HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-13-2020 Public Comment - C. & C. Pellet - Conditional Approval of Armory HotelMarch 13, 2020
Mr. Chris Saunders
121 N. Rouse
Bozeman,MT 59715
Dear Mr. Saunders:
As residents/owners of 5 West Mendenhall we are writing to express our
dismay and concern regarding the substantial changes to the Armory Hotel Project.
Per: CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF ARMORY HOTEL MODIFICATION TO APPROVED
PLAN, APPLICATION NO. 19410
REGARDING:
1) Deviation from original Ballroom function
2) Relocation of mechanical equipment and pool
3) Esthetics (exterior, interior and lighting)
4) Additional ninth floor
It is generally understood intra-construction changes are inevitable.
However, adding an entire floor of 8,000 sq./ft. increasing hotel room capacity
almost 20%, expanding the stated function of the ballroom to an entertainment
venue, modifying esthetic interior/exterior materials and relocating the mechanical
farm vertically seven stories; are not insignificant and clearly fall far outside
accepted intra-construction norms.
Taken individually each one of these variations test the boundaries of
standard construction plan changes, but when taken as a whole, they fundamentally
fall far outside the originally approved structure plans and the building's impact on
the surrounding neighborhood so as to essentially nullify previous public hearings.
Not only will these modifications have tangible deleterious effects to parking
pressure and property values, the re-location of mechanical units from the roof to
just above street level unnecessarily adds to esthetic and noise pollution as well.
These negative impacts to the immediate area and the neighborhood will drastically
diminish a resident's living experience. Fortunately these effects are not only
foreseeable but also avoidable. Please understand, we were enthusiastic supporters
of not only the original Etha plans but the current direction of the expansion of
Bozeman.
We are native Montanans, 1975 graduates ofMSU. We relocated outside the
state after graduation. Almost 45 years later we returned to find Bozeman had
grown from a sleepy college town into a thriving municipality while it still retained
its familiar Montana atmosphere/roots. In no small part this is a result of the
foresight of the city officials, both past and present.
f-
However, it would be a tragedy to see decades of that same foresight wasted
by setting an unfortunate precedence of circumventing public notices and allowing
these aforementioned aberrant changes to this project stand. Doing so will surely
undermine a proven approval process that has served Bozeman well for decades.
Therefore, we appeal the Conditional Approval regarding Application 19410
issued by Marty Matsen and implore the City Commissioners to consciously and
lawfully reject the request by the Armory Hotel to make modifications, namely:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Respectfully,
^m^i^
LCyfithia Pellett
5WMendenhalL#422
Armory Hotel to design and construct the ballroom area to the
originally approved plan;
Remove the mechanical equipment from the rooftop of the historic
Armory Building and place them on the rooftop of the Tower, out of
sight and noise from the general public;
Maintain the look and materials of the originally approved plan
including metal panels and chevron details;
Revise the newly proposed ninth floor to include the mechanical
equipment.
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