See Past Newsletters at http://www.shermanhill.org/newsletter/pastnewsletter.html
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President's LetterBy SHA President Sonja Roberts
2002 should be a great year to get over our "completion complex"...
Houses for Sale (house moves), Artist Spaces for Rent (1620
Pleasant), and continued improvements at the Hillside.
Letter from the EditorBy Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
My wife and I are expecting the birth of our first daughter within the next
four weeks! We are both very excited and quite busy preparing the house and
ourselves for our new baby. As a result, this newsletter is a bit late and
will be lighter on the details of the business of the Board of Directors
compared to the last two newsletters.
SHA Board Turns Over Acquisition of 1620 Pleasant to the Neighborhood Investment CorporationBy Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The Board approved a resolution in the November Board Meeting to turn over
to the Neighborhood Investment Corporation decisions on
the structure of the nonprofit organization used to acquire and
manage 1620 Pleasant on behalf of the members of the SHA. The resolution called
for convening a subcommittee consisting of the current Board of Directors of
the NIC and any advisors they need to
determine the details of the nonprofit entity that will negotiate purchase of
1620 Pleasant from Polk County. Bob Mickle, Dave Mowitz, and Jack Porter
currently make up the NIC Board. The NIC was formed to own and manage
the Woodland Brickstone Project developed by Jack Hatch.
New Directors Elected to SHA BoardBy Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The SHA membership unanimously elected Deb Copeland, Christine Bourque, and
Stephanie Bruner at the November Quarterly Meeting. Bob Mickle stepped
down from the board at the end of his second full term in accordance with the
Term Limits By-Laws. The Board had two open positions vacated by Carlton
Salmons and Todd Schroeder last year.
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By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
Since November's Newsletter, we have received the first letters to the editor
via email. Please send corrections, comments, or messages to the
neighborhood, via email to gwells@gwells.net, or by post to
Greg Wells, 1701 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50309.
We will not publish addresses or phone numbers without explicit consent from the writer.
Correction on "25 years of House Tours and Community Involvement"
From: William Dodds
Subject: SHA 25th year
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 07:31:27 -0600
Greg: In reading the latest SHA newsletter (which by the way is vastly
improved since you took them on) I thought I would provide you with some
information relative to the very last item in the newsletter, "25 years
of House Tours and Community Involvement".
While this year's "Doors to the Past" was indeed the 25th edition, this
is not the 25th year anniversary of the SHA. The SHA was established and
incorporated in June 1977. Thus next June 2002 marks the 25th
anniversary of SHA. The discrepancy with the 25th Doors to the Past is
due to the fact that Doors to the Past was begun under the auspices of
the Old House Restoration Group in 1975. It featured mainly, but not
exclusively, houses in what would become the original Sherman Hill
Historic District. No tour was held in 1976 due to the OHRG's extensive
involvement in Bi-Centennial Preservation Month activities sponsored by
the National Trust. Doors to the Past resumed in 1997 under the
auspices of SHA.
I hope you find this information interesting if not useful. Keep up the
good work on the newsletter. Bill Dodds
Renter Looking for Apartment in Sherman Hill
From: "Donna Andrews"
Subject: want to rent
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 22:12:17 -0600
Hi,
I'm wanting to rent a place in the Sherman Hill area
beginning April 1. I'm not sure landlords will be
advertising yet, but I'd like to start looking now
and get something lined up. I am hoping you can
forward this message to the appropriate place,
or direct me to a web page or phone number with
information.
I want a one bedroom, with solarium, or a two-bedroom
apartment. I would like to lease for 6 months but may
want to continue to rent for another year after that.
I'm looking for something at least 800 sq. ft. (prefer
900 or more) and in the $500 - $650 price range (counting
utilities - included/not included.) I have a cat.
Thank you,
Donna
Editor's Note: If anyone would like to contact Mrs. Andrews with an
apartment for rent, please contact us.
We will print requests from individuals for services or goods. Offers of
services or goods from businesses will be considered advertising, will be
subject to a fee, and published outside of the letters to the editor.
We would like to encourage you to sign up for the FREE on-line bulletin
board at our website, http://www.shermanhill.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl,
you will be able to make requests for goods, services, and general questions
there also. Landlords can advertise available rentals on the bulletin
board free.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The SHA membership approved a resolution clarifying the current By-Laws stating
that Quarterly Meetings are open to the public. The city required a resolution
clarifying the By-Laws to prove compliance with the laws governing Sherman Hill
as a Designated Neighborhood. The Board discussed proposing By-Law changes,
but the current By-Laws require written notification to all members between 10
and 30 days before any elections or by-law changes. The resolution clarified
that under the current by-laws, Quarterly Meetings are and have always been
open to the public.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The Sherman Hill Board formed a list of Sub-Committees and accepted volunteers
to Chair the Committees at the SHA Board Retreat in January. Following is a
list of the sub-committees and the Chairmen for each committee.
The Board also decided to ask Betty Jo Wilcox to act as chair to the
Progressive Dinners Committee, and to ask Randa LeJeune to chair the Historic
Lighting District Committee.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The SHA membership unanimously elected Deb Copeland, Christine Bourque, and
Stephanie Bruner at the November Quarterly Meeting. Bob Mickle stepped
down from the board at the end of his second full term in accordance with the
Term Limits By-Laws. The Board had two open positions vacated by Carlton
Salmons and Todd Schroeder last year.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
SHA Vice President York Taenzer negotiated purchase of the Fix lot at 714 20th
Street. The Association will use the lot to move a house out of the path of the MLK
project this March.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The Hillside apartment building appraised at $220,000 in December. The Board is
in the process of refinancing loans on the Hillside to pull out equity to repay
the general fund for repairs made to the heating systems this last fall. After
refinancing the debt, the Board will have approximately $15,6000 to repay
$22,000 loaned from the general fund. The Board also has to approve bids for
finishing work on the repairs made last fall. Refinancing the loans will not
relieve all of the requirements to rent units to low-income families.
A $25,000 grant of public money requires the Association to rent all the units
at the Hillside until 2008 to low-income families meeting strict income guidelines.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The city met with SHA members at the November quarterly meeting for a public
meeting to present the design plan for Martin Luther King Boulevard from
Ingersoll Avenue to Center Avenue. The city began the presentation by
discussing the need to revise plans for the MLK Project south of Ingersoll
Avenue, and then discussed in depth the proposed improvements for MLK between
Ingersoll and Center Avenue. Representatives from the firms EarthTech and RDG,
who will design the improvements between Ingersoll and Center, spoke on behalf
of the city about the details of the improvements.
The estimates for the construction costs for the MLK Project between Ingersoll
and the Raccoon River came in considerably above the city budget of $10.5
million. As a result, the city is considering alternative designs and cost
cutting measures on the improvements proposed south of Ingersoll. The city
will build improvements planned for MLK north of Ingersoll in 2002 and 2003.
EarthTech presented details on the improvements proposed to MLK between
Ingersoll and Center. MLK will have six lanes up to from Ingersoll to Woodland
Avenue. There will be right hand turn offs only at High Street. High Street
traffic will not cross MLK. The city will continue to have a stoplight at
Woodland and MLK, but will close the intersections north of Woodland at
Pleasant and Center.
The city will build a bike path, earth berm, and a wall east of MLK and before
the alleyway. Trees will line the bike path. The berm will sit beyond
the bike path and the sound wall will set on top of the berm. The wall, berm,
and trees should reduce the noise of traffic from MLK.
The city plans to build decorative signs at Woodland and MLK marking the
entrances to the Woodland Cemetery and the Sherman Hill Neighborhood. The
city plans to replace the cobra head streetlights with decorative lights similar
to the design used at the Grey's Lake bike path.
The city plans to move the entrance to Woodland Cemetery just west of
the tree at the current entrance. The city plans to replace the chain link
fence along the east side of the cemetery
The city plans to plant flowerbeds along the bike path and may plant vines to
cover the wall at the top of the berm.
The bike path will continue north and cross the Cottage Grove Avenue Bridge.
The bike path will also turn east at Ingersoll and then connect to the Grey's
Lake system at the 15th and Walnut intersection.
By Helen Groves-Wells
Oddities Video |
T he building located at 697 - 19th Street was built in 1919 and owned by L.A.Valiere, Helen Schmitt and Beulah Lukenbill.
In 1928, the Great A & P Tea Company purchased the building and it remained a grocery/retail store owned by several different persons until 1998. Oddities Video purchased the building in 1999.
The building was in poor condition and in dire need of renovations. The interior was stripped to the studs and seven layers of flooring removed at which time it was determined new floor joist were needed. New electrical wiring, plumbing and a bathroom were installed. The original building only had one small window on the north side. During renovations, nine (9) window panels with transoms were installed on the west side of the building and a one (1) panel window with transom was installed on the north side.
The original stucco on the outside of the building was cracked and buckled therefore, it has been removed and replaced with cement stucco board. The transom window above the main doorway has yet to be installed. Work is still being done.
Allen and Lucky Tomaszek founded Oddities Video in 1997. The Tomaszek's were frustrated by trips to other video stores where they had a hard time finding foreign, independent, and art house films.
They envisioned a store stocked with the films other stores were leaving behind. They also wanted a store where they knew the customers and would be able to make recommendations based on the customers likes. Additionally, they wanted the store to be close to home, in the historic Sherman Hills neighborhood, so they could remain active members of the community. With the help and support of friends and family, the video store opened March 1, 1997. The business grew quickly and more space was needed.
September 2000, Oddities Video moved to the new location. Again, with the help and support of friends and family, the store was boxed and reset in the new building taking only three days with only a few problems. Odds and ends followed.
This spring Oddities will celebrate five (5) years in business and is very proud, not only of it's impressive selection of non-mainstream movies, but also of the friendships we've built with our neighbors and customers across the states and in foreign countries.
Oddities specializes in foreign and independent films including an art house section, carrying over eight hundred (800) foreign films. Oddities also carries films for sale including foreign films.
If you can't locate a special film or the film is out of print, Oddities will do their best to locate it for you.
Please stop in and browse through the collection of great films for rent and/or sale. They are open 2:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. daily.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
The Board of Directors elected new officers for the Board for 2002 at the
annual January Board Retreat. The Board elected Sonja Roberts President.
The Board voted to reelect Vice President York Taenzer,
Treasurer Dave Shlarmann, and Secretary Greg Wells.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
Randa LeJeune stepped down from the board in January. Randa has curtailed
all of her volunteer activities to convalesce. Randa brought an enormous
amount of enthusiasm to her role as SHA President. Randa was personally
involved in the Association's efforts to save the houses in the path of the MLK
Project, to fix and improve the Hillside Apartments, and to acquire 1620 Pleasant
from the County. We will miss her vigorous efforts on the Board.
By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
Souper Sunday will be starting in two weeks. SHA delivered a flyer to houses
in the neighborhood to advertise the event. There were a few mistakes in the
flyer that must be corrected. The flyer lists an incorrect date and address
for the first Souper Sunday. Also, we need a volunteer to host the March
Souper Sunday. Volunteers should contact Carrie Pester.
The flyer should have read:
It's cold outside, so warm up to your neighbors on Souper Sunday!
Date: Sunday, February 24, 2002
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Carrie Pester's & Phil Shields' House at 680 20th Street
It's potluck! Bring soup or bread or dessert or ...
Submitted to www.shermanhill.org by Judy McClure, excerpted by Helen Groves-Wells
Outlined below are some incentives available to you as you plan out your property rehabilitation. Multiple program use is encouraged. This information was made available courtesy of the State Historical Society of Iowa.
Description: Matching grants for work on historic properties, museums and their collections, libraries and their collections. Properties can be owned by Certified Local Governments, State agencies (assuming no state money is used as match), businesses, non-profits, Native American tribes or individuals. Rehabilitation work on historic properties must meet The Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, approved by the SHPO (State Historic Preservation Officer). Contact Cynthia Nieb, Director, SHSI Grants at (515) 281-8754 or Cynthia.Nieb@dca.state.ia.us.
Properties: Acquisition, development
and/or preservation activities for historical properties
must be for those listed on the National Register of
Historic Places (NRHP) and a certificate from SHPO or NRHP
must accompany the HRDP application. Archeological
properties are not required to be listed and may be
certified by SHPO as eligible for the National Register.
Other eligible projects may be training, public education,
surveys and/or nominations to the National Register.
Description: At the discretion of county boards of supervisors (through their annual priority list), the substantial rehabilitation of an historic property (as defined in Iowa Code) which meets nationally accepted rehabilitation standards (and certified as such by the State Historic Preservation Officer), will be exempted from any increase in valuation for four years and then returned to full valuation over the following four-year period. Rehabilitation work on historic properties must meet a cost threshold test, The Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, and be approved by the SHPO (State Historic Preservation Officer). Contact Tax Incentives Programs Manager/National Register Coordinator, Elizabeth (Beth) Foster at (515) 281-4137 or Beth.Foster@dca.state.ia.us.
Properties: Properties must be listed on
the National Register, be evaluated as National Register
eligible, contribute to National Register or local historic
districts, or be designated as a county or municipal
historical landmark.
Description: Twenty percent of qualified
rehabilitation costs are available as a credit against
federal income taxes owned for income-producing properties.
Rehabilitation work on historic properties must be
"substantial" (an IRS test) and meet The
Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
Applications and photos must be reviewed by the SHPO (State
Historic Preservation Officer) and approved by the National
Park Service. Contact Tax Incentives Programs
Manager/National Register Coordinator, Elizabeth (Beth)
Foster at (515) 281-4137 or Beth.Foster@dca.state.ia.us.
Properties: Properties must be listed on
the National Register or be evaluated as National Register
eligible and then listed within 30 months of project
completion.
Description: Twenty-five percent of
certain rehabilitation costs are available as a credit
against state income taxes of the owner(s). Properties do
not need to be income producing. The cost of a qualified
rehabilitation project must exceed either $25,000 or 25
percent of the fair market value (less the land value) for
a residential property or barn before rehabilitation -
whichever is less. For commercial properties, the
rehabilitation project must exceed 50 percent of the
assessed value of the property (less the land) before
rehabilitation. The State Historic Preservation Office must
approve the rehabilitation work before costs count toward
the credit and tax credits are reserved for your project.
There are limited credits available each year. Contact Tax
Incentives Programs Manager/National Register Coordinator,
Elizabeth (Beth) Foster at (515) 281-4137 or
Beth.Foster@dca.state.ia.us.
Properties: Properties may be listed on
the National Register, eligible for listing on the National
Register or are barns constructed before 1937.
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I want a house that has got over all its troubles;
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By Newsletter Editor Greg Wells
Representatives from the City met with Residents of Sherman Hill at the
December Board Meeting to present proposed traffic improvements based on the
Traffic Study analyzing the impact of the MLK Project on the neighborhood.
Several residents attended the meeting and asked questions about the details of
the improvements. A detailed account of the questions is available to
association members in the December Board Minutes.
The city held the meeting after SHA Board Secretary Greg Wells complained about
the short amount of notice before the MLK Westside Stakeholders meeting. The
public notices for that meeting were not delivered in time for most interested
residents to attend the meeting. The city arranged the second meeting to allow
Sherman Hill residents to view proposed improvements before plans are
finalized. A much larger group of Sherman Hill residents were notified in time
to attend the meeting, and a very positive discussion about the improvements
and other suggestions resulted.
The city proposals include converting 15th Street to a Boulevard from 16th
Street down to Woodland Avenue. The boulevard will have a divider with flowerbeds.
The city also plans to add a bike trail next to sidewalk along the
boulevard. The city plans to extend 15th Street past Ingersoll to Grand Avenue.
The city will not reduce the number of lanes or change the property lines on
the inside of the sidewalks to build the boulevard. The city also will work to
build the bike trail around trees and historic street lamps already on the
parkways. The boulevard with the median should slow down traffic north of
Woodland on 15th Street. The city also discussed proposals to change the
two-way stop at High and 15th to stop traffic on High Street.
The city plans to add knuckles on several streets along the periphery of the
neighborhood to make Sherman Hill streets appear narrow and uninviting to
commuter traffic entering the neighborhood without actually narrowing the
streets. The bump-outs will occupy the last parking space on one side of the
streets. The city plans to revise some stop signs and is considering either
building a street between the west end of Center and Leynor Avenues or
developing 19th Place between the two streets.
Residents asked the city to work with Edmunds Academy to reduce traffic backups
along 15th, 16th and 17th Streets
when school is let out.
Suggestions included loading buses on 17th or School Street and releasing children
through the parking lot on 17th Street.
Residents also asked the city to put a traffic circle at 17th and Center to
slow down traffic along Center Avenue. Center Avenue is a popular
route to the One Stop Grocery store. Motorists on Center often speed posing a
threat to pedestrians and cross traffic.
Former Board Member Bob Mickle encouraged the city to consider the impact of
the Woodland Brickstone project and other development on 15th Street South of
Woodland. The city estimates for traffic on 15th Street south of Woodland
may be low. Bob also asked the city to consider the effect of overflow parking
from Hoyt Sherman Place on snow plowing and traffic.
The details of the proposals and minutes of the meeting are available upon
request.
Membership form
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Sherman Hill News is a
publication of the Sherman Hill Association, Inc., a
non-profit corporation with offices at 756 16th St.,
Des Moines, IA 50314. The Association is dedicated to
the restoration of the Sherman Hill Historic District,
enhancement of the district's social environment and
commitment to the district.
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