A.1.0 - Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 416 W. 12th Street - Staff Report — original pdf

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A.1 - 1 ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET HLC DATE: PC DATE: November 16, 2020 December 14, 2020 CASE NUMBER: HDP-2020-0440 APPLICANT: Historic Landmark Commission HISTORIC NAME: Delta Kappa Gamma Building WATERSHED: Shoal Creek ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 416 W. 12th Street Council District: 9 ZONING FROM: DMU to DMU-H SUMMARY STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the proposed zoning change from downtown mixed use (DMU) district to downtown mixed use – Historic Landmark (DMU-H) combining district zoning. While staff appreciates the property owners’ dilemma in what they now view as a financial and maintenance burden, the building has demonstrated significance as reflected by its individual inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. National Register designation in and of itself does not prevent modification or even demolition of the building, but in the City of Austin, National Register designation does automatically qualify a building as eligible for landmark designation, which does place a barrier on demolition. Staff cannot recommend that a building individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places should be demolished, and must recommend landmark designation for the building to determine if the Commission or the Planning Commission, and ultimately the City Council votes to grant the building historic zoning. Given the architecture and history of this building, staff would recommend landmark designation even if the building were not listed on the National Register. In the meantime, staff recommends that the applicant for the demolition permit continue to develop proposals to incorporate the building into new development plans for the site, which staff acknowledges may preclude the construction of a high-rise building on this site. In staff’s evaluation, preserving portions of the exterior finishes of the building into an interior space of the proposed new building is not sufficiently respectful of the integrity, design, and significance of the existing building. Continuing conversations about the relationship of historic and new may result in a proposal that is much more palatable to both the owners of the building and the interests of preserving buildings that have demonstrated historical significance. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: November 16, 2020: Initiated historic zoning. Vote: 9-0-2 (Papavasiliou and Jacob off-dais). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: A.1 - 2 DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 under Criteria A and C for its significance in the areas of education and architecture; which also fulfills qualifications for city historic landmark designation criteria for architectural significance and historical associations. As a property individual listed on the National Register of Historic Places, under City Code, it does not need to meet additional criteria for designation as a historic landmark. The applicant opposes city landmark designation, so this case will require a super-majority vote for historic zoning at either the Historic Landmark Commission or the Planning Commission to advance to the City Council. ACTION: PHONE: 974-6454 ORDINANCE NUMBER: CITY COUNCIL DATE: ORDINANCE READINGS: 1ST 2ND 3RD CASE MANAGER: Steve Sadowsky NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: Austin Independent School District, Austin Lost and Found Pets, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Bike Austin, Central Austin Community Development Corporation, City of Austin Downtown Commission, Downtown Austin Alliance, Downtown Austin Neighborhood Assn. (DANA), Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Historic Austin Neighborhood Association, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood Empowerment Foundation, Old Austin Neighborhood Association, Preservation Austin, SELTexas, Shoal Creek Conservancy, Sierra Club, Austin Regional Group, West Downtown Alliance, Inc. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: Architecture: Please see the attached nomination of the building to the National Register of Historic Places. Historical Associations: Please see the attached nomination of the building to the National Register of Historic Places. PARCEL NO.: 0208011010 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 1 & PART OF LOT 2 BLOCK 150 ORIGINAL CITY ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX ABATEMENT: $16,681 (non-homestead property); city portion: $5,631 (no cap). APPRAISED VALUE: $3,610,592 PRESENT USE: Office building CONDITION: Good PRESENT OWNERS: Delta Kappa Gamma Society 416 W. 12th Street Austin, Texas 78701 DATE BUILT: ca. 1956 ALTERATIONS/ADDITIONS: None apparent. ORIGINAL OWNER(S): Delta Kappa Gamma Society OTHER HISTORICAL DESIGNATIONS: Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. LOCATION MAP A.1 - 3