Committee Minutes
Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
P. O. Box 13876
Grand Forks, ND 58208-3876
701-772-8756
Minutes
July 13, 2010
6:30 p.m.
City Hall
Present: Marsha Gunderson, Chair, Sharon Bures, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Sylvia Kloster, Cory Lien, Dale Sickels, Sandy Slater, Judy Swisher
Others: Mike Sullivan (Red River Valley Community Action), Debra Pflughoeft-Hassett (Office of Urban Development), Meredith Richards (Office of Urban Development), Peg O’Leary
Minutes
Motion:
to approve the minutes of the June 15, 2010, meeting. (Sickels, Bures)
Motion carries.
Red River Valley Community Action
– Mike Sullivan
218 Walnut, built 1908 – The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing element in the Near Southside Historic District. The proposal is to use a federally subsidized grant to replace two original storm windows with combination aluminum storms, replace three windows with vinyl windows, add foundation and attic insulation, and perform interior work. Because federal funds are being used on a Register listed building, it will be necessary to follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for Rehabilitation. Original materials must be replaced only when they cannot be repaired and then only with like materials.
Motion:
to concur with a determination of no adverse effect from the insulation and storm window replacement if the replacement storm windows are wood combination storms having the same profile as the originals. (Slater, Bures)
Discussion: Further research is necessary to determine if the window problems can be solved by scraping away the layers of paint instead of replacing the entire original windows. Sullivan will return with more information. Window replacement with vinyl sashes is not approved at this time.
Motion carries.
1107 15
th
Ave. S., built 1954 – The house is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is not in a historic district. The proposal is to use a federally subsidized grant to replace two original wood doors with steel doors and insulate the foundation perimeter from the inside. Sullivan noted that the owner has selected a front door with a half-moon window detail. Members suggested that a door with horizontally repeating windows, like the original, would be more in keeping with the style and age of the house.
Motion:
to concur with a determination of no historic properties affected from the work described at 1107 15
th
Avenue S. (Slater, Swisher)
Motion carries.
1716 Dyke Avenue – Pulled.
Grand Forks Energy Alliance, Office of Urban Development
– Debra Pflughoeft-Hassett
623 Oak Street, built 1915 – The house is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is not a component in a historic district. The owners plan to use a federally subsidized loan to add wall insulation, perform air sealing, and replace the roof with architectural shingles similar to existing shingles. The shape of the roof and its many eave returns accounts for most of the original architectural detail on the home; it is recommended that these features be carefully maintained in the reroofing process.
Motion:
to concur with a determination of no historic properties affected by the proposed work at 623 Oak Street. (Sickels, Lien)
Motion carries.
2207 4
th
Ave. N., built 1950 – The house is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is not in a historic district. The owners plan to use a federally subsidized loan to add attic insulation and install new entrance doors with weather stripping; air sealing and weather stripping of attic access will be performed as needed. The new doors will be steel and without windows.
Motion:
to concur with a determination of no historic properties affected by the proposed work at 2207 4
th
Ave. N. (Swisher, Flemmer)
Motion carries.
Historic District Infill
– Meredith Richards
Richards presented background information on the city’s infill programs and about the city-owned lots in the Central Park area of the Near Southside Historic District. She noted that two well-attended neighborhood meetings were held to find out what the neighbors would like to see in the area. The neighbors were strongly in favor of continuing the Request for Proposals (RFP) process instead of auctioning off the lots, and they preferred that the criteria address neighborhood architectural compatibility. The city owns 15 parcels in six blocks between South 4
th
Street and 4
th
Avenue South. The parcels will probably result in 10-12 buildable lots. The area is zoned R4 but historically was comprised of medium-to-large, single-family homes in a variety of early 20
th
century styles. The city proposes to begin the redevelopment of these lots by issuing a RFP for the parcel in the 600 block of S. 5
th
Street. This parcel may be developed as one 93’ lot or as two 46.5’ lots. This RFP will help to define the infill process for historic districts and will determine if there is market interest in these lots at this time.
Copies of the standard infill RFP packet were handed out for review and Richards noted that previous infill programs have addressed architectural compatibility but that there may need to be more detailed design criteria for development within the historic districts. Design is one criterion on which a proposal is judged; others include financial capacity, record of past performance, building schedule, and bid. Design criteria will include, at a minimum, house style (similar to neighboring homes), landscaping (especially protection of mature trees), market value (similar to other homes in the immediate area), energy efficiency (bonus points but not required), and the proposer’s understanding of the goals of the infill program. The neighborhood meetings discussed and agreed upon these basic criteria. Richards provided a starting point for the design discussion: “Home design: A key element of this redevelopment process is to ensure that new construction is compatible with the existing architecture that fronts on this part of S. Fifth Street. This property is part of the Near Southside Historic District, which contains notable architecture dating from the late 19
th
and early 20
th
centuries. The size, scale and massing of proposed home plans will be important, and exterior architectural elements should be appropriate to homes of this era. Split entry, split level and raised ranch home styles are not acceptable. Garage access must be provided from the alley.” Discussion revolved around how to establish criteria that will result in an appropriate addition to the streetscape without over-limiting personal choices of a prospective owner. The review criteria should be sufficiently specific to provide grounds for refusal of an incompatible design but broad enough to be accepting of a range of styles. Style preferences, such as Queen Anne, American Foursquare, and Italianate, could be referenced but the review committee should be able to choose, for instance, a really good two-story Craftsman over a poorly-designed or minimally-detailed preferred style. Commissioners agreed that additional design criteria should include a minimum height (a full two-stories or more), minimum to maximum height range above finished grade (no slab foundations; full basement or crawl space required), and finished grade and set backs must conform to streetscape. It was also determined that infill housing should be single-family (a point that the neighbors also stipulated) and that, because the development is within a designated historic district, two HPC members should serve on the review committee. Flemmer and Swisher, who also live in the Central Park neighborhood, were named to serve on the review committee. Richards and O’Leary will identify on-line resources to help proposers recognize good/bad design elements, especially with regard to massing and scale.
Prairie Harvest Project – Iseminger asked Richards whether the University Avenue building would be brick; Richards said brick is in the budget and she expects the front façade to be brick with at least some brick on the side and rear elevations.
Chair Report
– Marsha Gunderson
Coghlan Castle – The castle rehab project is progressing and they are offering a free seminar on stone repointing to anyone willing to spend a couple days on-site learning the process and helping with the restoration. A brochure was passed around.
Central High School – The window replacement has begun and the new windows, with full original openings, look very nice. It’s a big improvement over having part of the window boarded up. Lien noted that the new windows in Valley Middle School also are a big improvement.
Coordinator Report
– Peg O’Leary
B’nai Israel Synagogue and Montefiori Cemetery Nomination – Slater, Gunderson and O’Leary reviewed the second draft. The third draft is due July 26.
The Kegs NRHP Proposal Review – The contract was on hold at the City Attorney’s office but has now been approved and sent to the contractor. Hoffbeck has acquired the necessary insurance and his licensing from the state.
Governor’s Conference on North Dakota History Awards – Commissioners will consider a nomination for one or more of the history awards.
WPA Stonework in Memorial Park and Calvary Cemeteries – Still no federal action but their comment time is running out.
Prairie Harvest Project – O’Leary noted that the Commission had acted by email vote, on a time sensitive matter, to concur with a determination of no historic properties affected by the proposed building project at 517-521 University Avenue.
Moved
Bures, Seconded Flemmer, Votes Aye: Bures, Flemmer, Kloster, Lien, Slater, Sickles, Swisher, Leach. Absent: Iseminger. Not voting but present: Gunderson.
Motion carried.
Downtown Brochure – The completed brochure was distributed.
Motion:
to authorize payment of $2,588 to Fine Print for brochure printing. (Swisher, Kloster)
Motion carries.
Members expressed gratitude to the Nash Foundation, which provided $2,500 for this project.
NAPC Conference – The office will be closed July 29-30 and possibly August 1, while O’Leary attends the conference.
Central High School Expansion Project – Nothing has been submitted to HPC but the School Board has voted to go forward with expansion.
Police Department Building Expansion Project – The SHPO has requested elevation drawings for the GFPD building addition on South 5th Street. HPC reviewed the monopole tower portion of the proposal on Sept. 8, 2008.
Downtown Walking Tours – O’Leary had been scheduled to give three tours to attendees of a Human Nutrition conference but two tours were cancelled due to inclement weather.
Larimore Museum – The SHPO requested that O’Leary provide a progress review for window repair and partial replacement at the Larimore Museum. The review was completed on Thursday, July 8. The members of the Museum Board were very welcoming and knowledgeable. O’Leary recommended that commissioners visit the museum, which is in the old city hall.
1719 University Avenue – The owner has requested a replat of this lot to allow building a new house on the corner. Planning and Zoning Commission approved the replat and a variance to reduce the size of a side yard set back. O’Leary asked P&Z to add design restrictions to the variance; they did not do so.
Extreme North Dakota Adventure Race – City Council has approved a revised ordinance that allows swimming in the Red River with special permission from Council. Climbing on the NPRR Bridge pier was not restricted but the race organizer, Andy Magness, has assured us that a rope ladder attached to the turntable remnant will not damage the pier.
HPC Appointments – City Council has confirmed the Mayor’s HPC appointments of the five members whose terms were up in July (Bures, Flemmer, Iseminger, Leach, and Slater).
Donor Reports – Members signed donated time reports for March-June, 2010.
Wood Block Paving – The last remnant of wood block paving, in the driveway to the old First Presbyterian Church on Belmont Road, is deteriorating rapidly. O’Leary has contacted the SHPO about emergency preservation funds to assist with repair or permission to use a small portion of local CLG funds to assist with repair.
Camera Purchase – The 2010 CLG budget includes a line item for the purchase of a digital camera for the office. After research and consultation with Dave Vorland, professional photographer and former commissioner, O’Leary proposed the purchase of an Olympus E-520 DSLR with ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens. This camera will take pictures that meet and exceed the National Park Service requirements and can be purchased for less than $550.
Motion:
to authorize expenditure of up to $550 for the DSLR camera described.
(Slater, Swisher)
Motion carries.
Other Business
Altru Hospital History – Iseminger noted that the hospital has installed the cross, which was originally on the top of the North Columbia Road St. Michael’s Hospital, on its grounds. He will pursue an item from Deaconess to be placed with the cross to document the history of health care in Grand Forks.
Motion:
to adjourn. (Swisher, Bures)
Motion carries.
Meeting adjourned. 9:00 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010, in A101, City Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Peg O’Leary
Coordinator