Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 07/14/2004LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting July 14, 2004 Minutes City Council Liaison: David Roy (407-7393) Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376) Commission Chair: W. J. "Bud" Frick, Jr. (484-1467) SUMMARY OF MEETING: LPC approved new awnings for #1 Old Town Square, and found 109 S. Sherwood individually eligible for Fort Collins Landmark designation. LPC also reviewed preliminary plans for a proposed addition to 109 S. Sherwood. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order with a quorum present by Vice Chair Angie Aguilera at 5:35 p.m. at 281 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado. Agnes Dix, Per Hogestad, Ian Shuff and Myrne Watrous were present; Bud Frick and Janet Ore were excused. Karen McWilliams and Carol Tunner represented City staff. No City Council members were present. GUESTS: Ben and Elizabeth Mozer, owners, and Dustin Kalanick, architect, for 109 S. Sherwood; Aubrey Layne Manning, owner of Zany by Layne, for #1 Old Town Square, Suite 104C; John Ratajczak and Megan Read, CSU Journalism students. AGENDA REVIEW: None. MINUTES: Verbatim transcript of May 12, 2004, unanimously approved with various typographical errors corrected, on a motion by Myrne Watrous seconded by Ian Shuff. STAFF REPORTS: Carol Tunner announced various upcoming conferences and shared a photo of the new sign on the Armstrong Hotel. She also announced a Colorado Historical Society Commission training workshop to be held on Friday, December 3, in Delta; there is no regional forum scheduled this year. Because the CLG designation requires at least one Commission member attend training during the state fiscal year, Ms. Tunner has asked Dan Corson of the CHS if it would be possible for the LPC to receive training in Fort Collins. He suggested he could make a presentation on state tax credits before a future meeting. Karen McWilliams reported the City now owns the Lindenmeier Site, a National Historic Landmark recently acquired as part of the Soapstone Ranch open space purchase. Staff is exploring ideas for preserving it. COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: Myrne Watrous reported on the Downtown Development Authority meetings of July 1 and 8, 2004. DDA committed $105,000 for a new fagade of brownish -red brick with storefront windows on 334 E. Mountain Ave., to be occupied by The Melting Pot Restaurant and another tenant. DDA also supported a request for $142,000 for a new office building and truck wash in the 100 block of Willow St., to be built by Schrader Oil Co.; the existing building will be demolished. The Museum of Contemporary Art would like to donate the berms between the sidewalk and Landmark Preservation Commission July 14, 2004, Meeting Minutes Page 2 its designated building on College and Oak to the DDA for the proposed re -do of Oak Street Plaza. And Kermit Allard, CPA, wants to replace all the windows in the locally landmarked Linden Hotel with new glass, once the lien expires in a couple of years. CONSENT AGENDA Agnes Dix moved the LPC accept for conceptual and final review new awnings as proposed for #1 Old Town Square, Suite 104C. Myrne Watrous seconded, and the motion carried unanimously, 5-0. DEMOLITION/ALTERATION REVIEW 109 S. Sherwood St. — Preliminary Hearing for Proposed Alterations — Ben and Elizabeth Mozer, owners, and Dustin Kalanick, architect; introduced by Karen McWilliams. This property has been determined by the LPC Chair and Director of Advance Planning to be individually eligible for local landmark designation for its architectural importance. The first order of business is to decide whether the Commission concurs with that determination. The house is a well-preserved single -story, cross -gabled wood frame Victorian, with a detached wood frame garage, and a small wooden shed built in June 2004. The dwelling rests on a stone foundation and is clad with original 6" clapboard siding, with a medium -pitched roof with minimal overhanging eaves. The street fagade includes a front porch and a large bay window; there are possibly two other homes with a similar feature, making this very special in Fort Collins. A lean-to addition on the rear of the house was added in 1927 and a mudroom was added onto the lean-to in 1935. The house was built by Frederic C. Jones around 1898 as a single-family dwelling. From about 1905 to the present, it has been used primarily as a rental property. This modest dwelling is a very well preserved example of small-scale domestic L-plan architecture in Fort Collins. It retains excellent integrity of design, material and workmanship, location, setting, feeling and association, and the historic neighborhood context is largely intact. Public input: None. Myrne Watrous moved that the LPC accept as individually eligible for historic designation 109 S. Sherwood St. Agnes Dix seconded. The motion carried unanimously, 5-0. Landmark Preservation Commission July 14, 2004, Meeting Minutes Page 3 The owners are interested in an addition to gain some much -needed space for their growing family. Their original proposed addition was along the side of the building, which would likely compromise its eligibility, so staff suggested they bring plans to the LPC for input and suggestions in this preliminary hearing. Dustin Kalanick presented plans showing a proposed addition of 1800 square feet to the existing 900 square feet building. The addition includes a basement and a second floor loft with a bedroom and bathroom. Mr. Kalanick also presented photos of other buildings to illustrate features the owners prefer, and a site plan, explaining that the goal is to maximize the living area without consuming the entire backyard to minimize the physical impact of the addition. The owners would prefer not to have a huge addition off the back of the house and would like to keep a large healthy elm tree intact. Per Hogestad asked if they had explored options for single -story additions. Mr. Kalanick said that they could not go back much further on the lot than the present lean-to because of the elm tree, perhaps a maximum of four additional feet. Ms. McWilliams asked if they would consider options such as a connector between the existing house and new construction, which could retain the tree. Ian Shuff pointed out that the plans as presented are for a two-story building, even if as Mr. Kalanick stated, the elevations are slightly lower than shown. Angie Aguilera added that anything on the front elevation will affect the eligibility; the LPC wouldn't be totally opposed to something semi- detached to the rear or the side. Mr. Hogestad offered that while a step -back of the addition as proposed would help, one of the problems is that the new portion engages the existing building so well, it's hard to tell where the old building stops and the new construction starts. While Mr. Kalanick said that was the goal of the design, Mr. Shuff pointed out that it's important to leave as many historic surfaces as possible to make it obvious where the original house was. Commissioners explained that this would not require cutting back on square footage, simple modulating it. There is more room on the north side of the fairly deep lot. Ideally, the LPC would like to see a single -story addition; the second story overwhelms the original house. If it's not possible, it's important to modulate the addition to preserve the character of the existing building. Mr. Shuff suggested going no higher than the original roof height by using dormers on the upper floor. Mr. Kalanick thought that might be acceptable for the bedroom use. Another suggestion was to create a courtyard around the tree as part of a dog -leg addition. Mr. Kalanick said they were concerned about roof drainage issues and preserving the interior ceiling heights. Mr. Hogestad suggested removing the non -historic lean-to and redoing the entire drainage system. Mr. Shuff agreed, saying a clean, simple solution would also respect the old house. He advocated including a basement to gain needed square footage. Elizabeth Mozer asked if there was a way to proceed with the plans without having the house reviewed by the Commission. Ms. McWilliams said that under current laws, no. While there is a possibility that the codes will change, staff does not yet know what those changes would be, and no guarantee that the changes would benefit the applicants. Such changes are not scheduled to go into effect before the fall. If the Landmark Preservation Commission July 14, 2004, Meeting Minutes Page 4 addition is done, in such a way that the eligibility is retained, all the funds for major and minor work become available. If not, these funds are no longer available. Ben Mozer added that the issues important to him are that the addition be built sustainably, and minimizing heat loss. Mr. Kalanick explained plans for insulation and radiant water heat. Mr. Hogestad pointed out that reinsulation, especially in the attic, will result in huge savings. Ms. McWilliams added that all the costs associated with insulation are covered under historic incentives if the property remains eligible and is designated. Elizabeth Mozer was very concerned that any design not disrupt the flow of the house. She liked the idea that once the addition was completed, it would be difficult to tell the new from the old. Mr. Hogestad said the key to historic preservation is that the original space has to show through. The LPC is not opposed to additions to historic homes, but the main portion has to retain its character. Mr. Kalanick will work with the drawings to try to incorporate some of the suggestions made by the Commission. The LPC urged him to bring any updated drawings back to the Commission as the project progresses. OTHER BUSINESS Myrne Watrous called the LPC's attention to a recent article in the Fort Collin Forum concerning the Rule property proceedings. Angie Aguilera suggested Ms. Watrous save her comments for a future discussion, when all the Commission members were present. Carol Tunner explained that she had asked Agnes Dix to summarize and report on an article about archeological resource protection that appeared in a recent issue of the Alliance Review. She added that she would like each Commission member to make a similar report at future meetings, to help all members get the most out of the volume of material available. Angie Aguilera suggested that such reports be placed on the agenda for future meetings. Ms. Dix also pointed out that an article by Dan Corson on advocacy in the same issue of the Review would be worthwhile reading for Commission members. Meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kate Jeracki, Recorder August 19, 2004