Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Paige and Kelley Close, for Approval to Receive a Historic Marker for the House Located at 306 West Davis Street
Summary
MEETING DATE: September 11, 2013
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT: Guy R. Giersch, Historic Preservation Officer
Jennifer Arnold, Planning Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending approval of a Historic Marker for 306 West Davis Street.
PRIORITY RATING: The property is listed as a low priority building according to the 1985 Historic Resource Survey. Low priority buildings contribute to the local history, but alterations have diminished the resource's integrity.
ITEM SUMMARY: On August 20, 2013, the applicant submitted the necessary documentation to apply for a Historic Marker for the house at 306 West Davis Street, (also known as the Smith House).
The purpose of the Historic Marker Program is to encourage owners of historic properties to become actively involved in the preservation of McKinney's historic past through the recognition of historic events, people, and architecture. The applicant has submitted a written narrative relating the history of the various families that have owned the property or resided at 306 West Davis Street and the role they played in McKinney's history.
The Smith House is an example of a modified circa 1917 Prairie Style house constructed by Dr. John C. N. Smith. The house is a variant of the style which started being built with great regularity beginning in the 1900's. The house is 2 stories and incorporates simple ornamentation in the architectural detailing of the porch and balcony. The porches and balconies are supported by simple non-ornamented entablature supported by square columns with square capitals. The front door and sidelights appear to be original to the house. The front porch is located on the southeast corner of the house and is incorporated as part of the main body of the house. The porch floors are wood as are the banisters and balusters. Wood, weatherboard lap siding covers the house. The double-hung, one-over-one, wood sash windows are original to the house and have been restored.
Dr. John C. N. Smith was born in Smith Station, Alabama in 1850. At the age of 12 he joined Company R, 47th Alabama Infantry on April 7, 1862. Three years later he was paroled on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse. After the war he attended Oxford University in Mississippi and dental school in Baltimore. Following dental school, he moved to Opelika, Alabama to practice dentistry and met and married Ms. Ada Fagan. In 1894 their only child, Miss Estell Smith, was born.
The family moved to Paris, Texas in 1894 and eventually settled in McKinney around 1900 where Smith established his dentistry practice. Dr. Smith continued to practice dentistry until he died in 1927 at the age of 77. His wife Ada and daughter Estelle continued to occupy the house. In 1945, Ada died and Estelle lived in the home until she moved to a retirement home in 1966. Three years later Estelle died. She had never married and didn't have any children.
After the Smith's had all passed away, the house changed hands over the years. By 2009, the house was in need of major repairs and was condemned. Josh and Jennifer Richmond purchased and rehabilitated the Smith residence in 2009 and eventually sold it to Paige and Kelly Close in 2011. Today, the house stands witness to the Smith Family and their contribution to the rich history of McKinney.
ASSESSMENT: Staff believes that the applicant has met all of the requirements to obtain a Historic Marker under the Historic Neighborhood Improvement Zone Program (Ordinance 2008-04-030). Therefore, Staff is recommending approval of a Historic Marker for 306 West Davis Street.
Under Ordinance 2008-04-030, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant will be responsible for purchasing and displaying the Historic Marker.
Also, under Ordinance 2008-04-030, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant may make application for a Level 1 tax exemption (100% exemption of the City's ad valorem taxes, for a period of 15 years) providing the building has architectural integrity and has been properly rehabilitated/restored and maintained.