMALIST MOVEMENT OF THE EARLY TO MID 1960S IN AUSTIN AND THE BRUTALIST SENSIBILITIES OF THE LATE 1960S AND 1970S.
ANDERSON, A FAMED HOUSTON MODERNIST WAS A PIONEER OF EXPOSED AGGREGATE CONCRETE IN MODERN DESIGN.
HIS WORK ON THE 1969 HOUSTON POST BUILDING, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN BUILDING AND THE 1977 FRANK IRWIN CENTER.
FURTHER EXPAND ON THEMES OF MONOLITHIC DESIGN AND PLANAR CONCRETE.
AS A FIRM WILSON MORRIS CRANE AND ANDERSON COLLABORATED ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
[03:50:01]
HOUSTON ASTRO DOME, THE WORLD'S LARGEST SELF-SUPPORTING DOME AT THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION.IN 1965, THE SAME YEAR THIS BUILDING DEBUTED THE STONE AND STUCCO EDITION AT THE NORTHEAST ELEVATION OF AUSTIN.
DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE FIRM IN 1971, LESS THAN SEVEN YEARS AFTER OPENING ITS NEW FACILITIES AT 8 0 1 WEST 34TH.
NOTES THE STATESMAN, THE AUSTIN DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC HAS ADDED A SECOND STORY AND A THREE STORY WING.
THE INTERIOR OPEN LANDSCAPE COURT OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING WAS MAINTAINED IN THE VERTICAL ADDITION WITH THE SECOND FLOOR RECEPTION AREA SURROUNDING THE GLASS ATRIUM.
WILSON MORRIS CRANE AND ANDERSON RETURNED TO DESIGN THE ADDITION, UH, WITH AUSTINITE JACK CRIER AS THE CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR.
1975 BUILDING AT 800 WEST 34TH STREET ECHOES THE BLOCKY MASSING WITH VERTICAL ACCENTS PRESENT IN THE 8 0 1 BUILDING.
UH, BUT REPLACES THE RUSTIC CONCRETE WITH PALE BRICK AND A STONE BELT COURSE.
THOUGH BOTH BUILDINGS LACK THE AIRINESS OF HIGH STYLE NEW FORMALISM, THIS BUILDING ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE MORE LIGHT WITH ITS GLAZED HYPHEN OFFSET WALL PLANES AND BASEMENT LEVEL LIGHTWELL.
THE SKYBRIDGE CONNECTING IT TO ITS SISTER BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET WAS ADDED IN 1976.
THE AUSTIN DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC BEGAN IN 1952 AS THE SOLO PRACTICE OF DR. HENRY RENFORD.
REMEMBER, IT'S ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO CREATE A MULTI-SPECIALTY PRACTICE LIKE THE MAYO CLINIC IN AUSTIN BY THE SIXTIES, ALONG WITH CO-FOUNDERS, VIRGIL LAWLESS, LEONARD SAYERS AND HOMER GOERS RENFORD HAD ACHIEVED HIS GOAL WITH THE AUSTIN DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC.
THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE CITY, PROVIDED IN-HOUSE RADIOLOGY AND LABORATORY TESTING, AND ITS ACORN RESEARCH LABORATORY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR.
JACK RE PIONEERED AT HOME DIALYSIS.
AND IT WAS THE FIRST GROUP TO BRING EKGS TO AN OUTPATIENT SETTING IN AUSTIN.
THE INSTITUTION WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS CONTROVERSIES AS AUTHOR RICHARD PENNINGTON NOTES IN HIS 1995 HISTORY OF THE CLINIC, SOME A DC SPECIALISTS REFUSED TO TREAT AIDS PATIENTS IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE EPIDEMIC.
AND FEDERAL FUNDING ENRICHED THE EXPONENTIALLY GROWING NEPHROLOGY PROGRAM.
WHILE OTHER SPECIALTIES WENT WITHOUT DR.
JACK MRES RESEARCH ON CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL DIALYSIS, A REVOLUTIONARY TREATMENT FOR THOSE WITH KIDNEY FAILURE WAS EXEMPLARY.
UH, BY THE AGE OF 34, MONCRIEF WAS THE HEAD OF THE ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY UNIT AT BRACKEN RIDGE HOSPITAL AND THE CO-INVENTOR OF THE PATENT HOLDER OF THE HOME DIALYSIS PROCEDURE, CONTINUOUS PERIN NEEDLE AMBULATORY DIALYSIS, OR CAPD FOR SHORT.
ALONG WITH BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER ROBERT POPOVICH.
MRE REFLECTED THE NEW SYSTEM WHILE SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR OF DIALYSIS AND TRANSPLANTATION OF A DC, THE HOUSE NEAR THE A DC CAMPUS AT 34 10 OWEN AVENUE, WHERE MONCRIEF AND POPOVICH DID MUCH OF THEIR INITIAL RESEARCH IS NO LONGER EX EXTENT.
MONCRIEF ALSO PIONEERED TELEMEDICINE AS HE EXPANDED ON THE ING NEED TO TREAT KIDNEY PATIENTS AT HOME, ENABLED BY CAPD.
MONCRIEF WAS ALSO THE FIRST DOCTOR IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM DIALYSIS ON A NEWBORN, ALONG WITH HIS WORK AT BRACKENRIDGE.
AND HIS POSITION AT AS DIRECTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEPHROLOGY RESEARCH AT A DC RE BEGAN HIS OWN NEPHROLOGY PRACTICE AND STILL CONSULTS PATIENTS VIA TELEMEDICINE.
TODAY THE RE DIALYSIS CENTER WAS LOCATED AT 800 WEST 34TH STREET UNTIL ITS CLOSURE.
THE 2021 NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AT 8 0 1 WEST 34TH STREET AS NON-CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
HOWEVER, IT NOTES THAT THE NON-CONTRIBUTING STATUS IS APPLIED BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT OUTSIDE THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ADJACENT AND MUCH OLDER HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ITS MERITS AS AN ITS MERITS AS AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK OR NOT CONSIDERED AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY.
THE BUILDING APPEARS TO, APPEARS TO RETAIN INTEGRITY AS THE ADDITIONS AND SKYBRIDGE WERE CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS, UH, THAT SHOULD THE COMMISSION FIND THAT EITHER BUILDING MEETS THE REQUIRED INTEGRITY AND SIGNIFICANCE THRESHOLD, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, OTHERWISE ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE OR DECONSTRUCTION AND SALVAGE OVER DEMOLITION, BUT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATIONS UPON COMPLETION OF CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGES FOR BOTH BUILDINGS.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? REAL BRIEFLY? IT'S, UH, 9 56.
SO I WANTED TO GET AN ANSWER TO YOU ON YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T OR YOU DON'T EXTEND THE MEETING.
UM, OR DID YOU EXTEND IT? OKAY.
DO YOU, DO YOU WANNA FINISH YOUR CASE? AND I'LL TELL YOU AFTER THAT.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM.
UM, SAME SPEAKER FOR BOTH ITEMS. AND IT IS BETSY GREENBERG IN OPPOSITION COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS BETSY GREENBERG AND I'VE LIVED IN THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE 1989, ABOUT THREE BLOCKS FROM THESE BUILDINGS.
I'VE WALKED COUNTLESS TIMES AROUND
[03:55:01]
AND THROUGH THE EMPTY PARKING LOTS, ENJOYING THE TREES.I EVEN TAUGHT MY CHILDREN TO RIDE THEIR BIKES ON THESE VACANT PARKING LOTS.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THE SKYBRIDGE WAS THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECT OF THE PROPERTY, TO BE HONEST.
AFTER HEARING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED, I THOUGHT THE DEMO PERMITS WOULD BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
I LIVE MORE THAN 500 FEET AWAY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT CHOSE NOT TO SHARE THE NOTICE ABOUT THIS HEARING.
SO I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT THIS CASE LATE LAST WEEK.
THE STAFF REPORT PROVIDED INFORMATION OF WHICH I WAS TOTALLY UNAWARE.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO MS. CONTRERAS FOR THE THOROUGH REPORT ON THESE PROPERTIES SHOWING THAT THEY IN FACT, MEET THE CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC ZONING THROUGH BOTH ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
I KNEW THAT THESE WERE THE OLD DAW DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC BUILDINGS AND THAT MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS CONTINUED TO USE THE DOCTORS IN THE MEDICAL BUILDINGS UNTIL ONLY THE DIALYSIS CENTER REMAINED.
I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE IMPORTANT MEDICAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION BEING DONE BY DR.
I ALSO HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN BY THE RENOWNED TEAM OF WILSON MORRIS CRANE AND ANDERSON.
CONSIDERING THAT THE FRANK IRWIN CENTER HAS BEEN TORN DOWN, AND CITY PLANS HAVE BEEN APPROVED TO REMOVE THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN BUILDING, I SUPPORT PRESERVING THESE TWO MUCH SMALLER EXAMPLES OF THEIR DESIGNS THAT ARE NOW RARE IN AUSTIN.
THESE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN VACANT OR NEAR VACANT FOR WELL OVER A, A DECADE, AND WE'VE LIVED THROUGH MULTIPLE REZONING ATTEMPTS.
MOST RECENTLY, OUR CITY COUNCIL CHANGED THE ZONING TO GR E TODD DBE TODD ZONING.
THE GR ALLOWS ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL USES SUCH AS HOSPITAL OR HOTEL.
AND THE E TODD DBE TODD ALLOWS FOR CONSIDERABLE MORE HEIGHT IF THE DEVELOPER DECIDES TO UTILIZE THE DENSITY BONUS TO BUILD HOUSING, INCLUDING THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES THAT ARE ALSO BEING DEMOLISHED.
THE FOUR TRACKS THAT ARE PART OF THE 34TH AND WEST REDEVELOPMENT COMPRISE A TOTAL OF FIVE ACRES.
THESE TWO BUILDINGS, CONSI CONSIDERED TOGETHER, ARE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO 34TH STREET AND TOGETHER HAVE FOOTPRINTS OF LESS THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE.
SO IT'S EASY TO IMAGINE PRESERVING THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND USING THE ABUNDANT SURFACE PARKING AND ADJACENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE ALSO BEING DEMOLISHED FOR HOUSING, HOPEFULLY, AND OR EXPANDING COMMERCIAL USES.
IF THERE IS A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, IT HAS NOT BEEN SHARED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS REQUIRED BY A PRIVATE AGREEMENT THAT WAS SIGNED AT THE TIME OF REZONING.
CAN I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME SINCE IT'S REALLY TWO CASES? ONE MORE SENTENCE.
I'LL ASK YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR SENTENCE.
I KNOW THAT WHAT GETS BUILT HERE IS NOT IN YOUR PURVIEW, BUT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IS PLANNED, I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS.
PLEASE VOTE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING OR POSTPONE THESE CASES.
ANY MORE SPEAKERS ENTERTAIN THE MOTION OF CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UM, MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE UNTIL OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.
FIRST, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO IT? UM, I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH INFORMATION HERE TO MAYBE DIG A LITTLE DEEPER AND SEE WHERE WE WANT TO GO ON THIS.
UM, AND ALSO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, POTENTIALLY GET INVOLVED, UM, AND MAYBE TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE AND HOW THESE EXISTING BUILDINGS MIGHT BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT.
I, I LIVE IN THE AREA AND I'VE PASSED THIS BUILDING FOR MOST OF MY 60 SOME ODD YEARS.
UH, SO IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN ME.
UM, BUT, UM, I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THE HISTORY AND I WANT TO THANK FOLKS FOR, FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON, ON PULLING TOGETHER THE INFORMATION.
I THINK IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING.
UH, AND IT'S A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE MORE BROADLY TOLD.
I, I FEEL FAIRLY STRONGLY ABOUT, UM, DESIGNATING 8 0 1 AS AN HISTORICAL LANDMARK.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WORTHY OF ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
UH, 800 I HAVE A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGE WITH.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT REQUIRES A LONGER CONVERSATION AND I, THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING, UH, TABLING IT TO THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
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ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I'LL CONCUR WITH BOTH OF THOSE.I LIVED, UH, AT, ON GUADALUPE THERE AT UH, 33RD AND GUADALUPE AND DROVE BY THEM OFTEN AND THEY KIND OF, KIND OF CAUGHT MY INTEREST.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE, WHEN YOU START LOOKING CLOSER AND APPRECIATING THE PROPORTIONS AND THE DETAILS, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE.
BUT I'M ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PLANS ARE BECAUSE TO INTERFACING, EVEN WITH THE SKYBRIDGE POSSIBLY COULD REALLY TIE A DEVELOPMENT TOGETHER.
I THINK THERE'S SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
AT THE VERY LEAST I THINK WE SHOULD HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
SO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS, I'LL CALL THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, DO WE JUST WANNA POSTPONE IT OR DO WE DON'T INVITE ANYONE TO THE A RC OH AND ALSO INVITE TO THE A RC UH AMEN TO INVITE TO THE A C SECONDARY APPROVES.
ALL IN FAVOR? THAT'S NEXT WEDNESDAY.
[26. Conduct officer election for Vice Chair. ]
TO ELECT VICE, LEMME HELP YOU ELECT VICE CHAIR.DO WE HAVE AN ANSWER ON THE, THE 10 A, THE 10:00 PM BEFORE AND NOW THAT IT'S 10 0 3 AND WE'RE SO CLOSE TO, WE PROBABLY MAYBE COULD HAVE MADE IT BY 10 ANYWAY.
SO AS LONG AS A QUORUM IS PRESENT, THE MEETING CAN CONTINUE BY EXTENDING THE MEETING THROUGH A MOTION.
IF A QUORUM DOES NOT WANNA CONTINUE, YOU SHOULD POSTPONE OR TAKE ACTION ON THE REMAINING ITEMS. OTHERWISE, THERE'LL BE POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU SHOULD POSTPONE TO A DATE CERTAIN OR WE'LL HAVE TO RE-NOTICE, UM, WITH AN AWARENESS ON ANY NEED THAT NEED ACTION BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
SAY THAT AGAIN WITH AN AWARENESS OF WHICH ONES, WHICH OF THOSE WE'RE POSTPONING MAY REQUIRE ACTION BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
WHICH WOULD PRIMARILY BE INITIATED, CORRECT.
I THINK THE REST OF THEM CAN PRETTY MUCH ENDURE A 30 DAY POSTPONEMENT UNLESS THEY WERE GONNA TIME OUT ANYWAY.
IN WHICH CASE THEY HAD LESS THAN A MONTH OF LICENSE.
SO WE MAY LOSE SOME, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGES IN THE PROCESS MM-HMM
AND AS MENTIONED, WE COULD MOVE TO MOVE SOME THINGS IF WE START LOOKING AT IT AT NINE 30, COULD MOVE SOME OF THE MORE, THE MORE IMPORTANT CASES RIGHT AT THE FRONT ANYWAY.
SO I THINK THE KEY IS JUST TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE POSTPONING TO A TIME CERTAIN, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RE-NOTICE.
AND THEN BEING MINDFUL OF THE TIMELINES ASSOCIATED AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF, OF POSTPONING SOMETHING THAT COULD TIME OUT.
AND THAT POSTPONING MEANS IT APPEARS IN ADDITION TO ALL THE NEW CASES ON OUR NEXT MEETING.
WHICH COULD BE A, HAVE A COMPOUNDING EFFECT.
IS THERE A WAY, IF I MAY, IS THERE A WAY ON THE OUR, UH, SUMMARY SHEET THAT WE GET BEFORE THE MEETINGS THAT WE CAN PUT A COLUMN OR HIGHLIGHT WHICH ONES ARE TIME SENSITIVE? YEAH, WE CAN.
SO IF, IF WE DO GET IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN, WE SEE ITEMS 14, 17, AND 19, WE'LL TIME OUT OR WE HAVE ANOTHER LIMITATION IN FRONT OF US, WE AT LEAST KNOW THAT WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE THOSE UP IN THE AGENDA.
WE PUT IT IN THE STAFF REPORT.
I WAS SO THE SUGGEST, I THINK IT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT, BUT I CAN SEE HOW IT WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL IN YOUR MATRIX.
SO THE SUGGESTION WAS TO MAYBE PUT A COLUMN WITH THE TIMELINES SO ON THE MATRIX SO THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, ON, ON THE SUMMARY SHEET TO SHOW WHEN THINGS ARE GONNA TIME OUT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SUGGESTION SO THAT WE HAVE TO LAST MEETING FOR GO INTO THE STAFF REPORT.
WE CAN, THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.
I THINK, ACTUALLY, LET ME MAKE A QUICK SUGGESTION.
UH, RIGHT NOW, A CHANGE THAT WE ASKED FOR AND HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IS THAT WHEN AN ITEM HAS BEEN POSTPONED FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING, IT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS HAVING BEEN POSTPONED.
AND I THINK WITHIN THAT COMMENT, IT MAY BE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE TIME TO SAY, AND IT WILL TIME OUT AT A PARTICULAR TIME.
WE CAN DEFINITELY, BECAUSE THE CHART, EXCEPT IF IT HADN'T BEEN POSTPONED, IT'S REALLY NOT RELEVANT IN TERMS OF, UM, WHEN IT'S, WHETHER IT'S TIMING OUT OR NOT.
IF IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD IT, LET US TAKE A LOOK AND WE'LL COME TO YOU WITH SOME SUGGESTED FORMATS AND YOU CAN GIVE US CONTINUED FEEDBACK ON WHAT'S WORKING.
I ALSO THINK THAT, NOT TODAY, BUT AT SOME DATES CERTAIN WE WOULD JUST KIND OF HAVE A, A CONSENSUS AGREEMENT ON WHAT'S A REASONABLE EXTENSION.
IS IT AN HOUR? IS IT AN HOUR AND A HALF? I MEAN, IF WE, IF WE KIND OF UNDERSTOOD THAT I I'D, I'D BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE THAN, YEAH, I THINK THAT MOTION COULD ALWAYS HAVE AN EXTENSION TO A CERTAIN TIME AT WHICH POINT IT WOULD NEED A, YOU CAN ALWAYS EXTEND AGAIN IF YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN EXTEND ONE TIME AND THEN YOU CAN EXTEND AGAIN, YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF THE MOTIONS TO EXTEND THE PAST 10 FROM HERE.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IF WE HAVE QUORUM, UH, A COMMISSIONER WHO DOES NOT WISH TO BE HERE PAST 10:00 PM CAN LEAVE AND WE'LL JUST MARK YOU AS OFF THE,
[04:05:01]
IF YOU WANNA GO, YOU CAN GO UNLESS YOU DON'T WANNA VOTE ON VICE CHAIRWE HAVE, UH, ELECTIONS VICE CHAIR WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS HAVING OTHER DUTIES THAT TOOK HER AWAY.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN NOMINATIONS AND I THINK CHAIR
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS.
UH, HE SERVED WITH, UH, AS CHAIR WHEN I SERVED ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION ADMIRABLY.
AND OF COURSE WITH HIS EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND FROM, UH, HIS WORK SERVING ON THE STATE LANDMARKS COMMISSION, UH, I, I CAN SEE HE WOULD BRING ALREADY HAS BROUGHT QUITE A BIT OF RESOURCE EVEN THOUGH HE IS A RELATIVELY NEW MEMBER.
UM, BUT, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT HIS NAME IN HIS NOM FOR NOMINATION AND TO CONFIRM HE IS WILLING TO ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE TIRED.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF, OF, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS AS VICE CHAIR.
YOU GOTTA BE, YOU GOTTA BE UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR IN, I THINK IT'S SO WELL SUITED POSITION, GIVEN YOUR AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
SO, AND YOU GET TO DO THIS NEXT TIME.
ALRIGHT, NEXT TIME THAT, THAT CHERYL HIN IS NOT HERE.
[28. Update from the Architectural Review Committee regarding the September 10, 2026 meeting. ]
SO NEXT WE HAVE, UH, WE DID THAT CONSENT UPDATE FROM ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.WE, UM, SNEAKS UP ON ME TOO, REVIEWED SEVERAL CASES, UM, I'M SORRY.
WE REVIEWED SEVERAL CASES INCLUDING, UM, A COUPLE THAT ADDRESSED ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.
UM, ONE WAS THE HISTORIC BAKERY BUILDING ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CHALLENGING BUILDING WITH MULTIPLE FLOOR LEVELS.
UM, I THINK WE SAW SOME PROGRESS WITH THE LATEST ROUND OF CONCEPTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT DISCUSSION THERE.
UM, AND I'M GONNA MAKE THIS QUICK.
WE ALSO REVIEWED AN EXCITING POTENTIAL STOIC LAMB WORK AND HAD A VERY ENGAGING CONVERSATION WITH BOTH THE ARCHITECT AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
SO WE'LL SEE WHAT UNFOLDS THERE.
AND I WANTED TO NOTE ON THE, UH, THE BAKERY CASE, THEY DID CLARIFY THAT WHAT WE SAW AT THE LAST MEETING WERE, WERE MASSING MODELS THAT ANY OF THE INDICATED FENESTRATION OR DETAIL, UH, WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE THE FINAL ONE.
UM, BUT WE HAD VERY GOOD DISCUSSION THERE.
UPDATE FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
[29. Update from the Preservation Plan Committee regarding the September 24, 2026 meeting. Members: Commissioners Larosche and Pleasant-Wright. ]
YEAH, WE MET, UH, UH, MS. PLEASANT WRIGHT CHAIRED THE COMMITTEE AND I ATTENDED VIRTUALLY, UH, WE GOT A BRIEFING ON THE EQUITY BASED PLAN.UH, SHE PLANS TO PRESENT CITY STAFF PLANS TO PRESENT AS AN UPCOMING MEETING.
UH, MS. PLEASANT WRIGHT, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? JUST THAT WE HAD A VISITOR FROM UT.
I CAN'T THINK OF, OH, I DON'T REMEMBER.
HIS NAME IS CARTER AND HE ATTENDED OUR MEETING, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING.
SO, NO, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO COMMISSIONER RO LAUREL.
[30. Update from Commissioner Taniguchi regarding the September 16, 2026 Downtown Commission meeting.]
IS NOT PRESENT, SO I DON'T GUESS WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
THERE'S MORE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK COMMISSIONER CHAIR HYACK MAY HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO PRESENT.WELL, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON, YOU AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT ABOUT THIS, BUT WE HAVE THAT TASK FORCE REGARDING THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE.
UH, WE HEARD FROM ONE OF THE SPEAKERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AND I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO MAKE A REQUEST THAT WE HAVE A FORMAL BRIEFING ON THE MATTER AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND THEN AS, UM, UH, OUR VICE CHAIR, UM, ROXANNE EVANS IS NO LONGER PART, UH, HERE AND CAN'T BE PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.
I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, I BASICALLY, I'LL VOLUNTEER TO JOIN THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
UH, I THINK IN THE INTERIM BETWEEN NOW AND OUR NEXT MEETING, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS MOVING FORWARD.
WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLACE AT THE TABLE AND IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC ITEMS HAVING TO DO WITH THE ADVANCING OF A NEW DESIGN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S, IT'S APPROPRIATE TO EVEN, UH, CONSIDER DEMOLITION OF THAT BRIDGE.
BUT IF THERE IS A NEW DESIGN, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THAT WE'RE HAVING INPUT.
AND SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST THAT BOTH THE FULL, UH, PRESENTATION BE MADE AT OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, FROM THE,
[04:10:01]
THE CAPITAL, UH, UH, GROUP THAT'S RESPONSIBLE, BUT THAT THE, UH, THE WORKING GROUP MEET IN THE INTERIM.UH, AND SO THAT WE GET AN UPDATE ON ALL PROGRESS, INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR THE NEW DESIGN CHAIR, SETH, WHO, WHO WOULD BE PROVIDING THAT BRIEFING? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UH, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE, THE RIGHT NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, GROUP.
IS THAT RIGHT STAT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW PROJECTS WORK AT THE CITY.
SO ONCE UPON A TIME, PROJECT DELIVERY WAS PART OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A REORGANIZATION AND THE SPONSOR DEPARTMENT IS TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THERE'S A STANDALONE DEPARTMENT CALLED CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES THAT DELIVERS PROJECTS ON BEHALF OF DEPARTMENTS.
SO IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, AS WELL AS CAPITAL DELIVERY.
UM, WE WILL IDENTIFY THE BEST PERSON TO, UH, PROVIDE THE BRIEFING YOU PREVIOUSLY HEARD FROM AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CAPITAL DELIVERY WHO IS NO LONGER WITH THE CITY.
AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL FIND OUT, UM, WHO, WHO THE BEST PERSON TO BRIEF YOU ON THE PROJECT.
THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS THE LOCAL PROCESS, WHICH IS THE CODE MANDATED PURVIEW THAT THE COMMISSION HAS OVER NEW CONSTRUCTION IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
THERE'S ALSO A NEPA PROCESS HAPPENING.
AND, UM, IT'S MY, YOU KNOW, THAT MAYBE, MAYBE YOU CAN PROVIDE, MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN IF YOU WANT INFORMATION ON BOTH.
UM, AS, AS OUR, OUR CHAIR MENTIONED, UH, THERE IS A NEW DESIGN.
SO YOU HAVE THE PURVIEW TO WEIGH IN FORMALLY AND ALSO MAYBE UNDERSTAND BETTER WHERE THE NEPA PROCESS IS, WHICH INCLUDES SOME HISTORIC PRESERVATION, FEDERAL REGULATION, SEC SECTION 1 0 6 AND SECTION FOUR F.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE TEAM IS WORKING TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES MAY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED MORE ON DELIVERY AND LESS ON RECONSIDERATION OF SCOPE? I MEAN, IF IT'S GIVEN AND THEIR, THEIR TASK IS GET IT DONE AS PRESENTED, MAYBE THAT WASN'T THE BEST PERSON IN THAT FORUM TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF DISCUSSION WE WERE SEEKING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, I DO KNOW THAT THEY, THEY HAVE TO REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THE, THE DEPARTMENT IS THE CLIENT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, THIS, YOU KNOW, THE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP IS THAT IT'S COLLABORATIVE.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE, THE CLIENT IS THAT SPONSOR DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE, THE, THE JOB OF THE PROJECT DELIVERY TEAM IS TO DELIVER THAT PROJECT CLIENT.
AND PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO GO TOO DEEP INTO IT, BUT THE, THE WHOLE ISSUE, HAVING GONE LONG BACK WITH LOTS OF WORK DONE, I THINK WAS DRIVEN BY COUNCIL AND NOT SO MUCH BY PUBLIC WORKS.
SO THE PREVIOUS, THE PREVIOUS ACTIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT THAT LOOKED AT VARIOUS OPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH, YOU KNOW, REHABILITATION AND REPLACEMENT.
AND THOSE OPTIONS WERE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, AND COUNCIL ULTIMATELY MADE A DECISION AND IT DID NOT GO THROUGH A BOARD COMMISSION PROCESS.
AND THAT THERE WERE SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL ACTION RELATED TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GRANT.
SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, POLICY SORT OF DECI THERE'S POLICY GUIDANCE OR POLICY DECISIONS THAT HAVE, HAVE, HAVE COME FROM COUNCIL.
UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, I THINK, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
SO AT THIS POINT, RATHER THAN WE DON'T, OBVIOUSLY CAN'T GET INTO ALL OF THIS IN ONE MEETING, UH, AT THE END OF THIS MEETING.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE SINCE WHO WE WERE WORKING WITH, ISN'T THERE ANYMORE TO, UM, BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE WORD KING GROUP? AND, AND AGAIN, UH, COMMISSIONER ACTON, UH, I KNOW COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE, UH, I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE ONE OTHER WHO I'M MISSING, UM, WHO VOLUNTEERED.
UH, SO IF, IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE, WE CAN PUSH, PUSH THIS FORWARD, UH, AND THEN, UH, ALSO TWO MEMBERS ARE NEEDED TO PUT SOMETHING ON OUR AGENDA.
SO I ASSUME THAT ONE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS ALSO WOULD JOIN ME IN MAKING THAT A, A FORMAL REQUEST SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT ON OUR NOVEMBER AGENDA.
UH, ONE THING I WILL CAUTION IF IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, IF OUR DEADLINE TO GET ON THE NOVEMBER AGENDA IS THIS FRIDAY, SO, UM, IT MIGHT BE VERY SHORT NOTICE FOR THEM TO PULL TOGETHER.
THE MATERIAL NEEDED TO GET ON ON THE NOVEMBER AGENDA IS WE CAN ALWAYS ASK, WHAT DO YOU THINK, HELEN? I'M JUST, UM, IS NOVEMBER REALISTIC FOR A
[04:15:01]
BRIEFING FROM BRIEFING, BUT AN ITEM? AN ITEM, OKAY.SO WE COULD REQUEST A BRIEFING, BUT IF YOU WANTED AN ACTUAL ITEM LIKE RELATED TO THE REVIEW OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, THAT MIGHT REQUIRE MORE TIME.
SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD COME AT A, A LATER DATE.
WELL THAT COULD BE THAT, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY ADD THAT TO THEIR BRIEFING, UH, KNOWING THAT WE, PARTICULARLY IF THE WORKING GROUP WOULD'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THEM, THAT, UH, WE ARE IN FACT WANTING TO BE ENGAGED DIRECTLY WITH THEIR PROCESS AND ARE WILLING TO TAKE AND ARE READY TO START TAKING SOME ACTION.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT IF WE ARE TO GET FORMAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE DESIGN OF THE NEW BRIDGE, THAT WILL HAVE TO BE AN ACTION ITEM.
UM, AND THEY'LL PROBABLY NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME.
SO WHAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY SUGGEST IS A BRIEFING IN NOVEMBER, JUST A GENERAL UPDATE ABOUT WHERE THE PROCESS IS BOTH LOCALLY AND FEDERALLY WITH THE NYPA PROCESS.
AND THEN WE COULD PREPARE THEM TO EXPECT THAT IN THE DECEMBER MEETING THAT YOU WOULD BE FORMALLY REVIEWING AND PROVIDING COMMENTS.
UM, AND WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF THAT, WHETHER IT'S ATTENDANCE AT THE A RC, SO THAT THERE'S SORT OF A LITTLE MORE FOCUSED TIME FOR THOSE A RC MEMBERS TO DEVELOP COMMENTS.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING FROM THE D.
SO, UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THAT TAKES PLACE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
SO WE COULD ASK HIM TO COME TO THE NOVEMBER A RC.
SO NOVEMBER BRIEFING EARLY IN THE MONTH, MAYBE NOVEMBER A RC, FOLLOWED BY A, AN ACTION ITEM AT THE DECEMBER MEETING WHERE YOU FORMALLY PUT FORWARD YOUR COMMENTS AND IT WOULD BE AN ACTION ITEM.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD ORDER OF OPERATIONS? WOULD WE WANT TO GIVE COMMENT PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE PROCESSES GOING FORWARD WITH NEPA IN CHECKING IN WITH COLLEAGUES RECENTLY? IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE DESIGN IS PRETTY FAR ADVANCED.
IT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE YOU'VE SEEN IT LAST.
AND, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I ASKED IF THEY WERE ANTICIPATING CHANGES.
'CAUSE THE THOUGHT WAS, UH, LAST SPRING THAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH NEPA AND HEARING, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THROUGH BRIEFINGS, AND THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR THE, THE DESIGN TO CHANGE IN FOLLOWING UP WITH, UH, COLLEAGUES.
I'M, I DON'T THINK THAT'S HAPPENED.
AND SO THE NEPA PROCESS IS, IS CONTINUING.
AND I, I THINK THAT IN ORDER TO MEET THAT CODE REQUIREMENT, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THE DESIGN IS GOING TO CHANGE.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE WELCOME TO CORRECT ME, BUT IN CHECKING IN, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW BRIDGE.
THEY'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE SECTION FOUR F IS, YOU KNOW, A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THEM TO DEMONSTRATE THE NEED AND PURPOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING OUR PART, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE SIMPLY REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH NEPA.
AND WHEN WE SAY NEPA, THAT, THAT'S AN UMBRELLA TERM THAT INCLUDES ALL THE DIFFERENT REVIEWS, HISTORIC AND CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL.
SO WE'RE PLAYING A PART WITH HISTORICAL AND, AND REVIEWING ARCHE, YOU KNOW, ARCHEOLOGY.
BUT THERE IS OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, INVOLVED PARKS AND RECREATION, ENVIRONMENTAL, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT, WATERSHED PROTECTION, FOLKS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE TWO TRACKS.
WE HAVE ONE OF, IF NEW BRIDGE, HOW MUCH INPUT COULD WE HAVE IN IT SO THAT IT'S NOT AS UGLY AS IT IS NOW.
AND THEN SECONDLY, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAYBE ASSUAGE THAT DECISION AND DO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE LOGICAL, LIKE SEPARATE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, AND THEN SALVAGE THE EXISTING BRIDGE.
UM, AND SO I GUESS WE CAN JUST WORK ON BOTH TRACKS AT THE SAME TIME.
WELL, AND IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WITH THE LACK OF, UM, ANY KIND OF CORRESPONDENCE OR ANY KIND OF MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT, UH, WE WERE RATHER UNEQUIVOCAL IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
SO, UH, UNLESS ALL THAT INFORMATION WENT OUT THE DOOR WITH THE MANAGER WHO LEFT, I WOULD'VE HOPED THAT, UH, PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND WOULD, WOULD WANNA ENGAGE WITH US.
BUT, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE WE'RE BEING SIDELINED AND IT'S KIND OF INFURIATING.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT AND EITHER TRACK WHETHER WE GO THROUGH AND CAN SUBSTANTIATE THAT IT IS IN FACT A BUILDING THAT, UH, A STRUCTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED AND CAN BE PRESERVED.
BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, UH, THAT WE WEIGH IN ON AN APPROPRIATE DESIGN, WHAT THEY PRESENTED TO US UNEQUIVOCALLY WAS NOT APPROPRIATE AND WE MADE THAT CLEAR.
UH, SO I'M, I'M VERY FRUSTRATED AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ENGAGED, WHATEVER THAT TAKES.
[04:20:01]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS IN THAT FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? I HAVE ONE AND I'LL MAKE IT QUICK.UM, SINCE I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE COMMISSION A NUMBER OF MONTHS, HAS STAFF PRESENTED A LIST OF, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES OR ITEMS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION? MM-HMM
THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS FROM, THERE'S BEEN INTEREST AND, UM, DISCUSSIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK, UM, OUR, OUR, THE LATE JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO, UM, A COMMISSIONER WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN LISTING, UM, PUBLICLY OWNED CITY OF AUSTIN PROPERTIES.
THERE IS NOT A PRIORITIZED LIST, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT.
I WILL SAY TO THAT END, WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN, IN GETTING QUITE A FEW PROPERTIES LISTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, INCLUDING FANNIE DAVIS GAZEBO, UH, DORIS MILLER AUDITORIUM GOES TO COUNCIL TOMORROW.
UM, BOY, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER ONES.
UH, PALM PARK, SHELTER HOUSE, UM, GIVENS IS COMING, SO BE PREPARED.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS COMPREHENSIVE MM-HMM
A LIST OF, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, ET CETERA, THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.
UH, SO WE CAN BEGIN WORKING THROUGH THOSE.
THERE, THERE IS A LIST FOR PARKS, WHICH IS SOMETHING I WORKED ON WHEN I LIVED, WHEN I, WHEN I, WHEN I LIVED THERE, WHEN I WORKED THERE, ALSO LIVED THERE.
I THINK THE WEAKNESSES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY, LIKE THE LIBRARIES AND FIRE STATIONS, BRIDGES AND BRIDGES AND OTHER STRUCTURES.
SO, UH, WE, WE CAN START WITH LOW HANGING ONCE UPON, WE HAVE A, UH, WE DID A CLG GRANT BACK IN 2012, UM, TO HIRE A, A CONSULTANT OR MAYBE A TEMP STAFF MEMBER TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTIES AND IDENTIFY POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES.
AND WHILE THAT IS ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD AND THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOW ELIGIBLE AT, IT'S A GOOD STARTING PLACE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, THE PARKS AND REC LIST, WHICH IS VERY MUCH ACTIVE AND ONLINE.
AND THEN WE DO NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH A LIST, UM, ON, FOR THE OTHER PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTIES.
AND I THINK IT COULD BE A GOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE COULD DEVELOP A PRIORITIZED LIST, BUT IT COULD BE THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF A MATRIX.
UM, SOMETHING TO BEAR IN MIND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF INEQUITY IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE, ARE DESIGNATED.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTIES IN PARTS OF TOWN THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED THAT HAVE REALLY NO ACADEMIC RESEARCH OR DESIGNATIONS.
AND SO THAT WAS A FOCUS OF PARKS AND REC WAS TO, UH, KIND OF RECTIFIED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE LISTED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER THAT HAVE A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO, UM, PUT THOSE FORWARD.
UM, YEAH, IF I, MY THOUGHT IS IF WE MOVE FORWARD ON SOME OF THE LONG LOW HANGING FRUIT, IT MAY PROPEL SOME OF THESE OTHER ITEMS UP THE LIST, CERTAINLY.
AND GIVE THEM SOME, SOME LIFE.
AND IT MIGHT BE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THE APP, AN APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE, UM, TO KIND OF FO FOCUS ON THIS.
WHETHER IT'S OUR, YOU KNOW, PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE OR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
WE COULD TALK MORE ABOUT MAYBE, UM, WORKING THROUGH A COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY A LIST OR, YOU KNOW, A PRIORITIZED LIST I SHOULD SAY.
AND THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AND AS PART OF THE, IN THE OPS COMMITTEE MM-HMM
THIS IS ON OUR AGENDA AS FAR AS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA START DOING.
AND PART OF THAT WAS IDENTIFYING A STREAMLINED PROCEDURE FOR DOCUMENTING THESE AND NOT MAKING EVERYTHING A NOVEL OF INFORMATION AND SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF RAPIDLY AND NOT USE A HUGE AMOUNT OF, OF ASSET TIME-WISE TO, TO DOCUMENT THEM.
ONE OF THE BARRIERS FOR DOING THIS, AS, AS, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER PLEASANT WRIGHT KNOWS, IS THAT THESE SURVEY, HISTORIC DESIGNATION REQUIRES AN ACTUAL SURVEY.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH PUBLIC PROPERTIES, YOU DON'T OFTEN HAVE A, A SURVEY THAT SORT OF OUTLINES A FOOTPRINT OF A BUILDING OR SORT OF A THOUGHTFUL PER PERIMETER.
SO IT IS INCUMBENT ON THE DEPARTMENTS TO COME UP WITH THAT FUNDING TO PRODUCE THAT SURVEY.
AND WHEN WE HAVE IN-HOUSE SURVEYORS, IT'S, THEY, IT'S, THEY SORT OF CHARGE DEPARTMENTS AND SO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S FUNDING OP, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT ISN'T AS EASY AS JUST, YOU KNOW, PAPERWORK.
THERE'S A SURVEY ASSOCIATED, WHICH CAN BE A BIT OF A BARRIER.
THAT'S A PROCESS OR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDING I THINK AS WELL.
AND I MAY NOT BE LOW HANGING FRUIT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN INTEREST OF MINE AND I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE IT BEING AN IMPORTANT FRUIT TO DO ALL THE BRIDGES NOW THAT, UH, GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CREEKS IN THE, OR IN THE DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE NOW, AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE CONSERVANCIES COULD CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SURVEYS.
I THINK A LOT OF 'EM HAVE BEEN SURVEYED, BUT NOW THE, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE'S BEEN BROACHED NOW WITH BARTON CREEK, BUT WE HAVE SIXTH STREET, UH, THE SHO CREEK AND WALL CREEK, AND WE HAD THE 12TH
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STREET.AND, UM, THEY'RE SO ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE, UH, URBAN CREEK EXPERIENCE.
IT'S BEEN A PART I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE WE ADD THOSE.
ALTHOUGH ON THE NOTE, IT'S PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC WORKS AND THEY JUST GOTTA KEEP THINGS PAVED AND POTHOLES.
THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING HISTORIC UNDER THERE, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO, SECOND, HARRIS, UH, SECOND PRESIDENT WRIGHT SECOND.
LET ME, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK FOR STEPPING IN SINCE I COULDN'T PHYSICALLY BE THERE.