D.14.0 - 1704 Lavaca St — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS JANUARY 24, 2022 DA-2022-001274; GF 2022-001638 1704 LAVACA STREET D.14 – 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1903 commercial building. ARCHITECTURE One-story, three-bay brick commercial building. Each bay has two segmental arched openings containing paired doors with a transom. The parapet has corbelled brickwork. While the brickwork resembles the ca. 1883 building at 1700 Lavaca St., this is not the building’s historic appearance. Historic photographs show the building originally had storefront windows flanking entrances in each of the three bays. Above an awning, the wall appears to have been smooth stucco with a simple metal coping. A 1975 photograph shows the façade was slipcovered at that time. Per the applicant, the building was largely reconstructed in 1983. RESEARCH The commercial building at 1704 Lavaca St. was historically addressed as 1702-1706 Lavaca St., with one address per each bay of the façade. It was constructed for Emil Haenel, Sr. around 1903 to expand his adjacent grocery store, established at 1700 Lavaca St. in 1883. With the additional space in this building, Haenel’s Cash Store began offering general merchandise, such as kitchen items, lawn and garden equipment, and toys, in addition to groceries. Sons Emil Haenel, Jr. and August W. Haenel continued to run the business after their father’s death in 1924. Around that time, the business vacated 1700 Lavaca and consolidated into this building. According to August Haenel, the store was “the first in Austin to adhere strictly to cash sales.” As compared with stores that extended credit to their customers, the cash-only business model created savings in accounting and overhead passed on to the customers. Haenel’s Cash Store remained in operation for approximately 70 years, until the early 1950s. During the 1950s, the building was occupied by Worth Beal Do It Yourself Store, which sold unfinished furniture. Emil Haenel, Sr. was a German immigrant who arrived in Austin in 1873. His sons were avid bowlers in the Austin Saengerrunde and other leagues, and their wives were active in charitable work. Mrs. Emil Haenel was active in the Parent- Teacher Association and Capital Study Guild. Both she and Mrs. August Haenel were longstanding members of St. Martin Lutheran Church Ladies’ Aid. PROPERTY EVALUATION Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building retains low integrity. 3) Properties must meet two criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and that it does not meet two criteria: a. Architecture. The building does not convey architectural significance due to modifications. b. Historical association. The property is associated with an early and longstanding central Austin grocery, Haenel’s Cash Store. While the store was associated with this building for a longer period, 1700 Lavaca St. is the building originally associated with the business, and it has greater architectural integrity. 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 but release the permit upon completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package. LOCATION MAP D.14 – 2 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos D.14 – 3 Photographs by Historic Preservation Office staff, 2022 D.14 – 4 Occupancy History City Directory Research, December 2021 1959 1704 Worth Beal Do It Yourself Store, hobby shops 1702, 1706 Addresses not listed 1955-57 1704 Worth Beal Do It Yourself Store, hobby shops Worth M. Beal, proprietor; residence at 3108 West Ave. 1702, 1706 Addresses not listed 1939-52 1702-1706 Haenel’s Cash Store, grocery W. August Haenel, proprietor; residence at 601 W. 15th St. Emil Haenel, proprietor; residence at 805 E. 20 ½ St. 1927-37 1702-1706 Haenel’s Cash Store, grocery August Haenel, proprietor; residence at 601 W. 15th St. Emil Haenel, Jr., proprietor; residence at 301 E. 15th St. 1924 1702 Sandwich Shop 1704-1706 Emil Haenel, grocer Note: Emil and W. August Haenel reside at the same addresses but no longer list occupations. Residence, 302 W. 17th St. August Haenel and Emil Haenel, Jr., department managers for Emil Haenel 1922 1700-1706 Emil Haenel, grocer Residence, 302 W. 17th St. August Haenel and Emil Haenel, Jr., clerks for Emil Haenel 1704 Estell P. Bowden, renter Widow of Elmer 1910-20 1700-1706 Haenel’s Cash department store, groceries, feed, china, glassware, toys, 5 and 10¢ counter Emil Haenel, Sr., proprietor; residence at 302 W. 17th St. August Haenel and Emil Haenel, Jr., clerks for Emil Haenel 1906 1700-1706 Haenel’s Cash Store, general merchandise Emil Haenel, proprietor; residence at 302 W. 17th St. Note: listing by address indicates H. W. Steinle & Sons, but this business was at 1612 Lavaca St. 1903 1700-1706 Emil Haenel, groceries and feed Residence, 302 W. 17th St. 1895 No listings by address Historical Information D.14 – 5 Historic photograph dated Dec. 22, 1903. House Building File: Lavaca, 1700, C11202, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. D.14 – 6 Historic photograph, undated. House Building File: Lavaca, 1700, PICH 03449, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. Austin Statesman, Oct. 30, 1904, 19. D.14 – 7 Austin Statesman, Mar. 15, 1914, A6. Ads with the tag line “It takes money to buy at Haenel’s—but not as much as elsewhere” ran between 1915 and 1937. Beginning in December 1922, the business address is listed as 1704-1706 Lavaca St. By August 1927, the address is listed as 1702-1706 Lavaca St. Austin Statesman, Feb. 19, 1922, 14. D.14 – 8 “Emil Haenel, Pioneer Business Man, Dies after Long Illness,” Austin Statesman, July 28, 1924, 8. Ad and article, “Pioneer Store: Haenel Sons Conduct Business Founded by Father,” Austin American, Aug. 14, 1927, B43 and B50. D.14 – 9 Entry in 1932 City Directory describes the wide variety of wares at Haenel’s Cash Store. Austin City Directory (Houston: Morrison & Fourmy Directory Co., 1932-33), 233. Left, Mrs. Emil Haenel was active in the PTA and Capital Study Guild. Both she and Mrs. August Haenel were active in St. Martin Lutheran Church Ladies’ Aid. See “Class Started,” Austin American, Oct. 21, 1928, A2. Right, Both Emil and August Haenel were avid bowlers. See “114 Bowlers Open Meet at Saengerrunde: Four Leagues Begin Competing in Short Summer Tourney,” Austin American, May 25, 1941, 14. D.14 – 10 Left, obituary for Louis Emil Haenel. “Deaths and Funerals,” Austin Statesman, Nov. 18, 1961, 3. Right, obituary for August Haenel, Sr. Austin Statesman, May 7, 1972, A2. D.14 – 11 Worth Beal initially opened his “Do It Yourself” store on Manor Rd. “Do It Yourself Store Opened by Worth Beal,” Austin American, Dec. 13, 1953, C3. Permits D.14 – 12 Water service permit, 1702 Lavaca St., 1936 D.14 – 13 Water Service Permit, 1702 Lavaca St., 1983  D.14 – 14 Remodel permit, 1704 Lavaca St., 1966 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps 1961, Vol. 1, Sheet 17 D.14 – 15 1935, Sheet 17 1900, Sheet 26