Now You See Them, Soon You Won't

Now You See Them, Soon You Won’t, Discover disappearing architectural treasures
BY MILLIE ACEBAL ROUSSEAU

The bungalow was a popular house type with the growing middle class across America during the early twentieth century. Ample porches, wide eaves, local building materials and natural ventilation made the bungalow well suited to South Florida’s subtropical environment. In spite of their practicality, bungalows today are rapidly disappearing from the Miami landscape to make room for new developments.

Miami’s bungalows, with their wide porches, overhanging eaves, and natural ventilation, have a place in South Florida history. The homes, perfect for our subtropical environment, sprouted from 1914 to 1920 in Edgewater, Riverside, Shorecrest, Shenandoah, Little Havana, and Miami Shores. As Miami’s landscape is transformed, these bungalows are vanishing. To help to preserve them, the Historical Museum of Southern Florida opened a Miami Bungalows exhibit on May 18. “The exhibition came about because of the huge transformation taking place in Miami, specifically the downtown area,” said guest curator Jose Vazquez, assistant professor of architecture at Miami Dade College. “We wanted Miami to understand their architectural significance, and to document these structures that will be lost forever.” Thousands of bungalows remain throughout South Florida, many listed on Dade Heritage Trust’s Most Endangered Historic Sites. Developers are allowed to knock them down for new buildings, but the Trust managed to save one bungalow from demolition: Little Havana’s Hubbard-Alvarez house, which features a second half-story used as a bedroom/sleeping porch. The museum’s exhibition runs through September 9.
http://www.hmsf.org/

Residents that oppose the proposed historic district for Oakhurst have written your commissioners to tell them that the bungalow is not worth saving. Why? Apparently they feel they are not architecturally significant. Apparently they feel there are too many of them. That is what they contend. If you disagree, contact your commissioners. Support the local historic district.

Houston, we have a problem...

ISSUE IN HOUSTON
http://savethebungalows.org/FAQs.html
The Houston Heights:
In the first nine weeks of 2007, the amount of "residential demolition" permits sold for the three zip codes that comprise the greater Houston Heights area was 65. THAT EQUALS A DEMOLITION A DAY. When new homes first began appearing in the Heights, they replaced buildings that were falling down or they went onto empty lots and they fit in well and respected the scale of the neighborhood. Nowadays we see perfectly livable and historically significant homes disappear simply because a huge house is more profitable for the speculator. More than half of the original housing stock in the Heights is already gone and Other areas, such as Garden Oaks, Lindale and Eastwood, are following the same path.

Urban neighborhoods that lack strong and consistent deed restrictions are experiencing (or may soon experience) significant tear down of early 20th Century housing and the subsequent building of lot-covering houses and townhomes. Many of the older homes are perfectly livable or restorable but they are demolished because they are not huge. The new lot covering houses have a dramatic effect on neighborhood property values, taxes, neighborhood stability, historic preservation, urban tree canopy, soil permeability (flooding), and a number of environmental issues. Access to affordable urban housing is clearly affected as well.

Sound familiar? Do we let it get to this point before we take action? We are already losing one home per month on average. Will the continuation of that level of demolition make a difference in the look and feel of our neighborhood? Will we lose the sense of place that the historic bungalows give us? Find out more. Support the local historic district.

Local Historic Designation Is Worth It

Reader Opinion Piece
Local Historic Designation Is Worth It
by Deborah Mook

Shortly after moving into our Oakhurst home, I spent a day hunkered down in the Decatur public library, researching the history of the house. I was enthralled by the fact that we live in
a home that has housed several generations and has seen so much cultural change. I discovered a 1915 plot map of the East Lake Drive Land and Improvement Company showing the newly
created 15th district of the town of Oakhurst. I also found many of the old deeds. The first one shows the East Lake Drive Land and Improvement Company selling the property to Mr. J.H.
Phillips for the sum of $600 on November 1, 1915. The land was sold subject to restrictions which were in keeping with that time in history, and which I found fascinating. Let me just say
that I was astounded to see in writing that our property was touched from the outset by one of the darker sides of US history. I will use this as an example someday when I must explain
racism to my daughter. For me, this was a stark example that the neighborhood history is not always golden, but that it can really personalize and dramatize some larger lessons.

The character of Oakhurst is charming and meaningful. With one, and soon to be two, exceptions, my street is a tree-lined street of bungalows, a celebration of this architectural style.
This charming procession of bungalows is worth protecting. Currently, it is too convenient for developers to replace old houses with ones that change the character. Out-of-scale
houses command bigger profits but ruin the aesthetic appeal of the neighborhood. On our street there is one out-of-scale property and another under construction. Another half dozen
houses could be torn down and replaced with out-of-scale houses. At that point, the neighborhood will no longer look like a fitting row of bungalows but more like a block of town houses. Not only will the neighborhood no longer resemble its past, it will not be as attractive.

Obviously there are some who oppose the proposal for historic designation. Some of our neighbors are homeowners with genuine concerns which should be respected. However, there are others of the “opposition” whose motives I question. Firstly, some unknown fraction of folks with opposing signs in their yards have said that they don’t care about the issue and just put the signs there because they were asked to. Secondly, I fear that some opponents are developers or contractors whose motivation is purely economical. Intown areas, including Oakhurst, are ripe for the development picking. While people have the right to pursue their livelihoods, a genuine cry for help on the part of residents for protection of their neighborhood should trump an individual’s attempt to make a profit.

A recent letter to the Oakhurst Leaflet described the bungalow as an insignificant architectural building type. I beg to differ. The bungalow is the essence of the American dream: at the
outset, it created the opportunity for people who didn’t have a lot of resources to own their own home, and one that was beautiful and of which they could be proud. The style elevated the dignity of the working-class person; now it was not just the rich who could afford to own a beautiful home. The philosophy behind the style is that it is simple, handmade, personal, accessible to everyone, and elevates the human spirit through architecture. The bungalows are individualized by architectural and design elements, such as the Japanese-style motif incorporated into the roof line of our house. It would be a travesty to condemn these
beautiful homes to the trash heap in order for an individual to make a buck. Another sentiment I hear is that people don’t want “to be told what to do.” While this reaction is understandable on a visceral level, it doesn’t stand up to reality. Politely complying with rules is what being a part of a larger society is all about. We have limits on how fast we can drive, we must cut our grass regularly, our children must go to school on certain days and times. We chose to live with these rules because they form a framework within which we can proceed with our lives. Given the need to protect neighborhoods from destructive infill, we are asking to create an additional framework for our protection. LHD designation provides us with protection such that our historic neighborhood will continue to look like the neighborhood that made us want to live here.

Lastly, I will mention the impact of rising property values on our elderly neighbors. I am not certain that LHD will cause property values to rise any more than they already are; no one can
predict this. But, however it happens, rising property taxes do represent a hardship for the elderly. This problem can be addressed through legislation specifically directed at it. There is
a proposal, for example, that it might be possible to place a cap on the property taxes due from these neighbors. Solutions such as this should be explored, and this problem does not necessitate abandoning the quest for LHD protection. I do not suggest living in the past. It is possible to renovate existing homes, and even build new ones within a framework that preserves the character of the neighborhood. If my husband and I stay in the neighborhood, it is our intention to renovate our house to add more space and modern conveniences. We advocate LHD knowing that we will have to go through the process of getting a certificate of appropriateness
and renovate within the framework we are requesting. The additional steps are worth it if our neighborhood is protected.

Who can nominate an area to become a local historic district?

Who can nominate an area to become a local historic district? Any member of the Historic Preservation Commission or resident of Decatur can nominate an area to become a local historic district. The nomination report includes a physical description of the area, a statement of historical, cultural, and/or architectural significance, a map showing the district boundaries, a statement justifying the boundaries, and a photographs. (See Ch. 58 of the City Code for more information).

In a Local Historic District, the State of Georgia and the City of Decatur require ALL
material changes be reviewed against the specified Local Historic District Ordinances and
Design Guidelines and be issued a Certificate of Exemption or Certificate of
Appropriateness prior to performing work.

A Certificate of Exemption is an administrative review and approval of minor repairs and
installations or other projects described in the Local Historic District Ordinances and
Design Guidelines.

A Certificate of Appropriateness is granted for new construction, demolitions and
renovations projects after review and acceptance by the Historic Preservation Commission
as specified in the Local Historic District Ordinances and Design Guidelines.

Projects Requiring Review include:

New Construction

Additions

Demolition or Relocation

Alterations to Existing Properties; such as
• Doorways
• Windows
• Roofs
• Exterior Cladding
• Porches
• Fences and Walls
• Driveways
• Vegetation

See the following for flow charts of major renovation process now, compared to under local historic district. http://www.decaturga.com/client_resources/historic%20preservation/local%20district%20materials/local%20historic%20district%20processes1.pdf

Notes from the work session for the Planning Commission

The infill task force, which was formed 11/2005, submitted reports to the City Commissioners. In August 2007, (yes nearly 2 years later) the Planning Commission worked on what would be submitted to the City Commission. Here are some notes regarding that meeting:

Zoning ordinances are a challenge because it applies to the entire city, which includes neighborhoods that are vastly different from each other in character. That is why the minority report used a contextual based approach, so that scale relates to the surrounding buildings. But the difficulties in applying that approach is that it’s a lot of work for the city to administer, it’s extra work for the property owner to get height surveys of the surrounding properties and residents feel that they have the right to have a two-story house.

It was made clear in the planning commission meeting that the majority report recommendations would have allowed even taller homes (up to 42 feet was the City's estimation). They also tested the minority report recommendation by using an existing (anonymous) street in Oakhurst to see what could be built. The resulting house could be 29 feet tall.

Greenville Historic Preservation Quiz

I found this particular piece applicable because so many people I speak to do not have any understanding of what a local historic district does for a community. The answers to some of the questions are not the same for the existing local historic districts for Decatur. It is important that everyone understand what a local historic district is and is not. Local historic district does not stop new construction or renovation. It is an overlay that preserve the local historic character while allowing for development and growth. Enjoy.

Take the Greensboro Historic District Quiz!
People react in different ways when I tell them I live in a historic district. They often say, "I love old houses," or "I hate old houses." One nice lady, when I told her I served on the Historic District Commission, kindly shared her opinion that "you people are crazy." And she is a homeowner in one of the districts. A lot of people object to the degree of regulation in the districts. But when I ask which regulations they don't like, it often turns out that they don't actually know what the regulations are. So I thought it would be fun to offer a little online quiz about what actually is permitted -- and what's not -- in Greensboro's locally-designated historic districts. If you're a historic district hater, or just a skeptic, take the quiz to see how much you actually know. If you like, post your answers in the comments. (No fair peeking at the Historic District Guidelines!)UPDATE: Answers are now posted!
GREENSBORO HISTORIC DISTRICT QUIZ
1. All of Greensboro's historic districts are regulated by the Greensboro Historic District Commission (HDC).
False. Greensboro has a lot of neighborhoods that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the A&T College Historic District, the Bennett College Historic District, Irving Park, Guilford College, and the White Oak New Town historic district (to name just a few), none of which are regulated at all. Only Fisher Park, College Hill, and the Aycock Historic District are locally-designated districts which fall under the jurisdiction of the HDC.

2 .If you live in one of the locally-designated historic districts, your house colors must be approved by the HDC.
False. Although the Historic District Program Manual and Design Guidelines contain some helpful advice for those wishing to paint their houses in an historically-accurate way, owners are free to paint their houses any way they like.
3. It is not permitted to cover original wood siding with vinyl or aluminum siding in the locally-designated historic districts.
True.
4. New construction in the locally-designated districts must use historically appropriate materials; new products such as fiber-cement siding are not permitted.
False. Many new materials such as fiber-cement siding (also called hardi-plank) are permitted in new construction, although they are not considered appropriate as replacement materials for original historic materials such as wood, brick, or stone.
5. New houses in the locally-designated districts must be designed and built to look like the houses surrounding them.
False. Although new construction in the historic districts is required to be compatible with surrounding buildings in terms of size, setbacks, and roof forms, most new houses built there would never be mistaken for old houses; in fact, it's considered desirable by many preservationists that new houses shouldn't "fool" the public by looking too much like old ones.
6 It is not considered appropriate to paint previously unpainted brick or masonry in the locally-designated districts.
True. One reason for this is that once brick is painted, it can never really be unpainted again, and thus never restored to its original condition.
7 Prefabricated outbuildings such as sheds are not permitted in the locally-designated districts.
False. Many prefabricated sheds are considered appropriate and can be used, although metal sheds and those with gambrel roofs ("dutch barn" style) are not.
8 Large trees may not be cut down in the locally-designated districts without permission from the HDC.
True. The tree canopies in the historic districts are an important character-defining feature of the neighborhoods. When the HDC grants permission to take down a mature tree, it often requires the homeowner to plant another one like it.
9 Major interior renovations require permission from the HDC to insure historical appropriateness.
False. Interior renovations are not regulated by HDC.
10 Chain-link fences are prohibited in the locally-designated districts.
False. Chain-link fences are permitted at the rear of houses, but not in front or side yards.
11 You must receive permission from the HDC when planting trees, shrubs, or hedges.
False. Plant away freely.
12 Historic buildings in the historic districts are protected from demolition.
False. If a property owner wishes to demolish a building, the HCD only has power to delay the demolition for 365 days.
13 The tight regulation in the locally-designated districts drives away investment.
False. Several studies have shown that property values in Greensboro's historic districts have risen at a faster rate than that of the city as a whole over the past 20 years.
14 The zoning restrictions in the locally-designated districts are more stringent than those in modern suburban developments.
False. Many things are permitted in the historic districts, such as chain-link fences, prefabricated outbuildings, and unregulated landscaping, which are prohibited or controlled by restrictive covenants in many new neighborhoods. In fact, in some new developments, the neighborhood association has the right to remove items from your property which the association considers unsightly or inappropriate; this is not true in the historic districts.
Furthermore, Greensboro's historic districts all contain a variety of zoning types, including single and multifamily residential, office, business, and retail. Most new developments are restricted to single-family housing, often with minimum square-footage requirements.
15 The people who live in the locally-designated districts are a little bit nutty.
True. But so are the people who don't.