Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission

Author: Dan Morrill


September 6, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

1.  Chair’s Report:  Len Norman

2.  Director’s Report:  Dan Morrill

3.  Update on Projects  August 2018 Project Budget

a.  Excelsior Club, 921 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, N.C.  Executive Session

Click Here for Stabilization Cost Analysis
Click Here for Appraisal

Dr. Morrill, Tom Egan, and William Hughes met with Carla Cunningham, the owner of the property.  The potential purchase price was discussed.  The Commission has received an appraisal on the property and an estimate of the stabilization costs.  Staff recommends that a meeting be scheduled with the owner to determine what price the owner would accept for the parcel.  Thereafter, the Committee can formulate a recommendation to submit to the HLC.

b.  Pecan Avenue Duplex, 1437 Pecan Avenue, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Purchase Agreement

The property is being marketed by Edwin Wilson, Jr.  The option to purchase is in place.  Staff will be assisting with the marketing of the property. An issue has arisen concerning whether the HLC must obtain County approval for entering into the option.  Staff is working on resolving this issue.

c.  Former Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 412 Campus Street, Charlotte, N.C.

The City of Charlotte has notified Johnson C. Smith University, owner of the property, that the building must be brought up to code by October 10th.  Otherwise, it will be demolished.  Preservation North Carolina holds preservation covenants on the property that prevent demolition.  Staff and PNC will meet with the President of Johnson C. Smith University on September 24th to discuss possible preservation solutions.

d.  Torrence Lytle School, 302 Holbrooks Road, Huntersville, N.C.

The prospective buyer has withdrawn from the contract.  The Commission has voted to move forward with demolishing all buildings except the original building and marketing the property largely as vacant land.  Staff believes that such action would be premature.  For now the buildings should be mothballed and marketing should await the completion of the upfit of the adjoining County building.  Staff has asked Peter Wasmer, Project Manager, to determine what improvements need to be made in the interim.  Staff recommends that a consultant be hired to investigate affordable housing financing.

e.  Ingleside, 7225 Bud Henderson Road, Huntersville, N.C.

Staff recommends that the future disposition of the property be considered in conjunction with other agencies in North Mecklenburg, including the Town of Huntersville.  The National Trust For Historic Preservation has expressed a willingness to consider a matching grant for an adaptive reuse feasibility study.  The Board of County Commissioners has recognized the purchase money from the HLC Revolving Fund.  The closing is scheduled for September 10th.

f.  Wallace Log House, 9425 Robinson Church Road, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Lease

The Public Hearing with City Council to consider designation of the property will occur on September 17th.  The current owners will lease the property after closing, which should occur in late October.  The property will be actively marketed after closing.  The Board of County Commissioners has recognized the purchase money from the HLC Revolving Fund.

g.  Charles E. Barnhardt House, 3217 Maymont Place, Charlotte, N.C.  

The HLC continues to market the property.  A roof will be installed in the very near future and other mandated improvements will also be made.  The developer of the property has granted an extension until September 30th of the time in which improvements must be made.

Staff is requesting that the Projects Committee approve spending $5,150 for a National Register nomination for the property. 

h.  Former Fire Station Number Ten, 2136 Remount Road, Charlotte, N.C.  

Discussions of the future disposition of the property continue.

i.  James C. Dowd House, 2216 Monument Street, Charlotte, N.C.  

Discussions of the future disposition of the property continue.

j.  McConnell House, 4009 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, N.C.  

McConnell House

Staff continues to negotiate with Martin Marietta, the owner of the property.  Staff hopes to secure an exclusive, assignable option to purchase that is co-terminus with the Certificate of Appropriateness which has been issued to the owner.  Staff is working to schedule a meeting with the owner to discuss preservation strategies.

k.  Morgan School, 510 S. Torrence Street, Charlotte, N.C.   

Staff continues to discuss the future disposition of the property.  The HLC submitted an offer in November 2016 to purchase the property.  CMS is reviewing the status of all of its surplus property.  CMS will report on the status of the prospective sale of the Morgan School once the review is finished.

l.  Patterson Grocery Building, 2515 Booker Avenue, Charlotte, N.C.

Residents of Washington Heights have contacted the Commission and have expressed a desire to see the Patterson Grocery Building preserved.  Staff is seeking to meet with the prospective buyer to discuss preservation solutions.  The prospective buyer is scheduled in approximately two weeks, after which a meeting will be scheduled with the new owner.

4.  Old Business

5.  New Business

 



1.  Barnhardt House, 3217 Maymont Place, Charlotte.  Fred Caligiuri, the developer of Cramer’s Pond, has granted a 30-day extension for the completion of the contractual improvements to the house.  Staff is working with the Project Management team to establish the color of the roof shingles to be presented to the supervising architect for the Cramer’s Pond neighborhood.  Staff will also be working to repair the windows and paint the exterior of the house.  The Projects Committee met with the prospective buyer who has met with Stewart Gray to discuss potential alterations to the property.  The tarp on the house has failed, and water is entering the house.

2.  Ingleside, 7225 Bud Henderson Road, Huntersville.   Sandy Carnegie, HLC attorney, is working to arrange for a closing on the property in September.  Peter Wasmer is gathering the necessary information to present to the Board of County Commissioners to obtain recognition of the funds needed to buy the property.  Money has been spent on the repair of the air conditioning system.  The Projects Committee will have a recommendation to present to the Commission.


3.  Wallace Log House, 9425 Robinson Church Road, Charlotte.  Staff is processing the property for historic landmark designation, and Peter Wasmer is gathering the necessary information to present to the Board of County Commissioners to obtain recognition of the funds needed to buy the property.  The owners of the property have agreed in principle to the terms of a lease of the property following closing.  The Executive Committee will have a recommendation to present to the Commission.


4.  Torrence Lytle School, 302 Holbrooks Road, Huntersville.  Brock Ventures, the prospective buyer of the Torrence Lytle School, has deposited its initial earnest money payment.  He continues to perform due diligence.  Staff has received an email from Brock Ventures expressing concerns about the economic viability of the project.  Staff is exploring ideas with the prospective buyer as to how the project may be made viable.


5.  Pecan Avenue Duplex, 1427 Pecan Avenue, Charlotte.  The Projects Committee has met with the owner of the property concerning possible acquisition of an exclusive, assignable option to purchase the property.  The Projects Committee has a recommendation to present to the Commission.


6.  McConnell House, 4009 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte
 
Staff met with representatives of Martin Marietta, owners of the property, and suggested a variety of preservation solutions.  Martin Marietta has determined that the house must be moved from its present site to property not owned by Martin Marietta.  Martin Marietta will donate the house to an entity that would move the house.  The Projects Committee has a recommendation to present to the Commission.


7.  Excelsior Club, 921 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte.  Peter Wasmer has obtained an appraisal on the property and the cost of stabilizing the shell of the building.  Staff will be scheduling a visit with the owner.  Click Here for Stabilization Cost Analysis


8.  Former Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 412 Campus Street, Charlotte.  The City has ordered Johnson C. Smith University, the owner of the property, to bring the building up to code by October 10th or the building will be demolished.  The University cannot legally demolish the building, because Preservation North Carolina holds deed covenants on the property.  Staff is working with Preservation North Carolina to arrange a meeting with University officials to discuss the situation.

Mt. Carmel Baptist Church


9.  Charlotte Streetcar 85.  Charlotte Streetcar 85 has been leased to Lakewood Trolley.  The Streetcar was moved on August 1st to the Trolley Storage Building on Chamberlain Avenue.  The Commission will be working with Lakewood Trolley to make the necessary repairs to Streetcar 85.


10.  Charlotte Streetcar Number One.  Charlotte Streetcar Number One was built c. 1910 by the J. G. Brill Company of Philadelphia, PA.  It was shipped to Athens, Greece and operated on the streets of Athens into the 1960s.  It then became a rail repair car.  In the 1980s, the Historic Landmarks Commission sought to introduce vintage streetcar service in Charlotte.  Staff convinced a local developer to purchase and restore Trolley Number One.  It was transported by ship to New York City and transported to Guilford, Connecticut, where it was restored.  The streetcar was transported to Charlotte and arrived in 1989.  The car was donated to the Historic Landmarks Commission, which in turn gave the streetcar to Charlotte Trolley.  Negotiations are now underway for the Commission to acquire Trolley Number One from Charlotte Trolley for possible lease to Lakewood Trolley.


11.  Former Charlotte Fire Station No. 10, 2136 Remount Road, Charlotte.  Staff continues to negotiate with County officials about the possibility that ownership of the property might be conveyed to the Historic Landmarks Commission.


12.  James C. Dowd House, 2216 Monument Street, Charlotte.  There have been no new developments regarding the Dowd House since the June meeting of the HLC.


Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Dan L. Morrill