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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes HARC 02.11.2019Notice of Meeting for the Historic and Architectural Rev iew Commission of the City of Georgetown F ebruary 11, 2019 at 6:00 P M at 406 W. 8th Street, Georgetown Texas 78626 T he C ity of G eorgetown is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you require as s is tance in partic ipating at a public meeting due to a disability, as defined under the ADA, reas onable as s is tance, adaptations , or ac commodations will be provided upon request. P leas e c ontact the C ity S ec retary's O ffic e, at leas t three (3) days prior to the sc heduled meeting date, at (512) 930-3652 or C ity Hall at 808 Martin Luther King Jr. S treet, G eorgetown, T X 78626 for additional information; T T Y users route through R elay Texas at 711. L egislativ e Regular Agenda A C ons ideration and possible action of the Minutes from the January 24, 2018 HAR C meeting. S ofia Nelson, R ecording S ecretary B P ublic Hearing and possible action on a reques t for a C ertific ate of Appropriatenes s for the Demolition of an educational s tructure for the property loc ated at 1313 Williams Dr., bearing the legal des cription of 12.667 ac. Mc C oy S c hool S ubdivis ion, Lot 1 (P T ) (C O A-2018-055). Madis on T homas , Downtown Historic P lanner C Updates , C ommis s ioner questions and comments. S ofia Nels on, P lanning Director Adjournment C E RT IF IC AT E O F P O S T IN G I, R obyn Densmore, C ity S ecretary for the C ity of G eorgetown, Texas, do hereby c ertify that this Notic e of Meeting was pos ted at C ity Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. S treet, G eorgetown, T X 78626, a place readily ac cessible to the general public at all times, on the ______ day of __________________, 2019, at __________, and remained so pos ted for at least 72 continuous hours preceding the sc heduled time of s aid meeting. ____________________________________ R obyn Densmore, C ity S ecretary Page 1 of 48 City of Georgetown, Texas Historic and Architectural Review February 11, 2019 S UB J E C T: C onsideration and pos s ible ac tion of the Minutes from the January 24, 2018 HAR C meeting. S ofia Nels on, R ec ording S ec retary IT E M S UMMARY: F IN AN C IAL IMPAC T: NA S UB MIT T E D B Y: Karen F ros t AT TAC H ME N T S: Description Type Minutes _HARC_01.24.2019 Backup Material Page 2 of 48 Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 1 of 3 Meeting: January 24, 2019 City of Georgetown, Texas Historic and Architectural Review Commission Minutes Thursday, January 24, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. Council and Courts Building 101 E. 7th Street Georgetown, TX 78626 Members present: Lee Bain; Art Browner; Amanda Parr Lawrence Romero; Shawn Hood, and Terri Asendorf-Hyde. Absent: Catherine Morales Staff present: Sofia Nelson, Planning Director; Nat Waggoner, Long Range Planning Manager; Madison Thomas, Historic and Downtown Planner; Kim McAuliffe, Main Street Manager and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary Call to order by the Chair at 6:00 pm. He explained that item E, 1310 Maple Street has been pulled from the agenda by the applicant. Commissioner Hood read the meeting procedures. A. Consideration of the Minutes from the December 13, 2018 HARC meeting. Karen Frost, Recording Secretary Motion by Bain, second by Hood to approve the minutes as presented. Approved 6 – 0. B. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a commercial addition and renovation for the property located at 101 E. 7th Street, bearing the legal description of 0.14 ac. Georgetown, City of, Block 39, Lot 2-39 (W/PTS), (COA-2018-046). Madison Thomas, Downtown and Historic Planner Thomas presented the staff report. This property was reviewed conceptually last fall and suggested changes have been made. The addition will be at the back of the building, the east side of the building which will step down to the parking lot area. The applicant lowered the height of the roofline to me less than the dome and has made the upper story more transparent with more windows. Some of the first floor windows are now proposed to be doors. This structure is not historic, but the location is and staff finds that this project complies or partially complies with all approval criteria. The “partial applies” relates to the metal siding which is a proposed material. The applicant, Josh Beran, spoke and explained that they were open to changing the bronze metal siding to a different material. The roof portion is standing seam metal. From the south side of the building, the gables are not visible. The applicant handed out a drawing that showed new elevations with limestone on the lower four feet and wrapping the corner, extending the stone back to the metal wall panels. A sample was shown to the commissioners. The blue portions will be on the columns and accents on the walls of stucco. Chair Browner opened the Public Hearing. Page 3 of 48 Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 2 of 3 Meeting: January 24, 2019 Larry Olson, E. 9th Street, appreciates the changes made to the design. Asks for the metal to be toned down some. The applicant showed a copy of the metal sample and explained that the shade of the metal will change with the light that is shining on it and can be both darker and lighter depending on the angle, and is textured to have a variation in color, giving a more antique look. Chair Browner closed the Public Hearing with no other speakers coming forth. Motion by Parr to approve the project with the condition that 2nd floor cladding is changed to a color metal that is commonly seen on historic commercial buildings such as the window frames on the existing structure and/or the two domes that are in Area 1. Second by Romero. Approved 6 – 0. C. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a residential addition of a street facing facade for the property located at 1103 S. Elm St., bearing the legal description of .33 ac. Glasscock Addition, Block 25, Lot 7-8 (COA-2018-055). Madison Thomas, AICP, Downtown Historic Planner Thomas presented the staff report. The applicant did not wish to speak. Chair Browner opened the public hearing and with no speakers coming forth, and then closed the public hearing. Motion by Romero to approve the application for COA-2018-055 as presented. Second by Bain. Approved 6 -0. D. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for an addition that creates a street facing facade for the property located at 1227 Church Street, bearing the legal description of 0.2 ac. Cody Addition, Block 1, Lot 16. Madison Thomas, AICP, Downtown and Historic Planner. Waggoner presented the staff report and explained why this project was being reviewed again. The project was allowed to replace 8 over 8 windows to a 6 over 6 window style. Staff feels this is appropriate in this type of home and neighborhood. Waggoner explained that the residential renovation was approved, but they added two new dormers which altered the street facing façade and was not originally approved. Staff finds that the changes proposed, the addition of the dormers and change of the windows, comply with design criteria. Matthew McConnell answered questions. He explained that originally there was a window on the second story above the garage, not a dormer. The owner explained that they changed the windows to be consistent around the house. He explained the dormer would look into his neighbor’s back yard as theirs looks into his. The siding on the addition will be different than the siding on the original portion of the house. Chair Browner opened the public hearing. Page 4 of 48 Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 3 of 3 Meeting: January 24, 2019 Larry Brundidge, 908 Pine Street, wants the commissioners to consider the size of this house looking into the neighbor’s yard and is concerned about the loss of privacy. Chair Browner closed the public hearing with no other speakers coming forth. Waggoner explained that the guidelines do not directly regulate the setbacks, the UDC regulates that. However, the Guidelines describe the appropriate mass and scale and the impact of the addition on the primary structure. He say the addition does not negatively affect the character of the district. Romero is concerned about the addition, making the roofline even bigger than what was originally approved with the extra mass added to the Myrtle Street. Waggoner confirms that Romero’s comment is in regards to Guideline 14.2. Parr agrees with Romero. Hood feels the additional massing is in a place that is not going to add as much impact as the drawings indicate. Hood suggests that moving the horizontal window higher to increase the privacy to the residents and the neighbors. The applicant explained they added the dormers to make head space in the upper story which will allow two beds to be installed in that room. Motion by Hood to accept COA-2018-065 as submitted by the applicant with the 6 over 6 windows and the addition of the dormers, with the condition that the windows set in the dormers are measured at three feet wide by one and a half feet tall, and the top of the window is set at seven feet nine inches at the header height from base floor and six feet three inches for the sill height from base floor. Second by Bain. Approved 4 – 2 (Romero and Parr opposed.) E. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a new building construction for the property located at 1310 Maple Street, bearing the legal description of 0.66 ac. Snyder Addition, Block 33, S 1/2 (COA-2018-058). Madison Thomas,AICP, Downtown and Historic Planner. This item was pulled at the applicant’s request. The applicant wished to revisit the design of the project. F. Updates, questions and comments. Sofia Nelson, Planning Director Nelson announced that Karen Frost would no longer be serving the Board as the staff liaison, she is moving to the City Secretary’s office as the Assistant City Secretary. Frost was appreciated for her years of service to the commission and to the community. Adjournment Motion to adjourn by Romero, second by Bain. Meeting adjourned at 7:08 pm. ________________________________ _________________________________ Approved, Art Browner, Chair Attest, Lawrence Romero, Secretary Page 5 of 48 City of Georgetown, Texas Historic and Architectural Review February 11, 2019 S UB J E C T: P ublic Hearing and pos s ible ac tion on a request for a C ertificate of Appropriateness for the Demolition of an educ ational struc ture for the property located at 1313 Williams Dr., bearing the legal desc ription of 12.667 ac . Mc C oy S chool S ubdivision, Lot 1 (P T ) (C O A-2018-055). Madison T homas, Downtown His toric P lanner IT E M S UMMARY: Background T his approx. 12 ac re property inc ludes a large a medium priority struc ture identified on the 2007 and 2016 His toric R esource S urveys which is currently s upports adminis trative functions for G I S D. T here are multiple other s tructures on the property that are not identified on the s urvey. T he survey estimates cons truction in 1955, however, the dedic ation plaque in the s chool identifies the c onstruc tion date as 1965. T he design of the s chool is typical architec tural style of sc hools built in the 1960’s c ompos ed primarily of brick, in a single-story cons truction. T here is an attac hed gym that has a barrel-roof, however due to the s tructure condition of the roof, the gym has been deemed a dangerous struc ture. T here is als o an attac hed cafeteria that was built in 1986. T he property is still owned by the sc hool dis tric t, as they are reques ting to demolis h the exis ting s tructure to s ell the property. Public Comments As req uired by the Unified Development C o d e, all property o wners within a 200 fo o t radius of the s ubjec t property that are loc ated within C ity limits were notified of the rezo ning ap p licatio n (61 notices mailed ), and two (3) s igns were pos ted on-s ite. To d ate, s taff has received 1p ublic comment in o p p o s ition to the demolition. Findings T he struc ture was a common design for sc hool buildings built in the 1960’s . T his struc ture func tioned as a s chool, but more recently has been us ed as office s pace as it is s till occ upied and s tructurally sound. Due to its des ign, there are limitations on what uses can fill this struc ture, and due to current regulations and policies, it c ould not return to being used as a s chool building. T he applic ant is requesting meeting the findings of Ec onomic Hardship, as the cost it would take to renovate the existing struc ture to be able to perform as a sc hool again is cost prohibitive to the G I S D taxpayers . T he interior has as bes tos and the exterior of the struc ture is made up of concrete bloc ks and bricks , which c annot be moved or reused. T hey als o state that it’s currently location is no longer geographic ally appropriate location as a s chool site. T he applic ant also provided a detailed report on the potential for adapting the building for other uses, which determined that potential private developers would be unlikely to obtain a reas onable rate of return on their investment if they undertook a renovation of the exis ting s tructure. T he applicant is also requesting to have met the C ompelling P ublic Interest C riteria. Due to this site and struc ture being owned by the s chool district, the demolition of the s tructure and s ale of the lot would provide funding that c ould go to s chool fac ilities, lessen the public debt financ ing, and could go towards funding of future dis tric t needs. T here is als o a propos ed extens ion of R ivery Boulevard through the site, which c ould inc reas e mobility. Based on the lac k of struc ture’s stylistic influenc e staff does recommend this s tructure s hould be demolis hed. S taff seeks the commission's guidance on the following: S hould the demolition be approved does the commission seek an arc hival rec ord to be created to document the community history of the s ite and s chool as well as any cultural signific anc e it contributes to the District and the C ity of G eorgetown. Page 6 of 48 F IN AN C IAL IMPAC T: N/A S UB MIT T E D B Y: Madison T homas, AI C P, Historic & Downtown P lanner AT TAC H ME N T S: Description Type Exhibit 1- Location Map Exhibit Exhibit 2- Demolition Subcommittee Form Exhibit Exhibit 3- HPO Demolition Report Exhibit Exhibit 4- Historic Res ource Survey 2016 Exhibit Exhibit 5- Letter of Intent Exhibit Exhibit 6- Supporting Document Exhibit Exhibit 7- Exis ting Conditions 1 Exhibit Exhibit 8-Existing Conditions 2 Exhibit Exhibit 9- Exis ting Conditions 3 Exhibit Exhibit 10 - Public Comment Exhibit Page 7 of 48 N AUSTIN AVEN IH 35 SBW IL LIA M S D R N IH 35 FWY NBN IH 35 FWY SBP A R K L N DA W N DR RIVERY BLVDE M O R R O W S T S IH 35 SBPOWER RDRANCH RDS IH 35 NBPARKWAY STM ESQ UITE LN F M 9 7 1E JANIS DRC O U N T R Y C L U B R D R IV E R B E N D D R NORTHWEST B L V D S IH 35 FWY SBS IH 35 FWY NBWESTWOOD L NE CENTRAL DRPARKER DR NCOLLEGESTLOWERPARKRDENTR 263 SBENTR 261 NBO A K L NDUNMANDR WOLF RANCH PKWYGANN STENTR 262 NBEXIT 261 SBTERRYLN A L L Y G O L DENOAKSDRFONTANA DRN MYRTLE STN CHURCH STE VA LL E Y S T T H O M A S C TJUDYDR W M O R R O W S TSHANNONLN C H A M B E R WA Y CLAY ST HINTZ RD ROYALDR HOLLY STG A B RIE L VIE W D R WI LL OW LNN MAIN STA P P L E C R E E K D R AD A MSST RIVERY DRIVEWAY C O T T O N W O O D D R PARK E R C IR WJANISDRTANGLEWOOD DRCEDAR DRW CENTRAL DRRIVERSIDEDRPARKVIEW DRKIMBERLY STWSPR I N G S TMCCOY LN J O H N C A R T E R D R WO O D L A WNAVE MORRIS DRWILLIAMSD RTNNB BOB W HITE LN OLDAIRPORTRDHERSHEY AVE RYAN LNT H O R N T O N C V M E S Q UIT E L N O A K LN COA-2018-055Exhibit #1 Coordinate S ystem : Texas S tat e Plane /C ent ral Z one/NA D 83/US F eetCartographic Data For G eneral P lanning Purposes Only ¯ Location Map LegendSiteParcelsCity LimitsGeorgetown ETJ 0 0.25 0.5Mi Page 8 of 48 HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION DEMOLITION SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION FILE NUMBER: COA-2018-055 MEETING DATE: 12/14/2018 MEETING LOCATION: 1313 WILLIAMS DR. (OLD MCCOY SCHOOL) APPLICANT: David SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Lawrence R. STAFF PRESENT: Nat W., Glen H., Mark M. and Madison T. OTHERS PRESENT: COMMENTS Applicant: Per the existing plaque on the building, the structure was built in 1964. The structure was used as a school prior to being converted to school district offices. However, the use as offices is no longer viable and the school district would like to demolish the structure and sell the land. Subcommittee: What is the existing (structural) condition of the structure? Are there any structural changes that should be made to the structure for re-occupancy? The structure is currently stable, and occupied as offices. Would the original owner be able to recognize the structure today? What changes have been made to the structure (excluding cosmetic features)? Are structural changes needed to bring back the structure to its original design? The structure is very recognizable with some additions made to the back portions. Page 9 of 48 File Number: Meeting Date: Page 2 of 3 May the structure, in whole or in part, be preserved or restored? It could be used as office space or for other uses, but it cannot function as a school again based on current regulations and code. May the structure be moved (relocated) without incurring any damages? No. Does the structure, including any additions or alterations, represent a historically significant style, architecture, craftsmanship, event or theme? This is a typical example of school design and architecture for the 60’s. This style is not different or significant. Are there any materials or unique features that can be salvaged? If so, which ones? The steel, interior glass, plaque, signage, some of the wood on the gym ceiling, doors & door hinges can all be salvaged and reused. The concrete and brick cannot be salvaged. Other comments The gym has been determined as an unsafe structure by the Building Dept. due to structural issues. The Cafeteria was built in 1986 and was not included in the resource survey. RECOMMENDATION Approval Approval with Conditions: Materials listed above should be savaged and an archival record should be developed. Disapproval Page 10 of 48 File Number: Meeting Date: Page 3 of 3 Based on: Subcommittee Chair Signature (or representative) Date Page 11 of 48 HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION FILE NUMBER: COA-2018-055 PROPERTY ADDRESS: 1313 WILLIAMS DR APPLICANT: David Biesheuvel & PJ Stevens, Steger Bizzell Background This approx. 12 acre property includes a large a medium priority structure identified on the 2007 and 2016 Historic Resource Surveys which is currently supports administrative functions for GISD. There are multiple other structures on the property that are not identified on the survey. The survey estimates construction in 1955, however, the dedication plaque in the school identifies the construction date as 1965. The design of the school is typical architectural style of schools built in the 1960’s composed primarily of brick, in a single-story construction. There is an attached gym that has a barrel-roof, however due to the structure condition of the roof, the gym has been deemed a dangerous structure. There is also an attached cafeteria that was built in 1986. The property is still owned by the school district, as they are requesting to demolish the existing structure to sell the property. Public Comments As required by the Unified Development Code, all property owners within a 200 foot radius of the subject property that are located within City limits were notified of the rezoning application (61 notices mailed), and two (3) signs were posted on-site. To date, staff has not received any public comments. Findings The structure was a common design for school buildings built in the 1960’s. This structure functioned as a school, but more recently has been used as office space as it is still occupied and structurally sound. Due to its design, there are limitations on what uses can fill this structure, and due to current regulations and policies, it could not return to being used as a school building. The applicant is requesting meeting the findings of Economic Hardship, as the cost it would take to renovate the existing structure to be able to perform as a school again is cost prohibitive to the GISD taxpayers. The interior has asbestos and the exterior of the structure is made up of concrete blocks and bricks, which cannot be moved or reused. They also state that it’s currently location is no longer geographically appropriate location as a school site. The applicant also provided a detailed report on the potential for adapting the building for other uses, which determined that potential private developers would be unlikely to obtain a reasonable rate of return on their investment if they undertook a renovation of the existing structure. The applicant is also requesting to have met the Compelling Public Interest Criteria. Due to this site and structure being owned by the school district, the demolition of the structure Page 12 of 48 File Number: COA-2018-055 Meeting Date: January 24, 2018 Page 2 of 2 and sale of the lot would provide funding that could go to school facilities, lessen the public debt financing, and could go towards funding of future district needs. There is also a proposed extension of Rivery Boulevard through the site, which could increase mobility. Based on the lack of structure’s stylistic influence this structure should be demolished, however staff recommends that if demolition is approved, an archival record should be created to document its use and impact as a local school. RECOMMENDATION Approval Approval with Conditions: Staff and the Demolition Subcommittee would like to see an archival record created for this structure. Disapproval 12/31/2018 FOR: Sofia Nelson, CNU-A Historic Preservation Officer Date Page 13 of 48 TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Properties Documented with the THC Form in 2007 and/or 1984 That Have Not Changed Preservation Priority County Williamson Local District: Address:1313 Williams Dr 2016 Survey ID:600004 City Georgetown 2016 Preservation Priority:Medium SECTION 1 Basic Inventory Information WCAD ID:R389424Property Type:Building Structure Object Site District Date Recorded 11/17/2016Recorded by:CMEC EstimatedActual Source:2007 SurveyConstruction Date:1955 Elementary school Bungalow Other: Center Passage ShotgunOpen2-roomModified L-plan Rectangular T-plan Four Square L-plan Irregular Plan* International Ranch No Style Post-war Modern Commercial Style Other: Pueblo Revival Prairie Art Deco Spanish Colonial Craftsman Moderne Gothic Revival Neo-Classical Mission Tudor Revival Beaux Arts Monterey Shingle Folk Victorian Renaissance Revival Romanesque Revival Colonial Revival Exotic Revival Log traditional Italianate Eastlake Greek Revival Second Empire Queen Anne Stylistic Influence(s)* Note: See additional photo(s) on following page(s) General Notes: High Medium Priority: Low High Medium Low ID:1280 ID:Not Recorded *Photographs and Preservation Priority have been updated in 2016, and the year built date has also been reviewed. However, the plan and style data are sourced directly from the 2007 survey. 2007 Survey 1984 Survey Current/Historic Name Georgetown ISD Administrative Annex/McCoy Elementary School ID:600004 2016 Survey High Medium Low Explain:Property retains a relatively high degree of integrity; property is significant and contributes to neighborhood character Latitude:30.652444 Longitude -97.681314 None Selected None Selected Entry; Photo direction: Northwest Page 14 of 48 TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Properties Documented with the THC Form in 2007 and/or 1984 That Have Not Changed Preservation Priority County Williamson Local District: Address:1313 Williams Dr 2016 Survey ID:600004 City Georgetown 2016 Preservation Priority:Medium Additional Photos Entry NorthPhoto Direction Façade NortheastPhoto Direction Barrel-roof gymnasium SoutheastPhoto Direction Page 15 of 48 TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Properties Documented with the THC Form in 2007 and/or 1984 That Have Not Changed Preservation Priority County Williamson Local District: Address:1313 Williams Dr 2016 Survey ID:600004 City Georgetown 2016 Preservation Priority:Medium Covered walkway between buildings NorthPhoto Direction Portable buildings at rear of school SoutheastPhoto Direction Page 16 of 48 P a g e 1 | 4 CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION - Demolition that results in the reduction or loss in the total square footage of the existing structure Georgetown Independent School District – Applicant The Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) is requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of the “Old” McCoy Elementary School site located on approximately 16.1 acres of land at 1313 Williams Drive in the City of Georgetown (“City”). The property is outside of the Historic Overlay District and is bordered by Park Lane, Shannon Street and Williams Drive. The site includes all of Lot 1, McCoy School Subdivision. The demolition is necessary for the following reasons: 1. Removes an obsolete, non-marketable structure that is subject to further deterioration and vandalism. 2. Deteriorating structures are a public health and safety risk. 3. Clears the site to increase its economic value by restoring the land to a productive taxable use. 4. Restoring the land to a taxable use benefits the City of Georgetown with added tax base and the addition of a new thoroughfare, while GISD benefits with a substantial increase in its taxable base in support of needed school facilities. The existing school buildings are structurally obsolete for use as a modern school site. Built in 1963 to accommodate a much smaller attendance base and different minimum standards, GISD is no longer able to use this structure in its current condition. The structure no longer meets modern day health, safety, accessibility requirements, adequate classroom sizes and other requirements mandated by TEA Standards. The buildings have been altered several times and now have many structural issues that require extensive repairs and/or replacement for full-time use. For these and other reasons, GISD abandoned this structure for classroom use in 2012. A new McCoy elementary school has already been built in a safer and more appropriate location suited to meet the needs of the community and TEA requirements. The demolition is being requested under two criteria: 1. Loss of Significance combined with; 2. A Compelling Public Interest 1. LOSS OF SIGNIFICANCE Alterations to Original Structure. As the needs and demands of the school changed, the building was altered several times with changes to the original structure. In 1979, a wing was added to the south side of the building to house additional classrooms. In the 1970’s, central air-conditioning was installed that required alterations to roof and ceilings throughout the building. In 1986, a new and larger cafeteria was added. Alterations were made to the original gymnasium over time, and the gym’s roof support beams are currently failing causing a safety concern. Many windows throughout the school have been replaced. These changes/additions to the original building have significantly impacted the historic significance of the original building and architecture. Page 17 of 48 P a g e 2 | 4 Contribution to the neighborhood. When the original school was built, it was located on the “outskirts” of the town in an area thought to become primarily residential. As time evolved and IH-35 was built adjacent to the site, the City’s commercial base has grown to become the dominant presence in this vicinity. The school is no longer integral to the surrounding neighborhood and, as mentioned earlier, has been relocated to a more appropriate site. Adapting the building for other uses. Renovating the campus buildings to modern day use is cost prohibitive to both private developers and GISD taxpayers. Neither the district nor developers can take reasonable, practical or viable measures to use, rehabilitate or restore the campus buildings without a complete demolition. With modern day security requirements and changing area demographics, the site is no longer geographically appropriate for its location as a school. As seen in the attached financial report prepared by HR&A Advisors (a real estate and economic development consultant) commissioned by the City in June 2017, potential private developers are unlikely to obtain a reasonable rate of return on their investment if undertaking a renovation or re- development of the existing campus. The costs for bringing building and fire codes up to current standards, modern parking requirements, environmental mitigation including asbestos, HVAC requirements, American Disability Act (ADA) requirements, utility demands and structural components quickly exceed any efforts to ensure a reasonable rate of return on investment for renovation/restoration by a private entity. Therefore, its current configuration, size and condition prevents buyers from proposing reasonable offers for purchasing this site as is. 2. COMPELLING PUBLIC INTEREST The compelling public interest for demolishing this structure is more clearly detailed in this same report from HR&A Advisors. In addition to cleaning up a potential “eyesore” and possible health and safety issues, the public will benefit by restoring substantial property to the tax base. In order to reach the full economic potential for the site, thus benefitting the public at large, the report recommends that it is necessary to demolish the existing structure. The site is functionally obsolete and has structural deficiencies that are, or could rapidly become, a health and safety hazard compelling the need for a timely demolition. Page 18 of 48 P a g e 3 | 4 Specifically, the general public benefits from the ultimate sale and development of the entire school site through: 1. Improved Mobility. A bisecting portion of this tract has already been purchased by the City for the extension of Rivery Boulevard to Northwest Boulevard for much needed traffic relief from Williams Drive. Construction is currently under way on this street. 2. Rezoning. Once cleared, the property will be properly zoned to accommodate future development. 3. Increase Property and Sales Tax base. The City, County, and GISD (and thereby the citizens) benefit by restoring a large-scale non-tax producing site to a productive, tax contributing site. 4. School Funding - Immediate needs. GISD benefits through the sale of the property at commercial prices that will go towards funding much needed school facilities while lessening the need for added public debt financing. 5. School Funding – Future needs. GISD benefits from placing viable commercial property tax base into service which will go towards perpetual funding of future needs as the district’s demands increase. Compiled from the HR&A Advisors report: Build Out Analysis – HR&A estimates that “full build-out of the potential 1.1 million square feet of development shown in the plans for Williams Boulevard would result in increased annual tax revenues for the City of Georgetown of $610,000, and an annual increase of revenues of $1,970,000 for the Georgetown Independent School District. The development would increase assessed improvement and land values by $140 million, of which most of the increase in value, $130 million, would be the result of improvement due to new construction of denser and more valuable uses. The remaining $10 million in increased values would be due to higher assessed real estate value. Of that $10 million in increased land value, the majority would result from the transition of the GISD site from public ownership to private ownership.” Pro-forma- Per the HR&A feasibility analysis: “While the feasibility analysis evaluates current market conditions, the conceptual development is anticipated to occur in phases with the second and third phases in years 6 and 11 respectively. As a result, this feasibility analysis reveals the degree to which the market must evolve before the projected construction year to make phase III in particular attractive to private developers. It should be noted that the first phase of the conceptual development which offers more urban style townhouses and apartments may help catalyze this market transformation by introducing products that align with the ultimate corridor vision. Success of this initial phase may help increase the achievable rents for subsequent phases, beginning the desired market transformation.” “In the interim, the City of Georgetown could take low-cost steps to facilitate the transformation of the Center Study Area market and increase achievable rents in order to make higher density projects like the conceptual development feasible. Sample actions include: ▪ Partnering with GISD to release a Request-for-Expressions-of-Interest for the project site to invite private developers to submit development ideas, helping reveal and generate market interest. ▪ Preparing the site for development by demolishing and clearing the existing school building. Page 19 of 48 P a g e 4 | 4 ▪ Activating the site through interim uses such as farmers markets, food truck stalls, and by holding public events on the property.” ATTACHMENTS In support of this application, attached is an economic impact report from HR&A Advisors, an existing survey/site plan of the structures, and supporting photos. P:\22000-22999\22600-McCoy Elem\COA-Demo McCoy Site\CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION-GISD McCoy-Revised 1.docx Page 20 of 48 Page 21 of 48 Appendix E FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Page 22 of 48 Williams Drive – Build Out Financial Analysis. June 16, 2017 1 Williams Drive Build-Out Financial Analysis Results of the Build-Out Financial Analysis HR&A estimates that full build-out of the potential 1.1 million square feet of development shown in the plans for Williams Boulevard would result in increased annual tax revenues for the City of Georgetown of $610,000, and an annual increase of revenues of $1,970,000 for the Georgetown Independent School District.1 The development would increase assessed improvement and land values by $140 million, of which most of the increase in value, $130 million, would be the result of improvement due to new construction of denser and more valuable uses. The remaining $10 million in increased values would be due to higher assessed real estate value. Of that $10 million in increased land value, the majority would result from the transition of the GISD site from public ownership to private ownership. As a portion of the development sites shown in the plans are in the Williams Gateway TIRZ and a portion are not, some of the increased municipal taxes would increase the TIRZ revenues and a portion would increase the general fund. HR&A estimates that the TIRZ would gain approximately $450,000 in revenue annually as a result of the development and that the general fund would increase by approximately $150,000 annually. Approximately $250,000 of the increase in revenue to the TIRZ would come from the first three phases of the GISD site build-out anticipated begin construction in years 1, 6 and 11 respectively. The remaining $200,000 in increased annual revenue to the TIRZ would be the result of the fourth phase consisting mostly of development of the land across Williams Drive, for which there is no estimated start date at this time. While this analysis calculated the impacts to real estate values and taxes from the developed properties, the City of Georgetown may also benefit from increased property values in nearby properties that were not in the plan area, as well as from sales tax associated with the increase in retail space. The increase in retail space may spur an increase in retail sales, increasing revenues through the City of Georgetown’s 2% sales tax.2 The specific amount that sales taxes would increase depend upon the type and volume of the retail stores that occupy the available spaces, and are unforeseeable at this time. In addition, it is likely that development of the scale and scope anticipated would affect the value of surrounding properties, further increasing the annual property taxes to an unknown degree. Methodology HR&A conducted a high-level estimate of the anticipated increase to the City of Georgetown’s annual property tax revenues resulting from the build-out of the Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) 1 Analysis uses consistent 2016 tax rates and assessment values. 2 Total sales taxes in Georgetown are 8.25%. Page 23 of 48 Williams Drive – Build Out Financial Analysis. June 16, 2017 2 site with the development shown in the Williams Drive Study Area conceptual build-out plan. This analysis applied the 2015/2016 City of Georgetown tax rate, $0.434 per $100 of value, to the net increase in assessed value of improvements (constructed buildings) and land. HR&A applied the 2016 GISD property tax rate of 1.409 per $100 of valuation to estimate the increased tax revenues for the Georgetown Independent School District as a result of full build-out. To estimate the net increase in assessed value of the improvements to the GISD site and subject parcels, HR&A took the following steps:  Reviewed the assessed value per square feet of improvements on comparable, recently constructed properties in Georgetown  Applied the resulting estimated improvement value per square foot to the total anticipated development of the GISD site and surrounding parcels  Subtracted the value of the current improvements on the privately owned parcels To identify all multi-story office or multi-family developments in Georgetown constructed between 2010 and 2016, HR&A first used the CoStar real estate database, yielding seven comparable properties. HR&A then looked up the assessed improvement value of these seven comparable properties using the Williamson County Tax Assessor Collector website property search function. The assessed value of improvements on these seven properties ranged from $80 to $215 per square foot of improvement area, with a mean value of $128 and a median of approximately $120 per square foot. HR&A applied the median estimate of $120 per square foot to calculate the value of the single-use improvements anticipated under plan build- out, such as townhouses, apartments, and retail. HR&A assumes that these single-use buildings will be wood- frame construction, and therefore similar to the median assessed improvement value of the comparable properties. For mixed-use buildings anticipated in the plan, HR&A assumes they will combine a concrete retail podium with a wood frame residential component above. To account for the higher cost of this form of construction, HR&A used a value 25% higher than the median ($150 per square foot) to estimate the improvement value of these mixed-use buildings. HR&A then applied these two assessment values to the total square footage of development anticipated for full build-out in the plan, depending on the type of construction of each building. HR&A converted the listed rentable square feet shown on the plan build-out graphics to total building square footage by increasing the size of the mixed-use buildings by a factor of 1.25, consistent with the assumption that 80% of the building space is rentable. No similar adjustment was made to the size of single-use buildings such as townhomes and retail as these buildings do not typically have common areas and thus rentable area is equal to the total building size. Page 24 of 48 Williams Drive – Build Out Financial Analysis. June 16, 2017 3 To estimate the net value of future improvements, HR&A reduced the total assessed improvement estimate by the value of the current improvements on the subject properties as reported on the Williamson County Tax Assessor Collector website.3 To estimate the increase in land values, HR&A first calculated the current assessed value per square foot of property for each parcel in the plan area, finding that the assessed land values ranged from a low of $3 to a high of $13 per square foot. In contrast, the assessed value of land for the seven recently constructed comparable office and multi-family properties was generally between $7 and $8.5 per square foot. Based on the assessed land value of these comparable properties and the properties within the plan area valued at $13 per square foot, HR&A assumed that under full build-out assessed land value in the plan area would average to $10 per square foot. From this resulting total future estimate, HR&A subtracted the current assessed land values as reported by the Williamson County Tax Assessor Collector website to arrive at the potential net increase. The exception to this approach is the GISD site which is currently owned by a public agency. Under public ownership this property produces no property tax revenues, but HR&A assumes that development of this site will involve ownership changing through some manner from the public to the private sector, enabling the City to collect taxes on the future assessed land value. 3 HR&A did not include the current assessed value of improvements on the GISD site itself when calculating the net improvement as public agencies are not subject to local property taxes. Page 25 of 48 Williams Drive – Build Out Financial Analysis. June 16, 2017 4 Table 1: Estimated Increase in City of Georgetown Property Tax Revenues following Build-Out of the Conceptual Plan Phase Total SF of Development Increase in Improvement Valuation Increase in Land Valuation Estimated Increase in Annual Taxes GISD Site Phase I 139,200 $ 16,700,000 $ 2,610,000 $ 80,000 GISD Site Phase II 33,225 $ 3,990,000 $ 620,000 $ 20,000 GISD Site Phase III 203,500 $ 30,530,000 $ 3,810,000 $ 150,000 Non-School Build-Out TIRZ Area 510,378 $ 43,990,000 $ 1,580,000 $ 200,000 Total TIRZ Area 886,303 $ 95,200,000 $ 8,620,000 $ 450,000 GISD Site Phase IV (Acquisition) 72,000 $ 9,650,000 $ 90,000 $ 40,000 Non-School build-Out Non-TIRZ Area 177,444 $ 24,790,000 $ 1,260,000 $ 110,000 Total 1,135,746 $ 129,650,000 $ 9,970,000 $ 610,000 Note: All calculations assume 2016 tax rates. May not sum to total due to rounding. Table 2: Estimated Increase in Georgetown Independent School District Property Tax Revenues following Build-Out of the Conceptual Plan4 Phase Total SF of Development Increase in Improvement Valuation Increase in Land Valuation Estimated Increase in Annual Taxes ISD Site Phase I 139,200 $16,700,000 $2,610,000 $270,000 ISD Site Phase II 33,225 $3,990,000 $620,000 $60,000 ISD Site Phase III 203,500 $30,530,000 $3,810,000 $480,000 ISD Site Phase IV 72,000 $9,650,000 $90,000 $140,000 Non-School Area Build-Out 687,822 68,780,000 2,840,000 1,010,000 Total 1,135,746 $129,650,000 $9,970,000 $1,970,000 4 Numbers may not add up due to rounding Page 26 of 48 Appendix F PROFORMA Page 27 of 48 MEMORANDUM To: Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization From: HR&A Advisors, Inc. Date: March 29, 2017; Revised May 16, 2017 Re: Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) Site Financial Analysis CAMPO requested that HR&A Advisors evaluate the feasibility of the conceptual development proposed for the GISD Site in the Center Study Area of the overall Williams Drive Study Area. HR&A analyzed the financial returns of the conceptual site development to assess overall project feasibility and to calculate the residual land value, the amount developers might be willing to pay for the underlying property. Summary of Findings The feasibility analysis finds that none of the three phases creates residual value under current market conditions. However, this finding is expected as the conceptual development is an attempt to change market perception of the area and catalyze investment, and thus is more ambitious than the existing low-density automobile-dependent development style that current market conditions support. Additionally, phase I and II are very close to being feasible and generating some level of residual value. HR&A beli eves that a developer with deep local knowledge may be able to creatively close the gap and make the proposed development style viable. While the feasibility analysis evaluates current market conditions, the conceptual development is anticipated to occur in phases with the second and third phases in years 6 and 11 respectively. As a result, this feasibility analysis reveals the degree to which the market must evolve before the projected construction year to make phase III in particular attractive to private developers. It should be noted that the first phase of the conceptual development which offers more urban style townhouses and apartments may help catalyze this market transformation by introducing products that align with the ultimate corridor vision. Success of this initial phase may help increase the achievable rents for subsequent phases, beginning the desired market transformation. In the interim, the City of Georgetown could take low-cost steps to facilitate the transformation of the Center Study Area market and increase achievable rents in order to make higher density projects like the conceptual development feasible. Sample actions include: ▪ Partnering with GISD to release a Request-for-Expressions-of-Interest for the project site to invite private developers to submit development ideas, helping reveal and generate market interest. Page 28 of 48 HR&A Advisors, Inc. Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) Site Financial Analysis | 2 ▪ Preparing the site for development by demolishing and clearing the existing school building. ▪ Activating the site through interim uses such as farmers markets, food truck stalls, and by holding public events on the property. Findings Details HR&A developed a financial pro forma model to assess overall project viability. This analysis assumes that demand is sufficient to warrant the levels of density proposed in phases II and III which will occur beyond the time horizon a market analysis can forecast. The key assumptions are detailed in the following section. This model is predicated on a developer requiring returns from the project of 15%. The table below summarizes the findings of the analysis for each phase of development. Figure 1: GISD Site Development Returns by Phase Phase Retail (SF) Multi-Family (Units/SF) Townhouses (units/SF) Developer Returns1 Residual Land Value2 Phase 1 0 SF 119 units/ 101,160 SF 15 units/ 12,000 SF 13% ($770,000) Phase 2 33,225 SF 0 SF 0 8% ($760,000) Phase 3 47,760 SF 140 units (approximately)/ 115,040 SF 0 -5% ($9,630,000) Based on the current levels of rents and construction costs, Phase I appears close to feasible but does not yet generate residual value that could be captured through sale/transfer of the property . At current market rents, Phases II and III would require subsidies or improvements in market conditions before they attract developer interest. However, it should be noted that market conditions are likely to evolve before Phase II is anticipated to start in year 6 and Phase III starts in year 11. Details of the feasibility for each phase are as follows: ▪ Phase I, anticipated to include lower cost wood-frame construction for townhouses and apartments is close to market feasible with returns of 13% and -$770,000 residual land value in 2017. However, within Phase I the townhouse product produces an approximately $250,000 return on investment of $1,000,000 and may potentially attract developer interest. The rental apartment units do not generate positive returns at the current $1.50 per SF per month rents and likely require 1 Developer returns are calculated without incorporating the cost of the land as the model is designed to solve for or reveal the amount private sector partners might be willing to pay for the property to construct this project. 2 Residual land value is reported for the year construction starts (Phase I = year 1, Phase II = year 6, Phase III = year 11) and is not discounted to 2017 values. Page 29 of 48 HR&A Advisors, Inc. Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) Site Financial Analysis | 3 market conditions improve before developers pursue this product typology. HR&A estimates that the required increase in general market rents within the corridor to make this multi-family feasible is low, around 10 cents per square foot per month (see Figure 2). ▪ Phase II achieves an 8% return, and would require commercial rents to increase to $16.00 per leasable square foot per year from the current $13.00 (measured in 2017 values) to deliver a 15% return with zero residual land value to become feasible. The construction of this phase is assumed to be concrete-block with costs per SF similar to wood-frame construction. ▪ Phase III performs less well despite a slight rent premium, due to the higher cost of wood frame construction on a concrete podium necessary to achieve higher-density mixed-use. Phase III achieves a -5% return and would require a subsidy of $9.6 million provided in the year construction starts to generate a 15% return and attract developer interest. Importantly, to ensure that the cash flow generated covers the annual debt coverage the model assumes that the equity investment will be 50% of the project costs. As explained more fully in the key assumption section below, this level of equity investment would not be attractive to developers. To make this phase feasible, rent levels would need to rise considerably to generate a larger cash flow enabling the developer to secure a loan for a greater percentage of the project costs. The analysis indicates that at current construction costs, attainable rents for multi -family products will need to increase before new construction on the GISD site becomes attractive to private sector partners and to create residual value that could be captured through sale of the land. This analysis assumes that all units will be market-rate. Adding affordable housing to this mix reduces revenues, reducing the developer returns and in this scenario might require additional subsidy to make the project attractive. The key challenge to feasibility in 2017 is the ratio of attainable rents to construction costs. Figure 2 below illustrates this critical link between construction costs per gross SF of building, current rental levels, the feasibility of each phase, and the levels required to achieve a 15% return on investment. Rents would need to increase beyond the levels shown below to then produce residual value that GISD and the City of Georgetown could capture through sale of the land. Figure 2: Relationship between Feasibility and Construction Costs & Rent Levels Phase Construction costs per Gross SF Percent of Multi-family SF that is Leasable Current Multi- Family Rents Developer Returns Required Multi-Family Rents to Achieve 15% Returns Phase 1 $140 80% $1.50 13% $1.61 Phase 3 $165 80% $1.60 -5% $2.45 Page 30 of 48 HR&A Advisors, Inc. Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) Site Financial Analysis | 4 Key Assumptions This pro forma was developed based on a series of assumptions, summarized here. Rents & Sales -- HR&A set rent levels for the multi-family units based on the previously completed market study and the rents of comparable products within Georgetown, notably the nearby Rivery Park apartment complex. Other items of note affecting rent and sales levels include: ▪ For the sale price of the townhouse products in Phase I, HR&A assumed a final sale of $240,000 per unit for each of the fifteen 1,200-SF units, again based on the price per SF of comparable nearby developments such as the Brownstones at the Summit. ▪ Commercial rents for Phase II were assumed to be $13.00 per net SF per year, a discount from the $15.00 per net SF forecasted for Phase III. This discount was applied due to the presence of an anchor grocery store in Phase II which would likely demand discounted rent in exchange for committing to a long-term lease. The $15.00 per SF commercial rent levels was based on the findings from the market study regarding the rents for commercial space along Williams Drive. ▪ Rents and sales levels are listed here in 2017 terms, and are assumed to increase at the 2% general rate of inflation. ▪ Per the notation by the architect on the site designs, 80% of the space within the buildings with residential rental apartments is leasable. Vacancy: Vacancy for the multi-family residential rental component is assumed to be 8% once a building stabilizes (See the Timing & Disposition note below for this lease-up period). The vacancy of the commercial component of Phase II is projected to be 0%, assuming a long-term lease for the grocery anchor. The vacancy of the commercial space in Phase III is assumed to be 5% upon stabilization. HR&A estimated the vacancy rates for the commercial and residential space based on the recent vacancy trends from the market study. Building Construction Costs -- HR&A used 2016 data from Marshall & Swift to estimate the cost per square foot of the buildings shown on the GISD site design. HR&A made assumptions about the type of construction materials used based on the size and density of each building. Wood frame construction, suitable for town- houses and multi-family residential is assumed to cost $140 per gross square foot including associated horizontal infrastructure. Concrete-block construction, used for single story retail stores and the grocery store was also assumed to cost $140 per gross square foot, including horizontal infrastructure. The mixed-use buildings are assumed to be wood frame apartments on a retail concrete podium, and is estimated to cost $165 per gross square foot including the horizontal infrastructure. Construction costs are listed in 2017 terms, and are assumed to increase at the 2% annual general rate of inflation. Other Infrastructure Costs -- The pro forma assumes that the existing school building will be demolished at a cost of $500,000 during the construction of Phase II. Operating Costs -- HR&A assumed that the operating costs for both the rental residential products and the commercial components is 10% of the gross revenues generated. Timeline and Disposition -- HR&A modelled the project with Phase I starting construction in year 1, Phase II starting construction in year 6, and Phase III starting construction in year 11. All phases are disposed of together in year 15, with the sale price based on the year 16 anticipated revenues divided by a blended capitalization rate of 7% for the entire project. The construction period for phases I and II is 1 year. The Page 31 of 48 HR&A Advisors, Inc. Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) Site Financial Analysis | 5 lease-up period for the residential element of Phase I is two years with average occupancy of 60% during this period. The sale of all 15 townhomes from Phase I is assumed to occur in the two years after construction completes, with 50% of the units sold in each year. The construction period for Phase III is assumed to be 2 years, while lease-up of both the residential and commercial components takes another 2 years with average occupancy at 60%. Project Financing -- The debt-to-cost ratio is set at 70% of project costs for phases I and II, and 50% of project cost for Phase III. The industry standard debt ratio is generally 70%, but the lower ratio assumed for Phase III is required to ensure that annual project revenues are sufficient to cover the annual debt payments. The remaining project costs are financed through equity. The actual debt-to-cost ratio used when financing the project will likely vary depending on market conditions and the financial standing of the developer. Page 32 of 48 Page 33 of 48 Page 34 of 48 Page 35 of 48 Page 36 of 48 Page 37 of 48 Page 38 of 48 Page 39 of 48 Page 40 of 48 Page 41 of 48 Page 42 of 48 Page 43 of 48 Page 44 of 48 Page 45 of 48 Page 46 of 48 Page 47 of 48 1 Stephanie Mcnickle From:Mike Beltz <mjbeltz@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Monday, February 04, 2019 3:59 PM To:WEB_Planning Subject:Project Case # COA-2018-055 To whom it may concern,    I am writing in response to a letter I received about a Public Hearing regarding demolition of an educational structure  located at 1313 Williams Dr.  I am absolutely Against the demolition. We have already been dealing with a MAJOR inconvenience with the Rivery Blvd  extension.  Our yard has been demolished, our driveway has been demolished, our mailbox has been broken, our  shrubbery has been killed, and the road is a constant muddy mess which ultimately tracks into our house.  All of this  without a single phone call from anyone as to fixing our damaged property.  This has been a detriment to our property  value and a real source of frustration for the last several months.  If you have any questions, my contact info is below.    Thank you,    Michael Beltz mjbeltz@sbcglobal.net 512-947-3397   Caution: This email originated from outside the City of Georgetown. 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