PRESENTER
Katie Totman, HPO
SUBJECT:
HLC Case HST25-065: Discuss and consider a Certificate of Alteration to install a new monument sign and replace existing wall signage on the building at 430 W Mill Street.
HISTORIC DISTRICT/LANDMARK NAME: Mill Street Historic District/Old New Braunfels High School
APPLICABLE CITATIONS:
Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66 - Historic Preservation
Sec. 66-57. Alteration certificates for alteration or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.
No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, new construction, removal or relocation of any city designated historic landmark or on any property within a city designated historic district which may affect the appearance and cohesiveness of any historic landmark or any property within a historic district without first obtaining an alteration certification authorizing the change.
Sec. 66-58. Criteria for approval of an alteration certificate.
In considering an application for an alteration certificate, the commission shall be guided by any adopted design guidelines, and where applicable, the following from the secretary of the interior's standards for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. Any adopted design guidelines and secretary of the interior's standards shall be made available to the property owners of historic landmarks or within historic districts.
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible.
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired.
FINDINGS:
a. The building at 430 W Mill is the Old New Braunfels High School building. It is a local landmark, located in the Mill Street historic district and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
b. WALL SIGNAGE - The applicant is requesting to replace an existing sign on the top of the building with new metal letters and install vinyl graphics on two of the windows flanking the entry doors. The replacement letters are proposed 1’- tall metal cast letters and mounted into the mortar joints of the masonry.
Below are the criteria for approval with staff comments and how they relate to the request:
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment. The proposed letters are replacing existing letters in the same location of the building.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible. N/A
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged. N/A
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected. N/A
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible. N/A
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures. N/A
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken. N/A
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project. N/A
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. The proposed letters and vinyl pose a minimal impact the to the building.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired. If the signs are removed in the future the effects will cause little to no damage to the building.
c. MONUMENT SIGNAGE - The applicant is requesting to install a monument sign on the NE corner of the property (at the corner of Academy and W Mill). The proposed sign is 4’-8” tall and a tapered brick design. It will feature cut metal as the actual signage with the organization logo and name. It will feature up-lighting at the base.
Below are the criteria for approval with staff comments and how they relate to the request:
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment. N/A
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible. N/A
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged. N/A
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected. N/A
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible. N/A
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures. N/A
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken. N/A
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project. N/A
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. The proposed sign is located on the site and not on the historic building itself. The size of the sign is generally proportionate to the building.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired. N/A
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff finds that the proposed signs are consistent with the criteria for approval, based findings b and c above.