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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report with MinutesDEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 723 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1 334 Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax:(501) 399-3435 www.littlerock.gov LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTE RECORD Thursday, May 1, 2025, 4:00 p.m. Board Room, Little Rock City Hall, 500 W. Markham Roll Call Members Present: Members Absent: Staff Present: Christina Aleman, Chair Amber Jones, Vice Chair Tom Fennell Dr. Thomas DeGraff III Chase Waters Diane Thomas -Holladay Scott Green Hannah Ratzlaff Raeanne Gardner Staff, Ratzlaff, introduced the newest commissioner, Diane Thomas -Holladay. Commissioner Thomas -Holladay addressed the commission as shared her personal history with Little Rock and expressed her excitement in joiningthe commission. II. Finding a Quorum A quorum was present being six (6) in number. III. Citizen Communication No citizens chose to speak at this time. IV. Minutes 1. March 6, 2025 Minutes The minutes were presented to the commission. Commissioner Jones made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Commissioner Waters 1 May 1, 2025 Historic District Commission seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously by voice vote as submitted. V. National Register Nominations None VI. Deferred Certificates of Appropriateness 1. HDC2025-005 CPA OZ Investments LLC 1420 S. Commerce Street Skylights, Front Porch Alterations, Parking Pad, Fencing VII. New Certificates of Appropriateness 1. HDC2025-009 McGowan Street Apartments LLC 1016 McGowan Signage 2. HDC2025-010 Linda Pollock 1116 Rock Street Demolition of Accessory Building, New Construction of Accessory Building, Fencing Deferred to June 5th, 2025 meeting due to failure to meet public notice requirements. VIII. Other Matters 1. Bi-fold Mailer Design 2. Enforcement Issues Lot 9, Block 45 City of Little Rock—unpermitted installation of fencing 3. Certificates of Compliance HDC2025-011-700 S Rock Street —rehabilitation and historic marker IX. Adjournment 2 May 1, 2025 Historic District Commission m:I IF k'i I: NAME: McGowan Street Apartments -Certificate of Appropriateness LOCATION: 1016 McGowan Street, Little Rock, AR 72202 OWN ER/AUTHORIZEG N_T...:. McGowan Street Apartments LLC 3053 Madison Road Cincinnati, OH 45209-1741 Figure 3. McGowan Street Apartments at 1016 McGowan Street, 2025. 12 Tanner Glover, Pinnacle Signs 7610 Counts Massie North Little Rock, AR 72113 May 1, 2025 AREA: 0.81 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 HISTORIC DISTRICT: MacArthur Park Historic District HISTORIC STATUS: Non -Contributing CURRENT ZONING: UU- Urban Use Historic District Commission OW•-O A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT'SSTATEMENT: The application proposes the installation of two new signs: a wall mounted sign and a ground mounted sign. B. BACKGROUND Location The subject property is located at 1016 McGowan Street. The property's legal description is "Lot 6, Block 5, Masonic Addition to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas". Context The subject property is the site of the McGowan Street Apartments, previously the Graduate Flats, a three-story, red -brown brick multi- family structure containing 84 one - bedroom apartment units constructed in 2006 with Neo- Traditional architectural influences. The structure is classified as Non -Contributing to the MacArthur Park Historic District. The most recent Arkansas Architectural Resource Form PU5619, 2007) is provided as Attachment C. Development History The apartment building was constructed in 2006 following the issuance of COA in 2004 for new infill construction. The building has primary served as rental units for J Figure 4. McGowan Street Apartments at 1016 McGowan Street located in MacArthur Park Historic District. 13 May 1, 2025 Historic District Commission student attending the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law. Before the land was consolidated for the existing development, the parcel of record previously consisted of six residential parcels, occupied by single-family and two-family dwellings, facing McGowan Street. The area experienced significant demolition and vacancy following the construction of 1-30 in the 1970s and the original dwellings previously occupyingthe area were all demolished by 1998. Previous Action On October 14, 2024, a COC (HDC2024-030) was issued to McGowan Apartments LLC for the construction of a rear parking area along the west alley. On May 8, 2006, a COA (HDC2006-007) was issued to Michael Wood for exterior lighting. On December 2, 2004, a COA (HDC2004-019) was issued to Jim Etters for air conditioning units placed along the front and rear of the property. On April 2, 2004, a COA (H DC2004-01 0) was issued to Jim Etters for the construction of an 86-unit, three-story apartment building. No previous actions were found on this site. C. EXJ_STING CONDITIONS_.: See application packet (Attachment B). The application packet includes cover letter, application, survey, site photos, signage site plan, product sheets and specifications, and quotes. D. NEIGFiBOFi.H.QOi7 COMME-Ni : The time of distribution, there were no comments regarding this application. All owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site and all neighborhood associations registered with the City of Little Rock that surround the site were notified of the public hearing. E. ANALYS-I.S: Wall Mounted Sign The application proposes the installation of a new wall mounted signage located above the central entrance of the structure alongthe parapetwall, facing McGowan Street and 1-30. The sign is composed of/4" inch depth, flat cut, brushed aluminum, 14 May 1, 2025 Historic District Commission single -sided dimensional lettering. The lettering is 20 inches in height. The sign is proposed to be installed flush mounted to the exterior brick. . Staff finds the installation of a new wall mounted sign to be consistent with the Design Guidelines, specifically Guideline 5.21 (2). The proposal aligns with the building's architectural character and complies with guidelines concerning materials, scale, location, proportion, design, and lighting. Staff finds the proposal is consistent with the SOI Standards, specifically Standard 9: "New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment." Ground Mounted Sign The application proposes the installation of a new ground -mounted sign located on the north lawn between the structure and the parking area, facing E 10th Street. The sign is composed of adhesive vinyl applied to 3mm black, aluminum composite material (ACM), mounted into a four (4) inch black aluminum frame. The frame is 39.5 inches tall by 72 inches wide and supported by 8-foot posts which will be installed two feet into the ground. The sign will be 6 feet in height, with an area of 19.75 square feet, and will be one-sided. Staff finds the installation of new signage on the side grass lot to be mostly cDnBj,3=t with the Design Guidelines, specifically Guideline 5.21 (2). The proposal aligns with the building's architectural character and complies with guidelines concerning scale, location, proportion, design, and lighting. The proposal does not use traditional materials by using aluminum support posts. The use of composite materials for the sign face —such as High -Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Medium Density Plywood (MDO)—have been used in other signs in the district for durability. However, the sign supports have been traditional wood. 15 May 1, 2025 Figure6 610 E Gdr Spe¢r, Burghs Law Firm c& Lane Firer signuge. Historic District Commission 11 Figure 5. 523 E. CapimI Ase. AGC Arkansav signage. Staff finds the proposal is consistent with the SOI Standards, specifically Standard 9: "New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment." The property is in the Urban Use zoning district, where ground mounted signs are discouraged and can only be permitted as a variance through the Board of Adjustments. The sign may require additional review beyond this commission before being able to be issued a sign permit. alW:I0 IMINEW Staff recommends the approval of the application, as submitted, with the following conditions: 1. The ground mounted sign support posts shall be made of a quality traditional material, such as wood. i PIEL ' f tl'uFi i Y'1!1 Staff, Ratzlaff, made a presentation to the commission. The applicant, Mr. Glover, agent of the applicant, addressed the commission, and shared that there are existing banner signs on the building currently which will be removed upon installation of the new signs. Mr. Glover said that they were amenable to staff's recommendation of using more traditional materials for the support posts if that was a condition of approval. W. May 1, 2025 Historic District Commission Commissioner Fennell asked Mr. Glover if they would consider using wood posts. Mr. Glover said they would. There was discussion regarding the wood support posts. Commissioner Fennell made a motion to approve the application with staff's recommendation, conditioning the use of wood support posts for the ground mounted sign. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Waters. The motion carried unanimously with a vote of 6 ayes, 0 noes, and 1 absent. 17