Historic Review Board

AGENDA EUGENE HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD Sloat Conference Room, First Floor, N.E. Corner, Atrium Building 99 West 10th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401, Phone: (541)682‐5481 Web site: http://www.eugene‐or.gov/hrb Eugene’s Historic Review Board welcomes your interest in these agenda items. Feel free to come and go as you please at any of the meetings. This meeting location is wheelchair‐accessible. For the hearing impaired, FM assistive‐listening devices are available or an interpreter can be provided with 48 hours notice prior to the meeting. Spanish‐language interpretation will also be provided with 48 hours notice. To arrange for these services, contact the receptionist at 682‐5481. Telecommunications devices for deaf assistance are available at 682‐5119. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 – REGULAR MEETING (8:00 a.m.‐11:00 a.m.) 8:00 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD 8:05 a.m. UPDATE FROM PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE 8:10 a.m ITEMS FROM THE BOARD OR STAFF 8:20 a.m. LEW WILLIAMS CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP NOMINATION FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 8:50 a.m. HRB SCOPING WORKSHOP Board Members: Patricia Atkins, Liz Carter, Richard Dannemiller (Chair), Andrew Fisher, Jeff Mills, Sara Palmer (awaiting appointment) For more information about this agenda, please contact Gabe Flock, Senior Planner (541‐682‐5697) at the Eugene Planning Division.  AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY September 23, 2010 TO: Historic Review Board FROM: Gabe Flock, Eugene Planning Division SUBJECT: The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership Nomination for the National Register of Historic Places ACTION REQUESTED Following a brief staff introduction and opportunity for public testimony, the Historic Review Board will hold a discussion to determine whether the nomination for The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership meets the applicable approval criteria. The board is asked to review the nomination and make a recommendation for listing of The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership in the National Register of Historic Places. BRIEFING STATEMENT Adrienne Donovan‐Boyd completed the research and writing of the National Register nomination for The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership. The nomination materials are attached for your review. Also attached, is a memo from Ken Guzowski as the City’s Historic Preservation Consultant on this matter that evaluates the materials in the context of approval criteria for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Ms. Donovan‐Boyd has prepared the nomination without formal consent of the University of Oregon, the property owner. Consent of the University of Oregon is not required for listing publicly owned buildings in the National Register of Historic Places. However, Ms. Donovan‐ Boyd has provided the University of Oregon with appropriate correspondence that informed them of her intent to submit this nomination. Staff has also provided the University of Oregon with a copy of the nomination materials and will forward any comments we may receive, to be included for the board’s consideration. The boundary description of the subject property includes one full City block bounded to the north by Franklin Boulevard, Orchard Street to the west, East 15th Avenue to the south, and Walnut Street to the east. The parcel includes multiple tax lots. The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership is prominently located on the south side of Franklin Boulevard, east of the new Matthew Knight Basketball Arena. The property was recently rezoned from C‐2, Community Commercial to S‐WS, Walnut Station Special Area Zone as part of the City’s adoption of form‐ based, mixed use zoning for this area. If The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership is successfully listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the property will be subject to review according to Eugene Code (EC) provisions for Historic Property Applications including alterations, moving or demolition at EC 9.8150 through EC 9.8185. Page 1 HRB - page 1 HRB - page 2 MEMORANDUM Date: September 7, 2010 To: Gabe Flock, Eugene Planning Division From: Ken Guzowski, Historic Preservation Consultant Subject: Evaluation of National Register Criteria for The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership Nomination ______________________________________________________________________________ As part of the National Register nomination process, the Historic Review Board is asked to consider the issues of integrity, description, significance and context, facts and sources, and supporting materials as they review the nomination to determine whether the National Register criteria are met. These topic areas are addressed in more detail below for the benefit of the board, and to assist in facilitating their recommendation. Based on my evaluation, the nomination meets the applicable criteria and merits a recommendation for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. At the upcoming meeting on September 23rd, the board will need to discuss and decide, after considering any testimony, if they should check “OK” or “Concerns” for each of these items listed on the National Register Nomination Evaluation Sheet. Following the board’s determination, the formal evaluation sheet will need to be signed by the board’s Chair and forwarded along with any relevant comments to the State Advisory Committee for Historic Preservation (SACHP). As you know, the SACHP is scheduled to review the nomination at its next meeting on October 7th and 8th. Background and Evaluation The Coca‐Cola bottling plant and one block site was acquired by Lew Williams in 1958 and the existing buildings evolved into the Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership with the completion of the showroom, and other improvements to accommodate automobile repairs, in 1960. The period of significance is described as being 1958 to 1960. The dealership opened with fanfare on the weekend of August 12, 1960. The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership is being nominated for architectural significance associated with the Googie style1 of architecture, as designed by Grant Seder of the local firm 1 The term “Googie Architecture” was first coined in a 1952 article in House and Home magazine. Douglas Haskell, editor of Architectural Forum and an architectural critic for numerous publications wrote an article citing the southern California style of Googie’s Coffee Shop. 1 HRB - page 3 Balzhiser, Seder, & Rhodes. The display pavilion embodies the futuristic nature of the Googie style with its elliptical form carefully positioned on a rectangular plinth, and the ultramodern, aerodynamic nature of its roofline, which is locally referred to as a “potato chip roof.” The walls of the building are constructed of floor‐to‐ceiling plate glass with aluminum dividers that allowed for unobstructed views of the new automobiles. Integrity: The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership Showroom and former Coca Cola Bottling Plant retain a high level of integrity because it has changed little since it was sold to the University of Oregon in 2005. The buildings are currently used for university storage and the four and a half acre site is paved with asphalt. Because of vandalism (breaking of some of the Showroom windows) the university has installed plywood panels over the lower windows of the showroom. At the northwest corner of the site a concrete platform with ramp exists that was used to elevate and showcase new automobiles. The larger concrete platform south of the showroom had a diminutive elliptical glass building (the signing pod) that was connected to the showroom by a flat‐roofed walkway supported by singular steel posts. This building was used as office space to finalize sales and financing of automobile purchases. The Chevrolet logo is articulated in the center of this concrete platform. The car lot retains original light standards with double, triple, and quadruple trapezoidal light fixtures supported on steel poles. These lights are spaced around the northern half of the parking lot in the vicinity of the showroom. Minimal landscaping is evident on the site and is part of the original design of the showroom addition. All of these features add to the significance of the Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership as designed by Grant Seder. Description: The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership has been well described on pages 3 through 6 of this nomination. The display pavilion is the most defining feature on the site and the nomination includes an accurate description of materials, construction methodology, interior features, landscaping and site features all dating to the period of construction. The Coca Cola Bottling Plant buildings have been carefully discussed in this nomination. The service center is the oldest building on the site, with a construction date of 1949. The buildings and additions are logically explained as they relate to their historic uses during the period of tenure of the Chevrolet dealership to even include the non‐historic additions of paint shop, collision repair center office, body shop, paint shop storage and shed storage. Page 6 of the nomination includes a chronology of alterations and additions that aid the reader in understanding the history of development on the site. Significance and Context: The author of the nomination has determined that the period of significance for The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership is 1958 to 1960. The showroom, landscape and site features have served as an icon of modern design since 1960 when it was built as the showpiece of the old 1949 Coca Cola bottling plant that was repurposed for automobile repairs and as a full‐service automobile facility. Automobiles were sold and 2 HRB - page 4 repaired at this site until 2003. In 2005, the four and a half acre site was sold to the University of Oregon. Research has determined that The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership contains the most significant example of the Googie style of architecture in Eugene with the construction of the showroom, which is discussed in more detail under National Register Criterion C, below. The nomination creates the appropriate context of transportation changes that were occurring during the 1950s in Eugene, including construction of Interstate 5 and the widening of Pacific Highway 99 (Franklin Boulevard) along with moving of the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks north of Franklin Boulevard. More details of the significance of these events are discussed under National Register Criterion A, below. Facts and Sources: The nomination is carefully written and appropriately cited for references that include articles from the Register Guard, and relevant books on the topics of modern era architecture, the Googie Style, and transportation trends of the modern era. Careful research has verified key dates and facts to make this an accurate and compelling National Register nomination. Research was complemented by interviews with Grant Seder, retired architect, and access to copies of original architectural drawings. Supporting Materials: It appears that adequate current day photographs, site map, location map and archival photographs are included in the nomination so that the reader understands the location and appearance of site and buildings located at the Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership on Franklin Boulevard in Eugene, Oregon. National Register Criterion A: Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. The nomination includes a brief description of transportation history in Eugene during the 1950s, a period when the local landscape became dominated by the automobile and related roadside architecture and services. Of particular interest was the construction of Interstate 5 through Eugene that allowed Eugene and Springfield to become part of a growing network of cities that were being connected to the expanding national highway system. Interstate 5 was completed in 1961 and continues to serve north/south interstate traffic through Oregon. During the 1950s Eugene continued to expand its effort to pave all of its streets. It was during this period that Franklin Boulevard, a component of Pacific Highway 99 through Eugene, was widened. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was responsible for designing and constructing the divided median and plantings that exist on Franklin Boulevard today. The Southern Pacific railroad tracks were moved from Franklin Boulevard north towards the Willamette River to alleviate automobile congestion of the heavily used Franklin Boulevard. It was in this context that Lew Williams observed that the time was right to move his dealership 3 HRB - page 5 from the downtown core to east Eugene to take advantage of the increased visibility of Franklin Boulevard and its connection to Interstate 5. A 1949 warranty deed between ODOT and the Coca Cola Bottling Corporation specifically restricts entrances to this parcel of land from Franklin Boulevard, which explains why ingress and egress are gained from Orchard, Walnut and East 15th Avenue. The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership was a significant part of the transportation trends and improvements that were taking form along Franklin Boulevard in the late 1950s to accommodate post World War II growth in the Eugene‐Springfield area and in Oregon. National Register Criterion 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. The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership is being nominated for architectural significance associated with the Googie style of architecture, as designed by Grant Seder. Mr. Seder had an illustrious career as a prominent architect in Eugene. He attended the University of Illinois and Harvard in 1942 and 1943. Following graduation and service as a World War II veteran he worked in Chicago for one year before moving to Eugene where he practiced architecture with Wilmesen and Endicott, and later Tom Balzhiser and Richard Rhodes to form the partnership of Balzhiser, Seder, and Rhodes. This partnership lasted until 1967 when he joined up with DeNorval Unthank Jr. and Otto Poticha, a partnership that lasted from 1968 to 1986. Prior to his retirement in 2006 he completed work for the U.S. State Department in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia as well as a private practice that focused on residential housing on the Oregon coast. The display pavilion of the Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership embodies the futuristic nature of the Googie style with its elliptical building form carefully positioned on an elevated rectangular plinth and crowned by its distinctive “potato chip roof.” Placement of the showroom was thoughtfully designed to incorporate and screen the existing 1949 Coca Cola Bottling Plant for repurposing as the Chevrolet service center. Figure 4 on page 5 of additional documentation in the nomination illustrates the design concept of the showroom and service building. Mr. Seder had designed a tall rectangular screen to serve as a backdrop for the showroom, which was never constructed. As the University of Oregon moves forward with planning for reuse of this complex, they might want to consider the proposed screen as a serviceable idea to further enhance the showroom for a new use into the future. The only other Googie style dealership in Eugene is the Sheppard Motors building (Volvo/Jeep dealership on West 7th Avenue), also constructed in 1960. This showroom building has a triangular shape and a boomerang shaped roof. The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership showroom is identified as the best surviving example of the Googie style in Eugene according to Eugene Modernism: 1935‐1965 and merits distinction by listing in the National Register of Historic Places. 4 HRB - page 6 HRB - page 7 HRB - page 8 HRB - page 9 HRB - page 10 HRB - page 11 HRB - page 12 HRB - page 13 HRB - page 14 HRB - page 15 HRB - page 16 HRB - page 17 HRB - page 18 HRB - page 19 HRB - page 20 HRB - page 21 HRB - page 22 HRB - page 23 HRB - page 24 HRB - page 25 HRB - page 26 HRB - page 27 HRB - page 28 HRB - page 29 HRB - page 30 HRB - page 31 HRB - page 32 HRB - page 33 HRB - page 34 HRB - page 35 HRB - page 36 HRB - page 37 HRB - page 38 HRB - page 39 HRB - page 40 HRB - page 41 HRB - page 42 HRB - page 43 EVALUATION OF NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA As addressed in the nomination materials and related evaluation attached, the applicable National Register approval criteria specifically include Criterion A (Events), and Criterion C (Architecture). The board is also asked to consider the issues of integrity, description, significance and context, facts and sources, and supporting materials as they review the nomination. Following the board’s decision, staff will complete the attached National Register Nomination Evaluation Sheet for signature by the Historic Review Board Chair. The evaluation sheet and any relevant comments will then be forwarded to the State Advisory Committee for Historic Preservation (SACHP), for consideration as part of the SACHP’s review of the nomination which is scheduled to occur at their next meeting on October 7th and 8th. RECOMMENDATION Based on the available information, staff supports the listing of The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership in the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination appears to fulfill the significance requirements of Criterion A (Events) and C (Architecture). ATTACHMENTS 1. Memo from Ken Guzowski, Historic Preservation Consultant 2. August 6, 2010 correspondence from Christine Curran for Roger Roper, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer 3. Draft Agenda for the October 7 and 8, 2010 meetings of the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation 4. National Register Nomination Evaluation Sheet 5. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for The Lew Williams Chevrolet Dealership located at 2020 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, Oregon. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Gabe Flock, Senior Planner at 541‐682‐5697, Eugene Planning Division, or via email at gabriel.flock@ci.eugene.or.us . Page 2 HRB - page 44  AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY September 23, 2010 TO: Historic Review Board FROM: Lisa Gardner, Eugene Planning Division SUBJECT: Historic Review Board Scoping Workshop ACTION REQUESTED The Historic Review Board (HRB) and staff will hold an informal workshop to discuss future workplan items of the Historic Review Board. BRIEFING STATEMENT This scoping workshop is a follow‐up to a meeting of the Historic Review Board on July 29, 2010. During this meeting, Lisa Gardner, the Planning Director, spoke to the board about budget challenges and staff reductions that the Planning Division is faced with. It was agreed that at a subsequent meeting, staff and members of the HRB would assess the historic preservation program and determine what services to prioritize. It was noted that some roles may be better served by a body outside the HRB. Several items identified at the July 29 meeting for follow‐up have been completed, including:  Take steps towards filling vacant positions on the HRB. In accordance with City Code, the Mayor and Planning Commission Chair have nominated two additional members. The City Council is scheduled to make these appointments at their regular meeting on September 27, 2010.  Meet with a representative of the State Historic Review Board, and include HRB member Liz Carter in the discussion. Liz emailed a meeting summary to the HRB on August 22, 2010.  Provide a tally and description of Historic Preservation related inquiries from the public and property owners. See Attachment F.  Provide an update on significant Historic Preservation activities that are ongoing in the community. This was sent to HRB members on August 5, 2010.  Convene the HRB at its September meeting in a discussion to define the HRB mission and workplan. A number of attachments are provided to this AIS to help inform the discussion regarding the mission and workplan of the HRB, including:  Eugene Code Section 2.355, Planning Commission‐ Standing Committees. This is the most current description of the charge of the Historic Review Board.  Historic Review Board Bylaws. These bylaws should be updated to reference the most current language identified in the Eugene Code.  A summary of official functions associated with Eugene’s Historic Preservation Program. This document provides a list of the required functions of the City. Page 1 HRB - page 45   Meeting Summary from July 29, 2010 meeting, including initial brainstorm to identify role of the HRB.  Email from Andrew Fisher and Liz Carter, dated July 29, 2010, identifying potential workplan items for the HRB. RECOMMENDATION The following points are identified for inclusion in Thursday’s discussion: 1. Identify code related tasks. The following excerpt is taken from the Eugene Code, Section 2.355, which describes the Powers and Duties of the Historic Review Board. “The committee shall take all steps necessary to preserve historic properties pursuant to this code and shall support programs and projects which will help make the citizens of the city and its visitors aware of its origin, development and historic significance. Pursuant to chapter 9 of this code, the committee shall: (a) Designate an historic landmark; (b) Remove historic landmark status when any landmark has deteriorated, been altered or destroyed, and no longer meets any of the criteria in chapter 9; (c) Act upon applications concerning moving or demolition of historic properties; (d) Review and act upon appeals of planning director decisions for historic property alterations, including appeals initiated by the committee” 2. Identify additional values and ideas not encapsulated in the above statement. 3. Prioritize items to be undertaken by the HRB. 4. Suggest alternative mechanisms that could forward those items not identified for the HRB workplan. ATTACHMENTS A. Eugene Code Section 2.355, Planning Commission‐ Standing Committees B. Historic Review Board Bylaws C. A summary of official functions associated with Eugene’s Historic Preservation Program D. Meeting Summary from July 29, 2010 HRB meeting E. Email from Andrew Fisher and Liz Carter, dated July 29, 2010 F. Historic Preservation Related Inquiries FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Lisa Gardner 541‐682‐5208, Eugene Planning Division, or via email at lisa.a.gardner@ci.eugene.or.us Page 2 HRB - page 46 HRB - page 47 HRB - page 48 HRB - page 49 HRB - page 50 HRB - page 51 HRB - page 52 HRB - page 53 HRB - page 54 HRB - page 55 HRB - page 56 HRB - page 57 HRB - page 58 HRB - page 59  Historic Review Board Meeting July 29, 2010 Summary of Discussion Regarding Historic Preservation Program Lisa Gardner opened the discussion by explaining the budget and resource challenges the Planning Division faced for this upcoming fiscal year. Lisa acknowledged the frustration felt by members of the Board because of a lack of information during the budget process. She noted that the Planning Division prepared for a range of possible reductions. Ultimately, the adopted budget resulted in the reduction of four staff positions. She explained that these budget reductions will affect how we provide all of our services within the Planning Division, including historic preservation. However, Lisa emphasized the continuing commitment to historic preservation. Moving forward, Lisa emphasized that she would like to work with the HRB to assess the historic preservation program and determine what services to prioritize. In doing so, we also need to determine what the role of the HRB should be, in light of our resource constraints and other city priorities. She noted that there may be some roles that are better served through other resources outside of the city and suggested that we check back in a year from now to evaluate how the new format is working and if additional changes are warranted. Lisa proposed that two steps be taken in the short run: • Fill the 2 vacancies on the Board • Schedule a meeting for the HRB and staff to discuss the priorities and focus of the historic program, including the role of the HRB. Following Lisa’s initial comments, HRB members and staff indentified a variety of potential issues to consider, including the following: • Look at other city models for how the program is administered • Consider specific roles by HRB or specific HRB members to take burden off of staff • Use neighborhoods to develop guidelines which define important elements for that neighborhood. The guidelines would serve as a resource for developers • Current level of applications not enough to justify regular meeting schedule. • Looking only at applications is short sighted. Role of HRB should be broader. • Keep a log of inquiries to better assess types of issues the city is facing. • The UO is a big resource we need to tap • Use students to do more volunteer work • Pursue grants if they make sense and assist our work (and is in our work program) • Possible grant: Digitizing our cultural resource documents • Upcoming issue: City has not begun to look at the modern era. Need to decide as a community how to approach it. • Consider monthly meetings to show a commitment to the program. • Consider mechanism to meet informally, perhaps through subcommittees. • HRB and Planning Commission should meet to discuss HRB role. If so, the agenda/framework would need to be focused in order for this meeting to be productive. Staff discussed the matrix of options included in the agenda packet, explaining the choices that were put forward. In addition, they noted that they would be meeting with the State Historic Resource Board HRB - page 60 (SHPO) staff soon. Liz Carter agreed to join staff for this meeting. Liz will send out an email to the rest of HRB summarizing the discussion. Lisa noted that the work program can be used as a tool to define the needs, meeting frequency, etc. Staff also noted that there may be opportunities for nexus between the work of the Sustainability Commission and the HRB. Next Steps: • Plan for workshop meeting to define program mission and work plan, perhaps 3 hours or so (Sept. 23 next available date) • Encourage email communication in advance of meeting to surface issues/ideas • Fill 2 vacancies on the HRB • Provide some assessment of activity regarding historic preservation issues, to understand range of issues and level of activity. HRB - page 61 From: Liz Carter To: FISHER Andrew (SMTP); cc: ATKINS Patricia (SMTP); PALMER Sara (SMTP); DANNEMILLER Richard (SMTP); MILLS Jeffery (SMTP); ajf541@yahoo.com; GARDNER Lisa A; NYSTROM Steven A; WEISS Carolyn J; FLOCK Gabriel; Subject: Re: thank you and possible work items for the Historic Review Board Date: Thursday, July 29, 2010 3:53:45 PM Andrew, Thank you for putting together this excellent list. I have little to add to it. Making existing historical information (of which there is a vast amount) available is a great idea and one that I think is long overdue. It seems like it could provide long term benefits (saving staff time, for example) with minimal up-front expense. While Sara is correct that some of this info is available in other places, there are shortcomings to those existing sources. SHPO has a database available online, but it lacks most of the information that the City has gathered in its historic building survey process - there are no photos, maps, descriptions or historical background statements included on the SHPO online inventory. In my experience the City's overall inventory information is FAR superior to that of the SHPO. National Register nomination forms are not readily available online (although some very basic information such as the name of the property, address, and date of listing is). I think all existing historic context documentation should be available electronically, and neighborhood organizations should be encouraged to post the information on their websites as well. I can't speak for the University regarding the possibilities of working with the UO Historic Preservation Program, other than to say that it seems an attempt should be made to collaborate in a mutually beneficial way. The program recently assisted Willamalane with some research/investigation at the Briggs House at Dorris Ranch (http://briggsfarmhouseproject. wordpress.com/) which I believe was a win-win for all involved - a great learning experience for students, and a lot of additional information for Willamalane to use in their planning and decision-making process. This Fall I will be encouraging (requiring?) students to assist the Mulkey Cemetery group with some needed work there this Fall - this being an effort borne of discussions between Sara and I about how to involve students in meaningful local history projects. In the past, students have been involved in survey & inventory projects, and I can see how they HRB - page 62 might be helpful with small-scale Section 106 projects as well. They could get involved in neighborhood character analysis, design review guidance, walking tours, Teaching with Historic Places curricula for local schools, etc. It seems that there are a multitude of options that haven't been explored lately. I could go on to say how much I like and support items 4, 5, 8 and ... ok, all of them. This will make for some good discussions in September. Thanks, Andrew! Liz Carter Historic Preservation Consulting Eugene, Oregon ph 541.343.6499 fax 541.683.9771 * * * Adjunct Faculty Historic Preservation Program School of Architecture and Allied Arts University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon 97403 email: ecarter3@uoregon.edu On Jul 29, 2010, at 12:35 PM, info@ajfisherdesign.com wrote: HRB - page 63 Hi everyone. Thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns this morning on the future of the City of Eugene's Historic Review Board and its on-going role in supporting historic preservation in our community. I appreciate the reality that budgetary constraints have an impact on our ability as a board to effect historic preservation. Many projects require grant support to be managed however I believe some projects might be conducted by motivated volunteers. I hope we can all think of ways we can support preservation to the extent that our interest, expertise, and available time allows. Here are some suggestions I have to offer on potential HRB work items that might help promote awareness and preservation of our community's historic resources: 1. Develop an online list and "clickable" map of all the National Register of Historic Places resources in Eugene. This list/map would also include all City of Eugene Historic Landmarks. The City of Eugene website does include a virtual tour and text version of Eugene Historic Downtown Buildings but it is limited to 14 resources. There should be a map that shows the relative locations of all the National Register resources in Eugene as well as the City of Eugene landmarks and each resource should be "clickable" and linked to another page that includes photos and any available text documentation on that resource. We need not necessarily "reinvent the wheel" on this. Existing tools such as Google Maps or other online resources could support a pilot effort in this matter. 2. Place past historic research documents and context statements created by the Planning Division, the Historic Review Board, Lane County Historical Society, and other organizations online (with permission) in simple, html-text documents. Some of the context statements are already available online however some exist only as PDF documents. PDF documents are handy for sharing files between different operating systems and for printing out hardcopies however depending on how they are created, the text in the document is not necessarily searchable or accessible. Not all PDF documents are equal! Scanning old documents is better than nothing, however I don't feel that an image capture is the best format to use: As website manager for and a volunteer member of the Friendly Area Neighbors (FAN) Board I have undertaken the effort to find historic documents related to my neighborhood and post them online to add to the digital body of historic research that folks might be interested in. Neighborhood development occurs best when citizens are motivated, informed, and involved. In March of 2001 the Historic Review Board created the document A Brief History and Walking Tour of College Hill. I wanted to include this information on the FAN website however I HRB - page 64 could only locate a hardcopy of the document. I have since typed up a text version and included it on the FAN site: http://www.FriendlyAreaNeighbors.org/map_walking.html http://www.FriendlyAreaNeighbors.org/history.html I was approached by a former member of my neighborhood association who wanted to be able to regularly read our quarterly neighborhood newsletter. She is visually impaired however. Her computer can read text documents to her. She shared with me that some PDF documents are accessible and others are not. Some have the document text encoded and others appear as "blank" to her system. I have endeavored to create text-only version of all the neighborhood newsletters (in a simple HTML format) so that her computer can read the newsletter to her. Creating a text-only version of the newsletter (versus a "flat" PDF or "scan") has the additional advantage of being indexed (and thus searchable by keywords) by search engines such as Google. Other documents such as Eugene Downtown Core Area Historic Context Statement (November 1991) and Eugene Millrace: A History (May 1979) should be posted online as text-only documents so that their contents can be searchable and accessible. The publication Lane County Historian also has an abundance of historic information (Eugene Airpark, Trolleys of Eugene, etc.) whose text might be reproduced to inform the public and guide our decision makers on matters related to historic preservation. A lot of historic research has already been done. We need to make the information more accessible. The board might identify these pre-digital documents and we might solicit volunteers to type them up in a digital format. The task of creating an online compendium of this information might initially seem overwhelming however I believe it is attainable. Every old hardcopy that is retyped into a computer and then posted online is one more piece of the puzzle. These documents can also be linked together and cross-referenced. Using a model similar to wikipedia (where various user may also add to the body of information or edit it) might prove most feasible. 3. Participate in a joint meeting with the Eugene Planning Commission to discuss work program items that may be of mutual interest. 4. Develop (with the cooperation of neighborhood associations and interested/motivated residents) statements of neighborhood character and history. These initial statements could always be further developed or expanded upon in the future. Statements of neighborhood character might also support ICS and OS efforts. 5. Encourage neighborhood newsletter editors to regularly include/ HRB - page 65 reproduce available historic information in their publications. They might also solicit historic information (photos, written or audio recollections, etc.) from residents. We might also encourage neighborhood associations to create documents (such as walking maps of neighborhood historic features, residences, structures, etc.). Some neighborhoods (Fairmount) are developing history projects. We might invite them to meet with the HRB to learn about their efforts and how we might support them or encourage other neighborhood associations to research their unique history. 6. Develop working relationships with the University of Oregon Historic Preservation Program faculty and students; capitalizing on their expertise and interest. I am sure HRB member Liz Carter can provide suggestions on how this might be accomplished in a way that serves the missions of both the University and the City. 7. Explore the feasibility of developing a metropolitan, non-profit preservation society or similar entity. Such a group might develop its' own infrastructure for fund-raising activities and research projects that might also feed into the overall body of local, historic research. This group could occasionally collaborate with the HRB but would also be pursuing its own agenda items that contribute to the overall body of historic information. 8. Invite the Lane County Historical Society to meet with the HRB and discuss ways we can promote historical awareness together. 9. Seek training for HRB members on the Certified Local Government Grant Program. 10. Develop visual "Top 10 Lists" that include the best, local examples of various types of architectural styles. 11. Perhaps the most ambitious suggestion is to develop a publicly- accessible, highly visual, user-friendly, online inventory of all properties within the city limits. The surveying component of this effort might be conducted by neighborhood volunteers, University of Oregon historic preservation students, and City of Eugene interns. An expert training program or document would need to be developed to create basic but uniform survey methodology. This inventory might be an extension of RLID or at least utilize some of the relevant data contained in RLID (such as addresses, year built). It would include photograph(s) and a basic description of the property's architectural characteristics. Adding "historic information data fields" to RLID might be a less onerous option. This should be fully accessible to the public however. 12. A second part to this ambitious inventory would be to then have community historians and experts create professional research HRB - page 66 documents describing the history and development of specific areas of our community; perhaps our pre-existing neighborhoods or areas of the City that are recognized as lacking any historical research (fill in the gaps). The effort to place existing historic documents online in an accessible and searchable format would be supplemented by new research. The final benefits of this effort might not be known now, however it would create a solid foundation on which others might add to or build on in the future. I believe such a project could support thoughtful development in our community and serve as a relevant and important resource for projects such as Infill Compatability Standards as well as Opportunity Siting. Put simply; a lot of information is already out there...we just need to get it all in one place where people can access it and apply it! These are just some initial thoughts. I am hopeful some might be refined or otherwise evolve into actionable items for the Historic Review Board in the near future. I appreciate any suggestions or feedback anyone might have. Thank you for reading! -Andrew Fisher, Historic Review Board member Friendly Area Neighbors (FAN) Board and newsletter Editor HRB - page 67  Historic Property Questions Date Address / Name Status Request 170 E. 12th Ave. / Christian House HD 75‐8 / NR Wants to put a fence at 170 E. 12th ‐ what is the process? Requested plans and information demonstrating how the proposed fence is compatible with the historical character of the property. The Big O on Skinners Butte NR Status of the determination of whether the Big O should be considered for the National Register ‐ reviewed file and referred to Ian Johnson with SHPO. 520 Willamette HD 88‐8 / NR Is there anything that prohibits the demo of historic buildings? (for an appraisal) ‐ Referred to EC 9.8180 Historic Property Demolition Approval Criteria. 345 Van Buren / New Day Bakery / HD 92‐4 / NR Can interior alterations be made to property at 345 Van Buren w/o historic property application? Blair Blvd. Historic Reviewed S‐HB Blair Boulevard Historic Commercial Special area zone development standards and determined that historic property alteration review is not required. 335 Pearl St. / Watts House / HD 78‐4 / NR Inquiry about replacing or repairing a cottage behind primary historic structure. Informed owner that East Skinner Butte Historic District cottage could be replaced with historic demo and alteration process but that the size of the replacement building would be limited to 800 square feet. Otherwise repair to roof and foundation could be made to maintain structure if it is not replaced. No decision has been made by homeowner as how to proceed. 1461 Alder Street / Psi Alpha of Chi NR Inquiry regarding window replacement. Window replacement permitted with confirmation that windows Omega Sorority House will replicate original window construction. 40 East 5th / Booth Kelly Lumber Co. HD 92‐3 Question regarding possible banner or signs on building. In progress….. 1021 Hilyard / Gamma Phi Beta Sorority NR They are replacing a boiler and need to provide external venting for the new one. She was advised to provide additional information in order to determine what may be required. 588 E. 11th / Calkins House HD 75‐6 / NR Looking for standards for new coffee shop & office upstairs. Also reviewed sign requirements for historic properties. 1935 Madison Question regarding historic significance of the trees along the street. In progress…. 1210 Pearl Requested a copy of the cultural inventory information. 158 E. 12th Ave. Requested a copy of the cultural inventory information. 44 W. 10th Copy of cultural inventory information (property isn't in the inventory ‐ it's next door to the McDonald) HRB - page 68  Misc. Writing a story about the history of Whiteaker. Wants to talk to Historic Preservation Specialist. Never got a chance to talk (she had a deadline and we played phoned tag) ‐ referred to refinement plan online. Is the Cultural Resources Inventory available for viewing online (no) 8/5/10 Fairmount Neighborhood We have a request for a map of the Fairmount Neighborhood, showing what houses have been inventoried as part of the cultural resource inventory. Is this a layer we have? If so, can you make a map that also shows taxlots, street names, and address? In progress... Willakenzie Grange Permit submited for ADA access ramp and railing. Permit review will inlcude referral and determination from Planning staff on Historic Preservation/Alteratation requirements. In progress. Determined that no alteration process required, work with architect to ensure like materials used. 8/5/10 240 High Street Contributing Historic Stucture submitted building permit to replace steps and deck will replace same materials match to existing. OK as repair and maintenance as no changes proposed. Permit in file 8/16/10 843 East 13th Letter for Historic procedures for MUPTE provided to applicant. Historic notification not required as "Campus Shoe Shop" is not Historic or potentially Historic. 8/17/10 662 Villard Street Question regarding Historic Loan Program. Sent flyer from website 8/20/10 multiple addresses Question from facilities staff about historic status of serval City properties for HVAC work. No survey documentation found for the McNeil Riley House at 601 E 13th, nor any indication of local or national register designation. The same is true for 2025 Washington. Survey document indicating 255 Lincoln as "contributing" sent to Meredith Fox. 8/20/10 17‐03‐31‐42 Ball House Historic Dist Questions regarding ability to re‐zone property from S‐H to R‐2 or R‐3 on vacant lot only. Would be required to do zone change and remove historic designation 9/21/10 Pedestrian Over‐walk on 30th Asking if we had any Historic information on when and why it was built? Per PW transportation it was build in 1968, after 30th Street was opened up to through traffic, and safe passage from South of 30th dwellings was needed. HRB - page 69