Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2018 01 22

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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes November 20, 2017 Page2of6 Ritchie presented the request to demolish the structure at 1212 Lincoln Avenue. The Historic Preservation Committee determined on October 23rd, 2017 that there was probable cause to find the building eligible for designation as an individual landmark and recommended that the Commission hear the demolition request. The historical significance of the building stems from its connection to the Patete/D'Agastino/Inama/Helart family. The property has social significance as it was owned by Mary Blair in 1953 until 2011, a member of the Patete/D'Agostino family. Staff finds that the building has architectural significance. There has been no formal review of the house, so staff used photographic evidence to make their determination. The building was built in 1953 as a ranch -style house typical of many midcentury homes. Its ranch -style features include one story with low spreading horizontal emphasis, a hip roof with wide overhanging eaves, asymmetry in massing and fenestration, and a picture window on the front facade. The structure is clad in steel siding, the soffits are clad in vinyl, and it appears the roof has been replaced. Building permit records reflect that the windows were replaced in 1973, and storm windows were added in 1977. The attached garage and an additional storage area were constructed in 1976. The steps on the front porch extended toward the street. The large brick chimney does not appear in the assessor card image from 1953, so it may have been added after the initial construction. It has maintained its structure and location since 1953. Haley asked for further questions of staff. Seeing none, she invited the applicant's representative to speak. Andy Johnson, DAJ Design, 922A Main Street, Louisville presented a county assessor records map showing that the structures on the property had maintained structure and location since 1953. Johnson asked if the building had social importance to the character of Louisville. He thought the miners' shacks were an example of preserving the look and feel of the town. The building in question was owned by one family, but it was away from Old Town in an area used for chicken farming. Other homes around it are much older — from 1908, 1910, and 1927. He stated that the postwar architecture did not reflect that desired image of Louisville, as they were quickly made and full of hazardous waste. Much of the property is also taken up by an addition from the 1960s. He asked the Commission if this is the kind of architecture it wanted to save. Chuck Thomas asked if there was any consideration given to retaining the original 1953 structure. Johnson stated that the home was built on a crawlspace and did not offer the applicants enough space to build a new home. Haley stated that the Commission had not answered questions about postwar homes often. Johnson stated that he had done remodels on postwar homes that had more space and were built on basements, which makes it easier to renovate. Chuck Thomas stated that there were structures that were built on piers and crawlspaces that were later outfitted with basements, so building on a crawlspace was an option. Johnson agreed that building on crawlspace was possible. He reiterated the question about the home being worth saving.