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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.
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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.
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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.