701 Summit Roof

Here is the 9/30/09 HPC Staff Review:

CITY OF SAINT PAUL
HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT

FILE NAME: 701 Summit Avenue
DATE OF APPLICATION: September 30, 2009
APPLICANT: Thomas M. Johnson
OWNER: Louise Miller O’Neil Estate
DATE OF HEARING: October 22, 2009
HPC SITE/DISTRICT: Hill Historic District
CATEGORY: Pivotal
CLASSIFICATION: building permit
STAFF INVESTIGATION AND REPORT: Christine Boulware
DATE: October 14, 2009

A. SITE DESCRIPTION:
The W.H. Elsinger House at 701 Summit Avenue was designed by Clarence H. Johnston, Sr. and built by the St. Paul Building Co. in 1898. According to the inventory form, this house is historically significant as the home of St. Paul businessman W.H. Elsinger, owner of the Aberdeen Hotel, partner in the firm of W.H. Elsinger and Company. It is architecturally significant as an impressive, massive house designed by a prominent local architect who must have collaborated with the architect of the house next door, Cass Gilbert, since they were both built the same year and compliment each other so well. Constructed of rock-faced buff-colored limestone, this two-and-one-half story house has an intersecting hip and gable red tile roof with two small gabled dormers with stone crenellations at the base. There is one stone exterior chimney. Though the facade is somewhat symmetrical, it has a rounded corner turret on the east side. There is a hipped roof open porch with three, wide arched openings supported by squat light-colored stone columns which are round and have medieval inspired capitals. The property is classified as pivotal to the Hill Historic District.

B. PROPOSED CHANGES:
The applicant proposes to:
1. Remove the bottom two rows of unique clay tiles from the west side of the building and replace with flat clay tiles of a similar age.
2. Remove the bottom two rows of unique clay tile from the damaged east side of the building and replace with flat clay tiles of a similar age.
3. Fill in the damaged areas of the east elevation with the previously removed unique clay tiles.
4. Fill in the north corner of the east elevation bump-out with flat clay tiles.

C. GUIDELINE CITATIONS:
Historic Hill District Guidelines
Restoration and Rehabilitation
1. Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, or site and its environment, or to use a property for its originally intended purpose.
2. The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
3. All buildings, structures, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
4. Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environment. Theses changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
5. Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, or site shall be treated with sensitivity.
6. Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, whenever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
7. The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
8. Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by, or adjacent to any project.
9. Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
10. Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be unimpaired.
Siding and Surface Treatment:
Deteriorated siding materials should be replaced with material used in original construction or with materials that resemble the appearance of the old as closely as possible. Resurfacing frame buildings with new material such as artificial stone, artificial brick veneer, or asbestos and asphalt shingles is inappropriate and should not be done. Four-inch lap vinyl, metal, or hardboard siding may be used in some cases to resurface clapboard structures, especially structures categorized as non-contributive to the district, if well detailed, well designed and in keeping with the historic character of the structure. Ventilation must be carefully provided when using these products to prevent damage to the original wood fabric by trapping moisture. The width, pattern and profile of the original siding should be duplicated. Residing should not alter the profile of bordering trim such as drip caps, frieze boards and corner boards; if replacement is necessary, they should be matched. Color is a significant design element, and paint colors should be appropriate to the period and style of the structure. Building permits are not required for painting, and although the Historic Preservation Commission may review and comment on paint color, paint color is not subject to Heritage Preservation Commission approval.

Porches and Exterior Architectural Features:
Decorative architectural features such as cornices, brackets, railings, and those around front doors and windows should be preserved. New material used to repair or replace, where necessary, deteriorated architectural features of wood, iron, cast iron, terra-cotta, tile and brick should match the original as closely as possible.

D. FINDINGS:
1. The property is classified as pivotal to the historical and architectural integrity of the Hill Historic District.
2. The unique tiles on the east elevation of the building have unfortunately suffered quite a bit of damage from the elements and branches of a nearby tree. The applicant has worked with staff over the last year to brainstorm ideas for repair and replacement and discuss information about companies that manufacture and replicate clay tiles. The uniquely shaped tiles on the upper portions of the bump-out and bay on the east and west elevations were not able to be located. The flat clay tiles at the base were able to be located. The tiles are an original character defining feature of the property. The guideline states, the removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible. In this situation the damage has already been done and the applicant is proposing to retain as much of the original material as possible and introduce new tiles in a slightly different pattern to keep the relationship of the shingle pattern as close to the original as possible.
3. The damaged tiles are beyond repair. Replacement would be the next step, if replacement tiles could be located or reproduced. According to the applicant, reproductions were not possible. The new tiles will not match the damaged tiles above, but will match the flat tiles below in material, composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. This complies with the guidelines.
4. This proposal will retain as much of the original material as possible, but will alter the shingle pattern slightly, thus it will have slight negative impact on the property and the program for preservation in the Hill Historic District.

E. STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Based on the findings, staff recommends approval of the application as proposed and would encourage the applicant to continue to look for a manufacturer who could reproduce the uniquely shaped clay tiles should the need for replacement come up in the near future.

Upcoming Items Before the HPC

701 Summit
701 Summit Avenue, Hill Historic District, by Tom Johnson, for a
building permit to alter the design of the terra cotta tiles on the east and west
elevation bay and bump-out. File #10-002 (Nelson, 266-6715) Laid over
from the October 22 Meeting.

image from St Paul Phototour

This house was designed by architect Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.

SARPA has an inquiry to the staff at the HPC to get more information about the proposed work. We will post it to the blog as soon as we have it.

977 Summit

977 Summit Avenue, Hill Historic District – by David Heide
Design Studio, pre-application review for a complete interior and
exterior renovation including, alteration of the front entrance and
terrace, construction of two rear and side elevation additions,
conversion of the tuck-under garages into living space and alteration of
the driveway. Also proposed is removing the two-stall garage at the
alley, and constructing a four-stall garage and other site improvements
(Spong, 266-6714).

image from St Paul Phototour

St. Thomas

University of St. Thomas Student Center, 2115 Summit Avenue,
Summit Avenue West Historic District – by OPUS, pre-application
review for the construction of a 225,000 square feet Student Center at
the northeast corner of Summit and Cretin (Spong, 266-6714).

Check the WSNAC website for information on UST.

Summit Items on HPC Agenda

Upcoming HPC Business Meeting

Thursday, November 5, 2009
5:00 p.m.

There are three Summit Avenue items on the agenda.

Excerpts from the "Business Meeting Agenda":


Public Hearing Design Review
A. 701 Summit Avenue, Hill Historic District, by Tom Johnson, for a
building permit to alter the design of the terra cotta tiles on the east and west
elevation bay and bump-out. File #10-002 (Nelson, 266-6715) Laid over
from the October 22 Meeting.

Pre-Application Review
A. 977 Summit Avenue, Hill Historic District – by David Heide
Design Studio, pre-application review for a complete interior and
exterior renovation including, alteration of the front entrance and
terrace, construction of two rear and side elevation additions,
conversion of the tuck-under garages into living space and alteration of
the driveway. Also proposed is removing the two-stall garage at the
alley, and constructing a four-stall garage and other site improvements
(Spong, 266-6714).

B. University of St. Thomas Student Center, 2115 Summit Avenue,
Summit Avenue West Historic District – by OPUS, pre-application
review for the construction of a 225,000 square feet Student Center at
the northeast corner of Summit and Cretin (Spong, 266-6714).

Historic Tour in White Bear Lake

The Ramsey Hill House Tour was last weekend, if you missed it or are just hankering to walk through more historic houses, our neighbor city White Bear Lake has their White Bear Historical Home Tour is THIS SUNDAY, September 20,2009 from 12-6pm!

How to purchase your tickets:
1. By phone: 651-407-5327
2. At the Depot - Hwy 61 and 4th Street. Depot hours are 10 am – 4 pm, Tuesday through Friday, and 10 am – 1 pm on Saturdays.
3. By mail – make check payable to “WBLAHS” and send to PO Box 10543, White Bear Lake, MN 55110
4. Online at http://www.whitebearhistory.org/Tickets.htm

Tickets are $25 each before the tour, $20 for WBLAHS members and $30 the day of the tour for everyone. Visa/MasterCard/Discover accepted. Tickets purchased by phone, mail or online may be mailed up until September 11th Or picked up at the Depot through September 19th. Or picked up at the Fillebrown House the day of the tour.

Fall 2009 Street Closures

Labor Day was Monday, which means the end of the State Fair, the start of school, and the beginning of Fall here in the northland. For Summit Avenue, Fall brings the St Paul Bike Classic and the Twin Cities Marathon.

Bike Classic: Sunday 9/13/09

Summit Avenue will not be closed to car traffic for the Bike Classic, however, parking will be restricted on the North side of the street on Sunday, September 13th, 2009 during the event in order to provide an expanded bike lane (From the Classic's website, "On some open streets, like Summit Avenue, a wide lane is provided for cyclists). The bike ride--it is not a race, just a fun family-friendly event--will begin at Cretin and Summit, and I imagine there will be a bit of a bottle neck there around the two start times of 7:15 AM and 9:15 AM. For more information, check out their website or the course map.

Marathon: Sunday 10/4/09

Summit Avenue will be closed for the Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday October 4, 2009 from 6:50 AM until around 2:00 PM for most of Summit, for more information, check out TC Marathon's page on road closures and Marathon Course Information.

Pre-Marathon: Saturday 10/3/09

The East end of Summit, from the Cathedral to Pascal Street, will be closed to all traffic on Saturday morning October 3rd, 2009 at approx. 8:20 a.m. until approx. 11:30 a.m. for a 5k Fun Run. For more information, check out TC Marathon's page on road closures.

Tree Work

Many SARPA members and readers of this blog will remember back a score and some years ago when Dutch Elm disease swept though St Paul, thinning much of the gorgeous canopy of trees along Summit. Unfortunately, tough times for trees have returned to St Paul. I came across a two block closure of Summit this afternoon toward the eastern end of the Avenue, and in the middle found a crew of tree workers. I immediately guessed it was the Emerald Ash Borer, a reasonable assumption since the borer was discovered in St Paul this Spring. And while it is likely that there are ash trees along Summit that will come down, the tree being removed today was a 100+ year old Elm struck down by the old tree killer, Dutch Elm Disease.


For more information on the Emerald Ash Borer locally, the University of Minnesota Extension Services offers the following advice if you have an ash tree:

• Ash trees lack a way to defend against these pests. Once an ash is attacked, it will be killed.
• Look for 1/8 inch, D-shaped exit holes in trees. These are the result of borers leaving the tree once they have become adults.
• Do not apply insecticides to ash trees out of the likely range of emerald ash borer.
• Do not transport firewood, even within Minnesota.
• Extension has close to 200 volunteers trained as emerald ash borer First Detectors. These volunteers can help homeowners determine if their ash trees have been attacked.
• If you think you have found emerald ash borer, go through the steps at Do I have emerald ash borer? (246 K PDF) to be sure. Those without internet access can call Forest Resources Extension at 612-624-3020.

More Ash Borer Information:

Local blog with a wealth of information about the ash borer, including great images.
City of St Paul website: the city's plan to dealing with the ash borer.

Cass Gilbert 150th Birthday Party

150th Birthday Celebration for Famous Minnesota Capitol Architect Cass Gilbert

Join the Party Saturday, November 21st

The Cass Gilbert Society will host a celebration to honor this nationally recognized architect whose buildings are an important part of Minnesota history.

The 150th Birthday Celebration for Cass Gilbert will begin at 2pm on Saturday, November 21, 2009 with a free tour of the Minnesota State Capitol. Guides from the Minnesota State Historical Society will focus on the Cass Gilbert story and the architectural details of the capitol. These free tours, which begin at 2pm, require reservations by calling 651-296-2881. A LEGO(TM) model of the capitol will be on display to delight visitors young and old.

An exhibit highlighting 50 years of buildings designed by Cass Gilbert will be on display in the North Corridor of the capitol building and continue to be available for public view for two weeks following the celebration.

Festivities will include a birthday cake that will be served in the capitol’s Rathskeller at 3:30pm. This event is free an open to the public.

Gilbert’s first residence in St. Paul was built on Ashland Avenue for his mother. Soon his commissions included churches, office buildings, railroad stations and commercial buildings in Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas and Montana. He designed several homes along Summit Avenue, including the Lightner House at 318 Summit, pictured below.



In 1895 Cass Gilbert was selected to design the new state capitol in Minnesota. This job enhanced his career and brought him national recognition. In 1899, he won the commission for the U.S. Custom House in New York. The same year he opened his New York office and moved to New York.

Gilbert would go on to design many buildings in New York. In 1913, he completed the Woolworth Building in New York City. It would stand as the world’s tallest building for over a decade. His work was recognized throughout the United States. Cass Gilbert’s last building was the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.

The Cass Gilbert Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 to preserve and enhance the nation’s cultural heritage by advancing scholarship and appreciation of Cass Gilbert’s contribution to American architecture. Membership in the society is open to all. To join go to www.cassgilbertsociety.org.


For more information contact: Cindy Stephani 612/719-8419
www.cassgilbertsociety.org

SARPA Annual Meeting: Sept. 10th

SARPA Annual Meeting
Thursday September 10th, 2009
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
1731 Summit Avenue

Business Meeting/ Elections 7:15 PM
Wine/Desserts 7:45 PM

Please RSVP via email: SARPAexpress@gmail.com