Can I Remove My Property From National Historic Register

As the roof on a long-closed Hutchinson eatery in the city'south south side has begun visibly caving in, the owner of the property on Tuesday gained another reprieve from the wrecking ball.

That, afterward the Hutchinson Urban center Council learned the owner of the former Bernard's Eatery, 2100 Southward. Bonebrake St. — who previously agreed to tear down half the edifice that'due south in the worst shape to preserve the residuum for storage — is at present attempting to get the entire property designated every bit a celebrated site.

During the nearly hourlong discussion, at that place was a suggestion the city help with preservation as an economical development project, and Councilwoman Sara Bagwell called on developers or tradespeople in the community to pitch in with donated supplies or professional assistance, at least to become the building secured.

In a letter of the alphabet Susie Bernard presented to the council, Rick Anderson, a National Annals Historian with the Kansas Historical Social club, opined that the building could qualify as a historic site nether a few unlike designations.

Hutch in Harmony members have now joined Bernard in trying to secure a designation of the holding, built past her parents, Sam and Tollette Bernard, in the 1980s, as an African American cultural site.

"Everything in that building has its own history," Bernard said.

'Quite an endeavour'

In his letter, Anderson said his part has determined "that the eatery is meaning for its method of construction, beingness a unique compilation of used and new materials and the vernacular modernistic style of the structure."

"Bernard'south Eating house also appears eligible for its cultural significance every bit a cultural landmark in the area, a destination diner, and for existence a Black-congenital and owned long time business concern. Therefore, we find the edifice eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places for Criterion A, Social History, and Benchmark C, Architecture."

While eligible, the owners must still utilize for the designation and document its qualification.

That could accept anywhere from 3 to 18 months, said Hutchinson resident John Irving, who has been profitable Bernard in her effort to preserve the property since August of last yr.

"It will be quite an endeavor to take on," Irving acknowledged, simply he noted an endeavor must be made to preserve the history of Black-owned businesses in Reno County.

Asking for customs'south assist

"The mayor suggested nosotros ask for help," Irving said. "She likewise stated if nosotros asked, you'd deliver, so nosotros're going to ask. Today we're going to inquire."

"This is a time capsule of celebrity days," said Rebecca Shetler, with Hutch in Harmony. "BB King played hither and ate soul food at Bernard's."

Shetler said her organisation was committed to providing updates and a redevelopment timeline to the council as it seeks a historic designation and state and national preservation grants.

As well members of Hutch in Harmony, which is a small grass-roots organization formed past several residents to promote social justice and inclusion, Bernard secured an architect in Wichita to assess the property, Irving said.

Councilwoman Bagwell asked Bernard if she wanted to preserve the belongings, how information technology got in its electric current status. Bernard said her husband died, her sister died and her son was critically injured when hit past a train.

"I was depressed, but i solar day I woke up and said, 'Your parents congenital this for you lot, and you're going to lose all that,' " she said. That resulted in her determination final twelvemonth to attempt to save it, but she was without the financial wherewithal, peculiarly after her business was severely afflicted by COVID-19 lockdowns.

Irving said it wasn't merely members of Bernard's family unit who died, just several central members of her staff in a curt period.

"How we got to this is unfortunate," Bernard said. "I ain that. Simply all I can do is do my best. That's why I'thousand request for aid."

Requirements to remove from demolition list

While some on the council pushed to have the property pulled from the city's demolition list, Edifice Officials Izzy Rivera said things need to be done to secure the building and make it structurally stable earlier he was willing to do and then.

"My concern is the safety of the public," Rivera said, referencing some other building diddled over during the Dec. 15 windstorm that just a tree row stopped from bravado into other buildings and the road. He feared a similar occurrence with the Bernard edifice, located next to Grand-61 highway.

"The edifice needs to be secured and shored up in a mode where it volition non deteriorate farther," he said. "Nosotros need quite a scrap to be done, and we haven't seen annihilation at this point. That's why I recommend information technology still be on the demo listing until activity is taken ... This has been going on for a twelvemonth and a half, nigh two. Since we started in December (2020) this volition exist the fifth time, in March, it was brought to the council. Each and every time it has been brought to the quango, they say, 'information technology volition be taken care of,' and it has non."

Bagwell then suggested that the city waive edifice permit fees and that other organizations, such equally Interfaith Housing Services, pitch in.

"I'll say it now, I'one thousand asking the community if in that location's any contractor, roofing visitor, or other local business willing to phone call the city, call Izzy, and he'll get you connected with Bernard," she said. "Let'due south get the windows boarded upwards, get the roof taped off."

"What needs to be done is to shore up the building, so information technology'south safe and then the city and developer can move forrad at their own pace," said Councilman Greg Fast. "Get this off our radar. That'southward what needs to exist done. It seems like it'due south taking forever to make this building safe and that's frustrating me."

Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho suggested that if Bernard brings stamped architectural plans to the council at its 2nd meeting in March, when the demotion extension previously was scheduled for review, the council volition consider taking the building off the sabotage list.

Source: https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/2022/02/17/owner-seeks-have-bernards-restaurant-designated-historic-black-site-hutchinson-kansas/6801678001/

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