A.2.0 - 1403 E Cesar Chavez St — original pdf

Approved Minutes

ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET A.3 – 1 CASE NUMBER: TBD PC DATE: HLC DATE: February 28, 2022; March 28, 2022; May 4, 2022; June 1, 2022 APPLICANT: Historic Landmark Commission (owner-opposed) HISTORIC NAME: Tofie and Bertha Balagia House WATERSHED: Urban—Lady Bird Lake NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN: East Cesar Chavez ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 1403 E. Cesar Chavez St. ZONING CHANGE: CS-1-MU-CO-NP to CS-1-MU-CO-H-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Consider recommendation of the proposed zoning change from commercial liquor sales – mixed use – conditional overlay – neighborhood plan (CS-1-MU-CO-NP) to commercial liquor sales – mixed use – conditional overlay – historic landmark – neighborhood plan (CS-1-MU-CO-H-NP) combining district zoning. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: Architecture and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: May 4, 2022: Postpone the public hearing. March 28, 2022: Postponed the public hearing at the owner’s request (Koch-Heimsath, 11-0). February 28, 2022: Initiate historic zoning based on architecture and historical associations and keep the public hearing open (Koch-Castillo, 10-0-1). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The 2016 East Austin Survey report recommends that the property is eligible as a local landmark and contributes to a potential local historic district. CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Kimberly Collins PHONE: 512-974-1801 NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Independent School District, Austin Lost and Found Pets, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Del Valle Community Coalition, East Austin Conservancy, East Cesar Chavez IBIZ District, East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Association, East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association, El Concilio Mexican-American Neighborhoods, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Greater East Austin Neighborhood Association, Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood Empowerment Foundation, Neighbors United for Progress, Preservation Austin, SELTexas, Sierra Club, Austin Regional Group, Tejano Town BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: Architecture: The house embodies the distinguishing characteristics and is an excellent example of Craftsman-style architecture. It is of single-story residential construction with cross gable roofline built circa 1925. The roof has one triangular knee brace in the apex of each gable. The porch supports are composed of brick masonry piers with sloping sides. On top of the piers rest the decorative wooden support columns which appear to take cues from Orientalist design principles. The wooden porch railing is almost Stick in its patterned styling lending to the Western Stick reference known for some Craftsman styles. The structure has horizontal wood siding, and the façade is comprised of a single entry door and two matching window assemblies, each comprised of two single hung, vertical, wood windows. The house retains a high degree of architectural integrity with few alterations. Historical Associations: The property has long-standing significant associations with the family behind Balagia Produce, which contributed significantly to commerce in Austin. From 1925 to 1959 this home was owned and occupied by members of the Balagia family. Charles and Tofie Balagia were owners of the Balagia Produce Company. Co-owner Tofie Balagia and his wife Bertha purchased this house in 1927 and it became their family home. Bertha Balagia (Tofie’s widow) continued to live at this address into 1959. The Balagia Produce Company was already one of the oldest in the Austin area by 1939. The business was where many would go to order their holiday turkeys and meats and held the State contract for providing meat to State institutions for many years. Balagia Produce continued to serve the City and surrounding areas, becoming one of the largest suppliers of meat and produce in the State of Texas. A.3 – 2 PARCEL NO.: 202051302 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 2 BLK 1 OLT 34&46 DIV O WELCH SUBD ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX EXEMPTION: $7,329.15 (non-homestead, no cap); city portion: $2,156.67. APPRAISED VALUE: $673,307 PRESENT USE: Single-family residence CONDITION: Good PRESENT OWNERS: ELVIS 1403 E CESAR CHAVES STREET LLC 2903 Oakhaven Dr Austin TX 78704-5827 DATE BUILT: ca. 1925 ALTERATIONS/ADDITIONS: None ORIGINAL OWNER(S): Tofie and Bertha Balagia OTHER HISTORICAL DESIGNATIONS: None LOCATION MAP A.3 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos A.3 – 4 Source: Applicant, 2022. A.3 – 5 Occupancy History City Directory Research, February 2022 Bertha Bolagia, owner Bertha Bolagia, owner 1959 1957 1955 1952 Bertha Bolagia, owner (widow of Tofie) Bertha Balagia, owner (widow of Tofie) Rose Balagia, renter Student Doris M. Balagia, renter Bookkeeper Edward G. Balagia, renter USA 1949 Bertha Balagia, owner (widow of Tofie) Jeanette H. Balagia, renter Bookkeeper-credit manager, Gem Jewelry 1947 Bertha Balagia, owner 1944 Bertha Balagia, owner (widow of Tofie) Evelyn Balagia, renter Jeanette Balagia, renter Bookkeeper, Gem Jewelry Evelyn Balagia, renter Student at the University of Texas Jeanette H. Balagia, renter Student at the University of Texas Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Market (505 E. 5th Street) Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Market (505 E. 5th Street) 1941 1939 1937 1935 1932 1929 1927 Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Produce Co./Balagia Market (505 E. 5th Street) Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Produce Co. (505 E. 5th Street) Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Produce Co. (505 E. 5th Street) Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Produce Co. (505 E. 5th Street) Tofie and Bertha Balagia, owners Balagia Produce Co. (506 Trinity Street) 1924 Address not listed Note: Tofie and Bertha Balagia (1004 Spence Street) Balagia Produce Co. (506 Trinity Street) Permits Historical Information Water service permit, 1925 A.3 – 6 “Balagia Ready to Serve All New Residents,” Austin Statesman, Jan. 11, 1941, 10. A.3 – 7 “Balagia Produce Firm Is Among Oldest in City,” Austin Statesman, Mar. 25, 1939, 8; and “Balagia Firm Offers Choice Poultry Here,” Austin Statesman, Oct. 7, 1939, 8. A.3 – 8 “War Delivery Service Given by Balagia,” Austin Statesman, June 20, 1942, 8. A.3 – 9 Newspaper clipping referencing Balagia Produce as contract supplier for State Institutions in 1941. “Mexico-Bred Beef Bought for State Institutions,” Austin Statesman, Jan. 28, 1941, 10.