The fate of a stone cottage on Elizabeth Street hangs in the balance after a postponement at the Historic Landmark Commission last month. Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky said while the house at 910 W. Elizabeth St. appears to be in good shape, it lacks the historical significance to warrant an individual historic zoning. Instead, […]
Preservation
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Two more homes from the Air-Conditioned Village slated for demolition
The Historic Landmark Commission voted at its Oct. 26 meeting to again postpone discussion on the proposal to demolish a pair of homes located in Austin’s Air-Conditioned Village until its November meeting. The two houses, at 2505 and 2507 Park View Drive, are significant due to their location. The Air-Conditioned Village was built in the early 1950s as […]
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Landmark commission OKs rooftop deck in historic district
The Historic Landmark Commission has approved a renovation plan in the Smoot/Terrace Park Historic District that includes a rooftop deck, possibly setting a precedent for such decks going forward. Neighbors had objected to plans that would add a rear second floor and a detached carport at 602 Highland Ave., saying it would disrupt the structure’s […]
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Historic zoning denied for former residence of women’s health advocate
A West Campus duplex that was once home to a notable women’s health advocate will soon be demolished after the Historic Landmark Commission met last Monday evening and voted against historic designation and in favor of demolition for the home. Due to the condition of the duplex at 2609 San Pedro St., construction contractor Carter […]
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‘Air Temp’ home to be restored rather than demolished
Following months of hand-wringing from the community and negotiations between city staff and property owners, the “Air Temp” home at 2502 Park View Drive is going to get a new lease on life. On Sept. 28, the Historic Landmark Commission voted to withdraw its application for historic zoning for the property with the understanding that […]
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Travis County now has an African American Cultural Heritage Commission
As of Sept. 8, Travis County officially has a commission dedicated to the preservation and celebration of African American cultural heritage. “We see a lot of the African American communities, artifacts and heirlooms being destroyed as we grow in size as a city,” said Commissioner Jeff Travillion, who sponsored the establishment of the commission at […]
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Mary Baylor House receives recommendation for historic zoning
The house of civil rights activist Mary Freeman Baylor had been run-down for years until new owners bought the Clarksville property in 2014 and began fixing it up, on the heels of a thwarted attempt to demolish the house. The property owners then petitioned the city for a historic zoning designation for the home at 1607 W. […]
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Historic Landmark Commission approves nine-story affordable housing proposal
While towering, multi-floor designs with little relationship to historic facades have been a thorn in the side of the Historic Landmark Commission in recent months, a proposal for an affordable housing tower behind the historic home at 809 E. Ninth St. received a green light to proceed. The East Austin project intends to convert the […]
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Historic Landmark Commission vetoes skyscraper design for historic building
In recent months, there have been several cases of developers proposing multi-story buildings as a way to preserve the facades of historic structures while balancing the economics of Austin real estate. On Aug. 24, the Historic Landmark Commission firmly put its foot down on the practice of constructing skyscrapers above historic buildings when it denied […]
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Historic Landmark Commission initiates historic zoning for ‘Air Temp’ home
In an effort to avoid the loss of one of the first homes in Austin to feature air conditioning, the Historic Landmark Commission voted at its July 27 meeting to initiate the historic zoning process for the “Air Temp” home at 2502 Park View Drive. The vote in favor was based on research from Historic […]
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East Austin historic district application receives support from Historic Landmark Commission
Austin is well on its way to getting its second historic district on the east side. The Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood, which is roughly bounded by East 21st Street and East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Cedar and Chestnut avenues, submitted an application to the city for consideration as a historic district. In the application’s […]
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HLC wants further scrutiny of home in the ‘Air-Conditioned Village’
Seventy years ago, 22 homes in Northwest Austin served as the test case for bringing central air conditioning to the middle classes. Today only 15 of those homes remain standing, with one more proposed for demolition. The midcentury modern home at 2502 Park View Drive was originally known as the “Air Temp” house, as it […]