Denver’s Landmark Preservation Commission on Tuesday gave the green light to demolish two historic but derelict buildings on East Colfax Avenue, with all but one board member agreeing the multimillion-dollar restorations would be an economic hardship to the owner.
It’s a reversal of the commission’s rejection of a similar request by property owner Pando Holdings in June, and some commission members said they were torn over the decision.
“I’m going to feel bad about this one way or the other at the end of this,” commission member Rusty Brown said before the vote.
Most of the neighbors living near the 130-year-old former mansions at 1600 and 1618 E. Colfax Ave. who spoke at Tuesday’s public hearing urged the commission to approve demolition, describing the properties as harmful, dangerous nuisances that brought down property values.
A fire damaged one of the buildings in March, and city staff later declared both of them unsafe.
Pando Holdings officials have spent years working through Denver’s permitting process to build a seven-story apartment building that would preserve the buildings, which are part of the Wyman Historic District. The firm now estimates it would cost $12 million to restore the properties but only bring their resale value to $4 million.
“I almost thought it was a blessing when they caught fire,” Denver resident Ryan Glister told the commission during the public hearing.
“These properties have been a blight on the city,” resident Brad Gassman told commission members later in the hearing. “…They’re unsafe, there are crimes being committed day in and day out, and I think it’s having an economic impact on the city. It’s a black hole. Nobody wants to build or do anything there because of those properties.”
Preservation-focused nonprofit Historic Denver has repeatedly spoken out against demolishing the buildings, and representatives again objected to the plan on Tuesday.
“We believe that this will be a precedent and will create a viable pathway toward demolition that results in the loss of many more legally protected buildings across our city and country,” Historic Denver CEO John Deffenbaugh said.
Commission member George Dennis, the sole vote against demolition, said the owners knew what they were getting into when they bought the historic buildings.
“If the only question here is a successful business opportunity, that’s not something that’s within our purview,” Dennis said.
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Dennis also echoed assertions made by Historic Denver that the developer could apply for grants to offset the cost of restoration.
But commission member Larry Sykes cited the “magnitude of loss” and comments from the public in his decision to support demolition.
“These are not buildings that people and the public largely find compelling to save,” he said.
The commission will approve a replacement building before demolition can begin, according to city staff.
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