Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2013 12 16

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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Nlinutes November 19, 2013 Page 3 of 11 • Found photo documentation of the building as a two story structure. • Newspaper articles stated the structure sank 6' in height in 1895 due to subsidence. • The owner then filled in the area and used the second floor as the first floor. • The building currently has asphalt roofing and asbestos siding. • The State recommended the period of significance is 1880 to 1959, when Jessie Niehoff died. • This period of significance incorporates all of the improvements which have been done, including the asbestos siding. • Humphries Poli made a recommendation for the asbestos siding to be removed. • The State does not agree the asbestos siding needs to be removed. • There appears to be some sort of wood clapboard siding beneath the asbestos siding. • If you do restore the building to a certain period of time, the State wants very detailed documentation of the findings to establish this period of significance. Because of this, we have chosen 1948 due to the amount of documentation existing for this time period. If this time period is chosen the windows will need to be restored. Stewart asked when the last addition as made. Crissler stated the last addition was made in 1951. Watson inquired if there was a foundation holding the structure in place. Crissler stated there was work done in the basement during the last renovation of the structure. Watson asked if the foundation was treated wood or concrete. Crissler stated there are concrete stem walls and wood on grade. She stated the assessment recommends the wood on grade needs to be addressed. Watson asked why the State would not want to have the structure brought back to a period of significance when the asbestos siding was not in place primarily because that would be a more aesthetic building. Crissler said it is based on the Secretary of Interior Standards and they believe the change to asbestos siding happened during the period of significance, which is based on when the original family lived there. She believed pre -World War II would make sense. Griffin stated the structure only has asbestos siding for 2 years of the period of significance and wood clapboard for over 60 years. Crissler said they are looking at the evolution of the building over time. Griffin recommended keeping only a portion of the asbestos to show the evolution. She stated the state believes the evolution is just as important as establishing the period of significance. She added the proposal was to remove the asbestos shingle and to remove the asphalt roofing. However the State did not agree. She is willing to continue discussions.