Today's News-Gazette:
The Urbana City Council rejected an appeal Tuesday night by Urbana developer Howard Wakeland, who is seeking to demolish a house in a historic district in the 800 block of West Main Street.
The council voted 4-3 to uphold the decision by the city's historic preservation commission to deny Wakeland a certificate of appropriateness to demolish a house at 809 W. Main St., and its decision to deny Wakeland a certificate of economic hardship.
Discuss.
That makes sense ... seems like they don't want to set a precedent where a landlord fails to maintain property in a historic district and then gets rewarded with a permit to tear it down.
It just became a historic district last fall. It was zoned multi-family when he bought it 24 years ago! He bought it for redevelopment at the urging of the City of Urbana. He has already replaced the other houses he owns on the block with new ones.
It just became a historic district last fall. It was zoned multi-family when he bought it 24 years ago! He bought it for redevelopment at the urging of the City of Urbana. He has already replaced the other houses he owns on the block with new ones.
OK, that does change things then.
I'm a little uncomfortable with this one.
One the one hand, I have no love for Wakeland and no sympathy for the long-ago downzoning case he always whines about. I've also seen first hand how he lets nice houses slowly deteriorate without maintaining them, only to eventually bulldoze them and put up something (usually, but not always) pretty ugly.
On the other, he's had this house for years when it wasn't in a historic district. When they made it part of one last year, they decided it was non-contributing. So what's he supposed to do? Surely if he'd known he was stuck with it forever he would have maintained it better. I suspect he will with any houses he owns in areas that could be similarly labeled. But he didn't have that knowledge. Now he has a house that is run down and will have to pay more to keep it up than rebuilding new.
Looks like the council wasn't sure either, given their 4-3 decision.
Honestly, I don't know why Urbana even bothers having a Historic Preservation Commission. The group is entirely made up of hard core self-described preservationists, and they only vote to preserve. I don't see much consideration going on with that group. Might as well just pass all applications and appeals straight to the city council and save the time and money.
I'm confused, what's the difference between an historic district and run-down neighborhood area? Drive by that area, and ask yourself.."...would it look better with or without this home?". Why force the owner into expensive unrecoverable expenses just to please the neighbors?
Does anyone know if on Monday the City Council approved Wakeland's request to rezone multiple lots on north Lincoln Avenue ?
illinipunditposter
"Does anyone know if on Monday the City Council approved Wakeland's request to rezone multiple lots on north Lincoln Avenue ?"
Wakeland withdrew his petition and said he would reapply adding some new parcels he recently acquired and possibly changing his request to B-2 (instead of B-3U). Basically I think they've reached an agreement but there's more process to finish up with.