For three months in a row, the Historic Landmark Commission has made it clear that the design for a modern addition to the Royal Arch Masonic Lodge on the corner of Seventh and Lavaca streets will not easily get its seal of approval. After attending each full meeting as well as the monthly Certificate of […]
Historic Landmark Commission
The city’s Historic Landmark Commission promotes historic preservation of buildings and structures. The commission also reviews applications and permits for historic zoning and historic grants.
Posted inPreservation
Rainey Street bungalow bar seeks to expand, HLC expresses concerns
The popular watering hole Clive Bar inhabits a small Craftsman house at 609 Davis St., which is just on the corner of Rainey Street. The owners are looking to reconfigure the property to add a two-story structure with a mezzanine and balcony to the rear of the property. Built between 1918 and 1920, the home […]
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Masonic lodge face-lift sent back to the drawing board, again
After the Historic Landmark Commission vetoed designs for a modern addition to the Royal Arch Masonic Lodge on the corner of Seventh and Lavaca for being a “desecration” of a landmark, a new design came before them at their Aug. 26 meeting. Brett Rhode of Rhode Partners maintained the design brought something “extraordinary” to the […]
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HLC recommends design in Old West Austin historic district, sidesteps opposition’s concerns
In Austin, commissions are divided based on their areas of expertise and are required to remain within their purview when addressing the merits of a case. This question of jurisdiction was raised at the July 22 meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission as it heard the case for 3000 Funston St., which members of the […]
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Historic zoning for childhood home of AISD’s first two Hispanic teachers recommended
In a unanimous vote, the Historic Landmark Commission is sending a 100-year-old house that was the home of the Austin Independent School District’s first Hispanic teachers to City Council with a recommendation for historic zoning. When photos failed to depict the condition of the Herrera home at 1805 E. Third St., the Historic Landmark Commission […]
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Historic zoning moves forward for ‘godfather’ of A-frame religious architecture in Austin
Midcentury A-frame churches may be a dime a dozen in Austin, but there is one in particular that caused the now-familiar style to proliferate. The Prince of Peace Church at 1711 E. Oltorf St. is the reason “that form became popular in Austin,” Jason Haskins, a local architect and historian, told the Historic Landmark Commission […]
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Code compliance citation inspires historic restoration
After years of languishing in disrepair, a circa-1922 grocery store at 220 Comal St. was cited for code compliance issues, prompting the owners to file for a partial demolition permit to make repairs. In order to preserve the neighborhood building and ensure the sensitivity of the repairs, the Historic Landmark Commission voted in May to […]
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Faux Victorian windows prompt Historic Landmark Commission to reconsider historic zoning
After initiating a case for historic zoning for the home at 1903 New York Ave., investigations by the city’s Historic Preservation Office revealed at the June 24 meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission that significant alterations in the 1980s compromised the integrity of the historic structure. New windows, replaced siding and a remodeled porch, although […]
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‘Sensitive’ addition prompts Historic Landmark Commission to open historic zoning case
In order to expand a home and obtain room to display a 300-piece Hispanic art collection, the owners of 1216 E. Seventh St. submitted plans to the city to construct a 2,200-square-foot addition to the back side of their 1919 Craftsman-style bungalow. Although the homeowners did not file an application for historic zoning, Art Ramirez, […]
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Historic Landmark Commission looks for a pitch-perfect roofline solution
The Historic Landmark Commission recently discovered that the design guidelines of a local historic district may not always be practical in real-life situations. When Mike Synowiec, the owner of 305 W. 45th St., came before the commission’s Certificate of Appropriateness committee, he was directed to design an addition with a roofline that was not so […]
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I.Q. Hurdle House makes slow but steady progress
The old adage that slow and steady wins the race came into play during a discussion about the status of the I.Q. Hurdle House at the June 24 Historic Landmark Commission meeting. Pam Madere with the Jackson Walker firm, who is representing Eureka Holdings on this property, told the commissioners that the developer had followed […]
Posted inPreservation
Commissioner calls modern addition to Masonic Lodge a ‘desecration of an actual landmark’
In a collaborative effort, the Austin-based Mason Chapter of the York Rite began working with the city’s Historic Preservation Office and several local architecture firms to design a structure that would allow the Masons to retain their ancestral lodge on the corner of Seventh and Lavaca streets, while providing the economic security needed to keep […]