1325 Laura -- demolition hearing at HPC

[JaxUnicorn]

I thought it would be a great visual to see the before and after side by side.  Mothballing makes a HUGE difference.  And Apache, yes, this house may "still sit for years to come as is."  But my oh my!  Having an historic structure within an historic district is WAAAY better than a vacant lot.  This home has been standing since 1905...that's 113 years!!  The mothballing is not yet complete, but WOW!!  Now she is pretty while waiting to be fully restored. 

[chris]

I suppose I'll comment on this as well.  I represent the owner on this and the other adjacent properties.  They are actively being worked on and will not be entering foreclosure as they are already paid for; the reason for the lack of work was a lack of capital to infuse at high enough levels to pull COAs and other assorted permits.  We are considering an offer on 1325 at this time, but no decisions have been made.  If the sale goes through, I will be assisting the buyer in navigating the HPC processes as I have the current owner.  I have begun the COA process on 1311 and 1315, so you will hopefully be able to see work commencing in the next several months, and the vision for these properties will actually be more evident. 

[Cheshire Cat]

I suppose I'll comment on this as well.  I represent the owner on this and the other adjacent properties.  They are actively being worked on and will not be entering foreclosure as they are already paid for; the reason for the lack of work was a lack of capital to infuse at high enough levels to pull COAs and other assorted permits.  We are considering an offer on 1325 at this time, but no decisions have been made.  If the sale goes through, I will be assisting the buyer in navigating the HPC processes as I have the current owner.  I have begun the COA process on 1311 and 1315, so you will hopefully be able to see work commencing in the next several months, and the vision for these properties will actually be more evident. 

Chris, keep on keeping on.  There is no way to adequately measure the positive impact of this type of effort.  Good stuff.

[sheclown]

I suppose I'll comment on this as well.  I represent the owner on this and the other adjacent properties.  They are actively being worked on and will not be entering foreclosure as they are already paid for; the reason for the lack of work was a lack of capital to infuse at high enough levels to pull COAs and other assorted permits.  We are considering an offer on 1325 at this time, but no decisions have been made.  If the sale goes through, I will be assisting the buyer in navigating the HPC processes as I have the current owner.  I have begun the COA process on 1311 and 1315, so you will hopefully be able to see work commencing in the next several months, and the vision for these properties will actually be more evident. 

Thank you Chris!!!  It looks gorgeous!

[fsujax]

Looks great. I just wowed a co-worker with the before and after pic. She thought the windows were real.

[Debbie Thompson]

I love, love, love the house with the coved rafter tails.  I can't wait to see that one when it's finished.

[JaxUnicorn]

I suppose I'll comment on this as well.  I represent the owner on this and the other adjacent properties.  They are actively being worked on and will not be entering foreclosure as they are already paid for; the reason for the lack of work was a lack of capital to infuse at high enough levels to pull COAs and other assorted permits.  We are considering an offer on 1325 at this time, but no decisions have been made.  If the sale goes through, I will be assisting the buyer in navigating the HPC processes as I have the current owner.  I have begun the COA process on 1311 and 1315, so you will hopefully be able to see work commencing in the next several months, and the vision for these properties will actually be more evident.

It looks FANTASTIC Chris!!  Thank you for spearheading the mothballing and helping to SAVE THE HOUSE! 

[stellargirl77]

Looks great! Thank you for all your hard work! I look forward to seeing the transformation of these properties.

[strider]

I suppose I'll comment on this as well.  I represent the owner on this and the other adjacent properties.  They are actively being worked on and will not be entering foreclosure as they are already paid for; the reason for the lack of work was a lack of capital to infuse at high enough levels to pull COAs and other assorted permits.  We are considering an offer on 1325 at this time, but no decisions have been made.  If the sale goes through, I will be assisting the buyer in navigating the HPC processes as I have the current owner.  I have begun the COA process on 1311 and 1315, so you will hopefully be able to see work commencing in the next several months, and the vision for these properties will actually be more evident.

It looks FANTASTIC Chris!!  Thank you for spearheading the mothballing and helping to SAVE THE HOUSE! 

So who spearheaded this mothball and actually did the work? Chris or PSOS? I have become confused here.

The mothballing legislation was spearheaded by Preservation SOS.  This house was at high risk of being demolished several times.  The Municipal Code Compliance Department wanted it down.  A neighbor and a faction within SPAR Council wanted it down. The Doctor himself asked to be allowed to demolish it.  PSOS fought for this house.  The HPC supported the saving of this house.  And recently Chris has stepped up and with the Doctor's support, saved this house.  And by doing that, he has saved the other two as well.

The Doctor is not this bad person who wanted to spend too much on the rehab of these houses, he is someone who didn't know enough and happened to hire the wrong contractors, ones that knew nothing about the old houses they were hired to work on.  Like many, the Doctor fell on harder times and we know how MCC works and it is hard not to just throw up your hands and walk away.  Some wanted to let him.  We didn't.  So the house, considered too ugly by some to be allowed to stand, has a very positive chance at becoming someone's home in a few years rather than being nothing but an empty lot doing nothing for the neighborhood.

The credit goes to Chris for working hard to make this mothballing happen and to the Doctor, who as an owner, still had the choice of doing nothing or stepping up and doing the right thing.  I'd like to believe that he stepped up because PSOS did as well and offered help rather than the hindering of others.

Sometime I think it is really that simple: just Help rather than Hinder.

[sheclown]

PSOS was not involved in the actual work although we did give our 2 cents worth (which should not surprise anyone) and helped out in the permitting and the scope of work.

The doctor hired a local contractor, "The Palace Company" to do the work.  They did a great job and it ended up costing less than a demolition would have -- which has been PSOS's point all along.

[sheclown]

https://www.facebook.com/1034473564/posts/10221241336196338/

This house was recently bought by skilled and savvy investors who have hired me and Joe to renovate.

Renovations are nearly complete and I cannot tell you the joy it brings me to be involved in this.

What was once blight is now providing work for local craftsmen, a beautiful home for a family, infill for a once-neglected block, sales and property tax for our city.  New residents to buy that local pizza and drink that craft beer.

Historic preservation is not about drooling over some romantic notion of the past, it's about the very real value of quality materials and workmanship and the financial value it adds to the neighborhood.

Okay, maybe a bit of drooling.

[thelakelander]

Wow, it looks great! Very impressed!

[vicupstate]

Impressive indeed, sheclown.  I have followed Springfield's progress and setbacks since the late '90's and it has been fits and starts to be sure. You have done a LOT to move the neighborhood forward. Bless you for all you have done.

[sheclown]

Thanks guys.