04.0 - C14H-2025-0105 - Simmons-Glaser House - Staff Report — original pdf

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ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET CASE NUMBER: C14H-2025-0105 HLC DATE: November 5, 2025 PC DATE: CC Date: APPLICANT: O’Connell Architecture, LLC (Lori Martin) HISTORIC NAME: Simmons-Glaser House WATERSHED: Lady Bird Lake, Shoal Creek ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 1112 West 10th Street ZONING CHANGE: SF-3-HD-NP to SF-3-H-HD-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 9 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the proposed zoning change from family residence-historic district- neighborhood plan (SF-3-HD-NP) to family residence-historic landmark-historic district-neighborhood plan (SF-3-HD- NP) combining district zoning. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: community value and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Austin Lukes, 512-978-0766 NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Independent School District, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Old West Austin Neighborhood Association, Old West Austin Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, Preservation Austin, Shoal Creek Conservancy DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The property is currently listed as being a contributing resource to the Castle Hill local historic district, as well as a contributing resource to the West Line National Register district. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: The earliest records of the building at 1112 West 10th Street existing are from tax documents from 1903, though the style of the building, as well as similar structures in the neighborhood, may indicate that the property was constructed a few years before that. The Second Empire style was popular from the 1850s through the 1880s, but it is possible that the style continued for new construction in Austin into the 20th century. The Simmons-Glaser House, along with houses on this and neighboring streets were built during a campaign in the 1890s by local builder Nick Dawson, who used similar materials and proportions. Even though the exact date of construction may be uncertain, the asymmetrical front elevation, with a bay extension on the west half and front porch at the east complete with decorative millwork, indicate that this house is in excellent condition and retains good integrity. § 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. Mentioned above, the property is associated with Austin builder Nick Dawson, who designed numerous buildings in this part of town. The Simmons-Glaser House exemplifies the uniformity of design that Dawson brought to the streets adjacent to the Texas Military Institute, and an overall neighborhood design that was not found in the city until around this time. Previous to the, writes historian Lori Martin, “The Dawsons’ work is significant beyond its evident craftsmanship; the collection of houses represents the first sustained building campaign in the West Line Historic District. Almost all of the early houses in the Raymond and neighboring subdivisions (1870-1895) were individual efforts built with little or no consideration for neighboring designs or building types. Lots and blocks were developed piecemeal, and houses varied from architect-designed brick mansions to more modest frame houses built by contractors from plan books. Even within the exclusive Raymond Heights subdivision, there was little consistency beyond the large house and lot; several of the grand houses were of brick construction while others were frame, and their construction spanned nearly 40 years from the ca. 1854 Raymond House to the ca.1891 Joseph Nalle House. Although all were large, 2- to 2 ½ story houses, some display Italianate detailing while others exhibit Queen Anne or Greek Revival stylistic features. Their setback from W. Sixth Street varied according to the site’s elevation so there was no rhythm to the streetscape along W. Sixth Street. In the Silliman Subdivision, on the other hand, W. Tenth and W. Eleventh streets were almost fully built out within a very short period of time – from about 1894 to 1898 – and the houses shared similar designs, materials, size, height and scale. Lot sizes and setbacks were consistent, and the resulting streetscapes convey an orderly, planned appearance.” By combining a unified design that would later be commonplace in subdivision tract housing, but retaining the elements of craft such as the limestone facades and decorative millwork, the work of Nick Dawson signified a pivot point of the type of development in Austin as it branched outside of its previous boundaries into land that had, to that point, not been touched by city services. The Simmons-Glazer House is one of the most intact examples of that construction, maintaining a strong historic association. Beyond the construction of the property, the first owners of the newly built residence were deeply involved in the development of the city’s then western suburbs, now referred to as Old West Austin. David and Virgilia Simmons owned the property from 1903-1913, but had connections to the area for some time before and after. At the time they bought the residence, David Simmons was the assistant Attorney General of Texas, and he would later enter private practice. In 1908, he joined other west Austin residents to form the West Austin Improvement Club, which acted to modernize and beautify the area that had been until then underdeveloped. This advocacy included the improvement of streets, the creation of sidewalks, establishing a mail service, and extending streetcar lines further to the west. The historic zoning application goes on to say, As a founding member and chair of the Membership Committee, Judge Simmons emphasized the importance of citizen participation and financial support, setting club dues at fifty cents per month. He was a persuasive advocate for urban reform, often calling upon Austinites to take collective responsibility for their city’s condition. Even before the formal establishment of the West Austin Improvement Club, Simmons was publicly urging residents to clean and maintain the city’s streets, warning of the dangers of stagnant water and poor sanitation during the Yellow Fever outbreaks that had devastated other Texas cities such as New Orleans and San Antonio. Simmons’ leadership reflected the spirit of Progressive Era reform, combining civic pride, public health advocacy, and a vision for infrastructural improvement. Under his influence, the West Austin Improvement Club became a focal point for community action and urban advocacy, engaging local residents in efforts to enhance livability and civic responsibility. Although the club experienced periods of dormancy, it was later revived by area residents who continued to pursue the goals first articulated by Judge Simmons and his peers. The mark left by David and Virgilia Simmons on the neighborhood now known as Old West Austin was significant and crucial to the development and expansion of the city towards the west. § 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. After initially being owned and occupied by Assistant Attorney General of Texas David E. Simmons, the property was purchased in 1913 by Samuel A. Glaser and his wife Emma, where they raised two children. Samuel Glaser was a self- taught barber who was associated with or partially owned numerous barber shops throughout town. However, he was also a passionate musician and, in 1907, organized with seven other Austin musicians the Austin Musicians Union No. 433, which became an important step towards the professionalization of the Austin music scene. In historian Lori Martin’s words: “The Musicians’ Union Local No. 433 was organized on June 8, 1907, when “eight musicians of Austin, including Samuel Glaser, met and formulated a plan for the betterment and standardization of music conditions.” Local 433 was founded at a time when Austin was emerging as a cultural hub in Central Texas. The union was created to organize professional musicians, giving them collective bargaining power for fair pay and better working conditions. Prior to the union’s formation, musicians often worked for irregular wages and had little protection against exploitative employers. According to multiple newspaper articles, Glaser was a founding member and served as the secretary of Local 433 over the course of several years, including 1913-1921. In the early 20th century, the secretary was one of the most important officers in the local AFM union. As secretary, Glaser handled membership records, correspondence and financial reporting to the national American Federation of Musicians headquarters. He kept the minutes of meetings, maintained the union’s roster of musicians and distributed the official scale of prices, the wage guidelines for performances. 1915 was a critical time as Austin’s live music economy would have been expanding with theaters like the Majestic (1915), now the Paramount and the Lyric (1916), vaudeville and silent film orchestras as well as concerts in the park that were promoted and subsidized by the city. The influence of the Local 433 on professionalizing and protecting musicians in Austin cannot be overstated. The union did more than oversee contracts; it directly shaped who got to play, where they could perform and how Austin built its identity as a true music city. The following timeline amplifies the union’s impact since its formation.” The founding and development of the professional musician community, aided in great part by the Glaser family, laid the groundwork for Austin to grow to a city known for its live music. Through the union’s work, professional pay and standards became more common throughout the city from its largest theatres to its smaller venues. PARCEL NO.: 0109010618 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 16 & W 25 FT OF LOT 17 BLK 6 OLT 5 DIV Z SILLIMAN SUBD ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX EXEMPTION (homestead, capped): AISD $3,500.00 COA $2,500.00 TC $2,500.00 TC Health $1,599.45 Total $10,099.45 APPRAISED VALUE: $2,282,043 (Land: $910,589; Improvement: $1,396,454) PRESENT USE: Residence DATE BUILT/PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1903; 1903-1936 INTEGRITY/ALTERATIONS: Strong integrity. A 1970s rear addition is still present, but the original rear wall was retained and present at interior of house. A garage and apartment structure was constructed around this time as well, but there is no physical connection between the main house and this structure. Otherwise, maintenance work has been completed, with in-kind replacement of materials. PRESENT OWNERS: Taylor Green ORIGINAL OWNER(S): David E. Simmons OTHER HISTORICAL DESIGNATIONS: Contributing resource, Castle Hill local historic district; contributing resource, West Line National Register district Exterior photos, 2025, courtesy of Lori Martin