Preservation: What gets razed? What gets saved?

[sheclown]

Die hard preservationists would claim that all homes in a historic district ought to be saved.  Is this practical or even desirable?  If not, where is the line drawn? 



Everyone -- except perhaps for those who have been sleeping for the last several years -- understands that there have been houses razed which could have been saved. 

Now that policies are being reviewed and improved, it is time to look at the "Sophie's Choice" of preservation, make priorities and tough recommendations and perhaps find a reasonable solution.

[iloveionia]

Razed.
Tough word to swallow.
A few questions to take it further:
What gets salvaged?
Reused?
Repurposed?

We've determined that mothballing saves money over demolition.
Money saved is money earned, right?
Maybe, just maybe, some of that money saved can go right back into the district to offer homeowners assistance.
Years ago, I know this was done.
Why not again?

[Springfielder]

That's all well and good, but something like this house shown, which has extensive damages inside and out, not to mention, it burned through the roof...it would be far too costly to make an attempt to mothball it, and that means it would have to come down. Nobody has the money or equipment to seal the roof and clean it out where it could potentially be mothballed.

[sheclown]

so, should cost be a factor?

[Debbie Thompson]

If you make cost the deciding factor, the houses are in trouble.  Historic preservation isn't the cheapest thing to do, but it's the right thing to do.

"The Congressional Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2008 indicates that the yearly operating expense of the White House was $12,814,000. Or, about $35,106 a day." Now, this includes official entertainment, so I don't know what to take out for that, but...

A concrete and steel office box would be cheaper than the White House, which is essentially a 200-year-old house, but is it right?

[sheclown]

@ Debbie:  fun stat.  Crazy stuff.

Perhaps it may be better to have ALL demolitions (even those previously approved for Formal Track) to go once again before HPC before being sent out to bid.  This time, the neighborhood gets to have its voice heard, pictures could be shown, experts called.

We don't know how many "critical care" houses are out there, either.  I suppose step one would be to identify them.

[Springfielder]

If the city demands proper mothballing, which means it has to be secured from top to bottom, then this structure's in danger...that's my point. Now if they would allow it to remain with just the first floor secured, then we win and can save it. This is where it gets sticky with finding out exactly what the city will allow and what they won't.

Yes, IMO, the house can be saved, I've actually seen worse that had been and to see them now, you'd never know they were in such horrific shape. Again, it all boils down to what the city will allow

[sheclown]

The second floor would have to be weather-tight, dry, clean and ventilated in order for it to be properly mothballed.

[KuroiKetsunoHana]

years ago, i used to help my dad board houses on city contracts--his know-how might prove useful here, because i remember us always doïng a thorough job.  i didn't put it out there earliër because there are so many different levels ov boarding, and the way we did it wasn't the cheapest (plus i don't remember a lot ov details, so i might end up all talk/no action), but sheclown's bit about 'watertight, dry, clean, and ventilated' sounds a lot like the way we did it.

my dad's a busy busy creature, but i might be able to get him to pull out some ov his old notes and whatnot.

[sheclown]

@ kuro --that would be great.

[iloveionia]

It is possible that we could lose 3 more Historic homes despite new legislation being written to save our remaining stock.
445 E. 7th Street
1630 Ionia Street
1524 Market Street

1630 is slated to be demolished this week: Emergency Demolition

[sheclown]

It is possible that we could lose 3 more Historic homes despite new legislation being written to save our remaining stock.

445 E. 7th Street
1630 Ionia Street
1524 Market Street

1630 is slated to be demolished this week: Emergency Demolition

1630 Ionia is in really bad shape.  It was burned, badly, and is missing key structural elements at this point.  It needs to come down.



445 E. 7th Street was fully restored when it was damaged by the fire next door.  Siding was burned along with a small portion of the roof and several wall joists.  This could be fixed with temporary bracing and boarding.  




1524 Market Street seems okay.  We have requested the HPC minutes on this.  Of the three, this house seems the most salvageable.  It is already boarded.  

[iloveionia]

I believe firmly that if these homes were properly boarded, secured, and monitored they would not have burned (2 of them,) as for Market, no clue why it's on the chopping block.

[Springfield Chicken]

I was checking to see what I could find on the 3 “ladies” in peril on past sales.

I couldn’t find any record that the one on Ionia was ever listed for sale at all.

The one on E 7th, was on the market back in ’06 for $189K and it looked good.

The one on Market St has a weird history:

Sold:

03/26/08            Flaresco Inc                  $55K

08/31/09            JJJ Family LLLP            $11K

11/17/09            Elite Investor Group        $100

11/01/10            Abdool Sattaur               $4500

And it is currently on the market for $31K.

None of that makes sense.  All of those appear to be investors and other than Elite, all lost money.  We need to find a way to get rid of this kind of investor who does nothing but neglect and flip.

[sheclown]

1630 Ionia went down this afternoon.



Preservation SOS was there to watch.