A bill for an ordinance designating 2288 South Milwaukee Street as a structure for preservation. Approves an individual landmark designation for property located at 2288 South Milwaukee Street in Council District 6. The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 9-24-19.
Council is reconvened. We have three public hearings this evening. Speakers should begin their remarks by telling the council their names and cities of residents and if they feel comfortable doing so, their home addresses. If you are here to answer questions only when your name is called, please come to the podium, state your name and note that you are available for questions of council. Speakers have 3 minutes. There is no yielding of time on the presentation monitor. On the wall you will see your time counting down. Speakers must say on the topic of the hearing and must direct their comments to the council members. Please refrain from profane or obscene speech. Direct your comments to council as a whole and please refrain from individual or personal attacks. Councilwoman Wall, will you please put Council Bill 954 on the floor? I move that council bill 19 0954 be placed upon final consideration and do pass. It has been moved and seconded. The required public hearing for council bill 954 is open. May we have the staff report it? Evening Council. My name is Jenny Button Bergen with Community Planning and Development and I'm going to go through 2288 South Milwaukee Street, a landmark designation application. The ability to designate individual landmarks and historic districts in the city and county of Denver is set forth in the 1967 Preservation Order and Landmark Preservation Ordinance. The purpose of the ordinance is to designate, preserve and protect historic structures, foster civic pride, stabilize and improve esthetic and economic vitality, and promote good urban design. We currently have 344 individual landmarks, which you can see on the screen indicated by the red dots in 55 historic districts which are indicated in the colored blocks by year of designation. This equals about 7000 buildings or 4% of the city, one and 25 structures that are designated landmarks in the city and county of Denver. Designation applications can be accepted by a variety of people. It is a community driven process, and those who can designate through applications are the owner or owners of the property, manager of a community planning and development, a member or members of City Council, and three people who are either residents, property owners, or have a place of business in Denver. Four 2288 South Milwaukee Street. The owner is the applicant, Francis Taylor, who is here with us this evening. This is in the University Park Neighborhood Council, District Number six, Councilman Paul Cashman and Blueprint Denver. This is the urban neighborhood context and low residential area future place. The current zoning is you as you see for a property or properties to be designated. They have to meet a set of criteria. They need to meet a designation criterion and at least two categories of history, architecture or geography. They must maintain a historic and physical integrity, and they need to be considered by the Landmark Preservation Commission for relation to historic context or theme for this property. It meets History C, which is to have direct and substantial association with the person or group of persons who had influence on society in architecture. B Which is to be the significant work of a recognized architect or master builder. And I'll go both of these and go, Excuse me, go through both of these in detail. Now, the property is directly associated with Dr. Edward Jackson, a well-known and highly celebrated ophthalmologist who commissioned the design and construction of 2288 South Milwaukee Street in resided in the home with his family from 1902 to 1920. Dr. Jackson was a major figure in advancing modern American ophthalmology. Excuse me? I lost my cursor on the screen. He developed new techniques for examining the eyes, such as Jackson's cross cylinders seen in the top right of the screen, used for the final fine tuning of the access and strength of astigmatism. He's also credited with popularizing the use of the retina scope seen in the lower right of the screen, a handheld instrument that objectively determines the refractive error of the eye. Indeed, for glasses, Jackson was a founding director of the American Board about the malady in the Colorado Optimal Logical Society. He was appointed Professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado Medical School and established the country's first postgraduate course in ophthalmology. Many of his career achievements occurred while he resided at 2288 South Milwaukee Street. The House at 2288 South Milwaukee Street, built in 1902, is a significant example of an upscale version of the four square form designed by Denver architect Glenwood. Huntington. Huntington ran a Denver practice between 1897 and 1938 and built a prolific career, mainly focused on residential designs. Many of his Denver projects are still extensive and contribute to local historic districts like East Seventh Avenue, Humboldt Street, Alamo, Casita, Wyman and Country Club. Few residential examples of Huntington's work have been recorded or documented in the University Park neighborhood. Like 2288 South Milwaukee Street. This Huntington house is unique given its substantial size footprint and a wraparound, uncovered front porch, facilitated in part due to its large corner lot setting. It demonstrates the character defining features of the four square form, such as a two story hipped roof structure with minimal decoration, broad overhanging eaves, classical frieze with holes and porch. It is unique given the absence of a full covered front porch and large dormer with a palladian window. Common design elements that Huntington included in other Foursquare designs. Yet it illustrates other Huntington trademarks like the use of brick and rough cut stone at the foundation, lintels and sills. It is an excellent, intact example of an early Foursquare form in Huntington design. The primary structure retains integrity of location, design, setting materials and workmanship, feeling and association. Early alterations that gain significance include a 1930 concrete floor replacement on the front porch and a 1934 partial two story brick addition on the rear elevation that you can see in the photo on the top of the screen. A late 1960s roof addition to the rear patio is compatible with the character of the house. That's the bottom photo. The openings have not been modified. Most of the windows are original and most of the original materials remain. Huntington's design is easily recognizable in terms of a historic context or theme. The property relates to the development of the University Park neighborhood, built in 1902 and a prominent corner location across from Observatory Park. The house was the first residence built on the block and is one of the earliest in the University Park neighborhood. As such, it also relates to the establishment and growth of the University of Denver. The land upon which the property sits was transferred to the Colorado Seminary in 1886 and platted for residential development under a vision named the University Park Colony to provide revenue through land sales to support the University of Denver, which opened in 1890. The proposed designation is consistent with comprehensive plan 2040 Blueprint, Denver and the 28 University Park Neighborhood Plan. It meets several comprehensive plan vision elements, including the goal to preserve the authenticity of Denver's neighborhoods and celebrate our history, architecture and culture. It is consistent with Blueprint Denver's vision to improve quality of design that preserves and creates authentic places using historic designation as a tool. And lastly, it meets a primary goal of the University Park Neighborhood Plan by maintaining the historic character's neighborhood while accommodating change. In summary, the property meets the criteria for landmark designation. It meets one designation criterion in two categories history and architecture. It maintains its historic and physical integrity, and it relates to historic context or theme. Two members of the public have provided comment and supported the designation application not in opposition, and the Landmark Preservation Commission unanimously recommended approval . Therefore, staff recommends approval and forwarding. Excuse me of my old notes on here. Recommends your approval as City Council for Landmark Designation of 2288 South Milwaukee Street. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have nine individuals signed up to speak this evening, so I'm going to call the first five up if you can come up to the front bench so that we can get everybody going. Barbara Paul Chairman Sekou Frannie Taylor, Candace Christiansen and Rosemary Stoffel. And Barbara Paul, you are up first. Thank you and good evening. My name is Barbara Paul. I'm the senior vice president for Field Services at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. But I'm really here tonight because I also live in the University Park neighborhood. The National Trust happens to own the historic Emerson School in in your district, Councilman Hines, which is also landmarked. But I'm here tonight principally to support Fran Taylor, who is a good friend and colleague and been a long supporter of historic preservation at the National Trust and Historic Denver and really all that Fran and her late husband Eric did to be such a good steward of this of this property. And I also want to draw awareness to the unique history of University Park. I know that you are aware that the Denver land, the survey of historic properties in Denver is woefully incomplete and never did get south far enough to our wonderful neighborhood in a store in the University Park neighborhood. And so that's a strong association with the development of the University of Denver is just starting to become known as we start bringing these properties forward to you. But I think it's also important to remember that preservation of historic buildings takes commitment, it takes resources, it takes patience. And and we really the opportunity here to sort of honor that legacy of people like Fran and Eric and what they've done with this property through landmark designation is really the right thing to do because the decision to tear something down only happens once. Demolition is forever. There's no do overs, there's no mulligans. But the decision to save something is something that has to be made over and over again. And I think the opportunity to landmark this special property in my neighborhood is important. That said, there are many other properties in our neighborhood that are being lost because they are not protected. So what I want you to consider is what Fran's doing tonight and which we hope you'll support, is just the beginning. My husband's here tonight. We have a property home that was built in 1892, and if we're lucky, we hope to be able to bring that house in front of you after the first of the year and ask your support for designating it. And we hope others in our neighborhood will want to do the same. So I urge you to support designation of this property. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Sekou. Yes. My name is German Sekou. I am the founder of the Black Star Action Movement for Self-defense. And. We'll also be the. United States senator, 2020 in Colorado. This historical designation process. And. The criteria which we choose. To decide who gets it and who don't. Has to do with. Two things. One, the integrity of the. Structure. And also. The contribution that. The particular original owner represents. And we have to qualify for one out of the two. What we need to start looking at is. How in the context. Did this structure get created at the time that it was created? What was the social consequences that allowed sort of structure and person to be there? If we that the background of Dr. Jackson. It was a couple of surprises there. And I don't know if anyone has taken the opportunity to look at him and his social associations at that time. We know for sure in 1902. It was not a very good year for black people in this town. And just as we have chosen to glorify the designations of Ku Klux Klan members like Mayor Stapleton. We have to look at this day and look at what are we really preserving and what type of legacy we promote. So I'm neither for nor against this thing. Well, I am seeking counsel. I'm sorry, but your time is out the gate. How? We thank you very much. And who we choose next is in terms of the role for any tailor in society and not cover over. Things that people have. Good evening. I'm Francis Keller. I'm the owner of 2288 South Milwaukee Street. My husband, my late husband, Eric and I purchased the house in 1967. We have raised three children there about house and its side. Lot have been the scene of many lovely, fun parties, wedding reception meetings, all kinds of things fierce croquet matches, badminton contests and kids soccer games on the sideline. In addition to that, we have the entire observatory park in front of us as a playground. We loved the Observatory Park neighborhood with its tree lined streets and leafy, friendly family ambiance. But then the Scrapers came, and first it was older properties such as ours. Then it was starter bungalows and now sixties ranch houses. There are. It was an epidemic of scraping their entire blocks where there is nothing but recent construction. As my brother aptly said a couple of years ago when I was driving him around. He said, you know, if I wanted to live in a Tuscan villa, I would move to Tuscany. So this is what is happening, and the fabric of the neighborhood has been altered mostly inappropriately. So I ask your indulgence in landmarking this house. It deserves to stay. It's reflective of a period of history in Denver which should not be left alone. And I hope that some other family with three children will move in and enjoy it just as much as we did. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next up, Candace Christiansen. Good evening. Thanks for letting me speak tonight. And thank you for. Any for your application. To. This. The designate sorry this historic property. As some of you are aware. The University Park Community Council has a tradition of actively working with city agencies, nonprofits, elected officials for issues with neighborhood and with the city at large. University Park Community Council worked with the landmark staff and historic Denver on restaurant restoration and designation of other historic landmarks in our neighborhood, including the Chamberlain Observatory, which is part of the Observatory Park, Fitzroy Place Mansion, the Hollin House. And recently AUM Lee Upsc continues to work with current action funds projects. And we have worked with recently Councilman Cashman on the long House rezoning and I've been actively engaged in the 2010 zoning update process and we work closely with CPD and the University's Park Small Area plan. One of the reasons we chose you park as a family. When my family moved, there was access to a reasonably sized home, a walkable neighborhood near major transit. Since moving here in 2012, we have seen the loss of many homes for giant. Inefficient carbon sacking single family homes. The preservation and thoughtful renovations of the stately homes adds to the historic context. Of the neighborhood. And we like you to support that tonight. Thank you. Could you state your name for the record? I did not. Sorry. I'm Candice Christianson, the PCC president. Thank you very much. Rosemarie Stoffel. My name is Rosemary Stoffel and I live a 2275 South Monroe Street in University Park. I'm the chair of the Community Preservation Committee, which was formed after residents were becoming more vocal about the loss of so many of our older homes. University Park is one of Denver's oldest neighborhoods and our earliest home state to the late 1800s. The goals of our committee are to help our residents become more aware of our history and our historic buildings and to continue to preserve as many of the most important ones as we can. We are so grateful to Franny for initiating this designation and ensuring that one of the earliest homes in our neighborhood isn't lost in the future. Her home anchors the southeast corner of Observatory Park and is the book bookend to what was another historic home on the northeast corner of the park. That house was not designated and was demolished several years ago. Shortly after that, we lost two more important houses posted as being potentially eligible for landmark designation. Franny has watched these and other homes disappear since moving here in 1967 and wanted to designate her home for the neighborhood as well as for herself and her children. She and her husband, Eric Notices, have been wonderful stewards of this home, which Franny continues now. I look at this designation as not only a gift to our neighborhood, but to the entire city. The recently adopted blueprint, Denver, includes preservation of our historic buildings as a priority, and I hope all of you keep that in mind when other, more contentious issues come before you. These historic homes tell the story of our city and its neighborhoods. They are as worthy of recognition as the blockbuster buildings, which most of us are familiar with. We're doing what we can in our niche of Denver, but we need your help as decision makers, too. I appreciate you taking the time to pay attention to all of us here tonight from University Park. Knowing that you will have a huge budget discussion ahead. Please vote yes on this designation and save another piece of Denver's history. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Next four, if you want to come up to the front bench, if you're not close by, Carolyn Eder, Jean Queen Shannon Stage and Jesse Paris and Carolyn Eder, you are a first. Thank you. I'm Carolyn Etter. I reside at. 2278 South Milwaukee. Which is next door to the house that's being designated. It's a pleasure to be before you tonight. There are some familiar faces and. Folks that I work with for many, many years. When my husband and I manage the Department of Parks and Recreation. For the city of Denver. And to those of you who are new, it's nice to have you on board and we'll get acquainted as we move through. Various processes, I'm sure. My husband and I have lived next. Door to this house for 58. Years and the Taylors have been our neighbors for almost all of that time. We have watched our kids grow up. We've watched them bicycle over to the park for spend the day down at Harvard Gulch. And we have found that it is. A neighborhood that respects. Families and respects people who come to us as newcomers and who want to be part of the Denver. Community. One of. The many things that is important about Denver. Is. Those neighborhoods. Many of which have a. Charming mix of schools, businesses, places of worship. University Park is one of those neighborhoods, a neighborhood. That cherishes. A variety of. Homes of many ages and many styles. This park has 18 residences. Two were built. On 37 and a half site lots. One is what used to be. Referred to as an alley house. The other is a new build. Our house was actually built on the north of the 2288. Property and was part of the garden. Until 1962. Franny, this house faces Observatory Park. The name of the two block park that includes the University of Denver's two observatories. Some have unfortunately taken to calling the entire Neighborhood Observatory Park, but its real name is. University Park and it continues to have significant relationships with the University of Denver. Thank you. All so much for this. Opportunity to speak with you. I urge. You to finalize the designation. Of 2288 South Milwaukee. As a Denver landmark. Thank you. Next up, Jane Quinn. My name is Jane Quinn. I'm the director of Accelerated Schools. At Fitzroy. Place. Fitzroy Place was built in 1893 and it's a beautiful old grand lady that tells a story. Yet currently. As a school. We educate 100 to 200 kids a year at accelerated schools. And it is because and I acknowledge the work of the neighborhood in historic Denver on the landmark designation of Fitzroy Place in 2007, due to the designation as a historic landmark. We were also eligible for state historic funds funds to repair the side of our building. The designation also made us eligible for funding much needed restoration work. I appreciate the help of the neighborhood residents and historic Denver to obtain state historic funds for restoration. I am pleased to see continue efforts on behalf of preservation in University Park with this application for designation and thanks particular to Frannie Taylor. Thank you for any. Thank you. Next up, Shannon Stage. Good evening, council members. I am Shannon Stage. I am the preservation coordinator at historic Denver. I here tonight to talk to you a little bit about this designation. As many of you know, Historic D'Amour is a preservation nonprofit here in our city that advocates for Denver's unique character and historic fabric. One of our major roles is to be a resource to community members like Fran Taylor. Fran has been a wonderful steward to her home for over 50 years and we were happy to be able to help her in seeing her wishes come true over about over a year ago. Fran reached out to the head of University Park who you heard from Rosemary as well as us historic Denver to help her in landmarking her house. I worked with her to hire a consultant, Kristi minnillo, who was not able to be with us tonight. But I can answer any questions that you may have. She research and wrote the designation that you have before you. We are here tonight to support Franny and to speak in support of her wishes to designate her house as the next Denver landmark. The Jackson Willa Taylor house is significant because it is directly associated with Dr. Jackson, a well known and highly celebrated ophthalmologist who built and lived in the house until 1920. He is credited with popularizing the use of the retina scope to examine the eye. As you heard from Jenny's presentation. He Jackson hired Denver architect Glenn Wood Huntington to build his University Park residence in 1902. The house is also very significant because it's an example of Huntington's work being a substantial brick four square and the first home built on the block of Observatory Park and one of the few remaining examples of his work in the neighborhood. Not only is this House an important landmark in the development of University Park, it is also important to preserve because so many significant homes have been demolished in this neighborhood since 2000. As you have heard from many comments tonight, historic Denver is also excited to be working with the neighborhood in multiple ways , such as helping Fitzroy Place as well as an action fund, working on a historic context of the neighborhood, but also this individual designation at 2288 South Milwaukee Franz House Historic Denver so strongly supports this unique landmark that tells the story of Dr. Jackson and his worldwide contributions to ophthalmology, but also the contributions this House has had to the University Park neighborhood. We strongly urge you to support this designation. Thank you for your time tonight. Thank you. Next up, Jesse Pierce. Good evening, members of council. My name is Jesse Perez. I'm representing for Denver Homicide Law. Black Star Action Woman for Self-defense. Positive Action Coming for Social Change, Universal Africa People's Organization, Denver Chapter and several other organizations. We are in favor of this rezoning. We need to preserve our historical landmarks such as this. I come from a neighborhood that was historic. It's historic on paper, but the demographics and the surroundings are matching that. So we need to really do a better job of looking into that, the historical context of what these properties are representing in terms of American history, Colorado State history, the like. But yeah, like I said, we're of approval of this. So good job, Fran. Congratulations and good job, Cashman. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes our speakers for this item. Are there questions from members of council? Councilman Flynn. Thank you, Mr. President. I just have a couple of questions. Jenny, can you. The assessor's records show that the not that this is, you know, would sway my vote or anything, but the assessor's records show the building was built in 1898. And you were saying 1902. Was there did you see 1898 somewhere. Also or. Some of our assessor's records aren't the most accurate in terms of construction dates? I hope they were accurate as far as taxes. Yeah, me too. But sometimes we find some discrepancies in construction dates with Assessor's records. So you were supplied in 1902. By what method? So the applicant was the one who put in the application and did the research. Oftentimes to determine construction dates. You can find building permits that will confirm. You can often look at maps like Sanborn maps to confirm construction dates. So there are a variety of different ways to confirm those dates versus just what you can find in the assessor's records. Thank you. And then the second question, as a layperson, I'm curious why LPC and staff recommended only two criteria here. When I look at the structure, what I can see of it from the presentation and from the online availability. It looks like a group to qualify under several other criteria. Were did you have in mind. Contain elements of an architectural design representing significant innovation? Your presentation pointed out some of the differences from a traditional Denver Square model, such as the entire wraparound porch, not all of which was roofed, etc. and under geography being right on an observatory park and on a prominent corner. I was just curious, was there any discussion about why just these two? Yeah, I think for geography especially, it's some you're right, it's on a corner right across from Observatory Park, but it's fairly set back and there's a lot of tree coverage, there's a lot of foliage. So certainly you see the corner a lot. But I don't know that the house stands out, particularly in terms of prominence. So that would have led to not selecting that criteria. The innovation oftentimes is reserved for structural engineering. Pretty unique architectural design features. The better memorial, for example, adds the Botanic Gardens has that criteria, I believe, for its designation. So if that gives you an idea of the type of innovation. And innovation that might have been replicated and became a something that was copied then perhaps. Could have been usually it is more of a unique innovation. Yeah. All right. The one that we could have picked, Councilman, was it could have been it could have met another architecture criteria for being a representation of a good four square. But we found that the most solid criteria for this property was our history. C In architecture. B Okay, that's why I have a special thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman Flynn, seeing no other questions. The public hearing for Collinsville 954 is closed. Comments by members of council at Councilman Cashman. This one's in your district. Did you wanna go first? Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. It's obvious to everyone who's spent any amount of time in Denver that change is inevitable. And changes here and change will continue while we find cities around the country beginning discussions about new ways in which we zone our inner city neighborhoods. I think it's particularly important that we take the opportunity to preserve noteworthy examples of important elements of Denver's architectural, cultural and historical evolution. I want to thank Mrs. Taylor very much for presenting this gift to the people of Denver and In Memoriam to your late husband as well. I also want to thank the entire group from University Park. There's a very active contingent of preservationists, and they've made tremendous contributions already, and it's kind of catching on in some other neighborhoods close by. We just had a couple of great properties in which Park East and I do truly view it as a gift. You know, especially in today's world, you can take about any piece of ground in Denver and regardless of what happens to be sitting on it, whether it has value or to whom it might have value , you could probably tear that down, build something else and make more money. Just seems to be the reality of our world. And that doesn't seem to be something that's serving us all. Well. So once again, Mr. Taylor, thank you very much. I appreciate your bringing this forward. And it's it's an honor to support it. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilman Cashman. Councilman Hines. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to echo Councilman Cashman's comments. I has a new councilperson who immediately after taking office, had the wonderful opportunity to discuss Tom's Diner and share that conversation with the nation. I am really excited to see a non-controversial, historic preservation application come forward and thank you for your gift. Thank you, Councilman Hines. Seeing nobody else in the queue, I will just add my thanks. And I love how Councilman Cashman has started referring to this as a gift given to our community and to our city. I think it's so important, having grown up here and seeing Denver changed so much. I'm so filled with gratitude for you bringing this forward and for doing all the hard work, which I didn't realize was as much hard work until recently. I sat down with a constituent of mine in Platt Park who really would like to give this gift to the city of preserving a structure that anyone in that neighborhood would walk by. I would say, Oh, yeah, absolutely. That house should absolutely be preserved. And after sitting down with Annie Lipinski and this constituent and seeing how hard it is to meet these criteria, when even when we have a willing owner, it is it's not easy. And that is that was something that was eye opening for me because, you know, usually when we get to this point with an owner applicant that, oh yeah, everybody's happy and what a great thing. I didn't realize just how hard it was to do and the work that the work that goes into it and just how hard it is to meet these criteria. And so it makes it for me all the more special that we have people like you who are willing to go through this process and to do the hard work, to give this gift to our community. So thank you for that. I will be excited to support this this evening. Madam Secretary, roll call. Cashman Right. Clark I sit about that. I. Flynn All right. Gilmore I turned in my hands. All right. Mitch, I. Ortega I seen the ball by. Sawyer, I. Torres, I. Mr. President. Hi, Madam Secretary. Please close voting. Announce the results. 13 eyes. 13 eyes count to go. 954 has passed. So, Madam Secretary, we don't need a motion on the budget. We just. I just. I just go straight in. Yes, sir. All right. The public hearing for the mayor's proposed 2020 budget is open.