PRESENTER: Presenter
Katie Totman
Historic Preservation Officer
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SUBJECT: Title
DM2022-0311: Review two (2) structures located at 295 S Plum for historic landmark eligibility in response to a demolition permit request.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 1
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The area known as Highland Park was platted in 1912 by Otto Warnecke, C.A. and L.W. Stieren. According to the recorded plat, S Plum used to be Highland Avenue. The structures at 295 S Plum both appear to have historically been residential homes and face S Plum. The earliest deed staff could locate dates to May 1924 and indicates that the property was owned by T.M. Speakman and sold to F.A. William Zschiesche at that time. Between 1924 and 1938, the property changed hands several times. In January 1938, the property was deeded to Mario Hernandez by Lionardo Hernandez and Antonio Garcia. On September 17, 1940, Mario and his wife Adela Martinez Hernandez secured a materialman’s lien for the construction of a four-room frame house 20-feet by 20-feet with a corrugated iron roof with the Richard-Zipp lumber company. The Richards-Zipp Lumber Company was established in New Braunfels in 1936 by co-owners Harvy L. Richards and Kermit Zipp. They offered complete building services including decorating services, wall papers, and paints, and were located on South Seguin Avenue.
In a New Braunfels Herald article from May 1956, an article mentions that the company of Richards & Krueger was formed in 1940 by Harvy L. Richards. It is unclear if Richards-Zipp Lumber was dissolved at this time or incorporated into Richards’ new company.
SITE CONTEXT:
There are two (2) primary structures located at 295 S Plum. Structure 1, which is located at the western side of the property, is a single-story residential building. It features wood siding, a corrugated metal roof, and a rectangular footprint. Structure 2, located at the corner of Lee and S Plum, features a covered front porch with a metal roof, two front doors, wood lap siding, and a rear side addition. Based on the description in the mechanic’s lien 1940, it is possible that structure number two could be the structure mentioned in the lien; though staff is unable to confirm if this is accurate.
APPLICABLE CITATIONS:
New Braunfels Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66, Sec. 66-60. Alteration certificate required for demolition.
A permit for the demolition of a historic landmark or property within a historic district, including secondary buildings and landscape features, shall not be granted by the (building inspector or other city official) without the review of a completed application for an alteration certificate by the commission, as provided for in sections 66-57, 66-58 and 66-59.
(1) Significant sites and structures. All applications for permits to demolish or move buildings, objects, sites, or structures not included under section above shall be referred to the city historic preservation officer for the purpose of determining whether or not the building, object, site, or structure may have historical, cultural, architectural, or archaeological significance.
(2) The city historic preservation officer shall make such determination within 30 days after receipt of the completed demolition permit application and shall notify the building official in writing. If the building, object, site, or structure is determined to have no cultural, historical, architectural, or archaeological significance, a demolition permit may be issued immediately, provided such application otherwise complies with all City Code requirements.
(3) If said building, object, site, or structure is determined by the city historic preservation officer to have historical significance, the demolition permit shall not be issued and the historic preservation officer shall make such information available to the historic landmark commission for review and recommendations as to whether it should be designated a historic landmark. If the commission concurs on the significance, the commission shall recommend to the city council that the building, object, site, or structure be designated, as appropriate, an exceptional or significant historic landmark.
(4) The procedures and criteria for designation in sections 66-54, 66-55, and 66-56 shall be followed for this type of designation.
(5) If the property owner objects to the designations, a three-fourths vote of the entire city council shall be required for historic designation of property in question.
New Braunfels Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66, Sec. 66-56. - Criteria for the designation of historic landmarks and districts.
A historic landmark or district may be designated if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
(1) Possesses significance in history, architecture, archeology, or culture.
(2) Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local, regional, state, or national history.
(3) Is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.
(4) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction.
(5) Represents the work of a master designer, builder, or craftsman.
(6) Represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood or city.
ISSUE:
A Certificate of Alteration (COA) is required for the demolition of all non-historically designated buildings within the city limits of New Braunfels prior to receiving a demolition permit. If research indicates that the structure potentially meets the criteria for designation, then the demolition application must go before the Historic Landmark Commission for review and approval.
If the HLC finds that the property meets the required eligibility criteria for landmark designation, then they can vote to initiate the landmark designation process in which the case goes before the Planning Commission and City Council. If the owner is in objection to the designation, then a super majority (three-fourths vote) of the entire City Council shall be required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
Recommendation
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Following review, based on the information available at this time, staff makes the following observations:
• Structure 1 appears to have been altered over time and lacks any style defining features. Staff does not find structure 1 to meet the landmark eligibility criteria.
• Structure 2 has generally retained original exterior material such as wood siding and its historic form. Although the structure may not necessarily be an example of high style architecture, staff finds that it is a modest example of vernacular architecture and potentially meets landmark criterion 1: Possesses significance in history, architecture, archeology, or culture.
Should the HLC approve the demolition, staff recommends that all historic material be salvaged for reuse where possible. This may include, but is not limited to, wood siding, flooring, wood windows, wood doors, etc.