Mayor Steve Adler went on record at Tuesday’s City Council work session as opposing a loosening of the regulations for the Historic Landmark Commission to begin the process of designating Austin homes as historic. At the same time, Council Member Jimmy Flannigan said he was ready to remove a member of the commission who has […]
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
Another house, another fight at the Historic Landmark Commission
Once again, the Historic Landmark Commission was transformed into an ideological battleground. This time, the battle was centered on what ultimately proved to be a fairly uncontroversial landmark designation in the North University neighborhood. The Brundrett-Winkler House, which was built in 1916, is located at 104 West 32nd St. Though it resembles a bungalow, Historic […]
Posted inPreservation
Fighting demolitions, Ebony Acres residents hope city will recognize their history
Spurred by a rash of proposed demolitions, several East Austin citizens are hoping to move forward with a historic district for their neighborhood later this month. Late last year, potential demolitions on Grant Street, E M Franklin Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue caught the attention of Ebony Acres residents. The demolitions were proposed by a single […]
Posted inPreservation
Commission says goodbye to would-be east side landmark
Days after City Council adopted the East Austin Historic Resources study in December, the Historic Landmark Commission sent an east side home recommended for historic designation on its way to be demolished. The city’s Historic Preservation Office supported historic zoning for the Cherico-Franzetti-Arriaga House, which is located at 1403 E. Sixth St. It was recommended […]
Posted inPreservation
Midcentury modern demolition brings dysfunction to the fore at Historic Landmark Commission
Ideological tension at the Historic Landmark Commission bubbled to the surface Monday over the proposed demolition of a midcentury modern home built in the 1950s. Commissioners were evenly split on whether to release the demolition permit for the home at 2506 Great Oaks Parkway in a vote of 5-5. That vote prevented the demolition from […]
Posted inPreservation
Survey finds a wealth of history in East Austin
At long last, the East Austin Historic Resources Survey is complete and ready for review. The survey covered the area of Austin east of Interstate 35, north of Lady Bird Lake, south of Manor Road and east of Pleasant Valley Road and the MetroRail line. Though some of the area was surveyed in 1984 and 2000, […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Apocalypse later
Must be Tuesday… There are a lot of details that will be needed to be sorted on Tuesday. (Most pressing, probably: Is it the end of the world or not? And: Where’s my bug-out bag?) Thankfully, one of the details no longer on the table is keeping track of what happens at the City Council […]
Posted inPreservation
West Line bungalow to be demolished
After almost half-a-dozen trips to the Historic Landmark Commission, an Old West Austin house is officially beyond repair. The 1915 bungalow, which is located at 812 Theresa Ave., was known as the Anderson-Wattinger-Sucke-Naishtat House at the most recent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission. In September, commissioners initiated historic zoning on the house, and at […]
Posted inPreservation
Proposal would revamp historic commission rules
Recent events at the Historic Landmark Commission – which resulted in the panel’s failure to act either to begin the historic zoning process for a property or to allow a demolition permit to move forward – have highlighted a need for change, according to Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo. Mayor Steve Adler agrees, but he […]
Posted inPreservation
Something ventured, ‘nothing’ gained at historic commission
At their most recent meeting, Historic Landmark commissioners “accomplished nothing” for a 1932 fourplex known as the Palma Plaza Apartment House. With only seven members present, commissioners were unable to garner an effective number of votes to move forward with historic zoning, release the demolition permit or even postpone the case. As a result, the […]
Posted inPreservation
Neon wrong kind of historic for Congress Avenue
At the most recent Historic Landmark Commission meeting, commissioners faced the question of when “historic” was, exactly. One of Austin’s most celebrated new restaurants provoked the question, by proposing installation of a sign that the owners said was historic, though commissioners unanimously agreed it was not the right kind of historic. In the end, commissioners […]
Posted inPreservation
Proposed preservation district hits a wall at Landmark Commission
The Historic Landmark Commission on Tuesday postponed action on recommending a historical district in Central Austin that scored significant support from its resident homeowners. The punt came at the end of a lengthy and contentious discussion among the commissioners, the homeowners requesting the designation and Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky. Roughly 20 residents and their […]