Location: 2100 Randolph Road, Charlotte, N. C.
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Present:
Mr. Louis Asbury, IV/County, Projects Chair
Mr. Matthew Benson, Mayor, Design Review Com. Chair
Mr. Frank Bragg/City
Mr. Bill Hobbs/County, HLC Chair
Ms. Yolanda Law/County, HLC Vice-Chair
Ms. Paula Lester, County (1st Meeting)
Dr. Richard Mattson/County, Survey Com. Chair
Mr. Gray Newman/County
Mr. Michael Rogers/City
Mr. John Shurley/Mayor (first meeting)
Ms. Keysha Walker/City, HLC Treasurer
Dr. Dan L. Morrill, HLC Consulting Director
Mr. Stewart Gray, HLC Preservation Planner
Mr. Bryan Turner, HLC Projects Manager
Ms. Patricia Nystrom, HLC Attorney
Ms. Mary Lynn Morrill, HLC Recording Consultant
Ms. Mary Dominick, HLC Consultant
Absent:
Dr. Lynn Weis/City, HLC Secretary
Visitors:
Ms. Brenda Bishop (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Ms. Bernadette Rosenstadt (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Ms. Andrea Sweet (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Ms. Jane Starnes (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Mr. Harron Rudisill (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Mr. Joe Morris (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Mr. Phil Van Strider (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Mr. Rick Kane (Queens Terrace Apartments)
Ms. Tami Curtin (Younts House)
AGENDA
Item #1 – Approval of Minutes
MR. BENSON PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. BRAGG THAT THE MINUTES FOR
NOVEMBER 9, 2009, BE APPROVED AS
DISTRIBUTED. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.
MR. BENSON PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. BRAGG THAT THE EXECUTIVE
SESSION MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 9, 2009, BE APPROVED AS
DISTRIBUTED. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.
Item #2 – Chairman’s Report: Mr. Hobbs
Mr. Hobbs welcomed everyone to the meeting and extended a special welcome
to Ms. Paula Lester as the County's appointee to the HLC.
Mr. Hobbs reminded Commissioners to check the distributed attendance data
at each seat. Attendance runs from January 1st to December 31st of each
calendar year.
Item #3 – Director's Report: Dr. Morrill
Dr. Morrill reported that::
a. Staff believes that
it would be beneficial to the community to relocate the Spirit of the
American Doughboy Statue, currently standing to the rear of the Charlotte
City Hall, to a prominent place at American Legion Memorial Stadium, where
it stood for much of its history. Dr. Morrill requested that the Commission authorize
him to send a letter to the City
and County asking that a site plan be developed for placing the Doughboy
Statue at American Legion Memorial Stadium.
DR. MATTSON PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. SHURLEY THAT
DR. MORRILL BE AUTHORIZED TO SEND A LETTER TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ASKING
THAT A SITE PLAN BE DEVELOPED FOR PLACING THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN
DOUGHBOY STATUE AT AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL STADIUM. THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.
b.
Torrence Lytle School. Staff is working with the Consultant to
devise a stabilization plan for the Torrence Lytle School.
c. S. B. Alexander
House. Staff will meet with the
Planning and Economic Development Committee of the Council soon after the
first of the year to discuss the prospective designation of this property.
d. Town of
Pineville. Ann Swallow, National Register coordinator for North
Carolina, did visit Pineville on November 21st to assess the eligibility of the
commercial core of Pineville for listing in the National
Register of Historic Places. The report was favorable. Staff is
working with the Town of Pineville to secure consultants to perform a
National Register nomination.
e. Grier-Rea House. Staff picked up today plans that will
move the process forward to allow H. C. Rummage to begin renovation work on the
interior of the Grier-Rea House.
f. Rozzel
House. Staff is securing estimates for the upfit of the interior
of the house.
g. McAuley House. H. C. Rummage
is working on additional upfit of the McAuley House.
h. Fire Station
No. 2. Staff will meet this Tuesday with Charlotte City officials
to discuss a number of issues -- Walker's Grocery, former Fire Station
No. 2, purchases of properties in local historic districts, and procedures
for processing properties for historic landmark designation.
i. Walker Grocery Store. Staff did meet on
November 19th with City officials to discuss how the City might assist with
the preservation of the Walker Grocery. The response was favorable. The appraisal
for the property has been received. This matter will be discussed
under the Projects Committee portion of the agenda.
j. Pineville Building (314 Main St.).
Complications have arisen with respect to this property. An appraisal
was obtained, but the owner expressed concern about its accuracy.
Staff was directed to develop a list of appraisers and allow the owner to
select an appraiser from the list. He did so, but this appraiser
withdrew when he learned about the attitude of the owner. Efforts to
purchase the property are at a standstill.
k. Prospective Purchase of the Samuel Younts House (136
Main St., Pineville, N.C.) The owner of the Younts House,
most recently used as a hair salon, has approached the
Commission about its possible interest in purchasing the house. Louis
Asbury has visited the house and wishes to discuss the matter.
The owner was present at the meeting and did indicate her interest in
selling the property. The Commission agreed that the prospect of making an
offer on this house should be referred to the Projects Committee.
l. Former Fire Station No. 2.
The owner of former Fire Station No. 2 has contacted Staff regarding the
current status of the building. He does have a buyer who will operate
a Spa in the building. However, the deal depends upon the owner's
securing a satisfactory appraisal on the property. According to the
owner, the existing appraisal is unsatisfactory. The owner states that
if he cannot secure a satisfactory appraisal he will move ahead with
demolishing the building, which he will be allowed to do in May. The
Commission has secured an appraisal and an adaptive reuse feasibility study.
The Commission agreed to continue to monitor the status of the building.
m. Budget for 2010-2011.
The County will begin its budget deliberations in January. Staff will
keep the Commission informed as this process moves forward.