CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE - Get Now DOC

							                                    CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE
                                             Albuquerque, New Mexico
                                                   Office of the Mayor



      Mayor Martin J. Chávez



INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM                                                            June 19, 2007

TO:                Debbie O'Malley, President, City Council

FROM:              Martin J. Chávez, Mayor

SUBJECT: Request from property owner to demolish a Contributing Property within the Huning
                   Highland East Downtown Urban Conservation Overlay Zone. Maryellen Hennessy,
                   Staff Planner

The attached letter is a request to approve demolition of the structure at 314 Broadway SE as
provided by the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Ordinance §14-12-8-C (7)(a) and (b). On
May 10, 2006, The Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission (LUCC) denied an
application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition of the existing 700 sq. ft.
building. The building has been vacant and boarded for several years. Other deteriorated
structures on the property have been demolished upon order of the City's Building and Safety
Division. The subject structure remains, as it was not subject to those orders.

The LUC Ordinance provides that if the Commission denies an application for a Certificate of
Appropriateness for demolition, there shall be a moratorium on demolition for one year, during
which time the LUCC and the City of Albuquerque shall make every effort to find a means of
preserving the structure. At the end of the prescribed moratorium, the City Council shall
approve demolition if it determines that the property is incapable of producing a reasonable
economic return as presently controlled and that no means of preserving the structure has been
found. The City has been unable to identify a means of preserving the structure.

The applicant is requesting City Council hearing of this matter pursuant to the ordinance. The
applicant has provided an economic evaluation prepared dated May 24, 2007. The evaluation,
prepared by a General Contractor, includes the costs of the land acquisition and rehabilitation of
the 700 sq. ft. building. These costs are measured against the expenses of maintaining the
property as a rental unit. There is an annual deficit for this scenario.
Debbie O'Malley
Request for demolition of property in historic zone
June 19, 2007
Page 2 of 2

 Although the building has a designation as Contributing to the historic character of the Huning
 Highland Historic District, it has lost most of its historic integrity with alterations. Based upon
 professional standards for classification of properties within historic districts, City staff
 concludes that there was an error in judgment when the original survey was conducted in 1983,
 and the property should not have been designated as Contributing to the historic character of the
 district as it does not convey its historic significance.

 City Planning has no objection to this request. The request is forwarded to City Council for
 approval as requested by the owner.


Recommended:                                                 Approved as to Legal Form:




Bruce J. Perlman, Ph.D                                       Robert M. White
Chief Administrative Officer                                 City Attorney


Recommended:                                                 Recommended:




Richard W. Dineen                                            Ed A. Adams
Planning Department Director                                 Chief Operations Officer

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