Action Item
The County has money potentially available for additional funding for the Historic Landmarks Commission in the FY’20 Budget. Staff believes that additional monies should be used for the following initiatives and requests approval by the HLC.
1. Comprehensive Surveys.
State Enabling Legislation mandates that the Historic Landmarks Commission conduct surveys to identify properties that have the requisite special significance to warrant historic landmark designation. The Commission proposes to conduct the following comprehensive surveys in FY’20 in the following ranked order:
1. Beatties Ford Road Corridor from Johnson C. Smith University to Sunset Road. $12,000.
2. Chadwick-Hoskins Neighborhood. $8,000
3. Derita Community. $8,000
4. Rural Landscapes. $8,000
Total: $36,000
2. Options To Purchase.
The Historic Landmarks Commission proposes to employ options to purchase as an important tool in controlling property for potential purchase and sale. There are costs associated with options to purchase, specifically for due diligence and for fees to obtain options to purchase. The Commission anticipates that it will obtain four options to purchase in FY’20.
1. Fees For Options To Purchase. $12,000
2. Due Diligence For Options To Purchase. $16,000
Total: $28,000
Information Items
1. Torrence Lytle School, 302 Holbrooks Road, Huntersville, N.C.
Letter from Laurel Street Developers
Tyson and Regina Bates, prospective buyers of the property have presented an offer to acquire the property for use as a private school. The Projects Committee will make a presentation on this issue later in the meeting. Also, the Design Review Committee will report on its actions regarding the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the wing building on each end of the original 1937 school building.
2. Ingleside, 7225 Bud Henderson Road, Huntersville, N.C.
The HLC has received a Letter of Intent from a prospective buyer of Ingleside. The Projects Committee will report on this issue later in the meeting.
Peter Wasmer, HLC Projects Manager, continues to oversee repairs to Ingleside.
Stewart Gray continues to work with the Town of Huntersville to consider an amendment to the Huntersville zoning ordinance that would allow greater latitude for adaptive reuses of designated historic landmarks.
3. Patterson Grocery Store, 2515 Booker Avenue, Charlotte, N.C.
Patterson Grocery Store
The HLC has placed the Patterson Grocery on the Study List of Prospective Historic Landmarks. Staff will be contacting the owner to determine the owner’s intent regarding the preservation of the store building.
4. Former Fire Station Number Ten, 2136 Remount Road, Charlotte, N.C., and the James C. Dowd House, 2216 Monument Avenue, Charlotte, N.C.
Mecklenburg County continues to discuss strategies for the preservation of the properties.
5. McConnell House, 4009 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, N.C.
McConnell House
Martin Marietta has stated that the McConnell House must be moved. The Projects Committee has appointed William Hughes and Edwin Wilson to an ad-hoc committee to work with Staff to determine the cost of moving the house. Staff believes that assertive action should be taken if the house is to be saved.
6. VanLandingham Estate, 2010 The Plaza, Charlotte, N.C.
The prospective buyer of the VanLandingham Estate continues to perform due diligence.
7. Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 412 Campus Street, Charlotte, N.C.
Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
Johnson C. Smith University continues to consider preservation strategies. The City Housing Board has granted a delay of its decision regarding demolition of the building until its March meeting. The Projects Committee will have a recommendation regarding this issue later in the meeting.
8. Excelsior Club, 921 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, N.C.
Excelsior Club
Negotiations continue to consider preservation strategies for the property. The effective date of the Certificate of Appropriateness will occur in June 2019.
9. Wallace House, 9425 Robinson Church Road, Charlotte, N.C.
The Due Diligence period for the HLC’s prospective purchase of the property has been extended until May 1, 2019. Consideration of means to environmentally clean the refuse pit on the property continue.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Dan L. Morrill