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Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
Grand Forks, ND 58203
701-772-8756

September 13, 2005
6:30 p.m.

Members gathered at the Metropolitan Opera House with Lonnie Laffen for a tour of the building and an overview of the renovation/restoration plans.

Meeting Minutes
September 13, 2005
7:00 p.m.
City Hall


Present: Marsha Gunderson, Chair, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Melinda Leach,
Ken Polovitz, Dale Sickels, Sandy Slater
Others: Linda Adams, Easter Seals Goodwill ND; Peg O’Leary

Motion: to approve the minutes of the August 9, 2005, meeting as presented. (Sickels, Slater)
Motion carries.

Metropolitan Opera House, 116 S. 3rd St.
Discussion focused on the items requiring approval:
  South entry – Sickels said that the proposed entry is very modern but maintains a low profile and defines the entry; Iseminger said it doesn’t look at all like the rest of the building; Polovitz pointed out that it ties in the grid work from the interior; O’Leary noted that the SHPO has stated that new work shouldn’t pretend to be original to a structure.
  Removal of bump-out on SW corner of building – This addition may be more than 50 years old and was probably added on to accommodate caskets when the building was a mortuary, but it does nothing to enhance the appearance of the building and the effort has been to return the building as much as possible to its original state, which would have been pre-bump.
  Roofline and cornice – The building will be well served by raising the short portion of the roofline on the south façade to match the rear of the building.
Motion: to concur with a determination of no adverse effect if the bump-out is removed, the roofline is adjusted, and the entry is positioned as it is in the attached pictures. (Slater, Polovitz)
Discussion: O’Leary should convey to JLG Architects that the appearance shed roof overhang on the entry is cause for concern among the members.
Motion carries.

1604 Lewis Boulevard, Covenant Review
The owners of this covenanted property propose reshingling the house with Oakridge Pro 50 ‘Deep Shadow’ shingles in the Driftwood color. They do not plan any other exterior work at this time.
Motion: to approve the proposed work. (Polovitz, Leach)
Motion carries.
Granitoid Medallion
Mike Yavarow has contacted the office with a proposal to use one of the R.S. Blome medallions, salvaged under mitigation from Granitoid that was in the line of the dike, in the interpretive site near St. Michael’s Hospital and Nurses’ Residence. Members agreed that this is a good plan for the medallion but expressed concern that it be presented in context and in a manner that will make it readable and resistant to theft and vandalism. O’Leary is to request that HPC be part of the planning of the site.

1006 Cottonwood, Red River Valley Community Action, Section 106 Review
Although O’Leary had been told that no exterior work was planned, several items appeared on the construction list. No action was taken.

1119 Almonte, Covenant Review
The owners of this covenanted property wish to replace the non-original casement windows in the kitchen with metal or vinyl clad double-hung windows that would match the current size of the openings and look like the others in the house. The owner could not be present at the meeting. Members had several questions regarding the replacement windows: Why not wood? Have the French doors been replaced yet and are they wood? Will the new windows be true divided lights? It was determined that no action could be taken without input from the owners.

Chair Report – Marsha Gunderson
  Grand Forks Federal Building – The federal government is going to restore the original lobby of the Federal Building, using funds from the rental of other federal properties to non-federal entities. The main entry will return to use and the lobby will be increased to its original size. They even hope to restore the Post Office box wall if funds permit.
Motion: to concur that the proposed changes will not adversely affect the Federal Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Leach, Sickels)
Motion carries.
  City Hall Rehabilitation Grant – Meredith Richards, Special Projects Coordinator, has received confirmation that City Hall will receive $5,000 to do some work on the historic 2nd Avenue façade and to plan for future work. This amount will be matched by the city.

2118 11th Ave. N., Section 106 Review – Linda Adams
The house was built in 1953; Adams described repairs to include mostly interior work but also cleaning and painting the exterior of the garage, enlargement of the garage door to accommodate two cars, and removal of a small shed near the property line. Adams said that shed is in very poor condition.
Motion: to concur that no historic properties are affected by the interior work proposed for the house, the painting and the garage door expansion for the garage, or the removal of the storage shed. (Slater, Polovitz)
Motion carries.

Coordinator Report – Peg O’Leary
  Riverside Survey – The final draft will be delivered to the office on Monday, Sept. 19.
  Downtown Nomination – The last glitches are being worked out of the maps and we should receive the nomination by the end of the month.
  National Trust Conference – O’Leary will travel to Portland for the conference leaving Tuesday, Sept. 27 and returning Tuesday, Oct. 4. O’Leary will miss the 9/27 meeting of the Commission.
  Historic Districts Brochure Project – The Commission received funds from the State Historical Society of North Dakota to develop a new brochure covering the historic districts. The first draft of that brochure is due in Bismarck on Nov. 1. Members were asked if they wanted to rework an existing brochure or develop a new format; it was decided that a booklet format could be more informative and it would be good to make a change from the current style so people realize it’s a new product. O’Leary will try to send samples to the next meeting.
  Tweton Book – The new revised edition of Jerry Tweton’s book on Grand Forks will be delivered to the County Historical Society within the month. There were no details on price or points of sale.
  Appointments – O’Leary is continuing to contact potential nominees for the Commission. Several possibilities were discussed.
  County Fairgrounds – A subcommittee consisting of Sickels, Iseminger, and Flemmer was appointed to meet with the Fairgrounds Board to discuss the entry gates and ticket booth. O’Leary will set up a meeting.
  Chautauqua – Grand Forks will host the regional Chautauqua again next year. Pat Berger is heading up the committee to bring it to town and Gunderson and O’Leary are members.
  Beautification Grant Requests – Concept statements for beautification projects are due to Curt Siewert on Sept. 15. Members suggested that funds be granted for landscaping and lighting at the Fairgrounds, for signage to identify the Downtown Grand Forks Historic District, and to repaint the historic signs on the exterior walls of the Stratford building and the Met. O’Leary will submit the request.

Other Business
  Slater announced that the librarian and historian for Ellis Island will be on campus September 26. A reception is scheduled for the East Asian Room.
  Leach was congratulated for her efforts in bringing Jane Goodall to Grand Forks.

Motion: to adjourn. (Sickels, Flemmer)
Motion carries. Meeting adjourned. 9:15 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 27 in room A101, City Hall.

Respectfully submitted,



Peg O’Leary
Coordinator