Louisiana National Register Review Committee Meeting November 17, 2011, 1:30 p.m.

Capitol Park Welcome Center 702 North River Road Baton Rouge, Louisiana Minutes Chairperson Glenna Kramer called the November 17, 2011 meeting of the National Register Review Committee to order at 1:30 p.m. In addition to Mrs. Kramer, members present included John Sykes, Dr. Rebecca Saunders, Lynn Lewis, Gary Cooper, Lestar Martin, Mrs. Sue Turner, Mrs. Ann Williams, Wayne Coco, and Dr. John Hall. Mrs. Mary Louise Christovich and Dr. Philip Cook were absent. Due to the need to remove the Ponchatoula Historic District Update from consideration at todays meeting, Mrs. Kramer asked for a motion to approve alteration of the agenda as previously posted. Mr. Lewis made such a motion and Dr. Hall seconded. This motion passed unanimously. After this formality, State Historic Preservation Officer Pam Breaux welcomed the audience and thanked the Committee members for their service. Commenting favorably on the Committees large attendance today, Ms. Breaux expressed her concern over recent quorum challenges and stressed how critical the ability to make a quorum and hold a meeting is to the National Register process. She then asked members to share their ideas for addressing this issue with her privately and gave each a copy of her business card. Following Ms. Breauxs remarks, National Register Coordinator Patricia Duncan introduced the Committee and Division of Historic Preservation staff members present. The Committee then addressed the minutes of the August 18 meeting, which contained one typographical error in the second paragraph, third sentence of page five. The word beach should be replaced with breach. Mr. Lewis made the motion for approval of the minutes as amended. Dr. Saunders seconded this motion, which also passed without opposition. Under Old Business, Chairperson Kramer provided a brief summary of the National Register insurance issue that was brought up by Mr. Martin at the August meeting. She then asked him to read aloud the resolution the Committee requested that he prepare. That document follows: WHEREAS, many insurance agencies will not insure properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and WHEREAS, agencies which will insure such listed properties do so at very elevated premiums, and

WHEREAS, the paucity of agencies willing to insure National Register of Historic Places properties reduces the competitive aspect of the insurance bidding arena, and WHEREAS, owners considering having their properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places may be hesitant to proceed in the listing process because of the potential of inflated premiums, and WHEREAS, this attitude could jeopardize the future of the National Register program, and WHEREAS, National Register listing is the prerequisite for participation in the Federal Tax Credit Program, one of the nations most successful and cost-effective community revitalization programs that fosters private sector rehabilitation, attracts new private investment to the historic cores of cities and towns, promotes economic revitalization, creates jobs, enhances property values, and generates higher tax revenues for local and state governments, and WHEREAS, this potential threat to the National Register could also jeopardize the Tax Credit Program and its related role in the economic development of Louisiana, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Louisiana National Register Review Committee requests that the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation work with the appropriate state officials to educate insurance companies operating in Louisiana concerning the meaning and non-restrictive nature of the National Register, and That the following points be the focus of that education program: The National Register DOES NOT require that exact replicas of listed properties be constructed if the original is destroyed. The National Register DOES NOT require that the same or very similar materials be used for repairs or replacement of all or part of a damaged building. The National Register DOES NOT require that any specific guidelines be followed in the rehabilitation of properties whose owners do not participate in federal programs. A property owner may be subject to certain guidelines at the local, state, or federal level depending on program and funding requirements. Listing on the National Register is purely honorary, and That, the Louisiana National Register Review Committee requests its colleague Committees in other states to pass and forward to their appropriate organizations and/or state officials similar resolutions. After hearing the resolution, Dr. Hall asked if this problem is happening in other states. Chairman Kramer shared her belief that the problem is happening elsewhere. Mrs. Turner expressed her opinion that the name of the program, i.e., National Register, causes people to incorrectly assume that there are undue restrictions associated with listing. Mr. Cooper then

moved that the Committee endorse the resolution with one minor typographical correction and Mr. Lewis seconded. The motion passed without objection. The next item on the agenda was a presentation by consultant Jonathan Fricker, who explained the unusual circumstances surrounding a recent update of the Vieux Carre Historic District National Register nomination. In the late summer, the New Orleans Preservation Resource Center approached Fricker Historic Preservation Consulting with a request to help change the status of a current non-contributing element in the district. This status change was needed before the end of the year so that the owner could receive a tax deduction for donating a faade easement on the building to the PRC. The Frickers developed a historical case based upon the development of the French Quarter Revival style as a method of conserving the character of the district, and the SHPO forwarded this case to NPS. Because this update involved no boundary change, the documentation did not have to receive Review Committee endorsement. The update was accepted by the National Park Service on October 11, 2011, making it possible for the easement donation to proceed. After again stressing the emergency nature of the situation, Mr. Fricker assured Committee members that the decision to bypass them in this process was not made lightly. After this presentation, Mrs. Turner asked if there is documentation that the Royal Orleans Hotel is an important example of the French Quarter Revival style. Fricker explained that both Lary Hesfdorfer and Hillary Irvin of the Vieux Carre Commission staff confirmed the hotels importance as an example of the style. Mr. Sykes asked for clarification on the updates period of significance. Fricker explained that it ends in 1961. However, the update does not include examples of the Modern Movement built in the Vieux Carre through that date. The Committee then turned to the review of nominations. St. Philips Mission Church, Rapides Parish, LA Jessica G. Richardson The applicant could not attend the meeting due to health issues, so staff member Jessica Richardson, who is familiar with the candidate, made the presentation. The St. Philips Mission Church (1890) is a single story, wood frame building located in the Rapides Parish town of Boyce. Its exterior is a restrained example of Gothic Revival and Queen Anne Revival styling. The interior is a significant example of the Gothic Revival. The church is locally significant under Criterion C: Design in the area of Architecture because its interior is significant within rural Rapides Parish. Additionally, the building is also one of the three most architecturally significant landmarks left in the community. After the presentation Mr. Sykes asked staff to verify the wording and spelling of the churchs name. His concern focused upon the word Mission, which according to an Episcopal history in his possession, should not be part of the name. He also pointed out a typographical error in the second paragraph of page five of the nomination, i.e., curved should be carved. Next, Mrs. Kramer asked for clarification of the historic and modern (current) names of the building. The current name is the Mustard Seed Baptist Church. After this discussion, Mr. Martin moved that the Committee endorse the nomination and Mr. Sykes seconded. This motion passed unanimously.

17th Street Canal and Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Levee Breach Sites, Orleans Parish
Sandy Rosenthal, Levees.org

The subjects of this nomination are two sites in New Orleans where drainage and navigation canals breached in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. More specifically, these sites are the locations of the 17th Street Canal breach and the east side, north breach of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC). The nominated areas include only the locations of the actual breach sites; they do not include the city-wide drainage, flood protection, and navigation systems of which the sites are a part. Although approximately 50 breaches occurred throughout the New Orleans metropolitan area, these two sites have been chosen for nomination to the National Register for the following reasons: 1) at the 17th Street Canal, the resulting floodwaters rendered the canals pump station ineffectual, stopping it from removing any water from the citys main basin. Had the floodwall not breached, the main basin of the city might have been spared much of the serious flooding that resulted. 2) The east side, north breach of the INHC caused what may have been the most violent flooding. Additionally, the adjacent neighborhood it affected -- due to media coverage quickly became the face of the catastrophic event. Although the event occurred less than fifty years ago, Criteria Consideration G: Properties of Exceptional Importance allows the eligibility of these sites to be considered. The sites are nationally significant under Criterion A: Historic Event, in the area of Other: Disaster, because the Katrina flooding caused loss of life and property damage that made it one of the worst disasters ever to have impacted the nation. Additionally, the event has sparked a number of important changes in national flood control policies and practices. Due to the unusual nature of this nomination, a copy of the applicants PowerPoint presentation to the Review Committee, a copy of the DVD that was played as part of the supporting comments, and a complete transcript of the related discussion are attached to these minutes. All should be considered part of the official record. Thus, the discussion will not be summarized here. However, the following information should be noted: Levees.org, requested that the minutes reflect the fact that their organizations information concerning ownership of the INHC breach site was correct despite the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initial response that they did not own that location. Confusion over ownership and notification issues caused postponement of the nomination at the August 18 meeting. After the discussion, the Chairman mistakenly called for a vote on the nomination in the form that it is presented here without asking for a motion first. That vote was three in favor and six opposed. Members in favor of the nomination included Mr. Sykes, Mrs. Turner and Dr. Hall. Those opposed included Mr. Coco, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Martin, Mr. Cooper, Dr. Saunders and Mrs. Williams. Before the meeting ended, Chairman Kramer recognized Michael Wyatt of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation. Mr. Wyatt informed the Committee that his organizations board of directors has passed its own resolution concerning the National Register insurance issue and has agreed to accept the challenge of addressing the situation. Patricia Duncan then called the Committees attention to the list of dates for 2012 Review Committee meetings. There being no further business, Mrs. Turner moved that the meeting adjourn and Dr. Saunders seconded the motion. It passed unanimously.