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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS JULY 2, 2025 DA-2025-055669; HR-2025-057874 HARTHAN STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT 600 HARTHAN STREET 6 – 1 PROPOSAL Demolish secondary buildings and construct an addition to a contributing house. Remodel the preserved portion of the contributing house. ARCHITECTURE The historic-age buildings at 600 Harthan Street, constructed between ca. 1910 and the mid-1930s, display Spanish Colonial Revival stylistic influences, though the oldest building on the property was once a Queen Anne structure before its incorporation into a Spanish Revival apartment building. This is the most recent building in the district and exemplifies the evolving design sensibilities of the era. Major additions and renovations took place between 1981 and 1984; however, these do not appear to have precluded the building’s inclusion as a contributing structure in the 2008 district nomination. PROPERTY RESEARCH The buildings at 600 Harthan Street were constructed between the early 1900s and 1984. The earliest building, a Victorian home addressed as 1208 W. 6th Street, was built by the Harthan family after purchasing the lot from the Jernigans, who owned much of the area prior to its turn-of-the-century subdivision.1 Dr. Hans Harthan, a German musician and composer, was the first director of the Austin Symphony2 and taught music out of his home studio. Harthan had served as the director of the Imperial Conservatory in Odessa, Russia, before emigrating to Texas;3 before moving to Austin he had been the Director of Music at Baylor College for about two years.4 Around 1922, Dr. David A. Lane, a dentist, purchased the large property with his family. According to research by Clayton & Little prior to a 2017 remodel application, the ca. 1930 villa constructed on the adjacent lot was designed by Roy C. Lane as part of his thesis at MIT.5 Roy Lane worked primarily as an interior designer. He also volunteered his time as a choirmaster for various congregations; he was a talented opera singer and musician who appeared in numerous local productions. Later in the 1930s, the Lanes commissioned an apartment building to be constructed next to the main house, directly in front of what had been the Harthan residence. After the deaths of his parents, Roy Lane continued to live in the home until at least 1959. Around 1984, a large addition to Lane’s Mediterranean villa designed by Black-Atkinson-Vernooy was constructed on the corner of Harthan Street and W. 6th Street. DESIGN STANDARDS The Harthan Street Design Standards are used to evaluate projects within the historic district. The following standards apply to the proposed project: I. EXISTING BUILDINGS A. FAÇADE. 1. Retain the original façade of the house. Do not change the character, appearance, configuration, or materials of the façade, except to restore buildings to their original appearance. The updated proposal includes removal of a modified garage at the front of the main house, which will have a minor impact on the façade. Removal of the non-historic front enclosed patio, non-historic front addition, and modified site walls will help to uncover the original form and massing of the historic building. The ca. 1930 apartment building and the heavily modified Victorian residence will be demolished, as well as a non-historic garage apartment approved for demolition in 2019. B. EXTERIOR WALL MATERIALS 1. Repair damaged exterior wall materials to the greatest extent possible. Replace only those sections which are deteriorated beyond repair. Replace deteriorated wall materials in kind to match existing wall materials. Do not replace wood siding with cementitious fiber board. The proposed project resurfaces the main building’s stucco, replacing in-kind where it is deteriorated beyond repair. 1 Myers, Terri and A. Elizabeth Brummett. West Line National Register District Nomination, 2005. Letter to Steve Sadowsky, 2005. https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=69433 2 https://austinsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2019-HS-Resource-Materials-REDUCED-1.pdf 3 https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/sherwood_cat/article/1030/&path_info=SMSC_5556.pdf 4 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/After_seventy-five_years_%28IA_afterseventyfive00bayl%29.pdf 5 “Historic Landmark Commission – Certificate of Appropriateness Submittal.” Clayton & Little, 2017. 6 – 2 D. ROOFING 1. Use roofing materials which duplicate the original or existing materials whenever possible. 2. Maintain the general shape and slope of the existing roof as seen from the street. 3. Maintain existing chimneys. The proposed project replaces the main building’s tile roof in-kind. E. WINDOWS AND DOORS 1. Retain and restore original wood windows whenever possible. Original wood windows may be retrofitted with new energy-efficient glass. 2. Replacement windows must maintain the same size, profile, configuration and details as the original windows. 3. New and replacement windows shall be wood or aluminum-clad wood. Windows with a vinyl or metal frame are prohibited. 4. Avoid false mullions attached to or inserted between the glass in windows. Pane dividers should match existing windows or have a minimum profile of ½” deep. 5. Use wooden rather than metal window screens. 6. Retain original doors to the greatest extent possible. If a replacement door is necessary, use a door appropriate to the style and period of the house. 7. Do not enlarge or move windows or doors except for restoration of original windows and doors. 8. Retain sidelights and transoms. The proposed project replaces the main house’s windows and secondary doors with elements that match the original windows and doors, based on historic photos. The primary entrance door will be repaired and preserved. Summary The project meets the applicable standards. While demolition of some structures is proposed, the applicant has modified the project to include rehabilitation and preservation of the main contributing house. PROPERTY EVALUATION The property contributes to the Harthan Street Historic District and the West Line National Register Historic District. Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The buildings are of mixed integrity. Additions to the main building were constructed in the 1980s by Sinclair Black, though its original form remains discernible. Exterior remodeling by Clayton & Little and demolition of a non-historic garage apartment were approved by the Historic Landmark Commission in 2017 and 2019. The original Queen Anne house no longer retains integrity, though the adjacent apartment building was constructed during the period of significance. 3) Properties must meet two criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and determined that it may meet two criteria for landmark designation: a. Architecture. The ca. 1930s buildings are constructed with Spanish Colonial Revival and Spanish Eclectic stylistic influences. The original structure on the lot appears to have had Queen Anne styling. b. Historical association. The property is associated with the Harthan and Lane families. 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 was not evaluated for its ability to convey 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. COMMITTEE FEEDBACK Do not demolish a contributing building in a local historic district. Incorporate the historic portion of the existing building into new development meeting the Harthan Street design standards. Rehabilitate portions of the building that have been inappropriately altered, rather than demolishing the historic building along with non-historic accretions. Return to the Commission with site plans showing which parts of the property are historic-age and which were constructed outside the period of significance. Support modified request to preserve Building D. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Concur with Committee feedback and approve the application, as the applicant has modified their request to better fit the district design standards. No demolition permits may be released until new construction for the site is approved by the Historic Landmark Commission. LOCATION MAP 6 – 3 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos 6 – 4 6 – 5 6 – 6 6 – 7 https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/600-Harthan-St-Austin-TX-78703/29327488_zpid/? 6 – 8 Occupancy City Directory Research, June 2025 Source: Demolition permit application, 2025 1959 1957 1952 1949 1947 1941 1939 1935 Roy C. Lane, owner Roy C. Lane, owner Roy C. Lane, owner Roy C. Lane, owner Martha Lane, owner – widow of David A. Lane Roy C. Lane David A. and Mattie C. Lane, owners David A. and Mattie C. Lane, owners – dentist, 801 Norwood Building Roy C. Lane David A. and Mattie C. Lane, owners – dentist, 801 Norwood Building Roy C. Lane 1932 David A. and Mattie C. Lane, owners – dentist, 801 Norwood Building 6 – 9 1929 1927 1922 1920 1918 1916 1910 Roy C. Lane David A. and Martha C. Lane, owners – dentist, 315-17 Littlefield Building Roy C. Lane – traveling 1208 W. 6th Street: D.A. Lane, owner 1208 W. 6th Street David A. and Mattie C. Lane, owners – dentist, 315-17 Littlefield Building 1208 W. 6th Street Benjamin H. and Stella Z. Walraven – salesman, Tobin’s Book Store Dorothy Walraven – student, St. Mary’s Academy 1208 W. 6th Street Hans and Anna Harthan, owners – music teacher 1208 W. 6th Street Hans Harthan, owner - music teacher, Texas Weslayan College Nora Bohls – domestic worker 1208 W. 6th Street Hans Harthan, owner – music teacher, organist, choir leader, St. Mary’s Cathedral. Studio and residence. Hans Harthan, Jr. – student, UT Historical information Sanborn maps: 1922, 1935, 1962 6 – 10 Clayton & Little Architects, 2017 6 – 11 Myers, Terri and A. Elizabeth Brummett. West Line Natonal Register Historic District Nomination. 2005. https://www.owana.org/docs/West-Line-Historic-District-Application.pdf 6 – 12 Photo of Hans Harthan, 1911. Luis Sandoval y Bustamante. Reseña histórica del Conservatorio nacional de música y declamacion, 1849 á 1911. Santiago de Chile : Gutenberg, 1911. 1926 piano composition by Harthan. https://www.abebooks.com/sheet-music/Piano-Hans-Harthan-Oliver-Ditson- New/1782952913/bd 6 – 13 “More than 100 Years of Austin Symphony History Revealed in Archives.” Austin American-Statesman, September 7, 2017. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2017/09/07/more-than-100-years-of-austin-symphony-history-revealed-in- archives/10127895007/. https://estatefreshaustin.com/products/1911-austin-texas-sumphony-concert-hans-harthan-director- program?srsltid=AfmBOooUYpkO-1gUt9GsiTwpffxmJTOq8L0b3eD4qqIUIzDf7kVoUCWa 6 – 14 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 10 Jan 1926: SM2. 6 – 15 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 08 Jan 1927: 3 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 01 Dec 1926: 7 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 18 Dec 1927: A1. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 26 Jan 1932: 4. 6 – 16 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 15 May 1939: 11. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 13 Sep 1944: 3. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 23 Oct 1948: 7. Permits