The Historic Preservation Commission met on April 27, 2023, at 6:00 PM at City Hall in Frederick, Maryland, to conduct public hearings, discuss demolition review requests, certify historic preservation tax credits, and workshop design proposals. Key actions included votes on historic designation for two Hood College cottages, approval of several renovation and new construction applications with conditions, and extensive discussion on a large-scale mixed-use development at the former Odd Fellows Home.
Meeting of the City of Frederick Historic Preservation Commission. Anyone here this evening who would like to speak before the Commission or be heard? Um, either applicants or members of the public, please stand and be sworn in the middle. Nothing but the truth. If so, answer I do. Thank you. Frederick City Historic Preservation Commission uses the guidelines adopted by the Mayor and Board of Alderman and the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, published by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and these guidelines are made a part of each and every case. Over on my left, the audience's right, we have filling in for our usual capable assistant. We have the Manager of Community Planning and Urban Design, Mr. Brandon Mark. And we have Commissioner Blair Wilson. I'm sorry. Christina Martin Koske. I see Lisa's not here this evening. By preserving sites, structures or districts that reflect elements of cultural, social, economic, political, archaeological, or architectural history to stabilize and improve property values of such sites, structures or districts, to foster civic beauty, to strengthen the local economy, and to promote the preservation and appreciation of such such sites, structures, and districts for the education and welfare of the residents of the city of Frederick. In order to be eligible to vote on an application, a commissioner must have made the required site visit and attended any and all meetings at which such an application was discussed. In the event that a commissioner is absent from any such meeting, the commissioner may satisfy the attendance requirement by reviewing the record of that meeting. That being said, are any are there any commissioners with statements of eligibility? All right, hearing none, I will ask the city staff if there are any announcements this evening. Moving on to HPC business. Yes, I would like to enter the entire staff or rather the entire memo into the record. A request for demolition review has been submitted per section four twenty-three A of the land management code for two structures on the campus of Hood College, four hundred one Rosemont Avenue, a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. The first structure, Strong Cottage, dates to 1918 and is identified as a contributing resource in the National Register domination. Further, the nomination provides the following context. Also constructed in the colonial revival style. Also constructed in the colonial revival style, although although in more appropriate domestic form, the building offered students an initiative pioneering approach to domestic sciences courses with the addition of practical on-site dream house to the home management curriculum. The placement of the cottage to the southeast of Broadick Hall began the outer ring of secondary structures envisioned in the original design plan. The cottage was named for donor Dr. David Strong of Jacksonville, Illinois, an educational philanthropist who became particularly interested in Hood College through his niece, Ruth Strong Moncraft, who graduated from the college in 1918. The building was substantially renovated in 1962. While substantially renovated, the structure appears to maintain a good level of integrity as demonstrated by historic photographs in the self-titled history published by the college in 2013. Additionally, the National Register nomination establishes the structure's significance as the home of an innovative pioneering approach to domestic science and part of the building campaign to fulfill the original design plan. As a result, staff finds the structure may be eligible for individual designation under the designation criteria outlined in Section 423D. Staff recommends the commission make an application for the structure. The second structure, Carson College Cottage, was constructed in 1923. The National Register nomination again provides the following background. The Y Hut Bungalow was constructed in 1923 with initial funds given to the college by Mrs. Martha Campbell Carson, the COP, the campus dietitian. The building renamed Carson Y in 1952 originally served as the headquarters for the student YMCA and later was used for both recreational and education and each educational endeavors. In 1959, the building was substantially renovated, and the Harlan Fox edition was added to the alumni administration offices, named for Fox, an alumni of the class of 1935. Carson Cottage was later converted into the communications and adult learning center. While Carson Cottage was also identified in the 2002 National Register nomination as a contribu as contributing, historic photographs show that it has been substantially altered. Staff finds that the structure lacks integrity, historic integrity, that and would not be individually eligible under the designation criteria outlined again in Section 423 of the land management code, and recommend recommends that the commission not make an application to designate the second structure. Note uh two other structures, a green house and a gazebo were issued certificates to demolish without delay by staff as a result of being less than 50 years of age. Thank you. All right, thank you. Is there anyone here from uh is there anyone here to represent the applicant? All right, sorry to come forward evening. My name is Rob Kleindenstone, the vice president for finance from Hood College.