Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-ILPC-2017-02-14Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) Minutes — February 14, 2017 Present: Ed Finegan, Chair David Kramer, Vice Chair Stephen Gibian Katelin Olson Jennifer Minner Michael McGandy Susan Stein Bryan McCracken, Staff Chair Finegan called the meeting to order at 8:30 p.m. I. PUBLIC HEARING A. 204 East Ave. Stimson Hall, Cornell Arts Quad Historic District – Proposal to Replace Stone Treads and Platform with Cast Stone & Install a Metal Handrail and Guardrail Applicant Randall Nesbitt from Cornell University summarized the details of the proposal to replace the deteriorated Medina sandstone steps at the basement entrance on the east façade of Stimson Hall, noting the steps in question had been condemned by the Cornell Facilities office due to their unsafe condition in 2016. He explained his failed efforts to source a natural stone material that adequately replicates the characteristics of the historic sandstone, and the process by which he concluded that the most appropriate replacement material was cast stone. R. Nesbitt distributed a revised rendering of a proposed guardrail (attached), which would have a simple design and would be located within the landscaped area adjacent to the steps. B. McCracken elaborated on the events that lead to this application, noting the original sandstone steps were parged with a red-tinted concrete material when an staff-approved repair was made in 2016. The parging was not part of the approved scope of work and this application represents an effort to correct the inappropriate and incompatible alteration. S. Gibian asked if the cast stone treads would be monolithic. R. Nesbitt replied, yes. K. Olson commented that this seems to be a good test location for the proposed cast stone material, as it is not highly visible from East Ave or the Arts Quad and is not the primary entrance to the building. Public Hearing On a motion by M. McGandy, seconded by S. Gibian, Chair Finegan opened the Public Hearing. There being no public comments, the Public Hearing was closed on a motion by K. Olson, seconded by S. Stein. D. Kramer expressed a concern that the approval of cast stone in this location would set a precedent for the replacement of other historic stone stairs on the Arts Quad with the same material. The Commission agreed this was a trial installation and all other applications would be reviewed on a case by case basis. Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 RESOLUTION: Moved by K. Olsen, seconded by J. Minner. WHEREAS, Stimson Hall, 204 East Avenue, is located within the Cornell Arts Quad Historic District, as designated under Section 228-3 of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code in 1990, and WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 228-4 of the Municipal Code, an Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness, dated January 31, 2017, was submitted for review to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) by Randall Nesbitt, on behalf of property owner Cornell University, including the following: (1) two narratives respectively titled Description of Proposed Change(s) and Reasons for Change(s); (2) a 14 page packet of information documenting existing conditions and the materials and design of the proposed alteration, and WHEREAS, the ILPC has reviewed the New York State Building-Structure Inventory Form for 204 East Avenue and the City of Ithaca’s Cornell Arts Quad Historic District Summary Statement, and WHEREAS, as stated in the narrative Description of Proposed Change(s), the project involves the replacement of deteriorated red, Medina sandstone stair treads and platform with cast stone that approximates the color and texture of the original, and the installation of metal guardrails and handrails, and WHEREAS, Cornell University applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace these stair treads with tinted concrete in May 2015, and the application was tabled at the regular ILPC meeting on June 9, 2015 to allow the applicant to explore opportunities for the in-kind repair or replacement of the deteriorated treads, and WHEREAS, a revised Certificate of Appropriateness application was submitted in July 2015, which proposed repairing the treads by inserting a flowable concrete fill in the void behind them; this work was approved by ILPC staff, and WHEREAS, at the time the approved work was conducted, the stone treads were also parged with a red-tinted concrete-like material without the required approval from the ILPC or its staff, and WHEREAS, the parging cannot be removed without causing irreparable damage to the already deteriorated stone treads, 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 Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 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 a Certificate of Appropriateness was conducted at the regularly scheduled ILPC meeting on February 14, 2017, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the ILPC has made the following findings of fact concerning the property and the proposal: The period of significance for the area now known as the Cornell Arts Quad is identified in the City of Ithaca’s Cornell Arts Quad Historic District Summary Significance Statement as 1868-1919. As indicated in the New York State Building-Structure Inventory Form, Stimson Hall, 204 East Avenue, was designed by Cornell University’s first student of architecture and locally prominent architect, William Henry Miller. An example of the Renaissance Revival Style, Stimson Hall was constructed to house the Ithaca division of the Cornell Medical College in 1903. Constructed within the period of significance of the Cornell Arts Quad Historic District and possessing a high level of integrity, the property is a contributing element of the Cornell Arts Quad Historic District. The proposal under consideration involves replacing a set of red sandstone steps leading to a basement-level entrance at the subject property. As noted in the drawings provided with the application, the stone steps were an original feature of William Henry Miller’s design. 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 228-6 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 Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 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. 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 #6 Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. When the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities, and where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence. 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 stone stair treads and a platform with cast stone will remove distinctive materials but will not alter features and spaces that characterize the property. With respect to Principle #2 and Standard #6, as shown in the photographs submitted with the application, the severity of the deterioration of stair treads prior to the application of red tinted parging required their replacement. The proposed new work will match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. The ILPC notes that the original Medina sandstone stair treads and platform were irreparably damaged when a red-tinted concrete parge material was applied to them without the required approval from the ILPC or its staff in 2015. This incompatible and inappropriate work resulted in the irreversible loss of historic fabric. In-kind replacement of the Medina sandstone is not possible because this once readily available building material is no longer quarried. While the retention of the original historic material is preferred, the use of an alternate material is required in this case. The ILPC finds that the proposed cast stone adequately replicates the historic characteristics of the Medina sandstone, including color, texture and tooling, as evidenced by the physical sample presented at the Public Hearing and photographs of a project at Bucknell University submitted with the application. The ILPC also considered the location Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 of the stairs, which is below grade and not highly visible from the public way, and the potential of this project to act as an experiment to test the visual compatibility and durability of the proposed cast stone material. Also with respect to Principle #2 and Standard #9, the proposed cast stone treads and platform are compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features of the property and its environment. With respect to Standard #10, the proposed detailing of monolithic cast stone stair tread allows them to be removed in the future without causing additional damage to the historic stone foundation or stair side wall. With respect to Principle #2, Standard #2 and Standard #9, the installation of a metal railing and landscape guardrail will not remove distinctive materials and will not alter features and spaces that characterize the property. Also with respect to Principle #2 and Standard #9, the railing and landscape guardrail are compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features of the property and its environment. RESOLVED, that, based on the findings set forth above, the proposal will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance of the Cornell Arts Quad Historic District, as set forth in Section 228-6, and be it further, RESOLVED, that the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission determines that the proposal meets 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. RECORD OF VOTE: Moved by: K. Olsen Seconded by: J. Minner In Favor: K. Olsen, J. Minner, E. Finegan, D. Kramer, S. Stein, S. Gibian, M. McGandy Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 0 Vacancies: 0 B. 408-410 E State St, East Hill Historic District – Proposal to Construct a Fire Stair Applicant John Snyder and property owner Avi Smith appeared before the Commission and summarized the details of the proposal, noting a second means of egress from the third story of the Argos Inn is now required because of the completion of three additional guest rooms on that Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 floor. J. Snyder presented two alternatives, one being a fire escape and the other a fire stair. The fire escape would have the smallest impact on the exterior of the building but may not be allowed by the International Building and Fire Code. He also mentioned a third option that involved a detailed code analysis using the performance compliance method, which could eliminate the need for an exterior stair. Public Hearing On a motion by J. Minner, seconded by S. Gibian, Chair Finegan opened the Public Hearing. There being no public comments, the Public Hearing was closed on a motion by K. Olson, seconded by M. McGandy. D. Kramer proposed postponing the decision on the fire escape/fire stair until the performance compliance code review was completed. The other Commission members, the applicant, and the property agreed. – The application was TABLED. – II. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS OF INTEREST  None III. OLD BUSINESS  Collegetown Historic Resources – Continued Discussion For the benefit of the members that were not at the last meeting, B. McCracken reiterated the findings of the additional research he did on the feasibility of establishing a historic district in Collegetown and his recommendation to pursue the individual designation of two properties in the 400 block of College Ave, 411-415 College Ave (the Chacona Block) and 403 College Ave (the Larkin Building). Commission members agreed this was the best approach and proposed starting the designation process at the March meeting. IV. NEW BUSINESS  None V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES As moved by J. Minner, seconded by D. Kramer, Commission members approved the following meeting minutes were approved:  November 15, 2016 (Regular Meeting)  January 10, 2017 (Regular Meeting) VI. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17  Review: 2015/16 Staff Approvals B. McCracken summarized the staff approvals report. The Commission had not questions or concerns.  Certified Local Government (CLG) Audit – March 14, 2017 B. McCracken reminded the Commission that a representative from the State Historic Preservation Office would be attending the March meeting as part of a routine CLG audit.  2017 NY Statewide Preservation Conference – April 6-8 in Rochester, NY B. McCracken reported that this year’s statewide historic preservation conference, hosted by the Landmark Society of Western NY, would be held in Rochester, NY on April 6th through 8th. Registration begins on March 15th and scholarships are available for Landmark Commission members of CLG communities. VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m. by Chair Finegan. Respectfully Submitted, Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation Planner Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission