16.2 - 211 Academy Dr - Owner Letter — original pdf

Backup

LeAnne Wallis Michals & Paul Adam Michals 211 Academy Dr Austin, TX 78704-1809 4th October 2026 Hunter Sturgill Austin Planning Permitting and Development Center 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive Austin, TX 78752 preservation@austintexas.gov Dear Ms. Sturgill: We are writing regarding our Application for Permits in a National Register Historic Districts for the October 7, 2026 meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission. The property is located at 211 Academy Drive, and the case number is HR-2026-118672. We have reviewed Item 16.0, concerning 211 Academy Drive, posted on the City’s Historic Landmark Commission website. We respectfully request that this letter be included in the public record and considered by the Commission. In June 1983, LeAnne Wallis purchased the duplex at 211 Academy Drive with a down payment provided by her paternal grandmother. As of July 1, 2026, LeAnne has owned and resided at the property continuously for 43 years. LeAnne’s ownership substantially exceeds the approximately 12 years during which the Turner family owned the property in the late 1940s and 1950s. For more than 20 years LeAnne rented the B side of the duplex to tenants seeking economical, centrally located housing in South Austin, approximately two blocks from South Congress Avenue. In 2005, LeAnne hired Valiant Homes, Inc. to complete a permitted interior remodel under City of Austin Building Permit No. 05003614, issued March 8, 2005. The remodel converted the 1930-era, two-bedroom, one-bathroom units into a single-family residence with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. During the six-month remodel 211 Academy Drive remained our mailing address while we temporarily lived in an apartment two doors away on Hillside Avenue. We have benefited substantially from the 2005 remodel, which provided a modern kitchen, an open living area, central air conditioning, and electrical systems brought up to modern code. However, the property is still a 1933 pier-and-beam house with significant maintenance and performance concerns. The foundation requires leveling; the attic has limited insulation; and the original double-hung sash windows provide very limited insulating value. In addition, the roof dormers do not provide effective attic ventilation. Following an early-1990s fire that destroyed the roof, the dormers were replaced with features that are largely cosmetic rather than functional. The eventual sale of 211 Academy Drive is an important part of our retirement planning. We are concerned that the property’s designation as a contributing property in the Travis Heights–Fairview Park Historic District, implemented in 2023, could unnecessarily limit our future options as homeowners. Accordingly, we respectfully request that the Historic Landmark Commission not delay and approve the requested Certificate of Appropriateness permitting a future owner to apply for a demolition permit without having to return to the Commission for a separate demolition determination. We understand that any future applicant would still be required to satisfy all applicable City of Austin requirements for a demolition permit. We also understand that any proposed replacement structure or structures would be required to comply with the City’s applicable historic-district regulations and Historical Design Standards. Thank you for considering our comments and including them in the public record. Sincerely, LeAnne Wallis Michals 211 Academy Drive Austin, Texas 78704-1809 Paul Adam Michals 211 Academy Drive Austin, Texas 78704-1809