Item 5D - 1723-25 15th St.Agenda Item # 5D Page 1
M E M O R A N D U M
September 7, 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
William Barnum, Historic Preservation Intern
SUBJECT: Public hearing and consideration of a demolition permit application
for the house located at 1723‐25 15th St., a non‐landmarked building
over 50 years old, pursuant to Section 9‐11‐23 of the Boulder Revised
Code (HIS2016‐00212).
STATISTICS:
1. Site: 1723‐25 15th St.
2. Date of Construction: c. 1904 (Moved to site in 1935)
3. Zoning: DT‐1
4. Existing House Size: 4,314 sq. ft.
5. Lot Size: 7,390 sq. ft.
6. Owner/Applicant: Regina Suffian/Tom Jarmon
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The Planning, Housing & Sustainability (PH&S) recommends that the Landmarks Board
adopt the following motion:
I move that the Landmarks Board issue a stay of demolition for the building located at 1723‐25
15th 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
explore alternatives to demolition.
A 180‐day stay period would expire on January 9, 2017.
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 PH&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 2
2. Color medium format archival quality photographs of the interior and exterior of
the house.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On June 30, 2016, the PH&S Department received a demolition permit application for the
building at 1723‐25 15th St. The building is not in a designated historic district nor locally
landmarked, but it is 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 June 6, 2016,
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 (July 13, 2016, when the Landmarks Board fee was paid) and expire on January
9, 2017. Section 9‐11‐23 (g) and (h), B.R.C. 1981.
DESCRIPTION
The subject property is located on the western side of 15th Street adjacent to the
intersection with Grove St. and is not located within a designated or identified potential
historic district. The Goss Grove potential historic district is located one block west of the
house with the Boulder High School potential local and national historic district located
a block to the south. The 7,390 square foot lot contains a 4,314 square foot house with the
alley bordering the west property line. The building is composed of two main masses:
the original house, constructed around 1904, and moved to the site in 1935, and a large,
multifamily addition at the west side of the house that was constructed in 1948.
Agenda Item 5C Page 3
Figure 1. Location Map showing 1723‐25 15th St.
The c. 1904 portion of the house features an L‐shaped plan, gabled roof with decorative
shingles in the gable ends, clapboard siding, and a front porch with Classical column
supports. This portion of the building is typical of vernacular frame house construction
popular in Boulder during the early years the twentieth century.
Figure 2. Tax Assessor Card Photo, c. 1937.
Agenda Item 5C Page 4
Figure 2. Southeast corner, 1723‐25 15th St., 2016.
The northeast (front) elevation features a bay window and front porch. Both the front
and side gables feature skirt roofs separating them from the wall. The front porch is
accessed by concrete steps located from the driveway running along the south side of the
property. These steps feature a wooden railing and rubble stacked limestone side walls,
which match the rubble stacked limestone cladding of the foundation. There are two
doors into the house from the porch, on the south wall and one on the east wall. The
door on the east, a wooden door with a single segmented arched light, appears to be the
current main entrance. The south elevation features a pair of double‐hung windows near
the front corner, and a single, shorter double‐hung window near the rear. A brick wall of
relatively recent vintage is located in front of the property and along the driveway
somewhat obscuring the c.1904 house.
Agenda Item 5C Page 5
Figure 3. Southwest corner, 1723‐25 15th St., 2016.
The 1948 addition to the house connects to the post‐1931 enclosed rear porch at its north
side and extends back in an L‐shaped plan. The addition uses rubble stacked stone
cladding matching the original house’s foundation as cladding for the entire first story of
the addition, save for a small portion at the northwest corner, which is undressed
concrete. After a strip of undressed concrete trim at the water table, the upper wall and
gables are clad in large shingles. On the gable ends, these are simple rectangles, but
those on the second story wall feature a rippling pattern at their edges.
Figure 7: Assessor’s Card Photo of 1723‐25 15th St., southwest corner.
Agenda Item 5C Page 6
There are eight windows of varying sizes in the west (rear) elevation, seven hung
windows and one sliding, all with blue trim. A rear entry opening from the second story
is accessed via a flight of natural wood stairs featuring a black metal bar railing. The
south elevation of the addition has a pair of window openings, which now hold
protruding glass window gardens.
Figure 4. East Elevation, 15th Street, 2016.
Figure 5. Photo of dwelling at its original location on Arapahoe, 1935.
Image courtesy of the Boulder Carnegie Library.
Agenda Item 5C Page 7
Alterations
Figure 6: 1906 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing original location of the current house at 1544 Arapahoe
(yellow) and older house at 1723‐25 15th St. (blue)
Research indicates the house was relocated from its original location at 1544 Arapahoe
Ave., on the corner of 16th and Arapahoe Ave., to make way for the construction of
Boulder High School in 1935. A 1935 photo shows that today, the original portion of the
house remains highly intact to this period, with siding, trim, porch columns and
windows all appearing to be original and in their original locations. The two front
doorways are in their original locations but appear to be replacements, with the primary
(southernmost) door appearing to be the newest.
Sanborn maps indicate that the house had a small, open rear porch at its original
location. The 1931‐1960 map, the first to show the house at its new location, indicates this
porch was extended across the entire length of the rear and enclosed. An approximately
3,000 square foot, 2‐story addition was constructed on the rear of the building in 1948, to
accommodate an additional six dwelling units. A c. 1949 assessor’s photo of the addition
indicates that the addition has been little changed since its construction.
Condition
Externally, it appears to be in good condition. The applicants have submitted a letter
stating that components of the structure are near the end of their useful life, including
the mechanical and electrical systems, interior structure, and exterior repair. See
Attachment F: Letter from Applicant.
PROPERTY HISTORY
The lot at 1723‐25 15th St. was once part of prominent Boulder pioneer Marinus G.
Smith’s 220 acre homestead, which he platted into individual lots and gradually sold
Agenda Item 5C Page 8
throughout the late 19th century.1 He sold this particular lot to Helen C. Reynolds in 1893.
The vacant lot passed through two additional owners, before coming into the possession
of Sara C. Marble in 1900. The address appears in city directories in 1900, and a small
house is evident on the 1909‐1918 Sanborn fire insurance maps. However, it does not
appear on the 1922 or 1931 Sanborn maps of the area, indicating it was demolished
between 1918 and 1922. During her ownership, Ms. Marble rented the house to a variety
of short‐term occupants, including teachers, miners, and engineers. The property
disappears from the city directories after 1911, yet still appears on the 1918 Sanborn map,
indicating it likely stood vacant through much of the 1910s. Following its removal, the
property was acquired in 1922 by Nellie Rust, a prominent Boulder real estate broker
and insurance agent. She devoted much of her estate to the Nellie Rust Trust, which
used the profits on her considerable landholdings to provide funding for Boulder
children and youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts and the YMCA for many years
after her death in 1939.2
The house at 1725 15th St. was constructed about 1904 (the date it first appears in city
directories) at the southwest corner of 16th St. and Arapahoe Ave. Its first listed
occupants were George William and Abbie M. Mason. George was born in Iowa in 1867,
the son of George and Elizabeth Mason, emigrants from England.3 Abbie was the
daughter of Ohioans Henry and Miranda Pinkham, who lived in Wisconsin when Abbie
was born in 1865.4 While residing at 1544 Arapahoe, George was a partner in Renkes and
Mason, a real estate, insurance, and loans firm. The Masons did not live at 1544
Arapahoe Ave. for long, and by 1905 the property had passed to June and John L.
Domke.
John L. Domke was a partner in Pierce & Domke, a marble and granite works located at
1777 12th St., now the location of the Boulder Municipal Building. Domke lived at 1544
Arapahoe Ave. through 1908, but had moved away by 1910, when the U.S. Census
shows that Dr. Carbon Gillaspie and his wife Grace F. Gillaspie owned 1544 Arapahoe
Ave.
1 Whitacre, Christine, and R. Laurie Simmons. “1985/1986 Boulder Survey of Historic Places.” City of Boulder,
1986.
2 Daily Camera. “Nellie Rust Trust Distributes $1,750 to City Agencies.” December 13, 1957. Boulder Carnegie
Library.
3 Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States. United States of America, 1910. Ancestry.com.
4 Bureau of the Census. Tenth Census of the United States. United States of America, 1880. Ancestry.com.
Agenda Item 5C Page 9
Figs. 8 & 9: Carbon and Grace Gillaspie, c. 1930. Photos
courtesy of Boulder Carnegie Library.
Carbon and Grace Gillaspie
rented the house from about
1910 to 1916. Dr. Gillaspie was a
prominent citizen of Boulder
and Nederland, born on
January 17, 1879 in Gold Hill to
John Newell and Mary
Gillaspie.5 John N. Gillaspie was
a prominent pioneer of the
Boulder area, arriving in 1862
and working as long distance
freight hauler across the plains.6
He was one of twenty‐four
authors of the laws of the
Central Mining District, which
led to the creation of
Jamestown, and was elected as
the first president of the
district.7 Around 1870, he
switched to mining and prospecting, becoming the first man to find tellurium ore in
Boulder County.8 Grace Fairchild Gillaspie was born on April 12, 1876 to John and
Fannie Fairchild, in Illinois.9 Grace first came to Boulder around 1900, where she worked
as a secretary at the State Preparatory School.10 Grace and Carbon married on July 3,
1906, in Mexico, Missouri, shortly after Carbon’s graduation from the University of
Colorado Medical School in 1905.11 While they were married in Missouri, their
permanent residence at that time was in Nederland, where Carbon had moved in 1904.12
He practiced medicine and operated a drug store there, and was elected Mayor of
Nederland in 1908.13 After moving to Boulder in 1909 to join the medical faculty at the
University of Colorado, he served on the Boulder City Council and Board of Education
for six years each, and as director of the Chamber of Commerce.14 He was also President
5 Bureau of the Census, 1880.
6 First Christian Church. The Sunbeam. December 15, 1907.
7 Laughlin, Camilla. “Staff Recommendation RE: Docket HP-98-04: Gillaspie House” Boulder County Land Use
Department, November 5, 1998. Boulder Carnegie Library.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 Daily Camera, “Grace Gillaspie, Widely Known and Popular Boulder Resident, Dies.” August 26, 1954. Boulder
Carnegie Library.
11 Missouri State Marriage Records, 1906. Ancestry.com; Laughlin.
12 Daily Camera. “Former Mayor John Gillaspie Dies.” July 13, 1989. Boulder Carnegie Library.
13 Daily Camera, 1954; Laughlin.
14 Laughlin.
Agenda Item 5C Page 10
of the Boy Scout Council, President of the Boulder Rotary Club, President of the Boulder
County Tuberculosis Association, and Chief of Staff of Boulder Community Hospital.15
Grace Gillaspie was a member of several local, regional, and national organizations,
serving as President of the Boulder Women’s Club 1933‐35 and President of the Boulder
Legion Auxiliary, as well as being an active member in several other organizations.16 Her
most prominent positions were in the Daughters of the American Revolution, with
whom she served as regent of the Arapahoe Chapter, 1936‐38, regent of the Colorado
State Chapter 1939‐1941, and National Vice President General 1942‐1945.17 Their
Nederland family house, which Carbon and his friend William Loach built themselves in
1905, has since been preserved as the Gillaspie House Museum, operated by the
Nederland Historical Society.18 After Carbon Gillaspie died on May 5, 1933, Boulder
schools, city government, doctors’ offices, and businesses closed early to mark his
funeral, which was one of the most attended in Boulder’s history to that time.19 Grace
Gillaspie died August 25, 1954.20
Carbon and Grace’s’ son John D. Gillaspie, born June 17, 1907 while the family was
living in Nederland, would gain local prominence in his own right. John, a medical
doctor like his father, practiced at Boulder Medical Center and became a member of the
American College of Allergists. He served in the Army medical corps during World War
II, attaining the rank of Major. He was also director of the First National and Arapahoe
National banks, and President of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. He served on the
Boulder City Council from 1947 to 1952 and as the 26th Mayor of Boulder from 1952 to
1956.21
The next residents of the house, while it was located at 1544 Arapahoe Ave., were Ernest
M. and Mattie Ermine Greenman, also well‐known Boulder residents. Research indicates
they lived at the house from about 1916 to c. 1928. Ernest was born on December 1, 1877
to Sylvester and Louise Greenman in Counters Port, Pennsylvania and had two older
brothers, Elbert and Alfred A. Greenman22. Alfred A. Greenman, who arrived in 1890,
served as Mayor of Boulder from 1909 to 1911.23 He also established the Greenman Stores
Company, which operated a drug and stationary store at 1219 Pearl St.24 Ernest
15 Laughlin; Daily Camera, “Dr. Carbon Gillaspie Named President of County T. B. Group.” July 9, 1931.
16 Daily Camera, 1954.
17 Daily Camera, “Mrs. Carbon Gillaspie is Elected Vice President General of D.A.R.” May 7, 1942.
18 Daily Camera, “Gillaspie House Museum now Open in Nederland.” September 20, 1975.
19 Daily Camera, “Hundreds at Funeral of Dr. Gillaspie.” May, 1933.
20 Daily Camera, 1954.
21 Daily Camera, 1989.
22 Daily Camera, “Ernest M. “Dad” Greenman Dies at DeMarc Nursing Home Today.” March 4, 1960. Boulder
Carnegie Library.
23 Daily Camera, “A. A. Greenman, Former Mayor and Long an Outstanding Citizen, Dies.” October 3, 1939.
24 Ibid.
Agenda Item 5C Page 11
Fig. 10: Ernest and Mattie
Greenman (Eben G. Fine at
left), c. 1950.
Greenman came to Boulder in 1896 with his mother and sister, Vera.25 At first, Ernest
worked as a surveyor on Colorado and Northwestern railway’s lines being constructed
through the foothills at that time.26 In 1902‐03, he worked on the Eldora line connecting
Boulder and the town of Sunset, and later worked on the crews digging the Moffat
tunnel.27 When not working on the rail lines, Ernest would trek into the mountains to
find work doing odd jobs on ranches.28
Around this time, Ernest met Mattie Ermin Sweeney in
Boulder.29 The couple married July 22, 1903, in Colorado
Springs, and lived near the Moffat railroad work sites
during their first few years together.30 Mattie was born
December 2, 1880, in Reserve, Kansas, to Robert E. and
Caroline M. Sweeney.31 The Sweeneys moved to Colorado
Springs in 1896, before coming to Boulder in 1898.32 In
1907, Alfred Greenman hired Ernest to work at his drug
store at 1219 Pearl Street.33 When Alfred opened a new
store at 1134 13th St., among the earliest built on the
University Hill, Ernest became its manager and clerk.34
The University Store, later Greenman’s University Store,
initially sold textbooks and school supplies until 1922,
when the university established its own bookstore in the
basement of Macky Auditorium. Greenman’s stopped
selling text books in 1923, switching to a focus on its pharmacy and food section, though
it had begun selling toasted sandwiches in 1912, making it the first of many such eateries
on the Hill. The shop would continue to offer food until 1934, when a state law banned
drug stores from selling food. Following Alfred Greenman’s death on October 2, 1939,
Ernest became the sole owner of Greenman’s University Store in 1941.35 He continued
operation of the store until 1945, when he sold it to W. E. Smith. Greenman continued to
25 Daily Camera, March, 1960.
26 Daily Camera, “Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Greenman to be Honored at Open House here Sunday Marking Golden
Wedding Anniversary.” July 17, 1953. Boulder Carnegie Library.
27 Ibid.
28Greenman Ernest M., Interview. Crossen, Forrest, interviewer. N. D. Boulder Carnegie Library.
29 Daily Camera, 1953
30 Ibid.
31 Bureau of the Census, 1910.
32 Daily Camera, 1953
33 Ibid.
34 Daily Camera, “Pioneer Ex-Druggist E. M. Greenman Recalls old Memories of Hill Store.” March 15, 1955.
Boulder Carnegie Library.
35 Daily Camera, 1939.
Agenda Item 5C Page 12
work at the store as clerk and operator of the check cashing service until his retirement
in 1955.36
Greenman’s University Store continued operation until 1964, when Smith closed the
business to retire.37 The building, now addressed as 1130‐34 13th St., still exists in highly
intact condition, and was identified as a contributing resource to the potential University
Hill Historic District and a potential local landmark by the University Hill Commercial
survey of 2008.38
Fig. 11: Ernest (without hat, center) and Mattie (right of Ernest, glasses) Greenman with a group of mountaineers, c.
1910. Image Courtesy of the Boulder Carnegie Library.
The Greenmans are best remembered for their contribution to the mountain climbing
and hiking community of Boulder as active members of the Rocky Mountain Climbers’
Club.39 Ernest described mountain climbing as his lifelong passion, and made the first of
an extraordinary 101 ascents of the Third Flatiron on July 12, 1912.40 Before the
organization of dedicated mountain rescue teams, Greenman often filled the role
himself, becoming known as the “One Man Rescue Group”.41 Mattie was also an avid
mountain climber, and together they guided hundreds of climbing and hiking
excursions in the mountains42. Between 1914 and 1949, they led 69 trips to the Arapahoe
36 All prior information in this paragraph taken from Daily Camera, 1955.
37 Daily Camera, “Greenman’s University Store will be Sold Out and Closed.” July, 1964. Boulder Carnegie Library.
38 Front Range Research Associates, Inc. “University Hill Commercial Area: Historic District Re-evaluation.” City of
Boulder, 2008.
39 Daily Camera, March, 1960.
40 Daily Camera, “’Dad’ Greenman Holds Record for Number of Climbs of Third Flatiron.” September 20, 1955.
Boulder Carnegie Library.
41 Daily Camera, “Plaque Honoring “Dad” Greenman Erected on Top of Third Flatiron.” October 10, 1960. Boulder
Carnegie Library.
42 Daily Camera, “Mattie Greenman Dies this Noon Result of Stroke.” April 13, 1961. Boulder Carnegie Library.
Agenda Item 5C Page 13
Fig. 12: Grove Wet Wash & Laundry Float in the 1922
Boulder 4th of July Parade. Image Courtesy of Boulder
Carnegie Library
Glacier and Peaks43. Ernest frequently planted apple, nut, and oak trees along the trails,
made expeditions to repair artesian springs to supply water to hikers, and would often
bring a shovel or hoe with him when hiking, so that he could repair the trails as he
went.44 As late as 1959, just a year before his death at the age of 82 on March 4, 1960,
Ernest could be seen hiking the foothills alone, shovel in hand.45 Mattie Greenman died a
year later on April 13, 1961.46 The Rocky Mountain Climber’s Club placed a plaque at the
summit of the Third Flatiron honoring Ernest “Dad” Greenman following his death in
1960, a 1998 replacement of which can be seen there today.47 Greenman is also
commemorated by the E. M. Greenman Trail in the Boulder Mountain Parks.
From about 1928 to about 1932, this was the house was occupied by Jennie A. and John
E. Merriam, and in 1935 the house was relocated to make way for the construction of
Boulder High School, which required the removal of all buildings on the 1500 block of
Arapahoe.
1723‐25 15th Street Location
Royal P. Shockey, who had rented the lot at
1723‐25 15th St. from Nellie Rust in 1926 and
purchased it in 1929, was evidently living
in a small dwelling visible at the rear of the
property on the 1922 and 1931 Sanborn
Maps. He appears to have arranged for the
relocation of the current house to his
property, and took up residence therein
afterwards. Royal P. Shockey was born in
Boulder County on the 4th of July, 1886, the
son of Grant and Lydia Shockey.48 Frieda
A. Shockey was born to German
immigrants Charles and Barbara Wilshusen
of Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 6, 1893.49 She married Royal in 1914 in Denver, and
the couple would go on to have two sons.50
43 Daily Camera, “Ernest Greenman was Hike Leader to the Glacier for Many Years.” August 18, 1953. Boulder
Carnegie Library.
44 Daily Camera, “Ernest Greenman Conducts Colorado Staff Member on Interesting Trip.”
45 Daily Camera, March, 1960.
46 Daily Camera, 1961.
47 Daily Camera, October, 1960. Boulder Carnegie Library.
48 Daily Camera, “Royal Shockey, Retired Laundry Operator, Dies.” November 18, 1968. Boulder Carnegie Library. 49 Daily Camera, “Obituaries: Mrs. Royal P. Shockey.” November 19, 1946. Boulder Carnegie Library; Bureau of the
Census, 1910.
50 Daily Camera, 1946.
Agenda Item 5C Page 14
Royal and Frieda Shockey were the operators of Grove Wet Wash Laundry, located at
1719 15th St., next door to 1723 15th St. This stone building survives with minor
alterations, and was noted to be potentially historically and architecturally significant
when inventoried during the 1986 Goss Grove Survey.51 Frieda died on November 19,
1946.52 The following year, Royal sold the house at 1723‐25 15th to Elam J. and Earea Ann
Crook. Royal later moved to a farm east of Boulder, and remarried in 1951 to Mary E.
Bishop, nee Schofield, daughter of a Boulder pioneer family.53 Royal Shockey died on
November 17, 1968.54
Elam J. Crook mined tungsten near Nederland before World War II.55 After the war, he
became a builder.56 Elam constructed the six ‐unit addition onto the house in 1948, and
thereafter rented them out while he and Earea resided in the original house.57 The
Crooks owned the house until 1954, when they sold it to Forrest D. and Alberta G. Allen.
The Allens were never listed as residing at the house, and apparently rented out the
entire complex to various short term residents.
The next owner‐occupants were Eugenia A. and Gene B. Noon. They purchased the
property in 1963, when Gene was assigned as manager of the then new Walgreens Drug
Store in the Crossroads Shopping Center at 28th St. and Arapahoe Ave.58 He had
previously been manager of a Walgreens located in Denver.59 The Noons, like the
Crooks, lived in the original house while renting out the additional six units. The Noons
owned the property until 1968, when they sold it to William J. Lofland, Jr. He was listed
as the owner in the city directories but not as a resident. Instead, Bernice Lofland, widow
of William (presumably William senior, the owner’s father) is the listed resident. It thus
appears that William Jr. maintained the property to house his mother and to rent out the
addition’s units, while not living there himself. Lofland sold the property to Jerold
Monroe Suffian in 1973. Suffian did not appear as a resident in the city directories
through the 1970s, and all seven units were offered for rent. In 1988, the property was
deeded to Regina Suffian, the present owner.
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:
51 Witacre, Christine, & R. Laurie Simmons, “1985/1986 Boulder Survey of Historic Places.” City of Boulder,
August, 1986.
52 Daily Camera, 1946.
53 Daily Camera, “Obituaries: Mary E. Shockey.” November 30, 1975. Boulder Carnegie Library.
54 Daily Camera, 1968.
55 Daily Camera, untitled article, October 13, 1948. Boulder Carnegie Library.
56 Ibid.
57 Ibid.
58 Daily Camera, “Walgreen Drug in Crossroads Opens Monday.” March 11, 1983.
59 Ibid.
Agenda Item 5C Page 15
(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;
(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 staffʹs 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 1723‐25 15th St. meets historic significance under criteria 1
and 2.
1. Date of Construction: c. 1908 / Relocated 1935 / Remodeled 1948
Elaboration: The 1908 date of original construction at 1544 Arapahoe Ave., the 1935
relocation to its current location, and the 1948 addition are over the 50‐year criteria for
historic significance.
2. Association with Persons or Events: Carbon, Grace, and John Gillaspie; Ernest M.
and Mattie Greenman.
Elaboration: Carbon Gillaspie was a prominent local physician and Mayor of
Nederland for two terms, and his son, John D. Gillaspie, who lived here as a child,
was Mayor of Boulder from 1952 to 1956. The Gillaspies lived in this house from c.
1910 to c. 1916.
Ernest M. Greenman was the manager of Greenman’s University Store from its
establishment in 1911 to 1945, an early University Hill business and longtime favorite
Agenda Item 5C Page 16
of University of Colorado students. He remained associated with this business after
selling it, working as clerk and cashier until 1955. He and his wife Mattie were also
prominent in the development of Boulder’s mountain trails and its climbing
community. Together they led hundreds of hiking and climbing expeditions, always
free of charge, to the Flatirons, the Arapahoe peaks, and other locations. Ernest also
devoted much of his time to personally maintaining the trails. He is the namesake of
the E. M. Greenman trail. The Greenmans lived in this house from c. 1916 to c. 1928.
3. Development of the Community: None Observed
4. Recognition by Authorities: 1994 and 1986 Surveys
Elaboration: The 1994 Survey of Historic Places found the house to be representative
of early 20th century vernacular frame dwellings due to its relatively intact massing
and details, while the 1986 survey found it to be significant as one of the few
residences constructed along 15th Street, historically a primarily commercial district.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The house located at 1723‐25 15th St. meets historic significance under criteria 1, 3
and 5.
1. Recognized Period or Style:
Elaboration: The original portion of this house is an excellent example of a turn‐of‐
the‐century vernacular frame dwelling and retains a high degree of historic integrity.
The rear 1948 addition is an interesting adaptive use of the property to provide
housing during the post‐WWII population boom in Boulder.
2. Architect or Builder of Prominence: Unknown (original structure), Elam J. Crook
(1948 Addition)
3. Artistic Merit: This house features simple, but well‐crafted wood and masonry
construction and detailing, including a stone clad foundation, shingled gables, and
carved wood classical columns.
4. Example of the Uncommon: None Observed
5. Indigenous Qualities: The foundations of both the house and its addition feature
rubble stacked, local sandstone cladding.
ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The house located at 1723‐25 15th St. meets environmental significance under
criteria 5.
Agenda Item 5C Page 17
1. Site Characteristics: None observed.
2. Compatibility with Site: None observed.
3. Geographic Importance: None Observed.
4. Environmental Appropriateness: None Observed.
Elaboration: Commercial infill around this house has left it as a residential remnant
in a high‐density commercial area.
5. Area Integrity: Proximity to 1719 15th Street.
Elaboration: This house was likely relocated here by Royal P. Shockey, owner of the
Grove Wet Wash Laundry that once occupied the historically significant commercial
building next door at 1719 15th Street. The intact relationship of these two buildings
enhances the character of both.
CRITERION 2: RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHARACTER OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD:
This house reflects the character of the Goss Grove neighborhood, which is typified by
simple, vernacular frame dwellings. The west side of 15th Street has long been a mixed
area of commercial, residential, and industrial uses at a diverse array of scales, and the
presence of this surviving single‐family dwelling and addition contribute to this historic,
eclectic character.
CRITERION 3: CONDITION OF THE BUILDING
In an August 24, 2016 letter to city staff, the applicant, Tom Jarmon of ESA Architecture
and Planning, noted that the heating and electrical systems of the house will require
replacement in the near future, that some portions of the interior structure are in need of
renovation, and that the exterior is in need of repair. See Attachment E: Letter from
Applicant)
CRITERION 4: PROJECTED COST OF RESTORATION OR REPAIR:
In the same letter, Jarmon gave an approximant estimate of a $175,000 to $200,000 cost
for repair and replacement. See Attachment F: Letter from Applicant.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENT:
Staff has received no comment to date from the public on this matter.
Agenda Item 5C Page 18
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 January 9, 2017.
FINDINGS:
Staff recommends that the Landmarks Board adopt the following findings:
A stay of demolition for the house and accessory buildings at 1723‐25 15th 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: Letter from Applicant
Agenda Item 5C Page 19
Attachment A: Current Photographs
Photo 1. View from 15th St, 2016.
Photo 2: East (front) Façade, 2016
Agenda Item 5C Page 20
Photo 3. Southeast Corner, 1723‐25 15th St., 2016.
Photo 4. Southwest Corner, 1723‐25 15th St., 2016.
Agenda Item 5C Page 21
Photo 5. West (rear) Elevation, 1723‐25 15th St., 2016.
Agenda Item 5C Page 22
Attachment B: Boulder County Tax Assessor Card c. 1938‐1949
Agenda Item 5C Page 23
Agenda Item 5C Page 24
Agenda Item 5C Page 25
Agenda Item 5C Page 26
Tax Assessor Card Photo, c. 1937.
Addition, Tax Assessor Card Photo, c. 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, 1986.
Agenda Item 5C Page 30
Agenda Item 5C Page 31
Agenda Item 5C Page 32
Photo from Historic Building Inventory Record, 1994.
Agenda Item 5C Page 33
Attachment D: Deed & Directory Research
1544 Arapahoe
Date First Listed Occupant(s)/Directory
1904 G. W. Mason
1905 J. J. Domke
1911 Carbon Gillaspie
1916 E.M. Greenman
1928 John E. Merriam
1935 (House Relocated to 1723 15th St.)
Owner (Deeds) Date Occupant(s)/Directory
Marinus G. Smith
To 1893
Not Listed
Helen C.
Reynolds
1893 ‐ 1895
1893
Mary A. Ward
1895 ‐ 1899 1895
Dennis H.
Dickson
1899 ‐ 1900
1899
Sara C. Marble
1900 ‐ 1922
1900
1901 M. L. Smith (Anna), Stat. Engineer
1903 G. B. Coleman (Fannie E.), Teacher
1904 A. R. Morrison (Orah), Mining
1905 Not Listed
1908 Lottie Donaldson, Andrew, George, William, and Marshal
(Ellen) Hawkins.
1911 Mattie Spencer (wid.), Washing
1913
Not listed Nellie Rust
1922 ‐ 1929 1922
1926
Royal P. Shockey (Frida A.; Grove Wet Wash Laundry) Royal P. Shockey
1929 ‐ 1947 1929
(House Relocated to 1723 15th St.)
Agenda Item 5C Page 34
1946 Royal P. Shockey (o)
Elam J. and Earea
Ann Crook
1947 ‐ 1954
1947 Elam J. Crook (o) (Earea A.); 6 Renters
Forrest D. and
Alberta G. Allen
1954 ‐ 1963
1954
1955 Marvin L. Sprauge; 6 Addit. Renters
1958 Mrs. Thelma Wilkinson; 6 Addit. Renters 1960
1962 Loyd R. Smith, 5 Addit. Renters, 1 Vacancy
Eugenia A. and
Gene B. Noon
1963 ‐ 1968
1963 Gene B. Noon (o); 5 Renters, 1 Vacancy
1966 G. B. Noon (o); 6 Renters.
William J.
Lofland, Jr.
1968 ‐ 1973
1968 Wm. J. Lofland (o); 6 Renters
Jerold Monroe
Suffian
1973 ‐ 1988
1973 Duane Collins; 4 Addit. Renters, 2 Vacancies
1975 Baba Nam Keualom, 5 Addit. Renters, 1 Vacancy
1977 Tina Remcke, 5 Renters, 1 Vacancy
1979 Phillip Richmond, 6 Addit. Renters
Regina Suffian
1988 ‐ Present 1988 Main listed as 1725, vacant. 4 renters, 2 vacancies in
addition.
Agenda Item 5C Page 35
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
Agenda Item 5C Page 36
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.
Agenda Item 5C Page 37
Attachment F: Letter from Applicant
Eric Smith Associates, P.C. 1919 7th Street Boulder, CO 80302 (303) 442-5458 442-4745 (fax)
www.esapc.com
24 August, 2016
Marcy Cameron
Historic Preservation Planner
(303) 441-3209
cameronm@bouldercolorado.gov
Comprehensive Planning
1739 Broadway, P.O. Box 791 | Boulder, CO 80306
BoulderHistoricPreservation.net
RE: 1723‐25 15th St. September 7, 2016 Landmarks Board Hearing
Dear Marcy,
The following is information we would like to have included in the Landmarks Board packet for the
September 7, 2016 meeting regarding 1723‐25 15th St.
We feel strongly that this structure does not have a special character and historical, architectural or
aesthetic interest or value. This structure has been moved from its’ original site previously and placed on
a concrete foundation when relocated so it does not have the original stacked stone foundation of its’
period. The structure was placed on the present site back away from 15th St. There is a driveway/parking
between the structure and 15th St. and with the existing 2 story addition to the rear of the property this
structure is really out of context with the surrounding area. Homeless people continue to use the rear
space of the structure as a latrine despite deterrence efforts by the owners.
The 15th St. location of this structure is not in a Historic District and the 15th St. context and exterior
character is in an evolving area of new, higher structures of mixed use retail/commercial and residential
in very close proximity to downtown Boulder.
The property owners have tried to maintain the structure over the years, but components of the
structure are near the end of their useful life. The heating system needs replacement soon. The electrical
system needs replacement soon. Interior portions of the structure need renovation. The exterior needs
repair. We estimate these repair/replacement costs for the structure to be approximately $175,000 to
$200,000 which is significant related to the overall value of the structure.
The owners would like to proceed with a new building containing commercial/retail on the lower level
with residential units on the upper levels. This new building is planned to include brick veneer exterior
facing 15th St. This new building will complement the surrounding newer buildings in this area and will
add to the vitality of this evolving area.
Sincerely,
TOM JARMON
ESA ARCHITECTURE . PLANNING
1919 7TH STREET, BOULDER CO 80302
303.442.5458 www.esapc.com