If it receives the blessing of the Historic Landmark Commission (HLC), Austin-based architecture firm Clayton Korte will proceed with its plans to build new residential units and retail space on one of the state capital’s busiest thoroughfares, according to Austin ABC affiliate KVUE.
KVUE reported that Clayton Korte seeks to break ground for the project at 316 Congress Ave., which is the location of the W.B Smith Building, a historical landmark, and other structures.
At the center of the proposal, KVUE reported, is a 55-story skyscraper that’s anchored by a ground-level structure that would be used for restaurants, office and commercial use.
Michael Whellan, who’s helping with the project, said the overseers are mindful of the structural and historical integrity of the facades facing what’s billed as “Texas’ Main Street,” according to the station.
“Having a structure that is new while including the old is special," Whellan told KVUE. "It’s a way to honor the past while also recognizing the needs of the future.”
He added that the tower would lend a helping hand in Austin’s housing need – and according to KVUE – the project is basically in the beginning stages.
The station reported that construction projects involving a historical landmark garners extensive consideration from the HLC.
Commissioner board member Witt Featherston said in the report that Austin’s central business district (CBD) has protections and design restrictions that determine the size and appearance of a building.
Per Featherston, a prospective project undergoes a plethora of stages in the review process.
“There are three big 'buckets,'” Featherston told KVUE. “There are existing historic landmarks, where we review and approve or disapprove modifications to those. Then there are districts that are local and national. If it's local, we have say in dictating what happens to them. And then the third ‘bucket’ is applications for demolitions of potentially historic structures where we review the potential for [buildings] to be historic landmarks."