14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 1 - Public Comments — original pdf

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14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 11 of 10Sturgill, Hunter From: Sent: To: Subject: Sturgill, Hunter Tuesday, March 24, 2026 9:42 AM Historic Preservation Office FW: Support for Rezoning Case for Marilyn Webb Hunter Sturgill (she/her) Planner II Historic Preservation Office Austin Planning 512-974-3393 hunter.sturgill@austintexas.gov Please Note: Correspondence and information submitted to the City of Austin are subject to the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552) and may be published online. Por Favor Tome En Cuenta: La correspondencia y la información enviada a la Ciudad de Austin está sujeta a la Ley de Información Pública de Texas (Capítulo 552) y puede ser publicada en línea. From: brenda malik Sent: Monday, March 23, 2026 5:31 PM To: Sturgill, Hunter <hunter.sturgill@austintexas.gov> Cc: Marilyn Poole Subject: Support for Rezoning Case for Marilyn Webb You don't often get email from Learn why this is important External Email - Exercise Caution Greetings, My name is Brenda Malik, longtime resident and past president of the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic Neighborhood. Mrs. Webb and family have been valued community members for decades and have a treasured place in our neighborhood's history and culture. I fully support her efforts in this rezoning request. Please forward my sentiments to the Commission. Sincerely, Brenda Malik CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL email. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious or phishing email, please report it using the "Report 1 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 12 of 10 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 13 of 10March 30, 2026 RE: Hill-Thompson House Historic Designation Dear Chair Heimsath, Vice Chair Evans, and Members of the Austin Historic Landmark Commission, Preservation Austin exists to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful community culture through preservation. We write today in support of historic designation for 1906 Maple Avenue, also known as the Hill-Thompson House, for its historic associations and community value. We are proud to partner with the home’s owner, our friend Marilynn Poole Webb, in preparing this well-deserved nomination. The house at 1906 Maple Avenue is associated with several significant figures, including architect John S. Chase, FAIA, zoologist and geneticist Oscar Thompson, and civic leader Irene Hill-Thompson. John S. Chase was the first African American student to enroll at The University of Texas at Austin following desegregation, the first to graduate from UT’s School of Architecture, and the first licensed African American architect in Texas. When he was unable to find work at white architecture firms after graduation, Chase forged a practice for himself with residential and institutional commissions in Black East Austin that speak to his distinctive modernist vision, including the Teachers State Association of Texas Building (1952), David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church (1959), and the Della Phillips House (mid-1960s). Throughout his long and successful career as an architect and entrepreneur, Chase paved the way for future African American architects in Texas. Like Chase, Oscar Thompson was among the first African American students to enroll at The University of Texas at Austin, and was the school’s first Black graduate in 1952. After Thompson’s passing in 1962, his wife, Irene Hill-Thompson commissioned Chase to build her home in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood. Hill-Thompson was a longstanding civic leader in East Austin, and the house served as a meeting place for political and community organizing. During Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 presidential campaign, Irene and her daughter, Ida Dawn, were selected as “Blue Birds,” a group of trusted community liaisons tasked with outreach and voter engagement efforts within Austin’s African American community. Irene hosted numerous political events at her Maple Avenue home, for President Johnson, U.S. Congressmen Lloyd Doggett, East Texas Black Republican operative Ernest Sterling, J.J. “Jake” Pickle, and Texas State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos. This legacy of civic engagement extends to the home’s current owner, Irene Hill-Thompson’s niece Marilynn Poole Webb, a leader in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District effort and longtime friend and collaborator of our organization. We are thrilled and honored to have worked with Marilynn in preparing this nomination for one of Austin’s most remarkable homes. Thank you for your consideration and your service to the City of Austin. Sincerely, Miriam Conner, President 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 14 of 10 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 15 of 10TARA A. DUDLEY, PhD 130 Palmetto Cove Kyle, Texas 78640 (512) 317-5536 March 27, 2026 City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission Historic Preservation Office P.O. Box 1088 Austin, TX 78767 Dear Commissioners, I write to you expressing the strongest support of landmark designation for the Hill-Thompson House at 1906 Maple Avenue—an extraordinary site where architecture, community leadership, and Black history in Austin intersect in profound and enduring ways. Designed in 1963 by pioneering architect John Saunders Chase, the Hill-Thompson House represents a defining early moment in his career as his first residential commission in Austin. Chase, the first African American graduate of the University of Texas School of Architecture and the first licensed Black architect in Texas, brought a refined mid-century modern vocabulary to East Austin and Black Austinites—adapting modern design influenced by the Usonian principles of Frank Lloyd Wright to the cultural, climatic, and social realities of a segregated city. This home, with its careful siting, climate- responsive overhangs, and balance of privacy and openness, reflects both accessibility, innovation, and intention. Yet the significance of this house extends far beyond architecture. It is deeply rooted in the lives and legacies of its original owner, Irene Hill Thompson. Mrs. Thompson’s husband Oscar Thompson was a groundbreaking figure in his own right—the first African American graduate of the University of Texas, earning his master’s degree in zoology in 1952 and contributing to early research in genetics. After his untimely death in 1962, the construction of this home became both a personal and symbolic act. Designed by his close friend John S. Chase, the house reflects resilience, friendship, and Mrs. Thompson’s determination to build a life and legacy for her family in the face of loss. Irene Hill Thompson herself stands as one of the most significant civic figures associated with Austin’s history. During a 34-plus-year career with Austin Independent School District (AISD)—much of it at L. C. Anderson High School—she mentored generations of students and young professionals while also serving as a leader in civic, political, and cultural life. Her home was not merely a private residence; it was a vital gathering place for community organizing, political engagement, and social life in East Austin. From hosting campaign events during the 1964 presidential campaign of Lyndon B. Johnson to welcoming local and state leaders such as Lloyd Doggett and Gonzalo Barrientos, the Hill-Thompson House functioned as a hub of grassroots democracy and civic participation. 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 16 of 10 TARA A. DUDLEY, PhD 130 Palmetto Cove Kyle, Texas 78640 (512) 317-5536 The house is also inseparable from the broader legacy of the Hill family, one of Austin’s most accomplished and civically engaged African American families. Irene’s parents, Jerome and Ida Belle Hill, established deep roots in East Austin in the early twentieth century, contributing to the development of a thriving Black middle-class community despite the constraints of segregation. Her siblings, including Dr. James L. Hill—a senior vice president at the University of Texas—and Waldron Wray Plicque, a longtime educator and administrator in AISD, continued that legacy of leadership and public service. The Maple Avenue home reflects this multigenerational commitment to education, civic life, and community advancement. Importantly, the Hill-Thompson House has remained in the stewardship of the family since its construction, now owned by Marilynn Poole Webb, Irene’s niece. This continuity of ownership enhances the property’s integrity and underscores its role not only as a historic structure but as a living site of memory, identity, and community connection. Within the Rogers–Washington–Holy Cross local historic district—an area shaped by the resilience and aspirations of Black Austinites during and after segregation—the Hill-Thompson House stands as both a physical and symbolic landmark. It reflects the broader history of a community that, despite systemic barriers such as redlining and restrictive covenants, built a vibrant and self-sustaining civic and cultural landscape. Landmark designation is essential to preserving not only the architectural integrity of this mid-century modern residence, but also the layered histories it embodies: the story of a pioneering architect, the achievements of a barrier-breaking scholar, the leadership of a remarkable civic figure, and the enduring strength of a family and community. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Commission to approve landmark designation for the Hill-Thompson House. In doing so, the City of Austin will honor a site that tells a fuller, richer story of our past—one grounded in excellence, perseverance, and the power of place. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. Sincerely, Tara A. Dudley, PhD Assistant Professor, The University of Texas School of Architecture Chair, State Board of Review, Texas Historical Commission author, “There Is Something Else to be Done”: The Life and Career of John Saunders Chase (1925-2012) (manuscript in progress; under contract with UT Press) 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 17 of 10 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 18 of 1014 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 19 of 10April 1, 2026 Historic Landmark Commission City of Austin - via email – hunter.sturgill@austintexas.gov Action Item Number: C14H-2026-0018 – 1906 Maple Ave. Dear Commission Members: I am writing on behalf of The Children’s Haven Association (TCHA) Board of Directors, in support of the zoning change required for landmark designation of the home of Marilynn Poole Webb, a valued member of our board. TCHA is an 80-year-old community-based non-profit that was formed by East Austin residents with a mission to preserve community history and enhance the lives of underserved youth and their families. TCHA recognizes the importance of legacy and the many personalities who have impacted life in East Austin. One of those outstanding personalities was John S. Chase, architect for The Hill Thompson House which is situated just blocks away from our home facility; another was Irene Hill Thompson, original owner of the house who used her home to enrich the lives of East Austin youth and organizations. The landmark designation will be vital to continue development and preservation of storied histories within East Austin and specifically within the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District. Marilynn has shown a dedication to share the home and to continue its community purpose. The Board offers its full support and asks that you act favorably on this application for zoning change. Yours truly, Patricia Calhoun, Secretary 1908-B Chicon Street Austin, Texas, 78722 | (512) 992-0434 | thechildrenshaven@gmail.com 14 C14H-2026-0018 - Hill-Thompson House; District 110 of 10