1515 Euterpe St.

District: Lower Garden - Full Control

Owner: Zappa LLC

Rating: Contributing

Applicant: Alexander Adamick

HDLC Guidelines: 

Section 12, Pages 23-24 of the Guidelines for New Construction, Additions and Demolition states that the demolition of all or portions of historic resources within a local Historic District or Landmark site are considered drastic actions, since they alter the character of the area. Once historic resources or buildings that contribute to the heritage of the community are destroyed, it is generally impossible to reproduce their design, texture, materials, details and their special character and interest in the neighborhood. When reviewing demolition applications at properties located within a Historic District or at a Landmark site, the HDLC uses the following criteria in its evaluations:

• The historic or architectural significance of the building or structure as designated by its “rating”: Contributing.

• The importance of the building or structure to the tout ensemble of the area:  1515 Euterpe is a Contributing ca. 1900 two-family, two-story, half clipped gable and hipped roof residential building. The building albeit heavily altered retains it's original 1900's massing (see Fire Insurance/Pictometry/Massing overlay below), rhythm and cadence.

• The alternatives to demolition that have been explored by the applicant: None on record.

• The special character and aesthetic interest that the building or structure adds to the local Historic District:  The two-story building has been heavily altered but retains it's massing. It's modest size gives visual diversity to the higher style and scaled homes that flank Euterpe Street.

• The difficulty or impossibility of reproducing such a building or structure because of its design, texture, material or detail: According to FEMA research this building was constructed ca. 1900 at the same time a larger two and a half story building was constructed at the corner of Prytania and Euterpe. On the 1909 Fire Insurance Maps the parcel contains both buildings. Further investigation was conducted to understand the massing as the front façade.  Currently the front façade is in line with 1517-19 Euterpe. However, Fire Insurance Maps show a less proud presence for this building. Sometime after 1950 a front addition was added presumably when the lot was subdivided. The original 1515 Euterpe structure more than likely served as a service building to the larger building at Prytania and Euterpe. Hints of the original roof massing still exist (see Fire Insurance/Pictometry/Massing overlay below).

There is no other highly prominent service building on the 1500 block of Euterpe that has this massing or presence.  Any new construction built in place of 1515 Euterpe would likely not share this building's same massing, roofline,  socioeconomic implication, and character, which could alter the streetscape considerably.

• The condition of the building or structure:  An HDLC interior and exterior inspection performed on January 27, 2023 found the building to be in poor condition but not in imminent danger of collapse. The roof currently has asphalt shingles but previously had clay tiles. The roof has been heavily modified but the structure was not compromised. The wooden weatherboards are nailed directly to studs but appeared to be in good condition. A rear addition was constructed at the rear of the building in 2016 without permits and was granted retention in December of 2022 by the HDLC Commission.

Many of the original brick masonry piers have been replaced with CMU block piers and were in fair condition.  Some joist spans would require additional piers and sistering of members but were in good condition. Portions of the sill have been replaced with treated lumber and were in good condition.

The interior is framed with heavy studs with newer dimensional lumber interspersed throughout older members. There is evidence of moisture intrusion and wood destroying insects. However, the wood flooring was in salvageable condition. Much of the new interior framing was incompetently installed causing sagging at the second floor. 

The 2016 rear addition is inadequately supported by it's foundation and is severely damaged by wood destroying insects. The newer framing members were the main target of the termite infestation while the older members were in salvageable condition.

Staff Recommendations:  The two-story,  service building retains it's massing and demur significance to the block face. Although the building is in poor condition, the front Contributing portion of the home appears to be structurally sound and not in imminent danger of collapse.  For this reason, Staff cannot recommend approval of the full demolition of this two-story building. The rehabilitation of this building is not uncommon for the Lower Garden district, and is in fact possible. 

Nearly every recent modification done to the structure requires architectural intervention and removal.

• Staff Recommendation: Denial of the request for full demolition, however, Staff would be in support of an application for partial demolition where the front portion of the house that is in better condition is retained, with the removal of the post 1950s front addition and 2016 addition, with a new addition toward the rear.