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Director's Report
April 12, 2004
1. The Commission has
received the invoice ($5000) from LS3P, project architects, for the
Commission's portion of the cost of conducting a design charette to
determine whether all or some portion of the former Charlotte Union
Bus Terminal might be preserved. The Commission has agreed to
pay this amount, and the invoice is being processed to Bryan Turner
to come out of the Commission's regular operating budget for this
fiscal year. I have talked with Jim Dulan of Spectrum
Properties. He informed me that no final determination has
been made but that there is a substantial cost difference
(approximately $1.5 million) between retaining the building and not
retaining the building. Spectrum Properties will be making an
update report to the Charlotte Historic Districts Commission on
April 14th. The Survey Committee has requested that a
representative of Spectrum Properties attend this meeting to update
the Historic Landmarks Commission as well. In this as in all
cases, it is the owner that ultimately determines the fate of any
historic resource. A represenative of Spectrum Properties will
be present.
2. The owner of
Martin's Grocery will be present with her attorney to explain her
position regarding the prospect of historic landmark designation for
Martin's Grocery. The owner was scheduled to appear
before the Survey Committee at its April meeting but did not attend.
This property has been deemed eligible for listing in the National
Register of Historic Places and is certainly also worthy of historic
landmark designation. The issue the Commission must consider
is whether moving ahead with the designation process at this time
and bringing the building to a vote by the Charlotte City Council is
in the best interests of the preservation of this important historic
resource.
3. The County Manager
will soon be submitting his recommended budget to the Board of
County Commissioners. I will let you know how that budget
would impact the Historic Landmarks Commission. For now the
fee-funded portion of the HLC's operating budget will remain intact
as far as I know. Do not expect any increases in the Operating
Budget for the upcoming fiscal year, however.
4. On April 5th Jeff
Bradsher and I did make a presentation to the Citizens Capital
Budget Advisory Committee about the Commission's request that
$9,760,000 of historic preservation bonds be placed on an upcoming
bond referendum. The Committee will be making a recommendation
sometime in May. I will let the Commission know the results.
5. On
April 6th Jeff Bradsher made a presentation to the Board of County
Commissoners on the work of the Historic Landmarks Commission.
Many Commissioners attended to lend their support. Special
thanks to Mike Sullivan for the time and energy he devoted to this
effort. In my judgment, such a presentation should be made
annually. Perhaps next year the Commission should focus
directly on the revolving fund.
6. On March 9th I
appeared before the Park and Recreation Commission to solicit
support for the historic landmark designation of the American Legion
Memorial Stadium. That effort was successful. The
Commission has received a letter from Park and Recreation endorsing
the designation. I anticipate that at some point the
Commission will be asked to participate in a preservation plan for
some parts of the stadium.
7. On March 15th
Stewart Gray attended a zoning hearing at the Huntersville Town
Hall. It involved the property on which the Ewart House is
located. The developer is meeting with HLC staff to devise a
preservation strategy for the house which will involve its being
relocated. Hopefully, the Commission will not be asked to put
any money into this endeavor.
8. On April 8th I met
with David Wagner, architect, about plans for the incorporation of
portions of the Carolina Theater into a proposed art museum.
At some point the Commission will be asked to comment publicly on
the scheme. The Tryon St. facade, the only portion of the
building which has historic landmark designation, will be saved as
the main entrance into the museum.
9. The Commission is
actively marketing three properties -- the Oakley House in
Pineville, the W. T. Alexander Plantation in University City, and
the Charlotte Cotton Mills on West Fifth St. in Charlotte.
Restoration is underway at three properties -- Rozzell House, Sidney
and Ethel Grier House, and Grier-Rea House. The access
easement for the W. T. Alexander Plantation has been finalized.
10. Patricia Nystrom
and staff continue to work with CSX to investigate the prospect of
purchasing the Thrift P&N Station and with the owner of the Bethesda
School to perform due diligence on that property.
11. The demolition of
the rear portion of the Charlotte Public Utilities Streetcar Barn
has been completed. Restoration of the building should begin
late this year or early next year. Streetcar 85 is back in
operation, and CATS will be assuming control of streetcar operations
in the near future. The first of the three replica cars is
scheduled to arrive in July.
Respectfully submitted
Dan L. Morrill |
