After waiting nearly 400 days, a property owner in the West Campus neighborhood will be able to demolish two buildings that have been held up by neighbors seeking to get them classified as historic landmarks. City Council voted narrowly Thursday to reject an appeal of a decision by the Historic Landmark Commission last year to […]
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 inCity Council
Council outlaws vaping, postpones demolition case
At its abbreviated meeting on Thursday, City Council directed the city manager to make changes to the city’s smoking ordinance to clarify that “smoking” includes electronic smoking devices as well as regular cigarettes, so that vaping will no longer be legal in public places such as bars and restaurants. It also directed the city manager to […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Urban Affairs Committee takes up preservation bill
A state representative will be making some changes to a bill he proposed that would set a rigorous statewide standard for historic preservation against a property owner’s objections. Discussion of Houston-area Rep. Gary Elkins’ House Bill 3418 at the April 11 House Urban Affairs Committee meeting lasted more than an hour. Elkins kicked it off […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Honoring Mary Gay Maxwell
Remembering Mary Gay… A year after her death, the Environmental Commission remembered its former chair, and longtime Austin conservationist, Mary Gay Maxwell. The commission unanimously passed a resolution to rename the Slaughter Creek Management Unit on Wednesday night. The land’s new name will be the Mary Gay Maxwell Management Unit. The unit is composed of […]
Posted inPreservation
No historic zoning for Tobin House without demolition threat
Despite agreement from city staff and concerned neighbors that the house would make a fine landmark, the Historic Landmark Commission opted to drop its pursuit of historic zoning for Old Austin’s Tobin House at its most recent meeting. The reason? Since the last time the commission met, the owners of 405 W. 14th St. has […]
Posted inPreservation
Panel considers a maybe-historic home in Old West Austin
In a somewhat unusual turn of events, the Historic Landmark Commission did not seem convinced that a 1939 home in the Old West Austin Historic District is all that historic, but it is open to hearing more about the house, following a postponement at its most recent meeting. The house, which is located at 1409 […]
Posted inPreservation
1960s dairy homestead could be Austin’s next landmark
After some hesitation, the Historic Landmark Commission has begun the process of historic landmarking for a Cherrywood home that was once the site of the Schieffer Dairy. The house, which is located at 3901 Brookview Road, is a 1961 replacement of the original 1948 home. But neighbors hoping to stop its demolition successfully made a […]
Posted inPreservation
First Tobin House battle waged at landmark commission
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single home facing demolition with a website of its own means a fight is on the way. That was certainly the case at the most recent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission. Commissioners voted unanimously to initiate historic zoning for the house at 405 W. 14th St., […]
Posted inPreservation
City’s East Austin Historic Resources Survey fails first big test
In one of its first tests, the recently adopted East Austin Historic Resources Survey has failed the demolition-seeking owner of a well-known community activist’s home. Adriana Salazar, who is with owners A New Hope Real Estate Investments Inc., spoke in favor of the demolition and asked the Historic Landmark Commission to make a decision on […]
Posted inPreservation
Pending demolition highlights need for preservation education
After about three months of discussion, a midcentury modern Rosedale home is officially destined for demolition. When the Historic Landmark Commission last took up the proposed demolition, it proved to be a flashpoint for ongoing intra-commission tension. This time around, commissioners agreed that it was time to move forward with the demolition of 2506 Great […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit criticizes city’s historic program management
Citing a lack of staff dedicated to the city’s historic preservation program, an outdated fee collection system and inadequate coordination between historic preservation staff and those higher up in the chain of command, the Office of the City Auditor has concluded that the Planning and Zoning Department “is not effectively administering” the historic preservation program. […]
Posted inPreservation
Council kicks off process to reform Historic Landmark Commission
City Council on Thursday voted to initiate a code amendment that could make it easier for the Historic Landmark Commission to overrule the wishes of property owners. Mayor Steve Adler overcame his own skepticism to vote for the measure, which passed 9-2 with Council members Ellen Troxclair and Delia Garza in opposition. The aim is […]