Title
Ordinance - Public Hearing Continuation and Second and Final Reading on an Ordinance Approving a Historic Landmark Overlay District Classification for the 1894 Post Office Building at 130 N. Main Street; Jeff Delavega Investments LLC, owner
Requested Action
To consider the proposed Historic Landmark Overlay District classification.
Recommendation
The Historic Landmark Commission held a public hearing on October 14, 2021, and voted 4 to 0 to recommend approval.
The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on November 1, 2021 and voted 7 to 0 to recommend approval.
Staff recommends approval.
First Reading
City Council voted 7 to 0 to approve the zoning change at First Reading.
Description/History
Existing Use: Bicycle shop
Existing Zoning: D, Downtown District, D3 Zone
Surrounding Land Use & Zoning:
North - Office, D
South - Office/retail, D
East - Auto repair/city parking lot, D
West - Office/retail, D
Comments and Considerations
Jeff Delavega, owner of the 2-story Old Post Office Building (c. 1894) at 130 N. Main Street, is requesting a Historic Landmark Overlay District classification. The property is currently zoned D, Downtown District and is occupied by the Hilltop Bicycle Center.
Mr. Delavega plans to remove the slipcovers from the second floor of the building on the front and south side facades if possible. A portion of the slipcover on the north façade has been painted with a mural that the owner is obligated to maintain. The building anchors the northern edge of a potential Main Street Historical District and possesses historical significance for its use as a post office.
The Historic Landmark Overlay District does not replace the existing zoning but supplements it to ensure the historic character of the building is protected.
Historic Background
According to the Tarrant County Historic Resources Survey, 1983, this two-story brick building was constructed by Dr. J.N. Thomas to house Mansfield’s second post office on the ground floor and Dr. Thomas’s office on the second floor. Dr. Thomas and his son, Dr. Raymond Thomas, moved their office to the back of the drugstore in 1929, and the second story hall was purchased by the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society, Walnut Creek Lodge No. 273, which was chartered in Mansfield on April 8, 1897. In 1956 the post office moved to a new building on the west side of the street.
Designation Criteria
The Historic Landmark Overlay District designation should be considered in light of the following:
1. Character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the City of Mansfield, State of Texas, or the United States. The 1894 Post Office served the community of Mansfield for 62 years, nearly half the age of the City.
2. Relationship to other distinctive buildings, sites or areas which are eligible for preservation based on architectural, historic or cultural motif. The two-story building anchors the north end of the historic buildings on Block 1 of the Original Town. The two buildings north of the Post Office are non-contributing structures in any potential Historic Downtown District.
3. Identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the culture or development of the City. The building was constructed by Dr. J.N. Thomas and used by Dr. Thomas and his son, Raymond, two prominent physicians in Mansfield. It also served as the meeting place for the Woodmen of the World Society.
Prepared By
Art Wright, Planner II/HPO
817-276-4226