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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHDC1994-007 Staff Minutes, 11/08/1984MINUTES HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION NOVEMBER 8, 1984 4:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. John Jarrard, Chairman Mr. George Worthen Mr. Sam Strauss, Jr. MEMBERS ABSENT: Ms. Beth Foti Mr. Bill Kennedy, III STAFF PRESENT: W. Mike Dooley *Due to the fact that the applicant has withdrawn the request contained herein, I have taken the liberty to somewhat abbreviate this set of Minutes. The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Mr. John Jarrard, at 4:05 P.M. and finding a Quorum to exist, the Commission moved and accepted the Minutes of the previous meeting as recorded. Staff reported that the required notification had been properly mailed to the owners of property within the area of influence of the application and that proof of notification had been received. Item No. 1 was announced and described as: Owner: Mr. Claude Herbert Address: 1004-06 Rock Street Request: Demolition Mr. Herbert, representing the application, was called on by the Chairman to describe his reasons for requesting that the structure be demolished. Mr. Herbert explained that he and his wife desired to plant a flower and vegetable garden on the site and that the structure was of no use to them as it had not been leased for approximately three (3) years. He continued by explaining that the structural condition of the building was poor and cited the roof, plaster, floor and foundation as requiring repair. He stated that he was a retired contractor and that it would require as much as $30,000 to repair the structure. He felt that the neighborhood would look better without a delapidated structure and explained that he did not know there were restrictions to razing the structure when he purchased it. Mr. Worthen asked how long he had owned the structure and Mr. Herbert replied that he had purchased it fifteen (15) years ago. Mr. Worthen asked if there was a possibility he would sell the house and Mr. Herbert said he would not. Mr. Strauss asked if he would consider moving the house and Mr. Herbert said that was possible if it wouldn't fall apart. Ms. Cheryl Nichols, Executive Director of the Quapaw Quarter Association, stated that the Board of Directors of that organization had voted to recommend denial of the request to demolish. (Attachment No. 1) She explained some of the historical background of the structure as well as its architectural style and significance. She requested that if the Commission does not choose to refuse the demolition request that they defer same in order to work with the applicant on alternatives. The Chairman read a recommendation prepared by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (Attachment No. 2) which covered their interest in maintaining the scale, density and setback relationships of structures within the MacArthur Park Historic District. They noted that original siding and roofing materials appeared to be intact and recommended that the request to demolish be denied. Mr. Worthen made a motion to defer the request for six (6) months in order to work toward an agreeable solution to the demolition. Mr. Strauss seconded the motion which passed by a vote of three (3) for, none (0) against and two (2) absent. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 P.M. WMD/ s e QUAPAW QUARTER ASSOCIATION of historic Tittle Rock October 30, 1984 Mr. Mike Dooley Office of Comprehensive Planning City Hall Markham at Broadway Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Dear Mike: At its monthly meeting last night, the Board of Directors of the Quapaw Quarter Association voted to oppose the demolition of the Colonial Revival cottage at 1004 Rock Street. (Bill Kennedy, a QQA board member who also serves on the Historic District Commission, abstained from the vote. Otherwise, it was a unanimous decision.) It is the board's belief, and mine, that the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness for the proposed demolition would set a very bad precedent for future decisions. Particularly because of the 'Youth" of the Historic District Commission, the setting of precedents must be taken very seriously. As you know, the owner of 1004 Rock contends that the cottage is in such poor condition that it must be demolished (and, besides, he wants to plant a vegetable garden in its place). Contending that a building is "too far gone to save is probably the oldest and most -used excuse for demolition. In the case of 1004 Rock, the excuse may be valid from the standpoint of the present owner. It is entirely possible, however, that the cottage could be sold to someone else who would be willing and able to restore it. Another possibility that has been proposed to the present owner is that a group of investors might lease the property and renovate the cottage utilizing the 25% investment tax credit available to historic buildings. In this manner, the present owner would not have to sell the property, and, at the end of the lease, he or his heirs would have a renovated building that would be worth considerably more than a vacant lot. 1321 South Scott a P.O. Box 1104 a Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 9 501-371-0075 Mike Dooley 10/30/84 Page 2 There almost certainlv are alternatives to the demolition of 1004 Rock Street if additional time and effort can be given to working with the present owner. Hopefully, he can be made to understand that the issue is not just whether or not he should have a vegetable garden but whether or not the City of Little Rock should be deprived of another historic building. On behalf of the QQA board, I encourage the Historic District Commission to deny the certificate of appropriateness that would allow the demolition of 1004 Rock. Once the certificate is denied, I hope the Historic District Commission will join forces with the QQA and residents of the MacArthur Park Historic District in working with the owner of the cottage to find a way of renovating it. • cc: Wilson Stiles. A".. Sincerely, Chery Griff th Nichols Execu ive Di ector ARKANSAS HISTORIC PRESERVATION November 5, 1984 PROGRAM Mr. Mike Dooley Office of Comprehensive Planning City Hall Markham at Broadway Little Rock, AR 72201 RE: Certificate of Appropriateness 1004 Rock Street Dear Mr. Dooley: Thank you for providing the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) with the opportunity to comment on the application for a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of the structure at 1004 Rock Street. The scale, form and setback of this circa 1906 Colonial revival structure is very typical for the MacArthur Park Historic District. Another important feature of this structure is that the original siding and roofing material are still intact. If this structure were to be removed the resulting empty lot would create a spacing pattern and densit;r that never existed in this area. We feel that the setbacks, density, scale and form of individual structures within the MacArthur Park Historic District are very important in defining the overall setting and historic character of the district. It is for these reasons that the AHPP recommends that a certificate of appropriateness not be issued for the demolition of the structure at 1004 Pock Street. If you have any questions regarding our recommendation please contact Bill Hall of my staff at 371-2763. Sincerely, t i Wilson Stiles State Historic Preservation Officer \ WS!ss cc: Ms. Cheryl Nichols Suite 200 • Heritage Center • 225 East Markham • Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 • Phone (501) 371-2763 A Division of the Department of Arkansas Natural and Cultural Heritage �f •y Apt, MINUTES LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING JANUARY 12, 1995 5:00 P.M. COMMISSION The meeting was called to order at 5:05 by vice Chairman Carl Menyhart. A quorum was present - Carl Menyhart, Julie Wiedower, and Tommy Jameson. John Bush and Bob Roddey were absent. City Attorney Anthony Black was present. Item #1 - Applicant: Address: Request: City of Little Rock Jack Patton, Agent 1006-8 Rock Street Demolition Codes Division - Acting Chairman Carl Menyhart announced Item #1. Mr. Jack Patton, Senior Code Enforcement Officer for District I of the City of Little Rock, presented the application. Mr. Patton explained that 1006-8 Rock Street had been declared "unsafe." He said the structure was not secure, the structure was sound but has numerous problems such as obsolete wiring, plumbing, etc. He stated that the structure is in a state of disrepair with some structural problems on the north side. Commissioner Menyhart asked why the house had been inspected. Mr. Patton responded that it was from a complaint. The Code Enforcement recommendation, from the inspection, was to initiate repairs or demolish the structure. Commissioner Wiedower asked Mr. Patton if the City could secure the property and place a lien on it. Mr. Patton responded that the City no longer can "board and secure." Mr. Charles Marratt, representing Mr. and Mrs. Hoy of 1010 Rock, was present and said that he had complained to the City about 1006-8 Rock Street. Mr. Marratt commented that he thought it was not economically feasible to save this house, and his estimate to make the house livable was $90,000 to $170,000. He also commented that this house was a threat to the Baer House next door. Mr. David Henry was present to represent Mr. Hoy. A discussion regarding the structure's condition followed. Commissioner Jameson made a motion to deny demolition of the house at 1006 Rock Street. Commissioner Wiedower seconded. The vote was taken. Motion carried. All ayes. 1 Commissioner Jameson made a motion to recommend to the City Manager to board and secure the house and that a lien to cover the cost be placed on the property. Commissioner Wiedower seconded. The vote was taken. Motion carried. All ayes. Mr. Jim McKenzie was present, representing the Quapaw Quarter Association. Mr. McKenzie stated that the City needs to do something stronger than minimum maintenance standards. He suggested that the City provide a revolving fund for historic resources. Item #2 - Applicant: Mrs. L. M. Richards Address: 1107 Cumberland Request: Window alteration Mr. and Mrs. Richard were present and explained their application. They have owned the property at 1107 Cumberland since 1976 and never realized the structure is located in a historic district. The owners want to replace the wooden rotted windows with aluminum. AT this point, the downstairs windows on the front and south side have been replaced. A new arched window over the entrance has been installed. A lengthy discussion followed. Mrs. Richard amended her application to encompass restoring the front facade back to the original, rehabilitating the original windows on the front facade and replacing the windows only on the sides and back with new aluminum windows. Commissioner Jameson made a motion to approve the application with the condition that the arched window on the second floor be replaced with the original six over one window, and that the bottom right apartment have its original windows replaced with salvaged original windows, and the remaining windows on the back and sides can be aluminum. Commissioner Wiedower seconded. The vote was taken. Motion carried. All ayes. The next item on the agenda was The Capitol Avenue Streetscape plan presented by Mark Webre of the Parks and Recreation Department. Mr. Webre said that Capitol Avenue was identified as a very significant boulevard, and in 1987 the City Beautiful Commission was very involved in getting bond money approved for the project. The task now is to implement a 1 1/2 block prototype for the entire 20 block project. The plan involves lighting, signage, sidewalks and plantings. The trees will be Kings Choice Elms which were developed in 1988 and are resistant to Dutch Elm disease. Commissioner Wiedower made a motion to approve the Capitol Avenue Streetscape Plan. Commissioner Jameson seconded. The vote was taken. Motion carried. All ayes. F Mr. Webre commented that the large crepe myrtles in front of Curran Hall would be transplanted. The next item of business was discussion of CLG projects. The Commission agreed to meet the following Friday to discuss projects. There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting adjourned. 3 MINUTES LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 3, 1994 5:00 P.M. The Meeting was called to order at 5:00 by Chairman John Bush. A cruorum was present - Mr. Carl Menyhart, Ms. Julie Wiedower, Mr. John Bush, Mr. Tommy Jameson and Mr. Bob Roddey. Assistant City Attorney Anthony Black was present. The Chairman asked for a motion previous meetings. A motion was approve the minutes as received. Motion carried. All ayes. Item No. 1 - Owner: Mrs. Virdie Location: 1006-8 Rock Request: Demolitions to approve the minutes of the made by Commissioner Menyhart to Commissioner Wiedower seconded. Herbert Street The Chairman announced Item No. 1 and asked the owner/applicant to come forward and address the Commission. The owner/applicant was not present. The Chairman stated that the petitioner needs to be present in order for the Commission to consider this item. Mr. David Henry, attorney for Mr. and Mrs. Pat Hoy of 1010 Rock, was present and stated he wanted the application discussed. Mr. Charles Marratt, area property owner, was present and stated concern about the poor condition of the 1006 Rock Street structure. City Attorney Anthony Black informed the Commission that procedurally this application could not be heard. Commissioner Wiedower made a motion to defer the application until the December meeting. Commissioner Menyhart seconded. Motion carried. All ayes. Chairman Bush announced presentation of the upcoming National Register nomination for The Luxor, The Main and The Barlow Apartments. Ms. Sandra Taylor -Smith made a brief presentation to the Commission. Commissioner Wiedower made a motion to recommend approval of the National Register nomination. Commissioner Menyhart seconded. Motion carried. All ayes. There being no further business before the Commission, meeting adjourned.