Historic Preservation Commission

Edwardsville Historic Preservation Commission Special Meeting (11/27/18) Minutes Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2018 Time: 7pm Place: Council Chambers, City of Edwardsville City Hall, 118 Hillsboro Avenue, Edwardsville, IL 62025 I. CALL TO ORDER Commission Chairman Jennifer Plocher Wilkins called the meeting to order at 7:01pm. II. ROLL CALL Present: Kurt Ackerman, Joe Hutton, Tom May, Bob Nickrent, Kerry Smith, Casey Weeks and Jennifer Plocher Wilkins (excused absences: Jeanne Coyle, Ryan Downey, Andrew Payne) III. CITIZENS WISHING TO ADDRESS HPC 1. Karen Zimmerman, property owner at 1301 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, asked about the type/color of brick that the developer for 1201 N. Main Street (former Rusty’s) is considering for the proposed new structure, particularly the façade. 2. Joe Weber, 1545 Lewis Road, Edwardsville (a retired professor with a specialization in historic preservation and a former long-time member of HPC) spoke for 15 minutes about the history of N. Main Street, downtown Edwardsville and the city as a whole. Weber stated that context is important (re: the walls at 1201 N. Main Street that once belonged to the Pogue Store). Weber said that these old walls were erected in 1819, and that the site should be considered as a bicentennial structure in preparation of the City of Edwardsville’s 200th anniversary in 2019. IV. COA DESIGN REVIEW a. COA #1: 1201 N. Main Street, owner is Keller Excavating LLC. The project, with reference to the current COA, has three parts: 1) demolition 2) proposed site plan and 3) proposed elevation for the proposed restaurant, Moussalli’s on Main, that would replace the structure formerly known as Rusty’s (restaurant). Architect is Bob Siergiej, developer/applicant is Jonathan Fowler. Joe Hutton made motion to discuss the four-point COA point by point. Tom May seconded. Below are the four points stipulated as central to the current COA: #1 – The Developer agrees to maintain, reinforce or preserve the structural integrity of the remaining eastern wall (the wall facing N. Main Street) and possibly a return on the southern wall in a “stair-step” pattern. The dimensions of the walls to be preserved will be dependent upon a structural analysis performed by a licensed structural engineer or architect. (This analysis has not yet occurred.) Prior to the city’s public works department issuing a permit for demolition, the developer shall provide a preservation plan detailing the method of preserving and reinforcing said walls. Damage to the walls or portions of the walls, due to carelessness or negligence during demolition, will result in the demolition permit being voided. The southern wall is 25 feet long and the interior north wall is only 13 feet with several cut-ins for windows. Developer Jonathan Fowler distributed copies of the revised, proposed site plan. Joe Hutton said the positioning of the new restaurant is acceptable. Hutton and other HPC members approve of the green space that connects the Pogue Plaza to the new restaurant. The drawing shows 8 feet of the south wall’s 24 feet as stepping down. #2 – If, due to structural integrity of the bricks or other conditions beyond the control of the developer, the walls are not able to be preserved, requirement #1 above shall not apply. The developer shall present an alternate plan to the city to recognize the historic significance of the site prior to issuance of any permits related to the redevelopment of the site. Said alternate plan shall be presented to the HPC and approved via a Certificate of Appropriateness. #3 – The developer agrees to allow the city to monitor demolition and construction activities related to the preservation of the eastern and southern walls of the Pogue Store. #4 – The developer agrees to apply for a variance for the front setback, so as to allow for construction of the building on or within five feet of the front property line. The front property line runs along N. Main Street. After these 4 points were discussed, Kurt Ackerman made a motion and Bob Nickrent seconded it to split approval of the COA into three parts with separate votes on each part: 1) demolition, 2) site plan and 3) elevation/façade. Motion passed unanimously. Here are the three parts: Part 1 Motion/Vote (Demolition): Joe Hutton made motion, Tom May seconded, to accept the demolition portion of the COA, incorporating the above four bullet points, keeping as much of the south wall as possible (and making a 90-degree turn of 3-4 feet to best identify the front of the building). A roll call vote of all seven HPC members present was unanimous in favor of approving Part 1, subject to HPC’s opportunity to review the preservation once the newer portions of Rusty’s begin to be taken down. Part 2 Motion/Vote (Site Plan): Making it contingent upon action by the city’s zoning board of appeals and upon what is found on the interior walls once demo begins, Bob Nickrent made a motion to approve the site plan portion of the COA (contingent upon the structure of the ruins being preserved as reflected in the COA under part 1, the demolition). Casey Weeks seconded. Roll call vote of the seven HPC members present was a unanimous approval of Part 2. Part 3 Motion/Vote (Elevation/Façade): As to the proposed restaurant’s facade/elevation, the developer stated he had an all-masonry (stamped concrete/cement board) material in mind that resembles barnwood. Jonathan Fowler, the developer, said it’s like a stamped sheet of cement (cement board). Several HPC members questioned the developer for more materials specifics, stating that the HPC guidelines for new construction (specifically for facades) might not allow this proposed material, and stating that the HPC commission needs a number of additional materials-related details to be able to vote on this portion of the COA, and that at this point, there are too many façade-related unknowns to approve the proposed structure beyond the conceptual stage. Kurt Ackerman made a motion to table Part 3 of the COA, and Bob Nickrent seconded. Jennifer Plocher Wilkins commented that the type of massing as proposed appears to be too contemporary, based upon the rendering  provided by the developer. Kurt Ackerman said the front of the façade should evoke the period of the early 1800s. All those in favor of tabling Part 3 for a future HPC meeting (one the developer’s proposed construction materials info is available) said aye. The group vote was unanimous in favor of tabling Part 3 of the 11/17 COA. HPC members suggested that the developer look at the nearby historic Wabash Hotel, et al and take visual cues from early 1800s masonry buildings such as that one. Joe Hutton said to Jonathan Fowler that the HPC appreciates his patience and diligence in pursuing a project that will fit within the historic context and appearance of N. Main Street. V. ADJOURNMENT: Our next regular HPC meeting is Wednesday, December 12, 2018. With a motion by Kurt Ackerman and a second from Tom May, the Nov. 27th meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m. VI. Minutes respectfully recorded and submitted by Kerry Smith