From winterety at sbcglobal.net  Tue Sep 16 10:05:36 2008
From: winterety at sbcglobal.net (sheryl lynn gerety)
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:05:36 -0700
Subject: [OldNorthBoard] Vacant Lot 507 F Street
Message-ID: <6F4D4C22-2700-4828-9801-8D8FA6106FFD@sbcglobal.net>

Danielle Foster
City of Davis

Dear Danielle:

Thank you for meeting with Dennis Dingemans, currently president of  
the Board of Old North Davis Neighborhood Association, regarding the  
status of the now empty lot at 507 F Street.

The Board recognizes that the current owner, James Moresco, has shown  
good faith in packaging the property with his architect's plan for  
redevelopment of the lot.  We are disappointed that he will not finish  
the project he began three years ago.  The fact remains he tore down a  
house that could have served both as a rental (with income) and  
continued to provide context to the neighboring homes until his plans  
were more certain.  Whether he succeeds in finishing the permitting  
process and is able to sell the lot with the understanding that the  
house plans we and the HRMC approved is a matter for speculation at  
this point.

As Dennis mentioned to you in your meeting,  Old North Davis  
Neighborhood Association proposes that the City of Davis buy the lot  
as a possible location for one of the bungalows on B Street as others  
become subject to demolition under revised zoning which allows for  
redevelopment.  The latest home owner in Old North to move a house  
onto a vacant lot got the house at a minimal cost, set it over a new  
foundation with a full size livable basement and worked hard to  
complete the finishing and restoration themselves.  Our neighborhood  
would be delighted to receive a similar historic refugee bungalow or  
cottage as a graceful addition to our neighborhood and at a lower cost  
to a potential buyer than building a new structure.

It does appear that the City of Davis could apply for funds to  
purchase the lot at 507 F and to move the next heritage home standing  
in the way of its owner's plans for redevelopment.  We hope that you  
will explore various federal grants such as Preserve America at http://www.PreserveAmerica.gov 
  and grants from the state of California such as the California  
Cultural and Historical Endowment at http://www.library.ca.gov/grants/cche/ 
.

Very truly yours,


Sheryl Gerety, ONDNA Board Member
for ONDNA Board
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