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FRIDAY HARBOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD |
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Email this page to a friend Related StoriesList of stories about Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Board | |
Council to discuss demolition dis-incentivesposted 07/08/05
Councilmember Wally Gillette cautioned against even discussing such a thing. "You'd be trampling on private property rights," he said. He reminded the council what happened when former town councilmember Hedda King proposed a tree ordinance designed to protect trees. The ordinance was never adopted but some property owners clear cut their lots just in case such an ordinance was passed. Mayor Gary Boothman asked the rest of the council if they would like Historic Preservation Coordinator Sandy Strehlou to draft some language regarding demolition. Councilmembers Howie Rosenfeld, Carrie Brooks and Debbie Emery agreed to discuss the topic. No one committed to approving an ordinance. The Historic Preservation Review Board will discuss draft demolition language at their July 13, 2005 meeting in Town Hall. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. Friday Harbor Center wins preservation award
posted 05/24/05
The award ceremony is part of the town's celebration of National Historic Preservation Month. From 2 to 3:30 p.m. May 28, the public is invited to celebrate with music, vintage fire engines, historic photo displays, and a chance to win prizes by answering questions about local history. The event takes place on First Street in Friday Harbor.
On May 9, 2002, Friday Harbor experienced one of the worst fire disasters in the town's history. Five businesses and more than 8,000 square feet of commercial property burned to the ground. The blaze was fought by firefighters from the Town of Friday Harbor, Orcas, Lopez and the San Juan Island Fire Depts. The property is located within the town's historic district. The town's historic preservation guidelines are voluntary. However, builders can take advantage of incentives related to height and parking space by agreeing to abide by the guidelines. The Petersens were able to exceed the town's 27-foot height limit by accepting the HPRB rulings. The design review process took more than nine months of cooperative planning between the Petersens and the HPRB. According to the town's Historic Preservation Coordinator Sandy Strehlou, the result is a business complex with a successful contemporary interpretation of 1920s-style design. The buildings features blend easily with -rather than distracting from- the surviving turn-of-the-century buildings that grace Friday Harbor's unique downtown. Preservation rewarded
Pictured from left to right: Gabe Herda, Jennifer Fitch Herda, HPRB Chair Scott Zehner, Diane Giesy, Bill Giesy and architect Nina Le Baron. posted 05/16/03
Bill and Diane Giesy were praised for their preservation of the building which originally housed the Mulvaney Power Company and now serves as the ReMax real estate office on Spring Street. After OPALCO purchased the power company, the building served as OPALCO's headquarters until 1983. Then it was Moyer's Jewelry store. The Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Review Board member David Waldron said, "It is very inviting. It is a very good example of historic storefront with the transom windows and the recessed entry." Bill and Diane Giesy thanked the board for the award and architect Nina Le Baron for her work on the project. Jennifer Fitch Herda received the award for residential preservation. She restored the 1895 Nash house which used to be located on Caines Street in Friday Harbor. It was a dilapidated green building when its lot was purchased four years ago. The house had to be moved so the Wiessinger/Kennedy could be built.
Waldron said, "The house was in great danger of being destroyed. The choices were give it to the fire department or have it moved. Only one person expressed interest." He praised Herda for her rehabilitation of the house which is now located on Carter Avenue. "It is very faithful to the original," he said. "This is a very outstanding achivement in historic preservation and rehabilitation." She said, "We are so excited to get this. My husband Gabe and I want to thank the historic preservation board for the honor." She thanked Town Historic Preservation Coordinator Nancy Larsen for her help. She also thanked her parents, King and Pam Fitch. "My parents had amazing foresight to see the potential. Their hard work got us through. We wouldn't be here tonight if it wasn’t for them." Two historic preservation awards given
posted 05/22/02
HPRB President Scott Zehner presented the awards. He said the buildings preserve the "sense of place", one of the goals outlined in the town's historic preservation manual. "In layman's terms we don't want to look like anywhere else," he said. "The Bucks have done a superior job of keeping it in historical condition." The 1907 Coldwell Banker building consistenly scores high in the HPRB poll of favorite buildings conducted at the county fair.
Sam Buck, Sr. said, "I remember going in to the building when I was in kindergarten." The building had been modernized by a bank, before he and his wife, Barbara, purchased it. When the Bucks removed the dropped ceilings they found old gas lamps. He praised Steve and Laurie Buck for the work they have done in preserving the outside of the building. Steve said, "It wouldn't have been possible to do the outside unless you bought it and did the inside. it's been a pleasure, is a beautiful building. I'm glad nothing happened to it during the fire the other day. I'm glad the wind was going in the other direction. "
The Weissinger/Kennedy or Kennedy/Weissinger building on Caines Street is a "poster child for compatability" according to Zehner. "They had quite a challenge on their hands. They wanted to put a big office building in a residential neighborhood. It doesn't assault anybody with its size. As you walk down the street it doesn't look like a big building. The roof pitch, dormers, vertical orientation windows, clapboard siding, make the building look like it belongs there.
Bill Weissinger accepted the award on behalf of his wife and Steve Kennedy. "We're going to resolve the Weissinger/Kennedy, Kennedy/Weissinger name by calling it the Caines Street Professional Building. We all worked hard on it. Thank you very much," he said. Middle School awarded for historic preservation
posted 05/17/01
"demonstrates excellence in meeting or exceeding the design guidelines of not only the Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Manual and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation." The ceremony coincides with National Historic Preservation Week -- May 13-19. This year's theme is "Restore, Renew, Rediscover: Your Historic Neighborhood Schools." The emphasis is on saving and using school buildings which were constructed across the country during the past 200 years. The board notes the middle school project is a fine example of the effot to preserve and to utilize the resource inherent in these unique structures. Everyone is welcome to attend the ceremony at 1:30 p.m. at the entrance of the Middle School. 2001 State Historic Preservation Officer’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservationposted 05/18/01
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Text of speech by Allyson Brooks, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer, Washington State Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Office of Community Development The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Planning acknowledges special success in laying the groundwork for the long-term preservation of important historic properties. The award is presented to individuals or organizations that have put into place or are operating an on- going method for protection. In 2001, there is one recipient in this category. "Historic Preservation offers us a way to safeguard the particular identity we call Friday Harbor." So begins the Historic Preservation Manual for the Town of Friday Harbor. After years of escalating development pressures, residents of this idyllic island community adopted a new comprehensive plan in 1997. The plan identified historic preservation as a tool to protect the character that makes the town so special to residents. In fulfillment of the Plan, the Town Council created the Historic Preservation Review Board with the charge to develop policies to guide rehabilitation and new construction. Spearheaded by long time preservation advocate Nancy Larsen, the Historic Preservation Manual is an attractive, easy to read, easy to understand manual that has garnered use and praise even from those initially skeptical about preservation. Nancy deserves special recognition in this effort. Her long time advocacy not only led to creation of the Historic Preservation Review Board, she was instrumental in writing and producing the Manual. Her thoughtful text provides clear guidelines for property owners, designers, and contractors. Her narrative is set in a clean format and illustrated with charming ink wash illustrations provided by Tina Rose and David Waldron that portray local streetscapes and buildings. The Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Manual provides us with a model historic preservation planning document. Nancy Larsen and members of the Historic Preservation Review Board have created a truly "homegrown" preservation document. Not only does this planning tool succeed as design guidelines, it successfully demonstrates to users the effectiveness and importance of historic preservation as a means to protect the essence of the special place that is Friday Harbor. I would now like to ask Nancy Larsen and members of the Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Review Board to come forward and receive your award. |
Historic Preservation Manual is an award winnerposted 03/15/01
The award recognizes effots by individuals and organizations in setting exceptional standards in historic preservation and acknowledges efforts for outstanding achievement in laying the groundwork for long-term preservation of important historic resources. Recipients of this award are recognized for establishing effective mechanisms for the protection of historic structures. Historic preservation guidelines are voluntary in Friday Harbor. Educating property owners about the value of preserving the history of Friday Harbor was one of the goals of the volunteer committee which spent two years creating the manual. The manual is posted on the town's Web site. |
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