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Tovo said some of the original façades will be incorporated into the redevelopment and Oil Can Harry’s will have the opportunity to return to the space once it is complete. Tovo spoke with the developer and said he recognizes the significance of Oil Can Harry’s and has been working with the owner. Fourth St., which includes Oil Can Harry’s and two other queer-friendly businesses, Coconut Club and Neon Grotto. Another new development proposal would demolish 201-213 W. ” A building would have to show architectural significance… and cultural historic significance.”Ī couple of blocks south of The Iron Bear is Oil Can Harry’s, Austin’s oldest LGBT entertainment venue.
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“(The designation process) actually asks properties to qualify in a few different categories,” said District 9 Council Member Kathie Tovo, who represents the district where the business is located. (Photo: Samuel Stark, Reporting Texas TV)įor an Austin building to be considered a historic landmark, the Austin Historic Landmark Commission must first approve historic zoning, followed by a city council designation. I mostly go to this bar on Friday/Saturdays. I can tell you that its a decent gay bar. “It was kind of a shock that the owner was trying to work with another company and tear down the building,” Beshear added.Ī utility box at the intersection of Fourth and Colorado Streets, near many of Austin’s gay bars, bears the colors of the Philadelphia Pride Flag. This is a review for gay bars near Downtown Austin, Austin, TX: 'I have been coming to OCH for 8 years now. When they moved into their current location, the owners were aware the building would be torn down at some point, but said there were no other options in the downtown area.Īlthough the owners were aware of the impending demolition of the structure, they did not think it would happen so soon. The Iron Bear moved from Eighth Street to Sixth Street in February 2020, just three weeks before the first shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the commission recommends historic zoning to the city council at their May 4 meeting, the council will need a supermajority vote to approve the action. The Historic Landmark Commission’s action paused the proposed demolition. Many in the queer community decried the proposed demolition of The Iron Bear, which led Austin’s Historic Landmark Commission to initiate historic zoning on the bar’s building. The Iron Bear, along with some other queer-friendly spaces on Fourth Street, may soon be demolished to make room for new developments going into the downtown area. It’s important to have spaces like what we are,” Beshear said. “The Iron Bear is place that catches the people that don’t really fit in the stereotypical gay mold. Bengie Beshear, a co-owner of the venue, describes it as welcoming to all types of gay men. AUSTIN, Texas - Nestled among skyscrapers in Austin’s booming downtown area is The Iron Bear, a beloved gay bar on West Sixth Street.