May 2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: 05/20/04 Application Number: 2004-0502- 1 Property Location: 909 Riverside Drive Property Owner: Cecilia and Lawrence Cunningham Landmark or District Designation: Riverside Drive LHD; Chapin Park NRD Rating: Significant STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT, Ennis R Austin, noted South Bend architect, designed this residence and garage in 1909. It is a Period Revival house with many Dutch Colonial Revival and English county influences, which includes the stucco exterior, broad dormers, dual chimneys, and windows. The architect actually resided in the home until 1913 when Carl A Ross, the President of the Burnoil Engine Company, purchased the property, The Cunningham's have owned the house for fifteen years. The property overlooks Leeper Park and the Saint Joseph River and has several planned garden areas lined with stone retaining walls. Along Dushane Court stands a ship -lap or Dutch lap garden house with a shed roof, which at one time was in good condition and would have been considered a contributing feature of the gardens. From the garden house, one would have a panoramic view of the formal garden and the river. Presently, the garden house is overgrown by shrubs and poison ivy; termites have eaten through the wood boards; and much of the flooring, siding and roof decking is rotted. APPLICATION ITEMS: Option 1: Demolish wood frame garden house and extend Cyprus fence along Dushane Court Option 2: Replace garden house with a mostly new garden house and salvage what can be salvaged Option 3: Replace with a new lean-to garden structure, same dimensions RECOMMENDATION The current owners have spent $20,000 or $30,000, by recent estimates, to repair and partially replace the slate roof of the house; and they spent a substantial amount of money to repair the garden's stonewalls. The owners have found it very difficult to find a contractor who will even agree to look at the garden house, as coming near it could cause a severe allergic reaction due to the poison ivy. The estimates received certainly include the difficulties of working at a site with such wild and poisonous landscape elements. To remove the rot and termite -eaten portions of the structure and rebuild a similar structure, estimates range from $5,500 to $6,900. This is rather a daunting price for a small structure in the owner's garden. A garden house kit would cost around $3,000 to $4,000, labor not included. Though the lack -luster state of the garden house and the overgrown appearance of the garden is unfortunate, the condition of the garden house is so far gone to preclude rehabilitation. The owners have chosen to spend their money on maintaining their house, which would be the first priority of any homeowner and is a principle inline with HPC's maintenance recommendations.