The city has identified a number of ways to increase the relocation and deconstruction of homes as an alternative to demolition that could take place amid the push for more housing on smaller parcels of land. A memo issued last month from José Roig, director of the Development Services Department, and Richard McHale, director of […]
Preservation
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Despite appeal, new home project to move forward in East Austin historic district
A last-ditch effort to stop construction of a new home in the Robertson/Stuart & Mair Historic District failed at the Planning Commission, despite mixed feelings about the structure from the chair of the Historic Landmark Commission. Neighbors Mark Rogers and Sue Gaul appealed the Historic Landmark Commission’s decision to issue a certificate of appropriateness to […]
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Three ‘no’ votes end try for historic zoning in East Austin
Despite efforts from Preservation Austin and approval from two city commissions, the small historic house at 1100 East Second St. failed to get support from the nine City Council members needed for it to be designated historic and avoid demolition. Both the Historic Landmark Commission and the Planning Commission recommended historic designation for the Sinnigson […]
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Landmark commission considers imposing historic zoning for neglected east side building slated for demolition by Eureka
Dallas-based real estate developer Eureka Holdings is once again ruffling feathers on 12th Street, with an application to demolish a century-old storefront at the Comal Street intersection meeting some resistance from the city’s Historic Landmark Commission. The two-story building has lived many lives, from a German beer hall weathering Prohibition to Civil Rights-era meeting place […]
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After decades on the back burner, revitalization efforts at historic Black cemetery are in full swing
After an uphill battle for recognition, things are looking up for Bethany Cemetery, with a vote at this month’s Historic Landmark Commission meeting initiating the site’s historic zoning process. The cemetery, founded in 1893 by and for Black Austinites, houses the graves of dozens of enslaved people later freed, Buffalo Soldiers and early Black settlers. […]
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St. Joseph Hall cleared for demolition on St. Ed’s campus
Historic Landmark Commission members have given their unanimous blessing to the demolition of St. Edward’s University’s St. Joseph Hall, despite its architectural significance and historic association with the Brothers of the Holy Cross. The hall, which stands at 3001 S. Congress Ave., was designed by San Antonio firm Julian & White and constructed on a […]
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At massive Hill’s Cafe redevelopment, cottage demolition put on hold
Pieces continue to fall into place for a planned mixed-use development at the former site of Hill’s Cafe, though Historic Landmark Commission members put one of those pieces on hold at their most recent meeting in the hopes that a 1940s cottage might find a new home. Commissioners voted 9-1 to postpone a proposed demolition […]
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City’s historic preservation commission and code enforcement look to get in sync
After several recent cases that illustrated a divide between the city’s code enforcement policies and historic preservation aims, Historic Landmark Commission members are working to make sure things are more aligned and less hopelessly complicated for property owners who find themselves in the gray area between the two departments. Chair Ben Heimsath explained that they […]
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Condemned homes get a stay of demolition at landmark commission
In an effort to sort out the complicated details, Historic Landmark Commission members have unanimously supported a delay on demolishing two East Austin homes that are both historic and condemned. Both homes, which were built around 1916, are Hofheinz houses, a distinct folk architecture style built in Austin and rented to working-class East Austin families […]
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Developing a former summer camp proves to be more than a seasonal project
Efforts to redevelop a former ranch and summer camp in Northwest Austin have hit another snag with the city’s Historic Landmark Commission, which has voted for a second time to postpone the convoluted case. The house at 7304 Knox Lane first appeared as a demolition case last spring, when commissioners unanimously ruled to initiate historic […]
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Planning Commission backs historic zoning for east side beauty shop
Despite its recent history, the Planning Commission unanimously endorsed historic landmark status for East Austin’s Fashionette Beauty Shop as a step toward more equitable historic preservation this week. The Fashionette Beauty Shop and McDonald Jackson House have stood at East 13th and Bob Harrison streets since the early 1900s. Staff and the Historic Landmark Commission […]
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Landmark Commission greenlights demolition for former Mary Lee School campus
A former special education facility for mentally disabled girls may soon be slated for demolition and redevelopment after the plans earned the Historic Landmark Commission’s seal of approval last Monday. The seven-building campus that was once home to the Mary Lee School of Special Education – located at 400 W. Live Oak St., about 1.5 […]