C.11.0 - 1510 Palma Plaza — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DECEMBER 14, 2020 PERMITS IN A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT GF-20-180133 1510 PALMA PLAZA OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT C.11 - 1 PROPOSAL RESEARCH Demolish a ca. 1923 house that is contributing to the Old West Austin National Register Historic District. ARCHITECTURE One-and-a-half story, L-plan stuccoed cottage with clipped gables; single, paired, and triple 1:1 fenestration; shed-roofed cover over entry. The house was built in 1923 by A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, who lived here until around 1943. A. Howard Osburn was a proprietor with Murray and Niles Graham in the Enfield Insurance Agency, a branch of the Enfield Realty Company, which developed the Enfield subdivisions carved out of the old Pease Estate, and including this house. In the early 1930s, he joined the insurance firm of Millican and Hamby as a solicitor in the real estate department. In the mid-1930s, Augusta Osburn became the manager of the Austin Country Club after managing the downtown Austin Club for a number of years. The Osburns moved to the country club and rented this house for a short period of time, then moved back in, staying here until around 1943. Augusta Osburn, besides being the manager of two prestigious clubs in the city, also ran a lending library in the Renfro Drug Company store on W. 12th Street; the Renfro Drug Company was owned and operated by her family, and was one of the largest drug stores in the city with several locations downtown, on the west side, and near the university. Their main store was at 600 Congress Avenue, the site of the current CVS Drug Store at 6th Street and Congress Avenue. Howard Osburn was also involved in real estate development, including the Upland addition centering on Concordia Avenue just east of what is now IH-35 between Manor Road and E. 38th Street north of French Place. Howard and Augusta Osburn moved from this house to Tarrytown, where they spent the rest of their lives on Hopi Trail. From the early 1940s until the early 1960s, the house was rented as a single family residence to including an insurance agent, an employee of a women’s and children’s clothing store, and an owner of a car dealership. The house was converted to a duplex in 1962, and an additional housing unit was added in 1963 to make the property a tri-plex; city directories from the mid- 1960s forward reflect three housing units at this address. The demographics of the tenants also shifted. While the house was a single family rental, the occupants were solidly middle class; after conversion to a duplex and triplex, the occupants reflected lower middle class status, with students, a food service worker, and a public school teacher. STAFF COMMENTS The house is contributing to the Old West Austin National Register Historic District. Staff has evaluated this house for designation as a historic landmark and has determined that the house may meet the criteria for landmark designation as set forth in City Code: a. Architecture. The house is a clipped-gable stuccoed house, a rarity in Austin. Although the overall form of the house is common, the stuccoed exterior walls and prominent clipped gables are unusual features for a house of this vintage.o  C.11 - 2 This is also an unusually modest home for a prominent businessman, especially one who was probably involved in the later development of the Enfield subdivisions. The house reflects the ideals of the 1920s vision of Enfield as a middle class neighborhood, and for several reasons then may have architectural significance. b. Historical association. The house was the long-time home of Howard and Augusta Osburn, both prominent business and cultural leaders. Howard Osburn was in the insurance and real estate business, beginning with the Enfield Realty’s Enfield Insurance Company, moving on to Millican and Hamby, a prominent insurance and real estate firm, and finally to his own agency. Augusta Osburn was a member of the prominent Renfro family which had several drug stores throughout the city and probably the largest drug store company in Austin before the arrival of national chains. She was the manager of the downtown Austin Club for several years in the 1930s and became the manager of the Austin Country Club from around 1936 until around 1939; the family moved to the country club to be resident managers there. Augusta Osburn also ran a circulating library in the Renfro Drug Store on W. 12th Street. There may be significant historical associations with both Howard and Augusta Osburn, who lived for about 20 years in this house, from the time of its construction in 1923, until the early 1940s, when they moved to Tarrytown. 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 NOTE An application for the demolition of this structure was brought before the Commission in 2006, but there were only 5 out of the 9 members of the Commission present, and the minutes from the meeting indicate that there was a motion to allow the demolition of the house but that the vote was 3-1-1, which did not constitute a quorum vote. There is no record of any subsequent vote on the Commission-initiated case for historic zoning. The permit was released, but the previous applicant let that permit expire. Historic Preservation Office policy generally does not require a rehearing of an expired permit, as the Commission has had the opportunity to review and rule on it, in this case the permit was released because of lack of a quorum so there was no effective ruling by the Commission on whether to recommend historic zoning for this house. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Encourage rehabilitation and adaptive re-use, returning the house to single-family use with auxiliary dwelling units to achieve the desired density on this site. The applicants presented their proposal to the Architectural Review Committee on November 30, 2020, and presented testimony of structural, plumbing, and electrical issues in the existing house that will make it infeasible for rehabilitation, but staff still encourages the applicants to use the existing house to the greatest extent possible and construct one or more ADU’s for density that will help in the rehabilitation cost of the existing house. This house has architectural interest and relates a story of a prominent businessman and more importantly, his wife, who managed the two most prestigious private clubs in Austin at that time. This house should not be demolished until all aspects of preservation and rehabilitation have been exhausted  C.11 - 3 as prohibitive or infeasible. Staff reminds the Commission that this house is contributing to the historic district, and cannot be demolished until the Commission has reviewed and commented on the proposals for new construction, so a postponement of the application for demolition may be appropriate to sync up the two proposals should the Commission feel that the house has historical and architectural significance.  LOCATION MAP C.11 - 4  C.11 - 5 1510 Palma Plaza ca. 1923 ca. 2005 photo of the house by staff Photo taken December, 2020 showing third rental unit to the left rear of the house.  C.11 - 6 OCCUPANCY HISTORY 1510 Palma Plaza City Directory Research Austin History Center Prepared by City Historic Preservation Office June, 2005 1975 A. Mrs. Mary Brayton Widow, William Brayton Bellaire Halfway House, 1515 Enfield Road NOTE: Mildred Brayton, director, Bellaire Halfway House, also resided here. Mrs. Edith Williams Widow, C.L. Williams No occupation listed B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. Mrs. Emma Rucker Food service worker, University of Texas Susan J. Schaffer Typist, City Engineering Department John and Barbara Laplante Student Rick and Mitsuk Peterson Student Gene and Sharon Calvert Teacher, public school Carroll Glaser No occupation listed Roy and Susan Zoch Bill poster, Rollins Outdoor Advertising Edgar and Laura Wilson, renters Agent, Trans-American Life Insurance Company 1970 1965 1960 1955 1952 1949 Edgar and Laura Wilson, renters Manager, American Founders Life Insurance Company Edgar and Laura Wilson, renters Employed by Buttrey’s Women’s and Children’s Ready to Wear Clothing, 107 W. 6th Street Otto J. and Ada Huth, renters One of three owners of Peck’s Auto Sales Also listed is Dolores Huth, reservation secretary, Stephen F. Austin Hotel C.11 - 7 Joseph Ballanfonte, renter Proprietor, Odom and Ballanfonte, Petroleum Engineers Perry D. and Helen Swindler, owners U.S. Army NOTE: A. Howard and Augusta Osburn are listed at 2003 Hopi Trail; he was the proprietor of a real estate, insurance, and investment business at 801 Brown Building. A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Real estate, Insurance, and Investments, 725 Brown Building Schorr and Lila Apperson, renters Sales manager, Texas Public Service Company NOTE: In 1937, the Osburns are listed as living at the Country Club. A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Real Estate Department, Millican and Hamby, general insurance and loans, 205- 7 W. 7th Street. NOTE: The house is listed as 10 Palma Plaza A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Solicitor, Millican and Hamby, general insurance and loans, 205-07 W. 7th Street. Augusta is listed as the manager of the Austin Club A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th Street A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th Street A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th Street A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th Street 1947 1944-45 1941 1937 1935 1932-33 1930-31 1929 1927 1924 1922 Palma Plaza is not listed in the city directory. Abner H. and Augusta Osburn are listed as living on the west side of Murray Lane, one house north of Enfield Road. Osburn lists his occupation as an employee of the Kuntz-Sternenberg Lumber Company. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: A. Howard and Augusta Osburn (ca. 1923 – ca. 1943) His 1918 World War I draft registration card shows Abner Howard Osburn living at 510 Walsh Street in Austin. He was born in 1884 and was the city salesman for W.T. Caswell at 5th and Chicon Streets. His wife was Augusta Osburn. He was tall with a medium build and had brown hair and gray eyes.  C.11 - 8 In 1920, according to the census report of that year, A. Howard and Augusta R. Osburn were renting the house at 1205 W. 6th Street in Austin. A. Howard Osburn was 34, had been born in Virginia and was a salesman for a lumber company. Augusta R. Osburn was 25, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. They had no children listed with them. The 1930 U.S. Census shows R. [sic] Howard and Augusta R. Osborn [sic] as the owners of this house, addressed as 10 Palma Plaza; the house was worth $7,000. A. Howard Osburn was 45, is listed as being born in Virginia to a North Carolina-born father and a Virginia-born mother, and was a real estate salesman. Augusta R. Osburn was 35, had been born in Texas to a Texas- born father and a Virginia-born mother, and had no occupation listed. They had no children listed with them. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Arthur Howard Osburn and his wife Augusta as the owners of this house, which was worth $5,500. A.Howard Osburn was 50, had been born in West Virginia, and was an insurance and bond man in the real estate business. Augusta Osburn was 41, had been born in Texas, and was the owner of a circulating library. Also in the household was a nephew, Tex Renfro, 12, who had been born in Texas. Abner Howard Osburn was born October 8, 1884. He was born in West Virginia, and came to Texas around 1900 as a representative of the National Biscuit Company. He came to Austin and became associated with the real estate and insurance firm of Millican and Hamby. Later, he was a proprietor with Niles and Murray Graham, the developers of Enfield, of the Enfield Insurance Company. He was a founder of the Austin Real Estate Board. Osburn died in Austin in July, 1954. A Howard Osburn’s 1954 death certificate shows that he was living at 2003 Hopi Trail in Austin at the time of his death. He was born in 1884 in Jefferson County, Virginia [sic – he was born in West Virginia], and was in the real estate and insurance businesses. C.11 - 9 Portion of the new article on the election of A. Howard Osburn to the chief business executive of the Insurance Exchange of Austin Austin Statesman, January 27, 1926  C.11 - 10 C.11 - 11 News story on the installation of Augusta Osburn as manager of the Austin Country Club Austin American-Statesman, January 19, 1936 Notice in the newspaper of new titles in the Renfro Drug Company Circulating Library, managed by Augusta Osburn Austin American-Statesman, January 15, 1939  C.11 - 12 C.11 - 13 News story on the Upland Addition developed by A. Howard Osburn Austin American-Statesman, January 18, 1942  C.11 - 14  C.11 - 15 Front page news story on the life, career, and death of A. Howard Osburn Austin Statesman, July 16, 1954 C.11 - 16 Obituary of Augusta Osburn Austin Statesman, October 17, 1972 Story on the funeral of Augusta Osburn Austin Statesman, October 18, 1972  C.11 - 17 Building permit to Howard Osburn to enclose the rear porch (1938) Building permit to Howard Osburn to repair fire damage (1940) Building permit to create a duplex (1962)  C.11 - 18 Building permit to create a triplex (1963)