KANSAS CITY, KANSAS LANDMARKS COMMISSION July 3, 2017 Minutes

Transcription

1 KANSAS CITY, KANSAS LANDMARKS COMMISSION July 3, 2017 Minutes The Kansas City, Kansas Landmarks Commission met in regular session on Monday, July 3, 2017, at 6:00 p.m., in the Commission Chamber of the Municipal Office Building, with the following members present: Mr. David Meditz, Presiding, Mr. Murrel Bland, Ms. Karen French, Ms. Christina Grey, Mr. Loren Taylor and Mr. Charles Van Middlesworth (Absent: Carson, Craddock, and Taylor.) Mr. Zach Flanders, Planner, was also present. Meditz called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The minutes of April 3, 2017 and June 5, 2017 meetings were approved as distributed. Case starts at 1:15 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION #CA RAMON AND SALLY MURGUIA WITH ARGENTINE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION - SYNOPSIS: Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of a home at 1416 South 27 th Street. Detailed Outline of Requested Action: The applicants are seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of a house within the 500 environs of the Argentine Carnegie Library, on the National Register of Historic Places and the Argentine ATSF Railroad YMCA, on the Register of Historic Kansas Places. The applicants, representatives of Argentine Development, LC, state that the house is blight on the neighborhood and has sustained significant water damage; they plan to build a new residence in the future. Mr. Ramon Murguia, representing Argentine Development Association, 2500 Strong Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas Staff Recommendation: (No additional comments from staff) Motion/Vote starts at 4:38 On motion by Mr. Taylor, seconded by Ms. Grey, the Landmarks Commission voted as follows to APPROVE this application: Craddock: Schraeder: Van Middlesworth: July 3,

2 Subject to: Please provide images of the damage prompting the desire to demolish. Applicant Response: The property in question was in serious disrepair prior to the water damage that occurred on or about December 28, Months prior to that date Applicant had shown the house to potential buyers interested in rehabbing the house. When the potential buyers sought the advice and opinion of an inspector for purposes of rehabbing the property, the potential buyers were told it would be cost prohibitive to remodel the house into a single-family residence due to the split basement and other structural issues with the foundation. Photos of the subsequent water damage were taken on December 31, 2016, when Applicant discovered the damage. The extensive water damage suffered by the property was due to BPU s failure to properly shut off the water service to the property when the prior owner vacated the property. The prior owner contacted all the utilities to shut off service, but BPU technicians closed only one of the two water service meters to the property If approved, would the garage at the rear of the property be included in the demolition? Applicant Response: Yes, applicant does not want to leave any dangerous structures standing that could be a hazard to the neighborhood (photographs attached.) What is the timeline for the construction of the new residential unit(s)? Applicant Response: Applicant does not have plans for construction at this time. Applicant is working to renovate and improve an office building at 3120 Strong Avenue (pre-application meeting held with 7 UG departments on May 2, 2017) and that property is currently applicant s priority. The application for demolition of the property in question comes at this time because of safety concerns after the water damage described above. The new single-family residence on this property would be built in the very near future by the new resident or by applicant who would then market and sell the house for owneroccupied residence, not a rental unit. Can you provide plans for the future development of the site? Applicant Response: Applicant does not currently have any architectural plans for the future development of the site. It will be a single-family residence and it will be owner-occupied. Demolishing structures midblock in urban neighborhoods can often have lasting and contagious negative effects on a neighborhood. Vacant lots have been associated with higher rates of violent crime, depressed property values, and community health factors. As a community, we need to ensure that we are demolishing only homes that are critical safety concerns for the neighborhood. Otherwise we risk contributing to the deterioration of the urban fabric, further exacerbating the plight of our urban core neighborhoods. Typically, when demolitions are planned to accommodate new construction, staff requires the applicant to provide plans and elevations of the proposed construction. July 3,

3 If approved and no plans for future development have been submitted, no construction may commence until Landmarks Commission reviews plans for all new structures. Applicant Response: Applicant disputes that the property at 1416 S. 27 th Street is indicative of the style of the neighborhood at large. The neighborhood has grown and evolved continuously since this duplex was built in Between the Carnegie Library and the old YMCA building, the 1300 block and the 1400 block of South 27 th Street currently include 13 houses built during city-led urban renewal of the 1970s. Preventing the demolition and reconstruction of a residence would actually impede the ongoing efforts to maintain and improve the fabric of our urban neighborhood. Applicant has been involved for many years with the rehabilitation of this immediate neighborhood and its housing stock. Within three blocks of the subject property, Applicant or its members have personally built the following homes with the specific aim to strengthen the community: (a) 1430 South 25 th Street, new construction in 1987 by Applicant s member, Ramon Murguia; (b) 2500 Strong Avenue, new construction in 1998 by Applicant, serves as the current residence of Applicant s members; (c) 2502 Strong Avenue new construction in 2002 by buyers of property previously owned by Applicant; and (d) in 2005, Applicant renovated the brick duplex at 1420 South 29 th Street into a single family residence which has been continuously owneroccupied since the sale by Applicant. In addition, in 2004 Applicant s members founded Argentine Neighborhood Development Association, and supported it financially for 10 years resulting in construction of houses at 1401 South 25 th Street (which Applicant had previously acquired and donated to ANDA), 1421 South 26 th Street, and 1436 South 29 th Street. Beyond Applicant s efforts to maintain and improve the Argentine neighborhood, the character of the neighborhood surrounding the two historic buildings has grown and evolved since 1920: Emerson Elementary School was rebuilt in 1961, and in the 1990 s, the Argentine Community Center was built after the demolition of the Nazarene Church and the Argentine Parish house that stood at the corner of Segura Lane and Metropolitan Avenue. These efforts reflect a vibrant urban neighborhood. The Applicant suggests that honoring and preserving individual structures like the Carnegie Library and the YMCA is valuable and contributes to Argentine s neighborhood charm, but saving those buildings should not be used to snuff out the current life of the community. A good example of this is the new South Branch Library that was opened in 2012 to serve the community when the Carnegie building could no longer be adapted to contemporary library needs. Staff s draft suggests, Demolishing structure midblock can have a lasting and contagious negative effect on a neighborhood. Vacant lots have been associated with higher rates of violent crime, depressed property values, and. further exacerbating the plight of our urban core neighborhoods. The members of the Applicant live in this neighborhood as do numerous relatives. The last thing Applicant desires is to have a negative effect on this neighborhood. There is no independent architectural historical value to the property in question. July 3,

4 Applicant purchased it in order to provide improved housing stock so that more dedicated and caring families can live in the neighborhood and improve the property values. Case starts at 5:50 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION #CA BRIAN HOCHSTEIN WITH MKEC ENGINEERING - SYNOPSIS: Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of Welborn Elementary School at 5200 Leavenworth Road. Detailed Outline of Requested Action: The applicants are seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of Welborn Elementary school, which is within the 500 environs of the Welborn Community Congregation Church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The school is planned to be replaced with a new USD 500 elementary school. Mr. Doug Clements, Director of Physical Properties, 2010 North 59 th Street, Kansas City, Kansas Mr. Brian Hill, MKEC Engineering, West 112 th Street, Overland Park, Kansas Mr. Brian Hochstein, applicant, MKEC Engineering, West 112 th Street, Overland Park, Kansas Staff Recommendation (No additional comments from staff) Motion/Vote starts at 11:35 On motion by Mr. Van Middlesworth, seconded by Mr. Bland, the Landmarks Commission voted as follows to APPROVE this application: Craddock: Schraeder: Van Middlesworth: Case starts at 12:40 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION #CA MATTHEW A. BRODINE - SYNOPSIS: Certificate of Appropriateness for the exterior modifications to the kitchen window at 1316 North 20 th Street. Detailed Outline of Requested Action: The applicants are seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior modifications to the rear July 3,

5 (west) façade of a house which is within the Westheight Manor Neighborhood Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The applicant is planning to increase the width of the kitchen from 38 inches to 74 inches, using the original brick and reconfiguring the windows. Mr. Matthew Brodine, 1316 North 20 th Street, Kansas City, Kansas Staff Recommendation: (No additional comments from staff) Motion/Vote starts at 14:50 On motion by Mr. Bland, seconded by Ms. French, the Landmarks Commission voted as follows to APPROVE this application: Craddock: Schraeder: Van Middlesworth: The meeting was adjourned at 6:16 p.m. July 3,