Item 5C - 717 17th StM E M O R A N D U M
February 3, 2016
TO: Landmarks Board
FROM: Lesli Ellis, Comprehensive Planning Manager
Debra Kalish, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Marcy Cameron, Historic Preservation Planner
James Hewat, Senior Historic Preservation Planner
Angela Smelker, Historic Preservation Intern
SUBJECT: Public hearing and consideration of a demolition permit application
for the house and accessory building located at 717 17th St., non-
landmarked buildings over 50 years old, pursuant to Section 9-11-23
of the Boulder Revised Code (HIS2015-00337).
STATISTICS:
1. Site: 717 17th St.
2. Date of Construction: 1939
3. Zoning: RM-2
4. Existing House Size: 1,307 sq. ft. (approx.)
5. Lot Size: 6,881 sq. ft.
6. Owner/Applicant: Lazzarino Living Trust
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The Community Planning and Sustainability Department (CP&S) recommends that the
Landmarks Board adopt the following motion:
I move that the Landmarks Board issue a stay of demolition for the buildings located at 717 17th
St., for a period not to exceed 180 days from the day the permit application was accepted by the
city manager, adopting the staff memorandum with the findings listed below, in order to further
analyze information on the condition of the buildings.
A 180-day stay period would expire on July 3, 2016.
Should the board choose to issue the demolition permit, or if the permit is allowed to
expire, staff recommends that prior to demolition the following be submitted to CP&S
staff for review, approval and recording with Carnegie Library:
1. A site plan showing the location of all existing improvements on the subject
property;
Agenda Item # 5C Page 1
2. Color medium format archival quality photographs of the interior and exterior of
the house and shed.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On Dec. 3, 2015, the Community Planning and Sustainability Department received a
demolition permit application for the house and detached garage at 717 17th St. The
buildings are not in a designated historic district nor locally landmarked, but are over 50
years old and the action proposed meets the definition of demolition found in Section 9-
16-1 of the Boulder Revised Code 1981. On Dec. 9, 2015, the Landmarks design review
committee (Ldrc) referred the application to the Landmarks Board for a public hearing,
finding there was “probable cause to believe that the building may be eligible for
designation as an individual landmark.”
PURPOSE OF THE BOARD’S REVIEW
Pursuant to section 9-11-23(d)(2), B.R.C. 1981, demolition requests for all buildings built
prior to 1940 requires review by the Landmarks design review committee (Ldrc). The
Ldrc is comprised of two members of the Landmarks Board and a staff member. If,
during the course of its review, the Ldrc determines that there is “probable cause to
consider the property may be eligible for designation as an individual landmark,” the
issuance of the permit is stayed for up to 60 days from the date a completed application
was accepted and the permit is referred to the board for a public hearing.
If the Landmarks Board finds that the building proposed for demolition may have
significance under the criteria in subsection (f) of Section 9-11-23, B.R.C. 1981, the
application shall be suspended for a period not to exceed 180 days from the date the
permit application was accepted by the city manager as complete in order to provide the
time necessary to consider alternatives to the building demolition. If imposed, a 180-day
stay period would start when the completed application was accepted by the city
manager (Jan. 5, 2016, when the Landmarks Board fee was paid) and expire on July 3,
2016. Section 9-11-23 (g) and (h), B.R.C. 1981.
DESCRIPTION
The subject property is located on the western side 17th Street between Cascade Avenue
and Baseline Road and not located within a designated or identified potential historic
district. The 16th Street Historic District is located one block west of the house. The 6,881
square feet lot contains a 1,307 square foot house with the alley bordering the western
property line. A small, stone accessory building is located at the southwest corner of the
lot.
Agenda Item 5C Page 2
Figure 1. Location Map showing 717 17th St.
Figure 2. Tax Assessor Photo, 717 17th St., c. 1940s.
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Figure 3. East Elevation (façade), 717 17th St., 2016.
Constructed in 1939, the one-story house at 717 17th St. shows influence of Moderne and
International design elements. Influence of the Moderne design include the curved
corners, windows that run the corner, and round windows. Elements of the International
style include the flat roof, wrapping windows set flush with outer wall; smooth,
unadorned wall surfaces, and asymmetrical façade.1
The asymmetrical house is of unadorned clay-tile construction with a centrally located
paneled door with a port-hole window. A flat hood with iron supports over the forms a
portico over the front door. Early photos indicate that the iron supports were a later
addition and the flat hood above the front door was originally semi-circular and
cantilevered. A band of large, non-historic vinyl casement windows wrap around the
southeast corner of the house. An attached garage with a low-pitched shed roof is
located on the south elevation of the house and features an overhead door with two
port-hole windows.
1 McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Knopf, 1984. Pgs 466-473.
Agenda Item 5C Page 4
Figure 4. West Elevation (rear), 717 17th St., 2016.
The rear (west) elevation of the house features vinyl casement windows with brick sills
and a sliding glass door. The owner indicates the sliding glass door was installed around
1998. The opening features rounded corners and appears to be original. A patio is
centrally located and is flanked by brick planter boxes.
Figure 5. North Elevation, 717 17th St., 2015.
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Figure 6. Left: South Elevation, 717 17th St., 2016. Right: Detail view of original window, 2016.
The north and south elevations are unadorned with the exception of casement windows
with concrete sills. The owner indicates that the vinyl windows were installed around
1998. One original window remains on the south elevation. The other nine windows
have been replaced. The 1992 survey photograph (Figure 7) and the 1940s photograph
(Figure 2) shows the original divided light steel casement windows. The 1992 survey
notes that the windows were installed flush with the wall.
Figure 7. North Elevation, 717 17th St., 2015.
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Figure 8. Stone accessory building, East Elevation, 717 17th St., 2016.
A small, stone accessory building is located at the southwestern edge of the property
along the alley. Its date of construction is unknown, and first appears on the tax assessor
card in 1949. It is possible that it was constructed at the same time as the house located to
the south (711 17th St.), which is of similar stone construction, with a stone accessory
building on the west property line. The tax assessor dates the main house as being
constructed in 1937, two years before the house at 717 17th St. was constructed. It is likely
the stone accessory building at 717 17th St. was constructed between 1937 and 1949.
Alterations
Alterations include replacement of all of the metal multi-light casement windows shown
in the 1940s and 1992 photographs with vinyl windows, alteration to the form of the
portico roof and addition of metal porch supports, and alteration of the flat roof of the
garage to a shed roof. A sliding glass door was installed on the rear (west) elevation and
the entire building has been painted. The applicant’s representative has submitted
information on the alterations and condition of the house. It states that the portico
change and painting of the tile occurred prior to 1966, with conversion of the garage roof
to a shed occurring in the late 1960s. The installation of vinyl windows and the sliding
glass door occurred around 1998. See Attachment F: Applicant Materials.
Despite these changes, the house remains generally intact to its original construction.
The building’s streamline form, wall materials, porthole doors and wrapping window
openings remain. The 1992 Historic Building Inventory Form notes that the house was in
“fair condition” but with moderate alterations, including painted tile walls and wrought
Agenda Item 5C Page 7
iron hood supports. The windows had not been replaced at that time. The statement of
significance notes at that time it was significant for its representation of the International
style popular from 1925 to the present in the United States.”
Figure 9. Characteristics of the Moderne/International Style include porthole windows, windows
that wrap the corner, and divided-light steel casement windows.
Condition
The applicant’s letter states that the house is currently uninhabitable due to roof leaks
and subsequent water infiltration: “As a result of the water leaks, there has been a
massive contamination of mold which is airborne and penetrated throughout the house.
It is anticipated that the interior of the house will require complete remediation as the
house is currently uninhabitable.” Other condition issues include the deterioration of the
exterior tile, which is most evident on the rear (west) elevation. See Attachment F:
Applicant Materials.
Agenda Item 5C Page 8
Figure 9. Detail of deteriorated clay tile at west elevation, 2016.
Figure 10. Detail of deteriorated clay tile at southwest corner (left) and south wall near sliding
glass door, 2016.
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Figure 11. Detail of deteriorated clay tile at southwest corner (left) and south wall near sliding
glass door, 2016.
PROPERTY HISTORY
The property at 717 17th St. is located in the University Hill Neighborhood, which was
platted in 1890. The residential neighborhood continued to develop through the 1940s,
and has a variety of popular late-19th and early-20th century architectural types, including
Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman Bungalow houses.
Deed records for the property date to 1928, when the Northern
Colorado Investing Company sold Lots 28-30 on Block 37 to Bessie
Wilson, who in turn sold the property in 1939 to Nicolai Blystad, a
local builder.
According to building permit records, Nicolai built the house at
717 17th St in 1939. Nicolai was the son of Leonard N. and Marie
Louise Blystad. Leonard was born 1877 in Oslo, Norway and
immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1886. He was a
well-known carpenter and contractor in Boulder for many years,
as was his father, Evan Blystad, who helped to construct the
Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium in 1894.2 Nicolai followed in his
father’s footsteps and became a carpenter and contractor. Nicolai
married Dorothy Yoder in Denver in 1t936, the daughter of Mr.
2 Forest Crossen, “Blystad Family Came To The U.S. In 1886 And To Boulder In The 90s,” Daily Camera (Boulder,
CO), September 5, 1954.
Figure 9. Nicolai
Blystad, Boulder State
Preparatory School
Yearbook, 1929.
Agenda Item 5C Page 10
and Mrs. Fred E. Yoder of Boulder. At the time of the construction of 717 17th St., Nicolai
and his family were living at 1206 Euclid Ave. The house at 717 17th St. was listed as
vacant in the 1940 and 1943 city directories. The family moved to Monrovia, California in
1953. 3
Between 1939 and 1951, the ownership of the house passed
between a number of residents. William and Katherine Hull
resided there from 1944 until 1957. William was a professor of
mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado in the
1940s and early 1950s. William was born in Boulder in 1913 to
Mildred and Commander Harry F. Hull, and attended Boulder
High School and the University of Colorado. Soon after
receiving his bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1934, William
began teaching as a mechanical engineering professor at
Purdue University. In 1940, William married Katherine Louise
Stitz, a recent graduate of Purdue.4 The couple moved to
Boulder around 1943, where William was hired as an assistant
professor at the University of Colorado. The couple had two children, David and Marian
Louise.5 By 1957, directory research shows that William and Katherine moved to
Urbana-Champaign where William worked as a professor at the University of Illinois.
From 1947 to 1951, ownership of the house passed briefly from CU student John
Longway and his wife Helen, to Samuel and Florence McKee. No occupation was listed
for the McKee family.
The next long-term owners of the property were Addison and Marie Hill Talbott, who
resided at the house from 1951 until 1966. The couple purchased the house after moving
to Boulder from New York. Addison was born in 1882 in Kansas City, Missouri, where
his father, Leander J. Talbott, served as mayor in 1884. Addison spent about five years of
his childhood in the Denver and Boulder area during the time when his father briefly
owned the Golden Age mine in Jamestown. Addison graduated from Princeton
University and afterwards lived in East Aurora and in Buffalo, New York where he was
involved in the newspaper business. Addison’s brother, Lee, was a well-known athlete
who, among many things, participated in three different sports at the 1908 Olympic
3 “Nic Blystad Family” Daily Camera (Boulder, CO), September 2, 1958. Boulder Carnegie Library. 4 “William Hull Weds Indiana Girl At Home Ceremony,” Daily Camera (Boulder, CO), June 14, 1940. Boulder
Carnegie Library.
5 Untitled. Daily Camera (Boulder, CO), October 15, 1945. Boulder Carnegie Library.
Figure 10. William L.
Hull, University of
Colorado Yearbook, 1945.
Agenda Item 5C Page 11
Games in London.6 Addison married Marie P. Hill in 1938. Marie was born in 1891 in
Buffalo.
Upon Addison’s retirement as editor of the Buffalo Courier Express, he and Marie moved
to Boulder in 1948. Both were active in the Congregational Church here and
instrumental in the Boulder UNESCO Council, particularly in establishing Boulder’s
connection with the town of Meppel in the Netherlands. A 1962 Daily Camera newspaper
article explained that “Boulder was one of the first cities in the United States to form a
cultural affiliation with a foreign city. The move was initiated in 1950 by the Boulder
UNESCO Council of which Dr. George F. Reynolds was then president. Since that time
there has been considerable interchange of both visitors and projects which have
brought the two cities close to together.”7 Many Boulder residents visited Meppel during
the 1950s and 1960s, including Mrs. Talbott. The Talbotts often opened up their house at
717 17th St. and served as hosts for visitors from Meppel, including the Dutch town’s
Burgomeister (similar to a mayor) Antony Kleyn and his wife.
Throughout his retirement, Addison continued to contribute a weekly column on
outdoor life to the Buffalo Courier Express up until his death in 1957. He also is the author
of two books, Pack-Jack Trail and Tall Western Tales, children’s adventure books written
about western life. His obituary states that “through his
writing [Addison] did all that he could to further
conservation of America’s natural resources and the
preservation of wild life areas.”8
Marie Hill Talbott was engaged in social work in her early
years in Buffalo, most notably operating a lecture and
publicity bureau there along with her sister for 10 years.
After her move to Boulder, Marie Talbott remained “active
in the Congregational Church, the League of Women
Voters, PLAN-Boulder, [and] the Fortnightly Club.”9 Marie
died in 1966, leaving behind a sister and four
stepdaughters from Addison’s first marriage.
After Marie Talbott’s death, her sister Dorothy sold the
house to Graziana Lazzarino in 1966, a professor of Italian
6 “Press Release: Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Elects Class of 2013.”
http://www.niagaratrackhof.org/Class_of_2013_PressRelease_01May2013_NiagaraT_F_HoF.pdf. 7 “Boulder to Host Two Women From Netherlands Next Week.” Daily Camera (Boulder, CO) August 6, 1962.
Boulder Carnegie Library. 8 “Addison M. Talbott Retired Newspaper Editor, Dies.” Daily Camera (Boulder, CO) August 19, 1957. Boulder
Carnegie Library.
9 Mrs. Addison Talbott Dies; Memorial Service Planned.” Daily Camera (Boulder, CO) October 24, 1966.
Figure 11. Graziana
Lazzarino, 2011,
https://www.cusys.edu/newsl
etter/2011/01-12/5q.html.
Agenda Item 5C Page 12
and French at the University of Colorado. According to her biography on the CU-
Boulder website, Graziana was born in Genoa, Italy in 1930. She graduated from the
University of Genoa in 1949, and received her certificate of proficiency in English from
Cambridge University in 1951. During the 1950s, Graziana spent summers abroad at a
few different universities in Germany and in France, becoming fluent in those languages
in addition to English. During the summer of 1960, Graziana was an Italian instructor at
the University of Colorado in Boulder. However, due to limitations with her visa, she
was required to return to Italy for two years. In 1963, Graziana was offered a job at the
University of Nebraska, where she once had an earlier teaching assignment back in 1956.
In a 2011 interview in the CU Faculty and Staff Newsletter, Graziana explains that she
“wasn’t particularly excited about going back to Nebraska after seeing the beauty of
Boulder, but I accepted because it meant getting a green card…In 1964, I received a call
from Boulder and they had a position and they offered it to me. I immediately
accepted.”10 She began working as an assistant professor of Italian at CU in 1964. In 1968,
she became an associate professor, and then a full professor in 1980. In 2010, Graziana
retired after spending about 46 years of career at CU Boulder.
In the 1970s, Graziana started writing Italian-language textbooks. She published
“Prego,” which has continued to be a best seller for years and has been used by many
schools, including Yale and Berkeley. The book, which is aimed for beginners of the
language, is accompanied by several other volumes, such as the second-year book,
entitled “Da Capo.” All were written by Graziana, in addition to several articles,
reviews, and many presentations given across the country.
Graziana was honored with numerous awards throughout her career, including ones
from the American Association of Teachers of Italian, and from the Colorado Congress
of Foreign Language Teachers. One of the most notable is being knighted by the Italian
government in 2004 due to her success in spreading the Italian language.
The house at 717 17th St. was passed from Graziana Lazzarino to the Lazzarino Living
Trust in 2011. See Attachment D: Deed & Directory Research.
CRITERIA FOR THE BOARD’S DECISION:
Section 9-11-23(f), B.R.C. 1981, provides that the Landmarks Board “shall consider and
base its decision upon any of the following criteria:
(1) The eligibility of the building for designation as an individual landmark
consistent with the purposes and standards in Sections 9-11-1 and 9-11-2,
B.R.C. 1981;
10 Cynthia Pasquale, “Five Questions for Graziana Lazzarino,” University of Colorado Faculty and Staff Newsletter,
January 12, 2011.
Agenda Item 5C Page 13
(2) The relationship of the building to the character of the neighborhood as an
established and definable area;
(3) The reasonable condition of the building; and
(4) The reasonable projected cost of restoration or repair.
In considering the condition of the building and the projected cost of restoration
or repair as set forth in paragraphs (f)(3) and (f)(4) …, the board may not consider
deterioration caused by unreasonable neglect.
As detailed below, staff considers this property potentially eligible for designation as an
individual landmark, however, additional time is needed to consider the information on
the condition and estimated cost of restoration or repair of the building.
CRITERION 1: INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK ELIGIBILITY
The following is a result of staff's research of the property relative to the significance
criteria for individual landmarks as adopted by the Landmarks Board on Sept. 17, 1975.
See Attachment E: Individual Landmark Significance Criteria
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The house located at 717 17th St. meets historic significance under criteria 1, 2 and
4.
1. Date of Construction: 1939
Elaboration: A building permit application was approved in 1939 for the construction of
the house by Nicolai Blystad.
2. Association with Persons or Events: Addison and Marie Talbott, Graziana Lazzarino
Elaboration: Addison and Marie Talbott lived in the house from 1951-1966. The
couple moved to Boulder in 1948, when Addison retired from working as the editor
of the Buffalo Courier Express. While in Boulder, the Talbotts were heavily involved in
the Boulder UNESCO Council, particularly in supporting Boulder’s relationship with
the city of Meppel in the Netherlands.
Graziana Lazzarino was a professor of Italian at the University of Colorado in
Boulder for 46 years. She also authored several Italian-language books, including
“Prego!” which continues to be a best seller. Graziana has been awarded several
times by various organizations in regard to her success in spreading and teaching the
Italian language.
Agenda Item 5C Page 14
3. Development of the Community: University Hill Neighborhood
Elaboration: The house demonstrates the development of the University Hill
neighborhood in the first half of the twentieth century.
4. Recognition by Authorities: Front Range Research Associates, Inc.
Elaboration: The 1995 Historic Building Inventory Form found the house to be
significant as a representation of the International style popular from 1925 to the
present in the United States.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The house located at 717 17th St. meets historic significance under criteria 1 and 4.
1. Recognized Period or Style: Moderne and International Style
Elaboration: The house is representative of the International style, evidenced
through the flat roof and unornamented exterior walls, the asymmetrical
composition, and the large casement windows that wrap the corners and are flush
with the exterior walls. While the house has been altered, the building still possesses
architectural integrity.
2. Architect or Builder of Prominence: Nicolai Blystad
3. Artistic Merit: None observed
4. Example of the Uncommon: Moderne/International Style
Very few examples of the Moderne and International Style, particularly residential
examples, were constructed in Boulder. Other examples of early modernistic styles
include the Glen Huntington Arms (local landmark 90-3), and the Thornton House
(local landmark 94-4).
5. Indigenous Qualities: None observed.
ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The house located at 717 17th St. meets environmental significance under criteria
2 and 5.
1. Site Characteristics: The house is located on the west side of 17th Street between
Cascade Avenue and Baseline Road. The site does not feature notable planned or
natural site features.
2. Compatibility with Site: Residential Character
Agenda Item 5C Page 15
Elaboration: The house remains compatible with its site and the surrounding
neighborhood in terms of scale, massing and location.
3. Geographic Importance: None observed.
4. Environmental Appropriateness: The property is complementary to its surroundings
and is carefully situated on its site.
5. Area Integrity: This section of 17th Street is located within the identified potential
University Hill Historic District and generally retains its scale and character.
CRITERION 2: RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHARACTER OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD:
This house has elements of the Moderne and International type, and follows the
established building pattern in terms of massing, scale and location. The house
contributes to the neighborhood’s eclectic mix of building styles built at various time
periods. The property is located in the identified potential University Hill Historic
District, which retains its historic residential character.
CRITERION 3: CONDITION OF THE BUILDING
Signs of deterioration are evident in the crumbling tile, particularly on the west side of
the building. The applicant’s representative has submitted a letter outlining the
alterations and conditions of the building. It states that due to the flat roof design,
leaking was evident in 1966 and the roof above the garage was altered from a flat roof to
a shed roof. Additionally, there are cracks on the west elevation, particularly around the
sliding glass door. See Attachment F: Applicant Materials. The applicant’s representative
has indicated that they are planning to submit a structural report by the Feb. 3
Landmarks Board meeting.
Staff considers that additional time is needed to assess the condition of the building.
CRITERION 4: PROJECTED COST OF RESTORATION OR REPAIR:
No information has been submitted regarding the cost of restoration or repair. The
applicant’s letter states that the building will need to be remediated for mold. See
Attachment F: Applicant Materials. The applicant’s representative has indicated that they
are planning to submit a cost estimate by the Feb. 3 Landmarks Board meeting.
Staff considers that additional time is needed to review this information.
Agenda Item 5C Page 16
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENT:
Staff has received no comment to date from the public on this matter.
THE BOARD’S DECISION:
If the Landmarks Board finds that the building to be demolished does not have
significance under the criteria set forth in section 9-11-23(f), B.R.C. 1981, the city manager
shall issue a demolition permit.
If the Landmarks Board finds that the building to be demolished may have significance
under the criteria set forth above, the application shall be suspended for a period not to
exceed 180 days from the date the permit application was accepted by the city manager
as complete in order to provide the time necessary to consider alternatives to the
demolition of the building. Section 9-11-23(h), B.R.C. 1981. A 180-day stay period
would expire on July 3, 2016.
FINDINGS:
Staff recommends that the Landmarks Board adopt the following findings:
A stay of demolition for the house and accessory buildings at 717 17th St. is appropriate
based on the criteria set forth in Section 9-11-23(f), B.R.C. 1981 in that:
1. The property may be eligible for individual landmark designation based upon its
historic and architectural significance;
2. The property contributes to the character of the neighborhood as an intact
representative of the area’s past;
3. It has not been demonstrated to be impractical or economically unfeasible to
rehabilitate the building.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Current Photographs
Attachment B: Boulder County Tax Assessor Card c. 1956
Attachment C: Historic Building Inventory Form
Attachment D: Deed & Directory Research
Attachment E: Significance Criteria for Individual Landmarks
Attachment F: Applicant’s Materials.
Agenda Item 5C Page 17
Attachment A: Current Photographs
Photo 1. East elevation (façade), 717 17th St., 2016.
Photo 2. East elevation, attached garage, 717 17th St., 2016.
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Photo 3. Detail of window at southeast corner of east elevation, 717 17th St., 2015.
Photo 4. East Elevation, front door, 717 17th St., 2015.
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Photo 4. North elevation, 717 17th St., 2015.
Photo 5. South elevation, 717 17th St., 2015. Detail of existing original window, 2016.
Agenda Item 5C Page 20
Photo 6. West elevation, detail of deterioration of tile, 717 17th St., 2015.
Photo 7. Detail of deteriorated tile, 717 17th St., 2015.
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Photo 8. West elevation, detail of deteriorated tile, 717 17th St., 2015.
Photo 9. West elevation, 717 17th St., 2015.
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Photo 10. Stone accessory building, east elevation, 2015.
Photo 11. View facing north along alley, stone garage visible at right of photo, 2016.
Agenda Item 5C Page 23
Photo 12. View of Stone Accessory Building on Adjacent Property, 711 17th St., 2016
Photo 13. Tax Assessor Photograph of Adjacent House, 711 17th St., c.1940.
House and Garage on Adjacent Lot (711 17th St.) feature stone similar to stone accessory building
at 717 17th St.
Agenda Item 5C Page 24
Attachment B: Boulder County Tax Assessor Card c. 1943-1954
Agenda Item 5C Page 25
Agenda Item 5C Page 26
Tax Assessor Card Photo, c. 1940-1949.
Agenda Item 5C Page 27
Attachment C: Historic Building Inventory Form
Agenda Item 5C Page 28
Agenda Item 5C Page 29
Photo from Historic Building Inventory Record, 1992.
Agenda Item 5C Page 30
Attachment D: Deed & Directory Research
Owner (Deeds) Date Occupant(s)/Directory
Northern
Colorado
Investment Co.
1927
Bessie Wilson
1927-1939
Constructed 1939
Nicolai Blystad
1939-1944
1940 *first appears Vacant
1943 Vacant
Leonard N.
Blystad
1944
William L. &
Katharine Hull
1944-1947
1946 William (CU professor) and Katherine,
owner.
John M. & Helen
Q. Longway
1947-1949
1949 John (CU student) & Helen
Samuel H. &
Florence L.
McKee
1949-1951
1951 S.H. & Florence McKee, no occ. Listed
Addison & Marie
Hill Talbott
1951-1958
1953 Addison (Writer) & Marie Talbott
1955 “
Marie Hill Talbott
1958-1967
1958 Mrs. Addison Talbott
1967 “
Dorothy P. Hill
1967
Graziana
Lazzarino
1967-2011
1968 Luigi Romea
1969 Graziana Lazzarino
Lazzarino Living
Trust
2011-present
Agenda Item 5C Page 31
Attachment E: Significance Criteria for Individual Landmarks
SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA
Individual Landmark
September 1975
On September 6, 1975, the City Council adopted Ordinance #4000 providing procedures
for the designation of Landmarks and Historic Districts in the City of Boulder. The
purpose of the ordinance is the preservation of the City’s permitted cultural, historic,
and architectural heritage. The Landmarks Board is permitted by the ordinance to adopt
rules and regulations as it deems necessary for its own organization and procedures.
The following Significance Criteria have been adopted by the board to help evaluate
each potential designation in a consistent and equitable manner.
Historic Significance
The place (building, site, area) should show character, interest or value as part of the
development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the community, state or nation; be
the site of a historic, or prehistoric event that had an effect upon society; or exemplify the
cultural, political, economic, or social heritage of the community.
Date of Construction: This area of consideration places particular importance on the age
of the structure.
Association with Historical Persons or Events: This association could be national, state,
or local.
Distinction in the Development of the Community of Boulder: This is most applicable to
an institution (religious, educational, civic, etc) or business structure, though in some
cases residences might qualify. It stresses the importance of preserving those places
which demonstrate the growth during different time spans in the history of Boulder, in
order to maintain an awareness of our cultural, economic, social or political heritage.
Recognition by Authorities: If it is recognized by Historic Boulder, Inc. the Boulder
Historical Society, local historians (Barker, Crossen, Frink, Gladden, Paddock,
Schooland, etc), State Historical Society, The Improvement of Boulder, Colorado by F.L.
Olmsted, or others in published form as having historic interest and value.
Other, if applicable.
Architectural Significance
The place should embody those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type
specimen, a good example of the common; be the work of an architect or master builder,
known nationally, state-wide, or locally, and perhaps whose work has influenced later
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development; contain elements of architectural design, detail, materials or craftsmanship
which represent a significant innovation; or be a fine example of the uncommon.
Recognized Period/Style: It should exemplify specific elements of an architectural
period/style, i.e.: Victorian, Revival styles, such as described by Historic American
Building Survey Criteria, Gingerbread Age (Maass), 76 Boulder Homes (Barkar), The
History of Architectural Style (Marcus/Wiffin), Architecture in San Francisco (Gebhard
et al), History of Architecture (Fletcher), Architecture/Colorado, and any other published
source of universal or local analysis of a style.
Architect or Builder of Prominence: A good example of the work of an architect or
builder who is recognized for expertise in his field nationally, state-wide, or locally.
Artistic Merit: A skillful integration of design, material, and color which is of excellent
visual quality and/or demonstrates superior craftsmanship.
Example of the Uncommon: Elements of architectural design, details, or craftsmanship
that are representative of a significant innovation.
Indigenous Qualities: A style or material that is particularly associated with the Boulder
area.
Other, if applicable.
Environmental Significance
The place should enhance the variety, interest, and sense of identity of the community
by the protection of the unique natural and man-made environment.
Site Characteristics: It should be of high quality in terms of planned or natural
vegetation.
Compatibility with Site: Consideration will be given to scale, massing placement, or
other qualities of design with respect to its site.
Geographic Importance: Due to its unique location or singular physical characteristics, it
represents an established and familiar visual feature of the community.
Environmental Appropriateness: The surroundings are complementary and/or it is
situated in a manner particularly suited to its function.
Area Integrity: Places which provide historical, architectural, or environmental
importance and continuity of an existing condition, although taken singularly or out of
context might not qualify under other criteria.
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Attachment F: Applicant’s Materials
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