Its name is a reference to the oldest gay club in Los Angeles, Oil Can Harry’s.
Oilcan Harry’s at 211 West Fourth– the one tenant protected from the demolition– has been in operation for 30 years. “But also, to the extent there’s a business there that does have some lease term left, how can the developer come in and work with that business to ensure that they come back in, in a designed space that works for their needs and maintains the texture and quality at the ground floor that’s there today.” “Our intent is to…set an example here really about how responsible development can happen, and a developer can come in and at their own will and desire try to preserve facades-which we’re doing at Third and Brazos as well,” Ott said.
Next, the proposal will be discussed during the Historic Landmark Commission’s meeting on May 4. The plan doesn’t currently impact Oilcan’s next-door neighbor Rain on 4th, another noteworthy neighborhood gay bar. Ott described the business as a “ local, chef-driven restaurant.” There are also plans for a new restaurant and bar with a patio on the corner of the building, as Towers reported. Additionally, Girard, who has been working on it since before the pandemic, said that the businesses were aware of these tentative plans and have been operating on month-to-month leases because of them. Hanover partner David Ott told KXAN that the project aims to honor the roots of the neighborhood: “We’re not trying to change the character other than on the masonry facades,” referring to plans to reconstruct warehouse facades onto the new building since it’s the Warehouse District.Ī post shared by Oilcan Harry's while the development would take over buildings currently housing bars Coconut Club and Neon Grotto, Girard told KXAN that he’d want to find new locations for the businesses. Working with developers is crucial.”īehind the project are Houston-based real estate company Hanover Company and 201/213 West Fourth Street property owner Michael Girard, who also operates downtown bar Speakeasy. The current Oilcan owners posted a statement on Instagram on April 11 acknowledging the proposal and the resulting discussion: “We know Austin is inevitably changing, but we are determined to find a way to ensure our community on 4th street is not pushed out. The plans were revealed during the April 11 meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission’s Architectural Review Committee. In order to try to preserve the area’s status as a major LGBTQ hub in the city, part of the proposal includes creating a street-level space for Oilcan Harry’s in the new building with a 25-year lease, according to KXAN, and the developers finding a temporary space for the bar during the construction period, as reported by Community Impact. The proposed plan would build a mixed-use tower on 201 to 213 West Fourth Street, which would demolish several important bars on the street, including Oilcan Harry’s, Coconut Club, Neon Grotto, and the shuttered Sellers Underground. A new residential development project proposal would drastically change one of Austin’s essential LGBTQ neighborhoods, as reported by the Towers.