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Home My WebLink About1998-11-18 PACKET 06.A.RE dF C ITY COUNClL ACTION COUNGL AGEIVDA MEETING ITE_�#,� DATE 11/18(98 � P REPARED BY: Community DeveBopment Kim Lindquist ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR ..��.�«t��....<,.��.,�...<.«��<..,...,.�., COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST Hold the scheduled public hearing relative to the nomination by the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation ta designate property at 8348 Keats Avenue as a Historic Site and adding it to the City's Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks. Defer acceptance of the Preservation Planning Report and the final adoption of a resolution until the December 2, 1988 meeting. BUDGET IMPLICATION: N!A BUDGETED AMOUNT ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION ❑ PLANNING ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ PUBLIC WORKS ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS ❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY � ACNP �� _ 9/21 /98 REVIEWED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ N/A ACTUALAMOUNT DENIED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS � MEN10/LE1�ER: fNemo from John N1cCool dated 11/12/88 � RESOLUTION: Draft ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOiVIMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOM[NENDATION: � OTHER: Preservation Planning Report APPROVED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ � ADfNIPJISTRAT COMMENTS ------- e I l /�" Cify fidministrator � Date ��>��.��.�.a.��<��.��>.�¢��<�.�� cc�ur�cw� .�c��o� - rA�� ❑ �,�P�ovED ❑ ��i�� ❑ c�rs-��r� F�:\GROUFSIPI.ANNiNG19 9981G1'TYC()UN\RObertscodt 1-92-58.doc �►�il�►�i[�7:7,1.`1�1�1►��J TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator FROM: John McCool, Senior Planner DATE: November 12, 1998 RE: Roberts House, 8348 Keats Avenue — City Registration of Historic Site Nomination Introduction The City's Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and tne City Historic Preservation Officer (CHPO) is nominating the Roberts House, 8348 Keats Avenue to the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks. The Preservation Planning Report prepared by Robert Vogel is attached. Background City Ordinance No. 355 established the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks was adopted on August 19, 1981. Since that time, the City has approved thirteen sites to be on fhe City's Register. The City's ACHP determined the Roberts Houses eligible for listing in the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks and issued a finding of significance on September 27, 1990. Kip and Linnea Sundgaard are the current owners of the property and have requested that their property be added to the City's Register. A copy of their request is attached. Discussion The historic significance of this site is solely architectural, although the nominated property also consists of a barn, chicken coop and garage that contribute to historic resources. The existing residential dweiling is classified as a vernacular cotfage of the American Four-Square or °Corn Belt Cube". The home was constructed in 1929 for Harry and Pearle Roberts. E�erior finishes and architectural details of the dwelling is in an excellent state of preservation. The barn, chicken coop, and garage are in fair condition. There are four City Council Members and Ryan Schroeder Roberts House - Histo�ic Site November 12, 1998 Page 2 other dwellings in the community that are historically and architecturaily similar to the Roberts House and are currently on the City's Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks. Recommendation Open the scheduled public hearing to allow testimony favoring or opposing the designating of 8348 Keats Avenue South as a historic site. Upo� receiving a�y testimony, Council is requested to defer the acceptance of the Preservation Planning Report and finai adoption of a resolution adding this property to the City's Register of Historic Sites and �andmarks until the regular meeting on December 2, 1998. RESOLUTION NO. 98-XXX RESOLUTION TO DESIGNATE THE ROBERTS HOUSE, 8348 KEATS AVENUE SOUTH AS AN HISTORIC SITE IN THE CITY REGISTER OF HISTORIC SITES AND LANDMARKS WHEREAS, the Roberts House, 8348 Keats Avenue South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, has been nominated to the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks by the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation; and WHEREAS, the Roberts House has been evaluated as historically significant and determined eligible for listing in the City Register on the basis of its architectural design values; and WHEREAS, the Roberts House retains historic integrity of those features necessary to convey its significance; and WHEREAS, on November 18, 1998, the City Council of the City of Cottage Grove held < public hearing on the matter listing the Roberts House in the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, County of �1Vashington, State of Minnesota, does hereby designate the Raberts House, 8348 Keats F�venue South as an Historic Site pursuant to §13A-4 of the City Code. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by this resolution the City Councll accepts and adopts the Preservation Planning Report as presented on November 18, 1998, and as submitted by the City's Historic Preservation Officer, as the authoritative guide to be used by the City for design review decisions in relation to the Roberts House Historic Site. Passed this 2nd day of December, 1998. John D. Denzer, Mayor Attest: Caron M. Stransky, City Clerk iv�, - 5 1�98 November 5, 1998 Honorabie Mayor and City Council City of Cottage Grove 7516 80�" St. So. Cottage Grove, MN 55016 Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council: Linnea and Kip Sundgaard 8348 Keats Avenue South Cottage Grove, MN 55016 At your City Councii meeting of November 18, 1998, you wi11 be reviewing the nomination of our home for Iisting in the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks. This site is known as the Historic Roberts House, or commonly known as the Sundgaard House at 8348 Keats Avenue South. The purpose of our correspondence is to express our whole-hearted support towards this nomination and ask your acceptance of it. We have lived at this address for the last fifteen years and taken great interest in the history of the home, barn and chicken coop. It is our desire to maintain the history, architecture and integrity of this property. As residents we appreciate the Council`s efforts in preserving Cottage Grove's history. if you have any questions or concerns, rNe can be reached at 459-7261. Sincerely, . /� � L' nea and Kip Sundgaard � cc: Kim Lindquist, Director of Community Devefopment Robert Vogel, Historic Preservation Officer PRESERVATION PLANNING R�PORT DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THE NOMINATION OF THE ROBERTS HOUSE, 8348 I�:EATS AVE. SO., TO THE CITY REGISTER OF HISTORIC SITES AND LANDMARKS ,.. October 30,1998 Please send comments to: Robert C. Vogel City Historic Preservation Officer 7516 80th St. So. Cottage Grove, MN 55016 (651)604-0175 voge1014@tc.umn.edu IN'TRODUCTION This preservation planning report was prepazed by Robert C. Vogel, City Historic Preservation Officer, and presents documentation supporting the nomination of the Roberts House to the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks pursuant to City Code § 13A-4. The City Register of Historic Sites and Landmazks is the o�cial list of buildings, sites, structures, objects and districts significant in Cottage Grove history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. In general, the format of the report follows the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form data elements and terminology. (For guidance, see National Register Bulletin 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form.) Many individuals made valuabie contributions to the prepazation of the report. Members of the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation assisted with documenting the property and made a number of useful suggestions during the evaluation and registration process. We aze gratefui for the cooperarion and assistance of Linnea and Kip Sundgaard, the current owners of the Roberts House, and to the staff of the Minnesota State Aistoric Preservation Office who provided helpful comments on historic site planning. ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Name of Property The historic name of the property is the Roberts House, also known as the Sundgaard House. It has been assigned file number WA-CGC-063 in the Cottage Grove historic resources inventory. Locatian The historic site occupies the rectangulaz-shaped lot which forms part of the NE'/a SE'/< NW'/< of Section 15, Township 27 North, Range 21 West. The street address is 8348 Keats Avenue South (Fig. 1 ]. Ownership The property is owned by Kip G. and Linnea Sundgaard, 8348 Keats Avenue South, Cottage Grove, MN 55016; telephone (651) 459-7261. Acreage The historic site covers approximately 5 acres. Boundaries The historic site is includes all of parceP number 15-027-2I-14-000, being the entire area Roberts House - page 1 historically associated with the Roberts House that was not subdivided. Zoning The property is zoned AG1 (agriculturaI preserve). Resource Category For preservation pianning purposes, the Roberts House is categorized as an historic building. Number of Historic Resources Within the Property The property nominated to the City Register consists of a main resource (the house), a major contributing resource (the bam), and two minor contributing resources (the chicken coop and garage). Historic Function The Roberts House was originally constructed for domestic use as a single-family dwelling. Current Function The property remains in residential use as a single-family dwelling. Preservation Planning Background The Roberts House was identified by the Cottage Grove cultural resources survey in 1987-88 and evaluated as locally significant. Further documentation was obtained during intensive surveys in 1988 and 1989. The Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation determined the Roberts House eligible for listing in the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmazks and issued its finding of significance on September l, 1992. DESCRIPTION Architectural Classification For planning purposes, the Roberts House is classified as a vemacular cottage of the American Four-Square or "Corn Belt Cube" type (see National Register Bulietin 31: Surveying and Evaluating Vernacular Architecture, page 30). Roberts House - page 2 Narrative Description The Roberts House is a two-story, wood frame, vemaculaz fazmhouse located on a lazge wooded lot (a former farmstead) on the eastern edge of the urban service area. The house has a massed squaze ground plan which measures 26 by 26 feet, with small appendages on the north and rear sides. The house is a full two stories in height and is covered by a pyramidal hipped roo£ The walls are covered with narrow beveled weatherboud siding. There is a centraily placed hip- roofed dormer on the principal (east) elevation which provides natural lighting for the central stairway. There is also a one-story solariusn, measuring 8 by 16 feet, on the north side of the house and a small enclosed back porch. Open decks extend across both the front and reaz facades. The house sits upon a raised basement which incorporates the coursed limestone rubble foundation of a nineteenth century famihouse. Built from a mass-produced, standazdized plan and soundly constructed with durable materials, the house was built with modern plumbing and heating systems and represents one of the first "modem" houses built in the azea. The design of the interior rooms reflects the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement and the original floor pian has been retained by the present owners. The house fronts east onto Keats Avenue (County Road 19A) and is surrounded on the north, west, and south by medium-density suburban residentiai development; land use to the east remains agricultural. The front part of the lot is fairly level, but behind the house the ground surface falls away rapidly across a narrow intermittent drainageway before rising to the level of the surrounding glacial outwash plain. The house is surrounded by mariue hardwood trees and shrubs, with stone sidewalks connecting it with the gazage and garden patches. Three traditional wooden outbuildings complete the ensemble at the Roberts House. The three- level gabled bam amacts attention is a notabie example of the basement barn type. It is a timber framed structure set into the side of a low hiil more than 300 feet west of the house and measures 40 by 60 feet. The walls aze covered with 11-inch boazd-and-batten siding and the roof retains its original sawn wood shingles. The basement walls were originally coursed limestone rubble, partially replaced with noured concrete and concrete block. Above the basement entry is a stone with a carved inscription (pariialiy obscured} bearing ihe date "1833° (possibiy "I89S'). Ei io by 24 foot poultry house and a 20 by 28 foot automobile gazage stand nearer to the house. A general outline of the history of the Roberts farmstead has been reconstructed from plats, ta�c records, census data and oral history sources. The present house was built in 1929 for farmer Hany L. Roberts (1880-1974) and his wife Pearle K. Roberts (1884-1968}. The house occupies the site of the original Roberts family homestead, established by pioneer Richard Roberts (1831- 1911) and his wife Anna (1841-1926) shortiy after the Civil Waz: Roberts, a native of New York, immigrated to Minnesota in a1855 and served in the azmy during the Civii Waz. According to family tradition, when Aarry married Peazle, he razed the old farmhouse in order to present his wife with a modern dwelling. Both Harry and Peazle are buried in the Cottage Grove Cemetery. Roberts House - page 3 Condition The Roberts House isin an exceltent state of greservation. The barn, chicken coop, and gazage aze in fair condition. EVALUATION Applicabte City RegisYer Criteria The Roberts House has been evaluated as eligible for listing in the City Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks because it meets the following criteria contained in Chapter 13A of the City Code: Its chazacter, interest, or value as part of the history or cultural heritage of the city, the state or the United States (13A-4(a)); Its embod'unent of distinguishing chazacteristics of azchitecture type or style, or elements of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship (13A-4(d)). Areas of SiguiScance The Roberts House is significant in the area of azchitectural history. Period of SigniScance The property attained historical and azchitectural significance when it was constructed in 1929. Architect/Builder The Roberts House was probably not designed by a professionally trained architect and the names of the builder ar cantractor are not Imown. Historic Context The Roberts House is significant within the local historic context, "Agriculture and Rural Life, 1870 to 1940," as outlined in the city historic preservation plan. Narrative Statement of Significance The Roberts House is significant as an outstanding example of early twentieth century vemaculaz cottage architecture. It is one of the best preserved rural examples of the American Four-Square house type in Cottage Grove, exhibiting skilled craftsmanship and durable materials. Within the context of architectural history, t1�e house embodies the pattern language of late nineteenth and Roberts House - page 4 early riventieth centuty Midwestem vemacular cottage movement and cleazly illustrates the distinctive characteristics that define the "Com Belt Cube" house type. Secondarily, the Roberts House relates to the cultural heritage of the family fann as the dominant landscape element in Cottage Grove during the first half of the twentieth cenriuy. Related Historic Properties Aithough the Roberts House has been nominated for individual listing in the City Register, it is related historically and azchitecturally to the following Cottage Grove historic properties: the Eimer Furber House (WA-CGC-027), the Hoffrnan-Perkins House (WA-CGG029), the John Henry Bailey House (WA-CGC-032), and the George Bahls House (WA-CGC-048). Bibliography How to Complete the Narional Register Registration Form. National Register Bulletin 16A. Washington: U.S. Deparhnent ofthe Interior, National Pazk Service, 1991. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1895, 1905 (microfiim). Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul. Plat Book of the State of Minnesota. Minneapolis: W. W. Hixon, 1916. Plat Book of R'ashington Counry, Minnesota. Minneapolis: Northwestern Publishing Co., 1901. Sundgaard, Linnea and Kip. Interview with Robert C. Vogel. 7une, 1994 (videotape). On file, Historic Preservation Division, City of Cottage Grove. Surveying and Evaluating Vernacular Architecture. National Register Bulletin 31 (draft). Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, [1987]. tT.S. Bweau of the Census. Federa] Population Schedeales, 9th a�nd lOth censuses of the Unit�d States, 187G, 1880 (microfilm). Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul. DESIGN REVIEW AiVD TREATMEIV'T RECOM!�qENDATIONS 1. The prefened preservation treatment of the Roberts House is preservation in place to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials. Small additions and minor alterations which have an kustorical basis shouid not be discouraged. The distinguishing architectural features which give the house its historic character are its ground pian (simple square with less than room-sized projections), number of stories (two), and roof shape (pyraniidal hipped); of secondary nnportance is the pattern of facade fenestration (symm�trical), the window/door arrangenlent of Che �cvscipal faaade and the Roberts House - page 5 wall cladding material (nartow weatherboard). Other character-defining elements include the dormer, solarium, and porches. The Roberts barn represents a distinctive and distinguishable historic entity in its own right and contributes importantiy to the historic character of the house. Every reasonable effort should be made to stabilize and rehabilitate the bam. A compatible reuse should be found for the building that requires minimal alteration of its distinguishing architectural characteristics. 4. Distinctive interior design features and examples of skilled craftsmanship should be treated with sensitivity. 5. Deteriorated outbuildings should be repaired rather than replaced. If replacement is necessary, the new construction should be compatible with the historic house in size, scale, materiai, and visual qualities. Roberts House - page 6 Fig. L Map showing the locat9on of the Roberts House Historic Site. Miles 0 1 2 Roberts House - page 7 _ k. _ � � �„ _ . �'��:;` it , . ,,<k • � r$ �� `: x�. t. � s r �. 4 �� r. � ; x" �. # �i' , �.`'.. : �n�� g,=� ,v. . � s , �o `� � `� � 44.. �� c s . h Y . r � � � � � _ � � « ,_ a � 'e4� :;:: ` . ��+!F - � `,�� ; , O f : �j � T �' « s � �:.'�... . y '. � ��`,� � .�; . � � � :' Fig. 6. View of bam Rober[s House - page 12 .��. �f, '� �,�, �.;� � �,�C � , ; � �� ''�- �.�2+ ' 2 . � .� ' � 4 L � `4 � f -t �. . _,. ,�y..�y�. .�:.�.v: _��f. �-.. ��'fd5w n _.�. n _.. ; , c .. ; ,= - ��e i ' { � � � � � r •� .! „.r .� • . . . �