HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 09/10/2003LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
September 10, 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 received Downtown Strategic Plan draft
language pertaining to tall buildings. LPC provided preliminary advice on
plans for a second -story addition to the Edwards House, 402 W. Mountain
Ave., and approved plans for enclosing the side rear porch at the
Winslow/Guard House, 730 W. Olive St.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order by Vice Chair Angie
Aguilera at 5:35 p.m. at 281 N. College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. Per Hogestad,
Janet Ore, Ian Shuff and Myrne Watrous were present. Agnes Dix and Bud Frick, Jr.,
were excused. Carol Tunner, Karen McWilliams, and Clark Mapes represented staff.
GUESTS: Greg Belcher, owner, for Edwards House, 402 Mountain Ave., Cheryl and
Ralph Olson, owners, for Winslow/Guard House, 730 W. Olive St.
AGENDA REVIEW: Karen McWilliams announced that landmark designations of 1024
W. Mulberry Ave. and 520 Wayne St. have been postponed.
MINUTES: Minutes from August 13, 2003 were accepted as presented.
STAFF REPORTS: Clark Mapes presented a brief update on the Downtown Strategic
Plan. He handed out new draft language pertaining to tall buildings, developed after a
meeting with representatives from LPC (Bud Frick), Planning and Zoning, downtown
neighborhoods and interested developers. There was wide agreement that buildings in
the range of five to seven stories should be the standard; for heights above that,
additional discussion, negotiation and consideration should take place. He will return to
the next LPC meeting to discuss the draft and slight modifications to the development
map made to reduce potential mass on edges of blocks.
Karen McWiliams announced that the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) is
interested in creating a historic preservation committee in Northern Colorado, and asked
Commission members to get the word out to interested parties. She distributed copies
of a flyer, and mentioned that the web site -- www.apti.org -- has more details (as well
as a link to CSU's Architectural Preservation Institute homepage). Janet Ore and Per
Hogestad highly recommend The Journal of Preservation Technology from APT.
Carol Tunner announced that 42 people have signed up for the National Trust's Denver
Conference Field Session to Fort Collins, to be held October 4, which is also
Homecoming Weekend for CSU. The tour itinerary may have to be modified to allow for
the parade route.
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September 10, 2003, Meeting Minutes
Page 2
COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: Myrne Watrous reported on the Downtown
Development Authority meeting she attended. New procedures for enforcing parking
regulations as an alternative to reinstalling parking meters were discussed.
DESIGNATION:
402 W. Mountain Ave., Edwards House -- Greg Belcher, owner, introduced by Karen
McWilliams.
The applicant initiated this request for Fort Collins Landmark Designation based on the
Edwards House's excellent physical integrity and high degree of architectural and
historical significance. It is a neo-Classically styled foursquare, built in 1903, associated
with prominent Fort Collins businessman and public servant Alfred A. Edwards and
noted architect Montezuma Fuller. Two additions to the original structure are evident on
the west and north sides of the house. The first, constructed in 1981, expanded the
main level and basement and is highly compatible with the original structure. In 1992, a
nearly full -width, elevated, wooden deck was added to the east half of the rear (north)
elevation. The house was acquired in 1993 by Gregory Belcher and Leslie Voigt and
converted into a conference facility and bed and breakfast inn. The designation request
does not include the Webster House, associated with the Edwards House Bed and
Breakfast Inn but moved to the adjacent property at 107 N. Meldrum St. in 1998.
Staff recommended approving this request under Standards 1, 2 and 3. The Edwards
house is judged to also qualify for inclusion as an individual landmark on the National
Register of Historic Places, and for listing on the State Register of Historic Properties as
well as an individual Fort Collins Landmark. However, the applicant's future plans to add
a second story over the 1981 addition raised questions about designating the property
at this time.
Mr. Belcher shared photos of the ongoing repair project and explained the need for
replacing fifty years of failed roofing, soffit, fascia and some windows due to rot and
water damage. He has preserved the historic corbels and is reattaching them to the new
soffit. A gutter system, installed years ago in place of the original crown molding, will be
retained and updated for practical reasons. If the building were designated, Mr. Belcher
would apply for the State Tax Credits for this repair work.
Mr. Belcher also discussed plans for the two-story addition, for which he has no definite
timeframe. He pointed out that the 1981 addition was originally designed to add a
second story, which is why it has a flat roof, which leaks. The second story will be a two -
room executive suite, with decks in front and back. He is working with a local architect
to move a Palladian window in the west elevation (of the main house) that matches one
on the south elevation to a prominent place in the second story addition, and add an
atrium with a clerestory to admit natural light to the west wing. If forced to chose, he
would complete the addition and forego landmark designation.
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September 10, 2003, Meeting Minutes
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Commission members were concerned about the effect of the additional story and
suggested waiting to designate the property until conceptual drawings for the addition
can be reviewed. Then the Commission could determine whether with the addition the
property still reflects the architectural style and meets the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards. Members offered ideas for possible design solutions, emphasizing
reversibility and maintaining historic fabric, perhaps leaving the west Palladian window
in place. The Commission would like to see architect's sketches no matter how rough, to
provide direction for a successful designation.
Ms. McWilliams suggested contacting Dale Heckendorn to discuss requirements for
state and national registration. Janet Ore emphasized the importance of making an
argument for the addition based on the Secretary's Standards.
Mr. Belcher will return to the LPC with drawings in the future.
CURRENT REVIEW
730 W. Olive St., the Winslow/Guard House -- Enclose Side Rear Porch,
Conceptual and Final Review -- presented by Cheryl and Ralph Olson, owners,
introduced by Carol Tunner.
The applicants are proposing to enclose an existing screened -in sun porch on the side
rear of the east elevation of the home to allow year-round use as a dining area. The
porch is of unknown age, but believed to have been built when the house was
remodeled in 1958; the foundation is concrete rather than the red rusticated sandstone
on the original house. The applicants propose to enclose the porch with Pella double -
hung wood windows painted white, with simplified decorative cross muntins in the upper
sash. The fully operable windows will allow maximum light and air infiltration. Existing
doors into the house will remain. Double doors (with cross muntins) on the north
elevation will replace the existing screen single door.
Staff recommends the porch enclosure plans, which meet the Secretary of the Interior's
Rehabilitation Standard #9 relating to new additions and exterior alterations.
Ralph Olson gave a PowerPoint presentation to outline how the changes meet the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards.
While Commission members agreed that the project met the requirements of Standard
#9, from a design standpoint, there was much discussion over the proposed decorative
cross muntins. The Standard requires new work be differentiated from the old, and the
simplification of the muntin pattern from 12 to seven lites was an attempt to do so.
However, members felt that not only would the new pattern be an oversimplification of
the classical pattern used on the original windows, but inclusion of the white muntins
could also prove to be a visual distraction from the finished project. Angie Aguilera
suggested using masking tape on the existing porch to simulate the effect before
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September 10, 2003, Meeting Minutes
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actually installing the new windows. Ralph Olson, citing the additional cost of having
windows made with muntins, said he and Cheryl would reconsider the decorative detail.
Janet Ore observed that the format of Mr. Olson's presentation helped the LPC make its
decision by relating the changes to specific Standards.
Public input: None
Janet Ore moved the LPC accept for final review the plans for enclosing the side
rear porch at 730 W. Olive St., either as presented or with 111 double -hung
windows, which the Commission encourages. Ian Shuff seconded, and the
motion carried unanimously, 5-0.
Applicants will notify Ms. Tunner of the final window option selected for the record.
Meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Kate Jeracki, Recorder
September 19, 2003