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HDC_03 18 1999City of Little Rock HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION 18 MARCH 1999 MEETING (This meeting date was scheduled on 28 January due to tornado damages) MINUTES Commissioners Present: John Greer, Chair Judy Gardner Howard H. Gordon Mark Zoeller Commissioners Absent: Charles Marratt Staff: V. Anne Guthrie Margi Gant Anthony Black The meeting of the Little Rock Historic District Commission "(LRHDC) was called to order and roll call was taken; there was a quorum but no minutes were presented. The motion to reverse the order of the agenda was approved. The first COA application for consideration was: Applicant: Ginney Pumphrey Address: 1409 Rock Request: Demolition of structure due to tornado damage The owner presented the demolition request; photographs depicted the damage to the subject property and its immediate area. The house was an 1880s structure, which had been in the family for decades. Documentation was presented regarding the assessments of the tornado-­ damaged areas; the assessments were performed by three entities, the city's Rebuild Assessment Team, Public Works and the state Historic Preservation Program. All three teams listed the property as destroyed by the tornado, and it is one of 73 assessed as destroyed. There was a motion to approve the COA request for demolition; it was unanimously approved. The second COA application was: Applicant: Park Place Condominiums; Don Campbell, President Address: 916 - 924 Commerce Request: Demolition of structure due to fire Commissioner Gardner recused herself from the meeting. Campbell, president of the Park Place Property Owner's Association, presented the structure's condition caused by the June 1998 fire. He handed out additional documentation and summarized the association's and condo regulations regarding structural damage. The association is seeking approval to demolish the 21- unit structure, if it does not sell. The association's insurance expires mid-April, and should the structure not sell prior to that date, it will have to be demolished due to the lack of liability. Little Rock Historic District Commission 18 March 1999 Minutes, Page 2 The LRHDC discussed the length of time that the subject property was on the market, how it was listed, the process of notification and other issues related to the property being for sale. The applicant's lawyer stated that the structure is not listed with a real estate agency, but the association has a committee responsible for getting the word out; the structure has been on the market for thirty (30) days; there is one offer pending; and a small "For Sale by Owner" sign was posted a little over a week ago. The condo association was notified by the insurance company on 20 January as to the costs, etc. and the association met 4 February to discuss the possibilities. There have been queries about the structure, but several neighbors did not know it was for sale. There was conversation regarding the association's insurance, its liability, rehabilitation costs (estimates by East-Harding) and other related issues. The structure is secured along its perimeter by chain link fencing and is posted. There was discussion about the issue of liability, and why the structure had been for sale only the past few weeks. Greer stated that while the fire was in June 1998, he asked what the decision-making process had been since last summer. He stated that he was taken back by the issue of liability and insurance being raised when the association knew there was a deadline of April; and he was offended that the LRHDC was just now confronted with the issue of demolition and the association's hardship. He stated that more of an effort should be made to sell the structure, to get the word out, to secure interested parties for its purchase or to allow at least a few more months for the structure to be on the market; it is very difficult to expect property, especially commercial, to sell within a month. There was no one present to speak against the application and no neighborhood response to those notified about the demolition. The neighborhood association's president, in a phone conversation, stated that while the condo has been a good neighbor, he agreed with staff recommendation. Staff recommendation is to defer the application for demolition for six ( 6) months in order to pursue other solutions for demolition. This recommendation is within the purview of the LRHDC and is detailed in the city ordinance. A motion was made to defer the application for six months; the motion was approved unanimously. Campbell asked about the appeal process and Black stated that it could not be appealed as no decision was made; the LRHDC only deferred the decision. The applicant was informed that additional documentation regarding the process of notification (what realtors were notified, insurance and liability documentation, etc.) could be presented to staff. As there was no other business, the LRHDC adjourned at 5:45 p.m.