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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/18/2007 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 153, 2007, DESIGNAT ITEM NUMBER: 19 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: December 18, 2007 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Karen McWilliams SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 153, 2007, Designating the Hoel House, 616 Locust Street, Fort Collins, Colorado, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code. RECOMMEN DATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. At a public hearing held on November 14, 2007, the Landmark Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend designation of this property as a landmark for its historical and architectural significance to Fort Collins. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The owners of the property, Ellen Richey and Douglas Simons, are initiating this request for Landmark designation. The residence has individual significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Preservation Standard (2), for its association with its prominent designer, Montezuma Fuller, and for its owner, Dr. George L. Hoel; and under g e Standard as a very good representation(3), rY g ep anon of Fuller's trademark eclectic combination of architectural styles. BACKGROUND History and Architecture The Hoel House at 616 Locust was designed by Montezuma Fuller as an office and residence for Dr. George L. Hoel. Dr. Hoel, who owned one of Fort Collins' first automobiles, was a well-known citizen,active in many local affairs. He moved to Fort Collins in 1900,after graduation from Barnes Medical College of St.Louis and post-graduate work at the Medical School of Chicago. Montezuma Fuller, Fort Collins' first professionally trained architect, designed more than seventy-five distinct Fort Collins buildings during his career. This house is an example of Fuller's unique approach to residential architecture,combining elements of Victorian,Prairie,and Italianate design. Faced with a growing practice, Dr. Hoel had purchased this property at 208 South College Avenue in May of 1903, and retained Montezuma Fuller to design a mixed-use residence/office. Constructed in 1904, the distinctive design of the Hoel House combines elements of Prairie, Victorian, and Italianate styles in an eclectic manner. The Prairie style is one of the few indigenous December 18, 2007 -2- Item No. 19 American styles. Frank Lloyd Wright is the acknowledged master of the Prairie House. The Hoel House uses the asymmetrical,hipped form of Prairie,popularized by Wright about 1900. Fuller also combined several elements of Victorian architecture in the Hoel House—a polygonal"mock-tower" side bay from the Queen Anne variant, and the asymmetrical L shape from the Second Empire variant. Fuller also used the simple windows, plain classical porch supports, and dormer from the Shingle variant. Italianate features incorporated in to Fuller's plan include low-pitched roofs with widely overhanging eaves; tall, narrow windows; porches; and doors in the same shape as the windows. Following the deaths of George Hoel and his wife,Clara,the home was moved to its current location on Locust Street, to facilitate redevelopment of College Avenue. At the time of the move, the house's roof was removed to better fit under electric lines, and was rebuilt in a simplified manor. While this alteration has changed the appearance of the building somewhat,the Hoel House retains a preponderance of its Montezuma Fuller-designed architectural integrity. Planning, Development & Transportation Services 6�M& 01 City Planning it Community Development fcgov.com/cityplanning City of Fort Collins RESOLUTION 6,2007 OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDING LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF THE HOEL HOUSE 616 LOCUST,FORT COLLINS, COLORADO WHEREAS, it is a matter of public policy that the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of sites, structures, objects, and districts of historical, architectural, or geographic significance, located within the city, are a public necessity and are required in the interest of the prosperity, civic pride and general welfare of the people; and WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the City Council that the economic, cultural and aesthetic standing of this city cannot be maintained or enhanced by disregarding the historical, architectural and geographical heritage of the city and by ignoring the destruction or defacement of such cultural assets; and WHEREAS, the Hoel House has individual significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Standard(2)for its association with its prominent designer Montezuma Fuller and its owner Dr. George L. Hoel; and Landmark Standard(3) for its architectural importance as an outstanding example of Fuller's eclectic combination of architectural styles; and WHEREAS, the Landmark Preservation Commission has determined that the Hoel House meets the criteria of a landmark as set forth in Section 14-5 of the code and is eligible for designation as a Fort Collins Landmark; and WHEREAS, the owners of the property, Ellen Richey and Douglas Simons, have consented to such landmark designation. NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Landmark Preservation Commission of the City of Fort Collins as follows: Section 1. That the property known as the Hoel House, and the adjacent lands upon which the historical resources are located, in the City of Fort Collins, Latimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit: LOT 13, BLK 178,FTC also known as 616 Locust be designated as a Fort Collins Landmark in accordance with Chapter 14 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins. 281 North College Avenue . PO Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 . 970-221-6376 FAX 970-224-6111 . TDD 970-224-6002 9 cityplanning@fcgov.com Landmark Preservation Commission Resolution No.6,2007 Hoel House, 616 Locust. Page 2 Section 2. That the criteria contained in Section 14-48 of the Municipal Code will serve as the standards by which alterations, additions and other changes to 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. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Landmark Preservation Commission of the City of Fort Collins held this 14th day of November,A.D. 2007. rs- }so McGee, Chair JATTE C Sec /St ' City Planning 3 • r Community Development 281 N College Av PO Box 580 City of Fort Collins1 Fort Collins.CO 90522-0560 970.221.8376 .f 970.224.6111 fax 970.224.6002 TDD .-gov.wm/c/typtanning LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION November 14,2007 STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Local Landmark Designation of the Hoel House, 616 Locust,Fort Collins, Colorado STAFF CONTACT: Karen McWilliams,Historic Preservation Planner; Blake Stewart, Historic Preservation Intern APPLICANT: Ellen Richey and Douglas Simons, Owners BACKGROUND: Staff is very pleased to present for your consideration the Fort Collins Landmark designation of 616 Locust. The owners of the property, Ellen Richey and Douglas Simons,are initiating this request for Landmark designation for the house. The building has individual significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Preservation Standard(2) for its association with its prominent designer Montezuma Fuller and its owner Dr. George L. Hoel; and Standard(3) for Fuller's eclectic combination of architectural styles. HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE: The Hoel House at 616 Locust was designed by Montezuma Fuller, the city's first professionally trained architect, as an office/residence for Dr. George L. Hoel. Fuller designed more than seventy-five distinct Fort Collins buildings during his career. The house is an example of Fuller's unique residential style of architecture, combining elements of Victorian, Prairie, and Italianate design. Hoel moved to Fort Collins in 1900 after graduation from Barnes Medical College of St. Louis in 1898 and following post-graduate work at the Medical School of Chicago. Faced with a growing practice, Dr. Hoel purchased property on College Avenue to the south of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in May of 1903. Hoel retained Montezuma Fuller to design a residence/office at 208 South College. Fuller's plan was completed in August 1903; the firm of Butler and McDaniels began construction that September. Dr. Hoel and his family took residence in January, 1904. Hoel, his wife Clara, and son Lee typify the "leading lights" of Fort Collins in the early twentieth century. In 1915, Dr. Hoel commissioned the construction of the brick building that is now the Aggic Theater, razing the boarding house he owned at that location. He died May 22, 1916 following an automobile accident. Clara Hoel occupied the residence at 208 South College until her death in 1956. The house was moved to its present location at 616 Locust circa 1957. ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE—Constructed in 1904, the distinctive design of the Hoel House combines elements of Prairie, Victorian, and Italianate styles in a unique, eclectic manner. The Prairie style is one of the few indigenous American styles. Frank Lloyd Wright's early work is in this style; he is the acknowledged master of the Prairie house. The Hoel House uses the asymmetrical, hipped form of Prairie, popularized by Wright about 1900. Victorian architecture had many variants; Fuller combined several of those elements in the Hoel House — a polygonal "mock-tower" side bay from the Queen Anne variant, and the asymmetrical L shape from the Second Empire variant. Fuller also used the simple windows,plain classical porch supports, and dormer from the Shingle variant. Italianate style combines low-pitched roofs with widely overhanging eaves;tall, narrow windows; porches; and doors in the same shape as the windows. Fuller incorporated all these features, blending them into the asymmetrical forms of Prairie and Victorian era used in the Hoel House. The house was moved to 616 Locust circa 1957. At the time of the move,minor alterations were made. While these alterations have slightly changed the appearance of the building, the Hoel House retains its architectural integrity, remaining visually and structurally faithful to Fuller's design. Even with these changes, the building has retained the distinct features that were present in January of 1904 when the Hoel family moved in. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approving the request for designation of the Hoel House at 616 Locust under Standards(2)and(3) for its association with Montezuma Fuller and Dr. George L.Hoel,and its eclectic combination of architectural styles. where renewal is a way of life Planning,Development, and Transportation Services Historic Preservation Office PO Box 580 6a Fort Collins,CO 80522-0580 970-221-6376 City of Fort Collins Historic Landmark Designation Nomination Form DATE: October 17, 2007 LOCATION INFORMATION: Address: 616 Locust, Ft. Collins, CO 80524 Legal Description: LOT 13, BLK 178, FTC Property Name (historic and/or common): The Hoel House OWNER INFORMATION: Name: Ellen Richey Phone: (970) 472-1169 Address: 520 N. Sherwood St. Unit 27, Ft. Collins, CO, 80521 CLASSIFICATION Category Ownership Status Present Use Existing Designation ® Building ❑ Public ® Occupied ❑ Commercial ❑ National Register ❑ Structure ® Private ❑ Unoccupied ❑ Educational ❑ State Register ❑ Site ❑ Religious ❑ Object ® Residential ❑ District ❑ Entertainment ❑ Government ❑ Other FORM PREPARED BY: Name and Title: Blake Stewart,Historic Preservation Intem Address: City of Fort Collins, City Planning and Community Development,P.O.Box 580, Fart Collins, Colorado, 80522 Phone: (970)221-6376 Relationship to Owner: None Revised 09-2004 Page 1 TYPE OF DESIGNATION and BOUNDARIES ® Individual Landmark Property ❑ Landmark District Explanation of Boundaries: The boundaries of the property proposed for designation correspond to the legal description of the property, above. SIGNIFICANCE Properties that possess exterior integrity are eligible for designation as Fort Collins Landmarks or Fort Collins Landmark Districts if they meet one(1)or more of the following standards for designation: ❑ Standard 1: The property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of history; ® Standard 2: The property is associated with the lives of persons significant in history; ® Standard 3: The property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; ❑ Standard 4: The property has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Not every 104 year-old house can boast of spending 54 years at one location and 50 years at another, as well as having a unique design by a renowned architect, and a colorful owner. The Hoel House at 616 Locust can. The Hoel House meets the criteria for Fort Collins Landmark Designation under Standards 2 and 3. The building was designed by Montezuma W.Fuller for Dr. George L.Hoel. Fuller is significant as Fort Collins' first architect,the only one in residence for many years. Hoel is significant as an example of a`leading light", a prosperous newcomer who contributed to Fort Collins' move into the modern era of the early twentieth century. Due to its direct associations with both Montezuma Fuller and Dr.George L.Hoel,this house is significant under Standard 2. Designed as an office/residence, the structure's eclectic combination of styles emphasizes Fuller's refl sal to be limited to one particular style in his residential designs. It clearly is the work of a master and represents a significant and distinguishable entity. As such,it is a striking example of Fuller's position as an innovative architect and is significant under Standard 3. HISTORICAL INFORMATION The house at 616 Locust, constructed in 1903, is significant for its association with its designer, Montezuma Fuller,the most important of Fort Collins' early architects. Fuller designed more than Revised 09-2004 Page 2 seventy-five distinct Fort Collins buildings during his career. The house is an example of Fuller's unique residential style of architecture,combining elements of Victorian,Prairie, and Italianate design. Bom in Nova Scotia on November 13, 1858,Montezuma Fuller came to Fort Collins, Colorado,in 1880. Fuller is an example of a self-made man: one who went west,persevered, and prospered. Although he lacked formal training in architecture,Fuller combined his prior experience as a boatwright or ship's carpenter with self-training and creative talent to become Fort Collins' premier architect in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Arriving coincident with a building boom in Fort Collins,Fuller found work at the Agricultural College(now Colorado State University) and with various local contractors. By 1887,Fuller was known as a"carpenter and builder"and had opened an iron shop. Designing and building brick and stone houses for a growing list of clients,Fuller's work included public buildings and private residences located primarily in Fort Collins as well as designs for structures in surrounding communities. He reached the peak of his career in 1897 with the design of the First National Bank building in the Avery Block. His most profitable years likely came a decade later when he designed the YMCA and another bank building. Fuller continued working until his death on January 29, 1925, Fuller's work reflected a variety of styles. His public buildings often featured stone arches of the Richardson Romanesque style set below ornate cornices. He occasionally continued this in smaller buildings,but here he generally used a more decorative style. This house represents Fuller's stylistic individualism,combining multiple influences in a distinct manner. An eclectic Foursquare variant, the structure combines elements of Victorian,Prairie, and Italianate styling. The structure's asymmetrical box shape; low-pitched,hipped roof with deep overhanging eaves; tall narrow windows;and two-story side bay emphasize Fuller's refusal to be limited to one particular style in his residential designs. The house was commissioned by Dr. George L. Heel as a residence and office. As an individual, Dr. Hoel personifies the era of tremendous growth and prosperity era that followed the depression of the 1890s. Hoel moved to Fort Collins in 1900 after graduation from Barnes Medical College of St. Louis in 1898 and following post-graduate work at the Medical School of Chicago. Faced with a growing practice,Dr. Heel purchased property on College Avenue to the south of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in May of 1903. Hoel retained Montezuma Fuller to design a residenceloffice at 208 South College. Fuller's plan was completed in August 1903;the firm of Butler and McDaniels began construction that September. Dr. Hoel and his family took residence in January, 1904. In 1905,Hoel also built a 10 room boarding house at what was then 206 South College,site of today's Aggie Theatre. Hoel,his wife Clara, and son Lee typify the"leading lights"of Fort Collins in the early twentieth century. Dr. Hoel had a thriving medical practice,was appointed physician of the city board of health,a member of numerous local fraternal organizations,part owner(along with mayor Sam Clammer)of a gold-mining enterprise,golf enthusiast, and early devotee of the automobile. The Hoels presented or were guests at numerous dinner parties and soirees. Their son Lee was a medal-winning member of the high school track team. Dr. Heel appears in the local newspapers often,assisting at medical emergencies,trailed by wolves while returning on horseback from treating a patient outside of town,winning golf tournaments,testifying at inquests and court cases, and as the recipient of speeding tickets(no mean feat in a city with unpaved streets). In 1915, Dr.Hoel commissioned the construction of the brick building that is now the Aggie theater,razing the boarding house he owned at that location. He died May 22, 1916 following an automobile accident. Clara Hoet occupied the residence at 208 South College until her death in 1956. The house was moved to its present location at 616 Locust circa 1957. Placed on a basement foundation,the basement area became a separate apartment addressed as 618 Locust. Latimer county records list Leo Gormally as owner;City Directories list various occupants at both addresses until 1972. In 1972,Henry Frahm purchased the property and is listed at 616 Locust in the 1972— 1985 City Directories. Various occupants are listed at 618 Locust. Latimer Country records show that the house was purchased from Henry Frahm by the current owner,Ellen Richey,in May 1985. Revised 09-2004 Page 3 City Directory records show 616 occupied by Richey from 1985— 1999,then by various occupants to the present,while 618 lists various occupants throughout the 1985—2007 timeframe. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION Construction Date: 1903 Architect/Builder:Montezuma W.Fuller/Butler and McDaniels Building Materials: Concrete block foundation,wood frame with lapped board siding, composition shingled roof Architectural Style: The distinctive design of the Hoel House combines elements of Prairie,Victorian, and Italianate styles in a unique, eclectic manner. The Prairie style is one of the few indigenous American styles. Prairie was developed by a creative group of Chicago architects known who came to be known as the Prairie School. Frank Lloyd Wright's early work is in this style;he is the acknowledged master of the Prairie house. The Hoel House uses the asymmetrical, hipped form of Prairie,popularized by Wright about 1900. Fuller's design incorporates a low-pitched hipped roof,with a front fagade dominated by a canted bay tower and a broad porch covering the L-shape of the first floor. The roof features widely overhanging eaves. As intended by both Wright and Fuller,these features draw the eye away from the structure's front entrance,rendering the entrance inconspicuous. In a unique touch,Fuller added asymmetry to asymmetry,placing a decorative oval window on the second floor above the entrance. This draws the eye upward,rendering the front entrance even more inconspicuous. Victorian styles were popular in the United States from about 1860 to 1900—a period when rapid industrialization and the westward march of the railroads led to dramatic changes in American house design and construction. New framing techniques allowed architects like Fuller to design houses that were extravagantly shaped, also making use of detailed,inexpensive,mass-produced components like doors, windows,and roofing that could be delivered cheaply via the expanding railroad system. Victorian architecture had many variants;Fuller combined several of those elements in the Hoel House—a polygonal "mock-tower"side bay from the Queen Anne variant, and the asymmetrical L shape from the Second Empire variant. Fuller also used the simple windows,plain classical porch supports, and dormer from the Shingle variant. Popular in the 1880— 1900s, Shingle style was a uniquely American adaptation of Victorian architecture. The Italianate style was most common between 1850 and 1880. It was especially prevalent in the towns and cities of the Midwest, as well as San Francisco prior to the 1906 earthquake. Italianate style combines low- pitched roofs with widely overhanging eaves; tall,narrow windows;porches; and doors in the same shape as the windows. Fuller incorporated all these features,blending them into the asymmetrical forms of Prairie and Victorian era used in the Hoel House. Italianate windows combine traditional rectangular tops with arched or curved crowns. Fuller's design incorporated the rectangular style, common also to Prairie,but added an oval window that features a variant of the decorated,hooded surround common to some Italianate windows. The house was moved to 616 Locust circa 1957. At the time of the move,minor alterations were made: the dormer and chimneys were removed,roof eaves above the bay were squared off,and the columns supporting the porch were replaced with decorative iron supports. While these alterations have slightly changed the appearance of the building,the Hoel House retains its architectural integrity,remaining visually and structurally faithful to Fuller's design. Even with these changes,the building has retained the distinct features that were present in January of 1904 when the Hoel family moved in. Revised 09-2004 Page 4 REFERENCE LIST or SOURCES of INFORMATION Building Permit Records for 208 South College Cemetery Records,Grandview Cemetery,Fort Collins,Colorado Charles Hagemeister file from Fort Collins Local History Archives Special Collections Colorado Historic Newspaper Archives—http://www.colomdohistoricnewsnaners.org Colorado State University Department of History Website- http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Hist/mosman.html Evadene Burris Swanson, "Fort Collins Yesterdays", (Fort Collins, Colo.: George and Hildegarde Morgan, 1993). Fort Collins City Directories, 1903—present Fort Collins Local History Archives Vertical Files James R. Miller,"Historical Sketches:Fort Collins and Larimer County, Colorado', (Fort Collins,Colo.: Public Library, 1965),28, 189,203,280,637. Larimer County Assessor property record for 616/618 Locust Online photograph database from Fort Collins Local History Archives Residential Property Record Cards from Fort Collins Local History Archives Virginia and Lee McAlester, "A Field Guide to American Houses",(New York:Alfred A.Knopf, 1984). FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date Determined "Eligible" Ordinance# Application within last 12 months? D Yes ❑ No Date Recorded Revised 09-2004 Page 5 AGREEMENT The undersigned owner(s)hereby agrees that the property described herein be considered for local historic landmark designation, pursuant to the Fort Collins Landmark Preservation Ordinance, Chapter 14 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins. I understand that upon designation, I or my successors will be requested to notify the Secretary of the Landmark Preservation Commission at the City of Fort Collins prior to the occurrence of any of the following: 1. Preparation of plans for the reconstruction or alteration of the exterior of improvements on the property; 2. Preparation of plans for the construction, alteration, relocation or demolition of improvements on the property. DATED this day of 200_2. Owner Name (please print) Owner Signature State Of )Ss. County of ) Subscribed and sworn before me.this day of � 200 7 , by cu am A. j)o% ,5la s S„rv.c>v.s Witness my hand and official seal. My co ission expires Notary Public ESHArRON .THOMAS Public Colorado Revised 09-2006 Page 7 ~� ANY.�4 4��( '�,+' - - 'raw'•Eia Sf vf�'��. l•� �l ('�� i2 =�,r wr AL �T` .La:r.... p .rf 5 p s f,�a- OPP m _ GO Y Al . la�P9Mjamm�.ittiluhw+ u.a�� )Imr�, ' TIM ' q - - i DR. (7 V,O. H, 3f0A:L�H 12Y,`l1U Y:NCF. ORDINANCE NO. 153, 2007 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS DESIGNATING THE HOEL HOUSE, 616 LOCUST 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 November 14, 2007, the Landmark Preservation Commission (the "Commission") has determined that the Hoel House has individual significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Preservation Standard (2), for its association with its prominent designer,Montezuma Fuller,and for its owner,Dr.George L.Hoel;and under Preservation Standard (3), as a very good representation of Fuller's trademark eclectic combination of architectural styles; 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 property known as the Hoel House and the adjacent lands upon which the historical building is located, in the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit: Lot 13 Block 178, Fort Collins also known as 616 Locust 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 criteria contained in Section 14-48 of the City Code 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 P , the Code of the City of Fort Collins. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 18th day of December, A.D. 2007, and to be presented for final passage on the 15th day of January,A.D. 2008. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 15th day of January, A.D. 2008. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk