Commission rejects historic rezoning for revamped lakeside house

One month after postponing a historic rezoning decision on a house in west Austin, the Historic Landmark Commission voted last week to reject the owners’ application for historic status. The commissioners’ concern with the property lay not with its historical significance, which seemed substantial, but with its structural integrity.

 

The Perry-Robinson House, located at 3810 Kennelwood Road on Lake Austin, is a two-story Colonial Revival built for Edgar H. Perry Jr., grandson of Commodore Andrew Perry, who compelled the opening of Japan to the West in 1854, and son of Austin developer Edgar H. Perry, who built the Commodore Perry Hotel.

 

At their April 26 meeting the commissioners requested documentation of all the changes and additions that have been made to the house since it was built in 1940. They also wanted to see historic photographs of the original building, the site’s original plans, and the current owners’ current construction plans.

 

Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky told commissioners on Monday that alterations have been made to the house several times, including in the 1970s, 1994, and 1996, and further construction is under way. Because of this, he reminded the commissioners, “The commission wanted to know whether the house maintains its historic appearance or whether the additions made to the house over the years have compromised the appearance to the point where it may not merit historic status.” 

 

“In staff’s opinion,” he continued, “the appearance of the house has changed, but not to the point where it doesn’t maintain its historic appearance and integrities of materials and designs.”

 

The newly provided materials – including blueprints and original photographs – only seemed to amplify commissioners’ doubts, however. “From the pictures it looks like there have been numerous changes and additions over the years,” said Commissioner Patti Hansen,” (including to the) roofline and the windows.”

 

Homeowner David Baizer, who owns the home along with his wife, Rona, told the commission that they had returned with the requested information and documentation because they want to “protect the long-term integrity of the neighborhood.”

 

“We’ve seen too many beautiful homes around us torn down and the solution is always too late. We want the house to be here for the future,” and they decided that historic rezoning would be the best way to ensure that, he said.

 

Baizer then explained much of the remodeling that the house has gone through, from a kitchen expansion in the 1970s to the enclosure of an outside walkway in 1994. He went on to say that the current construction, which was started in 2008, was being done in the spirit of the original design. He and his wife, he said, even went so far as to hire the same stone-working firm that Perry did and get the new stone from the same quarry they used 70 years ago.

 

The applicants’ current architect, Arthur Andersson, said, “The houses in these neighborhoods are evolving things. They have (to accommodate) growing families and changing needs.” 

 

“In terms of the proportions and in terms of the materials, it bespeaks its very early heritage,” he said.

 

Commissioners were not convinced, however, and their early skepticism was solidified when Commissioner Terri Myers moved to reject the application for historic zoning.

 

“I appreciate what the applicants are trying to do,” Myers said. “But there are so many changes to the exterior that have happened in fairly recent years, I just feel that it no longer conveys a sense of the historic period in which it was built.”

 

Chair Laurie Limbacher agreed. “I share the concerns about the integrity of the original historic appearance of the house,” she said. “Surely there’s a way to protect the house and keep it from being torn down in the future … but I don’t think historic zoning is the right vehicle for this house.”

 

The commission voted unanimously, 6-0, not to recommend the home for historic zoning, with Commissioner Dan Leary absent. The case will now move on to the Planning Commission.