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Director's Report 1. The Commission will hold five joint public hearings with the Charlotte City Council next Monday, May 19th. The hearings will include: Newcombe-MeElwee House, Parks Hutchinson School, Armature Winding Company, the expansion of the boundaries of White Oaks Plantation, and the Grand Theater. I will inform you of the approximate time when the hearings will occur. The owners of all properties support historic landmark designation. It is important that the Commission have a quorum present. 2. The Commission will have three joint public hearings with the Charlotte City Council on June 16th. The hearings will include: Bryant Park, Elmwood-Pinewood Cemetery, and the Calvin Neal House. I anticipate that only the Elmwood-Pinewood Cemetery issue could be controversial. 3. All papers have been signed for the closing on the Croft Schoolhouse. This brings to a close a five-year process for the saving of this property. Congratulations to the Commission!
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4. The issue of the streetcar barn continues to evolve. The Board of County Commissioners will decide on May 20th whether it will commit $1.5 million of Land Bond money, as requested by the HLC, to the purchase of the Bland St. building. I will not be able to be present that evening because of a commitment I have made to do a book signing and give a speech at the Charlotte Museum of History. 5. Patricia Nystrom continues to have discussions with Charlotte Trolley about the transfer of title of Streetcar 85 to that body. As you remember, the Commission wanted clarification from CATS as to whether it would be necessary for CATS to hold title in order to be able to spend Federal money on the restoration of the streetcar. Charlotte Trolley and CATS have been working on an operations agreement, which specifies that Charlotte Trolley can and will hold title to the streetcar as long as Charlotte Trolley exists and would be transferred to CATS thereafter if necessary. Patricia Nystrom will speak to this issue. 6. Belle Banks, the owner of Cedar Grove Plantation, has requested that historic landmark designation be removed from the entire property. I met with her and the Planning Director of the Town of Huntersville. Ms. Banks did agree to allow staff to develop a proposal that would retain historic landmark designation for a lesser amount of land. Staff will make that proposal and take it to the next meeting of the Survey Committee.
7. The Commission has received a proposal for the development of the W. T. Alexander Plantation. The Projects Committee has appointed a subcommittee to investigate the proposal and to make a recommendation to the Projects Committee at its next meeting.
8. National Register Study List Applications for the Sidney and Ethel Grier House, the Grier-Rea House, and the Rozzel House have been received by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. 9. The Commission was not awarded a Grant from the North Carolina Division of Archives and History to survey signage and miscellaneous structures in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. The State only had $67,000 to distribute State-wide. 10. The lawyer representing the owner and the prospective buyer of the Frank Lytle House called. He is requesting that the Commission table its consideration of this matter for 90 days, so that the Commission and the owner and prospective buyer can meet to discuss preservation strategies. The owner and the prospective buyer will agree not to demolish the house during this period and will allow the Commission to go onto the property.
11. The lawyer representing the owners of the Ada Manufacturing Company has requested that the Commission table its consideration of this matter for 30 days, so the attorney can become fully informed on the consequences of historic landmark designation.
12. Discussions continue with the County about next year's operational budget for the Historic Landmarks Commission. I anticipate that the Commission will be able to continue its current level of operations but that approval of betterments is unlikely. 13. Historic Charlotte will be vacating its office space at the end of this month. The living room will be converted into a meeting room for smaller groups. 14. The Commission has received a letter with respect to the East Trade St. facades from the City Engineer. This matter will come before the Commission under the Projects Committee report. 15. Staff will be writing a letter to officials of Queens University about the prospective designation of the Lethco House. 16. Staff will be presenting to the next meeting of the Survey Committee a report documenting the history of additional land to be included in a historic landmark designation for the Oehler House. This is in response to a request from the Huntersville Town Board. 17. Construction has begun on the new pavilion building (classroom and bathrooms) at Rural Hill Plantation. The foundation is being built beneath the Grier-Rea House. Final construction drawings are being done by Copeland Architects. Don Yelverton will appear briefly before the Commission tonight to present conceptual plans for the Grier-Rea House. 18. Patricia Nystrom will be presenting a report specifying where money might come from to allow the Commission to participate in the adaptive reuse development of the Highland Mill No. 3. Respectfully submitted
Dan L. Morrill |
