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Staff Report: Z-20-20-8
June 8, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Z-20-20-8 is a request to establish Historic Preservation (HP) overlay zoning for the
property located at 816 South 3rd Avenue known historically as Arizona Building
Company House #9. Maps and photos of the subject property are attached.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that rezoning request Z-20-20-8 be approved.
BACKGROUND
The subject property was first documented in the Phoenix: Nineteenth Century
Architecture survey completed by Woodward Architectural Group in 1991 and
recommended as not eligible (Woodward 1991). The property was next evaluated in
2007 in the Residential Sound Mitigation Services, Phoenix Historic Property Survey for
the City of Phoenix Aviation Department Community Noise Reduction Program
prepared by Liz Wilson, Jodey Elsner and Scott Solliday (Wilson, Elsner and Solliday
2007). The property was assigned the name Arizona Building Company House #9 in
this survey as part of a sequential numbering of the original 12 properties on the block
and was recommended individually eligible. However, it was never formally listed on the
Phoenix Historic Property Register or the National Register of Historic Places.
In March of 2020, David Berrey, owner of 816 South 3rd Avenue, completed an
application with the Historic Preservation Office to receive financial assistance to
rehabilitate the property and requested city historic designation. At Mr. Berrey’s-
request, the HP Commission voted to initiate HP zoning for the subject property on April
20, 2020.
PROPERTY HISTORY
In 1899 the Arizona Building Company purchased Block 22 of the Montgomery Addition,
which included 3rd and Montezuma Avenues between Sherman and Hadley Streets,
from subdivider John Montgomery for $1,250 (Figure 1). An article in the Arizona
Republican announcing the new development stated “this company was recently
incorporated and has for its object the erection of small residence properties for
Attachment B
Staff Report: Z-20-20-8
June 8, 2020
Page 2 of 5
Figure 1. Montgomery’s Addition platted in 1887 and amended in 1894 – Block 22 outlined in red
Staff Report: Z-20-20-8
June 8, 2020
Page 3 of 5
sale to working men and those of limited capital. Ground will be broken today for the
erection of twelve brick cottages on these lots to be completed at the earliest possible
moment” (Arizona Republican November 24, 1899:5).1
The following month, an article in the Republican stated that a reporter had visited the
lots purchased by the Arizona Building Company and “found two brick cottages, four
rooms, screen kitchen with bath, about completed and the foundation for four others
laid, with any quantity of material on the ground. In all, twelve cottages will be built
within thirty days” (Arizona Republican December 17, 1899:7). The Company’s twelve
nearly identical simple Queen Anne-style homes were likely inspired by a builder’s plan
book.
Recorded deeds indicate that the first sale in the development occurred in December of
1899 and the development was sold out by April 1903. Five of the original twelve homes
from this earliest known tract development in Phoenix remain with one, 817 South
Montezuma Avenue, proposed for demolition. These houses are readily identifiable by
their uniform front setbacks on the lots, repeating plans, vertical massing, varying roof
shapes that minimally distinguish one house from the other, and similar design details.
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
Arizona Building Company House #9 was constructed on Lots 17 and 18 of Block 22
and first appeared in tax assessment rolls in 1900 (Woodward 1991). The building, as
noted above, is an example of a Queen Anne cottage. The rectangular-shaped brick
building has a hipped roof with pedimented front-gabled ell and front porch. The front
porch was infilled between the 1991 and 2007 surveys and was completed without a
permit. It is interesting to note that, while sheathed in siding at the time of the 1990
survey, a 1918 article in the Arizona Republican lists the property for sale as a “brick,
pebble dashed house” indicating a stucco/pebble treatment may have been original or,
minimally, had occurred in the early twentieth century (Arizona Republican February 13,
1918:8). Presently the walls are sheathed in a smooth finish stucco. Based on aerial
photography, the rear addition appears to have been constructed in the early-to-mid
1980s. All openings to the building are currently boarded.
The alterations to the front porches and exterior walls and windows that have occurred
over the years have not substantially affected the building’s ability to convey its
historical association with a modest late 19th century residential tract development in
Phoenix.
1 While the article noted that the development was occurring in the Kilroy’s New Palestine Tract, J.A. Kilroy’s New
Palestine company was a real estate brokerage company and advertised extensively for lots within the Montgomery
Addition. A “New Palestine” tract was never filed with the Maricopa County Recorder. Interestingly, J.A. Kilroy served
as the Notary Public for the sale of Block 22 from J.B. Montgomery to the Arizona Building Company.
Staff Report: Z-20-20-8
June 8, 2020
Page 4 of 5
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
In this case, the property meets the age requirement as it was constructed by 1900.
The property also meets the significance requirements under Criterion A for its
association with early speculative home development in Phoenix at the end of the
nineteenth century. Under Criterion C it embodies the distinctive characteristics of a
once-common type—a modest Queen Anne cottage likely built from a plan book. Such
examples are now becoming increasingly rare. At the time of the Woodward survey in
1991, the broader Montgomery Addition was identified as having 16 Queen Anne
cottages dating to the nineteenth century; now twelve, one of which is proposed for
demolition, remain. The property also meets the minimum requirements for historic
integrity, with most of its original design, setting, materials and workmanship intact. The
most significant modification has been the enclosure of the front porch which is
reversible.
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;
Staff Report: Z-20-20-8
June 8, 2020
Page 5 of 5
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 includes Lots 17 and 18 of Block 22 of the
Montgomery Addition in their entirety, where the subject property is located. It also
includes the adjacent street right of way, which is customary for rezoning applications.
CONCLUSION
The rezoning request Z-20-20-8 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.
Writer
H. Ruter
5/29/2020
Team Leader
M. Dodds
Attachments:
Sketch Map (1 page)
Aerial (1 page)
Photos (1 page)
Deed (1 page)
Z-43-16
Z-79-07
*
R-4
R-4 HP
PUD
C-3
C-1
C-1 *
Z-23-02
C-1 *
Z-23-02
HADLEY ST
MONTEZUMA AVE
3RD AVE
2ND AVE
SHERMAN ST
Central City South
Interim Overlay
District
VAN BUREN ST
MC DOWELL RD
JEFFERSON ST
BUCKEYE RD
LOWER BUCKEYE RD
19TH AVE
7TH AVE
CENTRAL AVE
7TH ST
16TH ST
24TH ST
32ND ST
40TH ST
I - 10
I - 17
CENTRAL CITY VILLAGE
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT: 8
I
APPLICANT'S NAME:
APPLICATION NO.
Z-20-20
GROSS AREA INCLUDING 1/2 STREET
AND ALLEY DEDICATION IS APPROX.
0.19 Acres
MULTIPLES PERMITTED
* Maximum Units Allowed with P.R.D. Bonus
R-4 CCSIOD
R-4 HP CCSIOD
CONVENTIONAL OPTION
5
5
* UNITS P.R.D. OPTION
6
6
City of Phoenix Historic Pres Commission
DATE:
05/13/2020
REVISION DATES:
AERIAL PHOTO &
QUARTER SEC. NO.
QS 9-27
ZONING MAP
F-8
REQUESTED CHANGE:
FROM: R-4 CCSIOD ( 0.19 a.c.)
TO:
R-4 HP CCSIOD ( 0.19 a.c.)
Document Path: S:\Department Share\Information Systems\PL GIS\IS_Team\Core_Functions\Zoning\sketch_maps\2020\Z-20-20.mxd
Z-20-20
0.015
0
0.015
0.0075
Miles
3RD AVE
815
816
817
820
809
810
817
806
819
805
821
809
824
803
215
219
211
821
806
Arizona Building Company House #9
Proposed Historic Preservation (HP) Zoning Overlay
±
816 South 3rd Avenue
816 S 3rd Avenue
Z-020-20-8
Arizona Building Company House #9
816 S 3rd Avenue
Photo 1. 816 S 3rd Avenue, looking southwest
Photo 2. 816 S 3rd Avenue front facade, looking west
Photo 3. Northern facade, looking south.
Photo 4. Western façade, looking northeast.