Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-ILPC-2010-05-11Approved by ILPC – 06/08/10 1 Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission Minutes – May 11, 2010 Present: Ed Finegan Susan Jones David Kramer Sylvia Sheret Newman Susan Stein Ellen McCollister, Common Council Liaison Leslie Chatterton, Staff Megan Gilbert, Staff Acting Chair S. Stein called the meeting to order at 5:33 pm and read the legal notice for the public hearing. I. PUBLIC HEARING A. 408 East State/East Martin Luther King Jr. Street, East Hill Historic District – proposal for temporary accessory building Danielle Swift was present to address the Commission regarding the proposal. She is proposing to construct a temporary, seasonal structure that will be 49 square feet with a height of 8 feet at the peak of the roof. The proposal also includes landscaping around the structure and a few picnic tables for customers. D. Swift will be able to assemble and deconstruct the structure and may even move the structure in the fall. E. Finegan asked if the business would return next year. D. Swift stated that, if the business goes well, she would like to open again but likely in a different location. For this year, the temporary structure will be placed in a large parking lot at 408 East State Street. It is anticipated that construction will be underway at this location next year so a new site will be necessary. D. Kramer noted that he is not familiar with proposals that will occur on a property that is not owned by the person that is proposing the alteration. D. Swift responded that she is renting the property from owner Avi Smith, and he is supportive of the idea. S. Sheret Newman asked about electrical service and drainage. D. Swift stated that the shaved ice machine will be run off of two batteries. The snowballs are made to order and produce limited drainage so a five-gallon bucket will be used to collect any excess water. A small freezer will also be used to store the ice for the machine. Public Hearing On a motion by S. Jones, seconded by D. Kramer, Acting Chair S. Stein opened the public hearing. There being no one to address the Commission, the public hearing was closed on a motion by S. Jones, seconded by D. Kramer. RESOLUTION: Moved by D. Kramer, seconded by S. Sheret Newman WHEREAS, 408 East Martin Luther King Street, also known as the McCormick- Cowdry House, is located in the East Hill Historic District as designated under Section 228-3 and 228-4 of the Municipal Code, and ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -2- WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 228-4(E) of the Municipal Code, an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness as submitted by Danielle Swift for review by the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission, (ILPC), and WHEREAS, the action under consideration is the installation of a newly- constructed, temporary accessory structure on a portion of the asphalt parking area shown on the site plan sketches submitted by the applicant to be adjacent to the east side of the McCormick Cowdry house and facing East Martin Luther King Street. WHEREAS, the project 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 ILPC has reviewed the documentation dated May 3, 2010 submitted by the applicant, including the application form, a sketch site plan of the property showing the location of the proposed structure, two elevations and a plan of the structure, a more detailed and enlarged site plan, and a conceptual sketch of the south/front façade of 408 Martin Luther King Street showing the temporary accessory structure, a conceptual sketch of the proposed structure, a specification for the proposed corrugated roof material, an image showing similar size/scale buildings, and other material including the New York State Building and Structure Inventory Form and the City of Ithaca East Hill Historic District Summary Statement, 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 a Certificate of Appropriateness was conducted at the regularly scheduled ILPC meeting on May 11, 2010, and WHEREAS, as identified in the City of Ithaca’s East Hill Historic District Summary Statement East Hill the period of significance for the area now known as the East Hill Historic District is identified in the City of Ithaca’s as 1820- 1930. WHEREAS, known as the McCormick or Cowdry Homestead, the house was constructed c.1831 by Jacob McCormick, a wealthy and influential business man who involved himself in many aspects of Ithaca’s early development and was elected president of the village, and WHEREAS, the building is architecturally significant as a high style example of the Greek Revival style and for the accretion of Italiante and Colonial Revival ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -3- style features over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries that have acquired their own significance, and WHEREAS, the residence is historically significant for its association with Jacob McCormick, already noted, and second owner Adam Cowdry who was also a wealthy businessman, an active participant in Ithaca’s civic life and a former president of the village, and WHEREAS, the proposal involves the installation of a small accessory building, 49 square feet and seven feet tall, on the property for the purpose of operating a seasonal retail business. The building will be removed from its proposed location in late summer or early fall, and WHEREAS, the ILPC has made the following findings of fact concerning the property and the proposal: 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 the historic value and the spirit of the architectural style of the landmark or district in accordance with Section 228-4E (1)(a) of the Municipal Code. In making this determination the Commission is guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and in this case specifically the following Standards: #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. #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 reference to Standard #9, as described in the May 3rd application materials, the seven-foot tall, 49 square foot accessory ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -4- building is freestanding and will not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. With reference to Standard #9, sketches accompanying the May 3rd application materials show that its design and materials will differentiate the proposed new building from the historic architectural character of the McCormick- Cowdry house and other properties in the East Hill Historic District. With reference to Standard #9, the proposed new building is small in size and modest in design. As shown in sketched elevations and views that accompany the application, the proposed building is diminished in size and scale by contrast to the large, three- story, generously proportioned McCormick-Cowdry house shown in photographs on the New York State Building & Structure Inventory form, reviewed by the ILPC. The proposed new structure is not incompatible in massing, size, scale, and architectural features and thus protective of the integrity, prominence and significance of the McCormick–Cowdry house. With reference to Standard #10, as described in the May 3rd application, the building will house a seasonal business and is designed to be removed from site at the close of the season. The building is freestanding and when removed, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment will be unimpaired. WHEREAS, the proposal will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance of the East Hill Historic District, as set forth in Section 228-4E(1)(a), now, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission determines that the proposal meets criteria for approval under Section 228-4E (1)(a) of the Municipal Code, and be it further RESOLVED, that the ILPC approves the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness with the following condition: The approval of this proposal shall have a duration of one year. RECORD OF VOTE: 5-0-0 Yes E. Finegan S. Jones D. Kramer S. Sheret Newman S. Stein No 0 Abstain 0 ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -5- II. PLEASURE OF THE CHAIR A. Administrative Matters Staff stated that the Commission will need to elect a new Chair and Vice-Chair at the next meeting. B. Communications None C. Public Comment on Matters of Interest None III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April 13, 2010 On a motion by D. Kramer, seconded by S. Sheret Newman, the minutes from the April 13, 2010 meeting were approved unanimously without correction. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. Application to Preserve New York Grant program of the Preservation League of New York State to fund research and documentation for a proposed Henry St. John Historic District. Staff distributed a memorandum to the City’s Planning & Economic Development Committee about this grant application. The packet also includes information about the rehabilitation tax credit program. Staff reported that the Common Council has voted to provide a $3,000 match if the grant application is funded. The application is due on May 17, 2010, and it is hoped that Historic Ithaca could be engaged to prepare the documentation. B. Telluride House, Cornell Campus – request by SHPO for comments from ILPC on proposed National Register nomination Staff explained that the state office asks local commissions for a report on a proposed nomination and in the past, the ILPC has submitted a resolution supporting the nomination. RESOLUTION: Moved by S. Sheret Newman, seconded by D. Kramer WHEREAS, in its capacity as a New York State Certified Local Government as designated in 1986 by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (PARKS), the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) is required to participate in the nomination process for the Telluride House, 217 West Avenue, currently under consideration for nomination to the State and National Registers of Historic Places by the New York State Historic Preservation Review Board, and WHEREAS, the ILPC is specifically asked to prepare a report stating whether or not, in its opinion, the property meets the criteria for listing on the NY State and National Registers and that the city’s chief elected official, Mayor Carolyn ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -6- Peterson, shall transmit the Commission’s report and her recommendation to the State Historic Preservation Office, and WHEREAS, the ILPC has considered the nomination at the regular meeting held on May 11, 2010, the agenda for which is routinely posted in City Hall in advance of the meeting, and WHEREAS, documentation reviewed by the ILPC includes the letter dated April 18, sent from Ruth Pierpont, Director of the Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau at PARKS, and accompanying material from PARKS including the National and State Registers Criteria for Evaluation, and the draft National Register of Historic Places Registration form completed by Anthony Opalka with PARKS, and WHEREAS, of the four criteria listed, the nomination has been proposed under criteria A and C as follows: A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. C. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. WHEREAS, the ILPC concurs with Section 8 of the draft National Register of Historic Places Registration form, Statement of Significance and specifically the statements “Telluride House at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, is significant under Criterion A as an organization founded for the purposes of encouraging young men to pursue careers in technical fields, particularly engineering. It is one of only three Telluride Association facilities in the United States… This success allowed Mr. Nun to turn his attention to his continuing interest in educating young people. In 1890 he began a program of combined work and technical study for promising young men who worked for his power company. This evolved into the Telluride Institute, through which Nunn introduced a broader and more formal curriculum and gradually established branches at his power stations throughout the West.” WHEREAS, in making a determination about whether Criterion A has been met the ILPC has noted the following: ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -7- The Telluride House is first associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history, through its association with founder Lucien Nunn whose program of educating young men in his employ with a program of combined work and technical study evolved into the Telluride Institute. As stated in the nomination, “Telluride House on the Cornell campus has hosted many prominent scholars, authors, politician, scientists, and other luminaries some as students at Cornell, many others as long-term residents engaged in important work.” Among the most noteworthy were Frances Perkins, Linus Pauling, Barber Conable, Richard Feynman, Francis Fukuyama and Paul Wolfowitz. Other notable guests have included Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer; Woody Guthrie; social theorist Jacques Derrida; novelist and journalist William Vollman; and composer Francis Poulenc. These are among the people associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns that have shaped our history. (Criterion A.), WHEREAS, the ILPC concurs with Section 8 of the draft National Register of Historic Places Registration form, Statement of Significance and specifically the statement “It is also significant under Criterion C. as an outstanding example of a building that combined the many currents of early twentieth-century American architecture…” WHEREAS, in making a determination about whether Criterion C has been met the ILPC has noted and concurs with the following statements from the prepared nomination: “The Telluride House is an outstanding example of early-twentieth- century architecture that combines influences of many architectural trends in the United States during the opening years of the twentieth century…” “ The building integrates architectural features along with furniture, tile, and light fixtures to create a cohesive environment that expresses the aesthetic of the early twentieth century. “ NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the ILPC finds that the documentation in the draft National Register nomination form demonstrates that the Telluride House at 217 West Avenue meets criteria for listing on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places, and be it further RESOLVED, that the ILPC recommends the listing of the Telluride House on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. ILPC Minutes May 11, 2010 -8- RECORD OF VOTE: 5-0-0 Yes E. Finegan S. Jones D. Kramer S. Sheret Newman S. Stein No 0 Abstain 0 V. OLD BUSINESS None VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:27 p.m. by Acting Chair S. Stein. Respectfully Submitted, Leslie A. Chatterton, Secretary Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission