Gray Newman, Committee Chairman
Bill Hobbs, Committee Vice-Chairman
Frank Bragg
Yolanda Johnson
Yolanda Law
Ben Rojahn
Mike Sullivan
Lynn Weis
Dan Morrill, HLC Consulting Director
Stewart Gray, HLC Preservation Planner
Patricia Nystrom, HLC Attorney
Bryan Turner, HLC Projects Manager
Mary Lynn Morrill, HLC Recording Consultant
Absent:
Joe Kluttz
Thornton Withers
Visitors:
Christine Rahrig, realtor for Tremont Ave. house
Frances Alexander, Dilworth
Diane Althouse, Historic Charlotte
AGENDA
Item #1: Chairman’s Report: Mr. Newman
Mr. Newman welcomed everyone to the meeting
Item #2 - Consulting Director’s Report: Dr. Morrill
Dr. Morrill reviewed the agenda for the evening and the
HLC’s guidelines for historic projects.
Item #3 - Update on Current Projects:
a. Rozzel House, 11647 Rozzelles Ferry Rd.: Mr. Gray
Mr. Gray reported that electricity is not in the main house.
The HLC has $519,000 in the property which is being marketed by Ms. Linda
Kidd for $499,000. She had two showings on the property today
b. McAuley House, 11401 Huntersville-Concord Rd.: Mr.
Gray
Mr. Gray said that the house will be moved to a two acre
tract of land near the Oehler House located on the Huntersville-Concord Rd.
He said that Mr. Joseph Opperman’s plans will be used for the completion of
the shell. The house will be moved to a new foundation and needs a new roof
and chimney.
c. White Oak Plantation, 7729 Hood Rd.: Mr. Gray
Mr. Gray said that the tenants in the main house moved out
at the end of January. He said that they left the house and the HLC’s
furniture in good shape. Ms. Lexie Longstreet, the realtor for the property,
advised that staging the house will make it more attractive to purchasers. A
tenant, Josh Rigsby, lives in the cabin behind the large house. Mr. Gray
said that the plumbing and heating system and pool maintenance have been
expensive to maintain.
d. Grier-Rea House, 7601 Providence Rd.: Mr. Turner
Mr. Turner said that he and the contractor continue to
negotiate outstanding issues concerning the project. He said that a
community public hearing for the proposed rezoning is scheduled for the
third week in February and that the public hearing with City Council
regarding the rezoning (R3 to conditional R6) will be held March 17, 2008.
e. Sidney & Ethel Grier House, 4647 McKee Rd.: Mr.
Turner
Mr. Turner reported that $4500 was the charge for the water
tap.. The house is being marketed for $375,000.
f. Richard Wearn House, 4928 Tuckaseegee Rd.: Mr.
Turner
Ms. Nystrom reported that the HLC is still in awaiting for
Bank of America to complete its due diligence. She will keep the HLC
informed.
g. Torrence-Lytle School, 302 Holbrooks Rd.,
Huntersville
Dr. Richard Mattson is in the process of preparing the
National Register Nomination. Mr. Mike Raible with CMS has expressed an
interest in leasing the property for the school system. Mr. Bragg, HLC
Chairman of the Torrence-Lytle School ad-hoc committee, reported that he
knows of two developers who are interested in presenting contracts on the
property. The HLC needs to complete its acquisition of the property from
Mecklenburg County. The next step is for Stewart Gray and Mr. Turner to meet
with the Town of Huntersville to determine the exact boundaries of the
property that will be conveyed to the HLC. Mr. Hobbs said that the transfer
needs to be the first order of business, before RFP’s are advertised, in
order that the HLC knows exactly what it can sell.
Item #4 - Consideration of Potential Projects
A major function of the Projects Committee is to consider
what properties the HLC should purchase for rehabilitation and resale. The
HLC can only purchase a designated historic landmark or a contributing
property in a local historic district. The HLC has also established the
following principles to follow in recommending projects. (The HLC currently
has approximately $2.6 million available for projects. )
*The HLC appreciates that each property possesses a
unique character that suggests a variety of potential preservation
strategies (all of which, to qualify for HLC consideration, must meet the
Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for Rehabilitation.) In selecting a
preservation strategy for a given property, the HLC shall seek to balance
the objects of historic preservation and recovery of investment, in
an effort to preserve and enhance the revolving fund as one of its most
important preservation tools.
* As a general rule, the HLC shall restore buildings only to
the level necessary to safeguard their physical integrity and to market them
effectively for sale or other appropriate disposition.
* The HLC recognizes that in-fill (the building of new
structures) and adaptive reuse are legitimate preservation strategies and in
appropriate circumstances shall encourage their use either through its own
actions or through the actions of developers.
* The HLC further recognizes that circumstances can exist in
which the recovery of funds invested in a given project may not be assured.
In such circumstances, the HLC shall endeavor to balance the objectives of
historic preservation and fund preservation by applying the general rule
that the greater the risk to recovery of invested funds from a given project
the higher the standard that shall be applied in assessing the merits of the
project under consideration.
a. Thrift Piedmont and Northern Depot, Old Mt. Holly
Rd.
This property is highly endangered. The HLC is awaiting word
from CSX of its willingness to sell. The HLC is not interested in moving the
structure to another site.
b. Tomlinson-Wilson House, 11400 Old Statesville Rd.
The Town of Huntersville will be opening discussions with
the HLC about potential preservation solutions for the property, which might
involve purchase. HLC Staff will keep the Committee informed as matters
evolve.
c. Dilworth Neighborhood Properties
Dr. Morrill reminded Committee members that the HLC can
purchase contributing properties in local historic districts (even if they
are not designated as historic landmarks.) The Dilworth Community
development Association (DCDA) has developed a list of potential purchases
in its neighborhood. Ms. Alexander presented four properties that the HLC
might want to consider for purchase.
The Committee looked at photographs of properties and
discussed how the HLC might want to be involved.
MR. NEWMAN PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. WEIS TO
RECOMMEND TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT HLC STAFF BE AUTHORIZED
TO NEGOTIATE PURCHASE PRICES TO BE PRESENTED TO THE PROJECTS COMMITTEE AND
THE HLC FOR ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES IN
DILWORTH:
424 E. TREMONT AVE., 712 E. TREMONT AVE. , 1012-1014 E.
WORTHINGTON AVE., AND 1015 E. BLVD. THE COMMITTEE APPROVED THE MOTION AS
FOLLOWS: FAVOR: LAW, JOHNSON, WEIS, NEWMAN OPPOSE: SULLIVAN, BRAGG, ROJAHN.
d. Charles H. and Bess Smith House, 220 West Tenth
St..
MS. LAW PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. SULLIVAN THAT THE
COMMITTEE CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
THE MOTION.
MR. BRAGG PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. WEIS THAT THE
COMMITTEE PRESENT A PRICE AGREED UPON BY THE COMMITTEE TO THE HISTORIC
LANDMARKS COMMISSION FOR THE CHARLES H. AND BESS SMITH HOUSE, 220 WEST TENTH
STREET, CHARLOTTE, N. C., AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION. THE
COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.
Item #5 - Old Business
Mr. Sullivan said that he contacted Mr. Pete Verna about the
status of the Kenneth Whitsett mural, which the HLC donated to Mr. Verna.
Mr. Verna plans to incorporate the mural into the project his company will
be building on South Brevard St.
Item #6 - New Business
Mr. Bragg reported that negotiations are underway whereby
Mecklenburg County will purchase the tract of land on which Holly Bend, also
known as the Robert Davidson House, is located. Dr. Morrill stated that he
would contact Mr. Bragg about this prospect and discuss how the HLC might be
involved.
There was not further business and the meeting adjourned at
8:00 p.m.