HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave Memo 12.03.25
MEMORANDUM TO THE LANDMARKS BOARD
December 3, 2025
S TAFF
Brad Mueller, Director of Planning and Development Service
Kristofer Johnson, Comprehensive Planning Senior Manager
Chris Reynolds, Deputy City Attorney, City Attorney’s Office
Marcy Gerwing, Principal Historic Preservation Planner
Clare Brandt, Historic Preservation Planner
Aubrey Noble, Historic Preservation Program Coordinator
Mariah Trujillo, Historic Preservation Trainee
C ONSIDERATION OF A PPLICATION FOR N ON-D ESIGNATED B UILDINGS
Public hearing and consideration of an application to demolish a house constructed in 1927 at 976
Arapahoe Ave., a non-landmarked property older than 50 years old, pursuant to Section 9-11-23 of the
Boulder Revised Code, 1981, and under the procedures prescribed by chapter 1-3, “Quasi-Judicial
Hearings,” B.R.C. 1981.
Address: 976 Arapahoe Ave.
Legal Description: TRACT 3K OF OUTLOT 3 BLK 1 & .9 FT X 18.4 FT OF SE CORNER OF LOT 3J
REEKS SUB
Case Number: HIS2025-00271
Owner: Boulder Presbyterian Senior Housing, Inc.
Applicant: Shopworks Architecture represented by Tom Otteson
Case Type: Non-Designated Demolition
Code Section: 9-11-23, B.R.C. 1981
E XECUTIVE S UMMARY
The purpose of this hearing is to determine whether the building at 976 Arapahoe Ave. is eligible for
designation and to consider the cost, condition, and relationship to the surrounding area. The
demolition application was submitted together with three others: 986 Arapahoe Ave., 990 Arapahoe
Ave., and 1004 Arapahoe Ave. Each requires a separate decision by the Landmarks Board. On Oct. 8,
2025, the Landmarks Design Review Committee determined there was probable cause to believe the
building at 976 Arapahoe Ave. may be eligible for landmark designation. Staff considers that the building
at 976 Arapahoe Ave. is eligible for designation and significant as an example of the vernacular
Craftsman Bungalow style, is associated with past residents who exemplify the cultural and social
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 1 of 52
heritage of the community, and for its environmental significance as part of a block of four houses
dating to the area’s early residential development. Staff recommends the Landmarks Board place a stay
of demolition on the application to provide time to consider alternatives to demolition. Recommended
motion language and findings are located at the end of the memo (link).
P UBLIC C OMMENT
Staff has received no public comment to date regarding this application.
O PTIONS FOR THE B OARD’S D ECISION
Pursuant to Section 9-11-23, B.R.C. 1981, if the Landmarks Board finds that the building proposed for
demolition meets the criteria in subsection (f), the application shall be suspended for a period not to
exceed 180 days from the date it was accepted by the city manager (i.e., designated staff) as complete,
in order to provide the time necessary to consider alternatives to the building’s demolition. If imposed, a
180-day stay period would start when the completed application was accepted by the city manager (Oct.
27, 2025 when the Landmarks Board fee was paid) and expire on April 25, 2026.
If the Landmarks Board finds that the building does not meet the criteria set forth in section 9-11-23(f),
B.R.C. 1981, the city manager shall issue historic preservation approval.
B ACKGROUND
The accessory building on the west side of the site was approved for demolition in 2008 (HIS2008-
00268).
On Sept. 23, 2025, the Planning and Development Services Department (P&DS) received an
application to demolish the house at 976 Arapahoe Ave. (HIS2025-00271) and the houses on three
neighboring properties: 986 Arapahoe Ave. (HIS2025-00272), 990 Arapahoe Ave. (HIS2025-00273)
and 1004 Arapahoe Ave. (HIS2025-00274).
On Oct. 8, 2025, the Landmarks Design Review Committee (LDRC; Golobic, Ray, Gerwing) referred
the application to the full Landmarks Board, finding “probable cause to believe the building may be
potentially eligible for landmark designation.”
On Oct. 27, 2025, the applicant paid the Landmarks Board hearing fee.
P ROPERTY D ESCRIPTION
Date of Construction: 1927 (County Records)
Zoning: RH-2 (Residential - High 2)
Lot Size: 5,451 square feet (County Assessor)
House Size: 672 square feet (County Assessor, above ground finished area)
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The property at 976 Arapahoe Ave. is located on the south side of Arapahoe Avenue between 11 Street
and Lincoln Place, opposite the main branch of the Boulder Public Library. The house is set on the north
end of the lot facing Arapahoe Avenue. The lot is bordered on the east by a 1921 house at 986 Arapahoe
Ave. (see HIS2025-00272) and on the west by a 1973 multi-family building at 964 Arapahoe Ave. The
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 2 of 52
rear of the property is adjacent to1050 Arapahoe Ave., including the eleven-story Presbyterian Manor
designed by Hobart Wagener in 1963.Theproperty is not within anidentified potential historic district.
The house was surveyed in 1990 and found to be significant as a good example of bungalow architecture
and that the residence features a combination of weatherboard and shingle siding.See the976
Arapahoe Ave.historic building inventory record(link).
Figure 1. Map of central Boulder showing location of 976 Arapahoe Ave. (location flagged). eMapLink(link).
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Figure 2. Location of 976 Arapahoe Ave.south of Arapahoe Avenue between 11Street and Lincoln Place and
opposite the main branch of Boulder Public Library.eMapLink(link).
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 3 of 52
Figure 3. Aerial view of context. From left to right the properties are 976 Arapahoe, 986 Arapahoe, 990 Arapahoe
and 1004 Arapahoe. Subject property (976) outlined in yellow. Property lines are estimates from eMapLink and
not intended for survey purposes.
B UILDING D ESCRIPTION
Figure 4. North elevation showing the façade with nested gables and front sunporch.Applicant photograph.
The building at 976 Arapahoe Ave. is a one-storyhouseconstructed in 1927 inthe Craftsman Bungalow
style. The building hasa moderately-pitched front gable roof with decorative brackets, exposed
raftertailsand purlins. A front gabled sunporch nestles below the primary gable and extendsnearlythe
width of the façade. The footprint of the building is rectangular, with a bay projection on the west side
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 4 of 52
and two shed roof projections tothe south (rear). The building is of frame constructionand clad in
decorative shingles with an alternating pattern on the lower portion of the building with narrow lap
siding above. The roof is asphalt shingle, with a centrally located brick chimney. The building rests on a
painted concrete foundation.
The north elevation, facing Arapahoe Avenue, features a nested gable roof form with exposed roof
purlinsat the eaves of the main roof form. A small, fixedpane window with simple trim detailing located
in the gable end. The enclosed porch (sunroom) is centered on the façade of the building and includes a
combination of fixed pane and double hung windows. The main entrance is flanked by two double-hung
windowson the leftand by two fixed-pane and one double-hung window on the right. The east and
west elevations of the sunporch includethree windows each: two fixed pane windows flanking a double
hung window. The porch featuresCraftsman Bungalow detailing, including tapered columnsand a
substantial header. The entrance is accessed bya small concrete stoop and steps with a simple metal
pipe railing.
Figure 5. Left: Northeast corner showing the exposed rafter tailsand purlins, and decorative shingle below level
of wind sills and horizontal siding above. Right: Northwest corner showing the exposed rafter tails and purlins,
and decorative brackets at the façade, shingle in the main gable end, and sunporch. Provided by applicant.
Figure 6. West elevation showing the exposed rafter tails, decorative shingle cladding at the sunporch and
continuing around the west elevation, concrete foundation (painted) visible below the shingle cladding, and
narrow horizontal sidingabove Provided by applicant.
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 5 of 52
The west elevation has five windows: one double-hung window between the sunporch and bay, a pair of
double-hung windows in the rectangular bay, and two square windows at the basement level. An east-
sloping shed roofprojection (tool shed)is located at the rear of the east elevation and does not feature
any door or window openings.
Figure 7. Left: Northeastcorner showing the exposed rafter tails and decorative brackets at the façade, shingle in
the main gable end, and sunporch. Provided by applicant.
The eastelevation includestwo double-hung windows, with twodouble-hung windows and two divided-
light windows at the basement level. A low shed roof extends from the rear of the building.
Figure 8.Left: Southwest corner showing predominantly the south elevationwith exposed purlinsat the gable
and a variety of window openings. A fence surrounds this side of the property. A canopy covers the lower portion
of the building. Right: Southeast corner showinga shed roof at the east end of the building. Provided by
applicant.
The southelevation(rear) of the buildingis surrounded by a tall fence. The main gable of the roof form
features exposed purlinsunder the overhanging eaves. The gable end includes a single horizontal fixed
windowthat mirrors the front façade. Two other windows are visible, a small square window at the
west side and larger square casement window near the east side. At the east side of the house, there is
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 6 of 52
a low shed roof projection that reaches almost to grade. A covered patio is located onthe west side,
with decorative metalsupports and a corrugated plastic roof.
Analysis of Integrity
Historic integrityis the ability of a property to convey its historical associations or attributes. The
National Park Service defines seven aspects of integrity to evaluate properties (location, setting, design,
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materials, workmanship, feeling, and association).
Permits on file with the Planning and Development Dept. are minimal and include the original permit for
City sewer service dated March 1928, the construction of a garage in 1948 (demolished 2008), and the
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addition of a tool storage area and re-roofing in 1962.The sunporch was enclosed as part of its original
construction.
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Figure 9.Left: Tax Assessor image, c. 1949 .Right: Similar view in 2025.Provided by applicant.
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Figure 10.Left:Survey image, 1990.Right: Similar view in 2025. Staff photograph.
The building is in its original location. The original design of the building has been minimally altered
through theaddition of the tool storage on the west and south sides. The building retainsmostofits
historic materials,notably the rafter tails and exposed purlins, decorative shingles and narrow
1
U.S. Dept. of the Interior. “National Historic Landmarks Glossary of Terms.” National Park Service. Accessed November 2022. https://www.nps
.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/glossary.htm
2
Planning and Development Services records. http://lfprod/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2847253&dbid=0&repo=LF8PROD
3
Boulder County Assessor. “976 Arapahoe Avenue real estate appraisal.” 1929-1956. Call no. 880-Arapahoe-976. Carnegie Library for Local
History, Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A91151
4
Front Range Research Associates. “976 Arapahoe Avenue historic building inventory record.” 1990. Call no. 780 Arapahoe 976. Carnegie
Library for Local History, Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A28738
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 7 of 52
horizontal siding, decorative window trim and windows. Some windows have been replaced within the
historic openings. The building demonstrates vernacular workmanship, with notable features of the trim
and siding detailing and unusual front sunporch design. The building’s ability to convey a feeling of its
time and the setting of the house on its property has not been diminished by the changes at the rear of
the property. The building’s surrounding context has changed over time, most notably the construction
of the Presbyterian Manor in 1963, the Boulder Public Library in 1993 and the multifamily building to the
west in 1973. However, the house, along with the three adjacent houses constructed during the same
period, retain its historic setting along Arapahoe Avenue. Overall, the building has retained its ability to
convey its association with its past residents and this period of development in the neighborhood.
A REA H ISTORY
This area is the ancestral homelands and unceded territory of Indigenous Peoples who have traversed,
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lived in and stewarded lands in the Boulder Valley since time immemorial. In October 1858, Hinono’ei
neecee (“Arapaho Chief”) Nowoo3 (“Niwot,” “Lefthand”) and other Hinono’eino’ (“Arapaho”) Peoples
told a party of gold-seekers camped in what is now known as Boulder that they could not remain on
Indigenous land as agreed by the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie, also known as the Horse Creek Treaty.
The 1851 treaty defined the area as territory of the Arapaho and Cheyenne and promised to protect the
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natural resources and tribal hunting grounds from use by white settlers throughout the area.
However, most of the gold-seekers stayed on the land and more came after gold was found west of
Boulder in January 1859. On February 10, 1859, many of those same men formed the Boulder City Town
Company and defined 1,280 acres (2 square miles) north of Boulder Creek as a town.
Subsequently, the United States government granted patents of 160 acres of land (a quarter of a
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section) or more outside of the town plat to would-be settlers. Marinus Smith was one such recipient.
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In 1868, he received an eighth of a section south of Boulder Creek from the United States government.
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A year later, Smith purchased another eighth section from Sylvester and Harriet Hill who had also
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received the land from the U.S. government. In 1870, Smith received his eighth section of land from
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the government. By 1871, when the town government was organized under Boulder County
regulations, Marinus Smith had already acquired more than 240 acres of land. His holdings stretched
5
“Staff Land Acknowledgement.” City of Boulder. https://bouldercolorado.gov/projects/staff-land-acknowledgment
6
National Park Service. “Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 (Horse Creek Treaty.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/horse-creek-treaty.htm
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More research is needed regarding Marinus Smith’s participation in the Sand Creek Massacre. An undated newspaper article by George W.
Stryker (held in the Carnegie Library, VF People - Smith, Marinus) claims: “Governor Evans proclaimed martial law, and appointed “Serg”
Marinus G. Smith as captain; A. A. Brookfield and Frederick A. Squires as lieutenants. A military company was enlisted, and Capt. Smith
dispersed the hostiles and restored order very quickly in this vicinity, but had no part in the Sand Creek affray.” Stryker was born in 1874 and
lived in Boulder by the recording of the 1885 Colorado Census, so may have known Smith.
8
General Land Office Records. “State Volume Patent CO0200__.303; Smith, Marinus.” 7/1/1868.
https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=CO0200__.303&docClass=STA&sid=lwpyiu14.yvb#patentDetailsTabIndex=0
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181315349
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181315349
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General Land Office Records. “State Volume Patent CO0510__.097; Smtih, Marinus.” 12/15/1870.
https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=CO0510__.097&docClass=STA&sid=wp4bge2f.vvx
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 8 of 52
thth12, 13
between Arapahoe Avenue and College Avenue, from about 6Street to 17Street.Within this
area, Smith platted roads, blocks, and lots including “Smith’s Addition to Boulder” and the smaller
thth
“Menlo Park” in the blocks south of Arapahoe Avenue between 9and 11Streets.
Marinus Smith sold the land between Smith’s Addition and Menlo Park to Frank Weisenhorn and Charles
Voegtle on Sept. 16, 1875. Weisenhornand Voegtletook advantage of the freshwater spring at the
center of the property and immediately built the Boulder City Brewery which became Crystal Springs
Brewery and Ice Company around 1897.
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Figure 11. The Lands of Marinus Smith north of University Street in 1901.Smith sold the area between 9th and
11th Streets to Weisenhorn and Voegtle starting in 1875, including the subject property.
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By 1882, the town was divided into wards, and the offices of mayor, treasurer, and aldermen were created to manage the now seventeen
additions to the original townsite and the increasing population. Although by 1900, Boulder’s population had grown to 6,150 with twenty-eight
additions added between 1890 and 1895, the residential subdivisions of North Boulder were not created until the 1940s, and the area was not
incorporated into the city until after 1954.
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The land is legally defined as the northwest quarter of Section 31, Township 1N, Range 70W and the east half of the northeastquarter of
Section 36, Township 1N, Range 71W.
14
Drumm, Henry A. “Map of lands belonging to the heirs of Marinus G. Smith, 1902.” 1902. Call No. BHS MAP CITY 1902-4 Oversize. Boulder
Historical Society / Museum of Boulder. https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A76479
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 9 of 52
Figure 12. Circa 1897 sketch by Joseph Sturtevant of the Crystal Springs Brewing and Ice Companysite looking
south from above Arapahoe Avenue (along the bottom edge of the image). Marine Street is at the top of the image
and the road to the right of the pond is Lincoln Place (then called Spring Street). The drawing shows the large
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spring-fed pond and steep topography between Arapahoe Avenue and Marine Street.
Figure 13. 1902 map of the area between the creek (Arapahoe Avenue just to the south) and Marine Street showing
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the Boulder City Brewing Company between 9th and 11th Street.Futureproperties(from left to right) at 976, 986,
990 and 1004 Arapahoeindicated in greendashed lines.
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Sturtevant, Joseph “Photo 2 - Photograph of a Sturtevant sketch of the brewery.” 1897-1907. Call No. BHS 207-1-25. Boulder Historical
Society / Museum of Boulder. https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A22242
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“Boulder (Colo.) street map 1902.” 1902. Call No. MAP CITY 1902-2 (Map Case 1 #1). Carnegie Library for Local History.
https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A58753
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 10 of 52
Figure 14. 1916 plat of Reeks’ Addition (black outline) between 9th and 11th Street and Arapahoe Avenue and
Marine Street. Outlot 3 includes the spring-fed pond at the center and the outflow of the spring at the northeast
end. TheBoulder Fish and Game Clubis indicated in yellow. The spring and pond areindicated in blue. Future
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properties at976, 986, 990 and 1004 Arapahoe indicated in green.
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William J. Reeks purchased the Crystal Springs Brewing and Ice Company in 1916.He demolished most
of the commercial buildings and platted the land as Reeks’ Addition.It consisted of fiveoutlotsand one
block with six lots. Outlots 1, 2 and 3 ran along Arapahoe, while outlots 4, 5 and block 1ran along
Marine. Outlots 1,2, 4, and 5 sit on the western side of Lincoln Place, and an alley runs behind lots 1-5 of
block 1 and between lots 5 and 6. This subdivision is likely due to the substantialgrade change from the
northern to the southern side of the addition.The central area, including the spring and pond, is
identified as “outlot 3”(Figure 14).
Reeksretained the land that included the natural spring, but sold the rights of access across his land and
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the use of the spring water to the Boulder Fish and Game Club in 1927.In addition, he sold a portion of
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outlot 3 to the club for use as a fish hatchery (see Figure 14). The Fish and Game Club to this day uses
the spring water to feed the hatchery and stock multiple fishing ponds throughout Boulder County
annually, including the Evert Pierson Kids’FishingPond.
17
Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181767303
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181680423
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181445733
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181587199
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 11 of 52
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William Reeks was born on October 24, 1868 in Minnesota. According to his mother’s obituary, he
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graduated from the law department at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The family,
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including William, his mother, Esther Reeks, and stepfather, John Ives, then moved to Boulder. By
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1920, the family lived at 952 Arapahoe Ave. (later platted as outlot 2 of Reeks’ Addition). In addition to
a land prospector, William was an amateur gardener and fishing enthusiast. He never married and lived
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for most of his life with his sister, Ester Reeks, who also never married.
William Reeks ensured that the spring and area that was originally a natural spring-fed pond stayed
relatively undeveloped. He maintained the portion of the land on the northeast corner where the spring
water flows out of the pond and sold only the undeveloped land that did not interfere with the spring,
including lots in Block 1 facing Marine Street and four lots that he created within outlot 3 facing
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Arapahoe Avenue. William Reeks continued to live on the property until his death in 1946. At his
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death, Ester Reeks deeded the rights for all of the spring water to the Boulder Fish and Game Club.
While this block of Arapahoe Avenue stayed relatively undeveloped, the intersection of Broadway and
Arapahoe Avenue, from early in Boulder’s history, was an important transportation route. From 1873
when the rail first arrived in Boulder connecting to Denver, this intersection was a point for substation
and rail spurs. From the late 1920s, the area started to focus on automobile travel and continued to be a
hub.
Along Arapahoe Avenue to both the west and the east a block from this busy intersection, the
commercial hub transitioned into residential areas. Within these transitional areas, from the first decade
of the Twentieth Century, development included small residential, multi-family (duplexes and
apartment buildings), live/work spaces, and retail stores like groceries and butcher shops. The uniform
lots, and dense street trees buffered the established residential neighborhood to the west from the
larger commercial lots to the east.
Between Broadway and Ninth Street, city directories list two grocery stores through the 1920s and
1930s. During the 1940s and 50s, the number of businesses increased on the north side of Arapahoe
Avenue, and included grocery stores, a moving company, plumbing company, laundry, and builders
supply store.
21
Find a Grave. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/39839712
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50000019/anna-reeks_ives
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50000019/anna-reeks_ives
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Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record
Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/records/62274210
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United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and
Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/records/40640748
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64871718/william-j-reeks
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181949358
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 12 of 52
Figure 15. Aerial image from around 1937 centered on the commercial and industrial intersection of Broadway and
Arapahoe Avenue (circled in a yellow solid line) and showing the transitional areas along Arapahoe Avenue prior to
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turning into residential both to the east and west.The houses on the south side of Arapahoe Avenue in Reeks’
Addition are circled in a yellow dotted line.
In the early 1960s, the house located at 1016 Arapahoe Avenue was demolished for the construction of
the Presbyterian Manor Apartments on a portion of outlot 3 in Reeks’ Addition. Hobart D. Wagener
designed the International style apartment block. While the spring was piped underground across much
of the lot, the open space surrounding the building, including the open-air outflow for the spring, was
maintained.
P ROPERTY H ISTORY
Frank and Cora Creamer purchased the property at 976 Arapahoe Ave. in 1927 from William Reeks and
Frank constructed the house as an income property. The Creamersrented the house to a number of
long-term tenants, including the Buester and Handleman families, who tradedadjacent houses in the
early 1930s. The house was owned through the 1940s by people who each held on to it for just a couple
of years.During theCarlsonfamily’s ownership(1945-1947), Willard Carlson added a second dwelling
unit on the property (976 ½ Arapahoe Ave.; demolished in 2008) and converted the basement of the
main house to a separate flat.The subsequent owners, William “Mearle” and Glydeth Erkenbrack lived
at the house for 17 years with Glydeth’s mother, Nellie,and a variety of lodgers at 976 ½ Arapahoe Ave.
Mearle was a sign painter and poster artist.Mary Elizabeth Culpepperpurchased the property in 1966
and lived there for twenty years.
Details of each property owner follows:
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“Photo 4 - Boulder from Flagstaff Mountain taken 1937 or early 1938.” C. 1937. Call No. BHS 208-6-1. Boulder Historical Society/Museum of
Boulder. https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A67946
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 13 of 52
Frank Leroy Creamer and Cora B. Creamer (1927 – 1943)
Frank Creamer was a carpenter. Over a five year period between 1924 and 1929, Frank constructed at
least five Craftsman style bungalows with a front gable and wide front porch. He built a house at 1306
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Arapahoe Ave. in 1924, where he lived with his wife Cora and daughter Laura, and a house at 1316
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Arapahoe Ave. in 1926, which he rented. Both of these houses on the south side of Arapahoe Avenue
were demolished in 1993 as part of flood mitigation efforts and the eventual construction of the Boulder
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Creek Path. Frank also constructed 1511 Grove St. in 1927, also as a rental property.
In 1927, the city issued Frank two permits to build houses at 976 Arapahoe Ave. (subject property) and
1004 Arapahoe Ave. (see HIS2025-00274). According to the newspaper announcement, each frame
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house was to include “four rooms and a bath and will be heated with hot air.”
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Frank Creamer was born on September 5, 1879 in Iowa. He married Cora Belle Craig in Albion,
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Nebraska on August 5, 1905. The couple lived in Nebraska, where Frank worked as a carpenter and
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saw planer, until 1924 when they moved to Boulder.
After Frank completed construction of the house at 976 Arapahoe Ave., the Creamers rented it to R. R.
Brown (1928) and then Jesse V. and Estalyn D. Buester. In April 1929, the Buester family purchased the
house next door to the east at 986 Arapahoe Ave. (see HIS2025-00272) from Hyman and Ida
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Handleman. Hyman Handleman was the proprietor of the Colorado Fruit Co. and owned the house
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next door (986 Arapahoe Ave.) from 1926 until 1929. The Handleman family rented 976 Arapahoe Ave.
from Frank Creamer for three years until they moved to Los Angeles. Richard H. Parsons rented the
house between 1932 and 1936 (see 1004 Arapahoe Ave. HIS2025-00274).
Frank and Cora Creamer moved into the house in 1936 while renting out their family home two blocks
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away. Frank and Cora lived in the house until 1940 when they rented it to Carl “Billy” Berueffy, an
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“F.L. Creamer has taken out a permit for a frame dwelling, 1306 Arapahoe, to cost $2,500.” July 11, 1924. Boulder Daily Camera.
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=BDC19240711-01.2.42
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“F.L. Creamer has taken out a permit for a four-room home at 1316 Arapahoe to cost $2000.” January 14, 1926. Boulder Daily Camera.
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=BDC19260114-01.2.48
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“50 New Residences Costing $300,000 started in 1927.” December 27, 1927. Boulder Daily Camera.
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=BDC19271227-01.2.48
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“The city today issued permits to F. L. Creamer to build two $2,000 houses in Reeks’ addition.” November 12, 1927. Boulder Daily Camera.
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=BDC19271112-01.2.74
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The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the State of Colorado; Record Group
Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 036.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1002/records/17504638
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State Library and Archives, Nebraska State Historical Society; Lincoln, Nebraska; Nebraska, Marriage Records.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61335/records/69597
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Year: 1930; Census Place: Boulder, Boulder, Colorado; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0051; FHL microfilm: 2339966.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/101348251
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Boulder City Directory. 1930 p. 119. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/records/835772865
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“Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Buester today purchased the Hyman Handleman home at 986 Arapahoe street and are moving today from 976 Arapahoe,
a residence which the Handlemans have rented.” April 29, 1929. Boulder Daily Camera.
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=BDC19290429-01.2.87
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Boulder City Directory. 1936. p 107. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/records/835772865
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 14 of 52
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attorney, Opal Lucille Berueffyand family.The Creamers moved back to 1306 Arapahoe Ave.where
they continued to live until Frank’sdeath in 1960. They sold the house at 976 Arapahoe Ave. in 1943 to
Mildred Barr.
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Figure 16.Left: Frank L. Creamer.Right: Cora Creamer (second from the left) during thecelebration of the 1959
Boulder Centennial, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Boulder in 1859. The members of the group are the
Chat-A-While Club identified as (from left to right): Mrs. Martha Locke, Mrs. F. L. Creamer, Mrs. Ernestine
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Pettengill, Mrs.Ovida Mathiason, Miss Pearl Howe, and Mrs. John Claybrook.
39
National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Colorado, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group:
Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 20. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/records/5141121
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Year: 1940; Census Place: Boulder, Boulder, Colorado; Roll: m-t0627-00457; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 7-48B.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/records/40654115
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11102962/frank-leroy-creamer
42
“1959 Boulder Centennial: Pioneer costumes.” 1959. Call No. BHS 186-2-15. Boulder Historical Society/Museum of Boulder.
https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A70133
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 15 of 52
Figure 17.Knownhouses built by Frank L. Creamerin Boulder include(top, from left) 976 Arapahoe Ave. (subject
43444546
property), 1511 Grove St., (bottom, from left) 1004 Arapahoe Ave., 1306 Arapahoe Ave.and 1316
47
Arapahoe Ave.Creamer’s signature vernacular included front gable Craftsman style bungalows.
Mildred BelleBarr(1943 – 1945)
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Mildred Barrpurchased the housein 1943, followingthe death of her husband, Frank Vidakovich Barr.
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Mildred was born Mildred Wedig in Longmont on June 9, 1913.She attended Business Administration
50
School at the University of Colorado–Boulderand worked as a secretary for the First National Bank and
51
later as a bookkeeperin a florist shop.She sold the house in 1945 after marrying Charles Willard
Stilley.
43
“976 Arapahoe Avenue historic building inventory record.” 1990. Call No. 780 Arapahoe 976. Carnegie Library for Local History,
Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A28721
44
“1511 Grove Street real estate appraisal.” 1929-1956. Call No. 880-Grove-1511. Carnegie Library for Local History,
Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A99313
45
“1004 Arapahoe Avenue real estate appraisal card..” 1929-1956. Call No. 880-Arapahoe-1004. Carnegie Library for Local History,
Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A91117
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“1306 Arapahoe Avenue real estate appraisal card.” 1929-1956. Call No. 880-Arapahoe-1306. Carnegie Library for Local History,
Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A91170
47
“1316 Arapahoe Avenue real estate appraisal card.” 1929-1956. Call No. 880-Arapahoe-1316. Carnegie Library for Local History,
Boulder.https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A99497
48
Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195162257/frank-vidakovich_barr
49
Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120117333/mildred-belle-stilley
50
Alton Evening Telegraph; Publication Date: 29 Dec 1939; Publication Place: Alton, Illinois, USA.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62116/records/28639518
51
National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Boulder,
Boulder, Colorado; Roll: 3404; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 7-50 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62308/records/19369249
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 16 of 52
John “Willard” Carlson and Verna LaJuan Carlson (1945 – 1947)
John Willard Carlson, who went by Willard, and Verna Carlson purchased the property in 1945. Willard
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was born in Iowa on March 3, 1910. Verna was born Verna Sheader in Lafayette on November 20,
53
1917. They married in 1937. Willard worked as a carpenter and constructed the accessory building,
976 ½ Arapahoe Avenue, during his ownership. They sold the house in 1947 shortly before Willard
thndrd
platted “Carlson’s subdivision” between Boadway and 13 Street, and between 2 and 3 Avenue
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(Balsam and Cedar Avenue). Willard constructed many of the houses in Carlson’s subdivision.
Jessie Alida Parkes (1947 – 1949)
Jessie Parkes purchased the property in 1947 following the death of her husband, Clark Henderson
5556
Parkes. Jessie was born Jessie Alida Bell on October 6, 1894 in Kansas. Clark worked as a traveling
salesman. The couple lived in a convalescent home in Dodge City, Kansas from around 1940 until Clark’s
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death. It is unclear why Jessie moved to Boulder, but she lived in the house for about two years, with
lodgers, before selling to the Erkenbrack family in 1949.
William “Mearle” Erkenbrack and Glydeth Clarinda Erkenbrack (1949 – 1966)
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William Mearle Erkenbrack was born on February 8, 1892 in Republic, Kansas. Glydeth was born
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Glydeth Haptonstall on July 30, 1892 in Kansas. The couple married on May 5, 1917. Glydeth’s mother,
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Nellie, was born Nellie Rose Moore on March 13, 1867. She was widowed shortly after Glydeth’s birth
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and married George Beck in 1898. After George died in 1904, Nellie lived with Mearle, Glydeth and
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their children. The extended family Nellie moved to Boulder in 1923.
Mearle, affectionately known as “Erk” to many Boulderites, was a sign painter. He ran the S. and E. Sign
Company with Jack Savage from 1928 and opened Erk’s Sign Shop in 1939. Erk’s Sign Shop was displaced
from its long-term location at 1777 Broadway in 1951 for the construction of the new city hall, now the
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Penfield Tate II Municipal Building. The shop moved to 1833 Broadway. Erk painted all of signs for the
52
National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards For Colorado, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group:
Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 38. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/records/905053043
53
Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119024461/verna-lajuan-carlson
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Boulder County Records. https://boulder.co.publicsearch.us/doc/181619030
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152835714/clark-henderson-parkes
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152835634/jessie_alida-parkes
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Year: 1940; Census Place: Dodge City, Ford, Kansas; Roll: m-t0627-01231; Page: 61A; Enumeration District: 29-9.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/records/59872417
58
The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the State of Colorado; Record Group
Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 040
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1002/records/17671991
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Year: 1900; Census Place: Big Bend, Republic, Kansas; Roll: 497; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0088.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/17065061
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Year: 1910; Census Place: Big Bend, Republic, Kansas; Roll: T624_454; Page: 6a; Enumeration District: 0097; FHL microfilm: 1374467.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/8190211
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Year: 1900; Census Place: Big Bend, Republic, Kansas; Roll: 497; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0088.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/17065054
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Year: 1930; Census Place: Boulder, Boulder, Colorado; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0044; FHL microfilm: 2339966.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/101338168
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“Wm. E. Erkenbrack Retired Boulder Sign Painter, Dies.” Dec. 9, 1959. Boulder Daily Camera.
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“Erk’s Sign Shop Will Move From Building On City Hall Grounds.” Jan. 16, 1951. Boulder Daily Camera.
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 17 of 52
University, and won accolades for his artfromthe Chamber of Commerce (1928) and Boulder’s Business
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and Professional Women’s Club (1934).
66
Mearle died onDecember 8, 1959.Glydethcontinued to live in the house with her mother until
67
Nellie’s death on March 20, 1962.Glydeth sold the house in 1966. She passed away in 1980 and is
68
buried in Mountain View cemetery with Mearle.
Figure 18.Left: William Mearle Erkenbrack.Right:Erk’s Sign Shop at 1777 Broadway, the current site of the
69
Penfield Tate II Municipal Building.
Mary Elizabeth Culpepper(1966 – 1986)
Mary Elizabeth Culpepperpurchased the house in 1966. Mary was bornMary ElizabethHowells in
70
Missourion May 8, 1928.She attended the University of Colorado–Boulder. She married Warren
WilliamCulpepper on August 31, 1949. Estalynand Shirlie Buester attended the wedding. The Buesters
had recently sold 986 Arapahoe Ave. (see HIS2025-00272) Her husband, Warren, was bornin Denver on
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May20,1928.Warren also attended CU and became an accountant and banker. The couple initially
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lived at 1440 Arapahoe Ave. before moving to Denver and Pueblo and various other places.
Mary Elizabethlikely purchased and lived at the houseto be closer to her mother, BertelleHowells.
Bertelle was a music specialist in the Boulder Valley School District, the state president of the Colorado
65
“Fine Praises Art Work Being Used In Hospital Drive.” Nov. 15, 1928. Boulder Daily Camera.“W.M. Erkenbrack Is The Winner Of Poster
Contest.” December 17, 1934. Boulder Daily Camera.
66
Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93717265/william-mearl-erkenbrack
67
Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11100842/nellie-beck
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93717414/glydeth-c.-erkenbrack
69
“1763-1777 Broadway.” 1947. Call No. BHS 207-3-57. Boulder Historical Society/Museum of Boulder
https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A37703
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Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120364743/mary-elizabeth-culpepper
71
National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Colorado, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group:
Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 54. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/records/5138418
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“Mary E. Howells Becomes Bride of W. W. Culpepper At Candlelight Ceremnony.” Sept1, 1949. Boulder Daily Camera.
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 18 of 52
Federation of Music Clubs, and Colorado Chautauqua social director for 19 years. Mary Elizabeth was an
accomplished flutist.
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Mary Elizabeth and Warrendivorced in 1984and she sold the house two years later. She died May27,
74
2002.
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Figure 19.Left: Warren and Mary Elizabeth on their wedding day, 1949.Right: Mary Elizabeth Culpepper, c.
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1940.
Boulder Presbyterian(1986 – present)
The current owners purchased the property in 1986from Mary Elizabeth Culpepper.
P URPOSE AND C RITERIA FOR THE B OARD’S D ECISION
Buildings proposed fordemolition(asdefined in Section 9-16-1, B.R.C. 1981)that are not located in a
historic district or designated as alandmark but areolder than50 years old are reviewed pursuant to
Section 9-11-23, B.R.C. 1981, using criteria defined by Section 9-11-1, Purpose and Legislative Intent,
and Section 9-11-2, City Council May Designate or Amend Landmarks and Historic Districts.The
Significance Criteria for Individual Landmarks(link)wasadopted by the Landmarks Board on Sept. 17,
1975.
S TAFF A NALYSIS
CRITERION1: INDIVIDUALLANDMARKELIGIBILITY
The following is a result of staff’s research of the property relative to the Significance Criteria for
Individual Landmarks(link).
73
Colorado, Divorce Index, 1851-1985. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60927/records/949258
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“Green Mountain Cemetery Burial Index” https://cemeteries.bouldergenealogy.org/CemeteryFiles/GreenMountain/pages/GMC_C.htm
75
“Warren Culpepper Married in Boulder.” October 1949.
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“Mary E. Howells Becomes Bride of W. W. Culpepper At Candlelight Ceremnony.” Sept 1, 1949. Boulder Daily Camera.
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 19 of 52
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The building at 976 Arapahoe Ave. meets the following significance criteria:
1. Date of Construction: 1927
Elaboration: County Records list the building constructed in 1927 and newspaper article confirm that
Frank L. Creamer constructed the house that year.
2. Association with Persons or Events: Mearle “Erk” Erkenbrack (resident 1949-1966)
Elaboration: Although the families that lived in the house were typically working-class, and included
carpenters, a grocery proprietor and bookkeeper, there are past residents who exemplify the cultural
and social heritage of the community: Mearle “Erk” Erkenbrack was a sign painter in Boulder for more
than 30 years. During the Erkenbrack family’s time at the house, Mearle Erkenbrack ran a successful
sign-painting business, painting many of the signs for the University of Colorado and businesses
throughout Boulder.
2. Distinction in the Development of the Community: The property is an example of working-class
housing constructed prior to the Great Depression (1929 – 1939) and converted to multi-family
housing as Boulder experienced housing shortages for working professionals during and after the
Second World War.
Elaboration: The dominance of the education and health services, and lack of manufacturing
industries seemed to buffer Boulder in the early years of the Great Depression. Although some
residents of Boulder thought they would be relatively immune to the economic downturn, after the
school board cancelled salary increases for teachers for the 1931-32 school year, the impacts rippled
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through the community. Small, affordable housing was welcomed, and many of the houses were
converted to multi-family use as the economy struggled to recover during the 1940s and
subsequently during the Second World War.
3. Recognition by Authorities: Front Range Research Associates, Inc. 1990 Boulder Survey of Historic
Places.
Elaboration: The 976 Arapahoe Ave. historic building inventory record (link) from 1995 noted no
known past residents, but found the building “represents a type, period, or method of construction”
finding the “building, constructed in 1927, is a good example of bungalow architecture. The
residence features a combination of weatherboard and shingle siding.”
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The building at 976 Arapahoe Ave. meets the following significance criteria:
1. Recognized Period or Style: Craftsman Bungalow
Elaboration: The Bungalow form was popular in Colorado from about 1900 to the 1930s due to its
simplicity and utility. The extant characteristic elements of this form include the gabled roof, the
overhanging eaves with exposed rafter tails, simple horizontal lines, and vertically proportioned
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Repplier, Frederick Oakleigh (F. O.) “As a Town Grows.” 1959. Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder.
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 20 of 52
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double-hung windows. Although a broad front porch is typical of the Craftsman Bungalow style in
Boulder, the house is unique in that the enclosed sunporch at the façade is original to the house.
2. Architect or Builder of Prominence: Frank L. Creamer
Elaboration: Creamer located to Boulder in the mid-1920s. In the five years preceding the Wall
Street crash of 1929 and subsequent Great Depression, Frank constructed at least five Craftsman
style bungalows with a front gable and vernacular Craftsman detailing, including 1004 Arapahoe
(see HIS2025-00274).
2. Artistic Merit: Craftsman elements
Elaboration: The artistic features of the house include the Craftsman-inspired combined wood
shingle with the narrow horizontal wood siding on the main part of the house.
3. Example of the Uncommon: Enclosed sunporch.
Elaboration: The enclosed sunporch is original to the house and an uncommon feature. Two known
houses built by Frank Creamer (including the subject property) included an original enclosed
sunporch in place of the front porch. This style is uncommon in Boulder and more prevalent in
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Nebraska where Creamer learned his trade.
4. Indigenous Qualities: None identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Summary: The property at 976 Arapahoe Ave. meets the following significance criteria:
1. Site Characteristics: The site retains a traditional characteristics of a residential lot, including a lawn
between the house and the street, multiple mature trees, sidewalk and front walk. The site has been
modified to remove the accessory building and driveway adjacent to the west side of the house and
construction of a new driveway for access to the garages to the south of the property. The rear of
the property has been paved.
2. Compatibility with Site: The house is compatible with its residential lot, and retains its original
setbacks from the properties to the east and west and from Arapahoe Avenue.
3. Geographic Importance: The building, along with the adjacent houses constructed during the same
time period, are an established and familiar visual feature along Arapahoe Avenue and visually
prominent across from the Boulder Public Library.
4. Environmental Appropriateness: The setback and vegetation on the lot are complementary to its
site and surrounding area.
5. Area Integrity: The property is not located within an identified potential historic district, however,
the area retains an eclectic and transitional character that has remained relatively stable for over 50
years. See analysis for “Relationship to the Character of the Neighborhood” below.
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“Colorado’s Historic Architecture & Engineering Guide.” 2008. History Colorado. https://www.historycolorado.org/bungalow
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Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record
Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/15374865
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 21 of 52
CRITERION 2: RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The property is located in an area that has an eclectic character, with a transitional mix of public,
institutional, commercial and mixed-density residential. The property, along with the south side of the
900 and 1000 blocks of Arapahoe Avenue, is zoned Residential High-2. The main branch of the Boulder
Public Library and the Civic Area are located on the north side of Arapahoe Avenue, with residential
neighborhoods (zoning Residential Mixed-1 and Residential Low-1) located to the west and north. To the
east, properties along Broadway are zoned Business Community-1 and Business Transitional-2. The area
is defined by this transitional and eclectic character.
The current zoning reflects the eclectic character of the area since its development in the early 1870s
when the rail first arrived in Boulder. Arapahoe Avenue (Highway 7), previously called Valley View Road,
was the primary east-west route through Boulder and into Boulder Canyon until the Boulder-Denver
Turnpike opened in 1952 and the railroad tracks were removed from Water Street (now known as
Canyon Boulevard). Historically, many automobile-related businesses were located along Arapahoe
Avenue, including gas and service stations, early motels and an automobile park at Eben G. Fine Park.
Historically, the property on the north side of Arapahoe Avenue was platted into smaller lots, with
individual residences and businesses. The City of Boulder began purchasing properties in the 1970s for
parking and recreational use, and in 1993, completed construction of the main branch of the Boulder
Public Library.
On the south side of Arapahoe Avenue, the most significant change was the construction of Presbyterian
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Manor (1050 Arapahoe Ave.) in 1963. The eleven-story tower rises approximately 103 feet and was
constructed prior to the establishment of a 55-foot height limit in 1972. The three-story multi-family
building at 964 Arapahoe Ave. was constructed in 1973.
The relationship of the building at 976 Arapahoe Ave. to the character of the surrounding area has
remained relatively stable for over fifty years. The four houses along Arapahoe Avenue are prominently
visible and recognizable visual landmarks within the neighborhood. Together, the four buildings anchor
this section of Arapahoe Avenue and represent the area’s early period of development.
80
Boulder County Assessor. “1050 Arapahoe Avenue real estate appraisal.” 1963-1977. Call no. 880-Arapahoe-1050. Carnegie Library for Local
History, Boulder. https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A101671
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 22 of 52
Figure 20. Looking southeast at the neighborhood from a balcony within the public library toward Reeks’ Addition.
Figure 21. Looking west along Arapahoe Avenue from the intersection of Broadway and Arapahoe Avenue around
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1964(left) and 2025 (right).Google Street View(link).
Figure 22. Left: Looking east along Arapahoe Avenue from 976 Arapahoe Avenue (foreground)to the Presbyterian
th
Manor Apartments beyond.Right: Looking west along Arapahoe Avenue from the corner of 11St.
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“Broadway Street and Arapahoe Avenue intersection.” C. 1964. Call No. 497-3-10. Carnegie Library for Local History, Boulder.
https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A78709
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 23 of 52
CRITERION 3 AND 4: CONDITION OF THE BUILDING AND THE ESTIMATED COST OF RESTORATION OR
REPAIR
The applicant has submitted information on the condition of the building and the estimated cost of
restoration or repair. See Attachment A – Application Materials. A summary includes:
976 ARAPAHOE AVE. – CONDITION, ESTIMATED COST AND STAFF ANALYSIS
Applicant Description Staff Note Est. Cost
ROOFING Deteriorated metal roofs at all Existing roof material is asphalt, $30,240
four structures require full and was last replaced in 1962 and
replacement due to age and likely needs replacement within
corrosion. the typical lifespan of roofing. The
estimate is higher than expected
for an in-kind replacement on a
house this size.
EXTERIOR The homes exhibit Photographs or documentation $48,384
ENVELOPE weathered/damaged siding with that the siding is deteriorated
extensive replacement needs. 976 beyond repair was not submitted,
and 1004 require completely new nor visible from a site visit.
siding systems.
MECHANICAL All four houses have outdated hot A Mechanical permit to replace $14,580
SYSTEMS water heaters and HVAC units the hot water heater was issued
that are near or past useful life; in 1991.
several systems are either
inefficient or inoperable.
ELECTRICAL 986, 990, and 1004 require An Electrical Permit was issued in $4,050
& PLUMBING significant electrical upgrades to 2016 to upgrade the electrical
address safety and functionality. service for the property at 976
Arapahoe.
INTERIORS Flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, $37,739
and fixtures are in poor condition
and require renovation to meet
code and livability standards.
WINDOWS & Deteriorated or non-operable The majority of windows have $29,970
DOORS windows reduce weather been replaced with vinyl units
protection and energy within the existing openings. No
performance. documentation to confirm date of
replacement.
UTILITIES 986 \[976\], 990, and 1004 require $37,800
new sewer lines to address safety
and functionality.
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 24 of 52
OTHER General req’s, demolition, $37,612
CONST. concrete, steel and carpentry
COSTS
SOFT COSTS GC staffing, overhead/profit, $47,728
permit and insurance
TOTAL COST $288,103
EST. SIZE 672 SF
EST. COST $428/SF
PER SQUARE
FOOT
The estimated cost of restoration or repairs for the house at 976 Arapahoe Ave. is $288,103, or
approximately $428/square foot. While the building appears to have been maintained over time and be
in good structural condition, no significant investment has been made in upgrading the building systems
or interior or exterior finishes in the recent past, with the exception of the electrical service (2016). The
estimated cost is below the average cost of new residential construction in Boulder in 2025 ($500-
$750/SF), and in line with average restoration costs ($200-$1000/SF).
The applicant states the cost is unfeasible, as it would take over a decade to recover the cost using funds
generated from net rental income. While staff understands the desire to cover the cost of maintenance
and repair solely with rental income, staff notes that the current owner purchased the property 39 years
ago and while the properties have been maintained, it does not appear that significant investment to
the building systems or materials has been made to the property in that time.
R ECOMMENDED M OTION
Issue a Stay-of-Demolition
If the Landmarks Board finds the building may be eligible for individual landmark designation based
upon its historic, architectural, and environmental significance, and that it has not been demonstrated
that the condition and estimated cost of restoration or repair is unreasonable, staff recommends the
following motion language:
I move that the Landmarks Board issue a stay-of-demolition for the building located at 976
Arapahoe Ave. for a period not to exceed 180 days from the day the application was accepted by
the city manager in order to explore alternatives to demolishing the buildings.
A 180-day stay period would expire on April 25, 2026 (180 days from Oct. 27, 2025 when the Landmarks
Board review fee was paid).
A LTERNATE M OTION
Issue Historic Preservation Approval
If the Landmarks Board finds the building not eligible for individual landmark designation based upon its
historic, architectural, and environmental significance, staff recommends the following motion
language:
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 25 of 52
I move the Landmarks Board approve the application to demolish the building at 976 Arapahoe
Ave., finding that the building does not meet the criteria set forth in section 9-11-23(f), B.R.C.
1981.
F INDINGS
Staff recommends that the Landmarks Board adopt the following findings:
A stay-of-demolition for the property at 976 Arapahoe Ave. 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 significance for
its Craftsman Bungalow architectural form built by Frank L. Creamer; and for its association with
past residents who exemplify the cultural and social heritage of the community including Mearle
Erkenbrack, who was a sign painter in Boulder for more than 30 years; and for its environmental
significance as part of a block of four houses dating to the area’s early residential development.
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.
A TTACHMENTS
A: Application Materials
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 26 of 52
Attachment A - Application Materials
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 27 of 52
Attachment A - Application Materials
Item 5A 976 Arapahoe Ave. 12.03.25Page 28 of 52
Attachment A - Application Materials
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