03.0 - 1109 Travis Heights Blvd — original pdf

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ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET CASE NUMBER: PR-2026-053670 HLC DATE: October 7, 2026 PC DATE: CC Date: APPLICANT: Gabe Joseph, Joseph Design Build HISTORIC NAME: WATERSHED: Lady Bird Lake ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 1109 Travis Heights Boulevard, Austin, TX 78704 ZONING CHANGE: SF-3-NP to SF-3-H-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 9 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Do not recommend historic zoning, as the property does not meet the required criteria. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: architecture and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: Initiated historic zoning on September 2, 2026 PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Austin Lukes, 512-978-0766 NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Neighborhoods Council, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Greater South River City Combined Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Overton Family Committee, Preservation Austin, South Central Coalition, South River City Citizens Association, Zoning Committee of South River City Citizens DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: This property was designated as a contributing resource to the Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register historic district. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: Several Roy L. Moore buildings that retain more integrity than 1109 Travis Heights Blvd. have already been designated as City landmarks, including the Herbert and Alice Bohn House and the Stephen F. Austin Hotel. There are also other examples of Prairie Style design in the neighborhood, including nearby at 1310 Travis Heights Blvd, though this house does occupy a prominent location in the district. Finally, the associations with developer William T. Caswell as well as Elmer and Cora Young do not meet the designation requirements for historical associations. The Caswell Houses, located at 1404 and 1502 West Avenue, better embody the associations with the Caswell family. § 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. This American Foursquare house with Prairie School stylistic influences was constructed around 1920. The two-story house features a hipped roof with broad overhangs. The full-width, hipped-roof porch has a long, open span supported at the corners by large square columns. The second floor had recessed corners that were infilled and converted to interior space. At the side and rear, two additions have been constructed from what may have originally been open porches. Other alterations include recladding the exterior walls and replacement of some side windows. Typical deterioration is also present throughout, but the structure does not appear to be compromised. Records indicate that this house was designed by noted local architect Roy L. Moore,1 who was responsible for the design of numerous residences around the city, including 1310 Travis Heights Boulevard, which also includes Prairie School design elements from around the same time of construction. During this period, Moore worked with Travis Heights developer William T. Caswell on several of the properties in the neighborhood.2 During his career, Moore designed several prominent buildings in Austin, including the Herbert and Alice Bohn House, the Stephen F. Austin Hotel (both designated City of Austin landmarks), as well as religious and civic institutions such as Ebenezer Baptist Church and Helen M. Kirby Hall.3 § 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. Given its prominent location on an elevated lot bracketing the main road into the Travis Heights neighborhood, the house at 1109 was built to see and be seen by neighbors as development took hold in South Austin. William T. Caswell, a cotton buyer by trade who had been expanding into other industries, such as lumber manufacturing, took an interest in the land to the south of Austin that had not yet taken to development after its 1912 founding by Newning, Swisher, and General Stacy.4 To this end, Caswell contracted with architect Roy L. Moore to build several houses on the prominent street.5 Early owners of this ca. 1918 house were Elmer and Cora Young. E. E. Young was co-owner of an automotive dealership, Hart & Young, Willys-Knight and Overland Austin Agency; he later bought out his partner and continued operation under his name. He served as president of the local automobile dealers’ association. Shortly before his death in 1928, Young became secretary of the Stacy Realty Company, developer of the Travis Heights neighborhood. It is unknown how close the relationship between the Youngs and the developer Stacy was, but it is possible that the Youngs purchased an early project immediately from the mechanical lien after construction. PARCEL NO.: 0301040719 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 31&32 BLK 28 TRAVIS HEIGHTS Roy 1 https://www.lib.utexas.edu/about/collections/roy-l-thomas-collection collection. Thomas (2023, L. February 23). Utexas.Edu. 2 Texas State Historical Association. 2026. “Roy Leonidas Thomas: Notable Architect from Texas.” Texas State Historical Association. 2026. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/thomas-roy-leonidas. 3 Villalpando, Nicole. 2016. “Tracing the Past through the Home of Austin Architect Roy L. Thomas.” Austin American-Statesman. September 4, 2016. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2016/09/04/tracing-the- past-through-the-home-of-austin-architect-roy-l-thomas/10033212007/. 4 National Register of Historic Places, Travis Heights-Fairview Park, Austin, Travis County, Texas, Ref. # 2100006796. 5 National Register of Historic Places, Daniel H. & William T. Caswell House, Austin, Travis County, Texas, Ref. # 2075002004. ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX EXEMPTION: AISD $1,218.92 COA $1,512.50 TC $990.33 TC Health $310.98 Total $4,032.74 APPRAISED VALUE: Land: $768,614; Improvement: $142,681; Total: $911,295 PRESENT USE: Residence DATE BUILT/PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1918; 1918-1947 INTEGRITY/ALTERATIONS: Moderate. The original foursquare layout and many of the character defining features, such as the wide and deep front porch with thick columns, the 12-over-1 front windows, and hipped roof assembly, are intact. Replacement windows and siding detract from its integrity. Side and rear additions have also been built since original construction, but permitting records do not indicate whether these were built withing the period of significance. PRESENT OWNERS: Adam Walker and Candace Stinson ORIGINAL OWNER(S): Elmer and Cora Young OTHER HISTORICAL DESIGNATIONS: The building contributes to the Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District. Site visit, July 2026