Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 03/27/2002LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting March 27, 2002 Minutes Council Liaison: Eric Hamrick (225-2343) Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376) Commission Chairperson: Per Hogestad (416-7285) Summary of meeting: 328 Remington, the historic First Baptist Church, was approved for Local Landmark designation and then a conceptual design review was heard regarding the "in progress" rehabilitation of the building using a State Historical Fund grant. Five Friend of Preservation awards were selected. A support letter with reservations was approved to be sent to the State Historical Fund for repair/replacement of windows on Fort Collins High School. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Meeting was called to order at 5:37 p.m. at 281 N. College Avenue. Commission members Per Hogestad, Agnes Dix, Carole Stansfield, Janet Ore, Angie Aguilera, and Myrne Watrous were present. W.J. Bud Frick was absent due to illness. Joe Frank, Karen McWilliams and Carol Tunner represented staff. GUESTS: Brian Sky, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Mark Thorburn, University Designers & Builders, and Mikal Torgerson, MTA Architects, for 328 Remington. AGENDA REVIEW: No Changes STAFF REPORTS: Joe Frank, Advance Planning Director had an update on the plans for a concert hall addition on Ft. Collins High School. The discussions have been ongoing. The City Attorney's position is that CSU is not subject to the LPC but there is a disagreement on this, though CSU has a strong argument for it. They will come before the planning/zoning board, however. The criteria for the planning/zoning board is quite vague — the state statute says that the work done must take into consideration "use, character and extent". A denial vote by the Planning and Zoning Board would force a 2/3 vote by the Board of Agriculture. The members of the LPC will be notified when the issue comes before the Planning and Zoning board. However, it is not in the authority of the LPC to make recommendations before that board. There is an opportunity for public input, however, during their meetings. Ms. McWilliams asked the LPC members to sign up for the Complimentary Preservation Issues meetings. A sign up sheet was passed around. Ms. McWilliams also announced that the 300, 400, and 500 blocks of W. Mountain Avenue are interested in creating a landmark district and a meeting has been planned for Tuesday, April gth. She would like LPC members to attend this informational meeting. Landmark Preservation Commission March 27, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 2 Ms. Tunner announced that the LPC will be reviewed this year in July by the City Council, and handed out a memo about this periodic review. COMMISSION MEMBERS' REPORTS: No reports. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 13, 2002 minutes approved with no changes. DESIGNATION: 328 Remington Street, North Pointe Community Church (Brian Sky, Pastor). This property is significant for its architectural significance and its contribution to the State and National Register Historic Districts. Built in 1903-1904, it is a Gothic Revival and Richardsonian Romanesque heavy stone building, and has the only Rose window in town. In 1911 the congregation built a flat -roofed addition on the east side of the building. Using a State Historical Fund grant, the congregation is in the process of rehabilitating the building. The members of the LPC expressed their delight that this designation is being pursued. A motion to approve the designation was made by Ms. Aguilera. Seconded by Ms. Dix, the motion was approved unanimously, 6-0. CURRENT REVIEW: 328 Remington Street. Mikal Torgerson, architect and preservation consult on the project. Mark Thorburn of University Designers and Builders, Contractor. (Conceptual review) Mr. Torgerson said that exterior and interior work is planned to rehabilitate the church at 328 Remington Street. Exterior work includes re -setting parapet stones, repairing the sanctuary roof where the shingles are damaged, re -roofing the two towers on the building, restoring the stained glass transoms and large windows including the rose window re -attaching and replacing some gutters, replacing missing crown molding, resetting stone steps, repairing or replacing four front doors, and painting of all wood exterior trim and windows. They have started pulling out and repairing the windows, priming and painting the window sashes, and the rehabilitation of the crown molding. They are still trying to establish what materials were originally used in the roof. Furthermore, the chimney on the east side of the building will be repointed but they will remove a galvanized metal chimney. They will re -roof the flat roofed addition. Although some of the building seems to have settled, it is not critical, and work on that will have to come in the future, when funds are available. Mr. Hogestad asked if the current doors are non -historic. Mr. Thorburn said that the door interiors look to be original, though the exteriors have been replaced (the doors were reskinned.) Ms. Ore asked if most of the stone is still in fairly good shape. Mr. Torgerson said that most of it is, and the highest priority items are being taken care of now. The owners are Landmark Preservation Commiss� • March 27, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 3 concerned that if the windows are not taken care of now, they will be damaged beyond repair in only a few years. The Commission was also told that there was once a steeple there, which may be replaced in a second grant. This steeple disappeared sometime in the 1920s. Interior work is also planned. Although this work does not come under the purview of the LPC, Mr. Torgerson and Thorburn were generous enough to describe these changes to the LPC. Mr. Torgerson said that the Church will keep what is called the "Rapunzel" room intact, restoring it as an office. There will be new stairs in the south eastern corner of the building (needed for safety reasons). Two rooms upstairs will be taken out, and one made into an office. There is nothing particularly historic about those rooms. They are also looking to change the second floor bathroom, but the tri-fold doors will be kept intact, as will the pocket doors. On the main floor, the sanctuary wood floors will be refinished. The plaster damage in the walls and ceiling will be repaired in the vestibule, and they are proposing to put more bathrooms in, one of which will also serve as a Bride's room, to be used when brides are getting ready for weddings. They are also looking to put in some more rooms to be used for educational purposes. Mr. Hogestad asked if they are planning on making this building ADA accessible. He was told that they are not. However, in the past it has been seen that whenever the building is used by the public there are ushers available who will help people up the stairs. Once someone is inside, an ADA bathroom will be accessible. In the basement they propose to build a youth area and coffee shop, which will remain a large, open area. They are also proposing a new commercial kitchen in the existing kitchen area. In the rear area, the ceiling height is quite low and the area is not as usable. The mechanical room will have new boiler. Also the coal room has had some structural damage, which has already been stabilized, and the sanctuary ceiling has had some damage. They are going to try to restore the plaster on the ceiling, but it is in poor shape. Ms. Watrous asked if there is a baptistery there? She was told that the baptistery is there, which will also be restored. They have tried to consolidate the plumbing in the area where it was originally. Ms. Dix said that she has seen that the west window is in poor shape, and it appears that some of the glass is broken. She was informed that the window has since been disassembled. In replacing the broken glass, it has been hard to match the colors and it is believed that some custom glass will have to be made for the repairs. The Commission informed them that it will need more information on the glass, and records should be kept even though it is being repaired in kind. The window on the west side is visible to the public, and all the broken glass from there will be replaced with glass from Landmark Preservation Commission _ March 27, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 4 the east side window, so it will all remain historic glass. The new glass will be put in the east side window, which is not visible to the public. The Church has been discussing putting a deck on the flat roof 1911 addition. If they decide on doing a deck, the plans for this will have to come before the LPC. For the exterior painting, they will use the color 'Birds -eye Maple"(Sherwin Williams) to match the same color as it was, and approval of this can be done administratively. The Church expects to be submitting the final drawings to the State Historic Fund at the end of next week. Ms. Watrous asked if they have run into any problems with asbestos. She was told that since this building is pre -WWI, they have not had a problem, as asbestos was not commonly used until after that. They have been concerned with the possibility of lead - based paint, and samples of the painthave been sent off for testing. Mr. Hogestad commented that this is a good, very light handed approach to adding restrooms and so on. It is good to see the building come back to what its original use was. Ms. Ore agreed that they have planned a nice sensitive treatment of the building. DISCUSSION ITEM: Friend of Preservation Awards — Final selection. Suggestions have been made for five different properties to receive awards. The C&S Depot has already received an award, so a second award would be superfluous. 15t possibility — Northern Hotel. Before and after pictures were shown to the LPC. Ms. Watrous commented that she gives herself a pat on the back every time she sees the new sign. (Responsible party is Northern Hotel Fort Collins, L.P.) 2nd — 208/214 Peterson Street. Before and after pictures were shown to the LPC. The houses have been added onto and rented. Don Smith, of Rocky Mountain CM, was instrumental in the design process for these properties. 3`d — Nelson Milkhouse — the plexiglass windows and door had fogged over, the mortar was falling out, the roof was in bad shape and the chimney leaning. Afterwards, it has a new wood shingle roof, metal ridgeline with ball capped finials, windows were replaced, new door, and the building was completely re -pointed. This project was done by the Parks Department. 4th — Street Railway Car Barn. Before and after pictures were shown to the LPC. The man doors have been rebuilt, windows replaced. A door that was left inside was used as pattern. Also, the trolley doors have been redone, made of two layers of wood with a sheet of steel in-between so the doors would not warp. The facade was repointed completely, and the sign and flagpole refurbished. Project done by City of Fort Collins Facilities Department. Landmark Preservation Commis • March 27, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 5 5th — Nelson House. On this property, the garage had to be removed. They took the old paint off the brick farmhouse, put on a new roof, and repaired the carriage house. Work done by Patty and Rayno Seaser and Jeff Nowak. Awards will be given to all five of these projects. OTHER BUSINESS: A letter of support has been requested for CSU to apply for a State Historical Fund grant to repair and replace the windows on the old Ft. Collins High School. A grant for $150;000 will be sought to do this work. The members of the LPC expressed some ambivalence on this. The building needs the work and will suffer more damage if no repairs are done. However, the concert hall addition for the building is being done without regard of the LPC's concerns. Still, it is good preservation practice to repair the windows. The LPC would like to support the project, but is concerned that the planned work (the new addition) will detract from the historic value of the building. A letter will be drafted supporting the grant, but will include the concerns of the LPC about the design of the planned addition.