Committee Minutes
Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
Grand Forks, ND 58203
701-772-8756
Minutes
7:00 p.m.
April 26, 2005
City Hall
Present: Marsha Gunderson, Chair, Dave Beach, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Ted Jelliff, Melinda Leach, Rolf Ottum, Dale Sickels, Sandy Slater
Others: Pete Haga, Assistant to the Mayor; Peg O’Leary
Motion:
to approve the minutes of the April 5, 2005 Public Hearing on the Downtown Nomination as presented. (Iseminger, Sickels)
Motion carries.
Motion:
to approve the minutes of the April 12, 2005 meeting as presented. (Leach, Slater)
Discussion: Iseminger questioned whether Flemmer had visited the RRVCA project and could report on the condition of the windows. Flemmer said he had and considered that the windows should be replaced and that a damaged window in the dormer should also be replaced with the appropriate size and shape window.
Motion carries.
Guided Tours of Historic District
– Pete Haga
Haga outlined a proposal for conducting guided walking tours of the downtown in conjunction with the Saturday Farmers’ Markets this summer. Tours might last about 45 minutes and run hourly, covering some of the history and architecture of our downtown. A pamphlet could be created to be used on the tour or to provide the basis for a self-conducted tour. The city’s booth at the market could be the jumping off point. The tours would target tourists and locals who don’t spend much time downtown. General discussion ensued regarding the logistics of acquiring and training tour guides (paid and/or volunteer), developing a brochure, types of tours currently available and sources of revenue. Jelliff stressed that each guide should provide the same basic information and that it be accurate. Iseminger suggested college students might sign up for a course that would give them credit for guiding the tours. Sickels suggested inviting interested planners to the next HPC meeting to brainstorm the project.
Motion:
to endorse the downtown guided tour project and encourage further discussion. (Beach, Iseminger)
Motion carries.
Chair Report
– Marsha Gunderson
Metropolitan Opera House – JLG’s plan to act as their own tenant in the Met and convert the majority of the space to loft apartments was approved at City Council.
Annual CLG Meeting – On Friday in Fargo.
Annual PND Meeting – On Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Fargo.
Downtown Design and Review Board – Didn’t have a quorum for the last meeting so no action was taken on the proposed sign for what’s now the Plain Brown Wrapper.
Downtown Housing Task Force – Has made its recommendations to the City Attorney’s office.
Downtown Housing Development Committee – Meets later this week to review RFPs and make recommendations.
Alexander Griggs – Gunderson received a phone call from the great-granddaughter of Alexander Griggs. The woman was delighted with the statue and tracked down Gunderson through the County website discussion of the statue and its dedication. Several items belonging to Griggs have been promised to Grand Forks as a result of this contact.
Coordinator Report
– Peg O’Leary
Nash Foundation Grant – Slater explained that the Nash family (of Nash Finch) has long had a foundation that donated funds primarily to the arts in the Twin Cities area. In 1993, the family donated their business records to UND Special Collections. A large number of Nash family members attended the dedication of the Nash Finch Archive in 1995. Following the 1997 flood the family decided to help out in Grand Forks with Foundation assistance. They provide support to a diverse set of grantees, with a focus on groups for whom a relatively small amount of money will make a big difference. Slater submitted a request for $2,500 to support the updating and reprinting of the HPC downtown walking tour brochures and the grant has been approved. Commissioners Slater, Leach, Jelliff and Sickels agreed to serve on a brochure committee.
Randy Lee Memorial - $325 was donated to the memorial fund by commissioners, staff, and friends.
CLG FY05 Budget – The Mayor has been notified that we received the full amount ($26,320) of the grant we requested from the state.
City Budget Request FY06 – The budget approved at the last meeting has been submitted to the Finance Office.
Riverside Survey – The contract wording has been approved by the City Attorney’s office. The contractor is working on obtaining the appropriate insurance.
Downtown Nomination – The state sent out letters to the owners of properties in the prospective district. There have been no responses as of yet. The State Review Board meeting is on Friday, May 6 in Bismarck.
Donor Reports – Members reviewed and signed their donated time sheets.
RFP Housing – O’Leary noted that Wally Rodgers is discussing the sale of the covenanted properties at 614 S. 4th St. and 1614 Lewis Boulevard. Before acquiring the homes from the city, Rodgers proposed to rehab the houses in a manner which would be historically appropriate and would increase the tax base. This has not been done. He is asking significantly more for the houses than he paid the city for them a year or so ago.
Other Business
Near Southside District Signage – O’Leary will set up a meeting with Jelliff to establish placement of the bronze signs.
Hillsboro Historic Downtown – Beach suggested that HPC send a letter of support for the folks who are trying to save the older buildings along Caledonia and Main in Hillsboro. The Traill County Commission is faced with a tough decision and we could encourage them to decide in favor of maintaining the history of the community. Ottum said he has found the Traill County Commissioners to be a very open-minded group. Members concurred; a letter will be drafted by O’Leary.
514 University Avenue – Iseminger noted that work is coming along, finally, on the house. He wondered if it all had to be done during church services, however, as it is very distracting on Sunday mornings at Augustana Lutheran.
Motion:
to adjourn. (Sickels, Jelliff)
Motion carries.
Meeting adjourned. 8:45 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, in room A101, City Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Peg O’Leary
Coordinator