HomeMy WebLinkAboutAuthorize City Manager to sign T.B. Story Mansion and Carriage House Conservation Easement Agreement for Save America's Treasures Grant
Commission Memorandum
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Allyson C. Bristor, Associate Planner & Historic Preservation Officer
SUBJECT: T.B. Story Mansion and Carriage House Conservation Easement for the
Save America’s Treasures Grant No. 30-04-ML-0046
HEARING DATE: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
RECOMMENDATION: The Commission directs the City Manager to sign the T.B. Story
Mansion and Carriage House Conservation Easement for the Save America’s Treasures Grant
No. 30-04-ML-0046.
BACKGROUND: In August 2005, the City of Bozeman signed the Save America’s Treasures
grant agreement for the rehabilitation of the T.B. Story Mansion and Carriage House property.
Several special conditions were linked with the grant award, including the requirement to
execute a conservation/preservation easement for the historic property.
The intent of the Save America’s Treasures grant program is to preserve highly significant
historic properties for future generations. As the grantee, the City of Bozeman must grant a
conservation/preservation easement to the Montana State Historic Preservation Officer for the
T.B. Story Mansion and Carriage House property. The easement must run for no less than 50
years, and include mandatory provisions to protect and maintain the property and provide public
access to the property at least 12 days a year.
Both the National Park Service and the Montana State Historic Preservation Office have
reviewed the draft copy of the conservation easement and find it acceptable for signatures and
recording.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: Staff is not aware of any unresolved issues for this proposed
development at this time.
FISCAL EFFECTS: The Department of Planning is not aware of any fiscal effects for the
proposed development at this time.
ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission.
CONTACT: Please email Allyson Bristor at abristor@bozeman.net if you have any questions
prior to the public hearing.
APPROVED BY: Andrew Epple, Planning Director
Chris Kukulski, City Manager
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Please return original recorded document to:
Bozeman Department of Planning
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
T.B. STORY MANSION AND CARRIAGE HOUSE CONSERVATION EASEMENT
AGREEMENT FOR SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES GRANT NO. 30-04-ML-0046
INTRODUCTION. This conservation easement agreement is made the ____ day of _______ in 2009,
between the City of Bozeman, as Grantor of a conservation easement (hereafter referred to as the
“Grantor”), and the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, as Grantee of the conservation easement
(hereafter referred to ask the “Grantee”). This conservation easement agreement is for the purpose of
preserving the T.B. Story Mansion and Carriage House property (hereafter referred to as “Subject
Property”), a one-block City of Bozeman site, which includes two buildings, that is culturally,
historically, and architecturally significant.
1. The Subject Property. This agreement creates a conservation easement in real estate for the Subject
Property, which is legally described as Lot 1A, Block 3, Amended Butte Addition, City of Bozeman,
Gallatin County, Montana, and is located at 811 South Willson Avenue and 111 West Harrison Street,
Bozeman, Montana.
2. Grant of conservation easement. In consideration of the sum of $493,839.00 received in grant-in-aid
financial assistance from the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior, the
Grantor hereby grants to the Grantee a conservation easement in the Subject Property for the purpose of
assuring preservation of the Subject Property.
3. Easement required for federal grant. This conservation easement is granted as a condition of the
eligibility of the Grantor for the financial assistance from the National Park Service of the United States
Department of the Interior appropriated from the Historic Preservation Fund for the Save America’s
Treasures Grant Program.
4. Conditions of easement:
a. Duration. This conservation easement is granted for a period of fifty (50) years commencing on
the date when it is filed with the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
b. Documentation of condition of the Subject Property. In order to make more certain the full extent
of Grantor’s obligations and the restrictions on the Subject Property, and in order to document the
nature and condition of the Subject Property, including significant landscape and open space
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features, building interior elements in spatial context, a list of character-defining building
materials, features and spaces, is incorporated as “Exhibit A” at the end of this agreement. The
Grantor has provided to the Grantee as-built architectural drawings of the buildings, which are
incorporated as “Exhibit B” at the end of this agreement. The Grantor agrees that the nature and
condition of the Subject Property is accurately documented by the written narrative and
architectural drawings, which shall be maintained for the life of this easement in the Grantee’s
conservation easement file for the Subject Property.
c. Restrictions on activities that would affect historically significant components of the Subject
Property. The Grantor agrees that no construction, alteration, or remodeling, or any other activity
shall be undertaken or permitted to be undertaken on the Subject Property which would affect
historically significant landscape and open space features, exterior building construction
materials, architectural details, form, fenestration, height of the buildings, and building interior
spaces and features identified in “Exhibit A” and “Exhibit B”, or adversely affect its structural
soundness without prior written permission of the Grantee, affirming that such reconstruction,
repair, repainting, refinishing, rehabilitation, preservation, or restoration will meet The Secretary
of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (hereinafter referred to as the
“Standards”).
d. Duty to maintain the Subject Property. The Grantor agrees at all times to maintain the Subject
Property in a good and sound state of repair and to maintain the Subject Property according to the
Standards so as to prevent deterioration and preserve the architectural and historical integrity of
the Subject Property in ways that protect and enhance those qualities that make the Subject
Property eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
e. Public access. The Grantor agrees to provide public access to view the grant-assisted work or
features no less than 12 days a year on an equitably spaced basis. The dates and times when the
Subject Property will be open to the public must be annually published and provided to the
Grantee. At the option of the Grantor, the relevant portions of the Subject Property may also be
open at other times by appointment, in addition to the scheduled 12 days a year. Nothing in this
agreement will prohibit a reasonably nondiscriminatory admission fee, comparable to fees
charged at similar facilities in the area.
f. Right to inspect. The Grantor agrees that the Grantee, its employees, agents and designees shall
have the right to inspect the Subject Property at all reasonable times, with twenty-four hours
written notice, in order to ascertain whether the conditions of this easement agreement are being
observed.
g. Anti-discrimination. The Grantor agrees to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(42 U.S.C. 2000 (d), the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12204), and with Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794). These laws prohibit discrimination on the
basis of race, religion, national origin, or disability. In implementing public access, reasonable
accommodation to qualified disabled persons shall be made in consultation with the Grantee.
h. Easement shall run with the land; conditions on conveyance. This conservation easement shall
run with the land and be binding on the Grantor, its successors and assigns. The Grantor agrees
to insert an appropriate reference to this easement agreement in any deed or other legal
instrument by which it divests itself of either the fee simple title or other lesser estate in the
Subject Property, or any part thereof.
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i. Casualty Damage or Destruction. In the event that the Subject Property or any part of it shall be
damaged or destroyed by fire, flood, windstorm, earth movement, or other casualty, the Grantor
shall notify the Grantee in writing within 14 days of the damage or destruction, such notification
including what, if any, emergency work has already been completed. No repairs or
reconstruction of any type, other than temporary emergency work to prevent further damage to
the Subject Property and to protect public safety, shall be undertaken by the Grantor without the
Grantee’s prior written approval indicating that the proposed work will meet the Standards. The
Grantee shall give its written approval, if any, of any proposed work within 60 days of receiving
the request from the Grantor. If after reviewing the condition of the Subject Property, the Grantee
determines that the features, materials, appearance, workmanship, and environment which made
the Subject Property eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places has been lost or
so damaged that its continued National Register listing is in question, the Grantee will evaluate
the findings and notify the Grantor in writing of any decision to remove the Subject Property
from the National Register. If the Subject Property is removed, the Grantee will then notify the
Grantor that the agreement is null and void. If the damage or destruction that warrants the
properties removal from the National Register is deliberately caused by the gross negligence of
the Grantor or future owner, then the Grantee will initiate requisite legal action to recover, at a
minimum, the Federal grant funds applied to the Subject Property which will then be returned to
the U.S. Treasury.
j. Enforcement. The Grantee shall have the right to prevent and correct violations of the terms of
this easement. If the Grantee, upon inspection of the Subject Property, finds what appears to be a
violation, it may exercise its discretion to seek injunctive relief in a court having jurisdiction.
Except when an ongoing or imminent violation will irreversibly diminish or impair the cultural,
historical and architectural importance of the Subject Property, the Grantee shall give the Grantor
written notice of the violation and allow thirty (30) days to correct the violation before taking any
formal action, including, but not limited to, legal action. If a court, having jurisdiction,
determines that a violation exists or has occurred, the Grantee may obtain an injunction to stop
the violation, temporarily or permanently. A court may also issue a mandatory injunction
requiring the Grantor to restore the Subject Property to a condition that would be consistent with
preservation purposes of the grant from the National Park Service. In any case where a court
finds that a violation has occurred, the court may require the Subject Property to reimburse the
Grantee and the State Attorney General for all the State’s expenses incurred in stopping,
preventing and correcting the violation, including but not limited to reasonable attorney’s fees.
The failure of the Grantee to discover a violation or to take immediate action to correct a
violation shall not bar it from doing so at a later time.
k. Amendments. The parties may by mutual written agreement jointly amend this easement,
provided the amendment shall be consistent with preservation purpose of this easement and shall
not reduce its term of duration. Any such amendment shall not be effective unless it is executed
in the same manner as this easement, refers expressly to this easement, and is filed with the
Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
l. Effective date; severability. This conservation easement shall become effective when the Grantor
files it in the Office of the Recorder of Gallatin County, Montana, with a copy of the recorded
instrument provided to the Grantee for its conservation easement file. If any part of this
conservation easement agreement is held to be illegal by a court, the validity of the remaining
parts shall not be affected, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and
enforced as if the conservation agreement does not contain the particular part held to be invalid.
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GRANTOR: ______________________________
Name
_______________________________
Title
STATE OF MONTANA )
)ss.
County of Gallatin )
On this _____ day of _______________, 20 , before me, a Notary Public for the State of
Montana, personally appeared CHRIS KUKULSKI and STACY ULMEN, known to me to be the City
Manager and City Clerk for the City of Bozeman and the persons whose names are subscribed to the
within instrument, and acknowledged to me that they executed the same for and on behalf of the City of
Bozeman.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and
year first above written.
(SEAL)
__________________________________
Notary Public for State of Montana
(Printed Name)
Residing at Bozeman, Montana
My Commission Expires:_______/ /20
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GRANTEE: ______________________________
Name
_______________________________
Title
STATE OF MONTANA )
)ss.
County of Gallatin )
On this _____ day of _______________, 20 , before me, a Notary Public for the State of
Montana, personally appeared MARK BAUMLER, known to me to be the State Historic Preservation
Officer for the Montana State Historic Preservation Office and the person whose name is subscribed to
the within instrument, and acknowledged to me that they executed the same for and on behalf of the
Montana State Historic Preservation Office.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and
year first above written.
(SEAL)
__________________________________
Notary Public for State of Montana
(Printed Name)
Residing at Bozeman, Montana
My Commission Expires:_______/ /20
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EXHIBIT A TO T.B. STORY MANSION AND CARRIAGE HOUSE
CONSERVATION EASEMENT AGREEMENT
T.B. Story Mansion and Carriage House, Bozeman, Montana
To remain eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, a property must be able to
convey its significance. The following character-defining features have been identified as those that help
convey the significance of the T.B. Story Mansion & Carriage House property.*
Significant Exterior Spaces and Features
The Building Site/Lawn
The Story Mansion and Carriage House property occupy an entire city block in the heart of Bozeman’s
Bon Ton Historic District. It is one of a few surviving historic mansions in Montana that graces an entire
city block in an urban setting.
Barn/Carriage House
The original barn/carriage house is an important historic feature of the Story Mansion property. Key
architectural characteristics of the barn include its traditional gambrel roof, a hay hook, second story hay
door on the west elevation, two pitched roof dormers on the south and north elevations, a large chimney,
and unusual decorative half-timbering in the barn’s stuccoed gambrel ends.
Historically the barn helps to date the property as a site that developed on the town’s periphery prior to
the advent of the automobile. The barn also speaks to the agrarian heritage that helped define the success
of the T.B. Story family and Bozeman generally. The physical location of the barn also helps to define
the southwest quadrant of the Story Mansion property and the existing parking area. It is also one of the
few surviving large barns within the city limits.
Landscape – “The Grove”
The mature cottonwoods, lilacs, and other landscaping on the site make a significant visual contribution
in defining the historic appearance of the southeast quadrant of the property. The grove constitutes an
important “outdoor room” of the site.
Architectural Design
The design of the Story Mansion is a key aspect of its overall visual character. Its size, scale, and location
on the city block it occupies help to distinguish the mansion from other notable historic properties in its
vicinity. Its distinctive asymmetrical massing and massive front porch are characteristic of Queen Anne
architecture, a common local architectural style in Bozeman during the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries.
The Story Mansion is stylistically unusual and somewhat difficult to classify, having details that are
reflective of many styles of architecture. The mansion exterior features a broad range of stylistic
influences in addition to Queen Anne architecture, including Tudor Revival, and to a lesser extent
Craftsman details.
The Principal Facades:
Because the Story Mansion occupies an entire city block and is of a significant size and scale, each of its
facades is easily viewed by the general public. The principal facades of the mansion are the front/east
(South Willson Avenue) and the north (West College Street) elevations.
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Front/East (S. Willson Avenue)
Especially noteworthy on the front façade is the large circular turret/bay at the northeast corner of
the building. This architectural feature is crowned by a conical shingled roof with exposed rafter
tails and is accented by rounded glass windows. The turret’s decorative dormer, complete with a
Tudor-influenced pointed arch window and flared bargeboards is an especially appealing feature
of the front façade. The stuccoed gabled ends with decorative half-timbering are another
significant character-defining feature that serves to link the residence loosely to the Tudor
Revival Style. Serving to further embellish and lend textured variation to the building’s facades
are small and larger dentil-like modillion courses under the cornices and fascia boards. The
numerous smaller scroll sawn brackets under the eaves are another unusual characteristic
North (W. College Street)
The north elevation contains the significant porte-cochere feature, which was originally the
primary entrance for residents of the Story Mansion.
Main Entrance & Porch/Solarium
The Story Mansion is dominated by a one-story, recessed wrap-around porch/solarium on its front (east)
and side (south) elevations. The porch and its supporting columns are a key character-defining feature of
the property. The porch’s smaller, classically-inspired wooden octagonal columns are representative of
later, but still a common interpretation of, the Queen Ann style, known as free classic. The
porch/solarium also features some massive Craftsman-inspired tapered square masonry columns.
Other interesting features of the porch/solarium are the several decorative sandstone porch drains,
accented with light Columbus sandstone voussoirs and larger keystones, which punch through the thick
Bridger sandstone stone porch wall. Both functional and decorative, these architectural elements have
undoubtedly helped to preserve the structural integrity of the porch system.
More than an important transitional space between the massive house and its extensive lawn, the
porch/solarium plays a key role in defining the dominant architectural style of the Story Mansion, as well
as its distinguishing decorative detailing. The mansion may be the only example of Queen Anne
architecture in Bozeman with Craftsman-inspired porch columns.
Second Floor Balconies
A central balcony alcove between the circular bay and the gabled-roof bay on the house’s front elevation
exists directly above the main entrance. Accessible via what was originally T.B. Story’s study on the
second floor, the fairly large recessed balcony features a scroll sawn wood railing with a decorative clover
motif. A smaller, purely ornamental balcony – again, with a decorative clover motif – embellishes the
master bedroom’s east elevation windows.
Another large balcony supported by massive, scroll sawn knee braces extended along the full width of the
mansion’s west gable-roofed wing.
Porte Cochere
Another important and unusual character-defining feature of the Story Mansion is the porte cochere which
graces the building’s north elevation. The porte cochere was originally the primary entrance for residents
of the mansion. The front door to the residence was reserved primarily for guests. Historic photos
indicate that a serpentine driveway once approached this architectural embellishment from the
intersections of West College and South Willson as well as the intersections of West College and South
Grand. Though the cochere has lost its original purpose, it is still a significant feature.
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Windows
In the Story Mansion, windows comprise a considerable amount of the historic fabric of the wall plane.
The Story Mansion features several decorative windows which lend character and interest to the
building’s exterior appearance. Of these, the decorative pointed arch windows found in the turret dormer
and immediately to the north of the main entrance as well as the diamond pane fixed windows are
significant reflections of the mansion’s Tudor influence. Also important are the large double-hung semi-
circular windows in the turrets and the numerous multi-pane transom windows.
Half Timbering
Stylistically, one of the most important character-defining elements of the Story Mansion and its
associated barn/carriage house is its exposed decorative (not structural) half-timbering. Found in the
stuccoed gable and gambrel ends of the mansion and the carriage house, the decorative half-timbering
reflects Medieval in-filled timber framing and is closely associated with the popular Tudor Revival Style
of the early twentieth century.
Craftsman Inspired Details:
In addition to its obvious nod to the Tudor Revival style, the Story Mansion also expresses influences
from the Arts and Crafts movement, which was coming into vogue in Bozeman around 1910. The
Craftsman details which are most obvious on the building’s exterior include the tapered masonry front
porch columns, the giant knee braces on the rear, south and north elevations and exposed rafter tails.
Tapered Masonry Front Porch Columns
The porch/solarium also features some massive Craftsman-inspired tapered square masonry
columns.
Giant Knee Braces on West, South & North Elevations
The giant carved wooden knee braces found on the rear (west) and side (north) elevations, and the
paired scroll sawn knee braces on the south elevation, are an interesting architectural detail.
Historic knee braces of this size are quite rear and unique in the Bozeman area. This is a
distinguishing architectural detail.
Exposed Rafter Tails
The exposed rafter tails are unique because they embellish the mansion’s Victorian turret, rather
than under all of the eaves, as is more typically the case in Craftsman style homes.
Exterior Masonry
The exterior masonry has a distinctive green-brown color and is utilized in the construction of the Story
Mansion and Carriage House.
Significant Interior Spaces and Features
Decorative Woodwork
A large amount of decorative woodwork in the Story Mansion exists. All wood, with exception to one
bedroom upstairs, is beautifully stained, quarter sawn, white oak. Doors, door and window frames, all
paneling and baseboards are preserved and very significant to the mansion’s interior spaces.
The main staircase is impressive with oak balusters, banisters, and newel posts that extend upwards and
downward from the main floor foyer. The woodwork on the third floor has been painted, so has lost some
of its integrity but it is still significant.
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Built-In Features
The main floor of the Story Mansion features several built-in features that lend a great deal of historic
character and integrity to the residence. Most significant are the leaded glass bookcases in the library and
the leaded glass china buffet in the dining room. The wooden bench area, near the porte cochere entrance
is significant because it is provides evidence of the functional nature of that utilitarian entrance.
Fireplaces
The main floor contains two character-defining masonry fireplaces, both with their original mantels and
tile work. The first is located in the living room and appears to be an original feature with large cream
colored tiles. A second fireplace is found in the office on the main floor and features a decorative
Craftsman style mantel and glazed green ceramic tile. A third noteworthy fireplace is found in the master
bedroom on the second floor. Like the office on the main floor, it also features decorative tile work. Like
the office on the main floor, it also features decorative tile work.
Light Fixtures
Historic interior photographs indicated that many of the existing Tudor inspired metals lamps and light
fixtures were present in the Story Mansion as early as 1924 and probably original features of the property.
These surviving features add a great deal of historic character to the house’s interior.
The Front Hall Closet
The mansion’s front hall closet contains a historically significant feature – the recorded names and
heights of T.B. and Kate Story’s children in lead pencil.
The Third Floor Cloak Room
In terms of its highly unusual shape and proportions, the mansion’s third floor cloak room is noteworthy.
Oral history indicates that the room was utilized for costume storage to outfit the Story family’s guests
during masquerade balls and may have been lined in cedar to prevent moths from damaging the fabrics.
Carriage House/Barn
Although the main floor of the interior of the barn has been significantly modified and adapted to
accommodate living quarters for the fraternity residents, the second story loft area is remarkably well
preserved. The structural systems of the barn building, most notably the roof trusses, are exposed and
character-defining elements of this interior space.
*The list and description of significant features was obtained from the comprehensive report titled “For
Past, Present and Future Generations: A Historic Preservation Report on Bozeman’s T. Byron Story
Mansion,” by Derek B. Strahn, 2003. The report was completed as paid contract work for the use of the
City of Bozeman.
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