TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS T. J. CHAMBERS SURVEY, A-7 ALTA/NSPS LAND TITLE SURVEY W/ TREES 0.153 ACRE (6,678 SF) OF LAND, BEING A PORTION OF OUTLOT 5, DIVISION "E" OF THE GOVERNMENT OUTLOTS ADJOINING THE ORIGINAL CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT ON FILE AT THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS D R A V E L U O B K E E R A L C O H S WEST 12TH STREET SITE E U N E V T A S E W WEST 11TH STREET VICINTY MAP (NOT TO SCALE) A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL VOL. 10078, PG. 19 R.P.R.T.C.T. CALLED 0.555 ACRE TDC WEST TWELFTH LP DOC. #2019150413 O.P.R.T.C.T. 0 20 40 SCALE: 1" = 20' UTILITY AND IMPROVEMENT NOTE: ONLY SURFACE EVIDENCE OF UTILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE SHOWN ON THIS SURVEY. BEARING BASIS & HORIZONTAL DATUM: TEXAS COORDINATE SYSTEM, GRID NAD '83 (CENTRAL ZONE 4203) PORTION OF OF OUTLOT 5, DIVISION "E" 809 WEST 12TH STREET LLC DOC. #2019185329 O.P.R.T.C.T. (S70° 26'E 46') S73° 13' 42"E 46.00' OHE OHE ASPHALT PP OHE (S70° 26'E 50') S73° 13' 42"E 50.00' // FROM WHICH A PINCHED 1/2" IRON PIPE FOUND BEARS S73° 13' 42"E, 0.49' NG FROM WHICH A 1/2" IRON ROD FOUND BEARS S15° 39' 19"E, 0.23' E H O BRICK PARKING [CALLED 0.405 ACRE] CJI PROPERTIES INC. VOL. 11554, PG. 1380 R.P.R.T.C.T. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 0.5' CONC. CURB ASPHALT PARKING 0.5' CONC. CURB 1851 E H O 1850 E H O 4.7' 18.1' ' 1 . 8 0.3' ' 1 . 8 EM 12.4' 10.9' 1849 / / AC ) ' 2 . 5 4 1 W ° 9 1 S ( ] ' 2 2 . 5 4 1 ' W 6 0 ° 9 1 S [ ' 2 1 . / / 5 4 1 E " 1 5 ' 8 0 ° 6 1 N / / NG / / ' 5 . 9 3 0.153 ACRE 6,678 SF A 5 . 9 3 ' 1-STORY BRICK BUILDING ' 1 0 . 5 4 1 W " 2 5 ' 6 0 ° 6 1 S ) ' 5 0 . 5 4 1 E ° 9 1 N ( T L A H P S A Y A W E V R D I …
Heritage Preservation Grant Awareness Workshop Heritage Tourism Division City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department CITY OF AUS TIN 1 Heritage Preservation Grant Overview The Heritage Preservation Grant promotes tourism through the preservation of historic buildings, sites, and districts, or through planning, educational, or marketing projects inclusive of all stories on well-documented places rooted in history and heritage. Based on State Statute Ch. 351, the project must: • Be used for historical restoration and preservation projects or activities to encourage tourism to visit preserved historic sites. • At, or in the immediate vicinity of, Convention Center facilities or visitor information centers; Located in the areas that would be frequented by tourists and convention delegates; • CITY OF AUS TIN 2 Eligibility Requirements USES: Historic preservation projects and history-focused activities that promote heritage tourism (Contract term: 2 years) ELIGIBLE: Non-Profit and For Profit (leased or owned) REQUIRED: Accessible Historically Designated Grounds and Non-Residential Marketed to Increase/Benefit Tourism and Expand Audiences Projects must occur in an Austin City Council District MATCH: No match required. Funds project costs. CITY OF AUS TIN 3 Priorities • Outreach to First-Time Applicants • Tourism-serving properties listed in the East Austin Historic Survey • Inclusive approach to History, Storytelling and Interpretive Plans • Projects of historically underfunded organizations, heritage groups, and disinvested communities or under-interpreted heritage sites and histories • Creative Collaborations Highly Encouraged • Tourism Marketing and Advertising CITY OF AUS TIN 4 Heritage Preservation Grant CAPITAL PLANNING EDUCATIONAL MARKETING Historic Designation Project Bids & Authorization from the Owner Selection Process Eligible Draft Award Amounts Required (or Site must be eligible for designation) Two Bids are Required / Note: One Bid may be accepted with an Explanation Authorization is Required from Owner Internal Review External Panel Architectural Review Committee Historic Landmark Commission Internal Review External Panel Recommended: Architectural Review Committee Review Optional: 10% PM Fee (not to exceed 20k) Insurance Fees Optional: Insurance Fees Internal Review External Panel Internal Review External Panel Optional: 10% PM Fee (not to exceed 20k) Insurance Fees Optional: Insurance Fees Up to $250,000 $30,000 Up to $250,000 $30,000 CITY OF AUS TIN 5 Ineligible Projects or Expenses (sampling) • Capital projects that do not meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards or local Historic Design Standards; • Community Activated Park Projects proposal at City-owned historic sites that have not been pre-approved by the Parks and Recreation Department; Fundraising expenses, capital …
20 – 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 PR-2024-042274; GF-2024-043970 1205 COTTON STREET PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1923 house. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH One-story Craftsman bungalow with horizontal siding, 1:1 wood windows, and a partial-width porch supported by tapered posts atop stucco piers. It features exposed rafter tails beneath the gabled roof’s deep eaves. The house at 1205 Cotton Street was likely constructed around 1920, though the property’s longest-term occupants purchased the lot several years before. Henry Peter sold the property to Edward “Eddie” T. and Effie Esler White Yerwood in December of 1912. The Yerwoods, newlyweds, were both educators: Professor E. T. Yerwood was the principal of the West Austin School and district superintendent of the Sunday School convention of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Effie E. Yerwood was a teacher of history at L. C. Anderson High School. Professor Yerwood died on March 1, 1917. Between 1922 and 1935, Effie Yerwood either remodeled the existing house extensively or constructed a new house at the same place on the lot. Mrs. Effie Esler White Yerwood completed teaching coursework at Guadalupe College and Texas College in Seguin and Tyler. She attended Tillotson College and received her B.A. from Samuel Huston College shortly thereafter. Because Black teachers could not earn teaching certificates in Texas at the time1, she also studied at the University of Colorado and the University of California.2 After beginning her teaching career in 1910, Effie E. Yerwood taught at L. C. Anderson from 1917 until 1954. In a 1971 retrospective on her years of service with Anderson High with home economics dean Mattie Durden (who eventually became President of the Community Welfare Association and trustee of Huston Tillotson College3), Yerwood recounts the disparity between Black and white schools during the era of segregation: “[Anderson was] lacking a whole lot…the only equipment [Yerwood] remembers having was an old Bunsen burner, some rocks, and a tuning fork.”4 Yerwood and Durden also recalled the significant discrepancy between white teachers’ pay and their own, and how school administration explained away this injustice by stating that Black teachers had a lower cost of living than white ones. “I would tell them that just because you are a Negro doesn’t mean that you get discounts at stores,”5 Yerwood told the Austin American-Statesman. During the 1950s, as she neared retirement, Yerwood purchased the house next door and moved it onto the rear …
1205 COTTON STREET APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION H I S T O R I C L A N D M A R K C O M M I S S I O N 1 2 0 5 C O T T O N S T R E E T . A U S T I N , T X 7 8 7 0 2 P R E L I M I N A R Y - N O T F O R C O N S T R U C T I O N | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 | 1 of 11 1205 Cotton - The property owners’ intention is to build a 2-story single family home with a detached garage. They bought the property for the size of the lot and its location. FRONT YARD SIDE YARD CONTEXT PLAN NOT TO SCALE EXISTING BUILDING BUILT IN 1932, WITH LATER ADDITIONS. GARAGE (NOT ORIGINAL) SIDE YARD PROJECT OVERVIEW H I S T O R I C L A N D M A R K C O M M I S S I O N 1 2 0 5 C O T T O N S T R E E T . A U S T I N , T X 7 8 7 0 2 P R E L I M I N A R Y - N O T F O R C O N S T R U C T I O N | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 | 2 of 11 The East Austin Historic Resource Survey (2016) lists the property as not eligible for individual local or national designation as a historic landmark. The survey found that the home lacks noteworthy architectural attributes. 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY H I S T O R I C L A N D M A R K C O M M I S S I O N 1 2 0 5 C O T T O N S T R E E T . A U S T I N , T X 7 8 7 0 2 P R E L I M I N A R Y - N O T F O R C O N S T R U C T I O N | S …
August 26, 2024 Historic Land Commission City of Austin 301 W 2nd Street Austin TX 78701 Re: Ownership Opposition to Historic Zoning – PR-2024-042274 – 1205 Cotton St. Dear Commissioners, As the owner of 1205 Cotton Street, Austin TX 78702, we hereby object to the staff recommendation to initiate historic designation, zoning or otherwise require documentation package before issuing the demolition permit for case PR-2024-042274 – 1205 Cotton St. We have enclosed with this letter a package supporting this opposition and demolition. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Enclosure Very truly yours, Sara D’Agostini Structural Engineering Evaluation Report Property Address: 1205 Cotton St., Austin, TX Prepared by: Aaron Weaver Date: 07-22-2024 Prepared for: Sara Dagostini 1. Introduction This report presents an evaluation performed by TCB Structural, LLC of the structural integrity and safety of the property located at 1205 Cotton St., Austin, TX. Our objective is to assess whether the property should be preserved or demolished, focusing on the severe safety concerns and structural deficiencies identified during our inspection. Based on our findings, we strongly recommend the demolition of the existing structure to allow for the construction of a new residence, as this is the most practical and safest solution, meeting contemporary performance expectations and building codes. 2. Property Description 3. Methodology The subject property is an older residential home with various additions made over the years. Both the main structure and the rear addition exhibit significant structural issues that compromise their integrity and safety. The property's age and the cumulative impact of inadequate maintenance have led to numerous critical concerns that would demand immediate attention. Our evaluation was conducted through an extensive visual inspection of both external and internal areas of the property, including the foundation, attic, and structural framing. Photographs and detailed notes were documented to support our findings. The inspection methodology included: • Comprehensive visual assessment of the foundation, including the pier and beam foundation system. • Detailed examination of the structural framing, focusing on the floor and ceiling joists and girders and roof and wall framing in both the main house and the rear addition. • • In-depth inspection of the roof and attic, noting any deterioration or structural deficiencies. Evaluation of the exterior walls and overall structural integrity. • Assessment of the interior condition, including electrical wiring, ventilation, and other critical systems. Mailing: 5900 Balcones Drive STE 16692 Austin, TX 78731 Phone # …
21– 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 PR-2024-022957; GF-2024-043958 4700 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE #10 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1930 Calcasieu cottage moved onto the lot between 1940 and 1958. ARCHITECTURE One-story Tudor Revival Calcasieu cottage with large side addition styled to match. These cottages were designed and built by the Calcasieu Lumber Company of Austin in the late 1920s and 1930s. The cottage is a small, one-story, rectangular- plan frame structure with signature steeply pitched hipped roofs and an ornamental, flared front-gabled section at the doorway with false half-timbering in the tympanum of the gable.1 A non-historic addition has obscured its original shape. RESEARCH Merle Goodnight opened the Goodnight Tourist Courts in 1941 to capitalize on the increasing tourist traffic in the corridor from Austin to San Antonio, a section of pre-Interstate road known as the Meridian Highway. In the Winter 2017 edition of Preservation Austin’s quarterly newsletter, TxDOT architectural historian Rebekah Dobrasko writes: Although no remnants of the original road itself remain in Austin, there are small pockets of roadside businesses that still tell the story of the Meridian Highway through our city… Early motels typically took the form of motor courts, with an office out front and individual buildings accommodating travelers needing a bed. As demand rose, these tourist courts morphed into motel styles more typical of today. Some motels along the Meridian Highway in Austin include …the Austin Motel “Tourist Court” (c. 1940, 1220 S. Congress Avenue) …and Hill’s Café (1941, 4700 S. Congress Avenue).2 Building 10 appears to be a Calcasieu cottage and addition combined to form an L-plan structure, located directly behind the former Hill’s Café building. The cottage was moved onto the lot shortly after the construction of Hill’s, according to aerial photographs, and appears to have been used as support structures and storage for the popular dining spot. PROPERTY EVALUATION Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building appears to retain moderate integrity. Though the building retains its original detailing, the addition of a second cottage reduces its integrity. 3) Properties must meet two criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and determined that it does not meet two criteria for landmark designation: a. Architecture. The building is a good example of Calcasieu cottage detailing but does not retain the original small-format massing. b. Historical association. The …
8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 WW-68 H H MATERIAL LIST A SERVICE CLAMP REQUIRED ON ALL PLASTIC AND ASBESTOS CEMENT PIPE AND ON ALL IRON PIPE 300mm (12") AND SMALLER. B 38mm (1-12") CORPORATION STOP-SERVICE PIPE OUTLET. SPL C 38mm (1-12") SERVICE PIPE D 38mm (1-12") COUPLING: SERVICE PIPE TO MALE I.P.T. (COMPRESSION FITTING) E 38mm (1-12") BALL VALVE. SEE SPL WW -275 F BRONZE BUSHING, 38mm x 25mm (1-12"x1") I.P. THREADS G 25mm (1") COUPLING: SERVICE PIPE TO MALE .P.T. (COMPRESSION FITTING). H 25mm (1") SERVICE PIPE PER SPL-WW-65. I ANGLE METER STOP: SERVICE PIPE INLET x SWIVEL COUPLING NUT OUTLET AND BRASS BUSHING: -FOR 16mm AND 19mm (58" AND 34") METERS: 25mm x 19mm (1"x34") BRASS METER BUSHING. -FOR 25mm (1") METERS: BRASS METER BUSHING NOT REQD. -FOR ALL, SEE SPL WW-68. J WATER METER COUPLING: MALE I.P.T. x SWIVEL COUPLING NUT: -FOR 16mm AND 19mm (58" AND 34") METERS: 19mm x 213mm (34"x8-12") LONG -FOR 25mm (1") METERS: 25mm x 213mm (1"x8-12") LONG K BALL VALVE. SEE SPL WW-276. 19mm OR 25mm (34" OR 1") (PROPERTY OWNER'S CUT-OFF VALVE) L 19mm or 25mm (34" or 1") PIPE MEETING CITY OF AUSTIN I G PLUMBING CODE REQUIREMENTS. M AMRAMI READY METER BOX AND LID PER SPL WW-145 OR WW-145A N PROPERTY OWNER'S BALL VALVE BOX AND LID, RECTANGULAR G G PLASTIC BOX, DFW D1200 OR EQUAL. PHYSICAL SEPERATION G M 250 mm (10'') N L K J H CITY WATER MAIN A B D C D E F NOTES: 1. ALL MATERIAL WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY BETWEEN (BUT NOT INCLUDING) SERVICE COUPLING (D) TO BALL VALVE (K) TO BE REMOVED. 2. IF BALL VALVE COUPLING (E) DOES NOT EXIST, REMOVE MATERIAL UP TO 36" BELOW GRADE. 3. A PHYSICAL SEPERATION SHALL BE PERFORMED BY REMOVING COUPLING (D) BETWEEN THE CORPORATION STOP (B) AND THE MAIN AND SERVICE PIPE (C). THE CORPORATION STOP (B) SHALL BE ABANDONED IN PLACE IN THE "OFF" POSITION. 4. PRIOR TO BACKFILLING, THE CORPORATION STOP (B) AND WATER MAIN (A) SHALL BE WRAPPED WITH 8mm POLYETHYLENE FILM. 5. ALL VOIDS BEHIND BACK OF CURB SHALL BE FILLED WITH SELECT BACKFILL AND 6" OF TOP SOIL AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 510.2 (6) OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS. 6. ALL WORK PERFORMED IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY SHALL BE IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN …
From: To: Cc: Subject: Date: Contreras, Kalan Michele Rogerson Lynch Fahnestock, Sam RE: Item 20 - 4700 South Congress - HLC 6/5 Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:22:20 AM Thanks Michele. Sam, please post this as backup so that they have the links for this evening—thanks! Kalan Contreras MSHP | she/her | Historic Preservation Officer City of Austin Planning Department 512.974.2727 | kalan.contreras@austintexas.gov Please Note: Correspondence and information submitted to the City of Austin are subject to the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552) and may be published online. Por Favor Tome En Cuenta: La correspondencia y la información enviada a la Ciudad de Austin está sujeta a la Ley de Información Pública de Texas (Capítulo 552) y puede ser publicada en línea. > From: Michele Rogerson Lynch < Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:21 AM To: Contreras, Kalan <Kalan.Contreras@austintexas.gov> Cc: Fahnestock, Sam <Sam.Fahnestock@austintexas.gov> Subject: FW: Item 20 - 4700 South Congress - HLC 6/5 Importance: High External Email - Exercise Caution FYI – Perhaps you are already hearing about this but there’s some confusion with what cottages we were proposing to keep. I also received similar input from Rubio that makes me think they are going to pull for discussion. I provided the updated information below from the Dec 13th agenda last year in an effort to help clarify that these are the cottages we intended to keep. Please help reinforce this as the staff report makes it appear that we were to keep the #10 building on tonight’s agenda as well. __________________________ Michele Rogerson Lynch Director of Land Use & Entitlements Metcalfe Wolff Stuart & Williams, LLP 221 W. 6th Street, Suite 1300 Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 404-2251 ofc (512) 797-2129 cell (512) 404-2245 fax From: Michele Rogerson Lynch Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:16 AM To: Koch, Kevin - BC <BC-Kevin.Koch@austintexas.gov> Subject: RE: Item 20 - 4700 South Congress - HLC 6/5 Thank you for the feedback and I agree that the backup could have been more clear. If you look at the backup report from the December 13, 2023, meeting (where we went on consent), you will see the committee direction to “retain 3-4 cottages if possible…” associated with what we call building #18. Those are the original motel cottages: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=420356 We provided conceptual elevations to demonstrate that we were able to incorporate two of the cottages in the front courtyard along with the signage (which is …
From: To: Subject: Date: Contreras, Kalan Fahnestock, Sam FW: Item 20 - 4700 South Congress - HLC 6/5 Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:28:28 AM Please post to backup. Thanks! Kalan Contreras MSHP | she/her | Historic Preservation Officer City of Austin Planning Department 512.974.2727 | kalan.contreras@austintexas.gov Please Note: Correspondence and information submitted to the City of Austin are subject to the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552) and may be published online. Por Favor Tome En Cuenta: La correspondencia y la información enviada a la Ciudad de Austin está sujeta a la Ley de Información Pública de Texas (Capítulo 552) y puede ser publicada en línea. From: Michele Rogerson Lynch < Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:27 AM To: Contreras, Kalan <Kalan.Contreras@austintexas.gov> Subject: FW: Item 20 - 4700 South Congress - HLC 6/5 > External Email - Exercise Caution FYI on what I am sending commissioners for tomorrow… __________________________ Michele Rogerson Lynch Director of Land Use & Entitlements Metcalfe Wolff Stuart & Williams, LLP 221 W. 6th Street, Suite 1300 Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 404-2251 ofc (512) 797-2129 cell (512) 404-2245 fax From: Michele Rogerson Lynch Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:18 AM To: bc-juanraymon.rubio@austintexas.gov Subject: Item 20 - 4700 South Congress - HLC 6/5 Hello Commissioner Rubio. I am the applicant for this item. You may recall we were at the Architectural Review Committee back in September looking at the project as a whole and then at HLC in December for demolition of a few of the buildings (#12, #18, #19, #20). We are back tomorrow with the demolition of another building #10 as shown in this survey: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=429994 During the committee meeting you and others expressed an interest in retaining some of the structures and we are doing that with the cottages (#18 on the second page of the survey). These are the old motel cottage units and we are relocating two of them to a proposed courtyard with the goal to repurpose them as coffee or gift shops, etc. I understand this item to be on consent, but please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks, M __________________________ Michele Rogerson Lynch Director of Land Use & Entitlements Metcalfe Wolff Stuart & Williams, LLP 221 W. 6th Street, Suite 1300 Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 404-2251 ofc (512) 797-2129 cell (512) 404-2245 fax CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL email. Please use caution when clicking links …
22 – 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 PR-2024-043035; GF-2024-058054 1702 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BOULEVARD PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1916 house and 1942 rear house. ARCHITECTURE One-story National Folk house with pyramidal hipped roof, board-and-batten siding, and inset partial-width porch supported by turned posts. Fenestration includes 1:1 and 4:1 wood windows; one of the original double entry doors has been converted to a window. Two decorative jigsawn brackets remain and two chimneys are present. The back house is a gabled, one-story building with horizontal wood siding and a partial width inset porch. RESEARCH The front house at 1702 East Martin Luther King was constructed around 1916 as a rental property. Its architectural detailing marks it as an example of National Folk houses rented to working-class East Austin families during the early years of the twentieth century by Edmund and Oscar Hofheinz. According to a 2019 Historic Preservation Office report, 11 known and 13 possible houses of this style and original use remain within the East Austin Historic Resource Survey area,1 though several have since been demolished. The East Austin Context Statement notes their impact on development patterns: The first two decades of the 1900s were rampant with development throughout East Austin…residential construction in these new developments reflected evolving trends in domestic designs, as the eclectic tastes of the Victorian era waned and simpler styles…became more widespread…new [working-class] house types began to replace more traditional forms. The linear, one‐ room‐deep plans that featured gabled roofs…gave way to deeper, more box‐like plans and often had hipped or pyramidal roofs with inset porches. The effect created a more vertical emphasis. The rental houses of brothers Edmund (“E. J.”) Hofheinz and Oscar (“O. G.”) Hofheinz exemplified this trend. E. J. Hofheinz (ca. 1870–1949) was a real estate dealer and accountant, while O.G. Hofheinz (ca. 1880–1957) was an insurance salesman and developer. Together, the brothers subdivided land and built houses in East Austin and Clarksville. Real estate transaction articles in the Austin American Statesman indicate that the Hofheinz brothers both speculatively sold the houses that they built and retained them for rental income.2 Though the Hofheinz brothers rented some of their properties to tenants of color, their purchase of smaller lots and homes made property ownership even more difficult for East Austin residents. Even if African American homebuyers could secure a loan large enough to purchase a lot—a …
BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 27, 2024 BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, March 27, 2024 The BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR meeting on 27 March 2024, at the CITY OF AUSTIN PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER (PDC), 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE, ROOM 1405, in Austin, Texas. CHAIR SADÉ OGUNBODE called the BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION (BSC) Meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Sadé Ogunbode, Commissioners: Blaine Campbell, Michael Francis, Luis Osta Lugo, Logan Schugart, Edward Selig. Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Vice Chair Timothy Stostad, Ex Officio Commissioner Chief Stephen Truesdell. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL No one appeared before the Commission for Public Communication. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING on February 28, 2024. The minutes the meeting of February 28, 2024 were approved on COMMISSIONER FRANCIS’ motion, COMMISSIONER OSTA LUGO’s second, with no objections. COMMISSIONER SELIG was off dais. COMMISSIONER BENIGNO was absent. from PUBLIC HEARINGS Conduct a public hearing and consider an appeal regarding case number CL 2023-128313; Property address: 2901 Sweeney Lane. 1. 2. COMMISSIONER FRANCIS moved to close the public hearing, COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL’s second, with no objections. COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL moved to 1 BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 27, 2024 adopt the findings of fact, conclusions of law and order 1) that the owner of the property maintain the security of the property until the May 22, 2024 meeting of the Building and Standards Commission; and 2) that the case be continued at the May 22, 2024 meeting of the Building and Standards so that counsel can provide guidance on legal issues affecting the property, COMMISSIONER OSTA LUGO second. The motion passed on an 7-0 vote. COMMISSIONER BENIGNO was absent. Conduct a public hearing and consider case numbers CL 2023-128650; Property address: 7603 Beinville Cove. COMMISSIONER SELIG moved to close the public hearing, COMMISSIONER OSTA LUGO second, with no objections. COMMISSIONER SELIG moved to adopt the findings of fact, conclusions of law and adopt City staff’s recommendation for repair of the residential structure within 45 days, with a civil penalty of $420 per week beginning on the 46th day from the date the order is mailed and continuing until compliance is achieved, COMMISSIONER OSTA LUGO’s second. The motion carried on a 6-1 vote. COMMISSIONER FRANCIS voted nay. COMMISSIONER BENIGNO was absent. Conduct a public hearing and …
June 5, 2024 City of Austin Historic Preservation Board To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my strong support for Aisha Gooden-Williams and her family in their request to demolish structures on their property. As a scholar of the African American experience, particularly in Austin, I believe that denying this family the right to manage their property as they see fit, including demolition, would be an affront to the liberties that African Americans have fought tirelessly to secure. The legacy of African Americans in this country is deeply intertwined with issues of property and ownership. Historically, Black people were reduced to property through race-based chattel enslavement, bought, sold, and disposed of at the whims of others. Today, denying a Black family the autonomy to decide the fate of their property echoes these past injustices. The properties in question hold significant historical value. They are not just buildings but symbols of resilience and progress. My grandfather’s sister, Mrs. Winifred Hill Gooden, labored as a domestic worker in the Hoffenhiez residence for decades. As a Black woman born in the early 20th century to tenant farmers in rural Travis and Caldwell Counties, domestic work was one of the few employment opportunities available to her. Through her hard work, she was able to acquire many homes that the Hoffenhiez family reserved for “Colored” renters in the former Negro District of East Austin. This acquisition was a defining moment for Black property ownership in the area, representing a significant step toward economic empowerment for working-class Black families. I recognize and appreciate the City of Austin’s efforts, particularly through the Equity Preservation Plan, to address historical racial injustices. Preserving the histories, experiences, and contributions of African Americans and other marginalized communities is vital. Through my work with Black Austin Tours, I strive to fill the gaps in public consciousness and support programmatic efforts to this end. However, historic preservation should not solely focus on “preserving” the past. It must also consider financial and generational wealth. Equitable historic preservation involves educating and directing resources to historically excluded communities, empowering them to make decisions about their properties. If the Gooden family chooses to demolish a property to benefit from community development, they should be able to do so without impediment. The City of Austin should support their efforts to continue their family’s legacy of property ownership and economic progress. Moreover, this situation presents a …
June 10, 2024 City of Austin Historic Preservation Office Housing & Planning Department P.O. Box 1088 Austin, TX 78767 To whom it may concern, I am writing to wholeheartedly endorse Mrs. Aisha Gooden-Williams and her family's impassioned appeal to safeguard the residential dwellings on their ancestral property. As a resident of Austin, born and raised, it is important to recognize the importance of preserving the rights that African Americans have worked tirelessly to achieve. It would be unjust if this family were denied the chance to exercise their property rights, including the freedom to demolish their property. Appreciating and respecting the rich historical legacy of the African American community that flourished in Central East Austin is crucial. In accordance with its 1928 plan, the City of Austin implemented measures that mandated Black residents to reside within a designated 6-square mile zone, thereby endorsing segregationist policies. This district served as the residence for Black residents, businesses, schools, and churches, and it played a crucial role in influencing the lively heritage and cultural contributions of Austin's African American community. In order to preserve the respected legacy, set forth by the Gooden family in accordance with the 1928 plan, it is of utmost importance that these properties remain undisturbed. This will greatly contribute to the preservation of the past and the development of the future of The District, encompassing the properties owned by the Gooden family. Furthermore, the Gooden properties in question possess significant historical significance. These structures are not merely physical buildings; they serve as powerful symbols of resilience and progress. Sincerely, Shameika N. Brown-Smith
Case No. CL-2024-001905 In the Matter of 1702 E Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Austin, Texas 78702 Before the Building and Standards Commission of the City of Austin, Texas State of Texas County of Travis ORDER OF THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS On March 27, 2024, under the authority of Chapters 54 and 214 of the Texas Local Government Code, the Building and Standards Commission (“the Commission”) of the City of Austin, Texas, considered 1702 E Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (“the Property”) and took action as described below. A. ORDER The Commission orders the following: I I II II I pgs 2024036431 1. The Commission ORDERS that the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law for this property be adopted; 2. The Commission ORDERS that the owner complete the following within forty-five (45) days from the date the Order is mailed: a. obtain and finalize all necessary permits; b. demolish all portions of the residential structures, including any accessory structures, and remove as debris, leaving the lot clean and raked; and c. Request inspection from the City of Austin Development Services Department to verify compliance with 2(a) and 2(b) above. 3. The Commission ORDERS on the forty-sixth (46th) day if compliance is not achieved: a. b. the Code Official is authorized to proceed with demolition and to consider all portions of the residential structures, including any items in and around the structures, as debris, and dispose of as such; and the property owner shall be on notice that the Code Official is authorized to assess all expenses incurred against the property unless excepted by the Texas Constitution. A lien for those expenses may be filed by the City of Austin and recorded with Travis County Deed Records. Interest shall accrue at a rate of 10 percent per year from the date of the assessment until paid in full. VALIDITY OF ORDER NOT AFFECTED BY TRANSFER: When a Commission order has been filed in the deed records, the Commission order is valid even if the property is sold or otherwise transferred. A person who acquires an interest in the property after a Commission order is recorded is subject to the requirements of the Commission order. B. FINDINGS OF FACT The Commission makes the following findings of fact: II. III. PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION The property which is the subject of this proceeding is located at 1702 …
