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Home My WebLink Aboutbrochure on Central High and ProjectCentral High neighborhood is only minutes from: Downtown Little Rock ? � 70 r 1 __ The liver Market District F.0m. '• A y William,l. Clinton Presidential Center - `- LA Arkansas children's Hospital ti9 i. • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center & Hospital 1 We've Got�.Heritage ■ CENTRAL HIGH NEIGHBORHOOD, INC. For more information calf: 501.375.1829 This publication is funded in part by Arkansas Children's Hospital, Arkansas Urban Forestry Commission and Garver Engineers Photography by Kelly Quinn Design by Snyder Creative An invitation to experience urban living at its finest in one of Lithe Rock's most historic neighborhoods. Houses in the Central High neighborhood are coca 1890-1946 and were built to last for generations. Ample, affordable floor space Quality construction Diverse architecture Creative design. opportunities 4 Tree -lined streets • Established Urban Forestry Program 0 Common green spares +� Near schools and churches Good investment return ` A unique quality of life A vision for the future A National Register Historic District A s;��•and rr�i��l�h�rbood in which '` i re lit�c; uwk crlrcl��kr�r, In 1957, Central High School moved to the world's center stage when soldiers escorted nine black students through its doors. Yet, few people know that prior to 1957, cultural and ethic diversity thrived in this grand Victorian neighborhood. Central High Neighborhood, Inc. is dedicated to preserving the gracious lifestyle that existed half a century ago. Imagine a quiet neighborhood with tree -lined streets where you could ride a bicycle to work and your children could walk to and from school. Neighbors share coffee and conversation on front porches, building friendships that last a lifetime. Here, nestled among elegant, affordable Victorian houses, this cordial, old-fashioned way of life has been revived and saved for future generations to enjoy. For those who like to renovate or restore, there are houses of varying sizes available at reasonable prices. In the 1890-1946 era, homes were built to last. Magnificent crown moldings. Intricate parquet floors. Picturesque windows. High ceilings and gabled roofs. Renovations and restorations earn immediate equity returns. CJ For those who want an already -renovated home, there are many architectural styles to choose from: Colonial Revival, Craftsman, American Foresquare, English and Spanish Revival. The look is European; the feel is distinctively American. Rewards of Renovation... "Houses built to endure for generations in a neighborhood of tree -shaded streets and porch swings gave us a feeling of homecoming. It is exciting to be urban pioneers takingpart in the revitalization of one ofAmericai's most significant historical neighborhoods. " Ethel and Fred Ambrose "We moved to the CentralHigh Neighborhood in the 1970s to escape a rundown neighbor- hood. The trees and grass here were so beautiful and we felt a sense of respons- ibility about keeping up our property. It is good to see young people moving into the neighborhood who will do theirpart in keeping it beautiful. " Cecil Williams "We're thankful our house has a lot of charm and character and is not just another cookie -cutter house. After we bought it, we drove around the neighborhood and fva l Mrd that no other house looked like ours" Quincy and Tamika Edwards "When we looked for a place we wanted to live, the ambiance of the Central High School area appealed to us. It's an old- fashioned neighbor- hood where people sit on front porches and talk to folks as they walk by in the evening. We check on each other, miss each other when we're away, and are always happy to see each other when we return. We weren't looking for a gracious old house; we were looking for a home. " Marsha and Michael O'pauski "We left suburbia because it was boring. Houses looked alike and people generally thought alike. Here, we have a diverse commun- ity. Life is always interesting in our wonderful neighborhood " Cliff and Caroline Riggs "We moved here because the Central High Neighborhood has character and there is a sense of neighborhood. It's a great place to raise children. " Terri Hollingsworth and son Joshua We invite you to be apart of the Central High community. Experience contemporary urban living and modern conveniences in this historic treasure of a neighborhood. 1411 SOUTH PARK ("a gallery') t 1421 SOUTH PARK ("a gathering place') Photo Credit: Archives and Special Collections Department University of Arkansas at Little Rock 1417 SOUTH PARK (`a think tank") I 1501 SOUTH PARK ("a bed and breakfast inn') Currently, in the historic City of Little Rock there are only two (2) bed and breakfast inns - (the Empress and the Rosemont). We believe that "one" more should be appropriately placed in this duplex for guests / tourists to spend a night(s) in their quest to sufficiently visualize the events of 1957, as well as to experience and appreciate the intended quality of life on this special street and throughout the whole neighborhood. APPLICANT'S OPENING STATEMENT We appreciate this opportunity to present our project before the Planning Commission. This whole process has been a good process, one in which we have been fully transparent - making sure that all related parties (the neighborhood associations, the National Park Service, the Principal at LRCHS, the property owners, and interested individuals) have been fully aware of our project. We truly respect and appreciate the assistance from the staff of the LR Department of Planning and Development, and would like to address their analysis of our project, as follows: o Reference is frequently made to "the neighborhood" - our project currently lies within the Central High Neighborhood (CHN) (bound by 121' Street on the north; 171' Street on the south; MLK on the east; and the railroad tracks on the west). The real issue in this debate about our application is this "special street" - SOUTH PARK from 1311 to 16th, not the whole neighborhood. 0 Staff stated in their analysis that... "There are large areas of reinvestment in the neighborhood and the neighborhood appears to be changing from a renter occupied neighborhood to an owner occupied neighborhood" They continue to state that..."Since the neighborhood is making strides in redevelopment and the desire to maintain their critical housing stock, staff feels that the addition of uses which are not residential, could potentially reverse the current trend." o Applicant's Response: By observation, there hasn't been any large areas of reinvestment in the neighborhood which would be adversely affected by our project. The numbers tell a more realistic story. In the CHN, there are approx. 308 single family housing units, of which 66 (21 %) are vacant. Of those 66 vacant houses, only 16 appear to have had renovation work completed, or in progress. Of the 308 single family housing units, only 17 (5%) houses were observed to have had substantial renovation work in the past couple of years. In the CHN, there are also 125 vacant lots (suitable for single family housing) with no visible construction activity. X 141 1 1417.1114219 1501 SOUTH PARD South Park Street from Daisy Lee Gatson Bates Drive to West 16th Street Little Rock Arkansas 72202 We therefore question where that large area of reinvestment occurs and what trend is being impacted or subject to a reversal? We believe that the non-residential uses that we are proposing will in fact ENHANCE and support any trend that is hoped for in this "fragile" neighborhood. Staff also..."feels that residential areas across from a school is a plus for the neighborhoods." Applicant's Response: LRCHS is not just a school, but the primary venue for a significant national historic site. The thousands of visitors who come to this site are not necessarily there to participate in school -related activities. South Park between 13th and 16th is a special street - one that is currently and most capable of sustaining non-residential uses for the benefit of the more than 50,000 visitors to the visitor's center (2005); thousands more who make brief stops for a photo op; current neighborhood residents; and potential new residents who would appreciate the value and would surely patronize the activities of non-residential, but residential -like houses fronting a national historic site. This special street is probably the second most popular tourist destination in the City of LR. We strongly believe that this special street has a major role to play in complementing the "story" that this national historic site portrays which would be further enhanced (ONLY ON THIS STREET) by adding to the current / planned variety of non-residential uses (new visitor's center, reuse of the existing visitor's center as an archives / educational center, the existing church, and the potential restoration of Ponder's Drugstore). We strongly believe that the passive activities planned for these houses will elevate the desired quality of life for this neighborhood and pleasantly benefit the worldwide guests to this city. We would threrefore appreciate an affirmative vote in that regard. ro d u QCs 1 Thank you very much! Kwendeche, AIA"Ac January 5, 2006