C.11.0 - 1602 Northumberland Rd — original pdf

Backup

HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS JULY 26, 2021 PR-2021-097458 OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT 1602 NORTHUMBERLAND ROAD C.11 – 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1948 contributing house and construct new building. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS 1) Construct a two-story house. The proposed building has a compound roofline clad in standing-seam metal, with side- gabled form at the main mass and flat, hipped, and shed rooflines at secondary massing. It is clad in stucco with cast- stone trim and decorative accents throughout. Fenestration is regularly placed at the primary elevation and includes French doors with partial glazing at the second floor, full height multi-light windows and double entry doors at the first floor, and a round accent window. Round windows and horizontal multi-light fixed and casement windows appear at secondary elevations. An iron railing encloses the second-floor balcony at the main elevation. 2) Construct a detached garage. The proposed garage is located behind the primary building and is clad in stucco with cast stone trim to match. It has a steeply pitched hipped roof of standing seam metal with barrel-roofed dormers at each elevation. Multi-light horizontal pane fixed windows are used to match secondary elevations of the main building. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH DESIGN STANDARDS One-story Transitional Ranch house clad in brick, with inset partial-width porch, cross-gabled roof with deep eaves, and front-facing garage. Fenestration at the main façade includes screened 2:2 aluminum windows and multilight picture windows with inoperable shutters; the front door is not visible from the street. The house at 1602 Northumberland Road was constructed in 1948 for Jennie Covert. Covert was the widow of Clarence Covert, a prominent auto salesman in Austin; after his death, she helped her sons run the family business. Covert was an active member of the Junior League, past president of the Settlement Club, and multi-year PTA president. She lived in the home for at least ten years. 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 in National Register districts. The following standards apply to the proposed project: Residential new construction 1. Location The proposed new buildings appear to be set back appropriately from the street, with the garage located to the rear of the main building. 2. Orientation Both proposed buildings maintain an orientation that is consistent with contributing buildings elsewhere in the district. 3. Scale, Massing, and Height The proposed new house appears compatible in scale, massing, and height, with step-downs between the second and first floors and wall-plane offsets from front to rear. Massing is simple from the front elevation, with the more complex form variation to the rear of the property. 4. Proportions The proposed main building’s proportions are consistent with the proportions of nearby contributing buildings. 5. Design and Style The proposed new buildings are differentiated from historic structures by their modern window configurations, shapes, and materials, as well as their stucco cladding and metal roofing. The ornate cast-stone trim—particularly the built-in urns—is C.11 – 2 less appropriate to the style of the building and to the surrounding district’s character-defining details. 6. Roofs The proposed roof forms at the main building are compatible, though a shingle roofs would be more appropriate to both the surrounding district and the style of the proposed house than standing-seam metal. While the barrel-roofed dormers on the garage are not compatible with surrounding contributing buildings, the garage’s visibility from the street may be diminished by its position at the rear of the lot. 7. Exterior Walls The proposed cladding is compatible with the district’s historic character, though the cast-stone accents are less compatible. Omitting the niches, urns, and keystones would lessen the trim’s visual weight, increasing compatibility. 8. Windows and Doors The proposed new building’s fenestration is compatible in size, configuration, and profile at the main elevation, except the round window at the leftmost bay. 9. Porches The proposed balcony is appropriate in scale and material, though there are few examples of similar balconies elsewhere in the district. 10. Chimneys Both proposed stucco-clad chimneys appear compatible. The proposed project meets some standards. PROPERTY EVALUATION The building contributes to the Old West Austin National Register Historic District. Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building appears to retain high to 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 meet two criteria: a. Architecture. The building does not appear to convey architectural significance. b. Historical association. The property does not appear to have significant historical associations. 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 Approve the demolition application upon completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package. Comment on and release new construction plans, encouraging the applicant to simplify trim and consider a more compatible roof material. LOCATION MAP C.11 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos C.11 – 4 C.11 – 5 Source: Applicant, 2021 Occupancy History City Directory Research, July 2021 1959 Jennie Covert, owner 1957 Jenny Covert, owner 1955 Jenny Covert, owner 1952 Jenny Covert, owner (widow, Clarence) 1949 Jenny Covert, owner (widow, Clarence) 1947 Address not listed Biographical Information C.11 – 6 The Austin American (1914-1973), Jan 17, 1932; The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), Aug 28, 1940 The Austin American (1914-1973); Apr 12, 1959 C.11 – 7 The Austin American (1914-1973); Aug 20, 1961 C.11 – 8 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Feb 9, 1969 The Austin American Statesman (1973-1980); Sep 20, 1977 Permits C.11 – 9 Building permit to Jennie Covert, 1948 Addition permit to Dr. and Mrs. Rexford Carter, 1979 Addition permit to Dr. and Mrs. Rexford Carter, 1979