Historic Preservation Commission

Tybee Island HISTORIC PESERVATION COMMISSON Meeting Minutes Date & Time: October 14, 2024, 6:00 pm Present: Holly Grell-Lawe (Chair, by phone), Cara Cole, Mike Goldberg, Marna Lewin, Jacilyn Ledford, Maggie Wright, Cassidi Kendrick Absent: Observers: Doug and Ruth McKay (Tybee residents), Dawn Shay (Forever Tybee) Location: Burke Day Public Safety Building, Conference Room, 78 Van Horne Avenue Note Before the meeting was called to order, Mr. and Mrs. McKay stated they were present because in reviewing the HPC agenda for tonight, they saw that their property at 1510 5th Avenue appeared on the meeting agenda and they wanted to understand why. To accommodate Mr. and Mrs. McKay, Holly Grell-Lawe suggested that the order of the agenda be changed to review the building permit applications first. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:00pm. Attendance taken by roll call. A quorum was present. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the September 9, 2024 HPC meeting were unanimously approved by roll call vote upon motion by Cara Cole and seconded by Mike Goldberg. The minutes of the October 8, 2024 HPC Promotion & Education Committee meeting were unanimously approved by roll call vote upon motion by Cara Cole and seconded by Marna Lewin. Permit Reviews 1510 5th Avenue-Holly Grell-Lawe stated for Mr. and Mrs. McKay that HPC reviews building permit applications for all structures 50 years and older on Tybee. The property at 1510 5th Avenue was built in 1954. It is Survey Field ID#150 in the Tybee Island Historic Resources Survey, Phase 1 (2016) and identified as no longer having historical integrity due to changes that had been made. Holly Grell-Lawe stated that earlier today she had emailed Lisa Schaaf at the Planning Department to advise her that HPC recommended approval of the permit. Cassidi Kendrick indicated that they would be able to pick up their permit once it had been processed by Planning Department staff. Holly Grell-Lawe clarified for Mr. and Mrs. McKay that their permit application had come to HPC because the structure was 50 years or older, not necessarily because it had historical significance. The 2016 Survey indicated that the structure no longer had historical integrity. 1 1114 2nd Avenue-Built c1935, this structure is Field Survey ID#391 in the Tybee Island Historic Resources Survey, Phase 1 (2016), and identified as eligible for National Register listing. Holly Grell-Lawe stated that after hours today she had emailed Lisa Schaaf at the Planning Department to inquire if this permit had already been issued. The permit was sent to HPC on 9/25/2024. Mike Goldberg made a motion to not recommend approval of the permit, seconded by Cara Cole. Mike Goldberg, Cara Cole, Marna Lewin and Jacilyn Ledford voted by roll call to not recommend approval the permit. Holly Grell-Lawe abstained. 1711 Butler Avenue-This structure was built c1912. It is Survey Field ID#025 in the Tybee Island Historic Resources Survey, Phase 1 (2016), and identified as may be eligible for National Register listing. The permit was sent to HPC on 10/8/2024. The permit indicates replacement of the kitchen, turning screen porch into a sunroom and roof work. Cara Cole stated that an email from HPC Advisor Sarah Jones indicates that the structure is likely no longer eligible for National Register listing as the 1st floor has been infilled and the 2nd floor porch enclosed. The permit indicates that the only exterior work is the removal of sheds on the property. Mike Goldberg made a motion to recommend approval of the permit, seconded by Cara Cole. HPC members, by roll call, unanimously voted to approve the recommendation to approve the permit. Announcements Tybee/MLK & Lazaretto Coalition Marna Lewin, HPC’s Liaison to these organizations, stated that the Lazaretto Coalition has a new Chairperson, Cara Brigman Sweeney, Ph.D. Professor and Senior Lecturer at Georgia Southern University, Department of Sociology & Anthropology. Dr. Sweeney is currently working with GDOT to ensure that the planned GDOT roadwork does not impinge on the Lazaretto area by Lazaretto Creek. At this time, Dr. Sweeney does not have a date for an upcoming meeting. There was no update available on Tybee/MLK. HPC Chair Holly Grell-Lawe reminded the group that (1) next month’s HPC meeting Is November 4, 2024, rescheduled from November 11 which is Veterans Day; and (2) the Public Kick-Off Meeting for HPC’s CLG Grant Project to develop a local historic district for the Fort Screven National Historic District and the North Campbell Neighborhood is November 7, 2024 at the Guardhouse from 6:00pm-7:00pm. Maggie Wright will distribute an updated HPC contact list for the members. Ongoing Business Central Tybee Island Residential National Historic District Application Update Bob Ciucevich emailed an update on the revisions to the Central Tybee Island National Historic District Nomination Application which included an updated map. He is updating the number of contributing vs non-contributing properties in the survey report and the index. Some properties in the 7th Terrace and 6th Place area near the beach area were excluded. Mr. Ciucevich was not familiar with the wade-in markers and will seek guidance from SHPO with respect to incorporating an area of historical significance related to Ethnic/African American-Civil Rights Movement. He has almost completed the updated photography requested by SHPO. Mr. Ciucevich expects to submit the revised application within the next several weeks. He will send to us the same documents that he submits to SHPO. He also mentioned that he has a handout for anyone asking questions while he is out in the field. Holly Grell-Lawe has requested a copy 2 of the handout which contains her contact information as well as contact information for Cassidi Kendrick. For new HPC member, Jacilyn Ledford, Holly Grell-Lawe reiterated that this application is for designation of a fourth National Historic District on Tybee, the Central Tybee Island Residential National Historic District. National Historic District designation brings recognition (but not protection) to the historic structures in the district and can help property owners access federal and state tax incentives for restoration of historic structures to the Secretary of Interior’s Standard for the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures. Promotion & Education Committee Update on Tour of Homes Planning (May 2025) The Committee met on October 8, 2024 and the minutes of that meeting are attached. Maggie Wright presented the activities and progress of the committee as laid out in the October 8, 2024 meeting minutes. The next meeting of the Committee is November 13, 2024 at 2pm. Jacilyn Ledford will be joining the committee. A potential artist to develop renderings of some of the historic properties on the tour was discussed. Maintenance of City Owned Historic Properties/Arts Center Mike Goldberg reported that there has not been a second estimate received for restoration of the 23 windows of the Arts Center. There has been no word from the City Engineer about an estimate for galvanized metal ductwork to replace the flexible ducting at the Arts Center. Holly Grell-Lawe reported that she talked to Ben Sutton at the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at the State Historic Preservation Conference in Columbus GA in September. She inquired about whether the Georgia Trust would consider a proposal (under the Callahan Fund or the 1772 Foundation) that would, for example, only fund restoration of 50% of the windows at the Arts Center (former For Screven Fire House). Mr. Sutton indicated that the Georgia Trust would look for information in a proposal that would outline the plan and schedule of events for raising the additional funds needed to complete the project. Mr. Sutton further indicated that you would want to take a good look at the systems in the condition assessment, but the assessment did not necessarily have to be conducted by an outside professional firm. You would want people on the assessment team familiar with the historical aspects of the building, construction, mechanical systems, architecture. Holly Grell-Lawe stated that she believes there is value in doing a condition assessment of the Arts Center so that HPC is aware of the issues in the building. The Georgia Trust is unlikely to fund windows restoration if there are more significant maintenance or preservation issues present in the building. She suggested that the City Engineer needs to be part of the assessment. Holly Grell-Lawe proposed that HPC move forward with a window sponsorship program and consider reorienting the May 2025 Trolley Tour as a fund-raiser for an Arts Center Building Fund (or something to that effect) to support the maintenance needs of the building and ensure that work is done in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Properties. Cara Cole stated she agrees with getting information on what needs to be 3 done in the building, prioritizing those needs, and focus messaging on the building while moving forward with window sponsorship. Holly Grell-Lawe pointed out that Public Works has a way in which they identify and prioritize maintenance needs and a sit-down with the City Engineer is needed to understand that process and current priorities for the Arts Center. Mike Goldberg stated that HPC should not step out too far on this in terms of taking responsibilities that are not HPC’s. Holly Grell-Lawe sees HPC’s priorities on this as twofold: a meeting with the City Engineer and gathering information on maintenance concerns from users of the building. Cara Cole volunteered to gather information from tenants. Cassidi Kendrick will try to set up a day and time for the assessment with the City Engineer next week. CLG Grant Update The bid for the consultant contract was approved by City Council last Thursday. The one proposal received on-time in response to the RFP was from Ward Preservation + Architecture and Quatrefoil Historic Preservation Consulting (joint proposal). This week, Cassidi Kendrick, Maggie Wright and Holly Grell-Lawe will be working on the contract with the consultants to develop a local historic district for the Fort Screven National Historic District and the North Campbell Neighborhood. As Grant Administrator, Cassidi Kendrick has submitted to DCA the first Activity Report deliverable due October 1, 2024. The Public Kick-Off meeting for the project has been posted to the city calendar and emailed and texted to subscribers. Social media postings are forthcoming. Holly Grell-Lawe suggested printed postings in library and other public areas, especially in the Fort Screven area. Cassidi Kendrick is on the City Council meeting agenda for October 24, 2024 to present an overview of the five phases of the project with more detailed information about Phase 1. Presentations to City Council are planned for each phase of the project. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:07pm with unanimous approval by roll call vote upon motion by Cara Cole and seconded by Marna Lewin. 4