Historically Significant City Property in Limbo - 431 North L Street

This is a re-post in light of the previous comment.

You have seen this property before, from a previous post. You can do a search for 431 N L Street here and you can review it in more detail.

The essence of what is going on here is that this property is within a historic district. The building is a work of noted local architect G. Sherman Childs, dating from the late 1920s. Originally a four unit walk-up (rare), it contains many of its original interior features such as period built-ins. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the structure. Most recently it was a Joe DiMauro property that was divided up into a total of 9 units. It was subject of a Nuisance Abatement Board meeting, where we effectively shut down the structure from operating as a rental. The City then acquired this property, along with 431 N. K Street - another DiMauro property through the exercise of its lien rights from Code Enforcement fines..

The building department wanted both the L and the K Street structures to come down. These requests came before us when I was on the Planning, Zoning, Historic Resource Preservation Board. We approved the demolition of the 431 N. K Street structure as its historic significance had been diminished by insensitive alterations and poor maintenance. That property is now completely vacant and still under City ownership.

The North L Street property was another matter. Darrin Engle made a strong case while he was here for preserving this structure and in his presentation he talked about the importance for the City to perform proper boarding and securing (mothballing) the building.

Well, my friends, that hasn't happened. The Board ended up not approving the demolition, but approved the demolition of the out buildings on the west side of the property - that building is still standing.

In these pictures, taken yesterday, you can see the further deterioration of conditions - more broken windows, no boarding up of the property - properly and it seems as if no one cares.

This is a building by the same architect that designed our current City Hall, formerly the Municipal Auditorium.

It is not on the City's surplus property list, so is there a City use for the building? If so, why isn't anyone talking about it.? If there isn't a reuse of the structure for the City's purposes, why can't we sell it someone who would be willing to restore it while it is still possible to restore?

This is an important piece of the City's history and a blighting influence on this neighborhood. Let's show some respect for our City's history before this building disappears at the hands of the elements.