Title
PLN18-0233 - Certificate of Approval - 2599 Todd Street. Applicant: City of Alameda. Public hearing to consider a Certificate of Approval for demolition of Building 130, a structure determined by the Building Official to be unsafe to occupy and a public safety hazard, located in the NAS Alameda Historic District. The City of Alameda certified the Alameda Point Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 201312043), which evaluated the environmental impacts of redevelopment and reuse of the lands at Alameda Point, including building demolition. No further environmental review is required for this project.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and
Members of the Historical Advisory Board
From: Allen Tai
Secretary to the Historical Advisory Board
BACKGROUND
The City of Alameda, as applicant, is requesting a Certificate of Approval to demolish Building 130, located in the Naval Air Station (NAS) Alameda Historic District at 2599 Todd Street. This request follows events and decisions dating back to the early 1990s when the US Navy was preparing to close and dispose of property at the Alameda Naval Air Station. Background information referenced below is included in Exhibit 1.
In 1992, the Navy completed a historic resources survey for NAS Alameda in preparation for the base closure and eventual transition to civilian use. The survey was the basis for establishing the NAS Alameda Historic District, and it identified Building 130 as a contributing structure to the Historic District.
In 1996, the Navy proposed to demolish Building 130 as well as five other buildings -- Buildings 75A, 115, 116, 135, and 137 - as part of its base closure plan. The Navy’s proposal was subject to review by the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). ACHP and SHPO both approved the demolition of all six buildings, finding the buildings to be different from the original base architecture and not sharing the same level of design significance. The Navy also consulted with the Alameda City Council and the Historical Advisory Board regarding the demolition. The ACHP and SHPO approval required photographic documentation of the buildings according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards as the appropriate mitigation measure for building demolition. The Navy carried out the required documentation in 1998, and the records are archived at the SHPO Northwest Information Center at Sonoma State University.
In 1999, the Navy, ACHP, and SHPO signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), with the City of Alameda signing in concurrence, that stipulated caretaker and building maintenance responsibilities after transition of Alameda Point to civilian use. By then, Alameda Point had begun its transition to civilian use, but the six buildings had not been demolished. The MOA categorized buildings based on their condition and potential for reuse. The six buildings were assigned Layaway Level 6 - Abandon in Place, which designated the buildings unfit for reuse and prescribed only security measures to prevent unauthorized entry. Over the years, the City allocated minimal resources to secure these six buildings, anticipating their eventual demolition as part of future redevelopment of Alameda Point.
In December 2017, the City’s Building Official inspected Building 130 and determined its structural integrity to be compromised, partly evidenced by the bulging of the southern exterior wall and building detachment from its foundation. The Building Official determined the building to be unsafe to occupy due to concerns of further structural failure. Under the Alameda Municipal Code, the Building Official has the authority to order immediate demolition of unsafe buildings. However, the Building Official did not order demolition because the building was not in a densely populated area where it would pose an imminent hazard to the public.
ANALYSIS
Building History and Context
Building 130 was constructed in 1944 as a medical laboratory/low pressure chamber near the end of WWII. The building housed an atmospheric chamber that allowed medical staff to train aviators in high altitude operations. After the war, Building 130 housed various administrative functions for the Navy and was last occupied in the early 1990s by a vector control unit.
Building 130 and the five other buildings designated for demolition by the Navy are distinctly different in architectural design and construction from other architecturally elaborate buildings in the Administrative Core that were built for permanent use. Background documentation describes these buildings as “semi-permanent” utility structures characterized by their simple building form and lack of architectural elements. Building 130, in particular, is a simple, two-story rectangular building with a flat roof. The exterior walls feature horizontal clapboard siding with corner boards and single hung windows in wood trim, but otherwise the building lacks architectural ornamentation or embellishment. However, despite their simple appearance, utilitarian buildings like Building 130 are commonly found on military bases. While the buildings may individually lack visual interest, they as a group are important in conveying an impression of the air station during its period of significance (1938-1945).
Demolition Request
Due to the length time between the Navy’s actions in the 1990s and the present request, the City sought legal advice and verified that the ACHP and SHPO approval, as well as the MOA entered into by the City of Alameda, provide adequate federal and state regulatory clearance for the demolition for all six buildings (Exhibit 2). Because demolition did not occur under Navy control, staff believes the Certificate of Approval requirement under the Alameda Historic Preservation Ordinance (AMC Section 13-21) remains applicable.
Due to the current condition of the building, staff recommends the Board approve a Certificate of Approval to demolish Building 130. The City does not have funds for repair and reconstruction of the building because the building had been identified for demolition.
As for Buildings 75A, 115, 116, 135, and 137, which are also identified for demolition, the City hopes to pass demolition costs to private developers as part of future redevelopment activity. Requests for Certificates of Approval for those buildings will be tied to any future development project associated with these buildings.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City of Alameda certified the Alameda Point Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 201312043), which evaluated the environmental impacts of redevelopment and reuse of the lands at Alameda Point, including building demolition. No further environmental review is required for this project.
PUBLIC NOTICE
This agenda item was advertised in the Alameda Sun and notices were distributed to Alameda Point tenants within 300 feet of the project location. No comments were received by staff at the time this report was written.
RECOMMENDATION
Hold a public hearing and approve a Certificate of Approval to demolish Building 130 as set forth in the draft resolution (Exhibit 3).
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY:
Allen Tai,
Planning Services Manger
Exhibits:
1. Background Information
2. Legal Opinion from Kutak Rock
3. Draft Resolution