Salt Lake City

K.E.E.P. Yalecrest Garners Award!

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2016 Heritage Award for KEEP YalecrestOn March 31, 2016 K.E.E.P. Yalecrest received the 2016 Heritage Award for Organization from the Utah Heritage Foundation. It was a privilege and honor to accept this at their annual banquet. Additionally we were asked and honored to be presenters at their annual preservation conference.

The awards announcement and news coverage: Preservation conference encourages, honors restoration of Utah’s historic buildings _ The Salt Lake Tribune:2016 UHF Awards invite (2)2016 UHF Awards invite

UHF KEEP Award 9

Accepting the award, original board members and supporters.

UHF KEEP Award 8

 

UHF intro for KEEP

Listing for our presentation in the conference program

Beware of Disinformation

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An anonymous flyer is floating around the neighborhood, landing on doorsteps before residents awake. Someone not willing to take credit for the scare tactic is spreading their opinions and unsupported claims to scare homeowners on streets where LHD applications are in process.

Always consider the official source of information for Salt Lake City local historic district designations—the Salt Lake City Planning Division. Visit the website or contact the Historic Preservation Program Manager: Michaela Oktay, 801.535.6003

Download flyer PDF 17″x11″

 

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Dwight Flickinger – Realtor Extraordinaire!

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Dwight Flickinger and his wife Violet were neighbors of ours when we first moved into our home on Princeton Ave in 1992. He lived two doors down and was the patriarch of the street.

Upon his death in 1999 (see obituary)  his children were charged with taking care of his belongings and his home. Before the estate sale they were kind enough to invite us over to see if there was anything we would be interested in.

Well, there was. Up from his basement we wheeled a tall solid wood filing cabinet into our dining room, it was HEAVY. Initially we thought it was a single piece of furniture but when light was shed upon it we could see that an additional top was glued to the original cabinet. It was a 2×2 drawer card catalog. But seriously, why was it so heavy?100_0466

Upon further inspection the filing cabinet was FULL of Dwights life’s work as a realtor. What a treasure to have discovered. We let the family know of our discovery and they were fine with letting it go. We sifted through it for hours and hours, many papers were extinct blank forms that have long been replaced by our computer age.
1724 E. Princeton 1957Flickenger Card 1724 

The most fascinating ‘find’ was the collection of all of his listings throughout the years. These were 4×6 inch cards with a picture of the home for sale on the front and stats and pricing on the back. This is where the card catalog ‘addition’ came in handy. There were many listings he handled in Yalecrest and to our delight we found OUR house, listed in 1957 for $19,950! Not included was the ‘Woody’ in the garage and black lab on the back step shown in the picture.

Amazingly enough we also found the listing for our first home on 1300 South down by the Dairy Queen.

We have been fortunate enough to distribute other ‘listings’ to current occupants in Yalecrest and share the story.

Flickenger 1719 Yale (2)Flickenger 1719 Yale

 

We also asked for and were given a Flickinger ‘For Sale’ real estate sign of Dwights-see picture of it taken in front of his house.

What a treasure and story to share, thank you Dwight.
Flickenger 003

—Jon and Donna Dewey

How to ruin a streetscape

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Demolition of 1547 E. Harvard Avenue is coming

Many developers, contractors and realtors see our historic Yalecrest neighborhood as a money-making device and target our homes for profit. They see Yalecrest as a charming neighborhood and a desirable homesite, but don’t consider exactly what makes it attractive—the historic streetscapes. They don’t realize demolishing a home forever ruins the continuity of scale and architecture on a block and that loss of our precious buildings weakens the recognition Yalecrest enjoys on the National Register of Historic Places and as a treasured historic site in the state of Utah.

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Many prominent Utahns numerous generations of families have made Yalecrest their home over its 100-year lifetime. Some homes are cozy and small yet full of craftsmanship and unique details. Others are larger and ornate and designed by well-known architects and builders of the time. They all tell a story of the shaping of the Yalecrest neighborhood—and of Salt Lake City—over 22 subdivisions and 27 years of development.
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This is why we at K.E.E.P. Yalecrest have formed around a mission to encourage the preservation of our neighborhood, rich in history, families and memories.  Sadly, this little bungalow was left vacant by its owner and did not receive needed care and attention.  Some feel its status as an eyesore makes it a candidate for removal.  It’s been listed for sale and a neighbor even offered to purchase it at a fair price, but the current owner/developer has decided he’ll make more money on a rebuild. Likely the only way to achieve a decent profit will be to build a structure much larger than the other one-story cottages on the street.  Will it stand out? Most definitely. Will it shadow its neighbors and encroach on their privacy?  Quite likely. Does it matter how it impacts the nearby residents, and the neighborhood as a whole? Not the current owner developer Lane Myers and his partner Mike Baird of TV FlipMen fame.

Watch this video to see the streetscape last fall:[vimeo 94091338 w=500 h=281]

 

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1547 Harvard with dozer_edited-1

Seismic Retrofitting Your Home

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Seismic forces on your home

Earthquake forces can affect your home’s integrity in 3 ways [3]

Background: Earthquake Risk in Utah [1, 2]

The Wasatch Fault in Utah runs 240 miles from Southern Idaho (Malad City) to Central Utah (Fayette). It is classified as a normal, vertical motion fault divided into 10 segments. This fault is responsible for the uplifting of our beautiful Wasatch Mountains. The most active segments are located between Brigham City and Nephi, which are associated with the most densely populated areas in Utah. In Salt Lake City, the Fault line runs along 1300 East.

During the past 6000 yrs, a strong earthquake (magnitude greater than 6.5) has occurred approximately once every 350 yrs somewhere along one of the central segments of the Wasatch Fault. The segments that underlie Salt Lake City and Provo produce a large earthquake on average every 1300 yrs. Experts note that the fault is overdue for another major earthquake. “[1].   The last large earthquake experienced in Salt Lake City was more than 163 years ago [2]. The last earthquake associated with this fault in Utah occurred Friday, March 14, 2014 10:03:51 AM MDT 3.5 miles south of Francis, UT (UUSS Shake Maps at quake.utah.edu/shake/60059347/intensity.html).

“Urban areas along the Wasatch Fault lie on the soft lake bed of ancient Lake Bonneville and as such could face severe damage to gas, electric, water, communication and transportation in a major earthquake” [1]. When the major earthquake strikes, at least 42% of all buildings along the Wasatch Front could sustain moderate damage. Hospitals, schools and many unreinforced masonry building (~200,000), including residential homes are particularly vulnerable to violent shaking [1].

Earthquake forces can affect the integrity of your home in three ways [3]

  • Sliding:  house slides off foundation
  • Racking:  Cripple walls buckle and collapse
  • Overturning: House lifts off foundation

What can I do to protect people and my residential home?

Be Prepared for survival [4]
Residents need a minimum of 3 days of Food and water (1 gallon water/day/person). An accessory cooking source is beneficial. Turn off the gas supply (leaking gas causes major fires). Get a dedicated wrench for this purpose and place in a location that is easily accessible. Follow Questar recommendations [5].  Timeline: High density population areas get help first. Residential areas are last.

Assess the Risk of your home [3]

Factor Low Risk High Risk
Footprint Regular, symmetric Multiple additions
Height 1 story, no basement Multiple stories
Profile Simple box Towers, gables, parapets, etc
Foundation Reinforced concrete Rubble, fieldstone
Walls frame Pre and post 1900 masonry
Condition Well maintained deteriorated

Inspection Checklist [4] “the weak links to seismic safety”

  1. Foundation   Signs of settlement of movement. Cracks, sloped floors, leaning walls.  Loose mortar on brick or stone foundations, Deteriorating wood or water damage.  Downspouts dumping water near foundation and/or ground sloping towards foundation
  2. Walls and Columns   Rotted or undersized columns attached to basement floors.  Weak or undersized, unbraced walls or columns in open basement supporting a heavy solid portion of house. Tall, unbraced masonry parapets or gables. Wood studs without structural sheathing supporting the floors or walls above. Cracking in brick walls, spalled or missing mortar between bricks. Cracked, loose, spalled or missing bricks on exterior. Header bricks absent on multiple wythe masonry walls. Large openings in exterior walls. Additions to house not securely attached to hours or pulling away from foundation. Porch columns angled, shifting or unsecure to deck or roof.
  3. Floors and Ceilings   Bridging between joists poorly secured. Floor joists are simply resting on the foundation. Joists are substantially cut away to allow ductwork, wiring, or plumbing installation. Split, twisted, rotted joists.
  4. Roof  Rafters or trusses fastened to the load bearing exterior walls.  Roof decking composed of skip sheathing (gaps between boards) instead of Oriented strand board (OSB) or continuous plywood sheets. Heavy roofing materials such as slate or tiles. Unbraced masonry chimneys, parapet, or gables that are unreinforced or not secured to the roof or ceiling structure. Deteriorated mortar between bricks on the chimney.
  5. Historic and Interior Features   Cracked plaster (more than hairline or seasonal).  Tall furnishings unsecured to the wall. Hanging- or tall-light fixtures that could swing into walls or fall if they swing. Unsecured free-standing water heater to the building structure. Gas supply pipe to water heater is rigid, not flexible. Unsecured cabinet doors that could swing open. Unsecured valuables (knickknacks, computers, TVs) on open shelves.
  6. Site and Building History   Neighboring buildings with chimneys or other site features that could damage your house if they collapse. House damage by previous earthquakes. Heavy, repeated shaking of ground by heavy equipment use. Poor house maintenance over time

Remedies

The primary purpose of earthquake retrofitting is to keep your home from being displaced from its concrete foundation — making the building safer and less prone to major structural damage during an earthquake [3].

 Create a continuous load path to maximize safety first, then maximize saving house integrity second [4-8]

  1. Anchor roof to house URM (unreinforced masonry) walls.  Attach top plates (2 x 8 boards laid horizontally on top of house walls) by installing high-tensile strength helical pins (HELIFIX is one brand) through the 2” x 8” boards into the double-wythe masonry walls. Install two pins (one pin per wythe) to a depth of at least 12 inches into the bricks. Fold over 3-4 inches of remaining pin above the top plate at a right angle and secure with an electrical staple or other anchor. Install a pair of helical pins every 16 inches around the perimeter of the house. (This is in-lieu of the ¾ inch diameter anchor bolts set in epoxy recommended in most guides).  Use OSB or plywood sheathing to tie the ends of all the roof framing members (rafters, ceiling joists, top-and bearing-plates, etc) together at the top of the wall. Use metal framing anchors such as Simpson™ hurricane uplift anchors to further connect the rafters to sheathing). This item may add 20% of roofing cost to the overall project. Hire a general contractor to do this work and coordinate with their roofing sub-contractor
  2. Anchor rafter to rim board.  Attach floor framing to the concrete foundation and double-wythe brick walls with through bolts and steel angles OR use Simpson™ FJA (Floor Joist Anchor) to connect floor joists to foundation. Use wedge anchor bolts or epoxy anchors at concrete. Use epoxy anchors only at brick, block and stone masonry. Space anchors every 4 feet maximum around footprint.
  3. Create shear walls.  Install structural rated OSB or plywood over 2” x 4” wood framing on interior walls and nail at 4“ on the edge of the panels and 6“ in the centers. Connect the shear walls to the exterior masonry walls or concrete foundation walls with anchor bolts or Simpson™ connectors. Install blocking between floor or ceiling joists at the tops of shear walls and attach the shear walls to the blocking.
  4. Anchor chimney to roof with steel brace   Install steel straps around chimneys and tie back to the roof structure with diagonal steel braces [7]
  5. Anchor/brace water heater [8]   Tether gas-fired water heaters to concrete foundation walls or interior stud walls with steel straps or proprietary braces.  Install flexible tube connector to gas line.

Timeline Approach to Retrofitting

FEMA encourages phased approach-take advantage of scheduled house repair or remodeling projects to improve seismic retrofits, one project at a time.   Substantial retrofits may require professional assistance of a licensed engineer, architect or general contractor.  Words to the wise   Contact several firms. Evaluate their expertise with historic residential structures. Check references. Have a legal, clear contract. Get the required permits.

Earthquake Insurance

Insurance may be expensive. Retrofit your home first because it improves personal safety, then get insurance if desired. Insurance should cover the remaining mortgage on the house and allow some of the rebuilding. Can borrow additional money for rebuilding against the cost of the property lot, since it retains property value post-earthquake.

20% Utah state tax credit for rehabilitation of homes in a National Historic District

Utah state Tax Credit Program gives a 20% state tax credit of your expenses to retrofit, repair, replace infrastructure for a residential home on the National Historic Register. Yalecrest was listed on the NHR in 2007.  Obtain a State tax credit application from Utah Division of State History at http://heritage.utah.gov/history/state-tax-credit/attachment/historic-preservation-tax-credit-application-april-2013

Caveats to the 20% Utah state tax credit program

  1. The building use after rehabilitation must be residential.
  2. The building must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places at the time of application or within three years of the approval of the completed rehabilitation project.
  3. A minimum of $10,000 must be spent on rehabilitation over, at most, a three-year period.
  4. All work must meet appropriate rehabilitation standards; one “wrong” modification voids the entire tax credit.
  5. This application form must be completed before the rehab project is finished—preferably before work is started in order to avoid problems with ineligible work.

For more information, contact Nelson Knight, nwknight@utah.gov, Tax Credit Program, Utah Division of State History, 300 S Rio Grande St (450 West), Salt Lake City, UT 84101, Hours of Operation: Office 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, M-F, 801.245.7244.  Website at http://heritage.utah.gov/history/federal-tax-credit.

References and Sources

Expert Speaker, Don Hartley   Has lived in Yalecrest since 1995. He isaregistered architect with extensive experience in rehabilitating historic buildings. He has been employed as an Historical Architect with Utah Division of State History, Historic Preservation Department, since 1989. He was the project architect for Salt Lake City & County Bldg restoration using the seismic base isolation technology.

Contact information: Don Hartley, dhartley@utah.gov, Historic Preservation, Utah State Division of History, 333 S. Rio Grande St (450 West), Salt Lake City, UT 84101, Hours of operation: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM M-F, Office: 801.245.7240

  1. Wasatch Fault. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasatch_fault
  2. For Information and reports about Utah’s earthquakes and their hazards from Utah Geological Society Web site: http://geology.utah.gov/utahgeo/hazards/eqfault/index.html
  3. Earthquake Safety at http://www.earthquakesafety.com/earthquake-retrofitting.html
  4. Bracing for the Big One: Seismic Retrofit of Historical Homes. By Utah Division of State History at http://heritage.utah.gov/hisotory/earthquake
  5. Advice about earthquake preparation. “Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country” by Utah Seismic Safety Commission at http://ussc.utah.gov/putting_down_roots.html
  6. “Building a continuous load path” www.safesstronghome.com/protect/02.asp
  7. Structural upgrades for unreinforced masonry houses: “The Utah Guide for the Seismic Improvement of Unreinforced Masonry Dwellings” by Structural Engineers Association of Utah at www.seau.org
  8. Earthquake Preparedness and Natural Gas at http://www.questargas.com/brochures/59503.pdf.
  9. Retrofitting contractors  Home-Tech, Inc., 333 W Hope Ave, Salt Lake City, UT. 84115.  Contact: Michael Mahffey, T 801.484.9360, F 801.461.0110 at http://www.hometechincorporated.com

 

–Lynn Kennard Pershing, Ph.d.

Batchelder Tile Fireplaces

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People remodel kitchens and bathrooms, sometimes removing all traces of the original elements, but fireplaces are almost always left original and I must admit – I am totally obsessed with original fireplaces in old homes. Each time I enter an old home I must sneak a peek at the fireplace to see the tile and marvel in its mesmerizing colors, beautiful glazes, some with decorative motifs, some more simple than others but each one unique.  In my obsession I have seen many beautiful original fireplaces in Yalecrest homes.  Have you ever wondered about your fireplace or the tile around your fireplace?  If your home was built during the Arts and Crafts Movement Era, roughly 1910 – 1930, there’s a good chance that the tile around your fireplace is Batchelder Tile.  That is the era that many of the homes in Yalecrest were built and many of the fireplaces feature Batchelder Tiles in the Arts and Crafts Style, done in soft earth tones with a matte glaze – a perfect example of the Arts and Craft Movement.

The tilemaker, Ernest A Batchelder came to Pasadena, California in the early 1900’s to teach at Throop Polytechnic Institute.  In 1909 he set up a kiln in a shed behind his home and with some of his art students he began making tile and soon became the leader in hand-crafted Arts and Craft tiles.  When demand for his tile went crazy he moved his operation to a larger facility to meet the demand and in 1920 moved to Los Angeles.  Soon his beautiful tile was gracing homes all across America.  Field tiles were done in soft earth tones, mostly browns and earthy greens with soft matte glazes.  Relief tiles, many done with inset colors featured some of Batchelder’s favorite figures and revolved around geometric design, birds, foliage, flowers, nature and Mayan motifs.  Tiles were made for many purposes such as fountains and pavements but the Batchelder name is primarily associated with fireplaces as these are the most beautiful and decorative tiles.  Like many businesses of the time, Batchelder’s operation fell victim to the depression and it closed in 1932 but as a testament to the beauty of the tile and superb craftsmanship many fine examples of this tile still adorn fireplaces today.

Some people in remodeling their homes and attempting to “Modernize” have painted their Batchelder Tiles or worse taken them out or covered them with marble or granite surrounds.  Many have done this not realizing that this tile should be coveted, is highly collectible and very much in demand by Arts and Crafts Era collectors as well as old house aficionados and  self-proclaimed tile nuts. Small decorative tiles measuring a mere 3” x 3” can sell upwards for $150 per tile depending on the design and motif. Full fireplace surrounds salvaged intact have sold for thousands of dollars.  If you have one of these fireplaces and are considering a remodel, don’t commit a serious tile crime by removing the tiles, painting them (YIKES) or covering them up—cherish them. The soft natural colors blend beautifully with modern décor and are easy to incorporate into many design styles. At the very most if you absolutely, simply cannot help yourself and must remove the tiles, let an architectural salvage company remove the tiles so that some lucky individual who truly appreciates the tile can repurpose or reuse it.

Shown are some of the beautiful Batchelder Tile Fireplaces in Yalecrest.  Do you have an unusual or beautiful fireplace that you would like to share?  We would love to see your pictures.  Please email them to info@keepyalecrest.org  with a brief description.  We also have notecards with pictures of the tile above and picture collages in our store if you would like to purchase them http://keepyalecrest.org/store/

– Kelly White

Salt Lake City Weekly “gets it”

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The Salt Lake City Weekly newspaper printed the following blurb Oct. 9 in its “Hits & Misses” column. It’s a great summary of the last few year’s of the destruction—and desire to stop it—in our neighborhood.

 

Hold On to History 
It has been a long, hard haul for preservationists, who faced a legislative moratorium on the creation of historic districts thanks to a 2011 bill that effectively opened the neighborhood to teardowns—there have been 23 over the past decade; about five a year, according to the Utah Heritage Foundation. Now the moratorium has been lifted, and Salt Lake City’s Yalecrest area has started a nonprofit called K.E.E.P. Yalecrest to educate homeowners and help preserve homes on the National Register of Historical Places. On Saturday, Oct. 12, the group will host a walking tour highlighting 15 homes. Meanwhile, the first application for a Local Historic District has been filed in the area. Preservationists may still have their day.

City Weekly Oct 9 2013

Recently Restored Old World Tudor

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Tudor for Sale flyer Tudor for Sale

We saw this flyer and cheered! Yes, you can restore a Yalecrest home and make money selling it —you don’t have to demo it! This is the way to care for our Yalecrest homes and hand them off to the next loving owners.

1445 E. 900 South

Open houses:
Thursday, Sept. 5, 5-7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 6, 5-7 p.m.

Download PDF: Tudor for Sale