C.5.0 - 82 San Marcos Street — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT IN A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 PR-21-113815 WILLOW-SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT 82 SAN MARCOS STREET C.5 – 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1941 house. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH One-story, rectangular-plan, side-gabled, frame cottage with a central entry topped with a front-gabled entry hood; paired 1:1 fenestration, some with decorative 3:1 wood screens. There is a building permit in city records evidencing construction of this house in 1941; the Sanborn map of 1935 shows a different house on this site, and the 1962 Sanborn map shows the current house. This house, however, appears to reflect 1930s construction in its masing and style, leading to some confusion with a water utility permit dating from 1932. The confusion would not affect the determination of historical significance for this house, as it was home to only two families during much of the historic period, one of whom lived in the earlier house on this site. The 1941 building permit reflects construction by Louis Bonugli, who operated a neighborhood grocery store just a block from this site, and who invested in neighborhood real estate. This house was built as a rental unit. The first residents of the house were Willie L. and Allie Smith, who lived here until around 1943, and had lived in the earlier house on this site since the early 1930s. Willie Smith was an auto mechanic. Raymond and Angie Miller moved into the house around 1943 and rented the house until around 1950. Raymond Miller was taxi driver who later opened his own filling station while living in this house. Angie Miller worked at Woolworth’s a downtown discount department store. PROPERTY EVALUATION The house is listed as non-contributing to the Willow Spence National Register Historic District, but staff questions that determination, as the house is an intact example of vernacular residential design that would be contributing to the historic district if evaluated today. The Willow-Spence National Register Historic District was nominated in 1985, when this house would not have qualified under the 50-year threshold; the district nomination does not shed any light on the justification for the determination. 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 that while the house would meet the criterion for architectural significance, there does not appear to be justification for determining that it reflects historical significance. a. Architecture. The building is a good example of wood-frame residential construction and retains a very high degree of integrity. b. Historical association. The property was associated with the family of an auto mechanic and then with a taxi driver who went on to open his own service station during the historic period. There do not appear to be 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 Encourage rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, then relocation over demolition, but release the permit upon review of the plans for new construction by the applicant and completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package, consisting of 8 x 10” photographs of all elevations printed on photographic paper, a dimensioned sketch plan, and a narrative history for archiving at the Austin History Center. C.5 – 2 LOCATION MAP C.5 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos C.5 – 4 Google Street View, 2020 Occupancy History City Historic Preservation Office City Directory Research, July 2021 Gaither B. Yarbrough, renter Carpenter, Jackson Cullen Gaither B. and Myrtle Yarbrough, renters Carpenter, Calcasieu Lumber Company Twain R. and Letrelle Schieffer, renters Director, State Railroad Commission Victor and Doris Hidalgo, renters Victor – Mill worker 1959 1957 1955 1952 1949 1947 Doris – Employee, Buttrey’s, women’s and children’s ready to wear clothing, 107 W. 6th Street. Raymond A. and Angie Miller, renters Raymond – Clerk, Moore Automotive Supply. 301-03 E. 5th Street Angie – Desk clerk, Woolworths, department store, 600 Congress Avenue Raymond A. and Angie Miller, renters Filling station C.5 – 5 Auto repair No occupation listed William L. and Allie Smith, renters Raymond Alex and Angie Miller, renters 1944-45 1941 1940 NOTE: William L. and Allie Smith appear to have lived in an earlier house on this site with the same address. He was engaged in auto repair. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: William L. and Allie Smith (ca. 1941 – ca. 1943) William L. and Allie Smith, renters Auto repair The 1940 U.S. Census shows Willie L. and Allie Smith as the renters of this house. Willie L. Smith was 43, had been born in Texas, and was an automobile mechanic. Allie Smith was 40, had been born in Tennessee, and had no occupation listed. They had four children: Margaret, 18; son Willie, 15; Wanda, 11; and Otis, 23, along with Otis’ wife, Gladys, 23, and their daughter, Noritta 2. Otis Smith was a truck driver for Armour & Company, a meat packing plant. All the family members had been born in Texas. The 1930 U.S. Census shows W.L. and Allie Smith renting a house in Lockhart, Texas, where W.L. Smith was a mechanic in a garage. Allie Smith had no occupation listed, but is listed as having been born in Oklahoma. The couple had five children: Odis, 13; James R., 11; Margaret, 8; Billie, Jr., 5; and Wanda, 1. All the children had been born in Texas. Willie L. Smith was born in 1896 and died in 1981. Allie Mae Smith was born in 1899 and died in Austin in 1983. Raymond A. and Angie Miller (ca. 1943 – ca. 1950) Alex R. and Angie Miller appear in the 1930 U.S. Census as the renters o the house at 4404 Avenue C in Austin. Alex R. Miller was 29, had been born in Texas, and was a solicitor for a correspondence school. Angie Miller was 24, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. They had a 5-year-old daughter, Louise, who had been born in Texas. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Raymond A. and Angie Miller as the renters of the house at 79 San Marcos Street in Austin. Raymond A. Miller was 39, had been born in Texas, and was a taxi driver Angie Miller was 34, had been born in Texas, and was a saleslady at Woolworth’s, a downtown department store chain. They had a daughter, Louise, 15, who had been born in Texas and had no occupation listed. His 1942 World War II draft registration car shows that Raymond Alexander Miller was living t this address. He was born in Moody, Texas in 1900 and was working in Houston for shipbuilder at the time of his registration. His mother, Mrs. L..A. Miller, of Moody, Texas, was his listed next of kin. He was 5’-6” tall, weighed 130 pounds, and had a light complexion with black hair and brown eyes. He had a mustache. Raymond Alex Miller was living at 1415 Alguno in Austin at the time of his death in 1978. He was born in Texas in 1900 and was the owner and operator of a service station. He was married. Angie Miller died in Austin in December 1989. Permits C.5 – 6 Water Service Permit for an earlier house with this address (1932) Building Permit to Louis Bonugli for the construction of this house (1941) Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps C.5 – 7 The 1935 Sanborn map shows a different house on this site. The 1962 Sanborn map shows the current house.