HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 02/21/2006 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO 021, 2006, DESIGNAT ITEM NUMBER: 17
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: February 21, 2006
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Karen McWilliams
SUBJECT
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 021, 2006, Designating the Kirby/Wade House and Historic
Garage, 816 Laporte Avenue, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommend adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Ordinance, which designates the Kirby/Wade House and Historic Garage as a Fort Collins
Landmark, was unanimously adopted on First Reading on February 7, 2006. The owner of the
property, Thomas Trumbower, is initiating this request.
ITEM NUMBER: 20
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: February 7, 2006
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Karen McWilliams
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 021, 2006, Designating the Kirby/Wade House and Historic
Garage, 816 Laporte Avenue, 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
First Reading. At a public hearing held on January 25, 2006, the Landmark Preservation
Commission voted unanimously to recommend designation of this property as a landmark for its
historical and architectural significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Standards (1) and (3).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The owner of the property, Tho : initiatin is request for Fort Collins
Landmark designation for the Kirby/Wade House and Historic Garage. Built in 1905 for the
John E. Kirby family, this historic five-room frame cottage at 816 Laporte Avenue is over 100
years old. A longtime fixture along this West Side neighborhood thoroughfare, the house is a
very nice example of working-class residential architecture. The vernacular hipped roof
dwelling, with projecting front gable, exhibits very good integrity. The historic front-gable
frame garage, likely dating to 1927, is also architecturally significant to the property. A non-
historic side gable workshop/garage exists on the property. While built to be compatible with
the architecture of the property, this outbuilding does not have historical or architectural
significance, and is considered a non-contributing element of the property.
BACKGROUND
The Kirby/Wade House is a sin CM
ood h e sandstone foundation. The
house is clad with painted white Bathe o ding, hh red corner boards. It has a
moderately pitched hipped roof wt ct' le. The ble features eave returns and
imbricated shingles in the gable end. The front porch comprises the east half of the fagade. The
porch has Tuscan columns supporting a low pitched hip roof. Two entry doors lead from the
porch to the home's interior, one with a beautiful oval light. A historic hipped-roof mud-porch
extends across most of the rear elevation, with both beadboard and weatherboard siding and
multi-light windows. The rear porch was enlarged, likely in the fall of 1941, when a building
permit was sought for unspecified "repairs on porches & bathroom." The home has very good
architectural integrity.
February 7, 2006 -2- Item No. 20
The property contains a historic, rectangular plan garage, built of white horizontal weatherboard
siding, with red corner boards and trim. This garage likely dates to 1927, when James Wade
received a building permit for a garage, expected to cost $300 to construct. The garage features
a moderately pitched front gable r ith set of paired wood plank
side-hinged garage doors are loc d on southjY
ar access to the garage is
provided by means of a concrete p driv om Aich extends along the east
side of the house. A non-historic ' ab kshng exists on the property.
Built about fifteen years ago, this building apparently utilized older siding and window materials
in its construction, making it appear to be older than it is. While not detracting from the historic
and architectural character of the property as a whole, this building is of too recent construction
to have significance, and would be considered a non-contributing element of the property.
The Kirby/Wade House's first occupants were the family of John and Katherine Kirby. Mr.
Kirby earned his living as a barber. Circa 1920 the home was purchased by Samuel and Zerelda
Wade. Retired, the Wades lived in the home with their two sons. James Wade was a fireman,
and in 1914, when the City Commissioners voted to make the transition from a volunteer fire
department to a paid department, James Wade was hired as one of the city's first professional
fire fighters. When he died, his funeral procession was led by the City's Fire Engine No. 1,
draped in black, and his fellow firefighters served as his honorary pallbearers. In the 1980s, the
Kirby/Wade property became a rental. Tom Trumbower rented the property in the 1990s, and,
following the death of the property' er r ' ence in 1996. Today, the
dwelling serves as the home of To and T b er d " young daughter, Marley.
ATTACHMENTS
• Landmark Preservation Commission staff report dated January 25, 2006.
ORDINANCE NO. 021, 2006
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DESIGNATING THE KIRBY/WADE HOUSE AND HISTORIC GARAGE,
816 LAPORTE AVENUE,
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, enhanc
ement and perpetuati
on of landmarks within the
City; and
WHEREAS,by Resolution dated January 25,2006,the Landmark Preservation Commission
(the"Commission")has determined that the Kirby/Wade House and Historic Garage has individual
significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Designation Standards(1)and(3), as a good example
of a vernacular hipped roof dwelling with projecting front gable, with very good integrity; that the
property, which contains a historic dwelling, historic garage, and non-contributing, non-historic
workshop/garage,is also significant as a very nice example of working-class residential architecture
that has contributed to its Laporte Avenue neighborhood for over 100 years; 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 owner of the property has 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 property known as the Kirby/Wade House and Historic Garage and
the adjacent lands upon which the historical buildings are located, in the City of Fort Collins,
Larimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit:
East'/<of Lot 29 and West Y2 of Lot 30,Block 292,West Side Addition,Fort Collins,
together with the Vacated Portion of Laporte Avenue adjacent to the Property on the
South also known as 816 Laporte Avenue
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 III, of the Code of the City of Fort Collins.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 7th day of
February, A.D. 2006, and to be presented for final passage on th 1st day of February, A.D. 2006.
4Ma ;g6
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 21st day of February, A.D. 2006.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk