550 May Pl demolition Loras ColPlarm~g Services Depad~ent
City Hah
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 520ffi~!864
(563) 5894210 office
(563) 589-4221 fax
planning@cityo fdubuque.org
December 11, 2001
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
City Hall - 50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001
RE: Request for Demolition Permit
Applicant: Loras College
Location: 550 May Place
Neighborhood Demolition District: W. 11th Street
Description: To demolish structure to provide parking for proposed student housing.
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The City of Dubuque Historic Preservation Commission has reviewed the above-cited
request. The application, staff report and related materials are attached for your
review.
Discussion
Loras College representatives spoke in favor of the request to demolish the structure,
provided information on the economics of the structure, and reviewed the proposed
Garden Apartments to house students on campus.
Staff reviewed the application and staff report, noting the lack of historical and
architectural significance of the property based on their research and an evaluation by
a historic preservation consultant. There were no public comments.
The Histodc Preservation Commission discussed the request, noting that the building
lacked historical and architectural significance. The Commission encouraged the
applicant to salvage historic and architectural features of the structure pdor to
demolition. Representatives of Loras College verbally agreed to consider the
recommendation.
NOTE: The subject property is included in a request to amend the Loras College ID
Institutional District An ID district amendment requires review by the Zoning Advisory
Commission and the City Council at public hearings. The Zoning Advisory
Commission has a public headng scheduled for December 19, 2001 on this ID
amendment request. The City Council must approve the ID amendment for the
proposed student housing and parking lot to be built.
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
December 11, 2001
Page 2
Recommendation
By a vote of 6 to 0, the Historic Preservation Commission recommends that the City
Council approve the request due to a lack of historical and architectural significance.
A simple majority vote is needed for the City Council to approve the request for
demolition. Approval of this request does not bind the City Council to approval of the
ID Distdct amendment.
Respectfully submitted,
Historic Preservation Commission
Attachments
Lo s COL .mF
1450 Alta Vista · P.O. Box 178 · Dubuque. tA 52004-0178 · (319)588-7100
November 26, 2001
Histodc Preservation Commission
City of Dubuque
Dubuque IA 520-01
RE: Demolition Permit for Property within Demolition District
Dear Commission Members:
Lores College is requesting a permit for demolition of the following properties within its institutionai
district:
~
.,..(~- 550 May Plaea '~__.
> 1504 Henion Street
1490 Henion Street
1470 Henion Street
The college is in the process of redeveloping this area of student housing to include an 84-bed
residence hail and associated parking. The requisite site plan and request for Conditional Use Permit
within the Institutional Distdct have been filed with the City of Dubuque Zoning Commission.
The current structures are u~lized as student housing and therefore, the primary use of facilities within
this area will not change.
We offer th..e fo owing information concerning the properties in question.
1. The estimated cos~ of the demolition is approximately $,40.793 as estimated by Conlon
Construction in November 2001.
2. The architect developing the site [}lan in cooperation with vadous contractors is David Leapaldt
of GLTArchitects, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
3. The estimated market value of the properties-
a. In their current condition the properties have a value of approximately $292.000 (see
item 9 below)
After the proposed demolition the bare ground value would have a value of
approximately 10% of the value in item (a) above plus the cost of demolition or
approximately $69,000.
After renovation, the properties will become a part of the parking associated with the
building and would equal the value in item (b) above plus the cost of development or
approximately $269,000.
The properties could not be economically rehabilitated given the current student housing
issues facing Loras College. In order to ~mpreve campus housing, the college needs to
develop hew housing for a large portion of the over 1,000 students who currently reside at
· Page2
November26,2001
Loras College. The houses in question are able to accommodate only 24 students, The new
facility will accommodate 84 students. The additional 60 students are not additions to the
college, but a relocation of students residing in other facilities on campus that need renovation.
The demolition of these buildings and development of new housing will also allow Loras
College to increase its' parking in this area of the campus by 20-25 stalls.
5. The historical information regarding the proper'des is as follows:
Property Purchase Pdce Date Acquired Seller Relation Terms
550 May Place $29,000 7t~ March 1968 John Eisenegger None Cash
1 504 Henion $34,000 23~° February 1965 Ellen William None Cash
1490 Henion $46,500 3`~ June 1991 Kim Treanor None Cash
1470 Henlon $50,900 12~Apd11990 Robert Edminster None Cash
6. All properties are available for student housing. The average rental income per bed has been
$1,330 per semester_ This equates to $63,840 per year for the four houses combined.
The properties' operating costs have averaged a littJe more than $7,000 per building per year
for a total of $28.000. In addition, each building requires approximately $50,000 of deferred
maintenance improvements such as foundation repair, roofing, HVAC systems upgrade,
electrical, plumbing and general interior rehabilitation.
8. The properties were a cash purchase for Loras Collpge; therefore there are no outstanding
mortgages on the properties.
9. The properties have not bee~ appraised within the last two years except for insurance
purposes. The insurance values used for the year beginning June 1, 2001 are as follows:
a. 550 May Place $71,000
b, 1504 Henion $84,000
c. 1490 Henlon $53,000
d. 1470 Henion $84,000
10. The prcperaes have not been listed for sale or rent within the previous two years.
11. The properties belong to a non-profit educational institution and therefore have no assessed
valuation.
12. The prope~es belong to a non-prcfit educational institution and therefore no real estate taxes
have been paid within the last two years.
13. An Iowa non-profit corporation owns the properties. (i.e. Lores College)
14. The properties are pert of an overall campus plan to improve student house, address parking
and improve overall campus features, The new property will complement the exis'dng
structures.
Page 3 November 26, 2001
15. The applicant has not addressed tax incentives because it is a pdvate, tax-exempt entity
limited in its capadr[y to engage in such options.
We thank you for ~'our consideration of this request and hope you will correspondingly authorize the
issuance of the demolition certificate.
Stephen J. Schmall
Vice President for Finance & Adminiskative Services
site plan
16TH
~MAY PLACE
PICKETT STREET
~ LORAS Co~,LEGE
DEMOLITION STAFF REPORT Meeting Date: December 20, 2001
Property Address:
Property Owner:
Applicant:
Project:
550 May Place
Loras College
Loras College
To demolish structure.
Historic Preservation District: W. 11th Street
Funding: No Date Built: Circa 1920
Present Land Use: Student Housing
Landmark: No Style: None
Existfng Zoning: ID- Institutional District
Physical Characteristics: The structure's roof is covered with asphalt and the chimney
is made of brick. The walls are block covered with stucco. The eaves are made of
wood; The windows are wood with aluminum inserts.
Property History: The Bruce Kriviskey Survey cannot be found for this property. The
structure has been used by Loras College for student housing. After contacting the
Dubuque Historical Society and searching our records no information could be found to
support that the property has any historical significance.
StaffAnalysis: Historic Preservation Consultant Jim Jacobsen, currently doing
architectural surveys in Dubuque, described the structure as a poor man's version of
French Eclectic. Mr. Jacobsen said this structure has no style and therefore has no
architectural rating (ex. State, Neighborhood, Supportive, Non-Supportive).
The applicant is demolishing the structure to make room for a parking lot, which would
provide parking for a new dormitory that is being proposed.
Prepared ,~- ~'//' .