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ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET CASE NUMBER: C14H-2023-0147 HLC DATE: January 10, 2024 PC DATE: TBD CC Date: TBD APPLICANT: Jordan Nelson/Center for Women and their Work (property owner) ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 1311 E. Cesar Chavez St./94 Navasota St. HISTORIC NAME: Johnson & Johnson Grocery and Home WATERSHED: Town Lake ZONING CHANGE: CS-MU-CO-NP to CS-MU-H-CO-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the proposed zoning change from general commercial services-mixed use-conditional overlay-neighborhood plan (CS-MU-CO-NP) to general commercial services-mixed use-historic landmark- conditional overlay-neighborhood plan (CS-MU-H-CO-NP) combining district zoning. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: The property is designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. The building meets additional criteria for architecture and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Kalan Contreras, 512-974-2727 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 DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The 2016 East Austin Historic Resource Survey recommends the main building as eligible for designation as a local landmark, individually eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and contributing to potential local and National Register historic districts. The survey recommends the secondary building as contributing to potential local and National Register historic districts. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: § 25-2-352(3)(c)(i) Architecture. The property embodies the distinguishing characteristics of a recognized architectural style, type, or method of construction; exemplifies technological innovation in design or construction; displays high artistic value in representing ethnic or folk art, architecture, or construction; represents a rare example of an architectural style in the city; serves as an outstanding example of the work of an architect, builder, or artisan who significantly contributed to the development of the city, state, or nation; possesses cultural, historical, or architectural value as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian or vernacular structure; or represents an architectural curiosity or one-of-a-kind building. The buildings are good examples of the live-work model of neighborhood groceries, consisting of a primary store building and a secondary dwelling space, usually located away from the more public-facing street frontage. The application for historic zoning describes the property in detail: 1311 E Cesar Chavez is a 2,400 sq ft structure fronting Cesar Chavez with an adjoining outdoor courtyard connecting to a 1,200 sq ft back house at 94 Navasota St. 1311 features a unique facade for what remains in its vicinity. The building has a symmetrical, three-bay primary façade with a central, double-door entrance flanked by matching storefronts composed of three, full-height fixed lights with brick sills and divided light transoms. Alterations are minimal and include painted brick and the replacement of original doors and windows with aluminum doors and window frames. Despite some loss of original material, the building retains its historic appearance to a high degree in its original form, massing, symmetrical facades, fenestration pattern, transoms and sills, name and date panels, and  tile coping along the secondary roof forms. The building's stepped parapet can be seen in an image dating back as early as 1929. Despite this earlier reference, the year 1937 is carved into the brick. This date aligns with building permits issued the same year for both 1311 and 94. The Austin American, May 30, 1937, shows that Johnson and Johnson (words also carved into the front of the building) were given permits for the 1309-1311 “brick fronted stucco store building", and for the 94 Navasota Street “stucco residence". Based on comparison of the 1929 image and what we see today, the original character of the building remains the same.1 § 25-2-352(3)(c)(ii) Historical Associations. The property has long-standing significant associations with persons, groups, institutions, businesses, or events of historic importance which contributed significantly to the history of the city, state, or nation; or represents a significant portrayal of the cultural practices or the way of life of a definable group of people in a historic time. The buildings are associated with several Austin grocers, most notably former City Councilman Will T. Johnson. Johnson served as president of both the Austin and Texas Retail Grocers Associations. They are also associated with the development patterns of East Cesar Chavez Street, as described in the application: From Stephanie Phillips text regarding the East Cesar Chavez Street Survey Area (ARC386M), ‘During the period from 1877 through 1928, commercial development lined East 1st (Cesar Chavez) Street, East 6th Street, and East 12th Street, with industrial development clustered near the rail depots along East 4th and East 5th Streets near East Avenue (IH35)... Commercial enterprises of the era were small and locally owned. The most prevalent business types appear to have been grocery stores, along with dry goods stores, meat markets, breweries, saloons, cafés, barber shops and beauty shops… In this climate, businesses owned by Europeans thrived and expanded. They owned and operated the bulk of the small commercial enterprises that characterized the neighborhood. It was typical for families to maintain residences next to their stores.’ This information is in line with the occupant history of both 1311 East Cesar Chavez and 94 Navasota. The buildings were initially purchased by August Kunz who likely lived in the backhouse and used the 1311 address as [his grocery store.] 2 PARCEL NO.: 0202050610 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 10 *& E13 FT OF LOT 9 OLT 33 DIV O CANTERBURY SQUARE ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX ABATEMENT: N/A. The property is currently tax-exempt as a charitable organization per Texas Tax Code Sec. 11.18. APPRAISED VALUE: $ 1,700,847 PRESENT USE: Gallery and warehouse DATE BUILT/PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: ca. 1929, 1937 INTEGRITY/ALTERATIONS: High. Plate-glass windows have been replaced, but openings appear unaltered. PRESENT OWNERS: Center for Women and their Work, Inc., 604 LEIGH ST AUSTIN TX USA 78703-2452 ORIGINAL OWNER(S): August Kunz OTHER DESIGNATIONS: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 2 Ibid. 1 Nelson, Jordan. Application for Historic Zoning, 1311 East Cesar Chavez Street/94 Navasota Street. 2023. LOCATION MAP PROPERTY INFORMATION  Source: Application for historic zoning, 2023