At its Sept. 7 meeting, the Historic District Commission approved extending the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for demolition of B-100 on the Community Center property for three more months. Al Larson represented the Eureka Springs School District, and announced that asbestos removal is already underway in preparation for razing the building.
The original plan called for leaving in place the northwest corner of the building as acknowledgment of the students who had studied there. However, Larson said the Community Center Foundation had learned from engineers that it would be very expensive to leave the corner in place while removing the rest of the building. Larson asked instead for approval of disassembling a portion of the wall and reconstructing it nearby in a more appropriate location as their plans develop further.
“It would be cheaper and better to rebuild,” Larson commented. He said the engineer is ready to send the specs out for bid pending approval.
Commissioner Melissa Greene was reticent to approve the change without seeing more specific plans although she complimented Larson on the progress made. Commissioners approved extending the COA but wanted to see more clearly what the changes would be.
In the next conversation, commissioners were unsure about the application to add a rear deck to cover a concrete pad at 58 Vaughn. Applicant David Hasenmueller said his contractor could start work on it next week, but commissioner Virgil Fowler wanted a site visit before he would give approval. Greene stated she did not want to hold up the project, so suggested they visit the site as soon as possible and convene a special meeting to make their decision.
Commissioners visited the site Sept. 9, and approved Hasenmueller’s application.
In other business, these applications were approved:
- 34 Ridgeway – replace non-original windows and door
- 94 Wall – new paint colors
- 4 Prospect – add storm windows
- 44 Armstrong – replace door; add corner boards; add awnings; new paint colors; replace damaged siding (adding a window and replacing a window was denied)
- 82 Armstrong – rebuild rear stairway
- 51 Copper – new roofing material
- 7 East Mountain – rear ancillary building
These items on the Consent Agenda were approved:
- 95 S. Main – new paint colors
- 9 N. Main – new sign
- 53C Spring – new sign
- 63 N. Main – new paint color for rear door
- 107 W. Van Buren –new signs
- 53 Spring – new sign
Consent Agenda items are Level I applications that the City Preservation Officer believes to be in accordance with the design guidelines.
Chair Dee Bright presented these Administrative Approvals, which are applications for repair
and work involving no changes in materials or color but which include changes in roofing color.
- 36 Elk – re-roof
- 32 Kingshighway – repair facia, new gutters; level deck
- 9 Ridgeway – re-roof
- 44 Ridgeway – repair rear stairs; repaint
- 4 Armstrong – repaint porch
- 63 N. Main – repair windows
- 36 Elk – replace front porch flooring
Next meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m.