Plans to bulldoze the historic Steve Hicks School of Social Work building on the University of Texas campus may soon be derailed, with an alumni-led campaign to secure landmark protections winning over the state’s Antiquities Advisory Board last month. Next, the case will advance to the Texas Historical Commission, where a favorable vote could trigger […]
Preservation
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Historic east side home may not get the votes needed to preserve it
City Council surprised staff during Thursday’s zoning hearing when the vote to zone the Sinnigson House at 1100 E. Second St. as historic did not have the eight votes needed for final passage. The home was built in 1888. Although the Historic Landmark Commission and the Planning Commission endorsed the idea of zoning the front […]
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City to tally public assets in 78702 with goal of preservation and activation
The city will inventory all of the culturally and economically significant publicly owned real estate just east of downtown in a move intended to preserve and enhance locations central to the area’s longtime Black and Latino communities. A resolution passed at Thursday’s City Council meeting calls for the city manager to oversee cataloging of all […]
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Historic Landmark Commission to honor Russell Lee, iconic American photojournalist
The longtime home of one of history’s most prolific photojournalists may soon be crowned a local landmark, thanks to a vote at last week’s Historic Landmark Commission. The 110-year-old home, located at 3110 West Ave., secured the commission’s blessing due to its long-standing association with iconic photographer Russell Lee and his wife Jean, a notable […]
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Landmark commission embraces green initiatives
The Historic Landmark Commission is embracing the environmentalist zeal gripping City Hall, launching a set of policy recommendations last week aimed at tackling preservation goals from a sustainability angle. The recommendation, authored by Commissioner JuanRaymon Rubio, outlines a number of strategies to tackle the emissions and waste wrought by building demolitions, including greater incentives for […]
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Downtown Commission reviews plan for equitable historic preservation
Members of the Downtown Commission debated and mostly praised the draft version of the city’s Equity-Based Preservation Plan, which is open for public feedback through the end of May. At last week’s meeting, the commission looked beyond the scope of the downtown core to express concerns and hopes related to the plan, which is intended […]
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Planning Commission gets its first look at Equity-Based Preservation Plan
With the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan now available for public review, city boards and commissions are getting briefed on the document that includes over 100 recommendations for preserving the highs and lows of Austin’s history. The Planning Commission, which will be voting on the plan this fall, heard an overview of the draft at its […]
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Preservation victory appears short-lived for Travis Heights home
A 114-year-old home in Travis Heights that narrowly escaped demolition last year might be on the chopping block after all, with neighbors taking to the podium at last week’s Historic Landmark Commission meeting warning of a possible demolition by neglect. Preservationists celebrated their victory over 409 E. Monroe St. last March after a resistance campaign […]
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Landmark commissioners seek recourse for TxDOT’s threat to Edward Rendon Sr. Park
As Austinites brace themselves for nearly a decade of construction on Interstate 35, the Historic Landmark Commission is joining forces with activists resisting demolition of a historic pecan grove in East Austin’s Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach. The pecan grove, which dates back to 1964, sits within the 1.2 acres of Waller Beach […]
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Legacy grocery and botanica in East Austin on its way to landmark status
An East Austin grocery-turned-herbal and spiritual goods shop is on its way to securing historic zoning protections, with Historic Landmark Commissioners voting unanimously last week to punt the case to the city’s Planning Commission. Commissioners say that Green and White Grocery, which has stood at the intersection of Waller and East Seventh streets since 1938, […]
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City Council approves 2024 Heritage Preservation Grants
On Thursday, City Council approved a list of Heritage Preservation Grants funded by $3.59 million in Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars. The 23 applicants will receive anywhere from $15,000 to $250,000 to fund their proposals, which range from concrete repair projects to more abstract endeavors like educational programming and planning processes. Highlights include awards to the […]
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Historic Black church slated for renovation as duplex
As St. Annie African Methodist Episcopal Church prepares to relocate to new digs farther north, the iconic white building that served as its home for over a century is poised to start a new life as a residential duplex. The building’s new owners secured approval from the Historic Landmark Commission last Wednesday to move forward […]