Historic Preservation Commission Minutes 2008 12 15

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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes December 15, 2008 Page 2 of 7 Muth reported that the property owners, Michael Schonbrun and Susan Juroe, applied for a demolition permit on October 21, 2008 for the demolition of 1800 Plaza Drive and 1870 Plaza Drive as well as various out buildings on the two sites. Prior to the subcommittee review, staff determined that the home at 1870 Plaza Drive was built after 1958 and did not warrant a review by the HPC. In addition, staff does not have enough information on the build dates of the various out buildings on the site to know when they were built. As such, no review was completed on those buildings. The demolition permits for 1870 Plaza Drive and the various out buildings have been released. Subcommittee members Tofte, Whiteman, and Muth toured the site on November 10, 2008 and determined that the home may be eligible for local landmarking under Ordinance No. 1463, Series 2005 Sections 15.36.050 (A) and (B). The building's architectural integrity is very strong. The enclosed front porch could easily be restored to its original state and the rear addition to the home has little impact on the architecture or character of the original building. The facade of the building is still clearly identifiable as the same building in old photos from the Hecla Mine. More obvious and of particular interest is the building's social history. As the building w~ the former casino and brothel for the Hecla Mine, its social history is considered significant and it would very likely qualify for landmarking. A stay was placed on the demolition permit request and a public hearing was scheduled for December 15. Muth stated that all required public notices had been completed and the applicant has been invited to attend the hearing and give additional information. Muth reminded the Commission that it may vote to either release the demolition permit or hold the permit for the remainder of the 180-day period. In this case, the 180-day period would expire April 19, 2009. In that 180-day period, the Commission and applicant may work to find an alternative to demolition. If no alternative is found by April 19, 2009, the demolition permit will be released and applicant is then free to demolish the building. Muth gave the following staff recommendation: Given the strong social history and the architectural integrity of the building, staff recommends the Commission place a stay on the demolition permit. Staff recommends that the site be adaptively reused if at all possible and asks the applicant to consider ways to incorporate the building into future uses on the site. Given the size of the building, there are many ways it could be reused. As the exterior of the site is specifically considered historic, the interior could be completely changed or remodeled to be reused in any manner the applicant requires. Should a use on the existing site not be an option, staff recommends the owner attempt to find a new location for the building either on his property or with another land owner in the area. Muth noted that additional research materials had been included in the packet for review and reminded the members of the relevant criteria on which their decision is to be based. Lewis asked for the applicant presentation.