Staff
liaison Christensen stated that this public hearing on HDC00-0154 for demolition
of a contributing resource to the West Montgomery Avenue Historic District
was advertised via first
class
post cards mailed to property owners within 0.25 miles of the site and through
notices mailed to 43 owners of record of property adjoining, abutting, or
confronting the subject property on March 6, 2000. The property was also posted.
A Maryland
Historical Trust Historic Sites Survey Form of 17 Wood Lane prepared by City
consultants in 1987 was summarized by Ms. Christensen as follows: the building
was constructed by parishioners in 1912 for use as a parsonage and was used
as such until the 1990s, when it was converted for use as a Women's Day and
Resource Center. On February 15, 1999, it was the victim of
an arson attack that damaged the front foyer, caused water and smoke damage,
and removal of interior walls and ceilings by the fire department. The fire marshal subsequently determined that
the building was not suitable for habitation in its present condition and
the occupancy permit was withdrawn. The
building was then boarded and locked.
Staff
recommended denial of the application at this time for the following reasons:
a) Demolition is to be a last resort; and b) No evidence of efforts to reuse,
repair, or find alternatives to demolition was presented to staff and the
HDC. However, Jerusalem Church representatives
will present more information tonight, which may change the recommendation.
Ms. Christensen noted that staff had resolved the question of individual
National Register listing posed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees,
Mr. Walker. Ms. Christensen said that
a graphic error occurred when preparing the map of the historic districts
for the 1993 Master Plan and the map erroneously included 17 Wood Lane as
an individually listed National Register site.
This is not the case. The building
is within the West Montgomery Avenue Historic District, which is also a National
Register District. Therefore, 17 Wood
Lane has both National Register designation as a contributing resource and
local designation, but is not individually listed on the National Register.
John Walker,
representing the Board of Trustees for Jerusalem United Methodist Church stated
that he received news only this afternoon that the recommendation was for
denial. He had a statement to submit for the record and the Church's attorney,
Frank Cornelius, was present to comment. Other parishioners were also present to testify.
Mr. Walker
stated that The Cordelia House at 17 Wood Lane was originally used as a parsonage
but in recent years it was used as a women's shelter and for Sunday school
classes. The resource center was to have moved to a new facility in April
of 1999. After that time, the Trustees
intended to do some interior work on the building and use it for Sunday school
classes and other outreach programs. He noted that the small size limited its use
and it certainly could not meet all the Churchs needs. The Church's planning
committee was gathering information to find ways of solving this and future
problems.
These
efforts halted when a fire was set at 17 Wood Lane on February 15.
The fire marshal arrested a suspect for setting the fire. Major damage
was done to the front of the building, doors, main beams, moldings and frames. The extent of the damage forced the Fire Marshal to declare the
building uninhabitable. Structural workmen had to come in to shore up the
building, stairs, headers, roof and floors, in order for us to go in and retrieve
any salvageable items. The insurance company has assessed the property as
a total loss. In addition, pictures show inconsistencies in window trim and
flashing from the original condition.
Mr. Walker
said the church underwent a number of internal and external reviews before
deciding on this course of action: The Board of Trustees had numerous meetings
and voted in favor of demolition; the Church Council voted unanimously to
have the building torn down as well; and the District Superintendent also
supported the decision to demolish and rebuild.
The Church
has taken many steps to insure a smooth transition from the loss. Part of
that transition includes appearing before the HDC to receive a permit to demolish
the building. Although the church had received offers of help from Peerless Rockville
and the HDC to preserve the building, Mr. Walker said the Churchs needs were
far greater than what has been offered. He noted that the Board met with Preservation Planner Christensen
and with restoration personnel to assess the cost of reconstruction.
Commissioner
Noble requested clarification of the decision to demolish versus repair of
the building and whether the Church felt the essential character of the building
was lost in the fire. Mr. Walker responded that the pre-fire plan
was to upgrade the building for approximately $20,000 and use it for Sunday
school and meeting space. However,
the fire greatly increased the amount to bring the building to a usable condition.
Therefore, the Church felt their resources could best be used by removing
the structure and replacing it. In reply to Commissioner Neal-Powell, Mr.
Walker said any replacement building would not be a replica of the present
building, but one which could better meet Church needs.
Frank
Cornelius, Attorney for Jerusalem Church, stated that he had toured the property
and considered it unusable. He noted that it had been significantly altered
in 1954 by the addition of stucco over the original German tongue and groove
wood siding and it appeared that the trim was not original.
He stated that the windows, doors, moldings, and ceilings are damaged
or missing, and the floor is strewn with rubbish. The staircase is charred
but standing. He noted that it would take more to resurrect the building than
to construct a new one and the insurance company had declared it a total loss. He further stated that even if it is one of
the last vernacular houses in the area, it is not a unique façade with extraordinary
detailing or carpentry. He stated
that the best solution for the church would be another structure on the site,
as the church wants to move forward, not backward.
Commissioner
Noble asked if the stucco could be removed to reveal the original siding.
Mr. Cornelius said expert testimony was needed on this issue. Chairman Moloney asked if efforts had been
made to stabilize the building and if a contractor was consulted for rehabilitation
estimates, and if the Church had pursued community and organizational offers
to help.
Mr. Walker
replied that headers and posts were installed to access the building after
the fire, but no contractor was hired as the insurance adjuster declared it
a total loss. As for community offers
to help, he deferred to Pastor Kevin Small.
Reverend
Kevin Small, Pastor of Jerusalem/ Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, stated
that the house was named Cordelia after the wife of former Pastor Rev. Williams,
and the pastor and his wife would not want progress and the church mission
to be halted in their memory. He noted that the building had been declared
unsuitable as a parsonage, then unsuitable as a shelter, and the church made
a very difficult decision to demolish it in order to go forward. He sympathized with the goals of the HDC, but
said that history should not be used as a hindrance to progress.
He said
the church looked into grants from three organizations, all with minimal amounts
and all offering verbal commitments only.
They also required a façade easement and approval for future changes,
which made it impossible to recommend because of the restrictions.
He stated
that although Cordelia House is dear to the congregation, the sanctuary would
remain as a bold statement of Church identity and what the church represents.
However, the building is severely destroyed, and it is small, three
rooms upstairs and two rooms downstairs.
It is not adequate for programs. Preserving
the building would put the needs of the building above the needs of the care
of the total congregation to provide recreational and spiritual needs to people
in Rockville.
Chairman
Moloney asked for public testimony and comment on application HDC00-0154.
The following citizens testified in favor of granting the application:
Sam Flowers,
30-year church member, said the church has no space for programs, no handicapped
accessibility or restrooms. He said the church is growing and needs to
expand and will be affected by the action and decisions tonight. He said engineers evaluated the church structure
for elevators, accessibility, and code compliance and found no easy solutions.
It must be brought up to code and the rear lot could not be used because
of parking and other code requirements. Mr.
Flowers requested the HDC to grant approval to remove Cordelia House to help
the church solve its accessibility and code issues.
Nina Clarke,
Jerusalem member, said the building as it stands offers very little service
to the Church and the church needs to finish the demolition begun by arson.
It was not fit as a residence for ministers for many years and even
if rebuilt exactly would not solve church's problems.
It would use all the funds and credit gathered to improve the facilities.
She asked the HDC to allow demolition.
Louis
S. Rhodes, member since 1974, said the structure needs demolition.
It is 88 years old and only served 15 women at full capacity.
The fire forced the church to consult an architect and it voted to
construct a new multipurpose building. He
said the church made a reasonable decision and asked the HDC to concur.
Diane
Jones, Church member, said the Church loves Rockville but will have to answer
to church ancestors as to why Jerusalem has not kept up with modern needs
as other churches have done. She said
the church history is the history of its families and the history of Rockville.
She asked the HDC not be at odds with the ancestors who created the
building. She asked that Jerusalem be allowed to move
forward so that both ancestors and children will be proud.
Ruthe
Davis Brown, 57 year member and Manager of Cordelia House when operating,
said many, including herself, did not want to see the old building go, but
it is time to let it go. She said
Mrs. Cordelia William's picture was the first thing burned.
She was dignified and proud and should be allowed to die and let 17
Wood Lane go. This is a growing church and needs to be able to expand to serve
the community.
Gerald
Hicks, Church member, concurred with the testimony given by others.
Sima Osdoby,
Acting Executive Director of Peerless Rockville, spoke in favor of preservation
of the building. She submitted written testimony in favor of
preservation to the record, but departed from it in her remarks. She noted that buildings are testaments, a
legacy that helps understand their past and future. The parsonage tells an important story. In 1980, Jerusalem received a Preservation Award for sensitivity
in preservation of the site. In 1996,
Peeress offered a grant to help attract other donors to help with the handicapped
accessibility requirements. In 1999,
Peerless offered $1,000 in seed money to help attract other donors.
It also offered technical assistance as Peerless has successfully rehabilitated
several buildings in substantially the same condition and restored them to
use. The bottom line in a comparison between new
building and rehabilitation is generally a tear down. It is like working with old people, it takes patience and work but
also yields great rewards. She suggested
that there might be a solution other than building a replica or complete restoration.
She reiterated that Peerless stands ready to assist with fund raising,
grant applications, and technical assistance.
Chairman
Moloney asked what response the Church offered to Peerless.
Ms. Osdoby said that the Church did not accept the offer.
She said that it is correct that Peerless offered only $1,000, which
is not substantial, but may be able to offer more at this time in addition
to other assistance.
Eileen
McGuckian, Rockville, testified as an individual.
She said that the structure should not be demolished.
The Rockville African-American Community cannot afford to lose either
Carver or Jerusalem. Wire Hardware
was in the same condition, or worse, and was put back into full use. The parsonage
is now in bad shape, but has been part of the community for 90 years and should
be treated as an elderly relative or a young teen with acne. She asked the Church to take time to explore
alternatives to demolition.
Commissioner
Noble asked if any church members had spoken passionately in favor of saving
Cordelia House.
Rev. Small
said he did not know, but the church did not easily recommend demolition and
is disturbed that there is a perception that the church has not wrestled with
this problem, which is greater than a teen-ager with acne.
The question is how the Church 's mission to witness is affected. The church does not want to become a museum, it considers its greatest
history lies in its people. If the
City is determined to save the building, it should donate 50% of the cost
to fix and preserve it. History is
a living entity that continues to be made, and cannot be stopped.
In response
to Chairman Moloney and Commissioner Neal-Powell, Rev. Small said the church
believes in good stewardship and using its resources in the best way to meet
its goals. The goal of the church is to have a building with a fellowship hall
that can accommodate 150 to 200 people, have handicapped access and facilities,
elevators, and offices. At present,
the congregation is at 280 members but expanding. He said that the church presently did not
have funds to replace the parsonage with their goal, but it could be done
in stages. Chairman Moloney pointed
out that such a building would not fit on the lot occupied by Cordelia House
and asked if the church would expand into the sides and back. Reverend Smalls said he was not able to comment
on proposed plans at this time.
Commissioner
Noble said the application request had been presented as either the HDC allowing
the church to demolish 17 Wood Lane and grow, or deny the request and deny
growth. He stated that the HDC wanted
the Church to grow and prosper and that they were looking for ways to accomplish
both. Commissioner Rodgers said the issue is not simply architectural, but
also cultural history and asked if the new building could be added to Cordelia
House. Reverend Smalls said one could not be addressed without the other.
The house was not built to be the last remaining black house in downtown
Rockville, it was built to house a preacher and it is no longer suitable.
Staff
noted that the goal of the HDC and the staff was to help the church resolve
its building problems but also to preserve evidence of the history of the
church and of the City before urban renewal for the future.
She suggested that part of the difficulty was that the HDC members
and staff had not seen the actual condition of the structure.
She asked Rev. Small and Mr. Walker if they could continue the hearing
on HDC00-0154 to the April 18 meeting to allow the HDC and staff, and perhaps
an engineer to assess the damage and potential for the house.
Reverend Smalls, Attorney Cornelius, and Mr. Walker stipulated that
they would continue the hearing to April and arrange for the HDC and staff
to tour the house in the intervening time.
Commissioner
Neal Powell moved, seconded by Bruce Noble, to continue the public hearing
on HDC00-0154, demolition of 17 Wood Lane, with the consent of the applicant,
to April 18 to gather further information.
VOTE: 4-0
2.
HDC00-0155 - Applicant:
Ali Honarkar, diVISION ONE INC.
For:
Honarkar/Begines Residence
216
West Montgomery Avenue
Request: Construction of two-car garage and changes to front elevation
Action:
Approve or Deny
Staff
Liaison Christensen stated that notice for public hearing HDC00-0155 for a
detached two car garage and front façade changes at 216 West Montgomery had
been advertised on the City Web site, rocknet and by agenda.
First class postcard notice of this application was sent March 6, 2000
to owners of record within .25 miles of the property including 90 residents
of the historic district and 38 adjacent, abutting, and confronting owners
of record. The property was also posted.
Staff
stated that this property is a non-contributing resource to the West Montgomery
Avenue Historic District and was constructed in 1986.
The applicant has asked to withdraw the portion regarding changes to
the front façade for some more design work.
However, the applicants wish to proceed with the portion of the application
regarding the detached garage and present the façade work as a courtesy review
for HDC comment. Staff noted that the recommended conditions
include a reduction of the proposed garage's total square footage, as it exceeds
the allowed 10% of the minimum lot coverage, which is 900 square feet
(10% of 9,000 sq. ft in the R-90 zone.) The garage as proposed totals
952 square feet. Other conditions applied to compliance with the building code and
use of garage space. Ali Honarkar
of diVISION ONE presented the application for the owners.
Mr.
Honarkar presented a site plan showing the location of the proposed garage
and the extension of the front portico into the front yard.
Concerning the courtesy review of the front portico, the existing front
porch will be enclosed and raised through the second story and extended four
feet to add two two-story columns. The
portico foundation was changed to brick to match the house and a central dormer
and balustrade was added to the roof. The
portico width is 11 feet, 6 inches. It was reduced from 12 feet to 11 feet
but will be reduced an additional foot as 10 feet is the maximum porch extension
allowed. He requested input from the
commission. In response to staff comments that the portico appeared massive
from the side, Mr. Honarkar said the color was changed from white to a cream
color to integrate with the house trim, and the design is still in flux.
Commissioner
Rodgers stated that the current design is much improved. Commissioner Neal-
Powell concurred. Chairman Moloney stated that the color works
better, but the square, shed-roofed central dormer is not usual in Georgian-style
houses. He suggested an eyebrow window
or fanlight with a more prominent painted railing at the corners to anchor
it. Mr. Honarkar said the dormer was
tied to the interior plans and was a necessary feature.
On
the detached garage, Mr. Honarkar presented updated designs and said two feet
were removed from the rear dimensions which reduces it to less than 900 square
feet. He noted that the dormers were changed from
a gabled roof to a hipped roof to match the house roof structure, and the
colors of the garage will match the cream trim proposed for the house. Otherwise, the garage and landscape plans remain
as shown at the courtesy review on February 15, 2000.
Commissioner
Rodgers moved, seconded by Commissioner Noble, approval of amended application
HDC00-0155 for demolition of a modern garden shed, construction of a detached
two car garage, and landscaping improvements in the rear yard of 216 West
Montgomery Avenue, with conditions recommended by staff as follows:
Approval
is subject to the following conditions:
Parking spaces,
driveways, and pavement specifications in accordance with the City's Zoning
and Planning Ordinance;
All construction
must be in compliance with the City's construction codes, the Life Safety
Code, and the Maryland Building Code;
By Rockville
Code 25(3)(11), accessory buildings must be located in the rear yard and are
limited to one story. One third of the loft area may be floored for
mezzanine storage. (Section 25-2).
By Rockville
Code 25-1, a home occupation must be conducted entirely within the dwelling
unit, which precludes use of the proposed garage in support of a home office
or the approved dentist office.
Reduce the
size of the garage to 900 square feet from 952 square feet to comply with
the provisions of Section 25-1 which limits the size of an accessory building
to 10 percent of the minimum lot area (9000 square feet) for the zone (R-90),
in which the lot is located.
VOTE:
4-0
III.
EVALUATION OF GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR COLLEGE
FOR HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL, OR CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Continued)
Chairman
Moloney announced the continuation of evaluation of George Washington Carver
High School and Junior College. Commissioner
Noble announced that as he had not been present to hear the testimony taken
on March 21, he would abstain from voting on this recommendation.
Staff
liaison Christensen said the record closed on March 1, 2000 but a letter from
Superintendent Weast of the Montgomery County Public Schools was received
on March 7, 2000. The HDC may elect to reopen the record to receive
this and further testimony. Following
deliberations and findings, the HDC will make a determination on the significance
of the site, which will be forwarded to the Mayor and Council.
Commissioner
Rodgers moved, seconded by Commissioner Neal-Powell, to reopen the record
of the evaluation of George Washington Carver High School and Junior College
to receive additional testimony.
VOTE: 3-0-1 (Abstained: Noble)
Staff
submitted the April 27, 2000, letter from Montgomery County Schools Superintendent
Weast asking that the HDC defer their recommendation for several months while
the selection process for site improvements continues.
Mr.
Pat Hanrahan, Real Estate Management Specialist for Montgomery County Public
Schools (MCPS) represented the property owner.
Mr. Hanrahan stated that the request for proposals was nearing completion
and selection of a firm would follow. He
stated that Superintendent Weast and MCPS preferred that a proposal and firm
be selected before the HDC made their decision. He reiterated that MCPS is
aware of the value of the Carver building and the role it has played in Montgomery
County and has requested that any proposals for the property include expressions
of this significance.
Nominator
Eileen McGuckian again stated that Carver is unique and significant to the
City of Rockville and to all of Montgomery County.
It represents the struggle to end segregation, which was one of the
most important social movements of the mid-20th Century. She asked
the HDC to find the site significant and designate it.
Nominator
Bessie H. Corbin, President of the Lincoln Park Civic Association, submitted
more community petitions asking that Carver be preserved and designated to
the HDC. She noted that approximately
309 names on petitions had been submitted before the record closed. She also
submitted a letter from Karlton Jackson favoring designation into the record.
No citizen
spoke in opposition to the designation.
Commissioner
Neal-Powell moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodgers, to draft a recommendation
of historic designation for George Washington Carver High School and Junior
College to the Mayor of Council. The recommendation is based on findings that
the site meets the criteria for designation in the following areas:
The site
possesses a local level of site significance;
·
Carver possesses historical and cultural significance through
its value as part of the development, heritage, and cultural characteristics
of the City, County and State;
·
Carver is the site of a significant historic event through its
achievement of equal facilities in education;
·
Carver is identified with Dr. Parlett Moore, Dr. Paul Vance,
and Dr. Reginald Felton, prominent Maryland educators;
·
Carver exemplifies the cultural, economic, social, political
and historic heritage of the County and its communities;
·
The site possesses architectural and design significance in
that it is a typical 1950s educational structure, which was the achievement
of the community and Board of Education. The Commission found that the original
exterior core structure, circular driveway and athletic fields is recognizable
and identifiable to any person familiar with it in the 1950s;
·
In addition, it represents an established and familiar visual
feature of the neighborhood and community due to its singular physical characteristic
and landscape.
VOTE: 3-0-1 (Abstained: Noble)
V.
COMMITTEE/ ORGANIZATION REPORTS
Deferred.
VI.
ADJOURN
There
being no further business to come before this meeting of the City of Rockville
Historic District Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 10: 40 p.m.
Respectfully
Submitted
Judy Christensen
Staff
Liaison
