Laserfiche WebLink
STAFF REPORT <br />CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A <br />CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS <br />Date: July 10, 2020 <br />Application Number: 2020-0611 <br />Property Location: 821 Ashland Avenue <br />Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: American Foursquare / <br />1901 <br />Property Owner: Alfredo Rangel <br />Landmark or District Designation: Chapin Park Local (Ordinance <br />#9574-05) and National Historic District <br />Rating: Contributing <br />DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/SITE: Two story wood frame house with a square plan sitting upon a brick <br />foundation. The hip roof has asphalt shingles and a brick chimney offset from the peak with three simple corbel <br />courses. The house front features a full height bay with windows. Windows throughout were wood 1/1 double <br />hung with diamond pattern muntins on the front fa<;ade. <br />ALTERATIONS: Certificate of Appropriateness #2019-0404 allowed for the retroactive replacement of a number <br />of the original windows with new vinyl windows. AA #20 l 9-0404A allowed for the tear off and replacement of <br />the asphalt shingle roof. COA #2017-0605 allowed for the demolition of the garage structures at the rear of the <br />property. Aluminum siding was added to the exterior of the structure sometime prior to 1987. In 1949 the full­ <br />width front porch was removed and a front stoop was added, with a small plastic porch roof over the entrance. <br />APPLICATION ITEMS: "Demolition of two story frame house structure." <br />DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: City of South Bend Department of Code Enforcement seeks a <br />Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition of the fire damaged structure at 821 Ashland A venue, including the <br />following: <br />1.Demolish two-story wood frame house, leaving an empty lot. <br />In November of 2019 a fire caused extensive damage to the property at 821 Ashland Avenue. HPC Staff, members <br />of the Department of Code Enforcement, local preservation entities (Indiana Landmarks), and the property owner <br />have been in conversation to determine various options available to the property owner. The property had been <br />negotiating with their insurance provider regarding the fire claim and he testified to this fact at a Code Hearing in <br />early 2020. The property owner has now expressed interest in selling the property and has been actively seeking a <br />potential buyer. <br />Code Enforcement applied for the Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the structure in June of 2020. Phone <br />conversations between Deputy Director Marlaina Johns and Specialist Adam Toering on July 10, 2020 indicated <br />that a purchase agreement had been obtained for this property with a new party; a repair agreement between the <br />potential purchaser and the Department of Code Enforcement has not been agreed to yet. <br />Other properties in the neighborhood have suffered fire damage. 917 North Leland Avenue suffered a rather <br />extensive fire at the rear of the structure and has been extensively rehabilitated by property owner Barney Brooks. <br />This property was also under scrutiny from Code Enforcement following the fire, and cooperation between Historic <br />Preservation Staff and Code Enforcement staff with the property owner led to the structure's current condition. <br />SITE VISIT REPORT: NI A <br />STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: CHAPIN PARK <br />V.GENERAL WITHDRAWN