July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Questions raised over razing (02/19/2009)
By By RACHELLE HAUGHN-
While discussing proposed regulations for buildings in a Portland historic district - including those regulating demolition - members of a local board contemplated whether to attempt to use those rules to alter plans for expansion of the Jay County Jail.
It was a question that went unanswered, and the president of Jay County Commissioners said this morning that he isn't worried the proposal from the Portland Historic Preservation Commission will affect the jail expansion. Those plans call for demolition of a building at Main and Ship streets just north of the current jail.
Three members of the historic preservation commission met Wednesday and discussed whether or not they could prevent the demolition of the county-owned building that was home to several automobile dealerships.
A draft of proposed regulations for buildings in the historic district has been prepared, but not approved by members of city council. One of the regulations says that the historic preservation commission must approve demolition of buildings within the district.
The proposed rules state that a building can only be razed if ordered by the building inspector or the structure cannot be reused.
If the commission does have the power to stop the demolition of the building standing in the way of jail expansion, the three preservation commission members who attended Wednesday meeting were not sure if they wanted to pursue the idea. Two of those three members said this morning they are not in favor of trying to block plans by the county to tear down the building.
Jay County Commissioners President Milo Miller Jr., who also is a member of the historic preservation commission but who did not attend Wednesday's meeting, said he was unaware that the proposed guidelines for changes to downtown historic structures included a clause for demolition.
He has not yet received a copy of the proposed guidelines, which would have to be approved by Portland City Council. Miller was notified of Wednesday's discussion by The Commercial Review this morning.
Miller said this morning, "At this point, I would say they probably couldn't stop (the demolition) because it's not all etched in stone yet," he said of the proposed historic district rules. The commission is set to meet March 4 to recommend the guidelines.
He said the jail expansion project and razing will move forward as planned. He expects the county commissioners to receive quotes for the demolition in about a month. Then, proposed bonds for the project will be reviewed.
An architect with SchenkelShultz was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting to discuss the jail expansion project with the preservation commission. However the architect did not show up. Miller said he told him the incorrect date for the meeting.
The jail expansion has already gotten the green light via a referendum. Also, work to remove the asbestos from the old car dealership has been completed. Miller said the roof on the building set to be razed leaks badly and the location of the leak cannot be found.
Commission president Jane Spencer said this morning that she has been in the first story of the former car dealership and did not find anything historically significant inside. The Art Deco structure was built sometime after 1910, she said.
Although Spencer expressed some interest Wednesday about possibly trying to stop the demolition, she said this morning that she has changed her mind.
"I think we'll probably go with the idea that the guidelines are not in place," she said, speaking for herself and the other commission members. She said she feels the addition to the jail will look nice because it is being built to blend in architecturally with the surrounding buildings.
"I guess it's going to become an issue," Joe Jarzen of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, who is serving as an advisor to the commission, said at Wednesday's meeting He said if the former car dealership located north of the jail can still be used, the preservation commission could object to its razing. "That's an issue we'll have to discuss," said Jarzen, who has never been inside of the building. "They may not be aware we (could) stop them," Jarzen added.
Jarzen said Wednesday that the commission might not have the power to stop the demolition because the guidelines have not yet been approved.
If the preservation commission does decide to more forward with stopping the demolition, the issue could end up in court, Jarzen said. "It might be an animal that you don't want to fight," he said.
Commission members Spencer, Don Gillespie and Pat Szakaly agreed that they did not want to see the matter end up in court. Other commission members - Miller, Christy Corle, Barry Hudson, Joe Johnston and Emily Roberts - did not attend the meeting.
Gillespie said this morning he is not interested in attempting to stop the jail project.
Ami Huffman, who serves as a non-voting advisory member, said it would be hard for the commission members to decide whether or not to attempt to stop the demolition.
"That's a tough one," she said. "This is a tree we might not want to bark up."
Szakaly suggested that instead of razing the building, it could be moved to another location.
Jarzen plans to talk to city and county officials about whether or not the commission would have the authority to stop the demolition.
In a related matter Wednesday, commission members reviewed other parts of the proposed guidelines for future changes to historic structures.
The commission discussed how old a building must be to fall under the guidelines, how second story windows should be restored or replaced, how glass doors should be replaced and the costs of the restorations.
According to the proposed guidelines, historic storefronts that are 50 years old or older should be restored, not replaced with something modern.
Jarzen said after the meeting that older buildings that have been drastically altered throughout the years should be restored similar to their original appearance. He said old photos, drawings and oral histories could be used to determine the original appearances.
The proposed guidelines for new changes to historic structures in the downtown historic preservation district are available by e-mailing Jarzen at [email protected]. He also can be reached at (765) 478-3172.[[In-content Ad]]
It was a question that went unanswered, and the president of Jay County Commissioners said this morning that he isn't worried the proposal from the Portland Historic Preservation Commission will affect the jail expansion. Those plans call for demolition of a building at Main and Ship streets just north of the current jail.
Three members of the historic preservation commission met Wednesday and discussed whether or not they could prevent the demolition of the county-owned building that was home to several automobile dealerships.
A draft of proposed regulations for buildings in the historic district has been prepared, but not approved by members of city council. One of the regulations says that the historic preservation commission must approve demolition of buildings within the district.
The proposed rules state that a building can only be razed if ordered by the building inspector or the structure cannot be reused.
If the commission does have the power to stop the demolition of the building standing in the way of jail expansion, the three preservation commission members who attended Wednesday meeting were not sure if they wanted to pursue the idea. Two of those three members said this morning they are not in favor of trying to block plans by the county to tear down the building.
Jay County Commissioners President Milo Miller Jr., who also is a member of the historic preservation commission but who did not attend Wednesday's meeting, said he was unaware that the proposed guidelines for changes to downtown historic structures included a clause for demolition.
He has not yet received a copy of the proposed guidelines, which would have to be approved by Portland City Council. Miller was notified of Wednesday's discussion by The Commercial Review this morning.
Miller said this morning, "At this point, I would say they probably couldn't stop (the demolition) because it's not all etched in stone yet," he said of the proposed historic district rules. The commission is set to meet March 4 to recommend the guidelines.
He said the jail expansion project and razing will move forward as planned. He expects the county commissioners to receive quotes for the demolition in about a month. Then, proposed bonds for the project will be reviewed.
An architect with SchenkelShultz was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting to discuss the jail expansion project with the preservation commission. However the architect did not show up. Miller said he told him the incorrect date for the meeting.
The jail expansion has already gotten the green light via a referendum. Also, work to remove the asbestos from the old car dealership has been completed. Miller said the roof on the building set to be razed leaks badly and the location of the leak cannot be found.
Commission president Jane Spencer said this morning that she has been in the first story of the former car dealership and did not find anything historically significant inside. The Art Deco structure was built sometime after 1910, she said.
Although Spencer expressed some interest Wednesday about possibly trying to stop the demolition, she said this morning that she has changed her mind.
"I think we'll probably go with the idea that the guidelines are not in place," she said, speaking for herself and the other commission members. She said she feels the addition to the jail will look nice because it is being built to blend in architecturally with the surrounding buildings.
"I guess it's going to become an issue," Joe Jarzen of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, who is serving as an advisor to the commission, said at Wednesday's meeting He said if the former car dealership located north of the jail can still be used, the preservation commission could object to its razing. "That's an issue we'll have to discuss," said Jarzen, who has never been inside of the building. "They may not be aware we (could) stop them," Jarzen added.
Jarzen said Wednesday that the commission might not have the power to stop the demolition because the guidelines have not yet been approved.
If the preservation commission does decide to more forward with stopping the demolition, the issue could end up in court, Jarzen said. "It might be an animal that you don't want to fight," he said.
Commission members Spencer, Don Gillespie and Pat Szakaly agreed that they did not want to see the matter end up in court. Other commission members - Miller, Christy Corle, Barry Hudson, Joe Johnston and Emily Roberts - did not attend the meeting.
Gillespie said this morning he is not interested in attempting to stop the jail project.
Ami Huffman, who serves as a non-voting advisory member, said it would be hard for the commission members to decide whether or not to attempt to stop the demolition.
"That's a tough one," she said. "This is a tree we might not want to bark up."
Szakaly suggested that instead of razing the building, it could be moved to another location.
Jarzen plans to talk to city and county officials about whether or not the commission would have the authority to stop the demolition.
In a related matter Wednesday, commission members reviewed other parts of the proposed guidelines for future changes to historic structures.
The commission discussed how old a building must be to fall under the guidelines, how second story windows should be restored or replaced, how glass doors should be replaced and the costs of the restorations.
According to the proposed guidelines, historic storefronts that are 50 years old or older should be restored, not replaced with something modern.
Jarzen said after the meeting that older buildings that have been drastically altered throughout the years should be restored similar to their original appearance. He said old photos, drawings and oral histories could be used to determine the original appearances.
The proposed guidelines for new changes to historic structures in the downtown historic preservation district are available by e-mailing Jarzen at [email protected]. He also can be reached at (765) 478-3172.[[In-content Ad]]
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