The present course of permits for individuals who do not have possession over a constructing to use for landmark standing.
DENVER — A Denver ordinance that pits property homeowners in opposition to neighbors might change into a factor of the previous, although the proposed change might imply Denver Metropolis Council would have extra wide-ranging energy over what’s and is not thought of a landmark.
Proprietor-opposed landmark designations have change into extra frequent in Denver. The method permits for at the least three individuals who do not have possession over a constructing to use for landmark standing to put it aside from builders. This may make it robust for the proprietor of that constructing, who could need to develop the land that constructing is on and make a revenue.
That was the case, for instance, when the proprietor of Tom’s Diner wished to promote the constructing on Colfax to fund his retirement. In June 2019, a bunch of Denver residents filed an utility to designate Tom’s Diner as a historic landmark.
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The group ultimately withdrew its utility for historic standing, and the proprietor and developer introduced they’d redevelop the constructing whereas making an attempt to protect its historical past.
It is not the one occasion of the town receiving an owner-opposed historic landmark utility. Denver Metropolis Council mentioned it has acquired 18 of them since 2010. The one one ever permitted in opposition to the property proprietor’s needs was for Beth Eden Church, which was once on Lowell Boulevard.
It is now a mixed-use house constructing that needed to preserve the church’s design integrity.
Metropolis Council is aware of these designations generally is a downside, as they put homeowners at monetary danger and they are often misused to forestall growth. Alternatively, they’re an outlet for neighbors to handle considerations about gentrification and the erasure of metropolis historical past.
Metropolis Council additionally mentioned the variety of owner-initiated requests has not elevated lately. Options for that, in keeping with a metropolis council presentation, together with waiving the payment for these purposes or developing with a quicker allowing course of.
Denver Metropolis Council can also be pitching a number of attainable changes to the owner-opposed permits.
The primary is eliminating owner-opposed purposes, however permitting the Neighborhood Planning and Growth Division or metropolis councilmembers, who could have sure biases towards the buildings of their districts, to use for historic standing for buildings.
A second suggestion requires an excellent majority of council members to approve owner-opposed landmarks.
A 3rd is to require a historic preservation group to be part of any utility.
Council can also be contemplating requiring compensation if an proprietor loses out financially from a landmark standing being permitted.
Councilwoman Kendra Black, Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer and Councilman Kevin Flynn are pitching these concepts to the remainder of council.
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