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PLN18-0405 - Certificate of Approval and Historic Sign Designation- 2070 Lincoln Ave - Applicant: Bill Wong on behalf of OYH LLC. Public hearing to consider: 1) Certificate of Approval, pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 13-21.7, for demolition of more than 30% of the value of a one-story, pre-1942 commercial building to construct a second floor addition; and 2) Evaluation of the existing “Lincoln Market Liquors” sign according to criteria for historic sign designation pursuant to AMC Section 13-21.6. The property is not listed on the Historical Buildings Study List. The project is located in the C-1 (Neighborhood Business) Zoning District. This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(e) - Additions to Existing Structures, and CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 (projects consistent with General Plan and Zoning).
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To: Chair Saxby and
Members of the Historical Advisory Board
From: Allen Tai,
Secretary to the Historical Advisory Board
BACKGROUND
The building at 2070 Lincoln Avenue is a single story 4,550 square foot commercial building located at the southwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Willow Street. The business occupying most of the ground floor has been a neighborhood corner liquor store, known as Lincoln Market, since the 1950s. City building permit records indicate that the building was built before 1909, but do not specify the exact date of construction (Exhibit 1). In 1954 a neon sign for “Lincoln Market Liquors” was mounted over the sidewalk on the corner of the building. In 1958 an extensive exterior remodel was permitted that included covering the Willow Street and Lincoln Avenue elevations with stucco siding.
The applicant is proposing an exterior remodel and adding a second floor addition for two new residential units and 898 square feet of new office space. The Building Official determined that the demolition work required to facilitate the addition is greater than 30% of the current value of the structure. Per Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Section 13-21.7, demolition of more than 30% of the value of buildings built before 1942 require a Certificate of Approval from the Historical Advisory Board (HAB).
Staff is recommending the HAB approve the Certificate of Approval to facilitate the addition and overall improvements to the building. Staff is also recommending the Historical Advisory Board evaluate the “Lincoln Market Liquors” sign, pursuant to AMC Section 13-21.6, and designate the sign for inclusion on the historic signs list.
DISCUSSION
Permit History and Existing Conditions
City building permit records only date back to 1909, therefore City records do not indicate when building permits were issued for the building’s construction. Alameda County Assessor’s Office records note the building was completed in 1910. No information is available for the original builder and property owner. Information on the original appearance of the building is also unavailable.
Permit records indicate substantial alterations to the building occurred in the 1950’s under property owner H. Terzian. Staff research revealed that Hrayr (sometimes spelled “Hrair”) Terzian was Director of the Alameda County Department of Social Welfare in 1970, but no evidence is available associating Terzian to contributions of local or regional historic significance. According to the 1949 Sanborn Map the building originally had five individual commercial units. For the last several decades those five units have been consolidated into two commercial units. The 1958 remodel covered the original horizontal rustic channel siding in stucco on the Lincoln Avenue and Willow Street elevations. As a result, some doors and windows along the Lincoln Avenue frontage have been covered with a combination of board and batten siding, painted plywood, and just paint. Deferred maintenance has led to deterioration of both the stucco siding and original wood siding underneath on these elevations. Between 1982 and 1992 the City conducted architectural surveys of most commercial buildings in the City of Alameda. 2070 Lincoln Avenue was not one of the buildings surveyed during these efforts likely due to the building’s current stucco box appearance resulting from the significant alterations. Based on this information the property does not possess high artistic value nor reflects the work of a master, is not associated with any events or persons important to local, state, or national history, and does not yield any information important in prehistory or history.
The applicant is proposing a second floor addition to add two residential units and approximately 838 square feet of office space. This includes the demolition of the roof and a 380 square foot late 90’s addition at the rear of the building. The Building Official has determined this scope of demolition exceeds 30% of the building’s current value. Furthermore, staff anticipates that structural retrofits will require further demolition of the building.
Storefront Renovation
The project will re-establish four ground floor commercial spaces with new storefront windows and doors along the Lincoln Avenue frontage, which will wrap around the building at the Lincoln Avenue/Willow Street corner. Each new storefront consists of a six foot six inch (6’6”) tall storefront window on top of a one foot and six inch (1’6”) tall tile-clad bulkhead. Above each storefront are four foot (4’) tall transom windows. The first floor will have stucco siding and will be fourteen feet (14’) tall and capped with a cornice that wraps around the building. Along Lincoln Avenue at the west end of the building is a vestibule to provide access to the second floor. A second access door to the second floor will be provided along the Willow Street elevation. The proposed remodel of the ground floor greatly improves on existing conditions, and is consistent with the City’s Design Review Manual.
New Second Floor
The second floor addition will raise the building’s overall height from seventeen feet (17’) to twenty-five feet and six inches (25’6”). Currently, the eave on the adjacent property at 2062 Lincoln Avenue hangs across the property line onto 2070 Lincoln Avenue. The second floor addition will require removing the encroaching portions of the eave on 2062 Lincoln Avenue. The applicant has discussed the issue with the neighboring property owner. In these situations the Building Official has required that both property owners sign the building permit application or provide a written agreement to the scope of work. Staff recommends as a condition of approval that a written agreement between property owners be provided prior to the issuance of building permits.
The second floor will have horizontal wood siding with accent trim at the corners of the buildings. The flat roof will have a three-foot (3’) tall parapet capped with a cornice that wraps around the building. Windows for the residential units will be 36” x 60” fiberglass single hung windows with wood trim and sills. The ground floor entrances lead to asecond floor outdoor hallway on the rear of the building, which provides access to the office and residential units on the second floor. The proposed addition is complementary to the storefront renovation and is also consistent with the City’s Design Review Manual.
“Lincoln Market Liquors” Neon Sign
The sign is a double-sided porcelain enameled neon sign located at the northeast corner of the building and hangs out over the sidewalk (Exhibit 3). The sign is approximately thirteen feet (13’) tall, six feet wide (6’), and one foot (1’) thick. The base of the sign is red, with white lettering. The sign copy contains “Lincoln Market Liquors”, with the word “Lincoln” in narrow cursive script, and “Market Liquors” in large block letters. The neon tubing, if lit, would illuminate the “Market Liquors” sign copy, as well as provides a curved outline around the upper portion of the sign.
The applicant’s neon sign expert determined the sign to be a porcelain neon sign that is nonfunctional and would require a full electrical and neon restoration. The internal electronics will need replacement. Portions of the neon tubing is either broken or missing and would need complete replacement to be restored into working order. The base of the sign has large patches of rust on exposed sheet metal, and the current bracket and guide wire system attaching the sign to the building is in need of repair. However, the porcelain enamel has avoided being damaged and therefore remains in good condition and only needs to be cleaned.
In 1989, the HAB adopted a “Checklist for Evaluating Historic Sign Designations” (Exhibit 4). The checklist is a score sheet that rates the subject sign based on seven categories, and a minimum score of 11 is required to qualify for consideration. Staff believes the sign qualifies for the 11 points needed for consideration as a historic sign based on the following analysis:
Nature of the Building (0 Points out of Possible 4 Points)
The subject building does not have “intrinsic value.” It is not listed on the Historical Building Study List nor is the building a contributing structure in a Historic District. The property is also not designated a Historical Monument. The current building condition is poor. The original architectural features are not present. Deferred maintenance has caused original materials and features that are present to be damaged beyond repair. As a result, the sign does not qualify for any points under this category.
Nature of the Sign (11 Points out of Possible 15 Points)
Age: (2 of 4 points) - Per City records the sign was built between 1950 and 1960, which is automatically assigned 2 points on the checklist.
Technology/Craftsmanship/Design: (3 of 3 points) - The sign is of exemplary technology and design of the mid-century period in which it was constructed. Staff has scored this category as 3 out of 3 points.
Materials: (3 of 3 points) - The sign originally contained neon tubing, which is currently mostly broken or missing. However the base of the sign retains its original porcelain that makes up the bulk of the sign. Staff has scored this category as 3 out of 3 possible points.
Association: (0 of 2 points) - The sign is not associated with a business or person significant in Alameda history, and therefore receives zero points.
Alteration: (3 of 3 points) - The sign has not been significantly altered from its original function and appearance. It is possible for the majority of the sign to be restored with only minor modification and replacement, namely rusted sheet metal portions and the bracket attaching the sign to the building. However, the sign would require all new neon tubing to be brought back to full working order. Staff scored this category as 3 out of 3 possible points due to the ability to refurbish all parts of the sign.
Total Points: 11 of 19
The sign qualifies with the minimum 11 points required for consideration as a historic sign. Should the Board concur with the staff analysis, there are two possible actions for the Board regarding the sign designation:
1. Designate the sign as historic and require the applicant refurbish the sign to full working condition, including neon, and securely place the sign back onto the building.
2. Designate the sign as historic, but not require refurbishment to full working condition. Instead, require the applicant to cosmetically repair the sign and securely placed back onto the building.
Staff recommends Option #2 due to the present condition of neon tubing. Full refurbishment into working condition may prove to be difficult and cost prohibitive for the applicant. Based on discussions with a local expert on refurbishing and repairing historic neon signs, the cost of adding new neon electrical components and neon tubing would add between $15,000 and $20,000 to the cost to bring the sign into full working order. Furthermore, with the renovation of the ground floor into multiple tenant spaces, new commercial tenants may replace the Lincoln Market rendering the need for a lit sign with the same business name obsolete.
Conclusion
The subject non-historic building has been significantly altered from its original design, and deferred maintenance has led to the deterioration of original and added material and elements alike. The proposed remodel and addition is consistent with the City’s Design Review Manual and provides improved storefronts along Lincoln Avenue. The “Lincoln Market Liquors” sign merits consideration for historic designation based on the criteria adopted by the Board. Staff believes that the porcelain base of the sign has been preserved in good condition and can be refurbished. However, staff feels the damage to the neon tubing makes restoring the sign to complete working order too difficult.
If the Board approves the Certificate of Approval to demo more than 30% of the value of the structure, the project will move forward with its Design Review application under the purview of the Planning Board.
PUBLIC NOTICE
A newspaper ad for this project was published on July 18, 2019. Property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project’s boundaries were also notified of the public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is Categorically Exempt from additional environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15301(e) - Additions to Existing Structures, which allows for additions of less than 10,000 square feet when the project site is adequately served by public services and facilities to allow for maximum development permissible in the General Plan and the project site is not located within an environmentally sensitive area. The proposed project is approximately 3,350 square feet in size, is adequately served by existing public services and facilities, and is not located within an environmentally sensitive area. As a separate and independent basis, this project is exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 (projects consistent with General Plan and Zoning).
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Board approve the Certificate of Approval request to facilitate a second story addition at 2070 Lincoln Avenue and designate the ”Lincoln Market Liquors” sign as historic with conditions set forth in the draft resolution.
Respectfully Submitted,
David Sablan, Planner II
Exhibits:
1. Permit History for 2070 Lincoln Ave
2. Project Plans
3. Photographs of Sign
4. Checklist for Evaluating Historic Sign Designations
5. Draft Resolution