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May - 2013
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Capitol Hill United
Neighborhoods, Inc.

1290 Williams Street
Denver, Colorado
80218-2600

(303) 830-1651
(303) 830-1782
Fax



Historic Preservation Committee

City Council Approved Changes to Landmark Preservation Ordinance

Denver City Council approved a series of changes to the city’s landmark preservation ordinance proposed by the Community Planning and Development Department (CPD). The changes, specific to the demolition and historicdesignation sections of the ordinance, seek to balance community, preservationist and landowner interests, and to eliminate unnecessary steps from the demolition review and historic-designation review processes.

Key changes involved in the ordinance update:
*Require that non-owner initiated designation applications be filed by a minimum of three Denver residents or property owners, or the CPD manager, or a City Council member. This provision raises the level of community support and involvement required for a non-owner-initiated application.

*Limit Landmark Preservation staff review of demolition permits for undesignated properties to primary structures and large accessory structures, effectively eliminating unnecessary reviews for garage and shed demolitions. (Currently, Landmark Preservation staff reviews all demolition permits to ensure that historic properties are not demolished without community notification.)

*Require that non-owner applicants file a landmark designation application within 21 days of demolition posting by the city, or within 28 days if a notice of intent to file is sent. This provision provides applicants with more time, while providing property owners with a “heads-up.”

*Allow the Landmark Preservation Commission to consider historic or  physical integrity and relative significance of a structure or district when reviewing an application for historic designation — factors the commission was not empowered to consider until now.

*Provide for other administrative changes that streamline the process.

View the full proposal HERE.

The fee for non-ownerinitiated landmark designation applications (currently set at $250) will not be included in the ordinance. In the coming days, CPD Interim Manager Molly Urbina will set the fee based on community input and the estimated manpower cost of processing non-owner-initiated designation applications.

Landmark Preservation staff first brought a draft of landmark ordinance changes to City Council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure committee as an informational item in July. Later, the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission reviewed the proposals in a series of public meetings, and recommended approval. In addition, CPD staff has done considerable outreach over the last six months to community groups, registered neighborhood organizations, city council members and others to gather input and respond to questions and concerns about the changes.  The ordinance changes were modified several times based on stakeholder feedback.

The landmark preservation ordinance was established in 1967. Changes in 2006 sought to prevent “surprise” demolitions of potentially historic buildings. In early 2012 the Community Planning and Development Department began drafting proposed changes based on opportunities for improvement identified by staff. Later in 2012, two controversial landmark designation applications were filed — one on the Gates rubber
plant property and one on a partially-demolished warehouse on Huron Street in the Ballpark neighborhood. Each raised questions about the city’s process and drew further attention to the need for updates to the ordinance.

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The Historic Preservation Committee is responsible for numerous historic districts as well as individually designated homes and buildings.  The Committee has been active for over 20 years. The former chair of the committee, Jim Peiker, and the current chair, Amy Zimmer, will accept the award.  The Committee has never been honored for its work by an outside organization even though it has worked on over a dozen historic designated residential projects.
 
The Committee has been active in helping to protect many Capitol Hill Landmarks. Among them are:

• Bluebird Theatre
• Mayan Theatre
• Ogden Theatre
• Temple Events Center
• Milheim House
• Crawford Hill Mansion
• Quality Hill Historic District
• Seventh Avenue Historic District
• Wyman Historic District
• Park Avenue Historic District
• Alamo Placita Historic District
• Humboldt St. Historic District
• Porter Mansion

The “Roaring 20’s Speakeasy Night will include “hooch,” heavy hors d’oeuvres, pool tables and a silent auction.  Tickets for the event are $60 “clams” per person or $50 “clams” for people under age 35.  “Glad rags,” roaring 20’s” attire, are suggested.  To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit www.denversoldhousesociety.org.

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods is ‘Preserving the Past, Improving the Present, and Planning for the Future of Greater Capitol Hill.’  CHUN strives to accomplish this mission through its emphasis on historic preservation, affordable housing and homelessness, land use and zoning, and public safety.  At the foundation of all CHUN does is the notion of civic participation - that we become a healthier, more vibrant community through the active involvement of the people who comprise our neighborhoods.

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Historic Preservation Committee Chair - Amy Zimmer

Information on weatherization of vintage homes - click HERE

Information on state tax credits for historic preservation - click HERE

Historic Preservation Committee By Jim Peiker, Former Committee Chair

Many people look at historic preservation as primarily a warm, fuzzy activity saving our architectural and historical heritage. Here in Colorado, historic preservation has a large economic impact as well. The following information comes from "The Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation in Colorado", a publication of the Colorado Historical Foundation.
Property owners in Colorado turn to three programs to help them rehabilitate historic buildings: Grants distributed through the State Historic Fund, a federal tax credit and a state tax credit. With minimal public cost, these programs have generated vast amounts of private capital devoted to historic preservation. In summary:

  • Between 1993 and 2001, the State Historic Fund distributed over $62.8 million in grants to 849 Colorado rehabilitation projects, with an additional $355.2 million contributed through public and private matching funds.
  • Between 1981 and 2000, 301 Colorado projects with a combined total project cost of $461.6 million utilized the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
  • Between 1991 and 2000, 385 Colorado projects with a combined total cost of $32.4 million utilized the state rehabilitation tax credit.

CHUN has been active in helping to protect many Capitol Hill Landmarks. Among them are:

  • Bluebird Theatre
  • Mayan Theatre
  • Ogden Theatre
  • Temple Events Center
  • Milheim House
  • Crawford Hill Mansion
  • Quality Hill Historic District
  • Seventh Avenue Historic District
  • Wyman Historic District
  • Park Avenue Historic District
  • Alamo Placita Historic District
  • Humboldt St. Historic District
  • Porter Mansion

Historic preservation is much more than just saving old buildings!

Historic Districts
Dating back to the mid-1800's, Denver's historic past is filled with interesting facts, beautiful architecture, and a strong heritage that has be carried down through generations of devoted Denver residents.

7th Ave. Historic District
Map
E. Seventh Ave. Pkwy. from Williams St. to Colorado Blvd.

Period of Significance:
1900-1924

Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Alamo Placita
Map

Mr. Steve Nissen
528 Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO 80203
303-733-8524

North: 6th/7th Ave.
South: Speer Blvd.
East: Downing
West: Pennsylvania

Civic Center Park
Map #6
Inducted: 1974
Period of Significance:
1900-1924, 1925-1949

Civic Center Park Historic District extends NE to include a small portion of the North Capitol Hill neighborhood. Civic Center Park is host to the CHUN Capitol Hill People's Fair
Country Club Historic Neighborhood, Inc.
Map #18
Period of Significance:
1900-1924, 1925-1949

1st and 4th Avenues.
Race and Downing Street.

Humboldt St.
Map #2
Lying on the West side of Cheesman Park is the Humboldt St. Historic District.
(added 1978 - Denver County - #78000848)
Humboldt St. between E. 10th and E. 12th St's., Denver
(50 acres, 25 buildings)

Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Person
Architect, builder, or engineer: Multiple Architectural Style: Mixed (More Than 2 Styles From Different Periods)

Historic Person: Brown,Lyman H.,et al.

Significant Year: 1895, 1920

Area of Significance: Industry,
Landscape Architecture, Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture

Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924


Park Avenue
Map #41
Park Avenue Historic District stretches SE from 20th Ave to Colfax Ave.

Parkways District #29
Map #H29
The main parks of Denver are connected through a maze of beautiful tree-lined parkways. The City Park Esplinade is an expansion of the parkways to connect East High School historic site to City Park.
Pennsylvania Street
Map #31
Magnificent houses from the late 1800's many feature the Richardsonian Romanesque style: high turrets, balconies, soaring chimneys and a grand curved porches.

Home of the Molly Brown House
Quality Hill
Map # 19
Built in the late 1800's early 1900's and was home to some of the wealthiest settlers in Denver.
The Quality Hill District is only one block wide from 9th to 10th Avenues and stretches from Logan St. east to the Washington/Clarkson St. alley.
Sherman/Grant
Map #33
Also known as Poet's Row for the numerous apartment buildings built in the 1920s and 1930s named after famous poets.
The Sherman/Grant Historic District stretches from 9th Ave. to 12th Ave. and includes the West side of Grant Street and both sides of Sherman Street.
Snell Subdivision
Map #H12
North-South: Colfax Ave. - 14th Ave.
East-West: Cook St. - Madison St.

One of the more unique sections of the neighborhood with two east to west cross streets between blocks.
Swallow Hill
Map #35
Inducted: 1998

Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924

Architectural Style: Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Prairie School, Late Victorian
(220 acres, 60 buildings)
Fun Information
Wyman Historic
Map #22
North-South: 17th Ave. - 11th Ave.
East-West: York St. - Franklin St.

Ms. Margot Crowe
(303)321-9975
Historic Castle Marne
The Holiday Chalet

 

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