21.d - 501 Texas Avenue - public comment — original pdf

Backup

From: To: Cc: Subject: Date: Sista Irie HPD Preservation Cile Montgomery Proposed changes to 501 Texas Ave Monday, April 29, 2024 10:17:35 AM You don't often get email from . Learn why this is important External Email - Exercise Caution Hi Sam, I live at 502 Texas Ave. and have big concerns with proposed renovatio at 501 Texs Ave. I bought my house in 1993 and worked closely with neighbors to keep our street safe and in line with the historical design. We maintained ambiance of the neighborhood with great effort. Texas Ave represents the finest of old Austin with mostly beautifully restored original houses. I am very concerned about the plans for 501 Texas Ave. I was here when it was owned by the original family. It is a beautiful historic house reminescent of the early construction when this street became a neighborhood. It should be a high priority for the City to support the special streets and neighborhoods that made Austin famous. My concerns are the following: 1. Cutting a driveway into Texas Ave is an increased danger to pedistrians and homeowners. This street is comprised mostly of long term homeowners who walk their dogs and take their babies for walks on this very sidewalk. It's bad enough the sidewalks are not maintained but adding more traffic by cars pulling into sidewalk space is an added danger and changes the current environment of our street. Almost all the houses use the back alley to build their garages. 2. The proposed design of the renovation does not fit into the carefully maintained historic aesthetics of the street. The materials will appear to be cheap cosmetics and not in line with the construction of the original house or equivalent to carfeul renovation that has been applied by other houses on this street. We are homeowners and we care! 3. The addition of 7-8 bedrooms gives the impression (along with the cheap design materials) that this will become a student type rental house with all the issues that come with renters who do not care about a long maintained neighborhood. Where will these people park? Texas Ave is already becoming a speedway with cars racing down our street to avoid the Duval/38th St light. Just this morning, a car turned down our street going at least 60 mph, not stopping at the stop sign and the car lifting in the air when it hit a bump. Even the construction workers next door came out wondering what had happened. This is the kind of thing invading our street more and more and very scary to me at age 74 with family, cats and dogs. Parking is already a problem since housing on Duval does not include enough required parking for newly built housing there and the renters are forced to use the parking on our street. No big problem so far but it is going to get ridiculous. I have lived in Austin since 1981. My husband and I (who has now passed) spent every penny keeping our 1935 cottage in good repair to fit into the beauty of this street. I am very much against thie proposed changes for 501 Texas and wonder why this beautiful old home has not been designated to maintain historic renovation? Let's PLEASE keep what is left of Austin, maintained by long term caring home owners in sync with growth. Growth does not have to come with cheap, lack of design alignment and additional parking/traffic stress to a neighborhood that made Austin a favored location. Austin is trading what makes it special and beautiful for increased benefit to developers. That would not be a problem if they had to maintain neighborhoods that have made Austin famous. If needed, I am happy to join other neighbors to speak at the upcoming meeting. Respectfully, Beverly Shaw 512.619.1239 Majesty Media Partner www.majestymedia.net Reggae Global Radio www.reggaeglobalradio.com WideLove Reggae Radio http://www.widelineradio.com Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverlyshaw/ CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL email. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious or phishing email, please report it using the "Report Message" button in Outlook. For any additional questions or concerns, contact CSIRT "cybersecurity@austintexas.gov."