13.a - 1808 E Cesar Chavez St - Preservation Austin letter — original pdf

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June 3, 2026 RE: 1808 East Cesar Chavez Street 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 to request that the Historic Landmark Commission initiate historic zoning for 1808 East Cesar Chavez Street for its architecture, historic associations, and community value. This property stands as a unique example of two-story vernacular double pen architecture, one of the few remaining examples of this style in East Austin, as noted by the staff report. Since it was built, the property has been home to a string of neighborhood service businesses, including a beauty parlor, a barber shop, and shoe repair. Until recently, the building maintained continuous occupancy, and served as a reliable anchor on this corner of East Austin. But even more importantly, it stands as a landmark of the cultural memory of East Cesar Chavez that is rapidly vanishing. Once a lively commercial corridor of businesses owned by Austin’s Black and Mexican American communities is today the site of willful neglect and poor stewardship. What survives of this memory deserves protection. The 2016 East Austin Historic Resource Survey found 1808 East Cesar Chavez Street eligible for designation as a City of Austin Landmark, as well as contributing to a potential local or National Register historic district. Designation would unlock a host of financial opportunities for a preservation-minded property owner to rehabilitate the property, including state and federal tax credits worth up to 45% of qualifying expenses; local property tax incentives; and a host of grant programs, including our own, that support preservation work. There is so much potential to breathe new life into this once-vibrant corridor that demolition for a vacant lot would completely extinguish. We ask the Historic Landmark Commission to recognize the significance of this site and the potential it holds for the future of East Cesar Chavez. Thank you for your consideration and your service to the City of Austin. Sincerely, Miriam Conner, President