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Minutes 05-11-15 MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCES PRESERVATION BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 100 E. BOYNTON BEACH BLVD., BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON MO NDAY, MA 11, 2015, AT 6:30 P.M. PRESENT: Barbara Ready, Chair Warren Adams, Historic Preservation Planner Eric Salomonsson, Vice Chair Roger Cope Michelle Dion Susan Oyer Dr. Ginger Pedersen (Arrived 6:35 p.m.) Jason Shaffer Cheryl Black, Alternate 1. Pledge of Allegiance Chair Ready called the meeting to order at 6:29 p.m. Mr. Cope led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 2. Agenda Approval Mr. Adams added Items B and C, which were Preserve America Community Application and Hypoluxo to Lemon City Stage Line Route respectively to Item 6. New Business. Motion Mr. Cope moved to approve the agenda as amended. Ms. Oyer seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 3. Approval of Minutes Motion Ms. Dion moved to approve the minutes as presented. Vice Chair Salomonsson seconded the motion that unanimously passed. 4. Communications and Announcements Mr. Adams announced Dr. Pedersen may be late. Meeting Minutes Historic Resources Preservation Board B oy n ton each, Florida May 11, 2015 5. Old Business: A. Cultural Resources Mobile Application update Mr. Adams submitted the second report to the State and it was approved. He had planned to use members of the community to create the audio and some staff members as well. He noted the City's Spanish translator left the City as did another employee who would do the audio recording. Since the application had to be done, instead of using community members for the recordings, he will use staff. The members viewed what the interactive map would look like. The locations will be dotted and have photographs. There would not be as many fields as shown in the example, but the information would be narrowed down to just the relevant information. Sites would be added to the map and there would be 170 web and smart phone pages. He prioritized the project and was concentrating on getting the audio done and then the Spanish audio. Mr. Adams anticipated the project should be finished by the end of June. He noted they have the option to translate the audio to Creole, time and funding permitting. (Dr. Pedersen arrived at 6:35 p.m.) B. Wells Avenue research update The research was still ongoing and continuing to move ahead. The Code Compliance Division keeps files for five years and Mr. Adams was struggling to find photos of Wells Avenue. He will reach out to the community pastors as that was where the real push would be to obtain the needed photographs. C. Division of Historical Resources Small Matching Grant Application for 2016/2017 Mr. Adams advised the applications are due the beginning of June and he was working to complete it. He planned to apply for funding research project regarding Wells Avenue, but if he did not receive enough photographs, it would be difficult to create the website. Mr. Adams proposed to create a website and map of Boynton Colored Town stretching from MLK Boulevard to the canal and from Seacrest Boulevard to U.S. 1. The application would focus on the entire area as opposed to only those with businesses and homes on Wells Avenue, Wells Avenue would still be a significant part of the project, but in this manner, other significant families could be included. Additionally, he would include information on the businesses, entertainment establishments such as Club Continental, and information on all who played there. Even stores that existed at the time and what was sold there would be included. The plan was to recognize the entire culture and include segregation. Mr. Adams believed the application would have a better chance of being funded by broadening the area, and hoped to involve students from Poinciana Elementary School. Brief discussion followed there are three or four homes on Wells Avenue eligible to be on the Local Register, and if they used Boynton Colored Town as proposed, there would be about 15 homes. Chair Ready learned if they received the grant, it would provide a full 2 Meeting Minutes Historic Resources Preservation Board Boyn Beach, Fl May 11, 2015 year to focus on obtaining further information. The members agreed the more people they involved in the project, the better the chance to get the needed information. D. Celebration of Conrad Pickel Event A card advertising the Conrad Pickel event was distributed to the members. Mr. Adams explained this was the event they hold for Historic Preservation Month. There will be one free tour that will visit Ascension Lutheran, St Mark's and St. Joseph's Churches, the Boynton Beach Mausoleum, and the Gallery Fantasia. Mr. Adams advised how to make a reservation. There will also be a free exhibit and presentations at the Library by the Historical Society and other organizations from 10.30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The proposed tour to the Benzaiten Center for the Creative Arts and McMow Glass Studios will not take place. A suggestion was made to include the information on the Historic Preservation Facebook page; however, Mr. Adams explained they lost the staff member that handled the page and they cannot gain access to it. He spoke with the Communications Manager, Eleanor Krusell, and learned the City would post the event on the City's website. He noted the event would also be advertised on a billboard by 1 -95 and through press releases. E. Barton Memorial Park Cemetery Historical Society Tour The Historical Society held a tour of the Cemetery on April 25 and about 10 people attended. Dr. Pedersen explained the tour provided a great opportunity to share the history of the site and participants were amazed with the Cemetery and banyan trees. Dr. Martha Meeks Light, who had made a presentation to the Historical Society earlier that week, also attended. She pointed out at one time the Cemetery was much larger and she gave insight to the tombstones. When someone died, the family would take empty Coca Cola crates and use them as molds. They would fill them with cement and etch them because they could not afford regular headstones. It was noted many of the graves are still cared for by local families and some are in disrepair. It was also pointed out there was a City dump south of the property. Dr. Pedersen planned, over the summer, to trace the ownership of the property and who was the first claimant. It was thought the City obtained the property through a tax sale and later it became a cemetery. The City deeded the land to the Department of Transportation to construct 1 -95 so the City owned the land, but it was unknown when the first burial occurred. F. Archaeology Program The excavation at Girl Scout Park was completed on Sunday, April 19 and Mr. Adams explained they did not find any artifacts. He pointed out that did not mean there was not anything there; only that they did not find anything. Mr. Adams explained Henry Calway and Dorothy Block from the Palm Beach County Archaeological Society and the Advocacy Anthropology Syndicate were instrumental in the dig, and they were invited to the City Commission meeting and accepted the proclamation recognizing Historic Preservation Month. 3 Meeting Minutes Historic Resources Preservation Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 11, 2015 6. New Business: A. Oscar Magnuson House proposed re -use Mr. Adams announced the proposed use for the Oscar Magnuson House was a Mediterrean restaurant and the proposed use for the Little House was a pizzeria. He commented both homes were purchased by one person who would operate both establishments. When the plans come in, the Board will review them. Mr. Adams did not have any serious concerns about what would be done with the buildings, and thought it would be better to discuss this item when the plans are submitted. The new owner is aware that approval by the Historic Preservation Planner and Board must take place and he had limited discussion with the owner. Modifications would need to be historically appropriate and would mainly pertain to the building's exterior. B. Preserve America Mr. Adams was contemplating submitting a grant application to Preserve America. This organization awards grants to communities that encourage people to experience and enjoy historic resources. He noted Boynton Beach has a Heritage Trail, Historic Preservation Board and Ordinance. The City has several buildings and a cemetery designated as historic and he felt there was a good chance the application would be successful. The additional benefit of receiving the grant is White House recognition and a certificate, and road sign. The City could use the Preserve America logo and would be listed in the Preserve America directory, be included on the national and local registers, have press releases and be eligible for grants. If approval is given, he would try to submit by September 1St or December 1 He noted the City Manager would have to sign off on the application. After brief discussion, there was Board consensus to support Mr. Adams and the application. C. Hypoluxo to Lemon City Stage Line Route. Dr. Pedersen explained there is a road that was constructed in 1892 from Lantana to Lemon City with a stop and then it crossed the river. There were seven wooden bridges. Dr. Pedersen was unsure where the actual road was. Some people recalled it was along Federal Highway and others said Dixie Highway. Sue Gillis, from the Boca Raton Historical Society, sent Dr. Pedersen a plat of the area south of Woolbright Road showing a dotted line called the Stage Line. Dr. Pedersen overlaid the route and the line could be seen running through the neighborhoods past Publix into Las Ventanas. It was actually between the two highways. Another dotted line was unmarked which exactly follows Federal Highway. The plat was filed in Dade County and refiled in 1911 in the Palm Beach County records. Dr. Pedersen commented taking the stagecoach line was expensive. It was $16 back then to travel from Lantana to Miami. 4 Meeting Minutes Historic Resources Preservation Board B o yn ton each, Fl May 11, 2015 Dr. Pedersen explained the stage line also replaced the mailman. When the Barefoot Mailman was presumably eaten on his route, it was decided a more reliable route for the mail was needed. One small section of road exists by the Hypoluxo Scrub. It was the same road used and if walked, was characteristic of what it was like in 1892. All of the invasive species were removed and the vegetation was natural to what would have been seen at the time. Dr. Pedersen reviewed the route follows 4 th on the east side of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks. If someone wanted to travel to Miami by buckboard, it would take a day and a half. When the train arrived, the sand road was gone and various parts of it were then used for cars. 7. Other A. Board - requested presentation on UK preservation projects At the last meeting Vice Chair Salomonsson requested viewing some of Mr. Adams' previous projects. Newhailes House, constructed in 1686 in Edinburg, had work done in the gardens. At that time, attractions for big houses were gardens. They would build structures for monuments, tea houses or bridges from glass and shells. Mr. Adams conducted an interior investigation and found original slabs and shells and glass from all over the world. His team was also told of a secret tunnel and they prodded around and excavated an entire staircase to a pond. Photographs of the excavation were viewed. Gylen Castle, constructed in 1582, was completely repaired. Mr. Adams and his team set up scaffolding and had to determine how the building was constructed. Photos of the changes were viewed. Mr. Adams advised on the repairs made and noted the bottom of the building had decayed. They mortared the castle, made it safe for visitors and put up interpretation boards. While conducting the work, he and the team lived in the little tea room bunkhouse. Dryhope Tower, built in the 16 Century, was in a very remote location. They repaired the staircase on the inside of the tower to permit access to the top. Interpretation boards were also installed. Bolsover Castle Riding House, constructed in 1630, involved a study of the mason marks, and the property was one of the English Heritage properties. Newmilns Tower, also from the 16 Century, was a grant funded project. Before and after photos were viewed. The building was purchased for $1. Then they applied for grants. They also found a buyer for the property and included those funds with the grant funds to make the repairs since non - profits and owners can restore the properties less expensively. The property, at one point was used as a prison and the bars were still on the windows. The Tower is now occupied by the owner after it was restored to its original condition. Newmilns Westate Co -op was a building that was converted to 19 flats. This was a grant 5 Meeting Minutes Historic Resources Preservation Board Boynton Beach, Florida May 11, 2015 funded restoration used for low income housing recipients. Myers Hill Windform was an archaeological investigation. While digging through peat, Mr. Adams had to watch in case a reported Roman road was uncovered. Benderloch Nursing Home was an archeological investigation. While digging the trenches, they found circular holes and learned the property was constructed on a former putting green. lnchinnan Road in Paisley, was an investigation. There were reports of a Marchfield House that was on the property and a prison. A dig found walls beneath the earth. The walls of the house are still there along with a new building on the site. There was no prison found on the property. M74 Extension in Glasgow was a highway. There were reportedly 50 or 60 historic buildings affected by the time the highway planning stage was finished. Mr. Adams' research revealed only five or six historic sites were lost or significantly impacted by the highway extension. Townscape Heritage Initiative, West- super -Mare, was funded by the English Heritage and were residences in Victorian terraces and crescents. If the resident wanted to renovate, they could receive 80% of the funds to do so properly. He noted this project was south of Bristol. York Minster, constructed in 1220, had gargoyles that had deteriorated over time. Mr. Adams had to determine whether to replace or repair them. The carvings included the Genesis cycle from the Bible. He commented the stone that was removed was buried. Rosslyn Chapel, erected in Scotland in the 15 Century, was best known from the movie, the Davinci Code. Photographs of the interior columns were viewed. Mr. Adams explained it was rumored the master mason carving the column had an apprentice. When the mason went on vacation, the apprentice continued with the carving and did so well, the mason killed him. Mr. Adams explained every space with stone was carved. (Ms. Dion left the meeting at 7:22 p.m.) 8. Comments by members Mr. Adams commented he was contacted regarding insurance for historic properties and learned the cost was high. Once a house is designated as historic, some insurance companies will not insure them. He referred a homeowner to the Historic Trust, but they only insure homes for $1 million and over. He recommended speaking with the local insurance agencies and was researching the matter. He did not think the Preservation program should be held ransom by insurance carriers. In the past, he had provided a letter to the insurance company indicating if the home was destroyed, it would not be considered historic if it were to be rebuilt. The owners can accept the money, and the 6 Meeting Minutes Historic Resources Preservation Boynton Beach, Florida May 11, 2015 Historic Resource Preservation Board would not insist the home be rebuilt. He noted this was making things difficult for the family that wanted to designate their home and he was advising interested parties of this ahead of time. A suggestion was made not to inform the insurance company the home was historic. These homes have been around since the 20s and survived everything since then. Mr. Adams was aware there are companies that insure the homes, but he would have to locate them. It was announced the Historical Society's Potluck Dinner was on Sunday at the Woman's Club. The donation was $10 and the dinner was a chicken dinner supplied by Bud's Chicken. Members bring side dishes and there would be wine. A short presentation on the history of Bud's Chicken would be made at 5:30 p.m. About 70 to 80 people were anticipated to attend. 9. Public comments None. 10. Announce date of next meeting — June 8, 2015 11. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, Chair Ready properly adjourned the meeting at 7:28 p.m. 0 _6±kM , LNL ‘ Catherine Cherry Minutes Specialist 051115 7