Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

Owner: Gregory Spence and Li Zhao Applicant: Same

Time Date 90-day
Frame Accepted Waiver
Oct-25-2009 Jan-23-2010

SITE INFORMATION: Lot 18, Block 210, East Norhill Subdivision, City of Houston, Harris County, Texas. The
building on the site is a one-story, wood frame house with brick veneer with attached two story addition.

TYPE OF APPROVAL REQUESTED:

The owner and applicant requests approval of a certificate of appropriateness for the following work:

• Demolition of historic one-story house and rear two story addition.

HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE:

The property is contained within the boundaries of the Norhill Historic District, which was designated as a city
historic district by the Houston City Council on June 14, 2000. At the time of the Norhill Historic District survey, the
historic one-story Bungalow, built circa 1935, was classified as “contributing”. The building has a two story rear
addition which begins at the rear wall of the historic building and which could easily be removed.

William C. Hogg developed the neighborhood in 1923. He took a unique approach to the development by platting
lots for houses with restrictive covenants, a separate commercial district, and allocated space for a park and
school. Other unique features of the neighborhood are the park-like esplanades intersecting Norhill
Boulevard. Construction in the Norhill neighborhood reflects the national building trend of the early 1920’s, which
focused on the bungalow style of architecture. The vast majority of the type of housing constructed in the
neighborhood represents the varied types of the bungalow style, including: Colonial Bungalow, English Bungalow,
Spanish Bungalow, Hip Bungalow, Pedimented Bungalow and the Bungalow cottage. Norhill even has several
Bungalow duplexes. Between 1905 and 1925, the bungalow became one of the predominant house forms in
Houston’s suburban neighborhoods.

APPROVAL CRITERIA FOR DEMOLITION:

Sec. 33-247. Same--Demolition of landmark, protected landmark, contributing structure, potentially
contributing structure or within archaeological site.
(a) The issuance of a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of a landmark, a contributing structure or a
potentially contributing structure, or for demolition of a building, structure or object on or in an archaeological site
shall be subject to the establishment by the applicant of an unreasonable economic hardship or the establishment
of an unusual and compelling circumstance.

(1) Determination of an unreasonable economic hardship shall be based upon the following criteria:

S D NA S - satisfies D - does not satisfy NA - not applicable

… ; † (a) That the property is incapable of earning a reasonable return, without regard to whether the return is
the most profitable return, including without limitation, whether the costs of maintenance or
improvement of the property exceed its fair market value; The Norhill neighborhood boasts one
of Houston’s highest market values per square foot of existing living space. The building

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services
Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

was purchased in May 2009 for a price which was between $150,000 and $200,000 according
to the Houston Association of Realtors Multiple Listings Service. According to Harris County
appraisal District records the property had a 2008 appraisal value of $195,000 and has a 2009
appraised value of $214,500, which represents an increase in value from the date of
purchase.

… ; … (b) That the property cannot be adapted for any other use, whether by the current owner, by a
purchaser or by a lessee, that would result in a reasonable return; and Many homes within the
Norhill Historic District have been rehabilitated for contemporary use. The prevailing
building size within the neighborhood is approximately 1,000 square feet and many of these
historic buildings have been adapted for modern lifestyles through the construction of
sensitive additions to the rear of the historic buildings, many of these additions having
added significant new square footage to the original building.

Furthermore, to demolish the historic building is not conducive to maintaining or enhancing

the historical and architectural significance of the Historic District. Continued demolitions
impact the long-term status of the historic district in maintaining its historical and
architectural significance. Only appropriate restoration of the existing historic buildings will
maintain and/or enhance the existing city historic district.

… ; … (c) That efforts to find a purchaser or lessee interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have
failed. The subject property was recently purchased and there is no evidence that the
property has been offered for sale to someone who would rehabilitate the historic building.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Denial of the certificate of appropriateness as requested by the applicant.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services
Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

Site Location Map

Not to Scale

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services
Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

Photo of Existing House

Courtesy HAR

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services
Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

Photo of Existing House

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services
Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

Photos of Existing Condition

Submitted by Applicant

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services
Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission Meeting Date: November 19, 2009

AGENDA ITEM: If
SITE NAME: HPO File no. 091106
SITE LOCATION: 801 Pizer Street – Norhill Historic District

Photos of Existing Condition

Submitted by Applicant

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
City of Houston Planning and Development Department, Development Services