Title
Approval of a Historic Preservation Demonstration Project Grant - 412 W. Roosevelt Street (Ordinance S-51882) - District 7
Description
This report requests the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into the necessary agreements and conveyances with Prairie School Apartments, LLC and its representative Chip Halquist related to a Historic Preservation Demonstration Project Grant of up to $133,176 to assist with the rehabilitation of the historic apartment building located at 412 W. Roosevelt Street. Further request for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
The historic apartment building located at 412 W. Roosevelt Street was constructed around the year 1918 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and the Phoenix Historic Property Register in 1986 as part of the Roosevelt Historic District. The property is considered an outstanding example of "Prairie School" architecture and is one of the few extant apartment buildings constructed in Phoenix immediately following World War I. The building is still being used as apartments today.
The current owner of 412 W. Roosevelt Street, Prairie School Apartments, LLC, acquired the property in 2017, although the owner's representative Chip Halquist has owned it since the early 1990s. Mr. Halquist submitted a Demonstration Project Grant application to the Historic Preservation Office on January 30, 2025, requesting assistance to rehabilitate the building for its continued use as apartments.
The project scope of work includes historic window rehabilitation, stucco repairs, wood fascia and soffit repair, roof repair, door repair, interior and exterior stairway repair, attic and crawlspace venting, and repainting. A total of $2,500 in eligible engineering costs is also included. The grand total of eligible work items is $133,176.
Although the application shows that the City's share would be 50 percent of the cost of the eligible work, the Historic Preservation Commission, at its February 10, 2025 meeting, revised the Demonstration Project Grant Program so the City will now pay 100 percent of eligible work items, provided that the owner provides a match using non-eligible work items. The application indicates that there will be $747,000 worth of additional work, so the match requirement has been met.
Staff recommends allocating the use of $133,176 in available Demonstration Project Grant funds for the project.
If approved, the grant funds will be disbursed to the applicant on a reimbursement basis. The applicant will be required to provide evidence of a dollar-for-dollar match.
Financial Impact
The requested amount, $133,176, is available from the 2023 General Obligation Bond Program - Historic Preservation. In exchange for the grant funds, the City will receive a 30-year conservation easement on the property. The easement will require that the property be preserved and that it be insured and maintained in good repair once rehabilitation is completed.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Historic Preservation Commission recommended approval of the grant funding on March 17, 2025, by a vote of 5-0.
The Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee recommend approval of this item on April 16, 2025, by a 4-0 vote.
Location
412 W. Roosevelt Street
Council District: 7
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and the Planning and Development Department.