D.2 - 2502 Park View_Additional Citizen Comments — original pdf
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Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Carolyn Croom < Friday, June 19, 2020 6:10 PM PAZ Preservation Hearing on 2502 Park View Drive, Austin, Texas (HDP-2020-0214) > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** To the members of the Historic Landmark Commission: I oppose the demolition of the architecturally and historically significant house at 2502 Park View Drive. In attending the talk and the tour of the Air Conditioned Village offered by MidTexMod, I learned that it is the best-preserved example of the proposed Austin Air- Conditioned Village Historic District. I live a few blocks away in a similar ranch-style house built only a couple of years later and value the preservation of houses in this style. That this house also exhibits historical significance, as a part of a unique mid- century air-conditioning research project, is particularly compelling. Please vote for the preservation of 2502 Park View Drive. Sincerely, Carolyn Croom 2502 Albata Avenue Austin, Texas 78757 CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Cynthia Keohane < Sunday, June 21, 2020 7:27 PM PAZ Preservation 2502 Park View Drive (HDP-2020-0214) > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Dear Historic Landmark Commission: I support the preservation of this historically and architecturally significant home, and hope you can save it from demolition. As a former President of Allandale Neighborhood Association, and an Allandale homeowner within a mile from this home, I attended the Mid Tex Mod's Air Conditioned Village program a few years ago. It's clear that this represents history worthy of saving. Please vote to preserve this landmark. All the best, Cynthia Keohane 5702 Wynona Avenue was very con and walk sponsored by Mid Tex Mod several eyars agohave that's less than a mileA CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: > miz_jen < Friday, June 19, 2020 8:20 PM PAZ Preservation allandale.neighborhood@gmail.com 2502 Park View Dr--HDP-2020-0214 *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** To the members of the preservation committee; I beieve the structure at 2502 Park View Dr is the best‐preserved example of Allandale's air conditioned village. I'm in favor of the proposed Austin Air‐Conditioned Village Historic District. As such, I believe this historic structure is worth saving. Thank you, Jenifer Welch CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Kelly Cameron < Sunday, June 21, 2020 12:29 PM PAZ Preservation Please Save 2502 Park View Drive > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Dear Historic Landmark Commissioners, I'm writing to you to let you know of my extreme opposition to the proposed demolition at 2502 Park View Drive. As a long time resident of Austin and a neighbor on Park View Drive, I'm requesting that you please consider this residence, as well as the other remaining homes from Air Conditioned Village, historical landmarks. This home is a remarkably well preserved, almost entirely intact example of outstanding architectural design, materials and workmanship. The Air Conditioned Village experiment should also not only not be forgotten, but the building practices put in place then (modest, site specific, energy efficient structures with reasonable costs) should be considered more important than ever in Austin's rapidly changing residential building environment. We can't continue to lose these Austin architectural and community treasures, please protect them! Thank you, Kelly Cameron 512‐789‐6218 CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Kelly Colchin < Sunday, June 21, 2020 1:42 PM PAZ Preservation please don't allow the demolition of 2502 Park View Drive! > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Hi there! My name is Kelly and I live at 2709 Park View Drive. I wanted to send an email to encourage you to NOT allow the demolition of the historic house at the end of my block at 2502 Park View Drive. This house designed by Fred Day was a model house for the air‐conditioned village in Allandale (see attached brochure featuring the house) and a great piece of history! I have been in the house and while it's dated, I know it could be fixed up to be a great space and remain a special cornerstone of this neighborhood. It would be so great to see this house refurbished instead of replaced with yet another huge, soulless house. Thank you! Kelly Colchin 1 CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 2 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Sunday, June 21, 2020 4:54 PM PAZ Preservation 2502 Park View Drive *** External Email ‐ Exercise Caution *** Hello, My name is Kelly Savedra and I am writing to you about the house at 2502 Park View Drive. I saw the sign posted in the front of the house as I passed by and was so happy to see that it is being considered for historical preservation. My husband and I have a special interest in this house because we own the ‘twin’ to this house at 2710 Park View Drive. We get constant compliments because the houses are such a wonderful testament to mid century modern architecture. After much research with some architect friends we finally discovered the architect of these two houses. His name was Fred Day and he also designed the Visitors Center at McDonald Observatory, the Alumni Center at UT Austin and many other building around Austin and Central Texas. So not only is this house historical because it was part of the original Air conditioned Village, but Fred Day was the extraordinary architect that built it. Please, please consider saving this amazing piece of history, it has a special place in our hearts, in our neighborhood and in our city and I would be so sad to see it destroyed when it has so much potential. We love living in its twin, it is so beautifully designed and a shining example of what the Air Conditioned Village and Mid Century Architecture was. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Kelly and Terry Savedra 2710 Park View Drive CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Kevin Smith Friday, June 19, 2020 5:48 PM PAZ Preservation HDP-2020-0214 > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Ms. Reed, My name is Kevin Smtih and I live at 2500 Park View Dr. I am writing today to ask the Historic Landmark Commission to help preserve 2502 Park View Dr. I have dedicated the past almost 15 years of my life in serving the public. I have had the opportunity to not only be a past president of the Allandale Neighborhood Association, but work for the Georgia Department of Transportation, in the State of Texas's Office of the Governor under Rick Perry and currently as an employee of our lovely city. 2502 Park View Dr, is an exceptional example of not only mid‐century modern architecture (designed by notable local architect Fred Day); but its history plays an important role in proving that central air conditioning is feasible in affordably priced homes. In 1954, the air‐conditioned village was constructed to test if central air‐conditioning could be successfully incorporated affordably priced homes he cost‐effectiveness and profitability of central air in middle‐class housing. Thankfully, the integration of central air‐conditioning was deemed effective and today we all enjoy the benefits of the experiment in the conditioned air that cools our homes. Over the past couple of years, I have been working with multiple stakeholders to complete an application to have the air‐ conditioned village recognized by the National Park Service as a Historic District application. This designation would formally recognize the role the air‐conditioned village played in helping accelerate the development of not only Austin, but the sun‐belt states as a whole Of the original 23 homes, there are around 15 homes left that are considered eligible to contribute to the Historic District. (including my house at 2500 Park View Dr.) As I am sure the Commission is aware, in order to be considered for the Historic District designation, there is a required minimum number of contributing structures left intact. Approving the total demolition of 2502 Park View Dr, not only reduces the total number of contributing structures but removes, possibly, the most intact example of the village. Respectfully, Kevin Smith CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Tom Knutsen < Sunday, June 21, 2020 1:36 PM PAZ Preservation 2502 Park View Drive > *** External Email ‐ Exercise Caution *** I am writing you to ask that you protect the “Air Conditioned Village” historical house at 2502 Park View. We’re a reasonably new city and should keep the few historical structures we inherited. CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. Tom Knutsen Community Volunteer, Austin, TX 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Caroline Reynolds < Monday, June 22, 2020 12:42 AM PAZ Preservation Re: 2502 Park View Drive (HDP-2020-0214) > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Dear Historic Landmark Commission: I support the preservation of this historically and architecturally significant home, and hope you will save it from demolition. As a former Board Member of Allandale Neighborhood Association, as well as a Member for over 40 years and an Allandale homeowner, I am familiar with the Mid Tex Modern's Air Conditioned Village from a program presented to ANA's Board a few years ago. It's clear that this home represents a structural history worthy of saving. As an engineer, I am shocked and very concerned about the wreckless and foolhardy methods that Austin demolition companies use to dismantle and demolish homes in residential areas. Any structure constructed before the early 1970s can be expected to contain asbestos in the linoleum, wall spackling, shingles and mastic. Without using any water, the wrecking crews loosen asbestos fibers to float on the air around the neighborhood exposing residents, their children, pets and wildlife to the cancer‐causing asbestos particles. This is in addition to the nail embedded lumber thrown into unprotected piles for weeks before the site is properly cleaned. This is unconscionable. We can do better. As I am sure you know, towns from New England to California and Washington have modernized landmark homes and kept them functional and occupied. When I visited Boston, I noted that many of the houses surrounding Lexington Green had been homes there on the morning of 19th of April in 1775, when Paul Revere made his famous ride. Similarly, in Concord MA, there are still two churches and homes, built in the early 1800s, that were visited by and belonged to Louisa May Alcott's family, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne. https://www.oldhouseonline.com/house‐tours/historic‐sights‐concord‐massachusetts And only 3 years ago, when I spent the weekend in Salisbury, England, just a block from the cathedral, we stayed comfortably at The Legacy Rose & Crown Hotel, which was a coach inn built in the 1200's and still has its original walls and a traditional thatch roof. It is a 4 star hotel, rated 9.3 out of 10 by its guests. https://www.legacy‐hotels.co.uk/hotels/rose‐crown‐hotel‐salisbury‐ wiltshire?fbclid=IwAR3kvaib_bZ0q2_aF9jdqSrOMnNO8NV2k9GhFc4K4g2P_9td8Ly5HYKVMu4 Austin is a new city, founded less than 200 years ago and already many early homes such as the one in Waterloo, where my grandfather was born, have been "renewed" into hamburger stands. Even the German School on Castle Hill is in danger of being replaced by condos. I believe we should keep the few remaining historical structures we still have left in good condition. Thus, I am asking you to protect the “Air Conditioned Village” historical house at 2502 Park View. We’re a reasonably new city and should keep the few historical structures we inherited. 1 preserve this landmark. Sincerely, Caroline C. Reynolds, P.E. CR Solutions Caroline Reynolds CR Solutions 2611 West 49th St Austin, Texas 78731 512-454-8880 Please vote to CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 2 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: PAZ Preservation Monday, June 22, 2020 8:33 AM Gaudette, Angela FW: HDP-2020-0214 From: Robert E Mace Sent: Monday, June 22, 2020 1:32:37 PM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik To: PAZ Preservation Subject: HDP-2020-0214 *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** I am writing to oppose the demolition permit for the house on 2502 Park View Drive. As something of a amateur historian in Modern architecture (http://thermschindlerlist.blogspot.com/) as well as a resident in the neighborhood a few blocks away, I was deeply dismayed that the new owners of the property want to tear it down. Many homes in Allandale have Mid‐Century Modern elements to them, but this architect‐designed house fully embraces the style in what is, in my opinion, by far the best example in the neighborhood (low‐sloped roof, clerestory windows, brick‐a‐soleil, neoplasticism, color‐blocking, floating roofs, and massing—all expertly done). Given that it was also part of the air‐conditioned village gives it additional support for preservation. Please save this house. Allandale is quickly losing its MCM roots. This house, above all others from this era, deserves conservation. ‐Robert E. Mace 6909 Daugherty Street (512) 470‐7753 CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1 Gaudette, Angela From: Sent: To: Subject: Cameron, Rob Monday, June 22, 2020 8:56 AM PAZ Preservation Demolition at 2502 Park View Dr > *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Dear Historic Landmark Commissioners, I'm writing to you to let you know of my extreme opposition to the proposed demolition at 2502 Park View Drive. As a long time resident of Austin and a neighbor on Park View Drive, I'm requesting that you please consider this residence, as well as the other remaining homes from Air Conditioned Village, historical landmarks. This home is a remarkably well preserved, almost entirely intact example of outstanding architectural design, materials and workmanship. The Air Conditioned Village experiment should also not only not be forgotten, but the building practices put in place then (modest, site specific, energy efficient structures with reasonable costs) should be considered more important than ever in Austin's rapidly changing residential building environment. We can't continue to lose these Austin architectural and community treasures, please protect them! Thank you, Rob Cameron (415)235‐8239 ROB CAMERON | Sales Associate Northwest Office | Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS® 9442 N. Capital of Texas Hwy, Plaza 1‐625 | Austin, TX 78759 C: 415‐235‐8239 | P: 512.343‐7500 | F: 512.343.1224 | E: ColdwellBankerHomes.com | CareersCB.com Like us on Facebook *Wire Fraud is Real*. Before wiring any money, call the intended recipient at a number you know is valid to confirm the instructions. Additionally, please note that the sender does not have authority to bind a party to a real estate contract via written or verbal communication. CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. 1