|
|
||
|
Director's Report April 8, 2002 A. Action Items 1. Allen Brooks has presented estimates from contractors ($108,460) of the cost of constructing an auxiliary classroom/bathroom building that will be necessary in order to have public programming at the Davidson One-Room Schoolhouse at Rural Hill Plantation. This building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the best-preserved one-room schoolhouse in Mecklenburg County and is especially important in terms of its setting. The Historic Landmarks Commission has $45,000 deposited in Scottish Bank to assist with the construction of the proposed building. The money beyond the $45,000 will have to come from the HLC's Revolving Fund, subject to County Commission approval. There is every reason to believe that the HLC will make enough money from the sale of the Palmer Fire School to cover these expenses. If the Commission approves moving ahead with construction, staff will work with the Education Committee to hold discussions with local schools, other historic sites in the area, the Catawba Valley Scottish Society, and the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department, to determine how programming will be administered. Staff Recommendation: Refer this matter to the Projects Committee.
2. The Newell Community Association is requesting that the Historic Landmarks Commission process the Newell House at 1412 West Rocky River Road for designation as a historic landmark on an emergency basis. The property is currently for sale, and the Neighborhood Association is concerned about the fate of the house. The Newell Community Association has pledged $1500 to pay for a Survey and Research Report. The owner simply wants to sell the property, which is zoned R-3 and contains 2.77acres. Click here for more photographs.
Staff Recommendation: Direct Staff to secure consultant services to assist with the preparation of a Survey and Research Report on the Newell House at 1412 West Rocky River Road and ask the Projects Committee to consider whether it will recommend that the Commission seek County permission to purchase the house if the house and property should become an historic landmark. B. Information Items. 1. The contract for the purchase of the Grier House and two acres of land has been finalized with Portrait Homes. A public hearing to consider historic landmark designation for the property is tentatively scheduled for June 17th.
Information Items. 2. The situation with the Southern Public Utilities Streetcar Barn continues to evolve. Because of cuts in State payments to local government, the City Budget Director will not recommend money for restoration in next year's budget and will not make a firm commitment for the following year. Unless this situation changes there is no reason for the Commission to move ahead at this time with seeking County Commission approval for proceeding with purchasing the trolley barn as the future home of Charlotte's vintage trolley line. A special allocation from Land Bond money to the HLC's revolving fund for purchase of the trolley barn has been approved. The central issue is whether some way will be found in the near future to identify a source of funding for the restoration of the building or whether the Commission wishes to move ahead with purchasing the building and converting it into an adaptive reuse. Staff will keep you informed.
3. On March 18th, the City Council did designate the East Avenue Tabernacle A.R.P. Church and the Grinnell Fire Extinguisher Company Complex as historic landmarks.
4. I did meet with County staff to explain the Commission's budget request for FY '03. The County Manager will present his recommended budget to the Board of County Commissioners in early May. Do not anticipate any betterments. 5. A public meeting was held on March 19th at the W. T. Alexander Plantation as part of the rezoning process. Adjoining property owners and neighborhood organizations have been invited to attend. Nobody came. The rezoning process continues.
6. All impediments to the County's transferring the Palmer Fire School to the Commission have been removed. The Commission will be acquiring the property and seeking proposals from developers.
7. The rezoning petition has been filed for the lot to which the Grier-Rea House will be moved. There might be opposition from the owner of the Nursery and from surrounding neighbors.
8. I did meet during the past month with architects from Gantt-Huberman to review preliminarily a site plan for the development of the George and Marie Davis House, which the Commission will acquire from Johnson C. Smith University to restore and resell to the University with an 8-year payback. The rezoning of the property is in process and should be completed within the next few months.
9. Fred Bolt of Pappas Properties has done an analysis of how the sale of the potential State and Federal Tax Credits for Building B at the Charlotte Cotton Mills would affect the per square foot cost of restoration to be performed by the Historic Landmarks Commission. His basic conclusion is that the Commission will be able to recover its expenses in any of the scenarios. Click here for his analysis. The situation regarding the listing of the building in the National Register of Historic Places is that Pappas Properties is asking that the State Historic Preservation Office take a close look at whether the buildings qualify for the National Register. Dr. Richard Mattson and Frances Alexander are preparing the necessary documentation. 10. The City has responded to the Commission's decision to move ahead with the designation process for Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery. Click here to read Pam Syfert's letter to me. I personally doubt that City Council would designation these properties over City Council's opposition. 11. The North Carolina Division of Archives and History has notified the office that the Commission was not awarded a grant to survey historic properties in Center City Charlotte.
Respectfully submitted.
Dan L. Morrill
|
