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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: 27 July 2016 Application Number: 2016 -0727 Property Location: 609 Rex Architectural Style/Date /Architect or Builder: Dormer -front Bungalow /1909 /Stover House Property Owner: Karen Sue Janowiak Landmark or District Designation: Chapin Park Local/National Register District Rating: Contributing DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/ SITE: The one and a half -story dormer front bungalow with clapboard at the base and wood shingles above is set upon a concrete foundation. It has a side gable with a large gable front dormer. There is a full width enclosed porch with windows; its roof is an extension of the main roof and covered with asphalt shingles. The house windows are 1/1 double hung; the porch windows are fixed sash with vertical divides forming 3 upper lights and 2 lower lights. ALTERATIONS: The roof is not original to the house; no other alterations appear to the exterior of the house. APPLICATION ITEMS: Demolition DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: City of South Bend Code Enforcement proposes demolition of the house, garage, and fence at 609 Rex after a March 5, 2015 Code Enforcement hearing affirmed demolition of all three structures based on 13 exterior code violations, see list included. COA #2015 -0504 approved demolition of the garage and fence and called for further evaluation of the house interior. Preservation Specialist inspected the interior along with Code Enforcement Inspectors, see PS report. Highlights from the Code violations that may meet criteria for demolition in Chapin Park include: structural members deteriorated and no longer cabable of safely supporting dead and live loads, foundation walls are no longer plumb and free from cracks and breaks, and there are caving in and holes in roof allowing water to enter and damage interior elements. PRESERVATION SPECIALIST REPORT: On July 15' at 1pm I met with members of Code Enforcement at 609 Rex St. A representative of the bank was also in attendance and had access to the key box and was able to enter the building. The purpose was that code was investigating the presence of asbestos in the HVAC system to compile a scope for demolition. As pictures will indicate, the house is full of trash and absolutely foul. The house had basically been walked away from. The kitchen had food in the cabinets and the refrigerator that animals had gotten into. The amount of flies and smell in the kitchen was overwhelming. The house has several areas on the second floor where water infiltration is evident. The damage on both the interior and exterior where gutters and eaves have failed. The Code Enforcement inspectors were opening walls to search for duct runs and I saw mold in some of the walls. (See picture) The Michigan basement was dry but signs of water marks were evident and some crumbling brick and mortar were present. I was not able to determine if the source of the water damage was interior or exterior. The gas meter had been removed, the electrical lines were cut, (the electrical box was not legal as it sits, no cover, not properly wired, see picture) and the water may still be connected to house but an earlier generation water meter was still present. No markings from SB Water works were present indicating cut water service. The garage is a safety hazard and was previously approved for demolition as well as the fence and jungle gym. I would safely say that there are 2+ dumpster loads of just garbage in the house to remove before an adequate assessment could even begin. There is simply too much garbage to even walk through the entire house. It may be a salvageable, but without serious investment just to remove and clean the house, it is difficult to determine what else would need to be done in the house to see if repairs would more expensive than the value of the house completely repaired.