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Landmark Commission Minutes - 04/16/2008MINUTES LANDMARK COMMISSION April 16, 2008 MEMBERS PRESENT: Dianne Thueson, Chairperson ■ Members Cindy Cotton ■ Ron Fox ■ Christy Graham ■ John Kidwell ■ Jim Newsom ■ Pat Sullivan ■ Steve Wood ■ Councilor Charles Elmore ■ Council Liaison Karen Montgomery-Gagne ■ Staff Johnny Combs, Applicant 1614 Hayes Ron Koehler, Applicant, 615 7th Street Syd Litteken, Architect 615 7th Street ABSENT: Marilyn Carper ■ Stacie Flood ■ I. CALL TO ORDER, INTRODUCTIONS & SWEARING IN NEW MEMBER Chairperson Thueson called the Commission meeting to order at 3:38pm, after a quorum of members was obtained. Ms. Thueson asked members to introduce themselves and she requested Mr. John Kidwell recite the City's Oath of Office declaration. Members and staff welcomed Mr. Kidwell to the Landmark Commission. II. REVIEW & APPROVAL OF JANUARY 2008 MEETING MINUTES Chairperson Thueson called for review and approval of the January 21, 2008 meeting minutes. Mr. Fox introduced a motion to approve the minutes as presented and Mr. Newsom seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. III. APPLICATION FOR DESIGN REVIEW REGARDING WINDOW REPLACEMENT — 1614 HAYES Chairperson Thueson requested staff update the Commission regarding the request for replacement windows at 1614 Hayes. Ms. Gagne provided additional information and photos of the house at 1614 Hayes and explained the owners were initially replacing the three dormer windows but intend to replace windows throughout the house for energy efficiency. Staff indicated the applicant, Mr. Combs, was in attendance if the Commission had any questions. Mr. Combs indicated he was proposing to replace the existing windows with vinyl frame NORCO windows. He noted two 1St floor windows were replaced by the previous owners and they would remain in the house. Commission members discussed the condition of the existing windows as illustrated in the applicant's photos. Mr. Combs stated the exterior of the windows essentially consist of glaze — there is not much wood remaining. Mr. Newsom inquired about the replacements and if they would be double pane windows. Mr. Combs responded and Ms. Landmark Commission April 16, 2008 page 1 Graham commented the proposed window replacements were the same window style as those used at LaSalle Crossing (7th /Ohio St.) in the Depot Square Historic District. She added that during their restoration /renovation process the Texas Historical Commission and National Trust reviewed the building plans and approved the use of NORCO replacement windows. Members discussed the window replacements and Mr. Newsom introduced a motion to recommend approval of the request to replace the dormer windows followed by an additional fifteen windows at 1614 Hayes Street with NORCO window products having an aluminum composition frame and oach window shall retain the same design features (eg. number of light panes per window) as the original windows. Ms. Graham seconded the motion. There being no more discussion — the motion for approval passed unanimously. IV. APPLICATION FOR DESIGN REVIEW FOR BUILDING RENOVATION /RESTORATION — 6157ch STREET Chairperson Thueson introduced this item and requested staff provide additional information. Ms. Gagne referred members to their meeting packets and provided photos of 615 7'h Street from the mid- 1990's. Staff explained there were few historic photos of the building but many for the adjacent property (Keller Bldg.) at 613 7th Street. The applicant is proposing to completely renovate the vacant building with roof and wall replacement, restore the street facade and finish the interior of the building for a gallery to showcase local artwork. Chairperson Thueson requested the applicant (Ron Koehler) and his architect (Syd Litteken) provide clarification for the Commission regarding the project. Mr. Koehler provided background information regarding his interest in renovating older buildings in the downtown core and noted he also recently purchased a house at 1816 8th Street as another renovation project. Commission members discussed the application proposal and Ms. Sullivan commented it was great to see more people with a passion for restoring older buildings. Ms. Graham inquired about the proposal for the front facade and the doorway — whether it would be recessed or brought out flush with the main portion of the facade. Mr. Koehler and Mr. Litteken replied it was difficult to find a good original photo for the building to determine if the doorway location was indeed recessed or flush with the windows. At this time, the applicant has proposed a two -door front entry that is recessed similar to the restored building across the street at 616 7th Street. Mr. Newsom commented he knew the last tenants who had a business in the building during the 1960/1970s and the Augustas' family had photos from the 1940s when the building was still in good condition. Mr. Newsom commented that he recalled the interior having a split level in the back. Mr. Koehler stated there were still remnants of a stairway in the back and he intended to keep that design with a small office loft upstairs in the rear of the building. Members discussed the proposed canopy design. Mr. Fox asked if the canopy would be flat or a roll -out design. The architect commented he'd worked on a design in 1996 for this building with a previous owner and he believed the canopy would be a flat, suspended style. He added the facade material below the storefront windows was probably wood panels originally with wood frame windows. Mr. Litteken stated the canopy would echo the design that he completed for the Toodles building at 616 7'h Street — that canopy had chain suspension and a slope of 3/8" to '/2" for water drainage. Ms. Graham reviewed her collection of historic photographs and found one (circa 1940s) of downtown taken looking south from the grain elevators and its visible the building had a flat awning. Mr. Fox questioned the materials proposed for the facade area below the storefront windows — it appeared to be a different color in the building photos. Mr. Koehler stated he's had a running discussion about a more appropriate type of material for this area — some contractors believed it was a marble base others thought it was originally brick that had been painted over the years. Mr. Fox inquired what the applicants' intent was for the facade. Mr. Koehler stated he intended to keep the large storefront windows and wooden frames but install insulated glass while uncovering the transom windows which appear to be in good condition. Mr. Litteken commended Mr. Koehler for taking on this major project with such a deteriorated building. Commission members also expressed their appreciation for the renewed interest in trying to salvage and restore the building. Mr. Koehler stated the common party wall was so porous it Landmark Commission April 16, 2008 page 2 needed to be filled to stabilize the building. Councilor Elmore suggested the applicant use 'BullsEye' or a lacquer /shellac on the bricks to add body to the old plaster. Mr. Litteken stated he had no experience with using those materials but worked with the owners of the Iron Horse ANk building which had similar problems with brick deterioration. He noted they used mortar to bleed back into the brick surfaces and the potential problem with shellac is that it seals the bricks which would not strengthen or stabilize the wall. Mr. Fox questioned the brick color and it was noted velour brick will be utilized. Both Ms. Graham and Mr. Litteken agreed from researching photos of the building, the brick appears to have always been painted so it is hard to determine the original brick color. Mr. Newsom inquired about the roof replacement and drainage locations. Mr. Litteken stated water runoff is to the front of the building and it then drains down to the sidewalk level. The existing roof will require complete replacement. Chairperson Thueson thanked the applicants and complimented them on their organized and thorough presentation. Ms. Thueson called for any other questions from the Commission. Mr. Newsom stated the issue with painted brick needed clarification. The applicant and members discussed this issue and based on photo research to date, it appears the brick was always painted. Mr. Fox stated his only objection to the project was the steepness of the canopy slope — the slope is necessary for drainage but a 6 -inch slope appears excessive. Mr. Litteken responded the drawings prepared by his technician show too much slope and he will duplicate the awning slope maintained with the building (Toodles) across the street. Ms. Graham introduced a motion to accept the design plans submitted for restoring the facade and renovating the building (exterior & interior) at 615 7 1 Street as presented in the application and accompanying architectural plans with the condition that the 6 -inch slope on the canopy /awning (7`h Street facade) be reduced. Ms. Sullivan seconded the motion. Motion passed with unanimous support from the Commission. V. ANNUAL LETTER — West Floral Heights Historic District & Title Companies Chairperson Thueson referred members to the letters included with the meeting packets. Ms. Gagne provided an update on activities since the January meeting. She revised the initial draft letter and emailed a copy to the Commission for final comment. The approved letter was personalized for each of the 193 property owners within the designated West Floral Heights Historic District. Staff reviewed the address lists to avoid duplicate mailings and to ensure the 13 exempted property owners did not receive a letter outlining the requirement for design review whenever an exterior modification was proposed to their buildings. Staff noted from when the District was initially designated in January 2005 there were 16 exempt properties and with change in ownership through 2008 there are only 13 exempt properties. Ms. Cindy Cotton, neighborhood liaison, was pleased with the level of responses she received from property owners after they received the letter — most were requests for clarification. Ms. Thueson referred to the January meeting minutes & requested information about the discussion of writing letters to title companies and realtors. Mr. Newsom explained he contacted staff with the W.F. Board of Realtors to discuss the ability to include an additional line to the closing paperwork indicating whether the subject property had designated historic status. He noted an internal committee with the Board of Realtors will put together a proposal for changing the form and it will be reviewed by the Board for adoption. Mr. Newsom also talked with some of the title companies and they have no problem with the addition to the closing paperwork. Ms. Gagne indicated staff followed up with Mr. Newsom's initial work with the title companies by sending each of them a letter requesting historic properties be flagged. The letter also included a copy of the City designated historic properties: a) Landmarks; b) Depot Square Historic District (3 map & property listing; and c) West Floral Heights Historic District designation ordinance and corresponding map which notes exempted properties. Landmark Commission April 16, 2008 page 3 VI. DISCUSSIOIN — CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT (CLG) FY2009 GRANT Chairperson Thueson provided an overview regarding the previous CLG grant obtained to develop the educational awareness video — Wichita Falls: The Future of Our Past. Commission members involved with that project expressed their satisfaction with the final product but the endeavor was a major undertaking both for City staff and Landmarks. Ms. Thueson recalled that educators from City View and Wichita Falls ISD were on the steering committee and inquired if an accompanying handbook for the DVD was prepared as part of the school curriculum. Commission members requested staff follow -up with both Ms. Alexander and Ms. Talbot from each school district. Mr. Newsom commented the preservation video was on the curriculum at the Museum of North Texas History. Ms. Gagne informed the Commission she'd received application materials for the CLG FY2009 grant. Members discussed potential projects for consideration — the general consensus was to pursue a historic sites booklet. Mr. Newsom commented the timing is excellent with the ongoing work to consolidate museums downtown. Chairperson Thueson recalled when she was in North Dakota, Fargo developed a walking tour brochure with photos and accompanying history of each site - it was a popular informational item. Staff noted prior to applying for the preservation video grant; work was initially started for an informational kiosk for historic sites in the Depot Square Historic District. Mr. Newsom stated the Wichita County Heritage Society (WCHS) would certainly be interested in the project and the opportunity to have an updated brochure because their original historic driving tour brochure has been out of print for at least 5 years. Members discussed other potential considerations, including travel /training expenses for staff and commission members. Planning staff indicated there appeared to be a greater need for developing a historic sites brochure for a dual purpose of educating the local community while also a useful tool for heritage tourism. Chairperson Thueson stated a follow -up meeting needs to occur quickly in order to organize a subcommittee of the Commission and an initial project steering committee to assist staff with the application materials. She noted in order for this application to be successful at least 2 people from the Commission are necessary to commit their time to help oversee the process with City planning staff. The following Commission members indicated an interest in working on the grant application: Pat Sullivan, Cindy Cotton, Stacie Flood, and Steven Wood. Staff indicated they will contact Commission members with a meeting date in early May to begin organizing the details of the application. Ms. Gagne noted she would also contact the new Visitor's & Convention Bureau Director, the Heritage Society and Downtown Wichita Falls Development Inc., for interest in working with the Commission on this collaborative project. VII. OTHER BUSINESS a West Floral Heights Neighborhood Report Ms. Cotton updated the Commission about new historic district street signs installed by the City Streets Department and the recent news story from KFDX that highlighted the activities within their District. She noted the City of Wichita Falls will keep the existing brick streets rather than pave over them with asphalt and the bus route that utilized Hayes Street will be re- routed to reduce wear and tear on the brick street. Ms. Cotton commented the West Floral Heights Neighborhood Association is trying to obtain a triangular land parcel (1200 Buchanan) at Buchanan /101h Streets as a neighborhood park to install a large sign stating "Entering West Floral Heights Historic District ". However, she stated City Parks Director Jack Murphy classifies the land parcel as a City median not a park. Based on deed research by a local land surveyor (Brian Salter) the property was originally given to the City to be used as a park for perpetuity. Ms. Cotton requested help from the Landmark Commission. Commission members discussed the situation and Ms. Sullivan encouraged the Association to R apply for the City park designation. Councilor Elmore encouraged Ms. Cotton to submit an application to the City Parks Department and Parks Board and request that it be reviewed by City Council for consideration. He noted City Council was recently talking about the importance of City parks for quality of life. Chairperson Thueson indicated the Landmark Commission would need to Landmark Commission April 16, 2008 page 4 have facts and documentation about the deed history but really the information needs to be submitted to the Parks Board. Ms. Cotton explained the Association's concern with the land parcel being classified as a median because no signage is permitted in a median. The second item of concern related to the former Buchanan Terrace vacant lot at 1307 Buchanan and the desire of some residents to develop a Neighborhood Dog Park. Discussion ensued and Councilor Elmore encouraged Ms. Cotton and the neighborhood to pursue the idea of developing a dog park in this location and urged her to work with City Parks & Property Management to research project potential. Councilor Elmore stated over the past 35years there have been no new City parks and residential developments are being built without any neighborhood parks — this is an opportunity to create a neighborhood park. b Update — The Place (801 Burnett) Planning staff referred members to the news article in their packets, published by the Times Record News on March 14, 2008. Ms. Gagne provided a brief overview for new Commission members and Ms. Cotton reported on her attempts to work with the deacons at First Baptist church. Members discussed the pending loss and Ms. Sullivan commented that it's not just a historic building loss but also a continued loss to the tax base with more lots being purchased by the church for parking lots. Mr. Newsom stated he would encourage them to at least reuse /salvage the stone materials from the demolition. Ms. Graham stated initially she hoped to fight the battle to save the building considering all the historic buildings torn down in the original townsite but there wasn't enough strong support from other entities to pursue the fight. Mr. Newsom recalled previous days on the Commission, The Place staff was approached about having their property designated as a City landmark and they weren't interested at the time which is now very unfortunate. Chairperson Thueson commented the CLG grant would be a good opportunity for another survey of historic sites /inventory which is becoming more crucial everyday. Alk c & d Announcements Mr. Newsom informed members about the Museum of North Texas History's May 15th Curtis Jenny event and fundraiser at the Kickapoo municipal airpark and encouraged everyone to participate. Ms. Gagne encouraged members to attend the April 22nd presentation from Freese & Nichols consultants outlining the recommendations for the Downtown Plan, Parks & Local Update. The meeting will be held at the Public Library in Room 205 from 3 -5pm. In conjunction both Ms. Gagne and Ms. Graham encouraged people to participate in the 1st Downtown Proud Cajun Fest set for May 9th /101h at the Farmer's Market to promote downtown. The event will be organized by DWFD Inc. and W.F. professional firefighters. Mr. Newsom informed members Mr. Dave Clark is working with a group of representatives from various museums to form a Museum Coalition with monthly meetings to help coordinate museum activities in the downtown and avoid duplicating events, etc. Mr. Newsom recalled opportunities for a training month with the Commission and requested staff to research potential for getting the Texas Historical Commission to come to Wichita Falls for a regional seminar day. It was determined City staff would contact Commission members regarding the next meeting date in early May to begin planning the CLG grant application. VIII. ADJOURN The Commission adjourned the meeting at 5:15 pm. Dianne Thueson, Chairperson Date Landmark Commission April 16, 2008 page 5 RECEIVED IN CITY CLERK'S OFFICE Date By 0__- —-..