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Charlotte-Mecklenburg

HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION

March 9, 2009

Location: 2100 Randolph Rd., Charlotte, N. C.

Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Present:

Mr. Richard Alsop III,/Mayor, HLC Chair

Mr. Louis Asbury, IV/County

Mr. Matthew Benson, Mayor, Design Review Com. Chair

Mr. Frank Bragg/City

Mr. William T. Hobbs/County, White Oak Chair

Ms. Yolanda Johnson/City, Finance Committee Chair

Dr. Richard Mattson/County, Survey Com. Chair

Mr. Gray Newman/County, Projects Committee Chair

Ms. Laura C. Smith/City, HLC Treasurer

Dr. Lynn Weis/City, HLC Secretary

Dr. Dan L. Morrill, HLC Consulting Director

Mr. Stewart Gray, HLC Preservation Planner

Ms. Patricia Nystrom, HLC Attorney

Mr. Bryan Turner, HLC Projects Manager

Ms. Mary Lynn Morrill, HLC Recording Consultant

Ms. Mary Dominick, HLC Consultant

Absent:

Mr. Len Norman/County, Immediate Past HLC Chair

Ms. Yolanda Law/County, HLC Vice-Chair

Visitors:

Jared & Nicole Gardner, owners of the Ziem House, 1812 E. 8th St.

Lexie Longstreet, Savvy & Co.

Andy Hatton, Fire Station No. 2, 1212 South Boulevard

Marcel Stark., Fire Station No. 2, 1212 South Boulevard

Bruce Bluming, Fire Station No. 2, 1212 South Boulevard

AGENDA

Item #1 - Approval of Minutes

MR. BRAGG PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY DR. WEIS THAT THE HLC MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 9, 2009, BE APPROVED AS DISTRIBUTED. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

MR. BENSON PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY DR. MATTSON THAT THE HLC EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 9, 2009, BE APPROVED AS DISTRIBUTED. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

Item #2 - Chairman’s Report: Mr. Alsop

Mr. Alsop welcomed everyone to the meeting. Mr. Alsop said that Mr. Norman is absent tonight due to business reasons.

Mr. Alsop said that attendance reports can be found at each seat. He said to check with Mrs. Morrill if there are questions about the data.

Mr. Alsop said that the Survey Committee is schedule to meet Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 a.m. The Design Review Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, March 25 at 8:00 a.m.

Item #3 - Director’s Report: Dr. Morrill

A. Action Items

Dr. Morrill reported that the Town of Matthews continues to be interested in preserving the Moore House on Moore Road just off Independence Boulevard.  The Town Board has submitted a letter asking the Commission to place this property on the Study List of prospective historic landmarks.  The Commission voted last Fall not to process the property for designation because of the wishes of the previous owner of the property.  The Town of Matthews will commit $2000 for the preparation of a Survey and Research Report.

MR. SMITH PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. HOBBS THAT A SURVEY AND RESEARCH REPORT BE PREPARED ON THE MOORE HOUSE, MOORE ROAD, MATTHEWS, N.C. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

B. INFORMATION ITEMS.

1.  Stewart Gray will be working with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority on finalizing the amount of land that will be included with the designation of the original Charlotte Coliseum as a historic landmark.

2.  Staff has located a suitable tenant for White Oak Plantation.  This issue will be considered under the Projects Committee Report.

3.  Staff has completed the educational video that highlights the place of Modernist architecture in the built environment of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. 

4.  Staff continues to work on securing ownership of the Torrence Lytle School.  The next step is for the Board of County Commissioners to approve the necessary easements.  This issue will come before the Board on March 17th.

5.  Staff has received reports from the County Budget Department indicating that the budget circumstances will be challenging this year.  Staff will keep you advised. 

6.  Staff has been proceeding with the preparation of the Robert and Elizabeth Smith House (1708 Park Road, Charlotte, N.C.) for resale.  The new roof has been installed, and the contractor will be moving ahead with minor upfits to the interior.  A video has been developed on the house to assist its sale. 

7.  Robert and Karl Schmitt continue to upfit the Grier-Rea House for resale.  They have been approved for $10,000 of work.  Staff is considering whether additional work would be warranted.

8.  Staff continues to work on the acquisition of the McQuay House.  Because the owner wants to be assured of tax deductibility for his donation, the house and its lot will have to be acquired by Mecklenburg County and then conveyed to the Historic Landmarks Commission.  The prospective purchase has gone through local government's mandatory referral process.  Staff hopes to close on the property in April.  Various exit strategies for the property are being considered.

9.  The Commission continues to market the Rozzel House property with no success.  Staff will be presenting a possible change in the marketing strategy for the property.

10.  The shell restoration of the Ephraim Alexander McAuley House is nearing completion.  Staff is visiting the property to determine if interior upfit would help the marketing of the house. 

11.  Contingency contracts have been signed on the buildings at 316 and 330 Main St. in Pineville, N.C.  The Commission will consider this matter under the Projects Committee Report.  If approved by the HLC, the purchase of these properties will be brought before the Board of County Commissioners on March 17th. 

Item #4 - Design Review Committee Report: Mr. Benson

Mr. Benson reported that the Design Review Committee met March 25, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. at the HLC office. Minutes from the meeting can be found on the HLC’s website - www.cmhpf.org.

Consideration of Applications for Certificates of Appropriateness.

a. Zeim House, 1812 East 8th St., Charlotte, N.C.

Proposed final plans for a wall at the sidewalk edge, the replacement of the front steps, the retention of the sidewalk extending from the sidewalk to the house, the treatment of the driveway, and the removal of the "cheek walls," were presented. The application is on file at the HLC’s office. The owners were present in support of the application.

DR. WEIS PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY DR. MATTSON THAT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS BE ISSUED AS PRESENTED FOR THE ZEIM HOUSE, 1812 E. 8TH STREET, CHARLOTTE, N.C. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

b. Major Alexander James House, 260 Cherokee Rd., Charlotte, N.C. Nobody was present to represent the applicant.

THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE PRESENTED A SECONDED MOTION THAT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS BE ISSUED FOR THE MAJOR ALEXANDER L. JAMES HOUSE, 360 CHEROKEE RD., CHARLOTTE, N.C., IF THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BELOW ARE ACCOMPLISHED AND THAT, IF NOT, THE SURVEY COMMITTEE CONSIDER WHETHER TO RECOMMEND TO THE HLC THE REMOVAL OF ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE PROPERTY’S DESIGNATION AS AN HISTORIC LANDMARK.

1. Restore fireplaces and fireplace surrounds that have been removed or damaged.

2. Restore Dining Room built-in cabinet and door.

3. Restore flooring and built-in cabinets in rear downstairs room.

4. Restore original exterior kitchen door and hood.

5. Restore original window/vent in kitchen gable.

6. Rebuild front and rear walls of kitchen to design approved under COA 07-23, it may also be acceptable to restore elements of the original rear wall so that the original design of the room and elements of the exterior wall would be preserved.

7. Restore all doorways and trim in second-story hallway.  If doorways are no longer needed then original doors can be fixed in-place. 

8. Restore all doorways and trim in second-story bedrooms.  If doorways are no longer needed then original doors can be fixed in-place.

9. Restore original wall around third-story stair opening.

10. That owner work with HLC staff to determine what elements on the third floor contributed to integrity of the property, so that further recommendations similar to those made for the second story can be made. 

11. Restore ceiling in existing gabled porch.

12. Restore metal roof over bowed bay on rear elevation.

ALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT APPROVED THE MOTION EXCEPT FOR MR. HOBBS, WHO ABSTAINED FROM THE VOTE.

b. Fire Station No. 2, 1212 South Blvd., Charlotte, N.C.

The owner, Mr. Stark, who was present in support of the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness, proposes to install new signage to the building and to make changes to the interior of the building. Mr. Stark said that he will not seek Federal Tax Credits. Mr. Gray reviewed the plans submitted with the Application.

DR. WEIS PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. BRAGG THAT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS BE ISSUED FOR FIRE STATION NO. 2, 1212 SOUTH BOULEVARD, CHARLOTTE, N.C. AS PROPOSED WITH THE PROVISO THAT THE ORIGINAL CEILING IN THE SECOND STORY BE PRESERVED, THAT PORTIONS OF THE ORIGINAL UPSTAIRS FLOOR BE PRESERVED, THAT PORTIONS OF THE ORIGINAL DOWNSTAIRS FLOOR BE PRESERVED, THAT THE ORIGINAL POSTS BE PRESERVED, THAT PORTIONS OF THE ORIGINAL STAIRWAY BE PRESERVED, THAT THE ORIGINAL CEILING OF THE FIRST FLOOR BE REPAIRED OR BE REPLACED WITH LIKE MATERIAL, THAT THE ARCHED OPENINGS ON THE REAR OF THE BUILDING BE PRESERVED, THAT THE SIGNAGE ON THE FRONT OF BUILDING BE ATTACHED IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT DAMAGE THE BRICK, THAT THE SIGNAGE BE PLACED SENSITIVELY SO THAT IT DOES NOT OBSCURE THE ORIGINAL BRICKWORK, AND THE SIGNAGE/ARTWORK SHOWN IN THE APPLICATION BE HUNG FROM BRACKETS OR BE ATTACHED IN A SIMILAR MANNER THAT KEEPS IT DISTINCT FROM THE BUILDING. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

Item #5 - Survey Committee Report: Dr. Mattson

Dr. Mattson said that the Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. at the HLC office.

Item #6 - Projects Committee Report: Mr. Newman

Mr. Newman said that the work on the HLC’s projects continues. The reports are as follow:

a. McAuley House, Huntersville-Concord Rd. – Mr. Gray continues to supervise the work on the house.

b. Grier-Rea House, 7601 Providence Rd., Charlotte, N.C. Dr. Mattson said that he continues working on the National Register nomination for this very important house. He noted that the house is especially noteworthy for its architectural features.

MS. SMITH PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. HOBBS THAT UP TO $10,000 BE APPROPRIATED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE TWO FRONT UPSTAIRS ROOMS, REPAIR THE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY, AND FINISH AND PAINT ALL DRYWALL ON THE FIRST AND SECOND STORIES, ON THE GRIER-REA HOUSE, 7601 PROVIDENCE ROAD, CHARLOTTE, N.C. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

MS. SMITH PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY DR. WEIS THAT THE HLC CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

MR. HOBBS PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY DR. WEIS THAT THE HLC RE-CONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.

Note: in Executive Session the HLC approved a rental contract and mower purchase for White Oak Plantation and contingency contracts to purchase the buildings at 316 and 300 Main St. in Pineville, N.C.

Item #7 - Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Smith

Ms. Smith distributed copies of the current financial reports and explained the data.

Item #8 - Old Business.

No old business was presented.

Item #9 - New Business.

Mr. Alsop asked the HLC to consider whether to add additional ex-officio members to the Historic Landmarks Commission. A general consensus emerged that because of the complexities of amending the ordinance establishing the Commission and the inter-local agreements with the outlying towns that this step would be inadvisable and not be pursued. The meetings of the Commission are public meetings, and anyone is welcome to attend.

The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.