Commission approves release of demolition permit for Capital Area Research and Radiation Center with documentation condition

The commission voted unanimously on March 5 to release a demolition permit for a portion of the former Capital Area Research and Radiation Center at 2600 East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, contingent on the applicant submitting a City of Austin documentation package.

Staff described the 1972 auxiliary cancer center — designed by Page Sutherland and Page and once part of Holy Cross Hospital’s campus — as a mid‑century modern facility with historic associations to Holy Cross, the first hospital in Austin to allow Black physicians. Staff said the hospital campus context has been demolished, that hazardous materials in the vacant building have made reuse unsafe, and that the Architectural Review Committee found the replacement design appropriately highlighted the site’s history.

Tamaria Davis of the Jenner Group, representing the applicant, said the developer has met with the neighborhood and would continue to negotiate community requests. Barry McBride, speaking for the Rogers‑Washington‑Holy Cross neighborhood group, said the neighborhood was "very close" to finalizing specific requests about affordability and interpretive features and asked for modest additional time to conclude negotiations.

Commissioner Kevin Cook moved to release the demolition permit pending a City of Austin documentation package; Commissioner Carl LaRoche seconded. The motion passed 6–0. Staff said the documentation package will become part of the city record and will be required prior to final demolition permit issuance.