LAWRENCE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

ITEM NO.3: L-11-03-06

STAFF REPORT

A. SUMMARY

L-11-03-06: Hold public hearing for consideration of placing the structure located at 621 Connecticut Street on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

B. HISTORIC REGISTER STATUS

621 Connecticut Street is not listed on the State or the National Registers of Historic Places.

C. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

1) History Summary

According to the nomination, the structure was constructed c. 1885-1886, which was based on a tax records showing a significant increase in property value from 1885 to 1886. However, the property abstract lists the construction date as c. 1892. Sanborn map research indicates that the current structure was existing since at least 1889. The architect/builder of the structure is not known

The structure at 621 Connecticut Street is architecturally significant as a good example of the National Folk house type with Queen Anne details that was constructed in Lawrence between the 1850’s and the early twentieth century. The National Register of Historic Places multiple property documentation form “Historic Resources of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas” identifies the National Folk house type as “Especially in Lawrence’s working class neighborhoods, the National Folk Residences property type is the predominant housing stock.”

621 Connecticut is perhaps most significant for its association with Otto Fischer, the Lawrence businessman and City Councilman. The initials of Fischer’s wife, Agnes, and the year 1892 are written on a door in the house. Fischer bought the Menger Shoe Co. from his uncle, Albert G. Menger, in the 1890’s and continued as owner until the 1940’s. The Otto Fischer Shoe Store was one of the longest running Lawrence businesses. The nomination material notes that Otto was the son of Julius Fischer, one of sixteen German immigrants who came from Chicago in 1857 and found Eudora.

2) Architectural Integrity Summary

The structure at 621 Connecticut Street is architecturally significant as a good example of the National Folk house type with Queen Anne detailing, evident in the fish scale shingles on the upper gables. This house type was common across the United States from the 1850’s and the early twentieth century and was most popular with the working middle class. 621 Connecticut Street is a one-and-a-half story structure with an L-shaped plan, a cross gabled roof, a stone foundation, a brick chimney, and a shed dormer on the south elevation. The porch was constructed in the Classical style with columns that sit on brick piers.

The nomination application notes several known alterations to the structure. In 1984, the exterior porch on the southwest corner of the structured was removed and replaced with an all glass sunroom of the same dimensions. There are also additions on the north and west elevations of the structure. Alterations to the site have also occurred; there are three outbuildings, one to the north and two to the northwest of the extant structure. One of the outbuildings, a one-and-a-half story gable roof barn-like structure, is listed on the Sanborn Maps beginning in 1905.

3) Context Description

621 Connecticut is a good example of the housing that was constructed in Lawrence during the “Agriculture and Manufacturing, Foundations of Stability (1874-1899)” as defined by the Historic Resources of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF). This MPDF notes “Both east and North Lawrence depended on their proximity to the riverfront manufacturing district on the south bank of the river. After inactivity during the late 1870s, more surviving buildings were constructed in east Lawrence during the 1880s than in the 1890s.”

The area surrounding 621 Connecticut Street is a mixture of residential, industrial, civic, and commercial activities. The property is bordered by the Riverfront Plaza, the railroad tracks, and the Kansas River on the north, residential and Downtown Lawrence on the west, industrial uses on the east, and a residential area on the south. The age of the extant structures in the area ranges from the late 1800’s to the 1980’s. The Rhode Island Street Extension was platted in 1891. 621 Connecticut Street occupies lots 24 and 25 of the subdivision.

4) Planning and Zoning Considerations

621 Connecticut is zoned RS0, Single-Dwelling Residential-Office District. The primary purpose of the RS0 district is to accommodate low to medium-intensity administrative and professional offices that are compatible with the character of low and medium-density residential neighborhoods. The district is also intended to be used as a transitional zoning district between higher intensity commercial areas and residential neighborhoods. While the property is not zoned single family residential, research indicates that the west side of Connecticut and the east side of Rhode Island in the 600 block has historically and continues to be residential in use. The east side of the 600 block of Connecticut was originally built out as residential dwellings according to the Sandborn Fire Insurance maps.

5) Fiscal Comments

There are no monetary benefits directly associated with nomination of a structure to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places at this time. However, Chapter 22 of the Code of the City of Lawrence does identify mechanisms for financial incentives. If these programs become available in the future, structures listed on the Lawrence Register will be eligible for participation.

Listing on the local Register does help preserve built resources important to Lawrence's history and helps to maintain streetscapes in older neighborhoods through environs reviews.

The original information submitted with nominations for properties to the Lawrence Register is kept on file in the City Planning office for public review and consultation with regard to development projects within the notification area. Copies of this information are also on file at the Kansas Collection in Spencer Research Library on the University of Kansas main campus and at the Watkin’s Community Museum. This type of information is useful, for example, if present or future property owners seek nomination to the State or National Register of Historic Places.

6) Positive/Negative Effects of the Designation

The positive effect of designation is the creation of a permanent record of the historical significance of an individual property, for its architectural quality or its association with a significant local individual or event. This provides the local Historic Resources Commission, an advisory board, with pertinent historical data which can help to provide an ‘historic' perspective to property owners when they desire to improve, add on, or redevelop a property within an older section of the City.

The public accessibility of this information is also a resource as it can be used by realtors, builders/developers, and others in the community prior to a property's resale, redevelopment or rehabilitation. In a more general sense, this information can be used by the Chamber of Commerce and existing businesses and industries to ‘identify' one of the facets that makes up Lawrence's Quality of Living.

Additional effects of designation are the creation of an arbitrary, 250' environs notification and review area. Within this 250' circle, projects which require city permits, e.g., demolition, redevelopment, renovation or modification, require review by Historic Resources staff or the Commission. These environs reviews permit scrutiny of proposed development/redevelopment by individuals sensitive to historic preservation.

A Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Economic Hardship is required to be issued by the Historic Resources Commission before a City permit can be issued for the proposed project. If the Historic Resources Commission denies a Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Economic Hardship, the property owner can appeal to the City Commission for a new hearing. The City Commission can uphold the decision of the HRC or it can grant the proposed development over the Historic Resources Commission's action.

The local ordinance 250' environs review area is exceeded by State law with regard to State and/or National Register properties. Certificates of Appropriateness or Economic Hardship are required for a project within the 250' radius of a Local Register property.

Examples of projects which would require review and approval are: projects involving the exterior building which are considered ‘structural' changes, demolitions or partial demolitions, rezonings, replats, site plans, variance requests or other items which require a city permit or are the direct result of an action of the City Commission. Minor changes which require a city permit can be administratively approved by the Historic Resources Administrator.

7) Summary of Applicable Designation Criteria

Chapter 22, of the City Code is the Conservation of Historic Resources Code for the City of Lawrence. Section 22-403 of this code establishes criteria for the evaluation of an application for nomination to the Local Register of Historic Places.

D. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION AND DESIGNATION - Section 22-403

Nine criteria are provided within this section for review and determination of qualification as a Landmark or Historic District. These criteria are set forth below with staff's recommendations as to which this application qualifies for:

(1) Its character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the community, county, state, or nation;

(2) Its location as a site of a significant local, county, state, or national event;

(3) Its identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the community, county, state, or nation;

621 Connecticut is significant for its association with the Lawrence businessman Otto Fischer, whose father was one of the German settlers who founded Eudora in 1857.

(4) Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable for the study of a period, type, method of construction, or use of indigenous materials;

The structure at 621 Connecticut Street is architecturally significant as a good example of the National Folk house type with Queen Anne detailing. This house type is often associated with the mid- to late-19^th and early 20^th century middle class and is important when studying the evolution of architectural styles in Lawrence.

(5) Its identification as a work of a master builder, designer, architect, or landscape architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the community, county, state or nation;

(6) Its embodiment of elements of design, detailing, materials, or craftsmanship that render it architecturally significant;

(7) Its embodiment of design elements that make it structurally or architecturally innovative;

(8) Its unique location or singular physical characteristics that make it an established or familiar visual feature;

(9) Its character as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian structure; including, but not limited to farmhouses, gas stations, or other commercial structures, with a high level of integrity or architectural significance.

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The HISTORIC RESOURCES CODE establishes a procedure to follow in the forwarding of a recommendation to the City Commission on applications for listing on the local register.

"Following the hearing the commission shall adopt by resolution a recommendation to be submitted to the city commission for either (a) designation as a landmark or historic district; (b) not to designate as a landmark or historic district; or, (c) not to make a recommendation. The resolution shall be accompanied by a report to the city commission containing the following information:

The Historic Resources Commission needs to formulate its recommendation in response to the following subsections section 22-404.2 (b):

(1) Explanation of the significance or lack of significance of the nominated landmark or historic district as it relates to the criteria for designation as set forth in section 22-403;

(2) Explanation of the integrity or lack of integrity of the nominated landmark or historic district;

(3) In the case of a nominated landmark found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A) The significant exterior architectural features of the nominated landmark that should be protected; and,

(B) The types of construction, alteration, demolition, and removal, other than those requiring a building or demolition permit, that cannot be undertaken without obtaining a certificate of appropriateness.

(4) In the case of a nominated historic district found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A) The types of significant exterior architectural features of the structures within the nominated historic district that should be protected;

(C) A list of all key contributing, contributing and noncontributing sites, structures and objects within the historic district.

(5) Proposed design guidelines for applying the criteria for review of certificates of appropriateness to the nominated landmark or historic district.

(6) The relationship of the nominated landmark or historic district to the on-going effort of the commission to identify and nominate all potential areas and structures that meet the criteria for designation.

(7) A map showing the location of the nominated landmark or the boundaries of the nominated historic district.

E. RECOMMENDATION:

The Otto Fischer House at 621 Connecticut Street qualifies for designation as a Landmark on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places pursuant to Criteria #3 and #4, as described in Section 22-403.