Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Bryan & Rebecca Johnson, for Approval of a Historic Marker for the House Located at 504 North Church Street
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in McKinney
MEETING DATE: May 4, 2017
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT: Guy R. Giersch, Historic Preservation Officer
Matt Robinson, AICP, Planning Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending approval of a historic marker for 504 North Church Street.
PRIORITY RATING: The property is listed as a high priority building according to the 2015 Update of the Historic Resource Survey. A high priority building contributes significantly to local history or broader historical patterns; is an outstanding or unique example of architecture, engineering or crafted design; retains a significant portion of its original character and contextual integrity; meets in some cases, criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and/or is eligible for a Texas Historical Marker.
ITEM SUMMARY: On April 18, 2017 the applicant submitted the necessary documentation to apply for a historic marker for the house located at 504 North Church Street (also known as the Erwin-Finney 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 504 North Church Street and the role they played in McKinney’s history.
The Erwin-Finney House was designed and built by Andrew J. Martin in 1922. It is an excellent example of a Colonial Revival Style. This style is one of the most popular in the U.S. and was fueled by the country’s interest in its own history brought about by the Philadelphia Centennial of 1876. The idea behind the Colonial Revival style is to suggest the original colonial era and so design elements of the era have been incorporated in the style. Elements such as front porches supported by columns, multi-paned windows, front doors with sidelights and transoms, dormers, Palladian windows, and pilasters are among some of the noted features of the style.
The Erwin-Finney House is a two-story, brick home constructed on a pier-and-beam foundation. The home follows the Federal Style detailing. Classic columns support the porch which is centrally located on the front façade. The front door is centrally located with transom and sidelights. The house has its original nine-over-one wood windows. The hipped roof has two dormers on the front elevation. Over the years there have been alterations to the interior and rear of the house while the front façade has remained unchanged.
Historical Figures Associated with the House:
• Robert D. Erwin (1866 - 1938) was born in White Oak, South Carolina in 1866. Robert and his family moved to Ennis, Texas in 1879 and then moved to McKinney in 1885.
• Robert went to work at the McAulay Drug Store. It was during that time he married Alma Anderson. In 1894 Robert teamed up with his brother-in-law, Euclid T. Fant, to purchase the McAulay Drug Store. They operated the drugstore until 1898 when they filed for bankruptcy.
• In 1899 Robert and Alma bought a house on Church Street.
• In 1901 Robert became an insurance agent for Mutual Life of New York City. In 1908 he joined Southland Life Insurance Company of Dallas. Robert was one of the founding directors.
• In 1920 his house burned and in 1922 Robert contracted with Andrew J Martin to build a new two-story, Colonial Revival style brick home at 504 North Church Street.
• Robert Jr. moved out of the house in 1929 to go to work with Ben E. Keith eventually becoming the president and chairman of the company in 1959 after Keith died. He retired in 1965 a year before his father, Robert Irwin died.
• William “Bill” B. Finney was born in Gilmer, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1931 and married Leota Leverett three years later. In 1938 Bill moved to McKinney to manage Knott’s Bakery and the name of the bakery was changed to Finney’s Bakery. That same year he purchased the home at 504 N. Church. In 1965 he sold his bakery business and the house on Church Street.
• In 1964 Bill Finney was elected to City Council and he went on to spend three terms in office. While he was mayor h, the City built a city hall, a fire station, and a library. Bill was a citizen’s citizen. He was the president of the Texas Bakers Association, a Director at the Central National Bank, Chairman of the American Baker’s Association, and the list goes on.
• In 1991 Bill Finney Park was dedicated in his honor.
• Andrew J Martin (1872 - 1930) built the residence at 504 N. Church. He also built many of the bungalows in McKinney as well as the Knott and Greer houses. Ironically Andrew Martin would die from a puncture wound from a nail that he stepped on in 1930.
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 2015-12-105). Therefore, Staff is recommending approval of a Historic Marker for 504 North Church Street.
Under Ordinance 2015-12-105, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant will be responsible for purchasing and displaying the Historic Marker.
Also, under Ordinance 2015-12-105, if the Historic Preservation Advisory Board 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 7 years) providing the building has architectural integrity and has been properly rehabilitated/restored and maintained. The building must have a residential use in order to qualify for the tax exemption.