Council gave final approval Thursday to creation of the Smoot Terrace Park Historic District just west of downtown, after neighbors decided to eliminate three properties owned by people who signed a valid petition opposing the historic district. That meant Council could designate the district without a supermajority of nine votes – which is required by […]
Preservation
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Fence unites landmark commission
Should new fences in National Register historic districts come before the Historic Landmark Commission? The answer appears to be “probably.” At their most recent meeting, Historic Landmark commissioners considered whether to summon the owners of 906 E. 14th St., which is located in the Swede Hill Historic District. Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky explained that, […]
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ZAP considers West Austin historic zoning
Going against the wishes of the property’s owners and their neighbors, a majority of the Zoning and Platting Commission endorsed a bid for historic zoning in Old West Austin at its most recent meeting. Though it wasn’t enough for a recommendation, commissioners voted in favor of the zoning change for the 1923 Bryson-Krueger-Critz House at […]
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One of Austin’s oldest homes needs help
At 9019 Parkfield Drive sits one of the oldest structures in the city of Austin. However, as it currently stands, it is easy to pass it by as a teardown. In partnership with Sam Williams, the 30-year tenant of this property, who was asked to vacate the property by Aug. 2, historian Bill McGarry applied […]
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Commissioners dive into St. Edward’s records
There are many reasons that a building can be historic. One of them is if a structure is a part of a historic district where an architect has produced a significant body of work that embodies a period style and makes the building a landmark. One building does not, however, make a historic district. Unless […]
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Commissioners request authentic reconstruction for Lamar Bridge
Sometimes, accidents happen. In an emergency addition to the Historic Landmark Commission agenda on July 23, commissioners heard the case of the Lamar Boulevard Bridge over Shoal Creek. Last month a vehicular collision damaged the bridge, which lies between 12th Street and 15th Street. A portion of the original railing was torn off and landed […]
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Do historic districts help or hurt affordability?
There is a wide range of views about how historic preservation rules relate to Austin’s housing affordability problems. Some argue that actions taken to prevent the demolition of old homes advance affordability because, in general, older homes are cheaper than new ones. When a home is torn down, it is almost always replaced by one […]
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Three Congress storefronts will soon be dismantled
For over a decade, three properties at 907, 909 and 911 Congress Ave. have stood vacant as they awaited a plan to restore their original facades. In September of 2006, two of the properties were approved for dismantling, but now the owner, Dalton Wallace, has approached the Historic Landmark Commission to ask that all three […]
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Austin could seize old Montopolis school through eminent domain
After months of negotiation, City Council has opened the door to seizing the site of the old Montopolis Negro School in East Austin. Council approved a measure last week to pursue eminent domain proceedings after it was unable to agree on a purchase price with the property’s owner. Under eminent domain, the government can take […]
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West Campus home pushes for relocation to pay property taxes
As time passes, things change, and like all things in Austin, neighborhoods are feeling the effects of the city’s evolution. Once an area with stately homes, West Campus has become the de facto residence for students who share their neighborhood with offices and restaurants that occupy the grandiose homes of yesteryear. However, the stately home […]
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Council seeks more historic preservation funds
Several City Council members agree with their colleague Leslie Pool, who says the city’s Historic Preservation Office is “desperately understaffed” and badly in need of more funding in order to make sure that Austin can keep many of its historic structures. Pool is sponsoring a resolution on this week’s agenda along with Mayor Pro Tem […]
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Will Smoot Terrace Park be a local historic district?
Old West Austin could be home to another local historic district, if a proposal for Smoot Terrace Park is approved by City Council. The district is located between West Sixth and Ninth streets, covering 17.5 acres of land along Highland Avenue, Oakland Avenue and Pressler Street. City Council heard the proposal at its regular meeting […]