10 C14H-2024-0094 - Brooks House; District 10 Application Packet — original pdf

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City of Austin - Historic Preservation Office Historic Zoning Application Packet General Overview Historic zoning is a zoning overlay which is added to the base zoning of a specific tract of land (for example CBD-H denotes Central Business District-Historic Zoning). To qualify for City Historic Landmark status, a property must meet one or more (but typically five or more) of the local historic criteria (see criteria below). Applicants need to submit historical documentation demonstrating how the property meets these criteria (see attached submittal requirements). The City Historic Landmark Commission reviews all applications for City Historic Landmark designation, with the Austin City Council making final decisions on these designations. Please note that at least (3) months is typically required to process a City Historic Landmark designation through the City Council from the time a complete application is received. Once designated, all proposed exterior site and building changes (other than routine maintenance) to a historically zoned tract require advance review and approval by the City Historic Landmark Commission. A copy of the Historic Landmark Commission's review standards is available from the City Historic Preservation Office. City Historic Landmark properties that are in good repair and in full compliance with the City historic review requirements are eligible to apply annually for a historic property tax exemption. For information on the historic zoning process, refer to Chapter 25-2 of the City Land Development Code. WHERE TO APPLY: To ensure that the application is complete, an advance review by the City Historic Preservation Office is required. Applications may be submitted at the receptionist’s desk, 5th floor, One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road by appointment. Phone (512) 974-2727 for an appointment. TIME FRAME FOR PROCESSING HISTORIC ZONING CASES: Each historic zoning case is reviewed by the Historic Landmark Commission at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Commission approximately four to six weeks after receipt of application. The Historic Landmark Commission meets once a month, typically on the 4th Monday of each month. The case is then heard by either the Zoning and Platting Commission or the Planning Commission approximately three weeks after the Historic Landmark Commission hearing, and then by the City Council approximately six weeks later. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: Refer to Instructions and Submittal Checklist. Complete Application Forms, supplemental materials, and Affidavits. THE FOLLOWING CITY HISTORIC LANDMARK CRITERIA ARE CONSIDERED WHEN REVIEWING A CITY HISTORIC LANDMARK APPLICATION: 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); and 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; and The property is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places; or is designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, State Archeological Landmark, or National Historic Landmark OR demonstrates significance in at least two of the following categories: (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. A property located within a local historic district is ineligible to be nominated for landmark designation under the criterion for architecture, unless it possesses exceptional significance or is representative of a separate period of significance. (ii) Historical Associations. The property has long-standing significant associations with persons, groups, institutions, businesses, or events of historic importance which 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. (iii) Archeology. The property has, or is expected to yield, significant data concerning the human history or prehistory of the region; Adopted December 2012 1  City of Austin - Historic Preservation Office Historic Zoning Application Packet (iv) Community Value. The property has a unique location, physical characteristic, or significant feature that contributes to the character, image, or cultural identity of the city, a neighborhood, or a particular group. (v) Landscape Feature. The property is a significant natural or designed landscape or landscape feature with artistic, aesthetic, cultural, or historical value to the city. HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION: Contact the City Historic Preservation Office if you have questions concerning an Historic Zoning application. The Historic Preservation Officer will serve as liaison between you and the City of Austin and function as your main point of contact. Once your application has been submitted, any questions, problems, conflicts, etc., should be directed to the Historic Preservation Officer at (512) 974-6454. APPOINTMENTS: Appointments should be made if you wish to see the City Historic Preservation Officer or other staff. ETHICS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE INFORMATION: If you or your agent/representative were a City employee or City official within the past 24 months, you may be subject to the Ethics and Financial Disclosure Ordinance (860717-X). Additional information is available from the City Clerk. Adopted December 2012 2  City of Austin - Historic Preservation Office Historic Zoning Application Packet (4) Information on historically significant events which occurred at the location, if known (see 3. above for research information). (5) Color digital prints showing full exterior views, including all elevations, setting, outbuildings, and details of structural and landscape features. Photographs should be labelled on the back in pencil and should be submitted loose (un- affixed). (6) Information on architect, builder, contractor and any craftsmen who worked on the buildings and structures on the site when available. (See 3. above for possible sources). include Austin History Center, previous owners and occupants or their descendants, company/organization (7) Reproductions (high quality photocopies acceptable) of historical photographs when available (Sources archives, etc.). (8) A dimensioned site plan or survey showing the tract in question and the location/placement of all (9) A brief historical narrative (no more than 10 7 pages) providing: buildings/structures on the tract. - A brief chronology and overview of the property's history and development, including dates for all new construction (houses, outbuildings, wells, etc.) and alterations. (Sources include mechanic's liens, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Austin History Center records, family records, etc.); - A summary of the primary uses and occupants of property over time, and any important persons associated with the site (include full names, birth, marriage and death dates); - A justification as to which specific city historic landmark criteria the property meets and why. A brochure providing additional information on how to conduct historic research and potential sources of information is available from the City Historic Preservation Office at 974-2727 on the Historic Preservation Office web site or at the Austin History Center. Submittal Checklist A. Application Form. B. Full size tax maps (1"=100') showing properties within 300' of zoning request C. Tax certificate or letter from the County Tax office (Not a tax receipt) D. Submittal Verification and Inspection Authorization Form. E. Acknowledgment Form information) F. Historical Documentation (including Attachment A, B, photographs, historical narrative, and copies of historical Adopted December 2012 5 City of Austin - Historic Preservation Office Historic Zoning Application Packet F. 2: Historical Documentation - Occupancy History Occupancy Research for (fill in address) ___________________________ Using City Directories available at the Austin History Center or other information available, please provide a chronology of all occupants of the property from its construction to the present. For commercial property, please provide residential information on business owner as well. Adopted December 2012 11 Pemberton Heights1500 W. 24th Street, Austin, TX 78703 Historic Landmark Designation Brooks House 1500 W. 24th Street Summary The Brooks House is a 1964 Contemporary dwelling that sits above 24th Street near Lamar Blvd. Obscured from the street, the house is a hidden gem nestled in a mature landscape of trees and brush. The neighborhood was originally part of the George W. Spear League, which now makes up the Old West Austin Historic District. Throughout the neighborhood, architect-designed buildings are intermingled with more modest vernacular dwellings, including period revival homes, bungalows, cottages, and apartments.1. The district was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, but at that time the Brooks House, built in 1964, was only 39 years old and did not meet the 50-year- old threshold to be considered as contributing to the district. Now, at 60 years old, this home is an important and excellent example of contemporary design and surely contributes to the historic fabric of the neighborhood. The period of significance of the Brooks House is 1965-1973, the time during which architect R. Max Brooks and his wife, Mariette Moody Brooks, occupied the home. The couple lived together in the home with their son Robert until they divorced in 1973, but Marietta continued to occupy the home until she sold the property to the current owners in 1993. Brooks was a prolific architect and designed some of Austin’s most iconic buildings of the mid-20th century. He contributed to the design of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, working alongside Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago. Along with his partners, he worked on the United States Embassy in Mexico City, and the Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston,2 to name of few. Much of his work was on commercial buildings and he employed many of the same materials and design approach to Brooks-Aerie, the home he built for his family at 1500 W. 24th Street. Marietta Moody Brooks served on multiple educational and governmental committees at the local, state, and national levels, including serving as a delegate to several UNESCO conferences. She led the Women’s Division of the Kennedy-Johnson presidential campaign in Texas and served on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. A longtime supporter of the arts, Brooks served as director of the Texas Fine Arts Association in its early years, president of the Austin Symphony Society, president and founder of the Austin Women’s Forum, and a charter member of the Women’s 1 Old West Austin National Register nomination, Prewitt and Associates, Inc. June 10, 2003, Entered in the National Register of Historic Places, September 12, 2003. 2 R. Max Brooks, 75, Architect; Designed U.S. Labor Building. The New York Times. Sept. 11, 1982. https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/11/obituaries/r-max-brooks-75- architect-designed-us-labor-building.html Page 12 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC  Symphony League and the Women’s Architectural League.3 For many years she played the piano during the noon hour at KUT. Statement of Significance The Brooks House is a beautiful example of Contemporary architecture and one of the few examples of Midcentury Modern style in Old West Austin. The house is also significant, for its association with noted architect and owner R. Max Brooks and his wife, Marietta, a philanthropist, civic leader, and volunteer. Commodore E.H. Perry introduced the couple to Lyndon B. and Lady Bird Johnson in 1935 and the couples, both newlyweds, became lifelong friends.4 Brooks served as the Partner-in-charge and the local contact working in tandem with Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill of Chicago, Illinois on the design and construction of the LBJ Presidential Library. The period of significance of the Brooks House is 1965- 1973, the years during which the house was designed by Brooks and occupied by the couple. Marietta continued to live in the home until 1993 when the home was purchased by Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, the first same-sex couple to be married in Texas. Architectural Description The large, 2-story residence at 1500 W. 24th Street is an excellent, largely intact example of mid- century modern design by an architect for use as his own home. The house sits atop a bluff above 24th Street near its intersection with Lamar Blvd. and is completely obscured from street view. One enters the property from 24th Street by way of a narrow-sloped drive. The approach reveals a stunning International Style L-shaped home with an unusual roof line, reminiscent of the “Hawaiian” or “Dickey Roof”, first introduced by C.W. Dickey on the islands of Hawaii. The Dickey Roof is a double pitch roof, with the top portion at a steeper angle that the lower portion.5 The Brooks House is special in that the main portion of the home is topped with a small skylight. The roof of the remaining lower portion of the house acts as a sort of parapet concealing a flat roof behind. Guests arriving by car enter through the open-air parkway, a defining feature of the home. The main living level is raised a story above ground level, allowing for the parkway to facilitate cars and movement below. The parkway has exposed structural steel beams and substantial square concrete columns supporting the home’s main level. The parkway’s design and materiality show evidence of Brooks’ extensive work in the commercial industry. Though the parkway could be considered over- engineered, it makes a grand statement to visitors upon their arrival. 3 Marietta Brooks Papers (AR.1995.004). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas. 2024/05/24, https://txarchives.org/aushc/finding_aids/00720.xml 4 Michael Barnes. “The Vietnam War split Austin wide open during the 1960s.” Austin American-Statesman. Published online Sept. 3, 2016. Updated Sept. 25, 2018. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2016/09/03/the-vietnam-war-split-austin-wide-open-during- the-1960s/10093954007/ 5 Magoo, Zulu. Evolution of the “Hawaiian Style” Roof. Tikiarchitecture.blogspot.com. March 21, 2011. http://tikiarchitecture.blogspot.com/2011/03/evolution-of-hawaiian-style-roof.html Page 13 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC The south elevation faces 24th Street and is obscured by trees and vegetation. The elevated primary facade over the lower parkway is composed of six plate glass windows with narrow frames to maximize the glass surface and subsequent view of the city. Wide concrete steps added by the current owners adjoin a smaller staircase that leads to a long walkway on the main level and connects the parkway with the home above. Three dramatic elongated George Nelson cigar pendants beneath the eave between the staircase and the house add to the home’s midcentury aesthetic. The westernmost portion of the west elevation is approximately one room deep and houses the primary bedroom and bath. This section of the façade has one sliding sash window. The rest of the home’s west elevation is set back and extends from the kitchen and laundry room portion of the house to the carport on the main level via a floating patio. One can see the only two-level portion of the house from this viewpoint; an apartment that was added in 1998 below the laundry room, still in its original footprint. The apartment and the laundry room each have sliding sash windows. The north elevation faces the back of the property, again, completely hidden from view. From the staircase off the parkway and turning to the right, visitors follow a wooden walkway that extends over a sunken landscape feature and connects to a stone carport built on this main level. The carport attaches to the back or secondary portion of the house by means of a flat roof and forms an open-air patio between the carport and the living space overlooking the sunken garden. The east elevation faces Pemberton Parkway but is barely visible from street view. Living room plate glass windows grace the southeast corner of the elevation creating an uninterrupted view to downtown Austin. A few stairs added to this façade lead to the basement apartment. The home has two entrances on the north elevation, both easily accessible from the carport. The long walkway leads to a front door with unique original hardware and single pane sidelights. The outside of the house is clad in vertical wood siding. Contrasting thinner planks clad the underside of the oversized eaves on the house. A two-foot furr down frames the door as the lucky visitor enters the home. One entrance is to the laundry room and kitchen. The other entrance opens to a large foyer with original patterned slate flooring and a ceiling demarcated with slatted woodwork. A clever cutout reveals the second floor above. Most of the walls in the foyer are clad in full sheet wood paneling or painted gypsum board. In the southeast corner of the room is an original fixed decorative wood and metal screen. A small powder room can be accessed at the northeast corner of the foyer. This gem is also covered in full sheet paneling and has its original hardware. The sink, a remnant from Lyndon B. Johnson’s Austin office, is trimmed with LBJ’s presidential seal. This bathroom also retains its beautiful original hardware on the cabinetry. Double doors lead from the foyer to the living and dining rooms, and two hallways lead to the bedrooms of the house. Page 14 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC The south, east, and west walls of the living room are large plate glass windows, providing an exceptional view of downtown Austin and allowing natural light to flood the room. The open floor plan offers views from every vantage point. A double-sided fireplace apportions the west end of the room to a cozy space for watching television or playing games. A small patio was added outside the east windows and one of the large windows was converted to a sliding door for access to the patio. The kitchen was thoughtfully remodeled using a tile backsplash and cabinetry that is period appropriate to the house. The dining room retains its stunning built-in buffet that spans the full length of the north wall. The home’s bathrooms have been remodeled, with the exception of the powder room. Attic space was converted to a playroom on the south side and office space on the north side, including the addition of a dormer in the office to maximize natural light in the room. Architectural Interventions The current owners purchased the home in 1993 from Marietta Moody Brooks, one of the original owners of the house. City of Austin permitting records and notes from the current owners indicate the following improvements and changes to the house: Date 1985 1987 1993 1998 2001 2006 2012 2013 2016 2021 2023 Work Performed on House Installation of new roof. A/C Changeout Addition of exterior balcony at main floor to east elevation. Remodel of unfinished basement to apartment space Conversion existing attic to office and playroom space; dormer added to south roof elevation. Installation of solar electric system. Remodel of kitchen, adding new cabinetry, tile and appliances; still in original footprint. Replacement of HVAC system. Repair to HVAC system Replacement of single pane ACADIA brand plate glass windows with double pane ACADIA plate glass windows. Installation solar panels to roof History of the Neighborhood The Old West Austin Historic District encompasses three suburbs platted in more than forty subdivisions that wind between Shoal Creek and the Mo-Pac Expressway from 13th to 35th Streets, northwest of downtown Austin, Texas. As a well-preserved collection of early-to mid-twentieth- century residences, the Historic District evokes the measured spread of suburban development that paralleled the city's steady growth. The streetcar had propelled earlier local suburban development, but Enfield, Pemberton Heights, and Bryker Woods were the city's first automobile suburbs. The real- estate firm of Bradfield and Brush developed Pemberton Heights Section 11 and 12 between 1945 and Page 15 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC 1947, which completed the southeast quadrant of the suburb.6 While the Brooks House was built much later than most of the development in Section 12, its location at 24th Street and Pemberton Parkway places it in the center of the Old West Austin Historic District. Its location on a bluff overlooking the city affords the homeowners with an incredible view of Austin’s ever-changing skyline. Historical Associations R. Max Brooks and Marietta Moody Brooks Robert Max Brooks was born December 23, 1906, in Malvern, Arkansas to Robert and Margaret Brooks. Brooks started his career in Austin in 1936 after graduating at the top of his class with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Texas in 1934 and receiving a Master of Science in Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1936.7 Early in his career, he met Commodore E.H. Perry, a prominent businessman and community leader. The two became friends and collaborated on many projects that contributed to the development of Austin, including the Perry-Brooks Building near the Driskill Hotel. Brooks married Marietta Moody of Saratoga, Texas on June 29, 1935.8 Perry introduced the newlyweds to another young couple, Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson. Johnson was working as the Texas director of the National Youth Administration, one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal relief programs which provided education and jobs for teens and young adults. Johnson would eventually resign that post to run for a seat in the US House of Representatives in 1937.9 The couples remained lifelong friends as evidenced by family materials. Johnson was an honorary pallbearer for Marietta’s mother. Robert Brooks, Max and Marietta’s son, shared memories as a boy of sitting on LBJ’s knee at his ranch in Johnson City. Years later, on Air Force One, President Johnson pulled the younger Brooks aside and asked for advice on the Vietnam War homefront. Robert Brooks was only 21, but a trusted family friend and a contemporary of the disillusioned youth protesting the war.10 Throughout his illustrious career, Brooks worked on several prominent government projects including the Federal Building in Austin, Texas, the Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Library at the University of Texas, and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.11 Together with architects Howard R. Barr, David C. Graber, and J. Roy White, Brooks founded one of Austin’s largest architectural firms.12 Brooks, Barr, Graeber and White were well known for their public 6 Old West Austin Historic District, National Register of Historic Places, Listed September 12, 2003. 7 Architect R. Max Brooks, 75, Dies. Austin American-Statesman, Sept 10, 1982. Pg. 18. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/379503993 8 U.T. Graduate Brings Bride to Home Here. The Austin American. July 7, 1935. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Pg. A1. 9 The Art of Politics. LBJ Presidential Library. Life & Legacy. https://www.lbjlibrary.org/life-and-legacy/the-man-himself/biography. 10 Michael Barnes. The Vietnam War split Austin wide open during the 1960s. 11 Brooks, Robert Max, 1906-1982, Biographical info page, LBJ Presidential Library, accessed February 07, 2024, https://www.discoverlbj.org/item/brooksrm 12 Brooks, Barr, Graeber and White, one of Austin's largest architectural firms, grew out of an earlier firm, Giesecke, Kuehne & Brooks, founded in 1942. In 1950, after Giesecke's death, the firm reorganized as Kuehne, Brooks & Barr until 1960 when Kuehne retired, and the firm name became Brooks and Barr. In 1965 associates David C. Graeber and J. Roy White were made partners, and the name was Page 16 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC and educational architectural design work. As architectural consultant to the University of Texas they designed many buildings on the Austin campus, including the J.T. Patterson Laboratories Building (1965), Robert Lee Moore Hall (1968), Calhoun Hall (1968) Jester Center Dormitory Complex (1970), Earnest Cockrell Jr. Hall (1971) and perhaps best known, the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library (1970) with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, Illinois. Brooks served as the local Partner-in- Charge on the project. Additional educational design work included buildings for Huston-Tillotson College (now Huston- Tillotson University) and the Austin Independent School District. The firm’s public design portfolio was even more impressive with clients such as the City of Austin, the State of Texas, and the Federal Government. Notable works include the Pan-American Recreation Center (now Oswaldo A.B. Cantu/Pan Am Neighborhood Park)(1955), the Sam Houston State Office Building (in association with other firms), U.S. Post Office and Federal Building (now the J.J. 'Jake' Pickle Federal Building) in association with Page Southerland Page, the United States Embassy in Mexico City, and the original complex of buildings for the Manned Space Center (now the Lyndon Baines Johnson Space Center) (1963).13 As a community leader Brooks led the charge to save and restore the iconic Driskill Hotel in the early 1970s. The hotel was slated for demolition in 1969 by owner Highland Resources, Inc, but an Austin group headed by Brooks and attorney Clint C. Small, Jr. created the Driskill Hotel Corporation and obtained an option to purchase the hotel. In collaboration with Highland Resources, six Austin financial institutions agreed to provide long-term financing and a construction loan to prevent the demolition.14 The Austin contingent was tasked with raising in excess of $500,000 in stock from private citizens as part of the financing package. The shares were sold for $10 each.15 The funds were raised by May of 1971 and the Driskill Hotel was saved and reopened to the public on February 4, 1973 to the thrill of Austinites and citizens across the state.16 George R. Brown, CEO of Highland Resources, worked with the local group to save the Driskill, recognizing the significant role the hotel played in Texas tourism, development, and the political scene in Austin. While the heroic feat to save the Driskill took many participants to accomplish, “most involved in the long, and sometimes bleak, battle point to Brooks as the leader whose determination kept the crew together and afloat until success was assured.”17 For his contributions to Austin’s architectural heritage, Robert Max Brooks was elected president of the Texas Society of Architects in 1955.18 He served as a commissioner of the Austin Housing Authority from 1961-1970 and was a fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He was named the first updated again to Brooks, Barr, Graeber and White. 13 Brooks, Barr, Graeber and White Drawings (AR.2012.033). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas. 2024/02/07, https://txarchives.org/aushc/finding_aids/00309.xml 14 Revival of Driskill in Sight. The Austin Statesman. Dec. 13, 1970. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Pg. A1. 15 ‘Save Driskill” Drive Leaders See Victory. The Austin Statesman. April 29, 1971. Pg. A28. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. 16 Historical Driskill Hotel Reopens in Austin. The Austin Statesman. Feb. 4, 1973. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. 17 Brooks Rates Plaudit for Driskill Role. Driskill Extra - The 1886 Gazette. Date unknown. Austin History Center. 18 R. Max Brooks Texas Architects’ New President. The Austin Statesman. Nov. 4, 1955. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Pg. 3. Page 17 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC recipient of the Llewellyn W. Pitts award for outstanding service in the architectural field and the Texas Society of Architects in 1968.19 After a five-decade career, earning him much success and many accolades, Brooks died of cancer in 1982 at the age of 75. Brooks’ wife, Marietta Moody, was an accomplished woman in her own right. She was born on November 15, 1910, in Saratoga, Texas, to Artie Newhinney and Martin Luther Moody. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1932. She was very civic minded and received numerous awards for her work, including the Three Star Award of the USO, a U.S. Army Certificate of Recognition, and an Honorary Commission in the U.S. Submarine Service. She was also named a “Community Leader of America” in the Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who in American Politics in 1973.20 Marietta Brooks also held appointments to educational and governmental committees on local, state, and national levels, including serving as a delegate to several UNESCO conferences. A supporter of the arts and humanities, Brooks served as Director of the Texas Fine Arts Association in its early years. She was also an involved alumna of the University of Texas as a member and vice chair of the Fine Arts Advisory Council and as Liaison from the College of Fine Arts to the Texas Centennial Commission. Brooks also served as president of the Austin Symphony Society and president and founder of the Austin Women's Forum, and a charter member of both the Women's Symphony League and the Women's Architectural League. Some of her most impactful work was as the Texas representative for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Armed Services. Brooks was a tireless advocate for women in the service, specifically regarding issues of housing for female service personnel. In 1955, for only the third time in history, a class of nurses entering the Army was named after a volunteer, in this case, the “Marietta Brooks Class.”21 She was also active politically and chaired the Kennedy-Johnson Ladies Coffee and Tea Tour and served on the State Democratic Executive Committee in 1960.22 Max and Marietta Brooks divorced in 1973, but Marietta remained in the home at 1500 W. 24th Street until she sold it in 1993 to the current owners Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend. Marietta was a member of the First Baptist Church of Austin for almost 62 years and passed away in 1998 in Austin at the age of 88. 19 Architect Award to Brooks. Austin American-Statesman. October 28, 1968. Austin History Center. AF-Biography. Robert Max Brooks. 20 Austinite Honored: Accomplishments Noted in Biographical Books. The Austin Statesman. Aug. 1, 1971. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Pg. D9. 21 New Army Nurses Class at Brook Named in Honor of Marietta Brooks. The Austin American. Jan. 23, 1955. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Pg. D8 22 Marietta Brooks Papers (AR.1995.004). Austin History Center. Page 18 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend, Current Owners Sarah Goodfriend is a native Austinite, born in 1956. Her grandparents B.A. and August Goodfriend owned Goodfriend’s, the chic women’s clothing store on Congress Avenue. They wanted to bring fashion from New York City to the West and so they opened their first store in Yorktown, Dewitt County. After moving to Austin in 1931, the Goodfriends opened a store at 716 Congress which later moved to 901 Congress in 1946. They later expanded their endeavor in 1951. The B.A. and Augusta Goodfriend House at 2418 Harris Blvd. received historic designation in 2009. Irving, one of B.A. and Augusta’s three sons, worked as a merchant his entire life, first at Goodfriend’s and later, opening a store called “Sarah Gee” on Guadalupe. The store was named after Irving’s only daughter, Sarah, one of the current owners of the Brooks House. Sarah graduated from the University of Texas in 1978 with a degree in economics. She received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1984 she met Suzanne Bryant and the couple moved to Washington, D.C, where they lived for seven years. In D.C. Sarah worked for the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission until the couple moved back to their home state of Texas. In 1992 Sarah was appointed to the Public Utility Commission by Governor Ann Richards After her public service, Sarah launched her own economic consulting firm in 1997, specializing in competition and antitrust, efficient pricing, and welfare effects of regulatory changes in the U.S. electric power and telecommunications industries. Suzanne was born in Lubbock, Texas. Her father Carl Ratliff was the first county attorney in Levelland, Texas and the family home in Lubbock, where Suzanne grew up, hosts an historic plaque. Suzanne graduated from Texas Tech University in 1970, received a master’s degree from the University of Kansas in 1989, and graduated from Duke Law School in 1986. During the couple’s time in D.C., she worked for the Environmental Protection Agency and in private practice representing abused and neglected children. She was a founder of the D.C. LGBT Bar Association and of the National LGBT Bar Association. Both organizations continue to educate lawyers and law students about LGBT+ issues. After the couple moved back to Texas, Suzanne focused her private family law practice on helping LGBT+ families, focusing on adoptions. During 30 years of practicing law, she was a trail blazer who represented gay families from throughout Texas - a state that was not always welcoming to their families. For 30 years, Sarah and Suzanne have been active in the Austin community. After adopting two daughters, who were born in China, the couple focused their efforts on the environment, children, LGBT+ issues, and philanthropy. Together and separately, Suzanne and Sarah have been honored by many local organizations, including the Austin City Council. In 2015, Goodfriend was diagnosed with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Concerned for Sarah’s health, the welfare of their family, and the desire to be legally married, having been together for 31 years, the couple’s attorney petitioned State District Judge David Wahlberg to allow the marriage, four months before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Judge Wahlberg ordered the Travis County Clerk, Dana Debeauvoir, to issue a marriage license to the two women, Sarah Page 19 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC  Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, citing Sarah’s severe illness. On February 19, 2015, Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant became the first same-sex couple to marry in Texas. Although Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, tried to void their marriage, the case was dismissed after gay marriage became legal throughout the US. Because their marriage was four months before the U.S. Supreme Court decision on gay marriage, the news went viral, in the US and internationally. Page 20 Brooks House O’Connell Architecture, LLC When we made these changes, Sarah and Suzanne did not have interest in seeking historic status but they did want to respect the house and the Brooks design intent. I hope that these modest changes will not prevent the house from achieving its due as a building of historic significance. Sincerely, Heather H. McKinney, FAIA, RID Founder, McKinney York Architects The Texas Board of Architectural Examiners has jurisdiction over complaints regarding the professional practice of persons registered as architects in Texas. Texas Board of Architectural Examiners | PO Box 12337, Austin, TX 78711-2337 ph 512 305 9000 | www.tbae.state.tx.us 1301 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702 | ph 512 476 0201 | www.mckinneyyork.com 2 of 2 Permitting and Development Center | 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, TX 78752 | (512) 978-4000 Property Profile Report General Information Location: Parcel ID: Grid: 1500 W 24TH ST 0115010840 MH24 Planning & Zoning *Right click hyperlinks to open in a new window. Future Land Use (FLUM): Single Family Regulating Plan: No Regulating Plan SF-3-NP None: 19990225-070b 20100923-103 Zoning: Zoning Cases: Zoning Ordinances: Zoning Overlays: Neighborhood Plan: Infill Options: Mobile Food Vendors: Historic Landmark: -- -- Urban Roadways: Yes ADU Approximate Area Reduced Parking Residential Design Standards: LDC/25-2-Subchapter F WINDSOR ROAD Small Lot Amnesty Infill Option, Parking Placement/Imp Cover Design Option, Garage Placement Design Option Zoning Map Neighborhood Restricted Parking Areas: West Austin Neighborhood Group Zoning Guide The Guide to Zoning provides a quick explanation of the above Zoning codes, however, the Land Development Information Services provides general zoning assistance and can advise you on the type of development allowed on a property. Visit Zoning for the description of each Base Zoning District. For official verification of the zoning of a property, please order a Zoning Verification Letter. General information on the Neighborhood Planning Areas is available from Neighborhood Planning. Environmental Fully Developed Floodplain: City of Austin Fully Developed 100-Year Floodplain Imagery Map FEMA Floodplain: .2 PCT ANNUAL CHANCE FLOOD HAZARD Austin Watershed Regulation Areas: URBAN Watershed Boundaries: Creek Buffers: Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone: Edwards Aquifer Recharge Verification Zone: Erosion Hazard Zone Review Buffer: Political Boundaries Jurisdiction: AUSTIN FULL PURPOSE Shoal Creek CWQZ No Yes No Council District: 10 County: TRAVIS School District: Austin ISD Community Registry: Austin Independent School District, Austin Lost and Found Pets, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Central West Austin Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood Empowerment Foundation, Pemberton Heights Neighborhood Association, Preservation Austin, SELTexas, Save Historic Muny District, Shoal Creek Conservancy, Sierra Club, Austin Regional Group, West Austin Neighborhood Group Vicinity Map The Information on this report has been produced by the City of Austin as a working document and is not warranted for any other use. No warranty is made by the City regarding its accuracy or completeness. Date created: 2/6/2024 Brooks House 1500 W. 24th Street Austin, Texas 78703 Renderings by R. Max Brooks Ca. 1964 Renderings by R. Max Brooks Ca. 1964 Holiday card from Brooks Family Announcing their move to their new home Austin History Center 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation North (Rear) Elevation 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation View of North and West Elevation (Rear view of house) 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Oblique view of Northwest Corner 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation East Elevation 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Oblique view of Southwest Corner 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Condition of open air parking under house ca. 2018 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Improvements to open air parking under house Stairs from parkway to walkway on main level One of two entrances on main level Top left: Living Room window ca. 1965 Bottom left and right: current view of living room windows 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Floor plan rendering R. Max Brooks (pool never built) U.T. Graduate Brings Bride To Home Here The Austin American (1914-1973); Architects Can Boast Wide Experience The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); New Army Nurses Class at Brooke Named in Honor of Marietta Brooks The Austin American (1914-1973); 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Driskill Hotel Is Saved By $500,000 in Stocks The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Brooks, Marietta Moody, Biographical info page, LBJ Presidential Library, Photo ca. 1948 accessed May 24, 2024, https://www.discoverlbj.org/item/brooksm 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation Goodfriend’s Department Store 901 Congress Avenue ca. 1947 1500 W. 24th Street Austin Landmark designation