Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Dana Chadick for Approval of a Historic Marker for the House Located at 1102 West Virginia Street.
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in McKinney
MEETING DATE: November 2, 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 1102 West Virginia 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. They are an outstanding or unique example of architecture, engineering or crafted design. They retain a significant portion of original character and contextual integrity and meets, in some cases, criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic places and/or are eligible for a Texas Historical Marker. Inappropriate paint schemes and small, unobtrusive additions at the rear of a building that could be removed without further loss of historic material would not necessarily disqualify a structure from this category. Neither would the sensitive use of modern composition shingles in lieu of original wood shingles. To qualify for this category of architecture, however, the historic integrity of the building is paramount. This category can also be assigned if the structure is the last remaining example of a particular building type, if it displays especially rare or unusual features, or if it is associated with an important historic event or person.
ITEM SUMMARY: On October 3, 2017 the applicant submitted the necessary documentation to apply for a historic marker for the house located at 1102 West Virginia Street (also known as the Newton Burkett 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 1102 West Virginia Street and the role they played in McKinney’s history.
The Newton Burkett House was built in 1935 by T. J. Blankenship. This particular example of a Colonial Revival Style is quite often called a Cape Cod Cottage.
The house is a 1 1/2-story, pier and beam construction with painted wood lap siding. The house is built on a rectangular floor plan. The roof features a side gabled roof with three evenly spaced dormers on the front elevation. The wood windows are six-over-six divided light windows and are evenly spaced across the elevations of the house. The wood front door is centrally located beneath a four bay front porch that extends across most of the front of the building. The three bay front porch is supported by square columns.
Historical Figures Associated with the House:
• Newton Burkett was born in Jackson, Tennessee in 1894. His family moved to Houston around 1905. His father was involved in finance and real estate. Eventually Newton took a job as a teller working for the South Texas. National bank.
• Newton’s father died in 1923. Newton and his Mother, Callie, moved to McKinney in 1925 Newton became an assistant cashier at the First National Bank of McKinney. Note: An assistant cashier was an officer of the bank.
• In 1930 Newton married Lucy Thompson. Lucy was the daughter of Frances Abernathy. Her family connections to the placed her among the social elite of McKinney. Lucy worked as the office manager for the Underwood Chevrolet company after graduation in 1922.
• In 1932 the Collin County National Bank bought out the First National Bank where Newton kept his position as Assistant Cashier. The directors conveyed the property at 1102 W Virginia in 1935. Eventually, in the mid-50’s Newton was promoted to Vice President of the bank and about 15 years later he was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President.
• Newton and Lucy had two children. One son is currently the First Vice Chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
• On October 31, 1940 Newton’s mother Callie died in the family home.
• Newton and his wife Lucy led a very active community life. He was president of the lions Club, Retail Merchant Association, First Methodist Church, Kiwanis Club, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Greater McKinney United Fund, Boy Scouts, served on the Board of the McKinney City Hospital as well as being active with numerous other organizations. Lucy was one of the founders of the Heritage Guild of McKinney (Chestnut Square). She was very active in the Jeanne d’Arcs Club (1918) whose goal was to cultivate culture, the arts, and science. Lucy and Newton were big supporters of the library.
• Newton died in 1969 and Lucy lived in the house until it was sold in 1993. She died in Baltimore in 1997.
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 1102 West Virginia 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.