Clark
  Lyda
   
   
   March
  18,
  2013
   To
  the
  residents
  of
  the
  Hancock
  neighborhood:
   While
  I
  have
  had
  the
  pleasure
  of
  meeting
  many
  of
  you,
  there
  are
  still
  many
  others
  who
  I
  have
  not
  had
   the
  opportunity
  to
  get
  acquainted
  with.
  
  In
  making
  decisions
  about
  your
  neighborhood,
  I
  thought
  it
   might
  be
  helpful
  to
  know
  a
  bit
  more
  about
  me
  in
  terms
  of
  assessing
  my
  background
  and
  intent
  and
   credibility.
  
  I
  apologize
  in
  advance
  for
  the
  length
  of
  this
  letter
  ­
  I
  assure
  you
  it
  is
  not
  because
  I
  enjoy
   writing
  about
  myself,
  but
  rather
  springs
  from
  a
  desire
  for
  you
  to
  better
  understand
  my
  earnest
  affection
   for
  your
  neighborhood
  and
  for
  the
  Perry
  Estate
  in
  particular.
   I
  was
  born
  in
  St.
  David's
  Hospital
  on
  32nd
  Street
  in
  1961.
  
  I
  spent
  my
  childhood
  on
  my
  family's
  farm
   between
  Austin
  and
  Round
  Rock,
  just
  north
  of
  where
  the
  Domain
  is
  now
  located
  ­
  at
  that
  time
  the
   northern
  Austin
  city
  limits
  ended
  at
  Burnet
  Road
  and
  Anderson
  Lane.
  
  
   My
  maternal
  grandparents
  and
  two
  great
  aunts
  lived
  in
  Hyde
  Park
  and
  one
  great
  uncle
  lived
  in
  Hancock
   during
  my
  childhood,
  so
  I
  spent
  a
  great
  deal
  of
  time
  wandering
  the
  neighborhood
  ­
  among
  my
  favorite
   spots
  were
  the
  fishpond
  at
  Brown's
  Flowers,
  the
  Ney
  museum,
  the
  Avenue
  B
  Grocery,
  the
  courtyard
  of
   Hancock
  Center,
  and
  of
  course
  the
  Hancock
  golf
  course.
  
  
   I
  first
  set
  foot
  on
  the
  Perry
  Estate
  in
  1975
  when
  my
  parents
  enrolled
  me
  in
  high
  school
  at
  the
  Christian
   Academy
  of
  Austin
  (shortly
  thereafter
  it
  became
  Town-Country
  School
  and
  ultimately
  Perry
  School).
  
  It
   was
  truly
  a
  case
  of
  love
  at
  first
  sight
  ­
  I
  think
  it
  was
  some
  combination
  of
  the
  history
  of
  the
  place,
  the
   sense
  of
  mystery
  and
  decayed
  grandeur
  surrounding
  the
  mansion,
  and
  just
  the
  fact
  that
  this
  very
  lovely
   place
  existed
  in
  the
  middle
  of
  the
  city.
  
  I
  spent
  large
  parts
  of
  my
  high
  school
  years
  exploring
  the
  grounds
   of
  the
  Estate
  and
  Waller
  Creek
  and
  wandering
  the
  neighborhood,
  having
  lunch
  at
  Burger
  Chef
  on
  41st,
   running
  around
  the
  perimeter
  of
  the
  golf
  course
  (a
  requirement
  of
  gym
  class
  that
  I
  hated),
  and
  hanging
   out
  at
  Hancock
  Center.
   I
  graduated
  from
  Perry
  School
  in
  1979,
  from
  Southwestern
  University
  in
  Georgetown
  in
  1982,
  and
  from
   U.T.
  Law
  School
  in
  1985.
  
  While
  attending
  law
  school
  I
  lived
  in
  a
  house
  we
  owned
  on
  Washington
  Square
   and
  my
  study
  partner
  lived
  on
  Speedway
  at
  41st
  Street,
  so
  once
  again
  I
  spent
  a
  great
  deal
  of
  time
  in
  the
   neighborhood.
  
  The
  fork
  in
  the
  road
  was
  our
  standard
  late
  night
  dinner
  and
  study
  place,
  and
  it,
  along
   with
  Julio's
  and
  Mother's
  and
  Trudy's,
  comprised
  the
  bulk
  of
  my
  meal
  plan
  during
  those
  years.
  
  
   I
  continued
  to
  be
  involved
  with
  Perry
  School
  until
  its
  closure
  in
  the
  early
  90's,
  and
  I
  maintained
  my
   friendship
  with
  the
  family
  that
  owned
  the
  Estate
  through
  the
  following
  years,
  but
  family
  matters
  (my
   father's
  death
  and
  my
  mother's
  descent
  into
  Alzheimer's)
  caused
  me
  to
  move
  to
  Georgetown
  in
  1993.
  

{002.00104803.2}
  


  


   As
  I
  watched
  Austin
  grow
  from
  a
  city
  of
  150,000
  people
  to
  its
  current
  size,
  I
  was
  often
  angered
  by
   changes
  in
  places
  that
  I
  knew
  and
  loved
  -
  from
  the
  demolition
  many
  years
  ago
  of
  the
  wonderful
  Green
   Acres
  Miniature
  Golf
  Course
  on
  Burnet
  Road
  and
  its
  replacement
  with
  mini-warehouses,
  to
  the
  more
   recent
  demolition
  of
  the
  original
  Frisco
  shop
  on
  Burnet
  Road
  and
  its
  replacement
  with
  a
  Walgreens,
  to
   the
  demolition
  of
  the
  Villa
  Capri
  Motel
  on
  I35
  and
  its
  replacement
  with
  a
  UT
  football
  practice
  field,
  to
   the
  "remodel"
  of
  Hancock
  Center
  that
  eliminated
  its
  wonderful
  courtyards,
  to
  the
  gentrification
  and
   rebranding
  of
  South
  Congress
  Avenue.
  
  
   It
  often
  seemed
  that
  the
  only
  constants
  in
  the
  Austin
  of
  my
  memory
  were
  change
  and
  growth,
  and
  it
   often
  seemed
  that
  the
  majority
  of
  the
  change
  was
  for
  the
  worse,
  but
  I
  suspect
  the
  truth
  is
  more
   nuanced
  than
  that.
  
  But
  as
  a
  general
  rule,
  I
  think
  it's
  fair
  to
  say
  that
  the
  built
  environment
  that
  replaces
   the
  demolished
  places
  is
  conventional,
  less-detailed,
  less
  loveable,
  and
  far
  less
  likely
  to
  become
  a
   memorable,
  much
  less
  iconic,
  part
  of
  our
  environment.
   I
  have
  often
  been
  frustrated
  by
  a
  development
  process
  in
  Austin
  that,
  I
  believe,
  effectively
  stifles
   creativity
  and
  innovation
  through
  ordinances
  that
  encourage
  conventional
  and/or
  compromise
   development,
  and
  through
  an
  entitlement
  process
  that,
  by
  its
  length
  and
  cost,
  encourages
  pursuing
  the
   conventional
  path
  of
  least
  resistance,
  rewards
  design-by-committee
  and
  compromise,
  
  and
  ensures
  that
   only
  conventional
  institutional
  developers
  can
  survive
  and
  bring
  projects
  to
  fruition.
  
  
   This
  frustration
  is
  made
  greater
  by
  the
  recognition
  that
  many
  of
  the
  places
  we
  love,
  and
  now
  view
  as
   iconic
  and
  irreplaceable
  parts
  of
  Austin,
  were
  often
  the
  controversial
  product
  of
  an
  individual
  vision
  ­
   places
  like
  the
  Hyde
  Park
  and
  Hancock
  neighborhoods,
  for
  example.
  
  They
  were
  not
  designed
  or
  built
  by
   consensus
  or
  committee
  or
  pension
  fund
  or
  REIT.
  
  And
  most
  could
  likely
  not
  now
  be
  either
  entitled
  or
   built
  under
  existing
  rules
  and
  processes.
  
  
   To
  drill
  down
  even
  further,
  many
  of
  the
  places
  that
  residents
  cite
  as
  the
  reasons
  why
  Hyde
  Park
  and
   Hancock
  are
  extraordinary
  urban
  neighborhoods
  ­
  the
  retail
  strip
  along
  Duval
  between
  41st
  and
  43rd
  that
   includes
  Hyde
  Park
  Bar
  and
  Grill,
  Mother's,
  Julio's,
  Asti,
  Fresh
  Plus,
  Quack's,
  Antonelli's,
  and
  Dolce
  Vita,
   for
  example
  -
  would
  likely
  never
  be
  permitted
  if
  they
  had
  to
  be
  entitled
  today.
  
   When
  the
  opportunity
  came
  to
  purchase
  the
  Perry
  Estate,
  I
  knew
  that
  I
  only
  wanted
  to
  take
  it
  on
  if
  I
  had
   the
  financial
  means
  and
  design
  resources
  to
  do
  an
  exemplary
  job
  of
  the
  redevelopment.
  
  To
  that
  end
  I
   set
  about
  looking
  for,
  and
  was
  lucky
  to
  find,
  a
  financial
  partner
  with
  a
  deep
  understanding
  of
  the
   extraordinary
  character
  of
  the
  property
  and
  a
  shared
  vision
  of
  the
  Estate's
  possibilities.
  
  We
  have
  spent
   the
  last
  three
  years
  stabilizing
  the
  property
  and
  thinking
  about
  its
  future,
  and
  we
  are
  now
  asking
  for
  the
   neighborhood's
  approval
  of
  our
  vision.
   Our
  proposal
  for
  the
  future
  of
  the
  Perry
  Estate
  is
  one
  that
  I
  have
  been
  thinking
  about,
  and
  talking
  with
   many
  others
  about,
  for
  well
  over
  20
  years.
  
  It
  is
  designed
  to
  preserve
  the
  essential
  character
  of
  the
   Estate
  while
  giving
  it
  a
  new
  and
  sustainable
  mission.
  
  It
  is
  designed
  to
  be
  non-intrusive
  to
  its
  neighbors
   and
  to
  have
  only
  positive
  impacts
  on
  its
  surroundings.
  
  It
  is
  designed
  to
  be
  a
  destination
  property
  for
  a
   very
  small
  number
  of
  permanent
  residents
  and
  hotel
  guests
  ­
  the
  net
  impact
  on
  the
  property
  is
   designed
  to
  be
  far
  less
  than
  would
  occur
  if
  the
  property
  were
  fully
  developed
  for
  existing
  permitted
   {002.00104803.2}
   
  


   uses,
  and
  to
  be
  much
  more
  compatible
  with
  the
  character
  of
  the
  Estate
  and
  the
  existing
  neighborhood
   than
  development
  under
  the
  current
  zoning.
   The
  guiding
  principles
  of
  our
  proposal
  are:
   - - - - - - - - - - it
  is
  less
  disruptive
  and/or
  intrusive
  than
  current
  or
  permitted
  uses
  under
  the
  existing
   zoning;
  
   it
  enhances
  or,
  in
  the
  worst
  case,
  has
  no
  negative
  effect
  on
  surrounding
  property
  values
  and
   livability;
  
   it
  offers
  direct
  benefits
  to
  the
  adjacent
  neighbors
  and
  the
  larger
  neighborhood
  and
  City;
   It
  is
  environmentally
  sustainable
  and
  green
  in
  design,
  construction,
  and
  operation;
   It
  is
  respectful
  of
  Mr.
  Perry's
  vision
  and
  the
  memories
  of
  multiple
  generations
  who
  have
   loved
  the
  property
  either
  as
  students
  or
  guests;
   It
  is
  respectful
  of
  the
  existing
  residents
  of
  the
  neighborhood
  and
  their
  desire
  for
  privacy
  and
   quiet;
   It
  buffers
  the
  neighborhood
  from
  Red
  River
  Street,
  Hancock
  Center,
  and
  IH
  35;
   It
  accommodates
  limited
  public
  access
  and
  use
  of
  the
  Estate
  and
  provides
  an
  economically
   sustainable
  mission
  that
  will
  ensure
  the
  preservation
  of
  the
  Estate;
   It
  provides
  for
  the
  permanent
  legal
  protection
  of
  the
  historic
  features
  of
  the
  Estate;
   It
  creates
  a
  low-impact
  development
  that
  will
  become
  an
  iconic
  feature
  in
  the
  neighborhood
   and
  the
  city
  

I
  hope
  that
  this
  letter
  has
  given
  at
  least
  a
  few
  of
  you
  a
  clearer
  appreciation
  of
  why
  I
  have
  undertaken
  this
   project
  and
  my
  motives
  and
  intent.
  
  I
  am
  always
  happy
  to
  visit
  by
  phone
  or
  email
  or
  to
  respond
  to
   questions,
  and
  I
  look
  forward
  to
  working
  with
  your
  neighborhood
  as
  the
  future
  of
  the
  Perry
  Estate
   unfolds.
   
   Clark
  Lyda
  
   Cell
  512.635.0002
   Email
  clarklyda@gmail.com
   
   
  

{002.00104803.2}