Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Landmark Commission - 06/25/2009 MINUTES LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ECEIVE JUNE 25, 2009 JUL 2 3 2009 MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Herb Morrison, Co-Chairman Ms. Mary Lou Berven Ms.Anita Eisenhauer CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE Ms. Marie Guajardo Dr. James Klein Mr. Leo Rios Mr. Craig Thompson Mr.Art Zeifler MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr. David Brown, Chairman (Excused) Ms. Randy Evans (Excused) Ms. Susie Rucker (Excused) Ms. Bunny linker (Excused) STAFF PRESENT: Mr.Andrew Dimas, Planning Technician Ms. Linda Williams, Recording Secretary The meeting was called to order at 4:35 p.m. by Mr. Herb Morrison. The roll was called and a quorum was not present. ACTION ITEM: Approve May 28, 2009 Minutes: The May 28, 2009 minutes will be approved at the July 23, 2009 meeting. Master Review Committee's Recommendation regarding property located at 1503 Stillman Avenue: Mr. Herb Morrison, Assistant Chairman, addressed the commission. Mr. Morrison stated staff from Neighborhood Services Code Enforcement and the Police Department met the Master Review Committee and Mr. • Dimas on site to escort them onto the property at 1503 Stillman to tour the property. Mr. Morrison continued that before the committee submitted its recommendation regarding the structural condition of the house, Andrew Dimas, Staff Liaison, would present a brief power point presentation of slides showing the deterioration of the property. Mr. Dimas began his presentation by providing a brief description of the property. The structure is a two story stucco residence with altered windows and porch. The structure was constructed on a pier and beam foundation with a skirted wall wood-frame structural system. The structure has a flat roof with exposed rafter ends and a concrete archway on the south side of the house. The house also has a two-story full width porch with a flat roof with classical columns. Mr. Dimas continued that the following slides would provide a clearer view of the extensive deterioration of the building. The structure was fenced in to keep transients out of the house and also because of possible illegal activities that could take place. Slide 1 -An overall frontal view of the northwest corner of the house that also included a small portion of the columns located at the rear of the house, the second floor balcony with the flat roof over the balcony area. This picture was taken from street at the intersection of Stillman and Koepke Street. Slide 2-A closer frontal view of the house taken from in front of the structure. View was partially blocked by several large trees in front of the house and behind the fencing. Slide 3 - Northwest corner of the structure that showed stucco missing from the bottom half of the house exposing the rotted wood. Large holes were also visible in the side of the house. SCANNED Landmark Commission Meeting June 25,2009 Page 2 • Slide 4 - Northwest corner of the house second floor balcony and windows. Window frames were rotted and missing. The column connecting the railing to the ceiling of the covered balcony revealed deep cracks in the concrete column. Slide 5-Deep cracks in the concrete columns supporting the second floor balcony. Slide 6 - Southeast corner of the second floor balcony where part of the railing was broken and missing. The smaller columns supporting the railing were also missing and both windows were boarded up. Slide 7 - Northwest corner of the bottom half of the structure where stucco siding was completely missing exposing the rotted wood. Through the fencing, complete overgrowth of high grass prevented a clear view of the deterioration of the wood. Slide 8 - View of the sidewalk from the rear of the properly showed a line of concrete columns on both sides of the sidewalk. Horizontal beams had fallen off several of the columns and were seen on the ground. Slide 9 - Rear view of the house where the back door had been pushed in. The exposed wall showed the shell Crete interior wall had deteriorated and the stucco adhered to the concrete wall had fallen off possibly causing the door frame to loosen. The bottom portion of the house had lost all of the stucco siding leaving the wood exposed. Slide 10-Large piles of the stucco siding that had fallen off the house. Slide 11 -A second floor bedroom had been used to store discarded furniture. Slide 12-Landing on the second floor and partial stairway. Slide 13 - Bottom view of the stairs leading to the second floor. Several steps on the stairway were rotted and posed a safely hazard in trying to reach the second floor. Slide 14- Four views of two of the four bedrooms on the second floor. Bedroom located on the northwest corner of the house indicated ceiling material had fallen and left holes in the ceiling and wall areas. Bedroom on the southeast corner of the house showed stress cracks in the wall and exposed wood. Slide 15 - Northwest view of the main bathroom on the second floor. Interior walls had mold and floor tiles were broken. Southeast view of a second bathroom had debris and garbage on the floor. Bathroom fixtures had been removed and the shower walls had collapsed and the window removed. At the conclusion of the presentation for the 1503 Stillman properly, Mr. Dimas stated he also had taken photos of two additional properties located in the north side area--the old Cotton Club and the Melba Theatre. Cotton Club located at 1220 North Staples Street was currently by Priscilla Cambric and Calvin Crecy. The building was renamed from the Cotton Club to the Ebony Recreation Spot. The structure was a two-story stucco building with sheet metal on the north side. Alterations had been made to the windows and doors, but the interior could be renovated if funding was available and a group wanted to undertake the task. The structure had few structural problems. The following slides were presented: Slide 1 -Exterior of the building. Slide 2- Interior of the first floor where the actual club was maintained. Building showed piles of debris and old booths that were still in place. Ceiling light fixtures were still in place. Slide 3-Rear of the structure showing concrete steps leading through a back entrance. Slide 4-Two views of the interior-one showing the bar area and the other side of the room with booths. Landmark Commission Meeting June 25,2009 -- Page 3 • Melba Theatre located at 1016 Leopard Street. The building is a three-story stucco and wood building. The main facade has three bays that face south. The building has a slab foundation with load-bearing masonry structural system. It has a flat roof with built up tar and gravel. The main entry is recessed with cobalt and cream tile across the entire facade. At bne time, Corpus Christi Ministries was housed in this building. Mr. Morrison stated that the roof had caved in and was sitting on the floor of the structure. Mr. Dimas revealed that the building also has asbestos that would need to be removed. Mr. Dimas continued that at one time, this site was considered for purchase to construct an employee parking lot for a business going into the old Wolfson Furniture building, but the cost to purchase,demolish the structure and asbestos removal were going to be too costly. The following slides were presented: Slide 1 -Front and east side of the building. Slide 2- East side of the bottom portion of the building. Slide shows the brick has fallen off the building. Slide 3-East side of the upper portion of the building. Slide 4-Rear of the building. At the conclusion of the power point presentation, the floor was opened for comments from committee members. Mr. Morrison stated that at an earlier time, perhaps the structure at 1503 Stillman could have been saved, but because of the severe deterioration and the cost to repair, it would not be feasible to do so. Mr. Morrison continued that the concrete piers under the house have spread and shifted causing the concrete beams carrying the floor joists to move. The movement of the piers is a result of the clay soil. Mr. Morrison continued that the life span of the house was established the day it was built. At one point in time, the property could have been salvaged. The framework has already broken and rotted which makes it virtually impossible to repair. Mr. Thompson asked if there was a checkmark in the data base on the structure that it could be restored if it was vacant and it was answered no. There was a question regarding ownership of the property and Mr. Dimas responded that on the 1993 site survey data sheet indicated Eugenett Bouligny as the owner, but the current owner shown by the Appraisal District was James Brownell, After all comments had been received and discussion concluded regarding all three structures, Mr. Morrison stated the Master Review Committee was recommending that the structure at 1503 Stillman Avenue be cleared for demolition and removed from the Landmark Commission's potential listing. It was the consensus of members present to accept the Committee's recommendation. Since there was no quorum present, no formal action could be taken on the committee's recommendation. Action will be taken at the July meeting. Approve Landmark Commission's Vision Plan 2009 for the Development of Heritage Park: Discussion ensued regarding the next step to be taken in moving forward with the plan. Mr. Morrison stated that after the June Rotary meeting, a suggestion was made to get better sketches showing an elevation plan of the proposed expansion. Mr. Zeitler stated he felt a new site plan should be professional rendering that incorporated two to three pictures that showed the commission's vision and how it would be incorporated with the existing layout of Heritage Park. The plan should be simple and fine-tuned. Mr. Zeitler continued that the commission needed to get the proposed presentation to the Park Board by their October meeting. Mr. Thompson stated that at the last meeting, the commission discussed the possibility of establishing a non-profit group to assist the Landmark Commission in fund raising efforts and he wanted to know what steps needed to be initiated to get it going. Ms. Berven stated that at the June Rotary meeting, she was introduced to a man named Gregory First and he had assisted approximately Iwo hundred fifty (250) groups in obtaining a 501 C status. He charged a fee of $150.00 to initiate the process. Mr. Zeilter stated another option to consider was that the Coastal Bend Foundation received monetary donations to be disbursed for specific projects. Mr. Zeitler stated that it could take up to three to four months to pursue a "HC"designation and it would be great to have someone who was actually involved in the process. Mr. Thompson stated the commission should start the process to see if Mr. First would be available to assist the commission in initiating the 501 C process. Landmark Commission Meeting June 25,2009 Page 4 Mr. Thompson asked if it was possible for the commission to get a rendering done of the commission's development plan within a timely manner and Mr. Morrison responded that he would talk with Mr. Brown to see if they could find someone willing to do the rendering. The rendering would have to be created because there were no plans to work from. Mr. Morrison continued that pictures were needed of what the commission wanted on the rendering. Mr. Zeitler commented that it would be great to have actual photos to go along with the plan. Mr. Zeitler stated he would speak with Mr. Brown regarding possible resources that will assist in pursuing the 501C process. After further discussion, no action was taken. Discussion Items: Highlights of Awards Recognition Luncheon: Mr. Zeitler stated that the awards luncheon was great and the program was divided into three parts. • The first part was a presentation given by the Park and Recreation Department without graphics; • David Brown gave a presentation on the Landmark Commission's Visions Plan 2009 for the development of Heritage Park; and • The Awards Recognition on three properties. Two of the honorees attended the luncheon. The entire board of Corpus Christi Patch's organization attended the luncheon. Mr. Morrison expressed thanks to Mr. Zeitler and the Rotary Club for allowing the Landmark Commission to hold the awards presentation at their monthly meeting. Vacancy on the Landmark Commission(Reagan Sahadi): Mr. Morrison stated that with the resignation of Reagan Sahadi, a total of three vacancies needed to be filled. Mr. Morrison stated that included in the commissioners' packets, several applications were forwarded for the commission to review and make possible recommendations for appointments. After a brief discussion and review of the applications, the commission recommended the following applicants in the order listed be considered for future vacancies: Susan Kesler,Chris Hamilton,James Hoenscheidt, and Allen Wahlstrom. Recognition Certificate Presentation to Brian Charles: Mr. Morrison stated that at the June Rotary meeting when the Awards Recognition was presented, Mr. Brian Charles could not attend the luncheon and he was at today's meeting to receive his award. Mr, Charles'recognition was based on the renovation of the house located at 807 South Carancahua that is used as a law office. Mr. Charles expressed thanks to the commission for the awards recognition and stated the commissioners could tour the facility at anytime-his office hours were from 8:30 a,m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Mr. Morrison expressed thanks to Mr. Charles for the wonderful job in preserving the structure. Presentation on Kinney Street Bridge and Pump Station for Consideration of "HC" Designation: Andrew Dimas gave a short power,point presentation on the Kinney Street Bridge and the Pump Station. The Kinney Street Bridge was constructed between 1900 andl 915. Several photos were shown of the bridge-one taken in 1993 and one taken in 2009. The 2009 photos showed the opposite view of the drainage from Blucher Park and Kinney Street. The bridge is currently being used as a pedestrian bridge. Pump Station: Several photos were shown of the pump station. Mr. Dimas stated That before the commission further pursued the"HC" designation of either of the two structures, he would discuss both projects with Faryce Goode-Macon, Assistant Director of Development Services, and also get an update from the Engineering Department. When both projects were initially presented in 2004, Mr. 'Angel Escobar was the City Engineer and Valerie Gray, Director of Storm Water, approved the commission's pursuing the "HC"designation for both structures. Mr. Dimas continued that since that time, there has been a change in leadership for the Engineering Department. Mr. Dimas continued he would have more information at the July meeting of how to proceed. Mr. Thompson stated if there would be a problem in designating any of the city's structure and it was disclosed that since the new city engineer did not know what was previously decided regarding the designations, a dialogue would have to take place. At this point, it was unknown what his response would be. Ms. Eisenhauer stated that if the bridge was part of a TXDot project, it was a chance that the city engineering department would not be in favor or pursing"HC"designations on the project. Landmark Commission Meeting 1 June 25,2009 Page 5 Presentation on North Side Redevelopment Plan: Mr. Dimas gave an overview of the redevelopment plan for the North Side. Mr. Dimas continued that several charettes were held with residents residing in the north side area as well as the Hillcrest Subdivision. The purpose of the meetings were to gather input as to what the citizens felt was needed and at the same time, create realistic proposals that would be feasible for the area. Several scenarios were presented: • Proposal included the proposed realignment of the Harbor Bridge. The realignment would have a significant impact on the Hillcrest neighborhood as well as the north side. The realignment would connect Port Avenue into a major corridor that would connect Port Avenue to the entertainment area in the downtown area. • Proposal to realign Port Avenue into a major corridor that would connect the port area whereby closing part of Port Avenue that it would not extend to the Hillcrest neighborhood. Port Avenue would be redeveloped with businesses and properties on the periphery of Port Avenue would be possibly purchased and bought out. Mr. Thompson stated as he was on his way to the Stillman Avenue property, he saw an old cemetery and wondered if it was still being used and what was the name of it. Ms. Eisenhauer answered the name of the cemetery was New Bay View Cemetery. Ms. Eisenhauer stated the Nueces County Commission did not have enough money to restore this cemetery. The cemetery is no longer in use and there is work to do in documenting the cemetery,but with limited resources,the project has not been completed. There being no further business,the meeting was adjourned at 6 p.m. 01, • da Williams Andrew Dimas, Plefrxliing Technician R-.ording Secretary Staff Liaison to Landmark Commission (H:PLN.DIR\L W DAIWORDILANDMARKIMINUTESJUNE2509.MINSi