Standing for Pine Street Station

The Friends of Pine Street Station plan to lend support to Reji Thomas and Pine Street Station by attending the October Public Hearing of the Historic Landmark Commission on Monday, October 27, 7pm at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd. Meanwhile Capital Metro is giving Thomas until Sunday to get out.

Things got tense earlier today for local artist Thomas while working at Pine Street Station, prepping the move to vacate her studio/event center on East Fifth Street. She received a call from a Capital Metro representative, informing her that the area's transit authority would change the locks, effectively locking out of her own building, tomorrow. Thomas owns the building. CapMet owns the land.

We learned from Captial Metro communications rep John Julitz that they are giving Thomas until Sunday to complete the move of all personal items out of the 10,000+ square-foot historic structure. The items include "many valuable pieces of art, tools of her trade, and personal possessions still in her building," according to Pamela Booton, Pine Street Station consultant and spokesperson.

Thomas has owned the building and occupied the facility since 1979.

Last week, we posted a photo gallery by photographer Jenna VonHofe telling the story of Thomas encountering the eviction notice. Negotiations between Thomas and Capital Metro regarding the property at 1101 E. Fifth – known for the past five years as Pine Street Station, and before that, as Graphic Glass Studio – have been going on since the beginning of this year.

Capital Metro intends to develop the property with Endeavor, the group behind north Austin's Domain. After an eviction hearing on October 1, Thomas was told she had five days to vacate the premises. After filing an appeal she thought successful for a 30-day stay, as she and her staff continued the moving process, they were greeted last week with an eviction notice on the door.

Thomas will appear before the Historic Landmark Commission at Monday's hearing. The first records of what were an old rail yard officially date to 1925, and the building retains a number of historic building elements – original long-leaf pine, blacksmith-hammered metalwork, etc. – of the era.

Interested supporters are asked to contact Pamela Booton at pbooton07@gmail.com or 512/468-7597.

Look for continuing coverage as the story (and property) develops.