19.0 - 2510 Wooldridge Dr — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS OCTOBER 2, 2024 HR-2024-111332 OLD WEST AUSTIN HISTORIC DISTRICT 2510 WOOLDRIDGE DRIVE 19.0 – 1 PROPOSAL Construct a second-floor addition. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS Create an addition above a guest bedroom and carport at the side of the house, which will be visible from the street. The addition is not proposed to exceed the current ground-story footprint and will be clad in matching materials to the existing. A front balcony is also proposed which will not match the second-floor gallery present at the opposite side of the house. Roof structure and cladding are to match the existing, though the overall height will be slightly taller. A rear exterior stair is to be built to for access. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH The property at 2510 Wooldridge Drive is a two-story L-shaped house with minor Italianate features, such as a second-floor gallery, large operable shutters, and modest overhangs. The roof is a moderately pitched front and side gable that follows the L-shape of the footprint. The second floor is slightly shorter on one end, and the ground floor features an additional wing for a carport and ground floor guest bedroom. The ground floor is brick in construction and the second floor is clad in wide horizontal wood siding. Both floors are painted in a cream color. Upon construction in 1941, the house was owned by Jack & Frances Ritter. Jack Ritter worked as an agent for several oil companies, but soon sold the house to Elmer & Virginia Baum, who owned the house for around 50 years into the 1990s. Elmer Baum worked as a physician at Austin Osteopathic Clinic, but his additional service on the state health board brought him recognition across Texas. In 1952 to 1953, he served as president of the Texas Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, which also included giving lectures, attending national conferences, and advocacy of the public health across the state. In 1969, Baum was selected to be the Chairman of the Texas State Democratic Party, a role that he was nominated for by then-governor Preston Smith. The Baum family continued to own the home after Elmer’s retirement at the end of the 1980s. 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: Residential additions 1. Location Addition is located at the side of the building, above an existing single-story wing. 2. Scale, massing, and height The addition mostly matches the existing in height and follows a similar pattern of the wing on the opposite side of the house. By adding a second floor to the right wing of the house, it alters the appearance from the street, but in a way that appears as a natural progression to increasing the square footage of the house. 3. Design and style The design features a balcony, which is reminiscent of the gallery on the opposite side of the second floor yet remains distinctive and does not emulate the overall appearance. Glazed doors appear on the existing second floor but are more prominent at the addition without overwhelming the design. 4. Roofs Roof is similar to the existing and features a side gable, like the rest of the second floor. 5. Exterior walls Wall cladding appears to match the existing. The cream color of the house generally flattens the current wall textures, which may help the proposed finish blend in with the overall appearance. 6. Windows, screens, and doors Windows and doors facing the balcony are similar in form to those present at the original house. 19.0 – 2 Summary The project meets the applicable standards. PROPERTY EVALUATION The property contributes to the Old West Austin Historic 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 building is a good example of asymmetric Italianate architecture. b. Historical association. The property does not appear to 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 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 Approve the application. LOCATION MAP 19.0 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos 19.0 – 4 Google Street View, February 2024 Occupancy History City Directory Research, September 2024 1992 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Retired 1990 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Retired 1988-89 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1980 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1975 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1970 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1965 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1961 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician at Austin Osteopathic Clinic 1959 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician at Austin Osteopathic Clinic 1955 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician at Austin Osteopathic Clinic 1952 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1947 Elmer C. and Virginia L. Baum, owners – Physician 1944 Arch E. and Faye Ruehle, renters – Clerk 1942 Jack F. and Frances H. Ritter, owners – Agent at Arkansas Fuel Oil Company 1941 Jack F. and Frances H. Ritter, owners – Agent at Cities Service Oil Company 1940 Address not listed Historical Information 19.0 – 5 "GAVEL CHANGES HANDS." The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), May 04, 1953, www.proquest.com/historical- newspapers/gavel-changes-hands/docview/1559313348/se-2 BaumAL WILLIAMS, Elmer,C. "AUSTIN APPOINTEE." The Austin American (1914-1973), Oct 13, 1957, www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/austin-appointee/docview/1615572480/se-2 19.0 – 6 "Baum Top Party Man." The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), Jan 19, 1969, www.proquest.com/historical- newspapers/baum-top-party-man/docview/1515961002/se-2 Permits 19.0 – 7 Water Tap Permit, July 9, 1974