LAWRENCE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

ITEM NO. 4: L-12-04-06

STAFF REPORT

A. SUMMARY

L-12-04-06: Hold public hearing for consideration of placing the structure located at 1646 Massachusetts Street, the Edward House House, on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

B. HISTORIC REGISTER STATUS

1646 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, the structure was constructed c. 1894. The area in which the property is located was not mapped by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Company until 1918. The architect/builder of the structure is not known

The structure at 1646 Massachusetts Street is architecturally significant as a good example of Queen Anne Architecture, also categorized by the “Historic Resources of Lawrence” Multiple Property Docmentation Form (MPDF) as a “Late Victorian Residence.” Most of Lawrence’s Late Victorian Residences were designed in high style, typically by skilled professionals. The MPDF states, “Some of the earliest examples of this subtype were constructed either outside of the city limits, or in portions of Lawrence which were still rural in character. Thus, the original lots or parcels of land associated with the residences were typically quite large.”

2) Architectural Integrity Summary

The structure at 1646 Massachusetts Street is architecturally significant as a good example of Queen Anne Architecture. Overall, the House House is characterized by a compound square plan with pedimented gabled projecting bays. The roof is steeply hipped with lower cross gables, with a gable-on-hip design on the front elevation of the roof. The exterior is clad in wood clapboard while the foundation is made of limestone and the two chimneys are made of brick.

The nomination application notes several known alterations to the structure. In 1988 the alterations included: the addition of a wood deck, installation of central air on the first floor, construction of a workshop in the garage, enclosure of the first and second story sun porches, and the addition of a fence. Third floor bedrooms and bathrooms were added in 1989. Then, in 1990, a bathroom was added on the second floor, copper plumbing was installed, central air was installed on the third floor, and the entire home was rewired. The roof was removed and rebuilt with a plywood base in 1991. The basement was

remodeled in 1993. In 1995, the first floor half bath was altered and a new furnace was installed. Finally, in 1996, the kitchen and sun porch were both remodeled.

The House House also has a garage which according to the nomination was constructed c. 1920’s. The garage is located to the east of the main structure and is one-and-a-half stories with a north-south driveway entrance on the east end of the property. Wood clapboard clads the structure.

3) Context Description

The Edward House House is a good example of the housing that was constructed in Lawrence during the “Agriculture and Manufacturing, Foundations of Stability (1874-1899)” as defined by the MPDF. The area surrounding 1646 Massachusetts Street is a mixture of single family residential, multi-family residential, neighborhood religious institutions, and commercial activities. The property is bordered by single family residential uses on the north, single family residences and religious institutions on the west, single family residences on the east, and multi-family residences and commercial uses on the south. The age of the extant structures in the area ranges from the late 1800’s to the late 20^th Century. Babcock’s Enlarged Addition was platted in 1865. 1646 Massachusetts Street occupies lot 7 and the south 25 feet of lot 6 of the subdivision.

4) Planning and Zoning Considerations

1646 Massachusetts Street is zoned RS7, Single-Dwelling Residential District. The primary purpose of the RS district is to accommodate predominantly single detached dwelling units on individual lots. The RS district is intended to create, maintain, and promote housing opportunities for individual households, although nonresidential uses that are compatible with residential neighborhoods are permitted.

5) Fiscal Comments

There are no monetary benefits directly associated with nomination of a structure to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places at this time. However, Chapter 22 of the Code of the City of Lawrence does identify mechanisms for financial incentives. If these programs become available in the future, structures listed on the Lawrence Register will be eligible for participation.

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.

This property is concurrently being considered for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. If listed, the property may be eligible for State Rehabilitation Tax Credits and other funding sources tied to National Register listing.

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, an advisory board, 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;

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

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

(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;

The structure at 1646 Massachusetts Street is architecturally significant as a good example of Queen Anne architecture. This house type is often associated with the late 19^th century “well to do” and is important when studying the evolution of architectural styles in Lawrence.

(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;

As a good example of Queen Anne architecture, 1646 Massachusetts Street contains elements of design, detailing, materials, and 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;

(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:

The Edward House House at 1646 Massachusetts Street qualifies for designation as a Landmark on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places pursuant to Criteria #4 and #6, as described in Section 22-403.