Commission denies Carriage Town Ministries' request

The Historic District Commission April 14 denied an application from Carriage Town Ministries to expand a pole barn at a special meeting. The commission approved a steel fence downtown and demolition of a house on Humbolt Avenue.

Chairperson Ryan Eashoo and Commissioners Leanne Barkus and Heather Burnash, on a three to two vote, voted to deny an application from Carriage Town Ministries to add a 60- by 12-foot addition to a pole barn at 725 Garland St.

The request was resubmitted by project manager Kevin Johnson and architect Sheri Ananich. It was denied at a previous HDC meeting.

Eashoo presented a letter from the city of Flint law office stating the city had no records of a certificate of appropriateness (permit to build the pole barn) issued in 1995 when the structure was erected. This letter certified that the records do not exist or were not retained.

Eashoo said he spoke with commissioners that served in 1995. They told him they would not have approved a pole barn or the T-111 siding on it.

Eashoo said the pole barn would be a commercial use encroaching on a residential district and the mass and scale was inappropriate for the area. He also said he refused to vote to approve an addition on what was possibly unapproved structure.

Ananich said she was disappointed in the commission and it didn't have the right to disapprove the addition.

Barkus cited the Secretary of the Interior's Standards of Rehabilitation (Section 1.9) that govern the commission's decisions.

It states:

"New additions, exterior alterations or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment."

Commissioners Freeman Greer and Dale Suomela voted to approve the application.

The commission approved a 5-foot high decorative steel fence to enclose the parking lot at 125 W. First St. The parking lot, owned by Uptown Development since 2002, serves the Torch Bar and Grill, 501, the Loft, Wize Guys Pizza and loft residents.

Scott Whipple, development manager, said there was an increase in vandalism, broken glass and vomit in the lot. The black steel fence would have a rolling gate and four locked pedestrian swing gates for loft residents.

A Genesee County Land Bank property at 2513 Humbolt Ave. was unanimously approved for demolition.

Demolition Director Jesse Buchanan told the commission the roof and first and second floors were a total loss after the Civic Park house was damaged in a fire. He also said that the foundation needed significant repairs.

Buchanan withdrew a city request to demolish 434 W. Fourth Ave. after being told that the property owner had deposited money with an architect to redo the exterior. Barkus said that the owner had invested $10,000 in the house and reconnected the water line.

Buchanan recommended giving the owner the next six months to start work on the exterior of the structure. The item was withdrawn from the commission's agenda.

The commission also tabled the decision to demolish 520 W. University Ave. until the May 5 general meeting. The mortuary, given to the Carriage Town District Neighborhood Association 18 months ago, might be used for an UM-Ann Arbor School of Architecture project in a few months.

Carriage Town District Neighborhood Association President Tim Monahan told the commission that after touring the building with him a professor from the school said her students would work on a plan for the structure.

If something is not done soon, Monahan added, the building should be demolished because more than 1,000 gallons of water had collected on the second floor.

Buchanan admitted he was unaware of Monahan's plans until a day before the special meeting. He said the city has not talked with the Carriage Town Neighborhood Association about what they would like to do with the property.

The HDC meets at 5:30 p.m. May 5 at City Hall, 1101 S. Saginaw St.

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