HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Little Rock Historic District Commission 10-03-2000SENT BY: HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOP PROGRAMS; 501 399 3461; OCT-5-00 2:09PM; PAGE 2/5
October 3, 2000
Little Rock Historic District Commission
Sirs,
After reviewing your design guidelines on vinyl windows l ask you to consider the advance in
appearance of Vinyl windows in the recent past_ Vinyl windows as requested to be used at 308 a 14th will
eliminate the need for storm windows. 1 believer you will agree detract from the appearance of a structure
more that windows that are identical in profile and size as the original windows. With the addition of a
full screen they are undistinguishable from wood windows. Storm -windows are not. 1 am not able to
afford the additional cost of wood windows. if forced to instal wood windows in the house ( cannot
complete the rehab of the property and will be forced to sell. ( do understand the need for the commission
and its design guidelines and applaud your work. However. was not the original goal ofzho commission
to preserve the McCarther park area? With so many home now sitting vacant or convened for multifamily
use. Would not the best interests of the area be to allow some flexibility of the guidelines in order to
promote more improvement in this area and encourage neighborhood growth?
Thank you for your time in renewing this request
Respectfully yours,
Chris Pratt
cc: fie
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SENT BY: HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOP PROGRAMS; 501 399 3461; oCT-5-00 2:09PM; PAGE 3/5
Little Rock Historic commission
Re: 308 E 14th
FHA funds available to complete project $15,010.85. All Work must be completed by 10-29-
2000 per FHA loan agreement.
62% of rehab project is complete. With a balance of $23,083.00 remaining in escrow. The
current amount outstanding to The Lemmour group is S 9,072.15. Leaving $15,010.85 in funds
to complete all work.
to ms remaj nine to be completed.
Windows 3cao • 2. Exterior slding mplagement & relsrlir l'aoo .
I. -
3. WindokixtffionC z�i0� • _ 4. thywail finishing a intwor Painting '�I . 3 tS O . +
S, Interior finished carpentry, 2`&o . 6. Interior float LoVerings i $ Dp {-lec5c, --
7. Interior cabinetwork. Z4ton . B. Final Eleethcal lS•oo
g. rl iirW Pltmnbla; 17.00 10_ Foundation repointins
Cm
Cnst+In WiKkm
S.141s"Ch
window
Wood: 1. Visions Wood Windows
$7.295.09
S8280.56
$9,815.09
510800.56
$409.ea
S450.ea
2 Lincoln Windows
$10974.22
$12494.22
S521.ea
3. Pella Windows
Clad: 1. Home Depot
$7417.91
$8688.83
$9937.91
S11208.83
S414.ua
$467.ca
2. One Source
S12178.80
$14698.80
S507.ea
3, Pella
Vinyl: Windows Doors & More
S3175.09
S5695.09
$237.ea
My yearly salary is 25.000 with monthly mattgsge payments of $649.00. 31 % of MY gross income. The
windows cost far the vinyl windows is S5695.09. The cheapest ait&l Live is S9815.09 an added expense
of $4,120,00 which is 16.5% of my gross income_
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Little Rock Historic District Commission
5 October 2000 Minutes, Page 2
The next COA for consideration was:
Applicant: Chris Pratt
Address: 314 East 14th
Request: COA amendment requesting installation of vinyl windows
Staff reviewed the additional information that was requested of and submitted by the owner as
part of his plea of economic hardship; it was requested to install vinyl windows on the structure
instead of the approved wooden ones with storm windows. A review of the information detailed
rehab costs, work not completed, percentage of work completed and estimated rehab costs; the
later was put together by HUD.
Greer summarized the applicant's amended request and reiterated the seven items under the
window design guidelines to consider for rehabilitation, such as replacement should be in -kind to
match original materials and design. The applicant's request, to install vinyl windows, is against
the guidelines. In order to approve materials that are contrary to the guidelines, the evidence
must be convincing. Also, the applicant asked that economic, or financial, hardship be applied in
order to install the vinyl windows; however, based on information submitted by the applicant, it
was not sufficient to determine an economic or financial hardship. The opinion of legal counsel
was requested, if there was additional advice about what is required of the applicant with the
request for economic or financial hardship. Black stated that the LRHDC was clear and concise
as to the information requested of the applicant; his review of the newly submitted information,
which was received that afternoon (as opposed to earlier as requested in order to review the
information and make a determination) indicates that the estimates and the amount of work yet to
be done are not covered by the amount in escrow. Also, the requested information was not
supplied by the applicant. While there are no established factors to determine a hardship, the
presented information was deficient in the degree of details lacking and needed in order to
determine economic or financial hardship.
The applicant addressed the LRHDC, explaining the financing and rehabilitation process,
associated expenses, etc. On October 29, he will forfeit on the FHA mortgage for the house as he
cannot put in wooden windows due to their expense. There was discussion about exceptions to
the design guidelines, that exceptions possibly could be made for materials rather than design.
However, what is viewed from the street (per the district's design guidelines) is important. The
incompatibility (or not being in -kind) of the material of an architectural feature is not as
important or as distinguishable as the design, when viewed from the street. This decision effects
future owners of the structure as well as in the historic district and establishes a precedence for
future use of vinyl windows.
A discussion ensued about rehab work and its associated cost overruns. It was noted that the
project has exceeded already the estimated costs and is not completed. The applicant was asked if
he could, for example, live with plywood instead of finished floors until money is available to
complete them. The applicant stated that he couldn't change the FHA original plan, in terms of