August Preservation Board Meeting Has Short Agenda
August 28, 2008
The Preservation Board of the city of St. Louis held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, August 25, 2008. Board members present were Chairman Richard Callow, Melanie Fathman, Mary Johnson, Mike Killeen and David Richardson. The agenda can be found here.
The board declined to take action on the matter of the house located at 6044 Cates Avenue in the Hamilton Place Historic District. Neighbors James and Rita Baker requested demolition even though the home is owned by the city's Land Reutilization Authority (LRA). LRA received the home in July and has placed it for sale. Cultural Resources Office staff recommended denial, and Landmarks Assistant Director Michael Allen spoke against demolition without allowing LRA time to sell the house. City Counselor Barb Burkett suggested that the request was outside of the purview of the board, and the board unanimously approved a motion to take no action.
The board voted to defer consideration of an appeal of staff denial for a demolition permit at 3915 N. 25th Street in the Hyde Park Historic District. The applicant is Irving School LLP, part of the Better Living Communities development consortium. Last year, the Board denied an application to demolish this house. Ken Nuernberger, consultant for Irving School LLP, testified that the building was past a point of soundness where it was financially feasible to include its rehabilitation in the scattered-site Better Living Communities project. Cultural Resources Director Kate Shea strongly disagreed, and recommended that the board uphold her denial. The board voted 3-1 (Johnson dissenting) to defer a decision until the applicant could present cost analysis demonstrating that the applicant could not rehab the building.
The board voted to uphold staff denial of a demolition permit for a well-maintained house located at 1244 Temple Avenue in the West End neighborhood. Christ's Southern Mission Baptist Church wanted to demolish the home on a 25-foot-lot for "green space." Michael Allen testified against the demolition, reminding the board that residential streetscapes with the integrity of Temple have become rare in the West End. The board voted 3-1 (Johnson dissenting) to uphold staff denial.
Two variances sought in the Lafayette Square Historic District were unanimously granted. Jefferson Park, Inc. will be able to retain a small chain-link fence at 2350 Park Avenue and Walter Moody will be able to build a 6-foot privacy fence at 1101 S. 18th Street.