HomeMy WebLinkAboutEstablishing a historic district at 534 LaPorte AveORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING AN HISTORIC
LANDMARK FOR THE BUILDING LOCATED AT 534 LaPORTE AVENUE, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH
BEND, INDIANA.
Whereas, the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and Saint Joseph
County has petitioned for the designation of the following described real
estate as an Historic Landmark under the Ordinance No. 5565 -73, as amended to
wit:
South sixty feet lots 32 & 33
Orchard Heights 1st Addition
to the city of South Bend, IN
Whereas, the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and Saint Joseph
County has recommended the designation of the BUILDING as an Historic
Landmark.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA:
SECTION 1. That the above described BUILDING be, and it is here designated and
established as an Historic Landmark under Ordinance No. 5563 -73, as amended.
SECTION 2. That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and
after its passage by the Common Council, approved by the Mayor and its
publication.
A
543 LaPORTE AVENUE
THE FORMER INDIAN OIL CO.
STARZYNSKI TEXACO (MARATHON)
GASOLINE STATION
Historic and Architectural Significance
Historic Preservation Commission
of
South Bend & Saint Joseph County
November 1994
Filed ir, J%.*aerk s '0ff6Ce
OV 4 - 1994
tRENE GAMMON
C9T7 Ci.EPr, $0. SEND, ltd.
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LOCATION MAP
VIEW FROM WEST
'c-
VIEW FROM SOUTH
At the September 19, 1994 regular monthly meeting of the Historic Preservation
Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County (HPC), the HPC voted
unanimously to send a favorable recommendation for the Local Historic Landmark
designation of the building located at 534 LaPorte Avenue to the South Bend
Common Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the HPC Local Landmark Criteria [1], it is the Historic Preservation
Commissions recommendation that the South Bend Common Council designate the
Building located at 534 LaPorte by ordinance as a Local Historic Landmark. The
building meets the criteria in at least four areas.
1) Its character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or
culture of the City of South Bend or St. Joseph County, the State of Indiana,
or the United States;
2) Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials, or
craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristic or innovation;
3) Its educational value;
4) Its suitability for preservation;
The building fulfills criteria #1 as the only extant example of a 1920s era
one room gasoline station which has been identified by the Indiana Historic
Sites and Structures Survey [2] in the city of South bend.
The building fulfills criteria #2 as an excellent example of a small one room
gasoline station designed to conform to the scale and details of its
surrounding residential neighborhood at the time of its construction.
The building fulfills criteria #3 as an excellent example of a gasoline
station from the first generation of structures developed for the principal
purpose of supplying gasoline to the automobile driving public before the
addition of mechanical service, tire sales and other associated service bay
functions to the typical service station.
The building fulfills criteria #4 by the integrity of its original
construction with some alterations, and its continued use as a gas station
into the present era.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION
The building is located at the corner of Walnut Street directly across Laporte
Avenue from the old city Cemetery. Architecturally, the building is a small
rectangular plan sixteen feet wide and thirteen feet deep. It is approximately
ten feet high to the eaves. the roof is hipped with moderately wide overhangs.
The construction is of solid masonry with brick facing. The walls are
articulated with a plinth type base course and another stringcourse at the
level of the front window sill. The structure has recently received a new
brick veneer which replicated the plinth and stringcourse features. The front
and side walls are generously fenestrated with large windows illuminating the
interior. The front wall has a doorway at the left with a transom above. The
right hand section of the wall contains a very interesting and unique window
motif featuring a large picture window with a full width transom above of the
same height and elevation as the door transom. The picture window is flanked
by two tall and narrow casement sashes with small square transom units of
fixed glass. The left side features two large sets of operable wood casement
sash. Each sash is divided into two panes of glass echoing the transom
divisions at the front windows. The right side feature one similar window and
a door to the right side. A small shed has been constructed at the rear.
The site is of some historical interest as well with three mid - century (circa
1960) "computer type" gas pumps with the rotary drum digital price display.
Two additional older pumps (circa 1940) are located to the left of and more or
less in line with the front facade of the building. The majority of the site
has been paved with concrete as is typical for a gas service station. The, gas
pumps are elevated on concrete islands. A modern light fixture with two lights
in a "V" formation is installed at the front pump island.
HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT
At the turn of the century gasoline was sold essentially as a by- product of
kerosene which was produced principally for use in heaters and lighting
devices. With the advent of the automobile, gasoline was initially distributed
directly from wholesalers which typically located at or beyond the city
limits. In 1905 the first patented gasoline pumping devices appeared on the
market enabling the direct delivery of the fuel into the storage tank of a
vehicle. These pumps were initially an adjunct to dry goods merchandising
until petroleum producers began the direct or licensed distribution of their
own products. The Standard Oil Company opened its first gasoline station in
1907 setting a pattern for other petroleum producers. These early gas stations
were typically single room structures designed to conform to the scale and
details of surrounding suburban residential neighborhoods which had developed
along trolley lines. These structures were sometimes prefabricated or built to
patent designs provided by the licensing corporation. Some outlets were owned
by the petroleum companies while some were privately owned and licensed to
sell the products of a particular producer. [3][4]
By 1912, several proprietors in South Bend were advertising automobile related
parts and services. No petroleum related fuel dispensaries were found in the
city directories until that year when a listing for the South Bend Oil Company
appeared.[5] However, this listing made no specific indication regarding the
availability of gasoline. By 1914, the Lontz Brothers were also in the fuels
business at 602 South Michigan but no mention of gasoline was found in their
advertisement until 1921.[6] In this year, two outlets advertise gasoline
specifically, the Lontz Bros. and Hi Way Service, a garage selling tires,
parts and mechanical service at the northeast corner of Scott Street and
Lincolnway West.[7]
The gas station at 534 LaPorte is believed to have been constructed in
1927.[8] By that year, nearly 80 outlets advertised gasoline for retail sale
in the city of South Bend.[9] In January of that year the Indian Realty
Corporation of Lawrenceville Illinois, entered into an agreement with the
Mozart Lodge #4 of the Sons of Herman which would allow the construction and
operation of a filling station at this location. There seems to have been some
financial difficulty with the Sons of Herman, as the property was placed in
receivership in November of 1927. Ownership was briefly assumed by John B.
Gluekert who in turn sold the station to Indian Realty in June of 1929.[10]
From its inception, the station was operated by the Indian Refining Company of
Maine which operated two other stations in South Bend in 1927 located at 1833
South Michigan and South Bend Avenue at Corby Street.[11] In 1931 Indian
Refining operated eight stations in South Bend.[12] On November 2 of that
year, Indian Refining purchased the property from Indian Realty.[13] Shortly
thereafter, Indian Refining left the South Bend market, with its stations
either converting to the Texas Company (Texaco) or passing out of existence.
Although operated as a Texas Company station from 1933, the station at 534
LaPorte was not actually purchased by the Texas Company until 1945.[14]
It is not known who operated the station while under the license of the Indian
Oil Company. Steven Starzynski began working as an attendant for the station
at approximately the time that Texaco took over the operations. Starzynski who
was an electrician by trade lived nearby at 1801 Fasnacht at the time and was
presumably lacking work in his trade due to the economic depression of the
early thirties.[15] Sometime during the thirties, he bought the business.
During the mid thirties the station is identified with Robert Leer in
partnership with Stephen Starzynski.[16] In 1939 Starzynski_ is listed as the
sole proprietor of the station which continued to be identified with him until
near the time of his death. Sometime during the eighties, the petroleum
product switched to Marathon.[17]
In 1989, Starzynski stated that he would like to have sold the station but
that no one seemed interested in assuming the business. At that time he
attested to having an average of twenty -five customers a day.[17] Stephen
Starzynski passed away on October 11, 1990 at the age of eighty- three.[18] The
station remained open for some time under the management of Joseph Morrow but
is now closed. Though other similar structures remain in the city which have
undergone extensive alteration of appearance and use, this building is the
only remaining example of this building type which has been identified in the
Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory for retaining the integrity of
its original design.[2] Only one other early gas station in South Bend is
recognized in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. However
that location is of a later design pattern having attached service bays.
NOTES
1.
Historic Preservation Commission Resolution No.3:
Historic Landmarks
Procedure Historic Landmarks Procedure (July 14, 1975).
2.
City of South Bend Summary Report - Indiana Historic
Sites and Structure
Inventory
(South Bend: 1992).
3.
Liebs, Chester, Mainstreet to Miracle Mile (Little Brown & Co., 1985).
4.
Vieyra, Daniel I., Filler Up (MacMillan, 1979).
5.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1912).
6.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1914).
7.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1921).
8.
Deed Records: 207:284. South Bend City Directory (Polk,
1928).
9.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1927).
10.
Deed Records: 207:284; 221:446.
11.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1927).
12.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1931).
13.
Deed Records: 245:458.
14.
Assessor's Card
15.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1932).
16.
South Bend City Directory (Polk, 1932 to 1938).
17.
South Bend Tribune: January 25, 1989
18.
South Bend Tribune: (obit; Stephen Starzynski) October
12, 1990.
AREA
PLAN COMMISSION of
ST. JOSEPH
COUNTY, IN
RICHARD
S. JOHNSON Executive Director
ROBERT W. SANTE
Assistant Director
1140 COUNTY —CITY BUILDING, SOUTH BEND, IN. 46601
November 15, 1994
Mrs. Irene Gammon, City Clerk
4th Floor, County -City Building
South Bend, Indiana 46601
(219) 235 -9571 FAX (219) 235 -9813
RE: Bill No. 104 -94 Proposed designation of property located at 534 LaPorte Avenue as an
Historical Landmark.
Dear Mrs. Gammon:
The Staff of the Area Plan Commission has reviewed the Historic Preservation Commission's
proposed designation of the above property as an historic landmark with respect to the
relationship of said property to any capital improvements proposed for nearby rights -of -way,
easements or properties.
We find no proposed improvements that will conflict with this designation.
Sincerely,
J W. Byo
Senior Planner
cc: Historic Preservation Commission
Serving: South Bend, Lakeville, New Carlisle, North Liberty, Roseland and St. Joseph County, IN
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