Versión en español a continuación. Historic Landmark Commission Special Meeting of the Architectural Review Committee Monday, August 9, 2021, 3:00 PM ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021 WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING MODIFICATIONS This meeting is limited in duration. Please make presentations as brief as possible (consider 5 minutes) so that all applicants may have the chance to present to and receive input from the committee members. This is a virtual meeting; no in-person input will be allowed. Community members may register for citizen communication but may not speak on specific cases on the agenda. The opportunity for public input on specific cases will occur at a subsequent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission. This meeting is not televised. Community members may also register to receive call in information and listen to the meeting via telephone. All participants must register in advance (no later than 12:00 noon on Sunday, August 8, 2021) to be notified of the call-in number and other instructions. To listen to or participate in the Architectural Review Committee meeting, all persons must: • Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-3393 or preservation@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Sunday, August 8, 2021 (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). • Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. • Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. • Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. • Handouts or other information may be emailed to preservation@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. Reunión especial del Historic Landmark Commission, Architectural Review Committee FECHA de la reunion 9 de agosto 2021 a las tres de la tarde (3:00 p.m.) LA JUNTA SE LLEVARÁ EL LUNES, EL 9 DE AGOSTO 2021 CON MODIFICACIONES DE DISTANCIAMIENTO SOCIAL Esta reunion tiene una duracion limitada. Haga todas …
Versión en español a continuación. Historic Landmark Commission Special Meeting of the Architectural Review Committee Monday, August 9, 2021, 3:00 PM ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021 WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING MODIFICATIONS This meeting is limited in duration. Please make presentations as brief as possible (consider 5 minutes) so that all applicants may have the chance to present to and receive input from the committee members. This is a virtual meeting; no in-person input will be allowed. Community members may register for citizen communication but may not speak on specific cases on the agenda. The opportunity for public input on specific cases will occur at a subsequent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission. This meeting is not televised. Community members may also register to receive call in information and listen to the meeting via telephone. All participants must register in advance (no later than 12:00 noon on Sunday, August 8, 2021) to be notified of the call-in number and other instructions. To listen to or participate in the Architectural Review Committee meeting, all persons must: • Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-3393 or preservation@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Sunday, August 8, 2021 (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). • Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. • Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. • Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. • Handouts or other information may be emailed to preservation@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. Reunión especial del Historic Landmark Commission, Architectural Review Committee FECHA de la reunion 9 de agosto 2021 a las tres de la tarde (3:00 p.m.) LA JUNTA SE LLEVARÁ EL LUNES, EL 9 DE AGOSTO 2021 CON MODIFICACIONES DE DISTANCIAMIENTO SOCIAL Esta reunion tiene una duracion limitada. Haga todas …
Versión en español a continuación. Historic Landmark Commission Special Meeting of the Architectural Review Committee Monday, August 9, 2021, 3:00 PM ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021 WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING MODIFICATIONS This meeting is limited in duration. Please make presentations as brief as possible (consider 5 minutes) so that all applicants may have the chance to present to and receive input from the committee members. This is a virtual meeting; no in-person input will be allowed. Community members may register for citizen communication but may not speak on specific cases on the agenda. The opportunity for public input on specific cases will occur at a subsequent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission. This meeting is not televised. Community members may also register to receive call in information and listen to the meeting via telephone. All participants must register in advance (no later than 12:00 noon on Sunday, August 8, 2021) to be notified of the call-in number and other instructions. To listen to or participate in the Architectural Review Committee meeting, all persons must: • Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-3393 or preservation@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Sunday, August 8, 2021 (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). • Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. • Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. • Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. • Handouts or other information may be emailed to preservation@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. Reunión especial del Historic Landmark Commission, Architectural Review Committee FECHA de la reunion 9 de agosto 2021 a las tres de la tarde (3:00 p.m.) LA JUNTA SE LLEVARÁ EL LUNES, EL 9 DE AGOSTO 2021 CON MODIFICACIONES DE DISTANCIAMIENTO SOCIAL Esta reunion tiene una duracion limitada. Haga todas …
T R E E P R O T E C T I O N N O T E S 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Trees depicted on this sheet have been located, sized, and given species identifications per survey provided to Architect by Owner. Regardless of species—and regardless of whether they have been depicted on this sheet or not—all trees 19" in trunk diameter and greater at a height of 4'-6" above adjacent grade are protected by municipal ordinance. No protected tree shall be removed without a permit. No impacts of any kind are permitted in the 1/4 CRZ of any protected tree. Tree protection measures per the details on sheet G006 are required for all protected trees (on subject property and adjacent properties) whose CRZs fall within the subject property, even if said CRZs will not be directly impacted by construction. Extents of tree protection fencing are shown on this sheet. Tree protection fencing shall be installed prior to the commencement of construction. 2x4 or greater size planks @ 6' minimum length shall be strapped securely around protected trees' trunks and root flares when protective fencing does not incorporate entire 1/2 CRZ. All pruning shall be conducted under the strict oversight of a licensed professional arborist. PRUNING FOR SUBJECT TREES SHALL NOT EXCEED 25% OF TREE CANOPY. Trenching for all utilities in CRZs (indicated by notes 13, 14, 15, and 16) shall be minimized to the least extent feasible and shall occur by means of air-spading by a licensed professional arborist. Care shall be taken during construction that activities requiring vertical movement (eg, drilling rigs) shall not disturb existing tree canopies. The placement and storage of materials and/or heavy equipment on CRZs is strictly prohibited without exception. Applicable to all projects where CRZs of ANY protected trees (on s u b j e c t p r o p e r t y a n d / o r o n adjacent properties) fall within boundaries of subject property R E G A R D L E S S O F P R O J E C T S C A L E , S C O P E , O R T Y P E 4 61'-0 " 4 5 8'-9" N20°25'39"E 138.23' 4 5 9'-0 " 5' SIDE SETBACK 4 5 9'-10 " 0'-0" 6 4 K C A B T E S R …
Historic Landmark Commission Applications under Review for July 26, 2021 Meeting This list does not constitute a formal agenda and is subject to change. A final agenda will be posted at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. The Historic Landmark Commission meeting will be held with Social Distancing Modifications. Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers (applicants included) must register in advance no later than Sunday, July 25, 2021 by 12:00 noon. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the Historic Landmark Commission meeting: Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-3393 or preservation@austintexas.gov no later than 12:00 noon the day before the meeting. The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. Handouts or other information may be emailed to preservation@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Historic zoning applications A.1. 1037 Reinli Street – Travis County Fire Control Operations Center – Owner-initiated historic zoning Historic landmark and historic district applications B.1. 1805 E. 3rd Street – Herrera House – Construct a rear 1-story addition (postponed June 28, 2021) 907 Congress Avenue – Grandberry Building – Deconstruct, store, and re-erect façade (postponed June 28, 2021) 909 Congress Avenue – Mitchell-Robertson Building – Deconstruct, store, and re-erect façade (postponed June 28, 2021) 13300 Dessau Road – Evangelical Lutheran Church – Relocate church to Jourdan-Bachman B.2. B.3. B.4. 1 Commented [BE1]: Does the Kenney House sign (on the ARC agenda) also need to go to HLC this month? Commented [AA2R1]: There isn't a sign permit in …
Versión en español a continuación. Historic Landmark Commission Meeting Monday, July 26, 2021, 6:00 PM Historic Landmark Meeting to be held July 26, 2021 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Sunday, July 25 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the July 26 Historic Landmark Commission Meeting, members of the public must: • Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-3393 or preservation@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Sunday, July 25 (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). • Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. • Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. • Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. • Handouts or other information may be emailed to preservation@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. • If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Reunión del Historic Landmark Commission FECHA de la reunion (26 de julio, 2021) La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación (25 de julio, 2021 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en (512) 974-3393 or preservation@austintexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). Se requiere la siguiente información: nombre del orador, número (s) de artículo sobre el que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutral, dirección de correo electrónico (opcional) y un número de teléfono …
1037 Reinli Street Travis County Fire Control Team Operations Center ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET HLC DATE: July 26, 2021 PC DATE: August 24, 2021 CASE NUMBER: C14H-2021-0116 APPLICANT: Lee and David Basore (property owners) HISTORIC NAME: Travis County Fire Control Team Operations Center WATERSHED: Urban; Tannehill Branch ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 1037 Reinli Street ZONING CHANGE: CS-MU-NP to CS-MU-H-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 4 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the proposed zoning change from CS-MU-NP (General Commercial Services-Mixed Use Combining District-Neighborhood Plan Combining District) to CS-MU-H-NP (General Commercial Services-Mixed Use Combining District-Historic Landmark Combining District-Neighborhood Plan Combining District). QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: Historical Associations, Community Value HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: N/A PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: N/A DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The house is beyond the bounds of any historic resources survey to date. CITY COUNCIL DATE: N/A ORDINANCE READINGS: N/A CASE MANAGER: Kalan Contreras NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Independent School District, Austin Lost and Found Pets, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Del Valle Community Coalition, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood Empowerment Foundation, Neighbors United for Progress, Preservation Austin, Responsible Growth for Windsor Park, SELTexas, Sierra Club, Austin Regional Group, Windsor Park Neighborhood Association, Windsor Park Neighborhood Plan Contact Team BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: The property at 1037 Reinli Street is significant primarily for its historical associations and community value, though its status as an architectural curiosity—a typical Minimal Traditional house used as an emergency services hub—should also be considered. ORDINANCE NUMBER: N/A PHONE: 512-974-2727 ACTION: N/A § 25-2-352 (A)(1) Period of Significance. The property is at least 50 years old and represents a period of significance of at least 50 years ago, unless the property is of exceptional importance as defined by National Register Bulletin 22, National Park Service (1996). 1 1037 Reinli Street Travis County Fire Control Team Operations Center The property is 82 years old, with a period of significance as the Travis County Fire Control Team Operations Center beginning at the date of Explorer Post 13’s establishment of the Travis County fire brigade in 1961 and ending at the 50- year cutoff in 1971. 1037 Reinli Street remained the organization’s dispatch center until 1982. § 25-2-352 (A)(2) Integrity. The property retains a high degree of integrity, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places, that clearly conveys its historical significance and does not include an addition or alteration which has significantly compromised its integrity. The property retains a high degree of integrity, …
B.2 – 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS JULY 26, 2021 C14H-1986-0015 GRANDBERRY BUILDING 907 CONGRESS AVENUE PROPOSAL PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS Review of a plan to deconstruct, store, and re-erect historic building façade. Catalog and store, then re-erect the historic building façades of the Grandberry Building, Mitchell-Robertson Building, and the building at 911 Congress Ave. as part of a redevelopment project at a later date. In conjunction with proposed additions, deconstruction and reconstruction of these façades has received approval from the Historic Landmark Commission on three separate occasions: September 25, 2006 (for 907 and 909 Congress Ave. only), January 26, 2015 (pending development of more detailed plans for treatment of the three façades), and June 25, 2018. See Prior Commission Action below. On March 24, 2021, the Building Standards Commission (BSC) issued an order requiring that conditions be remedied within 90 days or imposing fines on the property owner. The BSC orders are uploaded as backup to this meeting for reference. In discussion at the April 24, 2021 meeting, Commissioners suggested that the applicant determine if scaffolding erected for purposes of documenting and dismantling the façades would suffice for compliance with the BSC orders. The orders do not mention stabilization or bracing as options, and Code Department staff have confirmed that scaffolding would be insufficient to meet the requirements. Instead, the orders require repairs to fully remedy the violations, which include cracks and openings in exterior walls, roof and drainage issues, and missing windows, among other concerns. Per the applicant, stabilization and repair of the buildings in place is not technically feasible due to the extent of deterioration, including mortar loss, shear failures and racking, and the inability to adequately shore the façades following demolition of masonry party walls that provide lateral support. In particular, the wall abutting the Mutual Building, an adjacent historic landmark, requires demolition to allow that property owner to perform needed repairs. The proposed scope of work entails developing a detailed plan for deconstruction and reconstruction of the historic façades, including as an initial phase: review of existing documentation, visual and non-destructive analysis of building materials and assemblies, structural evaluation, and development of a finalized scope of work and sequence of implementation. Laser scanning has been performed, and analysis of the resulting point cloud is underway. Deconstruction will be done by hand and treated much like an archeological investigation, with specific conditions and …
June 4, 2021 Elizabeth Brummett Development Services Manager City of Austin - Historic Preservation Office Via Electronic Delivery Re: 907, 909, and 911 Congress Avenue – Historic Review Applications for three 0.845 acre pieces of property located at 907, 909, and 911 Austin, TX 78724 (the “Properties”) Dear Ms. Brummett: As representatives of the owner of the Properties and the buildings thereon (the “Buildings”), we respectfully submit the enclosed historic review application packages (the “Applications”). The Applications reflect our months-long effort to comply with directives from both the City of Austin Building and Standards (“BSC) Commission and Historic Landmark Commission (“HLC”). In the Fall of 2020, complaints were made to BSC regarding the condition of the Buildings, which led BSC to issue a secure façade order in February 2021. On February 12 and March 8, 2021, we made presentations to HLC’s Architectural Review Committee requesting that HLC provide direction as to how we could forward with the safe deconstruction of the Buildings, as any demolition permit requires HLC approval. After the façades were secured, BSC issued follow-up orders on March 24, 2021 requiring that all cited violations be corrected at the Buildings by June 22, 2021 (the “Orders”). The Orders include a requirement that we receive all necessary approvals from HLC. For your convenience, we have attached the Orders hereto as Exhibit A. At the March, April, and May HLC monthly meetings (the February meeting was cancelled due to weather), we presented our findings that we could not safely hold the Building façades in place while complying with the Orders. We have attached two letters from structural engineers stating as much hereto as Exhibits C and D. It is our restated position that compliance with the Orders while leaving any portion of the façades in place is impracticable. We bring these applications reflecting this position and plan to deconstruct and reconstruct the Buildings in a manner that respects and protects their historic nature as much as is reasonably possible. The applications packet includes a scope of work provided by Architect Donna Carter, which explains the extent of work contemplated to retain as much historic material as possible for all three buildings. 200 Lee Barton Drive, Suite 100 | Austin, Texas 78704 | 512-807-2900 | www.drennergroup.com Please let me know if you or your team members require additional information or have any questions. Thank you for your time and attention to …
907 – 909 – 911 CONGRESS AVENUE AUSTIN, TEXAS FAÇADE DECONSTRUCTION / RECONSTRUCTION SCOPE OF WORK / OUTLINE TO COMPLETE A. OVERALL PROJECT ORGANIZATION (OVERVIEW – SEE BELOW FOR DETAIL) a. Research and documentation search on existing construction b. Visual and non‐destructive evaluation (NDE) and testing c. Confirmation of structural integrity and ability to withstand documentation and deconstruction as planned. d. Deliverable 1 – Abstract and Bibliography of information used to inform reconstruction (photographs), summary of mortar, brick composition and condition testing e. Review of deconstruction Scope of Work based on Information gathered in a, b & C above f. Finalized Scope of Work and sequence of implementation. g. Deliverable 2 – Safety plan for documentation and deconstruction including pedestrian protection, neighboring building and selective access for design and deconstruction team. h. Preparation of specifications, drawings and other elements required for contract/bid documents for deconstruction work i. Deliverable 3 – Final drawings and documentation of existing conditions. j. Deliverable 4 – Deconstruction Phase: Confirm document accuracy based on profiles, details and other site collected information. k. Document, number and record materials pallets as part of deconstruction. l. On‐site observation of work in progress m. Final Documentation of deconstruction, material inventory and proper storage n. Deliverable 5 – Reconstruction documents and coordination with redevelopment design team o. On‐site observation of work in progress p. Final documentation of historic materials in place B. DOCUMENTATION preparation. Work. a. Review of existing photographic documentation to inform deconstruction and reconstruction plan b. Review all building inspection reports. c. Review all environmental documents and incorporate any outstanding items into final Scope of d. Photograph current conditions prior to any additional demolition. e. Document stone construction to same extent as brick construction for archives f. Recommendation: Laser scanning of the existing construction. Provide point cloud to be used in documentation and to assist in the deconstruction and reconstruction activities. g. Coordinate with Austin History Center and City Preservation Officer on document preparation and retention requirements for archival purposes CARTER ● DESIGN ASSOCIATES ‐‐ 31‐Mar‐21 1 | P a g e C, D & E ARE DONE SIMULTANEOUSLY C. THE NON – DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION (NDE) PROGRAM a. Determine logistics, fieldwork and site requirements. Work with contractor to determine scaffolding plan, safety procedures and building exposure strategies b. Confirm areas that are stable and can support further investigation c. Prior to deconstruction, expose representative areas of the structures for …
B.3 – 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS JULY 26, 2021 C14H-2004-0008 MITCHELL-ROBERTSON BUILDING 909 CONGRESS AVENUE PROPOSAL PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS Review of a plan to deconstruct, store, and re-erect ca. 1882 historic building façade. Catalog and store, then re-erect the historic building façades of the Grandberry Building, Mitchell-Robertson Building, and the building at 911 Congress Ave. as part of a redevelopment project at a later date. In conjunction with proposed additions, deconstruction and reconstruction of these façades has received approval from the Historic Landmark Commission on three separate occasions: September 25, 2006 (for 907 and 909 Congress Ave. only), January 26, 2015 (pending development of more detailed plans for treatment of the three façades), and June 25, 2018. See Prior Commission Action below. On March 24, 2021, the Building Standards Commission (BSC) issued an order requiring that conditions be remedied within 90 days or imposing fines on the property owner. The BSC orders are uploaded as backup to this meeting for reference. In discussion at the April 24, 2021 meeting, Commissioners suggested that the applicant determine if scaffolding erected for purposes of documenting and dismantling the façades would suffice for compliance with the BSC orders. The orders do not mention stabilization or bracing as options, and Code Department staff have confirmed that scaffolding would be insufficient to meet the requirements. Instead, the orders require repairs to fully remedy the violations, which include cracks and openings in exterior walls, roof and drainage issues, and missing windows, among other concerns. Per the applicant, stabilization and repair of the buildings in place is not technically feasible due to the extent of deterioration, including mortar loss, shear failures and racking, and the inability to adequately shore the façades following demolition of masonry party walls that provide lateral support. While the Mitchell-Robertson Building is in relatively better condition than the other two buildings, two independent structural engineering letters have determined that the façade cannot be braced during construction. A 2014 letter, not included in previous packets, cites the tie backs as indication of shear failure that would prevent safely bracing the masonry. The proposed scope of work entails developing a detailed plan for deconstruction and reconstruction of the historic façades, including as an initial phase: review of existing documentation, visual and non-destructive analysis of building materials and assemblies, structural evaluation, and development of a finalized scope of work and sequence of …
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS JULY 26, 2021 C14H-2000-0005; HR-2021-103182 EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 13300 DESSAU ROAD B.4 – 1 PROPOSAL PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS Relocate Evangelical Lutheran Church from 13300 Dessau Road to Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Drive. The relocation will be performed by an experienced house mover. The bell tower will be removed with a crane and replaced following the move; the church building will be moved without further disassembly. To support its interpretation as part of Pioneer Farms living history museum, the organization has conducted additional research into the history of the property. Future work will involve minimal intervention to weatherize and paint the exterior and replace non-historic doors with period-appropriate doors. ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STANDARDS The Gothic Revival-influenced church features pointed arch windows on either end with more Classical pedimented window frames on the side façades. The church also features decorative gable ornamentation and a low bell tower with a hexagonal spire and pressed metal roof. The City of Austin’s Historic Design Standards (March 2021) are based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and are used to evaluate projects at historic landmarks. Limited standards address relocation: Demolition and relocation 1.1 Do not demolish or relocate a historic building. Relocation is an act of last resort and should only be considered when preservation in place is no longer viable. The current location is landlocked and surrounded by existing or proposed new development that will compromise the church’s setting and feeling. Set off of Dessau Road, the church is isolated and subject to vandalism. Relocation to Pioneer Farms is being pursued at the request of the Dessau Lutheran Cemetery Association, which lacks adequate funds to maintain the building. Evaluation of relocation should consider the reasons the property is significant, how relocation will impact the historic integrity of the property, and whether the property will remain eligible for designation at its proposed site. The Historic Landmark Commission initiated designation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 2000, in response to an intended sale of the tract and uncertain future of the church building. At that time, the Commission used 13 historic designation criteria. While only required to meet one criterion, the church was deemed significant under six: for its connections to the mid-19th century German settlement of Dessau, as a significant example of a rural Gothic Revival church, for its relationship to the adjoining historic …
DESSAU LUTHERAN CHURCH History Built in 1876, the Dessau Lutheran Church is endangered by encroaching commercial development and a lack of preservation options at its current site. The Dessau Lutheran Church, constructed in 1876, was one of the earliest centers of worship in the area. Using donated land and materials, congregants built the church on a knoll just west of what was a wagon road between Austin and the small community of Dessau. Prominent families with the names of Krueger, Wieland, Nehring, Nauert, Grosskopf and Goerlitz, among others — whose descendants have remained prominent citizens in the Austin area — were members of the church and helped plant several other churches in northern Travis County in succeeding years, as well as building a parsonage and the first Dessau School adjacent to the church. For more than half a century, the church was a center for community activities in the area — many of which perpetrated the German language and culture brought to Texas almost a century before. Services at the church were conducted in German until the 1940s. Elvis Presley is reported to have visited in the late 1950s when he sang at the nearby Dessau dance hall. By the 1960s, though, the congregation had declined in numbers and the church a decade later stood vacant —to be revived for a short time in the late 1980s with help from another nearby Lutheran church. It has now been mostly unused for the past two decades. It also served as a landmark for the rural community in and around Dessau, in a diverse area populated in various periods during the 1800s by European transplants, native Tonkawa people, emancipated and Anglo settlers from Eastern States. It was used for services by its congregation, as a school, and as a community gathering place at the edge of what was once Texas’ frontier, where settlers once built thick-walled stone houses to protect from Indian attacks. Its bell for decades was rung to deliver news to the Dessau community — for births, deaths, weddings and fires. As one of the oldest extant churches in this area, the sanctuary typifies an iconic architectural style among rural church-builders during the 1800s — one room, tall ceiling, Gothic-style peak arched windows, wood-frame construction, significant design details of the period, and a bell tower topped with a stylized Christian cross. Most of the church appears to be the original …
D E S S A U L U T H E R A N C H U R C H A UNIQUE PRESERVATION OPPORTUNITY P H O T O D O C U M E N T A T I O N P R E P A R E D F O R A U S T I N H I S T O R I C L A N D M A R K C O M M I S S I O N HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS Historical photos of the Dessau Church property show, f=clockwise from top left, the church site in the 1890s, in the early 20th century, the Dessau Schol that was located just south of the church, the cross atop the belfry, the church in recent years and the interior in 1984. EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHS Belfry detail shows current condition. Siding joint shows where front was added on in 1890s Belfry detail shows louvers, fretwork and cross. South side view shows drainage issues, current condition of siding. Rear elevation shows shadow from onetime braces, original location of back door. North side view shows steel bracing, stove chimney flue. Detail of rear shows where window was moved to replace a back door. Rear elevation. Foundation detail on south side. Missing trim at the left front corner. Foundation detail at the front right corner. Front door trim detail. Trim detail at the front double door. Interior view shows pulpit and pews. Interior view shows altar, modern cross and pews. Early cross is behind the large one. Detail of pew believed to be original to the church. Interior view of front door, with bell ropes at left.
DESSAU LUTHERAN CHURCH Project Overview Churches were an early center of community life, especially in rural areas where they brought cultures together. The addition of an 1800s church in the Sprinkle Corner entrance village at Pioneer Farms would allow for historical programming to showcase the importance of faith in early Texas settlements, an asset of frontier life that is rarely interpreted at public museums. A church would allow Pioneer Farms to showcase a more complete picture of Texas history for visitors and school groups. In addition to their religious service, churches in much of Texas served as community centers and many often housed several different congregations during their lives, and some even were home to more than one denomination or group for weekly services. The histories of these buildings quite often reflected the changing demographics and cultural shifts that took place over time in many parts of Texas, especially in rural areas, and showcased the lives of the various settlers who came to Central Texas — from the Texians from the Eastern States to the German and European immigrants to the freed slaves after the Civil War. Of note: The restored one-room log cabin built in the 1850s by Frederick Kruger, who helped spearhead the construction of the church, is located near the church site at Pioneer Farms as the anchor of the 1866 German Emigrant Farm. Concept: Small rural church to a verified history that could be used to tell the story to museum guests of its congregations over the years, including life stories of people who formed or built the church and what role they played in the cultural and historical fabric of the area. This would be part of our interpretive redesign. Theme: Importance of faith in 1800s Texas, how society — especially in rural areas — was keyed to belief systems, family life, work ethic, social mores and how those factors helped shape the history of Texas, especially in this area. Before churches were built, many Texans worshiped in their homes. Project: A properly scaled church with appropriate history would be relocated to a site east of the Town Square, at the end of the main entrance street, to provide a view corridor for guests to underscore the importance that religion played in the lives of early Texans. The church would be researched and restored according to a preservation plan to its pre-1899 appearance. It would …
