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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistorical Landmark - 312 DonmoyerORDINANCE No. s~~s99 Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana November 22, Attest: Attest: November 29 Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana November 23, 19 99 City Clerk President of Common Council 19 99 City Clerk Approved and signed by me Mayor 19 99 ~~~ ORDINANCE NO. ~ ~ 5 (O AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING AN HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 312 DONMOYER, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA. Whereas, the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County has petitioned for the designation of the following described real estate as an Historic Landmark pursuant to Ordinance No. 5565-73, as amended to wit: East Half and Southwest quarter of lots 25-32 W & K Beverly Heights 2nd Addition to South Bend Whereas the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County has recommended the designation of the property as an historic landmark. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA: Section 1. That the above described property be, and is here designated and established as an Historic Landmark under Ordinance No. 5565-73, as amended. Section 2. That 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. C~~--~5 Member of the Common Council 1st READING ~ ~ - g ^~~ PUBLIC HEARWG i `-LZ-~1~j 9 rd READING ~ ~ ~ Z,Z-~ q NOT APPROVED REFERRED PASSEfl ~ ~ _ ZL-°1~ Filed In Cierja s ®~Yi~~ 0 C T 2 $ 1999 LOFr;~TlA J. OUDA CITYCLE~>a, 50. ©°f3D, lid. COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: Your Committee of the Whole, to whom was referred: BILL NO. 90-99 A BILL AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING AN HISTORIC LANDMARK FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 312 DONMOYER, 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. Charlotte Pfeifer 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@michiana.org John Oxian, President October 25, 1999 South Bend Common Council Room 455 County-City Building 227 W. Jefferson South Bend, IN. 46601 Dear Member of the Council, A Certified Local Government J. Edward Talley, Director Please find the attached ordinance which has been prepared for introduction to the Common Council. The purpose of this ordinance is to establish the property at 312 Donmoyer Avenue as an Historic Landmark. The described real estate is part of the east half and southwest quarter of lots 25 - 32 of Whitcomb & Keller Beverly Heights 2nd Addition to South Bend. At its public hearing held on October 18, 1999, the Historic Preservation Commission recommended designation of this property to the Common Council. A copy of the Staff s favorable review and recommendation regarding designation of this property is also enclosed. Edward Talley, Director - HPC ~l~C~ ~i'1 ~ICi'~C°3 ®Y~ICC OCT 2 a 1999 LO:;TfAJ. D3JOA rr*v r!,rc±~.. t'-t9, k'.~!1'.I~. I*1. 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) Ron Zmyslo (Treasurer) Kari Gallagher Joann Sporleder (Historic Architect) Aladean DeRose (Attorney) Yours Truly, PROPOSED LOCAL LANDMARK 312 DONMOYER SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County February 1999 Fi~e~ t~ Cl~rtc'~ ®f~i€~ O C T 2 a 1999 LORI:TfA J. QL1DA CITY CLERIC, D. ®StdD.ltl. ~1 1 1 ~_ -'~,'~'~ . is ~ t 1 CURRENT PHOTOGRAPH ~~ ~ ~1. Fitett is~ ~te~tc'~ 4f~ic~ t) C T 2 a 1999 L06;TfA J. QSIa~ CITY Cl.~RK, ~O. FJS:IdD, ifF. r 0 A H O z ro ~ . r r0 ~ ~• mn s ~ a N ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (~ ~~ q \ / y ~ V F1+ 312 Donmoyer Historical Context This property is located on the block between Carroll Street and Fellows Street, facing Donmoyer Street, in South Bend, Indiana. It is described as being part of the east half and southwest quarter of lots 25-32 W 8t K Beverly Heights 2nd Addition to South Bend. The Collegiate Gothic style, James Monroe School at 312 Donmoyer Avenue, was constructed in 1931. The board of education proposed the construction of a new elementary school building at the southwest corner of Fellows Street and Donmoyer Avenue in l 931. The appointed architects were Freyermuth and Maurer, and the cost of the structure was estimated to be around $300,000.00. The date targeted for the opening of the school was September 1931. The school was to have an instructional capacity of approximately 850 pupils from kindergarten to the sixth grade. The James Monroe school was meant to accommodate all elementary students in the south central part of the City, thereby relieving James Whitcomb Riley school of all elementary classes. The formal acceptance of the James Monroe School was made by the Board of Education by the middle of September, 1931. The architects, Freyermuth and Maurer, made an extensive study of the site and surroundings, concluding that the terrain was rolling in nature and therefore lent itself to the English Gothic Style, which they used in the design of the school building. The architects planned a system of terraces from the level of Donmoyer Avenue to the higher elevation of the site from which the building rose. The structure was built by the Smogor Lumber Company and eventually cost $330,000.00. The school was dedicated in a ceremony in November of 1931, which was attended by two direct descendants of James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. The honored guests were, Mrs. Rose Governeur Hoes, great grand daughter of the president and her son, Laurence Governeur Hoes, an attorney. Miss Minnie Suchanek, former principal of Perley School, was named the first principal of the James Monroe School. In 1935 parents, patrons and superintendent, Frank Allen, discussed adding seventh, eighth and ninth grades to Monroe School. The issue was voted down only to be passed in the 1960s. The building under went extensive restoration in the 1980s, receiving the Southhold award of restoration excellence. ~'it~~ t~ ~~~r~~ ~ ~~~fi~ OCT 2 ~ 1999 LoI;~TTa ~. Qum CITY CLEtTIS, moo. ®£• Fii/~ II:. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This is a two and a half story Collegiate Gothic Style school building. It is irregular in plan with a stone foundation. The walls are made of bonded red brick and have limestone details and bases, buttresses and stringcourse of Bedford stone. Its roof is cladded in slate with parapeted gables, limestone raking cornice and copper gutters and downspouts. The building also boasts a battlemented square front tower which projects and rises an additional story above the main roof. The main entry has 3-leaf wood panel doors with glass transoms and is set in an ogee limestone archivolt. There is a three part leaded casement window unit with transoms and carved ogee crown above the main portal. The building also has a limestone cased bay window with leaded casements and surmounts. Other entries are scattered around the building and set in gabled vestibules with ogee archivolts and transoms. The remaining windows are coursed double casements with transoms set in limestone surrounds. The school also has tiered steps, parking lot in the rear and a wide front yard. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Landmark Criteria's adopted by the Common Council, the building at 312 Donmoyer has been recommended to the Common Council for designation as a Local Landmark by Historic Preservation Commission. The building meets the criteria in at least three areas: 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 of architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristics or innovations. 3.) Its suitability for preservation. The building fulfills criteria #1 by its association with the growth of South Bend and the increasing population of its south central side during the late 1920s and early 1930s. The school was constructed to help eliminate the over crowded conditions of existing schools which was caused by a large influx of new residents and high birth rate. The building fulfills criteria #2 as an excellent example of a 1930s Collegiate Gothic Style school building. The building is rated a significant 12 in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. ,,,.,_ ~E~w~i 1~ ~~v~'~a ~ ~~~~~°~~ A ~ T 2 ~ 1999 to~;~-rn ~. aucA c~rrc~c~:.,; a. Q~tr~, ~r9, RECOMMENDATION The building fulfills criteria #3 by the integrity of its original construction with little alteration to the facade. The building is an impressive example of a Gothic style school building designed in a asymmetrical type plan which allowed for convenient grouping of educational units and exterior access to the auditorium and gymnasium. Staff finds that the building meets the criteria for designation as a Local Landmark and recommends that the Commission send such a recommendation to the Common Council. rls 2/24/99 0 C T ? ~ 1999 LO ;ETA J. [3Us~A