HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-02-22 Public Comment - R. & C. Anderson - Comment on HomeBase Partner's proposal to demolish the Old Deaconess HospitalFrom:Roger and Carol Anderson
To:Agenda
Cc:Margaret Shively; Bruce Shively; Roger and Carol Shively Anderson
Subject:Comment on HomeBase Partner"s proposal to demolish the Old Deaconess Hospital
Date:Sunday, January 2, 2022 9:11:16 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Commissioners,
It is with deep love and concern for our town that I urge you not to approve the part ofHomeBase Partner's existing plan that would demolish the old Deaconess Hospital in their
mixed use development of North Central Bozeman. Consider letting them retrofit and re-purpose it, while still retaining its historic character.
With great foresight, you and your predecessors in City government have had spectacular
successes in the past with re-purposing historic buildings to benefit the community:
Imagine driving down Willson and seeing 10 - 20 houses where the Story Mansion nowstands. You fought hard to stop that for years. And you won. And our community is the better
for it.
You re-purposed the Carnegie Library when it was no longer large enough to serve its originalpurpose. Both the original and the new libraries are a magnificent credit to our city.
The private sector has shown a commitment to preservation and restoring historic buildings as
well:
The old red-brick school administration building next to the Willson School has beenbeautifully re-purposed into the Willson Residences, preserving its character while meeting
contemporary needs. You’ll recall that this building was deemed to be structurally unsound tohouse students, and yet it continued to office Bozeman City School administrators for decades.
Whatever condition the building might have been in, Bridger Builders took the necessary stepsto retain this important structure as a showplace and cornerstone of our community.
Citing structural decay as a reason for demolition is a common ploy. Please have your
engineers inspect it to get an unbiased opinion.
The Kimpton Armory is another fine example of keeping the old and blending it with the new.Then, there’s the Ale House and the many other businesses on Main Street that have carefully
and painstakingly restored these structures to their original glory. Our delightful downtowndraws many visitors to Bozeman who contribute massively to our local economy.
Montana State University has also done this kind of work. Consider the newly renovated
Romney Hall.
Couldn’t HomeBase do the same? Couldn’t they retain the historic character of this grand oldbuilding while retrofitting and expanding it for modern amenities?
Growth is inevitable in Bozeman. Let’s just make sure it’s done thoughtfully and sensitively,
understanding what makes the town so distinctive.
Please ask yourselves the question, “Besides the extraordinarily beautiful natural setting, whatis it that makes me feel so fortunate to live in Bozeman?”
If it has anything to do with the feeling you get when you drive or stroll down the streets of
our vibrant historic downtown and through the gracious neighborhoods of our historicdistricts, please insist that HomeBase respect our home base and alter their plans accordingly.
Don’t let them demolish the old Deaconess. This would erase part of Bozeman’s story and
destroy part of the historic character that gives it its incredible charm.
There’s a reason Bozeman is one of the most desirable places in the country to live. You lovethis place as much as we do. Please help keep it that way.
Respectfully,
Carol and Roger Anderson
205 Westridge DriveBozeman, MT 59715