C.5.0 - 1510 Palma Plz.pdf — original pdf

Backup

HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS JANUARY 25, 2021 GF-20-180133 1510 PALMA PLAZA C.5 - 1 PROPOSAL OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT Demolish a ca. 1923 house that contributes to the Old West Austin National Register Historic District. Construct a new residence in its place. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS 1) Demolish existing triplex. 2) Construct a new duplex. The proposed building, set back 25 feet from the street, is three stories. Its south (main) elevation features twin clipped-gable bays with side dormers separated by a front-facing garage. The roof is clad in composite shingles. The easternmost unit features a full-width, shed-roofed front porch connected via breezeway to a gabled wood carport. Fenestration includes single and mulled 2:2 sash windows arranged in a regular pattern at the main and rear elevations, fixed 3-pane horizontal windows interspersed with irregularly placed 2:2 sash windows at the side elevations, and paneled doors at entries and garage. The proposed building is clad in horizontal fiber cement siding with vertical wood tongue-and-groove accents at corners. One-and-a-half story, L-plan stuccoed cottage with clipped gables; single, paired, and triple 1:1 fenestration; shed-roofed cover over entry. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH The house was built in 1923 by A. Howard and Augusta Osburn, who lived here until around 1943. A. Howard Osburn, along with Murray and Niles Graham, owned the Enfield Insurance Agency, a branch of the Enfield Realty Company. It developed the Enfield subdivisions carved out of the old Pease Estate, including this house. In the early 1930s, Osburn 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 several years. The Osburns moved to the country club and rented this house for a short period of time, then moved back in until around 1943. Augusta Osburn, besides managing two prestigious clubs, 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 other 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. The Osburns 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 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 triplex; city directories from the mid-1960s forward reflect three housing units at this address. The tenants’ demographics also shifted:  C.5 - 2 after conversion to a duplex and triplex, the occupants included students, a food service worker, and a public school teacher. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are used to evaluate new construction projects in National Register historic districts. Applicable standards include: 2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided. A contributing building will be demolished and replaced with a noncontributing building. 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 building is differentiated from historic buildings on the street by its larger scale, its two-unit massing, and its modern cladding materials. Its gabled roofline and sash windows mimic the design of the existing historic structure. While its materials are compatible with the surrounding district, its front-facing garage is not. Its three-story height disguised with two-story massing and the stepped setback of the second unit helps the building to blend with the streetscape. 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. If the proposed new building were removed in the future, the remainder of the district would be unimpaired. STAFF COMMENTS The house contributes to the Old West Austin National Register Historic District. A demolition application for this building appeared before the Commission in 2006. Meeting minutes indicate that a motion to allow demolition rested on a vote of 3-1-1, which did not constitute a quorum vote for the 9-member Commission. There is no record of a subsequent vote on the Commission-initiated case for historic zoning. The permit was released, but later expired without action. Expired permits generally do not require rehearing, as the Commission has had the opportunity to review and rule on them; in this case, the permit was released because of lack of quorum, so effective ruling on whether to recommend historic zoning did not take place. Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building appears to retain high integrity. 3) Properties must meet two historic designation criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated this house and determined that it may meet two criteria: a. Architecture. 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. This was a 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. C.5 - 3 b. Historical association. The house is associated with business and cultural leaders Howard and Augusta Osburn, who lived there from its construction in 1923 until the early 1940s. Howard Osburn worked in insurance and real estate, beginning with Enfield Realty, then moving on to Millican and Hamby and finally to his own agency. Augusta Osburn was part of the prominent Renfro family, proprietors of one of the largest drug store companies in Austin. She managed the downtown Austin Club for several years in the 1930s, then became manager of the Austin Country Club from around 1936 until around 1939; the family moved to the country club for her career. Augusta Osburn also ran a circulating library in the Renfro Drug Store on W. 12th Street. 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. COMMITTEE FEEDBACK STAFF RECOMMENDATION Consider retaining original structure and constructing an addition. Consider stucco cladding for exterior of new building. Encourage the applicant to rehabilitate the existing house and construct one or more ADUs for density. The house conveys architectural and associational significance and should not be demolished until all avenues of preservation and rehabilitation have been explored. Should the Commission choose to release the demolition permit, require completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package prior to release. Per Code, the Commission may also consider a 180-day demolition delay for the contributing house. Concur with Committee feedback when commenting on the new building’s design.  LOCATION MAP C.5 - 4 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos C.5 - 5 Staff photos from 2005 and 2020, showing addition of third unit Occupancy History City Directory Research, Austin History Center, June 2005 1975 A. Mrs. Mary Brayton (widow, William Brayton) Bellaire Halfway House, 1515 Enfield Road  C.5 - 6 Mildred Brayton Director, Bellaire Halfway House B. Mrs. Edith Williams (widow, C.L. Williams) C. Mrs. Emma Rucker Food service worker, University of Texas A. Susan J. Schaffer Typist, City Engineering Department B. John and Barbara Laplante Student C. Rick and Mitsuk Peterson Student A. Gene and Sharon Calvert Teacher, public school B. Carroll Glaser C. Roy and Susan Zoch Bill poster, Rollins Outdoor Advertising Edgar and Laura Wilson, renters Agent, Trans-American Life Insurance Company 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 St. Otto J. and Ada Huth, renters One of three owners of Peck’s Auto Sales Dolores Huth Reservation secretary, Stephen F. Austin Hotel 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. 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. 1970 1965 1960 1955 1952 1949 1947 1944-45 1941 1937  1935 1932-33 1930-31 1929 1927 1924 1922 C.5 - 7 Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Real Estate Department, Millican and Hamby, general insurance and loans, 205-7 W. 7th St. NOTE: The house is listed as 10 Palma Plaza. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Solicitor, Millican and Hamby, general insurance and loans, 205-07 W. 7th St. Manager, Austin Club Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th St. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th St. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th St. Howard and Augusta Osburn, owners Proprietor with Murray Graham and Niles Graham of the Enfield Insurance Agency, 205 W. 7th St. 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 Information Biographical notes, Historic Preservation Office, 2005: Abner Howard and Augusta Osburn 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. 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. C.5 - 8 Austin Statesman, January 27, 1926  C.5 - 9 Austin American-Statesman, January 19, 1936 Austin American-Statesman, January 15, 1939  C.5 - 10 Austin American-Statesman, January 18, 1942  C.5 - 11 Austin Statesman, July 16, 1954 Austin Statesman, October 17 and 18, 1972 Permits Permit for porch enclosure, 5-18-38 Repair permit, 7-15-40  C.5 - 12 Remodel permit, 5-11-62 Remodel permit, 3-1-63