HomeMy WebLinkAboutTo LRHDC From Carolyn L. Newbern 08/07/2009To: Little Rock Historic District Commission
From: Carolyn L. Newbern
Date: August 7, 2009
Re: Proposed Development at 15th and Rock Streets
Please accept these comments regarding the proposed houses at 15th and Rock
Streets, because I will be out of town on Monday, August 17.
As a former member of the Little Rock Historic District Commission, I can attest
to the serious deliberations given to the topic of new infill construction, when the
Commission revised the Guidelines for the MacArthur Park Historic District in 2006.
The standards of the Secretary of the Interior were carefully weighed, including
encouraging compatibility with "...massing, size, scale, and architectural features to
protect the historic integrity of the... environment." Arkansas's enabling legislation states
that Commissions must prevent "...the construction ... of buildings ... in the historic
district that are obviously incongruous with the historic aspects of the district." All of our
efforts were focused toward protecting the overall integrity of the MacArthur Park
Historic District and to encourage respectful restoration/renovation as well as compatible
infill and development. We realized that these Guidelines reassured property owners,
both existing and potential, that the essential character of the neighborhood would be
maintained and thus that their investment would be secured.
The current proposal by Paul Page Dwellings meets neither the criteria nor the
spirit of the Guidelines, in the choice of roofing material for the one-story house but
particularly in the design of the two-story, flat -roofed cube. Although in isolation the
cube might be considered vibrant and exciting, within this historic district the design is
alien. I am quite concerned for the precedent its construction would set, both for new
construction and for alterations of existing, contributing structures. The integrity of the
National Register Historic District listing could be affected by future alterations
following this style.
Please respect the values upon which both the national and local historic
preservation goals rest. As the proposal stands, it should be denied as not complying
with the MacArthur Park Historic District Guidelines.