219 N Johnson St.

District: Mid-City - Partial Control 

Owner: Leslie Deanna Bennett

HDLC Staff: Krista J. Guzzo

Rating: Contributing

Applicant: Leslie Bennett

Permit #: 23-21054-HDLC

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:  This craftsman double shotgun first appears on the Sanborn maps in 1940 and is estimated by FEMA to have been constructed between 1910 and 1920.  

• The alternatives to demolition that have been explored by the applicant:  The applicant originally wanted to rehabilitate the existing house and build on an addition, but the extent of termite damage and the overall condition of the home make this unfeasible.

• The difficulty or impossibility of reproducing such a building or structure because of its design, texture, material or detail:  The construction of such a home in the same configuration would not be impractical; however, the reproduction of the craftsman style and architectural details would be unlikely at the same level of craftsmanship and quality of materials.  

• The special character and aesthetic interest that the building or structure adds to the local Historic District:  While the building's scale, massing, and remaining architectural details are representative of the district's early history, its blighted condition  does not contribute to the streetscape.  

• The condition of the building or structure: The HDLC Inspector performed an interior and exterior visual inspection and determined that the structure was in very poor condition.  The building envelope does not adequately secure the building and leaves the interior open to the elements, the piers  are considerably deteriorated and missing bricks and mortar.  Visible termite damage was present on the sills.  The lack of subflooring and interior finishes revealed severe termite damage throughout studs, joists, and rafters.  Newer, substandard reframing has also become deteriorated by rot and termite damage, and the lack of wall sheathing also contributes to unsoundness of the structure. The ridge pole is also found to be under-sized, and it is unlikely that the spacing of the rafters meets building code standards. 

Staff Recommendations: 

Due to the very poor condition of the building, it's unlikely that a feasible rehabilitation could occur.  The home could be reconstructed, and the building footprint could be retained,  but very little of the original fabric and architectural details are in salvageable condition.  Due to the condition of the building, Staff recommends no objection to the demolition request.

• Recommendation: No objection to demolition.