New Life to Dancy

[Gloria]

Preservation SOS was approached in September by MetroNorth with the idea of developing Dancy Terrace. Since PSOS owns 8 of the bungalows, Metro North wanted us to embrace their project. And, to a certain extent, we have.

Their plan is to purchase all 24 bungalows (at appraised value per NSP guidelines) and renovate using the federal funds. Each bungalow will receive roughly 80k to renovate, which will be more than adequate to have a quality renovation.

That's a lot of money going into this project.

Of course, of great concern to Metro North is the parking situation. The alleyways can be utilized, but with an agreement with PSOS, no bungalows can be torn down. This leads us to the controversial aspect of this project. MetroNorth proposes to have a "lane" down the middle of the bungalows for access for the residents.

Pictured below is the plan.



I don't think anyone celebrates the idea of the lane down the middle and certainly PSOS doesn't either. However, we see this plan as a great chance to save the bungalows from further deterioration and defer to the historic planning commissioners to make this call.

PSOS will benefit, financially, from this project. That money will go toward further preservation projects in the neighborhood.

This project goes before the Historic Planning Commission this month for an "Opinion of Appropriateness". This is just a way to ask the commissioners what they think.

There are many potential problems to this plan. It hinges on MetroNorth's ability to own all of the bungalows and get HPC approval. Both of these are significant hurdles.

But we are guardedly optimistic for Dancy and for the bungalows to be filled with life once more.

[fsu813]

This is fantastic.

I believe that a previous developer got the ok to do curb cuts along E. 9th & 10th for angled parking.

Is that right, or am I off base?

Obviously 100x better than what it is now, but the road does change the character/"useability" of that unique enclave greatly. The front lawn or easment would basically be parking spots, from the image. Fingers crossed this project comes through (many have been intersted in Dancy through the years) and that the hypothetical parking can be tweaked.

Finally NSP funded projects are showing up! There should be some others popping up relatively soon.

[Debbie Thompson]

I thought the same thing about the road down the middle. However, as pictured, it's one way, cobblestone, with additional landscaping. It allows for a parallel parking place for each house. People expect parking these days, and I don't know that you can fit 12 angled spaces on the CROW on each end. Maybe. Regardless, if it comes down to this makes it work or not, I can live with it as pictured if it saves the houses.

We'll leave that call to HPC. My own personal opinion, though, is that I would not want this to torpedo the project.

[bananas]

Part of renvating and adaptive re-use is finding creative ways to preserve structures and their original character and still have them be adequate to meet today's living standards/lifestyles. People drive today and parking is needed. I am not oppossed to this design but I do have several questions, Gloria:

1. How much yard space will be left for the houses? Last time they were on the market (the renovated ones) the buyers who looked at them liked that they had small yards (for those with small dogs, or who want the ability to have small gardens). I don't remember if they have much side yard...I know there is very little behind the homes. Perhaps the alleys behind can be closed and become small yards for each bungalow? That preservation of green space would offset the hardsurface in the front...

2. What has MetroNorth said about the commercial that they back up to? The biggest complaint that all the buyers I showed them to previously was the commercial right there. Will there be a large fence or block or something?

3. I recently heard NSP funds have to be used up/projects completed by March 2013? What does MetroNorth say about how long they will have to complete the project and how long they will have access to NSP funds? I would hate for PSOS to sell them and the project not happen...

[movedsouth]

Personally, I do think there are other ways to provide parking. The original design used the CROW area. There are also some adjacent vacant lots.

As for the commercial lots on Main Street: there is already a high wall separating them from the bungalows.

I do think metro north can use some help and input from the community. They are in the early stages of this, but hope to move fast once they got it all lined up. I like that they involve the community and HPC early on in the process.

[SandS]

In my opinion, it loses a considerable amount of charm with the road down the middle.

Images on the web show other bungalow courts with parking on the streets perpendicular to the courts. My vote would be for parking on 9th and 10th.

[Miss Fixit]

There a several vacant lots adjacent to Dancy Terrace. It would not be difficult to create a parking facility that would preserve the charm of this remarkable bungalow terrace.

[Gloria]

I would encourage you to contact MetroNorth with questions, concerns and ideas.

...totally their project.

This is a situation demanding Solomon-calibre wisdom.

http://www.metronorthcdc.com/index.html

[Yardchick]

This sounds fantastic. If there is one thing about design that is universally true it is that there is no one right way to design anything. Whatever is decided about the parking, as long as it is done well it will be fine.

[Gloria]

It is smart to go before the Historic Planning Commission for "an opinion of appropriateness" before proceeding any further. Good call for Metro North.

Interesting historic technicality. While the bungalows are indeed protected as individual Springfield structures, the bungalow court, itself, is not, as a complete unit. If one wanted to fully protect the court, it would need its own historic standing and consequent protection.

Or at least, that's what I was told.