• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

TOWERS

Austin city life since 2007.

  • News
    • Condo Projects
    • Neighborhoods
  • Listings
    • Austin Condo Guide
  • Newsletter
Search
You are here: Home / News / Proposed Student Housing Complex Would Surround Historic Freedmen’s Building in West Campus
Search suggestions: condos for sale • rainey street

Proposed Student Housing Complex Would Surround Historic Freedmen’s Building in West Campus

James Rambin September 25, 2017 Comment

Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

According to plans filed with the city, a student housing development in West Campus planned by local developer Johnson Trube & Associates would surround the historic Franzetti Store building at 2402 San Gabriel Street, better known as bar and barbecue restaurant Freedmen’s. 

A view of the Freedmen’s building and surrounding area from San Gabriel Street earlier this year. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.

Public city documents prepared for tonight’s meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission give us a better look at the 8-story, 156-unit building:

A northern elevation of the building planned around Freedmen’s Bar. Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

The historic building now occupied by Freedmen’s Bar was originally built in 1869 by freed slave George Franklin, as part of the African-American settlement in the area then known as Wheatville.

Most of its importance in the community can be directly attributed to one of the building’s most notable residents, Reverend Jacob Fontaine. He and his family lived in the building from 1875 to 1898 from which he operated a number of community oriented businesses such as the New Hope Baptist Church, one of many churches he helped to establish in Austin. Fontaine was also involved with The Gold Dollar, one of the nation’s first black newspapers which was instrumental in teaching freed slaves to read, helping loved ones locate lost relatives after the Civil War, and for keeping current on important news.

— Freedmen’s Bar Site

The building was known for some time as the Franzetti Store, after its tenants, the Franzetti family, who ran an Italian grocery store in the space in the 1920s. That’s the name the landmark commission uses when describing how the surrounding student housing development plans to preserve its historic structure:

The Franzetti Store building will not be touched by the new building, and will continue to have a street presence on San Gabriel Street with a buffer around the building to preserve its articulation as a separate building. The buffer will be 5 feet on the south side and 12 feet to the rear. The existing courtyard area to the north will be preserved. The Franzetti Store building will be centered in a courtyard-like open space with the proposed new building surrounding it on three sides.

— Historic Landmark Commission

Looking down at the development’s southeast corner, with significant streetscape improvements visible along 24th Street. Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

The project’s developer, Johnson Trube & Associates, along with designers Mark Hart Architecture, have previously worked together on student housing developments in the area including The Corner apartments at 2504 San Gabriel Street and Skyloft at 2310 Guadalupe Street.

A closer look at the southeast corner from 24th Street, with streetscape improvements visible. Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

What’s particularly interesting from these renderings, besides that it makes Freedmen’s look an awful lot like a nail house, is the portion of the development we see encroaching into and above the courtyard of the historic structure on the right side of this image:

A rendering looking southwest down San Gabriel Street. Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

A little shade couldn’t hurt, it gets hot in that courtyard. Looks like there might be a market for air rights in Austin after all! It’s funny that we’re seeing a project designed to accommodate a historic structure like this in West Campus rather than downtown — but we’ve already established that the area is Bizarro Austin.

So what’s the commission got to say?

Staff further recommends increasing the buffer between the historic building and the learning center and amenity space to the south to at least 15 feet to further the goal of greater separation of the historic building from the new construction.

— Historic Landmark Commission

The existing buffer distance between the historic building and the amenity component of the development to the south is only five feet in current plans, so an increase of an additional 10 feet in distance, while sounding small, could actually require some significant redesigns. Here’s where the commission wants a larger buffer:

The area circled in red is where the commission recommends an increase in space between the historic building and the new development. Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

Still, it’s a fascinating design and probably represents the best possible balance between adding density and historic preservation. I’m heavily personally invested in this project since Freedmen’s might be my favorite barbecue joint on the planet, but hopefully this won’t harm the quality of their brisket.

A map of the proposed development’s ground floor. Photo courtesy of Mark Hart Architecture / City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission.

Though we know from these filings that the project is already recommended for approval, we won’t know for sure until the commission meets tonight. Stay tuned!


West Campus Condos

  • $320,000 MLS # 8608206
    Austin, TX
  • $349,000 807 W 25TH Street #205
    Austin, TX
  • $375,000 2500 Longview Street #221
    Austin, TX
  • $317,000 2510 San Gabriel Street #102
    Austin, TX
  • $2,095,000 2841 San Gabriel Street
    Austin, TX
  • $430,000 2500 Longview Street #220
    Austin, TX
  • $339,000 2706 Salado Street #310
    Austin, TX
  • $576,000 910 W 25th Street #203
    Austin, TX
  • $289,000 2502 Leon Street #513
    Austin, TX
  • $424,900 711 W 26th Street #708
    Austin, TX
  • $289,000 2714 Nueces Street #205
    Austin, TX
  • $260,000 912 W 22nd Street #101
    Austin, TX
  • $335,000 912 W 22nd Street #205
    Austin, TX
  • $280,000 2714 Nueces #206
    Austin, TX
  • $558,500 910 W 25th Street #306
    Austin, TX
  • $300,000 2810 Nueces Street #204
    Austin, TX
MLS # 8608206
Austin, TX
Photo of Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 8608206)
$320,000
Lot Size
898 sqft

Home Size
663 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
2 Baths

807 W 25TH Street #205
Austin, TX
Photo of 807 W 25TH Street #205, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 9919763)
$349,000
Lot Size
N/A

Home Size
688 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
1 Bath

2500 Longview Street #221
Austin, TX
Photo of 2500  Longview Street #221, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 6092698)
$375,000
Lot Size
43,125 sqft

Home Size
710 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

2510 San Gabriel Street #102
Austin, TX
Photo of 2510  San Gabriel Street #102, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 8919156)
$317,000
Lot Size
915 sqft

Home Size
705 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

2841 San Gabriel Street
Austin, TX
Photo of 2841  San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 7815324)
$2,095,000
Lot Size
6,452 sqft

Home Size
2,976 sqft

Beds
N/A

Baths
N/A

2500 Longview Street #220
Austin, TX
Photo of 2500  Longview Street #220, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 9857557)
$430,000
Lot Size
43,125 sqft

Home Size
818 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

2706 Salado Street #310
Austin, TX
Photo of 2706  Salado Street #310, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 4892716)
$339,000
Lot Size
924 sqft

Home Size
728 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

910 W 25th Street #203
Austin, TX
Photo of 910 W 25th Street #203, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 3291540)
$576,000
Lot Size
305 sqft

Home Size
1,440 sqft

Beds
3 Beds

Baths
3 Baths

2502 Leon Street #513
Austin, TX
Photo of 2502  Leon Street #513, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 9758726)
$289,000
Lot Size
218 sqft

Home Size
533 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

711 W 26th Street #708
Austin, TX
Photo of 711 W 26th Street #708, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 4635524)
$424,900
Lot Size
384 sqft

Home Size
1,059 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

2714 Nueces Street #205
Austin, TX
Photo of 2714  Nueces Street #205, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 8340692)
$289,000
Lot Size
959 sqft

Home Size
600 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
1 Bath

912 W 22nd Street #101
Austin, TX
Photo of 912 W 22nd Street #101, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 2052989)
$260,000
Lot Size
737 sqft

Home Size
563 sqft

Beds
1 Bed

Baths
1 Bath

912 W 22nd Street #205
Austin, TX
Photo of 912 W 22nd Street #205, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 1710703)
$335,000
Lot Size
981 sqft

Home Size
752 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

2714 Nueces #206
Austin, TX
Photo of 2714  Nueces #206, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 5840064)
$280,000
Lot Size
976 sqft

Home Size
600 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
1 Bath

910 W 25th Street #306
Austin, TX
Photo of 910 W 25th Street #306, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 4580618)
$558,500
Lot Size
N/A

Home Size
1,715 sqft

Beds
3 Beds

Baths
2 Baths

2810 Nueces Street #204
Austin, TX
Photo of 2810  Nueces Street #204, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 3933751)
$300,000
Lot Size
1,177 sqft

Home Size
847 sqft

Beds
2 Beds

Baths
1 Bath

  • MLS # 8608206
    Austin, TX
    Photo of Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 8608206)
    $320,000
    Lot Size
    898 sqft

    Home Size
    663 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 807 W 25TH Street #205
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 807 W 25TH Street #205, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 9919763)
    $349,000
    Lot Size
    N/A

    Home Size
    688 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 2500 Longview Street #221
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2500  Longview Street #221, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 6092698)
    $375,000
    Lot Size
    43,125 sqft

    Home Size
    710 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 2510 San Gabriel Street #102
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2510  San Gabriel Street #102, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 8919156)
    $317,000
    Lot Size
    915 sqft

    Home Size
    705 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 2841 San Gabriel Street
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2841  San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 7815324)
    $2,095,000
    Lot Size
    6,452 sqft

    Home Size
    2,976 sqft

    Beds
    N/A

    Baths
    N/A

  • 2500 Longview Street #220
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2500  Longview Street #220, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 9857557)
    $430,000
    Lot Size
    43,125 sqft

    Home Size
    818 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 2706 Salado Street #310
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2706  Salado Street #310, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 4892716)
    $339,000
    Lot Size
    924 sqft

    Home Size
    728 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 910 W 25th Street #203
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 910 W 25th Street #203, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 3291540)
    $576,000
    Lot Size
    305 sqft

    Home Size
    1,440 sqft

    Beds
    3 Beds

    Baths
    3 Baths

  • 2502 Leon Street #513
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2502  Leon Street #513, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 9758726)
    $289,000
    Lot Size
    218 sqft

    Home Size
    533 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 711 W 26th Street #708
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 711 W 26th Street #708, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 4635524)
    $424,900
    Lot Size
    384 sqft

    Home Size
    1,059 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 2714 Nueces Street #205
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2714  Nueces Street #205, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 8340692)
    $289,000
    Lot Size
    959 sqft

    Home Size
    600 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 912 W 22nd Street #101
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 912 W 22nd Street #101, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 2052989)
    $260,000
    Lot Size
    737 sqft

    Home Size
    563 sqft

    Beds
    1 Bed

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 912 W 22nd Street #205
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 912 W 22nd Street #205, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 1710703)
    $335,000
    Lot Size
    981 sqft

    Home Size
    752 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 2714 Nueces #206
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2714  Nueces #206, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 5840064)
    $280,000
    Lot Size
    976 sqft

    Home Size
    600 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    1 Bath

  • 910 W 25th Street #306
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 910 W 25th Street #306, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 4580618)
    $558,500
    Lot Size
    N/A

    Home Size
    1,715 sqft

    Beds
    3 Beds

    Baths
    2 Baths

  • 2810 Nueces Street #204
    Austin, TX
    Photo of 2810  Nueces Street #204, Austin, TX 78705 (MLS # 3933751)
    $300,000
    Lot Size
    1,177 sqft

    Home Size
    847 sqft

    Beds
    2 Beds

    Baths
    1 Bath

Previous Next
 

Related

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 78705, architecture, commercial, design, development, historic preservation, multifamily, student housing, west campus

About James Rambin

James is an Austin native and fifth-generation Texan, but tries not to brag about it. Email him anything at james@towers.net.

300 Bowie Street #703
Austin, TX
Photo of 300  Bowie Street #703, Austin, TX 78703 (MLS # 1326444)
$699,980
31
  • Lot Size
    101 sqft

  • Home Size
    983 sqft

  • Beds
    2 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

View Virtual Tour
Previous Post: « Rainey Street District Development Roundup: It’s Not Just Bars, You Know
Next Post: A Closer Look at Plans for Block 71, Downtown’s Latest Transformation »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  •  Schedule a showing

FEATURED Listings

44 East Avenue #2205
Austin, TX
Photo of 44  East Avenue #2205, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 8345255)
$1,475,000
29
  • Lot Size

  • Home Size
    1,232 sqft

  • Beds
    2 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

555 E 5th Street #725
Austin, TX
Photo of 555 E 5th Street #725, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 9482800)
$545,000
20
  • Lot Size
    88 sqft

  • Home Size
    817 sqft

  • Beds
    1 Bed

  • Baths
    1 Bath

View Virtual Tour
48 East Avenue #2210
Austin, TX
Photo of 48  East Avenue #2210, Austin, TX 78701 (MLS # 5004162)
$1,569,500
38
  • Lot Size
    17,904 sqft

  • Home Size
    1,277 sqft

  • Beds
    2 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

300 Bowie Street #703
Austin, TX
Photo of 300  Bowie Street #703, Austin, TX 78703 (MLS # 1326444)
$699,980
31
  • Lot Size
    101 sqft

  • Home Size
    983 sqft

  • Beds
    2 Beds

  • Baths
    2 Baths

View Virtual Tour
619 Tillery Street #B
Austin, TX
Photo of 619  Tillery Street #B, Austin, TX 78702 (MLS # 4009706)
$839,619
30
  • Lot Size
    3,050 sqft

  • Home Size
    1,796 sqft

  • Beds
    3 Beds

  • Baths
    3 Baths

austin condo report

Featured Buildings

  • 360 Condos
  • Austin City Lofts
  • The Independent
  • The Shore Condos
  • 70 Rainey

Footer

LEGAL NOTICE

TREC Information About Brokerage Services (pdf)

Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice


TOWERS realty

Austin Condos For Sale

Agents

Downtown Buildings

Luxury Towers

  • Four Seasons Residences
  • W Hotel & Residences
  • The Austonian
  • 5 Fifty Five at Hilton

Most Popular

  • The Shore
  • 360 Condos
  • Seaholm Condos
  • Spring Condos
  • Milago Condos

New Construction

  • The Independent
  • 70 Rainey
  • Austin Proper
  • Fifth & West

Loft Style

  • Austin City Lofts
  • Brazos Place
  • The Sabine
  • Plaza Lofts
  • Avenue Lofts
  • Brazos Lofts
  • Brown Building

Resources

  • Austin Condo Guide
  • Condos For Sale
  • Condo Buyer FAQ
  • Property Search

Featured

Archives

Newsletter · About · Contact Us · DMCA · Privacy Policy · SLAPP · Copyright © 2007-2022 TOWERS.net · All Rights Reserved
 

Loading Comments...