HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/21/2015 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 050, 2015, DESIGNATAgenda Item 9
Item # 9 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY April 21, 2015
City Council
STAFF
Karen McWilliams, Historic Preservation Planner
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 050, 2015, Designating the Longyear Property, 719 Remington Street, Fort
Collins, Colorado, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to designated the Longyear Property, 719 Remington Street, as a Fort Collins
Landmark. The property is eligible for Landmark recognition for its significance under Landmark Standard C,
Design/Construction. The dwelling has great architectural merit as a well preserved representation of early
twentieth century Victorian-era vernacular architecture. The locally rare two-bay garage contains a very
unusual Mission style parapet façade. The Longyear Property has additional significance under Landmark
Standard B, for its association with Colorado Agricultural College professor Burton O. Longyear, who
contributed substantially to the fields of forestry and horticulture.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
In 1904, A.F. Huleatt constructed an eight room “modern” residence at 719 Remington Street for Colorado
Agricultural College (CAC) Horticulture and Botany professor Burton O. Longyear. Longyear, who began his
teaching career at CAC that year, was both a scrupulous scientist and inspiring educator. He published a
number of bulletins, and at least two books, dealing with the horticulture of the Rocky Mountain region. His
“Shade Trees of Denver” publication had considerable impact on Denver’s ornamental horticulture. In 1909 he
was appointed head of the newly-established Department of Botany and Forestry at CAC. Around that same
time a degree program in forestry was created under Longyear’s advisement, with its first graduate in 1912. In
1911, Longyear was appointed to the position of Colorado State Forester. He served in that position until 1915.
He returned to teaching at CAC where he stayed until retirement in the 1930s.
Longyear's Remington Street home is a very nice example of early twentieth century Victorian-era vernacular
architecture in Fort Collins. Character-defining details include a nearly full-width, covered front porch with
column supports, decorative shingles in the gable ends and on dormers, and windows with decorative sashes.
The two-bay garage at the rear of the property, constructed with a very unique Mission style parapet façade,
could qualify for individual Landmark designation in its own right, but is nonetheless a significant contributing
element to this property.
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
Recognition of this property as a Fort Collins Landmark enables its owners to qualify for local financial
incentive programs available only to Landmark designated properties. Due to its listing on the National and
State Registers, the property owner already qualifies for state and federal financial programs for historic
preservation. Based upon research conducted by Clarion Associates, the property should see an increase in
value following designation. Clarion Associates attributed this increase to the fact that future owners will also
Agenda Item 9
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qualify for the financial incentives; the perception that designated properties are better maintained; the appeal
of owning a recognized historic landmark; and the assurance of predictability that design review offers.
BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The Landmark Preservation Commission recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. At a
public hearing held on January 14, 2015, the Landmark Preservation Commission voted unanimously to
recommend designation of this property under Designation Standards (B) and (C), for its architectural
significance to Fort Collins and for its association with Colorado Agricultural College professor Burton O.
Longyear.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map (PDF)
2. Landmark Nomination (PDF)
3. Owner Consent (PDF)
4. Photos (PDF)
5. Landmark Preservation Commission Resolution 1, 2015 (PDF)
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719 Remington Street,
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ATTACHMENT 1
Revised 08-2014 Page 1
Fort Collins Landmark Designation
LOCATION INFORMATION:
Address: 719 Remington Street, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
Legal Description: North 1/2 of the North 1/2 of Lot 1, Block 127, Fort Collins.
Property Name (historic and/or common): The Longyear Property
OWNER INFORMATION:
Name: James Danella
Email: jdanella@gmail.com
Address: 719 Remington Street, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
CLASSIFICATION
Category Ownership Status Present Use Existing
Designation
Building Public Occupied Commercial Nat’l Register
Structure Private Unoccupied Educational State Register
Site Religious
Object Residential
District Entertainment
Government
Other
FORM PREPARED BY:
Name and Title: Josh Weinberg, Historic Preservation Planner
Address: City of Fort Collins, Historic Preservation Department, 281 North College Avenue,
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Phone: 970-224-6206
Email: jweinberg@fcgov.com
Prepared January 5, 2015.
Planning, Development & Transportation
Community Development & Neighborhood Services
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580
ATTACHMENT 2
Revised 08-2014 Page 2
TYPE OF DESIGNATION and BOUNDARIES
Individual Landmark Property Landmark District
Explanation of Boundaries:
The boundaries of the property to be designated correspond to the legal description of the
property, above.
SIGNIFICANCE and EXTERIOR INTEGRITY
Properties are eligible for designation if they possess both significance and integrity. Significance
is the importance of a site, structure, object or district to the history, architecture, archeology,
engineering or culture of our community, State or Nation. Integrity is the ability of a site, structure,
object or district to be able to convey its significance.
Significance:
Standard A: Events. This property is associated with events that have made a recognizable
contribution to the broad patterns of the history of the community, State or Nation. It is associated
with either (or both) of these two (2) types of events:
1. A specific event marking an important moment in Fort Collins prehistory or history;
and/or
2. A pattern of events or a historic trend that made a recognizable contribution to the
development of the community, State or Nation.
Standard B: Persons/Groups. This property is associated with the lives of persons or groups of
persons recognizable in the history of the community, State or Nation whose specific contributions
to that history can be identified and documented.
Standard C: Design/Construction. This property embodies the identifiable characteristics of a
type, period or method of construction; represents the work of a craftsman or architect whose
work is distinguishable from others by its characteristic style and quality; possesses high artistic
values or design concepts; or is part of a recognizable and distinguishable group of properties.
Standard D: Information potential. This property has yielded, or may be likely to yield,
information important in prehistory or history.
Integrity:
Location. This property is located where it was originally constructed or where an historic
event occurred.
Design. This property retains a combination of elements that create its historic form, plan
space, structure, and style.
Setting. This property retains a character and relationship with its surroundings that reflect how
and where it was originally situated in relation to its surrounding features and open space.
Materials. This property retains much of the historic physical elements that originally formed
the property.
Workmanship. This property possesses evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people
during any given period in history or prehistory. This consists of evidence of artisans' labor and
skill in constructing or altering the building, structure or site.
Feeling. This property expresses the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period or time.
This results from the presence of physical features that, taken together, convey the property's
historic character.
Association. This property retains an association, or serves as a direct link to, an important
historic event or person. It retains association if it is the place where the event or activity occurred
and is sufficiently intact to convey that relationship to an observer. Like feeling, association
requires the presence of physical features that convey a property's historic character.
Revised 08-2014 Page 3
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
The principal structure at 719 Remington Street is significant under Landmark Designation
Standard (C) as a well preserved representation of early twentieth century Victorian-era
vernacular architecture in Fort Collins. Character-defining details of this architectural period
include nearly full-width covered front porch with column supports, decorative shingles in gables
and on dormers, and dominant windows with decorative sashes. The two-bay garage at the rear
of the property, constructed with a very unique Mission style parapet façade, could also qualify for
individual Landmark designation, but is nonetheless a significant contributing element to the
property. Additionally, this property is significant under Landmark Designation Standard (B) for its
association with Colorado Agricultural College professor Burton O. Longyear. Longyear, who had
the house constructed in 1904, and subsequently occupied it until 1911, is known for his
contributions to the study of Rocky Mountain Region horticulture and for serving as the head of
CAC’s Department of Botany and Forestry and as Colorado State Forester from 1911-1915.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Fort Collins Weekly Courier reported on January 4, 1905 that A.F. Huleatt had built an eight
room “modern” residence at 719 Remington Street for Colorado Agricultural College (CAC)
Horticulture and Botany professor Burton O. Longyear. Longyear, who began his teaching career
at Colorado Agricultural College in 1904, was an alumnus of Michigan State Agricultural College.
According to contemporary reports, Longyear was both a scrupulous scientist and inspiring
educator. He published a number of bulletins, and at least two books, dealing with the horticulture
of the Rocky Mountain region. His “Shade Trees of Denver” publication had considerable impact
on Denver’s ornamental horticulture. In 1909 he was appointed head of the newly-established
Department of Botany and Forestry ad CAC. Around that same time a degree program in forestry
was created under Longyear’s advisement, with its first graduate in 1912. In 1911, Longyear was
appointed to the position of Colorado State Forester. He served in that position until 1915. He
returned to teaching at CAC where he stayed until retirement in the 1930s.
It is unclear who occupied the house immediately following Longyear, however, in 1923, Frank
Denis Giddings and his wife, Hattie, bought the property and resided here until 1933. Giddings
was the owner and president of Giddings Manufacturing, which had its origins in a shop on the
Giddings Farm in Timnath. From 1936 to 1940, Arthur and Adelina Hunt, along with their sons,
Wendell and Richard, lived in the house. From 1948 through 1969, Alvin and Leatha Sansbrun
occupied the residence. They were both retired, though Alvin owned an apartment building at 706
South College Avenue. From the early 1970s to 2012, the house was occupied by renters, mostly
Colorado State University students. In 2012, James Danella purchased the property and began
rehabilitating it. Mr. Danella is now pursing Landmark designation.
ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
Construction Date: 1904, House; 1928, Garage
Architect/Builder: A.F. Huleatt, builder
Building Materials: Wood, sandstone foundation
Architectural Style: Victorian-era vernacular dwelling
Description:
Oriented to the east, the house at 719 Remington Street is a 1½ story side-gabled dwelling with
prominent bellcast hipped-roof dormer on the slope of the front elevation roof. The building is clad
in narrow horizontal lapped siding. The dormer contains a rectangular single-hung window with
decorative upper sash. Eaves are wide and enclosed. The building has a rectangular footprint,
measuring thirty-two feet by thirty-seven feet. There are three bays across the first floor of the
primary elevation, containing a central entry flanked by two large single hung windows with
decorative upper sashes. The foundation is coursed, rough-cut sandstone. The front porch is
nearly full-width, with square posts supporting its hipped roof.
Revised 08-2014 Page 4
The southern elevation features an eave wall chimney, which protrudes through the wide
overhanging eave band. There is a bay window on the rear corner of this elevation, containing
three single hung windows. Square rectangular windows flank each side of the chimney. The
gable end of this elevation is shingled and contains a pair of single hung windows, each with
decorative upper sashes. The northern side elevation is nearly identical to the southern elevation,
save the bay window, and contains a pair and two single windows. There is also an entry at the
rear of this elevation. The lower level of the rear elevation has an enclosed shed-roofed porch in
the L-Shape crated by the primary building and the single–story hipped roof element on the
northwest half of the elevation. The enclosed porch is currently under construction with most
siding removed. The second story of the rear elevation features an intersecting gabled dormer
clad in shingles. There is a recently constructed shed-roofed addition to the south of the gabled
dormer, containing divided light double doors.
The property features a very unusual and noteworthy two bay garage, stuccoed with a Mission
style parapet on the façade. Each bay of the building’s front elevation contains wooden doors,
each with four rectangular vertical lights and X-battens below. Simple asphalt shingled awnings
cover each bay. The parapet extends flat around the side elevations and drops off to the rear. The
rear elevation has sliding wooden doors on the northern corner and a boarded window opening to
the south.
REFERENCE LIST or SOURCES of INFORMATION
Fort Collins Weekly Courier, January 4, 1905.
Fort Collins City Directories, 1925 – 2006.
Hansen II, James E. Democracy’s College in the Centennial State: A History of Colorado State
University. Fort Collins, Colorado, 1977.
Larimer County Assessor Property Records.
Petit, Michael and Barbara. Information from the Fort Collins Midtown Historic District Survey –
The Longyear House, 716 Remington Street. Date unknown.
Watrous, Ansel. “History of Larimer County, Colorado,” (Fort Collins, Colorado: Printing and
Publishing, 1911), 281.
ATTACHMENT 3
719 Remington Street Fort Collins Landmark Designation
Northeast Elevation
Southeast Elevation
ATTACHMENT 4
719 Remington Street Fort Collins Landmark Designation
Southwest Elevation
West Elevation
719 Remington Street Fort Collins Landmark Designation
Northwest Elevation
East Elevation
719 Remington Street Fort Collins Landmark Designation
Northwest Elevation
Southwest Elevation
719 Remington Street Fort Collins Landmark Designation
Southeast Elevation
ATTACHMENT 5
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ORDINANCE NO. 050, 2015
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DESIGNATING THE LONGYEAR PROPERTY, 719 REMINGTON 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 historic landmarks
within the City; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution dated January 14, 2015, the Landmark Preservation
Commission (the “Commission”) has determined that the Longyear Property located at 719
Remington Street in Fort Collins as more specifically described below (the “Property”) is
eligible for Landmark designation for its high degree of exterior integrity, and for its significance
to Fort Collins under Landmark Standard B (Persons/Groups) as contained in Section 14-5(2)(b)
of the City Code and under Landmark Standard C (Design/Construction) as contained in Section
14-5(2)(c) of the City Code; and
WHEREAS, the Commission has further determined that the Property meets the criteria
of a landmark as set forth in City Code Section 14-5 and is eligible for designation as a
landmark, and has recommended to the City Council that the 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 the Property as a landmark.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the foregoing recitals are incorporated herein by the City Council as
findings of fact.
Section 2. That the Property located in the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County,
Colorado, described as follows, to wit:
North 1/2 of the North 1/2 of Lot 1, Block 127
be designated as a Fort Collins Landmark in accordance with Chapter 14 of the City Code.
Section 3. That the criteria in City Code Section 14-48 as they may from time to time
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be amended, will serve as the standards by which alterations, additions and other changes to the
buildings and structures located upon the Property will be reviewed for compliance with City
Code Chapter 14, Article III.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 21st day of
April, A.D. 2015, and to be presented for final passage on the 5th day of May, A.D. 2015.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 5th day of May, A.D. 2015.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk