February 2019 Historic Preservation Minutes

1. Program Updates and Next Steps
   1. Malachi Mills House: have asked architect to look at the house and offer a plan for their services for stabilizing the property and the architectural survey for restoration. Waiting for the legal ok to move forward on the project without the current owner’s permission. Also waiting to gate the property so can clear the trash out.
      1. Community Committee Steering—Ms Edith will start letting people know what’s going on at the Franklin Square neighborhood association meetings
   2. Printed Tour Map
      1. Need to identify a graphic designer and write the BNHA grant. Betsey is willing to work on that. The Committee discussed map design and the look that they are looking for Betsey to take back to the graphic designer.
   3. Neighborhood Signs
      1. Raising money through a go fund me for the neighborhood sign project
      2. Need to finalize location and language and where to buy the sign, need to finalize the design
   4. Small Museum Gathering
      1. Does anyone want to volunteer to help organize? Elizabeth will continue to work on this. The Committee discussed the Smokestack Harvey museum on the 200 block of N Carey St
   5. Property Updates
      1. 1518 W Baltimore St
      2. 1504 W Baltimore St
      3. Any other progress on 1500 block
      4. Lord Baltimore Theater Status
      5. 1 N Carey St
      6. Hollins Market
      7. Demo on 1100 block of W Baltimore St

• Zoning Issues
  1. Backyard Bar (Former Patrick’s, 131 S Schroeder), looking to expand, need zoning support. Working closely with the Commercial Development Committee, entire block is in support. The Committee voted in favor of supporting the petition to consolidate 129 and 131 Schroeder St.
  2. Carey St Housing Development: developer wants to work on the vacant buildings on N Carey St, want to do six apartments in each house to make the project financially viable. City has said that only 4 apartments are permitted, so the development group is willing to walk away. Scott would like the Preservation Committee to put a letter forward supporting the project. The developers have the neighborhood’s support and are very active in the neighborhood. Ms Edith has asked Councilman Bullock for support. The Preservation Committee voted in favor of supporting the developer
     1. Bif: what would the zoning need to be changed to? Doesn’t need to be changed, a conditional request needs to be approved
  3. Phil Hildebrandt: 1401 and 1403 W Baltimore St, purchased a number of years ago, put a new front on 1403 in 2007 and in 2014 started to do some work in the back of the building, became apparent that the buildings would need to be deconstructed. Phil has been working with the city to keep the buildings from being condemned (currently designated condemned), has stabilized the building, done interior demolition. In 2017 went to CHAP to get a notice to proceed on the exterior preservation, had to go to a hearing, allowed them to move forward, but were told that they would need plans on how they would take the buildings down. Because the process of getting the plans done took so long, the properties were placed in receivership, have an upcoming court date on February 27^th. If a property is in receivership it will appoint a receiver to auction it off.

The Committee is concerned that if Phil loses the property the buildings will collapse/be condemned.

SWP, if Board approves, could send a letter of support in favor of Phil. The Committee voted to support Phil, which Scott will take to the SWP Board for their approval. Scott thinks that there should be language in the letter of support that the city should ‘back off’ and give him the space to complete the project.