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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Landmark Commission - 05/24/2001 �j2,�2223Zg2� . MINUTES ^� ��' LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING AUG 2001 N CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS RECE11fEb w MAY 24, 2001 (•; CITY SEC w OFFICE 7 MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Alan Belcher `0 Ms. Sharon Brower �s8L9sv Mr. Michael Cleary - _. . Ms. Grandis Lenken Mr. Elmon Phillips Ms. Bunny Tinker Mr. Tom Stewart MEMBERS ABSENT: Ms. Deborah Douglas (Excused) Mr. Tom Kreneck (Excused) Mr. Mark Luddeke (Excused) Mr. Kevin Maraist (Excused) Mr. Terry Orf (Excused) STAFF PRESENT: Ms. Faryce Goode-Macon, City Planner Ms. Linda Williams, Recording Secretary Mr. Alan Belcher, Vice Chairman, called the meeting to order at 4:40 p.m. The roll was called and a quorum was declared. Ms. Macon welcomed Ms. Tinker back to the Landmark Commission and expressed thanks for her attending today's meeting. ACTION ITEM(S): Approval of April 26, 2001 Minutes: The minutes for the April 26, 2001 meeting were approved as distributed. Resolution of Support for Nueces County's Application to the Texas Department of Transportation for TEA21 Grant for Historic Nueces County Courthouse - Brooke Sween- McGloin: Ms. Brooke Sween-McGloin was introduced for benefit of new commissioners. Ms. Sween-McGloin began her introductory remarks by expressing thanks for the opportunity to address the commission. Ms. MCGloin stated she came before the commission last year and asked for commission support in the form of a resolution supporting the application for funding for restoration of the historic Nueces County Courthouse from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program and she wanted to update the commission on the project The original grant application was for S3.7 million to begin restoration of the county courthouse. Ms. McGloin stated that approximately twenty (20) county courthouses throughout the state received funding and Nueces County Courthouse received $333,401 of the grant money, but the funding provided for planning and development of the project only, not for brick and mortar. The $330,401 grant was for the first phase of the project - the entire project estimated to cost $4 million. Ms. McGloin continued that the amount received sounds like a lot of money, but there were nine companies and twenty or more people working together on completing the construction documents for phase 1 of the estimated S4 million project. The drawings are due at the end of June and the packet is 60 percent completed. Ms. McGloin stated she was told on yesterday that State legislation passed a bill appropriating S49.6 million to continue funding for THC's county courthouse restoration SCANNED Landmark commission Meeting 41110 May 24,2001 Page 2 program; which was great news. This grant funding will provide bricks and mortar and other exterior improvements needed for the building. By the end of 2001, we will have applied for brick and mortar money. Ms. McGloin stated that Nueces County has taken ownership of the building and is now looking at creative ways to place the building back into public use. Ms. McGloin continued their firm was hired to submit another grant for 1-21 funding through the Department of Transportation. Through T-21 grant funding, approximately $14 million is available. Part Of the criteria for the T-21 grant is that 60 percent of the project has t0 be transportation related and the remaining 40 percent will be mothballed. Ms. McGloin stated the TXDot grant application deadline is June 18, 2001 and notification of awards should be received sometime in January 2002. Ms. McGloin provided a brief summary of the new grant application. Ms. McGloin stated that the grant requests funding for development, implementation, construction maintenance, management and financing of the South Texas Regional Transportation Center and a City of Corpus Christi Visitor Welcome Center for placement in the historic Nueces County Courthouse. In addition, the South Texas Regional Transportation Center and Visitor Welcome Center will provide a viable use for the courthouse. The Visitor Welcome Center will also be a valuable addition to the City's Bayfront Arts and Science Park. The South Texas Regional Transportation Center will enhance the safety and quality of life for citizens of our region. With the Visitors'Welcome Center located at the gateway to the city, it will provide better service to visitors coming t0 town. Ms. McGloin continued that under the South Texas Regional Transportation Center, the MPO will possibly relocate Its facility to the courthouse. The MPO is comprised of Nueces County, San Patricio County, and Kleberg County. The Transportation Operation Center will also be located at this site. The Center is in charge of public safety and they have submitted a letter of recommendation and support for the project and are glad to be part of it. The Emergency Operation Center, under the City's jurisdiction, will also be a participant, but they are building a new Center that will be located in the Frost Building. Ms. McGloin went on to say that the Metro- Communication Center would possibly relocate to the courthouse at some future date. The communication center is a combination of the city/county 911 emergency dispatch centers. Currently, the center is housed in the City Police Department. The last agency that will be a part of the South Texas Regional Transportation Center is the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The committee handles chemical emergencies. This group is responsible to keep citizens informed of any chemical emergencies and, If and when, to evacuate. The grant proposal will make it possible for all of these entities to be located at one site. After Ms. McGloin's presentation,the floor was opened for questions and comments. Mr. Phillips asked if the County had gotten back those items that Dusty Durrill removed from the courthouse and Ms. Ms. Gloin answered that the County Attorney contacted Mr. Durrill and requested him to return the items. Ms. McGloin continued that according to the County Attorney, Mr. Durrill returned the items and they were placed in a warehouse where they were to be inventoried. Mr. Cleary asked what the $3.6 million portion of the grant would be used for and Ms. McGloin answered that part of the money would be used to remove dangerous materials from all floors of the building. The skin and all connectors would be removed and placed back on. The entire south wing would have a complete skin Job removal and placed back on. Work will be done to the exterior of the building and the lawn will be landscaped. There will be a public meeting room where the Commissioners' Court will meet four times annually. Ms. McGloin continued that most of the brick would be removed, cataloged and stored. Also, the terra-cotta tiles will be cataloged and stored. Discussion has taken place of possibly putting on a new roof. Landmark commission Meeting 110S May 24,2001 Page 3 Ms. Tinker asked when was the Jury room added on and will it remain and Ms. McGloin answered that the jury room was added in 1961 and It Is hoped that the hazardous materials will be removed from the structure and It will be used as a warehouse. Mr. Stewart asked If an application was submitted last year for this project and Ms. McGloin answered she did do a presentation last year before the commission for grant funding for the courthouse, but it was on behalf of the city. Mr. Stewart added that at that time last year, of your presentation, the proposal was about establishing a transportation museum and he wanted to know what happened to that idea. Mr. Stewart continued that he really hopes the grant proposal presented today Is successful. After all questions and comments concluded,the following action was taken: IT WAS MOVED BY MR. PHILLIPS AND SECONDED BY MS. LENKEN THAT THE LANDMARK COMMISSION APPROVE WRITING A LETTER OF RESOLUTION IN SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT, AND FINANCING OF THE SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER AND A CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI VISITOR WELCOME CENTER IN THE HISTORIC NUECES COUNTY COURTHOUSE BUILDING BY NUECES COUNTY AND SUPPORTING THE NOMINATION OF THE PROJECT TO THE STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM BY NUECES COUNTY. MOTION PASSED. "HC" Zoning Application for Chatterton Estates: Ms. Macon, Staff Liaison, addressed the commission. Ms. Macon stated that Ms. Sharon Chatterton is interested in obtaining 'HC" zoning for her property located at 821 Oak Park. Ms. Chatterton's property is one of the properties located on the "Potential Landmark " listing and she received one of the Landmark Commission's plaques. Ms. Macon continued that the Chatterton property also received a Texas Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission. Ms. Macon stated that in the past, when a zoning application was submitted on behalf of the Landmark Commission, the application fee was waived. Ms. Macon continued she was excited about the"HC"application and hopefully, more property owners will come on board. After a brief discussion,the following action was taken: IT WAS MOVED BY MR. PHILLIPS AND SECONDED BY MR. CLEARY THAT THE LANDMARK COMMISSION SUPPORT AND APPROVE THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY MS. CHATTERTON FOR THE "HC" OVERLAY ZONING FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 821 OAK PARK. MOTION PASSED. "Potential Landmark" Status Request for Property Located at 1008 Furman Avenue: Ms. Macon stated she received notification that Mr. Torres, owner of property at 1008 Furman Avenue, wanted his property to be listed as a *potential landmark." Ms. Macon continued that Mr. Torres was Included in the initial notification process, but he opted not to participate. Ms. Macon stated he has since changed his mind and now wants to be Included on the list. After a brief discussion,the following action was taken: IT WAS MOVED BY MR. PHILLIPS AND SECONDED BY MS. BROWER THAT THE LANDMARK COMMISSION IDENTIFY, RECOGNIZE, AND APPROVE THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1008 FURMAN AVENUE BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF "POTENTIAL LANDMARK" PROPERTIES. MOTION PASSED. Landmark Commission Meeting # V May 24,2001 Page 4 DISCUSSION ITEMISI: Ms. Macon stated she spoke with a staff member from the Union Pacific Railroad Depot regarding the plaque program. Ms. Macon continued that the lady took one of each of the plaques to take back to the board for possible approval. This commission has been In contact with the depot in earlier years regarding our"HC program. The lady seems to be very interested about the "potential landmark" and "HC" plaques. After she met with the board, she would notify me of their decision. OTHER MATTERS: Ms. Macon gave an update on the historical web site. Ms. Macon stated that the web site is on the edge of completion and should be on-line and ready for access by the middle of June. Ms. Macon commented that grant time Is coming up for submittal to the Texas Historical Commission and she had been thinking of a project for the next grant cycle. Ms. Macon continued for the past several years, Forest Glen Productions has been corresponding with the Planning Department and furnishing examples of videos they produced. Ms. Macon stated she wanted to see if the Landmark Commission would be interested in creating a video. Details as to what would be included in the video could be discussed at a later meeting date. Ms. Macon stated she wanted to see if the idea was plausible. After further discussion, no action was taken. Ms. Macon stated this afternoon she attended a brief meeting with Tony Cisneros, Director of Park and Recreation Department and after reviewing improvements made to the Gold star Court, the current marker does not meet the standards shown on the plan. The marker that Is in place was not installed in good faith as depicted on the plan. Ms. McGloin stated she was very disappointed about the marker and the installation of the flagpoles and the flags are not of very good quality. The bluff has been ruined and it looks like a graveyard. After all comments had concluded, Ms. Macon stated a meeting had been scheduled with Mr. Cisneros for Wednesday, at 10:30 a.m. in the Park and Recreation conference room. Ms. Macon continued that if any commissioner was interested in attending the meeting,they should be at the meeting. Ms.Tinker commented that the Crape Myrtle trees look great in the bluff area. Mr. Belcher explained that he had not been able to attend several meetings because Of prior commitments made involving school activities and end of year functions. Ms. Macon reminded commissioners that the next meeting would be in August 2001. There being no further business,the meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m. —1066 Lin•- Williams tAtait— Faryce Go'de-M-con,city Planner Reco ding Secretary Staff Llai to Landmark Commission IH WORD\LAND MAR K\MA YMINS011