D.2.0 - 2305 Rio Grande Street — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS JUNE 28, 2021 PR-2021-064110 2305 RIO GRANDE STREET D.2 – 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1921 house. ARCHITECTURE One-and a half story 1920s Craftsman cottage with Colonial Revival influences; the house has a side-gabled composition with an elevated roofline at the rear to accommodate a second story under the main roofline; it is unclear whether this is original architecture or a later addition, but appears to be of historic age. The façade consists of a twin set of front-facing gablets, each containing a double set of windows. The principal entry in centered in the façade with a single window on each side of the door and a projecting portico on round columns and with a round-arched eyebrow roofline at the center. RESEARCH STAFF COMMENTS This house was the home of Fred and Nellie Kingdon, who lived here from 1921 until their deaths. Fred Kingdon was a native of Illinois who worked as a car salesman for Covert Auto Company after managing Isaac Bledsoe’s piano and organ store. His 1967 death certificate showed him to be the manager of a music company, so perhaps he went back into the music business in his later years, but city directories show him as a car salesman for the majority of his career. His first wife, Nell, died in 1940, and Fred married again; his second wife Delsie was an administrative secretary for the University of Texas. 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 criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and determined it does not meet two criteria: a. Architecture. The house is a relatively common type of 1920s residential housing that is found in many neighborhoods near the UT campus and in the North University neighborhood. This house does not represent an outstanding example of this style. However, ironically, it is adjacent to the historic landmark Robert L. Moore house, which was moved to the neighborhood for its preservation, partly because of the context of the neighborhood (which has since continued to be degraded with new student housing developments). b. Historical association. The house does not have any significant historical associations; it was owned and occupied by a music store manager who then became a car salesman for most of the historic period. 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. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Encourage rehabilitation or relocation, but release the permit upon 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, prior to permit issuance While this house retains a high degree of integrity, it does not meet the two criteria required for designation, and does not qualify for individual designation as a historic landmark.. LOCATION MAP D.2 – 2 2305 Rio Grande Street ca. 1921 D.2 – 3 OCCUPANCY HISTORY 2305 Rio Grande Street City Directory Research, Austin History Center By City Historic Preservation Office May 2021 Date 1959 1957 1955 1952 1949 1947 1944 1941 1939 Name/Occupation Fred W. Kingdon, owner Occupation not listed Fred W. and Delsie C. Kingdon, owners Fred – Salesman Smith Bros Delsie – Office secretary at University of Texas Fred W. and Delsie C. Kingdon, owners Fred – Salesman American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corp. Delsie – Administrative secretary at University of Texas Fred W. and Delsie C. Kingdon, owners Salesman Fred W. and Delsie C. Kingdon, owners Fred – City salesman American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corp. Delsie – Administrative secretary at University of Texas Fred W. and Delsie C. Kingdon, owners Fred – Business manager AAA Plumbing Delsie – Office secretary at University of Texas Fred W. and Delsie C. Kingdon, owners Fred – Salesman Delsie – Clerk Paul Williams Office Fred W. and Nellie T. Kingdon, owners Salesman Covert Auto Co. Fred W. Kingdon Jr., renter Adjuster Hammerman & Gainer Fred W. and Nellie Kingdon, owners D.2 – 4 Salesman Covert Auto Co. Fred W. Kingdon Jr., renter Adjuster Hammerman & Gainer Fred W. and Nell Kingdon, owners Salesman Covert Auto Co. Fred W. and Jo Ann Kingdon Jr., renters Kingdon Service Station (1228 S Congress Avenue) Fred W. and Nell T. Kingdon, owners Salesman Covert Auto Co. Fred W. Kingdon Jr., renter Occupation not listed Fred W. and Nell T. Kingdon, owners Receiver Gammels Book Store Fred W. Kingdon Jr., renter Occupation not listed Fred W. and Nellie T. Kingdon, owners Manager Isaac Bledsoe, Pianos (821 Congress Ave) Fred W. and Nellie T. Kingdon, owners Manager Isaac Bledsoe, Pianos (821 Congress Ave) Fred W. and Nellie T. Kingdon, owners Manager Isaac Bledsoe, Pianos and Organs (821 Congress Ave) Fred W. and Nellie T. Kingdon, owners Manager Isaac Bledsoe, Pianos and Organs Address not listed Address not listed 1937 1935 1932 1929 1927 1924 1922 1920 1918 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: Fred and Nellie Kingdon appear in the 1930 U.S. Census as the owners of this house, which was worth $10,000. Fred Kingdon was 44, had been born in Illinois, and was the manager of a music store. Nellie Kingdon was 41, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. They had a son, Fred, Jr., 13, who had been born in Texas. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Fred and Nellie G. Kingdon as the owners of this house, which was worth $10,000. Fred Kingdon was 55, had been born in Illinois, and was an automobile salesman. Nellie G. Kingdon was 51, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. They had a son, Fred, Jr., 23, who had been born in Texas, and worked as an assistant manager of an insurance office. The census report also shows a lodger, Ann Baldwin, 4 months, who had been born in Texas. His 1967 death certificate shows that Fred William Kingdon was living at this address at t the time of his death. He had been a resident of Austin since 1909 and was a retired music salesman who had been born in Nekoma, Illinois in 1885. His wife was Delsie C. Kingdon. Funeral notice for Nellie Kingdon Austin Statesman, January 2, 1941 Note the list of casket bearers from some of Austin’s most prominent families. D.2 – 5 Obituary of Fred Kingdon Austin Statesman, May 11, 1967