Austin’s Historic zoning Remains In Double Bind As Commission Ponders Over East Side Building’s Convoluted Past

A Prolonged Indecision

The fate of the century-old storefront located at the intersection of East 12th and Comal streets in Austin, Texas is still undecided. The Historic Landmark Commission of the city is actively involved in a heated debate over its preservation merits. After receiving an application from the owner, Eureka Holdings, to demolish the structure last month, the commissioners have been under a torrent of contradictory neighborhood opinions and allegations of poor negotiation tactics.

Despite the recommendation by the city’s Preservation Office to initiate historic zoning, the commissioners have chosen to further investigate the case. They have voted 9-1 to delay the case till the forthcoming month’s meeting.

Demanded Demolition With A Stir Of Controversy

The building at 1500 E. 12th St. drew the attention of the commissioners due to its storied past, including its iterations as a German grocery store and beer hall, and later as a Black barbershop and music venue. These factors reflect the shifting demographic makeup of the neighborhood throughout the 20th century. The 2016 East Austin Historic Resources Survey also identifies the site as a potential landmark, highlighting its proximity to the I.Q. Hurdle House and Southgate-Lewis House in a move to maintain the historic corner.

However, a fraction of neighbors have voiced opposition to the staff’s findings, presenting their own personal histories of the site, which has been largely deserted since the 1970s. Freddie Dixon, a former reverend, said, “This building does not represent the best that East Austin has to offer, but the worst.”

Continuing Arguments And Insights

Eureka Holdings, the current owner, has stirred controversy with its stewardship of East 12th Street. The company has drawn criticism from the Organization of Central East Austin Neighborhoods (OCEAN) and City Hall for neglecting aged buildings and failing to redevelop its considerable holdings within the region. Eureka Holdings has accumulated numerous citations concerning code violations at this site.

The President of OCEAN, Nate Jones, has acknowledged this in a July 2 letter to the Historic Landmark Commission, stating, “East 12th Street needs buildings that testify to its past and invite new waves of vitality and community within them.”

The fate of 1500 E. 12th Street seems to be in the hands of the Historic Landmark Commission. Whether this building will stand tall, bearing witness to a colorful chapter in Austin’s history, or bow to the pressures of development, is a question that remains to be answered.