D.1.0 - 4714 Rowena staff report — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MAY 24, 2021 DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS HDP-2020-0340 4714 ROWENA STREET D.1 - 1 PROPOSAL RESEARCH Demolish a turn of the 20th century house with ca. 1932 additions. ARCHITECTURE One-story, wing-and-gable plan stuccoed frame house with a partial-width inset porch featuring a segmental arched arcaded front wall; single 1:1 fenestration; second-story belvedere at the back of the house; metal roof. The house is associated with Jay J. and Elisabeth Hegman, who lived here from around1932 until 1948, when they moved to a historic landmark house at 720 E. 32nd Street. This house is clearly not a ca. 1932 house, but the rear addition appears to date from that time, and this older house was outside the city limits at the time of its construction; no known records exist to document its earlier history. Jay J. Hegman was born in 1883 in Galveston, and arrived in Austin in 1915 after operating a theater in Temple, Texas. He opened the “old” Queen Theater on Congress Avenue in 1916, then persuaded Major George W. Littlefield to build a new, larger theater in 1920, the “new” Queen, also on Congress Avenue. The Queen was the first theater in Austin solely dedicated to showing motion pictures; all the other theaters also featured stage shows. Hegman ran afoul of local authorities in the early 1920s for showing movies at the Queen on Sundays, in violation of Texas blue laws, which prohibited many businesses from operation on the Sabbath. He was fined for his violations, and in 1924, sold the Queen Theater, but appears to have embodied the rebellion in the 1920s against what was viewed by many as Puritanical rules, the most obvious of which was nationwide Prohibition. He then went to Galveston to operate the Grand Opera House there, before returning to Austin. There are indications that Hegman split his time between Galveston and Austin in the mid-1920s; the city directory of 1924 shows the Hegman family living on Crockett Street, and operating the Star and Crescent theaters. The 1927 directory is the first showing the Hegmans in this neighborhood. They opened the Ritz Theater on E. 6th Street in 1929, and revamped the theater to its current configuration in 1937. His son, Elmo W. Hegman, who grew up in this house on Rowena, started off as a projectionist in his parents’ theaters, and later became the manager of the family’s theater business. Besides the theater businesses in Austin, which included the Queen, Crescent, and Star theaters in the 1920s, Jay J. Hegman was also a real estate man, developing the J.J. Hegman Subdivision in north Austin in the mid-1920s, consisting of Rowena Street and Avenue F between 47th and 51st Streets. The 1930 U.S. Census shows the Hegman family living in a house worth $10,000 with an address of 4805 Avenue F, which may be the house currently known as 108 E. 48th Street, built in 1926, the year after the Hegman Subdivision was platted. If it was not that house, it was another house of similar size and value that has since been demolished. The house currently at 4805 Avenue F was built in 1937. STAFF COMMENTS The house is beyond the bounds of any City survey to date. The applicant has provided a structural engineer’s report citing substandard conditions at the house with a recommendation for demolition. The City also recommended demolition of the house in 1995, but the house was repaired instead. Staff has evaluated this house for designation as a historic landmark and has determined that the house meets the criteria for landmark designation as set forth in City Code: D.1 - 2 a. Architecture. The house is an anomaly in some ways – its form is much older than its 1932 construction date might suggest – the wing-and-gable configuration of this house appears to be more related to late 19th century vernacular architecture than 1930s construction. At some point before 1961, according to the legend on the Sanborn map of that year, the old frame house shown on the 1935 map was stuccoed over, an addition was constructed to the rear, and the second-story belvedere was added to the house. The metal roof dates from 1995. The house is significant for its architecture. b. Historical association. The house is associated with Jay J. Hegman and his wife, Elisabeth, who platted this subdivision in 1925 and may have lived in another house in the neighborhood before this. Hegman was a theater magnate, known for opening the first theater in Austin solely devoted to showing motion pictures, as well as his defiance to Texas’ blue laws which prohibited him from operating his movie theaters on Sundays. That defiance cost him several fines, and he later sold the Queen Theater, but never left the theater business in Austin, opening the Ritz on Sixth Street in 1929. The Hegman family ran the Ritz for many years. 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 is an anchor in the subdivision established by Hegman, and is the only house of its type in the neighborhood. e. Landscape feature. The property is not a significant natural or designed landscape with artistic, aesthetic, cultural, or historical value to the city. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Initiate historic zoning if the Commission believes that the house meets the criteria for designation for architectural and historical significance, as well as the applicant’s reports concerning the condition of the house. If the Commission does not initiate historic zoning and releases the permit, then staff recommends the completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package, consisting of photographs of all elevations, a dimensioned sketch plan, and a narrative history, for archiving at the Austin History Center.  D.1 - 3 The J.J. Hegman Subdivision (1925). The street labeled as Theresa Avenue (named for the Hegmans’ daughter, who later married Larry Craddock) is now Avenue F.  LOCATION MAP D.1 - 4  D.1 - 5 4714 Rowena Street ca. 1932 OCCUPANCY HISTORY 4714 Rowena Street City Directory Research, Austin History Center By City Historic Preservation Office April, 2013 1959 Joe R. Fleet, renter Mechanic, Capitol Truck and Trailer, 4822 E. 1st Street. John A. and Ella Mae Mullin, renters No occupation listed William R. and Annie Frazier, renters No occupation listed Also listed are Lorene Frazier, a telephone operator, and Rex Frazier, an office worker. W.R. and Annie B. Frazier, renters No occupation listed Also listed are Lorene Frazier, no occupation shown, and Rex Frazier, a driver for the Kerrville Bus Lines. Vacant NOTE: W.R. and Annie B. Frazier are not listed in the directory. Lorene Frazier is listed as an attendant at Austin State Hospital, 4100 Guadalupe Street. 1957 1954 1952 1949  1947 1944-45 1941 1939 1937 1935 1932-33 1930-31 NOTE: Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman are listed at 720 E. 32nd Street; he was the proprietor of the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Elmo W. and Virginia Hegman are listed at 903 Neches Street; he was listed as a proprietor of the Ritz Theater. D.1 - 6 Jay J. and Lizzie M. Hegman, owners Proprietor, Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. NOTE: Elmo W. and Virginia C. Hegman are listed at 903 Neches Street; he was the manager of the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, owners No occupation listed NOTE: Elmo W. and Virginia C. Hegman are listed at 903 Neches Street. He was the manager of the Ritz Theater; Virginia was the cashier of the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. No occupation listed Cashier, Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, owners Jay J.: Elizabeth: NOTE: Elmo W. and Virginia Hegman are listed at 206 Trinity Street. He was the manager of the Ritz Theater; she was a cashier at the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. No occupation listed Cashier, Ritz Theater, 302 E. 6th Street. Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, owners Jay J.: Elizabeth: NOTE: Elmo W. and Virginia Hegman are listed at 602 E. 25th Street. He was the manager of the Ritz Theater; she was a cashier at the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, owners Jay J.: Elizabeth: Proprietor, Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Cashier, Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, owners Jay J.: Elizabeth: Also listed is Elmo W. Hegman, an operator at the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. NOTE: The house is listed as 4710 Rowena Street. Manager, Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Cashier, Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, owners No occupation listed Also listed is Elmo W. Hegman, a projectionist. NOTE: The house is listed as 4710 Rowena Street. NOTE: Elmo W. and Virginia Hegman are listed at 2206-A Longfellow. He was the manager of the Ritz Theater; she was a cashier at the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. No houses are listed on Rowena Street. NOTE: Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman, as well as Elmo W. Hegman, are listed at 4805 Avenue F, which may be the house now known as 108 E. 48th Street, or one similar. Jay J. Hegman is listed as the proprietor of the Ritz Theater; Elmo W. Hegman was the projectionist at the Ritz Theater, 320 E. 6th Street. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:  D.1 - 7 Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman (ca. 1932 – ca. 1948) His 1918 World War I draft registration card shows that Jay Jacob Hegman was living at 802 E. 1st Street in Austin at that time. He was born on Christmas Day, 1882, and was the owner and manager of theaters in Temple and Austin, Texas. He was married to Elisabeth Hegman. He was of medium height and build, and had light brown hair and gray eyes. The 1930 U.S. Census shows Jay J. and Elisabeth Hegman as the owners of a house worth $10,000 in the Highland Subdivision, which later became the Hegman Addition, consisting of Rowena Street and Avenue F between 47th and 51st Streets. This reference in the census report may relate to their former home known as 4805 Avenue F in the city directories but possibly the house at 108 E. 48th Street today, a two-story brick house, as the value of the house at 4714 Rowena Street was significantly less in the 1940 U.S. Census report that the house now known as 108 E. 48th Street, the only two-story house in the neighborhood at the time. Jay J. Hegman was 45, had been born in Texas to German-born parents, and was in the amusement business, particularly moving pictures. Elisabeth M. Hegman was 44, had been born in Texas to German- born parents, and had no occupation listed. They had a son, Elmo W. Hegman, 23, an operator in a moving pictures theater; and a daughter, Theresa C. Hegman, 21, both of whom had been born in Texas. Also in the household was Elisabeth M. Hegman’s father, Christ J. Plath, a 74- year old widower who had been born in Germany and had no occupation listed. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Jay J. and Elizabeth Hegman as the owners of this house, which was worth $2,500. Jay J. Hegman was 55, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. Elizabeth M. Hegman was 54, had been born in Texas, and was the cashier for a theater. They had no children listed with them. J.J. Hegman was living at 3213 Lafayette Street at the time of his death in 1953. According to his death certificate, he was born December 25, 1883 in Galveston, Texas, and was a theater owner.  D.1 - 8 Jay J. Hegman announces he will violate the Texas Sunday closing laws to show movies at the Queen Theater on Congress Avenue. Austin Statesman, February 23, 1923  D.1 - 9 Advertisement for Hegman’s Queen Theater Austin Statesman, February 23, 1923 Jay J. Hegman is fined for violating the Sunday closing law by showing movies on a Sunday Austin Statesman, October 30, 1923  D.1 - 10 Jay J. Hegman sells the “old” Queen Theater Austin Statesman, November 21, 1923  D.1 - 11 Elisabeth Hegman announces the re-opening of the Crescent Theater under her management. Austin Statesman, November 26, 1924  D.1 - 12  D.1 - 13 News story on Hegman’s opening the Ritz Theater Austin Statesman, November 7, 1929  D.1 - 14 News story on the career of Jay J. Hegman upon his death Austin Statesman, February 17, 1953  D.1 - 15  D.1 - 16  D.1 - 17 News story on the closing of the Queen Theater with reference to Jay J. Hegman’s theater career in Austin Austin American-Statesman, October 30, 1955  D.1 - 18 Obituary of Elisabeth Hegman Austin Statesman, March 21, 1962  D.1 - 19 Water service permit to J.J. Hegman for this house (1932). The address on the permit reads 4712 Rowena, but the accompanying map shows the location as this house.  D.1 - 20 Building permit to the Hegman Estate to repair and remodel the house (1973) The house appears as a one-story house with a partial-width front porch on the 1935 Sanborn map.  D.1 - 21 The 1961 Sanborn map shows the house with its current configuration, including the notation that it has a stucco exterior and a second-story addition to the rear.