HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-06-20 Public Comment - C. Costello - In support of The Armory Hotel 19410From:Cary Costello
To:Agenda
Subject:Public comment in support of The Armory Hotel - #19410
Date:Monday, April 6, 2020 10:58:15 AM
Dear Bozeman City Commissioners,
I am writing in support of the Armory Hotel project and the appeals you are considering on April 6. As adowntown homeowner (Lamme and Bozeman), the Armory Hotel is a valuable addition to the landscapeof Bozeman’s downtown. Once open for business, The Armory will be a one-of-a-kind property in thestate of Montana from a service and amenity perspective. Bozeman is lucky that developers chose toreuse the historic Armory building as an integral component of this project.
Regarding the appeals:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->EIFS Condition: The efforts associated with the
recommended EIFS Condition adjustments seem to be unreasonable given the 2015 city building
approval and the city’s inspection opportunities through the construction of the building. The
exterior would have been designed differently had the proposed EIFS Condition been applied in
2015 when the city Building department approved the plans. Why should the integrity of the
structure be comprised and/or the construction of the project be jeopardized with additional
expenses to satisfy what appears to be a trivial condition? The exterior of the building looks
fantastic, and appears to be of a superior quality compared to other large-scale projects in the
downtown corridor
<!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Mechanical Equipment: Regarding the appeal from the
neighboring condominium board, mechanical equipment is visible on buildings throughout
downtown, where it is located at the Armory is not unique. Would the condominium board prefer
that the old abandoned Armory structure be there instead of a first-class hotel? What would that
do to their property values? The idea that 5 West property values are impacted negatively by
screened mechanical equipment is suspect and not grounds for moving the equipment or
requiring more/different screening that is already intended.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->Exterior Lighting: From what I’ve gathered, the proposed
exterior lighting is compliant with city code in consideration of its impact on neighbors and thenight sky
Thank you for your consideration of my comments. I urge to allow this project to be completed in a timely
manner, without burdening it with undue additional expenses.
Sincerely,
Cary Costello