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HomeMy WebLinkAbout821 Ashland Avenue_COA 2020-0611 (Withdrawn)STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: July 10, 2020 Application Number: 2020-0611 Property Location: 821 Ashland Avenue Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: American Foursquare / 1901 Property Owner: Alfredo Rangel Landmark or District Designation: Chapin Park Local (Ordinance #9574-05) and National Historic District Rating: Contributing DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/SITE: Two story wood frame house with a square plan sitting upon a brick foundation. The hip roof has asphalt shingles and a brick chimney offset from the peak with three simple corbel courses. The house front features a full height bay with windows. Windows throughout were wood 1/1 double hung with diamond pattern muntins on the front façade. ALTERATIONS: Certificate of Appropriateness #2019-0404 allowed for the retroactive replacement of a number of the original windows with new vinyl windows. AA #2019-0404A allowed for the tear off and replacement of the asphalt shingle roof. COA #2017-0605 allowed for the demolition of the garage structures at the rear of the property. Aluminum siding was added to the exterior of the structure sometime prior to 1987. In 1949 the full- width front porch was removed and a front stoop was added, with a small plastic porch roof over the entrance. APPLICATION ITEMS: “Demolition of two story frame house structure.” DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: City of South Bend Department of Code Enforcement seeks a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition of the fire damaged structure at 821 Ashland Avenue, including the following: 1.Demolish two-story wood frame house, leaving an empty lot. In November of 2019 a fire caused extensive damage to the property at 821 Ashland Avenue. HPC Staff, members of the Department of Code Enforcement, local preservation entities (Indiana Landmarks), and the property owner have been in conversation to determine various options available to the property owner. The property had been negotiating with their insurance provider regarding the fire claim and he testified to this fact at a Code Hearing in early 2020. The property owner has now expressed interest in selling the property and has been actively seeking a potential buyer. Code Enforcement applied for the Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the structure in June of 2020. Phone conversations between Deputy Director Marlaina Johns and Specialist Adam Toering on July 10, 2020 indicated that a purchase agreement had been obtained for this property with a new party; a repair agreement between the potential purchaser and the Department of Code Enforcement has not been agreed to yet. Other properties in the neighborhood have suffered fire damage. 917 North Leland Avenue suffered a rather extensive fire at the rear of the structure and has been extensively rehabilitated by property owner Barney Brooks. This property was also under scrutiny from Code Enforcement following the fire, and cooperation between Historic Preservation Staff and Code Enforcement staff with the property owner led to the structure’s current condition. SITE VISIT REPORT: N/A STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: CHAPIN PARK V. GENERAL A. Buildings in the district should not be demolished except where a building poses a threat to the public safety, and demolition is the only alternative. Documentation of interior and exterior features of t he original buildings, especially homes rated as historically significant, is encouraged. Measured drawings and photographs may be submitted to the Histor ic Preservation Commission for safekeeping and future reference. B. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required before moving any building or structure. The moving of a building within, out o f or into the district is discouraged; however, moving is preferred to demolition. Buildings incompatible with existing structures in the historic district shall be prohibited. […] VI. ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES Enforcement of the preservation guidelines and standards for the historic district is made possible in the Zoning Ordinance of the City of South Bend, ordinance No. 5565-73, as amended and the Historic Preservation Commission’s Preservation Plan. The Historic Preservation Commission may petition the Building Commissioner to use the legal means avai lable to him/her to force the maintenance and / or repair of any building or structure within the historic district in accordance with the intent of this o rdinance. This ordinance, however, does not prevent the ordinary maintenance and repair of any buildi ng or structure which does not involve a change in any exterior feature, nor does it prevent the reconstruction, alteration, demolition or moving of any building or structure which the Building Commissioner or other official has determined to be a hazard to public safety. Property owners wishing to do, or have done, any work affecting the exterior of their building or land must apply directly to the History Preservation Commission on the form prescribed by the Commission (see Appendix A). The Historic Preservation Commission shall issue a Certificate of Appropriateness before commencement of any construction, reconstruction, alteration, demolition, or moving of any house or structure within the historic district boundaries (see Appendix A). The Historic Preservation Commission will accept applications for Certificate of Appropriateness only from the property owner. In making its determination, the Historic Preservation Commission shall consider three factors: first, the appropriateness of the proposed work to the preservation of the building and district; second, the detriment to the public welfare if the proposed work is permitted even though it is not deemed appropriate; third, the potential hardship that the denial of the Certificate of Appropriateness would cause the applicant. […] STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Acknowledging that six months has passed since the fire of November 2019, Historic Preservation Staff would like to see this property find resolution, be it through demolition or rehabilitation. Staff recommends that – were a new owner to have presented themselves to the City with the expressed intent to rehabilitate the structure – the Department of Code Enforcement continue dialogue with this individual, stop the demolition proceedings, and direct the new owner to communicate with Department of Community Investment staff (both Zoning Administration and Historic Preservation). Recommendation by Adam Toering Historic Preservation Specialist Approved by Elicia Feasel Historic Preservation Administrator HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY Phone: 574/235.9371 Fax: 574/235.9021 Email: hpcsbsjc@southbendin.gov LOCATION MAP - Map showing location of the property and surrounding area (Google Maps) AERIEL MAP - Sanborn maps from 1917, 1945, and 1960. Satellite imagery from 2017. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY Phone: 574/235.9371 Fax: 574/235.9021 Email: hpcsbsjc@southbendin.gov FRONT PICTURE (NORTH EAST) Picture of the front of the building, dated 4/4/2019 BACK PICTURE (SOUTH WEST) Picture of the back of the building, dated 6/4/2018.