HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Landmark Commission - 03/23/2023 MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING
LANDMARK COMMISSION
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS -4:30 pm
1201 LEOPARD STREET
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023
COMMISSIONERS: COMMISSIONERS:
Armando Mendez-Chairman Dr. James Pruitt
Wade Williams-Vice Chairman BizabethRigg|e
Dr. Jeri Brown MiohoUeVVanzer
Matthew Forrester Veronica Wilson
Albert Montez Vacancy
VVa|terMumme
Nina Nixon-yNendez, Assistant Director& Historic Preservation Officer
Ruth 0oonhinn, Agenda Coordinator
Buck Brice, Assistant City Attorney
|. CALL TOORDER/ROLL CALL: 4:33pm.
The meeting was called to order and a quorum was established with Commissioner Brown absent.
|/. PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
|||. APPROVAL OFMINUTES: February 23. 2023
A motion was made by Commissioner VVenzerto approve the minutes, seconded by Commissioner Pruitt The
Vote: All Aye. The motion passed.
|t/. APPROVAL OF ABSENCES: Commissioners Mendez and Riggle February 23, 2023.
A motion was made by Commissioner Wilson toapprove the absences, seconded by Commissioner Pruitt, The
Vote: All Aye. The motion passed.
V. PUBLIC HEAR/NCS: None.
Hi DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Outreach to neighborhoods regarding landmark and district
designations; presentation to realtors, architects, and engineers' professional organizations.
Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez stated vveare keeping this osastanding item hodiscuss ideas and outreach to
district designations. Assistant DinactorNixon'[Wendez sent an email to Corpus Christi Association of Realtors but
has not received e response. Commissioner Forrester will follow up A Commissioner asked if there is a way to
know ifa historic property has changed hands; Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez stated no, we do not have that
data. It's only through the appraisal district. She will research further.
V||. HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER REPORT: Assistant Director Nina Nixon-Mendez.
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Annual Preservation Award Submisoiono — Nominetionoto Date: Bui|ding& Nueoes Lofts, 317 Peoples
8t.. The Chamberlain, 807N Upper Broadway, Price's Chef, 1807 S. Alameda, Caller Times building, 82O
N Lower Broadway B|vd.. Education: Enjoy Corpus Christi Tours, Kris Gand Robert Parks, former Carroll
H S history teacher; History Books: Nuooen Press with Jim Moloney and Murphy Givens(poathumnua|y)
-Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez provided a presentation on applications that we have to data, the
deadline for applications is April 3 Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez included the Preservation Awards
Nominations information and discussed the required categories for a Preservation Award', while also
providing detail information onall the submissions.
Commissioner Wilson asked Dc Pruitt what he thinks about adding [Nr. Givens to the education award.
Commissioner Pruitt stated hewould begood either way.
Commissioner Forrester asked if there were any original pictures of the Chamberlain.
Director Nixon-Mendez abated no, but she would research.
Commissioner Forrester stated Corpus Christi Tours has a wealth of knowledge about the city, they could
be friends to us in establishing historical districts.
A Commissioner stated Corpus Christi Tours have been very helpful identifying sites for the Historic Trail.
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Preservation Month activitiea — City Proclamation; Behind the Scenes Tour ofCentennial House; Historic
Preservation Photo Contest— Deadline May 1�
-A city proclamation is scheduled for May 9 City Council meeting. The date will be confirmed and attendance
bythe Landmark Commission inrecommended.
-Photo Contest "Undiscovered Treoeunaa^ is the title regarding historic buildings that have not been
designated as historic. We are looking at displays at City Hall, Galvan House at Heritage Park, and possibly
the Art Center. We are looking for different activities that are occurring during Preservation Month-,
possibilities are a behind the scenes tour of the Centennial House, and a proclamation from Nueces County
Commissioners Court via the Nueoen County Historical Commission. If this 000urs, it in recommended
Landmark Commissioners attend. APreservation Calendar iainthe works.
*
Status VfHPO.
-We have hired e Historic Preservation Dffiuer, Robert Kurtz. from Tennessee. Mr. Kurtz will be starting in
May. [Nr. Kurtz has a Bachelor ofScience in History. Master of Science in History, and is finishing up his
PHO M/. Kurtz has knowledge ofresidential construction and building codes.
-The Historic Designation for ButterKrust will be presented to Council April 11.
-April 27 we will have five demolitions on the agenda for the Landmark Commission because under the
Downtown Vacant Building Ordinanoe, if it is 50 years old orolder and vaoant, it is required to come to the
Landmark Commission to receive o Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition. The addresses are as
follows: 301-315North Chaparral and 314North Mesquite. VVewill try toget the staff reports huyou onsoon
as possible for review. As part of the app|inotion, structural analysis of the bui|dinga, photognapha, and
reasoning for demolition is provided- The proposed project is a Homewood Suiten A COA requires
notification in the paper and property owners within 2OOfeet are notified. The Landmark Commission can
approve or deny; if denied, the Landmark Commission can stay the demolition up to 365 dayo, including
the day the application was submitted.
-The buildings range in age from 1917-1920; some have been renovated. Mesquite dates from 1950's. We
dohave interactive surveys onour website. The surveys were done in2017
by the Downtown Management District in cooperation with the oity. The surveys will state how those
buildings have been modified
ACommissioner stated he thought he saw an email regarding the Gault Aviation Hangar demolition was
recently voted onbyCouncil.
Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez stated itinnot designated historic. The Airport proposed demolition ofthe
building because ofthe condition ofthe building. ASection 108 Review was conducted because the FAA
acknowledged that it was eligible for the National Register based on its hiatory. There were two phone
conferences between the Texas Historical Commission, the Nueoeo County Historical Commission,
Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez, the Airport, and the FAA. It was determined by the FAA that it needed to
bedemolished with mitigation measures inplace.
A Commissioner asked about the 1925 Hoffman Building in the area of the five COA's; that building will not
be demolished.
A Commissioner asked if it was possible to place mitigation measures for the five demolition projects,* it can
be approved with conditions. A Commissioner asked about Codes and Charter information.
Assistant Dinaohzr Nixon-Mendez will send out refresher boCommissioners. The Commission can shay
the demolition for upto3S5days and must state areason-
-Assistant Director Nixon-Mendez reported that we hope to have some High School interns (volunteers)
who could do photography and work on the rest of the historic resources inventory this summer.
-The Preservation Planning VVebinorwas discussed.
- Aoeiatant Director Nixon-Mendez reported we currently do not have the capability in our GIS Data to
identify 100-year-old buildings. We may be ob|o to obtain the dote of construction information from the
Nueces Appraisal District ata later date.
V|||. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
°
Continuation ofStanding Committee.
^
Ritz Theatre,- discussion in June
° A Commissioner discussed a field trip to review the five demolitions before the April 27 meeting. If the
Commissioners are going to place conditions, the property needs to be viewed before those decisions are
presented. A recommendation was made to give a week between the tour and the April 27 meeting.
" A Commissioner discussed granting the Caller Times a certificate of some sort for their commitment to the
City ofCorpus Christi.
° A Commissioner recommended the Landmark Commission view the Convention Center Hotel presentation
atCity Council onthe portion ofthe meeting.
|X. ADJOURNMENT
There being nofurther business hodiscuss, the meeting adjourned ot5:31 pm.