Tag Archives: historic preservation
Thursday, March 22, 2018 by Jack Craver
Preservation
Which historic sites should be covered by hotel occupancy taxes?
Last year, City Council voted to reallocate millions of dollars from the Austin Convention Center and Visit Austin (formerly the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau) to historic preservation efforts. Now, it’s up to Council to decide what projects will benefit…
Friday, March 16, 2018 by Joseph Caterine
Housing
Planning Commission moves Rosewood Courts case to Council
Voting against a request to postpone the case, the Planning Commission unanimously approved staff’s recommendation to grant a portion of east side public housing project Rosewood Courts historic zoning at its Mar. 13 meeting.Controversy has centered around whether all of…
Wednesday, February 28, 2018 by Syeda Hasan
Preservation
Rosewood Courts renovation gets initial approval from landmark commission
The Historic Landmark Commission is paving the way for a major renovation of Rosewood Courts. The public housing project in East Austin was the first in the country built for black residents.The commission previously recommended zoning the entire site as…
Monday, February 26, 2018 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Reasons for beauty
Where the sidewalk bends… Austin badly needs to fill in the large gap of missing sidewalks across the city, but simply making each stretch of sidewalk longer than it has to be probably isn’t the most efficient solution. On Saturday,…
Monday, December 11, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
Land Development Code
Historic commission rejects CodeNEXT draft
“CodeNEXT continues to enable the demolition and replacement of existing housing stock with new construction. Consequently, the Commission cannot recommend the adoption of CodeNEXT as written.”That’s the consensus of the Historic Landmark Commission, according to a resolution about the second…
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Could a new historic district save this home?
There’s another push to create a local historic district in Travis Heights. The fate of 501 E. Mary St. became entwined with the proposed district at the most recent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission, where the home’s demolition was…
Friday, October 6, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Preservation
Council OKs historic zoning for apartment house
City Council approved historic zoning on Thursday for the 1930s-era Tucker-Winfield Apartment House at 1105 Nueces St. Council Member Jimmy Flannigan voted against the designation and Council Member Ellen Troxclair abstained.Flannigan objected to the designation, at least in part, because…
Thursday, September 28, 2017 by Syeda Hasan
Preservation
After demolition plans are scrapped, segregation-era school could become museum
After much debate over redevelopment, Austin is considering buying the Montopolis Negro School to preserve the segregation-era property.At the height of segregation, there were 42 schools for black children throughout Travis County; the Montopolis school is one of the few…
Thursday, September 14, 2017 by Joseph Caterine
Development
Rezoning denial could mean east side showdown
Planning commissioners took a united stand Tuesday night by voting to deny a rezoning application for an east side property that contains the former Montopolis Negro School.The case has drawn controversy as it has moved through other city commissions, thanks…
Thursday, September 7, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Botched demo agitates Preservation Office
A pile of rubble on the east side could spark changes in how the city handles demolitions.At the most recent meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission, Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky presented “unfortunate news” about the demolition of 1401 East…
Friday, August 11, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Penick Place historic bid goes ‘a bridge too far’
Will Penick Place be Austin’s next local historic district? It’s possible, but a rough start at the Historic Landmark Commission means that neighbors hoping to enshrine their neighborhood will have to rethink their priorities, and most likely scrap a dogged…
Thursday, July 6, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Commission facing limited options, West Line demolition postponed
The Historic Landmark Commission once again exercised one of the few options it has and postponed a demolition in the West Line Historic District at its most recent meeting.Commissioner Kevin Koch pointed out that the commission’s options were “quite limited” given…
Friday, June 30, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Bouldin demolition raises odd questions, provides no answers at Historic Landmark Commission
There was a great deal of confusion on the dais at the Historic Landmark Commission meeting Monday night following a plea from a homeowner opposed to the proposed demolition of her own home.“I really don’t understand how it works. I’m…
Friday, May 19, 2017 by Jack Craver
Preservation
Council upholds demolition of two West Campus properties
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…
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 by Joseph Caterine
Preservation
Planning Commission initiates historic zoning for Emancipation Park site
A week before the release of the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Equities’ 70-page report, the Planning Commission took a small step during its March 28 meeting in fixing what local historian Fred McGhee called a “broken…
Thursday, March 23, 2017 by Caleb Pritchard
Texas State Legislature
Texas House bill takes aim at historic preservation rules
Fans of keeping historic buildings just as they are have sounded the alarm over a legislative bill that could bring wholesale change to preservation policies across the state, including here in Austin.State Rep. Gary Elkins, a Republican from northwestern Houston,…
Monday, February 20, 2017 by Audrey McGlinchy
Housing
When the loss of a historic home adds to much-needed housing stock
Reedy Spigner, 45, straddles a gray carpet strewn with empty glass bottles and pieces of tape – just some of the things left behind in a move. In front of him is an entire wall of windows. From there, he…
Friday, February 17, 2017 by Audrey McGlinchy
Development
Two adjacent East Austin streets, two tales of development
Danny Fowler stands in the middle of his driveway holding a vase full of red flowers.He is taking them to his neighbor, who lives just across the street, over the crest of the steep hill that cuts this East Austin…
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 by Jo Clifton
City 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…
