HomeMy WebLinkAboutBill 27-16 Proposed Local Landmark Designation for 803 W Washington (Kizer House)South Bend and St. Joseph County
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Timothy S. Klusczinski, President
18 May 2016
South Bend Common Council
County —City Building
South Bend, IN 46601
Dear Council Members,
227 WEST JEFFERSON BLVD
SOUTH BEND, IN 46601 -1830
www.stjosephcountyindiana.com/sjchp/index.html
Phone: 574-235-9798 Fax: 574-235-9578
e -mail: SBSJCHPC@co.st-joseph.in.us
A Certified Local Government Elicia Feasel, Executive Director
At the May 16, 2016 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County, the
Commission held second reading on the proposed Local Landmark Designation for 803 West Washington,
commonly known as the Kizer House. The owner of the property spoke in favor, none in opposition. The Com-
mission unanimously passed a Resolution recommending to the Common Council the establishment of 803
West Washington, for Historic Landmark status.
A copy of Resolution No. 16 -01 is enclosed as well as a copy of the Proposed Local Landmark staff report, a
letter from the owners requesting designation, and a signed Owner Consent form. I look forward to its inclusion
on a future Council agenda and am glad to answer any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Aasel
Executive Director
COMMISSIONERS
Thomas Gordon (Vice President)
Mike Volt (Treasurer)
Jennifer Parker (Architectural Historian)
Elizabeth Hertel (Secretary)
Kevin Buccellato
Brandon Anderson
Michele Gelfman
STAFF
Deb Parcell, Deputy Director
Brett Hummer, Legal Counsel
Steve Szaday, Preservation Specialist
Filed In Clerk's Ofte
E MAY 20 2016
KAREEMAN FOWLER
MY CLERK, SOUTH BEND. IN
HISTORIC
PRESERVATION
COMMISSION
OF SOUTH BEND & ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
EST. 1973
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH
BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND
ESTABLISHING HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS FOR THE STRUCTURE
AND REAL PROPERTY KNOWN AS KIZER HOUSE AND LOCATED AT 803
WEST WASHINGTON, IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT
The building located at 803 West Washington (the "Property"), in the City of South
Bend, Indiana, is known as the Kizer House, in part by its association with William L.
Kizer, a foremost South Bend business leader and in part due to the structure's unique
design and construction. The owner of the Property has petitioned the Historic
Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County (the "Commission ") to
have the Property designated as a Historic Landmark pursuant to South Bend City
OrdinanceNo. 5565 -73, as amended.
The Property is located within the West Washington Historic District of South
Bend. The home was built in 1890 and is recognized in the Indiana Historic Sites and
Structures Inventory of South Bend with a rating of "Outstanding" meaning that the
property may be eligible forNational Register listing.
The staff of the Commission has prepared a report and recommendation for the
Commission. The Commission has reviewed the request and the Consent ofthe owner and
has heard and discussed the recommendation of the staff for the designation of the
Property as a Historic Landmark.
Based on the HPC's Local Landmarks Criteria as adopted by the Common Council,
the site at 803 West Washington has been recommended to the Common Council for
designation as aLocal Historic Landmark by the Historic Preservation Commission.
The building meets the criteria in at least three areas.
1. Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials or
craftsmanship which represent an architectural characteristic orinnovation.
The building fulfills criteria #1 as an excellent example of Romanesque Revival
architecture, one of only a few in St. Joseph County. It was built in 1890 of coursed granite
with two distinctive towers on the front facade. The house is rated Outstanding in the 2007
Survey, where it is described as a "rare, but dramatic, example of the Queen Anne style in
heavy stone." Although the exact architect and builder are unknown, the 1923 re-
assessment lists this house as type "1 ", of the "highest grade of construction known in the
City of South Bend, built strictly from architectural drawings, and by highest type
contractor. The material used of highest grade, weather resistant and long lived."
2. Its suitability for preservation.
The building fulfills criteria #2 by the integrity of the original construction with
only minor alterations. Alterations are limited to the addition of three dormers c. 1940,
replacement of the original red tile roof with asphalt shingles in the 1980's, and reduction
in height ofthe two front chimneys by fourteen courses (for safety reasons). The matching
porte cochere and rear porch and kitchen wing were added to the house sometime after the
original house's construction.
Its identification with the life of a person or persons of historical significance.
The building fulfills criteria #3 by its association with William L. Kizer, a
prominent South Bend business leader, who founded the South Bend real estate, insurance,
investment and loan company, Kizer & Woolverton, and was a primary investor and officer
of South Bend Malleable Range Company. In addition, he served as South Bend city
commissioner, and was a director of St. Joseph Loan and Trust.
The Commission has conducted a public hearing, for the purposes of hearing
comments on the designation of the Property as a Historic Landmark and for delivering a
recommendation to the Common Council. Following the public hearing, the Commission
has given its favorable recommendation to the Common Council of the City of South Bend
to designate the Property as a Historic Landmark pursuant to Ordinance No. 5565- 73, as
amended.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Designation.
The structure and real property known as the Kizer House and located at 803 West
Washington, in the City of South Bend, Indiana, shall be and hereby is designated and
established as a Historic Landmark pursuant to Ordinance No. 5565 -73, as amended.
That such designated and established Historic Landmark is more particularly described
as:
PARCEL I:
A part of Bank Out lot Numbered 31 and 32 of the First Plat of Out Lots of the Town,
now City of South Bend, platted by the State Bank of Indiana, which part is bounded by a line
running as follows, viz: Beginning on the north line of Washington Street (now Washington
Avenue) in said City, at a point 24 3/4 feet East of the southeast corner of said Bank Out Lot
Numbered 31; thence running West on the north line of said Washington Avenue a distance of
70 feet; thence North 198 feet; thence East 70 feet; thence South 198 feet to the place of
beginning.
PARCEL II:
A part of Lot 4 in Mary Witherill's Subdivision of Bank Out Lot 32 described as follows:
Beginning at the northwest corner of Lot 4; thence East 28.50 feet along the north line of said
Lot 4; thence Southwesterly 43.60 feet along a line with a deflection angle of 96 °37'40" right
from the last described course extended thence Southwesterly 156.30 feet along an arc tothe
right having a radius of 909.93 feet and subtended by a long chord having a length of 156.03
feet with a deflection angle of 1'06.24" right from the last described course extended to a point
on the South line of Lot 4; thence West 0.37 feet along the South line of Lot 4 to the southwest
corner of said Lot 4; thence North 198.00 feet along the west line of Lot 4 to the point of
beginning.
PARCEL III
Beginning at the intersection of the Westerly right -of -way line of Chapin Street and the
North right -of -way line Washington Street; thence North 89'56'50" East along said Northerly
right -of -way line projected East, a distance of 6.19 feet; thence North 8'53'58" East, a distance
of 76.25 feet; thence North 11 ° 10' l 1" East, a distance of 114.09 feet; thence North 4'28'16"
East, a distance of 11.49 feet to the Southerly line of the 14 foot alley project East; thence
North 90 °00'00" West, a distance of 15.10 feet to the Westerly right -of -way line of Chapin
Street; thence South 7 °25'20" West along said Westerly right -of -way line, a distance of 200.40
feet to the place of beginning containing 2053 square feet more or less.
Section 2. Effective Date.
This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the
Common Council and approval by the Mayor according to law.
Member ofthe Common Council
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana on the day of
2016, at.
Approved and signed by me on the
o'clock m.
o'clock m.
City Clerk
day of , 2016, at
Mayor of the City of uth
`'e a rk's Office
1 ! READING JUN 'O
PUBUC HEARINK. �� 6
3:d READING
NOT APPROVED KAREEMAH FOWLER
BRED
G7Y CLERK, SOtHBEND, IN
PASSED
RESOLUTION NO. 16 -01
A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY,
INDIANA
RECOMMENDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 803
WEST WASHINGTON, SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS
WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St.
Joseph County, Indiana (the "Commission ") exists and operates under the provisions of
ordinances enacted by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, and the
County Council of St. Joseph County, Indiana (the "Enabling Ordinances "); and
WHEREAS, the Commission is empowered, pursuant to the Enabling
Ordinances, to make recommendations to the Common Council of the City of South Bend,
Indiana for the establishment of historical landmarks; and
WHEREAS, the owner of the property located at 803 West Washington, South
Bend, Indiana, (the "Property ") has petitioned the Commission to have the Property
designated as a Historic Landmark pursuant to South Bend City Ordinance No. 5565 -73, as
amended; and
WHEREAS, the Property is located in the West Washington Historic District
and is recognized in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory of South Bend with
a rating of "Outstanding "; and
WHEREAS, the staff of the Commission has prepared a report and
recommendation for the Commission, which has reviewed the petition and Consent of the
owner and the report prepared by the staff and has heard and discussed the recommendation
of the staff for the designation of the Property as a Historic Landmark; and
WHEREAS, the Commission has conducted a public hearing, for the purposes
of hearing comments on the designation of the Property as a Historic Landmark and for
delivering a recommendation to the Common Council of the City of South Bend to
designate the Property as a Historic Landmark pursuant to Ordinance No. 5565 -73, as
amended.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HISTORIC
PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY AS
FOLLOWS:
1. The building located at 803 West Washington, South Bend, St. Joseph County,
Indiana, is hereby recommended to the Common Council of the City 'of South Bend,
Indiana, for the establishment as a Historic Landmark pursuant to Ordinance No.
5565 -73, as amended.
2. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
Commission.
ADOPTED at a meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St.
Joseph County, Indiana, held on May 16, 2016, in the Conference Room, 1308 County -
City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, Indiana 46601.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMISSION OF SOUTH BEND / AND
ST. JOSEPIi��9�U- � Y( �i
N I'
President
ATTEST:
ecretary
Filed in Clerk's Office
MAY 2 0 2016
KAREEMAH FOWLER
CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, IN
lam
WHOW A M
803 West Washington
Based on the HPC's Local Landmarks Criteria as adopted by the Common Council, the
site at 803 West Washington can be recommended to the Common Council for
designation as a Local Historic Landmark by the Historic Preservation Commission.
The building meets the criteria in at least three areas:
1. Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials or
craftsmanship which represent an architectural characteristic or innovation.
2. Its suitability for preservation.
3. Its identification with the life of a person or persons of historical significance.
The building fulfills criteria #i. as an excellent example of Romanesque Revival
architecture, one of only a few in St. Joseph County. It was built in 1890 of coursed
granite with two distinctive towers on the front facade. The house is rated Outstanding
in the 2007 Survey, where it is described as a "rare, but dramatic, example of the Queen
Anne style in heavy stone." Although the exact architect and builder are unknown, the
1923 re- assessment lists this house as type "1 ", of the "highest grade of construction
known in the City of South Bend, built strictly from architectural drawings, and by
highest type contractor. The material used of highest grade, weather resistant and long
lived."
The building fulfills criteria #2 by the integrity of the original construction with only
minor alterations. Alterations are limited to the addition of three dormers c. 1940,
replacement of the original red tile roof with asphalt shingles in the 198o's, and
reduction in height of the two front chimneys by fourteen courses (for safety reasons).
The matching porte cochere and rear porch and kitchen wing were added to the house
sometime after the original house's construction.
The building fulfills criteria #3 by its association with William L. Kizer, a prominent
South Bend business leader, who founded the South Bend real estate, insurance,
investment and loan company, Kizer & Woolverton, and was a primary investor and
officer of South Bend Malleable Range Company. In addition, he served as South Bend
city commissioner, and was a director of St. Joseph Loan and Trust.
Kizer House
803 West Washington
Historical Context:
William L. Kizer (1844 —1917) was one of South Bend's foremost business leaders.
Kizer was born into a pioneer farming family with property on Portage Road in German
Township. W.L. Kizer was educated in the district schools and received a college
education. William grew up to be an expert on finance and investment. In 1865, he was
appointed deputy collector of Internal Revenue for the fifth division of the ninth revenue
district of Indiana. He later was transferred to the general office of the ninth district
under Col. Norman Eddy until 1868. With his longtime friend, Jacob Woolverton, he
founded Kizer & Woolverton, a South Bend company that specialized in real estate,
insurance, investments, and loans. Kizer and Woolverton remained partners for 48
years until the death of W. L. Kizer on December 22, 1917, at 73 years of age. He was a
primary investor and officer of the South Bend Malleable Range Company, and his other
investments and projects included railroads, a timber company, a patent medicine
company, and local real estate. He served as a South Bend City Commissioner under
David R. Leeper (1892 -94), and was director of St. Joseph Loan & Trust. Kizer also
served as a booster for the Lincoln Highway Association assisting in bringing the
Lincoln Highway through South Bend in 1913.
On May 11, 1870, William Kizer married Elizabeth Brick, whose brother, South Bend
attorney Abraham Lincoln Brick, was a Republican member of Congress from 1899 until
his death in 1908. William and Elizabeth purchased their lot for a new home, which sat
adjacent to the Brick residence, on April 25, 1887 for $3,300. Around that same year,
the couple built their Romanesque Revival home at 803 West Washington in South
Bend — a full decade before the Oliver Mansion, located directly across the street.
The 1896 Tax Duplicate Book lists the value of the lot as $3,350 and a value of
improvements as $11,790, giving the property a total value of $15,140. This is slightly
less than Tippecanoe Place, owned by Clement Studebaker.
William and Elizabeth had three children: Horace (1874), Willomine (1877), and Ward
(1884). Ward died in 1902 due to a congenital heart problem; Horace died in 1914 after
suffering a stroke. Mrs. Elizabeth Kizer died at the mansion on October 30, 1927.
In 1904, Willomine married Thomas Enoch Morrison, who was originally from LaPorte
and worked in insurance in South Bend. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1916; they
had no children, and Morrison died in Logansport State Hospital in 1919. Willomine
lived in the mansion until her death on May 15, 1929 at 51 years old.
Description of Building:
The Kizer House is part of the West Washington National Register Historic District.
The house is in the Romanesque Revival style with a full three stories and basement.
The house is built of coursed gray granite, which contributes to its style including heavy
massing and round arches. The mortar is a red color with a raised beaded or grapevine
joint. The joint has been lost or poorly replicated on a large portion of the exterior
elevations but remains as original under the front and rear porches. There is a central
hip roof with numerous intersecting gables and towers, a massive parapet at the west
gable, two round towers on the facade which terminate into conical roofs. The original
dormers feature a conical roof with terra cotta clad sidewalls and terra cotta ridge cap.
There are three dormers added c. 1940 with a low slope roof and copper sidewalls The
roof originally was covered in square edge red clay tile — similar to that on Tippecanoe
Place. The tile was replaced with an asphalt roof in the 198o's retaining the decorative
terra cotta ridge cap. The roof is completed with a decorative copper cornice and
gutters. The original copper downspouts have been replaced with galvanized metal and
the valleys are all asphalt. All entry steps are of cut granite with rough stone
balustrades. The front porches and Porte Cochere have slender stone column supports.
The front porch has a shallow hip roof while the Porte Cochere has a gable roof with a
decorative terra cotta shingled pediment. Windows around the house are 1/1 double
hung wood windows throughout with stone sills, plain jambs, and massive lintel stones.
The Port Cochere was added at some point following the original construction. A rear
porch and kitchen wing has a matching addition assumed to be added at the time the
Porte Cochere was also added. Three tall chimneys — two in the front and one in the
rear — punctuate the roofline. The two front chimneys have been reduced in height by
fourteen courses for safety reasons.
The Carriage House in the rear of the property replaced an earlier wood frame barn c.
1915 to house automobiles with an apartment above and a full basement in poured
concrete. Original basement windows have been replaced with new glass block. New
wood carriage style doors were installed in 2015 along with a new wood entry door. A
new asphalt shingle roof was installed in 2015. The Carriage House is constructed of
hollow core clay tile block with a smooth faced red brick. The roof is a steep gabled roof
with asphalt shingles and a wide bracketed boxed eave, multi -lite 6/1 double hung wood
windows.
The Site has been highly altered with a majority of the land being paved with concrete —
the exception being an area east of the driveway extending to the sidewalk on Martin
Luther King Drive which is grass with scrub trees and decorative red -buds. A small area
of grass is also located to the west of the carriage house. A brick wall extends from the
west elevation of the carriage house along the north alley to the neighbor's property line.
A modern eight foot tall wood fence is constructed along the west property line on the
Kizer House property. A six inch concrete curb runs the length of the Kizer House
property line. There are two driveways to the site entering off West Washington. The
original driveway entrance is near the corner of West Washington and Martin Luther
King Drive. A shared drive entrance is located at the west property line with the
neighbor.
Location Notes /Legal Description:
The land referred to in this Commitment, situated in the County of St Joseph, State of
Indiana, is described as follows:
PARCEL I:
A part of Bank Out lot Numbered 31 and 32 of the First Plat of Out Lots of the
Town, now City of South Bend, platted by the State Bank of Indiana, which part is
bounded by a line running as follows, viz: Beginning on the north line of Washington
Street (now Washington Avenue) in said City, at a point 24 3/4 feet East of the southeast
corner of said Bank Out Lot Numbered 31; thence running West on the north line of said
Washington Avenue a distance of 70 feet; thence North 198 feet; thence East 70 feet;
thence South 198 feet to the place of beginning.
PARCEL II:
A part of Lot 4 in Mary Witherill's Subdivision of Bank Out Lot 32 described as
follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of Lot 4; thence East 28.50 feet along the
north line of said Lot 4; thence Southwesterly 43.6o feet along a line with a deflection
angle of 96 °37'40" right from the last described course extended thence Southwesterly
156.30 feet along an arc to the right having a radius of 909.93 feet and subtended by a
long chord having a length of 156.03 feet with a deflection angle of 1 °06.24" right from
the last described course extended to a point
on the South line of Lot 4; thence West 0.37 feet along the South line of Lot 4 to the
southwest corner of said Lot 4; thence North 198.0o feet along the west line of Lot 4 to
the point of beginning.
PARCEL III
Beginning at the intersection of the Westerly right -of -way line of Chapin
Street and the North right -of -way line Washington Street; thence North 89 °56'50"
East along said Northerly right -of -way line projected East, a distance of 6.19 feet;
thence North 8 053'58" East, a distance of 76.25 feet; thence North 11 010'11" East, a
distance of 114.09 feet; thence North 4 028'16" East, a distance of 11.49 feet to the
Southerly line of the 14 foot alley project East; thence North 90 °00'00" West, a
distance of 15.10 feet to the Westerly right -of -way line of Chapin Street; thence South
7 025'20" West along said Westerly right -of -way line, a distance of 200.40 feet to the
place of beginning containing 2053 square feet more or less.
Landmarks Criteria:
The life of William Kizer and his major impact on the city of South Bend makes his
home an ideal candidate for local landmark status. Kizer was at the forefront of this
town when it was officially established as a city in 1865. His companies, investments,
and service to the community are very well documented in early resources and
publication on the founding of the city of South Bend. Kizer is known for his real estate,
loans, insurance, and investment company with Jacob Woolverton, he served as 22nd
Treasurer of the Dr. Whitehall Megrimine Co., Secretary of Malleable Steel Range
Manufacturing Co., and Director of the St. Joseph Loan and Trust Co. He also served as
a City Commissioner for six years.
The Kizer House also is only one of very few examples of Romanesque Revival
architecture in St. Joseph County; the other examples in residential architecture are
Tippecanoe Place and a modified style in Copshaholm, the Oliver Mansion. In the 1923
re- assessment card of the property, it is noted that the home is Class G (single
residence), and Type 1(highest grade of construction known in the City of South Bend
and built strictly from architectural drawings and by the highest type of contractor).
The design of the house adheres strictly to the Romanesque style with fine granite stone,
stone chimneys and columns, heavy massing, arches, towers with conical roofs, steeply
pitched roof lines, gables and dormers, and general fenestration.
Ak
INDIANA LANDMARKS
Northern Regional Office
402 West Washington Street, South Bend, IN 46601
574 232 4534/800 450 4534 1wwtiv.indianalandmarks.orq
January 25, 2016
Mr. Tim Klusczinski
President
Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend
and Saint Joseph County
125 South Lafayette Blvd, South Bend, 46601
Re: Local Landmark designation for 803 W. Washington
Dear Mr. Klusezinski,
We are writing today seeking Local Landmark designation for 803 W. Washington. Known historically
as the William Kizer House, the outstanding Romanesque style home is a community and neighborhood
landmark and the home of one of South Bend's leading businessmen of his time. Indiana Landmarks
supports the work of historic preservation commissions around the State as a tool for local communities
to promote and protect their special places. We can think of no more worthy property for designation
than the Kizer House and no better commission for such oversight than that Historic Preservation
Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County.
We are interested in moving the designation through at the earliest convenience of the Commission. We
are pleased to provide copies of our research that has been completed on the property or architectural
background information as is helpful. Thank you for prompt attention to our request. We look forward to
working with you, the members of the Commission and your staff to complete this important honor.
Sincerely,
Todd A. Zeiger
Director, Northern Regional Office
CC. Elicia Feasel, Director, HPCSBSCJ
Fled in Clerk's Office
E MAY 2 0 2016
KAREEMAH FOWLER
CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEN[, IN
INDIANA LANDMARKS REVITALIZES COMMUNITIES, RECONNECTS US TO OUR HERITAGE AND SAVES MEANINGFUL PLACES.
HISTORIC LANDMARK OWNER CONSNET FORM
I, the undersigned property owner, grant the Historic Preservation Commission of
South Bend and St. Joseph County the permission to have the building located at:
803 W. Washington
South Bend, Indiana
Declared an architectural landmark under ordinance.
I do also approve of the classification of this building under Group B Standards.
Signature of Lperty Owner
9 12.1(9
Date
Filed in Clerk's Office
MAY 2 0 2016
KAREEMAH FOWLER
CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, IN