Community Planning and Development Denver Landmark Preservation 201 West Colfax, Dept. 205 Denver, CO 80202 p: 720.865.2709 f: 720.865.3050 www.denvergov.org/preservation STAFF BRIEF This document is the staff s comparison of the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation, Design Guidelines for Denver Landmark Structures and Districts, the Landmark Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 30, Revised Municipal Code) and other applicable adopted area guidelines as applied to the proposed application. It is intended to provide guidance during the commission s deliberation of the proposed application. Guidelines are available at www.denvergov.org/preservation Project: #2018-COA-516 LPC Meeting: January 8, 2019 Address: 636 Clayton Street Staff: Krystal Marquez Historic Dist/DLM: East 7 th Avenue Historic District Year structure built: C.1933 (Period of Significance: Prior to and Including 1943) Council District: #10 Wayne New Applicant: Jere Hart, Homeowner Project Scope Under Review: Site Work Retaining Wall, Basic red stackable retaining wall block Staff Summary: The applicant, Jere Hart, is requesting approval for a half-circle retaining wall constructed of red stackable retaining wall block that was installed sometime between 2007-2011 at 636 Clayton Street. The retaining wall will be setback from the sidewalk 16 feet and is built at the top left side of the sloped front yard adjacent to an existing brick stair walkway from the sidewalk. The applicant has provided photo examples of other retaining walls of similar retaining wall blocks in the district at: 607 Clayton St, 610 Steele St (which is outside of the district), 624 Milwaukee St, 649 Milwaukee St, 628 Columbine St and retaining wall block on Detroit St. The retaining wall at 636 Clayton St has not previously been reviewed and approved, therefore the Commission will be retroactively reviewing this item. Registered Neighborhood Organization (RNO) comments: RNO review of the proposed project scope is not required. Excerpted from Design Guidelines for Denver Landmark Structures and Districts, January 2016 Guideline 5.3 Plan new site and landscape features to respect the characterdefining features of the historic district or individually-designated Denver landmark. a. Landscape the street-facing portion of a lot to be consistent with historic landscape patterns on the street, such as matching Meets Guideline? Comments The proposed red stackable block retaining wall will have minimal visual impact on the character defining features of the East 7 th Avenue Historic District and is consistent with the placement of similar features within the district. The addition of a retaining wall will not create a false sense of history as retaining walls are
tree types where one is missing along a consistent tree row. b. Where an established tree has been removed, replace it with a similar species. c. When introducing a new site feature or modifying an existing feature, such as a stairway, fence or retaining wall, respect historical patterns in terms of placement, proportions and design compatibility with surrounding historic context. d. When designing a new sidewalk or path, use colors, styles and finishes similar to those seen in nearby historic sidewalks. e. Avoid introducing new site features that convey a false sense of history. f. Avoid introducing new readily visible site features, such as curb cuts, which were not historically present on the property, or prevalent in the historic district. common to the East 7 th Avenue Historic District. See comments under guideline 5.11 and 5.12. 5.11 Avoid adding a new retaining wall unless necessary and all alternatives have been explored. a. Add a new retaining wall that will alter the slope of a Denver Hill front yard area only where at least one of the following conditions is present:» The Denver Hill is not a characterdefining feature of the historic district.» There is a high level of variety in the treatment of front yard areas among adjacent properties, including retaining walls.» The front yard slope is unstable, threatens the foundation of a historic structure, and other stabilization strategies have failed. Rolling front lawns are common within the East 7 th Avenue Historic District. The application for designation talks extensively on the landscape design of the East 7 th Avenue Historic District in relations to two famous landscape architects, S.R. DeBoer and Jane Silverstein Ries, although it recognizes the prominence of the Hill it does not preclude alterations to the Hill. The designations states [Jane] Silverstein Ries supplies the solution. The hills are made from the dirt excavated to build the residences. More economical than paying someone to haul dirt away, the practice provided a landscape opportunity that early owners desired. To have the suggestion of the hills rather than flatter prairie land had great appeal. It is interesting to note the hills are less predominant as one moves east in 7 th Avenue. This is happening as the architecture increasingly reflects the influence of Chicago School. Silverstein Reis has long advocated capturing additional living space from the hills by designing imaginative retaining walls. The application further states Landscape architects Saco Reinke DeBoer and Jane Silverstein Ries provided leadership for 7 th Avenue residents to pursue an exciting array of approaches for landscaping residences. The richness of the landscaping, like the richness of the architecture, lies in the variety
Retaining walls are common within the East 7 th Avenue Historic District and they are not out of character for the district nor precluded as a possible landscape option in the application for designation. 5.12 Locate and design a new retaining wall to minimize impacts on the historic district or historic property (when warranted based on the criteria in Guideline 5.11). a. Use a low kick wall, up to one foot in height, to help stabilize the yard while maintaining most of the historic slope. b. Design a new retaining wall to minimize visual impacts on the character defining features of the historic property, block and district. c. Use materials that are common to the historic district or that relate to the historic property. For example, if a stone wall is a part of the design tradition, the wall should be stone, or stone-faced. d. Avoid using terraced retaining walls. e. Do not completely replace the slope with a tall retaining wall. The proposed half-circle retaining wall was designed to give the homeowner additional flat area at the top of the hill and has minimal visual impacts on the district. It is setback approximately 16 feet from the sidewalk edge near the top of the hill. The wall will be constructed out of red stackable retaining wall block which has been used in other areas of the district. The proposed wall is not terraced and is only located on the left side of the yard nor does it completely replace the slope of the front yard. Recommendation: Basis: Approval The Denver Hill, while prominent in East 7 th Avenue Historic District, is not identified as a character defining feature in the application for designation and retaining walls are encouraged by two of the districts famous landscape architects to expand outdoor living space (5.11). The proposed retaining wall will have minimal visual impact on the district and is compatible in material design (5.12) Suggested Motion: I move to APPROVE application #2018-COA-516 for the site work, including a retaining wall at 636 N Clayton Street, as per design guidelines 5.3, 5.11, and 5.12, character-defining features for the East 7 th Avenue historic district, presented testimony, submitted documentation and information provided in the staff report.
East 7 th Avenue Historic District with 636 Clayton Street outlined in red
1929 (corrected 1937) Sanborn Map with 636 Clayton Street outlined in red END