D.13.0 - 1109 Travis Heights Blvd — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS MAY 24, 2021 PR-2021-063853; GF-2021-067031 1109 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BLVD. D.13 – 1 PROPOSAL Partially demolish ca. 1920 house; remove aluminum siding and restore stucco exterior; remove existing rear addition and construct new rear addition with covered porch and roof deck. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS will be clad in horizontal siding. 1) Removal of a non-historic two-story rear addition and construction of a new rear addition with a roof deck. The addition 2) Removal of aluminum siding and repair of plaster on the house and porch columns. 3) Restoration of most existing windows; installation of new double-hung windows in some openings of the house and on 4) Construction of a covered porch with exterior brick fireplace and chimney to the side of the rear addition. The front of the porch will be set back 29’-5 ½” and the outdoor fireplace 54’-6” from the façade of the house. 5) Slight enlargement of and siding replacement on the existing detached garage. the addition. ARCHITECTURE This American Foursquare house with Prairie School stylistic influences was constructed ca. 1920. The two-story house has a low-pitched hipped roof with broad overhangs. The full-width, hipped-roof porch has a long, open span supported at the corners by large square columns. The second floor had recessed corners that been infilled and converted to interior space. Originally clad in stucco, much of the house has been covered with aluminum siding. Wood double-hung windows have multiple lights in the top sash or are 1:1 light. The front elevation has a central grouping of four 8:1 light windows on the second floor. The side elevation, facing Harwood Pl., has a projecting sleeping porch with 6:1 light windows below a central grouping of five 1:1 light windows on the second floor. RESEARCH Early owners of this ca. 1920 house were Elmer E. and Cora Young. E. E. Young was co-owner of an automotive dealership, Hart & Young, Willys-Knight and Overland Austin Agency; he later bought out his partner and continued operation under his name. He served as president of the local automobile dealers’ association. Shortly before his death in 1928, Young became secretary of the Stacy Realty Company, developer of the Travis Heights neighborhood. Charles J. and Katherine Brunner owned the house from 1929 until 1947. Charles Brunner operated a jewelry business on East Sixth St. beginning in the late 1890s. After his death in 1933, Katherine Brunner continued to run the jewelry store for another ten years. It appears that she leased out the house following her husband’s death but moved back in around 1941. In the 1950s, the house was occupied by Robert B. and Gwendolyn Hill. Robert Hill was a foreman at the Calcasieu Lumber Company. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW Repair and alterations The City of Austin’s Historic Design Standards (March 2021) are based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and are used to evaluate projects at potential historic landmarks. The following standards apply to the proposed project: 3.1 When replacing roof material, use a material that is appropriate to the building’s history and character. Metal roofs are acceptable in historic districts unless addressed in a supplement to these standards. The house and addition will have a shingle roof, which is appropriate for this house. 4.1 Repair, rather than replace, historic material, unless it is deteriorated beyond the point of stabilization or restoration. Replace only those portions of an exterior wall or trim that are deteriorated beyond repair, leaving the rest of the wall or trim intact. D.13 – 2 4.2 When replacement or patching is required, use a compatible material that has a matching profile and texture, and that will not damage the historic material. Rot-resistant materials of similar density may be considered (e.g., cementitious siding). The project proposes to remove aluminum siding, installed in 1965, and restore the original stucco cladding. However, the recessed corners of the second floor will not be restored. 5.1 Repair, rather than replace, historic windows, doors, and screens; and their trim, surrounds, sidelights, transoms, and shutters, unless they are deteriorated beyond the point of stabilization or restoration. Retain windows if 50% or more of the wood or metal sash members are intact. 5.3 If historic windows must be replaced, match the size and details of the existing window, including configuration, profile, and finish. Take into account elements such as frames, sashes, muntins, sills, heads, moldings, surrounds, hardware, and shutters. 5.5 Do not enlarge, move, or enclose historic window or door openings that are highly visible from a front or side street. It may be appropriate to restore historic door or window openings that have been enclosed. 5.6 If adding windows or doors is necessary, create new openings on a wall not visible from the front street. Historic windows on the street-facing elevations largely will be retained and repaired. From the grouping of five windows on the second floor, Harwood Pl. elevation, one on each end will be infilled, and a new grouping of three windows will be added. One ground floor window adjacent to the sleeping porch will be converted to a side door. With the exception of two retained historic windows, the other side elevation and rear addition will have new double-hung windows of similar configuration and size. More detailed drawings of the existing and proposed windows would be necessary to evaluate whether the dimensions and profiles are a close match. Residential additions 1.1 Locate additions to the rear and sides of historic buildings to minimize visual impact. 1.4 For corner properties, set back the addition to align with or behind the front setback of the adjacent building fronting on that street. If the addition faces a street without an adjacent building fronting on it, this standard does not apply. Recommendation: Locate additions behind the rear wall of the historic building. The addition is located behind the rear wall of the house. The adjacent house fronting Harwood Pl. has a more considerable setback, and the addition does not match it. 1.5 Minimize the loss of historic fabric by connecting additions to the existing building through the least possible invasive location and means. The addition replaces an existing rear addition and thus minimizes further removal of original fabric. 2.1 Design an addition to complement the scale and massing of the historic building, including height. The addition must appear subordinate to the historic building. 2.2 Minimize the appearance of the addition from the street faced by the historic building’s front wall. a. If the addition connects to the historic building’s rear wall, step in the addition’s side walls at least one foot (1’) from the side walls of the historic building. b. The historic building’s overall shape as viewed from the street must appear relatively unaltered. The addition is of the same height as the house and steps in approximately 1’ from the side walls. The overall shape as viewed from Travis Heights Blvd is unaltered. The addition and roof deck will be visible from Harwood Pl. 3.1 Design additions to be compatible with and differentiated from the historic building, if they are visible from the street. The addition has many design elements that relate to the house but is differentiated through the slight inset and use of horizontal siding. 4.1 If an addition will be visible from a street on the front or side, design its roof form and slope to complement the roof on the historic building. 4.2 Use roof materials that match or have similar color, texture, and other visual qualities as the roof on the historic building. The pitch of the addition’s roof and shingle roofing will match that of the house. 5.2 Differentiate the exterior wall materials of the addition from those of the historic building. This could be accomplished by using different materials, using the same materials with different dimensions, or changing trim type or dimensions. Horizontal siding serves to differentiate the addition from the restored stucco of the house. 6.1 If an addition will be visible from a street on the front or side, use windows that are compatible with those on the existing building in terms of material, fenestration pattern, size, proportion, configuration, and profile. 6.2 Do not use windows with false muntins inserted inside the glass. The windows of the addition are of a similar size, configuration, and fenestration pattern as the house. 7.2 If new back porches and decks will be visible from the street, design them to be compatible with the historic building in terms of size, style, materials, and proportions. The addition includes a covered porch with a low-pitched hipped roof along the north side of the addition that is set back considerably but will be visible from Travis Heights Blvd. At the end of the porch is a substantial brick fireplace and chimney that may call attention to itself as a new feature. The project meets many of the applicable standards. While proposed restoration of the exterior materials is commendable, restoration of the original second-floor plan shape, with recessed corners, would also be beneficial. If the house were considered for landmark designation, greater retention of historic windows and fenestration patterns would be needed. D.13 – 3 STAFF COMMENTS The house is listed as contributing to the pending Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District. Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building retains moderate integrity. 3) Properties must meet two criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and determined that it does not appear to meet two criteria: a. Architecture. The house is a good example of an American Foursquare plan with Prairie stylistic influences. Its character has been altered by the addition of aluminum siding, which the project proposes to reverse, and enclosure of indented corners at the upper level. b. Historical association. The property is associated with entrepreneur E. E. Young, who owned an automobile dealership before entering real estate development shortly before his death. It is also associated with Charles J. and Katherine Brunner, who operated a longstanding jewelry business in downtown. Neither family appear to have made significant contributions to Austin’s history beyond their business enterprises. c. Archaeology. The property was not evaluated for its potential to yield significant data concerning the human history or prehistory of the region. d. Community value. The property 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 Not reviewed. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Release the permit. A City of Austin Documentation Package is not recommended due to the existing non-original siding and overall sensitive approach. While the project will result in multiple alterations to the house, it will remain contributing to the pending historic district. LOCATION MAP D.13 – 4 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos D.13 – 5 D.13 – 6 Source: Applicant, 2021 D.13 – 7 Occupancy History City Directory Research, May 2021 1918 1920 1922 1924 1927 1929 1932 1935 1937 1939 1941 1944 1947 1949 1952 1955 1957 1959 Address not listed Elmer E. and Cora Young, owners Traveler Elmer E. and Cora Young, owners Traveler Elmer E. and Cora Young, owners Hart & Young (automobiles), 305 E. 5th St. Elmer E. and Cora Young, owners Automobiles, 305 E. 5th St. Chas. J. and Katherine Brunner, owners Jeweler, 133 E. 6th St. Chas. J. and Kath. G. Brunner, owners Jeweler, 133 E. 6th St. Address not listed Enos B. and Ruby Cape, renters Assistant Engineer, State Highway Department Enos B. and Ruby Cape, renters Assistant Engineer, State Highway Department Kath. H. Brunner, owner (widow Chas. J.) Brunner’s Jewelry Store, 133 E. 6th St. Kath. H. Brunner, owner (widow Chas. J.) Occupation not listed Kath. H. Brunner, owner Occupation not listed Vacant Robert B. and Gwendolyn Hill, renters Employee, Calcasieu Lumber Robert B. and Gwendolyn Hill, renters Foreman, Calcasieu Lumber Robert B. and Gwendolyn Hill, renters Foreman, Calcasieu Lumber Ray A. and Dorothy Walker, renters Actuary, 303 Perry-Brooks Building Biographical Information D.13 – 8 Business ventures of E. E. Young, The Austin Statesman, 4/13/1924 and The Austin American, 2/26/1928 D.13 – 9 Obituary, Ernest Elmer Young, The Austin Statesman, 4/11/1928 Advertisement, Chas. J. Brunner, jeweler, Austin Daily Statesman, 5/6/1900 D.13 – 10 Charles J. Brunner obituary, The Austin American, 7/23/1933; Mrs. Kate H. Brunner obituary, The Austin Statesman, 2/2/1963 Historic Images and Maps D.13 – 11 Photo of 1109 Travis Heights Blvd. featured alongside article on natural gas service, The Austin American, 8/15/1926 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1922, sheet 96 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1935, sheet 226 D.13 – 12 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1962, vol. 2, sheet 226 Permits D.13 – 13 Water tap permit, 1931 Alterations to house, The Austin American, 9/30/1934 D.13 – 14 Building permit for remodel, 1964 Building permit for aluminum siding and remodel, 1965