ITEM NO. 3: DR-03-33-06
STAFF REPORT
A.
SUMMARY
DR-03-33-06:
by the City of
Historic Places. The
property is also located in the Downtown Conservation Overlay District.
B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The applicant is requesting to
construct an addition to the north elevation of the structure located at
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South Elevation |
C. Standard for Review
Certified Local Government Review
For projects that require a
Certified Local Government Review the Historic Resources Commission has
typically used the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards to evaluate the
proposed project.
Standards for
Evaluating the Effect of Projects on Historic Buildings
The following standards apply to
the proposed alterations:
1. A property shall be used for its historic
purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining
characteristics of the building and its site and environment.
2. The historic character of a
property shall be retained and preserved.
The removal of historic material or alteration of features and spaces
that characterize a property shall be avoided.
3.
Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time,
place, and use. Changes that create a
false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or
architectural elements from other buildings, shall no be undertaken.
4.
Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired
historical significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.
5.
Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples
of craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved.
6. Deteriorated historic
features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires
replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in
design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible
materials. Replacement of missing
features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical and pictorial
evidence.
9. New additions, exterior
alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials
that characterize the property. The new
work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible in massing, size,
scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the
property and its environment.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be
undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future the essential form
and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be
unimpaired.
Guidelines for
Evaluating the Effect of Projects on Historic Buildings
Some exterior and interior alterations to a historic building are
generally needed to assure its continued use, but it is most important that
such alterations do not radically change, obscure, or destroy
character-defining spaces, materials, features, or finishes. Alterations may
include providing additional parking space on an existing historic building
site; cutting new entrances or windows on secondary elevations; inserting an
additional floor; installing an entirely new mechanical system; or creating an
atrium or light well. Alteration may also include the selective removal of
buildings or other features of the environment or building site that are
intrusive and therefore detract from the overall historic character.
The construction of an exterior addition to a historic building may
seem to be essential for the new use, but it is emphasized in the rehabilitation guidelines that such
new additions should be avoided, if possible, and considered only after it is
determined that those needs cannot be met by altering secondary, i.e., non
character-defining interior spaces. If, after a thorough evaluation of interior
solutions, an exterior addition
is still judged to be the only viable alterative, it should be designed
and constructed to be clearly differentiated from the historic building and so
that the character-defining features are not radically changed, obscured,
damaged, or destroyed.
ADDITIONS
Recommended
Placing functions and services required for the new use in
non-character-defining interior spaces rather than constructing a new addition.
Constructing a new addition so that there is the least possible loss of
historic materials and so that character-defining features are not obscured,
damaged, or destroyed.
Designing a new addition in a manner that makes clear what is historic
and what is new.
Considering the design for an attached exterior addition in terms of its
relationship to the historic building as well as the historic district or
neighborhood. Design for the new work may be contemporary or may reference
design motifs from the historic building. In either case, it should always be
clearly differentiated from the historic building and be compatible in terms of
mass, materials, relationship of solids to voids, and color.
Placing a new addition on a non-character-defining elevation and limiting
the size and scale in relationship to the historic building.
Designing a rooftop addition when required for the new use that is set
back from the wall plane and as inconspicuous as possible when viewed from the
street.
Not Recommended
Expanding the size of
the historic building by constructing a new addition when the new use could be
met by altering non-character-defining interior spaces.
Attaching a new
addition so that the character-defining features of the historic building are
obscured, damaged, or destroyed.
Duplicating the exact
form, material, style, and detailing of the historic building in a new addition
so that the new work appears to be part of the historic building. Imitating a historic style or period of
architecture in a new addition.
Designing and
constructing new additions that result in the diminution or loss of the historic
character of the resource, including its design, materials, workmanship,
location, or setting.
Designing a new
addition that obscures, damages, or destroys character-defining features of the
historic building.
Constructing a rooftop
addition so that the historic appearance of the building is radically changed.
Downtown Design Guidelines
The City Commission and
the Historic Resources Commission have adopted a set of Downtown Design
Guidelines (2001) to review projects within the Downtown Urban Conservation
Overlay District. The guidelines that
relate to this project are:
Development Patterns - The existing grid
layout of streets and alleyways and other development patterns such as
zero-building set back were established early in
Guidelines
Existing street patterns and layout
shall be maintained. Closure of existing streets shall not be permitted.
Alleyways shall be maintained for
vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic.
Buildings fronting
Exceptions may be made for
architectural features such as recessed/projecting entries and balconies.
Buildings fronting
Buildings fronting
New infill buildings should be
multistory in height.
Buildings fronting
Buildings adjacent to historic
structures listed on a register, such as the
Exceptions may be made for
architectural features such as recessed/projecting entries and balconies.
Exceptions may be made for detached
building forms which are traditionally set back from the property line.
Buildings fronting Numbered Streets
(7th, 8th, etc.) shall be constructed to zero front and side lot lines.
Exceptions may be made for
architectural features such as recessed/projecting entries and balconies.
Exceptions may be made for detached
building forms which are
traditionally set back from the
property line.
Streetscape Patterns - The Downtown Urban Design Principles,
adopted by the City Commission, establish a number of design elements that
relate to specific areas in Downtown
Guidelines
circulation.
Sawtooth parking shall be
maintained along
Existing landscaping features such
as raised planters and street trees shall be maintained.
Pedestrian-scale lighting shall be
maintained.
Accent paving shall be used at
intersections and mid-block crossings.
patterns.
On-street parking shall be parallel
in orientation. Special consideration will be given for existing angle parking
in the 600 block of
Street trees and pedestrian-scale
lighting shall be an integral part of the streetscape.
A curbed or non-curbed landscape
bed shall separate the street and the pedestriansidewalk. The landscape strip
shall be centered around the required street trees. An irrigation system shall
be provided for all plant materials in the landscape bed. An agreement to
participate in a benefit district for streetscape improvements may be executed
in lieu of immediate improvements.
Numbered Streets (East-West
Access): Shall promote pedestrian-oriented access while providing major and
minor vehicular movement patterns.
On-street parking shall be parallel
in orientation.
Street trees and pedestrian-scale
lighting shall be an integral part of the streetscape.
A curbed or non-curbed landscape
bed shall separate the street and the pedestrian sidewalk. The landscape strip
shall be centered around the required street trees. An irrigation system shall
be provided for all plant materials in the landscape bed. An agreement to
participate in a benefit district for streetscape improvements may be executed
in lieu of immediate improvements.
New Construction and Additions - Additions and new infill
construction must adhere to the patterns that prevail in nearby or
adjacent structures. Pattern is defined
as the arrangement of form and the disposition of its parts or elements. It is
always best to think of new construction as one element in a larger context.
The design guidelines for new construction and additions deal with the
larger contextual issues. For design guidelines related to specific building
elements, such as storefronts, refer to the appropriate section.
Guidelines
Facade Height:
Height must be considered as a
dimension important to the structure, not just how the structure is related to
adjacent buildings. The height of the building must be in proportion to its
width and the story-to-story height of the building must be appropriate.
The height of new buildings and
additions shall relate to the surrounding contributing buildings; avoid new
construction that greatly varies in height from adjacent buildings. A good rule of thumb is that new construction
should not be more than two stories higher than adjacent contributing
buildings.
Corner buildings should be higher
than those that are interior to the block.
Corner buildings shall be a minimum
of two-stories in height.
In infill construction, the facade
width should fill the entire space.
Facade Width:
Facade widths for new buildings and
additions should correspond with other buildings widths in the same block.
If the site is large, the mass of
the facade should be broken into a number of smaller bays, to maintain a rhythm
similar to surrounding buildings. This is particularly true for storefront
level facade elements.
Composition:
The composition of the infill
façade (that is, the organization of its parts) shall be similar to the
surrounding facades in the block.
Rhythms that carry throughout the
block (such as window spacing, etc.) shall be incorporated in the new facade.
The size and proportion of window
and door openings of the new construction should be similar to other buildings
in the block.
The ratio of window area to solid
wall for new construction shall be similar to other buildings in the block.
New construction shall be
constructed with party-wall construction methods. Exceptions will be made for detached
governmental, civic, or institutional buildings and when required by
residential egress requirements.
Placement of Additions:
Primary consideration should be
given to placing additions in the rear of existing structures.
Parking - Standards for the location and
design of parking areas in Downtown
Guidelines
General Parking Guidelines:
Parking lots/structures shall not
be permitted to front
Surface-parking lots fronting
Parking structures fronting
Existing corner surface-parking
areas fronting
Surface Parking Lots:
Primary access to surface parking
areas shall be taken from
While there is no established
setback for surface parking areas, there should be a clear separation between
vehicular parking areas and pedestrian areas. Pedestrian scale landscaping,
fencing, and/or walls shall be provided to delineate the parking area from the
pedestrian sidewalk.
Pedestrian-scale lighting shall be
provided in surface parking areas.
While some interior landscaping
shall be provided, surface-parking areas shall not be required to meet
landscaping provisions set forth in 20-14A04.6 (a) of the City of
Surface-parking areas shall meet
the provisions set forth in 20-1205 and 20-1217 of the City of
Parking Structures:
Primary access to the parking
structures shall be taken from
Parking structures should be
constructed to zero-lot lines. Parking structures adjacent to registered historic
structures, such as the
The inclusion of retail, commercial
or office uses are encouraged at the ground floor of parking structures.
The primary facade of the parking
structure should be designed to be compatible with neighboring buildings.
Parking structure facades should
contain building materials consistent with the existing traditional building
stock: brick, stone, terra cotta, etc.
Parking structures facades shall
contain sufficient detail to break up the overall massing of the structure.
Parking structures shall meet the
provisions set forth in 20-1205 and 20-1217 of the City of
Block Elements - Detached Building Forms - While detached building forms
are not predominant in Downtown Lawrence, they can be found on corner sites and
are usually limited to governmental, civic, office or institutional buildings.
Detached building forms in the Downtown have unique design characteristics.
Existing detached buildings shall maintain these characteristics, and
construction of new detached building forms should reflect these
characteristics.
Guidelines
Detached building forms should be
set back from the property line. The setback, typically 3 feet to 5 feet,
serves as a greenspace between the building and the sidewalk.
While detached building forms often
have primary and secondary facades, the overall building design is usually
carried throughout all of the facades. Unlike attached building forms, primary
and secondary facades are not usually differentiated by a change in material
but in the degree of architectural embellishment.
Detached building forms should have
a high degree of architectural embellishment.
Facades- Traditional commercial facades
have a three-part horizontal layering.
Guidelines
Primary Facades:
Primary facades or front facades
are facades that are oriented toward the primary street.
Primary facades shall employ an
overall building design strategy exhibiting a) three-part horizontal layering;
b) overall verticality; c) hierarchy; and
d) a balanced composition.
Storefront and display windows must
be included in all retail developments.
Buildings should have a sense of
unity and balance. In this drawing of a building in Downtown
because they have matching shapes
and equal spacing. Although there are
two different stores at the street level, the strength of the second story
gives the building unity.
Buildings with multiple storefronts
within a larger building should be compatible from storefront to storefront.
Secondary Facades:
Secondary facades are facades of
corner buildings that do not face the primary north/south street. For instance,
a building located on the corner of
Secondary facades shall contain
display windows and/or secondary storefronts.
Secondary facades shall contain
upper story windows.
Secondary facades should be
balanced in design and shall provide a distinction between lower and upper
sections of the building.
Secondary facades should not
directly compete with the primary facade.
Rear Facades:
While rear facades on older
structures are more symmetrical in their design, more recent buildings provide
a more utilitarian design approach. In most cases, rear entrances and openings
occupy a relatively small part of the rear facade and exhibit more of a
utilitarian character.
Rear facades should be maintained
and developed to support the overall appearance of Downtown
Rear entrances on buildings that
face public parking areas are encouraged.
Rear facades should provide
sufficient architectural features, such as window and door openings, to
articulate the building facade.
Rear facades should not compete
with the primary facade of the structure.
Building Materials - The surface
materials of a building are a key factor in its appearance and its relationship
to adjacent buildings.
Guidelines
The original building material
whether located on primary, secondary or rear facades, shall be retained when
possible. If the original material has been overlaid by such coverings as
aluminum or stucco, these alterations should be removed and the original
material maintained, repaired or replaced with similar materials.
Building materials shall be
traditional building materials consistent with the existing traditional
building stock. Brick, stone, terra cotta, stucco, etc., shall be the primary
facade materials for buildings fronting along
While traditional building
materials such as brick, stone, terra cotta, stucco, etc., are the preferred
building materials for buildings fronting along New Hampshire, Vermont Street,
or numbered streets, consideration will be given to other materials.
Storefront level and upper levels
should have materials that are compatible.
Secondary and Rear Facade:
Building materials of secondary and
rear facades are typically less costly than materials used on primary facades.
Secondary facades, which have
primary facades facing
While traditional building
materials such as brick, stone, terra cotta, stucco, etc., are the preferred
building materials for buildings fronting along New Hampshire, Vermont Street,
or numbered streets, consideration will be given to other materials.
Party-walls or Shared Walls:
Building materials of party-walls
or shared walls are typically less costly than materials used on primary and
secondary facades. Rubble limestone, brick, tile block, and concrete block are
common party-wall materials.
While permanent materials should be
considered for party-wall construction, other materials which meet the
associated building code and fire code requirements will be considered.
General Masonry:
Proper maintenance of masonry facades is an important part in
maintaining the visual appearance and longevity of a building. Repointing and
cleaning of a masonry structure should not be conducted without consulting a
professional experienced in maintaining masonry structures.
Masonry walls, except in rare
instances, shall not be clad with stucco, artificial stone, or EIFS (Exterior
Insulation and Finish Systems). This includes publicly visible partywalls
constructed of brick or rubble limestone.
Existing unpainted masonry walls,
except in rare instances, shall not be painted. This includes publicly visible
party-walls.
Existing Ornamentation - Existing
ornamentation such as curved glass displays, terra cotta ornamentation, cast
iron pilasters, glass transoms, and decorative tin cornices shall be
maintained. Much of the character of Downtown Lawrence is due to the attention
to detail evident in the brickwork, terra cotta, wrought iron, tin cornices and
other embellishments. It is important to repair existing ornamentation when
necessary and not detract from its effect by the addition or repair with
inappropriate materials.
Guidelines
Architectural Details:
Intact original ornamentation or
architectural details should be maintained and preserved. If original detailing
is presently covered, exposing and restoring the features is encouraged.
Cornices:
Cornices shall not be removed
unless such removal is required as a result of a determination by the Chief
Building Inspector that a cornice poses a safety concern.
Original cornices should be
repaired rather than replaced. If replacement is necessary, the new cornice
should reflect the original in design.
New construction should provide for
a variety of form, shape, and detailing in individual cornice lines.
Staff Analysis
Historical Background
According to the National Register of Historic Places
nomination, the structure located at
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South
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The original portion of the structure is a rectangular
one-story, brick structure with a basement and architectural detailing that has
been labeled “neo-classical” and “Beaux Arts.”
The main façade is accentuated by a central entrance with an impressive
sequence of stone steps, an arched and coffered portico flanked by Corinthian
columns, and a replacement wood front door. All four elevations of the original
structure were symmetrically composed with major window surmounted by arches.
Brick walls are embellished with band, cornices, window heads and sills, and
other details of terracotta. The roof is
entirely concealed by a continuous parapet.
The 1936 addition is clearly distinct from the ornate original structure. The addition does, however, continue some of
the horizontal banding and the use of a terracotta cornice. There is a parking lot to the north of the
existing structure.
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North Elevation |
In several meetings with the architect for the applicant,
the State Historic Preservation Office, and
9. New additions, exterior
alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials
that characterize the property. The new
work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible in massing,
size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of
the property and its environment.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be
undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future the essential form
and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be
unimpaired.
The rehabilitation of the Carnegie Library is currently a
State Tax Credit Project and a Save America’s Treasures grant project. Final designs will be reviewed by the Kansas
State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service for their
compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.
Project Description
The new addition will
be placed on the north elevation of the existing structure and will be attached
to the historic structure with a small connector that will maintain the
existing openings. The proposed addition
will be off set from the main structure by a 6’ connection and will be recessed
from the eastern building plane by 15’ 10”. The proposed addition will measure
23’ X 47’ and will have a roof height that is approximately three (3) feet
taller than the 1936 addition and in equal height to the eastern parapet of the
original 1904 structure. The proposed
materials for the new addition will include cast stone foundations and brick
and glass sheathing. A metal roof extension will project to the east from the
new entrance.
Project Analysis
The Carnegie Library is one of
the most significant historic structures in the City of
The Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards are clear that new uses should require minimal change to the defining characteristics of the
building. Changes that create a false sense of historical development
should be avoided, and distinctive
features that characterize a historic property shall be preserved. As proposed, the current project meets
the intent of the new addition section of the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards.
The project architect and the
Historic Resources Administrator met with the staff of the State Historic
Preservation Office on September 12, 2006.
This final version of the design was presented. SHPO staff requested the
project be submitted for review as it appears to meet the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards. The lack of
fenestration on the western elevation of the proposed addition was noted and
was not of concern for the SHPO staff as this is a secondary elevation with a
utilitarian interior use. SHPO staff did
note concern that the overall height and clearstory element of the proposed
addition may diminish the prominence of the 1936 addition.
Overall, staff is of the opinion
that the proposed project meets the intent of the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards and the Downtown
Design Guidelines.
D. STAFF RECOMMENDATION
In accordance with the Secretary
of the Interior’s Standards, the standard of evaluation, as well as the
Downtown Design Guidelines, staff recommends the Commission approve the
proposed project with the following conditions and make the determination that
the proposed project does not encroach upon, damage or destroy any listed
historic property or its environs.
1. Complete
construction documents with material notations, window details and trim details
to be approved by the Architectural Review Committee and the Kansas Historic
Preservation Office;
2. Any
changes to the approved project will be submitted to the Historic Resources Commission prior to the
commencement of any related work.
3. The property owner will allow staff access to the
property to photo document the project.