HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/01/2003 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 046, 2003, DESIGNA AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 11
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: April 1, 2003FROM:
Karen McWilliams
SUBJECT:
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 046, 2003, Designating the Darrah House, 612 South College
Avenue, 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 owner of the property, Judith Reid, initiated this request for Fort Collins Landma6.
designation for the Darrah House. The Darrah House qualifies for designation under Landmark
Standards 14-5 (A) "Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the
broad patterns of history;" (B) "Association with the lives of persons significant in history;" and
(C) "Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction."
Ordinance No. 046, 2003 was unanimously adopted on First Reading on March 25, 2003,
designating the Darrah House, located at 612 South College Avenue, a Fort Collins Landmark.
• ORDINANCE NO. 046, 2003
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DESIGNATING THE DARRAH HOUSE,
612 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE,FORT COLL NS, 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 February 26,2003 the Landmark Preservation Commission
(the"Commission")has determined that the Darrah House has individual significance to Fort Collins
under Landmark Designation Standards (A), (B), and(C), as the property has been a recognizable
feature of the community for just under one hundred years,reflecting the prevailing architectural and
social standards for upper middle class professional families at the turn of the century; additionally,
the home is significant for its association with Sanford Darrah, early Fort Collins attorney;
furthermore, the house is a good example of the Colonial Revival style of architecture, popular
during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; 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 historically known as the Darrah House,located on lands in the
City of Fort Collins,Latimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit:
Commencing on the West line of Lot 8, Block 126, Fort Collins, 10 feet North of the Northwest
Comer of Lot 9, thence North 60 feet, East 140 feet, South 60 feet, West 140 feet to the point of
beginning also known as 612 South College 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,this 25th day of March,A.D. 2003,and to
be presented for final passage on the 1st day of April, A.D. 2003.
Mayor
ATTEST: ll
J
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading this 1st day of April, A.D. 2003.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 15
DATE: March 18, 2003
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL FROM:
Karen McWilliams
SUBJECT:
First Reading of Ordinance No. 046, 2003, Designating the Darrah House, 612 South College
Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City
Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Landmark PreservationChngf
si an to recomm d adoption of the Ordinance on
First Reading. At a public he Fe ary 26, 003, the Landmark Preservation
Commission voted unanimously to recommend designation of this property as a landmark for its
individual significance to Fort Collins.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The owner of the property, Judith Reid, is initiating this request for Fort Collins Landmark
designation for the Darrah House, e Ho ualifies for designation under Landmark
Standards 14-5 (A) "Associa on wr ents a av m e significant contribution to the
broad patterns of history;" (B `Associ on w t lives ofrsons significant in history;" and
(C) "Embodies the distinctive Sri a e, period r method of construction."
Significance and Integrity:
For just under one hundred years, this building has been a recognizable feature on Fort Collins'
busiest street. Constructed in 1904, the Darrah House is reflective of the prevailing architectural
and social standards for upper middle class professional families at the turn of the century. This
striking two-story house represents the Colonial Revival style of architecture, which was popular
during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The home features a symmetrical fagade
with an accentuated front door that displa s decorative sand a pediment supported by
fluted columns. Symmetrical ulh i wi oden lintels and shutter trim
also grace the facade. T side a vatio , multi-light bay windows.
Constructed with a wood fron rete Jpy
nse isclad in narrow, lapped
clapboard. Wood shingles coverta low-pl c edpped r
Garrison &Halpin built the house at 612 South College for Sanford and Anna Darrah at the cost
of $4000. Mr. Darrah was born in Mount Blanchard, Ohio, on May 9, 1859. He married Anna
Reiley, the daughter of Dr. W.F. Reiley of Sardinia, Indiana, on August 11, 1892. Mr. Darrah
was an attorney and notary public. In 1906, the City Directory listed the Darrah's home address
as 612 South College; however, by 1907, the couple had disappeared from the record. Alpha
Kappa Epsilon occupied the residence from 1908-1911, and the Tau Alpha Fraternity utilized it
from 1913-1914. In 1917, 612 S. College housed the San Juan Club, a private boarding house
for students and graduates. In 1936, Elvin D. and Jesse H. Russ purchased the house and
remodeled it into four apartments, changing the name to the Colonial Apartments. In 1979, the
Darrah House was rehabilitated to serve as office space. Judith A. Reid, a noted consultant in
Teaching English as a Second Language, currently owns the residence.
DATE: ITEM NUMBER: 15
While the house has undergone several small renovation projects since its construction in 1904,
the Darrah House exhibits good integrity relative to other extant Colonial Revival dwellings in
Fort Collins. Non-original alterations to the property include modifications to the back porch
and stairway, and to the front stoop. A decorative "612" of stained glass is inset in the front door
pediment, replacing the original sunburst pattern. Diamond-shaped glass-marble insets have
been added to the first story windows on the fagade, and the lintels on the second floor fagade
windows are non-historic. These alterations do not detract significantly from the Darrah
House's ability to portray the Colonial Revival architectural style.