2015 Historic Preservation Awards


 
Historically Compatible New Construction          
 
Location: 315 High Street
Owner:  Kenneth & Sara Pearson
Designer:  Anna Bjernfalk, AB Design(It is with great sadness to inform you that Anna             passed away earlier this year)
Builder:  Eric Laursen Building and Design
 
Originally built in 1897, the Leeke-Mills House was listed by the Pearson’s on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. The property is located in the “original town” area of Ashland and was constructed by William T. Leeke and his wife Mary. Mr. Leeke was a professor and later the President at the Ashland College which later became an Oregon Normal School. The primary residence at 315 High Street is a stick built, T-Shape, vernacular form with Queen Anne elements evidences in the spindle work of the gable ends. The home has notable elements such as intersecting gables, the second-story porch, an elegant entry door with sidelights and transom windows and wide frieze board.
The award is technically for the new, garage and guest house at the rear of the property behind the primary residence. The designer has successfully respected the original house, mimicking the roof pitch and intersecting gables, yet clearly designing a structure that represents our time and does not compete with the primary residence.  The new structure has a similar reveal to the siding and similar door and window styles. The new structure complements the house by reflecting its primary form in a scaled down, story-and-a-half secondary form. The new front stoop has a shed roof, reflecting the front porch of 315 High Street.  Through effective changes in scale, set-backs, and roof variation, this structure meets the clients’ needs, while respecting the historic style of the Skidmore Academy Historic District.
 

 
Civic Award
                      
Recipients:  Lea Richards, From GIS department for City of Ashland/Dorinda Cottle, Parks and Recreation for City Of Ashland
 
The Historic Lithia Park Tour was developed by two City of Ashland employees Lea Richards (GIS Analyst) and Dorinda Cottle (Promotions Coordinator).  The map is an incredible journey through the cultural geography and history of Lithia Park.  The map has been created as an interactive learning tool.  You can view the information on site on your phone or at home from your computer.  The structure of the map is that of a “Story Map”, which is a multi media collection of photos, maps, drawings video clips, and sound bites that are  woven into an interactive living map of the park.
 
Topics and Landmarks of interest included in the map are numerous, map highlights include:
Meyer Memorial Lake
Ashland Community Center
Butler-Perozzi Fountain
 
This map is seen as a tool to preserve the history of Lithia Park and as an educational tool for the community and visitors. 
 
Technically this was an expert undertaking and it is beautifully executed while being very easy to use.  The information, photos, and other multi- media elements are well integrated and interesting.  This is an incredible resource for the historic legacy of Lithia Park and Ashland in general.
 ​
 
Historically Compatible New Commercial Building-Winston Building
 
 Location:  66 Water Street
 Owners:  Don Jones - Spartan Properties
 Architects:  Kistler, Small & White
 Contractor:  Bemis Development
 
The City of Ashland's Historic Commission wishes to present the "Winston" Building with the New Commercial Award for its design.  The 5000 square foot, two story, commercial/office building is a great example of a contemporary structure located in the Downtown Historic District.
 
The design successfully blends a contemporary design concept with traditional building  elements.  These traditional elements include a strong base, visual separation between the floors, a large roof overhang, brick walls, and a sloping corrugated metal roof.  However, these traditional elements are composed with a contemporary design flair.  Further, the horizontal steel beam between floors reflect the use of steel beams bolts plates seen on many existing historic brick buildings in the downtown as a seismic retrofit.
 
The view from the Lithia Way bridge overpass is especially noteworthy, since the building can be seen in total.  The roof form, site positioning, and building massing can be fully appreciated.  The design also takes advantage of both being on a street corner and the City's Vision Clearance Ordinance by creating an entrance door for each street frontage which is divided in the middle by a vertical lobby and a sunny inviting entrance plaza.  In addition, the scale of the building provides a transition between the residential scaled structures to the south along B street and the large multi-storied hotel/condominiums to the north, across Water street.
 
 
This site is also the historic location of a chinese laundry (late 1800's) and it pays homage to this historic site with an an asian flavor represented by the large roof overhangs on all four sides and evenly spaced roof beams.  The owner has expressed interest in placing a plaque on the property commemorating this important time in Ashland's history.
          ​
 
Historically Compatible New Multi-Family
 
 Location:  522 & 528 Rock Street
 Owners:  Randy & Maryann Wallace DBA Rogue Construction Art, Inc
 
Owned and developed by Randy and Maryanne Wallace 522, and 528 Rock combined,  are a good example of what can be done with multi-family infill, while maintaining a charming residential feeling, and a sense of community and history.
 
The garage built in 1976 has been converted to an ARU. It maintains a sense of history on the street side with the addition of a sliding barn door, which disguises the fact that it is a residence. The original siding has been retained, and adds to the vintage ambiance.
 
The original house at 111 Coolidge which was built in 1895 has had several additions, and remodels, but still maintains some historic charm. The original gable roof is still evident, and has an addition on each end with hip roof, and Dutch gables that match the pitch of the original structure.
 
The new triplex sits back from the street has a hip roof that that uses similar pitch and overhangs, and provides a feeling of compatibility with the original historic house. The use of shingles for the siding, the turned columns at the entry porches, and the doors with half lights give the building a vintage, charming feeling to the building which contains three residences.
 
The entire project is well designed; the buildings are historically compatible, the parking is grouped at the northwest corner of the property has a feeling of single family residential. The landscaping provides a combination of private, and shared spaces fosters a sense of community.
 
The project fits nicely in the surrounding historic neighborhood.  Although four residences have been added to the 0.3 acre property, one gets the sense, viewed from the street that not much has changed.
 
 
Historically Compatible Detached Addition
 
Location:  56 Church Street
Owners:  Michael & Joanna Fuller
Designer/Contractor:  Ben Treiger
 
On a spring day in May, 1908, perhaps a day much like today, the Tidings reported that
R.P. Edgington was building a bungalow on Church St. that was being constructed by
Bella Hubbard & Son.
 
The ownership of the bungalow would then change hands several times over the next 30 years, finally to be purchased by Samuel & Marguerite Miller in 1938. Over the next 30 some years that the Miller’s owned this lovely small home, they enjoyed summer visits in the 1950’s & 60’s, visits by one granddaughter in particular – Joanna. That same Joanna, with her husband Michael Fuller, purchased the bungalow in about 2000 bringing the home back into family ownership after 40 years or so. In those intervening years, the bungalow suffered some unfortunate remodeling… an attempt, no doubt, to “modernize” the aging house.
 
So then: armed with family photos of the bungalow, with their own fond memories, and with a deep affection and appreciation for the beauty of the original family home, the Fullers began lengthy process of restoring the altered bungalow to its original beauty - both inside and out. The restoration of the main house stands as a shining example of historic preservation, but the Fullers decided to add a detached guest house so that their grandchildren would have the opportunity to build their own memories of holiday and summer visits with their grandparents. Joanna’s fond memories of holiday and summer visits with her grandmother in this same home were closely held, and she wanted to pass that experience along.
 
So, with that in mind, the Fullers worked with contractor/ designer Ben Treiger to design and build the detached guest house that we are now honoring with an award for a Historically Compatible Detached Addition.
 
The attention to detail relating the detached guest house to the original bungalow, both on the exterior as well as the interior, is truly breathtaking. From the shaped rafter tails, custom made columns that match those on the original, to bead board eaves and entry porch ceiling, their accomplishment is impressive.
 
You might believe, by looking at the new guest house, that the original contractor from 1908 had stepped through time, you can almost see Bella Hubbard in the yard putting hand saw to wood and hammer to nail, to repeat that original architectural success.
 
But, no, the success here is that of Ben Treiger for his fine design and building skills, and honor to Joanna & Michael Fuller, whose vision and deep desire to carry on family experiences and traditions have created this beautiful award winning guest house on their property.   

 
 
Historically Compatible New Commercial Building
 
Location:  14 Calle Guanajuato
Owner:  Allan Sandler
Architect:  Mark McKechnie
Contractor:  Batzer Construction      
 
Allan Sandler has a long history in Ashland helping preserve our heritage and many Historic Downtown structures.  When he heard that the city was preparing to re-surface Calle Guanajuato, behind the Historic Old Masonic Building he owns, and knowing that this was the perfect time to build on the one undeveloped lot there, he bought the property and the building adjoining it.  His tenants in The Loft Restaurant had outgrown their space and wanted more outdoor dining space as well as a space for a larger bar.  Working with architect Mark McKechnie and Batzer Construction, he made plans to build a building for a rental and with both indoor and outdoor space on the second floor to add to the space already occupied by The Loft. 
 
Being the perfectionist he is, Allan wouldn’t be satisfied with just any building!  He wanted to creature a structure that would not only fit into the Historic Downtown District, but be built using (whenever possible) materials that would have been used before the turn of the 19th century (when most of the buildings in the area were constructed).  After Batzer Construction had completed the foundation and basic construction, Allan took over and completed the rest of the building using his own people.  Every detail was dealt with in a way that the finished project is harmonious in every way.  The entrance doors were copied from a historic pub in Ireland, the interior beams are of the same materials that would have been used over 100 years ago, and separate enclosures were built to hide electric and gas meters.  A wonderful addition to Ashland’s charming Calle Guanajuato Way.
 
Congratulations on a job well done!
 

Historically Compatible New Commercial Building 
 
Location:  Plaza West, 175 Lithia Way
Owners / Builders:  Mike Mahar and Randy Jones, First Place Partners
Architect:  Jerome White, of Kistler, Small & White
 
The recently completed Plaza West building occupies the old site of the historic Copeland Lumber Yards which was established in 1942 and was distinctive for the painted orange facade and the arched black cat logo on Lithia Way. Demolition of the Copeland buildings occurred nearly a decade ago when the site was being readied for commercial development of what was known as Northlight. After delays with planning issues and the onset of the Great Recession, a bank foreclosure made the property available. 
 
Mike Mahar and Randy Jones of Mahar Homes decided to purchase the property and formed First Place Partners to develop the site and construct the first of three planned buildings using the plans of architect Jerome White that were generated for the previous owners. Mike and Randy have vast experience together in residential, commercial, and retirement facilities, and with their commercial superintendent, Chris Brown, the move to develop the Plaza West mixed-use building was a project that fit well for them.
 
Jerome White designed this historically compatible building with lots of detail and a rich pallet of materials. The first two stories are brick with a distinctive horizontal cornice, vertical columns, and symmetrical wood casement window openings.  The third story is stucco, set back slightly, and with recessed corner balconies act effectively to soften the impact of the building mass and height.  The façade is detailed with cantilevered entry canopies and various window shading devices made of steel or canvas awnings. There are tables on the sidewalk for the new coffee shop and a nice plaza space on the west end of the building making it pedestrian friendly.
 
Recently the Historic Commission enthusiastically approved the design proposals by First Place Partners and the architects for the next two buildings, with Plaza Central possibly starting in the fall.
  
 

Individual Award
 
Jeffrey Max LaLande
 
The Historic Preservation Movement as we know it began over 150 years ago with the founding of the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association, a group of citizens dedicated “to forever hold, manage and preserve the estate, properties, and relics at Mt. Vernon.”
 
Over time, preservation stewardship involved continued research and greater technical expertise.  By the 1960's the movement had matured to become a sophistical professional endeavor, implementing many specialized skills.
 
This year the Ashland Historic Commission presents its Individual Award to Jeffrey Max LaLande, a resident of Ashland for over 45 years.  Jeff is a consummate preservation professional, as an archeologist, historian, and architectural historian.  Jeff worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 30 years - as an archeologist and historian responsible for all aspects of cultural resource management.  This involved archeological fieldwork, historical research, and project management - much of it occurring within the Rogue River National Forest’s Ashland Ranger District.
 
He served for over 25 years as adjunct Professor of History at Southern Oregon University, teaching local and Pacific Northwest history.  Jeff has also served on the Ashland Historic Commission, Board of Trustees of Southern Oregon Historical Society, Oregon State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation, and many other organizations.  He has also somehow found time to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity International’s “Global Village” program in Malawi and Chile over the last few years.
 
His many publications include subjects as varied as Native American history and  Jackson County and Oregon history.  He  wrote the “foreword” to the late Kay Atwood’s “Chaining Oregon: Surveying the Public Lands of the Pacific Northwest, 1851-1855.”
 
Before his retirement from the Forest Service, Jeff completed the archeological survey and report for the proposed Mt. Ashland Ski Area expansion project.  More recently, he conducted the archeological survey for the Ashland Plaza and the Calle Guanajuato projects.  His reports on the interesting results of those two project are available on the web-sites of the City of Ashland  and the Ashland Parks Department.
 
Jeff is a dedicated professional and strong advocate for responsible preservation efforts both in his community and the State of Oregon.  We are proud to present this award to such a deserving individual.
 

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