LAWRENCE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

ITEM NO. 7: L-10-02-05

STAFF REPORT

A. SUMMARY

L-10-02-05: Hold public hearing for consideration of placing the structure located at 1839 Massachusetts, Fire Station #2, on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

B. HISTORIC REGISTER STATUS

1839 Massachusetts Street is not listed on the State or the National Registers of Historic Places.

C. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

1) History Summary

According to the nomination, Fire Station #2 was constructed in 1928 and the architect for the project was J. F. Stubeck. In 1969, the city built a new fire station at 1941 Haskell Avenue, which became Fire Station #2. A private ambulance company occupied the building until 1980. The American Heart Association and the Douglas County Ambulance Administration shared the building and in 1982-83, Douglas County Ambulance Service remodeled the building. In 1997, the fire department and the ambulance services merged to form Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical Services. The building became known as Fire Station #5 and was used as the headquarters for the Battalion Chiefs.

2) Architectural Integrity Summary

The structure, constructed in 1928 and designed by J. F. Stubeck, is the oldest fire station still standing in Lawrence. It is a two-story mission style brick building that is rectangular in plan. The building has a concrete block frame with brick veneer. The east façade contains double aluminum overhead doors on the ground floor with enframing brick piers on each side. Above the garage doors is a stone header that identifies the structure as Fire Station #2. The second story contains a center Palladian window with two double-hung windows on either side. Pilasters divide the Palladian window into three sections and are detailed in the Baroque style. They twist up to the ionic capital from which spring the arches of the window. The rectangular windows have keystones at the top center of the sills that are typical of the Baroque details often found in Mission Style architecture. The roofline projects upward with a scalloped brick mission style parapet roof trimmed with stucco coping. The parapet is centered between two Spanish tile cornices capped with parapet roof. Currently, the finial on the north is missing its uppermost portion.

The north elevation of the structure contains a plate glass door on the east side, a double hung window, and a bricked-in opening. There is a plate glass door with a smaller double hung window on the west side of the elevation. The upper story contains four bricked-in openings. On the first level of the west elevation, two doorways have been bricked-in, The upper level of the west façade contains two modern double hung windows. The south elevation has three double hung windows on the lower level, with a window and door opening bricked in on the west side of the lower level. On the second level, there are five modern double hung windows.

In 1956-57, the firemen constructed a two-story addition that is 16 feet wide onto the west elevation of the structure. When this addition was constructed, a small entrance at the rear of the structure was removed, as well as a chimney. During the renovation in 1982, the front garage doors were widened and the center brick column was replaced with a smaller beam. The original doors were 16 panel wood and glass bi-fold doors.

Fire Station # 2 located at 1839 Massachusetts Street retains its architectural integrity. While the loss of the original windows and doors is significant, photo documentation as well as drawings exist that could aid in the replacement of these elements.

3) Context Description

At the turn of the century, the City of Lawrence was expanding south and west. Fire Station #2 was constructed in Lawrence during the “Quiet University Town (1900-1945)” as defined by the Historic Resources of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF). This MPDF notes that there was a significant trend to build new residential districts south of 15^th Street in the early twentieth century. This expansion, along with the advances of technology in terms of streetcars, automobiles and water lines necessitated the city to construct more infrastructure to keep up with demand. New brick paved streets were constructed and water lines were laid, and there became a growing need for there to be a second fire station constructed in “South Lawrence”.

1839 Massachusetts was constructed in 1928 on the north 40’ of lot 19 and the south 7’ of lot 20 of Babcock’s Enlarged Addition. (Babcock’s Enlarged Addition was recorded in 1865.) This area was intended to be an extension of the residential neighborhood that developed south of South Park along Massachusetts Street. By the mid 20^th Century, residential neighborhoods to the east and west of Massachusetts Street became more desirable as Massachusetts Street became a primary automobile artery for transportation to the commercial district located north of South Park. Several of the residential structures facing Massachusetts Street, particularly in the 1700 and 1800 blocks, were removed and replaced with commercial services. However, the area has maintained a significant number of residential structures in concentrated areas.

4) Planning and Zoning Considerations

1839 Massachusetts Street is zoned C-5, Limited Commercial District. The C districts are designed for those areas where the land is presently being used, or where development appears desirable, for commercial uses. In addition to the general purposes applying to commercial districts, the regulations for the C-5 district are designed to permit and encourage the grouping, in defined areas along highways, of certain retail activities and services intended primarily to serve, and be dependent upon, the motoring public. While the subject property is located in the C-5 district, the majority of the property in the area that does not front Massachusetts Street has some type of residential zoning.

Horizon 2020 The Comprehensive Plan for Lawrence and Unincorporated Douglas County identifies the intersection of 19^th and Massachusetts Streets as an existing Neighborhood Commercial Center with a nodal development pattern. The Comprehensive Plan does not recommend expanding the commercial uses beyond the existing commercially zoned property. New development and redevelopment proposals for this area shall, according to the Comprehensive Plan, include plans for the consolidation of curb cuts and provision of cross access easements to adjoining properties to strengthen the nodal development pattern.

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. Currently, listing on the National and/or State registers may have monetary benefits for the property owner.

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' buffer, 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;

1839 Massachusetts Street, Fire Station #2, is significant for its value as part of the development of Lawrence, Kansas. Specifically, this property is significant for its association with the growth of governmental services related to the growth of the community and its association with the development of the Lawrence/Douglas County Fire and Medical Services.

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

(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;

(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:

1839 Massachusetts Street, Fire Station #2, qualifies for designation as a Landmark on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places pursuant to Criteria #1 and #4, as described in Section 22-403 of the Code of the City of Lawrence. Staff recommends the Commission adopt by resolution a recommendation to be submitted to the City Commission for the designation of 1839 Massachusetts Street, Fire Station #2, 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 exterior architectural features of the nominated landmark that should be protected include the parapet roof, niches, Spanish tile cornices, stone header that identifies the structure as Fire Station #2, terra cotta finials, Palladian window with detailing, and the keystones.

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 main façade, 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.