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9   <br />  <br /> <br /> <br />  <br />RESOLUTION: 144 CHANCELLOR STREET - APPEAL OF BAR DECISION <br /> <br />144 Chancellor Street - A ppeal of BAR Decision <br /> <br />Ms. Scala presented to Council. Mr. Bill Ad ams was also present. The applicants are <br />appealing a decision to deny the request to demolish 144 Chancellor Street because the building <br />classifies as a contributing hist orical structure. The BAR vote was 7-0 to deny the request. <br /> <br />The applicant, Mr. Eric Antman, presente d to Council on behalf of the Delta Zeta <br />Corporation. He said his firm has a long tradition of historic preservation, and this is an earnest <br />and considered request for demolition. The profe ssional and economic feasibility study showed <br />that the building is in a state of failure, unsound for occupancy. Attempting reconstruction <br />would be an irresponsible use of funds. <br /> <br />Ms. Smith asked Ms. Scala when this building was deemed historic. Ms. Scala said the <br />district was put into place in 2003. <br /> <br />Mr. Bill Adams, Chair of the BAR, presented to Council, said allowing this property to be <br />demolished sets a dangerous precedent of demoli tion by neglect and incentives owners not to <br />maintain property. The structural state of the bui lding points to lack of maintenance on the part <br />of the owner, who has owned the building for 34 years. The building has been empty since <br />1998. He also cited historical significance for denying the demolition. <br /> <br />Mr. Norris confirmed that the bu ilding was only in use as a sc hool for about ten years. He <br />asked what harkens to its use as a school building in its current form. Mr. Adams said it is still <br />identifiable as a single room school house. <br /> <br />Ms. Smith asked why Delta Zeta purchased the building. Mr. Antman said he suspects <br />there was neglect on the part of a disorganized local chapter that was in capable of taking proper <br />stewardship of the building, at which time th e building was transferred to the national <br />organization from the local chapter. Mr. Antman said the local Delta Zeta chapter intends to <br />build an addition of sim ilar scale and structure to the current building. <br /> <br />Ms. Smith said she feels we need to uphold th e BAR's decision. We are losing our history <br />quickly, and demolition by neglect is disturbing. <br /> <br />On motion by Ms. Smith, seconded by Ms. Szakos, Council voted to uphold the BAR's <br />decision for the same reasons the BAR put forward, which was the loss of an early 20th century <br />vernacular school building and the owner’s lack of building mainte nance given the length of time <br />of ownership. (Ayes: Mr. Norris, Ms. Smith, Ms . Szakos, Ms. Galvin, Mr. Huja; Noes: None.) <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />