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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 05/28/2003LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting May 28, 2003 Minutes Council Liaison: David Roy (407-7393) Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376) Commission Chairperson: Bud Frick, Jr. (484-1467) SUMMARY OF MEETING: LPC approved alterations to 317 N. Sherwood St. and a brick patio wall and awnings at 210-218 Walnut St. LPC made recommendations on refinishing at 116 S. McKinley. LPC heard updates on storefronts and light wells for Mountain Empire (Armstrong) Hotel, and a request for a letter of support for an ADA variance. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order by Chairman Bud Frick, Jr., at 5:35 p.m. at 281 N. College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. Angie Aguilera, Agnes Dix, Per Hogestad, Carole Stansfield and Myrne Watrous were present. Janet Ore was absent. Karen McWilliams and Carol Tunner represented staff. GUESTS: John Arnolfo, owner, for Silver Grill Buildings, 201-218 Walnut Street; Richard Beardmore and Patrice Berglund of AE Design Associates, and Steve Levinger, owner, for Mountain Empire (Armstrong) Hotel Block, 249-261 N. College; Robert Root and Karla Cribari, owners, for 317 N. Sherwood. AGENDA REVIEW: Karen McWilliams added the property at 116 S. McKinley to the agenda under Demolition/Alteration Review. MINUTES: The minutes of April 23, 2003, were unanimously approved as presented on a motion by Myrne Watrous seconded by Agnes Dix. STAFF REPORTS: Carol Tunner reported that she had been informed by the County District Attorney that convicted arsonist Thomas Lehman was also responsible for the fire at the Strang property. The Fort Collins Municipal Railway Society Board has declined to accept the West Prospect trolley car, which operated in Denver, not Fort Collins. The owner has received other offers for the Interurban car, and will likely sell it. COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: Myrne Watrous shared a rendering of the proposed changes to First National Bank downtown. Bud Frick reported on his trip to Dallas's architectural historical park, which features homes, an operating farm and other businesses dating from 1861. DEMOLITION/ALTERATION REVIEW 1. 317 N. Sherwood St., Final Hearing -- presented by Robert Root, owner, introduced by Karen McWilliams. At the Preliminary Hearing before the Landmark Preservation Commission May 28 2003, Meeting Minutes Page 2 Commission on February 26, 2003, the applicant and the LPC did not come to mutual agreement on a proposed rear addition to this individually landmark - eligible property. The Commission felt that the addition would negatively impact the property's eligibility as an architecturally significant property. The applicant subsequently complied with the provisions of the City Code pertaining to the Demolition/Alteration Review Process, and is now requesting final approval of the application. Staff recommended approving the application for alterations without conditions. Public input: Ms. McWiiliams reported that she had received two phone calls from neighbors of the property. Both were in favor of the alterations. Angie Aguilera moved that the LPC approve the application for alterations at 317 N. Sherwood St. Carole Stansfield seconded. Motion carried unanimously, 6-0. 2. 116 S. McKinley, Update -- presented by Karen McWilliams. Craig Zimmerman purchased this small home at the request of Oakwood School, to improve the neighborhood around the school. At the February 26 Commission meeting, the LPC found the building eligible for landmark status, and that the proposed rehab work should not affect its eligibility, Options for exterior finish were discussed, and Mr. Zimmerman offered to investigate alternatives to bring back to the Commission -- Eifs, stucco with Kellystone, or other processes. On behalf of Mr. Zimmerman, who was not present, Ms. McWilliams shared samples of different possible materials to be used to refinish the portions of the house now covered in Kellystone and stucco. The owner proposes to use textured Senergy stucco -like material for the upper portion, in Traditional Finish, and the same material in a flatter, sand texture for the lower. On the three pillars -- two existing now covered in Kellystone, and one to be reconstructed --, the plan calls for putting down a mortar coat to match the color of the Kellystone, press in stone chips, then power -wash the mortar partially away. The color of the upper finish will closely match the existing Kellystone, and is between Java and Paprika in the Senergy palette. The Commission suggested using beadboard below the porch windows and above the floor band. A different width wood board, such as car siding, (with cutouts for ventilation, not lattice) should be used on the lower portion, below the floor band, to be in keeping with the Craftsman style. The Commission was pleased with the effort on this project. CURRENT REVIEW 1. 210-218 Walnut St., Silver Grill Buildings, Add Exterior Wall and Awning -- presented by John Arnolfo, owner, introduced by Carol Tunner. Landmark Preservation Commission May 28 2003, Meeting Minutes Page 3 The applicant proposes to enclose an existing concrete patio behind the Silver Grill Cafe with a red brick wall running between adjoining buildings and facing the alley. An arched wrought iron gate will line up with the larger existing rear door on the Silver Grill Cafe; a similar patio wall exists for a business across the alley at 243 Jefferson St. The proposal is compatible with the Design Guidelines for Historic Old Town Fort Collins, and staff recommended the Commission's approval. Mr. Arnolfo explained that the concrete patio, featuring a stamped finish pattern, was installed last fall. The bricks to be used to build the wall will come primarily from old Silver Grill remodeling projects, which have been in storage for years. To keep an open feeling, an antique railing will be integrated into the wall. The gates are antique Spanish gates, mostly wood with wrought -iron accents, four feet wide. The patio will seat about fifty. The Health Department has asked that the outdoor serving station be covered by an awning. Mr. Arnolfo presented drawings for a proposed design for two awnings, one over the station and one over the rear door, which will match the awnings on the front of the building. Mr. Arnolfo estimated that the project could be completed within thirty days. The Commission thought this project would be a great improvement for the alley, and Ms. Tunner pointed out that rear entrances are specifically mentioned in the Guidelines as offering great potential. Public input: None Angie Aguilera moved that the LPC approve the proposed brick patio wall and awnings on the rear of 210-218 Walnut St. Agnes Dix seconded. Motion carried unanimously, 6-0. 2. 249-261 S. College Ave., Mountain Empire (Armstrong) Hotel Block, Final Review of College Avenue Storefronts and Light Well Bridges for the Exterior Rehabilitation -- presented by Richard Beardmore and Patrice Berglund, AE Design Associates, and Steve Levinger, owner; introduced by Carol Tunner. Under review are the rebuilding of the College Avenue -facing storefronts with the return onto Olive Street, and the hallway/bridge across both light wells that will eliminate dead-end corridors on the third floor as required by current building and fire safety codes. The proposed recessed storefront entrances are configured for new uses in the rehabilitation. The applicants were not able to present mock-ups of the storefront system, to be constructed of steel and glass, due to manufacturing problems. Colors, awning fabric and signage are not part of this final review. Landmark Preservation Commission May 28 2003, Meeting Minutes Page 4 In light of the manufacturing challenges which may result in design modifications to the storefronts, Mr. Beardmore requested tonight's review be for conditional rather than final approval. Applicant will be bringing the final storefront drawings back to the LPC for final review. The kickplate on the storefront return to Olive Street will be existing brick, not glass as shown on drawing A.2; this is one of the reasons for the mock-up problem. The kickplate has to withstand two -foot floodwater. The drawings will be revised and submitted with other final details. Mr. Beardmore demonstrated material -- 1 3/4-inch steel handrail -- to be used as a glazing stop, mitered and held together with brass bolts and acorn nuts. The material is lighter gauge and will be painted with car enamel. Original storefronts were factory -finished copper; over the years, aluminum pieces have been patched in and painted over. Existing metal will be painted a flat finish to match the new steel system. Applicant would like to return to a traditional steel projection -arm awning with a hand -crank mechanism and roller end brackets, 12-inch valance and adjustable pitch between 30 and 45 degrees. The same system was used on 251 Linden St. Existing spandrels are made of wood; a tube will be retrofit inside to provide more structural integrity for handing the awnings. Research into floodgates shows commercially available ones are extremely expensive. Mr. Beardmore asked for another letter of recommendation from the LPC concerning a code issue related to the recessed entryways. The previous letter concerned all doors opening outward, into the public right-of-way. The current issue is that the openings are not wide enough to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, the slope from the sidewalk, while lower than it was historically, still does not meet the ideal of 1/20; it's closer to 1/15. The sidewalk is lower than the finished floor, so it must be built up to the curb of the building with concrete. The doors can be retrofit with pushplates and an automatic door in the future if a new tenant does not have personnel on duty at the entrance, as the current restaurant will have. Current plans for the building are for it to be operated as a hotel with some extended -stay suites, as it has been historically, and will be presented to the Downtown Development Authority next week. Only 1 percent of Fort Collins' hotel rooms are in Downtown, so The Armstrong Inn will be the place to stay in Fort Collins. Landmark Preservation Commission May 28 2003, Meeting Minutes Page 5 Mr. Beardmore presented a new concept for the bridges, in which the connectors between light wells will be glassed in on both sides to let in northern light. The hallway will be slightly taller than the nine -foot corridors in the light wells, but still leave chase space for the sprinkler main to be looped through. The bridges will be set back from the end of the building and not visible from the street. The windows will line up with sill lines on the ends of the existing building; below the windows will be pressed metal brick pattern cladding. Mr. Beardmore asked to leave glazing for the transoms as a budget item. Drawings show prism glass, but would like to retain options. Meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kate Jeracki, Recorder June 2, 2003