MINUTES
eTOWN OF NORMAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT, CITY HALL
100 EAST PHOENIX AVENUE
NORMAL, ILLINOIS
SPECIAL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 23, 2004
12:00pm
Members Present
Bruce Warloe, Nancy Armstrong, Kathy Smith Whitman, Anne Matter
Members Absent
Kathy Burgess, Bob Ward
Others Present
Associate Planner, Lauren Kerestes, Debbi Whitehouse, Office Associate, Mercy Davison, Town Planner, Greg Troemel, Director of Inspections, Corporation Council, Steve Mahrt, Bill Walters, and Caroline, ISU student.
Call to Order
Ms. Matter called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. and noted a quorum was present.
604 Broadway:
From page 8 of The Legacy, “In 1859 Fell purchased undeveloped real estate at what is now 604 South Broadway and sold it five years later for 500 dollars more than he paid for it. A fair assumption is that the much increased value of the property was [the] addition of a small house to the site.”
Bill Walters, a former ISU professor and co-author of The Legacy, was present to speak about what results had turned up while conducting more research on 604 Broadway, as recommended at the September HPC regular meeting. Mr. Walters said that unfortunately, in Normal, there is not much information/documentation on properties prior to 1890. Based on architectural details, such as the pediments above the windows, he felt that the property is probably from the 1860s. The only document that shows the house on the present lot is an 1895 Atlas plat map of Bloomington/Normal. Mr. Walters said no names are available to track the property, because there is not an abstract for this property. Mr. Walters said that the lot on which 604 presently sits was originally part of Jesse Fell’s Fell Park property that has long been subdivided, had streets put through, and street names changed. It is likely that the present 604 lot would have been part of the landscaped garden of Fell Park. The Normal City Directory from 1890 lists Jesse Fell’s widow and daughter as the only residents on the 600 block with an address of 600 S. Broadway (The Fell House). The Fell House that was relocated and then razed at the southwest corner of Irving and Fell, had been the main residence of the Fell Park. Mr. Walters’ conclusion was that there is no further documentation to establish a stronger connection between Jesse Fell and the 604 property and that the increase in property value between 1859 and 1864 could have been for reasons other than the construction of a house, i.e. post-civil war inflation or growth of the Town of Normal. He said given the lack of information available, it is also possible for the house at 604 to have been constructed in the 1860s and then moved onto the lot at 604 sometime later.
Ms. Matter asked if the house is a good example of an 1860s house. Mr. Walters compared it to a home built in the same era in Hudson, IL. Mr. Warloe wondered if the features of the home are relative to the1860s or an identification trademark of the builder.
Ms. Kerestes after having spoken more with Mark Edwards, (from the Old House Society) said that it would cost considerably more money and time to move this house to the ISU property. Plus, the OHS has recently purchased another home and is in the process of restoring it. Taking on the restoration of 604 would be more than they are able to handle given such a short time frame.
Mr. Warloe spoke about how the inside of the home has been so reconfigured. Ms. Smith –Whitman agreed that it would cost a significant amount of money to restore and yet there is not much historic connection to go by.
Ms. Kerestes added that WJE, the consulting firm the Town has hired to conduct the intensive architectural survey, has agreed to do some extra documentation on this property in the event it is demolished.
Ms. Smith-Whitman moved to approve the demolition permit. Mr. Warloe
seconded. Motion
carried 4-0.
Enforcement/Legal Action
The commissioners requested that Mr. Mahrt be in attendance to the meeting so that they may ask him legal concerns.
Ms. Matter spoke about the commission’s concern regarding alterations made by Mr. Hank Campbell, at 404 W. Virginia Avenue, Normal, IL. Mr. Campbell has done work to this home without the approval of the Historic Preservation Commission via a Certificate of Appropriateness. Ms. Matter and the other commissioners wondered what action might be taken, so these types of problems could be stopped.
Mr. Mahrt discussed different options for pursuing legal action and what the fines would be.
Ms. Davison discussed that maybe the commission should meet with Mr. Campbell and try to resolve some of these issues.
This discussion will be taken up again at the next regular meeting when the applications will be reviewed.
Other Business
Ms. Smith-Whitman said she would like to see some educational opportunities for homeowners in the historic districts. Ms. Kerestes thought that also would be a good idea.
Mr. Warloe requested the purchase of 3 videotapes available from the state about historic preservation.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Ms. Smith-Whitman moved that the meeting be adjourned at approximately 1:15 p.m. Mr. Ward seconded. The motion carried 4-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbi Whitehouse
Office Associate