Architects Clayton&Little /Field Report Seaholm Power Plant Rehabilitation Report on Methods of Selection of Cleaning Process for Exterior Concrete Issued: 9.4.12 Action Item 1. 6.15.12 7:30 am Attended by: Elizabeth Brummett (EB) – Texas Historical Commission; Dave Stauch (DS) & Bill McCann (BM) – HS&A; Emily Little (EL) & George Wilcox (GW) – Clayton&Little Architects 1. After a visual inspection of all four facades of the Fuel Oil Building, the eastern façade was selected for test cleaning as being representative of the overall project. Reference Photograph A for a photo of the eastern façade before any cleaning work was done. 2. Four cleaning methods were decided upon (per specifications provided by Pat Sparks, PE, Principal at Sparks Engineering), and test “panels” identified; reference Photograph B. These panels will be referred to as 1, 2 (a & b), 3 & 4. GW applied cleaning solutions, BM operated the pressure washer. Test cleaning methods were as follows, with the pressure washer equipped with a 15 degree fan tip that was held approximately 10” to 12” off of the wall: a. Panel 1 – Water only, no cleaning chemical applied, panel cleaned with 2,500 psi ambient temperature water only. Horizontal spray pattern was used on the entire panel and on the right half of the panel a second pass with vertical spray pattern was used. Horizontal spray pattern took approximately 3.5 minutes and the subsequent vertical spray pattern on right half took approximately 2 minutes. b. Panel 2 – “Simple Green” spray detergent (non-ionic neutral pH detergent) applied at 50% concentration on left half of panel, labeled 2a. “Simple Green” spray detergent applied at full strength on right half of panel, labeled 2b. After an approximate 10 minute delay, the overall panel was then cleaned with 2,500 psi ambient temperature water. Horizontal spray pattern was used on the entire panel and on the bottom half of the panel, a second pass with a vertical spray pattern was used. Horizontal spray pattern took approximately 3.5 minutes and the subsequent vertical spray pattern on the bottom half took approximately 2 minutes. c. Panel 3 – “Concrobium Mold Control” product spray applied at full strength on panel; this product is a 0.95% concentration of sodium carbonate. After an approximate 15 minute delay, the overall panel was then cleaned with 2,500 psi ambient temperature water. Horizontal spray pattern was used on the entire panel and on the …
ABBREVIATIONS AB ABV ACM ACOUS ACR AD ADH ADJ AFF AHJ ALT ALUM ANC ANOD ANSI AP APC APPROX ARCH ASPH ASSY ASTM ATTEN AUTO AV BD BEL BIT BLDG BLKG BM BMJ BN BODT BOST BOW BR BRKT BTM BTW BVL CB CDM CEM CEN CF CFL CFMF CG CH CIV CJ CL CLG CLOS CLR CMU CNTR CO COL COMP CONC COND CONST CONT CORR CPR CPT CRS CS CU CW CY D DATACOM DBL AIR BARRIER ABOVE ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIAL ACOUSTICAL ACRYLIC AREA DRAIN ADHESIVE ADJUSTABLE ABOVE FINISHED FLOOR AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION ALTERNATE ALUMINUM ANCHOR, ANCHORED ANODIZED AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE ACCESS PANEL ARCHITECTURAL PRECAST CONCRETE APPROXIMATE ARCHITECT, ARCHITECTURAL ASPHALT, ASPHALTIC ASSEMBLY AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS ATTENUATION AUTOMATIC AUDIO VISUAL BOARD BELOW BITUMEN, BITUMINOUS BUILDING BLOCKING BEAM BUILDING MOVEMENT JOINT BULLNOSE BOTTOM OF DOUBLE TEE BOTTOM OF STEEL BOTTOM-OF-WALL BATHROOM BRACKET BOTTOM BETWEEN BEVELED CHALKBOARD CAVITY DRAINAGE MATERIAL CEMENT, CEMENTITIOUS CENTER CUBIC FOOT, CUBIC FEET COUNTERFLASHING COLD FORMED METAL FRAMING CORNER GUARD CHANNEL CIVIL CONTROL JOINT CENTER LINE CEILING CLOSET CLEAR CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT COUNTER CLEAN OUT COLUMN COMPRESSIBLE, COMPRESSED CONCRETE CONDITION CONSTRUCTION CONTINUOUS CORRIDOR COPPER CARPET, CARPETED COURSE, COURSES COUNTERSUNK CUBIC CURTAINWALL CUBIC YARD DEEP, DEPTH DATA AND COMMUNICATION DOUBLE DEG DF DIA DIM DISP DIST DN DP DR DRN DS DTL DW DWG DWR EA EIFS EJ EL ELEC ELEV ENCL EQ EQUIP ETR EW EWC EXH EXP EXST EXT FAB FACP FD FDV FE FEC FF FHC FHVC FBLKG FIN FIXT FLEX FLR FLSHG FNDN FO FP FRJ FRM FRT FSTN FT FTF FTW FUR FURN FUT FXD GA GALV GL GR GYP HARAW HB HC HDOW HDR HDWR HM HOR HR HT HTR DEGREE, DEGREES DRINKING FOUNTAIN DIAMETER DIMENSION DISPENSER DISTANCE DOWN DIMPOINT, DAMPPROOFING DOOR DRAIN DOWNSPOUT DETAIL DISHWASHER DRAWING DRAWER EACH EXTERIOR INSULATION AND FINISH SYSTEM EXPANSION JOINT ELEVATION ELECTRIC, ELECTRICAL ELEVATOR ENCLOSURE EQUAL EQUIPMENT EXISTING TO REMAIN EACH WAY ELECTRIC WATER COOLER EXHAUST EXPANSION EXISTING EXTERIOR FABRICATE, FABRICATED, FABRICATOR FIRE ALARM CONTROL PANEL FLOOR DRAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT VALVE FIRE EXTINGUISHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER CABINET FINISHED FLOOR FIRE HOSE CABINET FIRE HOSE AND VALVE CABINET FIREBLOCKING FINISH, FINISHED FIXTURE FLEXIBLNE FLOOR, FLOORING FLASHING FOUNDATION FACE OF FIREPROOFED, FIREPROOFING FIRE RESISTIVE JOINT FRAME, FRAMED, FRAMING FIRE RETARDANT TREATED FASTENER FOOT, FEET FLOOR-TO-FLOOR FLOOR-TO-WALL FURRING FURNITURE FUTURE FIXED GAUGE GALVANIZED GLASS, GLAZING GUARD, GUARDRAIL GYPSUM HOT FLUID-APPLIED RUBBERIZED ASPHALT WATERPROOFING HOSE BIBB HANDICAPPED …
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION JUNE 22, 2020 APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS B.3 - 1 C14H-2006-0028 / LHD-2020-0018 OTTO AND ROSELIA BENGSTON HOUSE 3803 AVENUE H HYDE PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPOSAL Reconstruct front dormer; construct one-story rear addition and second-floor screened porch. ARCHITECTURE One-story, irregular-plan house with a side-gabled jerkinhead roof, teardrop wood cladding, 1-over-1 wood-sash windows with decorative shutters, and a corner porch with brick piers. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS The project includes six parts: 1) Reconstruct front dormer. The dormer will have a hipped roof covered with standing-seam metal, 9-over-6 and 6-over-6 casement wood-sash windows set into an arched opening (using and modifying original wood sashes), and wood cladding on the sides. It will be largely as documented in a historic photograph and original drawings but slightly taller, with the original multi-lite wood-sash dormer windows modified to fit (1’2” for interior headspace). 2) Replace decorative screens on tripartite front windows with 12-part divided screens, as documented in a historic photograph; replicate existing 9-over-1 decorative screens for other windows. 3) Add fixed wood-sash windows in the north and south (side) gable ends. 4) Add a gable roof on the rear (east) roof slope to add usable second-floor space; add a second-floor screened porch. The roof will be covered with shingles to match existing, and the balcony will feature an arched opening and solid wood railings. 5) Remove a rear wood deck and construct a one-story rear addition in its place. The addition will extend the existing hipped roof and features teardrop wood cladding, divided from existing by a vertical trim board, and 1-over-1 wood-sash windows with simplified screens similar, but not identical to, existing. 6) Add three skylights on the side (south) roof slope, behind the side-gabled roof. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW The property is a historic landmark and also contributing to the Hyde Park Historic District. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are used to evaluate projects to historic landmarks. The following standards apply to the proposed project: 2) The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided. The project will retain and preserve distinctive materials and characteristic features, spaces, and spatial relationships. It meets this standard. 3) Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a …
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS B.4 - 1 JUNE 22, 2020 C14H-2005-0028 COX-CRADDOCK HOUSE 720 E. 32ND STREET PROPOSAL Construct a detached carport at the rear of the house. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS The applicant proposes the construction of a detached double carport at the back of the house in an area of existing concrete driveway paving. The proposed carport will be 21’-4” wide by 15’-4” deep and will have stone piers, steel beams, wood rafters, and an asphalt-shingled pitched roof. The carport will not be visible from the street. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are used to evaluate projects on historic landmarks. The following standards apply to the proposed project: 1) A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships. Evaluation: The proposed carport does not conflict with the residential use of this house. The project meets this standard. 2) The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided. Evaluation; No distinctive materials will be removed and no significant spatial relationships will be affected by the proposed project. 3) Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other historic properties, will not be undertaken. Evaluation: The design of the proposed carport is modern and utilitarian and does not imitate historic features of the house or property. 4) Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved. Evaluation: N/A 5) Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved. Evaluation: N/A 6) Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence. Evaluation: N/A B.4 - 2 7) Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be …
1619 Waterston Ave. Austin, Texas Cover Page Austin, Texas10 June 20201619 Waterston Ave.ImageDateLocationProject AddressContact4910 Burnet RoadAustin, Texas 78756(512) 706.4303 The proposed design is a single-story residence at 1619 Waterston Ave. replacing the existing home which was approved for demolition by the City of Austin. A new three-bedroom home is intended for the owner’s two children and is flexible, with the ability to take care of the owner’s mother when the children leave for college. The new design intent is to embrace the spirit and the context of the neighborhood. Having lived in the Clarksville neighborhood on and off over the last twenty years, the owner is aware of the intricacies of this historic area of Austin. To retain street front character, large windows at the front façade step back under a wood soffit overhang, nodding back to Clarksville’s historic front porches. Large windows open to the front yard to engage with the street. Two large trees in the front yard will be maintained in place and the new home is strategically planned around their canopies to minimize its impact. The heritage-size Oak on the southeast corner of the lot will be similarly respected. Early designs studied wood siding as the main exterior material. However, as the design was further refined, considerations for long term durability and maintenance led to the selection of a slim Roman brick, wood slats and soffits, steel windows and metal roof. The brick’s vertical running bond mimics the texture of a wood panel façade from the previous design. Daylight is an important design concept of this home. An interior courtyard, skylights and large windows ensure each room receives ample natural daylight year-round. Garage entry will face 12th Street and appear as a two-story building, in keeping with that street’s character. Commentary Austin, Texas10 June 20201619 Waterston Ave.ImageDateLocationProject AddressContact4910 Burnet RoadAustin, Texas 78756(512) 706.4303 e v o b a r o o l f t s r i f e n L i k c a b t e S t o L ) ' h 0 g u . o 8 h T 4 ' 5 1 2 ( ' 5 2 . 8 4 1 de -0" de -7" Slope, typ. Drive Strips Slope, typ. shaft ener Conc Wall Stairs G ' E " 3 5 5 4 ° 8 2 N W UP . 1 2 T H #77 S T R E E …
C.2 - 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION JUNE 22, 2020 PERMITS IN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS NRD-2020-0023 1619 WATERSTON AVENUE WEST LINE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPOSAL Construct a one-story plus basement single-family house. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS One-story U-plan house clad in light vertical brick veneer and capped with a cross-gabled roof covered in standing-seam metal. The house will feature fixed and casement steel-sash windows and a fluted glass front door. Under the right front gable, a dramatic fully glazed transparent wall will pivot open as a steel door. Ornamentation includes wood slats screening the single front-facing window and a 4’ eave with copper fascia and a wood soffit under the center roof and right gable. The rear wall will face W. 12th Street and include dark brick cladding and a double-width aluminum garage door at the daylight basement level; the main level will overhang the basement by approx. 4’ and have light brick cladding and fixed aluminum-sash windows inset into steel frames. STANDARDS FOR REVIEW The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are used to evaluate projects in National Register historic districts. The following standards apply to the proposed project: 9) New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. The house is compatible with nearby contributing buildings through its scale, traditional roof form and massing, and brick cladding. The window pattern and fully-glazed wall differentiate it as new construction. The project meets this standard. 10) New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. If the house were removed in the future, the historic district would be unimpaired. The proposed project meets the standards. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION Not reviewed. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Release the permit. LOCATION MAP C.2 - 2 PROPERTY INFORMATION Photos C.2 - 3 Nearby properties on Waterston Avenue. Note gable roof forms and simple massing. Source: Google Street View, March 2019.
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION JUNE 22, 2020 DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS HDP-2020-0214 2502 PARK VIEW DRIVE D.2 - 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1954 house. ARCHITECTURE One-story, rectangular -plan, shallow front-gabled mid-century Modern-styled wood frame house with rectangular asbestos panels set into a metal framing system on the front and back, and wood siding on secondary elevations. The house has fixed-sash and horizontal- sliding fenestration with a row of clerestory windows bridging the space between the asbestos panel section and the slightly-pitched roof, which is notable for its deep eaves. There is a pop-up, shed roofed section in the middle of the roof, that opens onto a side elevation. The house has a shed-roofed double carport with exposed beams and columns; the carport figures prominently into the impression of the house from the street and has ornamental brick walls, further identifying the house as an example of mid-century Modern design. RESEARCH The house is located in the “Air Conditioned Village” of northwest Austin, and would be contributing to a potential historic district encompassing the remaining homes of the 22 originally built as demonstration houses to study and promote the feasibility of central air conditioning in moderately-sized and moderately-priced homes. Austin’s Air Conditioned Village was one of and the largest of several demonstration projects throughout the country in the early 1950s, at a time when central air conditioning was more common in commercial buildings and high-end residences, than in more modest houses, mostly due to the cost of installation. The National Association of Home Builders sponsored the construction of Austin’s Air Conditioned Village in 1953 as a new subdivision just west of Burnet Road in the northwestern part of the city. Twenty-two homes were built, in varying styles, but all with central air conditioning furnished by several manufacturers, including Chrysler, which provided the air conditioning for this house at 2502 Park View Drive. This house was known as the Chrysler “Air-Temp” House, and was designed by local architect Fred Day, who had been associated with several of the leading architectural firms in the city, including Fehr and Granger, noted for their mid-century Modern designs. The house was built by Wayne A. Burns, the developer of the Edgewood Subdivision, which encompassed the Air Conditioned Village. The Air Conditioned Village was a novel concept, and was part economic feasibility study and part social study. Homes in the Air Conditioned Village were all moderately-sized, but …
June 12, 2020 Emily Reed, Chair City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission Re: 2502 Park View Drive Dear Ms. Reed, Preservation Austin has been our city’s leading nonprofit voice for historic preservation since 1953. We write today to express our dismay at the proposed demolition of 2502 Park View Drive, located in Allandale’s Air Conditioned Village. We ask the Historic Landmark Commission to support historic zoning for this significant property in the areas of Architecture, Historical Associations, and Community Value. The Air Conditioned Village was built in 1954 to assess the cost-effectiveness and profitability of central air in middle-class housing. Twenty-three houses, each featuring air-conditioning systems from a different manufacturer, were sold to families who agreed to allow their homes and habits to be studied by University of Texas scientists. Austinite Ned Cole, an architect and head of the air-conditioning subcommittee of the National Association of Homes Builders, spearheaded the project, which was the first multi-home experiment of its kind worldwide. Local architects and builders designed each unique home with energy-saving design elements to test their effectiveness. These include window placement along north and south facades; trees, trellises, and overhangs; pale paint colors and white roofing materials to reflect sunlight. Architect Fred Day designed 2502 Park View Drive, known as “The Air Temp.” Energy-efficient features include south-facing orientation and a wide, low-pitched roof which extends nearly four feet beyond the home’s footprint on all sides. Distinctive brick screens, exposed roof beams, and its asymmetrical façade make this home one of the development’s most stylized examples of mid-century design. Day (1926-2014) was a recent graduate of the UT School of Architecture. He worked for Ned Cole and Fehr & Granger before establishing his own firms in the 1960s. Day merged with Jessen Jessen Millhouse Greeven & Crume to become Jessen, Inc. in 1969, and served as the firm’s principal and president until 1993. His distinguished career included numerous awards from AIA Austin and the Texas Society Architects. He was president of AIA Austin and awarded an honorary Life Membership on the UTSOA Advisory Council. His works include Austin’s Teacher Retirement System Building, Faulk Central Library, Austin Doctors Building, renovations to the UT Law School and Student Union, the Recreation and Convocation Center at St. Edwards University, the pro bono master plan and drawings for Laguna Gloria, and the Visitors Center at McDonald Observatory. According to his obituary: “An innovative designer, he …
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION Monday, May 18, 2020 - 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting NOTE: This meeting was conducted remotely via teleconference. COMMISSION MEMBERS: __x___ Emily Reed, Chair __x___ Beth Valenzuela, Vice Chair __x___ Witt Featherston __x___ Ben Heimsath ______ Mathew Jacob ______ Kevin Koch __x___ Kelly Little __x___ Trey McWhorter __x___ Terri Myers ______ Alex Papavasiliou ______ Blake Tollett MEETING MINUTES - DRAFT CALL TO ORDER 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. April 27, 2020 MOTION: Approve the minutes from April 27, 2020 on the consent agenda by Heimsath, Valenzuela seconds. Vote: 7-0. 2. PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION A. Oakwood Cemetery Archaeology See memo in backup. MOTION: Add to agenda for June by Heimsath, Myers seconds. Vote: 7-0. Staff clarified that the item will be placed on the first possible agenda given PARD staff availability (July or August). 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC ZONING, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC DISTRICT ZONING, AND REQUESTS TO CONSIDER THE INITIATION OF A HISTORIC ZONING CASE 1. C14-2019-0108 – Parker House – Discussion 2404 Rio Grande Street Council District 9 Proposal: Remove historic zoning from the rear portion of the property. Applicant: William Archer, owner; Glen Coleman, agent. City Staff: Heather Chaffin, Planning and Zoning Department, 974-2122. Staff Recommendation: Approve but taking into consideration Historic Preservation Office comments. MOTION: Recommend against the removal of H zoning on the property by Myers, Little seconds. Vote: 7-0. B. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS 1. C14H-1986-0008 – Littlefield Building – Discussion 106 E. 6th Street Council District 9 Proposal: Install a metal canopy over ground-floor windows on 6th Street. Applicant: Chelsie Woodall Horyza, Wuest Group City Staff: Steve Sadowsky, Historic Preservation Office, 974-6454 Committee Recommendation: Not reviewed. Staff Recommendation: Deny this request; the applicant may propose a new solution at the hearing. Speakers in favor: Sean O’Brien No speakers in opposition. MOTION: Approve the application by Heimsath, Featherston seconds. Vote: 6- 0-1, Little off-dais. 2. C14H-1994-0012 – J.M. Crawford Building – Offered for consent approval 1412 S. Congress Avenue Council District 9 Proposal: Repair and rehabilitate stucco on the west elevation of the building; install a wood shutter and loading dock doors over boarded-over openings. Applicant: Rob Lippincott City Staff: Steve Sadowsky, Historic Preservation Office, 974-6454 Committee Recommendation: Not reviewed. Staff Recommendation: Approve as proposed. MOTION: Pass Item B.2 on the consent agenda by Heimsath, …
M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: Historic Landmark Commission Kimberly McNeeley, CPRP Director, Austin Parks and Recreation Department June 18, 2020 DATE: SUBJECT: Oakwood Cemetery Academic Partnership for DNA testing The purpose of this memo is to notify City Council that the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) is in the early stages of exploring an academic partnership to conduct DNA testing of human remains exhumed at Oakwood Cemetery in 2017. As you may recall the remains were discovered during the Oakwood chapel restoration project and date from the mid to late 1800s. A May 14, 2020 memo to City Council provided a project update regarding recent reports from the archeological and bio-archeological analysis as well as community engagement and educational outreach activities. Since May 14th PARD entered into discussions with Dr. Deborah Bolnick, Associate Professor, University of Connecticut, about how the field of anthropological genetics may be applied to the Oakwood Cemetery archeological investigation. Dr. Bolnick is an anthropological geneticist and biological anthropologist who explores how forces, historical events, and social inequalities shape human genomic and epigenomic diversity, as well as human biology more broadly. While discussions are in the early stages, PARD is interested to learn if Dr. Bolnick’s research can shed more light on the lives of the 36 individuals who were discovered during the restoration of the 1914 Oakwood Chapel. Should the partnership move forward, the city would incur no costs associated with the research or analysis. The extraction and analysis of DNA from the remains offers a unique opportunity to learn more about the identities, familial connections, and life experiences of the exhumed people. DNA analysis may make it possible to shed light on (1) the genetic ancestry and genetic sex of each individual, (2) the individual’s diet and experience with disease, (3) experiences of stress and trauma and the way those lived experiences may have become embodied, (4) patterns of genetic variation and relatedness among these individuals, and (5) relatedness between individuals buried at the Oakwood Cemetery and individuals alive today. If the preservation of the DNA in the Oakwood Cemetery remains is sufficient to permit these analyses, living individuals who think they may have a familial connection may be able to submit a saliva sample to the Bolnick lab for DNA analysis, allowing relatedness to be assessed. All genetic data would be considered in conjunction with osteological, …
M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: Historic Landmark Commission Kimberly McNeeley, CPRP Director, Austin Parks and Recreation Department February 5, 2020 DATE: SUBJECT: Oakwood Cemetery Archeological Findings Update On December 13, 2019, the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) sent a memo to Mayor and Council outlining the next steps for the reinterment, memorialization, and educational outreach related to burials that were discovered beneath the Oakwood Cemetery Chapel during its rehabilitation. To recount, archeologists monitoring the construction at the Oakwood Chapel halted work in late 2016 when human remains were discovered. After months of investigation, it was confirmed that the 1914 chapel had been constructed over grave sites. The chapel was constructed in a racially segregated section of the cemetery known as the “Historic Colored Grounds.” In March 2017, PARD informed the community of the discovered burials and announced community engagement events to help PARD determine next steps. Following outreach and public meetings with the community, it was determined that the burials would be exhumed. A May 1, 2017 memo to Austin City Council provided information about PARD’s determination and a staff report summarized the community engagement process and further explained the decision-making framework and criteria behind PARD’s recommendation to exhume the burials. The exhumation process began in late spring 2017 and took several months to complete. Under the requirements of the issued Antiquities Permit through the Texas Historical Commission (THC), a bio-archeological analysis is both necessary and appropriate for any exhumed burials. Following the careful exhumation of burials by the archeological team, the remains were transferred to Texas State University for professional analysis. The Texas State University burial context was provided by a non‐invasive analysis of the physical remains, which often provides demographic data, including race and ethnicity, gender and approximate age. In some cases, physical remains can also inform about cause of death and aspects of lifestyle, such as physical health, levels of nutrition or stresses endured. Further, artifacts may reveal aspects of material culture and possibly the cultural significance for those buried in this section. The process does not provide information about the individual identities of the people who were discovered. The archeological report is under review by the THC, and PARD is anticipating release to the public in March 2020. The next step in the process will be the reinterment of the remains within Oakwood Cemetery, which is anticipated to take …
M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: Historic Landmark Commission Kimberly McNeeley, CPRP Director, Austin Parks and Recreation Department May 14, 2020 Oakwood Cemetery Archeological Findings Update DATE: SUBJECT: The purpose of this memo is to update City Council on the completion of the Oakwood Cemetery archeological report and next steps for the reinterment, memorialization, and educational outreach related to burials that were discovered beneath the Oakwood Chapel during its rehabilitation. The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) is moving forward to the next phase, which was outlined in a December 13, 2019, memo to City Council. The analysis of the remains, which date to the mid to late 1800s, is complete and the report is posted on our project website. The report was developed by the archeological contractor for the Oakwood Chapel project, Hicks & Company Environmental/Archeological Consultants, and their sub-consultant, the Forensic Anthropology at Texas State University. The reports were also reviewed by the Texas Historical Commission. Of the individuals analyzed, the biological affinities of many could not be determined. Of the 20 individuals that could be determined, the findings demonstrate a likely diverse racial and/or ethnic representation including individuals determined to be Black/African American, Hispanic/Mexican/Mexican American, White/European-descent, and Asian, which supports historical documentation that an indigent burial ground may have been located adjacent to or overlapped a section historically referred to as the “Colored Grounds.” Oakwood Cemetery had segregated sections of burials based on race and ethnicity as well as socio-economic class. The section that includes the chapel was likely set aside for burials of people of color, out of town visitors, and individuals who suffered from extreme poverty. The next step in the process will be the reinterment of the burials within Oakwood Cemetery. PARD has executed a contract with Weston Solutions and their subconsultant, Amaterra Environmental, Inc., to provide professional archeological services associated with the next phase of work, which includes reinterment, community and educational outreach, and memorialization. While the timeline will likely be delayed due the COVID-19 public health emergency, PARD and the consulting team will work to identify areas in the vicinity of the chapel for the re-interment of remains, which is a recommendation from the 2017 community engagement process with stakeholders. PARD will communicate the reinterment plan to City Council and cemetery stakeholders. Following the reinterment, PARD will undertake a number of activities related to public outreach, and …
Click link to see the Oakwood Cemetery Archaeological Survey: link Survey provided by: Kim McKnight MSHP, AICP Program Manager Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism Austin Parks and Recreation Dept. (512) 974.9478 | austintexas.gov/parks
B.2 - 1 HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION JUNE 22, 2020 APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS C14H-2013-0003 801 W. CESAR CHAVEZ STREET SEAHOLM INTAKE BUILDING PROPOSAL Rehabilitate the building, including cleaning and restoration work; replace the main entrance; add a new entrance. ARCHITECTURE One-story rectangular-plan industrial building clad in concrete and capped by a gable roof with a parapet. The building features a roll-up metal door and multi-lite steel-sash windows covered by boards. The building is two stories high facing Lady Bird Lake; this elevation includes water intake gates. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS Proposed work to the building includes: 1) Replace metal roll-up door at primary entrance with new ADA-compliant entrance. The entrance will feature paired fully-glazed aluminum doors with multi-light steel- sash sidelights and a shallow profile. 2) Remove service entrance and low concrete wall adjacent to primary entrance; infill door opening with metal panel. 3) Add doorway on primary (north) wall. The entrance will feature paired metal doors and be accessed by concrete steps with a simple steel pipe railing. 4) Seal water intake gates on south wall from inside. The existing steel sluice gate stems will remain. 5) Remove existing parapet-mounted security lights and add simple modern sconces adjacent to the entrances on the primary wall. 6) Install rooftop ventilation units set back approximately 15’ from the north edge of the roof. The units will not be visible from the water (south side) and minimally visible (low and screened by foliage) from the north side. 7) Reconstruct roof. This change will not be visible due to the parapet. 8) Clean building and remove graffiti. 9) Restore historic windows, parapet copings, and steel railings. The copings will be removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. Historic windows will be re-glazed with new single-pane glass (the existing glazing compound and existing glass both contain asbestos). Proposed site work includes: 10) Install new signage. The sign is a standard Parks and Recreation Department design and will be replaced in a future phase of work. 11) Construct concrete porch in front of new primary entrance. 12) Construct new compacted gravel yard east of new primary entrance. 13) Add ADA-compliant parking stall; construct sidewalks between stall and building. 14) Remove existing sidewalk in front of building. 15) Replace gate between Intake Building (Building 1) and the smaller Building 2 to the east. B.2 - 2 16) Install a new metal security fence. The fence will be made of …
