B.3.1 - Maverick-Miller House, 910 Poplar Street - project description and photos — original pdf

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Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9                                 H; LO; CO; NP  : 211.5X158.5 APPROC OLT 59 DIVISION D  Owner:  Cater Joseph  DC+CJ Poplar Street LLC  2402 MARLTON DR  AUSTIN, TX 78703-3821    Legal Description Zoning:   Request:  Construct two apartment buildings adjacent to the Maverick Miller house, a locally designated landmark. The buildings are     designed to be subordinate to the Maverick Miller house.    Preservation Austin:  Preservation Austin holds the restrictive covenant for the building (2006, amended 2020). The plans for the new buildings  were developed with extensive consultation and input from Preservation Austin over a three year period. Preservation  Austin established a committee of preservation professionals to work with the property owner on developing a  rehabilitation plan and schedule for the Maverick Miller house and the plans for the new development. Over the three year  period, numerous meetings were held to discuss and develop a suitable plan for the house and the new construction.  Preservation Austin is providing a letter of support for the project. New construction is essential to maintain the viability of  the Maverick Miller house.    Preservation Austin understands that by negotiating a plan for new construction on the lot and amending the restrictive  covenant, the Maverick Miller house will remain viable for the years to come. By not subdividing portions of the lot to be  sold for development and working to develop an innovative solution, Preservation Austin and Cater Joseph have ensured  the long term sustainability of the Maverick Miller house.    Background:  The Maverick Miller house, designated a City of Austin Historic Landmark in 1999, is a two story limestone house with a  cross gable, hipped roof. Noted economist and University of Texas professor Edmund T. Miller (1878-1952) and his wife,  Emily (1884-1979), an artist and member of the pioneer Maverick family of San Antonio, acquired this property in 1922. The  design for their home was the work of Emily Miller, her nephew Edward Sammons Maverick, and architecture professor  Raymond Everett. Built to complement the hillside setting and completed in 1923, the house features the work of metal  craftsman Fortunat Weigl and retains many of its original landscaping features. The building is also a Recorded Texas  Historic Landmark (2001) and it has been deemed eligible for the National Register. Preservation Austin holds a restrictive  covenant on the property (2006; amended 2020).    Project Development:  The project was developed with extensive negotiations and input from Preservation Austin over a three year period.  Preservation Austin appointed a committee of preservation and development professionals to negotiate the rehabilitation of  the Maverick Miller House, the proposed new development, and the amendments to the covenant. Additionally,  Preservation Austin and the property owner, Cater Joseph, preservation architect, Emily Little of Clayton & Little, and  preservation consultants, Post Oak Preservation Solutions, worked extensively on developing a rehabilitation plan for the  Maverick Miller house. This entailed numerous meetings and site visits to analyze the condition of the house as well as  develop a proposal for the new construction. This process included numerous meetings, site visits, reports and discussions  to ensure that the project would follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties,  preservation best practices and the expectations of Preservation Austin and the preservation community.          1   ​ ​ Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   topography Architectural Design Review Committee  The project has been brought before the Architectural Review Committee twice, on November 2nd and November 30th.  The Committee made several comments and suggestions and the property owner, Cater Joseph, has worked to answer the  Committee’s comments and has altered the design. The Architectural Review Committee made comments concerning the  placement of Building 1 and the massing of the second floor.    New Development Concept and Restrictive Covenant:  Again, this project was developed over a three year period with ongoing meetings between Preservation Austin and the  property owner. There were numerous meetings to discuss and review various schematics and plans developed for the  site, using the 2006 restrictive covenant as a starting point. Both Preservation Austin and the owner and his architects  (Maker Architects) recognized that some revisions would need to be made to the covenant for new development to be  viable, and, both agreed that it was important not to compromise the historic integrity of the Maverick Miller house.  Amendments to the covenant were developed during this process to respond to the proposed project. Preservation Austin  and the owner have agreed to the amendments to the covenant.     Considerable attention was given to the massing, scale, height, profile, design, materials, and siting of the new construction  in the discussions with the Preservation Austin committee. Several meetings were held over the three year period to refine  the design, scale and placement of the new construction to ensure that it would not be detrimental to the historic house.  Again, preservation professionals from Preservation Austin and preservation consultants and architects to the property  owner worked diligently to ensure a project that meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic  Properties as well as preservation best practices for new construction at a historic site.      Topography and Engineering Concerns  The much of the massing and height of the buildings below grade. The slope of the grade on the lot is approximately 25 feet,  allowing the majority of the new construction to be set into the hill, lessening impact on the Maverick Miller house.     The City Engineer in an identified a Rimrock just beyond the north boundary of the property. In most situations, the City Engineer would not allow  construction within 125 feet of the Rimrock. However, the project received a variance to allow construction within 50 feet of  the Rimrock in this situation. Building 2 will be moved towards the Maverick Miller house to accommodate the City’s  regulations. It will be 19 feet 5 inches from the Maverick Miller house. This also means that Building 1 must remain where it  is.    The committee, the owner and the owner’s consultants recognized that this aspect of the property would help to achieve  the goal of a viable project while protecting the Maverick Miller house. They spent a considerable amount of time reviewing  and revising the building footprints, height, scale and siting to ensure that the new construction will be Maverick Miller house. Siting of the buildings was also a paramount consideration to ensure that the new construction was  set away and back from the Maverick Miller house so as not to visually obscure or dominate the building.    Maverick Miller House Maintenance/Repair Plan: (See photos below pp.18-19)  One of the most important aspects was to create an ongoing maintenance plan for the Maverick Miller house. The house  had suffered from neglect and vandalism over the years which was of great concern to Preservation Austin. The  rehabilitation, maintenance, and repair plan, which followed the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, was  developed with input by the committee. City Preservation Staff also approved the proposed maintenance and repair for the  historic landmark. Extensive research on products and methods for repair, maintenance, and graffiti removal was done to  ensure that any work done would be in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic  Properties and best preservation practices. Assessments of the roof and foundation condition were also done. The owner  ​ of the site with a significant slope down to the north end of the lot has provided the opportunity to obscure  (performed November 11 and December 17, 2020)  Environmental Resource Inventory Report subservient to the  ​       2   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   topography and slope of the site to the north is significant, approximately 25 feet, and allows for the lower stories of  The site is 32,684 square feet with approximately 100 feet fronting Poplar Street and 200 feet deep that slopes  gave regularly scheduled updates to the Preservation Austin Committee on the progress of the ongoing maintenance for  the house; City Preservation staff was also regularly informed of progress.     Maverick Miller House: Maintenance and Repair  Maintenance and repair of exterior features of the Maverick Miller house has been taking place under the guidance of City  Preservation Staff and Preservation Austin, per the rehabilitation, repair and maintenance plan that was developed.  Windows have been repaired and secured, security lighting has been installed on site, and the stone has been cleaned and  an anti-graffiti coating has been applied. Repointing where necessary has been completed. Appropriate roofing material  has been chosen. The decorative Weigl metal features are being restored. An on-site caretaker is tasked with routine  maintenance and cleaning of the house and site. As part of the future for this site, the house will be utilized and have  bedrooms, kitchen facilities, and bathrooms.     Site: steeply downward to the north. The grade has a 25-foot slope. The site includes stacked stone walls that run east-west on  the northern section of the property. A stone stairway runs north from the stone courtyard into the woods at the rear of the  property. The property line in the woods is currently marked by a chain link fence. The rest of the site is open with a small  parking area to the east of the house. The topography of the site allows the height and mass of the buildings to be situated  away from the Maverick Miller house.     The the buildings to be subterranean and placed such that the height is not evident. The topography allows the new  construction to be nestled into the slope, lessening the impact on the Maverick Miller house. The topography of the lot  ensures that the Maverick Miller house is not overshadowed by the buildings and that the new construction will be  subservient to the Maverick Miller house. However, the identification of the Rimrock south of the property has impacted the  location of the buildings and Building 2 will be moved forward to 19 feet 5 inches north of the house and Building 1 must  remain where it is currently located.    Project Description:  The project consists of the construction of two apartment buildings adjacent to the Maverick Miller house. The Maverick  Miller house is approximately 19 feet at the ridgeline and approximately 26 feet tall at the tower.     Building 1 will be constructed to the west of the Maverick Miller house and Building 2 will be constructed to the north. The  design of the project has taken into consideration the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.     Scale and massing of the buildings was given careful consideration so that the design of the new construction would not  overwhelm the Maverick Miller house. The design, massing, scale, fenestration patterns, roof shape and materials for the  new buildings are compatible with the historic house. Stone and board and batten siding will be utilized; the roof design will  be cross gable with clipped gables on the ends (adjacent to Maverick Miller), like the house, and the windows will be  one-over-one in a paired pattern across the primary elevations.    The topography of the site with the slope down to the north minimizes the impact of the buildings by allowing the height  and mass to be situated on the downward slope, away from the Maverick Miller house. The topography of the site allows  the bulk of the buildings to be built into the hillside thereby obscuring parking and lower levels of the buildings.    FAR (Sheet A0.1)  FAR Allowed: 70% FAR Used: 47%   22,878 Square feet  15,210 Square feet        3   ​ ​ ​ Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9                                                                                                                                                                             Parking (Sheet A0.1)  21 spaces    Building 1 (See A0.2, A1.1, A1.2, A1.3, A1.4, A1.5, A2.1, A2.2, A2.5, A2.6, A3.9, A3.10, A3.12)  The Architectural Review Committee made comments concerning the adjacency of the building to Maverick Miller and the  massing of the second floor. The property owner has redesigned portions of Building 1 to accommodate the comments.    The building will be two stories, 22 feet at wall height, 27 feet 6 inches at the ridgeline, and 30 feet 2 inches at the gable   (Sheet A2.1-A.2.2).     Stone on the first floor and board and batten on the second floor are utilized for the building’s exterior. The board and   batten will be painted a light color to be more compatible with the Maverick Miller house. (See A3.5 and A3.9 although a   dark color is used in some of the renderings, it will be changed to the lighter color)    The front of Building 1 is set back from the front elevation of the house approximately 15 feet with plantings and sidewalks   between the two structures. (See Sheet A0.1, A2.6, A3.9)     The proposed Building 1 will be located approximately 23 feet west of the Maverick Miller house for the first floor.     A2.6 and A3.9)    The first floor of the front facing elevation is setback 23 feet from the Maverick Miller house to the west wall of the house.   (See Sheet A0.1) The Architectural Review Committee requested the second floor, at the east elevation, be set back more   from the house. (See Sheets A1.3, A2.1, A2.6, A3.9) The second floor front facing elevation is set back on the east facade   approximately 24’ 6” from the west elevation wall of the Maverick Miller house. (See Sheet A1.3, A.2.6, A3.9) The overhang     of the second floor has been reduced to 2’8”.     A clipped gable was added to the roof of the stone two story portion of the building to reduce the perception of looming     over the Maverick Miller house per the request of the Architectural Review Committee. (See Sheet A2.1, A.2.6, A3.9)    The front elevation will have paired windows and the roof will be cross gabled. The majority of the mass and scale of the   building is located below grade. There is an 11-foot slope in the grade that will hide a large portion of the building, making   its impact subordinate to the Maverick Miller house. The lower parking area is below grade.    The northward slope of the property will allow parking will be provided at the rear and underneath the building without it   being visible from Poplar Street. Access for parking will be provided from San Gabriel Street, on the west side of the lot so   not to impact the Maverick Miller house.      (A0.1,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           4   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   Building 1 (See Sheet A0.1, A2.1, A3.9-10, rendering of rear of both buildings looking north)    Maverick Miller  18 feet 6 inches  Building 1  27 feet 6 inches  Tower 25 feet 9 inches  30 feet 2 inches  Maverick Miller roof overhang (west) to Building 1 east wall  23 feet  Maverick Miller west wall to Building 1 east wall  24 feet 6 inches  Building 1 front elevation setback from Maverick Miller front  14 feet 9 inches    3,827 square feet  3958 square feet  487 square feet  8,271 square feet                                  Building 2 (See A1.6, A1.7, A1.8, A2.3, A2.4, A2.6, A3.1, A3.10, A.12, rendering of rear of both buildings looking north)  The proposed Building 2 will be located approximately 19 feet 5 inches north of the Maverick Miller house due to the City       Engineer’s report that a Rimrock is located just south of the north boundary line in the greenbelt. (See Sheet A0.1) The     building will be three stories, and is situated where the lot slopes downward to the north. The tower on the Maverick Miller   house is approximately 26 feet tall; the ridgeline of Building 2 adjacent to the tower is 19 feet, 5 inches. The eave of the   Terrace is 20 feet. (See Sheet A2.3, A.2.4, A2.6, A3.1) The height and placement of Building 2 make the building       subordinate to the Maverick Miller house; with the slope of the property, the majority of the building is nestled below grade.   The setback and lower height ensure that it is subservient to the historic building. Stone on the first floor and board and   batten on the second floor are utilized for the building’s exterior. The elevations will have paired windows and the roof will   be cross gabled.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Maverick Miller Tower  Building 2  25 feet 9 inches  19 feet 5 inches  20 feet  Height  At Ridgeline  Floor 1 area  Floor 1A area  At Eave of Terrace      Building 2 (See Sheet A0.1, A3.1, A3.12)  2,998 square feet  3,179 square feet    Height  At Ridgeline  At Gable  Setbacks  Floor 1 area  Floor 2 area  Roof Terrace area  Total area            5 ​ Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   Floor 2 area  Terrace area  Total  3,051 square feet  487 square feet  9,714                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Site Features  The historic retaining walls will be repaired. A small portion located north of Building 1 and at the west end will be removed   and relocated on site. (See Sheet A0.1)    Pools will be located behind and adjacent to the new construction; they will not be visible from the street. (See Sheet A0.1)    Secretary of Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties:   The Maverick Miller house is an individual historic landmark and applications are reviewed based on the Secretary of the   Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.    9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the     property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and   architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.      The new construction is setback and away from the historic building. The slope of the lot allows much of the massing, scale and height to be obscured and hidden by the topography of the lot. Building 1 is set back approximately 15 feet from the     front sidewalk and the Maverick Miller house and is situated 23 feet west of the house; the second story 24 feet 6 inches. Building 1 is approximately 9 feet taller than the house (at the ridgeline) and two feet taller than the tower on the house. The   gables on the side elevation have been clipped to set them back from the Maverick Miller house. The lower level of the   building is set below grade to help obscure the scale and mass, helping to make it subordinate to the house.       Building 2 is located 19 feet 5 inches to the rear of the Maverick Miller house on a portion of the site that slopes down approximately 25 feet. The bulk of the building is nestled into the side of the hill lessening the impact to the Maverick Miller   house. The tower of the house, which is adjacent to Building 2, is approximately 26 feet tall whereas the building, because   of its siting, is approximately 19 feet at this point.      The massing and scale of the buildings has been designed to be subordinate to the Maverick Miller house by utilizing the     topography of the lot and building into the slope. The exterior materials for the buildings are a light stone and wood,   referencing the Maverick Miller house’s exterior materials. The buildings use a paired window pattern with one over one   windows again referencing the house but not copying it. The roof pattern for the buildings is a cross gable similar to the house. While the massing, scale and materials of the new construction are compatible with the Maverick Miller house, they   are clearly contemporary.    10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the   future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.    In the future, if the new construction is removed, it will not have an impact on the Maverick Miller house or significant     landmark features.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       6   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   Preservation Austin Covenant:  Although the Historic Landmark Commission is not party to the covenant on the Maverick Miller house that is held by  Preservation Austin, it is important to note that the project meets those standards which have been negotiated over the  past three years through multiple meetings, site visits and reviews.                                                                                  7   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9 Aerial of property                      8 Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View north of primary (south) elevation      View NE from the corner of Poplar & San Gabriel        9     Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View E toward house from San Gabriel St  View East toward the house. Note the slope down to the left (north)          10     Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9         11 View NW of the field to the west of the house    View NE down the hillside to the west and north of the house            Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View east of the terraces and steeply sloped site.          12   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View southeast toward the house from the bottom of the hill          13   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View E of the terraces near the bottom of the hill          14   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View southwest of the terraces near the bottom of the hill          15   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9     View west of the terraces and steeply sloped site        16   Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9 View south toward the parking lot to the east of the house. Turned earth is from the removal of a large tree stump.    View northeast of the slope along the eastern property line        17         Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   Rehabilitation of the Maverick Miller House April 2020    Restoration of Windows (after)              18 Maverick Miller House 910 Poplar Austin, 78705 City Council District: 9   Stone Cleaning  Before stone cleaning      After stone cleaning                          19