LAWRENCE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

ITEM NO. 3: L-08-01-07

STAFF REPORT

A. SUMMARY

L-08-01-07: Hold public hearing for consideration of placing the structure located at 805 Ohio Street, the Jacob House Residence, on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

B. HISTORIC REGISTER STATUS

805 Ohio Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure to the Old West Lawrence Historic District (NR listed 2-23-1972).

C. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

1) History Summary

According to the nomination, the structure was constructed in 1884. The area in which the property is located was shown on the 1897 Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Maps, but this block was only noted with the number and types of structures. There is 1 brick dwelling listed on the 1897 map for this block. The 1905 map shows the structure and identifies it as the Simmons Hospital. The architect/builder of the structure is not known.

Jacob House acquired lots 89, 91, 93, and 95 in 1883. There is a significant tax increase on lots 89 and 91 in 1884. In her book The House Building: My Search for its Foundations, Carol Francis states that Jacob House built the dwelling at 805 Ohio in 1884. An 1885 newspaper article in the Lawrence Journal, describes the new structure as part of a write-up on the nineteenth birthday party of Miss Rachel House, the daughter of Jacob House. 805 Ohio was constructed during the Agriculture and Manufacturing Period (1874-1899) of Lawrence (see Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF) Historic Resources of Lawrence).

Jacob House and his wife Ricka owned the property until 1902 when they sold it to Dr. and Mrs. Charles J. Simmons. Dr. Simmons purchased the property to begin the operation of Lawrence’s first hospital and records do not indicate that the Simmons ever lived at 805 Ohio. A copy of an advertisement in the 1909 Jayhawker Yearbook is included in the nomination materials and identifies “Simmons Hospital and Training School for Nurses (Incorporated),” located at 805 Ohio. The Simmons sold 805 Ohio to Mary Fowler in 1929. She retained ownership until 1947 when the property was sold to the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Lambda Chi owned the property until 1963.

2) Architectural Integrity Summary

The structure at 805 Ohio Street is architecturally significant as a good example of Italianate Architecture, also categorized by the Historic Resources of Lawrence 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.”

Considered a centered-gabled subtype, the exterior of the structure located at 805 Ohio has remained relatively unchanged and contains many character defining elements of the original structure including eave brackets, rectangular window hoods, and a full-width porch. The two and a half story, hipped with cross gable metal roofed brick structure sits on a rusticated stone foundation. A full width, low pitched roof porch supported on chamfered, bracketed wood columns spans the façade and runs along the north elevation. Brackets and decorative frieze can be found under the porch roof overhang and brick chimneys pierce north and south roof slopes. The interior of the structure, although converted into apartments, retains a high degree of integrity. The nomination notes alterations to the structure in the 1930’s and 1970’s.

805 Ohio Street also has a non-contributing garage located to the north of the main structure.

3) Context Description

805 Ohio Street, the Jacob House Residence, 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 805 Ohio Street is a mixture of residential, neighborhood religious institutions, and commercial activities (9^th Street). The property is bordered by residential uses on the north, west, east, and south. The age of the extant structures in the area ranges from the late 1800’s to the 1980’s. 805 Ohio Street occupies lots 89 and 91 of the Original Townsite.

The Old West Lawrence neighborhood contains structures from 1888 to the present. It is located west of the downtown and contains some of the most significant and intact examples of major architectural styles and types of nineteenth and early twentieth century residential architecture in Lawrence. A portion of the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. While structures in the neighborhood vary in style, there is an overall cohesiveness to the neighborhood in setbacks, size, scale and massing, and materials.

4) Planning and Zoning Considerations

805 Ohio Street is zoned RS5, 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.

Multi-family is not allowed in the RS5 district. 805 Ohio Street has a Use Permitted Upon Review as an adaptive reuse to allow for the multi-family use (UPR-05-08-06). This permit, approved by the City Commission on 08/22/2006, is valid for ten years at which time it will be re-evaluated by the Historic Resources Commission, the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission, and the Lawrence City Commission.

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 listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure to the Old West Lawrence Historic District and is 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 examination 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;

805 Ohio Street is significant as the structure that housed the Simmons Hospital, the first private hospital in Lawrence.

(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;

The structure located at 805 Ohio Street is historically significant for its associations with Jacob House and Dr. Charles Simmons.

(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 805 Ohio Street is architecturally significant as a good example of Italianate 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 Italianate architecture, 805 Ohio 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 Jacob House Residence at 805 Ohio Street qualifies for designation as a Landmark on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places pursuant to Criteria #1, #3, #4 and #6, as described in Section 22-403.