Special Notice. The joint public hearing with City Council to consider the prospective designation of the Nebel Knitting Mill Annex and the Textile Mill Supply Company Building will occur on October 18th. The meeting of City Council starts at 6pm. The Historic Landmarks Commission will meet on September 11, 2000, at 6 p.m. in its offices at 2100 Randolph Road in Charlotte. Click Here To View Current And Prospective Projects By calculating the amount of money committed to present projects and estimating the amount committed to prospective projects, until the Croft Schoolhouse is sold I estimate that you have approximately $500,000 of money available for revolving fund projects. Items of Business 1. Consideration of Minutes of the August 2000 Meeting. Click here for minutes. 2. Consideration of Contract with Nathan Kellett. I currently have two consultants providing part-time administrative assistance, primarily with design review, processing properties for historic landmark designation, property management, and grant administration. There is $10,000 in the HLC's budget for these services. I hereby request approval of a contract with a third individual for part-time administrative assistance. He is Nathan Kellett, who is enrolled in the public history graduate program at UNCC. I believe he warrants pay of $11 per hour. Click here for his resume. Staff Recommendation: Approve the Contract. 3. Consideration of Processing the John Milton Alexander House for Historic Landmark Designation over Owner Opposition.
The owner of the John Milton Alexander House has expressed opposition to the designation of the structure and grounds as a historic landmark. At its meeting on January 11, 1999, the Commission passed the following motion. This letter arrived on September 7th -- after the regular monthly mailing. The Commission might want to delay a final decision until the October meeting. MR. MARTIN PRESENTED A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, SECONDED BY MR. WHITNEY, THAT THE HLC WILL BE SENSITIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF AN OWNER’S DESIRE REGARDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROCESSING AN OWNER’S PROPERTY, BUT THAT THE HLC, AFTER DELIBERATE CONSIDERATION, WILL RECOMMEND THE PROCESSING OF PROPERTIES FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION IF IT DEEMS THAT THE PROPERTY IS WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION FOR DESIGNATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREVAILING GUIDELINES. THE HLC UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION. Theretofore, the Commission had not processed properties for historic landmark designation over owner opposition, even though the law does not require owner consent. I understood the above motion to mean that the Commission would not recommend properties for designation over owner opposition unless there were compelling reasons arguing to the contrary. The essential issue before the Commission is whether it wishes to proceed with the designation process and bring it before the Town Board of Huntersville. Staff Recommendation: That the Commission not move forward with the designation process on the John Milton Alexander House. The house is most unusual and is a fine example of vernacular Victorian architecture. However, as a rural resource, it is not of the highest importance because it has lost its context. There are several insensitive buildings located in the vicinity of the house. 4. Consideration of the Processing the Thies House for Historic Landmark Designation over Owner Opposition. The owner of the Thies House has stated that he will not oppose the designation of the exterior of the house as a historic landmark but has stated that he will oppose the inclusion of the land. See the previous item to review the policies of the Commission regarding recommending property for designation as a historic landmark.
Staff Recommendation: That the Commission move forward with processing the exterior of the house and the land for designation as a historic landmark. In my judgment, the proper does possess individual historic significance. The inclusion of the land is crucial to the protection of the setting of the house. Project Committee Matters. 1. Highest and Best Use Study of the W. T. Alexander Plantation. At its May meeting, the Commission tabled the matter of securing the services of Fitzhugh Stout to perform a highest and best use study of the property in keeping with the development guidelines which have been adopted by the Commission. I was instructed to obtain from Fitzhugh Stout what such a study would entail and how much he would charge. Fitzhugh Stout has submitted his proposal. Click here to view. The Projects Committee voted to recommend that the HLC enter into the contract with Fitzhugh Stout as set forth in his proposal to conduct a Highest and Best Use Study of the W. T. Alexander Plantation. Staff Recommendation: That the Historic Landmarks Commission approve the recommendation of the Projects Committee.
2. Request For Proposals for Architects for rebuilding of barn at the W. T. Alexander Plantation. Mark Hahn of the Engineering and Building Standards Department will direct Bryan Turner, the new Project Manager, to oversee the solicitation of qualifications from architects. A recommendation will be brought to the Historic Landmarks Commission which will then make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. By the end of September a substantial portion of the barn will have been demolished. Thereafter, the Commission will have to obtain an architect to produce construction drawings for building the barn back as a shell. An architect familiar with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards is vital. Staff Recommendation: Receive as Information.
3. Acquistion of Access Easement to Adjoining Property at the W. T. Alexander Plantation. Patricia Nystrom has been able to work out an arrangement for the HLC's acquisition of an access easement to the Davis Properties land to the immediate west of the Alexander Plantation. Here is the arrangement. The HLC will pay the legal fees for acquiring the easement and for obtaining an appraisal for the value of the easement. Davis Properties will obtain a tax deduction for providing the easement, meaning that it will be granted to Mecklenburg County and then conveyed to the Commission. Staff Recommendation: Agree to pay the legal fees for the donation of the easement to Mecklenburg County and for an appraisal of the value of the easement. Cleanup of the house is shown in the following set of pictures. Notice the lady hard at work.
4. Update on status of Offer on Oehler Farm. Bob Blythe, attorney for the owner, did call the Commission office on September 7th. He stated that the owners were "leaning toward accepting another offer." He told me that he would contact me as soon as he had authorization from the owner to do so. Staff Recommendation: Receive as Information.
5. Update on status of McAuley House. The McAuley House, which has been judged eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, is available to the Commission as a gift. The house must be moved off site by March 2001 or it will be demolished. Marilyn Croteau is checking with Crouch Brothers to see if it can be moved there. Another potential site has become available on McCoy Road. The fate of the house is uncertain at present. Staff Recommendation: Receive as Information.
Survey Committee Matters. 1. Consideration of Letter from Division of Archives and History concerning the Helms-Bell House. Click here for Survey and Research Report.
The Historic Landmarks Commission has voted to recommend the designation of the Helms-Bell House as a historic landmark, including the grounds and the interior and the exterior of the original portion of the house. State Law mandates that the Division of Archives and History comment on prospective historic landmark designation. The Commission has received a letter regarding the Helms-Bell House. The comment is advisory. The letter questions whether the house has individual significance and whether it is prudent to include the designation of only a portion of the building. The issue before the Commission is whether it wishes to continue the designation process for the house. Staff Recommendation. The ultimate decision of whether you should recommend the property or any portion thereof for historic landmark designation rests with the Commission. The letter from Archives and History is advisory. The test is "individual significance." I believe the original portion of the house is individually significant, because it represents a rare survivor from the Caldwell St. section of the Dilworth neighborhood. Therefore, I believe that the Commission should continue the designation process and stand by its original recommendation. 2. Consideration of Whether to Recommend Historic Landmark Designation for The Thomas Griffith Warehouse Building. Click here to see Survey and Research Report.
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| In 1986, the owners
requested that the Thomas Griffith Warehouse Building be processed for
historic landmark designation. The North Carolina Division of
Archives and History commented affirmatively on the prospective
designation. The owner, however, requested at the last minute that
the building not be designated. In keeping with its policy at that
time of not processing properties for designation over owner opposition,
the Commission ended the designation process for the Thomas Griffith
Warehouse Building.
The Historic Landmarks Commission is now willing to process properties for historic landmark designation over owner opposition. The owner has expressed the opinion that the destruction of the building might become necessary. The Charlotte Observer and other uptown officials have expressed the wish that the building be saved. The issue before the Commission is whether it wishes to reactivate the designation process for the building. Here are the basic facts the Commission needs to consider. a. If the Commission votes to move ahead with designation, it could also vote to prohibit demolition of the building for up to 180 days or until City Council has an opportunity to vote on the HLC's recommendation, whichever occurs first. b. Owner consent is necessary in order to allow the HLC to have design review over the interior of the building. c. If City Council does designate the building as a historic landmark, the HLC can impose a delay of up to 365 days on demolition. It could also ask the City Council to acquire the property through eminent domain. d. Daniel Levine does have a demolition permit for the building. According to Marvin Bethune, County Attorney, the permit is valid regardless of what the HLC does on September 11th. Mr. Levine, however, has agreed not to demolish the building as long as discussions with the HLC about a preservation strategy are on-going. Staff Recommendation. Daniel Levine, the owner, has met with the Chairman of the Projects Committee, the Chairman of the Commission and me. He has expressed a genuine interest in investigating whether the restoration of the building could be made economically feasible. I urge the Commission to defer any action on processing the property for historic landmark designation so that a cooperative pursuit of preservation strategies can continue. In my judgment, that is the best way to work for the preservation of the Thomas Griffith Warehouse Building. |
| 3. Selection of
Consultant for Industrial/Institutional Survey. A
subcommittee of the Survey Committee is reviewing the proposals from three
consultants to conduct the survey, which is funded by a grant received by
the Commission from the Federal Government via the North Carolina Division
of Archives and History. A recommendation from the committee will be
forthcoming.
Staff Recommendation. David E. Gall has submitted a proposal. That firm is performing the current post-World War II Survey for the Commission and is, therefore, most familiar with the history of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Moreover, Archives and History has commented most favorably upon the firm's work. Therefore, I would recommend that David E. Gall be hired to conduct the Industrial and Institutional Survey. |