HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC Agenda Packet 10.13.22
Thursday
October 13, 2022
5:30 p.m.
Emma Harvat Hall
City Hall
IOWA CITY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Thursday, October 13, 2022
City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street
Emma J. Harvat Hall
5:30 p.m.
Agenda
A) Call to Order
B) Roll Call
C) Public discussion of anything not on the agenda
D) Public Hearing – Discuss landmark designation for 937 East Davenport Street
E) City Park Pool Discussion
F) Report on Certificates issued by Chair and Staff
Minor Review –Staff review
1. HPC22-0062: 513 Grant Street – Longfellow Historic District (rear deck construction)
2. HPC22-0064: 111 East College Street – Local Historic Landmark (sign installation)
3. HPC22-0065: 1033 Woodlawn Avenue – Woodlawn Historic District (solar installation)
4. HPC22-0068: 326 North Johnson Street – Goosetown/Horace Mann Conservation District (rear
stoop and step construction)
5. HPC22-0061: 225 North Governor Street – Goosetown/Horace Mann Conservation District (rear
deck)
G) Consideration of Minutes for September 8, 2022
H) Commission Discussion
1. Historic Preservation Awards
2. New Commissioner Welcome
I) Adjournment
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact Jessica Bristow,
Urban Planning, at 319-356-5243 or at jessica-bristow@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow
sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission
City Hall, 410 E Washington Street, Iowa City. IA. 52240
Memorandum
Date: October 5, 2022
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Jessica Bristow, Historic Preservation Planner
Re: 937 East Davenport Street, John and Anna Vrchoticky Prybil Cottage
The applicants, property owners Marybeth and Kenneth Slonneger, have requested that the property
at 937 East Davenport be designated as an Iowa City Historic Landmark. Designation of the property
as an Iowa City Historic Landmark will require Commission approval of any significant changes to the
exterior of the building. Landmark status will also make the property eligible for special exceptions
that would allow the Board of Adjustment to waive or modify certain zoning requirements and for State
Tax Credit funding of rehabilitation work as well as funding through our Historic Preservation Fund for
eligible rehabilitation projects.
As the attached site inventory form describes, the cottage at 937 East Davenport was built as a side-
gabled one-room cottage with a loft above for the children to sleep. The front door is centered on the
house and there is a single window to the east of the door. A gable addition was added to the rear of
the house before 1882 and a second, smaller gabled addition was added prior to 1920. Also prior to
1920 an open porch was added to the EL created by the original portion of the house and the first
addition. The house has wood lap siding with corner boards, minimal flat casing surrounding double-
hung windows, and a brick chimney in the end of the first addition.
This house has had very few changes since 1920. At some point, rolled asphalt siding was installed,
covering the original wood. The asphalt siding was removed before 2012 and the roof, which was
originally wood shingle and likely replaced over time with metal, was also replaced by then with the
existing metal roof. The current owners extended the porch to the rear of the house, along the side of
the rear addition. New trim boards have been installed over the original trim which remains
underneath. This alteration could be reversed. Unlike similar small cottages in the area, 937 East
Davenport has not had the history of numerous additions and alterations that many other small
cottages have suffered. It is still recognizable in its historic configuration.
John Prybil was a Bohemian immigrant and a brick mason. Returning to Iowa City from Chicago in
1873, he married Anna Vrchoticky and by 1874 they were living in the one room Cottage at 937 East
Davenport Street. The cottage was likely built by them. It does not appear on the 1868 Bird’s Eye
View Map of the neighborhood. By the time of the 1880 census, the couple was living in the house
with their first two children. While living in the one-room house they built the first addition and
increased their family to four children. In 1882, the Pribyl family purchased 405 Reno Street, the
former district schoolhouse, moved there, added to that house, and grew to a family of ten.
In her June 2000 report on the area, Survey and Evaluation of the Goosetown Neighborhood (Phase
III), historian Marlys Svendsen wrote,
The survey found that the patterns of development experienced in Goosetown over the
past 13 decades have produced a neighborhood that shows few remnants of its
earliest history as a semi-agrarian ethnic community. These surviving vestiges include
the dozens of 1 and 1 ½-story frame dwellings densely clustered along the 900-1100
blocks of Bloomington, Davenport, Fairchild and Church Streets.1
The area consisted of mostly long narrow lots with the house located near the street allowing for
gardens, orchards, and animal grazing in the yards. A large portion of the Goosetown area was home
to a largely working-class immigrant population from Bohemia and Germany.
The Woods addition was known for the density of the lots. When it was platted in 1855, Woods did not
include the continuation of Summit Street as the major North/south street separating the Outlots of the
original town plat from Woods Addition. This allowed him to create longer block with more lots. He
also reduced the width of the north/south streets in the addition. Despite Woods’ goals for increased
density, many of the original landowners purchased multiple lots where they only built one house. This
allowed them to utilize the rest of the property for subsistence farming. Additional houses were added
later as family members built houses on the larger lots or the original lots were sold off.
At the time the house was constructed at 937 Davenport the lot was a narrow, 20 feet wide, an
example of that density that Woods sough for his Addition. The small house and long lot would have
provided the family with space to grow food and tend animals. Eventually over time, a portion of Outlot
7 was added to the lot for 937 East Davenport, increasing the width of the lot to 50 feet.
Small houses such as this were often used as starter homes for young couples. In fact, as Svendsen
states in her report, “Rental housing had been a part of Goosetown’s history from its earliest days with
small cottages serving as first-homes for the young families who rented them. Some of Goosetown’s
most modest residences provided housing for multiple generations.”2 By 1892, the house at 937
Davenport was owned and occupied by James Solnar, a laborer and his wife Frances. By 1899, their
son, who was also a laborer, was boarding in their home and within a few years had married and the
house was occupied by the young couple. After 1915, the property became a rental house.
Landmark Designation
The Commission should determine if the property meets criterion A. and B. and at least one of the
criteria C., D., E., or F. for local designation listed below:
a. Significant to American and/or Iowa City history, architecture, archaeology and culture;
b. Possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship;
c. Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our
history;
d. Associated with the lives of persons significant in our past;
e. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction; or
represents the work of a master; or possesses high artistic values; or represents a significant
and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
f. Has yielded or may likely yield information important in prehistory or history.
1 Page 8
2 Page 9
Staff finds that the property is recognizable as a small, historic Goosetown Cottage and that the
history of Goosetown is a significant aspect of our community history, so the property meets Criterion
A. In addition, the property is located in its original location, retains most of the historic materials that
define its historic character, and surrounded by residential properties that are indicative of its original
setting even though the area is not farmed in the same way it was historically. Therefore, staff finds it
meets Criterion B.
This house is an intact example of the small cottages constructed by the immigrant population of
Goosetown. Its was owned and built by a Bohemian immigrant who worked as a stone mason and
was later occupied by multiple generations of one family and even became a rental property or starter
home that was common in the neighborhood. The house is also one of the only remaining relatively
unaltered cottages of this one-room side-gabled type. For these reasons, staff finds that this house is
associated with the Goosetown immigrant population, the historic housing types of the neighborhood,
and their living habits, so that it also meets Criterion C.
While information is known about the first occupants and later occupants of the house, none of these
occupants could be considered significant to Iowa City’s past as individuals or through their
occupations. So, Staff does not find that it meets Criterion D.
937 East Washington is intact, but the roof has been replaced, more modern trim covers the original
trim, and there have been changes to some rear openings and the rear porch. The windows are
historic wood windows but at least the front window was likely replaced from the original window.
While the house has integrity to be eligible for landmark designation, and may be considered to still
embody the distinctive characteristics of a type and period of construction, at this time, staff does not
find that the house meets Criterion E.
Criterion F typically involves the possibility that the property has the potential to yield archeological
information. Given the limited number of changes to the building and the rest of the property, it may
be possible for the property to contain archeological resources, but nothing is known about it at this
time. The use of brick in the wall as a form of insulation is evident in the house and does provide
information about some past building practices. Even so, staff does not find that there is enough
information to consider the property meeting Criterion F at this time.
Based on the information provided, staff finds that the property meets criteria A, B, and C, and
therefore qualifies as an Iowa City Historic Landmark. Attachments include Site inventory forms for
the property, a statement and history document created by the applicant, a location map, and photos.
Recommended Motion:
Move to approve the designation of 937 East Davenport Street (John and Anna Vrchoticky Prybil
Cottage) as an Iowa City Historic Landmark based on the following criteria for local designation:
criteria A, B, and C.
937 East Davenport – front façade (north)
937 East Davenport Street- NW corner
937 East Davenport – NE corner with porch to the right
937 East Davenport Street - south elevation showing the first addition (before 1882) with the
chimney, the later addition (before 1920) in the foreground and the porch on the left. The porch
originally only extended along the side of the first addition.
Site Inventory Form
State Historical Soc iety o f Iowa
(January 28, 1997)
1. Name of Prope rty
State Inventory No. 52-01309 0 New 181 Supplemental
0 Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.)~---------
Relationship : 0 Contributing 0 Noncontributing
0 Contributes to a potentia l district with yet unknown boundaries
National Register status: (any that apply) 0 Listed 0 De-listed 0 NHL 0 DOE
Review & Com pliance No .. --------------------
0 Non-Extant (enter year)------------------
historic name James and Frances Solnar House
other names/site number -------------------------------------
2. L o cation
street & number 937 East Davenport Street
cttyortown ~Io~wa~C~i~cy~-~~=--~~~------~-
Legal Description : (If Rural) T ownship: Name No.
0 vicinity, county .-J~o~hn~so~n--=--:----=-~-----
Range No. Section Q uarter of Quarter
(I f Urban) S u bd ivision Original Town Block (s) OL7 Lot (s) E20'ofNhalf&partWoodsl/10
3. State/Federal Agency Certification (Skip this Section]
4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section]
5. Classification
Category of Property (Check only one box)
181 buil ding(s)
Number of Resources within Pr operty (Do not include previously listed resources}
0 district
0 site
0 structure
0 object
Contributing Noncontrib uting
1
1
bu ildings
sites
structures
obj ects
Tot al
Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter "N/A" if the property is not part of a multiple property examination).
Title HistoricaVArchitectural Data Base Number
Goosetown Neighborhood Phase ill Survey 52-034
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
OlAOl DOMESTIC/single dwelling/residence OlAOl DOMESTIC/single dwelling/residence
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (E nter categories f rom instructions)
09A03 OTHER/House/Side..Qabled One Story found at io n !:!:04~ST~o~N~E,__ ____________ _
walls 086 ASPH ALT/Rolled
roof 08A ASPHALT/Shingle
other
Narrative Description (181 S EE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST B E COM PLET ED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark ·x· in one or more boxes for criteria that may qualify the property for National Reg ister listing)
181 Ye s 0 No 0 More Researc h Re co mme nded A Property is associated with si gnific ant events.
0 Yes 181 No 0 More Rese arch Recommended 8 Property is associated with the lives of significa nt persons .
0 Yes 181 No 0 More Resea rch Recommended C Property has distinctive arc hitect ural cha racte ristics .
0 Yes 181 No 0 More Research Reco m mended D Property yields significant information in archaeol ogy or history.
Criteria Considerations
0 A Owned by a religious institution or used
for religious purposes .
0 8 Removed from its original location.
B C A birthplace or grave.
D Acemetery
0 E A reconstructed building, object, or structure.
0 F A commemorative property.
0 G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50
years.
Areas of Signi fica n c e (Enter categories from instructions) S ignificant Dates
Construction date
ca.l885 l4C06 ETHNIC HERIT AGFJEUROPEAN/Bohemia
Si gnifica nt Person
(Complete if National Register Criterion B Is marked above)
N/A
Other dates
Archite ct/Builder
Architect
unknown
Builder
unknown
Narrative Statement of Significance (f8l SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WH ICH MUST BE COMP LET ED)
9. Maj or Bi bliographical References
Bibliography 181 See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
Yr¥:B.!!!i!~:!Pf:'!:'P"'..4Q:n = '"" •••••••·••• ·· ·· · · .. • , :: ::=: , :::::: ., .. :::: : ........... _ .. __ _
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'' ' ' 0 See continuation sheet for add~i~~ai UTM references or co~~~~
11. Fonn Pre pared By
name/title Marlys A . Svendsen
org an ization Svendsen Tyler, Inc.
street & num ber N3834 Deep Lake Road
city or town Sarona
date 3/2000
telephone 715/469-3300
state -'WI~-----zip code 54870
ADDI TIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with t he complet ed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map showing the property's location in a town/city or township
2. Site plan showing positio n of buildings and structures in the nominated area in relation to adjacent public road(s).
3. Photographs : representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which t he Society is to be curator of
t he negatrves or cOlor slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be induded with the negatives/slides and the following needs to be provided
below on this particular inventory site:
Ro iVslide sheet# 9636 Frame/slot# 13 Date Taken 11/3/99
Ro iVslide sheet # Frame/slot# Date Taken
Ro iVslide sheet# Frame/slot# Date Taken
0 See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries.
0 Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES , INCLUDE THE FOL LOWING AS W EL L
1. Farms tead & District (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Bam:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
A sketch of the interior the barn's exterior dimensions in feet.
Iow a Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa
Iowa Site Inventory Form
Continuatio n Sheet
Page
James and Frances Solnar House
Name of Property
7. Narrative Description
Site Number 52-01309
Johnson
County in Iowa
This !-story single-family frame dwelling dates from ca .l870 according to City Assessor Records . Property Transfer Records and city
directory listings do not confirm such an early construction date , but the form of the house is consistent. The house is an example of the Side-
Gabled Roof One Story house form frequently used for small houses in the Goosetown neighborhood. This example is a very small building
on a very narrow lot (only 20 ' wide). lt has a single window to tl1e left of the centered entrance door on the front fac;:ade although the rolled
asphalt brick siding on the house could be covering an additional window. Fenestration includes 1/1 double-hung sash in various sizes in
other locations. The house is set on a stone and brick foundation and is clad in rolled asphalt brick siding over clapboard siding. Added floor
space is provided in two successive gabled additions at tl1e rear that form an ell. An open porch fills the rear ell .
8. Statement of Significance
This house is a well-preserved example of a very small Goosetown residence . It is a variation of a house form once common in the
Goosetown neighborhood, the Side-Gabled Roof One Story cottage. lllis house form was typical of many of the dwellings built and
occupied by residents of Iowa City's Bohemian Goosetown neighborhood in tl1e years preceding tl1e tum-<Jf-the-century . Such houses were
easily expanded, moved , and modified as tl1e needs of the families dictated. Like many such houses, tllis example has several additions. As a
result of changes made in its appearance, tlus house is not eligible for the National Register individually under Criterion C . Retention of its
basic fonn, however, makes it a contributing structure in a potential Goosetown Historic District.
This house likely dates from ca. 1885 shortly after James Solnar acquired the parcel from E.G. Fracker. Solnar, a laborer, and his wife
Frances were listed in city directories at tllis address in 1892. By 1899 James, Jr., also a laborer, was boarding in his parents' home. Witilin a
few years it appears that tile son married and he and his wife Josephine made tlus house their residence. In 1915 James Solnar sold tile
property to Fred Zinkula who it city directories do not indicate resided here. Tenants in subsequent years included William Stoddard, a
plumber, and his wife Carrie, a helper at tile State University of Iowa Laundry . Lillian Zinkula, Fred's widow, eventually sold tlle house in
1958 .
9 . Major Bibliographic References
Iowa City city directories .
Property Transfer Records, Johnson County Auditor's Office .
Tax Assessor's Records, City of Iowa City Assessor.
#52-0 10-1031, Goosetown Neighborhood Survey, 1985.
Sanborn maps, 1879, 1888, 1892, 1899, 1906, 1912 , 1920, 1926, 1933, and 1933 updated to 1970 .
Slonneger, Marybeth, Small But Ours, Iowa City , Iowa : By Hand Press, 1999, pp. 314, 343 .
Additional Documentation
Iowa De partment of C ultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa
Iowa Site Inventory Form
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
James and Frances Solnar House
Name or Property
Plat Map
Photograph
N
r
Site Number 52-01309
John son
County in Iowa
0
I' 3 4-
~ ~
Iowa Site Inventory
Office of Historic Preservation
Iowa State Historical Department
East 12th & Grand Avenue
Des Moines. Iowa 50319
Identification
1. Site N~me
Site Number 5 ..:t-() /0-/0 3 I
District Name Goosetown
Map Reference fl ___ ___.t....L...__ _________ _
2. Vill~ge!T own/City Iowa City Township ____________ County __ ... I....,ou.hun""s"'-oLWn,__ ___ _
3. Street Address 937 East Davenport OT OL7 E20' of N\
4. Woods 1 10 W\ Leg~l LocAtion
Ur!Mn: subdiYilion
township
block parc~l subpiorcel
r~n8e section •;. section of v. section Rur•l :
5. UTM Loc~tion: zone eastin ~------northin~ ______ ; Acreage, ______________ _
6. Owner(s) N•me Hotle, Phillip P.
7. Owner(s) Address Same
(Street ~ddressl !City) iStotel !Zip I
8. Use: Presen (_ ___________________ Original ____________________ _
Description
9. o~te of Construction ___ .... 1._.8L7LO""----~ArchitectJBuilder --------------------------
10. Building Type:
[i] single-family dwelling
0 multiple-family dwelling
0 commercial
0 industrial
0 educational
0 other institutional
0 public
0 religious
0 agricultural
11 . hterior w~lls: 0 clapboard 0 stone 0 brick 0 board and batten 0 shingles 0 stucco
lXI other aspha 1 t roll shingle
12. Structur~l System: O wood frame with interlocking joints :xJ wood frame with light members (balloon frame)
O masonry load-bearing walls 0 iron frame 0 steel frame with curtain walls 0 reinforced concrete
Oother __________________________________________________ _
13. Condition: 0 excellent 0 good 8] fair 0 deteriorated
14. Integrity: [8 original site 0 moved-if so, when?--------------------------------
Notes on alterations. additions (with dates and architect. if known) and any other notable features of building and site :
15. Rel~ted Outbuildings And Property: 0 barn 0 other farm structures 0 carriage house 0 garage 0 privy
0 other ----------
16. Is the building end~ngeredl ~ no 0 yes-if so, why? ____________________________ _
17. Surroundings of the building: 0 open land 0 woodland 0 scattered outbuildings O densely built -up O wmmercial
0 industrial ~residential 0 other------------------------------------
18. Map 19. Photo'-' I Roll ii'f
\~
Frame ___ 7 __ View ----------
937 E. DAVENPORT STREET
A FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANT COTTAGE IN GOOSETOWN
About a half a block away from our house stands a tiny cottage at 937 Davenport Street, a cottage that I’ve always admired,
one that is typical of the first homes built in Goosetown by the original immigrant families. A number of years ago, I was very
pleased when I saw that a brand new metal roof had been installed in the prevailing style and thought it a good omen. I kept a
careful eye on the house, for if it came on the market, I wished to purchase and restore the home.
So when seeing a demolition sign on 937 a few years ago, I was distressed. It was one of only a handful of small cottages that
I knew of in the neighborhood and three of those had disappeared in the last six months of 2022. Developers continue to
send letters to owners asking to buy up these properties for redevelopment. And because the eastern half of Goosetown has
been given no protection by the city, these small historic homes are particularly vulnerable to demolition.
The Prybil Family
After we bought 937, I traced the history of the family that owned it back to the early 1870s. Originally, it had consisted of
a single room with a loft above. And to my amazement, I learned that this tiny cottage had been owned by John and Anna
Prybil soon after their marriage. The Prybils were old “friends” as they had moved over a block to the one-room schoolhouse
that my husband and I restored and I had interviewed their son, Edward in the 1990s. Like the schoolhouse, an additional
room had been built on the back of 937 by Mr. Prybil. It mirrored the one he built at the the schoolhouse, including match-
ing shelves in the chimney piece. (In both cases, a third bedroom was added, but it is not known when they were built or by
whom.)
As mentioned, the earliest known owner—though the house may date from an earlier period—is associated with John Pribyl/
Sybil (1850-1933) and his wife. Family history says that John’s ancester in Bohemia “had quite a bit of land. At that time a Bo-
hemian acre was the equivilent of 2.5 acres American. Bohemians were not allowed to own more than 25 acres in one place,
but John’s father, Joseph Prybil, had managed to accumulate a number of pieces in different locations, as well as fuel, oxen,
and a wagon for trips to the coal mines.
Traditionally, oxen would make the trip to the mines in one day and return home on the second, but Mr. Prybil had been able
to purchase horses that made the trip there and back the same day, lowering the cost of each trip. When three Prybil sons
decided to emigrate from the town of Pribyslav in the Pilsen region of western Bohemia, (thought to be named after their
father—though it’s more likely that they were named after it), their father gave each son some money before leaving—the
sum was remembered as $3,700. Because his oldest son, Frank, had already been conscripted into the Austrian army and the
Austrians would soon be at war with Prussia in 1866, it was not believed that Frank and his share of the money would make
it to America. His two brothers crossed the ocean with their gold coins, but their money was stolen from their trunk during
the seventeen-day voyage. On arriving in New York without money, they contacted the Shalla’s (their Uncle Mataj had married
Maria Shalla and came to America in 1857) and were able to borrow money to get as far as Chicago. But on arrival there, they
were very surprised when met by their brother Frank. Frank had talked or bribed a Prussian officer into putting him on a ship
—the details of how he escaped conscription were not recorded—and reached America before his brothers.
One of those brothers was Joseph, who with his wife, Katerina, came to America around 1865. Initially, they lived on the
northwest corner of Davenport and Governor. Their son John became the owner of 937 E. Davenport. Even with an uncle
in the brewery business in Washington, Iowa, John wasn’t interested in brewing, he wanted to be a mason. After the Great
Fire in Chicago in 1871, masons were in great demand, so he moved there looking for work, still with only rudimentary Eng-
lish. When needing a place to stay in the city, he looked up and saw a sign that said “Rooms for Rent.” The girl that answered
the door was from his home town (not clear if this meant Iowa City or in Bohemia) and knew John’s family. So he boarded
there. The story was later confirmed by Mrs. Adelaide Laschek-Burge. Whether missing home or having earned enough
money, John returned to Iowa City.
He met his future wife, Anna Vrchoticky (ca. 1856–1902) while she was waitressing at Rees’ wine garden at the corner of
North Dodge and Prairie du Chien. They married at St. Mary’s in 1873 and purchased the property at 937 soon after. Re-
cently, it was found that the interior walls of the frame cottage are filled with bricks for added winter insulation, fire protec-
tion, and to discourage vermin, perhaps the work of John. Nine years and four children later, they moved a block away into
the recently vacated Old District School House #11 at the corner of Davenport and Reno. There he built on an addition, an
enclosed porch, and a garden shed. He also built a barn, dug a well, and filled in the stream running past the east side of the
property. This once double-lot also had a garden for raising geese, chickens, and a runt pig —when it was legal—and grew
cherries, apples and plums. Something similar can be imagined on their earlier property at 937.
A story was passed down that John’s young son Albert brought about the change in the spelling of their last name. While
attending kindergarten at the Third Ward School on Davenport St., the teacher asked for Albert’s name and, because he was
missing his front teeth, she heard and wrote Sybil rather than Prybil. Somehow, the name differentiated this branch of a large
family from the Johns, James, Josephs and Franks through many generations of Prybils. Conversations with Edward Sybil, Goosetown
Archives
One of two other small, extant cottages in the neighborhood is a “sister cottage” in the 900 block of Bloomington, placed to
best utilize two yards tended by family members for growing vegetables and raising geese. A second example is at 911 E. Dav-
enport St. Each must represent a familiar early model that has all but disappeared.
My husband and I have purchased and restored five homes in Goosetown. The first was the limestone cottage from the
1850s at 410 N. Lucas. It was in a very degraded condition when we bought it: mushrooms grew on the interior stone walls,
the ceiling was blackened with soot, the floor rotted (it was replaced) and a lean-to cardboard “room” was removed from
the back. This now delightful building is on the National Register. The second project was the 1868 one-room schoolhouse
at 405 Reno St. It had been stripped of its plumbing, electricity, and heat by a former owner. The small amount of electric-
ity needed for him to play music was generated by a stationary bike. Again, cleaning, painting, stripping out and rebuilding
decaying walls, plumbing, etc. were all necessary to restore this historic, oldest one-room schoolhouse in Iowa City. An attempt
was made to get the building on the National Register, but to do so a glassed-in side porch would have had to be removed
and we thought the extra space it provided for this small house was a positive and, as it was built by the first family that had
acquired it, it was left it in place. The third project was moving and restoring the Wetherby House from Market St. to 611 N.
Governor St. It, too, had been a rental property in very bad condition and was gutted, a new foundation laid, walls rebuilt, all
new utilities, painting, etc. and it is now on the National Register. We’ve worked on a second-generation Goosetown home at
the corner of Church and Governor Streets, now in the Conservation District and have restored the 1906 home that we live
in on Davenport Street. Most of these projects have involved near-demoliton buildings that have shown merit when restored.
All are located in Goosetown, grew out of living in the neighborhood, and were attached to its immigrant history. This led to
interviewing third generation Bohemian families and to writing a book called Small But Ours about the Goosetown neighbor-
hood. Wetherby’s Gallery followed about the first portrait painter and photographer in Iowa City, Isaac Wetherby, whose home is
preserved on Governor St.; The Burg, about the writing community at the Hamburg Inn; Finials, about our historic downtown
and recently, Remembrance Park, about the beginnings of our county. Rather than destroying these tiny, historic cottages, we
feel it is important to protect and highlight them, ideally as a historic district, for only the western half of Goosetown is now
under protection.
Ken and Marybeth Slonneger
WORK LIST FOR 937 E. DAVENPORT STREET
Work on the cottage is not completed for we are getting tired; we have done the following:
Painted the exterior & interior of the house
Added the new side porch & metal roof
Added the french doors in bedroom
Purchased a new stove, refrigerator, and water heater
Added a new kitchen sink, counter and cabinetry
Provided all new electricity, ceiling lights & exterior lights
Blew in insulation behind all new drywall including loft
Rebuilt & recapped chimney
Provided a new cement pad as a patio
Installed all new combination screen/storm windows
Added a new side door & a period-style front door
Installed new base-heating system
Installed antique, claw-foot bath tub, shower system, new sink & toilet
Had railings/banister installed in loft
Polyurethaned the floors for more durability
Added some new plantings
PLANT LIST FOR 937 E. DAVENPORT STREET
WILDFLOWERS:
Starry solomon’s seal
White trout lilies
Virginia bluebells
Wild ginger
Pink turtleheads
Violets
Ferns
DOMESTICATED PLANTS:
Allium
Pink Naked Ladies
Redbud trees
Elderberry bushes
Crabapple tree in front
Assorted hostas
Peonies
Assorted Dianthus/Pinks
Daylilies
SIDE PORCH UNDER RESTORATION
Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission
City Hall, 410 E Washington Street, Iowa City. IA. 52240
Memorandum
Date: October 6, 2022
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Jessica Bristow, Historic Preservation Planner
Re: City Park Pool
At the September 8, 2022, Amy Kretkowski and Sharon DeGraw addressed the Historic
Preservation Commission at the public comment period at the opening of the monthly meeting.
They spoke about City Park pool and requested the Commission discuss City Park Pool at the
next Commission meeting. The minutes for the September meeting are included in this agenda
packet. Since the meeting, Kretkowski and DeGraw have sent a letter requesting that the
Commission make a recommendation to Council concerning City Park Pool. That letter and its
attachments immediately follow this memo.
At the January 6, 2021 Historic Preservation Commission the Commission discussed City Park
Pool and the Parks and Rec Mater plan. That meeting memo and its attachments are also
included here.
To: Historic Preservation Commission of Iowa City
From: Amy B. Kretkowski, 714 N. Johnson Street, Iowa City
Re: Support the historic design of City Park Pool
Date: October 4, 2022
I am writing to ask for the Historic Preservation Commission’s (HPC’s) support for preserving
the current design/layout, aesthetics, and historic character of City Park Pool – a classic and
versatile outdoor pool surrounded by oak trees in Upper City Park that has served this
community for 73 years. A recommendation from HPC to City Council to preserve the current
design of City Park Pool and take mitigating measures to keep the pool in good working order is
consistent with HPC’s twin goals of preservation and conservation – and will help preserve this
pool for future generations.
History
In 1941, the Iowa City Council asked the public to approve a $62,500 bond issue to pay for a
pool in City Park. The bond was approved – and then World War II put the project on hold.
In 1947, a 10-year-old boy was playing in a flooded section of lower City Park and drowned. He
didn’t know how to swim. His friend yelled for help – but he didn’t know how to swim, either.
By the time the fire department arrived, it was too late.
The next day, the Daily Iowan featured the story on its front page and in an editorial entitled,
“How Much Is a Child’s Life Worth?” The paper campaigned for a pool in City Park so all
children could learn how to swim. The City Council balked at the cost that had escalated since
1941, but finally relented and the public quickly approved another bond issue. The total cost to
build the pool was $130,000 – over $1.5 million in today’s dollars.
The pool opened on June 11, 1949. The original design was by the Howard R. Greene Co. of
Cedar Rapids, with revisions by Byron James Lambert and Ned L. Ashton of Iowa City. With
the City Engineer, Lambert and Ashton supervised the building of the pool as consulting
engineers.
Over the years, the pool has been repaired and upgraded – all the while maintaining the existing,
original design of the main pool. That classic design has been preserved to this day.
This T-shaped pool is surrounded by majestic oak trees and features nine 50-meter lap lanes, a
large deep-water diving well, and two “wings” of 25-yard shallow swim areas. City Park Pool
has been a highlight of Iowa City summers for lap-swimmers, divers, aquacizers, water-walkers,
water polo players, club swim teams, and splashers of all ages for over seven decades.
Generations of children – and adults – have learned how to swim at this pool. The Iowa City Eels
and City High swimmers have trained here. The Iowa City Sea Lions play water polo every
summer here. And junior lifeguards have honed their skills and been certified at this pool. The
open design of City Park Pool is what makes it so versatile – and a perfect fit for the serene
landscape of Upper City Park. The simplicity of the design also compliments the historic City
Park log cabins, which on the National Register of Historic Places.
Letter to Historic Preservation Commission in support of City Park Pool, Page 2
Current status of the pool
The Parks & Recreation Commission has recommended that City Park Pool be replaced – in part
because it’s 72 years old and “not a suitable long-term investment solution.” See Gather Here
Master Plan at 37 (June 21, 2022 City Council meeting, attached). The consultant who provided
this report stated: “We do not know of any pools that are this old and still operating.” Id.
A 10-second Google search yielded several results. Here are a few: (1) the Underwood Pool, in
Belmont, MA, built in 19121; (2) the Deep Eddy Pool, in Austin, TX, built in 19362; and (3) the
McCarren Park Pool, in Brooklyn, NY, also built in 1936.3 Right here in Iowa – Decorah’s
outdoor municipal pool was built in 1939. These communities cherish and promote their
“vintage” pools. We should do the same.
The Master Plan’s “concept design” for a new pool looks nothing like the current pool – even
though public surveys show that this community supports keeping “the original aesthetics and
character” and “traditional footprint” of the current pool. See Master Plan at 41-42. Over 900
Iowa City residents have signed petitions in support of keeping the current design of City Park
Pool. I presented the petition to City Council at their September 6, 2022 meeting and would be
happy to provide you with a copy.
There is existing capital funding to make all the known repairs to City Park Pool. See July 13,
2022, Condition of the Pools report at 121-23, 225. The total cost for these repairs: $537,050.
(Id. at 121-23.) That is significantly less than the existing $6 million in capital funding scheduled
for expenditure in FY 2024 and 2025 to replace City Park Pool – and far less than the cost to
build a new pool that Iowa Citians do not want. (Id. at 225.)
More significantly, we actually don’t know what’s wrong with City Park Pool. The first line on
the engineering report says: “Consult a structural engineer to evaluate and test the main pool
concrete pool structure” and “Knowing the condition of the existing concrete structure will allow
making better recommendation for repairs/replacements.” (Id. at 121.) The second line says that
the pool lost 30,000 gallons of water per day this year – and that it would cost between $4,000
and $6,000 to “perform leak detection testing to locate the source of the leaks in the main pool
structure and verify that leaks are not in the piping.” (Id.) This hasn’t been done.
Please support the preservation of Iowa City’s historic, iconic City Park Pool and recommend to
City Council to make all necessary repairs to keep this pool in good working order. If the current
pool must be replaced, HPC should urge the City Council to preserve this classic pool’s current
design, footprint, aesthetics, and character – which is what this community wants.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
1 https://belmontma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx
2 https://www.austintexas.gov/department/deep-eddy-pool
3 https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/mccarren-park/facilities/outdoor-pools/mccarren-park-pool
City Council Agenda – June 21, 2022 – Special Formal Meeting
Information submitted between distribution of packet on Thursday and 4:00pm on Friday.
Late Addition(s):
6/16/22 Information Packet
June 21 Work Session
IP. Iowa City Recreation Facilities & Programs Master Plan
Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission
City Hall, 410 E Washington Street, Iowa City. IA. 52240
Memorandum
Date: January 6, 2021
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Jessica Bristow, Historic Preservation Planner
Re: City Park Pool and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan
At the November 18, 2021 Historic Preservation Commission meeting, the Chair of the
Commission requested that staff provide information about City Park Pool and the current
Master Plan Project for the Commission’s information.
City Park Pool was dedicated June 26, 1949. Ned Ashton, whose house at 820 Park Road is a
local Historic Landmark, was the engineer for the pool. A page from Ashton’s scrapbook is
included as an attachment to this memorandum. In addition, several pages from Irving Weber,
written for the occasion of the pool’s 30th Anniversary in 1979 are also included for background
information. The pool has been altered over time, including the removal of the below-grade
viewing window.
Following this background information, staff has included the press release, dated November
22, 2021 from Parks and Recreation Director Juli Seydell Johnson, addresssing the current
status of their Master Planning process. More information about the project can be found at the
website at the end of the press release
1/6/22, 2:28 PM Thank you for providing feedback for the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Master Plan | City of Iowa City
https://www.icgov.org/news/thank-you-providing-feedback-iowa-city-parks-and-recreation-master-plan 1/4
Iowa City Parks and Recreation has wrapped up the first phase of public engagement for the Gather
Here Recreation Master Plan. During the first phase, the department collected public feedback
through in-person planned and pop-up events, passive feedback opportunities, and through online
surveys and discussion boards. Over 1,000 responses were received.
The first engagement phase also included a series of community focus groups. Additionally, a
statistically valid survey has been mailed to 400 random Iowa City residences. These mailed
surveys are an integral part of the master planning process and the public is encouraged to
participate. Your survey feedback will help shape the future of Iowa City recreation.
A second engagement phase will be introduced this winter and will enable residents the opportunity
to provide additional comment.
All information compiled during the engagement phase will be used to create the Gather Here
Recreation Master Plan. The plan will provide guidance for future facility improvements and
recreation programming in the following areas:
Existing recreation facilities
City Park Pool
Mercer Park Aquatic Center and Scanlon Gym
Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center
Outdoor sports fields
Recreation activities, programs, and events
IOWA CITY
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1/6/22, 2:28 PM Thank you for providing feedback for the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Master Plan | City of Iowa City
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The final plan will be available for public review in 2022. Feedback from the community is critical to
the development of the master plan. This process does not include parks, trails, and playgrounds as
they were a part of the 2017 Gather Here Park Master Plan.
Please visit icgov.org/Recreation to learn more about the master plan project phases and
opportunities to share feedback through online forums and surveys.
Date of publication
Monday, November 22, 2021
Contact
Juli Seydell Johnson
Director of Parks and Recreation
319-356-5104
Juli-SJohnson@iowa-city.org
Depar tment
Parks and Recreation
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MINUTES APPROVED
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
EMMA J. HARVAT HALL
January 13, 2022
MEMBERS PRESENT: Margaret Beck, Kevin Boyd, Sharon DeGraw, Cecile Kuenzli,
Jordan Sellergren, Noah Stork, Deanna Thomann, Frank Wagner
MEMBERS ABSENT: Kevin Larson, Carl Brown
STAFF PRESENT: Jessica Bristow
OTHERS PRESENT: Angela Harrington
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: (become effective only after separate Council action)
CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Boyd called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANYTHING NOT ON THE AGENDA:
None.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:
HPC21-0114: 2525 Highlander Place – Local Historic Landmark (entrance canopy
reconstruction and rehabilitation)
Bristow said we have three areas being changed. Canopy reconstruction, canopy alteration,
sliding glass doors replaced. It was a supper club that was first constructed, and the rest is the
convention center that was constructed afterwards. She showed the canopy that has been
removed over time. The columns with brick bases and a steel column still remain. This canopy
will be reconstructed, and some other inappropriate materials will be removed from the building
around the entrance.
Bristow showed that cladding will be removed from the south facing canopy. It was cut back
previously to be flush with pillars. That will be extended to include the original overhang. She
showed images to illustrate what it looked like previously.
Bristow showed an image of the building as it stands now with red arrows to point to areas
where the material will be removed from the mansard cornice, and cedar shingles will be
installed. The roof edge will be updated. Bristow showed the clerestory windows and EIFS
system that covers them will be removed. Bristow said that when they were reviewing the local
landmark information there had been a comment about the pan of the canopy holding water,
she inquired about this issue. They are solving that by cutting the existing columns shorter to
add slope. Bristow explained the types of drawings and plans they are currently viewing,
pointing out details of above-mentioned alterations in drawings.
Bristow said the sliding glass doors to the rooms will be replaced with new sliding glass doors
Normally, sliding doors are disallowed on a landmark building ad would be approved to be
replaced with a more appropriate door. In this case, because of the age of the building, they
would have been original to the building and popular at the time it was built. She said staff
recommends approving new sliding glass doors.
Owner of Highlander, Angela Harrington said she bought the building right before the pandemic.
The business was having a lot of trouble getting traffic. But since then, they have drastically
improved due to interior improvements and the help of the commission in getting funding, she is
very grateful.
MOTION: Wagner moved to approve a certificate of appropriateness for 2525 Highlander
Place as presented in the staff report. De Graw seconded. The motion carried on a vote
of 8-0.
ANNUAL WORK PLAN
Boyd said he does not think too many changes need to be made beyond removing short term
goals that were accomplished and add back in the Sanxay-Gilmore house. It was agreed with
the University of Iowa that it would be preserved and moved to the city parking lot. That project
fell through and there is no long-term plan so he would like to add that back to their work plan.
As far as they know the University has no plans to use that space anymore.
Kuenzli asked if it would be a good idea when people buy a house in a historic district to include
a statement from the realty company explaining what it means to live in a historic district so that
we don’t have people being blindsided by the fact that they are in a historic district.
Boyd said he has talked to realtors about this. The City sends out a letter once a year to historic
property owners. He thinks realtors don’t really want to do something like that themselves.
Some will contact Bristow for information and are more helpful, but there is no mechanism to
enforce that, so it would be the realtors’ responsibility if they wanted to do it.
Bristow said she presented about historic preservation to realtors, explaining how they can help
inform the public. There has also been talk among staff to create a shorter brochure-like version
of guidelines to hand out, but they have not gotten anywhere due to staffing and time.
Boyd says that he loves this idea of having a more concrete way to let buyers know, but not
much on their work plan has been accomplished due to low prioritization with City resources. If
we want to do that, we should have the realtors make that call and ask for it because economic
endeavors are higher priority. Boyd said it could probably get done if realtors contact the City
Manager.
Bristow continued with the work plan discussion and said that the Commission did reach out to
council about a sub-committee to tell the full history and hadn’t heard back on that. Bristow said
there is a short-term goal under climate action that embodied energy is worth valuing. She said
that the city of Boston has been working on a software that calculates the embodied energy of
existing vs new building and should be available sometime this spring. This is not specific for
Iowa City, but one can enter regional information and we could use it. She will need to do more
research once it’s available to see if it’s useful.
Kuenzli asked when the annual letter gets sent to homeowners. Bristow said it unfortunately
varies greatly due to availability and training of interns. They would like to do it in April, it is
generally in spring.
DeGraw said the assessor website might be a place where they could include whether or not
the building is designated as historic. She thinks people local are accustomed to using it, but
someone from out of town might need to be told where to find it.
Bristow said the information is available on the Johnson County Property Viewer, but they would
have to know how to use the layers and find it.
Kuenzli said she thinks it would be too difficult for the average person to find on that website.
She asked how the realtors reacted to the meeting about strengthening community engagement
and intergovernmental relationships.
Bristow said that they seemed to like their proposals and thought it was worthwhile, but there
was a small number of realtors participating. They also met with the homebuilder’s association
with similar content.
Bristow said she is working on the annual report. Both the report and the annual work plan will
be reviewed and approved at the next meeting. Boyd said he is planning on making changes to
the work plan as he will not be present at the next meeting.
Bristow mentioned several houses she wanted to remind the commission were ongoing in
consideration. Kuenzli asked if the Sanxay-Gilmore House would be considered for use as a
guest house for the University. Bristow said she had no information about that type of use.
There would be a permitting process if it was allowed in that zone. Boyd says the Friends of
Historic Preservation is actively working on solutions for the property.
REPORT ON CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY CHAIR AND STAFF:
Minor Review – Staff Review
HPC21-0113: 604 Ronalds Street – Brown Street Historic District
Bristow said this flat roof rear kitchen addition is getting a new roof.
HPC21-0115: 116 South Dodge Street – College Green Historic District
Bristow said this property has new ownership and a new roof. She said that while she had
always assumed the scallop shingle was trying to appear similar to original tile roof, she
believes it actually would have most likely had a wooden shingle roof.
HPC21-0116: 610 East Jefferson Street – Local Historic Landmark
Bristow said this is a local historic landmark. It is the original rectory for St. Mary’s. It is getting a
new roof.
HPC21-0118: 507 North Linn Street – Northside Historic District
Bristow said this is a historic house with two apartment buildings on same lot, also got a new
roof.
Intermediate Review – Chair and Staff Review
HPC21-0095: 823 Bowery Street – Governor-Lucas Street Conservation District
Bristow said the house had a large cellar door with a sliding glass door, broken foundation wall.
They are putting in a new foundation, a passage door with concrete instead of wood foundation
walls. There will be a new entry stoop and a step from the first-floor door above. There will be a
window added in foundation.
HPC21-0117: 119 East College Street – Local Historic Landmark
Bristow said the Crescent Block signage for Riverside theater will include aluminum letters
adhered to the glass cladding. There will also be a projecting sign hanging off a canopy. During
construction the bottom piece of the curved glass cladding was broken, and the contractor will
have to replace it.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2021
MOTION: Sellergren moved to approve a Minutes for November 18, 2021. Thomann
seconded. The motion carried on a vote of 8-0.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 9, 2021
MOTION: Wagner moved to approve a Minutes for December 9, 2021. Beck seconded.
The motion carried on a vote of 8-0.
COMMISSION DISCUSSION: City Park Pool
Bristow said there is a master planning project through Parks and Rec going on currently. They
had asked for opinions from the public. She provided some general information. The pool has
been altered over time.
DeGraw said she thinks it is one of the few Olympic sized outdoor pools in the Midwest.
Thomann said there are some who are wondering if the pool will be modernized, and she hopes
that there are no plans to do so.
DeGraw said people are wondering if things like a splash pad or kiddie slide will be added and
the Olympic swimming part removed.
Boyd said he only knows that Parks and Rec is doing an aquatic study. He thinks they should
keep an eye on the plan in case there are major changes in the future.
DeGraw said she doesn’t think they plan on making major changes based on previous
conversations.
COMMISSION INFORMATION:
Bristow asked that she be given any specific information that commissioners would like included
in the annual report. She will need all new commissioners to do some paperwork for the State.
She will need all this before the end of February. They will be presenting the annual report to
Council.
ADJOURNMENT:
Sellegren moved to adjourn the meeting. Wagner seconded. Meeting was adjourned at 6:34
pm.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD
2020-2021
NAME
TERM
EXP. 04/08 05/13 06/10 7/08 7/21 8/12 9/09 10/14 11/18 12/9 01/13
BECK,
MARGARET 6/30/24 -- -- -- X X X X X X X X
BOYD, KEVIN 6/30/23 X X X X X X X X X X X
BROWN,
CARL
6/30/23 X X O/E X O/E X X O/E O/E X O/E
BURFORD,
HELEN 6/30/21 X X X -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
DEGRAW,
SHARON 6/30/22 X X X O/E O/E X X X X O/E X
KUENZLI,
CECILE 6/30/22 X X X X X O/E X X X X X
KIPLE, LYNDI 6/30/22 X X X X -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LARSON,
KEVIN
6/30/24 -- -- -- X X O/E X O/E X X O
PITZEN,
QUENTIN 6/30/21 O/E X X -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
SELLERGREN,
JORDAN 6/30/22 X X O/E X X X X X O/E X X
STORK, NOAH 6/30/24 -- -- -- X X X O/E X X X X
THOMANN,
DEANNA 6/30/23 -- -- -- O/E X X O/E X O/E O/E X
WAGNER,
FRANK -- -- -- -- -- X X X X X X
WU, AUSTIN 6/30/23 O/E X X -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
--- = Not a Member
MINUTES PRELIMINARY
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 8, 2022
EMMA HARVAT HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Margaret Beck, Kevin Boyd, Carl Brown, Cole Eckhardt, Jordan
Sellergren, Noah Stork, Deanna Thomann, Christiana Welu-
Reynolds
MEMBERS ABSENT: Kevin Larson, Nicole Villanueva, Frank Wagner
STAFF PRESENT: Jessica Bristow
OTHERS PRESENT: Amy Kretkowski, Sharon DeGraw, Ritu Jain, Brad Pouleson
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: (become effective only after separate Council action)
CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Boyd called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANYTHING NOT ON THE AGENDA:
Kretkowski began by asking the Commission for their support to preserve City Park Pool. She
presented a brief history of the pool, including that it was built in the 1940s after a child drowned
in the Iowa River. The community rallied by building the pool in City Park and making sure that
everyone had the opportunity to learn how to swim. She spoke about the historic nature and
character of the pool, and residents’ desire to keep it.
She is unsure when the City Council will vote on this matter but thinks it will occur soon. Parks
and Recreation is moving forward on a plan to demolish the pool and will continue unless City
Council intervenes. She added that the pool is leaking 30,000 gallons a day, but the cause has
not been determined. She is advocating for an evaluation and rehabilitation of the current pool
instead of new construction.
Boyd reminded everyone that the Commission can listen to public comment but cannot engage
in a discussion since it is not on the agenda.
Former HPC commissioner DeGraw also spoke in support of the pool rehabilitation over new
construction. She thinks it is a historic setting that should be preserved. She suggested that
HPC could ask City Council to have Parks and Recreation fund an analysis before moving
forward on a new design.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:
829 Kirkwood Avenue
This is a historic landmark located at the corner of Kirkwood and Keokuk. This request is for
demolition of the current garage and replacement with new construction. Bristow presented a
summary of the house and property in current state and a review of roof types.
The proposed site plan shows a 2-car garage off the alley with double overhead doors with an
additional overhead door on the Keokuk-facing side. The overhead doors will be carriage style
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 8, 2022
Page 2 of 5
and the siding will be smooth cement board. This proposal calls for cement board trim, which
would need Commission approval.
The homeowners stated that the current garage is barely big enough for one car and walnuts
from trees are cracking their windshields, so they need protection.
MOTION:
Beck moved to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for the project at 829 Kirkwood Avenue
as presented in the staff report with the following conditions:
• The passage door is revised to a half-lite door with panels below
• The soffits and trim are revised with wood
Thomann seconded the motion. The motion was discussed.
AMENDED MOTION:
Beck moved to amend her motion to exclude the second condition regarding soffit and trim and
Thomann seconded.
The motion carried on a vote of 7-1 Stork opposed. (Larsen, Villanueva, Wagner absent).
CERTIFICATE OF NO MATERIAL EFFECT:
120 North Dodge Street
Removing a 1950s railing but keeping the handrail.
930 East College Street
This property has a front patio with a brick wall. Reconstructing the wall with the same bricks
and similar mortar.
404 East Jefferson
This is Saint Paul’s church. They will be conducting a major rehabilitation of the stained-glass
windows. All the windows will be removed and sent to a studio for repair, then reglazed. A
protective material similar to a storm window will be applied to the exterior to protect it from the
elements.
MINOR REVIEWS:
Bristow explained staff-only reviews for the new commissioners. The commission approves a
type of project, and staff can approve future projects if they meet the conditions for staff
approval and any associated guidelines.
525 Iowa Avenue
New stoop and step replacement using wood instead of concrete.
619 Ronalds Street
Deteriorating roof will be replaced. The internal gutter work was previously approved.
823 Bowery Street
Homeowners received an approval to build a deck.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 8, 2022
Page 3 of 5
INTERMEDIATE REVIEWS:
324 Fairchild Street
Staff and Chair approved a rear entry canopy to a previously approved project.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES FOR AUGUST 11, 2022:
MOTION: Brown moved to approve the minutes of the Historic Preservation Commission’s
August 11, 2022, meeting, as written. Stork seconded the motion. The motion carried on a
vote of 7-0, Eckhardt abstained (Larsen, Villanueva, Wagner absent).
COMMISSION DISCUSSION:
City Park Pool Discussion
Boyd asked if there was interest in adding an item to the October meeting agenda to discuss
City Park Pool. All agreed and they will call a special meeting if necessary.
Historic Preservation Awards:
Bristow described the plan for the awards presentation. There will be four paint awards, six
residential rehab awards, one new building, one commercial rehab, and PS1. Commissioners
volunteered and were assigned to presenter roles.
ADJOURNMENT:
Sellergren moved to adjourn the meeting. Reynolds seconded. The meeting was adjourned at
6:46 pm.
Minutes submitted by Kathy Fitzpatrick
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 8, 2022
Page 4 of 5
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD
2022-2023
NAME
TERM
EXP. 10/14 11/18 12/9 01/13 2/15 3/10 4/14 5/12 6/9 7/14 8/11 9/8
BECK,
MARGARET 6/30/24 X X X X X X -- X O/E O/E X X
BOYD, KEVIN 6/30/23 X X X X O/E X X X X X X X
BROWN,
CARL
6/30/23 O/E O/E X O/E O/E X X O/E X X O/E X
DEGRAW,
SHARON 6/30/22 X X O/E X X X X X X -- -- --
ECKHARDT,
COLE 6/30/24 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X
KUENZLI,
CECILE 6/30/22 X X X X O/E X X X X -- -- --
LARSON,
KEVIN
6/30/24 O/E X X O X O -- X X X O/E O
SELLERGREN,
JORDAN 6/30/22 X O/E X X X X X X X O/E O/E X
STORK, NOAH 6/30/24 X X X X X O/E X O/E X X X X
THOMANN,
DEANNA 6/30/23 X O/E O/E X X O/E X X O/E X X X
VILLANUEVA,
NICOLE 6/30/25 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X X O/E
WAGNER,
FRANK 6/30/23 X X X X X X -- X X X X O/E
WELU-
REYNOLDS,
CHRISTINA
6/30/25 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X X X
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 8, 2022
Page 5 of 5
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
--- = Not a member