Historic District Commissioners heard from Hospital Chair Michael Merry, Mike Finefield and Laura Morrison, representing Morrison Architects, on June 21 regarding renovation of the Eureka Springs Hospital buildings. Merry said his commission is in discussions with Allegiance Health Care to remodel or totally remake ESH, and the commission needs to know what HDC will allow. The first question is can architects plan to remove a building and start over or must some or all exterior walls remain?
HDC Chair Virgil Fowler replied that commissioners needed more details to even discuss what can be allowed.
Finefield noted the Morrisons had not been chosen as the architects yet, but they have background information on the property which is useful at this stage, and the first thing the commission needs from the HDC are parameters of the project, in particular, “Can we take down a building?”
HDC’s Melissa Greene suggested a site visit. “We all want good health care,” she said, adding that leaving historically important facades would be important, but she would need to visit the site before deciding.
Commissioners eventually agreed to visit the site at 4 p.m., July 5, and the Hospital Commission will bring a list of options for HDC to consider.
Siding approved
A late application to replace damaged siding at 5 Cliff Street with a fiber-cement product, about which guidelines state, “If damaged exterior siding is wood, it must be replaced with wood siding to match the profile of the existing siding. Fiber-reinforced cement board (Hardi-board) is not appropriate for replacement unless there is a demonstrated moisture problem and must be approved by the Historic District Commission,” was presented.
Commissioner Susie Allen stated right away the repair was already completed because the applicant did not know she should have applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness first.
Greene noted the damage is where water splashes against the wall very near the bottom of the hillside. Commissioner Dee Bright added the commission allows exceptions to the guidelines if a structure is within a three-foot splash zone. She said they had approved fiber-cement siding before in these cases, and the building was not contributing or nor is the repaired spot visible from the road.
“It’s better to save the house,” Bright stated.
Greene commented the project would have been approved if it had been presented beforehand, and vote to approve the application was unanimous.
Complaint filed
Fowler announced a complaint of an unapproved window relocation at 171/2 Elk had been turned over to the Building Inspector.
Commissioners approved these items on the Consent Agenda:
Level I – 22 S Main – new trim colors
Level I – 14 Center – new sign
Level I – 105A W. Van Buren – new sign
Level I – 105B W. Van Buren – new sign
Consent Agenda items are Level I applications that the City Preservation Officer believes to be in accordance with the Design Guidelines.
Fowler presented Administrative Approvals, which are applications for repair and work involving no changes in materials or color but include changes in roofing color.
2 Martz – re-roof
25 Kingshighway – re-roof
Next meeting will be Wednesday, July 5, at 6 p.m. Preceding the meeting will be a site visit at ESH scheduled for 4 p.m. followed by a workshop on property file database and code enforcement procedures.