Projects, 1980 - 2008:
You Scream Ice Cream (1980)
The heart and star detail on the booth end, right, designed & carved in clear, heart redwood, is fairly representative of my “hippie carpenter” period. 2 of the 3 original booths remain, having survived the location’s former incarnation, The Beach, and current tenant, the Crown and Anchor Pub.
Liberty Lunch (1981)
As I drove to work each morning, I would see Jim Franklin sitting in his VW Bug, capturing, on paper, the demolition of the Armadillo World Headquarters. As the old Armory quonset hut yielded to the wrecking ball, the recycled wood and metal was transported directly over to a former lumberyard site and current “space between two buildings” that had become Liberty Lunch.
If you happen to recall the 2nd St. entrance facade, or remember watching shows through the facade’s diagonal lattice, from outside (although “inside” and “outside” were still essentially the same, at that time), you may appreciate the silly fact that the “viewing ports”, created by the diagonal lattice, which allowed you hear and see, uninterrupted, the entire width of the stage, were sized for just that reason.
Club Foot (1983 and ‘84)
Designed and built the tiered seating on the upper level, the big oak bar in the entry, and the orange formica bar, down under. What was Club Foot like? Getting paid for my work, backstage, then being introduced to a highly energized Carl Perkins, just coming off stage. Mr. Perkins headlined, but the night was marked by a smokin’ hot opening by the Joe Ely Band, with 14 yr old “Little Charlie” (Sexton) quite dramatically sitting in for injured lead guitarist, Jesse Taylor.
Baze Hair Design (1983)
Designed and built with assistance from August. That his ’49 Ford, in which Greater Tuna’s Bertha Bumiller and Vera Carp, (best friends Joe Sears and Jason WIlliams) make their arrival, for their regular “hair-do appointment”, on the opening day of my late friend, Kenny Baze’s, hair salon.
Brad First’s Cannibal Club (198?)
Rock and Roll Carpentry
Amy’s Ice Cream, Arboretum (1985)
A whole lot of fun. Smallest, but highest grossing Amy’s store for a time.
My daughter, Marianne was born during this project.
Her first non-Mother’s-milk food, ever? .....
Why, Mexican Vanilla, of course!
The Continental Club (1987)
4 or 5 formerly strapping, suntanned independent contractors had formed a crew, during the 80’s bust, and, now pale from hanging sheetrock in the same building for 8 straight months, tore into the venerable but dilapidated building, that had been the Continental Club, till the night the roof, and water-filled tarp above the stage gave way.
We got fussed at, through the front door, by loyal music fans, for destroying “everything”, even as we stripped the top 2 layers of putrid carpet, and 3 more layers of rotting flooring (sheet vinyl on top of a 3rd, lower carpet layer, which lay over the original, rotted, wood flooring). I laid the current floor tiles at 4 in the morning, specifically so owner Steve Wertheimer could open for New Year’s Eve.
We peeled just as many layers off of the walls. One day, removing a sheet faux, wood-grained paneling revealed one of the namesake “Continental” murals, quickly identified in a photo that can now be seen on the wall behind the current bar.
West Lynn Cafe (198?)
The most fun was placing those 18 ‘ tall windows in the front facade. Heard and watched a car knock fiddler Ralph White off his bike, in the intersection. Took breaks to talk with Raymond Taytum, over at Jeffrey’s
Amy’s Ice Cream, Original Store (1990)
All you can eat Ice Cream, on the job? Oh, the horror. The horror. Gained 30 lbs, easy. Also gained a lot of great friends, including Phil, Amy’s production manager, who is sorely missed by many.
Wine Rep - Quality Beverages (what?) (1990 - 1993)
Magnolia Cafe - South Congress (1993)
Literally tore the roof off of the old South Austin Bar and Grill. Pulled Permits and designed, with owner Kent Cole, the hanging prep tables on the cook line.
Waterloo Brewing Company (1993)
Created, side by side with Billy Forrester, a lot of materials, and a big crew, to become the First brewpub in Texas. Billy got the Brew Pub Bill passed.
SxSW - Austin Chronicle (1996)
Site Plan, Landscaping Design - New Corporate Office Bldg, Parking
Site Plan - Volleyball Court, Parking, and Chronicle Office Bldg.
Threadgill’s Beer Garden (2002)
The Tom Hatch designed stage is remarkable, structurally and asthetically. Site Plan Exemption resulted in over “7,000 Parking Spaces Available!”
Jerri Kunz Design (2002)
Jerri’s impeccable Front Yard and Sidewalk mods
Capelli Hair Salon (2002)
Ryder Truck Rental (2002)
Billy’s on Burnet (2004)
Innu Hair Salon (2004)
Adesa Auctions Austin (2005)
CVS Pharmacy - All Austin Locations (2005)
Capp’s Van Rental (2006)
Cothron’s Safe and Lock (2006)
The Compound, during SxSW, (2007-8)
Temporary Permits resolved one month after being
shut down, mid party.
For Lacy Maxwell Productions
Habana Calle Annex during SxSW, (2005. 2006)
Youthworks Warehouse during SxSW, (2007 - 2008)
Terry Sayther Automotive, (2007)
The BMW master. Site and Canopy improvements.
The Music Gym (2007-8), and during SxSW (2008)
Band rehearsal rooms, and after a Parking Variance, band rehearsal rooms with a performance space, bar, and outdoor patio.
Spider House, United States Art Authority (2007-8)
New Year’s Eve 2007, and during SxSW in 2008
An emerging artcentric Community Center being created at what appears to be a growing entertainment and cultural district.
Unofficial, Temporary Public Assembly Clients, for venues used during the 2008 South by Southwest Music Festival
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1. The Levi’s®/FADER Fort, for Lacy Maxwell Productions
206 - 216 E. 4th St. (in association with American Youthworks)
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2. Music Gym
815 E. 6th Street - (aka, 517 N. IH 35)
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3. Texas Garage - Produced by JellyNYC
Featuring iheartcomix and much more.
421 W 3rd St.
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4. United States Art Authority
2906 Fruth St. (Next to Spider House)
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5. Spider House
2908 Fruth St. (Next to United States Art Authority … ;^)
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6. Emerald City Press
915 N. Lamar Ave.
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7. The Compound
1300 E 4th St.
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8. Urban Outfitters
2406 Guadalupe St.
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9. The Red Barn and Brentwood Tavern
6701 Burnet Rd. (Former Travis County Farmer’s Market)
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and lastly, my favorite of the year:
10. “The Venue that needed no Permit, and we have a Permit to prove it!”
408 Josephine (Future home of “West”)
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