Attachment B - Staff Report - Z-68-25-3.pdf

City of Phoenix — Formal (2025-10-15)

Extracted text (via pymupdf) 19327 characters

Staff Report: Z-68-25-3
August 8, 2025

Historic Preservation Commission
Hearing Date:
August 18, 2025
North Mountain Village Planning
Committee Meeting Date:
August 20, 2025
Planning Commission Hearing Date:
September 4, 2025
Request From:
R-5 HROD (Multifamily Residence
District–Restricted Commercial, Hatcher
Road Overlay District) (1.78 acres)
Request To:
R-5 HP HROD (Multifamily Residence
District–Restricted Commercial, Historic
Preservation, Hatcher Road Overlay
District) (1.78 acres)
Proposal:
Historic Preservation Overlay for
Sunnyslope Presbyterian Church
Location:
Southeast corner of 2nd Street and
Hatcher Road
Owner:
Franklin Educational Properties LLC
Applicant:
City of Phoenix Historic Preservation
Commission
Representative:
Kevin Weight, Principal Planner
Staff Recommendation:
Approval

Background

In April 2014, City of Phoenix Historic Preservation (HP) staff received a letter from
Pastor Mary Danforth of the Sunnyslope Presbyterian Church requesting historic
designation for the subject property. After researching the property, staff formally
determined it eligible for HP zoning in May 2014 and added it to the City’s inventory of
historic resources. However, no attempt was made to rezone the property as historic at
that time because no Ownership Authorization Form or Proposition 207 Waiver were
received.

In August 2024, staff received a request from Julia Taggart, President of the
Sunnyslope Historical Society, to consider the subject property for HP zoning. By this
time, the church had been sold to a new property owner, Franklin Educational
ATTACHMENT B

Staff Report: Z-68-25-8
August 8, 2025
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Properties LLC, for use as a charter school. In October 2024, Ms. Taggart provided an
Ownership Authorization Form and Proposition 207 Waiver signed by the new owner,
and the following month, staff completed an historic property inventory form for the
subject property. On January 13, 2025, the HP Commission initiated HP zoning for the
subject property.

Property Overview

The subject property consists of a single lot at the southeast corner of 2nd Street and
Hatcher Road (known historically as Wabash Avenue). According to the Maricopa
County Assessor, the lot measures 58,414 square feet, or 1.34 acres.

The lot contains four buildings, all of which contribute to the historic character of the
property:

1. Main Church Building. Located near the northwest corner of the lot, facing 2nd
Street, this stuccoed brick Mission Revival-style building with two-story bell tower
was constructed in 1949.

2. McCahan Building. This H-shaped, single-story building is located to the south of
the main building, facing 2nd Street. The stuccoed gable-roofed Ranch-style
building was built shortly after the main building and housed Sunday School
classes.

3. Parsonage. An L-shaped, single-story structure located to the east of the church,
facing Hatcher Road, this building is also designed in the Ranch style and was
constructed shortly after the main building.

4. Memorial Building. This rectangular-shaped, single-story classroom building is
located near the southeast corner of the lot. The gable-roofed building was
constructed in 1958 and displays both Modern and Ranch-style design elements.

In addition to the four buildings above, the historic church campus also included a day
nursery building, located to the south of the McCahan Building; it was demolished in
1994.

The main church building was constructed by John McTaggart, a member of the church
building committee. Most sources list the architect as Herman Bell (although one article
from the Arizona Republic states that plans were prepared by Jake Knapp). The
rectangular-shaped church was modified in 1964 when a small masonry storage
addition was constructed at the rear of the building. Further remodeling took place in
1966 when restrooms were constructed at the rear of the church and the hipped roof
entry along the front façade was extended to the south.

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In 2018, decorative landscaping was removed from the west façade of the church to
add a wheelchair accessible ramp to the main entrance. In 2021, attached patio covers
were added to the north façade. The McCahan Building was also altered in 2021 as
part of tenant improvements replacing one window on the west façade with a door.

The broader setting remains relatively unchanged since the church was first
constructed. The church buildings were originally built on a 20-acre tract, along with the
Desert Mission, Sunnyslope Development Company, and John C. Lincoln Hospital. As
the medical center expanded, additional parking areas were created, with a garage now
immediately to the east and a surface parking lot immediately to the south of the subject
property. The church buildings are the oldest surviving structures left in the area.

History

The origins of Sunnyslope can be traced to 1911, when architect William Norton platted
the original “Sunny Slope” subdivision. Located north of the Arizona Canal between
Central Avenue and 3rd Street, the desert area was not irrigated and was considered a
healthful place for people with lung diseases to settle. Sunnyslope was located outside
the municipal boundaries of Phoenix, and as city leaders began to work to expel
tubercular patients from Phoenix, more sick and indigent people settled in the area.

Elizabeth Beatty came to Phoenix from Pittsburgh in 1920 and became aware of the
conditions of the residents of Sunnyslope. She secured assistance from a group of
Presbyterian women affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church of Phoenix and began
a ministry to the people of Sunnyslope in 1921, which would become the Desert
Mission. In 1925, a Sunday School missionary from the Presbyterian Church, W.D.
Himebaugh, established a Sunday School in the two-room home of a convalescent.

Sarah C. McCahan, a Presbyterian church member from Philadelphia, travelled through
Phoenix in 1927 and, learning of the poor living conditions of the residents in
Sunnyslope, donated $750 to be used towards the construction of a chapel. The
Mission created the McCahan Memorial Chapel and expanded with a recreation area,
library, meeting hall, and day nursery. The Mission worked with community groups, the
congregation, and volunteers to provide health services, Christian education, social
services, and worship to the Sunnyslope community.

In 1938, members of the informal church of the Mission formed the Desert Mission
Church and formally affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of the United States. The
Desert Mission was classified as a mission of the Presbyterian Church that would carry
out both religious and humanitarian work. Over time, the Mission evolved to include
four separate but interrelated organizations.

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August 8, 2025
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In 1942, a devastating fire broke out, which destroyed the McCahan Memorial Chapel
and several neighboring structures. As a result, the congregation temporarily relocated
to a recreation hall on the Desert Mission campus.

By the late 1940s, the church had seen its congregation more than double, which
created the need to separate the church from the Desert Mission. A new church
building with a capacity for 400 people was planned on a broader 20-acre tract of land
that also included the Mission and would ultimately house the John C. Lincoln Hospital
and Sunnyslope Development Company. As part of the separation from the Mission,
the church was renamed the “Sunnyslope Presbyterian Church.” A ground-breaking
ceremony for the new church building was held on January 6, 1949, with the
cornerstone ceremony taking place on March 20, 1949, and the building completed in
June of that same year.

The McCahan Building and adjacent day nursery building were completed shortly after
the church, along with the parsonage. The McCahan Building allowed for five
departments of Sunday School, and during the week the rooms were used for
educational programs. The day nursery had been an early initiative of the Desert
Mission, as many families were unable to pay for care for their preschool children
because of sickness, or they had needs for childcare while mothers worked. The
nursery also served meals and provided regular medical checkups.

In 1958, the church campus expanded with the construction of the Memorial Building for
youth education. The congregation continued to grow into the early 1960s, with
membership increasing from 138 in 1946 to 723 in 1962. This period of growth aligned
with a period of national church growth in the United States. In 1966, the church
building was remodeled with restrooms constructed at the rear and the hipped roof entry
along the front façade extended.

The Church provided services and religious education and worked closely in the
community holding events for seniors, working with nursing homes, and partnering with
the Desert Mission Food and Clothing Bank. Buildings were also used to host local self-
help organizational meetings.

From the late 1960s to the early 1980s, the church experienced a period of decline in
membership, as it severed primary ties with the Desert Mission. During this time many
of the community services the church provided were cut, such as the partnership with
Lincoln Health Resources to provide free day care services to the Sunnyslope
community. The day nursery building was demolished in 1994.

By 2014, the church had closed due to a decline in membership, and the space was
leased to Tom & Cindy Franklin, who opened the Franklin Phonetic School, a charter
elementary school, at the site. Looking to sell the property, the Presbyterian Church
received an offer from HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center, which wanted the

Staff Report: Z-68-25-8
August 8, 2025
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space for a parking garage, as well as offers from other potential buyers. However, the
Franklins were able to secure the funds needed for acquisition, purchasing the property
in 2016. The Franklin Phonetic School continues to operate at the site today.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for HP overlay zoning and listing on the PHPR are set forth in
Section 807.D of the City of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance. To qualify, a property must
demonstrate significance in local, regional, state, or national history, architecture,
archaeology, engineering, or culture, according to one or more of the following criteria:

A. The property is associated with the events that have made a significant
contribution to the broad pattern of our history;
B. The property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past;
C. The property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method
of construction, represents the work of a master, possesses high artistic values,
or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may
lack individual distinction; or
D. The property has yielded or may likely yield information integral to the
understanding of our prehistory or history.

In addition to the significance requirement, the property must also be at least 50 years
old or have achieved significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional
importance. The property must also possess sufficient integrity of location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association to convey its significance.

Evaluation

Criterion A - Historic Events/Trends

The Sunnyslope Presbyterian Church is significant under Criterion A at the local level
for its association with Sunnyslope Community Development and Social History. The
period of significance dates from 1949, when the main church building was constructed,
to 1970 as the church entered a phase of declining membership.

The origins of the church lie in the efforts of Presbyterians to minister to and provide
services to indigent health seekers in Sunnyslope. As the Sunnyslope Presbyterian
Church separated in structure from the Mission in 1949, much of the work of the church
continued to be focused on community support through their relationship with the Desert
Mission and John C. Lincoln Medical Center. It is one of the oldest remaining intact
properties reflecting early post-World War II development in Sunnyslope.

Staff Report: Z-68-25-8
August 8, 2025
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Integrity

The subject property retains sufficient integrity to convey its significant association with
the community development of Sunnyslope from 1949 to 1970. This property has
strong integrity of location, design, materials, feeling, and association. It appears to
have had few alterations to the four surviving buildings, with their character-defining
features preserved. The changes to convert the building into a school were minimal
and/or reversible. While the day nursery was demolished in 1994, the remaining
buildings are intact and contribute to the feeling of the original campus.

Boundary Justification

Section 807.E states that, when applying the evaluation criteria in Section 807.D, the
boundaries of a historic district should be drawn as carefully as possible to ensure that:

1. The district contains documented historic, architectural, archaeological, or natural
resources;
2. The district boundaries coincide with documented historic boundaries such as
early roadways, canals, subdivision plats or property lines;
3. Other district boundaries coincide with logical physical or manmade features and
reflect recognized neighborhood or area boundaries; and
4. Other non-historic resources or vacant land is included where necessary to
create appropriate boundaries to assist in meeting the criteria in Section 807.D.

The proposed HP zoning boundary encompasses 1.78 gross acres. It has been drawn
to include the subject property in its entirety as well as the adjacent portion of the right
way, as is customary in rezoning cases. The proposed boundary contains the
documented historic resources and follows parcel lines and street monument lines as
much as possible.

Findings

The rezoning request Z-68-25-3 to establish Historic Preservation (HP) overlay zoning
for the subject property should be approved for the following reasons:

1. The property meets the significance, age, and integrity requirements for HP
overlay zoning set forth in Section 807.D of the Zoning Ordinance; and
2. The proposed boundaries meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Section 807.E.

Stipulations

None

Staff Report: Z-68-25-8
August 8, 2025
Page 7 of 7

Writer
Kevin Weight
August 8, 2025

Team Leader
Helana Ruter

Exhibits
Sketch Map (1 page)
Aerials (2 pages)
Site Photos (4 pages)
Archival Photos (3 pages)
Newspaper Articles (3 pages)

¯
0
0.04
0.08
0.02
Miles
NORTH MOUNTAIN VILLAGE
COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3
APPLICANT'S NAME:
APPLICATION NO:
GROSS AREA INCLUDING 1/2 STREET
AND ALLEY DEDICATION IS APPROX.
MULTIPLES PERMITTED
CONVENTIONAL OPTION
* UNITS P.R.D OPTION
REQUESTED CHANGE:
FROM:
TO:
DATE:
REVISION DATES:
AERIAL PHOTO &
QUARTER SEC. NO.
ZONING MAP
* Maximum Units Allowed with P.R.D. Bonus
5/23/225
7TH ST
19TH AVE
35TH AVE
NORTHERN AVE
12TH ST
7TH AVE
THUNDERBIRD RD
GREENWAY RD
PEORIA AVE
CENTRAL AVE
39TH AVE
I-17
BUTLER DR
31ST AVE
15H AVE
DUNLAP AVE
CHOLLA ST
CACTUS RD
SWEETWATER AVE
ACOMA DR
Z-93-05
Z-SP-11-08
Z-33-96
Z-32-96
Z-54-84
Z-SP-28-71
Z-276-81
Z-253-80
Z-SP-2-67
Z-SP-41-84
Z-SP-11-08
Z-195-83
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
C-2
H-R
C-2 SP
C-2
C-2
C-2
C-2
C-2
R1-6
C-2
C-2
H-R
C-2
H-R
H-R
C-2
C-2
C-2
H-R SP
R-5
R-5
R-5
R-3
Hatcher Road Overlay
HATCHER RD
CENTRAL AVE
1ST ST
MISSION LN
SUNNYSLOPE LN
2ND S
T
VOGEL AVE
3RD ST
2ND PL
CAROL AVE
4TH ST
C-2 H-R SP *
Z-SP-29-06
Z-68-25-3
City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission
Z-68-25-3
1.78 Acres
QS 27-28
J-8
R-5 HROD ( 1.78 ac.)
R-5 HP HROD ( 1.78 ac.)
R-5 HROD
R-5 HP HROD
77
77
93
93
Path: S:\Department Share\Information Systems\PL GIS\IS_Team\Core_Functions\Zoning\sketch_maps\2025\Z-65-25-3.aprx

Sunnyslope Presbyterian Church
9317 North 2nd Street (a.k.a. 201 East Hatcher Road)

Proposed Historic Preservation (HP) Zoning Overlay shown in purple