- All right, it's 5 o'clock. I'm calling to order the May 28th meeting of the Bloomington Historic Preservation
- Commission. Staff, please call the roll. Right now across. Oh, sorry. Commissioner Cross. Commissioner
- Baker. Here. Commissioner, Treasurer Butler. Here. Either one. Commissioner Castaneda. Commissioner
- Duesner. Here. Commissioner Duffy. Here. Commissioner Golden. Here.
- Chair Hacker. Here. Commissioner Schlegel. Here. We have quorum. Excellent. Next up, approval of the
- minutes from May 14th. Does anybody have any edits? Is there a motion? I'll take move. OK. Commissioner
- Golden is moved to approve. It was seconded by Commissioner Butler. Any discussion? Seeing done, I think
- we're ready to call the vote. OK. Co-chair Baker. Yes. Treasurer Butler. Yes.
- Commissioner Duesner? Yes. Commissioner Duffy? Yes. Commissioner Golden? Yes. Chair Hacker? Yes. Commissioner
- Schlegel? Yes. Minutes are approved. Excellent. Next up, we have staff review for two COAs. Mr. St.
- Louis, take it away. So starting off, our first COA of the evening, 2630 for 902 West Kirkwood Avenue
- in the near west side historic district. Petitioner is Bobby Booze.
- This is a request for the installation of solar panels. The property in question was built in phases
- between the 1960s and 1970s. 902 West Kirkwood is an L-shaped concrete block commercial building with
- two wings built around a parking lot at the southwest corner. There are solar panels on the roof of
- the wing parallel to the road and the large picture window on the gable end of the building perpendicular
- to the road.
- The owners are proposing to install additional solar panels on the west-facing roof, which you can see
- indicated here. Current solar installation is located up here, and staff approves COA 2630. The proposed
- solar installation is set close to the roof surface, and the pitch would not obscure damage or, sorry,
- and would not obscure or damage any historical features
- Okay, next item, COA 2632 for 642 North Madison Street in the Showers Furniture Historic District. Petitioner
- is Dawn Gray from Spring Point Architects. Built in 1915, the Showers Brothers Furniture Planing Mill
- has been substantially rehabilitated into office space.
- In February 2026, the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission staff approved COA 2613
- for the installation of a rooftop heat pump. It was subsequently determined, however, that the exterior
- unit location proposed was too far from interior components to function properly. Formally, the request
- was to install it on the roof at this location, which has now been amended to
- Installing the same unit on the eastern alley facing wall And staff approved coa 2632 The new mechanical
- equipment will be located close to other mechanical equipment on the mills alley facing elevation as
- discussed with petitioners both in their petition and subsequently
- Attaching the unit at mortar joints will minimize damage to the existing brick. All right, next up we
- have certificates of appropriateness for commission review, followed by demolition delays. For each
- item on the agenda, the Historic Preservation Program Manager will first present a staff report, filled
- in here if the petitioner has any additional information about their request, followed by a public comment.
- Public comment concludes commissioners will be able to ask questions to staff, the petitioner,
- and the public. We ask that petitioners, the public, and commissioners refrain from speaking until addressed
- by the chair unless the question is directly addressed to them. Following commission questions, the
- chair will entertain a motion from a commissioner regarding the petition. Once a motion is made, we
- will then open up a discussion of the item for members of the commission only.
- Finally, once the commissioners have each had a chance to speak, the commission will vote on the petition.
- We encourage all commissioners, petitioners, and members of the public to be civil and respectful at
- all times. So first up, we have COA 2631. Is the petitioner present? Is there anyone online?
- We have a not the petitioner. We have a Maggie petty John for value built any person named Eric. OK,
- well, if the petitioner is not here, we can move this to the end of the agenda. So I guess next up we
- would hear demolition delay, so that'd be demolition delay 2607. And is petitioner here for this? It
- could be coming.
- The petitioner listed here is 1301 North Walnut LLC. Yeah, they don't have to be here for demolition
- delay. I was just checking. But we can check for that. I noticed that on the DD report, it doesn't have
- the address. It doesn't? I found it in the agenda. OK.
- I guess I just had not included it. Wow. Okay. All right. So the address, as you can see on your agenda,
- is 527 North Prow Avenue. Built in 1945 by developer and auctioneer F. Harold Hancock, this 450 square
- foot gable front house sits on the cement block foundation.
- An open pedimented portico fronts the entrance. There's a small rear shed addition. Most of the exterior
- materials have been replaced. Hancock and his wife, Mary, lived in this house for several years before
- renting it out. From 1957 through 2002, the house was rented by Sarah Swift, who attended IU
- for approximately 10 years before taking an archiving job with the university. Her mother, Dorothy,
- a draftswoman for Indiana University facilities department,
- moved in with her after her retirement in 1970. Sarah Swift bought the house from Hancock in 1975 and
- lived there until her death. Staff recommends the release of demolition delay 2607. All right, thank
- you very much. Would the petitioner like to add anything to the staff report? So we have a, is value
- bill then the petitioner? Yeah. Okay, thank you. I've asked that person to unmute.
- to have anything they wish to add. You don't have to. My microphone was not working. That's okay. The
- only information that I can provide that they've given me is that I'm not quite sure but likely a small
- house due to the size of the lot will be in place there. That's all I've got. Okay, thank you. Are there
- any members of the public who would like to comment on this demolition delay? There's none in person,
- anyone online?
- Nobody online. All right. Hearing none, let's turn to Commissioner Comments. We'll start with Commissioner
- Schlegel. Do you have any questions? Any questions? Questions, sorry. None at this time. Commissioner
- Baker, any questions? No questions. Commissioner Butler, questions? This is such a small house. I mean,
- historically, it's not super
- But such a small house would be R. I. B. interested in moving it would that be a possibility.
- Well I'm asking. Mr Samuels gosh I I am not checked with B. R. I. about it. Is is there a way we could
- do that with. Out delaying this arm without delaying arm.
- So maybe Karen might be able to weigh in. Just all I can say is he looks at the packets. And I think
- I'm not aware of any lots that we have, VRI has right now. And it's an expense. I'm sure VRI would love
- to do it. There's no place for it to go. There's nothing. Yeah.
- Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
- Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
- We're not twenty six oh seven is there a second. All right commissioner Baker has seconded all right-
- comments you can make comments first if you'd like. Comments commissioner Baker any comments. Always
- stand up to release.
- Yeah, I'm sad to see a small house, especially with a story like this one, just a unique story. And
- to tear down a small house to build a small house feels ironic. But I don't think there's much we can
- do, unfortunately, with our either or options. OK. Commissioner Butler. Yeah, I agree with everything
- that Commissioner Schlegel just said. And Commissioner Baker, I think it is awful to have
- tear down the very type of houses that Bloomington needs, but I don't have a lever I can pull. Commissioner
- Duesner. They all said it better than I could. All right, Commissioner Duffy. I think it's a cute little
- house. It reminds me of a small house that I own and I've never had trouble renting out. I hate to see
- it go, but I have no choice. Okay. You already commented. For me,
- Future use is not under our purview, so we can't consider what's going to happen. We do not have enough
- information for make a case for historical significance or architectural significance, so I think we
- just have to let this one go. So that's my comment. Any secondary comments from anyone? All right. Hearing
- none, I think we're ready for vote. Could you call the roll, please? There's a motion on the floor to
- release DD2607 at 527 North Prowell. We'll take a roll call vote.
- Co-chair Baker? Yes. Treasurer Butler? Yes. Commissioner Duesner? Yes. Commissioner Duffy? Yes. Commissioner
- Golden? Yes. Chair Hacker? Yes. Commissioner Schlegel? Yes. That motion to release passes 7-0. All right.
- Thank you very much. I think we will go back to certificates of appropriateness
- You should probably read my paper. Gosh, I forgot about it again. Do you need that? Yes, please. It
- will continue to happen. Yeah. Commissioner Baker, please go ahead. Today regarding the property located
- at 527 North Prow, the Historic Preservation Commission declares that it got notice of proposed demolition,
- partial demolition, and requests the staff prepare a formal report on the property.
- but the property on the HPC agenda will be officially considered from a historic designation under BMC 8.08.01D.
- All right, thank you very much. I think we will go back to COAs. COA 2631 is the petitioner here. Yes.
- And your name is? Noah Rogers. Noah Rogers, okay, excellent. All right, Mr. Sandlicks, please take your place.
- this off. Nine twenty three East University in the Elm Heights Historic District. Petitioner is Noah
- Rogers. This request is for let's see I want to give a little background. In February of twenty twenty
- four the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission approved COA twenty four oh three for the expansion
- of a small nineteen twenties garage.
- driveway and rear addition, connecting the garage to the primary residence. The COA has expired after
- the two years allotted, and the property owner is returning to request a new COA. I'm gonna run you
- through, I hope you were able to read some of the fine print, which does discuss topics including materials,
- which there's gonna be an effort to
- Obviously the entire expansion of the garage can't use this but we're using some of the brick from Some
- of the original walls in the garage that are being taken out for this expansion And I received clarification
- that the garage door which was originally proposed for the sort of eastern
- addition to the garage in 2024 it's as pictured up here is still the one that's being considered for
- this renewal of the certificate. Staff recommends the approval of COA 2631. While the proposed addition
- would more than double the size of the garage much of the expanded area will be minimally visible from
- the public right of way. The proposed new garage door would face the primary facade
- there does not appear to be an alternative entry route through an alley or side entrance. The materials
- selected for the addition are compatible with the design of the house and existing garage. The front-facing
- eave of the proposed addition differentiates the garage expansion from the original structure, and the
- garage would be reasonably
- could be reasonably returned to its original appearance with a retention of historic materials. Existing
- trees will not be demolished, and the expanded driveway is not out of scale with the neighborhood. Does
- the petitioner have anything that he would like to add? We will be saving all the original brick that
- we can, obviously, and just be using it on the facade of the front side of the building.
- And there's going to be some fiber cement, I think, a little bit on the back, which right now he has
- cedar siding. So I don't think that's going to change at all on the backside. Any questions I can answer?
- OK, thank you. Is there any public comment regarding this certificate of appropriateness online, since
- no one is here? OK, we'll turn to commissioner questions. Commissioner Golden, do you have any questions
- about this? I do not have any questions. Commissioner Duffy.
- I wondered about the garage door, so I appreciate the clarification. Do you have a plan for the old?
- Are those doors original that are on there now? Do they appear to be? They may be, but they're in complete
- disrepair. OK. And a lot of the garage is in military. So they're not even worth saving, in your opinion?
- Yeah. Somebody restore or somebody might want them. That's the main thing. He's kind of wanting.
- Mr. Hayes is, you know, in his early 80s, and his main function is wanting somewhat of a heated, warm
- space he can easily get into and park his vehicle. Sure, I understand that. Yeah, if I tried to make
- him reuse the door, he would definitely hope I could change that. No, I'm not even intending to suggest
- that you keep it, because I know how people are about garage doors. I just have a little soft spot in
- my heart for old-timey garage doors. I love reusing anything we can as well.
- Or saving it, or offering it to somebody else who might. I have a giant shop full of old stuff that
- I'm probably never going to use, but you know. Maybe you can find a corner for them. OK, that's all.
- Commissioner, do you have any questions? No. Commissioner, by the way, questions.
- It looks like in one of those photographs that it's what they call a ribbon driveway, I think, where
- it just has the two rails of pavement going into the, which were popular with some of the earliest
- automobiles in the 1920s. It saved you pavement. So I'm assuming you're going to replace it with a full
- driveway or? Nope. We're hoping to leave the ribbon alone. So kind of right where Doug started.
- We're hoping to not affect the driveway so we're going to do our best. Okay, great. Thank you. Commissioner
- Baker, any questions? No questions. Commissioner Schlegel. My other question was just going to be the
- plans that were submitted before, are these just the same ones? Exactly. It's just there's been no upgrades
- or changes? Yes, correct. Okay. I didn't see any but I was like I also can't read these super well so.
- Yeah no I don't believe it don't change anything. Okay I just want to double check so thank you. All
- right you took my question so. All right I think we're at the time where I will consider a motion. To
- approve COI twenty six. A commissioner golden has moved to approve twenty six. I'll send you to commissioner
- Duffy has seconded.
- I believe I was told the commission when this first came through, and I proved it then. So I prove it
- now. Commissioner Duffy? Yeah, I don't have any reason to oppose it at all. It looks like a very nice
- design. Commissioner Duesner? Yeah, I thought it was a thoughtful plan. Commissioner Butler? I agree
- that it's a very thoughtful plan. I appreciate keeping the brick in the driveway as much as you can.
- That's great.
- going to go to approve. Commissioner Baker. I agree with the staff recommendation. Commissioner Schlegel.
- Yeah, I remember when we brought this in and had discussions, and I think this is a great design. So
- I proved it then, and I'll definitely be for it again now. I see. Basically, the only thing that's changing
- is the time frame. And so we're just asking for more time. It's already approved once. I see no reason
- to re-litigate this, so I am in favor. All right. Any secondary comments?
- All right, are you hearing none? I think we're ready to vote. OK, the motion down the floor is for COA
- 2631. We'll take a roll call vote. Co-chair Baker? Yes. Treasurer Butler? Yes. Commissioner Duesner?
- Yes. Commissioner Duffy? Yes. Commissioner Golden? Yes. Chair Hacker? Yes. Commissioner Schlabel? Yes.
- That motion passes 7-0. Awesome. All right, thank you very much. Thank you very much.
- All right that brings us next item on the agenda is old business Is there any old business you want
- to share mr. Sandweis? You all should have received emails from Jennifer Crosley the Deputy clerk about
- training for board and commission members that's because There's sort of been an updated
- board and commission member code of conduct. So if you could sign up for one of those sessions that
- she's mentioned, please do so. And if you don't, then she will come into our commission and
- make a presentation. So it depends on how late you want to stay one night. I haven't cared enough to
- stay up there. That's fun. All right.
- For new business, I have a few announcements. First of all, the History Center garage sale is going
- to be taking place June 12th, 13th, and 15th. Also, if you're a History Center member or you work for
- Cook, which I believe none of you do, June 10th is going to be an early sale day. Additionally, I'd
- like to give a shout out to Melody Dusner in her class, which won an
- IU Center for Rural Engagement Award for very relevant to us research on a stone carver in Odon, Indiana,
- named Ira Correll, which culminated in the installation of an Indiana historic marker. Application.
- Application, application. Though they did consult with Jeremy, and he used to hand those out, so. They're heavy.
- And... no, that does it for my announcements. All right. Commissioner Comments. Any Commissioner Comments?
- Anyone like to say anything? How come everybody else gets to pick over all that good stuff at the History
- Center before HPC members? Shouldn't we be included in that elite group? There's enough in there you
- can't even tell. I don't need it anymore. Sure.
- I'd like to comment on, I'd like to thank everyone for their support on the Cottage Grove Conservation
- District. It was great to see how many people showed up. Obviously want to thank Commissioner Butler,
- Amy Butler for their tireless work to move that along. It was really nice to see that get passed. I
- feel like that was a good victory for our community. So just good job everybody on that. That's all
- my comments.
- So I guess next up would be public comments. Does anyone online like to make a comment? The person that's
- online left. Holy cow. All right. Well, that brings us to the end of our agenda. So this meeting is
- adjourned. 24 minutes.