HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-19-24 Public Comment - R. Brey - Landmark Project work sessionFrom:Ron Brey
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Landmark Project work session
Date:Tuesday, November 19, 2024 9:38:05 AM
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Mayor Cunningham and Commissioners
As you consider the Landmark program and possible changes to the NCOD, Iwould like to offer some thoughts for your consideration
We have all been excited by the extensive efforts of many downtown property
owners to restore their buildings to their original character by undoing the mid
century modern facades put in place by the unfortunate architectural trends of
the time. I wonder if they would have been similarly motivated to restore the
beauty of these buildings if the city’s “diamond ring” objective of surrounding the
core with multistory monoliths would have been launched a decade earlier. The
effect would have been building a museum rather than complementing the
historic beauty of old Bozeman. While the trendy building facades can be
removed and the original beauty of the buildings restored, the same can’t be
said for the destruction of old neighborhoods and the installation of these out of
scale and out of character structures I don’t need to remind you that there were
provisions in the NCOD which should have prevented this but were seemingly
ignored.
I moved into the NCOD about 12 years ago knowing full well what thoseregulations entailed for my projects. I have done two which required COAs. Both reviews were conducted in the time frame promised and both reviewsimproved my projects.
There are mountains of analysis which demonstrate the many ways in which
historic preservation can enhance affordable housing efforts. To say that old
neighborhoods must be demolished to make way for the kinds of construction
we are seeing is simply not the case.
My last point is related to the acknowledgement that past preservation focussedprimarily on buildings and that this effort will expand the attention to people andplaces. When I inquired at the open house whether places includedneighborhoods I was told that it did. I hope that this and the acknowledgementby the consultants of the success of the NCOD will encourage you to, at aminimum, keep the current provisions in place.
Thanks again for your commitment of time and effort to this important cause.
Ron Brey
1106 South 3rdBozeman