[00:00:01] OKAY. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION. [Landmark Commission on July 17, 2023.] TODAY IS MONDAY, JULY 17TH, AND THE TIME IS 401, SO WE'LL START WITH ATTENDANCE. COMMISSIONER BAKER WILL BE ABSENT TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBER COLLINS WILL BE ABSENT TODAY. OKAY, GREAT. DO ANY OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ANY OF THE CASES THAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY? SEEING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES. DO YOU SEE ANY CHANGES, CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? NOPE. NO. SEEING NONE. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? NO PUBLIC COMMENT WAS RECEIVED. NO PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT CASES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, MEANING THAT THESE CASES ARE NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE DESIGN GUIDELINES. THEY MEET ALL OF THE CRITERIA REQUESTED TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THESE THREE CASES, WHICH IS 2301 STRAND 1423 ROSENBERG AND 3008 TENTH AVENUE? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ON MY ZOOM, GIRL. I'M ALL SET. OKAY. DOES ANYBODY WANT ONE OF THESE CASES PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER ON THE REGULAR AGENDA? SEEING NONE, I'M GOING TO MOVE. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SARAH MAKES A MOTION. I HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? UNANIMOUS. DO I HAVE MY ZOOM, GIRL? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION. IT'S A NEW BUSINESS AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE FIRST ONE IS CASE 23LC-027 1620 WINNIE AVENUE, G. ALL RIGHTY. SO, AS STATED, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A LANDMARK DESIGNATION AT THE STATED ADDRESS. THERE WERE 32 PUBLIC NOTICES SENT. ONE OF THOSE RETURNED. THAT ONE WAS IN FAVOR. THE ERNEST SEALY THIS IS THE WE'RE CALLING IT THE EARNEST SEALING HOUSE. WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE, BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT EARLY. EARNEST SEALY, SR. WAS BORN IN HANNOVER, GERMANY, 1821 AND MIGRATED TO GALVESTON IN 1845 AT THE AGE OF 21. ORIGINALLY TRAINED IN SADDLERY, SOON OPENED HIS OWN BUSINESS, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO EXPAND HIS VENTURES, WHICH INCLUDED REAL ESTATE, AND THAT INCLUDED A TENANT HOUSE AT 15 1509 MECHANIC, WHICH IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SEALING BILL HOUSE. MR. SEALING MARRIED ANNA FRICKER IN 1849. SHE PASSED AWAY ONE YEAR LATER. HE LATER MARRIED JACINTA FREW OF GALVESTON. TOGETHER THEY HAD A SON AND THREE DAUGHTERS. MR. SEALY DID NOT RESIDE AT THE HOUSE AT 1620 WINNIE, RATHER, IT WAS BUILT FOR HIS DAUGHTER CLARA, AND HER HUSBAND, WORTHY BOYD. BOYD WORKED AS A COTTON WEIGHER AND FOUNDED THE SEALY RIFLES, A SPORTS SHOOTING TEAM WITH WHOM HE WON A NUMBER OF COMPETITIONS. THE BOYS DID NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN, SO THE HOUSE OF 1620 WINNIE WAS COMPLETED IN 1890. THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION AND ESTIMATE OF THE RESIDENCE WAS DESCRIBED AS TWO STOREY HOME WITH A SLATE ROOF AND GAS LIGHTING HAD SIX ROOMS WITH KITCHEN AND BATHROOM. HOUSE HAD TWO BRICK FLUES, NO CLOSETS, BOASTED ONE DOUBLE AND TWO SINGLE GALLERIES WITH JIGSAWN BRACKETS AND TURNED BALUSTERS. BY 1933, THE PROPERTY HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO INCLUDE THREE APARTMENTS, BUT LATER WAS RETURNED TO A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING AS IT IS TODAY. THE ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSE IS FOLK VICTORIAN, TWO STOREY HOME WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD BOARDS. ORIGINAL FRONT DOOR IS CONSTRUCTED WITH TWO SIDELIGHTS AND TRANSOM WINDOW. ALL THE WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE HAVE THE ORIGINAL DOUBLE HUNG WOOD FRAME WINDOWS AS WELL. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN HISTORIC DISTRICT, IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES FOR NEW LANDMARKS. PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HEAR THIS REQUEST AT THE JULY 18TH, 2023 MEETING. CITY COUNCIL, OF COURSE, HAS A FINAL DECISION REGARDING LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS. THEY WILL HEAR THIS REQUEST AT THE AUGUST 24TH, 2023 MEETING, AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH STANDARD CONDITION ONE IN THE STAFF REPORT. AND WE HAVE SOME PHOTOS. SO HERE IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AS IT LOOKS TODAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. OH, THAT'S. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S A NEW. SOMETHING LOOKED WRONG. YEAH. I WAS 27. I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO BE IN THERE SOMEWHERE. BUT DO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND FINISH THIS AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE OTHER ONE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT ALL OF THIS WHILE IT'S FRESH IN OUR MIND. [00:05:09] SO NO, THESE ARE NOT CONSENT AGENDA. SO IT'S 23LC-030. THERE WE GO. 3205 URSULINE AVENUE. HERE WE GO. WE GOT IT. IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER. SO HERE'S THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. NOW HERE'S THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST, TO THE SOUTH, TO THE WEST. AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT. OKAY. UM. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NO. WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK IF MR. OR MRS. RENNISON ARE HERE. IS THAT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE IT, SIR? WOULD YOU LIKE TO STEP UP AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY, PLEASE? GOOD AFTERNOON. WELL, HE PRETTY MUCH COVERED IT ALL. WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND IT WAS IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE AND NEEDED A LOT OF WORK. FOUNDATION AND STUFF. IT HADN'T BEEN TAKEN CARE OF SINCE HURRICANE IKE. WE FIXED THE FOUNDATION, DID A LOT OF COSMETIC REPAIR, GOT THE HOUSE PAINTED, AND ACTUALLY IT WAS IN LAST MONTH'S COAST MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTED IN THERE. MY WIFE, THE AWESOME INTERIOR DECORATOR, DID THE INSIDE AND IT LOOKS FANTASTIC. HOUSE HAS SOME REALLY COOL HISTORY, THOUGH. MR. SEALY WAS A PRETTY WELL KNOWN GUY. KIND OF ALL AROUND BUSINESSMAN AND HIS DAUGHTER CLARA AND SON IN LAW WORTHY BOYD LIVED IN THE HOUSE UNTIL. FROM 1890 TO APPROXIMATELY 1923, WHEN THEY MOVED INTO A HOUSE THAT ERNEST SEALY PASSED AWAY IN ABOUT 22ND AND K, AND THEY STAYED IN THAT HOUSE UNTIL THEY PASSED AWAY. AND THEN FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS JUST TENANT HOUSING. AND AFTER THE 1960 CITY DIRECTORY STOP, IT WAS REALLY HARD TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT WE BOUGHT IT FROM SOME PEOPLE FROM DALLAS WHO HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO FIX IT UP, BUT THEN THEIR PARENTS WERE GETTING ELDERLY AND THEY WANTED TO STAY IN THE DALLAS AREA. SO WE WE GOT VERY FORTUNATE AND WE BOUGHT IT LIVING TWO HOUSES DOWN, TWO HOUSES DOWN. 1610 WAS OUR FOREVER HOME UNTIL THIS ONE CAME UP FOR SALE. AND WE DON'T KNOW THE TERM FOREVER. I GUESS IT USED TO BE YELLOW. IT WAS A BLUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, LIKE FIVE, TEN YEARS AGO. WAS THIS A YELLOW ONE? I DON'T THINK IT WAS YELLOW. IT WAS KIND OF. OH 1610, OUR OTHER HOUSE WAS WHEN AND WE GOT THAT ONE DONE THE LANDMARK TWO YEARS AGO. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL HOME. IT'S VERY, VERY PRETTY. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS WE DID TO THE HOUSE WAS TRIM THOSE HUGE OAK TREES OUT FRONT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALIZE YOU COULDN'T SEE THE HOUSE. AND WE WALKED BY IT 100 TIMES AND COULDN'T SEE THE HOUSE ONCE WE GOT THOSE TREES TRIMMED. OH MY GOSH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. SO. AND THAT'S MR. RENNISON. NO. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS CASE? NO. OKAY. I'M GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR REFERRAL TO CITY COUNCIL AS A LANDMARK DESIGNATION. SARAH MAKES A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND SHARON ALL IN FAVOR OF RECOMMENDING TO CITY COUNCIL THAT IT BE DESIGNATED AS A LANDMARK? OKAY, WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR. GREAT. OKAY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO CASE 23LC-03. OH, BY THE WAY, CONGRATULATIONS, MR. RENNISON. 23LC-030. AND IT'S EVEN BETTER THE SECOND TIME. THAT'S RIGHT. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AT 3205 AVENUE N THE REQUEST FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION. ONCE AGAIN, 32 PUBLIC NOTICES WERE SENT AND ONCE AGAIN, ONE RETURNED IN FAVOR. SO THIS HOUSE WE'RE CALLING THE BURKE HOUSE CONTRACTOR, JAMES BURKE, ACQUIRED THE HOUSE IN 1894 FOR USE AS A TENANT RENTAL PROPERTY FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS 1894. INSURANCE RECORDS NOTE THAT THE HOUSE EXISTED AS EARLY AS 1886 WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED AND ENLARGED. THE HOUSE WAS FURTHER MODIFIED TO ITS CURRENT APPEARANCE AROUND 1924, WHICH ELIMINATED THE ORIGINAL TWO STOREY GALLERY IN FAVOR OF A GROUND FLOOR WRAPAROUND PORCH. ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT 2617 AVENUE M WAS MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION IN 1924 TO MAKE WAY FOR EXPANSION OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WAS THE STATE'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL. CENTRAL HIGH WAS ESTABLISHED ORIGINALLY IN 1885. AND OF COURSE, NICHOLAS CLAYTON WAS THE ARCHITECT OF RECORD. IN 1899, GALVESTON CITY DIRECTORY NOTES DALLAS SMITH AS OCCUPANT OF 2617 AVENUE M NOTES MR. SMITH WAS EMPLOYED BY TAYLOR COTTON COMPRESS AT 30TH STREET POST OFFICE. IT WAS MR. SMITH'S WIDOW AND DAUGHTER WHO MOVED THE HOUSE TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION. DALLAS SMITH WAS BORN IN ALABAMA, WORKED AS A COTTON WHERE HIS WIFE ELIZABETH, WAS ORIGINALLY FROM MISSISSIPPI. TOGETHER THEY HAD ONE DAUGHTER, ANONA OR NONA SMITH SHE GREW UP IN, WAS BORN IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, BUT GREW UP HERE IN GALVESTON. [00:10:05] I ATTENDED GALVESTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE LATER STUDIED AT FISK UNIVERSITY IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK. RETURNING TO GALVESTON, SHE BECAME THE DEAN OF STUDENTS AT CENTRAL HIGH IN 1937 AFTER KNOWN AS PASSING IN 1944. THE HOUSE WAS OWNED BY WILLARD DICKERSON, WHO WAS ALSO AN EDUCATOR WHO SERVED AS A TEACHER, COUNSELOR AND BAND DIRECTOR AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY AND ATTENDED HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN GALVESTON. HIS WIFE, RUBY LEE SYKES, WAS BORN IN ALASKA, TEXAS, AND WORKED AS A HOMEMAKER AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER. HOUSE REMAINED IN THEIR FAMILY UNTIL 2008. WHILE HISTORIC PHOTOS INDICATE THE HOUSE IS CHANGING APPEARANCE OVER TIME, THESE CHANGES APPEAR TO DATE TO 1924, MAKING THEM HISTORIC IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE HOUSE'S STRONG ASSOCIATION WITH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND NOTEWORTHY AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATORS DURING POST-CIVIL WAR SEGREGATION MAKES AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE CITY'S LANDMARK PROGRAM. THE PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONAL FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES FOR NEW LANDMARKS. ONCE AGAIN, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HEAR THIS REQUEST AT THE JULY 18TH MEETING. 2023. AND ONCE AGAIN, CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE THE FINAL DETERMINATION AT THEIR AUGUST 24TH, 2023 MEETING. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH STANDARD CONDITION ONE, THE STAFF REPORT AND WE HAVE SOME PHOTOS. SO HERE IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AS IT SITS TODAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND HERE WE HAVE THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, TO THE EAST, TO THE WEST. AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT. OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NO. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK IF MRS. SALZMAN OR MR. TUCKER IS HERE. WOULD LIKE TO. OKAY. OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO STEP FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND SIGN IN AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR SWEET LITTLE PROPERTY? I WILL. MY NAME IS SARAH SALZMAN AND MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN THE HOUSE. WE BOUGHT IT IN 2015 AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE JUST BEEN ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES THIS HOUSE SO WONDERFUL. IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT FOR MR. BURKE. WE PREFER WE PREFER TO CALL IT THE SMITH DICKERSON HOME, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TWO FAMILIES THAT LIVED THERE THE LONGEST. AND ANONA SMITH, WHO WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE DOW AND ELIZABETH SMITH, WHO FIRST OWNED THE HOUSE, SHE I'M STUNNED BY THE FACT THAT SHE IS A SINGLE YOUNG BLACK WOMAN, WENT TO NEW YORK TO GO TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, TO BECOME A TEACHER, TO COME BACK TO GALVESTON AND THEN WORK AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND EVENTUALLY BECAME THE DEAN OF GIRLS AT CENTRAL. THE FAMILY THAT BOUGHT THE HOUSE FROM THEM, WHICH IS WILLARD DICKERSON. AND I'VE GOT I'M NOT GOING TO READ YOU ANYTHING, BUT THERE'S INFORMATION ON HIM IN BOTH ISLAND OF COLOR AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS OF GALVESTON COUNTY. IN ADDITION TO BEING A TEACHER AND A BANDLEADER, HE HAD A JAZZ BAND IN TOWN THAT WAS VERY POPULAR AND HE HAD A JAZZ TRIO. I'M SORRY, WERE YOU. OH, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WANTED TO ASK. I'M SORRY. SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT, HE APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE FOUND, WAS THE ONE WHO ENCOURAGED HIS STUDENTS TO DO ONE OF THE FIRST PEACEFUL LUNCH COUNTER SIT INS IN GALVESTON. SO HE WAS INVOLVED WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AS WELL. IT'S A WONDERFUL HOUSE. WE LOVE THE FACT THAT IT WAS MOVED THERE. AND WHEN WE FIRST WENT TO SPEAK TO JAMI AT THE HISTORICAL FOUNDATION, SHE KEPT LOOKING AT MAPS AND GOING, WELL, THERE'S YOUR HOUSE. WELL, THERE'S YOUR HOUSE. AND IT TOOK US A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. BUT WHEN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL WAS BUILT, WAS EXPANDED. THEY PUT IT ON A TRUCK, I GUESS, OR OXEN OR SOMETHING AND DRAGGED IT ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE OF 25TH. AND IT'S A MARVELOUS HOUSE. IT'S GOT SOME OF THE ORIGINAL FEATURES IN IT. THE WOOD FLOORS ARE ORIGINAL. IT DID HAVE A WRAPAROUND PORCH AT ONE TIME, WHICH IS NOW A DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM, BUT MOST OF IT IS STILL PRETTY INTACT AND WE LOVE IT DEARLY. WOW, THAT'S INCREDIBLE. WE HAD ANOTHER APPLICANT THAT CAME IN TO US EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND HER HOUSE WAS RELATED, I BELIEVE, TO MRS. MCGUIRE, WASN'T IT? AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE FASCINATION OF A LOT OF THESE LANDMARKS THAT COME FORWARD IS IT'S NOT JUST THAT THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE HISTORY AND BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN IT, IT SHINES A LIGHT ON THEM, WHICH ARE OFTENTIMES KIND OF THE UNSUNG HEROES IN OUR IN OUR SOCIETY IN THOSE DAYS. RIGHT. AND WE ALSO FEEL THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT HOUSE IN THE HISTORY OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. ABSOLUTELY. WITH TWO DIFFERENT FAMILIES WHO LIVED THERE. THEY ALSO HAD A LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BACK YARD, WHICH IS NO LONGER THERE. THAT WAS RENTED OUT TO TEACHERS AT THE SCHOOL. SO IT'S JUST GOT ALL KINDS OF COOL STUFF IN IT. THAT'S REALLY COOL. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD. [00:15:02] AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS. Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I SAW A FOR SALE SIGN. AND THIS MAY BE AN OLD PICTURE. I THINK IF YOU HAD TO HAVE SINCE 2015, YES, WE HAVE HAD THE HOUSE SINCE 2015. WE RECENTLY HAD IT REPAINTED. WE WERE THINKING ABOUT SELLING IT. IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT LEAVING IT. IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE. BUT THE LAST PICTURE THAT IS IN THE HANDOUT THAT YOU HAVE IS ONE OF THE PICTURES HAS IT WITH A WHITE FACADE. AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. AND SO WE HAD HALLMARK COME OUT AND HELP US RESTORE IT. SWEET HOUSE. AS I SEE YOU, I RECOGNIZE YOU. IT'S JUST THAT SINCE THIS HOME IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT IF YOU WERE TO BE SOLD, SOMETIMES YOU GET SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A HISTORIC HOME. OH, IF WE GET A PLAQUE ON THAT, IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT WHERE EVERYBODY CAN SEE. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS PROPERTY? NO. WELL, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. SHARON. SARAH. DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE LEFT. SO I HAVE TO ASK, IS THERE ANYTHING ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING? FOR DISCUSSION? NO. WHAT ABOUT MY ZOOMIE? NO? OKAY, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.