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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistoric Landmark - 2300 Portage AvenueORDINANCE No. 9150-00 Passed by the Compton Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana Attest: Attest: October 23, 00 20 Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of Sorrtlr Bend, Indiana October 24. 20 00 Ciry Clerk President of Common Council Ciry Clerk Approved and signed by me October 25, 20 00 Mayor ORDINANCE NO. 1 ~ ~~ ' D AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING HISTORIC LANDMARKS FOR STRUCTURES AND REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2300 PORTAGE AVENUE, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County has petitioned for the designation of the following described structures and real property as Historic Landmarks pursuant to Ordinance No. 5565-73, as amended to wit: Riverview Cemetery Gatehouse/Office Building-located at the Portage Avenue entrance to Riverview Cemetery, section 27, township 38 north, range 2 east, South Bend, Indiana Riverview Cemetery Crematory & Columbarium/Receiving Tomb-located in the side of a hill just off of one of the access drives in Riverview Cemetery, section 27, township 38 north, range 2 east, South Bend, Indiana Riverview Cemetery's LaSalle's Landing/ St. Joseph Kankakee Portage-the area is described as bluffs rising approximately 25' from the river bed from 700' to 725' above sea level with meandering gullies. It begins at the northern edge of Riverview Cemetery and gradually rises to higher ground. The area in question is located on the west side of the St. Joseph River, on the east side of Portage Avenue, running from Portage Avenue to Pinhook and is marked with a 3' high rock inset with a copper plaque, all in Riverview Cemetery, 27-38n-2e, South Bend, Indiana The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County have recommended the designation of the property as an Historic Landmark. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA: Section 1. The Riverview Cemetery Gatehouse/Office Building, Crematory & Columbarium/Receiving Tomb and LaSalle's Landing/St. Joseph Kankakee Portage is here by, as amended designated and established as Historic Landmarks under Ordinance No. 5565-73. Section 2. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Common Council, approval by the Mayor and its publication. 1 s1 READING lfl-9 ~Q ~ PUBLIC HEARING I~~L3^n~ 3rd READING ~Q-L3- D~ NOT APPROVED REFERRED, PASSE9~ 1 Q -Z3 - 0 Member ~lA~~ El°i ~4~I'~~': o~~~s~'; .,_.-^ OCY 2 ~ 2~0~ LO:~rTT~' J. G CITY CL~EiY,, ~0, fs~r,s~, ,; ~. COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: Your Committee of the Whole, to whom was referred: BILL NO. 88-00 A BILL AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING HISTORIC LANDMARKS FOR STRUCTURES AND REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2300 PORTAGE AVENUE, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion, this bill is being recommended to the full Council with a favorable recommendation as substituted. Andrew Udjak Chairman South Bend and St. Joseph County HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION 227 WEST JEFFERSON BLVD. RM 1123 SOUTH BEND, IN 46601 Phone:219-235-9798 Fax:219-235-9578 E-Mail: historic(c~michiana.org John Oxian, President September 27, 2000 South Bend Common Council 455 County-City Bldg. 227 W. Jefferson South Bend,1N. 46601 Dear Member of the Council, A Certified Local Government Please find the attached ordinances which have been prepared for introduction to the Common Council. The purpose of these ordinances is to establish certain structures and sites located with in the properties at 2300 and 2257 Portage Avenue as Historic Landmarks, per the consent of the owner. The described structures and sites are located with Riverview and Highland Cemeterys. At its Public Hearing held on September 18, 2000, the Historic Preservation Commission recommended designation of these sites and structures to the Common Council. A copy of the Staff's favorable review and recommendation regarding designation of this structures and sites is also enclosed. Yours Truly, ~ ,- ,~~t=~ ~~ John Oxian, Acting Director JED/RLS t . ". ej s~~ z ~ Za~~ c k. ~' .. ...y„r--~~.~ {..~~.-r-.. ....... Saving The History Of South Bend & St. Joseph County By Protecting The Irreplaceable COMMISSIONERS Martha Choitz Richard Helmus Jerry Weiner Adrian Fine (Secretary) Catherine Hostetler (Vice-President) Gerald Ujdak Joann Sporleder (Historic Architect) Aladean DeRose (Attorney) PROPOSED LOCAL LANDMARK 2300 PORTAGE AVENUE SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Historic Preservation Commission Of South Bend and St. Joseph County March 2000 2300 PORTAGE AVENUE HISTORICAL CONTEXT Riverview Cemetery was constructed in 1900, when a few interested citizens of South Bend formed a stock company and purchased the homestead site of the James R. Miller Estate for purposes of developing a suburban cemetery. Amanda Miller, widow of James R. Miller, sold the old pioneer homestead to Albert Meyers, who developed the Riverview Cemetery. The cemetery was to be located just north of the city at the bend of the river that was historically known as the portage between the St. Joseph and Kankakee Rivers. In fact, it is believed that over 300 years ago (1679) the explorer LaSalle landed here after his journey up the St. Joseph River. Mr. LaSalle landed here to take advantage of the portage that served as the shortest available land passage when traveling by water between the St. Lawrence, the basin of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The Stock Company hired J.G. Barker, a cemetery superintendent and landscape Gardner, to design fifty acres of cemetery, including walkways, avenues and burial areas. To further develop the area a vast amount of timber was removed, elevations were graded and depressions filled. A massive entrance at the property's southwest corner was constructed of native fieldstone with solid steel and iron gates and the entire tract, which had a frontage of half a mile on Portage Road was enclosed by a substantially high iron fence. The Riverview Cemetery Association, as the group came to be known, developed Riverview with the most modern facilities available at the time. This included smooth macadamized avenues, substantial receiving tomb, an attractive commodious office building and chapel, and an efficient system of water works. Riverview is also significant for being the site where many prominent families located temple-like family mausoleums. Many of these markers bear the names of historically significant families; among the names present are Studebaker, Oliver, Wyman, Moms, Muessel and Brick. 2 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The Riverview & Highland Cemetery are located in section 27, Township 38, north; range 2 east. Both cemeteries contain numerous sites and structures of various styles, however; only four structures/sites are being proposed for landmazk status. They are the Riverview Cemetery Gatehouse, the Riverview Cemetery Crematory & Columbarium, Riverview Cemetery's LaSalle's Landing and Highland Cemeteries Memorial Mausoleum. The Crematory and Columbarium building is set into an embankment with a metal double-leaf entry and iron gate. The structure is rectangular in plan, one story tall with rough-cut stone foundation and walls. The roof is covered in tar and gravel and is bowed in shape. It extends to form a parapet with concrete cap and concrete globes on the corners. The St. Joseph Kankakee Portage or LaSalle's Landing is a bluff that rises approximately 25' from the riverbed and is 700' to 725' above sea level. The site is mazked by a copper plaque set in a 3' high rock located at the mouth of one of the gullies. The Riverview Cemetery Gatehouse is a two-story structure with an irregular plan and stone foundation. The walls are rough-cut, irregularly coursed, fieldstone block walls with wood paneled gables. The wood gable ends have horizontal, vertical and diagonal half-timbering. The roof is covered in red slate, gabled in shape with gable intersects, a front gable dormer and a gabled porte-cochere. The structure also has projecting wooden eaves and open rake. The building boasts a wraparound veranda with Doric half- columns, rough cut stone balustrades with stone cap, and aporte-cochere set at a 45 degree angle to the main body of the structure with an open eave gabled roof, curved brackets and vertical slats. The windows are double hung wood sash on the first floor and double hung sashes with diamond pattern in the top sash of the second floor. The windows also have stone lintels. The gatehouse also has an oval window set into the south wall and a glazed wood frame double front door. The Highland Memorial Mausoleum was the first of its kind to be built in South Bend. It was designed by Lovell & Lovell and built in 1930 by the H.G. Christman Company. The structure was built of stone with walls and floors of mazble and windows of imported art glass. In the center was a chapel, which branched out into corridors containing the crypts. The mausoleum had a capacity for 800 crypts. Among other building material used was granite, mazble, Bedford stone, and bronze to enhance the structures' beauty and durability. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Landmark Criteria's adopted by the Common Council, the site and structures at 2300 and 2257 Portage Avenue have been recommended to the Common Council for designation as a Local Landmarks by the Historic Preservation Commission. The buildings and sites meet all of the criteria: 1) Its character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or culture of the City of South Bend, St. Joseph County, the State of Indiana, or the United States of America; 2) Its embodiment of elements or architectural design, detail, material or craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristic or innovation; 3) Its educational value; 4) Its suitability for preservation; 5) Its location as the site of a significant historical event; and/or 6) Its identification with the life of a person or persons of historical significance. The site and structures fulfill criteria #1 as excellent examples of turn of the century burial practices and cemetery operations. They illustrate the growth of South Bend and the needs of its citizens for a proper burial site as well as method of internment. It is also the site where many Native Americans and early pioneers, such as, Robert Cavalier Sieur de LaSalle landed to cross from the Kankakee River to the St. Joseph River. The site and structures fulfill criteria #2 as excellent examples of Gothic-Revival, Classical-Revival and Bungalow styles. These various structures are rated from S/12's to O/13's in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. The site and structures fulfill criteria #3 as the spot where various Native Americans and pioneers, such as, LaSalle, landed to cross over to the St. Joseph River on their journeys. They offer a look into the beliefs of early residents of South Bend as well as treasure troves for researching genealogy. The site and structures fulfill criteria #4 by their integrity of original construction with virtually no changes to any of the structures or sites. They are splendid examples of 1900s style urban cemetery structures. The site and structures fulfill criteria #5 as the site were R. Robert Cavalier Sieur De LaSalle began his first portage from the St. Joseph River to the Kankakee River on December 5, 1679. They are also the last resting places of many prominent local citizens. The site and structures fulfill criteria #6 with its association with Robert LaSalle, and numerous other prominent South Bend families. ____ -.~..F___.~._r._.~._„ .. _ _ ~.... a S~~ ? ~ ?ql~~ ~ `s ~b v 1 c;rE ~::.