SUBJECT
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Public Hearing and consideration of a motion to consider exterior alterations, which includes the creation and addition of a door to the existing front facade on Lot 2, Block 41, Western Division, located at 516 Flores Avenue. The property is within the Old Mercado Historic District.
HD-001-2025
District VIII
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PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
On April 2, 2024, the City Council approved the addition of a double iron gate to the main entrance of the building and the restoration of a total number of seven (7) windows located on the second level of the building.
BACKGROUND
Initiated by: Ccecorio, LLC, Owner; Jamshid Yeroushalmi, Applicant; Pedro A. Avila (Architect), Representative
Previous Action:
On March 19, 1997, the Historic District Landmark Board was presented with the installation of signs. However, the item was tabled due to the applicant not being present.
On April 16, 1997, the Historic District Landmark Board was presented with the installation of signs. However, the item was tabled again due to the applicant not being present.
On May 21, 1997, the Historic District Landmark Board tabled the item since the applicant removed the signs.
On March 14, 2024, the Historic District Landmark Board fail to established a quorum.
On April 2, 2024, the City Council approved the addition of a double iron gate to the main entrance of the building and the restoration of a total number of seven (7) windows located on the second level of the building.
Proposed Scope of Work:
The applicant is requesting to alter the exterior front façade of the building by removing an existing window to create and add a proposed metal door.
Building Type:
The type of building at this location is considered to be a Late Victorian Commercial as per the City of Laredo Historic Urban Guidelines. As per the City of Laredo Historic Urban Guidelines, the Late Victorian Commercial style is similar to the early Twentieth Century Commercial buildings but has Classical revival and Italianate details that include the following elements:
- Usually a two-story building; symmetrical facade.
- Stamped metal cornices and articulated columns and pilasters.
- The street level has a storefront with large window openings.
Site: The property is in an H-AE (Historic Arts and Entertainment) zoning district.
Letters sent to surrounding property owners: 23
For: 0
Against: 0
Granting or Denying an Application:
- As per the Laredo Land Development Code, Section 24.1.2.2(2), the Historic District Landmark Board shall utilize the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings; and the City of Laredo, Texas, Historic Urban Design Guidelines
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards:
1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces and spatial relationships.
2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.
3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other historic properties, will not be undertaken.
4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.
5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved.
6. Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence.
7. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.
8. Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff does not support the creation and addition of the proposed door for the following reasons :
1. As per the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings, altering storefronts and their features are not recommended. The storefront defines the overall historic character of the building. Therefore, by creating and adding a new door to the front façade of the building, will diminish the historic character of the building.
2. As per the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, cutting new openings on character-defining elevations or cutting openings that damage or destroy significant features is not recommended. Therefore, the proposed door does not conform to the Secretary of the Interior guidelines.
3. An addition to an historic building front is inappropriate as per the City of Laredo Historic Urban Designs Guidelines. Therefore, the creation and addition of the proposed door is inappropriate as it will diminish the historic characteristics of the building.
4. The storefront should not be altered or obscured as per the City of Laredo Historic Urban Designs Guidelines. Therefore, the creation and addition of the proposed door will impact the building's historic character.
5. As per the City of Laredo Historic Urban Design Guidelines states to preserve the integrity of each individual historic structure, by preserving its character defining features and by avoiding alterations that would remove or obscure its historic character. Therefore, the addition of a door, where none have existed, will alter and not preserve the historic character of the building.
Staff General Comments:
1. Any improvements which are approved by the Historic District Landmark Board shall also comply with all Building Code requirements and other regulations as provided in the Laredo Land Development Code.
2. Approval by the Historic District Landmark Board does not guarantee approval of a building permit or any other permit which may be required.
3. It is recommended that all existed improvements utilize the following resources as a guide:
- The Secretary of the Interiors' Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
- City of Laredo Historic Urban Design Guidelines
- City of Laredo Historic Preservation Plan
4. No other improvements, changes to the building, site or new construction on the property shall be permitted without prior review and approval by staff and/or Historic District Landmark Board, to meet compliance.
5. As per the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, all proposed scope of work should be physically and visually compatible to the original materials and features of the historical structure.
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