D.14 - 1205 Taylor Street — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION OCTOBER 26, 2020 DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS HDP-2020-0412 1205 TAYLOR STREET D.14- 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1933 house. ARCHITECTURE One-story, rectangular-plan, front-gabled frame house with a central entry with a front- gabled entry hood on brackets; single 1:1 fenestration; rectangular-plan, shed-roofed frame addition to the left of the principal block. RESEARCH The house appears to have been built around 1933 but was vacant until around 1936, when it was rented by Percy W. (“Pete”) Combs and his wife, Vera. Combs was the proprietor of a liquor store on E. 5th Street, but later apparently went to work as a proofreader for the Austin American-Statesman newspaper. He and Vera lived here until around 1943. The house had a series of short-term renters from then until around 1965, when it was purchased by Andrew and Sarah Cuevas, who lived here at least through the early 1990s. Andrew Cuevas was a mechanic for the Post Office garage; Sarah Cuevas was a seamstress for two ladies’ clothing stores in Austin. STAFF COMMENTS The house was recommended as contributing to a potential historic district in the East Austin Cultural Resources Survey (2016), but that historic district is enormous, encompassing much of this area of the city. Staff believes there is a viable historic district for just Taylor Street, and if that were ever designated, this house would be contributing to it. Staff has evaluated this house for designation as a historic landmark and has determined that the house does not meet the criteria for landmark designation as set forth in City Code: a. Architecture. The house is a simple 1930s frame house typical of blue collar areas of the city; the house has had a number of modifications, including a carport addition and other addition that appear to almost double the size of the house. The modifications to the house outside of the historic period disqualify it for designation as an individual landmark. b. Historical association. The house relates the social history of East Austin, in that it was occupied by Anglo families until the mid-1950s, when Mexican- American families were listed as renters, and finally, purchased by a Mexican- American couple, Andrew and Sarah Cuevas, who lived here from around 1964 onward. Apart from this large trend that is true throughout East Austin, there do not appear to be significant historical associations. c. Archaeology. The house was not evaluated for its potential to yield significant data concerning the human history or prehistory of the region. d. Community value. The house does not possess a unique location, physical characteristic, or significant feature that contributes to the character, image, or cultural identity of the city, the neighborhood, or a particular demographic group. e. Landscape feature. The property is not a significant natural or designed landscape with artistic, aesthetic, cultural, or historical value to the city.  STAFF RECOMMENDATION D.14 - 2 Encourage rehabilitation and adaptive re-use, then relocation over demolition, but release the permit upon completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package, consisting of photographs of all elevations, a dimensioned sketch plan, and a narrative history, for archiving at the Austin History Center. While this house would definitely be contributing to a potential Taylor Street Historic District, it does not meet the criteria for individual designation as a historic landmark.  LOCATION MAP D.14 - 3  D.14 - 4 1205 Taylor Street ca. 1933 OCCUPANCY HISTORY 1205 Taylor Street Andrew A. and Sarah Cuevas, owners Retired Andrew and Sarah Cuevas, owners Retired City Directory Research, Austin History Center By City Historic Preservation Office January, 2008 1992 1987 1981 1975 1968 1962 Andrew and Sarah Cuevas, owners Mechanic, Post Office garage Andrew V. and Sarah Cuevas, owners Mechanic, Post Office garage Andrew V. and Sarah Cuevas, owners Mechanic, Post Office garage Jose and Janie Gutierrrez, owners Helper, Lone Star Meat, wholesale meats, 1717 East Avenue.  1957 1953 Jesse and Josephine Salazar, renters Waiter, El Matamoros Restaurant, 504 East Avenue. Henry F. and Lillie Sellers, renters Painter D.14 - 5 Wallace Tidwell, renter Wallace and Lorene Tidwell, renters No occupation listed William B. and Bernice Shaver, renters Driver Percy W. and Vera Combs, renters Proprietor, Pete’s Place, liquors, 108 E. 5th Street. Percy W. and Vera Combs, renters Proprietor, Pete’s Place, liquors, 116 E. 5th Street. Percy W. and Vera Combs, renters Proprietor, Pete’s Place, liquors, 116 E. 5th Street. 1949 1947 1944-45 1941 1939 1937 1935 1932-33 1930-31 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: Percy W. and Vera Combs (ca. 1936 – ca. 1942) The 1940 U.S. Census shows this house rented by Percy W. and Vera Combs. Percy Combs was 38, had been born in Michigan, and owned a package store. Vera Combs was 28, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. With them lived Vera’s son, James A. Parten, Jr., 11, who had been born in Texas. His 1942 World War II drat registration card shows that he was living at 2003 La Casa Drive in Austin. He was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1901 and was self-employed at 108 E. 5th Street in Austin, which corresponds to the address of his liquor store in contemporary city directories. He was 5’-8”, weighed 145 pounds, and had a dark complexion with brown hair and brown eyes. Percy Wilbur Combs was living at 2003 La Casa when he died in1963. He was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1901 and was a married printer. The address is not listed in the directory. Vacant Vacant  D.14 - 6 Newspaper story on the death of Percy W. Combs Austin American-Statesman, April 21, 1963 Obituary of Percy W. Combs Austin American, April 22, 1963  D.14 - 7 Obituary of Vera Combs Austin American-Statesman, June 23, 2002 Andrew and Sarah Cuevas (ca. 1964- ) Sarah S. Cuevas April 19, 1916 - Feb. 26, 2009 Sarah S. Cuevas, age 92, of Austin, passed away on Thursday, February 26, 2009 after a brief illness. Born  D.14 - 8 in Bastrop County to Jose and Leonor Saucedo. Aunt Sarah enjoyed a career as a seamstress for two of Austin's finest stores, Scarborough's and Snyder Chenard's. Aunt Sarah was well known for her hats, a very stylish person and always found the perfect hat to fit the occasion. She was a loving, caring, and giving person, of strong faith, and her love of God was evident based on her devotion to reciting the Holy Rosary daily. She brought many blessing into our lives. She and her husband Andrew were inseparable and enjoyed a marriage of over fifty years. Preceded in death by her parents, brothers Jose, Fred, and Narciso Saucedo, sisters Leonor Garcia, Josie Cavazos, and sister Florene C. Saucedo. Survived by her beloved husband, Andrew; sister-in-law, Georgia Martinez; and numerous nieces and nephews, whom she considered her own. Pallbearers are nephews, Arthur Cavazos, David Cavazos, Fred Saucedo, Gabriel Estrada, Luis Rafael Cuevas, and Louis Cuevas. Honorary pallbearers are nephews, Frank G. Estrada, Gilbert Martinez, Frank Saucedo, Fred J. Casarez, John Cuevas, and David Guerrero. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, 2009 at Mission Funeral Home- Remembrance Chapel, 1615 E. Cesar Chavez. Mass of Christian Burial, Monday at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 1206 E 9th St.. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery. Obituary of Sarah Cuevas Austin American-Statesman, March 1, 2009 CUEVAS, Andrew Age 89, of Austin, passed away May 26, 2014. Service May 30, 10 a.m. at Mission Funeral Home Remembrance Chapel, Austin, TX. Death notice for Andrew Cuevas Austin American-Statesman, May 29, 2014  D.14 - 9 Taylor Street does not appear on the 1922 Sanborn map. The present Cross Street is shown as Andrews Place. The house appears on the 1935 Sanborn map. D.14 - 10 The 1962 Sanborn map shows the same configuration as the 1935 map above; the current frame additions were built in 1964 and 1978. Building permit to Andrew Cuevas for the construction of a carport (1964)  D.14 - 11 Building permit to Andrew Cuevas for the construction of an addition (1978)