HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/05/2006 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 187, 2006, DESIGNA ITEM NUMBER: 10
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: December 5, 2006
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
STAFF: Carol Turner
SUBJECT
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 187,2006,Designating 133-137 South College Avenue(the North
Half of the Colorado Building) as a Local Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Ordinance,unanimously adopted on First Reading on November 21,2006,designates the North
half of the Colorado Building, 133-137 South College Avenue, as a local landmark. The owner of
the property, Ida Siegel, through her son Ed Siegel, as attomey-in-fact, is initiating this request.
ITEM NUMBER: 11
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: November 21, 2006
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
STAFF: Carol Tunner
SUBJECT r, ri D
First Reading of Ordinance No. 187,2006, Designating 133-137 South College Avenue(the North
Half of the Colorado Building) as a Local Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. The Landmark Preservation
Commission,in a public hearing on October 25,2006,approved Resolution 7,2006 recommending
designation of this property for its architectural, historical, and geographical importance to Fort
Collins.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The owner of the property, Id iegel, tUougher on Ed Si el, as attorney-in-fact, is initiating
this request for Local Landmar 37 Sox College Avenue, the north half of
the Colorado Building. The building has individual significance to Fort Collins under Landmark
Preservation Standards (1), (2), and (3).
BACKGROUND
The Colorado Building was designed by prominent Fort Collins architects, Montezuma Fuller and
Arthur M. Garbutt. Both architects are credited with the design of many of Fort Collins' major
buildings in the first decade of the twentieth century. While Fuller was the city's first professionally
trained architect, Garbutt went on to open a highly successful practice serving both Cheyenne and
Casper, Wyoming.
The Colorado Building was com ned 0 , tiz of early twentieth century Fort
Collins: Dr. W.A. Kickland J. ugla is an w one of the community's early
physicians, who set up a very ccess pract rt Co s and was at the forefront of the
movement to expand medical c n James uglass achieved success in the coal
and transfer business, and invested in commercial real estate in the burgeoning community of Fort
Collins:he owned a half interest in the Colorado Building. The large building was a major addition
to the College Avenue commercial corridor, and was intended to serve primarily as an office
building for physicians. After the establishment of the Larimer County Hospital (now Poudre
Valley Hospital), most local physicians relocated their offices nearer to that facility, and other
professional tenants (including dentists, insurance agents and lawyers) gradually replaced the
doctors in the Colorado Building's second floor office spaces. The ground floor was occupied by
a variety of commercial enterprises.
November 21, 2006 -2- Item No. 11
According to city directories, Damm's Bakery and Wolfer's Market, both in an assortment of
incarnations,occupied the two northern storefronts. Wolfer's Market operated at 137 South College
Avenue from the building's opening to 1941,when they moved south on College Avenue. In 1908,
Albert Damm, a German mum , u 1 's- nfectionary shop at 133 South
College Avenue and continued is wi s bak si ss, lasted until 1936. The Damm's
Bakery ghost sign on the north 'de, sec d flo o e Color o Building was possibly painted in
the 1920's or early 1930's, one ci ' li ost s' , by Stewart Case. The bakery's
telephone number was easy to read—this was still the era of asking the operator to connect you with
"Sherwood 29", instead of direct dialing. hi 1942, Julian's moved from its location at 114 South
College to the Wolfer's Market space. Mr. Siegel had hired a prominent Chicago architect to design
a shop equal to the finest in Denver, and Julian's"Smart Fashions"had another renaissance. Its Art
Deco storefront still exists. This type of architecture had its demise throughout the country when
owners of quality clothing stores rebuilt to give themselves more floor space for displaying
merchandise. To staff s knowledge, the Julian's storefront may be the only such storefront
remaining in the country.
In circa 1957, ownership of the northern half of the building changed hands from Earl Douglass to
Julian Siegel. From 1942 until 1985,Julian's shared the Northern half of the street level Colorado
Building with Hughes Men's Wear. In 1985,Mr. Siegel rented both his store and the adjacent shop
to Pat Tally, owner of Life of the Party. In 2003, the Northern-most space was rented to Jimmy
John's restaurant; and in Nov 0 ' e P d to a new location on East
Mountain.
For nearly one hundred years,th ra di bee ominent landmark in the College
Avenue commercial corridor. Its enduring presence continues to add to the overall character and
charm of downtown Fort Collins.
Ida Siegel,widow of Julian, still owns the northern half of the building. Today, she and her son Ed
are about to restore the building to its appearance in the heyday of Julian's beginnings to both honor
their loved one and to preserve a unique period of American history in general and Fort Collins
history in particular.
ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE
Constructed in 1906, the Colorado Building is an imposing two-story brick commercial building
situated on the west side of South College Avenue in downtown Fort Collins, between Mountain
Avenue and Oak Street. It is flanked on the north and south sides by one story commercial
buildings. These one story bu' o do Building allowed for the
painting of a `Ghost Sign' on t north vatio o t t ainted in the late 1920's or early
1930's, the ghost sign is an ad =I ad fo amous D m's Bakery. The sign can still be
read fairly well despite weathe p n. alread ted, Damm's Bakery was located
in the Colorado Building for a number of years. This sign is not only significant of the building's
history, but it shows the character of"Old Town Fort Collins."
The symmetrically arranged facade is constructed of buff-colored brick laid in stretcher bond. The
flat parapet roof is crowned by a projecting cornice decorated with acanthus leaf modillions and
dentils. Below the cornice is a repeating raised brickwork pattern of inverted terraced triangular
elements with dentils running the length of the facade. The second story is fenestrated with eight
November 21, 2006 -3- Item No. 11
symmetrically disposed square windows,each having a flat arch lintel formed of radiating segments
of soldier course brick. The central `keystone' of each lintel is formed of projecting brick. The
northern four windows appear to be original,and consist of tandem double-hung one-over-one wood
sash units, separated by a centra Won w' ul ane lead-glass transom above.
The ground floor of the buildi fea4 a rec e c al ) entry with an elliptical arched
opening formed of radiating b . Abo the ar i erra co panel bearing the building's name
in block letters: `COLORADO IN is n entry sses a short tile-covered stairway
leading to a grand staircase with a landing midway. In 1991, Mr. Siegel's son, Ed, beautifully
restored/remodeled the offices on the building's second floor.
Directly north of the central entry remains the unique former Julian's storefront, at 137 South
College Avenue. It features a distinctive white marble signboard and gracefully inward-curving
display windows, the tops of which are also sheathed in white marble with elegant black Carrara
glass kick panels. These display windows flank a deeply recessed entry leading to an aluminum-
framed glazed door. The entry floor, paved with high quality terrazzo, includes the famous
`Julian's'name to this day. The entrance at 133 South College Avenue features a terraced,recessed
entry of glazed display cases leading to a single light sash door flanked by sidelights. The tops of
these display cases are clad in milled wooden panels with molding designs and the kick panels have
been covered with wood panels to match those above.
As noted, the building's store av al a o imes in conjunction with the
installation and improvement is v stor o ce pite changes made to the ground
floor,overall,the Colorado Bu ing reta s a su t is degre f exterior integrity and commands
attention as an imposing eleme e o Aven reetscape.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution 7, 2006 of the Landmark Preservation Commission recommending Local
Landmark Designation of the North Half of the Colorado Building, 133-137 South College
Avenue.
2. Historic Landmark Designation Nomination Form
COPY
ORDINANCE NO. 187, 2006
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DESIGNATING 133-137 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE
(THE NORTH HALF OF THE COLORADO BUILDING)
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, AS AN HISTORIC 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 historic landmarks within
the City; and
WHEREAS,by Resolution dated October 25,2006,the Landmark Preservation Commission
("Commission")has determined that 133-137 South College Avenue(the North Halfofthe Colorado
Building), Fort Collins, Colorado has significance to the City in that it represents architectural,
historical, and geographical importance; 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 local
landmark, and has recommended to the City Council that said property be designated by the City
Council as a local landmark; and
WHEREAS, the owner of the property desires to memorialize the legacy ofJulian Siegel in
the rare Art Deco, 1942 storefront and 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 and approved the recommendation of the
Commission and desires to designate said property as an historic landmark.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That 133-137 South College Avenue (the North Half of the Colorado
Building), described as follows, to wit:
LOTS 7 & 8, BLK 1 11, in the City of Fort Collins, Latimer County, Colorado
is hereby designated as an historic 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 above described building shall 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 21st day of
November,A.D.2006,and to be presented for final passage on t th day of December,A.D.2006.
ATTEST: Mayor
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 5th day of December, A.D. 2006.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk