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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission PROJECTS COMMITTEE MEETING February 3, 2003 Location: 2100 Randolph Road, Charlotte, NC Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:20 p.m. Present: John Parker, Committee Chairman Tattie Bos, Committee Vice-Chairman Caroline Beacham Jeff Bradsher, HLC Chairman Deborah Cox Yolanda Johnson-Gess Joe Kluttz Valerie Lewis Len Norman John Misenheimer, HLC Vice-Chairman Dan Morrill, HLC Consulting Director Bryan Turner, HLC Projects Manager Patricia Nystrom, HLC Attorney Allen Brooks, HLC Architectural Consultant (Rural Hill Schoolhouse) Mary Lynn Morrill, HLC Recording Consultant Absent: John Geer Visitors: Cameron Blake Holtz, Executive Director of Historic Charlotte, Inc.
AGENDA Mr. Parker welcomed everyone to the meeting. The next Projects Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 3, 2003, at the HLC office. 1. Consulting Director’s Report: Dan Morrill Dr. Morrill reported that an article is scheduled to appear very soon in The Charlotte Observer on the Palmer Fire School. Dr. Morrill reported that he received a call recently from a member of the Sam Taylor family about the W. B. Newell House on the Old Concord Road. The house, a two-story vernacular style dwelling built in 1887 and designated historic in 1982, faces the railroad track in Newell. The house is surrounded by land which is being developed, and the family would like for the house to be preserved in some satisfactory way for posterity. Dr. Morrill explained the sources of money available to the HLC for historic property acquisition, renovation, etc. The 1) Land Bond is money which can only be used to purchase the South Boulevard Trolley Barn. The 2) Revolving Fund is money the Commission has obtained from selling property. The money can be used for infill and for purchase and renovation of properties that are in a local historic district or are designated historic landmarks. The 3) Bond Fund is money not yet spent. This money can only be used for purchasing and renovating properties that are designated historic or are in local historic districts. This money cannot be used for infill. Dr. Morrill said that Bond Fund money will eventually be completely depleted. He emphasized that the HLC is not under pressure to spend funds in the Revolving Fund, but that there is pressure to spend the Bond Fund money. Dr. Morrill said that he has received a call from a party interested in developing the W. T. Alexander property. Mr. Turner said that the RFP’s for that property are ready to be mailed. MR. KLUTTZ PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MS. BOS THAT THE DRAFT RFP’S FOR THE W. T. ALEXANDER PLANTATION BE ELECTRONICALLY CIRCULATED TOMORROW TO MEMBERS OF THE PROJECTS COMMITTEE AND THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND THAT THE MATTER BE DISCUSSED ON MONDAY NIGHT’S AGENDA (FEB. HLC MEETING) BY THE HLC. THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION. 2. Trolley Barn: Dan Morrill Dr. Morrill reported that Mr. Ron Tober, Director of CATS, expects to receive a report from consultants on the Bland Street project on February 14th. On February 24th, Mr. Tober will present its recommended FY’ 04 capital budget to the Metropolitan Transit Commission. If the HLC needs to be involved to accomplish the restoration of the Trolley Barn, $1.423 million dollars is available from Land Bond funds subject to final Board of County Commission approval. 3. Rural Hill Schoolhouse Projects: Bryan Turner Mr. Brooks distributed a financial breakdown of proposed bids for construction of the pavilion building at Rural Hill for the Davidson Schoolhouse. The HLC has voted to spend up to $55,000 to accompany the $45,000 Knight Foundation grant for the structure. Ms. Cameron Blake Holtz, executive director of Historic Charlotte, Inc., spoke in support of two bathrooms for the facility instead of one. She said that the Catawba Valley Scottish Society also endorses two bathrooms. Mr. Turner said that the water is drained from the toilets and "moth-balled" in cold months and that the toilets are not usable during that time. Mr. Brooks said that the initial plans for the pavilion included reusing the roof from the old schoolhouse which stood close to the Davidson Schoolhouse but that the roof has disintegrated to the point that it should not be used on the new replication. MR. KLUTTZ PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. MISENHEIMER TO RECOMMEND TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION CONTRACT WITH DE BROWN BUILDERS AND ALLOCATE AN ADDITIONAL $15,000 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND BATHROOM AT THE PAVILION FOR THE DAVIDSON SCHOOLHOUSE AT RURAL HILL, THAT A REGULAR AS OPPOSED TO A WATERLESS URINAL BE INSTALLED, AND THAT THE TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE NOT EXCEED $115,000. THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION. Mr. Kluttz said that even though he made the motion for spending this money from the revolving fund for the Schoolhouse project, it is important to remember that this action does not set a precedent for spending money on worthy projects where the HLC cannot recoup the funds spent if need be. He said that the HLC needs to be very careful about such "one way" expenditures.
4. W. T. Alexander Plantation Project: Bryan Turner (See the motion regarding R.F.P.’s for the W. T. Alexander Plantation under Consulting Director’s report.)
5. Report of Funds Analysis Subcommittee: Tattie Bos A January ‘03 financial report was distributed to each committee member. The report regarding the HLC’s projects was discussed. Mr. Norman and Ms. Bos continue to assist Mr. Turner in establishing a format that is complete and easy to read and understand.
6. Old Business Ms. Nystrom reported that the Palmer Fire School closing should take place by the end of this month. She said that the Committee needed to discuss the Croft Schoolhouse in Executive Session. MS. JOHNSON-GESS PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MS. COX THAT THE COMMITTEE CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION. MR. MISENHEIMER PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MS. COX THAT THE COMMITTEE RECONVENE IN THE REGULAR MEETING. THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION. The Committee voted in Executive Session on a suitable selling price for the Croft Schoolhouse. Ms. Cox reported that the Charlotte Cotton Mill marketing subcommittee met to discuss what position the HLC might take with regard to leasing vs. selling the HLC’s Building B of the Charlotte Cotton Mill. She said that the Committee discussed leasing to a high quality tenant in addition to marketing the property for sale, directing Dr. Morrill to write a memo to the County in regards to the County’s leasing a portion of Building B and investigating the most efficient way and the best party to market the property. It was the sense of the Committee that it did not want to actively pursue Mecklenburg County as a potential tenant in the building; that, while it will consider any proposal about the building, it is at this point somewhat hesitant to lease rather than sell the building; and Dr. Morrill should inquire of Peter Pappas of Pappas Properties as to its level of interest in continuing to act as the Commission’s agent for sale of the building, the thought being that if Pappas Properties is not entirely interested in continuing in that capacity, the Commission might want to engage MECA Properties as its agent.
7. New Business. There was no new business. The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. |
