03.0 - 2500 Nueces St - C14H-2025-0059 - Whitehall Cooperative — original pdf

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ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET CASE NUMBER: C14H-2025-0059 HLC DATE: June 4, 2025 PC DATE: TBD CC DATE: TBD APPLICANT: Alessio Franko for Whitehall Intentional Society (owner-initiated) HISTORIC NAME: Whitehall Cooperative, Alpha Epsilon Phi WATERSHED: Shoal Creek ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 2500 Nueces Street, ZONING CHANGE: MF-4-NP to MF-4-H-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 9 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the proposed zoning change from multifamily- neighborhood plan (MF-4-NP) to multifamily-historic landmark-neighborhood plan (MF-4-H-NP) combining district zoning. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: architecture, community value, and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Kalan Contreras, 512-974-2727 NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Central Austin Combined: West University Neighborhood Plan, Austin Independent School District, Austin Neighborhoods Council, CANPAC (Central Austin Neigh Plan Area Committee), Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Preservation Austin, Shoal Creek Conservancy, University Area Partners, West Campus Neighborhood Association DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The 2020 North Central Austin Historic Resource Survey did not recommend the property for individual local or National Register listing; however, no research on the home’s significance was done at that time. Throughout 2024, City staff and Preservation Austin worked with Whitehall Cooperative leadership to highlight this building’s deep significance as an Austin institution. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: The historic zoning application summarizes Whitehall Cooperative’s importance to Austin, to the University of Texas, to the history of women University students’ resilience and ambition, to integration efforts during the mid-twentieth century, and to the cooperative housing movement across Texas: Whitehall Cooperative, the oldest independently run residential cooperative in Texas, has a rich history that dates to 1896. Originally built by Samuel D. Harlan as a single-family home, it was later transformed into a boarding house in the 1920s to accommodate University of Texas students. The property…was purchased by Whitehall in 1960 and became a hub for student activism and affordable housing. Over the years, Whitehall has been a model for cooperative living, emphasizing shared responsibilities and democratic decision-making. The cooperative has expanded to include non-students, contributing to Austin’s broader cooperative movement by supporting various community initiatives, including the founding of Wheatsville Co-op and the People's Community Clinic. Today, Whitehall remains an affordable, community-oriented space for people of all ages and backgrounds, maintaining its historical charm while adapting to the needs of its diverse members.1 § 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 2025 historic zoning application describes Whitehall Co-Op’s transformation from a traditional Queen Anne to an eclectic and whimsical Austin establishment. The property’s evolution from a single-family home to student housing and cooperative living makes it a rare example of a structure that has served multiple purposes while maintaining much of its original form and materials. Its use as a cooperative residential space also distinguishes it from more typical residential properties in Austin. […] The location of the house has remained unchanged since its construction in 1896. Despite its transformation from a single-family dwelling to cooperative residential housing, the house largely preserves its original design, setting, and materials. The [wood-clad] building still evokes the feeling and historical association of student housing, while also honoring its origins as a home for a prominent family in Austin. Maintenance was often performed by residents who lived at the house—as this was a critical aspect of reducing costs in cooperative living…The original single-family dwelling, with later additions, exemplifies an 1890s Queen Anne style building. The use of creative, unconventional materials and construction methods, such as the "glass bottle wall" created by architecture students in the 1970s for insulation, is an example of technological innovation that speaks to the building’s character and sustainable practices over time. The stained-glass transoms and other resident-led [interior] artistic additions (like the garden and bottle wall) reflect cultural and folk-art traditions, representing the cooperative's spirit of communal involvement and individual creativity… The use of the property for student housing links it directly to Austin’s university culture, while its ongoing role as a cooperative adds a layer of social and historical significance.2 § 25-2-352(3)(c)(ii) Historical Associations. The property has long-standing significant associations with persons, groups, institutions, businesses, or events of historical importance that 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. 2500 Nueces Street’s historical associations span three distinct periods of occupancy: first, its original construction and habitation by the Harlan family; the 1920s-era boarding house established by Sarah Harlan; and the Whitehall Cooperative’s move to the house in 1955, which sparked an era of cooperative housing centered around creativity and community. In their 2025 narrative history of the property, Jackson- Stakem and Seghal describe these three epochs of the Whitehall property: The Harlan House was built in 1896 by an unknown architect, commissioned by Sam Harlan, a democratic state official […] who was involved in state politics, appointed as State Superintendent of Public Grounds in 1900. Businesses associated with the Harlan family and the 2500 Nueces St. address include banking, petroleum, and even farm animal sales... 1 Jackson-Stakem, Jessica and Sonya Sehgal. “Whitehall Co-Op: Historical Narrative.” 2025 2 Ibid. Harlan’s daughter, Sarah, inherited the house after Sam Harlan’s passing in 1924. Sarah Harlan was a secretary to the dean in the College of Engineering at UT. In 1925, Sarah [added] second story rooms to rent to university students...All university students were required to live in university approved housing and were subject to policies and regulations that closely aligned with UT’s standards for women’s housing, including curfews and minimum grade point averages. Despite being a privately owned and off-campus boarding house, the women were subject to the same regulations...At the time boarding houses and co-ops were an affordable alternative to dormitories…According to The Ernest Women , an anonymous essay included in the UT Dean of Women’s archives, the cost to reside in a dormitory in the late 1930s was $72 per month, meanwhile boarding houses and cooperatives were renting rooms for closer to $20- 40 per month. A listing from the Dean of Women’s Official List of Boarding and Lodging Accommodations for Women Students indicates that the cost of a room at the Ms. Sam Harlan Boarding house was $22.50. […] In 1960, the women of Whitehall voted to purchase 2500 Nueces Street from Sarah Harlan, who agreed to sell the property for $25,000. […] In 1965 the University of Texas pulled away from its support of off campus housing [and housing] facilities, including Whitehall, were able to integrate and establish their own organizational structure. This shift in power marked a turning point in student housing at UT and contributed to the broader narrative of student autonomy during the 1960s and 1970s. The Harlan family’s history lends the property a sense of historical weight, connecting it to pivotal figures in Texas’ history, from the Civil War era to the development of early state industry and commerce. The transformation of the Harlan House into a boarding house, and later a cooperative, reflects the changing needs and values of Austin's student and activist communities. Whitehall provided an affordable, self-managed living space, fostering independence, mutual support, and a sense of shared purpose. The cooperative's role in hosting activism and becoming a model for communal living played a significant role in shaping the culture of student housing at UT and in the larger Texas cooperative movement. The house’s transformation into an affordable housing cooperative during a time when dormitory costs were much higher makes it a vital part of Austin's history of providing access to affordable living. This aspect of the property directly influenced how students and lower- income individuals could afford housing in the growing city, giving them an option outside of traditional, more expensive housing arrangements. The house is not just a residence but a living history that continues to embody the ideals of affordability, community, and resistance to traditional, top-down structures of authority. In sum, Whitehall’s historical associations with the Harlan family, early student housing, and the cooperative movement have had a profound and lasting effect on its evolution into the vibrant, community-oriented cooperative it is today. The property’s legacy is more than just architectural—it is an integral part of Austin’s social, political, and cultural history, and its continued existence represents a living testament to the ideals of democracy, activism, and affordable housing.3 § 25-2-352(3)(c)(iv) Community Value. The property has a unique location, physical characteristic, or significant feature that contributes to the character, image, or cultural identity of the city, a neighborhood, or a particular group. As the home of Whitehall Cooperative, the house at 2500 Nueces Street has had a profound impact on Austin, the University of Texas, and the cooperative housing movement nationwide, as well as the movement toward greater autonomy for women throughout the twentieth century. “Whitehall's history as a hub for student activism in the 1970s marked it as a central player in the cooperative movement in Texas, helping to lay the groundwork for other co-ops that followed,” note Seghal and Jackson-Stakem. As a nexus for integration and political activism, the Whitehall Cooperative’s “home base” was the center of several 3 Ibid. much larger movements throughout the University, the city, and the state of Texas: Whitehall Cooperative was founded August 9, 1949, by a group of women from San Antonio who were moving to Austin to attend graduate school at the University of Texas. These…24 women resided at 2505 Whitis, in a former boarding house owned by UT… In Whitehall records it is found that heads of houses, treasurers, and food buyers were elected by the students residing at the cooperative. This original location burned down in 1950 due to a kitchen fire, and the cooperative spent the next few years residing in dormitories on and off campus until their move into the Harlan House at 2500 Nueces Street in 1955… Whitehall, along with many other cooperatives, and supported by the ICC (Inter-Cooperative Council) voted to integrate in 1956. However, this request was denied by the University of Texas who wouldn’t allow integration of its approved housing facilities until 1965. Despite the University’s rejection of their vote to integrate, Whitehall was the first cooperative, along with the Powell House, to pass a resolution not to discriminate based on race or religion. Later in 1971, Whitehall decided to allow non-students and male residents, becoming a co-ed house. …By the end of the ‘70s, Whitehall became known as the hub for political activism among the cooperative houses. Whitehall members were involved in anti-nuclear political organizing, as well as the founding of several co-ops throughout Austin. Invigorated by ownership of their land, Whitehall worked to teach other co-ops how to buy their own [property]. It was a lifestyle that had economic and political implications. According to Jim Ellinger, a Whitehall member of the ‘80s, many of the first organizational meetings for Wheatsville Co-op (a cooperative grocery store) were held at Whitehall. Additionally, Whitehall members were involved in the Texas Federation of Consumer Cooperatives, Wind Through the Pines Federal Credit Union, and the People’s Community Clinic. Members of Whitehall would move on to organize cooperatives across the nation. The house continues to exist as Whitehall Cooperative today […] The independent, democratic nature of Whitehall Cooperative is what makes it so special in Austin's housing landscape. It contributes not only by offering affordable housing but by creating a strong sense of community, a history of activism, and a sustainable, inclusive model of living. By continuing to thrive as an independent cooperative, Whitehall stands as a symbol of what affordable, equitable housing can look like in an era when such alternatives are increasingly rare.4 PARCEL NO.: 0214010408 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: E137.11 FT OF LOT 1 *& E137.11' OF S24' OF LOT 2 OLT 51 DIV D HITCHCOCK SUBD ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX EXEMPTION (non-homestead, not capped): AISD $3,943.53 COA $3,963.03 TC $2,858.14 TC Health $895.91 Total $11,660.60 APPRAISED VALUE: Land: $2,236,500; Improvement: $541,310; Total: $ 2,777,810 PRESENT USE: Multifamily dwelling DATE BUILT/PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1896 - 1975 INTEGRITY/ALTERATIONS: High. Most exterior alterations took place during the period of significance, except for the incorporation of the detached rear kitchen in 1981 and the addition of a sundeck atop the kitchen structure. Neither the kitchen nor the deck are visible from the primary or secondary streetscapes. Two upper-story windows appear to have been replaced outside the period of 4 Ibid. significance, though most of the remaining fenestration appears historic-age. Some of the original 6:6 and 2:2 screens have been removed and stored on the property to accommodate air conditioning units at upper floors, and non-original awnings have been removed. PRESENT OWNERS: Whitehall Intentional Society, Inc. ORIGINAL OWNER(S): Sam Harlan OTHER HISTORICAL DESIGNATIONS: None Whitehall Cooperative, 2500 Nueces, 1955 and 2025