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Title:
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Partial Conservation Easement Release for Temple Beth Israel - 122 E. Culver St.
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Title
Partial Conservation Easement Release for Temple Beth Israel - 122 E. Culver St.
Description
This report requests the Land Use and Livability Subcommittee to recommend City Council approval of the Historic Preservation Commission's recommendation to release the 1957 addition to Temple Beth Israel and the adjacent bungalow, both located at 122 E. Culver St., from the City's conservation easement to eventually allow their demolition.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT ACTION.
Report
Summary
Temple Beth Israel is located at the northwest corner of 2nd and Culver streets, adjacent to the Burton Barr Library. The parcel includes the temple building itself, a Bungalow-style house (historically unrelated to the synagogue) and site features such as parking and outdoor use areas. The Temple consists of the original 1921 synagogue and two additions, built in 1936 and 1957. The 1936 addition is a front classroom wing, which includes a hallway linking it to the original building; it is designed in the same style as the main building and utilizes the same brick and stucco construction and large wood windows. The 1957 addition is at the rear of the property and consists of a concrete block Fellowship Hall (with a semi-detached restroom building). Temple Beth Israel is architecturally significant as one of the few religious buildings--and the only synagogue--designed by the prolific Arizona architectural firm of Lescher & Mahoney. The property is also an excellent local example and late survivor of the Romanesque Revival style. See Attachment A.
In 2002, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) purchased the property with the hope of converting it to a Jewish Heritage Center and giving it historic recognition. It was subsequently listed on the Phoenix Historic Property Register in 2006 and the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The AJHS also received an Arizona Heritage Fund grant in 2007 and City of Phoenix HP Bond Funds in 2008 to rehabilitate the property. In exchange for the grant funds, both the Arizona State HP Office and the City of Phoenix HP Office received conservation easements on the property, which remain in effect today. In April 2010, the rehabilitation project was completed, and the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center officially opened to the public as a museum, educational center and event venue.
On April 6, 2020, staff received a letter from Robert Graham of Motley Design Group, LLC, on behalf of the AJHS, requesting a partial release of the conversation easement that was recorded on the property in conjunction with the City’s grant project (Attachment B). The purpose of the partial release would be to allow the demolition of the 1957 addition and the noncontributing bungalow.The letter states that the AJHS is in the planning stages of a major expansion project that would replace these features with approximately 16,000 square feet of new museum space for the “Center for Hope, Humanity, and Holocaust Education.”
The letter notes that the Arizona State HP Office has already concurred that removal of the 1957 addition and bungalow would have no adverse effect on the historic property and will be permissible under their easement. The justification for the finding of no adverse effect is that the 1957 addition is outside of the period of significance for the property (1921-1936) and the bungalow, while old, is a non contributor because it is not related to the significance of the temple.
Staff does not object to the removal of the 1957 addition (and, in fact, had already approved its demolition in 2007, prior to the recordation of the conservation easement), as it lacks the architectural character of the original building and 1936 addition. Staff also does not object to the removal of the bungalow, due to its noncontributing status, although it does still retain some value as a 1920s residence. If it could be moved to another site, preferably a historic district with homes of a similar character, that would be ideal.
Financial Impact
Payment records from the 2008 City grant show that $40,785 of the $200,000 in grant funds were specifically used to rehabilitate the bungalow. This amount should be repaid before the partial release is granted. The payment records also imply that additional funds were used on both the bungalow and 1957 addition although specific no dollar amount can be determined for these expenses. Therefore, staff recommends that the conservation easement be extended an additional 20 years to cover the cost of any additional unidentified expenses.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the partial release of the conservation easement (Attachment C) at the historic Temple Beth Israel property, located at 122 East Culver St., be approved subject to the following stipulations: (1) that the applicant repay the City the amount of $40,785, which, based on payment records, is the minimum amount of grant funds expended on the bungalow; and (2) that the Deed of Conservation Easement be amended to extend the term of the easement an additional 20 years to cover the cost of any additional unidentified expenses.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Historic Preservation Commission recommended approval, subject to modified stipulations on April 20, 2020, by a vote of 8-0. The modifications are as follows:
The applicant repay the City the amount of $40,785 for the amount of grant funds expended on the bungalow with the flexibility to allow repayment in multiple installments as long as payment is made in full prior to issuance of a demolition permit for the bungalow; and
The Deed of Conservation Easement be amended to extend the term of the easement an additional 50 years; and
No demolition permit is to be issued until a building permit has been issued for the new construction.
Location
122 E. Culver St.
Council District: 7
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Planning and Development Department.