6 - Update Memo December 3"~, 2008
TO: I ,andmarks Preservation Advisory Board
FROM: James Hewat, Chris Meschuk
SU BJF,CT: Update Memo
Post WW-II Residential Subdivision Survey and Context
lJpdate at Meeting.
Mapleton School
Staff has been attending meetings for the Early Childhood Education center proposed for the school.
Proposed changes include construction of an elevator/stair tower on the south elevation and the
addition of approximately 40 parking spaces. City Council has dedicated $50,000 to the project from
the Educational Excise Tax if the project moves forward. `1'he Mapleton Coalition will present a
concept plan to the Landmarks design review committee early in the new-year. In April 2008, the
coalition will present to the Boulder Valley School Board, with view to securing a long term lease on
the huildin~.
Valmont Mill
Staff is working on a Colorado Historical Society condition assessment grant application.
Boulder Transit Village
Update at meeting.
2009 CLG Crant Application
Staff has applied for approximately $5000 to digitize all historic survey information that can be
accessed online through the Boulder Public Library catalogue.
Special Landmarks Board Meeting to Discuss Letter to the City Council
Possible dates December 10`h and December 17`h - 1-3 p.m.
New and Pending Land Use Review Applications _
None.
Planning Board Calendar
See attached.
Stay-of-Demolition Status Summary, November 3~d, 2008
Date
Date of Stay Date of
Address Construction Im osed Ex iration Current Status
955 Broadway c.1906-1940 9/3/2008 01 /19/2009 No progress to report
Avenue
Landmark Applications Update:
• 3015 Kalmia Avenue, landmark designation application submitted 9/ 4 /08 as a condition of
Annexation & Site Review approval.
• 800 Arapahoe Avenue: Awaiting City Council review pending a subdivision application. Grant
contract executed. Continuance by board expires December 31.
• 1215 Cedar Street -Washington School: Postponed pending resolution of site planning issues.
Continued until December 1, 2008.
• Willard House, 125 Bellevue Drive, postponed until early 2009
Upcoming City Council hearings:
• December 16: 2303 Nlapleton/2316 23"' St second reading
Articles:
Policy Paper submitted by Historic Preservation for the Obama campaign.
Land Use Review Comments
1047 Pearl Street
1~lovember 12th, 2008
Property is located in and, historically contributing, to the Downtown Historic
District. Exterior work including restoration of facade, door to exterior seating
area, and location of outdoor seating area will require application for a landmark
alteration certificate (LAC). LAC review should occur concurrently with use
review.
Please contact James i Iewat at 303.441.3207 if you have any questions regarding
this matter.
1 ,
November 12th, 2008
Site Review Commenfs for 4051 Broadway
TEC2008-00052
The applicant's submittal of a completed application to landmark the barn and a
portion of the property (as per policy 2.33 Preservation of Historic and Cultural
Resources of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan), in February of 2008 has
satisfied the historic preservation condition for Site Review approval. The
application to T andmark the building was reviewed by the Landmarks Board on
June 3, 2008. An ordinance for the designation of the building and portion of the
property was passed by the City Council on October T", 2008.
Plans indicate that a portion of proposed building #1 is to be located on the
western boundary of the proposed Landmark area. If the building extends over,
yr is on the boundary, that portion of the building will be subject to review of a
landmark alteration certificate by the Landmarks Board. Otherwise, the Board
has no formal review of construction on the property that occurs outside of the
landmark bvundary.
If you have questions regarding this matter, please call James Hewat at
303.441.3207.
(The following was extracted
from a policy paper submitted by historic Preservation for
Obama to the candidate's campaign. It reflects one candidate's current position, but can
be adapted for bipartisan support.)
1. Recommendations
General Statement for Inclusion in Campaien Statements, Materials Etc.
`By protecting and enhancing the buildings, communities and landscapes that tell America's
story, historic preservation allows us to maintain tangible contact with the places where our
identity as a nation was established and our character as a people was shaped. These tangible
contacts with our past strengthen the sense of stability, unity and continuity that is essential in a
healthy society and a building block for livable communities. As concerns mount about climate
change, and our unsustainable consumption of irreplaceable natural resources, the passion for
preserving is all the more important. Historic preservation necessarily involves the conservation.
of existing resources and their adaptive reuse for the future. Now more than ever, America needs
the model of growth and sustainable stewardship historic preservation embodies."
Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment
Buildings and real estate development patterns need to be addressed as part of a
comprehensive climate change plan. Specifically,
• The siting, building, rehabbing, using and reusing of buildings must be addressed. The
plan should include recognition that existing buildings are a renewable and not a
disposable resource; that their reuse represents conservation of scarce resources and an
effective tool for reducing carbon emissions.
• The adaptive reuse of historic buildings should be recognized for what it is -an extremely
effective smart growth strategy-and as such fimded from acap-and-trade climate bill.
These funds should be directed to reusing older and historic buildings with a focus on
measurable impacts on carbon such as sprawl abatement and transit oriented growth.
• The development of renewable technologies and building efficiency goals should
embrace older and historic buildings and pursue awin-win strategy of modernizing these
buildings while extending their social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits.
• Skilled Clean Technologies Workforce initiatives should embrace the crafts and skills
needed to create energy efficient buildings, including rehabilitating historic buildings.
Transportation, Transit and Smart Growth
Transportation and infrastructure policy should be moving us towards sustainability and
energy independence:
• We must move beyond the old paradigm of "older neighborhoods versus roads" to a new
day when federal infrastructure is designed to service existing, dense historic
neighborhoods and walkable infill with not just roads but transit systems, bike lanes etc.
• Section 4(f) rules should be honored to ensure we do not damage older neighborhoods.
• Transportation policy should empower local communities within national transportation
standards to decide what is necessary to meet those goals as well as the needs of its
neighborhoods and residents. A good model for this is the existing llepartment of
Transportation Enhancements Program which sets aside funding so that transportation
projects can be designed in a way that supports historic and cultural resources.
Tax Code
Reform the current tax code to encourage better development and transportation choices.
An excellent model can be found in Section 47 of the Code -the federal Rehabilitation Tax
Credits. These credits incentivize adaptive reuse of not just historic but also older non-historic
buildings.
• The rehabilitation credit and its administration need updating to meet the challenges of
the current situation. This updating should include additional incentives for using green
technology in maintaining and renovating buildings and better coordination with climate
change, and economic development goals. Needless complexity should be eliminated.
• The adaptive reuse of historic buildings for affordable housing should be promoted,
including by addressing disconnects between the Rehabilitation Tax Credit and the Low-
lncome Housing Tax Credits.
• The New Markets Tax Credit should be renewed and better coordinated with the
Rehabilitation Tax Credit to steer economic expansion to disinvested neighborhoods.
Historic Preservation Administration
The federal historc preservation function must be modernized and positioned to
contribute more fully to the challenges we face. This function is currently performed largely by
the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on IIistoric Preservation (ACHP). The
ACHP coordinates policy across the government while the NPS administers core preservation
programs (e.g. the National Register and the federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit). 'I'bis
structure is over 30 years old. Although EPA, H[JD, Commerce and Transportation do have
modest preservation expertise, there is a significant gap between federal housing, climate change,
economic development and transportation policy on the one hand and preservation on the other.
As a result, the full potential of preservation to help address critical issues remains untapped.
Many cities go well beyond the federal bureaucracy in recognizing the critical role of
preservation experts in their policy teams. To capitalize on the potential of historic preservation: '
• The new White House Office of Domestic Policy should address historic preservation,
perhaps working with an expanded ACHP. Currently, the ACHP does not coordinate
incentives, which are fragmented throughout the federal government. The federal
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit has been very successful at helping to finance the
adaptive reuse of historic buildings but is not administered by NPS in a way that
coordinates with climate change, sustainability and affordable housing initiatives.
• The federal government needs to devise a uniform set of generally accepted metrics for
rehabilitation, historic preservation and heritage tourism that can be used to measure and
analyze the direct and indirect economic and environmental impacts of preservation.
• Once adequately positioned, the preservation function needs to be better funded. In
particular, the Historic Preservation Fund needs to be fi~nded at $75MM (up from a
current $48MM). Funding currently treats preservation as purely a cultural matter; it is
not funded or positioned to play the important role that it can in solving our problems.
Rural
The successful National "Main Streets" program of }zeritage-based commercial revitalization and
heritage tourism should be incorporated into rural economic development initiatives.
Foreign Policy
A nc~w ~:ullaboratiuu between the Dcpartn~:ents oC State, Interior and 11UU should be cstablisLed
tip incorlxuate heritage and preservation strategies into our public diplomacy efforts.