Southend Investment Group’s 60 Day report to the Landmark Commission

On Thursday, October 16, 2008 the Southend Investment Group (SEIG) presented a 60 day report to the Landmark Commission as required by their agreement. SEIG has been working with one of the Landmark Commissioners, Charles Cash of Planning and Design, and Dave Marchal, during the 60 day period. The report was given in two parts, the first part by Chris Stone, the architect for SEIG, and the second part by Jeff Rawlings, the architect on behalf of Tom O’Shea.

Based on the agreement, SEIG was to investigate the feasibility of saving the defining features of the original building. Chris Stone was skeptical about the possibility of saving the façade due to the platform construction. He felt it was too unstable to remove the floor and just save the wall. Mr. Stone had no structural engineer’s report and no advice from contractors. He provided this information as his personal opinion only.

SEIG has discovered many original features of Colonial Gardens:

• Evidence of the original windows on the second floor.
• Sections of the original tin roof.
• Details of the turret construction.
• Original door with fan lights and side lights still intact, west to the current door.
• Remains of the old coal chute.
• The documented history of Colonial Gardens dictates that two fires occurred in the history of the building. The first was in 1950 while BA Watson owned the building and the second occurred after Herm Schmidt had purchased the building and Curly Bryant was leasing it. SEIG found evidence of repairs to charred beams and floor joists.

The remainder of Chris Stone’s report focused on the partial basement construction. The front section of the basement consists of stone and brick. The back section consists of brick only. The two different foundation constructions have led SEIG to conclude that the building may have been built on the foundation of an old farmhouse. While intriguing there so is no historical evidence to support the farmhouse theory. Early maps of Kenwood Hill and the Iroquois Park areas depict the earliest documented structures on Kenwood Hill, as Esta Cabin of the Little Loomhouse, built in 1876 and the Cornelia Gordon House, 308 Kenwood Hill Road, which is built encompassing a cabin dating to the same period. The area was densely wooded with no record of farmland. Most of early homes were log cabins without basements. Deed searches have confirmed that the property, on which Colonial Gardens sits, was owned by Beonni Figg, who also owned the Little Loomhouse property. Mr. Figg bought the property from the Phillips Family heirs who had the original land grant.

SEIG concluded in their 60 day report that the only part of the building with historical significance is the unknown farmhouse; ignoring the Landmark designation process to preserve the building that was/is Senning’s Park and Colonial Gardens, not an unknown farmhouse.

SEIG reported that they had reconstruction estimates that would add $904,000 to $925,000 to their original estimates for new construction. They did not state the names of the companies, only that the companies were not interested in doing the work.

Architect Jeff Rawlings presented the second part of the agenda. He concluded that the historical significance of Colonial Gardens was as a gathering spot. He presented a new proposal for the site. His proposal incorporates only the northwest corner of the original building, adding several other buildings to the site to create a courtyard. He wants to recreate an open space like the original Sennings Park. He did not elaborate on how to satisfy the parking requirements but did address what he felt was the defining feature of the location.

In conclusion, the 60 day report shows that the developers might now be willing to consider saving part of the original building, however, they have not agreed on what the original building is. They also have raised the question of whether there was a farmhouse originally on the site, despite the fact that there is not consideration for a farmhouse in the Landmarking process. There are now two proposals for the site if demolition and new construction are granted. The Landmark Commission is set to meet on November 20, 2008 for their regular monthly meeting and plan to discuss and hopefully vote on landmark status for Colonial Gardens.

This concludes my report on the meeting. I would like to state that our position is not changed. We still believe the Colonial Gardens building should be landmarked and ultimately restored to once again meet the needs of the community.