East Austin will soon say goodbye to yet another home built in the early 1900s. At last week’s Historic Landmark Commission meeting, commissioners voted to release a demolition permit for the house at 1613 Canterbury St. Commissioners Terri Myers, Grace McKenzie and Michelle Trevino were absent. Mike Chibib, who is one of the owners of […]
Preservation
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Planning Commission OKs landmark status for former home of legendary businesswoman
Celebrating female entrepreneurship, racial harmony and, of course, beautiful architecture, the Planning Commission voted to recommend historic zoning for an 85-year-old house at 113 West 33rd St. last week. After hearing Steve Sadowsky, the Historic Preservation Officer for the city, argue that the house represented a significant place in Austin’s history because it had been […]
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Pine Street Station may not be stationary for long
East Austin’s Pine Street Station may soon be on the move, with the unanimous approval of the Historic Landmark Commission. In what Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky called “an extremely unusual situation,” historic zoning was extended to the building earlier this year but not to the land that it sits on. The Capital Metropolitan Transit […]
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Landmark Commission blesses Castle Hill change
A Castle Hill development delayed by bureaucracy got some encouraging news at the Historic Landmark Commission on Monday. Historic Landmark commissioners voted unanimously to recommend modification of the Castle Hill Local Historic District’s preservation plan and design standards. Previously, the standards imposed city compatibility standards within the district. The proposed amendment clarifies that the compatibility […]
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Landmark Commission’s first case reveals deeper concerns
An ideological split and a skeleton crew of a commission have left the landmark status of an East Austin home in limbo for now. Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky “wholeheartedly recommended” historic zoning for the residence at 2005 Hamilton Ave., which was once home to one of Austin’s first African-American doctors and his wife, who […]
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Historic district will get new homes with commission blessing
A plan to build four new units in the Hyde Park Local Historic District sailed through the Historic Landmark Commission at its most recent meeting. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the project, despite some worry from a neighbor that it could be better. Chair Laurie Limbacher explained their vote. “We are charged with being a […]
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Clarksville addition distresses preservationists
Plans to expand a 1935 Clarksville cottage have rattled Austinites worried about preserving the history of a neighborhood that they fear is disappearing piece by piece. The house at 1704 West 10th St. is currently a contributing building to the Clarksville National Register Historic District, but neighbors and preservationists worry that, with the addition, this […]
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Stone cottage raises passions at landmark commission
The new owners of one of the stone houses of the Bouldin Creek neighborhood would like to see it demolished to make way for their dream home. But at its last meeting, the Historic Landmark Commission bought a month’s time to see if there might be a way to save the house. Justin and Lauren […]
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Cemetery chapel plans delight and irritate
Plans to restore a 100-year-old city-owned chapel in Oakwood Cemetery sailed through the Historic Landmark Commission at its last meeting. But future plans for the East Austin chapel have some people worried. The Parks and Recreation Department was seeking a certificate of appropriateness for the renovation of the 1914 chapel, which is located at 1601 […]
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Home of legendary UT coach remains in limbo
After a trip through the Planning Commission last week, the fate of famed University of Texas track coach Clyde Littlefield’s former house remains uncertain. Commissioners voted 4-3 to deny historic zoning for the West Campus home, with Chair Danette Chimenti and Commissioners Nuria Zaragoza and Jean Stevens voting in opposition. The vote was not enough […]
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Chestnut house will stay put, for now
Last week, an East Austin house got a temporary stay of relocation at the Historic Landmark Commission. Though the owner would like to see the house relocated to make way for more houses, the neighborhood and commission are certain that an alternate plan could be found, giving the house another month in its current location. […]
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Lightsey 2 back at City Hall, again
A neighborhood push to landmark a house that will otherwise be demolished to make way for development fell flat at the Planning Commission last week. Planning Commissioners voted 3-5 to designate the Lightsey-Russell House as a historic landmark, which is not enough for a recommendation. Chair Danette Chimenti and commissioners Jean Stevens and Nuria Zaragoza […]