CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT URBAN PLANNING AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION STAFF REPORT COMMUNITY PLANNING AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION - CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS (COA) REQUEST For Public Hearing and Executive Action on June 9, 2015 beginning at 3:00 P.M., Council Chambers, City Hall, 175 Fifth Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida According to Planning and Economic Development records, Lisa Wannemacher resides or has a place of business within 2,000 feet of the subject property. All other possible conflicts should be declared upon the announcement of the item. Case No.: 15-90200028 Address: 858 4 th Avenue N. Legal Description: Lang s Bungalow Court Lot 1 Parcel ID No.: 19-31-17-49932-000-0010 Local Landmark Lang s Bungalow Court Historic District Owner(s): Request: Ronald Bott Approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the construction of a 10 x 12 x 12 7 wood shed on west side of the property. 858 4 th Avenue North

CPC Case No.: 15-90200028 Page 2 of 9 PROJECT OVERVIEW The subject property consists of a one-story, single-family residence. The ca. 1925 Craftsman Bungalow is considered a contributing building in the locally designated Lang s Bungalow Court Historic District. As such, any exterior alterations to the building or site require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA). The owner proposes to install a 10 x 12 x 12 7 wood shed behind the residence on the west side of the property. Installation of sheds larger than 10 x 10 require Community Planning and Preservation Commission (CPPC) review. The historic rusticated concrete block retaining wall and the existing wood fence will remain in place along with the existing parrking space behind the residence. Alley access will remain unchanged. Historical Significance During the winter of 1911-12, Albert Fielding Lang and his wife went on a tour of Florida resort towns and fell in love with St. Petersburg. Within ten days of arrival Lang purchased approximately two acres of land on the northwestern edge of town along 4th Avenue North. between 8 th and 9 th Streets. One parcel that he bought was an orange and grapefruit grove. On Jan. 27, 1912, the Evening Independent announced Lang s plan to build fourteen residences in the California bungalow court tradition. A. F. Lang recently of Pittsburgh is having the land plotted into a court on which 14 bungalows will be erected. The plan of the California courts and bungalows in Pasadena and Los Angeles will be followed very closely. Mr. Lang having made a study of this plan while on a trip through Southern California last winter. Mr. Lang states that he believes by building the houses and supervising the work and making cement blocks for the construction, he can figure the cost of the bungalows down to a smaller cost than other houses in the city"... "At present two houses are under construction"... ""He estimates the entire project when completed including the cost of the land at approximately $40,000"... (St. Petersburg Evening Independent, 27 Jan. 1912, p. 10). Newspaper notices said "Come out and see the "pioneer" bungalow court at Fourth Avenue North and Ninth Street" (Evening Independent, 9 Feb. 1912, p.5) and "Lang's Bungalow Court is a strictly exclusive, modern, California style court. Come and see (Ibid, 15 Feb. 1912, p.7). Lang found much success in St. Petersburg and in 1916 was elected mayor. As one of the most popular mayors of the time, Lang paid special attention to planning, zoning, and beautification efforts so that the city would not look like a "hick town." He ordered that all the new wooden benches lining downtown sidewalks would be painted a uniform green, overhanging shop signs were removed, and parks were landscaped (Fuller 1972: 145). Among his many accomplishments, he is also noted for bringing spring training baseball to the area. Lang spent the rest of his life in his adopted city and died on Feb. 27, 1960 at age 89 (St. Petersburg Times 28 Feb. 1960, sec. 1, p. 1). Constructed ca. 1925, the subject property was one of 11 homes in the court listed in the 1925 St. Petersburg City Directory. With the onset of the great depression followed by World War II,

CPC Case No.: 15-90200028 Page 3 of 9 construction ceased in the neighborhood. The last residence was constructed in 1952 when a one-story, Minimal Traditional, masonry bungalow was constructed at 370 Lang Court. Lang s Bungalow Court Historic District is significant at the local level in the areas of architecture, community planning and development and for its association with Al Lang. It is a small neighborhood of bungalows built between 1912 and 1925 and one 1950s infill house that is now considered historic due to its age. All residences face an interior pedestrian courtyard and walkway with alley access to the rear of the homes. The district was platted by Al Lang, one of the most significant mayors in the City s history. The historic resources within this district retain a high level of their original integrity and by their design, materials, and craftsmanship convey the historic sense of place. REVIEW OF CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS The subject property is a contributing resource in a designated local landmark historic district. As a result, the evaluation of new construction is important in terms of design, scale, mass, and orientation as well as its impact on the historic appearance, architectural style, and significance of the historic district. In approving or denying COA applications for new construction, the CPPC shall use the criteria below as detailed in Section 16.30.070 of the City Code. This criteria is based on the Secretary of the Interior s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Staff also reviewed this resource. The following is an assessment of the request as it applies to these criteria. General Criteria for Granting Certificates of Appropriateness The effect of the proposed work on the landmark or the property upon which such work is to be done; The relationship between such work and other structures on the landmark site or other property in the historic district; and The extent to which the historic, architectural, or archaeological significance, architectural style, design, arrangement, texture, materials, and color of the landmark or property will be affected; The primary building on the subject parcel is a contributing resource in the Lang s Bungalow Court Historic District. Much of the significance of this district is associated with the layout of the subdivision, specifically the organization of the residence along an interior, central courtyard with a central walkway. All residences face the interior walkway with service and parking access along the alley to the rear. The installation of a shed behind the main residence on the subject parcel is consistent with the layout and use of the other residences in the district. The shed will be a wood frame structure consistent with the design of the residence. Should the shed be approved for installation, the historic and architectural significance of the district will remain. Whether the denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness would deprive the property owner of reasonable beneficial use of his property Denial of the COA would not deprive the property owner of reasonable beneficial use of his property.

CPC Case No.: 15-90200028 Page 4 of 9 Whether the plans may be reasonably carried out by the applicant. Yes. Additional guidelines for new construction (only those applicable to the subject property have been included) The height of proposed building shall be visually compatible with contributing resources in the district; The relationship of open space between it and adjoining buildings shall be visually compatible with contributing resources in the district; The relationship of the materials, texture and color of the façade of a building shall be visually compatible with the predominant materials used in contributing resources in the district; The roof shape of a building shall be visually compatible with contributing resources in the district; New construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. The proposed shed will be one-story in height and subservient to the main residence as is consistent in the district. Of the 11 historic properties in the district, six have independent garages or sheds to the rear of the main building. These ancillary structures are built almost to the alley right-of-way. The proposed shed will be separated from the residence and set to the rear near the lot line like the other ancillary buildings in the district. The shed will be wood frame with a gable roof and visually compatible with the wood frame, gable-roofed residence in terms of materials, texture and color. If the shed were removed in the future, neither the historic residence nor the historic district would be impaired. Proposed shed location 1951 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Sheet 15

CPC Case No.: 15-90200028 Page 5 of 9 Recommendation COA 15-90200028: Based on consistency with Chapter 16, City Code of Ordinances, staff recommends that the Community Planning and Preservation Commission APPROVE the Certificate of Appropriateness

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