HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 6248 (McNear Brick Barn Historical Landmark)RESOLUTION N0. 6248
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATING
THE McNEAR BRICK BARN AT THE END OF BISCAYNE
DRIVE AS AN HISTORICAL LANDMARK
WHEREAS, the Cultural Affairs Commission and the City Council have found,
after conducting a public hearing, that the McNear Brick Barn at the end of
Biscayne Drive has significant value as part of the cultural characteristics
of the City, exemplifies the cultural, social, and historic heritage of the
community, and embodies those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural
type; and
WHEREAS, a description of the characteristics of the McNear Brick Barn
site which justifies this designation and description of those particular
features that should be preserved are attached hereto as Exhibit A and are
incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, the location and boundaries of the site are those contained in
Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, a primary reason for designation is its visual significance
to the neighborhood that the structure and landscaping be maintained in a
manner appropriate to the style of the house;
WHEREAS, the Cultural Affairs Commission has reviewed preliminary plans
for the remodeling of the Brick Barn into residential condominium units and
has determined that the proposal is generally acceptable and in keeping with
the development standards called out in 2.18.065 of the Municipal Code.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
San Rafael, California, that the McNear Brick Barn site hereinabove mentioned
and described be and the same hereby is designated as a historical landmark,
and shall be preserved and maintained pursuant to the provisions of Chapter
2.18 of the San Rafael Municipal Code;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk of the City of San Rafael
is hereby directed to cause a copy of this Resolution, or notice thereof, to
be recorded in the Office of the County Recorder.
0-fulf"INAL
1-11 '�Lv
bry
RESOLUTION NO. 6248
I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby
certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and
adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of San Rafael held on
Monday , the sixteenth day of February 19 82 ,
by the following vote, to -wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Breiner, Frugoli, Jensen, Miskimen & Mayor Mulryan
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
21 A/17
JE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk
- 2 -
EXHIBIT "A"
dan Peterson, a.i.crl.
a r C h i 1 c C I U r C p r C 5 C r v a I i o n -
May 3, 1978
architect
historic rescarch
Archaeological Consulting and Research Services Inc.
1538 Pine Flat Road
Santa Ci-uz, CA
Attn: Stephen Dietz
Re: The Brick Barn at Peacock Cap
Dear Stephen;
As requested, I have madc a field survey oi: the referenced barn
in order Lc evaluate the building's significance in terms of :its
architecture, The prime basis for evaluation of cultural resources
is Lhe cl-i Luria of the iV;Itional Reg,i.sL1-r whish in p,-1rt states
."The quality of s' . ficance in American history,
archiLectur.e, archaeo ogy, and culture is present in
districts, sites, buildings, strucLures, and objects that
possess integrity of location, dcsic;n, setting, materials,
worl:n1,1nship, feeling, and association, and: ...that ernrbody
the distinctive characteristics of rl type, period, or ITIP -Ind
Of construction, or that represent the work of a master or
that possess high artistic values, or t-hr.lt represent- a
significant and disLi.nguishable enLi.Ly whose components
may lacl: individual distinctions..."
These bar -in sturctures are constructed of brick walls with wood
frame roofs, covered with corrugated sheetinetal.. They are situated
i.n a va1.1.ey bounded on 3 si.des by hi. -11} topography. The
main po:-Lion or barn (53' x 134' with Z0' high brick walls)
appears to be the original. buildin5. This structure has un(-Ier-
gone a Series of modifications which frc,quentl.y occurs to buildings
used for a;'ricultural purposes. The brick walls are 17" thick
in the half and L -tell back i.nF:idr Ln 13" thickness for the
upper ill If .
The solid brick construcLi.on used is known as an American or
COTTUTIGn )Jour; ,.king every 0Lh course as Lhe header course which was
common pr;: -+c -Lice in this area. This method is a Modification of
the pn;,l i sh Rond C;oursr which ll.sc,d every other course as thr-
I (ld Q (north sircct, sanla rntiTI, c;rlifnrnia, r>54(14 phone 707 5:15 (1Rq`
May 3, 1978
Mr. Stephen Dietz
page 2
header course. All of tl-ie openings are constructed using Brick
Segmented Arched Methods which was also cotiuTlon. It appears that
the arches of: the large openings were later reinforced with flet
concrete lintels with the void above filled :in wi.Lh brick.
There are a series of notches in the upper half of the interior
brick walls which indi.caLes that there cnul.d have been some type
of loft or passible stnblcs. The other.- modifi.cFiLi.on appears
to have been nude when the milking bair-n Fidded and the original
barn was converLed into a feed barn with ,forage loft. These
modifications_ included chancing the openings in the east c•:=)11
to acconiodc+te the new use. The most. feiiLure of thi.=; born
is the lack of interior supports by usc, of the freespan cai-pc,'nLer
type scissor truss. It is not clear if these -ire origiiial.
The addition Lo the East (90' x 100' %.ith an aver�a�e wall height
of 10') including the auxiliary building was obviously used For
dairy cows with the facilities to transport the feed from the
original barn. The au):i 1 i;ary building, ippears to have been used
to store the mi l.k product until transporLi-ng to the proces`;i n.,
vlant. This building includes a loading dock. The openings
in this building are cnnstructed with the same segmented arch
detail as the original barn. The bricks have exterior pilasters
between each of the openings. The wood roof framing post and
corrzs`ated nleLal roofin€ appear to be ciriginal. The monitor
roof and cl rarstory louvers were reprc�rit,al.ive of the milking, barn
designs.
ArchiLecturr:lly, due to their function, the buil clings are simple
in desiF;n and possess a hi;;h degree of aesthetic quality because
of their mi-iteri als and environmental setting. It is unusr.i=rl Ln
find aF,ricul Lural buildings on the West. Coast constructed of
rn,�teri;:ls nt'r,er than wnocl. The selection of brick for this barn
1 il,;cly clue to Lhe fricL Llhat. Lhe br-i.cl•; material w,:1!-, so
re;idily ac.cessi.ble and even possi.bly.chn<rper for Mr. McNear Fit
Lhe Lime, I:11-1c.e he mrinuf;ic-Lkii-ed brick near the site of Lhi-; h;irn.
�IncC` Lhe, M.-'t'rinI Fn i- mal<im, Lhe brick ,ind Lire method of firm}.
the brick; at the McNcar kilns hFis no si.E;ni.fic�antl.y changed, the
bricks in the various stages of the biiilcI ing are extremely
s imi 1 nr in s i.zc and nppe;rrance. 1 t shnul d Irl so be noted Lhat Lhe
McNear Bricl<. Lnrlriy nrr (-\Lveniely simi l;nr Lo the bricks in Lhe
building.
Also
found ;rL the site,
(Fast end of
Lhc mi.l.king barn) was evidence
of brick
1srivi.ng (brick
seL on edge).
Obviously the reason for
the
b: -.ick p;rving again
was Lhe acces
sibi l.i.ty of Lhe material.
Pay 3, 1978
Mr. Stephen Diet;
page 3
Conclusions and Recomaiendat:ions
The building is significant in terms of the_ National Register in
that it possesses integrity in design, materials, location, ��n(l
setting, and is one of the few examples of the use of masonry
in agricultural buildings. (Sonoma County has stone masonry
.igri.cul tural. buildings) As earl ier noted, i t. is rare for barns
on the West Coast to be const'nrcted of w-fterial other than wood.
t, major facet of its si�ni f icrance which wr,s not dealt with in
this report is the association of the McNear family who have
maoe major contributions to the historic economic growth of Moth
Barin and Snnoma County.
This building is eligible for the National Register and the
following recommendations are made in order to preserve the
integrity of the resource:
1. Additional historic research should be done to document
the past uses of the building and to deLenaai.ne how the
original site functioned with the barns, cisterns, and
brick
2. The building should be 1. isted on the 1'v�7t ional. Register.
3. A tor -al historic understanding of the building be established
and Lhat a design phi.losphy of rcconst.rnrcti.on and reuse
be considered which respects and recognizes the historic
qualiti.cs and functions of the facilities and its surrounding
site.
4. That design considerations be given to the encroaching,
surrounding development and that alien space be allocated
to protect the setting, of the strrrct lire �:s ;an agricultural
bui lriiT1 .
5. The economic tax beanefi.ts of preservirr�; this building can
be i,.rcatly enhanced if the property ,and the preservation
Work be certified and done arnder the "Standards for
Rehabilitation" established by the Secretary of the Interior.
In light of the Tai: Reform Act, the consedered uses of
the building should be under private oi.rnership and income
generating. Certification of the building will also
provide some code alternatives under the States Historic
Preservation Building Code.
This concludes my evaluation and recommendations as we have discussed
and I would be happy to provide further services in the preservnti_on
of this bui lciing.
Sincerely,
Dan L. i'eterson
EXHIBIT "B"
McNear Brick Barn
That portion of the property known as Lot #1 shown on the parcel map
recorded on February 2, 1982, in Book 20 of Parcel Maps at Page 10,
proposed as the private and common area for said Brick Barn project.