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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 09/16/2003 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 125, 2003 DESIGNAT AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 11 i FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: September 16, 2003 FROM: Karen McWilliams SUBJECT: Second Reading of Ordinance No. 125, 2003, Designating the Empire Grange Hall, 2306 West Mulberry Street, Fort Collins, Colorado, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code. RECOMMENDATION: The Landmark Preservation Commission and staff recommend adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The members of Empire Grange#148 initiated this request for Fort Collins Landmark designation for the Grange Hall. Due to the Hall's excellent physical integrity and high degree of architectural and historical significance, the building may be regarded as individually eligible for landmark designation under City of Fort Collins Landmark Preservation Standards (A) - Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of history;and(C)-Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction. The Grange Hall, still in use after 91 years,remains a tangible reminder of the presence in Fort Collins of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grange. Ordinance No. 125, 2003, was unanimously adopted on First Reading on September 2, 2003. { ORDINANCE NO. 125, 2003 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS DESIGNATING THE EMPIRE GRANGE HALL, 2306 WEST MULBERRY STREET, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, AS A FORT COLLINS LANDMARK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 14 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 14-2 of the City Code, the City Council has established a public policy encouraging the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of landmarks within the City; and WHEREAS,by Resolution dated August 13,2003 the Landmark Preservation Commission (the"Commission")has determined that the Empire Grange Hall has individual significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Designation Standards (A) and (C), for the Hall's contributions to the architectural and historical development of our community, as a tangible reminder of the presence in Fort Collins of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry;and as a notable representation of a locally rare vernacular brick meeting hall, built, and most likely designed, by Empire Grange members, retaining excellent integrity; and WHEREAS,the Commission has further determined that said property meets the criteria of a landmark as set forth in Section 14-5 of the Code and is eligible for designation as a landmark,and has recommended to the City Council that said property be designated by the City Council as a landmark; and WHEREAS, the owners of the property have consented to such landmark designation; and WHEREAS, such landmark designation will preserve the property's significance to the community; and WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the recommendation of the Commission and desires to approve such recommendation and designate said property as a landmark. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the building historically known as the Empire Grange Hall, located on lands in the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit: BEGINNING AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 9, TOWNSHIP 7 NORTH,RANGE 69 WEST OF THE SIXTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN,THENCE NORTH 311.8 FEET,WEST 60 FEET, SOUTH 311.8 FEET,AND EAST 60 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, LESS THE SOUTH 1.5 FEET FOR THE ROADWAY, also known as 2306 West Mulberry Street is hereby designated as a Fort Collins landmark pursuant to Chapter 14 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins. Section 2. That the Secretary of the Interior's standards and guidelines for the treatment of historic properties will serve as the standards by which alterations, additions and other changes to the buildings and structures located upon the above described property will be reviewed for compliance with Chapter 14, Article M, of the Code of the City of Fort Collins. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 2nd day of September, A.D. 2003, and to be presented for final passage on the 16th day of September, A.D. 2003. i Mayor >4 ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading this 16th day of September, A.D. 2003. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk ' AG'ENDA ITEM SURA ",ARY ITEM NUMBER: 25 � FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: September 2, 2003 FROM: Karen McWilliams SUBJECT : First Reading of Ordinance No. 125, 2003, Designating the Empire Grange Hall, 2306 West Mulberry Street, Fort Collins, Colorado, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code. RECOMMENDATION: � The Landmark Preservation Commissiokand stpCommen doption of the Ordinance on First Reading. At a public hearing hAefd enstT13403, the l ndmazk Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend designation of this property as a landmark for its high degree of both integrity and significance to Fort Collins. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The members of Empire Grange #148 are initiating this request for Fort Collins Landmark designation for the Grange Hal uqjto t e< 11'V n hyslpal integrity and high degree of architectural and historical siAt ficande e but b�egazded as individually eligible for landmark desi ationunderCof Fort pins Preservation Standards A -Association with events that have made g iean cgn�AiTiu u to the-broad patterns of history; and (C) - Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction. The Grange Hall, still in use after 91 years, remains a tangible reminder of the presence in Fort Collins of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grange. The building's architectural significance is derived not only from its architectural form as a locally rare vernacular brick meeting hall,but also from the fact that it was built,and most likely designed,by Empire Grange members. The Hall is remarkably unaltered from its date of construction in 1912. Significance and Physical Inte rrty The Empire Grange Hall was dedicated on July 19, 1912, eight years after the establish nt o tr07("'an # M— nd flor the building was donated by Grange member Robert G.Ma ell. Th arra nveq g the land to the Grange stipulated that, should the Grange cease exis , e la an building ould become the property of the school district to be used for educa tonal purposes. funding or the building's construction came from Grange members and local businessmen. The Empire Grange Hall is notable for its brick construction, as most Grange halls in Colorado are wood-framed structures. The bricks for the building were donated by another Grange member, Wiliam Charles Eugene Hawley. The Grange Hall sits on a stone foundation. The moderately pitched hip roof, more specifically a pyramid- shaped roof, has brown asphalt shingles and exposed rafter ends. A short set of concrete steps lead to a concrete and stone porch centered on the front (south)elevation of the building. The National Grange, formally known as the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, was conceived December4, 1867 in Washington D.C. The oganization's intended purpose was to help improve the situation of the farming community after the Civil War. Prominent Grange members throughout the years have included Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman. The Grange movement made its way to Colorado in 1873 with the establishment of the Ceres Grange in Vasquez -Nep em er _, DATE: ITEM NUMBER: (Denver). The Grange organization was a driving force in the establishment of land grant colleges. In 1874, Fort Collins Grange #7 showed its commitment to establishing an agricultural college in Fort Collins by holding a picnic and planting event on the corner of College Avenue and West Laurel Street. The members plowed and seeded 20 acres of wheat, inspiring further work toward the school, though the college didn't welcome its first students until 1879. Empire Grange,#148, was established in 1904 with a charter membership of 13. The Grange's first Grange Master was Eben S.Merrifield. According to R.G.Maxwell's written history of the Empire Grange,Merrifield served as a private secretary to Abraham Lincoln during the latter's presidency. However,in an editorial letter submitted to the Fort Collins Coloradoan in the late 1960s,Merrifield is referred to as secretary to inco, n',svSecrettarYrf tatee-`William H. Seward. Either way, Merrifeld's involvement with=he Grange was srgm scan . He,was elected director of the Grange Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Colorado for acme and later served as treasurer for the same company until his death. Though.he'livea>to•sle th •construction of the building, Merrifield died the very day the new Grange Hall was dedicated, July 19, 1912. With a current membership of fifteen, the Empire Grange is one of two active Granges remaining in Larimer County. (The other is the Cache la Poudre Grange#456, in Bellvue.) Grange meetings are still held at the Hall, as well as a number of regular community events. Most of the current Empire Grange members are also members of the Storm Mountain Folk Dancers, and Grange meetings are most often held in conjunction with dance rehearsals.