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Home My WebLink AboutMN-ILPC-PB-2017-02-14Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 Joint Meeting: Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) and Planning & Development Board Minutes — February 14, 2017 Present: Ed Finegan, Chair (ILPC) Nancy Brcak Stephen Gibian Jennifer Minner Michael McGandy Katelin Olson Susan Stein Seph Murtagh (Common Council Liaison) Mackenzie Jones-Rounds (P&DB) Jack Elliot (P&DB) Matthew Johnston (P&DB) Bryan McCracken, Staff Lisa Nicholas, Staff JoAnn Cornish, Staff Chair Finegan called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. (D. Kramer recused himself from consideration of the proposed project.) I. PRESENTATION and JOINT DISCUSSION  Revised DeWitt House Proposal for 310-314 N Cayuga St., DeWitt Park Historic District Applicants Kimberly Michaels, Steve Hugo, Graham Gillespie, and Tom Covell and preferred developer Frost Travis appeared before the Commission to summarize the changes to the proposed DeWitt House building since the October ILPC meeting. To address concerns from both the Commission and the public related to the parking lot on Cayuga St, S. Hugo reported that the development team redesigned the building to include 32 interior parking spaces. This was achieved through the retention of the first story of the Old Library building and its incorporation into the design as a parking structure; the new apartment building will wrap around and on top of the retained portion of the existing building. This approach also allowed the team to address the continued concerns about the size, scale, and massing of the DeWitt House. S. Hugo noted that the building remains pulled back from W Court and N Cayuga Streets and setbacks have been introduced to the third and fourth floors, an attempt to visually reduce the perceived scale and mass of these floors from the sidewalk and street. S. Hugo also noted that the brick cladding material on the second and third stories of previous designs now extends down to the granite water table. A fiber cement siding material will be used on the uppermost story. E. Finegan inquired about the overall height of the building. T. Covell stated the building would be under 50’. M. Jones-Rounds asked if any signage was proposed. S. Hugo reported that signage had not been considered to date. E. Finegan noted the increased footprint of the building compared to previous applications and inquired about the reason for the significant change. K. Michaels responded that the increase is Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 directly attributable to the retention of a portion of the Old Library Building for parking. Without the parking structure, the proposed building would have a smaller footprint. J. Minner inquired about the existing landscape and the development team’s plans to keep or remove the mature trees on the site. K. Michaels responded that the mature and healthy locust trees along N. Cayuga St would be retained. The trees along the south side of the retaining wall between 308 N Cayuga and the project site, which are located on County property but fall within the garden of 308 N Cayuga St, would also be retained. All other trees on the site are scheduled to be removed. M. McGandy asked how the trees would be protected, and K. Michaels responded that the specifications for their protection during construction have not been drafted but would be included in the contract between the developer and the construction contractor. E. Finegan asked if any of the healthy, mature locusts along W Court St could be saved, as it appears they are not within the proposed footprint of the new building. K. Michaels said this could be explored. J. Minner commented that the proposed lite-colored fiber cement material on the fourth floor seems to draw undue attention to the height of the building, and asked if other materials had been considered. S. Hugo responded that the team felt the material was the most appropriate but another material could be considered. J. Minner suggested using the brick proposed for the building’s other stories. J. Elliot commented that the band of whitish material above the green screen on the south and west elevations should match the brick material above. He also commented on the public access to the elevated patio and the placement of columns within the new portion of the parking structure. II. PUBLIC HEARING  310-314 N Cayuga St, DeWitt Park Historic District – Proposal to Demolish a Non- Contributing Building and Associated Site Improvements and Construct a Four-Story Building On a motion by K. Olson, seconded by J. Minner, Chair Finegan opened the Public Hearing. John Eckenrode, 21 Renwick Heights Rd, Ithaca, expressed his personal support of the project, but noted that he would be reading comments written by Joan Jacobs Brumberg. He read the following statement: We have been interested in the future if the Old Library site for a number of years, ever since the first RFPs were announced. Although we favored a condo project under the direction of Rochester Developer Robert DiPaolo, we now support the proposed Travis Hyde/Holt proposal known as Dewitt House. We urge you to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness now so that the project can go forward for the following reasons. First, there is real need for middle class senior housing downtown. The exiting rental buildings in city center do not have some of the amenities which seniors require. They were not built for an elderly population. Although there are plans in the works for new buildings, there is no guarantee that these will have features for seniors. In short, downtown Ithaca has no place for the many seniors who want to rent or buy downtown and give up their larger home the area. Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 Second, Travis Hyde/Holt has made a good faith, effective effort to respond to the concerns of the ILPC. The latest design demonstrates their flexibility because it fulfills most, if not all, of the requirements suggested by the ILPC. In this way, Dewitt House represents a strong community collaboration and it should not be held up any further. We urge you to issue the Certificate of Appropriateness. Tom Shelley, 118 E Court St, spoke in opposition to the proposed project, noting the current proposal is closer to an acceptable design but its size and scale continue to be an issue. He expressed a preference for the use of a brick similar to that used in 119-121 E Buffalo St. He also expressed concerns about light pollution, which could be mitigated through the installation of “dark sky” fixtures and amber-colored bulbs. Additional concerns about disruptions to the neighborhood caused by project staging and pile driving were also expressed. Tom Seaney, 308 N. Cayuga St. (DeWitt Park Inn) spoke in opposition to the project, noting the design is an improvement over early submittals but overall it is still incompatible with the character of the historic district. The proposed building is still much larger than others on the block and is not visually compatible with the surrounding historic fabric. Mark Lawrence, 321 N Geneva St, spoke in opposition to the project, questioning the affordability and ownership structure (rental or condo) of the proposed units. He also questioned the amount of the existing building that will be retained in this proposal and the amount of materials that would enter the landfill. Emily Finegan, 313 N Geneva St, spoke in opposition to the project, noting concerns about the volume of demolition debris going to the landfill and the loss of the mature oak trees on the west property line that screen views of the project site from her property. Michael Troutman, 313 N Geneva St, spoke in opposition to the project, noting his concerns about the loss of the mature oaks on the west property line. Victoria Armstrong, 219 Auburn St, left the meeting before the Public Hearing but expressed her support of the project to ILPC staff before her departure. Jane Fajans, 115 Eddy St, spoke in support of the project, noting the project provides much- needed, middle-income senior housing downtown. The project supports those individuals who have lived and aged in Ithaca. Jim Dennis, 47 Elm St, Trumansburg, (Tompkins County Legislator and Chair of the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA)), spoke in support of the project, commenting on the arduous approval process and the concessions the development team has already made to respond to the concerns of the ILPC and the public. He stated the County Legislature selected this project based on the City’s recent rezoning of the area, a perceived indicator that a large building would be acceptable on the site, and the project’s potential to maximize the site’s opportunities. Mary Tomlan, 200 Delaware Ave, spoke in support of the project, reading aloud the following statement: Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 Although I have not attended previous meetings regarding a new use for this site, I have followed published reports. From my perspective as an architectural historian and former member of the ILPC, I had looked for a building that would have its own presence as a work of architecture, as do each of the other buildings on the west side of this block of North Cayuga Street yet, by virtue of a certain inherent dignity, be compatible with its neighbors in defining that side of what might be considered Ithaca’s public square. I was not satisfied with any of the original submissions for the site, but hoped that the county’s choice would have promise in going forward. During the ensuing process, I remained generally unsatisfied, as various schemes seemed too suburban, too individualistic, unrelated in historic or visual character to the existing context, not the equals of the existing buildings and not compatible with them. Finally, last fall, I found significant improvements and accommodations in the building’s design and breathed a sigh of relief, though I was still troubled by one visual and functional matter—the presence of a parking lot opening onto the often- very-busy North Cayuga Street. The scheme that you now have under consideration has not only addressed that concern but, in its site plan and overall architectural character, provides the sense of dignity that I believe this site and this block of North Cayuga Street should have. The courtyard at the southeastern corner gives breathing room to the smaller Beebe-Halsey house next door, while the separate stories of the building have been articulated yet linked to provide a traditional sense of organization sympathetic to that of the Williams house beyond, and the modulation of wall surface and trim may be seen as a contemporary expression analogous to the treatment of the walls of the Cayuga Apartments. For these and other reasons pertaining to the broader context, I believe that the design that has been presented to you here provides the character desired for this site within the DeWitt Park Historic District, reflecting well on the work of the developer, the architects and the ILPC on behalf of our community. I hope it will be approved. Mack Travis, Interlaken, NY, spoke in support of the project, noting his long working relationship with HOLT Architects and the many successful projects they’ve helped bring to fruition. Claudia Brenner, RA, 133 Glenside Rd, Ithaca, spoke in support of the project, noting she was unhappy with the design until the most recent iteration and now feels the current design of the DeWitt House is compatible with the historic character of the area. Nancy Medsker, 308 N Cayuga St (DeWitt Park Inn), spoke in opposition to the project, noting that the size of the building continues to be an issue. At every meeting, the ILPC has commented that the building is too large for the site and this proposal does nothing to address this concern. The building needs to be significantly reduced in size. She also commented the loss of the mature trees on the site. Martha Robertson, 1655 Ellis Hollow Rd, Ithaca (Tompkins County Legislator, Chair of the County Planning Committee and TCIDA member), spoke in support of the project, stating she is an advocate for increased housing in Ithaca and supports this project because it will provide housing options for middle-income seniors. If this project is not approved, she stated the selection process for a preferred developer for the Old Library site would start at the beginning, with a Request for Proposals. Projects not selected during the previous round would not be reconsidered. She also summarized a written statement from Todd Fox, a local real estate developer, who wrote in support of the project despite the fact that this project would directly compete with some of his projects. Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 Suzy Kramer, 410 N Cayuga St, spoke in opposition to the project, noting the building is still too large for the site and expressing the opinion that it should be built in another location. David Kramer, 121 W Court St (recused ILPC member), spoke in opposition to the project, noting the inappropriate size of the building and reminding the Commission of their repeated comments on that concern. B. McCracken noted that he received fifty-seven (57) written comments before this evening’s meeting; thirty (30) of the comments were in favor of the project and twenty-seven were opposed. Public comments received before the meeting are included below. One comment from David West, LEEP AP was received only a few minutes before the meeting and could not be distributed to the Commission members in advance. West was unable to attend the meeting and requested his comments be read aloud by B. McCracken. The following statement from David West was read aloud to the Commission: I am writing to ask that ILPC immediately approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for the Travis Hyde Old Library project. The current proposal addresses all of the legitimate criticisms of previous proposals and is absolutely in harmony with the scale and historical nature of the Dewitt Historic District. The current proposal is a huge improvement over the modernist disaster that has disgraced this site for the last several decades and it fixes all the problems that the current building has in relating to the neighborhood. The proposed mixed -use building is absolutely in line with the scale of other important buildings from the district's period of significance. The First Presbyterian Church, Town Hall (old Post Office), County Court House, Dewitt Building, Cayuga Apartments, the Old County Courthouse and St. John's Church are almost all oriented, sited and massed similarly to the Travis Hyde proposal. Building a strong connect to the sidewalk and filling in the streetwall that was lost when the Old Library was plopped down completely devoid of context is an important and historically appropriate design move that will heal and enhance the character of the neighborhood along East Court and North Cayuga that was lost when the Old Library imposed its modernist deep setbacks in 1969. ILPC should remember that the neighborhood was historically more dense, more active, and more pedestrian focused in it's period of significance than it has been for the last few years. Mid -century modernist planning and the loss of Ithaca College has damaged the neighborhood replacing many dense stately buildings that had very shallow setbacks with lower density modernist buildings with deeper setbacks and thousands of square feet of surface parking. It is extremely ironic to hear members of ILPC and the Dewitt Neighborhood Association suggest that having more parking, fewer units, and deeper setbacks would someho w increase the historical appropriateness for a district where none of those attributes would be historically accurate. The Dewitt neighborhood was built, like most historic neighborhoods, through an incremental process of densification and infill development. That process is called Urban Succession and much like forest ecological succession it is a process of continuous change toward a climax condition. The neighborhood's natural progression peaked with the development of buildings like the Cayuga Apartme nts and the townhouses at Cayuga and Court before it was interrupted and devastated by modernism which sought to throw out historical development patterns and start with something "new" and our society lost its appreciation of and appetite for the traditional cycle of incremental urban growth, densification and improvement that built our most loved places. The Travis Hyde proposal to replace the Old Library picks up where the neighborhood's natural growth left off at the end of the Historic District's period of significance. It references the scale and rhythm of the existing neighborhood pattern and brings the highest quality and durable materials to the facade that will be an asset to the neighborhood for generations. In so many ways it repairs the mistake s that were at the core of Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 urban renewal and modernist planning that created the Old Library building that has stuck out like a sore thumb for decades. If the historically appropriate tradition of city building had not been interrupted by the modernist revolution I have no doubt that a building much like the one proposed by Travis Hyde would already have been built on this site and the neighborhood would be far better for it. Please give this project the stamp of approval that it needs to move forward, to improve the neighborhood, bring back some of it's lost vitality and provide Ithacan's some more of the housing that we so desperately need. There being no further public comments, the Public Hearing was closed on a motion by J. Minner, seconded by S. Stein. III. CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS DELIBERATIONS K. Olson remarked that it was unfortunate that the Common Council and the ILPC did not collaborate more when the parcel in question was rezoned and speculated that the current situation might been avoided had this occurred. She commented that the building is still too large for this particular site, referring to three spreadsheets (attached) that volumetrically compare the size of the proposed building to other large buildings within district. She concluded that the placement of large buildings on large lots is a character defining feature of the district. Unfortunately, the proposed building would be a large building on a relatively small lot, which is not in keeping with the historic character of the area. To summarize her thoughts on the compatibleness of the proposed DeWitt House with the DeWitt Park Historic District, N. Brcak read the following statement: The DeWitt Park Historic District is an architecturally rich and historically significant area where activities related to religious and commercial functions are a part of what is, largely, a domestic area containing mostly houses – rental and family owned – as well as apartment complexes. As such, its collection of buildings is diverse. In short, this has always been a mixed -use neighborhood. We are being asked to decide whether this Travis Hyde/HOLT project is an appropriate design for this site in this historic district. They have been before this committee multiple times and have received numerous directives from our commission and other government bodies. They have endeavored to address these concerns. Our own charge is to make sure that the design conforms to the standards of the Secretary of the Interior, including esp. relevant standards 3 & 9. With standard #3, the key word is “compatible”: but compatible with what? Some neighbors would have us believe that the DeWitt House is out of scale with neighboring houses – well, it is. But is it incompatible with the DeWitt Mall or the large churches nearby, such as the Presbyterian Church? I do not see that Dewitt House is incompatible – at 4 stories, it conforms to the height of other large buildings in the district; with substantial setbacks of the 3rd and 4th floors, the current design reduces the sense of the building’s mass and brings the DeWitt House into a more human scale (this, much improved over earlier iterations). And remember: the issue of “compatibility” relates to the Historic District, not a particular street. On other issues: the choice of brick as the principal façade material is in keeping with the neighborhood. (Personally, I’d like to see a different solution for the cladding of the top floor.) The detailing, including the cornice, window and door elements, and the variations in the patterning of the brick, are elements that relate to details found elsewhere in the district. On the matter of the view shed on Court Street: I have been to this site over and over again, looking at this issue: the existing, bulbous, protruding “apse” of the old library represents a substantial hindrance to the view. The proposed building, which will be set back at least 25 feet from the street would appear to be less of an obstruction, but if the committee and/or the community wishes this building to round the corner more gently, as less of a barrier, I hope the architects would respond to this. Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 Will Dewitt House be the largest building in the district? It appears it will – but that does not disqualify it: a new structure on a site is very often larger than the old. Much has been made about the total square footage of the building, but that number now includes a new & very positive element: an underground garage. (Surely this is the best resolution to date to tha t troublesome problem of stashing cars – people, including neighbors, have been all over the place on that issue and its resolution; and this seems to be the top solution to date.) About standard #9: to me this is not a tough call: this building can be di fferentiated from the old, but remains compatible in terms of materials, architectural features, massing, and scale – as I have suggested. It is large, but its function as a mixed-use apartment complex -- meeting the directives of the County -- involves/necessitates a much larger size than its domestic neighbors. In the past, I have been highly critical of some of HOLT’s designs. But here, I think all involved have worked very hard to make this design work for this place, and I applaud them for their eff orts. If their project goes forward, I would hope that they would remain open – as they have been -- to further improvements, made in good faith. M. McGandy commented that he was now comfortable with the size and mass of proposed building after this evening’s presentation and comments. S. Stein also expressed concerns about the size of the building, noting it is still too large for this particular site. J. Minner noted the important role in-fill projects play in the continued vitality and relevancy of historic districts and historic preservation, in general, particularly in Ithaca. While this building is large, its size and mass are not out of scale with other large buildings within the district, and apart from the fiber cement used on the fourth floor, the materials are compatible with those found in the DeWitt Park Historic District. S. Gibian commended the architects on a creative design and their continued efforts to address the concerns of the Commission and the public, specifically mentioning the setbacks on N Cayuga St, the setbacks of the third and fourth stories, the retention of the retaining wall between 308 N Cayuga St and the project site, the reuse of a portion of the building and the reorientation of the public and private interior spaces. He noted some deficiencies in the design, however, including the 19’ first story, which is not reflective of other buildings within the district, and the loss of the traditional tripartite building composition. As a matter of comparison, he stated the proposed building will be five times larger than the Cayuga Apartments at 100 W Buffalo St. E. Finegan remarked that the current design is a major improvement over earlier designs, and again, commended the development team for their efforts to respond to the concerns of both the Commission and the public. He expressed concerns about the removal of mature trees on the site and asked about the ILPC’s ability to regulate vegetation. B. McCracken responded that site vegetation does not fall under the purview of the ILPC, so the retention of existing trees cannot a condition of approval. However, language could be incorporated into the resolution encouraging the developer to retain as many of the existing trees as possible. RESOLUTION: Moved by J. Minner, seconded by M. McGandy. WHEREAS, 310-314 N Cayuga St, is located in the DeWitt Park Historic District, as designated under Section 228-3 of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code in 1971, and Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 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 May 17, 2016 was submitted for review to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) by Kimberly Michaels on behalf of developer, Frost Travis, and WHEREAS, as defined in in Section 228-8 of the Municipal Code, the proposed project is considered a “large project” for which Early Design Guidance is required; this occurred on June 14, 2016, 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 meeting of the ILPC on July 12, 2016, and WHEREAS, upon mutual agreement of both the ILPC and the applicant, the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness was tabled at the conclusion of the public hearing due to considerable concerns about the compatibility of the project with the historic character of the historic district, and the determination that additional study and information was needed to evaluate the appropriateness of the proposed development, and WHEREAS, revised Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness materials, dated September 27, 2016, were submitted for review to the ILPC by Kimberly Michaels on behalf of developer, Frost Travis, and WHEREAS, another public hearing for the purpose of considering approval of the revised Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness was conducted at the regularly scheduled meeting of the ILPC on October 20, 2016, and WHEREAS, upon mutual agreement of both the ILPC and the applicant, the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness was again tabled at the conclusion of the public hearing, with the ILPC siting continued concerns about the compatibility of the project with the historic character of the historic district, and WHEREAS, both the applicant and the ILPC mutually agreed to a 90 day extension of the review period as set forth in Section 228-7F of the Municipal Code, and WHEREAS, the applicant was not able to prepare the required materials needed by the ILPC to make a decision within that 90 day period, and requested another extension in January 2017; the ILPC agreed to an additional 30 day extension as set forth in Section 228-7F at their regularly scheduled meeting on January 10, 2017, and WHEREAS, revised Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness materials, dated January 30, 2017, were submitted for review to the ILPC by Kimberly Michaels on behalf of developer, Frost Travis, including the following: (1) a project narrative titled Project Revisions; (2) twenty one sheets of technical drawings, titled “Boundary Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 and Topographic Plan,” “Rendered Site Plan,” “Parking Plan,” “Layout Plan,” “Green Roof Plan,” “Planting Plan,” “ Lower Level Parking Plan,” “First Floor Plan,” “First Floor Plaza Level,” “Second Floor Plan,” “Third Floor Plan,” “Fourth Floor Plan,” “Exterior Elevations, North and East Elevations,” “Exterior Elevations, West and South Elevations,” “Exterior Elevations, Courtyard—South, East, and West Elevations,” “Enlarged Elevation/Materials,” “ West Court Street Entrance,” “North Cayuga Street Entrance,” “West Court Street View from East,” “North Cayuga Street View from South,” and “West Court Street View from West,” and WHEREAS, the ILPC has also reviewed the New York State Building-Structure Inventory Form for 310-314 N Cayuga St, and the City of Ithaca’s DeWitt Park Historic District Summary Statement, and WHEREAS, the proposed project involves the partial demolition of a non-contributing building and site improvements, and the construction of a four-story, mixed-use building and associated site improvements, 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, due to the considerable revisions made to the siting, massing, and detailing of the proposed building since the public hearings on July 12, 2016 and October 20, 2016, a third public hearing for the purpose of considering approval of the Application for 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: 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, the former library building at 310-314 N Cayuga St was constructed in 1969, outside of the period of significance for the area now known as the DeWitt Park Historic District, and is considered a non-contributing resource. As a non-contributing structure, 310-314 N Cayuga St, by definition, does not possess historic materials or features that are subject to protection under the Principles enumerated in Section 228-5 of the Municipal Code or the Secretary of Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 the Interior’s Standards. The ILPC’s evaluation of the proposed project is, therefore, limited to the assessment of the impact of the proposed work on adjacent historic structures and on the DeWitt Park Historic District as a whole, with the guiding principle being that the proposed work must not further reduce the compatibility of the non-contributing structure within its historic environment. Buildings in the DeWitt Park Historic District span the early period of Ithaca’s development from settlement to city. The district derives significance through its association with many of Ithaca’s early leaders and citizens, especially its founder, Simeon DeWitt. The DeWitt Park Historic District is an architecturally rich and historically significant downtown area. With its visual character strengthened by the diverse building stock, including both large institutional, civic, religious, and residential buildings and much smaller single family homes, the district presents a distinct urban setting for the city’s commercial, social, political and religious activities. 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 #3 New construction located within an historic district shall be compatible with the historic character of the district within which it is located. 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. With respect to Principle #3 and Standard #9, the new four-story, mixed-use building and is associated site improvements are compatible with historic character of the DeWitt Park Historic District, and more specifically , with the massing size scale and architectural features of the property and its environment. Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 In their review of the proposed new building, the ILPC considered the new building’s height, massing, street wall relationship, façade composition, materiality, and design details. The new building’s height is consistent with other large buildings within the district, including the DeWitt Mall at 215 N Cayuga St, the Cayuga Apartments at 100 W Buffalo St, and the Tompkins County Court House at 312-322 N Tioga St. The building’s large mass was visually reduced by the significant setback from the curb along W Court St and the setback of the third and fourth stories. These features also significantly reduces the perceived height of the four-story building, effectively creating the appearance of a two- story building along W Court St. Furthermore, the building’s setbacks from the curb along N Cayuga St and W Court St reflect the same proportional setback relationship that characterizes other large historic buildings within the district. The district’s largest buildings have setbacks between 25’ and 35’ on their street- facing elevations; the proposed new building has a setback along N Cayuga St of 28’ to 31’ and W Court St of 30’. The traditional tripartite composition and masonry wall surfaces along N Cayuga St and W Court St are reflective of the large civic, religious and residential buildings within the district. The vertical projections and seemingly two-story appearance of the W Court Street façade sympathetically relates to the rhythm and scale of the smaller residential structures on the north side of the street. The concentrated detailing around door and window penetrations, brick pattern variations, horizontal banding and simplified cornice reflect contemporary interpretations of historic themes. The building’s proposed cladding materials are found extensively throughout the district in both its large and small buildings, with the exception of the vertically oriented cement board siding on the fourth story. The ILPC also notes the significant number of mature trees on the property and the special quality they add to the historic character of the Historic District. Landscaping falls outside of the purview of the ILPC and, therefore, cannot be reviewed, considered or regulated as part of the Certificate of Appropriateness process. However, the ILPC can provide non-binding guidance on landscaping elements. The City of Ithaca Historic District and Landmark Design Guidelines states that existing trees should be retained where possible, and for this reason, the ILPC encourages the developers to consider the retention of some of the mature, healthy locust trees along W. Court St. and the large diameter oak trees along the west property line. Their retention will help mitigate the visual impact of the new development on the Historic District. Also with respect to Standard #9, the proposed building will be differentiated from the old by its modern design, the use contemporary and traditional building materials and the utilization of current construction techniques. 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 310- Approved by ILPC: 04/11/17 312 N Cayuga St and the DeWitt Park 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 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) with the following condition(s): • The applicant shall submit to the ILPC a schedule and samples of all exterior building materials for final review and approval. • Any alterations to the exterior of the building that result from forthcoming review processes shall be reviewed and approved by the ILPC. • While the existing building is considered a non-contributing resource due to its construction outside of the Historic District’s period of significance, it does directly relate to significant social and civic events in the history of the City of Ithaca and reflects the design aesthetic of the era during which it was constructed. Therefore, the building shall be photographically documented by Historic Ithaca, and the photographs shall be filed with the Secretary of the ILPC before a demolition permit is issued for the partial removal of the building. RECORD OF VOTE: Moved by: J. Minner Seconded by: M. McGandy In Favor: J. Minner, M. McGandy, N. Brcak, E. Finegan Against: S. Stein, K. Olsen, S. Gibian Abstain: 0 Absent: 0 Vacancies: 0 IV. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 8:25 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation Planner Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission Dewitt Park Historic District Property Data Percentage % of Parcel Used (in Cubic Feet) K.Olson 2/14/17 Address/Property Parcel Dimensions Total Sq. Ft. Parcel Max.Ht. at Old Library Site (per zoning) Volume (cubic feet) parcel Gross Floor Area of Primary Structure(s)Est. height Volume (cubic feet) primary structure(s) Percentage (%) of Parcel (by volume) of Primary Stucture(s) 310-‐314 N. Cayuga (Dewitt House proposal)186 x 206 38316.00 50ft 1915800.00 86720.00 10 ft 867200.00 45.27 215 N. Cayuga (Dewitt)266 x 231 61446.00 50 ft 3072300.00 117500.00 10 ft 1175000.00 38.24 100 W. Buffalo (Cayuga Apartments) 66 × 119 and 34 × 206 14858.00 50 ft 742900.00 20580.00 10 ft 205800.00 27.70 102 E Court 50.2 x 100 5020.00 50 ft 251000.00 6910.00 10 ft 69100.00 27.53 108 W. Court 52.5 x 74 3885.00 50 ft 194250.00 4522.00 10 ft 45220.00 23.28 120 E. Buffalo (Boardman House)59.76 x 115 6872.40 50 ft 343620.00 5976.00 10 ft 59760.00 17.39 106 E court 48.9 x 100 4890.00 50 ft 244500.00 3879.00 10 ft 38790.00 15.87 114 W. Court 50 x 135 6750.00 50 ft 337500.00 5324.00 10 ft 53240.00 15.78 110 W. Court 40 x 74 2960.00 50 ft 148000.00 2291.00 10 ft 22910.00 15.48 308-‐322 N. Tioga (County Court -‐ 2 bldgs)1.71 acres 74487.60 50 ft 3724380.00 54008.00 10 ft 540080.00 14.50 306 N. Cayuga 55 x 206 11330.00 50 ft 566500.00 7592.00 10 ft 75920.00 13.40 402 N. Cayuga 74 x 65.7 4861.80 50 ft 243090.00 3177.00 10 ft 31770.00 13.07 408 N. Cayuga 35 x 198 6930.00 50 ft 346500.00 4072.00 10 ft 40720.00 11.76 406 N. Cayuga 66 x 198 13068.00 50 ft 653400.00 6996.00 10 ft 69960.00 10.71 300 N. Tioga (bank)100 x 139.3 13930.00 50 ft 696500.00 7236.00 10 ft 72360.00 10.39 118 W. Court 50 x 140 7000.00 50 ft 350000.00 3509.00 10 ft 35090.00 10.03 404 N. Cayuga 60 x 158 9480.00 50 ft 474000.00 3882.00 10 ft 38820.00 8.19 308 N. Cayuga 59 x 206 12154.00 50 ft 607700.00 3884.00 10 ft 38840.00 6.39 402 N. Tioga (Temple Beth El)132 x 104 13728.00 50 ft 686400.00 7344.00 10 ft 73440.00 5.35 309 N Cayuga (First Baptist)200 x 98 19600.00 50 ft 980000.00 5048.00 10 ft 50480.00 5.15 110 E. Court 49 x 220 10780.00 50 ft 539000.00 2475.00 10 ft 24750.00 4.59 Dewitt Park Historic District Property Data Size (Volume) of Parcel (in Cubic Feet) K.Olson 2/14/17 Address/Property Parcel Dimensions Total Sq. Ft. Parcel Max.Ht. at Old Library Site (per zoning) Volume (cubic feet) parcel Gross Floor Area of Primary Structure(s)Est. height Volume (cubic feet) primary structure(s) Percentage (%) of Parcel (by volume) of Primary Stucture(s) 215 N. Cayuga (Dewitt)266 x 231 61446.00 50 ft 3072300.00 117500.00 10 ft 1175000.00 38.24 310-‐314 N. Cayuga (Dewitt House proposal)186 x 206 38316.00 50ft 1915800.00 86720.00 10 ft 867200.00 45.27 308-‐322 N. Tioga (County Court -‐ 2 bldgs)1.71 acres 74487.60 50 ft 3724380.00 54008.00 10 ft 540080.00 14.50 100 W. Buffalo (Cayuga Apartments) 66 × 119 and 34 × 206 14858.00 50 ft 742900.00 20580.00 10 ft 205800.00 27.70 306 N. Cayuga 55 x 206 11330.00 50 ft 566500.00 7592.00 10 ft 75920.00 13.40 402 N. Tioga (Temple Beth El)132 x 104 13728.00 50 ft 686400.00 7344.00 10 ft 73440.00 5.35 300 N. Tioga (bank)100 x 139.3 13930.00 50 ft 696500.00 7236.00 10 ft 72360.00 10.39 406 N. Cayuga 66 x 198 13068.00 50 ft 653400.00 6996.00 10 ft 69960.00 10.71 102 E Court 50.2 x 100 5020.00 50 ft 251000.00 6910.00 10 ft 69100.00 27.53 120 E. Buffalo (Boardman House)59.76 x 115 6872.40 50 ft 343620.00 5976.00 10 ft 59760.00 17.39 114 W. Court 50 x 135 6750.00 50 ft 337500.00 5324.00 10 ft 53240.00 15.78 309 N Cayuga (First Baptist)200 x 98 19600.00 50 ft 980000.00 5048.00 10 ft 50480.00 5.15 108 W. Court 52.5 x 74 3885.00 50 ft 194250.00 4522.00 10 ft 45220.00 23.28 408 N. Cayuga 35 x 198 6930.00 50 ft 346500.00 4072.00 10 ft 40720.00 11.76 308 N. Cayuga 59 x 206 12154.00 50 ft 607700.00 3884.00 10 ft 38840.00 6.39 404 N. Cayuga 60 x 158 9480.00 50 ft 474000.00 3882.00 10 ft 38820.00 8.19 106 E court 48.9 x 100 4890.00 50 ft 244500.00 3879.00 10 ft 38790.00 15.87 118 W. Court 50 x 140 7000.00 50 ft 350000.00 3509.00 10 ft 35090.00 10.03 402 N. Cayuga 74 x 65.7 4861.80 50 ft 243090.00 3177.00 10 ft 31770.00 13.07 110 E. Court 49 x 220 10780.00 50 ft 539000.00 2475.00 10 ft 24750.00 4.59 110 W. Court 40 x 74 2960.00 50 ft 148000.00 2291.00 10 ft 22910.00 15.48 Dewitt Park Historic District Property Data Size (Volume) of Parcel (in Cubic Feet) K.Olson 2/14/17 Address/Property Parcel Dimensions Total Sq. Ft. Parcel Max.Ht. at Old Library Site (per zoning) Volume (cubic feet) parcel Gross Floor Area of Primary Structure(s)Est. height Volume (cubic feet) primary structure(s) Percentage (%) of Parcel (by volume) of Primary Stucture(s) 308-‐322 N. Tioga (County Court -‐ 2 bldgs)1.71 acres 74487.60 50 ft 3724380.00 54008.00 10 ft 540080.00 14.50 215 N. Cayuga (Dewitt)266 x 231 61446.00 50 ft 3072300.00 117500.00 10 ft 1175000.00 38.24 310-‐314 N. Cayuga (Dewitt House proposal)186 x 206 38316.00 50ft 1915800.00 86720.00 10 ft 867200.00 45.27 309 N Cayuga (First Baptist)200 x 98 19600.00 50 ft 980000.00 5048.00 10 ft 50480.00 5.15 100 W. Buffalo (Cayuga 66 × 119 14858.00 50 ft 742900.00 20580.00 10 ft 205800.00 27.70 300 N. Tioga (bank)100 x 139.3 13930.00 50 ft 696500.00 7236.00 10 ft 72360.00 10.39 402 N. Tioga (Temple Beth 132 x 104 13728.00 50 ft 686400.00 7344.00 10 ft 73440.00 5.35 406 N. Cayuga 66 x 198 13068.00 50 ft 653400.00 6996.00 10 ft 69960.00 10.71 308 N. Cayuga 59 x 206 12154.00 50 ft 607700.00 3884.00 10 ft 38840.00 6.39 306 N. Cayuga 55 x 206 11330.00 50 ft 566500.00 7592.00 10 ft 75920.00 13.40 110 E. Court 49 x 220 10780.00 50 ft 539000.00 2475.00 10 ft 24750.00 4.59 404 N. Cayuga 60 x 158 9480.00 50 ft 474000.00 3882.00 10 ft 38820.00 8.19 118 W. Court 50 x 140 7000.00 50 ft 350000.00 3509.00 10 ft 35090.00 10.03 408 N. Cayuga 35 x 198 6930.00 50 ft 346500.00 4072.00 10 ft 40720.00 11.76 120 E. Buffalo (Boardman 59.76 x 115 6872.40 50 ft 343620.00 5976.00 10 ft 59760.00 17.39 114 W. Court 50 x 135 6750.00 50 ft 337500.00 5324.00 10 ft 53240.00 15.78 102 E Court 50.2 x 100 5020.00 50 ft 251000.00 6910.00 10 ft 69100.00 27.53 106 E court 48.9 x 100 4890.00 50 ft 244500.00 3879.00 10 ft 38790.00 15.87 402 N. Cayuga 74 x 65.7 4861.80 50 ft 243090.00 3177.00 10 ft 31770.00 13.07 108 W. Court 52.5 x 74 3885.00 50 ft 194250.00 4522.00 10 ft 45220.00 23.28 110 W. Court 40 x 74 2960.00 50 ft 148000.00 2291.00 10 ft 22910.00 15.48