November 7, 2011 Douglas W. Jones Review and Compliance Program Manager State Historical Society of Iowa 600 East Locust Street Des Moines, IA 50319-0290 Re: FEMA-1763-DR-IA, R&C 100152032, FEMA PW 10367v2: Revised Consultation - Hancher Auditorium - Relocation, University of Iowa, Johnson County, Iowa FEMA Public Assistance program submission – standard project review for non-emergency undertakings (10-day review): Dear Mr. Jones: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposes to administer Federal disaster assistance pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended 42 U.S.C. 5121-5207. FEMA has received a funding request from the University of Iowa (sub-grantee) to replace the Hancher Auditorium which was substantially damaged as a result of the flooding incident that resulted in the federally declared disaster DR-1763-IA. FEMA is continuing consultation of this Section 106 review for the above referenced property, as new information regarding the project has been made available, in accordance with Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations Part 800 and the Programmatic Agreement among the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, the State Historic Preservation Office of Iowa, the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. FEMA received and approved a request to repair the three contiguous buildings containing the Hancher Auditorium, Voxman School of Music and Clapp Recital Hall (HVC) at the University of Iowa under the allowances outlined in Appendix A of the Programmatic Agreement in the fall of 2008. Due to the extent of damage to HVC, FEMA subsequently determined that the facility is eligible for replacement outside of the floodplain in accordance with 44CFR 206.226(f), repair vs. replacement. Ensuing versions to the original funding request have been developed to establish cost estimates for the replacement buildings. At this time, the sub-grantee has been approved for a relocation project that includes land acquisition, site preparation and construction of the replacement facility. This approval is contingent upon successful completion of FEMA’s Historic Preservation responsibilities outlined under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Demolition of the disaster damaged facility has been captured in a separate FEMA Project Worksheet (PW), therefore will be treated as a separate undertaking. FEMA has consulted with your office on the demolition of the original facility, and is proceeding with resolving adverse effects through the development of a Memorandum of Agreement. In July 2011, FEMA consulted with your office on this undertaking to relocate HVC as a single undertaking, and your office concurred with a finding of Adverse Effects, resulting from the reasonably foreseeable demolition of the National Register eligible Henry Sabin Elementary School, associated with the relocation site for Voxman School of Music and Clapp Recital Hall (see attached letter dated July 22, 2011). Since the date of our previous consultation, new information has been provided to FEMA regarding the relocation projects for HVC. FEMA, in conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is required to ensure that an Environmental Assessment (EA) is conducted for each site resulting in new construction of relocation facilities. Draft EA documents have been developed for the proposed relocation projects. The EA for Hancher Auditorium address the relocation site north-northeast of the original facility (as previously consulted on). Based on new information provided by the University of Iowa, The EA for Voxman School of Music and Clapp Recital Hall will address a change in design for these facilities. Instead of being located across South Clinton Street from each other and connected by a skywalk over South Clinton Street, as provided in our initial consultation with your office, Voxman and Clapp will be constructed on one site, the southwest corner of the intersection of East Burlington Street and South Clinton Street. In order to accommodate the NHPA component of the EA, FEMA is revising consultation on this relocation undertaking to address each relocation project separately. FEMA has determined that the area of potential effects (APE) for this undertaking is limited to the ground disturbing activates associated with the site preparation and construction at the proposed relocation of Hancher Auditorium and the surrounding buildings that have the potential to be affected by the construction of the new facility. The relocation of Voxman School of Music and Clapp Recital Hall will be addressed in a separate consultation. In accordance with our previous consultation, the University has proposed that the Hancher Auditorium be relocated north – northeast of its current location along the south side of Park Road, west of the Iowa River and east of the Levitt Center for University Advancement, a contributing resource to the NRHP eligible University of Iowa River Valley Historic District. FEMA considered the potential for this undertaking to affect archaeological resources in our initial consultation, and your office concurred that the proposed relocation site has been previously disturbed and has a low potential for pre-historic or historic period archaeology, therefore FEMA has determined, and your office concurred that no archaeological survey work or monitoring is required in advance of or during site preparation and construction for the replacement facility. FEMA has also considered the potential for the site preparation and construction of the new facilities to affect historic standing structures. The site plans for the Hancher Auditorium have not changed since the time of our previous consultation with your office. FEMA has determined that the relocation of Hancher, located within the University of Iowa River Valley Historic District boundaries will not adversely affect the eligible district or any adjacent contributing resources, and your office has concurred. In accordance with 36 CFR Part 800 and the Programmatic Agreement among the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, the State Historic Preservation Office of Iowa, the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, FEMA finds that the proposed undertaking for the relocation of Hancher Auditorium will result in no adverse effects to historic properties. FEMA respectfully requests your concurrence with this finding within the 10-day agreed upon timeframe. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Ann Schmid, Historic Preservation Specialist at (540) 270-0970 or by email at ann.schmid@DHS.gov. Sincerely: Eric Wieland EHP Branch Director FEMA - ICC Enclosure(s): Previous Consultation Dated July 22, 2011 I concur that the proposed undertaking for the relocation of Hancher Auditorium will result in no adverse effects to historic properties pursuant to 36 CFR Part 800 and the Programmatic Agreement among the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, the State Historic Preservation Office of Iowa, the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. I do not concur with your findings for the following reason: ________________________________________________ Date ___<11/7/11>_____________ Douglas W. Jones Review and Compliance Program Manager, Archaeologist U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency Iowa Closeout Center FEMA-1763-DR-IA 7755 Office Plaza Drive North Suite 145, Building G West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 Phone: (515) 244-5601 www.fema.gov