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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-ILPC-2021-04-20Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021 1 Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) Regular Monthly Meeting Minutes — April 20, 2021 Present: Ed Finegan, Chair David Kramer, Vice Chair Stephen Gibian, Member Katelin Olson, Member Avi Smith, Member Susan Stein, Member Donna Fleming, Common Council Liaison Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation Planner and ILPC Secretary John Licitra, City Sidewalk Program Manager Anya Harris, City of Ithaca staff Absent: None Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 202.1, this meeting was conducted remotely via the online meeting platform Zoom. Chair E. Finegan called the meeting to order at 5:38 p.m. I. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS • 300 Fall Creek Drive, Cornell Heights Historic District – Proposal to Install Sidewalks on Fall Creek Drive between Highland and Thurston Avenues John Licitra, Sidewalk Program Manager for the City of Ithaca, appeared in front of the Commission to discuss a proposal to install sidewalks on Fall Creek Drive and make associated site improvements. S. Stein said that she lives in a neighboring house and was not notified of the proposed project. She also said that the drawings are very small, too small to make out details. S. Gibian agreed that the drawings are too small to make out details, even with a magnifying lens. Several Commission members asked if the guardrail was required or if it could be omitted. B. McCracken said that this is just an initial presentation of the proposal and J. Licitra would be returning the following month with a formal application. Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021 2 II. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. DeWitt Building, 215 North Cayuga Street, DeWitt Park Historic District – Proposal to Replace and Install New Awnings on the South Elevation (Moosewood Restaurant) Kip Wilcox from Moosewood Restaurant appeared in front of the Commission to present their proposal to install new awnings. She said that especially in light of the pandemic, they want to be able to expand their outdoor dining areas. K. Olson asked how it would be affixed. K. Wilcox said it would be affixed to the bricks with hardware. K. Olson asked if the brackets could attach to the mortar, instead of the bricks. K. Wilcox said it wouldn’t be strong enough. The Commission members asked about the size of the proposed awnings and suggested they might be painted, or powder coated to either match the cream trim or be black. The applicant agreed to look into that. Public Hearing On a motion by S. Stein, seconded by D. Kramer, Chair E. Finegan opened the public hearing. There being no members of the public appearing and wishing to speak, and no written comments submitted to be read aloud, Chair E. Finegan closed the public hearing on a motion by D. Kramer, seconded by S. Stein. Resolution: Moved by D. Kramer, seconded by S. Stein. WHEREAS, 215 North Cayuga Street, is located in the DeWitt Park Historic District, as designated under Section 228-3 of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code in 1971, and as listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places in 1971, and WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 228-4 of the Municipal Code, an Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness dated March 23, 2021 was submitted for review to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) by Kathleen Wilcox for Moosewood Restaurant on behalf of property owner Jason Shank, including the following: (1) two narratives respectively titled Description of Proposed Change(s) and Reasons for Changes(s); (2) two (2) photographs of existing conditions; (3) three (3) renderings depicting the proposed alteration; (4) a site map showing the locations and Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021 3 dimensions of the proposed alterations; (5) six (6)photographs documenting proposed materials; and (6) a fabric sample, and WHEREAS, the ILPC has also reviewed the New York State Building-Structure Inventory Form for 215 North Cayuga Street, and the City of Ithaca’s DeWitt Park Historic District Summary Statement, and WHEREAS, the proposed project involves the replacement of two awnings on the south elevation with a 12’X23’3” shed-roof awning and an 8’x29’5” shed-roof awning as illustrated in the submitted site map, and WHEREAS, the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness is a Type II Action under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act and the City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance for which no further environmental review is required, and WHEREAS, the applicant has provided sufficient documentation and information to evaluate impacts of the proposal on the subject property and surrounding properties, and WHEREAS, a Public Hearing for the purpose of considering approval of the Application for Certificate of Appropriateness was conducted at the regularly scheduled ILPC meeting on April 20, 2021, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the ILPC has made the following findings of fact concerning the property and the proposal: As identified in the City of Ithaca’s DeWitt Park Historic District Summary Statement, the period of significance for the area now known as the DeWitt Park Historic District is 1820-1930. As indicated in the New York State Building-Structure Inventory Form, 215 North Cayuga Street was designed by locally prominent architect William H. Miller as the DeWitt School Building in 1914 and is an excellent local intact example of Collegiate Gothic architecture. After the Ithaca City School District decommissioned the building in 1971, the property purchased by local architect William Downing and adaptively reused as the mixed-use commercial, office, and residential building known as the DeWitt Mall. Constructed within the period of significance of the DeWitt Park Historic District and possessing a high level of architectural integrity, the property is a contributing element of the DeWitt Park Historic District. In consideration of this and all approvals of proposals for alterations, new construction, or demolition in historic districts, the ILPC must determine that the proposed exterior work will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical or architectural significance and value of either the landmark or, if the improvement is within a district, of the neighboring improvements in such district. In considering architectural and cultural value, the Commission shall consider whether the proposed change is consistent with Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021 4 the historic value and the spirit of the architectural style of the landmark or district in accordance with Section 228-6 of the Municipal Code. In making this determination, the Commission is guided by the principles set forth in Section 228-6B of the Municipal Code, as further elaborated in Section 228-6C, and by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and in this case specifically the following principles and Standards: Principle #2 The historic features of a property located within, and contributing to the significance of, an historic district shall be altered as little as possible, and any alterations made shall be compatible with both the historic character of the individual property and the character of the district as a whole. Principle #3 New construction located within an historic district shall be compatible with the historic character of the district within which it is located. Standard #2 The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property will be avoided. Standard #9 New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. Standard #10 New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. With respect to Principle #2, Standard #2, and Standard #9, the replacement of the existing awnings with larger awnings will not remove distinctive materials and will not alter features and spaces that characterize the property. Also with respect to Principle #2, Principle #3, and Standard #9, the proposed awnings are compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features of the property and its environment. With respect to Standard #10, the awnings can be removed in the future without impairment of the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment. RESOLVED, that, based on findings set forth above, the proposal will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance of the 215 North Cayuga Street and the DeWitt Park Historic District as set forth in Section 228-6, and be it further Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021 5 RESOLVED, that the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission determines that the proposal meets the criteria for approval under Section 228-6 of the Municipal Code, and be it further. RESOLVED, that the ILPC approves the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness with the following condition(s): • If the exposed vertical poles of the awnings can be powder coated black or cream, as is the Commission’s preference, the Secretary of the Commission is hereby authorized to administratively approve this change in project scope. RECORD OF VOTE: Moved by: D. Kramer Seconded by: S. Stein In Favor: E. Finegan, D.Kramer, K. Olson, S. Stein, A. Smith, S. Gibian Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 0 Vacancies: 1 Notice: Failure on the part of the owner or the owner’s representative to bring to the attention of the ILPC staff, any deviation from the approved plans, including, but not limited to, changes required by other involved agencies or that result from unforeseen circumstances as construction progresses may result in the issuance by the building department of a stop work order or revocation of the building permit. III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST Chair E. Finegan opened the meeting to public comments. There being no members of the public appearing and wishing to speak, and no written comments submitted to be read aloud, Chair E. Finegan closed the public comment period. IV. NEW BUSINESS • East Hill Historic District Expansion – Presentation and Discussion Christine O’Malley, Preservation Services Coordinator from Historic Ithaca, appeared in front of the Commission to present on a proposal to expand the East Hill Historic District to include the properties at 309, 313, 315-317, 319, 321, 401, 403, 405, and 407 North Aurora Street, 308, 309, 310, 313, 315-17, 316, and 319 East Court Street, and 101, 106, and 108 Linn Street. C. O’Malley said the inclusion of these properties would regularize the borders of the EHHD. The proposed expansion area shares a common social and local history with the rest of East Hill, with connections to local businesspeople and to Cornell University. She also said that she and B. Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021 6 McCracken had been in contact with the property owners in a series of several information sessions and individual meetings. B. McCracken noted that the properties in question all demonstrate a high degree of architectural integrity. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • On a motion by D. Kramer, seconded by S. Stein, the February 16, 2021 minutes were approved unanimously. VI. ADJOURNMENT On a motion by S. Stein, seconded by A. Smith, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 6:58 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bryan McCracken Secretary Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission