C.6.0 - 1609 Waterston Ave — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS FEBRUARY 28, 2022 HR-2022-002129 WEST LINE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT 1609 WATERSTON AVE. C.6 – 1 PROPOSAL Construct a rear addition and replace windows on ca. 1933 house. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS 1) Remove existing sunroom addition at the rear of the house. Construct a new sunroom with a screened porch in its place. The sunroom will be clad in painted wood siding to match the house. The screened porch extends approximately 6’ beyond the side of the house. 2) Remove concrete front porch slab and replace with a wood-framed porch floor. Retain the porch roof and columns. 3) Replace all windows with casement windows. Windows on the front elevation appear to be within the existing openings, while those on the side elevations have different sizes and placement than the historic windows. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH One-story side-gabled bungalow clad in wood siding. The house has a partial width front-gabled porch with fluted box columns and an arched beam. The porch is a concrete slab with decorative iron railings. Windows are single and paired 1:1 wood sash with screens with a 6:1 light pattern. The front-facing gable has a lattice vent, with knee braces at the side-facing gable ends. At the rear is a shed-roofed addition. The house at 1609 Waterston Ave. was built around 1933 for P. J. Anthony, who lived at 1613 Waterston Ave. The first recorded occupants of the house are Seth D. and Evelyn H. Breeding, who married in 1933 and lived in the house around 1935. Evelyn Breeding studied to join the CIA before working at the State Highway Department. Seth Breeding earned a degree in engineering from the University of Texas and worked for the Texas Water Development Board and U.S. Geological Survey. Between 1939 and 1944, Benjamin W. and Alice Janosky rented the house. Benjamin Janosky worked as a salesperson at Scarbrough’s and EMS & Sons. Subsequently, a series of short-term occupants included a bank employee, the owner of the Fred Jones Garage, a plasterer, and a mechanic. DESIGN STANDARDS 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: Repair and alterations 5. Windows, doors, and screens The standards emphasize repair over replacement of historic windows and doors. Where replacement is necessary due to deterioration, new windows should match the size, configuration, and other details of the existing windows. The proposed work entails wholesale replacement of 1:1 wood windows with casement windows, alteration of the size and placement of window openings, and removal of decorative screens. The project does not meet these standards. 6. Porches Historic porch elements should be retained rather than replaced. Based on the age of the house, the concrete porch and metal railing are likely original. Replacement with a wood porch with no railing does not meet these standards. Residential additions 1. Location The standards indicate that additions should be located to the rear of historic buildings to minimize their visual impact. For additions that extend to the side of a house, they should be set back the greater of 15’ or half the width of the front wall. The C.6 – 2 proposed addition replaces an existing addition or enclosed porch to the rear of the property and meets these standards. 2. Scale, massing, and height An addition should complement the scale, massing, and height of the historic building and should have minimal impact on the building’s appearance from the street. The proposed addition is lower than the height of the house and is minimally visible from the street. It meets these standards. 3. Design and style 4. Roofs 5. Exterior walls 6. Windows, screens, and doors To the extent that it is visible from the street, an addition should be differentiated but compatible with the historic building in terms of its design, style, and materials. The proposed addition is minimally visible from the street, with only a screened porch extending beyond the side of the house. This is addressed under the section below. 7. Porches and decks Standard 7.2 indicates that new back porches and decks that are visible from the street should be compatible with the historic building in terms of their size, style, materials, and proportions. The proposed project entails construction of a modestly scaled and simply detailed screened porch that extends beyond the side of the house. The roof has a slightly lower pitch and lower height than the roof of the house, minimizing the visual impact of the addition. The addition meets these standards. Summary The proposed addition meets the applicable standards, but replacement of historic elements of the house does not. PROPERTY EVALUATION The property contributes to the West Line National Register district. 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 it does not meet two criteria: a. Architecture. The house is a good example of a Craftsman bungalow. b. Historical association. The property does not 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 appear to 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 Comment on and release the plans, encouraging retention and repair of historic elements on the front of the house, including the porch slab, railings, windows, and screens. LOCATION MAP C.6 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos C.6 – 4 Photographs from Zillow.com. C.6 – 5 Occupancy History City Directory Research, February 2022 Vacant Allen E., Jr., and Wanda L. Hall, renters Mechanic, Collins Construction Company Thomas E. and Hazel L. Doyle, renters Plasterer 1949-52 Fred R. and Faye B. Jones, owners Fred Jones Garage, 3016 Guadalupe St. A. Ashley and Frances Wynn, owners Employee, Capital National Bank Ben W. and Abie Janosky, renters Clerk, EMS & Sons Benjamin W. and Alice Janosky, renters Salesman, EMS & Sons Benjamin W. and Alice Janosky, renters Salesman, Scarbrough’s Vacant Seth D. and Evelyn Breeding, renters Assistant, U.S. Geological Survey 1932 Address not listed 1959 1957 1955 1947 1944 1941 1939 1937 1935 Historical information C.6 – 6 “Sunday Bride Will Marry in U.T. Church,” Austin American, Nov. 26, 1933, A1. C.6 – 7 Funeral notice for Seth Darnaby Breeding, Austin American-Statesman, Jan. 19, 1977, E11. C.6 – 8 “Getting Ready to Spruce Up,” Austin American, Mar. 10, 1940, 11. Permits C.6 – 9 Sewer service permit, 1933 C.6 – 10 Water service permit, 1956