HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Revision to facade grant for 400 Main Street RESOLUTION NO. 15-275
RESOLUTION APPROVING FACADE GRANT REVISION
FOR 400 MAIN STREET
FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA
WHEREAS, in June 2014, the City Council awarded a Downtown Facade Grant for
improvements to the east facade of 400 Main Street, and this is the building that contains two
restaurants, Bar La Tosca and The Spice; and,
WHEREAS, the east facade is on Tom Evans Plaza; and,
WHEREAS,the grant amount is $15,000,plus $1,000 for professional design fees,and the
approved design added windows in the same location and of the same type as the original
construction; and,
WHEREAS,other improvements planned to this facade include new steps and landing at the
entrance to the steps to the second story and repairing and painting the exterior wall; and,
WHEREAS, the steps and landing are encroachments into the City's property abutting the
building, and at that time, it was thought that the existing mural would remain and the design
improvements were compatible with the retaining the mural; and,
WHEREAS,the work to add two new windows in this facade has been nearly completed,as
well as patching the wall to prepare for painting; and,
WHEREAS, during this work, it was discovered that a third window had previously been
replaced by a door that was later removed and the opening filled in, and staff approved adding a
larger window in the opening and that work has been completed; and,
WHEREAS, when removing the existing "fill-in" materials for these three windows, it
became apparent that water was penetrating the east wall of the building and causing deterioration,
and the work carried out around the three new windows has corrected that problem; and,
WHEREAS,however,the water problem still exists where other original windows had been
filled in where the exterior mural was created, thus leading to the public hearing on vacating the
mural easement during this Council meeting; and,
WHEREAS, if the Council approves vacation of the mural easement, the building owner
proposes to install two additional windows consistent with the historic design of the building, and
this work will allow the water problem to be corrected; and,
WHEREAS, however,the revised project budget does not allow the new steps and landing
that were part of the original facade grant approval; therefore, the owner requests approval of a
revision in the approved design and scope of the fagade grant project to delete the steps and landing
from the project and to add the two windows; and,
WHEREAS,the owner of the restaurant in the building has requested an additional revision
to the design; and,
WHEREAS,the two windows that that have already been installed in the north(right)portion
of the east elevation do not yet have muntins dividing the large pane of glass into four smaller areas;
NS,
WHEREAS, staff is requiring that inserts be added to these windows to achieve that visual
affect,but because the windows without the muntins allow a more unobstructed view to the plaza,
the restaurant owner requests that the Council delete this requirement; and,
WHEREAS, staff intends to require the installation of the muntins as a condition of
disbursing the grant proceeds for this project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa,
that the revised design for the Downtown Facade Improvement grant at 400 Main Street is hereby
approved,with the requirement for muntins in windows.
ADOPTED THIS 281h day of April, 2015.
4aa., A. x a.-A&'a
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor
Introduced by: Goodman
Seconded by: Betcher
Voting aye: Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Goodman,Nelson, Orazem
Voting nay: None Absent: None
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 281h day of April, 2015.