Attachment B - Staff Report - Z-51-22-7.pdf

City of Phoenix — Formal (2022-11-02)

Extracted text (via pymupdf) 16108 characters

Staff Report: Z-51-22-7
August 31, 2022
INTRODUCTION
Z-51-22-7 is a request to establish Historic Preservation (HP) overlay zoning for the
property located at the northwest corner of 6th Avenue and Van Buren Street [600 West
Van Buren Street] known historically as the City Center Motel. Maps and photos of the
subject property are attached.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that rezoning request Z-51-22-7 be approved.
BACKGROUND
In 2011, the subject property was one of 80 properties featured in Midcentury Marvels:
Commercial Architecture of Phoenix 1945-1975, published by the City of Phoenix
Historic Preservation Office. The book noted that the City Center Motel was “a rare,
surviving local example of Googie-style roadside design.” At that time Historic
Preservation staff also determined the motel was eligible for listing on the Phoenix
Historic Property Register and National Register of Historic Places.
On December 11, 2021, the property owner, Fabius Enterprise LLC, filed an application
to demolish both the main motel building fronting Van Buren and a secondary building
located further to the north. Because the property was over 50 years old, had a
commercial use, was located in the Downtown Code area, and was flagged as
historically eligible, the demolition application was subject to a 30-day hold. The
owner’s stated reason for demolishing the existing buildings was to replace them with a
new multi-story hotel on the same site.
Concerned about the loss of the eligible historic property, the City of Phoenix HP
Commission initiated HP zoning for the motel on December 20, 2021. Shortly
thereafter, staff filed rezoning application Z-5-22-7, and the owner withdrew the
application for demolition.
After several weeks of discussion between staff and the owner, the owner presented a
revised design that would allow for the new hotel to be built while preserving most of the
existing main building. On February 14, 2022, the HP Commission accepted the
ATTACHMENT B

Staff Report: Z-51-22-7
August 31, 2022
Page 2 of 5

revised design and voted unanimously to withdraw the HP zoning application.
Consequently, staff withdrew application Z-5-22-7.

As the project was going through the permit review process, it became clear that
preserving the historic structure while building a new structure around it would present a
challenge due to the building frontage and setback requirements set forth in the
Downtown Code. While these issues potentially could have been addressed through
the variance process, staff and the owner agreed that re-initiating HP zoning on the
historic portion of the site was a better solution, as historic preservation standards
prevail over the Downtown Code requirements. Following this discussion, the property
owner submitted an Ownership Authorization Form and Waiver of Claims under
Proposition 207 allowing the HP Commission to initiate HP zoning on his behalf. The
HP Commission re-initiated HP zoning on June 13, 2022, and shortly thereafter staff
filed this rezoning application.

PROPERTY OVERVIEW

The buildings at 600 West Van Buren Street (main building) and 316 North 6th Avenue
(annex) were constructed in 1959 as the City Center Motel. A July 13, 1958, article in
the Arizona Republic states that the site had been cleared the previous week and
construction would soon begin on a new downtown motel with 46 rooms. The article
further states that plans for the new motel had been prepared by Bauer & Associates for
the owner, Joseph Fliegel, and that the motel was to be divided into two separate
buildings with a swimming pool and patio between them.

Building permits for both the main building and the annex were issued on February 25,
1959. The permits show the builder as Ben Paller, although an Arizona Republic article
from March 29, 1959, states the builder was Dan Pallor. The article also notes that the
building plans were prepared by William S. Knight, Jr., who apparently utilized Bauer’s
design and saw the project through to completion.

The primary building is a modern Googie-style concrete block structure designed with
“space-age” features including a long, angular, “rocket-like” porte cochere and an
extended sign with tall spires. The building is made up of two separate wings creating a
U-shaped plan. It features covered parking spaces underneath one of the extended
room wings with angled cast concrete structural support elements.

The annex building is still operated as part of the same motel, most recently a
Travelodge. This secondary building features single and double rooms with a carport
space on the ground level underneath the second floor. As an accessory building, it
contributes to the significance of the property but is not individually significant. As a
result of the agreement that was negotiated by the owner and HP Commission, the
annex will be demolished to construct the new multi-story hotel and is largely excluded
from the proposed HP boundary.

Staff Report: Z-51-22-7
August 31, 2022
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Alterations to the main building since initial construction include the deletion of windows
on the south façade and the removal of a few spires from the rooftop sign. The fascia
has been altered as well, resulting in the removal of the tailfin detail at the far-left edge.
The post supporting the angular roof projection has been made more substantial,
although it is possible that a slender interior post is now encased. Native fieldstone on
the south and east façades has been partially replaced, and stucco has been applied to
the projecting panels on the east side, which may have been painted steel originally.
Despite these alterations, the building still conveys its original Googie-style design,
retaining its dramatic, angular “space-age” form, the brise-soleil screening on the south
façade, and the extended rooftop sign. The angular cast concrete supports separating
the covered parking spaces on the east façade are also intact.

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

The City Center Motel is significant under Criterion A for its association with tourism-
related development during the midcentury era. Its importance is reflected by its
location on Van Buren Street (U.S. Highway 60, 70, 80 and 89), which was the main
transportation corridor through Phoenix prior to the construction of Interstate 10. Unlike
earlier hotels, such as the San Carlos and Westward Ho, the City Center Motel catered
to visitors in automobiles, reflecting the growing influence of the car in postwar society.

Staff Report: Z-51-22-7
August 31, 2022
Page 4 of 5

It represents a rare property type, as one of just a handful of motels from the 1950s still
surviving in Phoenix.

The property is also significant under Criterion C as a rare remaining local example of
Googie-style roadside architecture. This style was once prevalent in Phoenix, with such
classic examples as the two Helsing’s coffee shops on Central Avenue at Osborn Road
and Camelback Road and the first McDonald’s “Golden Arches” prototype drive-in in
America on Central Avenue just south of Indian School Road. Typical of 1950s
roadside architecture, the City Center Motel utilizes futuristic, striking shapes and
signage to attract the attention of passing drivers. Its lobby and porte cochere make a
bold architectural statement while the guest room wings are fairly simple functional
buildings that are little more than decorated boxes.

Despite the alterations noted above, the property retains sufficient integrity to convey its
significance under both Criteria A and C. It is still readily identifiable as a Google-style
midcentury motel, and many of the changes are likely reversible if the property were to
be restored. The portion of the main building that will be demolished is the least publicly
visible part of the structure, and its loss will not prevent the remaining portion from
conveying its significance.

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 0.61 gross acres. It has been
strategically drawn to include the portion of the historic building that will be preserved,
as well as a buffer area to the north that would allow a greater setback for the new hotel
and keep it from encroaching on the historic structure. While allowing this flexibility, the
proposed boundary still follows parcel lines and street monument lines as much as
possible.

Staff Report: Z-51-22-7
August 31, 2022
Page 5 of 5

CONCLUSION

The rezoning request Z-51-22-7 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
K. Weight
8/31/22

Team Leader
H. Ruter

Attachments:
Sketch Map (1 page)
Aerials (2 pages)
Photos (4 pages)
Newspaper Articles (2 pages)
Original Building Plans (1 page)
Proposed Building Plans (11 pages)

Z-12-12
Z-2-17
Z-92-17 *
DTC
Van Buren
HP
C-3
C-3 HP*
DTC
Van Buren
HP
DTC
Van Buren
DTC
Van Buren
HP
DTC
Business Core
C-3 CMOD
ACOD
5TH AVE
MONROE ST
VAN BUREN ST
7TH AVE
6TH AVE
4TH AVE
POLK ST
GRAND AVE
Capitol Mall
Overlay District
Arts Culture and
Small Business
Overlay
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: 7
I
APPLICANT'S NAME:
APPLICATION NO.
Z-51-22
GROSS AREA INCLUDING 1/2 STREET
AND ALLEY DEDICATION IS APPROX.
0.61 Acres
MULTIPLES PERMITTED
* Maximum Units Allowed with P.R.D. Bonus
DTC-Van Buren
DTC-Van Buren HP
CONVENTIONAL OPTION
133
133
* UNITS P.R.D. OPTION
N/A
N/A
City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission
DATE:
7/14/2022
REVISION DATES:
AERIAL PHOTO &
QUARTER SEC. NO.
QS 11-27
ZONING MAP
F-8
REQUESTED CHANGE:
FROM: DTC-Van Buren ( 0.61 a.c.)
TO:
DTC-Van Buren HP ( 0.61 a.c.)
Document Path: S:\Department Share\Information Systems\PL GIS\IS_Team\Core_Functions\Zoning\sketch_maps\2022\Z-51-22.mxd
Z-51-22
0.035
0
0.035
0.0175
Miles

City Center Motel
600 West Van Buren Street

Proposed Historic Preservation (HP) Zoning Overlay shown in purple