The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/21/2020 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 019, 2020, DESIGNATAgenda Item 14 Item # 14 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 21, 2020 City Council STAFF Reyana Jones, Historic Preservation Specialist Karen McWilliams, Historic Preservation Planner Brad Yatabe, Legal SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 019, 2020, Designating the Buildings of Lots 25 and 26, Block 111 (155 West Mountain Avenue and 130 South Mason Street), Known as the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments, Fort Collins, Colorado, as a Fort Collins Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This item is a quasi-judicial matter and if it is considered on the discussion agenda, it will be considered in accordance with Section 1(f) of the Council’s Rules of Meeting Procedures adopted in Resolution 2019-064. The purpose of this item is to designate the property on Lots 25 and 26, Block 111 (155 West Mountain Avenue), including the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments, as a Fort Collins Landmark. This is a voluntary designation at the property owner’s request. The property owner is Mountain 155, LLC/Hello Investments, LLC, of which Josh Harrison is the property manager. The Landmark Preservation Commission unanimously recommends approving this landmark designation. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments are both great examples of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. Constructed in 1907/1909 and 1917/1925 respectively, these two buildings exhibit many character-defining architectural features of that building type, including a shallowly stepped parapet, use of light-colored brick, understated masonry details, and a combination of flush and recessed entries. Their integrity is augmented by their clear historic and visual association with each other. Alterations to both buildings do not compromise character-defining features or are historic changes that occurred during the period of significance or more than fifty years ago, and so do not damage the property’s overall historic integrity. Furthermore, the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has additional significance to Fort Collins history for its association with communications history and newspaper publishing. Founded by Joseph S. McClelland in 1873, the Express was the first newspaper published in Larimer County. Ownership of the paper eventually passed to brothers James and George McCormick, and it was in this building, constructed for the McCormicks in 1907/1909, that the Fort Collins Express became the preeminent newspaper in the city. 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. Agenda Item 14 Item # 14 Page 2 BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At a public hearing held on December 18, 2019, the Landmark Preservation Commission unanimously adopted a motion on a vote of 8-0 to recommend that City Council designate this property based on the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building's significance under Standards 1, Events, and 3, Design/Construction, and for the McCormick Apartments' significance under Standard 3, Design/Construction, and its exterior integrity based upon all seven aspects of integrity established by the National Park Service. PUBLIC OUTREACH A public hearing on this item was held at the December 18, 2019, meeting of the Landmark Preservation Commission. ATTACHMENTS 1. Location Map (PDF) 2. Staff Report (PDF) 3. Application (PDF) 4. Photos (PDF) 5. Landmark Preservation Commission Resolution No, 6, 2019 (PDF) Oak St Plaza Park «¬287 W Oak St S Mason St W Mountain Ave S College Ave N Mason St N College Ave © 155 W. Mountain Ave. 1 inch = 94 feet Site ATTACHMENT 1 STAFF REPORT January 21, 2020 City Council PROJECT NAME THE FORT COLLINS EXPRESS/McCORMICK BUILDING AND THE McCORMICK APARTMENTS, 11T155 WEST MOUNTAIN AVENUE - APPLICATION FOR FORT COLLINS LANDMARK DESIGNATION STAFF 1TReyana Jones, Historic Preservation Specialist 1TKaren McWilliams, Historic Preservation Manager PROJECT INFORMATION APPLICANT: Mountain 155, LLC/Hello Investments, LLC (Josh Harrison, contact) PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This item is to consider the request for a recommendation to City Council for landmark designation of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments. COMMISSION’S ROLE AND ACTION: One of the Commission’s responsibilities is to provide a recommendation to City Council on applications for the designation of a property as a Fort Collins Landmark. Chapter 14 of the Municipal Code provides the standards and process for designation. At the hearing, the Commission shall determine whether the following two (2) criteria are satisfied: (1) the proposed resource is eligible for designation; and (2) the requested designation will advance the policies and the purposes in a manner and extent sufficient to justify the requested designation. Following its review, and once the Commission feels it has the information it needs, the Commission should adopt a motion providing its recommendation on the property’s Landmark eligibility to City Council. RECOMMENDATION: Staff has determined that the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments are eligible for Fort Collins Landmark designation. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has significance under Standard 1 (Events) and Standard 3 (Design/Construction), and the McCormick Apartments building is significant under Standard 3 (Design/Construction). Both buildings retain all seven aspects of integrity. Staff recommends that the Landmark Preservation Commission approval a motion to Council recommending landmark designation. STAFF EVALUATION OF REVIEW CRITERIA STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE and EXTERIOR INTEGRITY Staff has determined that the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments are eligible under Standards 1 and 3, and 3, respectively. Standards of Significance: 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. For designation as Fort Collins Landmarks or Fort Collins Landmark Districts properties must meet one (1) or more of the following standards: ATTACHMENT 2 Standard 1: Events The resource is associated with events that have made a recognizable contribution to the broad patterns of the history of the community, State or Nation. A resource can be associated with either or both of two (2) types of events: * A specific event marking an important moment in Fort Collins prehistory or history; and/or * A pattern of events or a historic trend that made a recognizable contribution to the development of the community, State or Nation. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building, the northern portion of 155 W. Mountain Ave., is significant under Standard 1, Events, for its association with communications history in Fort Collins, specifically newspaper publication. This building was constructed specifically for the Fort Collins Express by the newspaper’s owners, James and George McCormick, in 1907. In this building the Express, the first newspaper published in Larimer County, solidified its success as a publication, especially through the quick rise in popularity of its Morning Express daily edition. The Express occupied this building until 1923, around the time when the McCormick brothers purchased the Fort Collins Courier, their biggest rival; the McCormicks moved the Express to the Courier building and consolidated their two newspaper holdings into one: the Express-Courier. This newspaper later became the Coloradoan. YES Standard 2: Persons/ Groups The resource 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. N/A Standard 3: Design/ Construction The resource 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 resources. The resource may be significant not only for the way it was originally constructed or crafted, but also for the way it was adapted at a later period, or for the way it illustrates changing tastes, attitudes, and/or uses over time. Both the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments are significant under Standard 3, Design/Construction, as good examples of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. Both have character-defining features of a stepped parapet, divided-light transom windows, use of light-colored brick, and recessed entries, which are emblematic of that building type. Although both buildings had major additions, these additions occurred soon after initial construction and were designed to meld cohesively with the older portions. Furthermore, other alterations to the buildings, like entryway changes, were undertaken to adapt to the changing needs of tenants and do not compromise the early twentieth-century commercial feeling of either building. Because of the similarity of these buildings, their association is obvious, but differences in their architectural details, like their differing window surrounds, allow them to represent distinct examples of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. YES Standard 4: Information potential The resource has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. N/A Standards of Integrity Integrity is the ability of a site, structure, object or district to be able to convey its significance. The integrity of a resource is based on the degree to which it retains all or some of seven (7) aspects or qualities established by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. All seven qualities do not need to be present for a site, structure, object or district to be eligible as long as the overall sense of past time and place is evident. Standard 1: Location 18TLocation is the place where the resource was constructed or the place where the 18Thistoric or prehistoric event occurred. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has not been moved. The McCormick Apartments building has not been moved. YES Standard 2: 18TDesign 18TDesign is the 18Tcombination of elements that create the form, plan space, structure and style of a resource. The design of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has changed very little since its 1907 construction. It retains the character-defining features of an early twentieth-century commercial building, including its shallowly stepped, corbelled parapet, its second-story windows with flat- arched tops and multi-light transom windows, as well as its deeply recessed Mountain Avenue façade entrances. It also retains its sidewalk- accessible basement entries. The major alteration to the structure, a 1909 addition,, was constructed by the McCormick brothers, the building’s first owners, just two years after the original portion of the building, during the period of significance for its use as a newspaper publishing building, and is cohesive with the original portion. Despite historic and more modern alterations to the one- story Mason Street storefront, the character-defining architectural details of an early twentieth-century commercial building are intact, making this one-story section consistent with its two-story counterpart. Other design changes, like the bricking over of three windows on the Mason Street elevation, and the reconfiguration of the Mountain Avenue west storefront to include two doors, are more than fifty years old and are compatible with the design. More recent alterations do not damage the building’s integrity of design, including interior alterations to suit changing commercial tenants, re-roofing, awning installation, and sign changes. The design of the McCormick Apartments has also changed little since its 1917/1925 construction and also retains its character-defining features like its stepped parapet and brick and stone lintels. Although the north section of this building is an addition to the original 1917 structure, it was constructed for the building’s first owners as a deliberate expansion of that structure to accommodate additional businesses and residential tenants. The configuration of windows and doors on the façade has remained mostly the same over the years based on historic photos. The most significant alteration to the façade was the 2018 modification of the south entry. This was once a recessed entry with narrow sidelights and transom window. This door was brought out flush with the rest of the building and set just slightly to the right. Despite this change, the entry still feels like a commercial entry. Furthermore, one of the recessed entries on the façade has been retained, preserving this character- defining architectural element. There is no existing documentation of alterations to the rear of the building and no photographs. Based on a window study conducted in 2019, one window on the east elevation is not original to the building. One window on the south elevation was also integrated into some sort of ventilation shaft. The metal patio enclosures around the Mason Street storefronts were also added at an unknown date but are easily reversible and do not damage the building’s integrity. YES Standard 3: Setting 18TSetting is the physical environment of a resource. Setting refers to 18Tthe character of the place; it involves how, not just where, the resource is situated and its relationship to the surrounding features and open space. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building retains its downtown commercial setting. It sits on a corner lot with two elevations, north and west, still prominently visible from the street. The east elevation, part of the 1909 addition, abuts the neighboring building. The south elevation originally faced an alley, but construction quickly filled in south of this building, adding to its downtown commercial context. The McCormick Apartments’ setting has also changed little since the building’s construction. This business/apartment building once sat across Mason Street from the County Courthouse; although that building was demolished, it was replaced with another County Courthouse/County building. The McCormick Apartments building is nestled among other commercial buildings, including the associated building to the north. YES Standard 4: Materials 18TMaterials are the physical elements that form a resource. 45TThe Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building retains many of its original materials. In addition to its original building material, light-colored brick, the second-story windows are all historic wood windows. Several of the windows on the first story are historic one-over-one wood windows, although some have been altered to accommodate the businesses inside. Several doors also appear historic. The prominent brick chimney is still retained as well. The north elevation storefront windows were replaced, but this change occurred more than fifty years ago, based on a 1969 tax assessor photo. The enclosure or significant reduction of three window openings on the west elevation’s north side, though a notable loss of materials, was historic, occurring in 1936. Also on the west elevation, the one-story addition has undergone remodeling of its storefront that resulted in some loss of materials. Before 1960, all of the openings on this storefront were bricked up. According to building permits, in 1979 and 1988, the property owners removed bricks from closed windows and door openings and remodeled this storefront; the current appearance is likely the result of these alterations. Character-defining features, the decorative brick flat arches and the shallowly crenelated parapet, were retained throughout this remodeling. The McCormick Apartments building also retains many of its original materials. It still features a light buff-colored brick façade and some of the doors appear historic. According to the 2019 window study, many of the wood windows are also original, including most of the prominent upper-story windows on the west and south elevations. The storefront windows have been replaced with modern materials. The transom windows above these windows and doors have also been boarded; the date of these storefront window changes is unknown. The entryway altered in 2018 resulted in the loss of some window material as well. There was some loss of materials on the south and east elevations in the form of boarded windows as well; though on an alley, these are secondary elevations. Furthermore, because of their advanced level of deterioration and limited visibility, the professional who conducted a 2019 window study recommended that the windows on these secondary elevations, south and east, be eligible for replacement. YES Standard 5: Workmanship 18TWorkmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts 18Tof a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory. It is the evidence of artisans' labor and skill in constructing or altering a building, structure or site. 45TSeveral architectural details on the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building evoke the workmanship of the builder and are emblematic of an early twentieth- century commercial building. For example, there are decorative masonry elements like the corbelled parapet, slightly recessed panels beneath the windows, and flat arched window toppers. A local material, sandstone was also incorporated in several prominent places, like windowsills and the base of some entrances. Additionally, the seamless blending between the 1907 and 1909 portions of the façade indicate the workmanship of the builder. 45TLike the Express Building, the McCormick Apartments also exhibit workmanship. The building similarly blends the 1917 and 1925 sections of the building in a cohesive façade, suggesting the workmanship of the builder. It also features several architectural details that are emblematic of early twentieth-century commercial architecture, such as the slightly stepped parapet, decorative brick and stone lintels, and variation in brick bonding. YES Standard 6: Feeling Feeling is a resource’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period or time. It results from the presence of physical features that, taken together, convey the resource's historic or prehistoric character. 45TThe Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building evokes the feeling of the early twentieth century in a commercial context through its retention of setting, design, materials, and workmanship. Nestled among other commercial structures from a similar time period, including the abutting building to the south built by James McCormick, the setting of this building contributes to its feeling. Similarly, the primary material, light-colored brick, and the overall design conjure feelings of an early twentieth century commercial building. Finally, architectural details that show significant workmanship, like the corbelled, stepped parapet, are highly visible on this corner-lot building, compounding its integrity of feeling. The McCormick Apartments similarly elicit feelings of the early twentieth century in a commercial context. It is clear how this building’s design and materials were inspired by the Express Building. The light buff-colored brick façade and architectural details like the stepped parapet and brick and stone lintels evoke the feeling of an early twentieth-century commercial building. This building is not as monumental as the Express building, its decorative light buff- colored bricks reserved only for the façade, for example; that difference reinforces the feeling of importance surrounding the Express building. YES Standard 7: Association Association is the direct link between an important event or person and a historic or prehistoric resource. A resource 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. Although the function of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building is no longer newspaper publishing, the building does retain its association with the Express under James and George McCormick because of its overall integrity. This building was constructed specifically to house the Express. It was a testament to the paper’s status as a journalistic powerhouse in Fort Collins under the McCormicks’ leadership. The presence of the basement stairways with sidewalk access are a reminder of the labor of the printers who descended those steps each day to work the heavy printing machinery that was once housed in the basement of the Express Building. The prominence of this building on a corner lot in downtown and the workmanship evident in its design and construction harken to this building’s association with one of Fort Collins’s most important newspapers and its accomplished owners. The McCormick Apartments building continues to have mixed use: a business in the lower level and residences in the upper and eastern portions. The obvious similarity in design between this building and the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building to the north suggests the strong association between these two buildings, both constructed by the McCormick brothers in the early twentieth century and both adapted to the changing needs of commercial and residential tenants. YES ALIGNMENT WITH CITY CODE AND PURPOSE The designation of historic properties and the work of historic preservation promote the policies and purposes adopted by City Council for the City of Fort Collins. Designation furthers the City’s goals of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. By continuing the use of an existing building and preserving the embodied energy of its existing materials, landmark designation is environmentally sustainable. The designation of historic properties also contributes to the City’s economic standing directly, through property, use, and sales taxes and revenues, and indirectly, through the promotion of heritage tourism. Furthermore, historic designation encourages the continuation of private property ownership. The City’s cultural standing is also upheld because the preservation of the built environment helps residents and visitors tangibly gain a better understanding of our history and the diversity of people who shaped Fort Collins. Landmark designation enhances and perpetuates significant resources in the City through the protection and acknowledgement of those historic properties as well as through the financial incentives offered to landmark owners. Finally, the designation of historic properties also maintains and enhances the City’s aesthetics through the protection and recognition of significant local architecture and history, contributing to the promotion of good urban design and fostering civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the past. Taken together, these benefits of landmark designation help strengthen Fort Collins’s community and support our vision of a livable, sustainable city. (35TUMunicipal Code 14-1 and 14-2U35T; 35TUCity PlanU35T) 1TThe Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments support the policies and purposes adopted by City Council for the City of Fort Collins. Given the results of the 2019 window study conducted on this building that revealed the advanced level of deterioration of windows on both buildings, the financial incentives offered to Landmark property owners encourages continued private ownership of these buildings as well as economic and environmental sustainability, as outlined in Section 14-2 of the Municipal Code. Additionally, both of these buildings are examples of mixed-use structures situated near a Bus Rapid Transit system, aligning with City Plan’s Neighborhood Livability and Social Health Policy LIV 2.3, which encourages mixed-use development near high- frequency transit to promote a variety of housing options for all income levels. FINDINGS OF FACT AND RECOMMENDATION FINDINGS OF FACT: In evaluating the request for a recommendation to City Council regarding landmark designation for the Maneval/Mason/Sauer Property, staff makes the following findings of fact: 1. That all owners of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments have consented in writing to this request for Fort Collins Landmark designation of the property; 2. That the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has significance to Fort Collins under Significance Standard 1, Events, and Standard 3, Design/Construction, and that the McCormick Apartments also have significance to Fort Collins under Significance Standard 3, Design/Construction, as supported by the analysis provided in this staff report; 3. That the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments have integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association to convey their significance as supported by the analysis provided in this staff report; 4. That the designation will advance the policies and purposes stated in the code in a manner and extent sufficient to justify the requested designation, as supported by the analysis provided in this staff report. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Commission adopt a motion to Council recommending the landmark designation of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments. SAMPLE MOTIONS SAMPLE MOTION FOR APPROVAL: I move that the Landmark Preservation Commission recommend that City Council adopt an ordinance to designate the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments, 155 West Mountain Avenue, as a Fort Collins Landmark, finding that this property is eligible for its significance to Fort Collins under Standards 1 and 3, events and design/construction, and 3, design/construction, respectively, as supported by the analysis provided in the staff report dated December 18, 2019, and that the property clearly conveys this significance through all seven aspects of integrity; and finding also that the designation of this property will promote the policies and purposes of the City as specified in Chapter 14 of the Municipal Code. SAMPLE MOTION FOR DENIAL: I move that the Landmark Preservation Commission recommend that City Council does not adopt an ordinance to designate the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments, 155 West Mountain Avenue, as a Fort Collins Landmark, finding that this property is not eligible because of a lack of significance or the failure of the property to convey its significance through its integrity, and/or finding that the designation of this property will not promote the policies and purposes of the City as specified in Chapter 14 of the Municipal Code. ATTACHMENTS 1. Staff Report 2. Location Map 3. Landmark Designation Application 4. Owner Consent Signature Page 5. Presentation 6. LPC Resolution Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Landmark Designation LOCATION INFORMATION Address: 155 West Mountain Avenue Legal Description: Lots 25 and 26, Block 111, Fort Collins Property Name (historic and/or common): Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building; McCormick Apartments OWNER INFORMATION Name: Mountain 155, LLC & Hello Investments, LLC Company/Organization (if applicable): Helix Property Management, LLC Phone: (970) 632-6051 Email: jharrison@HelixPropertyManagement.com (Josh Harrison) Mailing Address: P.O. Box 711, Fort Collins, CO 80522 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: Reyana Jones, Historic Preservation Specialist Address: 281 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80524 Phone: (970) 221-6206 Email: preservation@fcgov.com DATE: December 4, 2019 ATTACHMENT 3 Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 TYPE OF DESIGNATION and BOUNDARIES Individual Landmark Property Landmark District Explanation of Boundaries: The boundaries of the property being designated as a Fort Collins Landmark correspond to the legal description of the property, above. The property (hereinafter the “Property”) consists of the historic commercial building, constructed 1907-1909 (parcel no. 9711414025). STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE and 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. For designation as Fort Collins Landmarks or Fort Collins Landmark Districts properties must meet one (1) or more of the following standards set forth in Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 14-22(a): Standard 1: 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: a) A specific event marking an important moment in Fort Collins prehistory or history; and/or b) A pattern of events or a historic trend that made a recognizable contribution to the development of the community, State or Nation. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building, the northern portion of 155 W. Mountain Ave., is significant under Standard 1, Events, for its association with communications history in Fort Collins, specifically newspaper publication. In this building, between 1907 and 1923, the Fort Collins Express, the first newspaper published in Larimer County, solidified its success as a publication, especially through the quick rise in popularity of its Morning Express daily edition, unveiled in 1907. Unlike many of its previous locations, the Fort Collins Express’s building at 155 W. Mountain Ave. was constructed specifically for the newspaper in 1907 by its owners, brothers James and George McCormick. In its weekly and morning editions, the paper reported on important happenings at local, national, and international levels, “carrying war measures into effect in the community” in 1917 and 1918, for example.0F 1 The Express occupied its Mountain Avenue building until 1923, around the time when the McCormick brothers purchased the Fort Collins Courier, their biggest rival, and the building formerly at the southwest corner of Mountain and Remington; the McCormicks moved the Express to the Courier building and consolidated their two newspaper holdings into one: the Express-Courier. This newspaper later became the Coloradoan. 1 Frank McClelland, “Later Story of the Express: Why the Express is an Open Shop,” Fort Collins Express, May 20, 1923. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Standard 2: 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 3: 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. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building, the northern portion of 155 W. Mountain Ave., is also significant under Standard 3, Design/Construction, as an excellent example of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. Characteristic of early twentieth- century commercial structures, this 1907 building is constructed from light-colored brick and is simply adorned with a shallowly stepped parapet with corbelled detail. Flat arches top the second-story windows on both street-facing elevations of this building as well. The entrances on the façade are deeply recessed to allow passers-by to step off the main sidewalk to window-shop, another feature of early twentieth-century commercial architecture.1F 2 Although the east and south portion of the building were not part of the original design, they are a historic alteration; this 1909 addition was commissioned by the James and George McCormick for the Post Office just two years after the original construction date and was designed to be cohesive with the older portion. The McCormick Apartments The McCormick Apartments, the southern portion of 155 W. Mountain Ave. also called 126-30 S. Mason St., is significant under Standard 3, Design/Construction as a good example of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. Like its companion to the north, this building was constructed by the McCormick brothers in two phases, in 1917 and 1925, and was designed in such a way that the façade appears cohesive. It features a light buff-colored brick facade and reflects the older building’s architectural details that are indicative of early twentieth-century commercial designs, including its shallowly stepped parapet and recessed entry. Rather than flat arches, this building’s upper story façade windows have soldier-coursed brick lintels with a square stone detail at each end, distinguishing this building from its neighbor. Rather than being constructed entirely in stretcher bond brick, the uppermost portion of the building uses brick headers to create the appearance of panels, which allude to the recessed brick panels on the Express/McCormick Building. 2 “Early Twentieth-Century Commercial,” History Colorado, https://www.historycolorado.org/early-twentieth- century-commercial. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Standard 4: Information Potential This property has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Integrity is the ability of a site, structure, object or district to be able to convey its significance. The integrity of a resource is based on the degree to which it retains all or some of seven (7) aspects or qualities set forth in Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 14-22(b): location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. All seven qualities do not need to be present for a site, structure, object or district to be eligible as long as the overall sense of past time and place is evident. Standard 1: Location is the place where the resource was constructed or the place where the historic or prehistoric event occurred. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has not been moved. The McCormick Apartments The McCormick Apartments building has not been moved. Standard 2: Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure and style of a resource. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building The design of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building has changed very little since its 1907 construction. It retains the character-defining features of an early twentieth- century commercial building, including its shallowly stepped, corbelled parapet, its second-story windows with flat-arched tops and multi-light transom windows, as well as its deeply recessed Mountain Avenue façade entrances. It also retains its sidewalk- accessible basement entries, which are visible in historic photographs. The major alteration to the structure, a 1909 addition,, was constructed by the McCormick brothers, the building’s first owners, just two years after the original portion of the building, during the period of significance for its use as a newspaper publishing building. The two-story addition to the east side of the façade replicated the original portion. This two-story addition drops to one-story, which extends south beyond the length of the original portion, then west to Mason Street. The Mason Street storefront of this addition, although one story, continues the architectural details of the rest of the building, including the stepped parapet and flat arches. The window and door configuration of the one-story Mason Street storefront has changed over time. Before 1960, the storefront was bricked over entirely, based on a historic photograph. Then, in the 1970s and 1980s, bricks were removed from some openings, and others were created, resulting in the current appearance of the storefront., Despite these alterations, the character-defining architectural details of an early twentieth-century commercial building are intact, making this one-story section cohesive with its two-story counterpart. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Other design changes, like the addition of an entrance on the Mason Street elevation, the bricking over of three windows on that elevation, and the reconfiguration of the Mountain Avenue west storefront to include two doors, are more than fifty years old, occurring before 1969 based on historic photo records, and are compatible with the design.2F 3 More recent alterations do not damage the building’s integrity of design, including interior alterations to suit changing commercial tenants, re-roofing, awning installation, and sign changes. For a chronological summary of exterior alterations, see Table 1. The McCormick Apartments The design of the McCormick Apartments has also changed little since its 1917/1925 construction. Although the north section of this building is an addition to the original 1917 structure (which itself was built in two phases that year), it was constructed for the building’s first owners, the McCormick Brothers, as a deliberate expansion of that structure to accommodate additional businesses and residential tenants. The configuration of windows and doors on the façade has remained mostly the same over the years based on historic photos. The most significant alteration to the façade was the 2018 modification of the south entry. This was once a recessed entry with narrow sidelights and transom window, according to a c. 1960 photograph. This door was brought out flush with the rest of the building and set just slightly to the right to accommodate a larger window beside it rather than sidelights. Despite this change, the entry still feels like a commercial entry, and the design included narrow transom windows like those in the original design. Furthermore, one of the recessed entries on the façade has been retained, preserving this character- defining architectural element. There is no existing documentation of alterations to the rear of the building and no photographs. Based on a window study conducted in 2019, one window on the east elevation is not original to the building, the vertical, three-light, leaded glass window on the north end of the building. One window on the south elevation was also integrated into some sort of ventilation shaft. The metal patio enclosures around the Mason Street storefronts were also added at an unknown date but are easily reversible and do not damage the building’s integrity. Standard 3: Setting is the physical environment of a resource. Setting refers to the character of the place; it involves how, not just where, the resource is situated and its relationship to the surrounding features and open space. 3 “NE from the top of Larimer County Court House,” Coloradoan, H11730, Historical Image Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO; Lots 25 and 26, Block 111 Tax Assessor Card, 1968, Tax Assessor Record Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building This building retains its downtown commercial setting. It sits on a corner lot with two elevations, north and west, still prominently visible from the street. The east elevation, part of the 1909 addition, abuts the neighboring building. The south elevation originally faced an alley, but construction quickly filled in south of this building, adding to its downtown commercial context. The McCormick Apartments The McCormick Apartments building’s setting has also changed little since its construction. This business/apartment building once sat across Mason Street from the Larimer County Courthouse; although that building was demolished, it was replaced with another County Courthouse/County building. The McCormick Apartments building is nestled among other commercial buildings, including the associated building to the north. Standard 4: Materials are the physical elements that form a resource. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building This building retains many of its original materials. In addition to its original building material, light-colored brick, the second-story windows are all historic wood windows with mortis and tenon joinery. Several of the windows on the first story are historic one- over-one wood windows, although some have been altered to accommodate the businesses inside. Several doors also appear historic. The prominent brick chimney is still retained as well. The north elevation storefront windows were replaced, but this change occurred more than fifty years ago, based on a 1969 tax assessor photo. The most obvious change in materials to the building is the enclosure or significant reduction of three window openings on the west elevation’s north side. However, this change can be considered historic; according to a building permit, this change occurred in 1936 and was enacted as part of fire regulations.3F 4 Though the large windows are no longer there, the multi-light transom windows remain, and the brick infill in recessed to suggest the former voids, minimizing the visual impact of that alteration. Also on the west elevation, the one-story addition has undergone remodeling of its storefront that resulted in some loss of materials. Before 1960, all of the openings on this storefront were bricked up. According to building permits, in 1979 and 1988, the property owners removed bricks from closed windows and door openings and remodeled this storefront; the current appearance is likely the result of these alterations.4F 5 The character-defining features of the early twentieth-century commercial building, the 4 Building Permit #4387, August 18, 1936, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. 5 Building Permit # Un-readable, 120 S. Mason St. for Henry Hudek, October 22, 1979, http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=2&docid=269106&dt=PERMITS; Building Permit #29885, 122 S. Mason St. for Paul Wagner, August 12, 1988, http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=2&docid=24575&dt=PERMITS. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 decorative brick flat arches and the shallowly crenelated parapet, were retained throughout this remodeling. The McCormick Apartments The McCormick Apartments building also retains many of its original materials. It still features a light buff-colored brick façade and many of the doors appear historic. According to the 2019 window study, many of the wood windows are also original, including most of the prominent upper-story windows on the west and south elevations. The storefront windows have been replaced with modern materials. The transom windows above these storefront windows and doors have also been boarded; the date of these storefront window changes is unknown. The entryway altered in 2018 resulted in the loss of some window material as well. On the south elevation, one window was boarded and integrated into what appears to be a ventilation system. There is also a section of brick around the east-most window on the south elevation that was likely replaced based on the difference in color. The 2019 window study points out several windows that have been replaced or altered and many are in a deteriorated condition. The east-most pair of upper-story windows on the façade have been replaced; however, they were replaced in-kind with wood, one- over-one double-hung sash windows. The south elevation’s east-most window’s lower portion has been boarded. On the east elevation, the right window of the north-most pair of windows has had its upper sash replaced. Also, on the east elevation, the ground- level window partially obscured by the stairway has had its upper portion boarded. Because of their advanced level of deterioration and limited visibility, the professional who conducted the window studied recommended that the windows on the secondary elevations, south and east, be replaced.5F 6 Standard 5: Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory. It is the evidence of artisans' labor and skill in constructing or altering a building, structure or site. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Several architectural details on this building evoke the workmanship of the builder and are emblematic of an early twentieth-century commercial building. For example, there are decorative masonry elements like the corbelled parapet, slightly recessed panels beneath the windows, and flat arched window toppers. A local material, sandstone was also incorporated in several prominent places, like windowsills and the base of some entrances. Additionally, the seamless blending between the 1907 and 1909 portions of the façade indicate the workmanship of the builder. 6 Phillip Barlow, “Window Evaluation for 159-163 West Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80524,” Prepared for City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Department, Barlow Cultural Resources Consulting LLC, October 22, 2019. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 The McCormick Apartments Like the Express Building, this building also exhibits workmanship. It similarly blends the 1917 and 1925 sections of the building in a cohesive façade, suggesting the workmanship of the builder. It also features several architectural details that are emblematic of early twentieth-century commercial architecture, such as the slightly stepped parapet, decorative brick and stone lintels, and variation in brick bonding. Standard 6: Feeling is a resource’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular time. It results from the presence of physical features that, taken together, convey the resource's historic or prehistoric character. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building evokes the feeling of the early twentieth century in a commercial context through its retention of setting, design, materials, and workmanship. Nestled among other commercial structures from a similar time period, including the abutting building to the south built by James McCormick, the setting of this building contributes to its feeling. Similarly, the primary material, light-colored brick, and the overall design conjure feelings of an early twentieth century commercial building. Finally, architectural details that show significant workmanship, like the corbelled, stepped parapet, are highly visible on this corner-lot building, compounding its integrity of feeling. The McCormick Apartments This building similarly elicits the feeling of the early twentieth century in a commercial context. It is clear how this building’s design and materials were inspired by the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building. The light buff-colored brick façade and architectural details like the stepped parapet and brick and stone lintels evoke the feeling of an early twentieth-century commercial building. This building is not as monumental as the Express building, its decorative light buff-colored bricks reserved only for the façade, for example; that difference reinforces the feeling of importance surrounding the Express building. Standard 7: Association is the direct link between an important event or person and a historic or prehistoric resource. A resource 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. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Although the function of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building is no longer newspaper publishing, the building does retain its association with the Express under James and George McCormick because of its overall integrity. This building was constructed specifically to house the Express. It was a testament to the paper’s status as a journalistic powerhouse in Fort Collins under the McCormicks’ leadership, expanding to include both a weekly and morning daily paper and knocking out competition like the Morning Democrat. Furthermore, the presence of the basement stairways with sidewalk Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 access are a reminder of the labor of the printers who descended those steps each day to work the heavy printing machinery that was once housed in the basement of the Express Building. The prominence of this building on a corner lot in downtown and the workmanship evident in its design and construction harken to this building’s association with one of Fort Collins’s most important newspapers and its accomplished owners. The McCormick Apartments This building continues to have mixed use: a business in the lower level and residences in the upper and eastern portions. The obvious similarity in design between this building and the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building abutting it to the north suggests the strong association between these two buildings, both constructed by the McCormick brothers in the early twentieth century and both adapted to the changing needs of commercial and residential tenants. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 HISTORICAL INFORMATION Introduction In July 1907, the Fort Collins Courier lamented the removal of “the stately cottonwoods that were planted thirty years ago to shade the old Commercial Hotel”,6F 7 but perhaps what it bemoaned more was the reason for their removal—the rise of a stately building for its surging competitor: the Fort Collins Express. Brothers James and George McCormick each purchased a half-interest in the newspaper,7F 8 and then bought the corner lot at Mountain Avenue and Mason Street for the new Express building from the heirs of hotelier David M. Harris.8F 9 Harris was the former proprietor of the Commercial Hotel (Northern Hotel); he had moved his hotel, previously named the Agricultural Hotel, from Lots 25 and 26, Block 111 to its new location at the corner of Walnut Street and College Avenue in the late 1870s.9F 10 On the hotel’s former site at Mountain and Mason, the McCormick brothers economized their space, completely filling Lots 25 and 26 with business and apartment buildings. In one of these buildings, the Fort Collins Express became the preeminent newspaper of Fort Collins. Construction History Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building: The two-story brick building at the southeast corner of Mountain Avenue and Mason Street was designed by architect E. Francis Williams and was built by Jones and Bull, among other contractors.10F 11 The printing office moved into the new building December 25, 1907. In 1909, the Post Office needed a temporary location while its federal building was being constructed. The McCormicks secured the Post Office as a tenant and constructed a large addition to the original Express Building. This L-shaped addition replicated the two-story Mountain Avenue façade, then dropped to one story along the rest of the original portion and wrapped around the back to create a one-story Mason Street storefront. This building was home to the Post Office for three and a half years.11F 12 This early expansion was the most extensive alteration the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building underwent. The Mountain Avenue façade had one significant change in 1936, a historic adaptation of the building for new commercial tenants undertaken by James McCormick that continued the usability and appearance of the building as an early twentieth-century commercial structure. The west storefront was 7 “City and Country,” Fort Collins Courier, July 3, 1907. 8 “A Change at the Express,” Fort Collins Courier, April 24, 1907. 9 Deed of Guardian, Guardian Emma Harris to James G. and George C. McCormick, July 3, 1907, Book 204, Page 334, Title Books, Larimer County Clerk and Recorder, Fort Collins, CO; Warranty Deed, Grace Vandewark (nee Harris) to James G. and George C. McCormick, June 8, 1907, Book 234, Page 539, Title Books, Larimer County Clerk and Recorder, Fort Collins, CO. 10 Reyana Jones, “The Northern Hotel,” April 23, 2014. 11 “Completed by October,” Fort Collins Express, June 19, 1907; “Near Completion,” Fort Collins Express, October 9, 1907. 12 Frank McClelland, “Early History of Fort Collins Express, Pioneer Newspaper Identified with Growth of County,” Fort Collins Express, May 20, 1923. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 remodeled to create a “double entrance,” changing the configuration of the windows somewhat, based on the comparison of a 1914 newspaper photograph and a building permit.12F 13 This change most likely occurred to accommodate the use of the upper-story rooms as residential apartments rather than offices; the two doorways separated building access for residents and business tenants or patrons. James McCormick frequently altered the interior of the building to create various partitions for these apartments and business spaces; this trend of interior alteration to suit changing tenant use continued under later owners.13F 14 Contrary to the information in a 1992 survey form, the basement stairways on both the Mason Street and Mountain Avenue sidewalks appear to be original to the design based on the photo from a postcard showing the building before its 1909 addition, although the brick knee-wall around the Mason Street stairway is not original.14F 15 The most significant exterior alterations to the Mason Street elevation occurred in 1935 and 1936, and was, again, part of James McCormick’s efforts to adapt the building to the evolving needs of his tenants. In 1935, J.G. McCormick took out a building permit for “120 Mason,” which most likely referred to the one-story portion of the building facing Mason Street. It included closing up a cellar stairway and bricking up an opening in the wall; it is unknown if this was when all of the openings on this portion of the building were bricked up, but it is probable given that the remodel was intended to accommodate a “cold storage plant.”15F 16 Later owner Henry J. Hudek removed bricks from one of these window openings in 1979, and in 1988, Paul Wagner created a new window opening; the current window/door configuration is likely the sum of their joint works.16F 17 The 1936 alterations included bricking-up the west elevation’s three north- most first-story windows “to comply with fire district rules.”17F 18 Other building permits taken out for the Express/McCormick Building were for: re-roofing, usually using “elaterite,” insulation, signs/awnings, plumbing, and electrical work.18F 19 There are several changes to the building that are not precisely documented by building permits or other records, but almost all of them occurred before 1960, based on a Coloradoan photograph, or before 13 Building Permit #4387, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery; “Home of the Fort Collins Express Courier,” Historic Photograph Collection, Image ID#H03050, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO. 14 Building Permit #s: 7820, 6082, 5022, 4555, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO; Building Permit #19685, 159 W. Mountain Ave. for Henry Hudek, April 5, 1973, http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=2&docid=287070&dt=PERMITS; Building Permit #B0016406, 159 W. Mountain Ave for Jay D. Stoner, October 20, 2000, http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=2&docid=399457&dt=PERMITS; Building Permit #B0017036, 159 W. Mountain Ave for Jay D. Stoner, December 14, 2000, http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=2&docid=399456&dt=PERMITS; Letter of Completion, 159 W. Mountain Ave. for Astride a Starship, October 8, 2012, http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?cmd=convert&vid=2&docid=2010407&dt=CO%2FLOC. 15 “Birdseye View of Fort Collins,” Photograph by Charles T. Gilbert, Historical and Postcard Collection, Image ID#H21170, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO. 16 Building Permit #4387. 17 Building Permit # Un-readable; Building Permit #29885. 18 Building Permit #4387. 19 Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 1969, based on the tax assessor record,19F 20 and can be considered historic. On the west elevation, a 1910 photograph shows only one entrance toward the center of the building with a double-door;20F 21 that entrance was reconfigured to its present state and another entrance was added further south by 1960. It is possible that these alterations to the west elevation occurred in 1931 under a building permit to “remodel storefront,”21F 22 but no additional details about that record are available. Early photographs also show windows at the level of the sidewalk below some of the sash windows, but these appear to have been removed by 1969, based on the tax assessor photo. On the Mountain Avenue storefronts, early photos show stairs leading to entrances,22F 23 but these were changed to ramps by 1969, based on the tax assessor photograph. Additionally, the installation of the multicolored glass transom above the west storefront may have been part of the 1936 remodeling of this storefront,23F 24 but a precise date is unknown.24F 25 McCormick Apartments: On the southern portion of Lots 25 and 26, Block 111, builder J.F. Stewart constructed a brick business building. He first built a one-story brick building in July 1917, then built the second story in September 1917, according to building permits.25F 26 This building was used for painting, including by auto painter Frank J. Ulrich, for several years. In 1925, the McCormick brothers commissioned builder J.R. Snedaker to construct a brick business building with apartments on the second floor in the space between that building and the former Express building.26F 27 This building continues to be used for mixed business and residential use to today. Like the building to its north, this structure underwent many interior alterations over the years, including partitioning and remodeling, to suit the needs of tenants. Because the address of this building and nearby buildings changed frequently and dramatically over the years, it is difficult to conduct a thorough and definitive search for exterior alterations for this building; historic and modern 20 “NE from the top”; Lots 25 and 26, Block 111 Tax Assessor Card. 21 “Birdseye View.” 22 Building Permit #2954, 159 W. Mountain Ave. for James McCormick, April 21, 1931, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. 23 “Home of the Fort Collins Express Courier.” 24 Building Permit #4387. 25 Before the McCormicks constructed their newspaper building at 155 W. Mountain Ave., that site hosted the Commercial Hotel/Agricultural Hotel as well as the Auntie Stone Cabin, formerly located on Jefferson Street. The Auntie Stone Cabin was used by the Agricultural Hotel as a kitchen/laundry. It remained on the lot after the demolition of the hotel and served as a residence until 1907, after which it came under the ownership of the McCormicks and became a paint shop behind the Express Building. In 1909, perhaps anticipating the expansion of their building that same year, the McCormicks listed the Auntie Stone Cabin for sale for $150. The cabin was “rescued from destruction” by the Pioneer Women of the Cache la Poudre Valley, who purchased the building and moved it to a site further down Mason Street between Oak and Olive Streets to preserve the building as a historical museum and for use as a meeting place. (Ansel Watrous, History of Larimer County (Fort Collins, The Courier Printing and Publishing Co., 1911), 219; E.H.H., “Early Hosteleries,” Weekly Courier, January 31, 1913; “May Buy Log Cabin for Permanent Headquarters,” Weekly Courier, March 3, 1909.) 26 Building Permit #118, SE Cor Mountain and Mason, July 7, 1917, Building Permits Collection, Local Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 building permit searches of addresses from 118-130 S. Mason St. yield only one definite exterior change that is not a re-roofing, sign, or awning change, the 2018 alteration of the south storefront for The Regional restaurant. There are several other alterations that are distinguishable from the current appearance of the building, though the dates of these changes are unknown. The transom windows on the façade above the north- most door and above each storefront were boarded up. There are several other boarded or partially- boarded windows on the east and south elevations. There is also one non-original window opening containing a vertical, three-light window on the east elevation’s north edge. Newspaper History and Later History: The Express was a pioneer newspaper. Established in 1873, it was the first newspaper published in Larimer County, but a handful of other journalistic enterprises cropped up soon after in Fort Collins. Most of these papers “lasted about a year” and included the Bee, Gazette, Star, Argus, Beacon, and Chronicle, among others.27F 28 Others, including the Express, fared better. The Courier, for example, was founded in 1878 by Ansel Watrous and Elmer M. Pelton. It was originally a Democratic newspaper, but became a “rigid adherent” to the principles of the Republican Party in 1899 after a change in ownership. 28F 29 In 1906, the Larimer County Democrat, later called the Review, emerged as a Fort Collins newspaper. Later, it introduced a daily edition, the Morning Democrat. Both the Express and the Courier also published dailies, so these two established papers bought up the Review in 1918 and divided its subscribers and equipment among themselves.29F 30 The Express’s success was not inevitable. In fact, before the founder of the Express, Joseph Simpson McClelland, came to Fort Collins, he ran a failed newspaper in Galesburg, Illinois called the Free Press. McClelland constructed a building in the 100 Block of West Mountain Avenue with a “flaring front,” a two-story front and one-story back, to house his Fort Collins paper. The first edition was printed in 1873, but those early times were “days of stress…, every week was a struggle to print the paper.” This difficulty was partly due to the hard costs required to purchase specialty materials like ink and paper rolls “that the county farms did not produce.” McClelland worked odd jobs, especially doing farm-work, to get by and to support his fledgling newspaper. As the town expanded and construction boomed, the Express experienced times that “bore a slight resemblance to prosperity.” It was, however, McClelland’s ultimate dream to run a prosperous farm, not a newspaper, so as his paper thrived, he devoted more and more time to his farm, which developed into a successful orchard.30F 31 28 Coloradoan Staff, “Plethora of Publications Came and Went,” Coloradoan, April 15, 1984. 29 Ansel Watrous, The History of Larimer County (Fort Collins: Courier Printing and Publishing Company, 1911), 158-160. 30 Coloradoan Staff, “Plethora of Publications.” 31 McClelland, “Early History.” Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 By 1880, McClelland sold the paper to H.A. Crafts, a New Yorker who had worked for the World. The earliest editions of the Express are believed to have been burned by Crafts as part of this transition. Crafts released a daily evening edition of the Express, which was continued until 1884. Crafts also built a brick building at 117 Linden St. to house the printing office. He sold the paper to Frank S. Smith in 1890. Under Smith, the Express was located at 107 E. Mountain Ave. above a drugstore, and then in a brick building on the alley at 125 W. Mountain Ave. Smith sold the newspaper to Howard L. Russell in 1897, who later sold a half-interest to Walter B. Sheppard. Sheppard and Russell ran the Express until selling to William B. Junkin in 1904. Junkin sold a half-interest in the paper to James G. McCormick of Albia, Iowa. Because his daughter suffered from illness, Junkin wanted to move his family somewhere with a lower elevation; he traded his remaining half-interest in the Express to James’s brother, George C. McCormick, for his paper in Albia, the Republic.31F 32 As soon as George McCormick arrived in Fort Collins from Iowa in 1907, he and his brother purchased lots 25 and 26, Block 111, at the corner of Mountain Avenue and Mason Street. At this location, they commenced the construction of a two-story brick building on the north-west portion of the property. The Express building became the official new home of the newspaper Christmas day, 1907. The main printing office was on the first floor, printing equipment was stored in the basement, and there were other offices in the upper story.32F 33 As construction began on their new building, the rivalry between the Express and the Courier intensified. A great deal of mudslinging commenced between the two newspapers. For instance, the Courier declared it a “remarkable feat” that the Express had united “237 different kinds of jackass . . . in its own personality.”33F 34 The Express took a slightly more personal approach, calling the editor of the Courier a “disgruntled old mossback with a bad digestion.”34F 35 Compounded by a libel case against the Express,35F 36 this months-long exchange of quips seems to have been precipitated by the establishment of the Express’s daily edition. Just before its initial release, the Courier wrote that the city’s merchants told them “one daily will be a benefit to any town, but they don’t want any more dailies,” and that the other publishers were “satisfied to let the Courier have the daily field.”36F 37 Apparently not so—the Express released its first daily edition as the Morning Express May 28, 1907.37F 38 Due to the existing competition in the daily field, printing a morning edition was “a strenuous experience” for the Express.38F 39 Because the McCormicks themselves worked in both the front and back of the shop to print the daily, they drew the ire of the powerful printers union. The McCormicks were stoutly anti-union, believing that unionization prevented the prosperity of both business owners and workers alike, and so 32 Ibid. 33 “Near Completion.” 34 “Editorial Comment,” Fort Collins Courier, September 25, 1907. 35 Fort Collins Express, Quoted in “Editorial Comment,” Fort Collins Courier, October 2, 1907. 36 “How the Express Brought on that Suit for Libel,” Fort Collins Courier, August 28, 1907. 37 “Editorial Comment,” Fort Collins Courier, January 9, 1907. 38 “Today’s News,” Fort Collins Courier, May 22,1907. 39 McClelland, “Early History.” Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 the Express was open-shop under their ownership.39F 40 Their primary competitor, the Courier, held an opposite position, believing in the virtues of unionization, such as the professional training opportunities offered by unions, and so was a closed shop.40F 41 Strikes against the McCormicks occurred in both 1912 and 1913 for the goal of wage increases. The McCormicks refused to meet union demands, operating printing equipment themselves and hiring non-union men to work at the Express/McCormick Building.41F 42 Soon, the Express overtook the Courier in subscribership and in soliciting businesses for advertisements; the Courier was purchased by the Express in 1920, and the Courier printers immediately struck for higher wages under their new employers. In response, the McCormicks loaded a team of about twenty Express printers into cars and drove to the Courier building. There, the non-union employees printed the issue the strikers delayed. More non-union printers were hired to take the jobs of strikers until the unionists gave up their cause or left town.42F 43 For three years after the Express purchased the Courier, the same stories were printed in both papers each day under different headlines.43F 44 In 1923, the Express and Courier suspended independent publication and consolidated into the Express-Courier, both papers moving production to 145 E. Mountain Ave. Spiedel Newspapers, Inc. bought the Express-Courier in 1936, and in 1945, the Express-Courier became the Coloradoan, a local daily newspaper still published today.44F 45 Following the acquisition of the Courier by the Express, the McCormicks held onto Lots 25 and 26, Block 111, for other ventures. The brothers rented the office and store space formerly occupied by the Express to businesses or organizations such as: House & Humphrey Tires, the Army Goods store, the Larimer County Agricultural Conservation Association, the Amana Food Plan, Mac Van Frigid Locker Plant, and Gregory’s Meat and Lockers.45F 46 At the rear of lots 25 and 26, George and James McCormick, with builder J.F. Steward, constructed a 25X40 foot shop made of brick, which initially served as a paint shop.46F 47 Then, in 1925, the McCormick brothers, with builder J.R. Snedaker, erected a brick business and apartment building in the remaining space between the one-story portion of the Express/McCormick Building and 40 McClelland, “Later Story.” 41 “Trade Education for Printers,” Weekly Courier, December 22, 1910; “Union Men Force Newspaper to the Open-Shop System,” Fort Collins Courier, May 17, 1920. 42 McClelland, “Later Story”; “A Matter of ‘Principal,’” Weekly Courier, January 10, 1913. 43 “Union Men Force Newspaper,” Fort Collins Courier. 44 McClelland, “Early History.” 45 Patricia Gallagher, “A Chronology of the City’s Chronicles: Competition, Transition Mark History of Newspapers in Fort Collins,” The Coloradoan, April 15, 1984. 46 163 W. Mountain Ave. Research Document, August 2012, 159-63 W. Mountain Avenue Property File, City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Services Property File Collection, Community Development and Neighborhood Services Building, Fort Collins, CO. 47 Building Permit #118, SE Corner of Mountain and Mason for J.F. Steward Applicant, July 7, 1917, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO; 1917 Sanborn Map: Fort Collins, Digital Sanborn Maps Collection, Proquest, http://0- sanborn.umi.com.catalog.poudrelibraries.org/about.html. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 the 1917 construction.47F 48 Architectural features of this building, like the stepped parapet, mimic details on the Express/McCormick Building. Tenants of this building included businesses like the Farm Loan Association (1938-1940) and Hulquist Watch and Clock Repair (1956-1964) and residents like Bayard Case (1948-1964), a service station worker, Margaret McSparron Sr. and Jr. (1925, 1956-69), and many university students.48F 49 George McCormick sold his ½ interest in Lots 25 and 26, Block 111, to his brother in 1928.49F 50 James married Agnes Young in 1929,50F 51 and the couple retained ownership of the Express/McCormick Building until their deaths. In 1963, the estate of Agnes McCormick bequeathed the property to Walter Biehle, who sold it two years later to Henry and Julia Hudek.51F 52 The Hudeks continued to rent the property to various businesses and apartment residents, including Mother’s Market, Gutscher Music Company, and Paul’s Vacuum and Sewing Center.52F 53 In 1980, Alan R. Porter and Paul L. Wagner purchased the property from the Hudeks, and Porter sold his ½ interest in the property to Wagner less than two weeks later.53F 54 Wagner continued to rent to apartment residents and businesses like The Business Link, Communications, Cables, and Connections, Smartz Computer Services, and the Indigo Gallery.54F 55 He quit-claimed the property to Casana Corporation in 1991, a real estate company associated with Wagner.55F 56 Casana Corp. held the property until 1997, selling to Jay D. Stoner for $900,000.56F 57 Stoner sold to Mason Mountain, LLC in 2002 for $1,425,000, and Mason Mountain, LLC sold to Astride a Starship, LLC for $1,818,000 in 2006.57F 58 In 2016, Astride a Starship sold to Mountain and Mason, LLC for $4.5 million.58F 59 Finally, Mountain 48 Building Permit #1007, 118 Mason for McCormick Brothers, April 7, 1925, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO; 1925 Sanborn Map: Fort Collins, Digital Sanborn Maps Collection, Proquest, http://0-sanborn.umi.com.catalog.poudrelibraries.org/about.html. 49 City Directory Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins, CO. 50 Warranty Deed, G.C. McCormick to J.G. McCormick, April 12, 1928, Book 574, Page 82, Title Books, Larimer County Clerk and Recorder, Fort Collins, CO. 51 Marriage Record, James G. McCormick and Agnes Young, June 5, 1929, Colorado, County Marriage Records and State Index Collection, Ancestry Operations, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi- bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61366&h=261678&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=VUg16&_phstart=successSource. 52 Warranty Deed, Estate of Agnes Young to Walter Biehle, November 1, 1963, Book 1226, Page 389, Title Books, Larimer County Clerk and Recorder, Fort Collins, CO; Warranty Deed, Walter Biehle to Henry J. Hudek, et al, February 3, 1965, Book 1279, Page 391, Title Books, Larimer County Clerk and Recorder, Fort Collins, CO. 53 163 W. Mountain Ave. Research Document, City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Services. 54 Warranty Deed #383635, Henry and Julia Hudek to Alan R. Porter and Paul L. Wagner, October 16, 1980, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb; Warranty Deed #385349, Alan Porter to Paul Wagner, October 28, 1980, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb. 55 Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 and Mason sold to the current owner, Mountain 155, LLC, in 2019 for $4.6 million.59F 60 In addition to apartment residents, the current tenants of the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building are Pinot’s Palette, Slyce Pizza Company, and Wok and Roll (120 S. Mason St.), and the current business tenant of the McCormick Apartments building is The Regional restaurant. Conclusion In 1873, Joseph Simpson McClelland established the Express and “aspir[ed] to build a newspaper ‘representative of the people’ . . . standing fearless and unafraid, constantly working for the advancement of the community.”60F 61 Under the ownership of the McCormick brothers, the paper sometimes faced criticism, but ultimately garnered popular favor for its reporting in its daily and weekly editions. The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building stands at the corner of Mountain Avenue and Mason Street as a physical reminder of this news publishing powerhouse, and the business acumen of the brothers behind that newspaper is embodied in the McCormick Apartments next door. 60 Warranty Deed #20190047729, Mountain and Mason, LLC to Mountain 155, LLC, August 14, 2019, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb. 61 “Later Story of the Express to Date, It’s Growth, Activity and Character,” Fort Collins Express, May 20, 1923. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION Construction Date: 1907-1909; 1917 and 1925 Architect/Builder: E. Francis Williams (Architect), Jones and Bull (Builders); J.F. Stewart, J.R. Snedaker (Builders) Building Materials: Brick Architectural Style: Early Twentieth-Century Commercial Description: Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building is located on the south-east corner of Mountain Avenue and Mason Street. Its east and south elevations are almost entirely covered by abutting commercial buildings. There are two stairways to access the basement accessible from the sidewalk, one on the north elevation, and one on the west elevation. The foundation is stone parged with concrete, and the building is made of light-colored brick. The flat roof has a stepped parapet with corbelled details across the entire building. The building has a prominent brick chimney toward the west side. The footprint is rectangular. Part of the building has two stories, and part has one story: the north section has two-stories– the west side of the building extends south about 85 feet and the east side extends south about 50 feet– but, the east side drops to one story and then wraps around the west side’s two-story portion in an L-shaped section that creates a Mason Street storefront.61F 62 There are storefronts on both the Mountain Avenue (north) and Mason Street (west) elevations. The north elevation has two stories. The upper-story windows all appear to be historic. There are four pairs of wood one-over-one sash windows. Each pair has a sandstone sill, an eight-light transom window, and is also topped with a brick flat arch.62F 63 Symmetrically, a recessed panel of bricks creates a subtle masonry detail beneath the two pairs of windows to the east and the west. The north elevation’s first story features storefronts adorned with burgundy cloth awnings with a scalloped edge. There is a gooseneck lamp mounted beside each awning at both edges of the building. The entrances to both storefronts are deeply recessed and are located toward the center of the elevation. Walkways slope up to both entrances. Both storefronts are also dominated by walls of nearly full-height windows that are not interrupted by masonry. There are decorative pieces of sandstone where the brick walls would meet the sidewalk on this elevation. On the east storefront, two of these windows face the street, and a third similar window angles inward to meet the left side of the recessed door. This non-historic door has one large light and is surrounded by other windows: a large sidelight to the right and two transom windows above. The wood frames and mullions of these windows are painted red or black, and a subtle geometric pattern is carved in narrow strips of the wood. Beneath the awning, across the length of the storefront windows and entryway, there are six transom windows with very narrow wooden 62 See Maps section for a footprint showing this configuration. 63 A series of 2003 photos in the City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Services property file shows all of the transom windows boarded over on both the north and west elevations, but the glass in these windows does appear historic, reflecting the appearance of earlier photographs. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 frames painted black. In the sidewalk in front of the east storefront is a stairway providing basement access. It is surrounded by a metal railing. The stairs and landing are made of stone, and the visible walls are parged with concrete. There are three windows in this stairwell, and the wall between each window is topped with a block of sandstone. Each of these windows has a stone sill. The east window is a rectangular, wood, fixed window. The center window is a wood, one-over-one sash window. The west window is a taller wood, one-over-one sash window. The wooden door at the base of the stair has an opening above it from which a light fixture hangs. The west storefront is similar, but does not have a basement stair. Instead, a metal rail creates a patio area in front of the building. There are also two large windows facing the street, but there are two windows angling toward the door because the entrance of this storefront is more deeply recessed than the one on the east side. This storefront has two doors: the left door has one light in the upper half and leads to the upstairs apartments, and the right door has one much larger light and serves the business; both doors appear historic and have transom windows. The framing beneath the storefront windows is paneled and painted in red and white. The transom windows spanning across all of these windows and the entry are not original to the building but are likely historic, although the date of this change is unknown; they are made of bands of dark and light- blue and clear leaded glass. The west elevation consists of the two-story original 1907 portion and the one-story 1909 addition. The second-story features wood, one-over-one sash windows with sandstone sills and brick flat arch toppers like those on the north elevation. These are configured as three pairs, two singles, and three pairs. Each pair or single window has a narrow multi-light transom window and a recessed brick panel below, also like the windows on the north elevation’s second story. The west elevation’s first story has three large bricked-up window openings on the north end. The bricks are recessed to suggest the former opening and are topped with narrow, multi-light transom windows, like those on the upper-story windows, that are original to the property based on a 1914 photograph. The south-most of these bricked openings was partially reopened and has small glass blocks in the left half and a small sash window in the right half.63F 64 There is a stairway to the basement in front of the north portion of this elevation. It has a non- original knee-wall made of light-colored brick that matches the rest of the building in hue; the knee wall has a decorative topper that creates a jagged pattern using the corners of bricks. A band of sandstone separates the first story and basement in this stairway. The stairs and landing are made of stone. The walls of the stairway are made with rough-cut stone, and the wall of the basement is parged with concrete. There are also two basement windows with sandstone sills. The north window is a rectangular, wood, fixed window, and the south window is a wood, one- over-one sash window. The non-historic wood door at the base of the stair has a rough-cut sandstone lintel. There is a light fixture mounted above the lintel. The boarded opening to the right of this door currently being used to accommodate a utility system was once likely a window. 64 The 1969 tax assessor photo shows this opening full of glass blocks; the right half were removed and replaced by a sash window sometime between 2008 and 2012 based on Google Street-view images. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Toward the center of the west elevation, there is an entryway that sits atop a sandstone step. The entry is covered by a burgundy cloth awning like those on the north elevation. On both sides of this awning, there is a gooseneck lamp. The wood frame of the doors and windows is painted beige. The wood door has one large light and is historic. Tall fixed windows flank both sides of the door; below each window is a beige, red, and white-painted decorative panel. There are fixed window transom windows above each window and the door. Beneath the awning, an eight-light fixed window stretches across this entry; the left-most pane of glass has been replaced with a vent. South of this entryway are two pairs of wood, one-over-one sash windows with sandstone sills. Both pairs have wood-framed decorative panels below them painted in beige, red, and white. The left pair has an eight-light transom window above it; the left pair’s transom window was boarded to hold a metal fixture for the business inside at an unknown date. South of these windows, there is another entry shrouded by a burgundy cloth awning. There is one gooseneck lamp to the left of the awning. A non-historic door with one large light is set to the right and is accessed by a concrete landing. Above this door is a wood, fixed transom window. To the left of this door is a large wood, one-over-one sash window with a sandstone sill. Below this window is a wood-framed decorative panel painted in beige, red, and white, like others on this elevation. Beneath the awning, there was likely once a transom window spanning across the entire entryway, but it has been boarded up. The west elevation’s one-story portion has two entries, each with their own black cloth awning. The left entry abuts the 1907 portion of the building. The non-historic door has one large light and is painted black; it also has a flat-arched brick topper. The second door is just to its right. This door is very similar, but has a fixed transom window as well as a flat-arched brick topper. To the right of this door is a picture window topped with a black-painted lintel. The right side of this lintel is topped with a brick flat arch, indicating the location of the original window. Located high on the wall near the shallowly stepped, corbelled parapet, there are two gooseneck lamps. The south and east elevations are almost entirely obscured by abutting buildings. The second- story portion of the building has some windows and doors that open onto the one-story portion, indicated by the segmental arches peeking out, but they are not visible from the street. Surrounded by the abutting buildings, a narrow segment of the one-story portion with a narrow wood, three-light window looks out onto the alley. The McCormick Apartments The McCormick Apartments are located on the east side of the 100 block of Mason Street. Train tracks run in front of the building, which is across the street from the Larimer County Courthouse Offices. An alley runs along the south side of the building, and there is a parking lot off of this alley on the building’s east side. This two-story brick building has a concrete foundation. The brick on the façade (west elevation) is light buff-colored, whereas the brick on all other elevations is Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 pink. The flat roof has a stepped parapet with soldier-coursed brick detail on all sides of the building excluding the rear. The building’s north elevation is partially covered by the abutting one-story building to the north; the second-story portion of the McCormick Apartments’ north elevation is not visible from the street. The north and south halves of this building were built at different dates; the south portion was built in 1917, and the north half was built in 1925. The 1925 portion extends slightly further east from Mason Street than the 1917 portion, making the overall footprint of not quite rectangular. The majority of the façade features light buff-colored brick in stretcher bond, but above the second-story windows, brick headers are employed to create the appearance of panels. The façade is asymmetrical. All of the windows on the façade have concrete sills. On the first story, there are two storefronts, set slightly south rather than centered on the building; each is covered with a gray cloth awning that is attached to a gray-painted board that stretches nearly the full length of the building. There are two gooseneck lamps by these awnings. There is a patio enclosure in front of each storefront made of metal painted black. Each half of the building’s façade has two doors. The north half has one door toward the north edge, not under an awning, and another where the two halves of the building meet; these doors are made of wood and have one large light in the upper half. The north door appears to have had its transom window removed. The second door retains its recessed hopper transom window. Between these doors, there are two large display windows with white-painted concrete sills. Beneath the awning, transom windows once stretched across this storefront, but they were boarded at an unknown date. The façade’s south storefront also has two doors. The north door is recessed and appears non- historic; it has one large light toward the center. Just south of this door is a storefront window that is as tall as the recessed entryway. The second door is located toward the center of this storefront; it has one light, about three-quarters of the length of the door. To its left is a storefront window with a wooden panel below it rather than brick. This door and window each have a narrow transom window. To the right of this door is a large display window. Above the entire storefront are transom window opening that were boarded at an unknown date. The façade’s second story has four pairs of wood, one-over-one, double-hung sash windows with divided light transoms, similar to those on the Express building. The north two pairs of windows have lintels made of soldier-coursed brick with square stones at either end. The south windows have the same style of lintel, but stacked between the sill and the lintel’s square stone ends are bricks, aligned with stretchers showing to create a complete window surround. The south elevation, located on an alley, is constructed from pink brick. All of the windows on this elevation are wood, one-over-one, double-hung sash windows with concrete sills. There is what appears to be a ventilation shaft at the center of the elevation connecting to a now-boarded window opening on the first story. There are windows on both sides of this boarded opening, two to the left (west) and one to the right (east). The brick around the right window is lighter in color than the rest of the brick on this elevation. The second story has four windows set toward the Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 west side of the elevation, one pair of windows in between two single windows. There are planters and metal posts supporting bistro lights just in front of this elevation. It is most obvious that this building was constructed in two phases from the rear (east) side. The north half extends slightly further east than the south half. All of the windows on this elevation are wood, one-over-one, double-hung sash windows with brick sills unless otherwise noted. On the south half, there is a wooden stairway that fills much of that inset; it provides access to the second-story apartments and roof. When the stairs reach the second story, they lead onto a wood porch with a solid wall and shed roof. On south portion’s lower floor, there is a concrete pad beneath the stairway and in front of a door, which is toward the south side of the elevation. The door is wood, but not historic; its transom has been boarded up. There is utility meter equipment to the left of this door. There are two windows to the right of this door; the north- most of these two windows has had its upper sash boarded. On the second story, there is one window above this partially-boarded window. To its left are a door and another window toward the south edge of the elevation. This south-most second-story window has geometric, leaded glass in the upper sash, and the lower portion is boarded. The north portion of the east elevation has five windows on the first floor. Starting toward the south, there is a pair of window, the right of which has been modified to accommodate a vent without damaging the window. North of this is another pair of windows, the right of which has had its upper sash replaced. North of this is a window non-original to the building, a vertical, three-light window; the center pane is textured glass, and the upper and lower panes are leaded glass. This window appears to be on a wall belonging to the Express building, but is attributed to the McCormick Apartments building in a 2019 window study. On the second story, there are two windows. On this projecting portion’s south wall, there is one small second-story window as well. The north elevation is partially covered by the abutting Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building, and the upper story is not visible from the street. The 2019 window study reveals, however, that there are seven windows overlooking the roof of the Express Building, all of which are wood, double-hung sash windows; the west-most window has been replaced. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 TABLE 1 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building DATE EXTERIOR ALTERATION Historic* Historic- compatible** Modern 1907 Original building constructed X 1909 Building expanded east and south for Post Office X 1935 Mason St. one-story section- openings bricked for cold storage plant, cellar stair removed X 1936 Mason St. two-story section- three large windows bricked X 1936 Mountain Ave.- West storefront remodeled for double entrance X <1960 Mason St. two-story section- central double-door entrance reconfigured and secondary entrance added to the south X <1969 Mason St. two-story section- sidewalk-level windows removed X <1969 Mountain Ave.- Storefront steps changed to ramps X 1979 Mason St. one-story section- Bricks removed from window openings X 1988 Mason St. one-story section- new openings X UNK Brick knee-wall around Mason St. stairway UNK Mountain Ave.- Multicolored glass transom above west storefront VARIOUS Re-roofings, awnings, sign changes *Within period of significance for early twentieth-century commercial buildings (1900-1940) **Greater than 50 years old, but outside period of significance Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 REFERENCE LIST or SOURCES of INFORMATION Barlow, Phillip. “Window Evaluation for 159-163 West Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80524.” Prepared for City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Department. Barlow Cultural Resources Consulting LLC. October 22, 2019. Building Permit Collection. Fort Collins History Connection: An Online Collaboration between FCMoD and PRPLD. https://history.fcgov.com/collections/building-permits. City Directory Collection. Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Fort Collins, CO. City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Services. Building Permit Collection. Community Development and Neighborhood Services Building. Fort Collins, CO. ———. “163. W. Mountain Ave. Research Document. August 2012. 159-63 W. Mountain Avenue Property File. Property File Collection. Community Development and Neighborhood Services Building. Fort Collins, CO. Colorado, County Marriage Records and State Index, 1862-2006. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi- bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61366&h=383461&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ofc767& _phstart=successSource. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Fort Collins Courier Database. Colorado State Library. https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=cl&cl=CL1&e=-------en-20--1--img- txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0--&sp=FCC. ———. Fort Collins Express Database. Colorado State Library. https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=cl&cl=CL1&e=-------en-20--1--img- txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0--&sp=FCE. ———. Weekly Courier Database. Colorado State Library. https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=cl&cl=CL1&e=-------en-20--1--img- txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0--&sp=TWC. Coloradoan Staff. “Plethora of Publications Came and Went,” Coloradoan, April 15, 1984. https://history.fcgov.com/explore/pdf/newspapers.pdf. Gallagher, Patricia. “A Chronology of the City’s Chronicles: Competition, Transition Mark History of Newspapers in Fort Collins,” Coloradoan, April 15, 1984, https://history.fcgov.com/explore/pdf/newspapers.pdf. History Colorado. “Early Twentieth-Century Commercial.” https://www.historycolorado.org/early-twentieth-century-commercial. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Landmark Web Official Records Search. Larimer County Clerk and Recorder. https://records.larimer.org/LandmarkWeb/Home/Index. Sanborn Maps Collection: Fort Collins. Proquest. http://0- sanborn.umi.com.catalog.poudrelibraries.org/co/0996/dateid-000009.htm?CCSI=1820n. Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Tax Assessor Card Collection. Fort Collins, CO. ———. Historical Image and Postcard Collection. Fort Collins, CO. Title Books Collection. Larimer County Clerk and Recorder. Fort Collins, CO. Watrous, Ansel. History of Larimer County. Fort Collins: The Courier Printing and Publishing Company, 1911. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 MAPS and PHOTOGRAPHS64F 65 Map 1: Highlighted area is all of Lots 25 and 26, including both the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments. 65 All non-historic photos and maps by Reyana Jones, 2019 unless otherwise noted Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Map 2: Aerial View- Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building outlined in red, McCormick Apartments outlined in green (Google Maps) West Mountain Avenue South Mason Street Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Map 3: 1909 Sanborn Map (Poudre Libraries/Proquest Sanborn Maps Collection) Map 4: 1917 Sanborn Map (Poudre Libraries/Proquest Sanborn Maps Collection) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Map 5: 1925 Sanborn Map (Poudre Libraries/Proquest Sanborn Maps Collection) Historic Photo 1: 1910 Postcard Photo, Express building in foregorund, McCormick Apartments not yet constructed (Local History Archive) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Historic Photo 2: 1914 Newspaper Photo (Local History Archive) Historic Photo 3: Pre-1960 Photo from Coloradoan (Local History Archive) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Historic Photo 4: 1969 Tax Assessor Photo (Local History Archive) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 1: Context, looking east on Mountain Ave. from Mason St. Photo 2: Façade (North Elevation), Mountain Ave. Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 3: North Elevation- upper-level windows, recessed brick panel, and parapet detail Photo 4: North Elevation- East Storefront Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 5: North Elevation- East Storefront Entry Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 6: North Elevation- East Storefront, Under Awning, Transom Windows Photo 7: North Elevation- West Storefront Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 8: North Elevation- West Storefront Entry Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 9: North Elevation- West Storefront, Under Awning, Transom Windows Photo 10: North Elevation- Basement Stairway and Rail Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 11: North Elevation- Basement Stairway, Top Window Photo 12: North Elevation- Basement Stairway, Center Window Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 13: North Elevation- Basement Stairway, Bottom Window Photo 14: North Elevation- Basement Door Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 15: West Elevation Photo 16: West Elevation- Basement Stairway, Kneewall Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 17: West Elevation- Basement Stairway, Steps Photo 18: Basement Stairway, Top Window Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 19: West Elevation- Basement Stairway, Bottom Window Photo 20: West Elevation- Basement Door Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 21: West Elevation- Basement Stairway, Rock Walls, Former Window, Utility Equipment Photo 22: West Elevation- Bricked Window Opening, North-most Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 23: West Elevation- Bricked Window Opening, South-most, Glass Block and Sash Alteration Photo 24: West Elevation- North Storefront Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 25: West Elevation- North Storefront, Under Awning Photo 26- West Elevation- North-most Windows Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 27: West Elevation- 2nd North-most Windows Photo 28: West Elevation- Center Storefront Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 29: West Elevation- Center Storefront, Under Awning Photo 30: West Elevation- South Storefront Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 31: West Elevation- South Storefront, North Door Photo 32: West Elevation, South Storefront, South Door Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 33: West Elevation- South Storefront, Picture Window, Under Awning, Flat Arches Photo 34: West Elevation- South Storefront, Parapet Details and Gooseneck Lamps Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Photos Photo 35: Brick Chimney (most visible from West side) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 1: Context, looking west across Mason Street Photo 2: Façade (West Elevation) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 3: Façade- Parapet Photo 4: Facade- North Door Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 5: Façade- North Storefront Photo 6: Façade- North Storefront Door Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 7: Façade- North Storefront Under Awning Photo 8: Façade- North Storefront Patio Enclosure Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 9: Façade- South Storefront Photo 10: Façade- Recessed Entry by South Storefront Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 11: Façade- South Storefront Under Awning Photo 12: Façade- South Storefront Patio Enclosure Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 13: Façade- Second Northmost Second-story Window Photo 14: South Elevation Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 15: South Elevation- Lower West Window Photo 16: South Elevation- Lower Center Window Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 17: South Elevation- Lower Boarded Window and Ventilation Shaft Photo 18: South Elevation- Lower East Window Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 19: South Elevatio- Upper West Window Photo 20: South Elevation- Upper Center Windows Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 21: South Elevation- Upper East Window Photo 22: East Elevation Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 23: East Elevation- Stairway Photo 24: East Elevation- Upper Story Porch Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 25: East Elevation- Door Photo 26: East Elevation- Lower South Window Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 27: East Elevation- Lower 2nd South-most Window (photo by Phil Barlow, 2019) Photo 28: East Elevation- Upper 2nd South-most Window (photo by Phil Barlow, 2019) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 29: East Elevation- Upper South-most Window Interior View (photo by Phil Barlow, 2019) Photo 30: East Elevation- Upper Inset Window (facing north) Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 31: East Elevation- Lower South Paired Windows Photo 32: East Elevation- Lower North Paired Windows Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 33: East Elevation- Non-original Window with Leaded Glass Photo 34: East Elevation- Upper Northmost Window Planning, Development & Transportation Services Community Development & Neighborhood Services 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 McCormick Apartments Photos Photo 35: East Elevation- Upper 2nd Northmost Window 1 Application for Fort Collins Landmark Designation – Lots 25 and 26, Block 111 (155 W. Mountain Ave.) – The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments Yani Jones, Historic Preservation Specialist City Council, January 21, 2020 Maps 2 155 W. Mountain Ave. – The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments 1909 Sanborn Map 155 W. Mountain Ave. Parcel Boundary Fort Collins Express/ McCormick Building 1925 Sanborn Map McCormick Apartments ATTACHMENT 4 Standard 1 – Events 3 1910 Postcard Photograph (Local History Archive) James G. McCormick (Local History Archive) George C. McCormick (Local History Archive) 155 W. Mountain Ave. – The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building Standard 3 – Design/Construction 4 1914 Newspaper Photograph 155 W. Mountain Ave. – The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building 5 Pre-1960 Coloradoan Photograph 155 W. Mountain Ave. – The McCormick Apartments Standard 3 – Design/Construction • Construction: • Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building – 1907/1909 • McCormick Apartments – 1917/1925 • Standards of Significance: • Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building – 1 (Events) and 3 (Design/Construction) • McCormick Apartments – 3 (Design/Construction) • Exterior Integrity: Location, Design, Setting, Materials, Workmanship, Feeling, and Association 6 155 W. Mountain Ave. – The Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments ATTACHMENT 5 -1- ORDINANCE NO. 019, 2020 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS DESIGNATING THE BUILDINGS OF LOTS 25 AND 26, BLOCK 111 (155 WEST MOUNTAIN AVENUE AND 130 SOUTH MASON STREET) KNOWN AS THE FORT COLLINS EXPRESS/MCCORMICK BUILDING AND THE MCCORMICK APARTMENTS, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, AS A FORT COLLINS LANDMARK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 14 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS WHEREAS, pursuant to City Code Section 14-1, the City Council has established a public policy encouraging the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of historic landmarks within the City; and WHEREAS, by resolution adopted on December 18, 2019, the Landmark Preservation Commission (the “Commission”) determined that the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building and the McCormick Apartments, Lots 25 and 26, Block 111, in Fort Collins, as more specifically described in the legal description below (the “Property”), are eligible for landmark designation pursuant to City Code Chapter 14, Article II, for the Property’s high degree of all seven standards of integrity under City Code Section 14-22(b)(1-7), and for the Fort Collins Express/McCormick Building’s significance to Fort Collins under Standards of Significance 1, Events, and 3, Design/Construction, and for the McCormick Apartments’ significance under Standard of Significance 3, Design/Construction, contained in City Code Section 14-22(a)(1) and 14-22(a)(3); and WHEREAS, the Commission further determined that designation of the Property will advance the policies and purposes set forth in City Code Sections 14-1 and 14-2 in a manner and extent sufficient to justify designation; and WHEREAS, the Commission recommends that the City Council designate the Property as a Fort Collins landmark; and WHEREAS, the owner of the Property has consented to such landmark designation and desires to protect the Property; 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 follow such recommendation and designate the Property as a landmark; and WHEREAS, designation of the Property as a landmark is necessary for the prosperity, civic pride, and welfare of the public. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: -2- Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That the Property located in the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit: LOTS 25 AND 26, BLOCK 111, FORT COLLINS, ALSO HISTORICALLY KNOWN AS 153-163 WEST MOUNTAIN AVENUE AND 100-161 SOUTH MASON STREET, CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COUNTY OF LARIMER, STATE OF COLORADO be designated as a Fort Collins Landmark in accordance with City Code Chapter 14. Section 3. That 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 IV, as currently enacted or hereafter amended. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 21st day of January, A.D. 2020, and to be presented for final passage on the 4th day of February, A.D. 2020. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 4th day of February, A.D. 2020. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk 163 W. Mountain Ave. Research Document, City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation Services. 56 Quit-Claim Deed #19910014655, Paul Wagner to Casana Corporation, April 10, 1991, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb 57 Warranty Deed #19970051412, Casana Corp. to Jay D. Stoner, August 7, 1997, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb. 58 Warranty Deed #20020045188, Jay D. Stoner to Mason Mountain, LLC, April 23, 2002, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb; Warranty Deed #20060044637, Mason Mountain, LLC to Astride a Starship, LLC, June 14, 2006, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb. 59 Warranty Deed #20160017989, Astride a Starship, LLC to Mountain and Mason, LLC, March 25, 2016, Larimer County Official Records Search Database, Larimer County, https://records.larimer.org/landmarkweb. History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery; Building Permit #137, SE Corner Mason and Mountain, September 4, 1917, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. 27 Building Permit #1007, 118 Mason, McCormick Brothers, April 7, 1925, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Building Permit #s 4516, 4547, 4987, 6218, 6686, 8413,10076, Building Permits Collection, Local History Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery;