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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUS Department of Homeland Security QC', c U U.S. Department of Homeland Security DR — 1996-MT ri& J"t'"' EHP, FEMA VIII DFC, Building 20, Box 25267 Denver, CO 80225 -0267 FEMA ,ND December 3, 2011 D 1 V EE DEC 6 2011 Dear Kurt — CITY OF LAUREL The attached letter contains the conditions we will attach to the project application for repairs to the three Riverside Park buildings in Laurel. We will have to have formal SHPO concurrence of these conditions, but that should be a foregone conclusion given our conversations with the SHPO to this point. As I mentioned yesterday, I will be demobilizing from the Montana disaster tomorrow. Henceforth your contact on this project will be: Martin Thompson Historic Preservation Specialist FEMA Region VIII DFC Bldg. 20 Denver, CO 80225 Office: 303 - 235 -4317 martin.thompson a,dhs.gov I will be leaving tomorrow, but I can be reached at louhafermehl @hotmail.com or by phone at 701 - 250 -8544 if any problems arise with which I can help. Don't hesitate to call. Sincerely, fiku_91// A/ Louis N. Hafermeh Historic Preservation Specialist EHP, FEMA VIII DFC, Building 20, Box 25267 Denver, CO 80225 -0267 U.S. Department of Homeland Security DR — 1996-MT EHP, FEMA VIII DFC, Building 20, Box 25267 Denver, CO 80225 -0267 Airy, FEMA p4 iND S December 3, 2011 Mark F. Baumler, PH.D. State Historic Preservation Officer Montana Historical Society 1410 8 Ave., P.O. Box 201202 Helena, MT 59620 -1202 Attn.: Peter Brown, re PW -548, Log Cabin, Riverside Park (24YL0169), Laurel, MT Dear Dr. Baumler: FEMA has received an application to fund repairs to a log cabin building located in Riverside Park (24YL0169), Laurel, MT. The park has been evaluated by your office as being eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. During the Spring 2011 flooding along the Yellowstone River the cabin, which was located on the edge of the river bank, was undermined by floodwaters and was near collapse into the river. The city moved the cabin away from the bank to save it. The cabin suffered damages to its front wall, door, and a window adjacent to the door. The applicant proposes placing the building on a concrete pad elsewhere in the park, repairing the wall damages, and replacing the door and window. The cabin is considered by your office to be a contributing element within the park. FEMA concurs that the park is eligible for National Register designation and that the log cabin is a contributing element. As per e -mail exchanges (attached) of 11/17/11 with Peter Brown of your staff, it is my understanding that your office concurs that this project will constitute a "no adverse effect on historic properties" if FEMA conditions the project as follows: (1) The project applicant may relocate the building within the park, but must document approval of that location by the SHPO before moving the building to a new permanent site. (2) The project applicant must determine, by examining historical photographs (including any of the building that may exist in the collections of the Western Heritage Center in Billings, MT), physical evidence from remaining cabins within the park or that formerly occupied the park but • Cont. have been moved, and /or original construction drawings, if available, what was the appearance of, and what were the materials used, for the window and door at the time of cabin construction. If such examination indicates that the original window and door types, materials and configurations differed from those damaged, the applicant must return those building features to their original appearance. (3) Wall in -fill between the doorway and window openings must be of logs of the same wood species, dressed and chinked with the same materials and providing the same finished appearance, as exists in the undamaged portions of the building. (4) The project applicant may construct a new 4" slab on grade concrete pad and set the log Cabin atop the pad, as conditioned by (1) above, before the requirements of (2) and (3) are met. Before making any window, door, and wall repairs, however, the applicant must present to FEMA the results of its examinations as required by (2) above and must not proceed with repairs until it receives written approval to do so from FEMA. FEMA will consult and reach concurrence with the SHPO on the applicant's repair plans for the building before approving those plans. FEMA believes that that requiring the applicant to satisfy the conditions outlined herein will constitute a "no adverse effect on historic properties," and we seek your formal concurrence with that opinion. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact me at 303 - 231 -1898 or at Louis.Hafermehl @dhs.gov_. Sincerely, ) 01 Louis N. Hafermehl Historic Preservation Specialist EHP, FEMA VIII DFC, Building 20, Box 25267 Denver, CO 80225 -0267 Attachment Cc: Kurt Markegard Public Works Director City of Laurel P.O. Box 10 Laurel, MT 59044 Page 2 • iiafermehl, Louis From: Brown, Peter [pebrown ©mt.gov] Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 4:33 PM To: Hafermehl, Louis Subject: RE: Log Cabin, Riverside Park, Laurel, MT, PW -548, DR- 1996 -MT Lou, Thanks for the follow up on this. I think its' reasonable to ask for a site plan showing where the cabin would be placed before giving them the green light to move ahead with that. Beyond that concern I shaded the verbiage that I think could be removed to make these conditions stronger. I also highlighted some verbiage you could consider adding. I think that placing the building at a historically incongruous spot or reintroducing non - historic features add up to an adverse effect. Determining the original features (door and window) should not be that hard to do. Apparently several of the cabins that once occupied the park have been relocated to new sites throughout the Laurel area. If some of these cabins still exist, there's a chance that at least one would have an original window or door on which to base the design. Also, the Western Heritage Center in Billings is a great repository of local history. There might be some historic images on file. I'll file your email with your original letter. For now this is still unresolved. Please copy SHPO on your letter to the folks in Laurel and provide us with what they provide you when it's available. Thanks. Pete From: Hafermehl, Louis Jmailto :Louis.HafermehlPfema.dhs.govl Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 1:58 PM To: Brown, Peter Subject: Log Cabin, Riverside Park, Laurel, MT, PW -548, DR- 1996 -MT Good morning, Pete — We propose that relocation and repair of the Log Cabin building located at Riverside Park, Laurel MT, will have a "no adverse effect on historic properties" if we condition the project as follows: (1) The project applicant may relocate the building within the park but must orient the building on its new site as it was oriented prior to the damages it sustained. That is, its front door must be facing the same direction as it was facing prior to the damages. (2) The project applicant must _ determine, by examining historical photographs, orphys icat,e iderace : its '° ; s�. 7 °w: s' from remainin g cabins that formerly occup,ed the have beenFmoved; and /or original construction drawings, if available, what was the appearance of, and materials used for, the window and door at the time of log cabin construction. If such examination indicates that the original window and door types, materials, and configurations differed from those damaged, the applicant must return those building features to their original appearance. 1 (3) Wall in -fill between the doorway and window openings must be of Togs of the same wood species, dressed and chinked with the same materials and providing the same finished appearance, as exists in the undamaged portions of the building. (4) The project applicant may construct a new 4" slab on grade concrete pad and set the Log Cabin atop the pad, as conditioned by (1) above, before the requirements of (2) and (3) above are met. Before making any window, door, and wall repairs, however, the applicant must present to FEMA the results of its examinations as required by (2) above and must not proceed with repairs until it receives written approval to do so from FEMA. Pete, while your office is not referenced in these conditions, please understand that that FEMA will consult and reach concurrence with the SHPO on the applican't repair plans for the building before approving those plans. Please do not hesitate to make suggestions as to how the above might be improved. I hope it adequately captures the points we discussed during our telephone call last Monday. Lou Hafermehl Historic Preservation Specialist EHP, FEMA VIII DFC, Building 20, Box 25267 Denver, CO 80225 -0267 Desk: 303 - 231 -1898 Cell: 701 -250 -8544 Fax: 303 -274 -0578 Louis.Hafermehlna,dhs.gov 2