July 12, 2018 – 8:00 a.m.
1. Chair’s Report: Tom Egan
2. Director’s Report: Dan Morrill
a. Wadsworth House. Mark Miller is officially under contract to purchase the Wadsworth House. He will be coordinating with Staff regarding design review issues. Staff will also assist with having preservation deed covenants placed on the property. This is great news. It illustrates that the HLC can advance preservation of a property without having to purchase it.
3. Preservation Planner’s Report: Stewart Gray
4. Update on Projects
a. Torrence Lytle School. Stephen Brock Ventures is under contract to purchase the property. Due diligence runs until October 31st. Staff is working with the prospective buyer on the study of the economic feasibility of the project.
b. Wallace House. Staff is working on processing the property for designation as a historic landmark, which is scheduled for October. Peter Wasmer is performing due diligence. Closing should occur in late October or early November. Staff will be working with Sandy Carnegie on finalizing a lease agreement with the owner. The plan is to offer the property for sale “as is.”
The owners have reviewed and have accepted the terms of a lease of the property upon closing. Staff believes that this will assist with providing security for the property. Staff recommends that the Executive Committee recommend that the HLC approve entering into a lease of the property with the owners upon closing under the terms set forth in the lease.
c. Ingleside. The Commission is under contract to purchase the property. Staff believes that the future use of the property should be carefully evaluated. It has been challenging to find a buyer who will make a long term commitment to the property. Staff has talked with the Town of Huntersville and the National Trust for Historic Preservation about applying for a matching grant for an adaptive reuse feasibility study of the property. The HLC is currently paying the utilities bill and is maintaining the lawn. Emergency repairs of the air condition system were necessary.
d. Streetcar 85. The tentative date for moving Streetcar 85 from the North Carolina Transportation Museum to Charlotte is July 30th. Purchase Orders for hiring Chris Allen as a Consultant, for paying the Vendor for transporting Streetcar 85, and for paying an early termination fee for the lease of Streetcar 85 to the North Carolina Transportation Museum have been issued.
e. Excelsior Club. Staff met with County officials to discuss preservation strategies for the Excelsior Club. It was agreed that the HLC Staff should approach the owner after Peter Wasmer obtains an updated appraisal of the parcel on which the building sits and after the costs of restoring the building are acquired. That information is being gathered.
5. Proposal for Charlotte New Look Bus. In January 1992 the Commission acquired the last General Motors New Look Bus in the Charlotte Transit Fleet. The bus is a designated historic landmark. The Commission has put a refurbished engine and transmission in the bus. It is currently housed in the CATS storage garage.
Argos Real Estate Advisors, Inc. is proposing that title to the Bus be transferred to Argos, which would assume the responsibility for performing additional repairs to the bus to put it into full operational order. Staff supports the transfer of title and the relocation of the bus to the Chamberlain Ave. storage facility.
Staff recommends that the Executive Committee recommend to the Historic Landmarks Commission that the HLC approve in principle the transfer of title of the General Motors New Look Bus in “as is” condition to Argos Realty Estate Advisors, Inc. subject to HLC approval of a written agreement with Argos setting forth the terms of the transfer.
This item will be discussed in open session.
Click Here for Argos Real Estate Advisors Proposal
6. Offer To Purchase Charles Barnhardt House. The Commission has received an offer to purchase the Barnhardt House.
This item will be discussed in open session.
Click Here for Offer to Purchase and Contract
7. Old Business
8. New Business
John Howard, Administrator of the Charlotte Historic District Commission, has contacted Staff about a duplex at 1437-1439 Pecan Avenue for which a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition has been issued. The owner reportedly is interested in talking with the HLC about possible purchase of the property. I have contacted the owner. Also, I have asked Eric Gamble to take a look at the property.
