REPORT TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 31, 2020 FROM: MIKE SANCHEZ, Assistant Director Planning and Development Department SUBJECT ..Title REVIEW AND MAKE FINDINGS ON RENOVATION PLANS AND CEQA ANALYSIS FOR THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE STATE CENTER WAREHOUSE AND COLD STORAGE COMPANY BUILDING (HP#242) LOCATED AT 747 R STREET PURSUANT TO FMC 12-1617(h)(1). ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Commission approve the replacement windows for the proposed project for an adaptive reuse of the State Warehouse and Cold Storage Building (HP# 242) located at 747 R Street. Staff recommends that the Commission find that the amendment to the project plans is in compliance with the City's Historic Preservation Ordinance requiring consistency with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Rehabilitation of a Historic Property (FMC 12-1617(h)(1). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This project was originally approved by the Commission on December 19. 2016. On July 27, 2020, the applicant's Architect made a request of the Historic Preservation Commission, under Unscheduled Items, to request replacement of the original steel sash windows with an architectural consistent alternative. Since the Item was not agenda, the request must be considered by the Commission to approve the proposed change. The State Center Warehouse and Cold Storage Building is one of several warehouses along Fresno's "Warehouse Row". The 1918 reinforced concrete post and beam building with brick infill and brick parapet was designed by N.H. Fisher and constructed by Trewhitt and Shields for a Turkish-born rancher, Paul A. Mosesian. The building was first evaluated as eligible for listing on Fresno's Local Register of Historic Resources in 1994 and was ultimately designated to the Register in 2004 as HP# 242. The current property owner has retained Paul Halajian Architects to prepare drawings for an adaptive reuse of the building for office use. The character defining features of the building-specifically the loading dock and cantilevered awning, the steel frame multi-sash windows, the hand-painted "State Center Warehouse" and "Cold Storage" signs-will be retained and integrated into the new use. Greater energy efficiency will be obtained by the application of a low profile aluminum frame and translucent composite plastic pane on the interior of each window. The only major changes proposed by the design team are for better defined primary building entrances and the addition of a rooftop conference room that will afford a panoramic view of downtown. The conference room addition will be differentiated in materials and design from the original building and will have sufficient set back from the cornice The initial intent was to have the architectural team give a presentation tonight on their conceptual plans. However, in reviewing the extensive drawings and project description as submitted, and in conference with the applicant, it appears that few changes if any are anticipated and it is therefore appropriate to expedite the project. BACKGROUND Secretary of Interior's Standards: As a listed historic building any changes or modifications to the property must "be consistent with...the Secretary of Interior's Standards" and not be detrimental "to the special historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of the Historic Resource." [FMC 12-1617 (h)(1)], As a reminder, the Standards "are neither technical nor prescriptive, but are intended to promote responsible preservation practices that help protect our Nation's irreplaceable cultural resources...they cannot, in and of themselves, be used to make essential decisions about which features of the historic building should be saved and which can be changed" (Introduction to Standards and Guidelines). A general rule of thumb, however, as applied to Fresno's historic resources is to take great care with the principle elevations of a building-particularly with regards to character defining features-and to generally allow changes to the interior. The Standards include four treatment approaches: Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration and Reconstruction. Based on meetings with the applicant and the attached site plans and project description, the adaptive reuse of the State Center Warehouse best fits within the Rehabilitation Protocol which is defined as "the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values...Of the four treatments, only Rehabilitation includes an opportunity to make possible an efficient contemporary use through alterations or additions." Thus the owners propose to preserve all of the character defining features of the building (including the original steel sash multi-light windows), and only add a new conference room on the roof which will be differentiated from the historic materials and stepped back from the cornice. It is a best practice under the "Standards" to have any new additions to a historic building "differentiated from the old" and "compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment." Historic Preservation Meeting of July 27, 2020 Representatives from Paul Halajian Architects, under Unscheduled Items, requested an opportunity to speak before the Commission to consider replacement windows for the previously approved project. On December 19, 2016 the Commission approved the proposed adaptive reuse of the State Warehouse and Cold Storage Building (HP# 242) located at 747 R Street. The applicant's representatives presented a proposal that would replace the original steel sash windows with a bronze anodized extruded aluminum window. Although the applicant's intention was to preserve the steel sash windows, further investigation into the preservation of the windows revealed that integrity of the steel sash would be compromised. The applicant also discovered that there was variation between the window sizes in the building that could make fabrication difficult and while preserving the windows was important, the retention of the original windows was not energy efficient. It was stressed by the architects that the difference was hardly noticeable and one would need to be up close to discern the differences. The proposed alternative is an extruded aluminum frame system for the window replacement which is designed specifically for use as a replacement of existing historic windows. Commission members noted that this type of replacement has been approved in the past and were appreciative of the efforts brought forth to suggest a viable alternative. The Commission did not take an action regarding the replacement window because the matter was not previously on the agenda. Therefore, staff is recommending the Commission make the necessary findings per FMC 12-1617-(h)(1) which states, "The proposed work is found to be consistent with the purposes of this article and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, not detrimental to the special historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of the Historic Resource." Based on the evidence provided by the applicant during the meeting of July 27, 2020; the summary listed above; and in Attachment C, the requisite finding can be made. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS Section 12-1617 of the Fresno Municipal Code provides guidance and direction to both staff and Commissioners on permits and reviews for designated historic properties. On a regular basis staff invoke Section 12-1617(b) which authorizes the Historic Preservation Specialist (now Project Manager) to approve non-substantial alterations to a Historic Resource. Such alterations include roof repairs and replacement, interior upgrades, and non-intrusive work. Environmental review in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is required ''for applications or proposals to demolish, grade, remove or substantially alter the Historic Resource" (12-1617)(c). If the applicant and the Commission agree that the conceptual plans for the State Warehouse Building appear to be consistent with the Rehabilitation Treatment protocol of the Secretary of Interior's Standards then the project qualifies for a Categorical Exemption Class 31 under CEQA 15331: "Class 31 consists of projects limited to maintenance, repair, stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration, preservation, conservation or reconstruction of historical resources in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties ...." (CEQA Guidelines, CELSOC 2006). In addition, Class 1(a) for existing facilities also applies. Attachments: Exhibit A - State of California Survey Forms for the State Center Warehouse 747 R Street Prepared August 31, 1994 by John Edward Powell for the Ratkovich Plan Survey with Update March 16, 2004. Exhibit B - Historic Review Revised Application Submittal (PZ17-90000064) from the owner of the State Center Warehouse (HP #242) located at 747 R Street, March 2019. Exhibit C - State Center Warehouse Building (Historic Property #242), An adaptable re-use of a historic building, Request for Interpretation for Minor Deviation dated July 3, 2020 by Paul Halajian Architects