LAWRENCE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

ITEM NO. 6: L-10-01-05

STAFF REPORT

 

 

A.       SUMMARY

 

L-10-01-05: Hold public hearing for consideration of placing the structure located at 702 E. 11th Street on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

 

B.       HISTORIC REGISTER STATUS

 

702 E. 11th Street is not listed on the State or the National Registers of Historic Places.

 

 

C.       REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

 

1)      History Summary

 

According to the nomination, the park was established in 1946, with Municipal Stadium completed in 1947. The land was the original homestead (1854) of John Speer, one of the founding fathers of Lawrence. In 1872, the land served as a site for the Quaker Meeting House designed by Lawrence architect John G. Haskell. The structure was razed in 1941 by the new owners, the Kansas Bible College. The land then became Hobbs park in 1946 and is currently owned by the City of Lawrence.

 

Hobbs Park is perhaps most significant for its association with John Speer, an early Lawrence settler. He was a newspaper publisher and was an important influence during the years of political and military struggle over Kansas as an anti-slavery state.  In 1863, during Quantrill’s raid on Lawrence, the Speer home was set afire by William Quantrill’s men during the Lawrence Massacre.  Later that day, a straggler from the raiding party, Larkin Skaggs, was captured and executed on the site.

 

In 1872, the land became the site for Lawrence’s Society of Friends Meeting House, which was razed in 1941 by the Kansas Bible College.  In 1946, the land was purchased by the City of Lawrence to be used as a park.  Municipal Stadium was completed in 1947 and became the first semi-professional stadium built in the city.

 

The Murphy-Bromelsick house currently sits on the northwest corner of the site.  The house was moved in 2000 from its original location at 909 Pennsylvania Street.  The dwelling was originally constructed in 1866 by Timothy and Bridget Murphy. In 1869, they constructed an addition to the house and then sold the house to F. Bromelsick in 1871.  The house was later owned by Mr. Pearson in 1940, and then Val Romero purchased the home in 1959. Mr. Romero wanted to keep the land, but did not want the house. The Free State Memorial Trust and the Hobbs Park Memorial Fund, along with the Lawrence Preservation Alliance raised the funds and coordinated the move of the house from 909 Pennsylvania to its present location in Hobbs Park.

 

 

2)      Architectural Integrity Summary

 

Municipal Stadium was the first of its kind and scale in Lawrence. The 950 seat concrete stadium was designed by George Rinner of Topeka. It consisted of a center curved section, that forms an arc, with straight section on each end for stairs and end guard rails.  The nomination application notes that there have been some alterations to the site.  Dugouts were removed in 1980 and there was a stone wall that was demolished in 1998. In 1971, a chain link fence replaced the eight foot green wooden wall enclosing the field, and the dimensions of the field were changed to conform to a softball field. 

 

The Municipal Stadium maintains its architectural integrity despite the removal of the dugouts, stone wall, and wood fence.

 

The Murphy-Bromelsick house consists of two portions. The first is a low-pitch, side gabled, brick hall and parlor folk house.  The house measures 24’ X 17’ and is constructed of 8” thick brick walls. The foundation is constructed of 24” thick limestone walls. The second portion of the house is an addition that was constructed in 1869 that forms an L-shape off of the north half of the rear of the structure. It is constructed of native limestone with walls that are 18” thick. It measures 13’ X 14’ and has a cross-gable roof.  The house retains architectural integrity due to the careful relocation and restoration of the structure; however, the move and placement of the structure on the site in this location has compromised the historic integrity of the house rendering it ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The park is considered a neighborhood park that houses the stadium, the house, a shelter, restrooms, a playground area and a basketball court.

 

 

3)      Context Description

 

Lawrence was growing after World War II, and residents desired a stadium that gave the community professional conditions to play in, such as lights and a professional grandstand. A referendum was passed in 1946 appealing to the city to provide such a ballpark.  The facility was dedicated on July 9th, 1947.  Teams that played in the stadium included everyone from Lawrence’s Junior American Legion teams to the Negro League team, the Kansas City Monarchs.

 

The land on which the park site is located played a significant role in the development of the history of the community.  The social, political, and military effects of the events that took place during Quantrill’s Raid had a great impact, not only on Lawrence, but on the history of Kansas as well.

 

 

4)      Planning and Zoning Considerations

 

702 E. 11th Street, Hobbs Park, is zoned RS-2, Single-Family Residence District and M-3, Intensive Industrial District.  The RS districts are designed for those areas where the land is presently being used, or where development appears desirable, for single-family dwellings.  In addition to the general purposes applying to residential districts, the regulations for the RS Districts are designed to encourage the provision of single-family, detached residences in districts of four permitted densities.  M districts are designed to accommodate manufacturing and industrial activities.

 

 

 

5)      Fiscal Comments

 

There are no monetary benefits directly associated with nomination of a structure to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

 

However, listing on the local Register does help preserve built resources important to Lawrence's history and helps to maintain streetscapes in older neighborhoods through environs reviews.

 

The original information submitted with nominations for properties to the Lawrence Register is kept on file in the City Planning office for public review and consultation with regard to development projects within the notification area.  Copies of this information are also on file at the Kansas Collection in Spencer Research Library on the University of Kansas main campus and at the Watkin’s Community Museum.  This type of information is useful, for example, if present or future property owners seek nomination to the State or National Register of Historic Places.

 

 

6)      Positive/Negative Effects of the Designation

 

The positive effect of designation is the creation of a permanent record of the historical significance of an individual property, for its architectural quality or its association with a significant local individual or event.  This provides the local Historic Resources Commission with pertinent historical data which can help to provide an ‘historic' perspective to property owners when they desire to improve, add on, or redevelop a property within an older section of the City.

 

The public accessibility of this information is also a resource as it can be used by realtors, builders/developers, and others in the community prior to a property's resale, redevelopment or rehabilitation.  In a more general sense, this information can be used by the Chamber of Commerce and existing businesses and industries to ‘identify' one of the facets that makes up Lawrence's Quality of Living.

 

Additional effects of designation are the creation of an arbitrary, 250' environs notification and review area. Within this 250' circle, projects which require city permits, e.g., demolition, redevelopment, renovation or modification, require review by Historic Resources staff or the Commission.  These environs reviews permit scrutiny of proposed development/redevelopment by individuals sensitive to historic preservation.

 

A Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Economic Hardship is required to be issued by the Historic Resources Commission before a City permit can be issued for the proposed project.  If the Historic Resources Commission denies a Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Economic Hardship, the property owner can appeal to the City Commission for a new hearing.  The City Commission can uphold the decision of the HRC or it can grant the proposed development over the Historic Resources Commission's action.

 

The local ordinance 250' environs review area is exceeded by State law with regard to State and/or National Register properties.   Certificates of Appropriateness or Economic Hardship are required for a project within the 250' radius of a Local Register property.

 

Examples of projects which would require review and approval are: projects involving the exterior building which are considered ‘structural' changes, demolitions or partial demolitions, rezonings, replats, site plans, variance requests or other items which require a city permit or are the direct result of an action of the City Commission.  Minor changes which require a city permit can be administratively approved by the Historic Resources Administrator.

 

 

7)      Summary of Applicable Designation Criteria

 

Chapter 22, of the City Code is the Conservation of Historic Resources Code for the City of Lawrence. Section 22-403 of this code establishes criteria for the evaluation of an application for nomination to the Local Register of Historic Places. 

 

D.  CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION AND DESIGNATION - Section 22-403

 

Nine criteria are provided within this section for review and determination of qualification as a Landmark or Historic District.  These criteria are set forth below with staff's recommendations as to which this application qualifies for:

 

(1)  Its character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the community, county, state, or nation;

 

702 E. 11th Street, Hobbs Park, is significant for its association with John Speer and its development as a space utilized by the community as a public space. The Murphy-Bromelsick House is significant for its association with the residential development of the City of Lawrence.

 

(2)  Its location as a site of a significant local, county, state, or national event;

 

702 E. 11th Street is significant for its association with John Speer, Quantrill’s Raid and the Kansas City Monarchs.


 

(3)  Its identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the community, county, state, or nation;

         

702 E. 11th Street is significant for its association with John Speer.

 

(4)  Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable for the study of a period, type, method of construction, or use of indigenous materials;

 

(5)  Its identification as a work of a master builder, designer, architect, or landscape architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the community, county, state or nation;

 

(6)      Its embodiment of elements of design, detailing, materials, or craftsmanship that render it architecturally significant;

 

(7)  Its embodiment of design elements that make it structurally or architecturally innovative;

 

(8)  Its unique location or singular physical characteristics that make it an established or familiar visual feature;

 

(9)  Its character as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian structure; including, but not limited to farmhouses, gas stations, or other commercial structures, with a high level of integrity or architectural significance.

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The HISTORIC RESOURCES CODE establishes a procedure to follow in the forwarding of a recommendation to the City Commission on applications for listing on the local register.

 

 

"Following the hearing the commission shall adopt by resolution a recommendation to be submitted to the city commission for either (a) designation as a landmark or historic district; (b) not to designate as a landmark or historic district; or, (c) not to make a recommendation.  The resolution shall be accompanied by a report to the city commission containing the following information:

 

The Historic Resources Commission needs to formulate its recommendation in response to the following subsections section 22-404.2 (b):

 

(1)      Explanation of the significance or lack of significance of the nominated landmark or historic district as it relates to the criteria for designation as set forth in section 22-403;

(2)      Explanation of the integrity or lack of integrity of the nominated landmark or historic district;

(3)      In the case of a nominated landmark found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A)      The significant exterior architectural features of the nominated landmark that should be protected; and,

(B)      The types of construction, alteration, demolition, and removal, other than those requiring a building or demolition permit, that cannot be undertaken without obtaining a certificate of appropriateness.

(4)      In the case of a nominated historic district found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A)      The types of significant exterior architectural features of the structures within the nominated historic district that should be protected;

(B)      The types of construction, alteration, demolition, and removal, other than those requiring a building or demolition permit, that cannot be undertaken without obtaining a certificate of appropriateness.

(C)     A list of all key contributing, contributing and noncontributing sites, structures and objects within the historic district.

(5)      Proposed design guidelines for applying the criteria for review of certificates of appropriateness to the nominated landmark or historic district.

(6)      The relationship of the nominated landmark or historic district to the on-going effort of the commission to identify and nominate all potential areas and structures that meet the criteria for designation.

(7)      A map showing the location of the nominated landmark or the boundaries of the nominated historic district.

 

E.       RECOMMENDATION:

 

Hobbs Park at 702 E. 11th Street qualifies for designation as a Landmark on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places pursuant to Criteria #1, #2, and #3 as described in Section 22-403.  Staff recommends the Commission adopt by resolution a recommendation to be submitted to the City Commission for the designation of 702 E 11th Street, Hobbs Park, as a landmark in the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.  This resolution should be accompanied by the report required by section 22-404.2 (b), and should include, in addition to the information contained in this staff report, the following information.

1. Significant architectural features of the nominated landmark that should be protected include the Murphy-Bromelsick House and the Municipal Stadium.

2. The types of construction, alteration, demolition, and removal, other than those requiring a building or demolition permit that cannot be undertaken without obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness shall include the removal or replacement of windows, the removal or replacement of architectural features on the Murphy-Bromelsick House or the Municipal Stadium, and the addition of or replacement of any siding material.

3. Proposed design guidelines for applying the criteria for review of Certificates of Appropriateness to the nominated landmark shall be the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

 

Staff also recommends the Commission approve the associated environs definition for this nomination.