Austin Historic Landmark committee discussing item on ‘total demolition’ of 4th Street building façades

AUSTIN, Texas — On Monday, Austin’s Historic Landmark Fee’s Architectural Assessment Committee mentioned the “whole demolition with reconstruction of chosen façades” in Austin’s LGBT leisure district.

In line with the agenda, the addresses in query are 201 to 213 West Fourth Road, which embody companies akin to Oilcan Harry’s. Throughout Monday’s assembly David Ott, who leads Texas developments for The Hanover Firm, clarified any potential demolition plans don’t embody Rain nightclub, which is positioned at 217 W. Fourth St.

Nonetheless, Ott mentioned Monday that is simply step one in a plan to redevelop that a part of the block. He says he desires to do it the precise manner by sustaining the integrity, historical past and tradition of the neighborhood.

“It will be primarily multifamily, for-rent product, attempting to fulfill the wants of housing in Downtown Austin with an roughly 400 unit undertaking with ground-floor retail, actually eating places and bars,” Ott mentioned. “The bar that we’re working to deliver again into the undertaking is the one which’s there at present, Oilcan Harry’s, and we have been working with them for fairly some time to determine a plan for them to quickly vacate whereas the brand new building occurs.”

In line with Oilcan Harry’s property supervisor Michael Gerrard, who additionally owns the property subsequent door, everybody to date is on the identical web page to ensure each social gathering advantages.

“[Oilcan Harry’s] is the godfather of [the LGBT bars] for my part,” Gerrard mentioned. “Having the ability to preserve that and provides it an extended, lengthy, lengthy life span. I feel form of, , it retains that because the nucleus of that neighborhood.”

When reached for touch upon Monday, a Metropolis of Austin spokesperson supplied the next assertion:

“The Architectural Assessment Committee is a subcommittee of the Historic Landmark Fee. At present’s assembly is a casual alternative for the candidates, Metcalfe Wolff Stuart & Williams, LLP, to current and obtain suggestions from the committee on a proposal for buildings at 201-213 W. 4th Road. No advance details about the proposal has been supplied to the Committee, however will possible be made accessible at in the present day’s assembly. 

“The buildings recognized shouldn’t have any historic designations; nevertheless, the Historic Landmark Fee holds public hearings on demolition and partial demolition purposes for buildings which will have historic significance, following a course of outlined in Metropolis code.

“That is an open assembly and members of the general public are welcome to look at, however since it isn’t a public listening to, there may be not a possibility for public touch upon agenda objects. It’s purely informative; the committee doesn’t take any formal motion or make a advice to the total fee. A public listening to on this merchandise is scheduled for the Landmark Fee assembly on Might 4.”

A spokesperson for Hanover Firm, a residential developer, confirmed it has been working with the Metropolis of Austin on the undertaking. Metcalfe Wolff Stuart & Williams is an Austin-based regulation agency specializing in actual property and enterprise and tax.

In line with Ott, the proprietor of the property, Hanover and the proprietor of Oilcan Harry’s are working to discover a answer for all events concerned. One such answer could also be to grant a long-term lease to the bar as soon as a brand new constructing is erected in that location, the spokesperson mentioned. The problem then turns into how you can do proper by Oilcan Harry’s throughout building if that building takes place.

To this point, leaders with Oilcan Harry’s have been posting updates by their social media channels on the matter. As of Monday afternoon, an Instagram put up from the venue acknowledges change in Austin is inevitable, however compromise is important to keep up a secure house on the road.

Tina Cannon, who leads Austin’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, mentioned the plans mentioned Thursday have been simply the beginning of the dialog, however to date, so good.

“I feel that is a type of initiatives that we will be pleased to see the place the event neighborhood, the house owners and the tenants have actually been very intentional about form of respecting the historical past of the LGBT neighborhood on that block,” Cannon mentioned.

Downtown Austin LGBTQ bar The Iron Bear preventing to stop demolition

The fee has additionally been contemplating the demolition of the close by LGBT bar The Iron Bear, on West Sixth Road.

As of March 30, the bar reported that the Austin Metropolis Council had handed a movement to provoke historic zoning for the warehouse district, preserving the general public discussion board open for dialogue. A listening to is scheduled for Might 4, the place a possibility might be introduced for proof to be supplied to the committee proving historic worth.

“The nexus of the homosexual neighborhood has been in and across the bar neighborhood, and so it is a massive a part of who we’re because the LGBT of us,” Cannon mentioned. “It is a spot the place we have all the time been in a position to congregate and really feel secure.”

A Change.org petition has been began to attempt to block the event and protect the LGBT leisure district. As of Thursday morning, it has 91 signatures.

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