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Home My WebLink AboutCOLUMBINE EAST LONG TERM CARE - PDP - 11-05 - REPORTS -... r� r-i., mrinnn- Wednesday, March 9, 2005, www.coloradoan.com nonprom ayvt �'r ^ , _ but a deal STILL WAITING: The future of this house, owned le mercial development on their property, Dick and Dianne Rule, remains in e and The coup is determined to donate the house and a barn to a with Crossroads Safehouse has fallen through. Buildings Continued from Page BI have a location," she said. The Rules and their buildings were at the center of controver- sy last year when they clashed with Fort Collins officials over the city's regulations for historic preservation. A section of the city's Land Use Code prohibited the Rules from moving or demolishing the buildings even though they were not officially designated as his- toric landmarks. The code has since been modified. In July, the City Council ruled the buildings could be moved or torn down without further re- view from the city's historic preservation program. In Au- gust, the Rules offered the build- ings to Crossroads. That set off months of search- ing for a suitable piece of city - owned or private land for the buildings. Numerous sites were researched, but none worked out, Lutz said. For a time, land adjacent to the old city power plant on North College Avenue next to the Poudre River was a prime contender. But numerous prob- lems with the site, including the lack of utilities and its proximity to the river, took it out of con- sideration, said Tom Vosburg, assistant city manager. The property is leased to Col- orado State University for an en- gine research facility. Getting sewer service to the property, which is on a septic system, would have cost at least $300,000, he said. Zoning and floodplain issues proved problematic at other city -owned sites, he said. Lutz said Crossroads wants to continue working with city staff members to find suitable office space for the agency, perhaps in a city -owned building. Last year the agency received a $52,000 federal Community Development Block Grant as well as private donations to es- tablish an outreach center. Part of the money could be used for renovation, which could prove beneficial to the city' she said. Vosburg said city staff mem- bers continue to look at options. Space in a city -owned building might open later this year as de- partments are consolidated and moved to other locations. "We've got irons in the fire, but it's kind of complicated be- cause of their needs," he said. Those needs include being in a visible location with access to public transportation, Lutz said. Confidentiality requirements for the shelter prevent the agency from offering services such as health care and child care to clients, even though community service organiza- tions have said they want to par- ticipate in such efforts. "We have a brick wall figura- tively between our clients and the people who want to come in and help," Lutz said. Vosburg remains optimistic "something can be worked out" by the end of the year. Rule said she has to honor the contract on her property and have the buildings cleared from the site by June 1. Columbine Health Systems Plans to build a two-story, 131- bed skilled nursing facility on the property. The company hopes to break ground in June, said President Bob Wilson. Rule expects to apply for a demolition permit from the city's planning department with- in the coming weeks to keep her options open. Moving the buildings would cost between $25,000 and $50,000, depending on where they are moved and what obsta- cles, such as utility lines, appear along the way. Another local nonprofit is working with a real estate devel- oper to secure a site for the buildings, she said, but the deal has not firmed up. And time is running out. "We really do want to save these buildings," she said. Wednesday, March 9, 2005 ♦ Fort Collins Color City editor. Pat Ferrier, 224-7742 m m ' ibui ings irm o c By KEVIN DUGGAN KevinDuggan@coloradoan.com The future remains un- clear for two old farm buildings on a southeast Fort Collins property slated for development. Efforts have fallen through to donate the 79- year-old house and barn, owned by Dick and Dianne Rule, to the nonprofit Crossroads Safehouse, which offers the only shel- Crossroads' deal for Rule ho ter for battered women in the county. That's left the agency and the property owners short of their respective goals. For Crossroads, it's es- tablishing a location for its administrative offices and an outreach program that would increase the agency's visibility in the community. For the Rules, it's dispos- ing of the buildings to make way for a commercial de- velopment on their proper- ty at 4824 S. Lemay Ave. "It's been frustrating to say the least," said Dianne Rule. "Our top priority re- mains donating these build- ings to a nonprofit organi- zation. But if something doesn't come through in the next two weeks, we'll have to go with a private per" Crossroads supporters are feeling the same frus- •adoan E-mail: CityNews@coloradoan.com fate uncertain use, barn falls apart tration and disappoint- ment, said executive direc- tor Vicki Lutz. The agency had high hopes for acquiring and renovating the house and barn, but those hopes were dashed when land for the buildings could not be found, despite a commit- ment from Fort Collins city staff members to help find a suitable location. Crossroads needs to get its offices out of the safe - house to create more room for clients, Lutz said. It also needs a way to reach peo- ple who need services oth- er than emergency shelter. Such programs cannot be conducted at the safe - house because its location must remain confidential for security reasons, she said. That means the agency is not known by many residents, even though it is 25 years old. "You can't have a very effective presence in your community if you don't See BUILDINGS/Page B4