05.e - 2406 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd - public comment — original pdf

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January 7, 2026 RE: 2406 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd Demolition Dear Chair Heimsath, Vice Chair Evans, and Members of the Historic Landmark Commission Preservation Austin exists to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful community culture through preservation. We write today in support of staff’s recommendation to postpone the hearing for the demolition of 2406 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, a contributing structure in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District. Our preservation ordinance is designed to prevent exactly this scenario. Absent an extreme circumstance, allowing for the demolition of a contributing structure would set a concerning precedent that impacts the future not only of the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District, but all historic districts in Austin. In 2021, changes in state law made the creation of new historic districts extremely difficult. With limited potential for future historic districts on the horizon, we have an even greater obligation to protect the districts we do have. We support the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Neighborhood Association in their efforts to protect their community’s history. In 2020, after a years-long grassroots advocacy campaign, they became Austin’s first historic district exclusively dedicated to Black heritage. The creation of the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District allowed them to define their neighborhood’s future amidst extreme development pressures and the displacement of its historic community. We are honored to call them partners of over a decade and believe their history and their efforts to preserve it must be protected. Thank you for your consideration and your service to the City of Austin. Sincerely, Miriam Conner, President