Protection under current rules is only granted to "contributing" structures located in one of the 36 locally designated CHAP historic districts or the 200 individually designated historic landmarks. In those cases protection consists in a careful staff review of building, rehabilitation or demolition applications and hearings in front of the historic commission (the specific rules are set forth here). Any structure not located inside a CHAP district or designated as a landmark has no protection whatsoever, even if the structure has been recognized as historic and may be listed in the National Register District.
Historic district designation doesn't mean no demolition: For example, in the case of Eddies in Mt Vernon, where after full CHAP hearings the majority of commissioners recognized demolition as appropriate to avoid "hardship" on the developer. Or the case of the 32,400-square-foot former St. Vincent's Infant Asylum at 1401-1411 Division Street in historic Upton which was turned into a pile of rubble by a rogue contractor almost two years ago.
 |
| What was once the historic infant asylum building on Division Street |
Once in a while CHAP ventures outside its designated districts and landmarks, especially when the Commission is presented with information during public debate which could lead to landmarking a building. This was the case for the Read's Drugstore located in the Westside's Superblock when it came to light that it had been the place of early civil rights activities at the lunch-counter there. It may be once again the case for the Cab Calloway house in Druid Heights after CHAP director Eric Holcomb has brought potential civil rights connections to this address to the attention of CHAP. For the moment CHAP commissioners asked for a 90 day delay in demolition in order to study the matter.
Often decision makers and community leaders agree that demolition is progress and necessary and that a city must allow change to prosper. In most cases CHAP has no say. What is to do?
The seemingly easy solution to protect more areas and buildings through CHAP designation or landmarking is not politically easy. District designation can only become effective after the City Council passes an ordinance and the Mayor signs off.
 |
| New life in historic shells: Meadowmill in the Jones Falls Valley |
Many owners and developers argue that the requirements that come with a landmark or historic district designation are so onerous and costly that they effectively prevent rehabilitation, repairs or development, certainly an outcome that Baltimore cannot afford since too many valuable buildings already crumble from neglect. Historic district designation also affect different areas in different ways. The restrictions that limit what one can be done in renovations or repairs far beyond standard zoning regulations or building codes can be quite appropriate in pristine settings with high property values; the same restrictions can quickly become prohibitive and unaffordable in places like Druid Heights, Sandtown or Harlem Park, all part of the Historic West Baltimore National Register District which provides tax incentives for investors but no protections of any kind. Historic tax credits can only offset these impacts when funds are available. Thanks to the large amount of nationally or locally designated areas, the funds do not nearly cover the demand. Even the most preservation friendly governor could not elevate the available tax credit money to the levels needed.
 |
| The large eternal downtown rubble field that once was the Mechanic Theater |
Sometimes regret changes minds after the fact. So in the case of Woodberry, where historic mill buildings were demolished in spite of promises to keep them (see my article How not to erase history, one building at a time). The trauma from this demolition has shifted opinion of many property owners. Now the Woodberry community is the latest to very likely become a locally designated district after a positive CHAP vote this week.
Once a beloved building is gone and there is either no replacement at all (The Mechanic Theatre, the News American come to mind), or the replacement is mundane, banal and boring (like the many city garages that took the place of historic buildings on Baltimore, Charles and Lombard Streets) the realization sets in that new structures are often no match for the visual quality of the old ones. Even though Baltimore has fared much better with historic preservation than Denver, Hartford or Buffalo, where entire districts were torn down for highways, urban renewal or both, the question is how much better would Baltimore be without the gaping holes left by demolitions that never brought the promised improvements?
 |
| Destruction in downtown's Westside: At Lexington and Liberty in 2010 |
Contrary to the notion that demolition is a price for progress and economic development, historic districts typically score much better in terms of economic vitality than urban renewal areas ransacked by demolition. This has been shown in detailed studies conducted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in six major cities in the US.
It surely holds true in Baltimore: The residential preservation districts of Federal Hill, Bolton Hill, Mt Vernon and Fells Point outperform non designated areas in almost every category, from building value to vitality and resident retention. Creative reuse of old buildings for commercial or mixed use is one of Baltimore's strongest traits, almost all have been spectacularly successful from Clipper Mill to the American Can, from Tide Point to Meadow Mill, from Tindeco to Silo Point and from the Everyman to the Hippodrome.
All this points to the conclusion that the current "all or nothing choice" in preservation in a city with tens of thousands of vacant structures is just not prudent, even buildings in disinvested areas are no less beautiful and just as deserving of preservation.
 |
| All that's left of the Royal Theater is a fake marquis |
A solution would be the creation of a "middle district designation". Instead of a full set of requirements or none, there should be a designation that covers the middle ground. This alternative approach is nationally know as the designation of conservation districts. New Orleans has applied this tactic over large parts of their city to complement their rather few historic districts. The matter hotly debated under previous mayor Landrieu who found demolition restrictions too onerous. Nevertheless, a host of other cities such as Detroit. are considering it. According to CHAP chair Tom Liebel, CHAP is also looking into this option for Baltimore.
One way to achieve a middle level protection would be through a zoning overlay district that could be applied to existing currently unprotected National Register Districts and would focus on the big stuff, such as demolition, major additions or alterations and compatibility of new infill.
If anyone inside a National Register District undertakes a subsidized historic renovation, the compliance with the full set of rules would still apply. But anyone not using tax credits would be subjected to a much more lenient set of rules which would govern much less detail.
Historic architecture is one of Baltimore's biggest assets. Its protection is economic development. One can hope that the new Baltimore mayor will throw his or her weight behind expanded protections.
Klaus Philipsen, FAIA
No comments:
Post a Comment