BIKE: preserving historic structures?

[Mike Dahmus]

Richard Ryan wrote:

> I was referring to what went on at an OWANA meeting, not an ANC 
> meeting.  Laura Morrison has her own agenda as does Jeff Jack.  If I 
> lived in Laura Morrison's house, with their view of the capitol cut 
> off by the Nakona and the proposed develoment at 6th and Lamar, I 
> would have my own agenda too.

That's disingenuous. I'm sure you're aware of the huge public brou-ha-ha 
over the 6th/Lamar PUD (ironically engineered by the same folks trying 
to move AMD off the aquifer).

> But please don't use that the accuse the people of OWANA of not having 
> a serious regard for saving historic structures in our neighborhood.

I lived in OWANA, and I'll gladly make that accusation. The people of 
OWANA are more interested in keeping multifamily out of the neighborhood 
than they are in historical preservation; i.e., the same anti-infill 
sentiment exists there that is particularly virulent where I live in NUNA.

There's plenty of crummy non-historic single-family housing in OWANA 
just like there is in NUNA. Replacing these buildings with high-quality 
multi-family (like the deSaligny condos, for instance) would be a win 
for the city and a win for pedestrians, and no historic stuff would be 
lost. But rather than focusing on compatibility standards which actually 
make SENSE, the neighbors have (since the planning effort ended several 
years ago) retreated into more typical obstructionism.

>  Your statement about defining historic structures by European 
> standards is ludicrous.  History is relative.  We are fortunate that 
> the history of Austin is so recent as that affords us the opportunity 
> to preserve those things that have been important to the development 
> of Austin. 
>  
> Preserving history and the cultural resources associated with our 
> history is a public right.  That has been decided by the Supreme Court 
> on many occasions.
>  
> I'm amazed you would even bring up the term "Urban Renewal".  I 
> thought the "urban renewal" of the 1950's and 60's, often associated 
> with the building of the interstate highway system had proven to be an 
> utter desaster to everyone's satisfaction.  At the core of almost 
> every successful uban revitalization project is historic preservation.

No, it's not. At the core of almost every successful urban 
revitalization project is additional residential development, and it HAS 
to be multi-family.

- MD

>